'Avatar' wins box office, nears domestic record
NEW YORK – "Avatar" is on the cusp of toppling the domestic box-office record after leading all movies for a seventh straight week.
James Cameron's 3-D epic earned $30 million over the weekend, and its domestic total reached $594.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. That puts the film only about $6 million behind the domestic record set by Cameron's "Titanic" in 1998 with $600.8 million.
Earlier this week, the 20th Century Fox blockbuster passed "Titanic" for the worldwide box-office record. It has now crossed the $2 billion worldwide mark with $2.039 billion, easily beating the $1.8 billion made by "Titanic."
"You have to do a double take when you see these numbers," said Paul, Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com, marveling that "Avatar" decreased only 14 percent from the previous weekend. "James Cameron is the king of the box office hold."
So close to the domestic box-office record, "Avatar" could pass "Titanic," interestingly enough, on Tuesday — when Oscar nominations are announced. The film is expected to be nominated for best picture, as well as numerous other categories.
Those nominations could mean an Oscar bump for "Avatar," further propelling its gross.
Whereas the sustained box-office performance of "Titanic" has typically been attributed to teenage girls seeing the film repeatedly, the demographics for "Avatar" are less clear. One draw for repeat business is surely the 3-D visual effects.
"It's everybody going repeatedly," said Dergarabedian. "At first it was more of a fanboy experience, and then the word got out."
Analysts believe the lengthy run from "Avatar" is likely hurting the business of other films.
Mel Gibson's revenge-thriller "Edge of Darkness," debuted this weekend with $17.1 million for Warner Bros., a respectable if slightly low total. Dan Fellman, head of distribution at Warner Bros., called it a "solid opening."
"On a normal weekend, we probably would have had the number one film," said Fellman, shrugging at the out-of-this-world competition from "Avatar."
"Edge of Darkness" had been widely seen as a test to whether Gibson can return to headlining a film, after eight years and damage to his image. The last movie he starred in was "Signs" in 2002. Four years later, he made anti-Semitic remarks during a drunken-driving arrest.
But "Darkness" has received mostly good reviews. Fellman said the studio's data showed approximately 70 percent of those seeing the film said they came to see Gibson.
"It certainly marks an interesting return for Mel Gibson," said Fellman. "When this film plays out, I think his star will shine a little brighter."
Also in its first weekend of release was "When in Rome," the Walt Disney romantic comedy starring Kristen Bell. It took in $12.1 million.
Many films will hope for a box-office boost from the Academy Awards after nominations are announced Tuesday morning. The Oscar effect, though, may be slightly different this year, since the academy has expanded best picture nominees from five to ten.
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. "Avatar," $30 million.
2. "Edge of Darkness," $17.1 million.
3. "When in Rome," $12.1 million.
4. "The Tooth Fairy," $10 million.
5. "The Book of Eli," $8.8 million.
6. "Legion," $6.8 million.
7. "The Lovely Bones," $4.7 million.
8. "Sherlock Holmes," $4.5 million.
9. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel," $4 million.
10. "It's Complicated," $3.7 million.
Oscar nomination predictions
Oscar nominations will be unveiled Tuesday morning. Here's what we expect to happen:
BEST PICTURE
"Avatar"
"District 9"
"An Education"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Invictus"
"Precious"
"A Serious Man"
"Up"
"Up in the Air"
Vulnerable on the list above are "District 9," "Invictus" and "A Serious Man," which can be bumped by "The Hangover," "The Messenger," "A Single Man" or "Star Trek."
BEST DIRECTOR
Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"
James Cameron, "Avatar"
Lee Daniels, "Precious"
Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"
Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"
These seem to be set in stone.
BEST ACTOR
Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"
George Clooney, "Up in the Air"
Colin Firth, "A Single Man"
Morgan Freeman, "Invictus"
Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker"
Jeremy Renner may be bumped by Viggo Mortensen ("The Road").
