The Couch Potato Report - February 28th, 2009

This week The Couch Potato Report peels seven films that are not very good, and the greatest of alllll time!!

It is my first week back from vacation, and I thought I was going to be able to tell you about some great films this week, all with fantastic casts...but unfortunately, they were all disappointing, and as such I don't have anything great to say about any of them...but I will try to be as nice as I can...I'll try!

Let's start with the Clint Eastwood directed film CHANGELING starring Angelina Jolie.

CHANGELING begins in 1928 Los Angeles and it is based on the true story of a woman who is reunited with her kidnapped son, except there is one problem...the child is not her son and after confronting the city authorities about the fact that the new boy is not her son, Jolie is vilified as an unfit mother and branded delusional.

In addition to the story of a mother looking for her son, CHANGELING also focuses on the crimes of Saskatchewan-born murderer Gordon Northcott, who was convicted in 1928 of raping and killing three young boys in California.

CHANGELING is not an awful film, I just didn't think it was very good.

It is well directed and acted, but it actually seems much longer than it's two-hour and twenty-minute running time...and that in itself is long enough.

The movie is so slow moving that at times you will actually want something to happen, just to keep you interested in the film.

I was always interested in how it would all turn out, but at times I just had no interest in the movie, due to it's slow pace.

I'm glad I had the chance to see CHANGELING, and if you enjoy Angelina Jolie, Clint Eastwood, or films that are very slow and dramatic, then maybe you will enjoy it. Otherwise, skip it.

And unless you absolutely have to see every film that is very slow and dramatic, you should probably also skip BLINDNESS.

This films is such a waste of time and talent.

BLINDNESS takes place in a big, unnamed city.

After an unexplained outbreak of blindness affects some people, the victims are quarantined by the government in a hospital without any medical care, treatment or hygiene.

Among the first people affected is an ophthalmologist, and even though the blindness seems contagious, his wife can still see and she accepts the task of taking care of him, and the others in their hospital ward.

A ward that quickly loses control of the hospital as a battle for control begins.

The couple are played by Mark Ruffalo from ZODIAC and COLLATERAL and Julianne Moore from CHILDREN OF MEN and THE HOURS, and even they can't rise above the material. Now I have never read the book that this film is based on, so I can't compare them, but I hope it is better than the film.

I wanted answers to the questions and scenarios the film poses, and got none. I wanted to be entertained, and I was not, I wanted something...but BLINDNESS gave me nothing. It is just an awful movie! Even if you like the cast, skip this thing!!

Now, for the next release this week, it is the cast that actually saves FLASH OF GENIUS.

The story itself is a formulaic David Vs. Goliath tale, this time about the man who invented the intermittent windshield wiper, saw the major automobile manufacturers steal it from him, and then spent years trying to win back credit for his invention.

The cast is lead by Greg Kinnear from LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE and the great Lauren Graham from BAD SANTA and they are always likeable, even if their film is not.

FLASH OF GENIUS is not a bad little film, but it isn't great. Movie fans might not care too much for it, but I suspect that autombobile enthusiasts will as it features the creation of the intermittent windshield wipers - which operate in timed intervals rather than constantly. This keeps a windshield clean in conditions of misting or very light rain.

Now while I am confident that autombobile enthusiasts will get something out of FLASH OF GENIUS, I am just confident that people who love guitars will not get anything out of THE GUITAR...and neither will people who love all other instruments.

I wanted to like this small little movie about a woman who changes every single part of her life after she is diagnosed with a terminal disease, fired from her job and dumped by her boyfriend all on the same day, I really did!!

When she is given two months to live and throws caution to the wind to pursue her dreams, I was rooting for her...but in the end, while I rooted for the woman, I couldn't root for the film that she is in.

THE GUITAR is just a self-indulgent film that stretches even it's own credibility and boundaries, and so you should just ignore it!

You should probably also ignore Guy Ritchie's latest, although it is still a step up from his last couple of films.

This is a guy who debuted with the one-two punch of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, and then gave us the awful Swept Away and Revolver...so while ROCK N ROLLA isn't quite as good as Guy's first two flicks, it is much better than the last two!

ROCK N ROLLA features lots of double crossing, underworld backstabbing, Russians, old Brits, petty thieves, a beautiful accountant, a gay gangster, and a crackhead who all cross paths, steal millions of Euros, beat a man on a golf course, unearth an informant, or look for an expensive painting.

Confused with all those lines and stories crossing? Well, that is what Guy Ritchie does best!

Gerard Butler from 300 and Thandie Newton from CRASH are great in the film, but there is too much going on, and most of the time no reason to care.

ROCK N ROLLA is not great or even very good, but it is better than Swept Away and Revolver, and so for those of us who loved, and still love Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, there is reason to beleive in Guy Ritchie again.

So rock on, ROCK N ROLLA

If it wasn't for the cast, the next film I have for you this morning is one that I might probably not include at all on The Couch Potato Report...but since it features some recognizable names, and it actually not bad, I have decided to include THE LODGER.

The film stars Alfred Molina, Hope Davis, Simon Baker, Shane West, Donal Logue, Philip Baker Hall, Rachael Leigh Cook and Rebecca Pidgeon and it is a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1927 film The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog.

It features two parallel storylines, one about a troubled detective who is playing a cat-and-mouse game with an unknown killer, and the second about a less-than-stable landlady and her relationship with her handsome and new "lodger".

THE LODGER is not a great film, but if you like thrillers, and don't overthink it, then you might enjoy it. I liked this one!

I didn't like BODY OF LIES...even though I love the director - Ridley Scott, and the two stars - Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe. This film features some interesting technology and a few good scenes, but it just isn't a very good movie...sadly.

The plot of BODY OF LIES is pretty simple to explain...Leo is a CIA agent on the ground in the middle East. He is an believes in creating and nurturing personal relationships based on trust and professionalism.

Russell Crowe is his U.S. based supervisor, a meddler who makes up the rules as he goes along and is more than willing to trade long-term benefits for a short-term situation he considers a victory.

With it's cast and director, I expected big things from BODY OF LIES, but unfortunately I didn't get them. I am glad I saw it, but I just can't recommend it.

I can however recommend THE ULTIMATE ALI COLLECTION, and not just because today is the last day of BLACK HISTORY MONTH, but because it features over two hours of the one, the only, Mr. Muhammad Ali!

Ali's career in and out of the boxing ring is revisited through classic fight footage, interviews and more in this 3-DVD Box Set.

To this day Muhammad Ali remains much more than "The Greatest Boxer" of all time, he is an international icon who captivated the world by articulating the feelings of the oppressed underclasses.

And he was an unusual sports figure in his day, being an outspoken conscientious object willing to offer an opinion on civil rights and the Vietnam War, and while he was stripped of his heavyweight crown, no one could ever shut him up or take away his dignity.

THE ULTIMATE ALI COLLECTION is a fantastic collection of his work, his words, and him...the one and only Muhammad Ali.

THE ULTIMATE ALI COLLECTION, THE LODGER, THE GUITAR, FLASH OF GENIUS and BLINDNESS are all available now on DVD.

BODY OF LIES, ROCK N ROLLA, CHANGELING are available on DVD and Blu-ray as well.

Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report

GROWING OP is a Canadian film about a home-schooled kid who decides to head to high school, despite protests from his pot-growing parents, in the hopes of winning the affection of a new girl.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED stars Robert DeNiro as a Hollywood producer who's having a rough time trying to get his new picture made.

THE FRENCH CONNECTION and FRENCH CONNECTION II debut on Blu-ray, and then there is a brand-new animated WONDER WOMAN film.

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

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

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

Jimmy Fallon begins his 'Late Night' adventure

Jimmy Fallon is prepared for whatever criticism he may get as the new host of NBC's Late Night. This is, after all, the man who starred in Taxi.

And besides, the former Saturday Night Live regular figures nothing he'll hear in the coming weeks will be as bad as what his predecessor, Conan O'Brien, went through when he took over for David Letterman in 1993.

"I don't think anyone could put up with what Conan was given when he first started," Fallon said on a conference call with reporters last week. "I mean, that poor guy went through the ringer ... that was insane. There wasn't anyone who liked him at first, and he stayed in the ring and stayed up, and you've got to respect him for that. So, I mean, as bad as a ribbing as I could get for this, I don't see it being that bad."

It's not that Fallon expects his first show on Monday night -- with guests Robert De Niro and Justin Timberlake and a musical performance from Van Morrison -- to go entirely smoothly. In fact, he assures us it won't. But as he's been doing test shows in recent weeks, he's been drawing on a piece of advice O'Brien (who will take over The Tonight Show in June) gave him.

"I think the thing he's repeated most is that you've just got to do it," he says. "Just do it, just keep doing it, because then that's how you learn how to do it. Just get up there and just start swinging and then you'll figure it out, which is good advice. And after the first two test shows I can tell you he's right.

"It's like you can prepare, you can get the great writers, you can get the great set and the great director, but if you don't get these interviews down it can get weird. And, you know, it can -- even a writer can't save you in those things. So I think the more I do it the more comfortable I'll be with talking to people."

Some highlights of the conversation:

Putting his stamp on the show: "I think ours will be different in the fact that we're younger, we're into tech stuff, gadgets, phones, video games. We'll treat a video game premiere like a movie premiere. I'm just going to be honest with what I like and what I do, what I enjoy. And we're not going to hide the fact that people are on the Internet all day. ... We're going to try to be as interactive as possible with our fans.

"I'm currently on Twitter and Facebook and Flickr and Digg; I'm on all that stuff. And I want to be as interactive as possible. I know we tape at 5:30 [ET], we air at 12:30, but I think my fans are smart enough to realize that we do tape early. And so we'll figure out some way to keep it interactive, either through Tweets or, you know, I'll tell you -- I can say on the show between 5:30 and 6:30 Eastern Standard Time, you know, please send in [comments]. I still have to figure out how that’s going to work. [The show will also have three bloggers posting during the day with clips and other items from the set and around the Internet.]

"And the fun thing is, if it doesn't work it's still fun to experiment and try stuff; it's 12:30 at night, I mean, honestly I just want to kind of keep people awake. Or at least give you one joke to go to bed with."

On becoming a better interviewer: "Every morning I sit my wife to the right of me, and I ask her what she's going to do that day. And then ... we run a clip and then we go to commercial.

"I realized after the first two test shows that it is tricky, it's hard. And I think the hardest part for me is you have these pre-interviews, these segment producers that pre-interview your guest. And they give you these bullet points of what funny stories they have.

"And your job as the host is to -- you hit on these bullet points to strike up a conversation with them. So, you know, the first couple I've done I've been a little nervous and I've been like, 'Hey, where you from? Connecticut, oh good. Do you do impressions? Oh great. I heard you went on vacation, and you had a hang gliding incident? Oh good. We'll be right back.' And I was like, 'Wait -- that was the worst conversation I've ever had in my life.'

"So I think the more calm, the looser I get and the more I make people feel at home and at ease and just have them not worry that they have to score, that I'll make sure they look good -- that's my job as the host is to make them shine. ... I'm just going to try to make my guests shine on my show. And I think between that and my house band it's going to be a good show."

About that house band, The Roots: "I got a lot to play with. I really, really, really struck gold and I'm so happy that they -- and honored -- that they would be my band. ... It should be something you want to go do [if you're in New York] because not even counting me, the band alone, will freak your bean. They're going to give you a heart attack. It is like going to see a concert for one hour. And they are so good, just so impressive."
---
The Jimmy Fallon era on Late Night begins at 12:35 a.m. ET Monday/Tuesday on NBC.

Ed McMahon in Intensive Care

Los Angeles (E! Online) – Ed McMahon is in intensive care at a Los Angeles hospital.

The 85-year-old former Johnny Carson sidekick has been hospitalized for several weeks with pneumonia, as well as other unspecified ailments, rep Howard Bragman tells E! News.

Bragman declined to comment on reports that McMahon has also been diagnosed with bone cancer, but did say the TV icon's condition is "serious" and his family is at his side.

"We're going to hope for the best right now," he said, adding that eveyone is "very optimistic" and McMahon is "gathering his strength."

McMahon has had his share of troubles in recent months, including bank debts, a home foreclosure, a process server-biting dog and a broken neck, which he blames for his financial woes.

Heart's Wilson sisters to be honored by music biz

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Ann and Nancy Wilson, the principal members of veteran rock group Heart, will receive a lifetime achievement award from a songwriters' group, organizers said on Thursday.

The sisters will be given the Founders Award during performing right group ASCAP's annual pop music awards in Hollywood on April 22. The honorees and various guests usually perform at the event, but details have not yet been finalized.

Ann Wilson, Heart's 58-year-old singer, and Nancy, its 54-year-old rhythm guitarist, rose to fame in the 1970s with such hits as "Crazy On You," "Magic Man" and "Barracuda."

"Their success and influence helped pave the way for other female artists, and they continue to build their musical legacy with an artistic energy that remains as strong today as when they first started out over 35 years ago," ASCAP president and chairman Marilyn Bergman said in a statement.

Past recipients include Elvis Costello, Billy Joel, Annie Lennox, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Smokey Robinson, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Tom Waits, Stevie Wonder and Neil Young.

Rival performing rights group BMI said earlier this week it would Philadelphia soul songwriter/producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff with an Icon lifetime achievement award during its annual awards dinner in Beverly Hills on May 19.

Both ASCAP and BMI collect royalties on behalf of songwriters and music publishers by monitoring radio airplay and charging license fees to the owners of venues where live and recorded music is played.

Simpsons Surpasses Another Milestone

Here's some news that's sure to make yellow-hued fans tickled pink: Fox has renewed The Simpsons for two more historic and satiric seasons, bringing its overall total to a record-breaking 22.

Sorry, Gunsmoke.

The network has requested 44 more episodes, bringing the four-fingered family's total to a whopping 493.

However, while the renewal means The Simpsons has topped Gunsmoke's 20-year run as the longest-running prime-time entertainment series, Springfield's finest have a way to go before besting the western's episode count. Gunsmoke played for an astonishing 635 episodes.

To mark their longevity, Matt Groening & Co. last month launched "Best. 20 Years. Ever.," a yearlong celebration leading up to January 14, 2010, the two-decade anniversary of the 'toon's debut. Woo-hoo!

BNL, Steven Page split 'bittersweet'

"I was back in the cockpit after eight days" - Ed Robertson joking about his float plane crash last year.

TORONTO - Ed Robertson can say first-hand when you have survived a plane crash, not much that happens on the ground after seems as traumatic.

Not even parting ways with your long-time wingman?

"After a plane crash, every day after seems kind of special," he said in an interview at the Sun last night.

And you want each day to be fun.

It's not to make light of the big announcement that key Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page is splitting from the group and won't record on the next record or part take in this fall's 20th anniversary tour.

But it is to keep it in perspective.

"It is difficult, no question," Robertson said. "It is hard on everybody but the primary emotion I would say would be excitement. We needed a blast of positive energy. It is a weird day. But I know for all of us, it is a necessary day."

Page pretty much echoed the same message in an interview on CP24, calling it "bittersweet" and that it was "time."

It was strange seeing them do so much media yesterday -- separately.

The unusual aspect of that was not lost on Robertson -- who jokes, "I am going to have to propose to him to do a pop-song war -- a gangster rap showdown but the pop-rock version."

A lot of people have put forward ideas of replacements -- everybody from J.D. Fortune to Paul McCartney to Jimmy Page and Ellen Page.

"I would never say never," Robertson said on hiring a new musician. "But right now we are focusing on the four of us."

Although Robertson said he did like Page's idea of Meatloaf.

"It would be nice to have a nice protein snack on stage."

Twenty years has flown by since the controversy of this band with the crazy name being banned from playing City Hall.

Fame and accolades, adulation and even fortune came their way in the years that followed. But 2008 was a tough year for this group.

Page's brush with the law and cocaine possession was well-documented in the press -- as was Robertson's near fatal float plane crash near Bancroft.

But what did not get aired publicly was the creative and philosophical differences that had come between the band, which includes Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn and Tyler Stewart.

For example, the band's foray into a children's album was a critical and commercial success -- but it's kind of difficult to market a record for families called Snacktime when one of your key members is on the news, busted for cocaine use.

It's not that the band turned on Page for what was a life mistake, but the fact is, it did not help the band -- which had to cancel a Disney-sponsored concert -- and perhaps a new direction for them to go.

The next project was the band's new album.

One industry producer said yesterday the other members of the band politely put it to Page that they wanted him focused "100%" and certainly did not want further distractions.

Robertson, though, said it did not come down to any one meeting, but he did say recording an album is "a mountain that you have to be prepared to climb as a unit and we knew for us to move forward it would be without Steven."

Page, speaking from Syracuse, said this as well on CP24: "They are anxious to make a record as Barenaked Ladies and I am anxious to make a solo record."

Of course, the fan forums are going crazy with gossip -- some even suggesting Page's new girlfriend, Christine Benedicto, is the "band's Yoko Ono" -- life imitating art but still a woman who has helped break up the band.

Robertson just laughs. "God bless the fans. We have an amazing fan base and I know they feel gutted, but the truth is it does not come down to one thing or one person. He added, "I really wanted to reach out to people and let them know this is a good thing for us and not to worry about what it will be because it will be great for us and for Steven."

And while no separation is done easily, he said, this one was done amiably.

"There is a ton to look back on and be proud of," Robertson said.

"We accomplished far too much to split acrimoniously. It's a pivotal moment but it is not a hurdle or a stumbling block. It's just a new direction."

Just like when he crashed his plane, Robertson has already started to plot out the takeoff of the new-look Barenaked Ladies.

Jerry Seinfeld bringing reality series to NBC

NEW YORK – Jerry Seinfeld is headed back to NBC as the producer of a comic reality series about marriage.

The series, called "The Marriage Ref," will feature a real-life couple involved in a marital spat. A team of celebrities will provide commentary and a "referee," whose identity hasn't been determined, will give the final verdict on who is right and wrong.

Seinfeld, in a statement, stressed that it's a comedy show, not a therapy show.

His production partner, former "Oprah Winfrey" producer Ellen Rakieten, says it's not clear yet whether Seinfeld will appear on the air. It's also not clear when the series will start, but producers are shooting for next season.

Family Guy beams in Star Trek: Next Generation crew

The cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation is beaming into Family Guy for a reunion, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The Next Generation crew, including Patrick Stewart, Levar Burton, Gates McFadden, Michael Dorn, Wil Wheaton, Denise Crosby, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes, will lend their voices to the animated sitcom.

In an episode titled "Not All Dogs Go To Heaven," Family Guy character Stewie builds a transporter and beams the entire cast into his bedroom so they can spend a day in Quahog, the fictional town where the series is set.

Fox has announced a March 29 broadcast date for the Star Trek-themed episode.

The Next Generation series, which ran for seven seasons beginning in 1987, starred Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard, commander of the Enterprise and Frakes as First Officer William Riker. It won 18 Emmy Awards and a Peabody award in its long run.

Steven Page leaves Barenaked Ladies

Singer-guitarist Steven Page has left The Barenaked Ladies "by mutual agreement" to pursue solo projects.

The Toronto band and Page together made the announcement last night on BNL's website.

"It's the start of a new chapter for all of us," wrote bandmate Ed Robertson.

Page was charged with drug possession in upstate New York last July, only weeks after the band released a children's album.

In October, Page agreed to a deal with prosecutors that would result in the felony drug charge being dropped if he stayed out of trouble for six months, which time will elapse come late April.

Contacted last night by Sun Media, drummer Tyler Stewart said he couldn't comment much further on the split at this time.

"The band is happy to be moving forward and can't wait to get into the studio to record new material," Stewart wrote in an e-mail to Sun Media.

"That's all I can really say."

The remaining members of the band say they will continue recording and touring together as The Barenaked Ladies.

Page, 38, was not available to be interviewed last night, but on the band's website he wrote:

"These guys are my brothers. We've grown up together over the past 20 years. I love them and wish them all the best in the future."

According to the band's website, Page will "pursue solo projects including theatrical opportunities while the band enters the studio in April 2009, and hits the road in the fall."

The Barenaked Ladies had a rocky 2008.

Not only was Page arrested, but in late August Robertson crashed his float plane in a wooded area north of Bancroft, Ont., and luckily walked away unhurt along with three passengers.

This year, the Ladies appeared to be on a mini-comeback, with a recent Juno Award nomination for their children's album, Snacktime, just in time to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band.

The Barenaked Ladies have made 11 albums since 1992.

They have had four Top 5 singles in Canada, and two Top 20 singles in the U.S., where One Week reached No. 1 in 1998 and Pinch Me hit No. 15 in 2000.

The band was named group of the year at the Juno Awards in 1993, 1995 and 2001, and twice won the Juno for best pop album (Stunt in 1995, Maroon in 2001).

INXS denies it left J.D. Fortune in the lurch

Rock band INXS has disputed Canadian J.D. Fortune's version of how he came to part ways with the Australian band.

Fortune was chosen as lead singer for the band in a reality TV show, Rock Star: INXS in 2005.

He recently told Entertainment Tonight Canada that his bandmates dumped him at a Hong Kong airport after a 23-month tour, leaving him broke and living out of his truck.

