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'New Moon' takes record $72.7M box office bite - 11/21/2009
Vampires and werewolves have vanquished a dark knight. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" took in $72.7 million in its first day to break the single day domestic box office record previously held by "The Dark Knight," which had a $67.2 million opening day last year. The Friday haul for the "Twilight" sequel in

Travolta, family attend opening of 'Old Dogs' - 11/21/2009
John Travolta and his family have helped raise money for charities in their home state of Florida with a screening of his new comedy The actor, his wife Kelly Preston and their daughter Ella Bleu greeted hundreds of fans on the red carpet Friday for Disney's 'Old Dogs.' The family expressed its appreciation to the community

Chief: I didn't try to sell Parker-Broderick items - 11/20/2009
An eastern Ohio police chief accused of breaking into the home of the woman who carried twins for Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick says he never discussed selling items from the home. Suspended Martins Ferry Police Chief Barry Carpenter testified Friday at his trial on burglary and other charges. He says he went into the wom

'New Moon' midnight showings earn record $26.3 mil - 11/20/2009
"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" has set a box-office record for midnight screenings. Summit Entertainment estimated Friday that it earned $26.3 million after opening early in the morning. That would topple the previous midnight record, held by "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." It earned $22.2 milli

Wesley Snipes appeals 3 tax convictions in Georgia - 11/20/2009
Wesley Snipes' attorneys asked a federal appeals court Friday to review an "unreasonable" three-year prison sentence for the film star, who was convicted a year ago on federal tax charges. Attorneys for the star of the "Blade" trilogy and other films also argued the actor should have been granted a hearing to decid

Banned director brings romance film to Hong Kong - 11/20/2009
A prominent mainland Chinese director banned by Beijing from making movies brought his new gay romance film to Hong Kong on Friday for what is likely the last of a handful of screenings on his home soil. In 2006, China banned Lou Ye from shooting movies for five years after he screened "Summer Palace" at the Cannes Film Fest

'2012' a home run with patriotic fans in China - 11/20/2009
When the apocalypse comes, China will save the world. Or at least that's how Chinese audiences are interpreting "2012," Hollywood's latest blockbuster disaster movie. "It's about time the world sees us as a dominant ally," said Liu Xinliang, 27, a Beijing-based computer programmer who watched the movie t

Bullock in New Orleans for 'Blind Side' showing - 11/19/2009
Wearing a floor-length pastel striped evening gown, Sandra Bullock walked the red carpet in New Orleans Thursday for a special premiere of her latest film, "The Blind Side." Besides promoting the sports drama, which opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, the event also served as a fundraiser for a New Orleans high school fl

James Caan files for divorce in LA - 11/19/2009
James Caan is seeking a divorce from his wife of 14 years. Court records in Los Angeles show "The Godfather" actor filed for divorce Friday. It's the second time that Caan has sought to divorce his wife, Linda. The first case, filed in 2005, was not pursued. The couple were married in October 1995 and have two son

Director Pedro Almodovar is haunted by one taboo - 11/19/2009
Sex. Drugs. Prostitution. Pedophilia. Rape. Pedro Almodovar has been able to translate some of the most delicate subjects to the big screen with grace and humor. But the acclaimed master of Spanish cinema _ who claims he has gone so far as to demonstrate X-rated moves on an actress to show how he wanted it done on film _ still maintai

Polanski's lawyer says director's family suffering - 11/19/2009
The wife and two children of Roman Polanski are bearing the brunt of the director's imprisonment in Switzerland as he awaits a decision on his extradition, his lawyer said in an interview to be published Friday. Polanski has proposed "very significant" bail money, house arrest and other assurances to find freedom, Herve Temi

Tom Cruise in Austria's Salzburg for film shoot - 11/19/2009
Tom Cruise has arrived in the Austrian city of Salzburg to shoot scenes for the new action comedy "Knight & Day." Cruise, wearing sunglasses and a casual shirt, waved as he got off a private jet at the local airport Thursday afternoon. Austrian broadcaster ORF reports that Cameron Diaz, Cruise's co-star, has b

Jason Reitman documents promotion of his new film - 11/19/2009
The publicity for a Hollywood movie is a machine to behold, especially from the inside. It's a view rarely offered, but Jason Reitman, the director of "Juno" and "Thank You for Smoking," has done just that. Reitman has spent much of October and November promoting his new film, "Up in the Air," all the whi

15 documentary features make Oscar's short list - 11/19/2009
Of the 89 documentary films eligible for Oscar consideration this year, 15 were selected for a short list of potential nominees. And Michael Moore's "Capitalism: A Love Story" wasn't one of them. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the 15 titles Wednesday. Some of the year's most popular docu

Review: Bella mopes through pretentious `New Moon' - 11/18/2009
Where would Hollywood be without that old standby, the vampire-werewolf-schoolgirl love triangle? As every Stephenie Meyer fan knows, "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" is the one where studly vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) dumps his human girlfriend, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), for her own safety, and she turns to ol

Pattinson, Stewart and Lautner talk `Twilight' - 11/18/2009
The "Twilight" series may have changed the lives of fans worldwide, but perhaps no one has been more affected by its success than the three stars of the film: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner. All became overnight sensations when they were introduced to the novel's millions of fans as the faces of Edward,

Nicolas Cage visits Kenyan jail to talk to pirates - 11/18/2009
Film star Nicolas Cage has visited a Kenyan prison holding suspected Somali pirates awaiting trial to highlight the problem of piracy in the Indian Ocean. Inmates danced for the movie star and shook his hand as he toured the Shimo La Tewa prison in the Kenyan coastal town of Mombasa. The prison has become a model for other jails in th

'Twilight' stars attend charity screening in Tenn. - 11/18/2009
Actress Kristen Stewart wanted to make the right fashion statement when attending a screening of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" in Knoxville. The 19-year-old star told The Knoxville News Sentinel that she brought two fancy dresses, but they didn't seem to appropriate for the Tuesday night screening benefiting the philanthropi

Johnny Depp wins his 2nd 'Sexiest Man Alive' title - 11/18/2009
Get lost, Hugh Jackman. This year's "Sexiest Man Alive" is once again Johnny Depp. Depp nudged aside Jackman to get the coveted endorsement from People magazine Wednesday. It's the 46-year-old actor's second time as "Sexiest Man Alive." He also won in 2003. Kate Coyne, senior editor at People, said on CB

Zhang considers war drama, romance as next project - 11/18/2009
Looking for a new project after finishing a comedy, Zhang Yimou is considering adaptations of novels set against China's Cultural Revolution and the Japanese invasion in World War II, his assistant said Wednesday. The Chinese director is wrapping up an adaptation of Joel and Ethan Coen's 1984 movie "Blood Simple." Zhang's co