The year in DVD

From collector's editions to favourite shows, Hollywood brought it home

DVD sales have long been Hollywood's crutch of choice. While movie audiences have been shrinking for years, the home entertainment business has assured robust profit margins for studios that now rake in more cash from DVDs than box office. 2005 leaves us, however, with the industry facing an uncertain future. In question is who will win the critical battle to determine what next-generation DVD technology looks like. Sony, which backs Blue-ray high-definition discs, appears to be the likely victor because it has the support of both Hollywood studios -- and will be built into next year's PlayStation 3 game console.

Opposing the Blu-ray group (not to be confused with the Blue Man Group) is a consortium, including Toshiba, that has developed the HD DVD format. Time is of the essence because sales of flat-screen high-definition television sets are spiking.

Worrisome, too, are recent reports that DVD sales may be peaking amid a pop culture landscape exploding with entertainment choices and ever-new technologies.

We say -- let the suits do the fretting. We're happy to kick back and pop in our favourite movie. Here are the Calgary Sun's picks for the best movies released in 2005 on DVD.

1) SIDEWAYS: Alexander Payne's keenly-observed follow-up to About Schmidt is both a mellow character study and a high farce drunk with emotion. The commentary by Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church reveals the easy rapport they share on-screen translates off-camera too.

2) MILLION DOLLAR BABY: "I'm just doing what feels right," Clint Eastwood tells effusive interviewer James Lipton (Inside The Actors Studio) during a chat with Oscar-winning trio Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman on the DVD. "I don't think too much about it." True, as a director, Eastwood makes every blow count. His wrenching, Oscar-winning Million Dollar Baby is as spare and economical as the screen icon himself. Eastwood's drama is as much about faith, sacrifice and contrition as exchanging left hooks.

3) STAR WARS EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH: The year's biggest DVD -- and movie -- redeemed creator George Lucas with its sinister tale of how Anakin Skywalker finally fell to the dark side of the Force to become Darth Vader. The DVD's bounty of extras is a Wookiee-like shout-out to fanboys.

4) CINDERELLA MAN: Ron Howard's biography of Depression-era boxing legend James Braddock is a crowd-pleaser that entertains more than it illuminates. That said, it's also packs a sucker punch thanks to an Oscar-worthy turn by Russell Crowe. For fans, the DVD goes so far to provide analysis of the actual Braddock-Baer fight that concludes Howard's drama.

5) THE INCREDIBLES: Smart, sly, sleek and sophisticated entertainment that continues Pixar's unprecedented dominance of all that is animated (Toy Story, Monsters Inc., A Bug's Life and Finding Nemo). The two-disc DVD is crammed with extras -- the standout being the Brad Bird-directed short film Jack Jack Attack.

6) BATMAN BEGINS: Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins scraps the neon gaudiness of Joel Schumacher's movies and puts Bats (Christian Bale) back in black. It's darker, fiercer and far more ambitious than the previous films.

7) FAMILY GUY PRESENTS STEWIE GRIFFIN: THE UNTOLD STORY: Punctuated by cheerfully offensive humour that wouldn't have flown on Fox, Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story plays very much like an extended episode as the matricidal infant searches for his real father.

8) MARCH OF THE PENGUINS: Think mating is hard for humans? Try being an emperor penguin in the South Pole. Or better still, watch this spectacular documentary from the warmth of your living room.

9) KUNG FU HUSTLE: Imagine The Matrix's Morpheus discovering Wile E. Coyote is "The One" and you begin to understand the over-the-top zaniness actor-director Stephen Chow's go-for-broke live-action cartoon comedy achieves. Chow knows that just because your film is fun, doesn't mean it has to be stupid.

10) THE UPSIDE OF ANGER: Joan Allen provides the fiery centre of Mike Binder's hilarious, human comedy, but it's Kevin Costner -- delivering his best performance in eons as Allen's neighbour -- who steals the show as a has-been baseball star turned talk-radio DJ who begins a boozy romance with the simmering widow.

BEST TV ON DVD

DAILY SHOW INDECISION 2004: The most hilarious DVD of 2005 is this collection of memorable election-themed bits from The Daily Show With Jon Stewart. Included is correspondent Stephen Colbert's featurette: Requiem for a Show That Was Daily.

SCRUBS -- THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON: In praising Arrested Development, critics often overlook this medical comedy starring Zach Braff. It's whimsical, sweet and consistently funny.

LOST -- THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON: Among eight hours of buried bonus treasure are audition tapes, fun facts (Evangeline Lilly almost didn't get the part of Kate because they couldn't get the Canadian actress a work visa) and what-might-have-beens (producers wanted Michael Keaton to play Jack -- and then kill him off).

THE OFFICE SEASON 1: A worthy remake of the British original thanks largely to Steve Carell's fitfully funny performance as a boss whose incompetence approaches the superhuman.

MUPPETS: THE MUPPET SHOW: SEASON 1: It's Muppet-ational. Each episode in this boxset features optional pop-up "Muppet morsels" that teach you about the show as you go.

MIAMI VICE SEASONS 1 AND 2: Enough '80s goodness to make you want to gag yourself with a spoon. This cop drama fused an MTV aesthetic to genre television, changing the look and sound of the small screen.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA SEASON 1: This dark, gritty remake has reimagined the cheesy show into a space-bound parable for today's anxiety-ridden paranoid world.

ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS: Nobody ever did comic noir better than Hitchcock, as evidenced by these engrossing 39 episodes of this 1950s series.

NIP/TUCK: SEASON 2: It's as silly as it is sinful, but this drama about cosmetic surgeons is heartlessly addictive.

EMERGENCY: SEASON 1: Before ER, there was this 1970s drama about paramedics.

BEST COLLECTORS EDITIONS

GLADIATOR EXTENDED EDITION: After the likes of Alexander and Troy, Ridley Scott's Oscar-winning epic Gladiator only looks better than it did in 2000. The three-disc DVD includes a new widescreen edition of the film that's 17 minutes longer, along with new commentary by Scott and star Russell Crowe -- who won an Oscar for his role -- and an embarrassment of behind-the-scenes riches.

VINTAGE MICKEY: This 90-minute disc continues the recent Disney trend of releasing classic animated footage on DVD. Vintage Mickey contains nine cartoons, including The Birthday Party, Plane Crazy, Mickey's Revue, Building A Building and the legendary Steamboat Willie.

THE JAMES DEAN COLLECTION: James Dean has been dead for half-a-century, but the actor remains a pop culture icon. The Complete James Dean Collection includes two-disc special editions of Dean's best-known films: East of Eden (1955), Rebel Without a Cause (1955), and Giant (1956). This is the first time East of Eden has been out on DVD. The set even includes the "Drive Safely" ad Dean shot before his death in a car crash.

TOY STORY ANNIVERSARY EDITION AND TOY STORY 2 SPECIAL EDITION: It's been a decade since this pioneering CG-animated comedy from Pixar Studios about the secret lives of toys revolutionized the industry. But Toy Story and its sequel are much more than just a landmark in cinematic technology -- they're deliriously joyous movies that, for sheer entertainment value, are unparalleled. The two-disc special edition of the original includes deleted scenes, games, making-of featurettes and a preview of Pixar's next film Cars.

GHOSTBUSTERS GIFT SET: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis are superbly deadpan as a trio of paranormal investigators who get a lot more than they bargained for when New York is overrun by ghoulish spirits in the sublime 1984 original. Too bad the 1989 sequel is a letdown -- a tepid, misguided retread. This gift set includes both films as well as a host of extras, including three featurettes, deleted scenes and commentary from Ramis and director Ivan Reitman.

JAWS 30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION: Steven Spielberg was just 26 years old when he directed Jaws. He lurched into the project, almost sank with the difficulties of shooting a scary drama at sea, and then found himself with a hit movie that remains as shocking today as it was in 1975. The 30th Anniversary Edition DVD is a classy two-disc set which includes an excellent two-hour documentary.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD: The two-disc edition of this classic features Gregory Peck's Oscar acceptance speech, commentary from director Robert Mulligan and producer Alan J. Pakula, the theatrical trailer as well as a documentary about the legendary leading man. There's also an introduction penned by author Harper Lee.

THE DEER HUNTER: The last thing this five-time Oscar-winner needed was a longer version, yet the film, collected here in a two-disc set, provides keen insight into a particular time in the American psyche. A very young Robert DeNiro and Christopher Walken are superb as life-long friends torn apart by the tragedy of the Vietnam war.

THE STING: This sly and wickedly smart Oscar-winner stars Paul Newman and Robert Redford, who established the standard by which all cinematic buddy flicks are measured. A comedy and caper set in the 1930s about two con men, it remains a vast entertainment.

CINDERELLA PLATINUM EDITION: Cinderella, the downtrodden maid-turned-glass-slipper-wearing-princess, has a fairy godmother to make her gorgeous. Cinderella, the Walt Disney musical, has digital wizards to restore its shimmering beauty -- something that's abundantly evident in the studio's sparkling new Platinum Edition release of the 1950 animated musical based on the Grimms' fairy tale. Along with the restored picture and sound, the two-disc DVD features an embarrassment of extras.

EDWARD SCISSORHANDS 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION: Tim Burton's enchanting fable about a boy (Johnny Depp) who is blessed but mostly cursed with razor-sharp scissors for hands. Since its release in 1990, Edward Scissorhands has been hailed as Burton's most personal film, possibly explaining why it's his best.

THE BRUCE LEE ULTIMATE COLLECTION: Five of Bruce Lee's martial arts movies -- The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, Way of the Dragon, Game of Death and Game of Death II -- are collected in this informative must for fans of the superstar.

BILL & TED'S MOST EXCELLENT COLLECTION: For some, Marlon Brando will always be Stanley Kowalski. For others, Robert De Niro is Travis Bickle. And for others, Keanu Reeves will always be Ted of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and its sequel, which starred Reeves and Alex Winter, as a pair of affable '80s-era dufuses. This Excellent Collection features an air guitar tutorial, interviews and even a cartoon episode of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures. To this we say, "Whoa."

DONNIE DARKO: DIRECTOR'S CUT: Since its 2001 release ,this surreal drama starring a pre-Brokeback Mountain Jake Gyllenhaal, developed enough of a cult following to justify a director's cut. It remains one of the odder American films not directed by David Lynch in the past 20 years.

Entertainment 2005: What Might Have Been

NEW YORK - It may not have been evident at the time, but when Tom Cruise was leaping up and down on Oprah Winfrey's couch, he was like a piston, churning the wheels of fate.

Had Cruise not chosen to express his love for Katie Holmes on that momentous May day, 2005 might have been very different. Just imagine:

Hurt by Cruise's cold, somber manner on "Oprah," Holmes storms out of the studio and announces that she's leaving the "War of the Worlds" star.

"He could have at least hugged an ottoman," Holmes says.

Spurned by the 27-year-old beauty, Cruise undergoes a period of self-examination and gives up Scientology. Devastated over losing its most famous member, the church quickly recruits Russell Crowe.

Enlightenment soothes Crowe's anger, and the notorious phone-tossing incident never happens (although there are reports of the actor flicking a Cheez-It at a hotel bellboy).

His good reputation takes a hit, though, when Crowe (promoting "Cinderella Man") calls "Today" host Matt Lauer "glib" while discussing medication. The word is apparently central to Scientology beliefs — like "sin" is for Catholics.

Crowe's "Cinderella Man" co-star, Renee Zellweger, thrown by the brouhaha, seeks solace not in country star Kenny Chesney, but someone just as surprising. She marries "American Idol" finalist Bo Bice, a decision criticized by Simon Cowell.

The wedding news breaks just as the circulatory dating of Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn hits full stride. It becomes too much for tabloid editors, who begin referring to them as Brangelinastonaughn.

The partner-swapping also elicits fierce debate over whether each relationship is based on true love or strategic image-making and movie-selling. The theory — dubbed "intelligent design" — doesn't quite make it to the Supreme Court.

One case that does make it to a courtroom, though, is Anna Nicole Smith's suit against Kanye West alleging that his hit song "Gold Digger" is about her. The trial is dismissed, though, after Smith shows up late to court in her pajamas.

West remains bitter, a feeling intensified by the mishandling of Hurricane Katrina. At a telethon, his co-presenter, Mike Myers, is replaced at the last minute by Michael Jackson. A confused West then proclaims: "George Bush hates white people."

Distraught over his mistake, West joins Dave Chappelle in South Africa.

Paris Hilton never meets her would-be fiance, Paris Latsis. Instead, she becomes engaged to herself. "That's hot," she claims.