The band's creative director Chris Murphy, however, says Fortune was never dumped as lead singer — though he won't be invited back now that he's spread this story.

"The band have always stated to me that Fortune's services could potentially be contracted again when INXS next tour," he said.

"In fact, he was next on my list to call regarding a very big recording project I am putting together for INXS at present. I have no reason to call him now."

The band says it is shocked to hear what Fortune has said about them.

"Not only are we shocked by the claims, even the place the supposed incident was to have taken place is a mystery," said a statement issued by the group.

Fortune, who hails from New Glasgow, N.S., helped bring a new young audience to INXS with the reality TV show and subsequent tour.

He wrote the song Pretty Vegas, and worked with the group to record their album, Switch.

Fortune admits sudden fame went to his head and he had a problem with substance abuse while on tour. He said he has had no contact with the band for more than a year.

"I found myself really alone, because I had travelled with these guys for 23 months," he told Entertainment Tonight Canada.

"I don't know where I am going, from sofa to sofa, from night to night. I am trying to get through my life."

INXS, whose earlier hits include Need You Tonight and Never Tear Us Apart, lost its charismatic lead singer, Michael Hutchence, in 1997 to suicide.

Since then the group has had a series of lead singers, including Terence Trent D'Arby and Jon Stevens.

New CD Releases, February 24th: Jonas Brothers, Van Morrison, Lamb of God, Chris Isaak, K'Naan and more

Jonas Brothers "Music from the 3D Concert Experience" (Hollywood)

These Disney darlings are set to have a huge week. The trio's new film, "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience," will hit theaters on Friday (2/27), just days after the movie's soundtrack reaches stores.

The film and soundtrack were recorded during two shows in Anaheim, CA, last July. "Music from the 3D Concert Experience" features such songs as "Burnin' Up," "I'm Gonna Getcha Good" and "That's Just the Way We Roll."

The Jonas Brothers had a very busy 2008, a year that saw them star in the Disney film "Camp Rock," release the album "A Little Bit Longer" and conduct a highly successful summer tour of amphitheaters.

For their efforts, the Jonas Brothers were nominated for Best New Artist at the 51st Grammy Awards earlier this month. The band ended up losing in that category to Adele, but it did make an impression on TV viewers, for better or worse, with its performance at the show with the legendary Stevie Wonder.

* * *
Van Morrison "Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl" (Listen to the Lion)

By most reports, Van the Man thrilled fans when he performed his 1968 album "Astral Weeks" in its entirety at the Hollywood Bowl in November. Now, the rest of us can hear this performance as well.

"Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl" is being issued on Listen to the Lion Records, Morrison's own label under a new deal with EMI Music. The 10-track offering includes such fan favorites as the title track and "Sweet Thing."

"Astral Weeks," which was heralded as groundbreaking when it was originally released, has been ranked as one of the greatest albums of all time by several publications, including Mojo and Rolling Stone.

* * *
Lamb of God "Wrath" (Sony)

The hard-rock troupe will unleash its "Wrath" on listeners, the Virginia-based band's fifth studio effort in a recording career that dates back to 2000's "New American Gospel."

After recently touring as the main opening act for Metallica, Lamb of God will support "Wrath" with a spring headlining trek. The tour, sponsored by No Fear Energy Drink, kicks off April 2 in Phoenix, AZ. As I Lay Dying and Children of Bodom will provide main support for the outing, with the opening slot rotating between God Forbid and Municipal Waste.

* * *
Chris Isaak "Mr. Lucky" (Reprise)

The Northern California vocalist/guitarist's last two releases were a concert album (last year's "Live in Australia") and a holiday offering (2004's "Christmas"). Now, Isaak finally returns with his first batch of new studio tracks since 2002's "Always Got Tonight." "Mr. Lucky" features duets with both Trisha Yearwood and Michelle Branch.

* * *
K'Naan "Troubadour" (A&M)

The Somali rapper recorded his latest set mainly in Kingston, Jamaica, working at Bob Marley's original home studio at 56 Hope Road and the legendary Tuff Gong studios. "Troubadour" features Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett on the tune "If Rap Gets Jealous" and Maroon 5 vocalist Adam Levine on the track "Bang Bang." Rapper Mos Def and reggae star Damian Marley also make guest appearances.

* * *
More new releases:
Joe Bonamassa, "The Ballad of John Henry" (Premier Artists)
J.J. Cale, "Roll On" (Rounder)
Shemekia Copeland, "Never Going Back" (Telarc)
Erasure, "Total Pop! The First 40 Hits" (101)
God Forbid, "Earth's Blood" (Century Media)
Jeff Kashiwa, "Back in the Day" (Shanachie)
Barry Manilow, "Manilow" (SBME)
Jake Owen, "Easy Does It" (RCA)
Pieces of A Dream, "Soul Intent" (Heads Up)
Tom Rush, "What I Know" (Appleseed)
Various Artists, "War Child Presents Heroes" (Astralwerks)
Steven Wilson, "Insurgentes" (Kscope)
Yes, "Symphonic Live" (Eagle)

Soundtracks and scores:
"The Wrestler" (Koch)

John Cusack, Rob Corddry Dip Into 'Hot Tub Time Machine'

The star of classic '80s teen films "Say Anything..." and "One Crazy Summer" will pair with Rob Corddry for "Hot Tub Time Machine," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The plot follows four buddies who, missing their wild high-school days, stumble upon the titular device and revisit 1987.

Craig Robinson ("Pineapple Express") and Clark Duke ("Sex Drive") are in talks to round out the group.

Cusack, 42, can be seen this November in end-of-the-world flick "2012." Corddry, 38, co-starred in 2008's "Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay."

Richter, O'Brien to reunite on `Tonight Show'

LOS ANGELES – NBC says Andy Richter and Conan O'Brien will be back together again on late-night TV.

Richter, who worked with O'Brien for seven years on NBC's "Late Night," will become the "Tonight" show announcer when O'Brien takes over from Jay Leno as host in June. NBC said Richter also will take part in comedy bits.

O'Brien called Richter a friend and one of the funniest people he knows, but couldn't resist a joke: O'Brien said he's looking forward to their reunion because Richter owes him $300.

After leaving "Late Night" in 2000, Richter starred in the TV series "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" and "Andy Barker, P.I.," and appeared in "Talladega Nights," "Blades of Glory" and other movies.

Timberlake is GQ's most stylish

NEW YORK - Justin Timberlake wins style props in the March issue of GQ magazine.

The magazine picked the entertainer to lead a list of the "10 Most Stylish Men in America." It singled out Timberlake for his impact on fashion, willingness to take risks and "knack for targeting trends" such as hats, three-piece suits, skinny ties and beards.

Timberlake, who launched his clothing line William Rast several years ago, tells GQ he considers model Kate Moss a style icon because she "could put a barrel on and it would be some sort of statement."

It irks the 28-year-old heartthrob when an entire outfit revolves around a hat, and he'd never wear an argyle sweater vest off the golf course. He prefers to keep it simple, clothes-wise.

Other "Stylish Men" include Kanye West, T.I., Jason Schwartzman, hotelier Andre Balazs and photographer Alexi Lubomirski.

'Friday the 13th' nails No. 1 spot with $42.2M

LOS ANGELES – "Friday the 13th" had all the luck as the remake of the 1980 slasher flick opened with $42.2 million, putting blood and guts ahead of hearts over Valentine's Day weekend.

That was a record for the horror genre, topping the $39.1 million debut for 2004's "The Grudge." Accounting for today's higher admission prices, "The Grudge" sold slightly more tickets, however.

Released by the Warner Bros. banner New Line Cinema, "Friday the 13th" updates the grisly story of killer Jason Voorhees and his rampage among youths at a secluded summer camp.

On opening day — which fell on Friday the 13th — the remake pulled in $19.4 million, slightly more than the $19 million it cost to make the movie.

"It's a great title, and it was a great weekend to open. We had Friday the 13th and Valentine's Day," said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros. "I've seen it play a number of times, and the audience is with it the whole way. A lot of screams and a lot of laughs."

The "Friday the 13th" series has been one of the most-enduring horror franchises, spawning 10 sequels, including the crossover grudge match "Freddy Vs. Jason," pitting Voorhees against the boogeyman from "A Nightmare on Elm Street."

The movie bumped off the previous weekend's top earner, the Warner-New Line romance "He's Just Not That Into You," which fell to second-place but held up strongly over Valentine's weekend with $19.6 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Among other new movies, Disney's comedy "Confessions of a Shopaholic" landed in fourth-place with $15.4 million, while Sony's thriller "The International" is No. 7 with $10 million.

"Confessions of a Shopaholic" stars Isla Fisher as a magazine retail writer coping with her own compulsive buying habits. "The International" features Clive Owen as an Interpol agent and Naomi Watts as a prosecutor uncovering a bank's global misdeeds.

The combination of solid debuts and strong holdovers lifted Hollywood to its best President's Day weekend ever. The three-day overall total of $190 million blew away the previous best of $157.1 million over President's Day weekend in 2007, according to box-office tracker Media By Numbers.

For the year, revenues continue to soar, with revenue at $1.44 billion, up 22 percent through the same point in 2008. Factoring in 2009's higher ticket prices, movie attendance is running 20 percent higher than last year's.

"Hollywood seems to be unstoppable right now. With this notion of the recession helping the box office, I guess this is just another example of that," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers. "People want to go to the movies and just have fun and escape. `Friday the 13th,' as scary as your mortgage banker is, Jason's scarier."

Academy Awards front-runner "Slumdog Millionaire" heads into Oscar weekend with sturdy box-office momentum. The Fox Searchlight release took in $7.2 million, raising its 14-week total to $86.5 million.

"Slumdog Millionaire" has dominated at earlier Hollywood honors and is considered the likely best-picture winner at next Sunday's Oscars.

"The awareness for the film just keeps increasing every week," said Richard Shamban, vice president of distribution for Fox Searchlight. "The publicity from the awards themselves will continue to help, win or lose."

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Friday the 13th," $42.2 million.
2. "He's Just Not That Into You," $19.6 million.
3. "Taken," $19.3 million.
4. "Confessions of a Shopaholic," $15.4 million.
5. "Coraline," $15.3 million.
6. "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," $11.7 million.
7. "The International," $10 million.
8. "The Pink Panther 2," $9 million.
9. "Slumdog Millionaire," $7.2 million.
10. "Push," $6.9 million.

The Couch Potato Report - February 14th, 2009

This week The Couch Potato Report peels eleven films, that may not be about love, but many of them are films people actually love.

It is Valentine's Day weekend, full of days to love. But it is also a day that some people are indifferent or apathetic to, because of the fact that love is seemingly forced upon them by retailers and the Greeting Card companies.

So, in order to cover both sides, I have some brand new releases for you this week, that I loved, and some that I am simply indifferent to.

Let's start with the love, shall we? I love BEING THERE!

BEING THERE is the classic 1979 film starring the great Peter Sellers as Chance, a simple gardener, who has never been outside of his employer's estate in Washinsgton, DC.

When the man dies, Chance does leave, and through a series of misunderstandings, he becomes one of the most sought after political minds in America.

Chance's comments and passion towards plants, flowers and gardening are misunderstood as profound statements, and therin lies the comedy in this film.

Sellers' career prior to BEING THERE had been full of over the top characters pieces - like THE PINK PANTHER films, DR. STRANGELOVE and THE PARTY - but in this film he played it straight and let the siuations around him provide the humour.

And it works!! BEING THERE - which features a small cameo from Saskatchewan's own Buffy Saitne-Marie - is a classic!! And the brand new Blu-ray version is a must own!!

I love BEING THERE, and I also love THE DIRECTOR'S CUT of the Academy Award winning film AMADEUS.

AMADEUS is the 1984 Oscar winner for Best Picture that very loosely on the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, two composers who lived in Vienna, Austria, during the later half of the 18th century.

This DIRECTOR’S CUT adds about twenty additional minutes to the film, and while it didn’t really need the extra time, it does enhance it, and thus a great film offers even more to enjoy!

Plus, this new Blu-ray edition comes with a 35-page booklet with the DVD on one side and a music CD on the other.

That glorious music!

YES, THE DIRECTOR’S CUT of AMADEUS is another film I love, and to love, and for different reasons, I also love DONNIE DARKO.

DONNIE DARKO is the textbook definition of a film that is not for everyone. This is a great example of a cult classic…and I am a happy member of that cult.

Jake Gyllenhaal from BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN and ZODIAC is Donnie, a troubled teenager who has visions of an evil, large bunny rabbit that convinces him to commit a series of crimes.

And it all happens after Donnie has narrowly escaping a very bizarre accident.

DONNIE DARKO is dark and trippy and some of it is waaaaaay out there, but I also found it a challenging and enjoyable film.

Both the theatrical version and the Director’s Cut are now available, and while I thought the original was great on it’s own, I did prefer the latter, actually, I loved them both!!

Challenge yourself, this weird little film may just surprise you!

We are going from LOVE to INDIFFERENT on this Valentine’s Day edition of The Report, and we are in between those two opposites now with three films I merely liked.

The Academy Award nominated film FROZEN RIVER is the first of those three.

FROZEN RIVER is a very small budgeted film that takes place near a little-known border crossing on the Mohawk reservation between New York State and Quebec.

Two women, both single mothers faced with desperate circumstances - are drawn into the world of border smuggling in order to provide for their kids.

Melissa Leo received an Academy Award nomination as Best Actress for her work in the movie, and she and the rest of the cast are very good.

The film is engaging, and interesting, and I liked it.

I also liked ANTWONE FISHER, when it first came out in 2002, and I liked it when I watched it again this week on Blu-ray.

This is the based-on-a-true-story of Antwone Fisher, an orphaned navy man, who comes to like himself, and put the pieces of his life back together, only after he is forced to see a psychiatrist.

Denzel Washington directed the film and co-stars as the doctor.

At times ANTWONE FISHER follows all the clichés of the patented Hollywood doctor who makes his patient better and learns about himself in the process…but the acting usually allows those scenes to stand above the clichés, and ultimately this is a film I liked.

I may never watch it again, but I liked it…and that is true with DRUMLINE as well.

DRUMLINE is another film from 2002 and this one possesses some clichés as well…the sports movie clichés…but since it takes place in a different setting, it is a likeable film.

This film is about a cocky Harlem street drummer who is recruited to play at a very strict – and quite serious - Southern university.

For me, DRUMLINE changed the way that I watched the musicians and cheer squads who appear on the field during games as I wasn’t aware how hard they worked, and for that reason, and the fact that it is a pretty good movie, I liked it.

We have covered love and liked now, lets move to the opposite end of the spectrum…indifference. I don’t hate these next two movies, but I certainly didn’t like them, so I am completely indifferent to them.

NIGHTS IN RODANTHE is the first of this week’s bottom of the barrel releases, and that is a bit of a surprise as it stars two likeable actors – Richard Gere and Diane Lane – and it is based on the book by Nicholas Sparks, who also wrote “The Notebook”, “Message in a Bottle”, “A Walk to Remember”, and several other very enjoyable books.

But this one doesn’t add up to the sum of it’s parts and thus NIGHTS IN RODANTHE is a movie to skip.

Gere plays a lonely doctor who is traveling to see his estranged son after a fatal operation.

He meets an unhappily married woman at a North Carolina inn.

Gere and Lane were so good together in the film UNFAITHFUL, but this movie just doesn’t work. If you absolutely need something of a romantic cinematic nature today, then MAYBE you will get something out of it.

But I didn’t care for it at all.

I also didn’t care for Spike Lee’s MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA. This movie is a mess!

After a very public battle with Clint Eastwood about the lack of African-Americans in Eastwood’s FLAGS OF OUR FATHER’S and LETTERS FROM IWO JIM films, Lee set out to tell this story about four black American soldiers who get trapped in a Tuscan village during WWII.

Spike’s intentions were great, but his film – based on fact and fiction - is not.

MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA is – at 160 minutes – way too long, it doesn’t focus on the most interesting characters, and the ending of it is ridiculous.

Now, that said, I will admit that there are some interesting scenes, and a few good moments, but ultimately this is a waste of time.

Unless you LOVE war movies…skip this one too.

Finally this week, I want to end with a film that I love…actually three films that I love, the BACK TO THE FUTURE trilogy!!

Previously only available in one 3 DVD set with all films, now the 1985 original, 1989’s PART II, and the 1990 conclusion – BACK TO THE FUTURE, PART III – are all available individually.

Plus, the original film is now a 2-DVD Set with several all-new retrospective features, including an interview with the Canadian star of the series, Mr. Michael J. Fox!

I love all three of these films, even the third one, and I had a great afternoon this week watching all of them back to back to back to the future!

The BACK TO THE FUTURE films are all available now, only on DVD, with a Blu-ray version rumoured for later this year.

MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA, NIGHTS IN RODANTHE DRUMLINE, ANTWONE FISHER, FROZEN RIVER, DONNIE DARKO, BEING THERE and THE DIRECTOR'S CUT OF AMADEUS Are available now as new releases on Blu-ray, and they are all available on DVD as well.

Coming up in TWO WEEKS on the next Couch Potato Report

Clint Eastwood's CHANGELING focuses on the crimes of Saskatchewan-born murderer Gordon Northcott, who was convicted in 1928 of crimes in California.

Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio star in BODY OF LIES, Robert DeNiro cinematically asks WHAT JUST HAPPENED, and we will conclude BLACK HISTORY MONTH with THE ULTIMATE MUHAMMAD ALI COLLECTION.

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

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

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

Hugh Jackman plans for `intimate' Oscars

LOS ANGELES – Hugh Jackman says he knows the Oscars ceremony isn't about him, but he'd better enjoy it all the same.

"Celebration is the key. I'm certainly going to have a good time. If I'm not going to have a good time, how the hell is anybody else?" said Jackman, who sounded up for the job in a phone interview Friday, less than two weeks before the Feb. 22 ceremony airing on ABC.

Academy Awards producers Laurence Mark and Bill Condon have said they plan to take the ceremony in a new direction. Asking the multitalented star of "Australia" and the "X-Men" films to host was their first apparent step.

The rest of the details have been under wraps, but Jackman, who thrice soared as host of the Tony Awards, dropped a few hints — including a more "intimate" look for the ceremony's home, the Kodak Theatre.

Jackman declined to give his favorites among the contenders, with one emotional exception: the late Heath Ledger, a best supporting actor nominee for "The Dark Knight." Ledger died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs last year at the age of 28.

"I can't hide the fact that I would really love for that honor to be bestowed upon him," Jackman said of his fellow Australian. "It would be fitting and I think he deserves it."

AP: How would you compare your Tony experience to that of the Oscars?

Jackman: The Oscars is obviously a very different beast. There's a lot of hype. There's so much anticipation. ... I chatted with Steve Martin on the phone who gave me some great tips. The first five or six minutes you're going to have possibly the best audience you've ever had in your life, because all of them know they're going be on camera at any moment, none of them have lost yet and they're all sort of generally ready for a good time. He said from that point on, just move it on quickly. Just be quick.

In terms of style, there's a quantum shift happening this year, and fingers crossed we get a lot of it right. ... There's an obvious amount of business that has to happen in the night. There's 24 awards; you can't change that. But I think Oscars could do a little more of the show in show biz. I think there's been a little too much business.

AP: The producers intend to try different things. Does that add to your excitement or trepidation?

Jackman: I think it's great. ... Obviously I'm not a standup comedian and generally there's been comedians who are actors as well (who) have been doing it for the last however many years. So there's not the same pressure. I don't think people expect me to come out and do seven minutes of bang-bang-bang jokes. ... They really just encourage me to do what I feel I do best. It's a night to have a feeling of celebration, of community.

The look of the theater is very different. It's more like the nightclub of your dreams. It's very intimate. ... It's got to be a lot closer. It's been a little austere in the past. You know, there's that stage, the host being up above the stalls, looking down at everybody. ... But this is a lot more intimate. It's still spectacular, being in the Kodak Theatre. But it's a real difference in the way things are laid out.

Peter Gabriel won't perform at Oscars

Though he won't perform his nominated song, Peter Gabriel says he'll still attend the Oscar ceremony and hopes that the producers will still ask the Soweto Gospel Choir to back up his replacement.

The singer of Big Time and In Your Eyes is nominated for best song for his tune Down to Earth from Wall-E, but says in a video on his website, PeterGabriel.com, that the producers' decision to do a medley of the three nominated songs left him only 65 seconds of performance time.

"I've now decided very recently to withdraw from the ceremony," Gabriel says, adding that he'll still attend the ceremony "because it's a fun adventure."

He says in the video that it's unfortunate to give songwriters such minimal time to showcase their work, even though it's a small part of the filmmaking process. "I'm an old fart, and it's not going to do me any harm to make a little protest," he says. "But I think for some of the other artists it's not so easy."

Gabriel adds that he hopes The Soweto Gospel Choir, which accompanied him on the song, would still be allowed to perform with whoever ends up singing the song.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declined to comment.

Tragically Hip announce new disc

The more things change, the more they remain the same for The Tragically Hip.

The veteran Canadian rockers will release their dozenth studio album, We Are the Same, on April 7, their record label announced yesterday.