BEST ACTRESS
Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"
Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"
Carey Mulligan, "An Education"
Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious"
Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia"
Emily Blunt ("The Young Victoria") might dethrone one of the above.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"
Christian McKay, "Me and Orson Welles"
Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"
Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"
Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"
This is one of the toughest categories to predict because there are too many other strong contenders, including Matt Damon ("Invictus"), Alec Baldwin ("It's Complicated"), Anthony Mackie ("The Hurt Locker") and Alfred Molina and Peter Sarsgaard ("An Education"). I put Christian McKay on my list because he gives a flashy portrayal of one of Hollywood's most idolized heroes, Orson Welles, in what is arguably a lead performance. Like Woody Harrelson, I think he even has a longshot chance to beat Christoph Waltz, but McKay's campaign DVD was sent rather late. That could hurt his chance of getting on this list.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"
Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"
Melanie Laurent, "Inglourious Basterds"
Mo'Nique, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
Samantha Morton, "The Messenger"
A different "Inglourious Basterds" star, Diane Kruger, got nommed at SAG, but she didn't have to battle Laurent, who competed in the lead race. Oscar voters can put actors in whatever category they choose and I think they'll put Laurent where she belongs, in supporting. But there's a strong chance that Julianne Moore ("A Single Man") could break through here too.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
"Avatar"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Up"
"A Serious Man"
I know, I know, James Cameron didn't get nominated for "Titanic," but I think that was because misogynist academy members pooh-poohed the screenplay for its wild, romantic ache. "Avatar" is more to their machismo taste, and to members of the Writers Guild where it got nommed. I know, I know, WGA nommed "Titanic" too and that didn't result in an Oscar bid, but over at the academy, I think all is forgiven now. That may mean a cold shoulder for "(500) Days of Summer."
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
"An Education"
"District 9"
"Julie & Julia"
"Precious"
"Up in the Air"
"Julie & Julia" is vulnerable, could be ousted by "Fantastic Mr. Fox," "A Single Man," "Invictus" or "The Road."
New Zealand musician Pauly Fuemana of "How Bizarre" fame dies
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand musician Pauly Fuemana, who found international fame with his country's biggest selling record ever, "How Bizarre," died in hospital on Sunday after a short illness, according to media reports.
The 40-year-old recorded under the name OMC, or Otara Millionaires Club, whose 1995 single "How Bizarre" reached No. 1 in eight countries, including Canada, Australia and Ireland. It peaked at No. 4 on the radio chart in the United States.
The deceptively upbeat song -- whose title was inspired by a ubiquitous catchphrase -- revolved around peculiar encounters with policemen and circus performers. But behind the catchy melody and Mariachi horns lurked a darker story, hinting at Fuemana's upbringing in a crime-infested suburb of New Zealand's biggest city.
"I put a lot of hidden stories in there so people could read between the lines and sense it for what it is instead of telling them, 'Yeah, we got pulled over by the cops, and my mate got his head smashed in, and we got arrested, and they found some pot on him,'" Fuemana told Reuters in a 1997 interview.
Fuemana failed to match the success of "How Bizarre," and was declared bankrupt in 2006, losing his house and other assets, including his songwriting royalties.
The Otara Millionaires Club was originally a rap group named for a suburb of Auckland where offshoots of Los Angeles' Crips and Bloods gangs reigned amid fenced-off schools, run-down buildings and curfews. Brandishing machetes, the preferred means of settling gang disputes, the band would throw bottles at fans to hype them up.
When things got too hot, Fuemana quit the group in early 1995, took the name with him and recorded "How Bizarre" as a solo artist under the abbreviated moniker. It was produced and co-written by Alan Jansson .
The follow-up album of the same name, made for just US$25,000, was released worldwide by PolyGram the following year.
After Fuemana's star faded he kept a low profile. He and Jannson reunited in 2007 to release a single "4 All of Us."