The engagement lasts three weeks before splintering amid a dispute over the prenuptial agreement.

Jessica Simpson, witnessing Hilton's breakup drama, opts to stay married to
Nick Lachey. Their "Newlyweds" show is renamed "Mildly Satisfied, Sort of Unhappy Married Couple, Remaining Together for Financial Reasons — Like Everyone Else."

By some strange coincidence, Martha Stewart and New York Times reporter Judith Miller end up at the same prison. Stewart brightens up Miller's cell with curtains and Miller helps Stewart with her "Apprentice" catch phrase.

The pair rules the jail, forming the "Valerie Plame Gang" in which each member must get a tattoo reading "VPG for Life: Disclose this!"

In this alternate reality, though, Britney Spears and Kevin Federline remain together. Even history's left-hand turns can't stop true love.

2005: The 10 Biggest Tabloid Stories of the Year

Hell hath no well-crafted PR campaign like a woman scorned Jilted former Friends star Jennifer Aniston kept a dignified silence at the beginning of the year, letting the love triangle clichés do the talking for her. Her ex, Brad Pitt, came off as a heartless cad who left her for a younger woman who would have his babies. As the other woman, Angelina Jolie’s bisexual, brother-kissing and blood-fetishizing past made her the kind of villainess that no amount of United Nations do-gooding could redeem. When Aniston finally went public in a Vanity Fair cover story, it was essentially a deification of the star. She ended 2005, topless, on the cover of GQ, as the magazine’s first female Man of the Year. But even the best spin can’t overcome everything: Derailed did just that and Rumour Has It that her latest film really sucks, too.

“I love this woman!”
Let’s reminisce: Approximately 10 minutes after meeting Katie Holmes, Tom Cruise leapt on Oprah’s couch, declaring his love for the former Dawson’s Creek star, who is 16 years his junior. Holmes subsequently dumped her friends, began her conversion to the Church of Scientology and sprouted strange facial sores. Cruise then appeared on the Today show and tore into Endless Love co-star Brooke Shields for taking drugs for her post-partum depression. Then, eight weeks into his relationship with Holmes, he proposed on the top of the Eiffel Tower, announcing it at a conveniently assembled press conference just moments later. Within weeks, Holmes was pregnant and Cruise bought her a sonogram machine (er, flowers would have been nice, too). Then, in November, he fired his sister, Lee Anne DeVette, who had been working as his publicist. Even the most ga-ga entertainment media couldn’t keep up with Cruise’s aggressively manic antics, and normally off-limits questions about his ties to Scientology and rumours about his sexuality began to emerge, souring the public on the formerly bankable star. Dude, when celebrity-molesting US Weekly doubts the authenticity of your relationship, you’re really screwed.

Skinnier is the new skinny
The incredible shrinking figures of Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan and Mary-Kate Olsen had the entertainment media raising concerns about eating disorders — and, yes, that would be the same entertainment media that once congratulated Renée Zellweger for being “courageous” enough to gain 30 pounds in order to wear a size 10 in Bridget Jones’s Diary. After making a comeback of sorts in the so-so TV series Fat Actress (which skewered Hollywood for its obsession with women’s weight), Kirstie Alley became a spokesperson for Jenny Craig and lost 50 pounds. And just 10 weeks after giving birth, model Heidi Klum strutted the Victoria’s Secret catwalk. In a thong. Her secret? She just “naturally” lost a pound a week.

Finding Neverland
It’s hard to decide who’s stranger. Is it Michael Jackson, who showed up to his child molestation trial in pyjamas and admitted in his own defense that he had sleepovers with young children, then moved to Bahrain, where he caused a scene in a Dubai shopping mall by entering a woman’s washroom? Or is it the fan who released a crateful of white doves when Jackson was acquitted?
Kate Moss. Photo Evan Agostini/Getty Images.
Kate Moss. Photo Evan Agostini/Getty Images.

Scandal Alert: Sex, drugs and… spiritual quests?
Despite the open secret of widespread drug use (how else could the models remain so licorice-stick thin?), the fashion industry demonstrated its haute hypocrisy when Kate Moss lost several contracts — H&M and Burberry among them — after being featured on the cover of a British tabloid snorting coke. Post-treatment, Moss’s real rehab has already begun: she’s been featured on the cover of Vanity Fair and stars in a new commercial for Virgin cell phones that is a sly send-up of her fall from grace. Jude Law has almost completed his own public opinion probation. After being caught by one of his kids getting busy with the nanny, Law was dumped by his fiancée, Alfie co-star Sienna Miller. The pair have since reportedly reconciled. Finally, just before he was to start shooting the third season of his hit sketch show (a deal worth $50 million US), comedian Dave Chappelle went AWOL. He later surfaced in South Africa, where he said he was on a spiritual retreat.

What’s in a name?
Oh, Ben Affleck and J.Lo, what have you wrought? At first, the Bennifer thing was kind of clever, but now, after TomKat, Brangelina and Vaughniston, the whole cutesy name meld is just annoying. (Granted, the dubbing of the Lindsay Lohan-Jared Leto relationship as “Jordan Catalohan,” after Leto’s My So-Called Life heartthrob character, is pretty inspired.) Can there also be a moratorium on weirdo celebrity baby names in 2006? Nicolas Cage (father of Kal-el) and Penn Jillette (father of Moxie Crimefighter), that means you.

Flirting with disaster
The year began with the world stunned by the aftermath of the tsunami and ended with it reeling from another year of tragedy that included the London terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Kashmir. Celebrities stepped up by getting political, in big-scale charity events, like Bono and Bob Geldof’s series of Live 8 concerts to raise awareness about poverty. Oprah Winfrey gave $10 million of her own money to hurricane relief efforts and put FEMA to shame by getting water, food and other supplies to survivors often faster than the federal agency. An increasingly earnest Sean Penn filed news reports from the Middle East and New Orleans. And CNN newsman Anderson Cooper broke the code of journalistic objectivity with his emotional and often critical reporting of the U.S. administration’s handling of Hurricane Katrina. But it was Kanye West who really summed up the unprecedentedly political year of celebrity with a little ad-libbing during a televised Hurricane Katrina benefit (see Celebrity Quotes of the Year below).

They said it wouldn’t last and, well, it didn’t
Couples who called it quits in 2005 included: Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt, Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and DJ AM, Paris Hilton and Paris Latsis, Reneé Zellweger and Kenny Chesney.

When life gives you lemons, make lemon-zest and herb-encrusted trout
How many people can get out of jail and immediately star in two television shows, land a book contract, turn a handmade, prison-crocheted poncho into an instant fashion classic and become even more popular as an ex-con than they were before? Say what you will about Martha Stewart’s ambition, perfectionism and drive (and if you were being completely honest, you know if she were a man all those qualities would be seen as “good things”), but no scandal-plagued celebrity has ever had such a comeback. Sure, her version of The Apprentice tanked, but the domestic goddess is bound to have many more tricks up her perfectly ironed sleeve. As she recently explained to Fortune magazine, “I cannot be destroyed.”

Canada is in the hizz-ouse. Show it some love!
Canadian exports like Nickelback, Arcade Fire, Lost’s Evangeline Lilly, Arrested Development’s Will Arnett and The Family Stone’s Rachel McAdams made a splash in the U.S. this year. And fellow Canadian J.D. Fortune, a former Elvis impersonator, turned out to be a pretty good Michael Hutchence impersonator as well. He beat out 14 other competitors to front Australian band INXS on the reality show Rock Star: INXS. At the Canadian Live 8 concert, geezer rockers like Gordon Lightfoot and Neil Young stole the show. And to keep you up-to-date on all these Canuck celebrities, the country now boasts four daily entertainment shows — Global’s ET Canada, CHUM’s Star! Daily, Sun TV’s Inside Jam and CTV’s eTalk Daily — which to many people feels like four too many.

CELEBRITY QUOTES OF THE YEAR

“There’s a sensitivity chip that’s missing.”
Jennifer Aniston on ex-husband Brad Pitt posing with Angelina Jolie as a married couple for W magazine

“Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, you don’t even—you’re glib. You don’t even know what Ritalin is... You don’t know the history of psychiatry. I do.”
Tom Cruise to Today host Matt Lauer

“The two of us were on fire every time we sat down [to write music].”
Paul McCartney on John Lennon

“I think my work — the activism — will be forgotten. And I hope it will. Because I hope those problems will have gone away.”
Bono, Time magazine’s Man of the Year (along with Bill and Melinda Gates), on his political activism

"If you can't get a star, wait, you want Tom Cruise and all you get is Jude Law, wait, it's not the same thing. Who is Jude Law? Why is he in every movie I have seen in the last four years? Even if he's not acting in it, if you look at the credits he makes the cupcakes or something."
Oscar host Chris Rock

"Forgive my lack of humour. Jude Law is one of our finest actors."
Oscar presenter Sean Penn defends his fellow thespian’s honour

“The time has finally come to share our wonderful news that we are expecting our first child together.”
Proud parents-to-be Britney Spears and Kevin Federline

“Hopefully mine and Nick’s story will continue for the rest of our lives, like what we vowed, through sickness and in health.”
Jessica Simpson, denying rumors of marital trouble, just weeks before she separated from Nick Lachey

“This is possibly the most shameful situation I've ever gotten myself in my life, and I've done some pretty dumb things in my life. So to actually make a new number one is spectacularly stupid.”
Russell Crowe apologizes for going Cinderella Man on a hotel concierge

“This frozen embryo that is in New York is my child waiting to be brought to life.”
Celine Dion on her desire to expand her family

“You’re just not right for our band, INXS.”
Band member Tim Farriss on Rock Star: INXS

“I do.”
Prince Charles to Camilla Parker Bowles

“George Bush doesn’t care about black people.”
Kanye West, at a televised benefit show for Katrina victims

U.S. Music Album Sales Down 7 Percent

LOS ANGELES - U.S. album sales were down about 7 percent as 2005 drew to a close, but the budding market for music downloads, which more than doubled over last year, helped narrow the revenue gap, according to figures released Wednesday.

Album sales from January through the week ending Dec. 25 stood at 602.2 million, compared with 650.8 million for the same period last year, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Combined, album and singles sales fell about 8 percent over the same time last year. More than 95 percent of music is sold in CD format.

Downloaded tracks from online retailers soared to 332.7 million this year, compared with 134.2 million in 2004, an increase of 148 percent.

While good news for recording companies looking to expand download sales, it doesn't bode well for music retailers relying on customers to buy music CDs rather than digital downloads to turn a profit amid declining sales.

"More and more we're seeing customers switch to downloads or burning CDs from their friends," said Jesse Klempner, owner of Aron's Records in Hollywood. "The last couple of years we've been hanging on by our teeth."

The top three best-selling albums of 2005 through Dec. 21 were rapper 50 Cent's "The Massacre," which had sold 4.8 million copies, followed by
Mariah Carey's "The Emancipation of Mimi" with 4.6 million sold, and
Kelly Clarkson's "Breakaway," which sold 3.3 million units, Nielsen SoundScan said.

Full-album downloads are counted under album sales along with other formats. Most digital downloads reflect single-track purchases.

Sales of music-related videos, another key revenue source for brick-and-mortar retailers, plunged 23 percent over the same time last year, Nielsen SoundScan said.

Holiday shoppers helped pump up music download sales figures with some last-minute shopping, buying 9.6 million downloads — the biggest sales week ever for digital downloads, according to the company.

Music lovers bought 5 million tracks during the same week last year.

Final 2005 figures won't be available until Jan. 4, 2006. The last week of the year typically sees a boost in music sales as gift certificates or other promotions given out for the holidays are spent. Those additional sales could help narrow the sales gap further.

Happy Holidays and all the best in 2006!!!

Dan and Dave

Paul, Ringo sue EMI over royalties

LONDON (AP) -- Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and relatives of their Beatles' bandmates are suing EMI to recover what they claim is more than $53 million in unpaid royalties, their company said Friday.

McCartney, Starr and relatives of John Lennon and George Harrison are pursuing the case both in New York and London.

"We have tried to reach a settlement through good faith negotiations and regret that our efforts have been in vain," said Neil Aspinall, who heads Apple Corps Ltd.

"Despite very clear provisions in our contracts, EMI persists in ignoring their obligations and duty to account fairly and with transparency," Aspinall said.

EMI declined to comment on the case.

'West Wing' Actor John Spencer Dies at 58

LOS ANGELES - John Spencer, who played a tough and dedicated politico on "The West Wing" who survived a serious illness to run for vice president, died of a heart attack Friday. He was 58.

Spencer died after being admitted to a Los Angeles hospital during the night, said his publicist, Ron Hofmann. He would have been 59 on Tuesday.