Like 2006's World Container, the 12-song CD was produced and mixed by superstar producer Bob Rock. Here's the track list for We Are the Same:

1. Morning Moon

2. Honey, Please

3. The Last Recluse

4. Coffee Girl

5. Now the Struggle Has a Name

6. The Depression Suite

7. The Exact Feeling

8. Queen of the Furrows

9. Speed River

10. Frozen In My Tracks

11. Love Is a First

12. Country Day

U2 takes a week on David Letterman's `Late Show'

NEW YORK – Make room, Paul Shaffer. U2 will be on David Letterman's "Late Show" for a full week to promote their upcoming album.

The band will be Letterman's musical guest each night from March 2 to 6. It's the first time a musical guest has been given a solid week on the CBS show.

U2's new album, "No Line on the Horizon," is to be released that week. The band played its first single, "Get on Your Boots," to kick off the Grammy Awards on Sunday.

The band last appeared on the "Late Show" in October 2001.

Despite economy, the show must go on in Hollywood

LOS ANGELES – It's a city where perception is reality and image is everything. But Hollywood is having trouble keeping up appearances in the midst of the nation's economic downturn, even during its splashiest, most self-celebratory time: awards season.

Of course, the show must go on. The Academy Awards bring $130 million into Los Angeles, and city economists expect that to be true this year, too. But it's in the ancillary activity — parties, studios' campaigns for Oscar votes, glossy ads in trade publications — where less money is being thrown around.

Even director Danny Boyle, whose "Slumdog Millionaire" is the front-runner to win the best-picture Oscar, acknowledged the awkward paradox of backslapping as the economy slides backward.

"When you read a headline like last week, I read 60,000 jobs lost in a day in America, you just think you've got to be very careful because we live in a very glamorous world, you take lots of photographs, there's lots of smiling asked for and stuff like that," Boyle said backstage after winning the top prize from the Directors Guild of America.

"We're very lucky," he added. "And we're aware of that."

So how does the lavish machinery keep running during such tough financial times?

Longtime events planner Chris Benarroch says smaller parties are the new normal, "not having things for 1,500 people, maybe 100 or 250." Entertaining at home is also becoming a popular option, with studio or agency executives hosting a dinner, for example. With elegant linens, candles and flowers, that costs maybe $50,000, versus the half a million dollars and more that can go into enormous soirees staged from the ground up.

"There's more emphasis on buying out a restaurant like Spago, not going over the top where you were building a tent with decking, floor-to-ceiling creating a whole environment in a parking lot or a raw space. You're using an already existing venue," she said. "You're going to see a lot of people attending the (post-Oscar) Governor's Ball more than ever before, taking advantage of that opportunity. Everyone is just really scaling back."

The annual Vanity Fair party on Oscar night will be more intimate with a smaller guest list — the Sunset Tower Hotel expects about 750 people — and chicken pot pie will be on the menu: "The whole idea of, in tough times, it'll be cozier and we'll be serving comfort food, the kind of food that makes people feel better," said the magazine's spokeswoman, Beth Kseniak.

The added benefit: It'll be even more exclusive than ever before. "It's always hard to turn people down," Kseniak said, "and this will make us have to."

Normally corporate sponsors help pay for the cost of a party and get the prestige of their association — Cartier co-hosted a Golden Globes viewing and post-party with NBC/Universal, for example. But that money is drying up, too.

"One by one they were like, `We just can't do it. We just don't have the funds,'" said Benarroch. "Normally it's a huge coup to have a company come on board and host an Oscar party. Normally we have the pick of what works best with the film. This year, it's slim pickings. ...

"What company's not laying off people?" she added. "How do you justify that?"

The economy is also affecting the way awards campaigns play out in the trade publications, where high-profile ads are a crucial component of the annual bragging rights.

"It would be ridiculous to say it isn't," said Variety president and publisher Neil Stiles. "You can see it in the volume of advertising we're carrying and The Hollywood Reporter is carrying or not carrying, coupled with the L.A. Times on the fringes and The New York Times."

Stiles wouldn't say exactly how much Variety's print ad sales are down, but said it's less than 40 percent. (The Hollywood Reporter declined comment because it didn't want to reveal financial figures.) Variety's online ads, meanwhile, are up about 6 percent from 2007 to 2008, though the expectation was that they would have increased by 15 percent.

Several elements are at work simultaneously, Stiles said. Almost half the number of films were offered for awards consideration compared with previous years. Then the art-house branches of several major studios, often the origin of such awards contenders, got folded into the studios themselves — Warner Independent into Warner Bros., for example — shutting down internal promotional infrastructure.

Now, the corporations that own these studios are reporting huge quarterly losses. News Corp., parent company of 20th Century Fox, announced that it lost $6.4 billion in its most recent quarter. Walt Disney Co. reported a 32 percent decline. Time Warner Inc., which owns Warner Bros., posted a $16 billion loss in that period.

The result: They just don't have the money to promote their films the way they once did.

Studios are traditionally reluctant to go on record discussing the financial specifics of their campaigns. But longtime awards observer Tom O'Neil, columnist for the Web site TheEnvelope.com, estimates Oscar budgets are down 30 percent to 40 percent this year.

"The average Oscar campaign now is in the range of $5-10 million, where it used to be in the range of $7-20 million. `Gladiator's' was $20 million" when it won best picture and four other Academy Awards in 2001, he said.

Meanwhile, new emphasis has been placed on online ads and Q&A screenings, where a studio brings in the director or stars to answer questions after a showing of the film.

"There used to be a lot of luncheons and dinners they would do for about $15,000 apiece to bring in 80 Hollywood insiders, hoping to net 30 Oscar votes, and they realized that's not efficient — that for $6,000 to $10,000, they can do a Q&A screening and bring in 200 guild members, which is likely to have a much higher percentage of Oscar people."

Another way the studios are cutting back, O'Neil said, is in the number of what he called "illegal Oscar parties."

"There's always some bogus, alleged reason for, you know, a star's birthday, or congratulations 'cause they just won a guild award or got nominated. You're not, obviously, allowed to campaign blatantly to Academy members — it's against their rules, they can pull your number of tickets to the ceremony per studio, that's the punishment — but there are scores of illegal Oscar parties that go on every season. There used to be, certainly, more than 100 of them during Oscar season."

Now, he estimated those have been cut by about 75 percent.

Still, glamour must prevail. Jack Kyser, founding economist of the Kyser Center for Economic Research at the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., still expects the Feb. 22 Academy Awards to bring $130 million to the city. That's everything from hotel suites, where designers share their fashions with top stylists for weeks before the big event, to the annual nominees luncheon to plastic surgery sessions.

"You're on stage globally so you've got to look your best," Kyser said. "So you'll go get your lips plumped, you'll have Botox injections, maybe a little tan sprayed on you."

Maybe the escapism Hollywood provides is more necessary now than ever, said veteran jeweler-to-the-stars Neil Lane. Celebrities are still making a statement, but perhaps it's through valuable yet understated pieces and less bling; then again, that might be a matter of individual taste, he said, not an effort to avoid seeming ostentatious.

"If the look commands a huge, expensive diamond then that's what you wear. I don't think the economy is going to prevent that. If that's what the look is about then that's what you need to do," said Lane, whose designs most recently appeared on Katy Perry, Sheryl Crow, LeAnn Rimes and others at the Grammys. "Hollywood is definitely aware of the world. Hollywood is definitely sympathetic. I am very sympathetic to the crisis in the world. But again — it is Hollywood. ...

"The world doesn't want to see paupers going to the red carpet in rags and tatters," Lane added. "They want a moment of respite and happiness and joy. They want to go `Wow!' and have their eyes open. They want to dream."

Adam Sandler Leads Comedy Dream Team

Variety reports Sandler will be joined on his next movie by Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider and David Spade. They'll play former high-school classmates who come together during a reunion.

All four have worked separately with Sandler, but this is the first time they've been together in one place. Sandler and James co-starred in "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry"; Rock and Sandler were teammates in "The Longest Yard"; and Spade worked with Sandler in "Chuck and Larry." Schneider has had roles in most of Sandler's movies, most recently "You Don't Mess with the Zohan."

"Dark Knight" director setting up sci-fi movie

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – "Dark Knight" director Christopher Nolan has set up his next movie, an original sci-fi project he hopes to shoot in the summer.

"Inception," which Nolan also wrote, is described as "a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind." It will be released in summer 2010 through Warner Bros.

This pushes back any potential filming on a new Batman film, but three years -- and "The Prestige" -- passed between "Batman Begins" and last year's blockbuster "The Dark Knight." Nolan has also long been attached to direct a big-screen adaptation of the British TV series "The Prisoner" at Universal.

Will Smith tops Forbes.com's bankable stars list

NEW YORK – Will Smith was voted the most bankable star in Hollywood in a survey of industry professionals by Forbes.com.

The financial magazine's Web site gives the actor a score of 10 out of 10 for his bankability in its first "star currency" list, compiled by surveying more than 150 industry professionals.

Following Smith on the list: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio, who all tied for second with a score of 9.89. Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Denzel Washington, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson rounded out the top 10.

Smith's superior box-office clout has been long established. He's known for "owning" the July Fourth weekend box office with films such as "Independence Day" and "Men in Black," and has had few flops.

The 40-year-old actor recently topped the annual poll by Quigley Publishing Co., which has surveyed movie exhibitors since 1932 on which stars generate the most box-office revenue.

The Forbes survey, which acknowledged that it was "subjective," also took into account a star's ability to attract financing for a project. The list was released Tuesday.

Smith's latest film, "Seven Pounds," received terrible reviews, but still earned $70 million at the domestic box office. His summer superhero blockbuster "Hancock" grossed $228 million.

'Necessities of Life' tops Genie noms

OTTAWA - There's a common theme in this week's roster of Genie Award nominees for best motion picture: average people struggling to cope after their worlds are turned upside-down.

An Inuit hunter is stranded in the alien confines of a Quebec hospital in "The Necessities of Life" ("Ce qu'il faut pour vivre.") A teenager's life is thrown into chaos when four of his friends commit suicide in "Everything is Fine" ("Tout est parfait.")

A battered First World War soldier returns home to Alberta in "Passchendaele."

Families pick up the pieces after a car accident in "Normal."

And a young rickshaw driver inherits a fortune - and a heap of trouble - in "Amal."

Canadian film gets its share of ribbing for being intense with sometimes difficult subjects, and this year's group is no exception.

The nominees for Canada's top film awards were announced Tuesday by veteran actor Gordon Pinsent and Quebec entertainer Caroline Neron.

"The Necessities of Life" grabbed the most nominations with eight, including best picture, best director and best screenplay.

It was a semi-finalist for a nomination in the run-up to the Oscar nominations, and has been a favourite on the film festival circuit. The movie follows the story of Tivii, pulled out of despondency by a young orphan who helps him bridge two cultures.

"Everything is Fine," another Quebec film, received seven nominations. In the film, Josh is left behind when his circle of friends carries out a suicide pact.

The other top Canadian films up for multiple awards include the war epic "Passchendaele," "Fugitive Pieces," "Amal," and Quebec filmmaker Lea Pool's "Mommy is at the Hairdresser's" ("Maman est chez le coiffeur"), each film with six nominations.

Sara Morton, CEO of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, said there's something quintessentially Canadian about the collection of films this year.

"I think the thing I would comment on is the sheer diversity of the films.

"'Ce qu'il faut pour vivre' is about somebody who comes down from the North into Quebec, and that's partly in Inukitut. You've got strong films in French and in English, we've got films from across the country, so really it's a very diverse crowd this year and I'm very pleased with that.

"I think that represents Canadian cinema very well at the Genies."

Some international names got nods, including Max Von Sydow and Susan Sarandon for the movie "Emotional Arithmetic," and Ellen Burstyn in "Stone Angel."

The nominations were announced against the backdrop of antique planes at the Canada Aviation Museum, also the location of the 29th Genie Awards ceremony on April 4. It will be the first time the ceremony is being held outside of Toronto or Montreal.

Organizers plan to promote a "Genies Week" around the awards to engage locals - and perhaps a politician or two.

Last year, the Conservative government axed two programs that directly helped up-and-coming filmmakers. Budgets at Telefilm Canada and the National Film Board have been tight.

"Obviously we view being in the nation's capital as a very positive step we can take to make sure Canadian decision-makers and all Canadians become aware of the great talent we have and that it is necessary to nurture it," said Morton.

-

Some top Genie Awards nominees:

Best motion picture: "Amal," "The Necessities of Life" ("Ce qu'il faut pour vivre"), "Norma," "Passchendaele," "Everything Is Fine" ("Tout est parfait").

Original screenplay: Bernard Emond, "The Necessities of Life" ("Ce qu'il faut pour vivre"); Deepa Mehta, "Heaven on Earth"; Travis McDonald, "Normal"; Randall Cole, "Real Time"; Guillaume Vigneault, "Everything Is Fine" ("Tout est parfait").

Achievement in direction: Richie Mehta, "Amal"; Lyne Charlebois, "Borderline"; Benoit Pilon, "The Necessities of Life" ("Ce qu'il faut pour vivre"); Carl Bessai, "Normal"; Yves-Christian Fournier, "Everything Is Fine" ("Tout est parfait").

Performance by an actor in a leading role: Paul Gross, "Passchendaele"; Rupinder Nagra, "Amal"; Christopher Plummer, "Emotional Arithmetic"; Aaron Poole, "This Beautiful City"; Natar Ungalaaq, "The Necessities of Life" ("Ce qu'il faut pour vivre").

Performance by an actor in a supporting role: Normand D'Amour, "Everything Is Fine" ("Tout est parfait"); Benoit McGinnis, "Le Banquet"; Callum Keith Rennie, "Normal"; Rade Sherbedgia, "Fugitive Pieces"; Max Von Sydow, "Emotional Arithmetic."

Performance by an actress in a leading role: Isabelle Blais, "Borderline"; Ellen Burstyn, "Stone Angel"; Marianne Fortier, "Mommy Is at the Hairdresser's" ("Maman est chez le coiffeur"); Susan Sarandon, "Emotional Arithmetic"; Preity Zinta, "Heaven on Earth."

Performance by an actress in a supporting role: Celine Bonnier, "Mommy Is at the Hairdresser's" ("Maman est chez le coiffeur"); Kristin Booth, "Young People F**king"; Eveline Gelinas, "The Necessities of Life" ("Ce qu'il faut pour vivre"); Anie Pascale, "Everything Is fine" ("Tout est parfait"); Rosamund Pike, "Fugitive Pieces."

Minister suggests Ottawa open to CBC radio ads

Alarms went off this week for Canadian culture watchdogs when Heritage Minister James Moore opened the door to the possibility of ads on CBC Radio as a solution to the national broadcaster's deepening financial crisis.

In response to questions by NDP heritage critic Charlie Angus during Monday's Commons heritage committee session, Moore said, "Commercial advertising is an option that has been talked about for some time. I would frankly consider anything so long as the end result is to have a strong national public broadcaster."

Moore added that the while the Harper government has not discussed commercializing the national radio service with CBC/Radio Canada management, "we are very conscious of the needs of the CBC and the pressures that they're facing. I would certainly work with them on any option that they think would work to best serve their mandate.

"CBC has (been under) a lot of pressure (to take on) commercial advertising. We're working with (CBC president and CEO) Hubert Lacroix and people at CBC in order to really get a full sense of the scale of the problems that they have."

Airing commercials on CBC Radio One and Radio Two is not being considered "at present," Marco Dubé, CBC's corporate director of media relations and issues management, told the Star.

"But we see the minister's openness with respect to addressing our financial situation and his concern with keeping a strong national broadcaster in place," Dubé said.

Supporters of the federally supported, commercial-free radio network see Moore's remarks as an open invitation to CBC management to consider bolstering revenue with advertising.

"It's well known the Prime Minister has always been hostile to the concept of public broadcasting," said Ian Morrison, spokesperson for Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, a broadcast watchdog group.

"Decision-making in the Harper government is centralized. A cone of silence has surrounded this issue since May 19, 2004, when Harper raised the possibility of commercializing Radio Two.

"Ministers don't wing it on policy issues. That Mr. Moore would consider approving commercials on CBC Radio came powerfully to our attention. He may have blurted out more than he intended.

"If the government and the CBC are considering this, they can expect a firestorm of protest," Morrison warned.

Friends of Canadian Broadcasting recently published news of a secret plan by the Harper Conservatives to cut $200 million from CBC's parliamentary allocation.

Recent big-budget, long-term U.S. programming acquisitions by CBC Television, and the recession-driven decline in advertising, have pushed the corporation into a $100-million hole, Morrison said.

"Fully commercializing Radio One and Radio Two would generate $95 million in revenue. That's a very convenient figure and the minister seems to be suggesting a convenient solution.

"There's no doubt senior CBC management is under severe pressure. But why should CBC's radio audience pay for the sins of CBC-TV management?"

'Grey's Anatomy' co-star: Heigl, Knight leaving

LOS ANGELES – "Grey's Anatomy" cast member James Pickens Jr. says the medical drama will be saying goodbye to Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight. Pickens, who plays Dr. Richard Webber on the ABC series, told Us Weekly magazine that Heigl and Knight are leaving.

Pickens says he wishes Heigl "nothing but the best," the magazine reported online Tuesday. He says his other co-star, Knight, wants to pursue other "career paths."

Publicists for Knight and for series creator Shonda Rhimes declined comment. Requests for comment from Heigl's publicist and ABC were not immediately returned.

Heigl, who plays Dr. Izzie Stevens, starred in the films "Knocked Up" and "27 Dresses," and has another movie, "The Ugly Truth," coming out.

Leo's gal pal on SI swimsuit cover

NEW YORK (AP) -- The world knows a lot more about Bar Refaeli today than it did yesterday, including where her tiny tan line falls.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit unveiled on Tuesday 23-year-old Refaeli as a first-time cover girl, wearing a string bikini by Missoni -- and the strings on the bikini bottom are being tugged south.

This gig, more than top fashion or entertainment magazines, can be career-altering as it puts a model's face (not to mention, her likely fantastically toned and taut body) in front of millions of eyeballs, appealing to both men and women, sports fans and fashionistas.

It's the cover that matters most, says SI group editor Terry McDonell, but each model -- 19 for this issue -- gets an equal shot at the cover.

"The cover has to reflect the athleticism and sexiness of the culture. This photo is modern, her hair and swimsuit look natural. You see her freckles. Her body is amazing and she looks intelligent," McDonell said.

It's also purposeful, he noted, that the models have healthy, sometimes curvy, figures. "A skinny waif won't work here."

McDonell, along with Swimsuit editor Diane Smith and SI creative director Steve Hoffman, sifted through 90,000 photos this year. In consumer testing, it's inevitable that the raciest one is the favorite, but that's not the one that lands on the front. "There are marketplace considerations," McDonell explained. "I want to be at the front of the store, not the back."

Israeli-born Refaeli, long linked romantically with actor Leonardo DiCaprio, told The Associated Press that she had the feeling that this particular shot of her in the water on Canouan Island in the Grenadines was her shot to be on the front.

"This is the one I felt the most comfortable with," said Refaeli, who twice before was featured on the inside pages of the magazine. "You have the beach, blue water and a body. That's it. I liked that the top of the suit was on."

You can be sexy without revealing too much skin, said veteran supermodel Cheryl Tiegs, who first appeared on the Swimsuit issue cover in 1970 -- and then again in 1975 and 1983.

That shot happened at the end of a full day shooting in Hawaii, and she was cold. Someone gave her long-sleeve top to warm her up and when the photographer asked her to take it off, Tiegs refused -- and she wouldn't take off her sunglasses either, she recalled. That photo, she said, really captured a moment, though.

"I remember walking by the newsstand and seeing I was on the cover and picking up a copy or two. That was the celebration then. ... But I'm still signing covers for fans," Tiegs said.

SI's swimsuit issue began in 1964, when February marked the low point of the sports seasons. The NFL ended in December, there were no national televised hockey games and the NBA had only a half-dozen teams. After putting safe-driving tips and dog shows on the cover, SI decided to put an attractive female on the cover and call it a "skin-diving story," recalls Smith.

It was popular from the start, but Smith thinks it was Tiegs' cover that made it a phenomenon. However, it was Kathy Ireland in a white strapless bikini in 1989 that remains the best-selling cover.

"I've done many, many, many different covers in the fashion world ... but never had as big a splash as Sports Illustrated," said Heidi Klum, the cover model in 1998. "I went to '(The Tonight Show with Jay) Leno,' the morning shows in New York and LA -- it was a huge thing -- suddenly I became a household name," she said.

But more than the fame, Klum said she appreciates from SI the professionalism shown to a relatively untested model wearing next to nothing. "I had wanted it to be so good. I'd arch so hard ... but they'd say, 'Look sexy with your eyes. Don't overpose. Be yourself and have fun."'

There's a balance between wholesome and sexy the editors are always straddling, without ever being sleazy, Hoffman said.

The magazine spends an average of three days shooting each model, each with an average wake-up call of 4:30 a.m. because the light is best at dawn, and have about 10,000 bathing suits to choose from.