Radio New Zealand said Fuemana had been ill for several months and was surrounded by his family and friends when he died in Auckland.
Kathryn Bigelow tops directors with 'Hurt Locker'
LOS ANGELES – Kathryn Bigelow and "The Hurt Locker" became official awards-season front-runners Saturday after Bigelow won the top prize from the Directors Guild of America.
The 58-year-old filmmaker is the first woman to win the guild's top honor, which positions her and the film as shoe-ins for the Academy Awards. The DGA boasts that its winner has gone on to win the Oscar all but six times since 1948.
"This is the most incredible moment of my life," Bigelow said backstage. She downplayed her gender, saying, "I suppose I like to think of myself as a filmmaker."
Still, she was the only nominated director who earned accolades for her physique as well as her filmmaking. Bigelow was up against Quentin Tarantino for "Inglourious Basterds," Jason Reitman for "Up in the Air," Lee Daniels for "Precious" and her ex-husband James Cameron for "Avatar."
"Hurt Locker" star Jeremy Renner called Bigelow "a warrior, my champion and the most fortunate actor's director."
Tarantino praised her as "queen of directors." He said his fellow nominees have been spending so much time together, they have become "like a superstar rock band and we're going to go on tour together."
Clutching a shiny medallion as a souvenir of his DGA nomination, Tarantino said, "I don't give a (expletive) who wins, I am so happy to have this."
Daniels said the nominated directors, who have seen each other regularly throughout Hollywood's awards season, are "like a support group" for one another.
"We have each other's backs," he said.
He told Bigelow, "You are bold. You are brave. You are gutsy."
Reitman told the winning director that he grew up watching her films.
"You are more than a great director, you are one of the greats," he said. "I'm in awe of you, too."
Cameron praised his competitors as "truly excellent and brilliant filmmakers."
Bigelow said just being nominated for the Directors Guild honor is "kind of the pinnacle for the already wild ride 'The Hurt Locker' has put me on."
The four-hour affair at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza hotel drew a spate of celebrities, including Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Jodie Foster, Jon Cryer, Cheryl Hines and Jason Bateman. All but Jolie served as presenters during Saturday's ceremony.
Carl Reiner hosted the event recognizing achievements in directing, as he has for 22 years.
"Modern Family" won the top honor for television comedy for its pilot, directed by Jason Winer.
"I want to thank the DGA for validating the Napoleon complex I've had ever since I was a smaller boy," the diminutive director said.
The drama prize went to "Mad Men" and director Lesli Linka Glatter. Ross Katz was honored for the HBO movie "Taking Chance." Louie Psihoyos' film "The Cove" won the documentary award.
"The film plays like a prequel to 'Avatar,' only it's real and set in the present," Psihoyos said.
Cher presented Norman Jewison with the guild's Lifetime Achievement Award for his career in film.
"The studio heads maybe have all the power, but we've got the glory," he said. "And when you receive the lifetime achievement award like this, it makes you very nervous, like maybe you're going to fall off the perch or something."
The 83-year-old filmmaker accepted the award surrounded by his family, including his four grandchildren.
Cher said she would have gone to the moon to present Jewison with the honor.
"He has changed my life," said Cher, who starred in "Moonstruck," Jewison's 1987 hit. "I love him so much."
Roger Goodman was presented the guild's lifetime achievement award in news direction. Disney chief Robert Iger and Warner Bros. chief Barry Meyer were granted honorary life memberships in the guild.
Among other guild winners:
• Reality programming: Craig Borders, "Hong Kong Bridge."
• Children's programs: Allison Liddi-Brown, "Princess Protection Program."
• Daytime serials: Christopher Goutman, "As the World Turns: Once Upon a Time."
• Commercials: Tom Kuntz.
Among Hollywood's many honors leading up to the Academy Awards, the Directors Guild prizes have one of the best track records for predicting eventual Oscar winners.
Academy Award nominations will be announced Tuesday.