He was "one of those rare combinations of divinely gifted and incredibly generous," said Richard Schiff, who plays Toby Ziegler on the NBC series.

"There are very few personal treasures that you put in your knapsack to carry with you for the rest of your life, and he's one of those," Schiff said. He said Spencer had been struggling with health issues but seemed to have rebounded.

Spencer played Leo McGarry, the savvy and powerful chief of staff to President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet ( Martin Sheen). In a sad parallel to life, Spencer's character suffered a heart attack that forced him to give up his White House job.

McGarry recovered and was picked as a running mate for Democratic presidential contender Matt Santos, played by Jimmy Smits; the campaign against Republican Arnold Vinick ( Alan Alda) has been a central theme for the drama this season.

"John was an uncommonly good man, an exceptional role model and a brilliant actor," said Aaron Sorkin, who created the series, and Tommy Schlamme, one of the original executive producers, in a joint statement.

"We feel privileged to have known him and worked with him. He'll be missed and remembered every day by his many, many friends," they said.

Actress Allison Janney, C.J. Cregg on the series, described Spencer as a consummate professional actor. "Everyone adored him," she said.

"We have all lost a dear, dear brother," said Bradley Whitford, who plays Josh Lyman.

NBC and producer Warner Bros. Television praised Spencer's talent but did not address how his death would affect the Emmy Award-winning series, in production on its seventh season.

Spencer, who also starred on "L.A. Law" as attorney Tommy Mullaney, received an Emmy Award for his performance on "The West Wing" in 2002 and was nominated four other times for the series.

The actor, whose world-weary countenance was perfect for the role of McGarry, mirrored his character in several ways: Both were recovering alcoholics and both, Spencer once said, were driven.

"Like Leo, I've always been a workaholic, too," he told The Associated Press in a 2000 interview. "Through good times and bad, acting has been my escape, my joy, my nourishment. The drug for me, even better than alcohol, was acting."

Spencer grew up in Paterson, N.J., the son of blue-collar parents. With his enrollment at the Professional Children's School in Manhattan at age 16, he was sharing classes with the likes of Liza Minnelli and budding violinist Pinchas Zukerman.

As a teenager, he landed a recurring role on "The Patty Duke Show" as the boyfriend of English twin Cathy. Stage and film work followed. Then his big break: playing Harrison Ford's detective sidekick in the 1990 courtroom thriller "Presumed Innocent." That role led to his hiring for the final four years of "L.A. Law."

Spencer played a streetwise lawyer on the David E. Kelley drama that was in sharp contrast to the show's otherwise glamorous cast and setting.

After attending the Manhattan performing arts school, Spencer studied at Fairleigh Dickenson University. He then began working on stage in New York and in regional theaters, in plays including David Mamet's "Lakeboat" and Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie."

Spencer won an Obie Award for the 1981 off-Broadway production of "Still Life," about a Vietnam veteran, and received a Drama Desk nomination for "The Day Room."

His made his feature film debut with a small role in "War Games," which was followed by roles in "Sea of Love" and "Black Rain." Spencer said his work in "Presumed Innocent" represented a "watershed role."

In recent years, he worked both in studio and independent films, including "The Rock," "The Negotiator," "Albino Alligator," "Lesser Prophets" and "Cold Heart."

Spencer, an only child, is survived by "cousins, aunts, uncles, and wonderful friends," Hofmann said.

Barenaked Ladies, Bryan Adams up for song Oscars

The Barenaked Ladies and Bryan Adams are in the running for Oscars.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released its list of the 42 songs being considered for best original song.

Adams, a three-time Oscar nominee, has been named for It Ain’t Over Yet, a song he wrote for the movie, Racing Stripes.

Vancouver-based Adams was previously nominated for his work on Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (for which he also won a Grammy), Don Juan DeMarco and The Mirror Has Two Faces.

The Toronto-based Barenaked Ladies have been named for One Little Slip. The song was used in the Disney animated film Chicken Little.

The long list of 42 songs will be whittled down to five final choices to be announced January 31st.

Among the competition is Carly Simon's Shoulder to Shoulder from Pooh's Heffalump Movie, and 50 Cent's song I'll Whip Ya Head Boy from Get Rich or Die Tryin’.

Other artists with movie songs under consideration are Fountains of Wayne, Leigh Nash of Sixpence None The Richer, Polyphonic Spree, Sting and members of Radiohead.

Hollywood Has Dismal Year at Box Office

LOS ANGELES - A box-office jolt from the magic kingdoms of Kong, Narnia and Hogwarts will close Hollywood's year with some holiday cheer, though not enough to offset the biggest decline in movie attendance in 20 years.

Domestic revenues at movie theaters may fall below $9 billion for the first time since 2001 after averaging $9.3 billion over the last three years. Factoring in higher admission prices, the number of tickets sold is expected to finish at about 1.4 billion, the lowest since 1997.

Before Thanksgiving, attendance had been running 8 percent behind 2004's. Huge crowds for " Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," the fourth installment of the boy conjurer's adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, helped to whittle that deficit down to 7.3 percent by early December, according to box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Even with the last-minute surge from two other fantasy epics, "King Kong" and "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," movie attendance likely will be down 6 percent or more for the year.

That marks the largest drop since admissions fell 12 percent in 1985.

Some studio executives and Hollywood analysts say 2005 just brought a generally weaker lineup of films. Others insist movie-goers are abandoning ship in favor of home theaters with big screens and booming sound, where fans can watch films on DVD only a few months after their theatrical release.

Driving to a multiplex, finding a parking spot, fighting for a seat and putting up with high concessions prices and other cinema hassles makes the comfort of home sound ever more appealing.

"One thing we sometimes overlook, especially people in the business, is the quality of the moviegoing experience," said Richard Roeper, a Chicago Sun-Times critic and Roger Ebert's co-host on TV's "Ebert & Roeper and the Movies."

"If someone's waiting through 20 minutes of commercials, you've got people behind you kicking your seat and talking on cell phones, do you think a lot of people might say, `You know what? I've got a great sound system, I've got a 50-inch plasma screen. I'm just going to wait three months until the DVD comes out'?"

In an Associated Press-AOL News poll last summer, 73 percent of adults said they preferred watching movies at home on DVD, videotape or pay-per-view than going to theaters. And if the 2005 lineup of films truly looked less appealing, it's no wonder so many people stayed home.

"I think it's all of the above, really. There's certainly a lot of competition for those entertainment dollars," said Rory Bruer, head of distribution for Sony, which scored an early 2005 hit with "Hitch" but delivered such flops as "XXX: State of the Union," "Stealth," "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo" and "Rent."

"I hate to sound Pollyanna about it, but I do believe that this is an anomaly," Bruer said. "Business will bounce back and over a period of time it'll fight its way back."

While studio honchos say it's premature to predict audiences will keep dwindling, 2005 marks the third-straight year attendance has fallen and the fifth year out of the last seven that theater crowds have shrunk.

But those declines came amid a broader upswing in movie attendance since the mid 1980s, with the number of tickets sold rising from just over 1 billion in 1986 to a modern high of 1.6 billion in 2002.

"When you look back over a long period of time, you find dips that are due to content," said Jeff Goldstein, general sales manager for Warner Bros., which released the "Harry Potter" and "Batman Begins" blockbusters but also the 2005 duds "Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous" and "House of Wax." "To have the type of growth we've had, it's not realistic for that to continue. You're going to have some good years and some bad."

This past year started well with early hits that produced a box-office upswing before a prolonged slump began in February. Most weekends since, revenues have been down compared to the corresponding period in 2004, with the downturn stretching to a modern record of 19 weekends in a row during one stretch.

Some Hollywood apologists note that 2004 had an expected $370 million infusion from "The Passion of the Christ," which lured millions of conservative Christians who ordinarily do not go to movies. Discount 2004's grosses by that amount and 2005 is right on par, they say.

On the other hand, the "Passion" bonus that padded 2004 revenues may have disguised the fact that the box-office slump actually started then and has now lingered almost two years. That would be a clearer signal that audiences could be growing tired of movie theaters — for good.

"I think it's too early to make that call. We'll have to wait and see the quality of the product for next year," said Wayne Lewellen, head of distribution for Paramount, which scored with "War of the Worlds" and "The Longest Yard" but struck out with "The Honeymooners" and "The Bad News Bears." "At least on paper, it looks like a strong kickoff next summer."

To be sure, early summer 2006 seems to have a lot more muscle than the weak lineup that preceded "Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith," the season's first major hit.

Early May 2005 presented such uncharacteristically mute fare as "Kingdom of Heaven" and "Kicking & Screaming," a far cry from the popcorn flicks like "The Mummy" movies that typically open in that time frame to kick off summer.

Next May starts with Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible III" and "Poseidon," a remake of the disaster flick "The Poseidon Adventure," with Tom Hanks' "The Da Vinci Code," the superhero sequel "X-Men 3" and the animated tales "Cars" and "Over the Hedge" quickly following.

And with "King Kong" and "Chronicles of Narnia" likely to carry strong business over into January, the industry could be on a much better footing through the first half of 2006. Some critics have said "King Kong" could be the next "Titanic," the modern box-office champ with $600 million domestically and $1.8 billion worldwide.

"The attention devoted to box office this year has been negative, so I think it'll be a psychological boost for Hollywood to end the year on a positive note with `Kong' and `Narnia,'" said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations. "Also, the audience tends to follow the money, so if these movies really do well, they tend to get excited and want to go back to the theater."

"Kong" Opens--But How Will It Close?

King Kong is here. The jury is still out.

Peter Jackson's monster-sized, $200 million monster-movie remake grossed $9.8 million in its Wednesday debut, box-office analysts said.

Is that good? Is that bad? Is that Adrien Brody's biggest opening ever?

The last question can be answered with an unqualified no. (The Village holds that distinction.) As for the others...

"It's too early to tell whether Kong is a success or not," BoxOfficeMojo.com's Brandon Gray said.

Paul Dergarabedian of the box-office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations Co. agreed. "It's just the beginning," he said. "To me, it's just the start of something."

That Kong's opening was neither flashy--it ranks 21st on the list of all-time Wednesday openers, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com--nor a fiasco arguably can be chalked up to the calendar. Of the top 20 Wednesday openers, only five bowed in December, including all three parts of Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, and of those, none bowed as early as Kong, with schools still in session and office vacations still days off.

"We'll have a much better picture on Sunday morning," Dergarabedian said.

While Gray wouldn't offer a prediction as to Kong's Friday-Sunday gross, he did guess that it wouldn't top the stunning $65.6 million posted last weekend by The Chronicles of Narnia. Compared to Jackson's ape epic, Narnia is shorter (two hours compared to three) and more kid-friendly (PG compared to PG-13), factors that generate more screenings, more potential audience members and, just maybe, more money.

If Kong's opening weekend turns out to be less than king-sized, and it already is far off the pace of Jackson's most recent movie, 2003's Return of the King, box-office analysts still might not be ready to write it off as a disappointment. "It's a different kind of beast," Gray said.

Specifically, Dergarabedian referred to Kong, a 1930s-set adventure, as a "long-haul movie," one that will rely on word of mouth and maybe some Oscar nominations to make a $200 million investment worthwhile. In other words, he said, the Titanic model.

Kong and Titanic have been linked a lot of late. Both movies were expensive to make, and time-consuming to watch. In the end, Titanic was a winner--with 11 Oscars, and the title as the world's reigning box office champ.

But in the beginning? Titanic set sail with a solid, not spectacular, $28.6 million opening weekend. It needed 14 days to cross the $100 million mark. By comparison, Spider-Man 2 needed only eight days to break $200 million. The race, however, went to the tortoise that was Titanic, which grossed $600.8 million during an eight-month theatrical run.

To read their notices, most critics wouldn't be troubled if Kong, starring Brody, Jack Black and beast-magnet Naomi Watts, took up a lengthy residence at the multiplex. Jami Bernard of the New York Daily News called the movie "brilliant." Todd McCarthy of Variety called it "stupendous." The typically understated Gene Shalit of NBC's Today called it, um, "fabularious."

Reviews, however, don't necessarily sell tickets. The problem is, 2005 Hollywood isn't sure what does. If King Kong, with its strong reviews and iconic source material, can't turn around the studios' year of box-office discontent, are executives bound to take headers off the Empire State Building themselves?

"I think people would be if this doesn't bring [audiences] in," Dergarabedian said. "But I think it's going to perform."