And even with the outfits so small, SI spends an average of $2,000 in overweight baggage fees per location.

"The logistics are horrifying ... but the Swimsuit issue is probably the healthiest of all the Sports Illustrated franchises, and it's good to be with things that work, especially these days," said McDonell.

Heaven & Hell Feeling Devilish On New Album

Heaven And Hell, the band featuring the post-Ozzy Osbourne members of Black Sabbath, will release its first album under that name, "The Devil You Know," April 28 on Rhino.

The set is Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice's first studio release since the 1992 Sabbath album "Dehumanizer," and was preceded by three new songs on the recent compilation "Black Sabbath: The Dio Years."

Song titles include "Bible Black," "Rock & Roll Angel," "Breaking Into Heaven," "Atom & Evil" and "Eating the Cannibals."

Iommi told Billboard last summer that "it really is Black Sabbath, whatever we do," but said the artists had chosen to tour as Heaven And Hell "so everyone knows what they're getting [and] so people won't expect to hear 'Iron Man' and all those songs. We've done them for so many years, it's nice to do just all the stuff with did with Ronnie again."

As for Osbourne, he is gearing up for the debut later this year of a new Fox variety show with his family, "Osbournes: Reloaded."

Colonel's secret recipe in new, safer vault at KFC

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Col. Sanders' handwritten recipe for fried chicken was back in its Kentucky home Tuesday after five months in hiding while KFC upgraded security around its top corporate secret.

Nothing went afoul when the recipe was returned from an undisclosed location to KFC's headquarters late Monday in a lockbox handcuffed to the wrist of a security consultant.

KFC President Roger Eaton was visibly relieved when the door to a new electronic safe was shut with the single sheet of yellowing paper stashed inside. "Mission accomplished," he said.

"It was very nerve wracking," Eaton said later of the recipe's hiatus from a vault where it had been kept for decades. "I don't want to be the only president who's lost the recipe."

KFC is a subsidiary of Louisville-based Yum Brands Inc., which also owns Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver's and A&W All-American Food.

The recipe lays out a mix of 11 herbs and spices that coat the chain's Original Recipe chicken, including exact amounts for each ingredient. It is written in pencil and signed by Harland Sanders.

The iconic recipe is now protected by an array of high-tech security gadgets, including motion detectors and cameras allowing guards to monitor the vault around the clock.

"It's like an onion of security — many layers," said security expert Bo Dietl, who brought the recipe back to the building.

Thick concrete blocks encapsulate a vault, situated near office cubicles, that is connected to a backup generator to keep the security system operating in times of power outages.

"I can guarantee you, once it's in there, it will be safe," Dietl assured Eaton.

Just how valuable is the recipe?

Thomas P. Hustad, professor of marketing at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, said the recipe "goes to the core of the identity of the brand." The recipe, along with the man who created it, conjure images for the chain that help set it apart in the minds of customers, he said.

"I would say that the heritage value is just as high for this secret recipe as the stories around the Coke formula," Hustad said by phone Tuesday. "I guess I'd put the two of those at the top of the pyramid."

Dietl said the security measures he installed replaced an "antiquated" system. For years, the recipe was kept in a filing cabinet equipped with two combination locks in the vault.

"The colonel could have used a pry bar to open that thing up," Dietl said.

New Miranda Lambert Album Due In September

Even as her sophomore album "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" continues its gold-certified run with its third top 20 country single, "More Like Her," Miranda Lambert is busy finishing her next release, which is due out in September.

"Winning the (Academy of Country Music) album of the year is the best thing and the worst thing," Lambert tells Billboard.com. "It's awesome, but now it's kind of, 'Where are we gonna go from here? We just won album of the year.' So there's definitely a lot of pressure, but in a good way."

Lambert says she's worked on about four songs so far for the new set and is back in the studio now hoping to finish before her next spate of touring -- including a run on Kenny Chesney's Sun City Carnival Tour -- begins. She's recording in Nashville with the "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" team of Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke, mixing her own songs with submissions by other writers.

"What's fun is the more success you have, the better the songs are that you're pitched," she notes. "The first record people pitch you songs, and sometimes they're like the ones that Tim (McGraw) threw away and that kind of thing. But this time around it seems like I'm getting a lot of great songs up front."

Lambert says her success has also given her some license to "go out and experiment a little bit more now, because people accepted my left-of-centeredness. I keep evolving as a person and just get more gutsy with what I want to do in music and things I want to say."

Boyfriend Blake Shelton, who co-wrote "Bare Skin Rug" with Lambert for his latest album, "Startin' Fires," is a possible guest "if we find something that feels right," she says.

Meanwhile, Lambert is excited by the prospect of touring with Chesney after opening a handful of dates for him in 2008. "I think Kenny and I are a very good match," she says, "because he has a wide audience. He has nine-year-old girls and then there are 90-year old grandmothers that love him. I really think I can deliver as far as pumping up his crowds.

"I've been so fortunate when it comes to tours," Lambert adds. "My first tour was (with) Keith Urban, and from him to George Strait and then to Dierks Bentley and Toby Keith and now Kenny Chesney. I've been spoiled, in a way, because I've gotten to learn from the greats of the business. Kenny's kind of like icing on the cake."

Live Nation and Ticketmaster in merger deal

LOS ANGELES – Two of the biggest forces in the entertainment business are joining up.

Concert promoter Live Nation Inc. and ticketing giant Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. said Tuesday morning that they plan an all-stock merger of equals. The combined company will be called Live Nation Entertainment.

Under the deal, approved by both companies' boards, Ticketmaster shareholders will receive 1.384 shares of Live Nation stock for each share of Ticketmaster they hold. The companies estimated the value of the combined business at about $2.5 billion and said the deal will help them save about $40 million annually.

"Being able to put Live Nation and Ticketmaster into an equal partnership will allow the companies to get through this difficult period and be able to expand live entertainment options to audiences throughout the world," Ticketmaster Chairman Barry Diller said in a statement.

But regulatory experts have said the deal could be delayed by an antitrust review because of the companies' dominant role in the entertainment business.

Ticketmaster sells tickets for more than 80 percent of the major arenas and stadiums in the U.S., according to concert tracking firm Pollstar. Live Nation is the world's No. 1 concert promoter and owns more than 140 venues. It has comprehensive deals to the tours of such artists as Madonna, Jay-Z, U2, Nickelback and Shakira — and recently developed its own ticketing service.

The ticketing-service move brought the companies closer to an all-out scramble for ticketing deals. A merger heads that off, but experts say snuffing out that competition could draw close scrutiny from regulators wary of the company building a concert industry monopoly.

On the other hand, the deal could end up benefiting concertgoers by giving the combined company more bargaining clout with artists, potentially reducing performers' stakes in ticket sales and thus lowering ticket prices.

The deal already has at least one prominent detractor, however.
Bruce Springsteen, already furious with Ticketmaster for directing fans to a subsidiary selling tickets for above-face value, recently posted a statement on his Web site saying a deal with Live Nation could end up "returning us to a near-monopoly situation in music ticketing."

Suit says Ticketmaster violated anti-scalping law

A $500 million class action lawsuit has been launched against Ticketmaster and its TicketsNow subsidiary, accusing the companies of conspiring to force customers to pay inflated prices for tickets.

"We're hearing from people that ... they can't buy tickets for the face value, and if you want to go to see your favourite artist, you have to pay two or three times the face value," said Jay Strosberg of Sutts, Strosberg LLP, which filed the suit today in conjunction with Vancouver law firm Branch MacMaster.

"It's a matter of fairness," Strosberg said. "It's also causing a fair amount of frustration."

Ticketmaster's practices amount to a violation of Ontario's Ticket Speculation Act, aimed at preventing ticket scalping, said Strosberg. The claims have not been proven in court.

"Our office has been flooded with calls," he added. "We have a registration system online and people are registering at a speed which we've never seen." The registration system is at ticketmasterclassaction.com.

Albert Lopez, spokesperson for Ticketmaster, Ticketmaster Canada and TicketsNow, did not return calls for comment yesterday.

Last week, New Jersey residents were outraged after being unable to purchase tickets for an upcoming Bruce Springsteen concert there via Ticketmaster, sparking a demand by a U.S. congressman for a federal investigation into the company's practices.

Such practices included directing potential buyers to the TicketsNow site, where tickets were priced well above the face value. New York Senator Charles Schumer has since added his voice to the call.

New Jersey's attorney general pledged to launch a state probe into the matter.

Springsteen himself denounced Ticketmaster for having a conflict of interest and wrung a concession from officials that fans would no longer be directed to TicketsNow. CEO Irving Azoff of Ticketmaster, based in California, also issued a public apology.

On Friday, Springsteen fans hoping to see a show on May 7 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto called the Star to complain that tickets sold out within minutes of going on sale online, but that more than 800 higher-priced tickets were available shortly afterward on TicketsNow, at prices up to $1,338.

Strosberg said he and lawyer Luciana Brasil of Branch MacMaster have been looking at the issue for some time.

The class action suit – which could include anyone who has done business with Ticketmaster and TicketsNow since Feb. 9, 2007 – was sparked by a complaint from Henryk Krajewski of Toronto, who tried to buy two tickets last September for a Smashing Pumpkins concert at Massey Hall.

Krajewski was unable to purchase the tickets at a face value of $133 from Ticketmaster and was instead forced to pay $533.65 on the TicketsNow site.

"We are interested in hearing about everyone's experience. People should be able to access entertainment for reasonable prices. That's what this lawsuit is about," Strosberg said.

"We're both younger lawyers, and we know what it's like to want to go see an event and to not be able to access tickets."

Both firms, he noted, are also experienced in the area of class action lawsuits. Sutts, Strosberg has recovered more than $1 billion in damages on behalf of its clients, and Branch MacMaster has authored a textbook on class action suits in Canada and acted in more than 80 such cases in four provinces.

New CD Releases, February 10th: Lily Allen, Beastie Boys, India.Arie, Jorma Kaukonen and more

Beastie Boys "Paul's Boutique: 20th Anniversary Edition" (Capitol)

The hip-hop troupe is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its seminal sophomore release, 1989's "Paul's Boutique," a work that is routinely ranked among the greatest albums of all time.

"Paul's Boutique: 20th Anniversary Edition" features the first-ever digital remastering of the original tracks. It also includes the original vinyl artwork as well as a fold-out poster.

* * *
Lily Allen "It's Not Me, It's You" (Capitol)

The British pop star serves up her sophomore release, which follows 2006's "Alright, Still," the blockbuster debut that has sold more than 3 million copies worldwide.

Allen recorded the majority of "It's Not Me, It's You" in Los Angeles, working with producer Greg Kurstin of the band The Bird and the Bee. The first single from the album is the track "The Fear."

The 23-year-old vocalist will support "It's Not Me, It's You" with a North American tour that begins April 1 in San Diego and continues through an April 22 date in Toronto.

* * *
India.Arie "Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics" (Republic)

The R&B/soul singer is back with her fourth CD, a follow-up to 2006's "Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship." That previous album was India.Arie's first to top The Billboard 200 and her second to reach No. 1 on the R&B chart.

Thus far, "Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics" has produced two singles: "Chocolate High" and "Therapy." The album features guest appearances by such talents as MC Lyte, Musiq Soulchild and Sezen Aksu.

* * *
Jorma Kaukonen "River of Time" (Red House)

The supremely talented guitarist/vocalist, a founding member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame act Jefferson Airplane, returns with a follow-up to 2007's "Stars in My Crown."

"River of Time" was produced by Larry Campbell, a man best known for his work in Bob Dylan's band, and recorded at Levon Helm's Woodstock studio.

Contributors include Helm on drums, Barry Mitterhoff on mandolin and Campbell's wife, Teresa Williams, on vocals.

The 13-track set includes six Kaukonen originals as well as compositions from Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis, Merle Haggard and The Grateful Dead.

* * *
Various artists
"NCIS: The Official TV Soundtrack" (CBS)

This two-disc soundtrack to the popular TV program features tracks from such big-name artists as Bob Dylan, Perry Farrell and Seether. The set, of course, includes songs that have been featured in past "NCIS" episodes. What differentiates it from many TV soundtracks, however, is that it also includes numbers that will be played in future episodes.

* * *
More new releases:
Dan Auerbach, "Keep It Hid" (Nonesuch)
Alex Cline, "Continuation" (Cryptogramophone)
Alice Cooper, "School's Out" (Audio Fidelity)
Jon Hassell, "Last Night the Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes in the Street" (Republic)
Buddy Holly, "Memorial Collection" (Geffen)
Ryan Leslie, "Ryan Leslie" (Casablanca)
The Lonely Island, "Incredibad" (Republic)
Amaia Montero, "Amaia Montero" (Sony)
Napalm Death, "Time Waits for No Slave" (Century Media)
Red, "Innocence & Instinct" (Providence)
2002, "A Word in the Wind" (Gemini Sun)
Bobby Valentino, "The Rebirth" (EMI)
Johnny Winter, "Live Bootleg Series, Vol. 4" (Friday Night)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Maggie Flynn (1968 Original Broadway Cast)" (DRG)

The 2009 Grammys: What You Didn't See On TV

With Alison Krauss' five Grammys on the night, she now has an astonishing 26 total Grammy wins. It makes her the most-winning woman of all time (a title she even held before tonight's haul) -- and is one behind Quincy Jones' living record of 27.

"I'm still amazed I get to do this for a living," she says. (The most ever wins is 31, from the late conductor Georg Solti.) When asked where Krauss keeps all her Grammys, Plant interjected, "That's silly. She keeps them in the back of my car."

Backstage, Krauss, Robert Plant and T Bone Burnett were jubilant: "Yes, we're doing another record!" Burnett yelled. Plant's only hint was that some of the songs were in the key of E.

On a serious note, Plant says the diversity of their musical inspirations served them well. "We ostensibly come from such different places on the musical map," Plant said. "Alison showed me so much I never been exposed to." "There are a limited number of people who like music and the record industry got in the business of trying to sell music to everybody," Burnett said. "We care about music, so we tried to make music we care about."

And will Led Zeppelin tour? "How old are you, man?" Plant asked. "Because you look older than me. You try to do 'Communication Breakdown' in these pants."

What does Paul McCartney think about the Beatles' body of work? "I think it's fine," McCartney said backstage. Just ... fine? "I'm kind of amazed we did it, because we were kids." His most successful song, in his view? "Yesterday," which has been covered endlessly. "I woke up one morning, and I had dreamed it," said McCartney of writing the song. "I don't know where it came from ... I believe in magic."

McCartney's outfit for the Grammys was a T-shirt designed by his daughter, Stella, which will go on sale next month as a benefit for Comic Relief. It's a photograph taken by Linda McCartney of the Beatles -- except on this shirt, red clown noses have been superimposed on all of them. And McCartney stayed mum on his plans for his upcoming Coachella set, saying "I'll play what seems right on the day. I never plan it."

The late George Carlin's daughter Kelly Carlin-McCall accepted a Grammy for best comedy album on behalf of her father, for "It's Bad For Ya." She promised to take care of the trophy better than her father did in 1972, when he won a Grammy and, "in a chemically-induced altered state, took it apart, to point that the Academy had to send him a new one."

Gospel artist Yolanda Adams explained Aretha Franklin's much-discussed choice of headwear for her Inauguration performance: "It is really a statement piece for us," Adams said of the significance of a big hat. Historically, for African-American women, "Their hats were a statement of royalty," said Adams. At church on Sundays, "They were regal ... they weren't the janitors' assistant or the lady who scrubbed floors."

Asked how the five-time Grammy winners Blind Boys of Alabama felt about the election of the first black president without being able to see him, Ricky McKinnie said, "The Blind Boys may have lost their sight, but we haven't lost direction ... I don't think about it as just having an African-American president. Mr. Obama is qualified to do the job. A lot of times we weren't the choice, but we had the ability. We're glad that he has an opportunity to serve the country." The winners of best traditional gospel album for "Down in New Orleans" were one of the big favorites on the red carpet, as they serenaded the press at each stop.

Whitney Houston's performance at a Recording Academy party honoring Clive Davis was on everyone's lips backstage. "Whitney Houston rocked the house," said Herbie Hancock. "Whitney is back," echoed Mary Mary's Tina Campbell. Said Yolanda Adams, "We are constantly praying for her. My joy is that the world saw that you don't have to stay in the shape you're in. You can move up."

In retrospect, They Might Be Giants' Grammy win for best musical album for children, "Here Come the 123s," doesn't say much for the album's educational value, said the band's John Linnell. "I think kids already know numbers and letters so we weren't teaching them anything, really," says Linnell of the group's first two children's albums on Disney. TMBG's next kids' album will have a science theme, says Linnell, prompting the group to hire someone to fact-check the information. "We've got somebody else who will share responsibility for the false information that may wind up [there]."

Tia Carrere, on winning the Grammy for best Hawaiian music album: "I can't believe I'm holding this priceless artifact [in] a $30 Bebe dress."

Herbie Hancock's favorite work of his so far? "The next one." Hard to say if this means it'll always be the next one in a theoretical sense, or if he means his current project, a global collaboration "to trace the journey of humanity from its ancestral home in Africa," around the world, with music in different languages. We "can turn each other on to each other's greatness," says Hancock.

Darius "Deezle" Harrison, who co-produced Lil Wayne's best rap song-winning "Lollipop," countered Nas' famous suggestion that hip-hop is dead. "People are trying to emulate what they know works," said Harrison, but emphasized that's nothing new. "You have people trying to copy Picasso, you have people trying to copy Van Gogh. Is painting dead? No ... it is alive. It's just taking different forms, brother."

Chrisette Michele sang her thanks to God backstage for her Grammy win for best urban/alternative performance, for "Be OK" featuring will.i.am. "You are the source of my strength and I lift my hands in praise to you," Michele, a deacon's daughter, belted out. "I definitely have to do a gospel album someday," added the singer, whose next album, "Epiphany," is due Mar. 31.

Carrie Underwood visibly shook onstage in accepting her Grammy for best female country vocal performance for "Last Name." Underwood says being nervous, even after having won so many awards, is a good thing. "I hope that stays around, too. If you're nervous, it means you care."

Gospel duo Mary Mary are coming out with a bath and body care line at Wal-Mart, an inspirational book for teenage girls, and a line of jeans "for girls with a little extra curve," says Erica Campbell, who joined sister Tina backstage after winning a Grammy for best gospel performance. "There are so many people in jobs that suck that they hate. To be in that space and to be here winning this, it's a great time for me."

Duke Fakir, the surviving member of the Four Tops, confirmed that a biopic on the group is "in motion." "The concept is there, we have the financing and all that," says Fakir, who is also working on a new album. "By the way, it'll be a love story of four guys, who didn't get married, but it's about all the trials and tribulations they [had] to stay together. That's whey I call it a love story."

Just because you're famous doesn't mean you don't want to be infamous. 83-year-old B.B. King's -- the winner of the night for best traditional blues album for "One Kind Favor" -- next goal? "I want a movie of my life of what I've done -- and what people have said I've done."

Sugarland's Kristian Bush said he hung around Grammy rehearsals just to watch Paul McCartney practice. "He was mesmerizing -- c'mon, he's a Beatle!" he said. And bandmate Jennifer Nettles laughingly worried that they'll never get the chance to work with him after her "psychotic" on-stage thank you.

Estelle's hero of the night? Full-term mom-to-be M.I.A., who performed "Swagga With Us" with Jay-Z, T.I., Kanye West and Lil' Wayne. "I was like, 'She's going to break any minute now,'" she said. "I have so much respect for her. I'd be like that too, to get a chance to perform with them. Broken leg? I'd be like, 'Hang on, I'm here.'"

Katy Perry admits the banana set for her Grammy performance was her idea. She pitched it to the Grammys a year ago and was shocked when they said yes. "Really?! I can ascend from the ceiling in a banana into a clear fruit bowl of androgynous dancers?!" she laughed.

And sometimes, it is just an honor to be nominated: Jazmine Sullivan didn't win any of her five nominations. (It's not as bad as India.Arie, who was shut out in 2001 with seven noms.)

Recording Academy President Neil Portnow said he found out that Rihanna and Chris Brown were not performing around two on Sunday afternoon. He said he’s never been faced with two cancellations on one Grammy night during his tenure. "I’m sorry they weren’t there for their moments on the stage. That’s the thing that is most unfortunate to me at the moment."

Jazz singer Blossom Dearie dies at 82 in NYC

NEW YORK – Blossom Dearie, a classically trained pianist who transformed herself into a jazz singer with a unique baby-doll voice heard in New York and London cabarets for three decades, has died at 82.

Dearie died of natural causes Saturday at her Manhattan home, said her manager, Donald Schaffer. No specific cause of death was given.

"She lived for her music, and she lived to perform her music. She had impeccable taste," Schaffer said.

Born April 29, 1926, in East Durham, N.Y., Marguerite Blossom Dearie dropped her first name to bolster a musical career that began with early training in piano and moved to jazz vocals. By the mid-1940s, she was a member of the Blue Flames, associated with Woody Herman's orchestra and with the Alvino Rey band.