Freeman Criticizes Black History Month

NEW YORK - Morgan Freeman says the concept of a month dedicated to black history is "ridiculous." "You're going to relegate my history to a month?" the 68-year-old actor says in an interview on CBS' "60 Minutes" to air Sunday (7 p.m. EST). "I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history."

Black History Month has roots in historian Carter G. Woodson's Negro History Week, which he designated in 1926 as the second week in February to mark the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

Woodson said he hoped the week could one day be eliminated — when black history would become fundamental to American history.

Freeman notes there is no "white history month," and says the only way to get rid of racism is to "stop talking about it."

The actor says he believes the labels "black" and "white" are an obstacle to beating racism.

"I am going to stop calling you a white man and I'm going to ask you to stop calling me a black man," Freeman says.

Freeman received Oscar nominations for his roles in 1987's "Street Smart," 1989's "Driving Miss Daisy" and 1994's "The Shawshank Redemption." He finally won earlier this year for "Million Dollar Baby."

Farrellys' "South Park" Smackdown

Is Cartman a crook?

Peter and Bobby Farrelly, the gross-out gurus behind Dumb and Dumber and There's Something About Mary are accusing South Park masterminds Trey Parker and Matt Stone of ripping off a movie idea.

Per Daily Variety, the Farrellys claim a 2004 South Park episode, in which Cartman pretends to be mentally disabled to compete in the Special Olympics, blatantly copied The Ringer, the brother's upcoming movie about, yes, a guy who feigns a mental disability to win the Special Olympics.

Parker and Stone's story line pissed off the Farrellys and Ringer writer Ricky Blitt so much that it sparked ill will between the two comedy teams.

"When you think of a premise so radical it's unmakable, you hang in for seven years to see it through, it is a shock to the system to have people on Websites saying, 'You hack, you stole this from South Park,' " Blitt tells Variety. "I set this up so long before that episode was conceived. It is bad enough to have your idea taken: It's 1,000 times worse when you are then accused of stealing."

The Ringer, starring ex-Jackass Johnny Knoxville as the faux Special Olympian, is scheduled for release Dec. 23.

There's been no mention of a lawsuit, but Peter Farrelly, who produces the film with his brother, believes the plot similarities weren't an accident.

"There is no way those guys didn't know we were making this very movie as they took it upon themselves to do that episode," he tells Variety. "They know what they did and they know it was wrong. Period. These are guys I have always respected, but what they did was very creepy."

Blitt says he had shopped his screenplay all over town, including to Parker and Stone, before the Farrellys and their Connundrum Entertainment snapped it up.

But veteran producer Bob Kosberg (Twelve Monkeys), who pitched The Ringer to the South Park brain trust, tells the trade he never actually spoke to Parker and Stone about the screenplay, and the pair themselves have denied ever hearing about the concept.

"I can totally see why Ricky would be bummed about people accusing him of stealing an idea he came up with himself," Stone says in Variety. "But this is a matter of people having the same idea, and I assure you we weren't aware of the movie when we did that episode. And I don't agree with Peter's point that you should back off if you have an idea and find someone else has it too."

"It should be a race to the market," he adds. "I don't think that is all their movie has going for it Getting the Special Olympics to take part, now that is a cool thing."

The Farrellys, who volunteer for Best Buddies, a mentoring program for people with mental retardation, wanted to make sure the film didn't stigmatize the athletes and sought counsel from the Special Olympics. The brothers even went so far as giving the organization final script approval.

Parker and Stone's take-no-prisoners comedy has targeted everything from the war in Iraq to The Passion of the Christ to Michael Jackson's legal problems to a recent episode lampooning Tom Cruise's affiliation with the Church of Scientology.

When discussing the origins of their puppet flick, Team America: World Police, Parker and Stone went on saying they had intended to use a purloined copy of The Day After Tomorrow script and shoot it word for word with puppets and release it the same day the live-action version. Their lawyers convinced them otherwise.

However, Parker and Stone are themselves involved with the disabled, financing and executive producing How's Your News?, a series of documentaries featuring mentally challenged reporters interviewing high-profile celebs, politicians and regular folk.

Sensitive to the Farrellys' accusations, the two maintain their innocence.

"It's hard for Trey and I to hear them come down on us like we ripped off an idea," Stone says in Variety. "I met Bob Farrelly once for about four minutes. I never met anybody else, neither has Trey, and we knew nothing about their movie. We thought of the idea for that episode early on, but we couldn't make it for two or three seasons. When the show expanded, we were able to make it.

"I don't think it means that much; if The Ringer is a good movie; it will do well. And I remember wanting to remake King Kong, 10 years ago. Does that mean I was ripped off? I wish wouldn't attack us, and 'creepy' is kind of harsh."

Parker and Stone just inked a three-year production deal with Paramount to write and direct movies. They're signed to produce new episodes of South Park for Comedy Central through 2008.

The Farrellys, meanwhile, are attempting to stage their long-gestating update of The Three Stooges.

Showtime, ABC Try Getting "Arrested"

Although Fox has stunted Arrested Development's development, the show's obituary might have to wait: Both Showtime and ABC have expressed interest at heading into the wild Bluth yonder.

The two networks are in preliminary talks to pick up the critically acclaimed yet consistently low-rated show after it ends its run on Fox early next year, per trade reports.

All three networks have refused to comment on the talks, except to say that no formal negotiations have taken place.

And for good reason: Fox has yet to officially cancel the show.

Though the network recently cut the series' season order from 22 to 13, no official axing has taken place, making it difficult for producer 20th Century Fox Television to engage in any closed-door deal-making.

Besides, there are other potential hiccups to the Emmy-winner's would-be network jump.

The Jason Bateman-led series comes with a hefty $1.6 million price tag per half-hour. According to Daily Variety, the high cost means the studio is in the hole $400,000 per episode produced, which is part of the reason why the season's episodes were so drastically cut.

That, and the fact that the show averages just 4 million viewers per week, despite recent efforts to boost the ratings with the stunt castings of Scott Baio, Charlize Theron and most recently, Justine Bateman.

But 4 million viewers is nearly twice the amount that a bona fide cable hit draws, a key should the series jump to Showtime and keep its audience intact. But Showtime would likely try to find a way to rein in the per-episode cost.

To help offset the cost, 20th Century Fox TV may push for any bidders to pick up at least 22 episodes. The studio needs just 36 more to reach 88 total--the magic number required to sell into syndication. (Of course, a lucrative syndication deal is not guaranteed.) There's also speculation that 20th Century Fox TV might be willing to share home-entertainment revenues as an enticement--Development is a strong performer on DVD.

News of networks putting out feelers for Arrested Development comes just two weeks after executive producer Brian Grazer told CNN he was working to make sure this season wouldn't be the series' last.

"I can't tell you anything other than I'm hoping it works out in the way that we want it to," Grazer said. "But I'm optimistic."

The cast, meanwhile, has mixed feelings about a possible network jump.

"Obviously, we would all do it until we're dead," Jason Bateman told E! Online last week. "But you don't want to be the last guy at the bar.

"I think we're getting out just in time," he continued. "We may have screwed it up if we stayed any longer."

Barring any last-minute reprieves, Arrested Development's season--and series--finale is expected to air on Fox in late January or early February.

NBC unveils Sunday night NFL plans

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Nine months before it takes over the Sunday night NFL game from ESPN, NBC is making more moves to brand that night its own.

NBC Sports said Wednesday that the name of the studio show will be "Football Night in America."

NBC's multiyear rights deal begins in early September with a Thursday night extravaganza and game. The details of the first Sunday night game won't be announced until April, but the four-hour coverage will be anchored by NBC Olympics and sports personality Bob Costas.

He also will host the studio show, which NBC Sports said is the first primetime Sunday broadcast TV show about the NFL. The one-hour show will begin at 7 p.m. ET, around the same time games on CBS and NBC will conclude. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET.

Several other pieces of the broadcast already are in place, with the naming of John Madden as on-air analyst and Cris Collinsworth as in-studio analyst. A play-by-play announcer hasn't been picked, though the natural -- Al Michaels -- agreed during the summer to remain with ABC and move to ESPN when it takes over "Monday Night Football" in the fall.

Dylan To Host Weekly Music Show On XM

You can call him Bobby and you can call him Zimmie. And come March 2006, you can call him DJ. Bob Dylan has agreed to host a weekly, one-hour music show for XM Satellite Radio's Deep Tracks channel. It marks the first time the music legend will have hosted a radio show.

Featuring an eclectic mix of music hand-picked by the cultural icon, the program will also include commentary from Dylan on music and other topics, along with Dylan interviewing guests and taking emails from XM subscribers.

"Songs and music have always inspired me," Dylan said in a statement. "A lot of my own songs have been played on the radio, but this is the first time I've ever been on the other side of the mic. It'll be as exciting for me as it is for XM."

XM currently has more than 5 million subscribers and expects to end the year with 6 million. Dylan has released more than 44 albums, containing more than 600 songs covered by more than 2,000 artists, ranging from Rage Against The Machine to Duke Ellington to Garth Brooks.

Prince Happy With New Record Deal

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Prince, who famously scrawled "slave" on his face during a dispute with his record company in the mid-1990s, said Tuesday he received everything he wanted in his latest deal with Universal Records.

"I got a chance to structure an agreement the way I saw fit instead of the other way around," Prince said during a news conference to promote a video for his new single,"Te Amo Corazon."

The 47-year-old superstar has signed a one-album deal with Universal to release his upcoming album, "3121," early next year.

Prince declined to give financial details of the agreement, but said it was similar to the joint venture he struck with Columbia Records in 2003. In that deal, the label manufactured and distributed his 2004 hit album "Musicology," for NPG Records, Prince's label.

Asked why he would sign on with the biggest record company in the world given his past clashes with major labels, Prince said, "I don't consider Universal a slave ship. I did my own agreement ... I got exactly what I wanted."

The singer had some advice for new artists. He challenged them to read the fine print on their record contracts.

On Tuesday, VH1 and its affiliated networks, including Tempo and VH1 Soul, premiered "Te Amo Corazon," directed by Salma Hayek.

VH1 will also make the song available on its Vspot broadband channel and VH1 Mobile.

Prince said the sultry ballad is not indicative of what the album sounds like. He also said a tour was in the works but declined to give details.

'Brokeback' nabs 7 Golden Globe noms

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif (AP) - The gay cowboy romance Brokeback Mountain positioned itself as a key Oscar competitor Tuesday, roping in seven Golden Globe nominations, including best dramatic picture and honours for actor Heath Ledger and director Ang Lee.

Other best drama picture contenders were the murder thriller The Constant Gardener, the Edward R. Murrow tale Good Night, and Good Luck, the mobster story A History of Violence and Match Point, a drama about infidelity.

The Globes were a triumph for smaller budgeted films over big studio productions.

"This is the first time in the history of the Golden Globes that all of the best (dramatic) film nominees are independent movies made for under $30 million," said Philip Berk, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which presents the awards.

The Globes have a separate category for musical or comedy films. Nominated were the theatre tale Mrs. Henderson Presents, the Jane Austen costume pageant Pride & Prejudice, the Broadway musical The Producers, the divorce story The Squid and the Whale, and the Johnny Cash film biography Walk the Line.

The Globes were the latest recognition for Brokeback Mountain, a critical darling that has received top honours from critics groups in New York City, Los Angeles and Boston.

Still, the film has an uphill trail to the Oscars, whose voters may hesitate to anoint a gay-themed movie as its champion.

"It's going to be a front-runner, but it really has a mountain to climb, because never have we seen a gay romance in the best-picture race before," said Tom O'Neil, who runs theenvelope.com, an awards website.

Movies with gay angles have earned acting honours, Tom Hanks winning for Philadelphia and Hilary Swank for Boys Don't Cry, but those movies did not break into the best-picture pack.

Yet Brokeback Mountain has proved a favourite at film festivals and debuted with huge box-office grosses last weekend, taking in almost $550,000 in just five theatres. The movie goes into wider release over the next few weeks, its backers hoping it will find a broad audience despite the subject matter.

"Clearly, we felt that because the film speaks a very universal emotional language; it's going to surprise people, when it comes out, how accessible it is," said James Schamus, a producer on Brokeback Mountain and co-president of Focus Features, the NBC Universal banner that released the film.

Best dramatic actor nominee Ledger plays a husband concealing a homosexual affair with an old sheep herding buddy from his family. Other nominees included three actors playing real-life figures: Russell Crowe as Depression-era boxer Jim Braddock in Cinderella Man, Philip Seymour Hoffman as author Truman Capote in Capote, and David Strathairn as newsman Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck. The fifth nominee was Terrence Howard as a small-time pimp-turned-rap singer in Hustle & Flow.