Dearie began her solo career in postwar Paris. With an octet called the Blue Stars, she recorded a French version of the jazz standard "Lullaby of Birdland." She was briefly married to Belgian saxophonist Bobby Jaspar and later signed a six-album contract with jazz impresario Norman Granz, the owner of Verve Records. The New York Times called the resulting albums cult classics.

Dearie appeared regularly at London nightclubs in the 1960s. She founded her own label, Daffodil Records, in New York in 1974, writing the music to lyrics by Johnny Mercer and others. She gained national attention by appearing on NBC's "Today" show during its early years.

Dearie liked to poke fun at composers she thought pretentious or overrated. A favorite target was Andrew Lloyd Webber, responsible for the music for "Jesus Christ Superstar" and other hit musicals.

Her last record was the 2003 single "It's All Right to be Afraid," dedicated to victims and survivors of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. She last performed in 2006 at a cabaret in midtown Manhattan.

She is survived by an older brother, a niece and a nephew.

Plant & Krauss nab 5 Grammys

LOS ANGELES -- Raising Sand raised a whole lotta Grammy gold at the Staples Center.

Sixty-year-old Led Zeppelin belter Robert Plant and 37-year-old bluegrass star Alison Krauss led the way with five Grammy Award wins, including album and record of the year, thanks to their collaborative CD.

Rapper Lil Wayne won four Grammys. Coldplay won three.

Plant and Krauss won two Grammys for Raising Sand -- album of the year and contemporary folk/Americana album -- and three more for songs from that album: Killing The Blues won for country collaboration with vocals, Rich Woman for pop collaboration with vocals, and Please Read The Letter for record of the year.

"When we started this project together the whole game was a mystery," said Plant in accepting the latter award.

"We gave ourselves three days. We said, 'If it doesn't work, we'll just take lunch and I'll go back to Wolverhampton.' But we brought this song out. It's an old song that Jimmy Page and I wrote together, post-Led Zeppelin, and it's been given that Nasvhille touch and it feels pretty good."

Earlier, Plant said, "Wow, 40 years after landing in this town, it's all different, it's fantastic."

Krauss has won more Grammys than any other female artist; she entered the night with 21. Plant had won only two previously -- and none with Led Zeppelin, which never won a Grammy.

Coldplay won song of the year (the songwriting award) for Viva La Vida, which also won as best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals. The band also won for best rock album for Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends.

"Thank you and sorry to Sir Paul McCartney for blatantly copying the Sgt. Pepper's outfits," said Coldplay drummer Will Champion of he and his bandmates being decked out in brightly coloured jackets.

Accepting the best rock album award, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin said: "We're more limestone, a little softer but just as charming. We feel so grateful to be here. I'm going to tear up, it's going to be crazy."

One of the telecast's early emotional high points was Jennifer Hudson's Grammy win for best R&B album for her self-titled disc.

"I would like to thank my family in heaven and those that are here today," said Hudson, who was appearing in public for only the second time since an alleged domestic dispute led to the murder of her mother, brother and nephew.

There was also controversy at the outset, as scheduled performers and longtime couple Rihanna and Chris Brown were last-minute no-shows. Brown turned himself in to authorities investigating an alleged domestic battery felony that took place early yesterday. Jail records showed Chris Brown being held on $50,000 US bail.

The police department said in a release that Brown, the 19-year-old R&B singer, and a "woman" were in a vehicle in L.A.'s Hancock Park neighbourhood when they began arguing. Police say they got out of the car and the fight escalated, and the woman identified Brown as her attacker. The report did not say whether the "woman" was the 20-year-old Rihanna, a pop/R&B singer.

In Rihanna's place, Justin Timberlake and Al Green performed a duet of Green's classic Let's Stay Together.

The only other breath-holding moment was when nine-months-pregnant British rapper M.I.A. performed Swagga Like Us with T.I., Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West and didn't actually give birth on stage.

Raspy-voiced, tattooed and prolific southern rapper Lil Wayne had led all other artists with eight nominations, followed closely by Coldplay with seven and rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West and R&B artist Ne-Yo with six apiece.

Lil Wayne picked up his Grammys during the pre-telecast portion of the ceremony, during which 100 of the 110 trophies were handed out -- for best rap performance for A Milli, best rap song for Lollipop, and best rap performance for a duo or group for Swagga Like Us, which also featured Jay-Z, T.I. and Kanye West.

West got a second Grammy for American Boy with Estelle, which won best rap/sung collaboration.

British art-rockers Radiohead, nominated in five categories, won for best alternative music album for In Rainbows, another album-of-the-year nominee, while their art directors won for best boxed or special limited edition package.

Other early double winners were Ne-Yo, Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, French electronica duo Daft Punk and Al Green.

Carrie Underwood won best female country vocal performance for Last Name, while Brad Paisley won the male equivalent for Letter To Me.

With the exception of the Juno soundtrack, Canadian nominees were shut out this year.

Juno director Jason Reitman of Montreal was on hand to pick up the best compilation soundtrack album Grammy and said the win was an "enormous surprise" during the pre-telecast ceremony.

"I forgot to thank the people of Canada," Reitman, son of filmmaker Ivan, said backstage. "I say to you now, this award is dedicated to the people of Canada, the great people of British Columbia who provided my crew."

Reitman also praised his Canadian actors Ellen Page and Michael Cera, who sang the show-ending Moldy Peaches song, Anyone Else But You, at the end of the movie.

"It's a scary thing when you ask your actors to suddenly close a movie in song. Fortunately I had Ellen and Michael, who were terrific musicians and singers. They learned the song immediately," said Reitman backstage.

During the pre-telcast, the late George Carlin's daughter, Kelly Carlin, was on hand to pick up his Grammy for best comedy album, for It's Bad For Ya. She said her dad, who passed away last summer, had destroyed a previous Grammy he had won in 1972 for his album FM & AM.

"In a chemically-induced altered state, he took it apart, to the point that the academy had to send him a new one," Carlin-McCall said up on the stage at the Staples Centre to huge laughs.

Backstage, she explained further: "I guess it was a little bit of a project or something and it was in pieces, and then I think maybe the pieces got lost."

She said her father's fifth Grammy win was "bittersweet."

"It's been an incredible week, with the Mark Twain honours happening earlier this week, and I just told someone it's like the cherry on top of really big beautiful cake. So it's a lovely honour and I'm just so happy that people are honouring my dad. And yet, he's not here," she said. "You know, I'd rather have him."

Meet the New 'Dancing with the Stars' Cast

A married couple, an Olympic champ, yet another former NFL star and the man who serves up "Chocolate News" will be "Dancing with the Stars" in a month's time.

ABC announced the cast for the eighth cyle of its popular dance-off on Sunday night (Feb. 8), dropping names during its prime-time schedule. The 13 stars will begin competing on Monday, March 9.

Singer Jewel and rodeo champion Ty Murray are not the first husband and wife to have been part of "Dancing with the Stars" -- that honor falls to Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin. They are, however, the first married couple to compete against one another in the same season (Rinna danced in the show's second season, and Hamlin followed her in season three).

The cast also includes NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, who joins the likes of Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, Jason Taylor and Warren Sapp in transitioning from the football field to the dance floor. Shawn Johnson, one of the stars of the U.S. gymnastics team at the 2008 Olympics, will also compete. So will comedian David Alan Grier, the host of Comedy Central's "Chocolate News."

Here's the full cast:

Name: Belinda Carlisle
Famous for: A music career with the Go-Go's and as a solo artist

Name: David Alan Grier
Famous for: " In Living Color," "Chocolate News"

Name: Jewel
Famous for: A Grammy-nominated music career, hosting "Nashville Star"; married to fellow competitor Ty Murray

Name: Shawn Johnson
Famous for: Her four-medal (one gold, three silver) performance in gymnastics at the 2008 Olympics

Name: Lil Kim
Famous for: A Grammy-winning hip-hop career, outrageous fashion choices

Name: Gilles Marini
Famous for: Making Samantha have impure thoughts in the "Sex and the City" movie

Name: Ty Murray
Famous for: Winning seven world all-around rodeo championships; married to fellow competitor Jewel

Name: Nancy O'Dell
Famous for: Hosting "Access Hollywood"

Name: Denise Richards
Famous for: "Wild Things," "The World Is Not Enough," a rocky marriage to Charlie Sheen and currently an E! reality show

Name: Steve-O
Famous for: Being a "Jackass"

Name: Lawrence Taylor
Famous for: Terrorizing quarterbacks in a Hall of Fame NFL career

Name: Chuck Wicks
Famous for: Country-music hit "Stealing Cinderella," dating "Dancing" pro Julianne Hough

Name: Steve Wozniak
Famous for: Co-founding Apple Computer

'Slumdog' wins seven BAFTAs

LONDON - Rags-to-riches story "Slumdog Millionaire" continued its fairy-tale journey Sunday, winning seven prizes including best picture at the British Academy Film Awards and sealing its place as favourite for the Oscars later this month.

Kate Winslet and Mickey Rourke also gained Oscar momentum with acting wins - Winslet for her role as a former Nazi concentration camp guard in "The Reader," Rourke for his career-reviving performance as a washed-up athlete in "The Wrestler." Heath Ledger won a posthumous supporting actor award for The Dark Knight."

"It's such a pleasure to be back here, out of the darkness," said Rourke.

After her onstage emotional meltdown at the Golden Globes last month, Winslet was a model of composure, thanking her parents in the audience "who I will not look at right now, otherwise I will burst into tears."

"Slumdog," Danny Boyle's film about a Mumbai street boy's rise from poverty to game-show triumph, went into the ceremony with 11 nominations and won prizes for best film, best director, adapted screenplay, music, cinematography, editing and sound.

The low-budget film, shot partly in Hindi, has gone from rank outsider to Academy Awards favourite since it won four trophies at the Golden Globe awards last month and became a box-office hit.

Its makers are still getting used to the change.

"I thought at one stage we were going straight to DVD," said screenwriter Simon Beaufoy.

The film has caused controversy in India, where some have complained it shows the country in an unflattering light, and others have said its title insults the poor.

Boyle dedicated his award partly to the people of Mumbai, where it was shot - and also to people closer to home.

"The wiring in my dad's house blew overnight, and it's just a a big shout-out to everyone who helped him get the extension cable in so he could watch this on television," Boyle said.

The London awards, popularly known as the BAFTAs, have a reputation for predicting who will win at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles. All four of last year's acting prize winners went on to take home Oscars.

Winslet, Rourke, Meryl Streep, Daniel Craig and Penelope Cruz were among the celebrities who braved a wintry London drizzle - and hundreds of screaming fans - to walk the red carpet in front of the grand, neoclassical Royal Opera House.

The crowd's biggest cheers were for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie - he wearing a moustache, she an elegant, old-Hollywood strapless black-and-yellow Armani dress.

Cruz was named best supporting actress for Woody Allen comedy "Vicky Christina Barcelona."

Ledger's widely anticipated victory was the only win for the "The Dark Knight" from nine nominations. Clint Eastwood's L.A. noir "Changeling" was nominated in eight categories but won none.

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," also lost out, taking just three awards - production design, hair and makeup, and visual effects - from 11 nominations.

The 6,000 voting academy members rewarded the quirky and eclectic. Tightrope-walking documentary "Man on Wire" was named best British film, and the prize for best original screenplay went to Ireland's Martin McDonagh for hit man comedy "In Bruges."

Director and Monty Python member Terry Gilliam was given an Academy Fellowship, a lifetime achievement award.

Pinewood and Shepperton studios, mainstays of British filmmaking for decades, were awarded for outstanding British contribution to cinema.

"WALL-E" took the prize for animated feature, French drama "I've Loved You So Long" was named best film not in the English language, and Steve McQueen won the award for best first film for his directorial debut, "Hunger," about Irish hunger striker Bobby Sands.

In the acting categories, Winslet defeated Jolie for the missing-child drama "Changeling," Streep for the moral thriller "Doubt" and Scott Thomas for "I've Loved You So Long."

Rourke beat "Slumdog Millionaire's" Dev Patel, Sean Penn for "Milk," Frank Langella for "Frost/Nixon" and Pitt for "Benjamin Button.

Here are the winners of the 2009 Orange British Academy Film Awards, presented Sunday:

Film - "Slumdog Millionaire"

British Film - "Man on Wire"

Actor - Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"

Actress - Kate Winslet, "The Reader"

Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"

Supporting Actress - Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Christina Barcelona"

Director - Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire"

First-time Director - Steve McQueen, "Hunger"

Rising Star - Noel Clarke

Original Screenplay - Martin McDonagh, "In Bruges"

Adapted Screenplay - Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire"

Film Not in the English Language - "I've Loved You So Long"

Music - A.R. Rahman, "Slumdog Millionaire"

Cinematography - Anthony Dod Mantle, "Slumdog Millionaire"

Editing - Chris Dickens, "Slumdog Millionaire"

Production Design - "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Costume Design - "The Duchess"

Sound - "Slumdog Millionaire"

Visual Effects - "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Makeup and Hair - "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Animated Feature - "WALL-E"

Short Animation - "Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death"

Short Film - "September"

Academy Fellowship - Terry Gilliam

'Milk,' 'Slumdog Millionaire' win top WGA awards

LOS ANGELES – The Oscar contenders "Milk" and "Slumdog Millionaire" won top honors Saturday at the Writers Guild of America Awards.

Dustin Lance Black won the original screenplay prize for "Milk," a biography of murdered slain gay-rights leader Harvey Milk.

The adapted screenplay award for "Slumdog Millionaire" went to Simon Beaufoy, who based it on a novel by Vikas Swarup about an Indian street orphan's journey of survival and love.

"Slumdog Millionaire" has been an unlikely hit. The low-budget feature has 10 Oscar nominations, including best picture, and also has taken awards at the Golden Globes and from the Producers Guild of America, Directors Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild.

"Milk" has eight Academy Award nominations, including best picture and best actor for Sean Penn.

Ari Folman won the documentary screenplay award for "Waltz with Bashir." The film, which is nominated in the foreign-language category at the Academy Awards, is an animated study of an Israeli soldier struggling to recall suppressed memories of his involvement in the war with Lebanon.

In television categories, writers for NBC's "30 Rock" and AMC's "Mad Men" won in the comedy and drama categories, respectively. Both also won WGA awards last year: "30 Rock" for TV comedy and "Mad Men" for new series.

Some of the other awards were:
• New Series: "In Treatment."
• Episodic Drama: "Breaking Bad" (Pilot).
• Episodic Comedy: "30 Rock" (Succession).
• Animation: "The Simpsons" (Apocalypse Cow).
• Daytime Serials: "As the World Turns."

'He's Just Not That Into You' woos with $27M debut

LOS ANGELES – Movie fans were into "He's Just Not That Into You" as the ensemble romance got a jump on Valentine's Day to lead the weekend box office with a $27.5 million debut, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The movie whose cast includes Jennifer Aniston, Scarlett Johansson, Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore and Jennifer Connelly knocked off the previous weekend's top flick, the abduction thriller "Taken," which dropped to second place with $20.3 million.

With Valentine's Day falling in the middle of next weekend, the movie released by the Warner Bros. banner New Line Cinema is positioned for another solid showing, said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros.

"We're really walking into a terrific weekend. The biggest bump you can ever get for a romantic comedy is when Valentine's Day falls on a Saturday," Fellman said. "We'll see the girls, female power, drag the guys back in next Saturday."

"Taken," distributed by 20th Century Fox, raised its 10-day total to $53.4 million, its second-weekend gross dropping just 18 percent from its debut. Top films often can drop 50 percent or more in their second weekend.

Two movies featuring Dakota Fanning opened in the top 10 — Focus Features' animated adventure "Coraline" at No. 3 with $16.3 million and Summit Entertainment's sci-fi thriller "Push" at No. 6 with $10.2 million.

Steve Martin's Inspector Clouseau bumbled through the weekend as "The Pink Panther 2" turned in a so-so $12 million debut to finish at No. 4. The Sony-MGM sequel came in well behind 2006's "The Pink Panther," which premiered with $20.2 million.

Hollywood continued its hot streak as the top 12 movies hauled in $131.4 million, up 46 percent from the same weekend last year, when the romantic comedy "Fool's Gold" was No. 1 with $21.6 million.

Overall revenues are just above $1.2 billion for the year and are running 19.4 percent ahead of 2008's, according to box-office tracker Media By Numbers.

"It seems like every film that's been opening has been doing better than expected, or many of them have," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers. "I've not seen the start of a year this strong in my entire career."
Academy Awards front-runner "Slumdog Millionaire" continued to make good on its Oscar buzz, pulling in $7.4 million and raising its total to $77.4 million. The movie passed "Sideways" to take second-place on Fox Searchlight's list of highest-grossing films, behind "Juno" at $143 million.

In narrow release, the Weinstein Co. comedy "Fanboys" opened modestly with $164,000 in 44 theaters, averaging $3,727 a cinema. That compared to an $8,650 average in 3,175 theaters for "He's Just Not That Into You."

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "He's Just Not That Into You," $27.5 million.
2. "Taken," $20.3 million.
3. "Coraline," $16.3 million.
4. "The Pink Panther 2," $12 million.
5. "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," $11 million.
6. "Push," $10.2 million.
7. "Slumdog Millionaire," $7.4 million.
8. "Gran Torino," $7.2 million.
9. "The Uninvited," $6.4 million.
10. "Hotel for Dogs," $5.8 million.

The Couch Potato Report - February 7th, 2009

This week The Couch Potato Report peels a Canadian movie that isn't a good movie, but I will still recommend it, and some Black Magic.

I have seen this week's Hot Potato seven times now...from start to finish I have watched Paul Gross's film PASSCHENDAELE seven times...and what was true after the first time remains true after the seventh...this is not a good movie.

It can serve as a great history lesson to every Canadian...and for that reason it is very worthy of your time...but as a film...this is such a missed opportunity.

Now, in case you are asking why I have bothered to sit through PASSCHENDAELE seven times if it isn't a good movie, well I wanted - and still want - this film about a piece of Canadian history that we should all know - to be one that is a must see.

One that each and every Canadian would not only feel compelled to see, but want to...and so before every time I saw it, I figured that maybe it was just me...maybe it isn't a bad film, maybe it was just me.

And this week, I must admit that I came to an unfortunate conclusion...it isn't me.

The actual Battle of Passchendaele - or Third Battle of Ypres - was one of the major battles of World War I. It was a series of operations starting in June 1917 and petering out in November 1917 in which troops under British command attacked the Imperial German Army.

The battle was fought for control of the village of Passchendaele near the town of Ypres in West Flanders, Belgium.

The film PASSCHENDAELE was written, produced, directed by and stars Paul Gross. He plays Michael Dunne, a soldier who is brutally wounded in France and returns to Calgary emotionally and physically scarred.

While in the military hospital in Calgary, he meets and falls in love with a nurse, who is played by Caroline Dhavernas, from the TV show WONDERFALLS.

And it is the romantic subplot that causes the film to go off the rails, primarily because the world is at war, and...the Nurse has a brother, who has Asthma...but only when the plot of the film needs him to have Asthma...and she lost her father at Vimy Ridge, then, as it turns out, he was a German, fighting against the Canadians, making her and her whole family outcasts.

Now, if that wasn't enough, the nurse is also addicted to morphine, until one fateful night, after the locals trash her house and she has nowhere else to stay but with Gross' Michael Dunne in a hotel room, and in one night of just conversation - the utterly ridiculous love scene comes later on the battlefields of France - in one night of cinematic conversation, she is able to completely kick her morpine habit and we never hear about it again...but we do hear about her brother again.

The asthmatic brother manages to get around the rules that prevent people who have the disease from joining the military, and he is shipped off to fight.

And guess who feels compelled to go back to Europe to protect him?

Yes, that is right...one Michael Dunne.

Now, I am a patriotic and proud Canadian, and love seeing our country's stories told on screen. I also consider myself a fan of Paul Gross' work, and I am a huge fan of Caroline Dhavernas...but PASSCHENDAELE is just not a good movie...and the blame for that is due to the fact that it was written, produced, directed by and stars Paul Gross.

Even though there were three other producers, and a studio behind this film, not one of them stepped in to suggest that maybe the Asthma plot point didn't work, or ask why the Nurse has to have all of the afflictions that she does, when one or two would have sufficed...and no one bothered to question Gross as to why so little of his film actually takes place in Passchendaele.

Had they done that, had anyone stepped in and worked harder to make this a better film, then the result could have been something that all of us were proud of...after all, the real-life stories of what the Canadian soldiers actually accomplished at Passchendaele could provide inspiration for dozens of films!!

Unfortunately, due to the fact that Gross' film cost over $20 to make and market, and only made $4.5 million at the box office, it isn't likely that many other real-lfe Canadian stories will be turned into films anytime soon...as the studios will say that Canadian films don't make money.

However...the real truth is...good films make money...bad films usually do not.

Now, with all that negativity said, and for the moment pushed aside, I still think that you should see PASSCHENDAELE because the filmmakers did so a very good job of re-creating the actual Battle of Passchendaele, and spreading the word of our Soldier's accomplishments there.

I just wish that they had been honoured with a better film...I really wish that.

I have five other releases to tell you about this week, starting with Kevin Smith's ZACK & MIRI MAKE A PORNO.

Smith is the man who gave us the films CLERKS, CHASING AMY and MALLRATS and he had the chance with this film to do something he had never done before, have a cast who can actually act get his well-written words to a mass audience.

Unfortunately, he decided not to use the talents of his cast - including Seth Rogen from SUPER BAD and PINEAPPLE EXPRESS and Elizabeth Banks from DEFINITELY MAYBE and W - and the result is a sophomoric comedy about two broke friends who have to resort to something most of us would consider the height of desperation...and the name of this film again is ZACK & MIRI MAKE A PORNO.

Admittedly, I didn't think that ZACK & MIRI was an awful film, I did enjoy it more the second time and I will watch it again, but it could have been so much better. Even the lazy title indicates that Smith didn't give this one his all.

If you liked CLERKS II and JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK, then this might be a good rental for you...otherwise skip it.

And you might also need to skip NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST.

NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST is really meant to be a comedy for teens, especially teens who enjoyed the book it is based on.

I know I would have loved this film about two teenagers who meet and fall in love one night primarily bacuse of their shared love of music when I was a teenager, however as a 40 year old, I only liked it a little bit.

NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST isn't a bad movie, I did like a lot of it as it does have a great soundtrack and cast - including Canadian Michael Cera from ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT and Juno, but - to me - it just wasn't as good as it could have been.

Maybe I am just too old for it. Geez, I hate admitting that.

I am definitely not too old for this next release, in fact it is one that I first discovered during my teen years! This is the 3-DVD Box Set for THE SECRET POLICEMAN'S BALLS.

THE SECRET POLICEMAN'S BALLS is the name that is used to describe the long-running series of benefit shows staged in England to raise funds for the human rights organisation Amnesty International.

The shows started out in the mid-1970s primarily as comedy galas featuring well-known musical performers such as Sting, Phil Collins and Pete Townshend and popular British comedic performers, most notably the cast of Monty Python.

These were all great shows and this is a spectacular box set, that also includes a great retrospective look back!

I wouldn't use the word spectaculat to describe this week's BLU-RAY BEACON - Adrian Lyne's film UNFAITHFUL, but this is a very good film...one made for and by adults.

UNFAITHFUL is the 2002 film starring Richard Gere, Diane Lane and Olivier Martinez. Gere and Lane are a couple whose marriage starts to fall apart once the wife starts to have an affair.

What remains unique here is that it is the wife having the affair, something not usually seen in Hollywood films, and UNFAITHFUL looks and sounds great on Blu-ray.

Finally this week, in honour of BLACK HISTORY MONTH, let me tell you about a very insightful documentary called BLACK MAGIC!

BLACK MAGIC shows us some of the injustices that helped define the Civil Rights Movement in America, as told through the lives of basketball players and coaches who attended Historical Black Colleges and Universities.

Narrated by Academy Award Nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson and jazz great Wynton Marsalis, and featuring basketball greats like Chris Paul, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe and Julius "Dr. J" Erving this is an eye opening look at how some athletes helped pave the way towards equal rights for all.

The insightful and entertaining documentary BLACK MAGIC and the superb box set for THE SECRET POLICEMAN'S BALLS are both available now on DVD.

The films UNFAITHFUL, NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST, ZACK & MIRI MAKE A PORNO and the disappointing PASSCHENDAELE are available now on DVD and Blu-ray.

Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report

FROZEN RIVER is the Academy Award nominated film about the lengths that two mothers are willing to go for their kids.

And I will also discuss Spike Lee's MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA.

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

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

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

Versatile actor James Whitmore dies

LOS ANGELES – James Whitmore, the many-faceted character actor who delivered strong performances in movies, television and especially the theater with his popular one-man shows about Harry Truman, Will Rogers and Theodore Roosevelt, died Friday, his son said. He was 87.

The Emmy- and Tony-winning actor was diagnosed with lung cancer the week before Thanksgiving and died Friday afternoon at his Malibu home, Steve Whitmore said.

"My father believed that family came before everything, that work was just a vehicle in which to provide for your family," said Whitmore, who works as spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. "At the end, and in the last two and a half months of his life, he was surrounded by his family."

His long-running "Give 'em Hell, Harry," tracing the life of the 33rd president, was released as a theatrical movie in 1975. Whitmore was nominated for an Academy Award as best actor, marking the only time in Oscar history that an actor has been nominated for a film in which he was the only cast member. His Teddy Roosevelt portrait, "Bully," was also converted into a movie.

He later became the TV pitchman for Miracle-Gro plant food, and used the product in his large vegetable garden at his Malibu home.

While not known for his politics, Whitmore was an early supporter of President Barack Obama. He stumped for Obama during a 2007 rally at the Gibson Theatre at Universal Studios, telling the crowd that Obama had the wisdom "to deal with a very, very confused and complex country, and the world." Whitmore also appeared in TV commercials in 2008 for the "First Freedom First" campaign, which advocates religious liberty and preserving the separation of church and state.

Whitmore had regularly attended an Oscar night bash, Night of 100 Stars, and had sent in his RSVP for this year, said Edward Lozzi, a spokesman for agent Norby Walters' gala.

Whitmore started both his Broadway and Hollywood careers with acclaimed performances, both as tough-talking sergeants. In 1947, discharged a year from Marine duty, he made his Broadway debut in a taut Air Force drama, "Command Decision." He was awarded a Tony for outstanding performance by a newcomer.

Two years later, Whitmore was nominated for an Academy Award and won a Golden Globe as supporting actor in the war movie "Battleground."

He followed with memorable performances in scores of films, refusing to be typed. Besides war movies, he appeared in Westerns ("The Last Frontier," "Chato's Land"), musicals ("Kiss Me Kate," "Oklahoma!"), science fiction ("Planet of the Apes," "Them"), dramas ("The Asphalt Jungle," "The Shawshank Redemption") and comedies ("Mr. O'Malley and Mrs. Malone," "The Great Diamond Robbery.")

Shirley Jones, a teenager when she starred in "Oklahoma," said she came to know Whitmore during months of filming in Nogales, Ariz., and recalled being impressed by her good-humored and highly disciplined colleague.

"He told me, `If you're going to be in this business, you better learn your craft,'" Jones recalled. "And he never stopped learning."

His favorite film was "Black Like Me" (1964), a true story about a white reporter who blackened his face to experience life as an African-American in the South.

Another of his rare starring roles was "The Next Voice You Hear" (1950), in which a family hears the voice of God via the radio. He played opposite Nancy Davis, the future Mrs. Ronald Reagan.

Whitmore often appeared on television, starring in the series "The Law and Mr. Jones" (1960-1962), "My Friend Tony" (1969) and "Temperatures Rising" (1972-1973). He received an Emmy in 1999 as guest actor in a series for "The Practice."

Jones recalled seeing him in a 2007 episode of the TV drama "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and marveling at his still-sharp talent. "I was absolutely blown away by that. He had a huge role, playing a lawyer, and it was phenomenal," she said.

A student of history, Whitmore delighted in portraying famous American personages. He toured in the play "The Magnificent Yankee," about Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. He played Ulysses S. Grant in a 1960 TV movie, Adm. William F. "Bull" Halsey in the Pearl Harbor attack spectacle "Tora! Tora! Tora!", and Walt Whitman in a dramatic reading, "A Whitman Portrait."

The monologues of Harry Truman, Will Rogers and Teddy Roosevelt brought Whitmore his greatest success. In 2000, he appeared in "Will Rogers, U.S.A." at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C., his eighth engagement in the show at Ford's over a 30-year period.

President Ford attended a performance of "Give 'em Hell, Harry" at Ford's Theater after Richard Nixon resigned. Whitmore worried about Ford's reaction to Truman's crusty words about Nixon.

The actor recalled: "I was three feet from Gerry Ford when I said to the press as Truman: `Nixon is a no-good lying (expletive); if he ever caught himself telling the truth, he'd tell a lie just to keep his hand in.' After the show, (Ford) came up on stage and put his arm around me and said, `That was a pretty good blocking back.'" Ford had been line coach when Whitmore played football at Yale.

His movie and television careers continued into the 21st century, but he admitted that he preferred the stage.

"I find the process of making movies absolutely boring," he told a reporter in 1994. "It's so fragmented. You wait and wait and wait and then, look, as Jack Lemmon says, `It's magic time.' In the theater, once the curtain goes up, the actor is in charge."

Born in 1921 in White Plains, N.Y., Whitmore was active in school sports and acted in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, though his strict Methodist family disapproved of the profession. After a year at an Ivy League prep school, Whitmore in 1939 enrolled in prelaw at Yale University, where he had won a football scholarship. Two knee injuries ended his football career, and he devoted himself to dramatics.

After graduating from Yale, he enlisted in the Marines and served in the South Pacific. "I had a lot of time to think in the Marine Corps," he recalled, "and so I decided it wasn't the law I wanted but the theater."

In New York he studied at the American Theater Wing under the G.I. Bill, living on $20 a week and rooming with another hopeful actor, Jack Warden. After a season in summer stock in New Hampshire, he returned to New York and won the role of Sergeant Harold Evans in "Command Decision." Rave reviews started his career in motion.

He married Nancy Mygatt in 1947, and the couple had three sons, James, Steven and Daniel. They later divorced, and in 1971 he married an actress, Audra Lindley. They often appeared in plays together, even after their 1979 divorce. He remarried his first wife in the 1980s, but another divorce ensued. Nearing 80 in 2001, Whitmore married actress-writer Noreen Nash.

Sex and the City Sequel: SJP & Co. Make it Official!

(E! Online) – Break out the bubbly—the Sex and the City sequel is finally official!

I can exclusively reveal that all four stars—Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall and Kristin Davis—and writer-director Michael Patrick King have now signed their deals for another round of Carrie Bradshaw & Co.

"Everything was finalized yesterday afternoon," a source reports.

Until now, everyone had agreed to do a sequel, but there were no contracts signed with New Line, the studio behind the megahit.

As it is, King has yet to write a script, but shooting will reportedly begin this summer with a release date sometime in summer 2010.

Reps for the stars and the studio did not immediately comment.

In its first weekend alone, Sex and the City opened with almost $58 million in ticket sales, reportedly making it the biggest R-rated comedy opener ever. Budget to make the movie? A cool $65 million.

Quick recap in case you were one of the few who missed it: When we last left Carrie, she had married Mr. Big even after he left her at the altar. Samantha and her young beau (Jason Lewis) split, while Miranda and Steve (David Eigenberg) patched things up after he cheated on her. Charlotte and Harry (Evan Handler) not only adopted a baby girl, but Charlotte gave birth to a second daughter.

Cramps founder and punk pioneer Lux Interior dies

LOS ANGELES — Lux Interior, co-founder and lead singer of the pioneering horror-punk band the Cramps, has died, the group's publicist said. He was 60.
Interior — whose real name was Erick Lee Purkhiser — died Wednesday of a pre-existing heart condition at a hospital in Glendale, Calif., publicist Aleix Martinez said in a statement.

Interior met his future wife Kristy Wallace — who would later take the stage name Poison Ivy — in Sacramento in 1972.

The pair moved to New York and started the Cramps with Interior on lead vocals and Ivy on guitar. The group was a part of the late '70s early punk scene centered at Manhattan clubs like CBGB, alongside acts like the Ramones and Patti Smith.

Their unmistakable sound was a lo-fi synthesis of rockabilly and surf guitar staged with a deviant dose of midnight-movie camp. Some called it "psychobilly."

The pale, tall, gaunt Interior appeared shirtless with black hair and tiny, low-slung black pants, looking part zombie, part Elvis Presley as he crawled, writhed and howled his way across the stage.

The group had the raw intensity of punk, but took the music in new directions by incorporating theatrical elements, often horror-themed, in songs like I Was a Teenage Werewolf and Bikini Girls With Machine Guns. Their breakthrough debut EP was 1979's Gravest Hits.

The band made a notorious appearance at a California mental institution, Napa State Hospital, in 1978. The performance, whose video is still popular on YouTube, was a punk-era echo of the Folsom Prison concert of Johnny Cash, one of the band's influences.

Interior was widely rumored in 1987 to have died from a heroin overdose, and his wife received flowers and funeral wreaths.

"At first I thought it was kind of funny," he told the Los Angeles Times at the time. "But then it started to give me a creepy feeling."

The Cramps' lineup changed often through the decades but Interior and Ivy remained the center. Their bluesy, trebly sound — the group didn't have a bass guitarist — resonates in modern minimalist groups like the White Stripes and the Black Lips.

The band's last release was the 2004 rarities collection How to Make a Monster. They were still touring as recently as last November.

Danke schoen! Mr. Las Vegas to glitz up Swift Current

The quintessential lounge performer Wayne Newton has been booked to perform at the grand opening of Swift Current's Living Sky Casino.

The entertainer, who has been a staple of the Las Vegas gambling strip for decades, will perform one show on Feb. 24.

Newton, 66, is best known for a string of pop hits in the 1960s, including his signature song, Danke Schoen.

Leah Bragg, marketing manager for the casino, told CBC News that the concert was expected to sell out.

Tickets, which go on sale Feb. 9, cost $100 each.

Newton will be the first act to perform at the casino's new Sky Centre, a 560-seat auditorium attached to the gaming floor.

Bragg said that while the casino has been open since December 2008, Newton's performance will kick off the formal grand opening, which will include a Mardi Gras theme.

The Swift Current casino is part of a chain of venues operated by the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority.

Van Halen to Rock On With Roth

Van Halen's tour with David Lee Roth ended last July with one final triumphant version of "Jump" — but if Eddie Van Halen gets his way, that's not going to be the end of the reunion. "We are a band — it wasn't just a one-off tour we did," says the guitarist, who plans to meet with Roth this summer to play him demos of new songs. "We had a lot of fun on the tour — Dave was a blast. And next time we go out, we're going to have some new stuff, too. I'm looking forward to getting on it." The 75-date tour, which began in September 2007, grossed more than $93 million, making it the most lucrative of the band's career.

June will be a busy month for the Van Halens: Eddie will marry Janie Liszewski, his girlfriend and publicist; and 17-year-old bassist Wolfgang Van Halen ("a permanent part of Van Halen," according to his dad) will graduate with his high school class after taking a year off for the tour. "Wolfie had it the toughest," says Eddie. "He had three or four hours of tutoring every day and then the gig." And after that, Eddie hopes to start recording what could be the band's first new studio album since 1998's Van Halen III (with short-tenured lead singer Gary Cherone) and its first with Roth in 25 years.

"I've got tons of music written, such a variety of stuff," says Eddie, who thinks some of it may surprise fans. "The essence of me is obviously there, and those drums, they're always recognizable. But people expect a certain thing from Van Halen, and this isn't exactly bang-your-head-against-the-wall stuff."

Roth is keeping busy too — he lives part time in New York, where he works as an EMT, an unlikely passion he began pursuing in 2004. His spokeswoman said he couldn't be reached for comment on his future with the band.

At the same time, Eddie is continuing his own side career as an entrepreneur: He just launched a Website, EVHgear.com, where fans can buy replicas of nearly everything he plays and wears, from his signature Wolfgang guitar, which he used on the band's last tour (upgraded over two and a half years to what he calls "NASA quality"), to Converse-style sneakers with his red-white-and-black-striped design, which he's been wearing since the Eighties. "I'm not shoving it down anyone's throat or trying to be a clothing designer," he says. "I just think my tennis shoes are cool, and I love my equipment — everything I put out is exactly identical to what I use."

Ticketmaster Admits Springsteen Sale “Wasn’t Our Finest Hour”

One week after Live Nation’s new ticket service left Phish fans screaming with rage, Ticketmaster’s computer system malfunctioned during a Bruce Springsteen onsale yesterday morning. Fans attempting to buy seats for Springsteen’s Working on a Dream shows in Long Island and New Jersey got error messages during the 9:00 AM sale. “It was an unfortunate computer glitch that happened on our side,” says Ticketmaster spokesperson Albert Lopez. “It wasn’t our finest hour. [The glitch] lasted minutes versus hours. As it was described to me it didn’t have anything to do with high demand. Ticketmaster.com’s network didn’t fail. This was for specific shows. Having said all that, that doesn’t take away from the heartache fans experienced.”

Despite Ticketmaster’s insistence the problem was isolated to three concerts, fans reported receiving the same error code for many East Coast shows. Fans attempting to buy tickets in the crucial early minutes of the onsale got a message saying the system was undergoing “routine maintenance.” Many fans who did manage to load tickets were unable to complete the transaction — though Lopez says that 95 percent of them have been contacted and Ticketmaster is working on completing their purchases when possible. Lopez says that 85 percent of the 200,000 Springsteen tickets sold yesterday came from Ticketmaster.com. Fans attempting to buy to the Nassau Coliseum today are directed to the Ticketmaster owned Ticketsnow.com resale site, that lists 697 tickets ranging up to $1,605 each.

The incident comes just days after Live Nation’s competing ticket service underwent its first significant test, as hordes of Phish fans hit the site to buy tickets to the band’s anxiously awaited comeback tour and experienced technical difficulties. A Live Nation spokesman told Rolling Stone, “At the moment of the onsale, there were 1 million people trying to buy tickets, and that overwhelmed the system for a minute.” Ironically, both Phish and Springsteen will headline 2009’s Bonnaroo Festival. Tickets for the fest go on sale February 7th.

James Franco wins Harvard Hasty Pudding award

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – James Franco, who won recent acclaim for playing both a goofy pot dealer and Harvey Milk's lover, has been named Harvard's Hasty Pudding Man of the Year.

Franco will receive the award at a roast Feb. 13 by the Hasty Pudding — the nation's oldest undergraduate drama troupe.

The 31-year-old actor was nominated for a Golden Globe for his supporting role in "Pineapple Express" and starred opposite Sean Penn in "Milk." He has appeared in TV's "Freaks and Geeks" and the "Spider Man" trilogy and portrayed James Dean in the TNT biopic.

Renee Zellweger will be honored as the Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year on Thursday. Last year's honorees were Christopher Walken and Charlize Theron.

'Guitar Hero: Metallica' Offers New Twists

Several new gameplay twists emerge for the first time on "Guitar Hero: Metallica," which arrives in stores March 29 from Activision.

Players have a double bass option on drums for the difficult and expert levels, which can be enabled by using a splitter and an additional pedal for the kick drum. In addition, all of the songs will be "unlocked" from the beginning of the game as opposed to them not being available until players reach certain levels, as in previous versions of "Guitar Hero."

"It was time to change it up a bit," Neversoft lead designer Alan Flores says. "Guitar Hero: Metallica" will be available for Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 2. Aerosmith was the first artist to star in its own version of the game, which was released last summer.

This time around, in Career Mode, instead of taking players through the band's career chronologically like in "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith," gamers take on the role of a band that rocks its way onto a Metallica tour as the opening act, a premise based on a true story as relayed by frontman James Hetfield.

As would be expected with the high-octane music, the game's visuals are rich with pyrotechnics. Metallica also specifically requested that the concert hall views be rendered "in the round," like its most recent arena shows. Venues include the Los Angeles Forum and Moscow's Tushino Airport, where Metallica played before 1.6 million fans in 1991 as part of the Monsters of Rock tour.

There are 28 Metallica classics on "Guitar Hero: Metallica," as well as 21 songs from other bands hand-picked by Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo. Rare live concert videos and vintage show flyers round out the gameplay experience.

Metallica begins a European tour Feb. 25 in Nottingham, England.

Here are the Metallica tracks on "Guitar Hero: Metallica":

"All Nightmare Long"
"Battery"
"Creeping Death"
"Disposable Heroes"
"Dyers Eve"
"Enter Sandman"
"Fade to Black"
"Fight Fire with Fire"
"For Whom the Bell Tolls"
"Frantic"
"Fuel"
"Hit the Lights"
"King Nothing"
"Master of Puppets"
"Mercyful Fate"
"No Leaf Clover"
"Nothing Else Matters"
"One"
"Orion"
"Sad But True"
"Seek and Destroy"
"The Memory Remains"
"The Shortest Straw"
"The Thing That Should Not Be"
"The Unforgiven"
"Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"
"Wherever I May Roam"
"Whiplash"

Here are the non-Metallica tracks on "Guitar Hero: Metallica":

Alice In Chains, "No Excuses"
Bob Seger, "Turn the Page (Live)"
Corrosion of Conformity, "Albatross"
Diamond Head, "Am I Evil?"
Foo Fighters, "Stacked Actors"
Judas Priest, "Hell Bent For Leather"
Kyuss, "Demon Cleaner"
Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Tuesdays Gone"
Machine Head, "Beautiful Mourning"
Mastodon, "Blood and Thunder"
Mercyful Fate, "Evil"
Michael Schenker Group, "Armed and Ready"
Motorhead, "Ace of Spades"
Queen, "Stone Cold Crazy"
Samhain, "Mother of Mercy"
Slayer, "War Ensemble"
Social Distortion, "Mommy's Little Monster (Live)"
Suicidal Tendencies, "War Inside My Head"
System of a Down, "Toxicity"
The Sword, "Black River"
Thin Lizzy, "The Boys Are Back in Town"

The Boss rules album charts

Bruce Springsteen's triumphant Super Bowl performance wasn't the only big showing for the Boss -- he also has the No. 1 album in the land.