Good Night, and Good Luck was tied for second-most film nominations with four, along with Match Point and The Producers. The Murrow tale earned a best-director nomination for George Clooney, who also had a supporting actor movie nomination for the oil industry thriller Syriana.

Felicity Huffman received two nominations - best dramatic actress in a film for her role as a man preparing for sex-change surgery in Transamerica and best actress in a TV musical or comedy for Desperate Housewives. Her Desperate Housewives co-stars Marcia Cross, Teri Hatcher and Eva Longoria also were nominated, and the ABC show earned a best TV comedy bid.

ABC also scored three nominations for best dramatic TV series: Commander in Chief, Grey's Anatomy and Lost. Bids also went to Fox's Prison Break and HBO's Rome. Other nominees for best comedy or musical TV series were HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm and Entourage, UPN's Everybody Hates Chris, NBC's My Name is Earl and Showtime's Weeds.

Other best dramatic film actress nominees were Maria Bello as a wife learning painful secrets about her husband in A History of Violence, Gwyneth Paltrow as an unstable math genius's daughter in Proof, Charlize Theron as a woman leading a sexual harassment lawsuit in North Country and Ziyi Zhang as a poor girl who becomes the belle of Japan's geisha houses in Memoirs of a Geisha.

Based on a short story by Annie Proulx, Brokeback Mountain grabbed a supporting actress nomination for Michelle Williams as Ledger's wife, who chooses to ignore his affair with a man (Jake Gyllenhaal) to hold her family together. The movie also scored a directing nomination for Lee and received nominations for best screenplay, score and song.

For best actor in a movie, musical or comedy, Globe voters nominated Pierce Brosnan as a burned-out hit man in The Matador, Jeff Daniels as a husband unglued by divorce in The Squid and the Whale, Johnny Depp as candyman Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Nathan Lane as a Broadway con man in The Producers, Cillian Murphy as a cross-dressing Irishman in Breakfast on Pluto, and Joaquin Phoenix as country legend Cash in Walk the Line.

Best musical or comedy film actress nominees: Judi Dench as a 1930s British dame who opens a nude theatrical review in Mrs. Henderson Presents, Keira Knightley as the romantic heroine in Pride & Prejudice, Laura Linney as a divorcing wife in The Squid and the Whale, Sarah Jessica Parker as a woman hated by her fiance's relatives in The Family Stone, and Reese Witherspoon as country singer June Carter in Walk the Line.

Besides Lee and Clooney, the directing contenders were Woody Allen for Match Point, Peter Jackson for King Kong, Fernando Meirelles for The Constant Gardener, and Steven Spielberg for Munich.

In addition to Clooney, supporting movie actor nominees were Matt Dillon for Crash, Will Ferrell for The Producers, Paul Giamatti for Cinderella Man, and Bob Hoskins for Mrs. Henderson Presents.

Playing a bigoted cop who dotes on his sickly dad, Dillon was the lone acting nominee from an ensemble of great performances in Crash, which interweaves multiple story lines on a single tension-filled day in Los Angeles.

"It was honest and truthful to what I believed was an L.A. cop, not typical of what every cop is," Dillon said. "It went and explored these two extremes ... bitter racist cop and really loving son who cares about his sick father. These are the complicated things we see in life."

Supporting actress nominees: Scarlett Johansson for Match Point, Shirley MacLaine for In Her Shoes, Frances McDormand for North Country, Rachel Weisz for The Constant Gardener, and Williams for Brokeback Mountain.

Two years ago, the Golden Globes correctly predicted Oscar winners in all key categories, including best-picture champ The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

But a year ago, the Globes missed the mark, picking The Aviator as best picture, an honour that went to Million Dollar Baby at the Oscars.

Winners of the Golden Globes will be announced Jan. 16, five days before polls close for Oscar voters. Oscar nominations come out Jan. 31, and the awards will be presented March 5.

Here is the list of nominees for 63rd annual Golden Globe Awards

Motion picture and television nominees for the 63rd annual Golden Globe Awards announced Tuesday in Beverly Hills, Calif:

MOTION PICTURES

Picture, Drama: Brokeback Mountain, The Constant Gardener, Good Night, and Good Luck, A History of Violence, Match Point.

Actress, Drama: Maria Bello, A History of Violence; Felicity Huffman, Transamerica; Gwyneth Paltrow, Proof; Charlize Theron, North Country; Ziyi Zhang, Memoirs of a Geisha.

Actor, Drama: Russell Crowe, Cinderella Man; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote; Terrence Howard, Hustle & Flow; Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain; David Strathairn, Good Night, and Good Luck.

Picture, Musical or Comedy: Mrs. Henderson Presents, Pride & Prejudice, The Producers, The Squid and the Whale, Walk the Line.

Actress, Musical or Comedy: Judi Dench, Mrs. Henderson Presents; Keira Knightley, Pride & Prejudice; Laura Linney, The Squid and the Whale; Sarah Jessica Parker, The Family Stone; Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line.

Actor, Musical or Comedy: Pierce Brosnan, The Matador; Jeff Daniels, The Squid and the Whale; Johnny Depp, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Nathan Lane, The Producers; Cillian Murphy, Breakfast on Pluto; Joaquin Phoenix, Walk the Line.

Supporting Actress: Scarlett Johansson, Match Point; Shirley MacLaine, In Her Shoes; Frances McDormand, North Country; Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener; Michelle Williams, Brokeback Mountain.

Supporting Actor: George Clooney, Syriana; Matt Dillon, Crash; Will Ferrell, The Producers; Paul Giamatti, Cinderella Man; Bob Hoskins, Mrs. Henderson Presents.

Director: Woody Allen, Match Point; George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck; Peter Jackson, King Kong; Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain; Fernando Meirelles, The Constant Gardener; Steven Spielberg, Munich.

Screenplay: Woody Allen, Match Point; George Clooney and Grant Heslov, Good Night, and Good Luck; Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco, Crash; Tony Kushner and Eric Roth, Munich; Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, Brokeback Mountain.

Foreign Language: Kung Fu Hustle, China; Master of the Crimson Armor aka The Promise, China; Merry Christmas (Joyeux Noel), France; Paradise Now, Palestine; Tsotsi, South Africa.

Original Score: Alexandre Desplat, Syriana; James Newton Howard, King Kong; Gustavo Santaolalla, Brokeback Mountain; Harry Gregson-Williams, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; John Williams, Memoirs of a Geisha;

Original Song: A Love That Will Never Grow Old from Brokeback Mountain; Christmas in Love from Christmas in Love; There's Nothing Like a Show on Broadway from The Producers; Travelin' Thru from Transamerica; Wunderkind from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

TELEVISION:

Series, Drama: Commander in Chief, ABC; Grey's Anatomy, ABC; Lost, ABC; Prison Break, Fox; Rome, HBO.

Actress, Drama: Patricia Arquette, Medium; Glenn Close, The Shield; Geena Davis, Commander in Chief; Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer; Polly Walker, Rome.

Actor, Drama: Patrick Dempsey, Grey's Anatomy; Matthew Fox, Lost; Hugh Laurie, House; Wentworth Miller, Prison Break; Kiefer Sutherland, 24.

Series, Musical or Comedy: Curb Your Enthusiasm, HBO; Desperate Housewives, ABC; Entourage, HBO; Everybody Hates Chris, UPN; My Name is Earl, NBC; Weeds, Showtime.

Actress, Musical or Comedy: Marcia Cross, Desperate Housewives; Teri Hatcher, Desperate Housewives; Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives; Eva Longoria, Desperate Housewives; Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds.

Actor, Musical or Comedy: Zach Braff, Scrubs; Steve Carell, The Office; Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Jason Lee, My Name is Earl; Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men.

Miniseries or movie: Empire Falls, HBO; Into the West, TNT; Lackawanna Blues, HBO; Sleeper Cell, Showtime; Viva Blackpool, BBC America; Warm Springs, HBO.

Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Halle Berry, Their Eyes Were Watching God; Kelly MacDonald, The Girl in the Cafe; S. Epatha Merkerson, Lackawanna Blues; Cynthia Nixon, Warm Springs; Mira Sorvino, Human Trafficking.

Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Kenneth Branagh, Warm Springs; Ed Harris, Empire Falls; Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Elvis; Bill Nighy, The Girl in the Cafe; Donald Sutherland, Human Trafficking.

Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Candice Bergen, Boston Legal; Camryn Manheim, Elvis; Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy; Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds; Joanne Woodward, Empire Falls.

Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Naveen Andrews, Lost; Paul Newman, Empire Falls; Jeremy Piven, Entourage; Randy Quaid, Elvis; Donald Sutherland, Commander in Chief.

'Kong' sets sight on box office throne

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - He's already 25 feet tall and 8,000 pounds, but if Universal Pictures has its way, great ape King Kong is only going to get bigger.

The movie studio on Tuesday said its gargantuan film "King Kong" will play in 3,568 U.S. and Canadian theaters and another 6,000-plus venues in 55 regions around the world when it hits screens just after midnight on December 14.

While that's not a record -- several films have seen wider debuts and "Shrek 2" holds the record at 4,163 U.S. and Canadian theaters -- the number nevertheless is huge.

"(Theater owners) want it, and they want it in as many play dates as they can get it," said Nikki Rocco, Universal film distribution president.

Rocco declined to predict just how much business the widely anticipated film from "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson can scare up at box offices, but she did say Universal hopes for a figure that would rival the first "Rings" movie.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" debuted in December 2001 to initial five-day ticket sales of more than $75 million, and that appears to be easy pickings for "Kong."

More recently, "Spider-Man" and the final two "Rings" movies all took in more than $100 million in their first five days, according to box office tracker www.Boxofficemojo.com.

Brandon Gray, president of Boxofficemojo.com, also declined to predict debut ticket sales for "Kong," saying many variables would have an impact.

He cited its PG-13 rating, which might restrict the number of younger moviegoers, and the roughly three-hour running time, which reduces the number of times it can screen in one day compared with a standard, two-hour movie.

"The question is not: 'Will it be big?' The question is: 'how big it will be?'," he said. "It is poised to be the highest grossing picture of December."

At a cost of more than $200 million to make and tens of millions more to market, Universal needs "King Kong" to play big in order to make a profit.

So far Jackson's remake of the 1933 classic about a giant ape plucked from a mysterious island and transported back to the United States has a lot of factors working in its favor.

The movie has been widely anticipated and Jackson has a stellar reputation and huge fan base from the three "Rings" movies, which have raked in more than $2.6 billion combined.

Moreover, critics have raved about "Kong." Kirk Honeycutt, reviewer for show business newspaper The Hollywood Reporter, called it "spectacle filmmaking at its best."

The Couch Potato Report - December 13th, 2005

This week The Couch Potato Report features one of the best, and one of the worst films of the year.

It has been said that laughter is the best medicine.

I put that theory to the test one week in late August when I was in need of some hilarity.

Luckily I wasn't disappointed, and I felt better after one dose, but I went back for two more.

The medicine I took was a movie called THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN.

Steve Carell from ANCHORMAN and BRUCE ALMIGHTY is THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN.

The plot of the film is exactly what the titles suggests, it's about how a 40-year-old virgin named Andy looks for love.

Not just sex, but love.

Along the way Andy discovers chest waxing, speed dating, and he is encouraged by his friends and co-workers.

THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN is incredibly funny, all of the main and supporting characters are personable and interesting, and the dialogue is always entertaining, and sometimes insightful.

When I needed to laugh, this movie made me laugh, and every time I have watched it since, I still laugh just as hard.

I don't think you can ask for more from a comedy than that.

THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN is one of my favourite films of the year.

On the other hand is THE ISLAND.

I wouldn't call THE ISLAND the worst film of 2005, but it is definitely close.

In the film Ewan McGregor from BIG FISH and Scarlett Johansson of LOST IN TRANSLATION star as clones.

They are residents of what they perceive to be a utopian facility sometime in the mid 21st century.

Every resident of this carefully controlled environment hope that they are chosen to go to the "The Island" - reportedly the last uncontaminated location on the planet.

But soon McGregor's character finds out that he, and everyone else in the facility are clones.

After that, the film's interesting premise is thrown aside and THE ISLAND becomes a run and hide, explosion and chase film.

That isn't too big of a surprise as the movie was directed by Michael Bay, the man responsible for the less-than-subtle films ARMAGEDDON and PEARL HARBOUR.

McGregor and Johansson are both talented, personable actors with great physical appeal, but they are wasted in THE ISLAND and if you watch the movie your time will be wasted as well.

To recap, I think THE ISLAND is a waste of your time.