His 16th studio effort, "Working on a Dream," shot to the top of the charts this week, selling just under 20,000 copies, according to figures compiled by Nielsen SoundScan.

However, it didn't surpass the first week numbers of his last two albums -- 2007's "Magic" racked up 25,000 in sales, while 2005's "Devils & Dust" came in at 21,000.

The Boss also ruled the No. 1 spot south of the border, selling 224,000 copies of "Working on a Dream" in the U.S.

Back here, Franz Ferdinand's third album "Tonight: Franz Ferdinand" (7,000) came in at No. 2, and Nickelback, who were nominated for 5 Juno Awards on Tuesday, dropped from No. 1 to No. 3 with "Dark Horse" (6,800).

Lady GaGa's "The Fame," Taylor Swift's "Fearless," and Akon's "Freedom" all slipped two positions to No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6, respectively, while the compilation "2009 Grammy Nominees" premiered at No. 7.

Closing out the top 10 was Kings of Leon's "Only By the Night" at No. 8, Beyonce's "I Am... Sasha Fierce" at No. 9, and the "MuchDance 2009" compilation at No. 10.

In the U.S., Taylor Swift came in second, followed by Beyonce in third, Nickelback in fourth, and Kanye West's "808s & Heartbreak" in fifth.

Beastie Boys Paul's Boutique Reissue Out Now

If you're me, the Beastie Boys' sampledelic spazz-rap sophomore LP Paul's Boutique is easily the group's best album ever, made when the Beasties were at the ideal middle ground between the hilariously asshole-ish prankster brats of the License to Ill days and the self-consciously eclectic downtown boho aesthetes they first became on Check Your Head. Paul's Boutique is coming up on its 20th anniversary, and we reported last month that the Boys would be giving the album the reissue treatment it deserves.

Well, they've done it. Physical copies of the Paul's Boutique 20th Anniversary Edition won't be out until February 10, but if you cruise over to the Beasties' site, you can already buy yourself a download or decide how much money you feel like dropping on the various multi-tiered options the group is offering.

If you're seriously balling, you can drop $129.99 on the Commemorative Package, which includes a limited edition eight-foot-long panoramic poster of the fold-out cover art, a limited edition T-shirt, and both vinyl and CD copies of the remastered album, as well as an immediate download.

Broke folks can pay $11.99 for the download itself, which comes in DRM-free 320 kbps and includes "interactive, 3D digital album art" (Which will be what? The Google Earth street-view of the corner on the cover?). For $15.99, there's also a Deluxe Digital Download package, which includes five music videos and (this is actually awesome) a full-album commentary by the boys themselves. Still more options: $18.99 for the CD, $23.99 for the 180-gram vinyl, both of which come with a download of the album. They're also selling T-shirts and stuff like that on the site.

Even if you don't plan on parting with any money over an album you already own, it's worth checking out the Boys' site, which now features all manner of Paul's Boutique-related sillness: videos, photos, stories from fans, a truly difficult and low-tech ping-pong game, and a free download of that audio commentary track. Go nuts.

In other Beastie Boys news, last night, it was announced that they would be playing Bonnaroo. This is their only scheduled show right now.

Terry Gilliam to receive BAFTA honor

LONDON (Hollywood Reporter) – Former "Monty Python" star Terry Gilliam will receive a BAFTA Fellowship in recognition of his contribution to film during Sunday's British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards show.

Orange British Academy Film Awards organizers said the fellowship is the "highest accolade" bestowed upon someone in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film.

Previous honorees include Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg, Judi Dench and Anthony Hopkins.

Writer-director Gilliam's latest movie, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," was Heath Ledger's final film. After Ledger's death in January 2008, Colin Farrell, Johnny Depp and Jude Law stepped in to help complete the film.

The BAFTA ceremony takes place at London's Royal Opera House on Sunday.

Nickelback leads Juno noms

They’re not dark horses this year, not when it comes to the Junos anyway.

Alberta hard rock band Nickelback lead the pack with five nominations heading into the 2009 Juno Awards, slated for March 27-29 at Vancouver’s General Motors Place.

Sam Roberts, Celine Dion and Hedley are the other leading nominees.

Nickelback are confirmed as performers for the televised ceremony on CTV on March 29, to be hosted by Russell Peters. They’re up for album of the year (for Dark Horse), single of the year (Gotta Be Somebody), group of the year and the Jack Richardson producer of the year award with Joey Moi (Gotta Be Somebody and Something In Your Mouth).

Roberts, a Montreal rocker, has four nominations: artist of the year, rock album of the year (Love at the End of the World) and two nominations for video of the year (Detroit ’67 and Them Kids).

Dion and Hedley, along with The Lost Fingers and Feist, are up for the JUNO Fan Choice award — the lone prize voted on by the public.

Dion, who spent most of last year on a world tour after her lengthy Las Vegas stint, is also up for top single (Taking Chances) and DVD (Live In Las Vegas — A New Day).

Hedley, led by energetic front man Jacob Hoggard, is nominated for top album (Famous Last Words) and songwriter of the year.

Other nominees for top single include Divine Brown (Lay It On The Line), Kardinal Offishall (Dangerous) and crooner Michael Buble (Lost). The Lost Fingers (Lost In The 80’s), Simple Plan (Simple Plan) and French singer Sylvain Cossette (70’s Volume 2) are the other top-album nominees.

The artist of the year features some veterans in Bryan Adams and k.d. lang alongside Roberts, singer-songwriter Serena Ryder and City and Colour. the side project of Alexisonfire’s Dallas Green, who are confirmed to perform during the televised ceremony.

Great Big Sea, Simple Plan, The Trews and Tokyo Police Club are the other contenders for group of the year. The top rock album field has a distinct Maritime component, with Nova Scotia acts Matt Mays & El Torpedo (Terminal Romance), Sloan (Parallel Play) and The Trews (No Time For Later) up against Protest The Hero (Fortress) and Roberts.

Young jazz sensation Nikki Yanofsky, Crystal Shawanda, Kreesha Turner, Jessie Farrell and Toronto-based Lights are competing for new artist of the year. Top new group nominees include Montreal “trip rock” band Beast, Cancer Bats, Crystal Castles, Plants And Animals and The Stills.

As for huge, non-homegrown acts, Coldplay (Viva La Vida), AC/DC (Black Ice), Guns N’ Roses (Chinese Democracy), Jack Johnson (Sleep Through The Static) and Metallica (Death Magnetic) are up for international album of the year.

Sarah McLachlan, who is also slated to perform, will receive the 2009 Allan Waters Humanitarian Award, while longtime rock band Loverboy will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

More performers will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Here are some selected 2009 Juno Award nominees:

JUNO FAN CHOICE AWARD: Celine Dion, Feist, Hedley, Nickelback, the Lost Fingers.

SINGLE OF THE YEAR: “Taking Chances,” Celine Dion; “Lay It on the Line,” Divine Brown; “Dangerous,” Kardinal Offishall; “Lost,” Michael Buble; “Gotta Be Somebody,” Nickelback.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: “Famous Last Words,” Hedley; “Dark Horse,” Nickelback; “Simple Plan,” Simple Plan; “70’s Volume 2,” Sylvain Cossette; “Lost in the 80’s,” The Lost Fingers.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Bryan Adams, City and Colour, k.d. lang, Sam Roberts, Serena Ryder.

GROUP OF THE YEAR: Great Big Sea, Nickelback, Simple Plan, the Trews, Tokyo Police Club.

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Crystal Shawanda, Jessie Farrell, Kreesha Turner, Lights, Nikki Yanofsky.

NEW GROUP OF THE YEAR: Beast, Cancer Bats, Crystal Castles, Plants and Animals, the Stills.

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR: Alanis Morissette, Dallas Green, Gordie Sampson, Hedley, Nathan Ferraro.

COUNTRY RECORDING OF THE YEAR: “Thankful,” Aaron Pritchett; “Dawn of a New Day,” Crystal Shawanda; “Beautiful Life,” Doc Walker; “What I Do,” George Canyon; “Chasing the Sun,” Tara Oram.

POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR: “Flavors of Entanglement,” Alanis Morissette; “No Sleep at All,” Creature; “Wake Up and Say Goodbye,” David Usher; “Passion,” Kreesha Turner; “Holes,” the Midway State.

ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR: “Terminal Romance,” Matt Mays & El Torpedo; “Fortress,” Protest the Hero; “Love at the End of the World,” Sam Roberts; “Parallel Play,” Sloan; “No Time for Later,” the Trews.

RAP RECORDING OF THE YEAR: “A Captured Moment in Time,” DL Incognito; “The Book,” D-Sisive; “I Rap Now,” Famous; “Not 4 Sale,” Kardinal Offishall; “Point Blank,” Point Blank.

WORLD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR: “Shivaboom,” Eccodek; “The Art of the Early Egyptian Qanun,” George Dimitri Sawa; “Africa to Appalachia,” Jayme Stone & Mansa Sissoko; “Contrabanda,” Lubo & Kaba Horo; “Cairo to Toronto,” Maryem & Ernie Tollar.

Former CBC radio host Russ Germain dies at 62

Veteran CBC broadcaster Russ Germain has died.

CBC reports on its website that the radio newsman, who used to anchor The World at Six, succumbed to a battle with cancer in Toronto.

He was 62.

Germain spent 29 years at the public broadcaster, joining The World at Six in 1983 after hosting CBC Radio's Ideas through the late '70s and early '80s.

Germain, who retired in 2002, also hosted the morning radio show World Report and served as CBC Radio's broadcast language adviser.

Before joining the CBC in 1973, he was a TV announcer in Saskatoon and worked at various private stations.

Slow Ticket Sales Sink Langerado Festival

The Langerado Music Festival in Miami is the first large-scale U.S. festival to fall victim to a poor economy in 2009. The seventh annual event, which was set for March 6-8 at Bicentennial Park, has been cancelled "due to sluggish ticket sales," organizers announced.

Artists that were confirmed to perform at Langerado included Death Cab For Cutie, Snoop Dogg, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, Dashboard Confessional, Broken Social Scene, Girl Talk, Thievery Corporation, Slightly Stoopid, Flogging Molly, Chromeo, Mute Math, Black Kids, Gym Class Heroes, the Faint, the Pogues, Zac Brown Band, Matisyahu, Disco Biscuits, Umphrey's McGee, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Michael Franti and Spearhead and the Virgins.

"Unfortunately, during these difficult economic times, and facing a first year in a new venue, it's become apparent that we cannot execute a production that lives up to the high standards of our past events," Langerado co-promoter Ethan Schwartz said in a statement. "Putting Langerado on hold was the toughest decision we have ever had to make. We are very grateful for the support of the greater-Miami community and the music community during this difficult time."

Ticket purchases for the festival will be refunded within the next seven business days, organizers say. Further information about refunds can be found at musictoday.com.

Last year's Langerado Festival, held at Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation in the Florida Everglades, featured R.E.M., Built To Spill, Of Montreal, the Beastie Boys, the Roots, Gov't Mule, 311, the National, Phil Lesh and Matisyahu, among others. The four-day festival drew about 25,000 people per day and grossed $4.3 million, according to festival co-producer Evan Schwartz.

Bob Costas to MLB Network, leaving HBO

Bob Costas is going to work for Major League Baseball — by joining the MLB Network — and is leaving HBO.

Costas, will debut on the MLB-owned cable channel on Thursday with an interview with Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre, and then go on to host specials as well as call an unspecified number of the channel's 26 regular-season TV games.

Costas had appeared since 2001 on HBO, where he hosted specials as well as his Costas Now talk show.

He also hosted HBO's Inside the NFL show until that show moved to the Showtime channel last season.

Says HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg: "Television is about change and we respect Bob's decision to move."

24 Liked the World Better Without Heroes

Los Angeles (E! Online) – Monday TV's Winners: Just about everything not named 24, including the 100th-episode-celebrating House (14.7 million, per Nielsen estimates), the rocking-the-women's-vote The Bachelor (11 million) and the coming-at-you-in-3D Chuck (8.3 million).

Heroes Watch: The show was retooled, rested and, well, on par with its season average in total viewers (8.5 million) and the 18-49 demo.

24 Watch: With Heroes back, the Fox series (11.3 million) fell to fourth in the 18-49 demo at 9 p.m.

Etc.: Two and a Half Men (night-best 16.5 million), The Big Bang Theory (10.9 million) and How I Met Your Mother (10.2 million) stayed strong. One Tree Hill (2.6 million) outdrew Gossip Girl (2.3 million). CSI: Miami (16 million) spoiled the premiere party for Medium (8.5 million).

The Arizona Cardinals, However, Still Lost: Absolute final numbers show Sunday's Super Bowl was record big.

Springsteen, Phish head lineup for Bonnaroo

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Call him Bonnaroo Bruce.

Bruce Springsteen, fresh off his Super Bowl halftime performance, has been announced as a headliner at this year's Bonnaroo Arts & Music Festival, along with the recently reunited Phish.

It is scheduled to be the only performance by Springsteen and his E Street Band at a festival in North America this year.

Other performers scheduled to perform from June 11-14 include Snoop Dogg, the Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, Wilco, Elvis Costello, TV on the Radio, Al Green, Merle Haggard, David Byrne, Erykah Badu, Animal Collective, the Decemberists and Lucinda Williams.

The annual event, which is held on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tenn., 60 miles south of Nashville, draws about 80,000 fans each year.

Springsteen, who released the CD "Working on a Dream" last week, is making the Bonnaroo pit stop during a nationwide tour; Phish is also launching a tour later this year, and Bonnaroo is also slated to be its only festival performance in North America.

More acts will be announced later. More than 120 bands and 20 comedians are expected to perform on 13 stages.

The day the music died

Fifty years ago this Tuesday -- on Feb. 3, 1959 -- three of the then biggest acts in rock 'n' roll were killed in an airplane crash.

Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and "The Big Bopper" (J.P. Richardson) all died instantly. They were ejected upon impact as an inexperienced pilot got confused in a snowstorm and inadvertently flew his single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza right into the ground -- in a remote corn field near Clear Lake, Iowa.

Such a travesty, such a waste. This was the first time those words were spoken about rock 'n' rollers, but certainly not the last.

It is remembered as "The Day the Music Died," thanks to that famous lyric from Don McLean's classic 1971 ode American Pie.

Holly -- born Charles Hardin Holley -- hailed from Lubbock, Tex. On his own or with his backing band The Crickets, he'd scored a slew of hits since 1957 with That'll Be the Day, Oh! Boy, Maybe Baby, Peggy Sue and It Doesn't Matter Anymore. Today, Holly is remembered as both a ground-breaking songwriter and guitar player for the rock 'n' roll form. Everyone from The Beatles to the Rolling Stones to Bruce Springsteen have listed him as a major influence. He was only 22.

Valens -- born Richard Steven Valenzuela -- was a pioneer of latin rock from Pacoima, Calif. He had just broken big with the hit Donna, which would reach No. 2 on the U.S. charts. Perhaps the song he's most remembered for now, La Bamba, reached only No. 22. He was 17.

The Big Bopper -- born Jiles Perry Richardson Jr. -- was from Sabine Pass, Tex. He'd been a DJ before turning to recording. He was still milking his first big hit, Chantilly Lace, which had reached No. 6 on the U.S. charts. He was only 28.

The fateful trio were taking part in a bus tour of Midwestern cities, along with their backing musicians and one other act -- Dion and the Belmonts. It was dubbed The Winter Dance Party Tour, which, according to the website fiftiesweb.com, visited 24 cities in less than five weeks. Holly was the biggest name, but Valens had the hottest hit with Donna.

The bus they travelled on was old and airy and the interior heater reportedly was busted. By the time they arrived at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, on Feb. 2, 1959, they were frozen and had had it with the travelling refrigerator.

After the show, Holly chartered a plane to take he and his backing musicians -- Tommy Allsup and a friend from Lubbock, future country star Waylon Jennings -- to their next stop in Fargo, N.D., some 500 km away.

As the story goes, Allsup flipped a coin with Valens for the right to one of the cramped plane's seats, and Valens won. Jennings felt bad for The Big Bopper, who was battling a fever and felt crammed in the bus, and Jennings voluntarily gave up his seat for him. When Holly found out, he cracked to Jennings, "Well, I hope your old bus freezes up." Jennings good-naturedly shot back, "Well, I hope your plane crashes."

An hour later, it did. Jennings would be haunted by that conversation for decades.

The pilot was Roger Peterson, only 21. According to the official Civil Aeronautics Board report of the crash (available online), Peterson was both improperly briefed on the rapidly deteriorating weather -- a snowstorm was moving in -- and didn't look into it enough himself.

As the report concluded, "at night, with an overcast sky, snow falling, no definite horizon, and a proposed flight over a sparsely settled area with an absence of ground lights," Peterson almost certainly would have had to fly by instruments only. Problem was, Peterson was "not properly certified nor qualified" to do it.

Worst of all, because of gusty winds, Peterson had to rely greatly on an instrument known as an attitude indicator, and he was probably unaware that "the pitch display of this instrument is the reverse of the instrument he was accustomed to; therefore, he could have become confused and thought that he was making a climbing turn, when in reality he was making a descending turn."

Indeed, no one aboard knew it, but Peterson was taking them at high speed right into the ground. The Beechcraft Bonanza was instantly demolished. There was no fire or explosion.

They were rock's first major casualties.

The news got out later that day, and American rock 'n' rollers were in shock. Perhaps that's what McLean was referring to in the last verse of his cryptic American Pie:

And in the streets: the children screamed,

The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed.

But not a word was spoken;

The church bells all were broken.

And the three men I admire most:

The father, son, and the holy ghost,

They caught the last train for the coast

The day the music died.

Paul Gross hopes for 'Passchendaele' big-screen release in China

TORONTO - Writer-director Paul Gross won over Canadian audiences with his multimillion-dollar war epic "Passchendaele," and now he's got his sights set on movie fans internationally.

As Gross releases the First World War film on DVD this week in Canada, he says he's trying to get the picture on to big screens in Britain, China and the United States.

"What I'm most excited about is China," Gross says in an interview.

"I would just love it if it went into China . . . They take about 20 foreign films a year, and you know there are 500 million middle-class Chinese - we could actually make some money."

Recouping funds is understandably top of mind for the Canadian filmmaker. At a cost of $20 million, "Passchendaele" is among the most expensive Canadian films ever made.

The gritty drama ended up raking in roughly $4.5 million at the box office since its release in October - a hefty sum for an independent Canadian film but still far short of its original cost.

When "Passchendaele" debuted last year it was bolstered by massive publicity. It had an opening-night slot at the Toronto International Film Festival, followed by a cross-Canada tour in which the film's cast appeared at movie houses and took questions from audiences.

Now it's ready for its small-screen debut, but Gross notes the stakes are anything but small.

"I think it accounts for like two-thirds of what a film can do financially," he says of DVD releases in general.

"Increasingly, I think people start to look upon the theatrical release as a way of satisfying those who really need to see it on a huge screen, but also making sure that people are aware of it when it comes out for people to take home to their own television sets and their own home theatres."

Of course, it doesn't help that Gross is seeking distribution during the current tough economic climate. By and large, independent films are not selling well these days, he says.

"It's ironic, because if I were trying to raise the financing for it right now it would be hopeless to go to private individuals and say 'Can you part with money that you no longer have and give it to me?' That wouldn't have happened," says Gross, who also found support from government sources, including $5.5 million from the Alberta government.

"On the other hand, it might have been better if we had done it five years earlier and had it out when the market was a bit better."

The sprawling historical drama centres on the battle-weary Sgt. Michael Dunne, played by Gross, who falls in love with a troubled nurse, played by Caroline Dhavernas, when he's brought to a Calgary hospital. Their tender relationship forms the main story arc, leading up to the climactic battle of Passchendaele and a stark account of the relentless German assault that devastated Allied forces.

Gross says he began envisioning the project more than a decade ago, and after finally recreating the battle's stunning bleak landscape for the large screen he expresses misgivings now that it is being shrunk for the small one.

"You do sort of cringe because we made something that's capable of being blown up into a huge picture, and reducing it like that seems a little bit crazy. On the other hand, the world is what it is," he says, noting today's medium of choice is even smaller than TV, with many pop culture junkies favouring portable media players.

"I don't like watching a film on a screen that small but I know lots of people who do, including my own kids. They seem fine with it. I'll say, 'How can you get enough out of this? And they'll say, 'Oh no, I see it big."'

Meanwhile, Gross is hopeful that "Passchendaele" could find another life in movie theatres in China.

"I gather we still have quite a profile there. Because of Bethune, there's this funny sense they have of us," he says, referring to Canadian doctor Norman Bethune, considered a hero in China for joining the resistance in that country against the Japanese invasion in 1938.

"Passchendaele" comes out on DVD on Tuesday.

Shout it out loud: KISS is coming

The Demon and his pals are headlining an outdoor concert in Halifax this summer.

KISS announced the news on its website, confirming rumours about the band's plans that have been circulating for weeks.