Some other people think that sitting and watching TV is the ultimate waste of time.

For others - like me - watching TV is an enjoyable way to relax and be entertained.

When I was in high school I used to relax and be entertained by MIAMI VICE. Soon after I completed my education, THE SIMPSONS became a staple of my daily and weekly TV watching.

Now, there are new box sets available for both shows!

MIAMI VICE: SEASON TWO and THE SIMPSONS: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON.

The former continues to follow the adventures of the vice squad detectives of the Miami Police Department; specifically the adventures of Crockett and Tubbs.

The 3-disc set for SEASON TWO features the 22 episodes of the 1985-86 season and begins with "Prodigal Son," a two-hour episode that transplants Crockett and Tubbs to New York.

Along the way are guest stars Peter Allen, Gene Simmons, Pam Grier, Phil Collins, Bruce McGill, David Strathairn, Little Richard, Bob Balaban, and G. Gordon Liddy.

MIAMI VICE is a TV show that is a product of the 80s, and many of the episodes reflect the period so effectively that at times it does seem a bit dated.

But that is also a part of its charm. I enjoyed MIAMI VICE in the 80s and I still recommend MIAMI VICE now because it remains a great show and a great waste of time.

MIAMI VICE ran from 1984 to 1989 and the year it went off the air was the same year THE SIMPSONS debuted.

THE SIMPSONS: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON contains all 25 original episodes, and another incredible array of commentaries, deleted scenes and extras.

Some of the episodes in the season include the answer to "Who Shot Mr. Burns?", the Radioactive Man movie, Bart selling his soul for five dollars, "Lisa the Vegetarian", featuring Paul and the late Linda McCartney, "King-Size Homer", Sideshow Bob returns, former President George Bush moves next door, "Homerpalooza", and "The Treehouse of Horror' special features Homer in 3-D.

My favourite is "The Simpsons 138th Show Spectacular', hosted by Troy McClure - who is voiced by the late, great Phil Hartman.

THE SIMPSONS is still airing new episodes, and will be back next year for it's eighteenth season, but it is the episodes in the seasons that are already available on DVD that make it worth watching, owning, and laughing at.

And even if watching TV is a waste of time, remember laughter is the best medicine.

THE SIMPSONS: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON, MIAMI VICE: SEASON TWO, THE ISLAND and THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN are all now available at a store near you.

Coming up in three weeks on the next Couch Potato Report

Bill Murray stars as a man who travels across the country to find his son in BROKEN FLOWERS, Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson are WEDDING CRASHERS, and the TV show FIREFLY becomes the movie SERENITY.

Also on the next Report, Jennifer Connelly's talent and beauty can't save DARK WATER and Jessica Alba only has her beauty on display in INTO THE BLUE.

And then there is the documentary GRIZZLY MAN about two grizzly bear activists who were killed in October of 2003 while living among grizzlies in Alaska.

I'm Dan Reynish. I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in twenty-one days.

For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next time on The Couch!

Bateman, Ostriches Set for 'Scrubs' Appearances

Completing a "trade" that began more than eight months ago with Zach Braff appearing on "Arrested Development," Jason Bateman is set to guest-star on an episode of "Scrubs" later this season.

Along with a handful of ornery ostriches.

Bateman's appearance on the NBC show, which is about to begin its fifth season, has been in the works for some time. "Scrubs" creator Bill Lawrence is an avowed "Arrested Development" fan, and Bateman is friendly with several "Scrubs" writers. Schedule conflicts, however, meant that he wasn't able to do a guest spot last season.

The plan then called for Bateman to work on an episode shot earlier this fall, but his scenes had to be delayed after he had surgery to remove a benign polyp from his throat (production on "Arrested" also stopped while he recuperated). The "Scrubs" crew shot the rest of the episode and will film Bateman's scenes in January, Lawrence says. Provided Braff is over his ostrich-induced trauma by then.

About the birds: In the episode, Braff's J.D. is miffed that a patient (Bateman) whom he worked hard to treat didn't offer so much as a thank you. J.D. and Turk (Donald Faison) decide to track him down and extract a word of gratitude from him. What ensues "will be a sign of how weird the show has gotten on some level," Lawrence says.

"So we go by his house, and he has a sign on his gate that says 'Beware of birds.' And when we go into his gated property, we see about 10 ostriches," Braff says, laughing.

"He's a domestic ostrich farmer," Lawrence adds. Braff, still laughing, picks up the thread: "He's got 10 domestic ostriches, and they surround us. One of him puts his hoof, or whatever you call it, on the gate and locks it. And they surround us and beat the hell out of us."

Lawrence: "By the way, on a real note, if you're ever doing a TV show or movie, ostriches are the scariest animals on earth. They kick with the power of a horse [but] with a claw on the end" of their feet."

"So Bill thought it would be funny to place me in a gated area with 12 of them," Braff says. "Anyway, to make a long story short, the ostriches beat the hell out of us and hurl me through a plate-glass window into his home, where we find Jason Bateman, who's the keeper of them. And he's a pretty crazy guy."

An airdate for Bateman's "Scrubs" episode hasn't been scheduled yet. The show returns to NBC Tuesday, Jan. 3.

NEW CD RELEASES FOR DECEMBER 13, 2005

Anti-Social Music (members of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Hold Steady and more) Sings the Great American Songbook (Peacock)

Beck Guerolito (remixes of all songs from "Guero"; w/the Beastie Boys' Ad Rock, Boards of Canada, the Dust Brothers' John King and more) (Interscope)

Bo Bice (from 2005 American Idol) The Real Thing (DualDisc same day; w/Nickelback's Chad Kroeger, Bon Jovi's Richie Sambora and ex-Evanescense guitarist Ben Moody) (RCA)

Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan Ramblin' Man EP (V2)

Coheed & Cambria Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV: Volume 1. From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness (CD/DVD combo; Special Edition) (Columbia)

Disturbing tha Peace Ludacris Presents (limited-edition CD/DVD combo available same day) (Def Jam)

Flipsyde We the People (Interscope)

James Friedman Go Commando! (mix CD w/tracks by the Rapture, Bloc Party and more) (Defend)

Jaheim Ghetto Classics (Warner Bros.)

Josie Mel Rasta Still De ‘Bout (Minor7Flat5)

Lamb of God Killadelphia (CD/DVD combo) (Epic)

Dave Matthews Band The Complete Weekend on the Rocks (eight CDs/DVD; live album from September 2005 shows at Red Rocks) (RCA)

Slim Thug Already Platinum (Chopped and Screwed) (Geffen)

Tyra Introducing (Universal)

Youngbloodz Ev'rybody Know Me (w/Lil Jon, Young Buck, TLC's T-Boz and more) (LaFace/Zomba)

VA Draft Radio Volume One (two CDs; mixed by the X-Ecutioners' Total Eclipse and Bad Seed) (Draft)

VA Snoop Dogg Presents: Welcome to tha Chuuch - Tha Album (Koch)

OST Aeon Flux (score by Graeme Revell) (Varése Sarabande)

OST King Kong (Peter Jackson remake w/Naomi Watts and Jack Black) (Decca)

OST Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - the Complete Recordings (four CDs; w/new artwork, packaging and extensive liner notes) (Reprise)

OST The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (two-CD special edition available same day; live-action adaptation of C.S. Lewis classic; w/songs from Alanis Morrissette, Tim Finn and Imogen Heap plus original score by Harry Gregson-Williams) (Disney)

OST Water (score by Mychael Danna) (Varèse Sarabande)

DVD Bow Wow/Omarion Scream Tour IV: Hearthrobs Live (Columbia)

DVD Erasure The Show - Live in Cologne (Mute)

"Kong" Crowned by AFI

King Kong has crashed award-show season.

The great ape's outsized new movie--that would be King Kong--towered above the competition as the American Film Institute on Sunday unveiled its year-end picks for Movies of the Year.

Because the AFI doesn't play favorites among its favorites, Kong only towered above the likes of action-figure collector Andy Stitzer because he's taller. But as far as the institute is concerned, King Kong and The 40-Year-Old Virgin are created equal, and are equally good.

Even more than the critics awards unveiled in the last few days, the AFI's take on what made for great cinema in 2005 ran the gamut of proven crowd-pleasers (40-Year-Old Virgin) and expected crowd-pleasers (the as-yet unreleased Kong) to quiet art-house fare (the divorce drama The Squid and the Whale).

The list also includes the quickly established usual suspects: Brokeback Mountain; Good Night, and Good Luck; Capote; and A History of Violence.

Brokeback, the gay cowboy western, won Best Picture honors from the Los Angeles and New York critics. Good Night, George Clooney's docudrama about CBS Newsman Edward R. Murrow during the McCarthy Era, claimed the Best Film title from the National Board of Review. Capote has earned multiple kudos for its star (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and its screenplay. A History of Violence has William Hurt in Oscar play with Supporting Actor kudos from the L.A. and New York critics.

Rounding out the AFI's Movies of the Year selections: Crash, the Oprah Winfrey-boostered look at extreme racial tensions in Los Angeles; Munich, Steven Spielberg's upcoming take on the birth of modern terrorism at the 1972 Summer Olympics; and, Syriana, the political thriller starring Good Night director Clooney.

All but Kong and Munich are currently in theaters. Kong tries to tramp into Titanic territory starting Wednesday; Munich opens Christmas Day.

The film picks were voted on by a 13-member panel of filmmakers, critics, historians and the guy who directed all the Austin Powers movies.

Forever fond of lists, AFI empowered a second jury panel to compile a list of the year's 10 best TV shows. Among the atypical award winners: Sci-Fi Channel's Battlestar Galactica; UPN's Veronica Mars; and, Showtime's Sleeper Cell.

Ensuring that no Oscar aspirant will want for a free chicken meal between now and March, AFI will fete its honorees at Jan. 13 luncheon in Los Angeles.

Here's a complete look at the group's official selections for Movies of the Year (listed alphabetically):

Brokeback Mountain
Capote
Crash
The 40-Year-Old Virgin
Good Night, and Good Luck
A History of Violence
King Kong
Munich
The Squid and the Whale
Syriana

And here are AFI's official selections for TV Programs of the Year (listed alphabetically):

24
Battlestar Galactica
Deadwood
Grey's Anatomy
House
Lost
Rescue Me
Sleeper Cell
Sometimes in April
Veronica Mars

DreamWorks Sale Highlights Studio Obstacles

LOS ANGELES - Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen tried to harness their collective star power in 1994 to do what hadn't been done in more than 70 years — start a Hollywood studio from scratch. They called it DreamWorks SKG, the letters standing for the last names of the founders.

Sunday, DreamWorks ended its 11-year run as an independent company by agreeing to be sold to Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc., in a deal valued at $1.6 billion. The sale highlights the enormous, perhaps insurmountable, challenges facing an independent company with hopes of competing against massive media conglomerates.

"It's very hard for anyone to enter the business from the ground up," said Harold Vogel, author of the book "Entertainment Industry Economics."

"It's not the talent of the individuals. They were superb, they had a brilliant idea, they had connections. But the costs of running the business ran much faster than they expected."

DreamWorks accomplished much in its short life, including winning several Academy Awards, producing a hit TV series and making the most successful animated movie in history.

The company, under Geffen and Spielberg, will continue to make films that will be distributed by Paramount.

DreamWorks Animation SKG, under the leadership of Katzenberg, was spun off into a public company last year and is not included in the Paramount deal, although it will distribute its films through Paramount.

DreamWorks had grand plans to become a major player in music, film, television, video games and the Internet. But over the years, it scrapped plans to build a high-tech studio lot in Los Angeles, sold DreamWorks Records to Universal Music Group and curtailed its TV production.

"When Steven, Jeffrey and I started the company and had to put an entire infrastructure together from day one, we had hoped to be able to make enough films to rationalize the cost of being our own distributor," Geffen said Sunday.

"Sadly, we were never able to make enough films to make that economically sound."

Distributing is a fixed cost that runs into the tens of millions of dollars for a staff that can sell films to theaters in the U.S. and abroad.

A handful of independent film companies still remain, including the Canadian company Lion's Gate Films.

Lion's Gate has been able to build a substantial library of films, in part through acquisitions. An extensive film library from which to sell pictures on DVD and to cable and television is key to producing the kind of cash that can reduce the risks of box office flops.

"Library values are like real estate in Southern California — they generally go up every year," said David Miller, an analyst at brokerage firm Sanders Morris Harris.

DreamWorks was able to build a library of only 59 live-action film titles. Ownership of the more lucrative animated films was transferred to DreamWorks Animation.

A number of production companies make films but distribute them through third parties. Those companies include Pixar Animation Studios, which produces one film a year and distributes through The Walt Disney Co. Revolution Studios, which made such movies as "The Fog" and "Rent," distributes its movies through Sony Pictures.

One company trying to succeed where DreamWorks failed is The Weinstein Co., formed by brothers Bob and Harvey Weinstein.

The brothers formed Miramax in 1979 and sold it to Disney in 1993. Earlier this year, they left Disney to form their own company after disagreements with Disney's management.

The pair left behind their library of around 800 films and, like DreamWorks, is starting from scratch to make and acquire films and build their own distribution network.

The Weinstein Co. does have the right to make sequels of some of its Dimension films, including "Sin City" and "Scary Movie." And it just entered a joint venture to distribute its own DVDs, which will save it potentially millions of dollars in fees over the years.

The Weinstein Co. has raised about $500 million in cash and an equal amount in debt financing. That might not be enough. Vogel says a minimum of $2 billion is needed to comfortably finance both the production of a full film slate and distribution.

"The barriers to entry are high, which is why guys like the Weinsteins and anyone else who wants to go out and start this has to find external financing," Miller said.

"The risk remains very high that businesses like this will crash and burn," he said.

Prince Signs Deal to Release New Album

NEW YORK - Prince, who has put out most of his music on his own record label over the past decade, is aligning himself with a major label once again. The 47-year-old superstar has signed a deal with Universal Records to release his upcoming album, "3121," early next year. A press conference was scheduled Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Prince had a similar deal with Columbia Records in 2003; that label distributed his acclaimed comeback album, "Musicology," for NPG Records, Prince's label.

Also Tuesday, VH1 and its affiliated networks, including Tempo and VH1 Soul, are scheduled to premiere the singer's new video, "Te Amo Corazon (I Love You Sweetheart)," directed by Salma Hayek.

"Salma heard the song and came up with the original concept," Prince said of the actress in a statement. "Salma is the most thoughtful, attentive director I have ever worked with. An absolute joy."

VH1 will also make the song available on its Vspot broadband channel and VH1 Mobile.

'Brokeback Mountain' Leads Globe Pack

NEW YORK - Wildly varying films have received kudos from critics during this busy awards season, from biopics about Johnny Cash and Truman Capote to classic stories about romance and a royal ape.

But one appears to be riding to the front of the pack heading into Tuesday's Golden Globe nominations: "Brokeback Mountain."

The story of cowboys who fall into forbidden love in Wyoming has been named the year's best picture in recent days by critics groups in New York, Los Angeles and Boston; its director, Ang Lee, has received top honors from all three and from the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures.

One of the film's stars, Heath Ledger, won the best-actor award Monday from the New York Film Critics Circle, and his co-star, Jake Gyllenhaal, was named best supporting actor by the National Board of Review. "Brokeback Mountain" also appears on the American Film Institute's list of the top 10 movies of the year.

Tom O'Neil, a columnist for the awards Web site theenvelope.com, said "Brokeback Mountain" is one of only two shoo-in nominees for best drama at the Golden Globes, scheduled for Jan. 16; "Good Night, and Good Luck," about Edward R. Murrow's battles with Sen. Joseph McCarthy, is the other. The film from director George Clooney received the best-picture award Monday from the National Board of Review, which described it as "extraordinary."

"There is a curious consensus building behind `Brokeback Mountain,'" O'Neil said. "At the same time, we're seeing previous front-runners like `Munich' and '(Memoirs of a) Geisha' fall behind. Neither film has gotten the enthusiastic support of film critics, which is a crucial element behind a best-picture rival."

"Brokeback" also has all the key ingredients needed for a best-picture Oscar nominee, O'Neil said — and the Golden Globes increasingly have been a predictor for Academy Awards success in recent years.

"It is epic, it's a wide-screen, big-canvas movie. Oscar voters frequently confuse best picture with big picture. This is big in its ideas, in its cinematic range, in its landscape views of Wyoming in the '60s," he said. "It feels important — it's making a social statement about something that's becoming more acceptable in America but is still slightly dangerous."

Similarly, the fact that Lee has received so much praise could bode well for him. The veteran Taiwanese helmer lost the best-picture and best-director Oscars for his 2000 martial arts epic "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," though the movie did win for best foreign-language film, and Lee won a Golden Globe from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for best director.

"There is a feeling that this is a director who is overdue for his laurels," O'Neil said.

Beyond "Brokeback" and "Good Night," about six other movies could sneak into the best drama category, he predicted. One of them is "Capote," which has earned Philip Seymour Hoffman rave reviews and best-actor honors from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the National Board of Review, the Boston Society of Film Critics and the New York Film Critics Online.

O'Neil said "King Kong," Peter Jackson's epic remake and one of the year's most anticipated films, probably won't get a Globe nod, but it should be a best-picture nominee at the Oscars.

In the musical or comedy category at the Golden Globes, "Walk the Line" is a likely contender. Joaquin Phoenix stars as Cash, but Reese Witherspoon runs away with the movie as his on- and off-stage partner, June Carter Cash. The performance has earned Witherspoon best-actress awards from reviewers in New York and Boston.

"Even in the Hollywood, commercial, popcorn genre she's worked in, she has extraordinary respect from a cross-section of critics here," said Gene Seymour, film critic for Newsday and president of the New York Film Critics Circle. "She's very, very engaged in her character — she really knows what to do in front of a camera, always. She has an amazing capacity to connect with people."

Other possible nominees, O'Neil said, include "Pride and Prejudice," "Casanova" (which also stars Ledger), "Mrs. Henderson Presents" and "The Squid and the Whale," a dark comedy about divorce which has earned writer-director Noah Baumbach top screenplay honors from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the National Board of Review and the New York Film Critics Circle. The New York Film Critics Online named "Squid" the year's best movie.

"There were a lot of quality films and I think you're seeing it in all different genres," said Annie Schulhof, National Board of Review president. "If you're in the mood for a biopic, go see `Capote,' go see `Good Night, and Good Luck.' If you're in the mood for a political thriller, you have `Syriana.'"

Reaction to the Death of Richard Pryor

Comments on comedian Richard Pryor, who died Saturday:

"By expressing his heart, anger and joy, Richard Pryor took comedy to its highest form." — comedian Steve Martin.

___

"Richard Pryor was one of the true pioneers of his art form. He was the Charlie Parker of comedy, a master of telling the truth that influenced every comedian that came after him. Our friendship went back to his days as a young comedian at Cafe Wha in New York, and although I will miss him like a brother, the legacy that he leaves will forever be with us." — music producer Quincy Jones.

___

"He was the single most seminal, comedic influence in the last 50 years. It was so appropriate that he received the inaugural Mark Twain prize, as they both did the same thing. Mark Twain showed us what it was like on the frontier and living on the Mississippi and what it was like living at the turn of the century, and Richard Pryor showed us what it was like to live in the inner city. His concepts are so hysterically funny and unique." — comedian Bob Newhart.

___

"I wish that every new and young comedian would understand what Richard was about and not confuse his genius with his language usage." — comedian Bill Cosby.

___

"The Comedy Store could never thank you enough for the gift you gave us all — the gift of yourself ... to the audience, to the other comics and the elevation of your humor to a one-man art form." — Mitzi Shore, owner of The Comedy Store club in Los Angeles.

Shooting Suspect Was Once a Rising Star

NEW YORK - A dozen years ago, Lillo Brancato Jr. was going to be a star. The unknown actor earned critical acclaim opposite his idol, Robert De Niro, in the 1993 movie "A Bronx Tale." He played the Oscar winner's son in the story of a teen torn between two role models — a local mobster and his dad — in a heavily Italian Bronx neighborhood.

From there, Brancato went on to appear in more than a dozen films, including "Renaissance Man," "Crimson Tide," "Enemy of the State" and "The Adventures of Pluto Nash." He later had a recurring role on "The Sopranos," where his character was eventually executed by fictional mob boss Tony Soprano in one of the series' more memorable departures.

But on Saturday, the actor was far from the bright lights and red carpets of Hollywood. Instead, police said, he was breaking into a vacant house with another man when a gunfight erupted. An off-duty police officer who responded was killed, and Brancato, who police said was unarmed, was in critical condition after being shot twice.

Brancato was just 16 when De Niro launched a search for nonprofessionals to appear in his 1993 directorial debut, the film version of Chazz Palminteri's play "A Bronx Tale." Brancato was discovered by a casting director strolling along a New York beach; he came out of the water and wowed him with impressions of De Niro and Joe Pesci.

In a New York Times profile, Brancato was described as "friendly, earnest, sweet-tempered, a fast talker, a salesman, the kind of goofy tough guy who once upon a time used to hang out on a city street corner."

Brancato, now 29, was born in Bogota, Colombia, and adopted when he was 4 months old. He was raised in Yonkers and still lived in the city just north of the Bronx.

In 1999-2000, he appeared in a half-dozen episodes of "The Sopranos" as the dim-witted aspiring mobster Matt Bevilacqua. In one episode, his character worked a high-stakes card game where the players included Frank Sinatra Jr.

Brancato also starred in the short-lived TV mob show "Falcone" and guest-starred in a 2002 episode of "NYPD Blue."

His most recent appearance in the headlines came in June, when Brancato was arrested by Yonkers police who discovered four bags of heroin during a traffic stop.

'Narnia' Enchants Moviegoers Out of $67M

LOS ANGELES - Another fantasy world has joined Hollywood's instant-blockbuster club. Disney's "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" — adapted from C.S. Lewis' tale of enchantment, epic battles and talking animals — debuted as the weekend's top movie with $67.1 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Expanding nationwide after two weekends in limited release, the Warner Bros. thriller "Syriana," an oil-industry saga whose ensemble cast includes George Clooney and Matt Damon, ran second with $12 million.

Warner's " Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," the No. 1 film the previous two weekends, slipped to third with $10.3 million, raising its domestic total to $244.1 million.

"Chronicles of Narnia" kicked off what is likely to be a strong finish for Hollywood after a box-office slump that has lingered most of the year, leaving attendance down 7 percent compared to 2004.

The top 12 movies took in $117.8 million, up 17 percent from the same weekend last year.

Right behind "Chronicles of Narnia" comes Peter Jackson's remake of "King Kong," expected to open to huge audiences Wednesday.

"We've never needed two films like this more than we do now," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. "It's the knockout punch that Hollywood needs."

"Chronicles of Narnia" follows the "Harry Potter" and "The Lord of the Rings" films as the latest fantasy franchise making the leap from book to screen courtesy of dazzling computer animation.

The three "Lord of the Rings" movies had respective debuts of $47.2 million, $62 million and $72.6 million. The first three "Harry Potter" flicks each opened in the $90 million range, with the fourth film, "Goblet of Fire," debuting in November with $102 million.

"Chronicles of Narnia" follows four siblings who cross into an alternate world, where they join unicorns, centaurs, a talking lion and other beasts to battle an evil witch.

Though Universal's "King Kong" will compete for much of the same audience, distributor Disney expects business to remain strong for "Chronicles of Narnia."

"I think there's more than enough room for two major hits in a season, and because of the length of the holidays, both films are going to be here for a long, long time," said Chuck Viane, Disney head of distribution.

In limited release, Academy Awards hopefuls "Brokeback Mountain" and "Memoirs of a Geisha" had stellar debuts.

Focus Features' "Brokeback Mountain," starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as sheepherders who share a summer of love then conceal an ongoing affair from their families, took in $544,549 in just five theaters. On Saturday, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association picked "Brokeback Mountain" as the year's best movie.

Sony's "Memoirs of a Geisha," starring Ziyi Zhang as a woman born into poverty who becomes a queen bee in the last days of Japan's tradition-bound geisha houses, grossed $674,000 in eight theaters.

Both films go into more theaters Friday and continue to expand through awards season.

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," $67.1 million.
2. "Syriana," $12 million.
3. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," $10.3 million.
4. "Walk the Line," $5.75 million.
5. "Yours, Mine & Ours," $5.15 million.
6. "Aeon Flux," $4.6 million.
7. "Just Friends," $3.9 million.
8. "Pride & Prejudice," $2.5 million.
9. "Chicken Little," $2.3 million.
10. "Rent," $2 million.

Country Music Stars Brooks, Yearwood Wed

CLAREMORE, Okla. - Country music stars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood said "I do" on Saturday in a private ceremony at their Oklahoma home.

Brooks, an Oklahoma native, and Yearwood exchanged vows before family members, said Nancy Seltzer, a publicist for the couple.

"They said it is the perfect Christmas gift to each other and they couldn't be happier," Seltzer said. She declined to provide any other details.