The Halifax Rocks 2009 event will take place July 18 at the Halifax Common, the same park where the Rolling Stones played to 50,000 fans in 2006.

Tickets go on sale on Friday, though KISS Army fan club members can get theirs starting on Tuesday.

Flight of the Conchords prepare for tour, album takeoff

Musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords has unveiled huge tour plans for the spring to support the upcoming release of the group's sophomore full-length set.

The New Zealanders--Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement--kick off the almost two-month-long outing April 6 in Tampa, FL. The 33-city trek extends through the following month, concluding May 25 on the opposite coast in Berkeley, CA.

Due in stores April 14, Flight of the Conchords' still-untitled studio effort will include "probably 15 or so tracks total," according to the duo's record label, Sub Pop, most of them culled from the second season of the pair's popular HBO series, which began last month. The group will release a new song from the album every week through iTunes on the Monday following the airdate of the latest new episode.

Fans who buy the songs individually will be given the option to "Complete the Album" through iTunes once the new set is released without having to repurchase any previously released material to own the entire album, according to a press release.

The new album follows the duo's self-titled debut from last spring. The new set, produced by Mickey Petralia (Beck, Midnight Vultures), features fully fleshed out versions of Flight of the Conchords' concert and television favorites such as "Business Time" and "Ladies of the World."

"These 15 songs pay homage to Pet Shop Boys, censorship, Marvin Gaye, sexism, Shabba Ranks, and backhanded compliments," according to Sub Pop.

A few of the tunes are streaming at Flight of the Conchords' MySpace page.

April 2009
6 - Tampa, FL - Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
7 - Coral Gables, FL - University of Miami BankUnited Center
8 - Orlando, FL - UCF Arena
10 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
11 - Atlanta, GA - Fox Theatre
12 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
13 - Washington, DC - Constitution Hall
14 - New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall
17 - Boston, MA - Agganis Arena
18 - Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre
19 - Kent, OH - Kent State University
21, 22 - Toronto, Ontario - Massey Hall
24 - Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre
25 - Bloomington, IN - IU Auditorium
26 - Madison, WI - Overture Center for the Arts
28 - Chicago, IL - Arie Crown
30 - St. Louis, MO - Fox Theatre

May 2009
2 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theatre
3 - Minneapolis, MN - Northrop Auditorium
5 - Dallas, TX - Nokia Theatre
6 - Houston, TX - Jones Hall
7 - Austin, TX - Bass Concert Hall
10 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts
11, 12 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
14 - Portland, OR - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
16 - Denver, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
17 - Salt Lake City, UT - Abravanel Hall
19 - Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theatre
20 - San Diego, CA - RIMAC Arena
23 - Santa Barbara, CA - County Bowl
23 - Las Vegas, NV - The Joint
24 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
25 - Berkeley, CA - Berkeley Community Theatre

Guitar Hero: Metallica Full Track List

Here’s the full list of Guitar Hero: Metallica!!

• “All Nightmare Long”
• “Battery”
• “Creeping Death”
• “Disposable Heroes”
• “Dyers Eve”
• “Enter Sandman”
• “Fade To Black”
• “Fight Fire With Fire”
• “For Whom The Bell Tolls”
• “Frantic”
• “Fuel”
• “Hit The Lights”
• “King Nothing”
• “Master of Puppets”
• “Mercyful Fate”
• “No Leaf Clover”
• “Nothing Else Matters”
• “One”
• “Orion”
• “Sad But True”
• “Seek And Destroy”
• “The Memory Remains”
• “The Shortest Straw”
• “The Thing That Should Not Be”
• “The Unforgiven”
• “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)”
• “Wherever I May Roam”
• “Whiplash”

They even chose 21 rockin’ tracks to add some spice to the their list.

• Alice In Chains - “No Excuses”
• Bob Seger - “Turn The Page (Live)”
• Corrosion of Conformity - “Albatross”
• Diamond Head - “Am I Evil?”
• Foo Fighters - “Stacked Actors”
• Judas Priest - “Hell Bent For Leather”
• Kyuss - “Demon Cleaner”
• Lynyrd Skynyrd - “Tuesdays Gone”
• Machine Head - “Beautiful Mourning”
• Mastodon - “Blood And Thunder”
• Mercyful Fate - “Evil”
• Michael Schenker Group - “Armed and Ready”
• Motörhead - “Ace of Spades”
• Queen - “Stone Cold Crazy”
• Samhain - “Mother of Mercy”
• Slayer - “War Ensemble”
• Social Distortion - “Mommy’s Little Monster (Live)”
• Suicidal Tendencies - “War Inside My Head”
• System of a Down - “Toxicity”
• The Sword - “Black River”
• Thin Lizzy - “The Boys Are Back in Town”

Oscar nominees be warned: Surprises lay ahead

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – Fans of this month's Academy Awards — and nominees themselves — are in for something new at Hollywood's biggest party, the show's overseers said Monday.

Sid Ganis, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, told the 112 contenders gathered at the annual nominees luncheon to expect a lot of new things at the Feb. 22 ceremony.

"Your categories are being presented in a completely different way. Heads up," Ganis told actors. "Cinematographers, editors, composers. All of you guys. You're in for a big surprise."

Ganis did not elaborate, in keeping with Oscar organizers' efforts to maintain secrecy about the show, including the names of awards presenters.

While academy officials kept mum, nominees had plenty to say as a mix of first-time contenders and old hands turned up at a news conference before the luncheon.

Going zero-for-five on her previous Oscar nominations, best-actress contender Kate Winslet said the experience has given her a "good losing face." Yet considering her competition this time — including Meryl Streep with a record 15 nominations — Winslet said she felt the honor and intensity even more this time.

"I get very emotional about these things, I discover. I think I'm not cut out for this. I'm too emotional to lose, and I'm too emotional to win," said Winslet, nominated for her role as a former concentration-camp guard in "The Reader."

"I sort of wish there was some lessons in how to cope with awards seasons, even though I've gone through it so many times before. It always feels like the first time."

While Winslet has become a perpetual nominee, Robert Downey Jr. has not been up for an Oscar in 16 years, since he earned a best-actor slot for the title role in "Chaplin."

Downey found irony in his supporting-actor nomination for "Tropic Thunder," in which he's cast as an obsessed actor who undergoes a medical procedure to darken his skin to play a black soldier.

"The funny thing is, I was playing an Oscar-crazed weirdo whose every motivation was somehow geared toward accolades," Downey said.

Downey is back on top in Hollywood after years of substance-abuse problems. Another Hollywood reclamation project, Mickey Rourke, has a best-actor nomination for "The Wrestler," playing a former ring star with a fresh shot at glory.

The story mirrors the real life of Rourke, who squandered his early promise with bad behavior off-screen.

"I was out of work for about 14 years," Rourke said, adding that his biggest surprise this awards season was "the fact that so many years went by and I got a second chance."

Penelope Cruz — earning her second Oscar nomination, this one for supporting actress as a volatile artist in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" — said winning would be great, but she simply wants to cherish the whole Oscar ride.

"I am so happy to be part of a group of people that can work, that can make a living out of this profession that I've loved so much since I was a little girl, that I really don't want to obsess about winning," Cruz said.

Oscar newcomer Melissa Leo, a best-actress nominee for her role as a destitute mom who turns to crime in the border-smuggling drama "Frozen River," said she never gave a thought about competing for an Academy Award.

"I'm an actor. I think about what the next job is. I think about what my character is. I think about what my director's needs are. I don't dream about this. So it's a dream I have not yet dared to dream," Leo said. "Win, lose or draw come the 22nd, I've gotten more than I ever dreamt of."

Frank Langella, a first-time nominee with an acclaimed stage background, said his Oscar nomination as Richard Nixon in "Frost/Nixon" was a career high-point but that it would not alter his career.

"I don't really think that I'm suddenly going to turn into one of those actors who makes millions and millions of dollars and stars in films holding a gun," said Langella, who reprised the role he originated on stage alongside co-star Michael Sheen. "I'm very lucky that I can continue to work on the stage almost any time I want. I think I'll just continue along apace."

Supporting-actress contender Viola Davis summed up what it feels like to be a first-time nominee having lunch with such Oscar veterans as Winslet, Downey, Cruz and Sean Penn.

"This is probably a morbid metaphor. People say if you're in a major accident and your whole life flashes before you, and of course, it's always all the important moments," said Davis, nominated for playing a mother whose son may have been abused by a priest in "Doubt." "This would be one of the moments that would flash."

Is 'SNL' leasing its sketches to advertisers?

NEW YORK – Was "MacGruber" a "Saturday Night Live" sketch or Pepsi commercial?

Depending on when you were watching television over the weekend, it was hard to tell.

On Saturday night's "SNL," the recurring bit starring cast member Will Forte aired three times during the show, each time with comical over-the-top promotion for Pepsi.

Then on Sunday night, one of the same "MacGruber" sketches — in which Forte plays a parody of the `80s action series "MacGyver" — aired during NBC's broadcast of the Super Bowl as a commercial.

As it turns out, all were paid commercials by Pepsi, made in collaboration with producer Lorne Michaels' "Saturday Night Live." The segments weren't product placement, but commercials paid for by Pepsi and produced by "SNL." Though they appeared to be sketches on "SNL," they ran during allotted commercial breaks.

NBC Entertainment Co-Chairman Ben Silverman said Pepsi paid full freight for the spots — which sold for about $3 million per 30-second spot during the Super Bowl.

"They really made it very funny and obvious, so I don't think there was any confusion," said Silverman. "Everything is ongoing experimentation, but the reality is we need to evolve and do more and more things."

Added Silverman: "It's not just an ad for Pepsi, it's an ad for `Saturday Night Live.'"

Branding expert Peter Arnell was in charge of PepsiCo's Super Bowl campaign, which also included a 3-D commercial for its SoBe Life Water.

"The creative space is `SNL's' and they were commercials we would have bought, so the economics were as normal as it ever was," said Arnell. "It's the un-advertising advertising."

The first "MacGruber" sketch/commercial that ran during "SNL" came amid other commercials — after a movie trailer for "The Pink Panther 2," which is what host Steve Martin was (what else?) promoting.

PepsiCo American Beverages chief Massimo d'Amore, who watched the game from a luxury box with NBC and Michaels, declined to say how much the company paid the network for the spots. An estimated 95.4 million people watched the Pittsburgh-Arizona Super Bowl, making it second only to last year's game as the most popular ever, according to Nielsen Media Research.

"We have been working together all along in a true partnership," said d'Amore. "This is definitely not a one-off. It's a very determined step to connect with the consumers of today in a new contemporary way."

The ads include all the same usual characteristics that the sketch series normally does: its cheesy opening theme song, a frightened sidekick (played by fellow cast member Kristin Wiig) and MacGruber's inevitable distraction (in this case, a Pepsi). The real MacGyver — Richard Dean Anderson — also made a cameo.

That a marquee "SNL" sketch would be sold to a marketer might rub some loyal viewers the wrong way. Fans, after all, tune in for comedy, not for well-dressed commercials.

Silverman says the viewer only wins, since the Pepsi sketches replaced regular commercials. (He also noted that "SNL" talent was paid for the work outside of their normal salaries.)

"It wasn't inside the show," said Silverman. "Lorne really protected the show. I think the fans of `Saturday Night Live' got to see a `MacGruber' that they wouldn't have otherwise seen."

Michaels wasn't available to comment Monday.

"What we're doing is selling entertainment vehicles and marketing platforms," said Silverman, who has looked for other revenue streams for NBC as network TV ratings have slid. "This is where programming is going."

New CD Releases, February 3: The Fray, Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel, Dierks Bentley, Graham Nash, Melinda Doolittle and more!

The Fray "The Fray" (Sony)

The Colorado pop/rock troupe finally returns with its second studio album, which follows 2004's double-platinum debut "How to Save a Life." To tide fans over between studio releases, the Fray did release two live albums: 2006's "Live at the Electric Factory: Bootleg No. 1" and 2007's "Acoustic in Nashville: Bootleg No. 2."

The new disc was produced by Mike Flynn and Aaron Johnson, the same dynamic duo that helmed the controls for the debut. The first single from "The Fray" is the track "You Found Me," which was released in November. That same month, The Fray performed that single live at the 2008 American Music Awards.

* * *
Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel "Willie and the Wheel" (Bismeaux)

The country legend takes "the Wheel" on this collection of classic Western swing songs handpicked by late producer Jerry Wexler, who died at 91 last year. The concept for the album was 30 years in the making, according to a press release.

Things finally began to crystallize in 2007, when Nelson hooked up with Asleep at the Wheel, Merle Haggard and Ray Price for the Last of the Breed tour, a trek that showcased Western swing and Texas country music.

Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel will join together to support the album with a short tour. The road show is set to launch Feb. 11 in Red Bank, NJ, and roll through 10 cities along the East Coast through Feb. 21.

* * *
Dierks Bentley "Feel That Fire" (Capitol)

The Arizona-born country crooner returns with his fourth studio album. The set follows 2006's "Long Trip Home," which has been certified gold in the U.S.
The first single is the title track, which has already charted in the Top 10 on the Hot Country Songs chart. The new album includes contributions from country vocalist Patty Griffin and bluegrass mandolin player Ronnie McCoury.

* * *
Graham Nash "Reflections" (Rhino)

The veteran vocalist--one-fourth of the legendary Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young--is the subject of a major new retrospective. The three-disc box-set includes 64 tracks, spanning Nash's early work with The Hollies, CSN, CSN&Y and his solo offerings.

* * *
Melinda Doolittle "Coming Back to You" (Hi Fi)

The third-place finisher on the sixth season of "American Idol" releases her full-length debut, which comes two years after her eponymous five-song EP.

"Coming Back to You" consists of cover songs, such as "Dust My Broom" and "I'll Never Stop Loving You."

* * *
More new releases:
Cannibal Corpse, "Evisceration Plague" (Metal Blade)
Keith Emerson Band featuring Marc Bonilla, "Keith Emerson Band featuring Marc Bonilla" (Varese)
Alejandro Fernandez, "De Noche: Clasicos a Mi Manera" (Sony)
Ruthie Foster, "The Truth According to Ruthie Foster" (Blue Corn)
Lisa Hannigan, "Sea Sew" (ATO)
Heartless Bastards, "The Mountain" (Fat Possum)
Boney James, "Send One Your Love" (Concord)
Wynonna Judd, "Sing--Chapter 1" (Curb)
Kidz Bop Kids, "Kidz Bop, Vol. 15" (Razor & Tie)
Ben Kweller, "Changing Horses" (ATO)
Donald Lawrence, "The Law of Confession, Part 1" (Verity)
Audra McDonald (Artist), Patrick Wilson, "Rodgers and Hammerstein's `Allegro' (First Complete Recording)" (Sony)
Liza Minnelli, "Liza's at the Palace" (Hybrid)
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, "Lonely Road" (EMI)

Kung Fu Panda kicks competition's butt at animation awards

Kung Fu Panda wiped out its competition at the 36th annual Annie Awards, which honours the best in animation.

The DreamWorks Animation film earned kudos as best movie among its 10 trophies, beating out acclaimed front-runners WALL*E and Waltz With Bashir.

It also captured a directing award for John Stevenson and Mark Osborne; writing honours for Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger; animated effects, Le-Ming Lawrence Lee; character animation, James Baxter; and storyboarding, Jen Yuh Nelson.

Dustin Hoffman, who plays the Kung Fu master Shifu, nabbed a voice acting accolade. That didn't end the film's awards run — to top it off, Activision's Kung Fu Panda game won the prize for best video game.

The film's 10-award collection bested the nine won last year by Pixar's gourmet rat Ratatouille.

Other winners included:

Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death by Britain's Aardman Animations for best animated short subject.

ShadowMachine's Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II for best animated TV production.

Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender for best TV production produced for children.

There were a few double winners at Friday night's ceremony at Royce Hall on the grounds of UCLA.

Nico Marlet took home two awards for character design, for both Kung Fu Panda and its 24-minute related short Secrets of the Furious Five. Tang Heng also was a double winner for production design on both projects.

Hans Zimmer and John Powell were up on stage twice to collect music prizes for the two projects.

The Annies are handed out annually by the International Animated Film Society in Los Angeles.

Slumdog Top Dog at DGA Awards

Los Angeles (E! Online) – There's a reason oddsmakers don't think Slumdog Millionaire is an Oscar underdog. It's not.

The India-set indie cemented its front-runner status with a win tonight for Danny Boyle at the 61st Annual Directors Guild of America Awards.

The Office, The Wire, Recount and America's Next Top Model were among the honorees in the TV categories.

Boyle beat out David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon) and Gus Van Sant (Milk), all of whom he'll face at the Oscars, plus Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight), whom he won't.

Since 1948, the DGA winner's only missed out the Oscar six times. Half of those instances, however, have occurred since 1995. Ang Lee is the last DGA winner to win Best Director, and not see his film (2005's Brokeback Mountain) win Best Picture, too.

Slumdog's DGA win comes one week after it claimed top prizes from the producers and actors guilds.

Carl Reiner, who was to host tonight's ceremony, was a last-minute scratch (food poisoning, Variety reported). Jon Cryer was a last-minute substitute.

Springsteen delivers promised party at Super Bowl

TAMPA, Fla. – Bruce Springsteen looked into the camera Sunday night and told the people watching at home to "put the chicken fingers down and turn the television all the way up!"

Then he proceeded to give the Super Bowl crowd and the millions watching on TV three high-energy Boss standards, with the title song from his new album wedged in among them for good measure.

The 59-year-old Springsteen and his E Street Band opened with "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out," then without pause ripped through "Born To Run" and "Working on a Dream," before winding up the set with "Glory Days."

Springsteen, dressed all in black, came out Sunday night with the considerable challenge of packing the bombastic energy of one of his rollicking, three-hour concerts into an abbreviated Super Bowl halftime set.

That turned out to be no problem. He had fireworks, an expansive stage, about 1,000 people on the field and help from a Raymond James Stadium crowd equipped with small flashlights.

A five-piece horn section helped saxophonist Clarence Clemons blast out "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out," and a gospel choir came on stage to back Springsteen, his wife and bandmate, Patti Scialfa, and guitarist Steven Van Zandt during "Working on a Dream," the title song from his 24th album.

Springsteen is riding a new wave of exposure and popularity, playing for President Barack Obama in Washington before the inauguration, releasing his 24th album this week and winning a Golden Globe award for his song from the Mickey Rourke movie "The Wrestler."

In 1988, Chubby Checker was the first popular musician to perform at halftime, and Michael Jackson raised the bar in 1993. His sister Janet provided the show's most infamous moment with 2004's "wardrobe malfunction."

"Taken" captures weekend box office lead

LOS ANGELES – Liam Neeson's CIA thriller "Taken" bumped off "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" at the weekend box office, raking in $24.6 million and helping fuel the first $1 billion January in Hollywood history.

North American box office revenues were up nearly 20 percent in January over the same period last year, reaching a record $1.03 billion for the month. Attendance was up 16 percent over last year, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media by Numbers.

"This is exactly how you want to start a year," Dergarabedian said Sunday. "I think people feel movies are a good value for their dollar. Going to a movie is a habit people aren't willing to break."

"Taken" follows Neeson as a former CIA operative trying to track down a group of kidnappers who want to sell his daughter into the sex slave trade.

"We are thrilled. It's an all-audience movie," said 20th Century Fox distribution executive Bert Livingston. "When people come out they are going to talk about it. I think it's going to play for a long time."

"Paul Blart: Mall Cop," the Kevin James comedy about a clumsy security guard, had been No. 1 the previous two weeks. Although it dropped to second place, it earned $14 million to boost its three-week total to more than $83 million.

Also opening this weekend was "The Uninvited," a remake of the 2003 South Korean thriller that pits two sisters against their potentially evil stepmother. It earned $10.5 million for third place.

In fourth was "Hotel for Dogs" with $8.7 million, followed by "Gran Torino" with $8.6 million.

"Gran Torino," directed by and starring Clint Eastwood as a bigot who becomes a reluctant neighborhood hero, has now earned more than $110 million, making it Eastwood's highest grossing film.

It surpassed "In the Line of Fire," which starred Eastwood and made $102 million, and "Unforgiven," directed and starring Eastwood, which earned $101 million. "Unforgiven" won Oscars in 1992 for best picture and best director.

"Slumdog Millionaire," which continues to collect honors this awards season, was sixth with $7.7 million, bringing its total to more than $67 million in 12 weeks, as it moves into wider release across the U.S.

Its director, Danny Boyle, won the top honor Saturday night from the Directors Guild of America.

The awards are "adding to the prestige of the film in the marketplace and making it more important for the public to see," said Richard Shamban, vice president of theatrical distribution for the film's distributor, Fox Searchlight.

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Taken," $24.6 million.
2. "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," $14 million.
3. "The Uninvited," $10.5 million.
4. "Hotel for Dogs," $8.7 million.
5. "Grand Torino," $8.6 million.
6. "Slumdog Millionaire," $7.7 million.
7. "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans," $7.2 million.
8. "New in Town," $6.7 million.
9. "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," $4.3 million.
10. "Inkheart," $3.7 million.