Brooks, 43, got down on one knee and proposed to Yearwood, 41, in May in front of 7,000 fans at the "Legends in Bronze" event at Buck Owens' Crystal Palace in Bakersfield, Calif. Ten larger-than-life bronze statues honoring country stars were unveiled during that event, including one of Brooks.

The marriage is the second for Brooks, who has three children, and the third for Yearwood.

Brooks is credited with widening the genre's appeal in the 1990s by merging traditional country with honky tonk, pop, folk and rock. His "Ropin' the Wind" album was the first such country recording to debut at the top of the pop music charts. His latest album, "Scarecrow," went triple platinum.

Yearwood was named the Country Music Awards female vocalist of the year in 1997 and 1998. Her latest album is "Jasper County."

Pathbreaking Comedian Richard Pryor Dies

LOS ANGELES - Richard Pryor, the groundbreaking comedian whose profanely personal insights into race relations and modern life made him one of Hollywood's biggest black stars, died of a heart attack Saturday. He was 65.

Pryor died shortly before 8 a.m. after being taken to a hospital from his home in the San Fernando Valley, said his business manager, Karen Finch. He had been ill for years with multiple sclerosis, a degenerative disease of the nervous system.

"We loved him and will miss you," his ex-wife, Flynn Pryor, said from her Florida home.

Pryor lived dangerously close to the edge both on stage and off.

He was regarded early in his career as one of the most foul-mouthed comics in the business, but he gained a wide following for his universal and frequently personal routines. After nearly losing his life in 1980 when he caught on fire while freebasing cocaine, he incorporated the ordeal into his later routines.

His audacious style influenced generations of stand-up artists, from Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock to Robin Williams and David Letterman, among others.

A series of hit comedies and concert films in the '70s and '80s helped make Pryor one of the highest paid stars in Hollywood, and he was one of the first black performers to have enough leverage to cut his own deals. In 1983, he signed a $40 million, five-year contract with Columbia Pictures.

His films included "Stir Crazy," "Silver Streak," "Which Way Is Up?" and "Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip."

Throughout his career, Pryor focused on racial inequality, once joking as the host of the Academy Awards in 1977 that Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier were the only black members of the Academy.

Pryor once marveled "that I live in racist America and I'm uneducated, yet a lot of people love me and like what I do, and I can make a living from it. You can't do much better than that."

But he battled drug and alcohol addictions for years, most notably when he suffered severe burns over 50 percent of his body while freebasing at his home. An admitted "junkie" at the time, Pryor spent six weeks recovering from the burns and much longer from his addictions.

He battled multiple sclerosis throughout the '90s.

In his last movie, the 1991 bomb "Another You," Pryor's poor health was clearly evident. Pryor made a comeback attempt the following year, returning to standup comedy in clubs and on television while looking thin and frail, and with noticeable speech and movement difficulties.

In 1995, he played an embittered multiple sclerosis patient in an episode of the television series "Chicago Hope." The role earned him an Emmy nomination as best guest actor in a drama series.

"To be diagnosed was the hardest thing because I didn't know what they were talking about," he said. "And the doctor said `Don't worry, in three months you'll know.'

"So I went about my business and then, one day, it jumped me. I couldn't get up. ... Your muscles trick you; they did me."

While Pryor's material sounds modest when compared with some of today's raunchier comedians, it was startling material when first introduced. He never apologized for it.

Pryor was fired by one Las Vegas hotel for "obscenities" directed at the audience. In 1970, tired of compromising his act, he quit in the middle of another Vegas stage show with the words, "What the (blank) am I doing here?" The audience was left staring at an empty stage.

He didn't tone things down after he became famous. In his 1977 NBC television series "The Richard Pryor Show," he threatened to cancel his contract with the network. NBC's censors objected to a skit in which Pryor appeared naked save for a flesh-colored loincloth to suggest he was emasculated.

In his later years, Pryor mellowed considerably, and his film roles looked more like easy paychecks than artistic endeavors. His robust work gave way to torpid efforts like "Harlem Nights," "Brewster's Millions" and "Hear No Evil, See No Evil."

"I didn't think `Brewster's Millions' was good to begin with," Pryor once said. "I'm sorry, but they offered us the money. I was a pig, I got greedy."

"I had some great things and I had some bad things. The best and the worst," he said in 1995. "In other words, I had a life."

Recognition came in 1998 from an unlikely source: The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington gave Pryor the first Mark Twain Prize for humor. He said in a statement that he was proud that, "like Mark Twain, I have been able to use humor to lessen people's hatred."

Born in 1940 in Peoria, Ill., Pryor grew up in his grandmother's brothel. His first professional performance came at age 7, when he played drums at a night club.

Following high school and two years of Army service, he launched his performing career, honing his comedy in bars throughout the United States. By the mid-'60s, he was appearing in Las Vegas clubs and on the television shows of Ed Sullivan, Merv Griffin and Johnny Carson.

His first film role came with a small part in 1967's "The Busy Body." He made his starring debut as Diana Ross' piano man in 1972's "Lady Sings the Blues."

Pryor also wrote scripts for the television series "Sanford and Son," "The Flip Wilson Show" and two specials for Lily Tomlin. He collaborated with Mel Brooks on the script for the movie "Blazing Saddles."

Later in his career, Pryor used his films as therapy. "Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling," was an autobiographical account of a popular comedian re-examining his life while lying delirious in a hospital burn ward. Pryor directed, co-wrote, co-produced and starred in the film.

"I'm glad I did `Jo Jo,'" Pryor once said. "It helped me get rid of a lot of stuff."

Pryor also had legal problems over the years. In 1974, he was sentenced to three years' probation for failing to file federal income tax returns. In 1978, he allegedly fired shots and rammed his car into a vehicle occupied by two of his wife's friends.

Even in poor health, his comedy was vital. At a 1992 performance, he asked the room, "Is there a doctor in the audience?" All he got was nervous laughter. "No, I'm serious. I want to know if there's a doctor here."

A hand finally went up.

"Doctor," Pryor said, "I need to know one thing. What the (blank) is MS?"

Pryor was married six times. His children include sons Richard and Steven, and daughters Elizabeth, Rain and Renee.

Daughter Rain became an actress. In an interview in 2005, she told the Philadelphia Inquirer that her father always "put his life right out there for you to look at. I took that approach because I saw how well audiences respond to it. I try to make you laugh at life."

Chris Rock Won't Host Next Academy Awards

LOS ANGELES - Chris Rock won't be back cracking wise as the host of next year's Oscars telecast.

"He is not hosting the Academy Awards," the comedian's publicist, Matt Labov, said Friday in a brief statement e-mailed to The Associated Press. He did not elaborate.

Labov told The New York Times that Rock didn't want to do the show "in perpetuity" but would "like to do it again down the road."

The 2005 telecast was Rock's first as host. He drew younger viewers, but his barbs skewering stars like Jude Law, Tobey Maguire and others alienated some members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

In one bit, Rock suggested filmmakers should wait for better talent instead of rushing bad movies into theaters.

"You want Tom Cruise and all you can get is Jude Law. Wait," Rock joked. "You want Russell Crowe and all you can get is Colin Farrell? Wait. `Alexander' is not `Gladiator.'"

He also poked fun at himself.

"You want Denzel (Washington) and all you can get is me? Wait," he joked.

Rock's comments prompted Sean Penn, when he took the stage later, to defend Law as "one of our finest actors."

Rock is currently producing and narrating "Everybody Hates Chris," a sitcom on UPN based on his life.

A spokesman for the Academy declined to comment about the hosting duties. Longtime Academy Awards producer Gil Cates is expected to announce his selection in the next few weeks.

Frequently mentioned candidates include four-time host Whoopi Goldberg, two-timer Steve Martin and late-night hosts Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien.

The 78th annual Academy Awards will air March 5 on ABC from Hollywood.

Matt Damon Marries Girlfriend in NYC

LOS ANGELES - Matt Damon married girlfriend Luciana Bozan in a private ceremony Friday in New York City, his publicist said.

Damon, 35, and his bride exchanged wedding vows during a small ceremony at an undisclosed location, spokeswoman Jennifer Allen said. Bozan's 7-year-old daughter witnessed the ceremony. In a previous marriage Bozan went by the name Luciana Barroso.

There were no other details. Asked if Damon's friend and "Good Will Hunting" co-star Ben Affleck witnessed the wedding, Allen said no.

It was the first marriage for Damon, the second for Bozan. They will split their time between homes in New York and Florida.

Damon's publicist wouldn't discuss an "Access Hollywood" report that Damon's bride is pregnant.

Damon and Affleck won a best screenwriting Oscar for 1997's "Good Will Hunting."

Damon's screen credits also include roles in "Saving Private Ryan," "The Talented Mr. Ripley," "Ocean's Eleven" and "Syriana." He met Bozan while she was working as a bartender in Florida, Allen said.

Damon is in New York shooting the Robert De Niro-directed film "The Good Shepherd" with Angelina Jolie.

Bateman vs. Bateman on 'Arrested Development'

If "Arrested Development" is indeed going down, then it's going down on its own defiantly left-field terms.

In the show's latest bit of inside-joke casting, Justine Bateman -- the older sister of star Jason Bateman -- will guest-star on the FOX series scheduled for Monday, Jan. 9. She's filming the episode this week.

Some time ago, "Arrested" creator Mitch Hurwitz joked that he'd like to bring Justine Bateman on the show as a love interest for her brother's character, Michael Bluth. That won't be the case in this episode. Instead, she'll play the far less cringe-inducing role of Michael's long-lost older sister Nellie.

After discovering he has another sister, Michael tracks Nellie down and hires her as a consultant for The Bluth Co. As with most things related to the business, though, the plan doesn't quite work out the way Michael envisioned, and he discovers Nellie might not be who she says she is.

Justine Bateman, who became famous as Mallory Keaton on "Family Ties" in the 1980s, more recently starred in the Showtime miniseries "Out of Order" and the Hallmark Channel movie "The Hollywood Mom's Mystery." She's also put in a couple of guest appearances on CBS' "Still Standing" over the past two seasons.

Her episode of "Arrested Development" may be one of the show's last. FOX has decided against a full season of the show, which has aired six episodes so far this fall. The week following Bateman's episode will bring two hours' worth of "24," and the unscripted show "Skating with Celebrities" takes up residence in the 8 p.m. Monday timeslot after that.

Aronofsky Directs 'Lost'

Rachel Weisz's film director fiance Darren Aronofsky is such a huge fan of hit TV drama Lost - he has signed up to direct an episode. The Requiem For A Dream director made a call to the desert island show's bosses to ask if he could head an episode, and was thrilled when they agreed. Aronofsky's episode will be broadcast in the US in May.

Theron Steps In As Bond Babe Favorite?

Charlize Theron has reportedly replaced Angelina Jolie as director Martin Campbell's first choice for the latest Bond girl role.

The Monster star has bewitched Campbell and executives at Sony, according to website Scotsman.com, and now she's the favorite to follow in the footsteps of Bond babes like Honor Blackman, Jane Seymour and Teri Hatcher.

If selected, the South African beauty would become the second actress to star in a Bond film following an Oscar win - Halle Berry appeared in Die Another Day after picking up a golden statue for her role in Monster's Ball.

Jolie has reportedly been offered the role of Vesper Lynd in the new 007 adventure, Casino Royale, but suggested the character should be "toughened up."

Jeff Probst Signs New 'Survivor' Contract

LOS ANGELES - Jeff Probst said he's decided that life without "Survivor" wouldn't be as much fun and he's sticking with the CBS reality series.

"I was thinking about retiring and spending my time traveling to exotic locations around the world, meeting new and interesting people. Then I realized, uh, wait a second, I'm already doing that with 'Survivor' and getting paid for it, as well," Probst, 44, said in a statement Thursday.

He has signed a new multiyear deal, CBS spokesman Chris Ender said.

In October, Probst had said he was weighing whether to continue with the show. He's served as host since "Survivor" debuted in summer 2000 and his current contract was through the edition now in production.

Mark Burnett, the show's executive producer, welcomed Probst's decision to remain as host and producer, lauding his contributions to the "ever-evolving game" in which players face physical and mental challenges in a bid to win $1 million.

"I consider him a friend and look forward to continuing to keep 'Survivor' fresh with Jeff for many more seasons," Burnett said in a statement.

Last month, CBS announced that it will air the 13th and 14th versions of "Survivor" in the 2006-07 season.

That 12th edition, being filmed at an undisclosed location, is to be broadcast next spring. The finale for the current show, "Survivor: Guatemala," is Sunday, Dec. 11.<