Why Isn't Sherlock Holmes a Better Movie?

Review in a Hurry: Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are effortlessly charming as a more action-oriented Holmes and Watson than we're used to. They belong in a better movie than the one Guy Ritchie has actually made.

The Bigger Picture: For the first half hour or so of this new big-screen adventure featuring the literary world's most famous detective, all seems to be going right. Hans Zimmer's score is so perfect you'll think it has always been Holmes' theme, Downey's take on Sherlock as annoyingly obsessive-compulsive is a perfectly valid interpretation and a Satanic cult scenario, featuring a seemingly supernatural scoundrel by the name of Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) is awesomely gothic.

Yes, director Ritchie arguably overemphasizes the martial artist/bare-knuckle boxer side of Holmes—not to mention a decidedly modern set of six-pack abs—but does so in an entertaining fashion, and technically doesn't violate literary canon by doing so.

But the gaggle of credited screenwriters, one of whom boasts a producer credit on the infamous Vanilla Ice vehicle Cool As Ice, are no match for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. They give a pretty good set-up, though: Dr. Watson is on the verge of getting married and leaving his semi-dsyfunctional partnership with the supersleuth behind. But he can't resists the lure of one last case with Holmes, especially since, in his capacity as a surgeon, he's already involved. After declaring the executed Lord Blackwood dead, he learns that the villain has apparently risen from the grave to commit new murders.

Meanwhile, Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), well-known to Holmes fans as the only woman capable of outwitting their generally misogynist hero, returns to town with an agenda of her own, in the service of a mysterious malefactor who strongly resembles DC Comics' Gentleman Ghost. This puts her in conflict with both Holmes and Blackwood—or perhaps in a position to play both sides.

It's a story with more potential than your typical big-event, action-hero movie, but unfortunately the way it plays out is less than satisfactory. Practically every scene resolves the dilemmas of the previous one by suddenly introducing brand-new characters and the discovery of yet another hitherto unknown potion that caused whatever mysterious thing it was that happened last.

At one point, Blackwood even utilizes a death trap straight out of the Saw movies! (No kidding—you'll know it when you see it).

Not to mention, the danger of turning Holmes into a master of ass kicking in addition to being a genius somehow takes the suspense out of things. The only person who seems to be a danger to him is himself, and this is probably the principal reason Downey was given the role.

There's nothing wrong with this Holmes that a good story couldn't fix, and plenty of those already exist; chances are few of the moviegoers this is aimed at are intimately familiar with the original Doyle books, so why not actually adapt one properly?

Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus a Happy Flash of Heath

Review in a Hurry: Of course, you're waiting to know if Heath Ledger is any good in his final role—and don't worry, he is. But more importantly, director Terry Gilliam is back in fine fantasy form, after a series of critical and commercial failures, with this tale of an immortal showman (Christopher Plummer) who engages in a series of wagers with the devil (Tom Waits).

The Bigger Picture: Though it's usually a good thing when a director tries to learn new things, Gilliam's recent attempts at reinventing himself just weren't working. There was the aborted Don Quixote movie that he never finished, the Weinstein-tampered Brothers Grimm and the inventive-but-unlikable Tideland.

Now, however, he's gone back to what worked before—a dark fairy tale that simultaneously reflects upon the harshness of reality. It's a little bit Fisher King and a lot like Baron Munchausen, all of which is good news for the faithful.

Though set in the modern world, the story follows the eternally aged doctor and his acting troupe as they put on a show wherever their wagon stops. Central to the show is a magic mirror, which initially appears to be sort of a taboo thing that only obnoxious baddies and the uninformed take dubious advantage of, but ultimately it does seem that it's in fact the main highlight of the show. Enter the mirror, and you enter a world derived from your own personality, though this world is still mostly governed by the subconscious of Parnassus.

"Mostly" in that the devil is also in there somewhere, and at a certain point the participant may be given a choice of easy temptation or harder road to enlightenment. The former, of course, results in the soul going to Satan. The latter, mostly, in what appears to be a safe return for a usually happy participant who makes a cash donation out of sheer joy.

The chief stake between Parnassus and Ol' Scratch is the soul of the good Doc's teenage daughter, who is about to come of age. Yet this devil isn't in it for the cheap victory—he, like Parnassus, is addicted to the eternal game and keeps offering double-or-nothing game changers. In this case, the first one to win five souls via the mirror will be the winner.

Thrown into the mix, with unclear allegiances, is amnesiac Tony (Ledger), saved from an apparent suicide by Parnassus' troupe, and who may have already picked a side, or be playing both against each other. The storytelling device that allows him and others to change appearance inside the mirror may have been engineered simply to salvage things after the actor's death, but fill-ins Colin Farrell, Johnny Depp and Jude Law make it work, largely because they all pull off irreverent impersonations of their late friend.

There's a lot of set-up to take in, and for a while, it feels like the film will never get going. Dr. Parnassus' attempts to reveal his own backstory are constantly, frustratingly interrupted when all we want is to get them out of the way so the plot can really start. It wouldn't be surprising if Gilliam found this kind of tease hilarious. But the payoff is a fractured fairy tale from the cinematic master of the same, and whatever its flaws, getting Gilliam even remotely back in this game is a big plus.

Avatar is All Kinds of Awesome

Review in a Hurry: Believe the hype. James Cameron's decade-in-the-making sci-fi dream project is an immersive epic unlike any other. Yes, the story's pretty simple, but with so much else to take in, anything more complicated might have been tough to follow.

The Bigger Picture: Never count Cameron out. He may not be the actual king of the world, but in the realm of sci-fi action, he doesn't just rule, he reigns.

One-upping the kind of otherworldly landscapes George Lucas created for the Star Wars prequels, Avatar takes us to Pandora, a jungle-covered moon orbiting a gas giant, where human corporate interests seek out the rather stupidly named mineral "unobtainium." Hazards are plenty—the atmosphere isn't breathable by humans, all manner of six-legged beasts roam the forests and skies and the local humanoids, nine-foot-tall blue cat people called the Na'vi, are none too happy about their territory being encroached upon.

To that end, the Avatar program creates hybrid human-Na'vi bodies that people can download their consciousness into and better interact with the planet and its locals. But when one of the scientists trained for the program is murdered by a petty criminal, his less intellectual, battle-scarred twin brother Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), being the only DNA match for the expensive Avatar body, takes his place.

Though the science team, led by cigarette-puffing Dr. Augustine (Sigourney Weaver), have issues with Jake's general recklessness in his new skin, the Na'vi are impressed to finally meet a warrior, even one who's not quite of their caliber. Under the supervision of the chief's daughter Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), he learns their ways more intimately than any previous human—and gets particularly intimate with Neytiri herself.

This poses a dilemma, however, since Jake's actual assignment from the beginning has been to spy on the tribe on behalf of the Marines assigned to the mining project. With his loyalties torn between love and duty...well, you can guess the rest, and probably already have from the trailers.

Now, forget what you think you've seen via online videos or even theatrical 2D trailers—the visuals are realistic, fantastic and not remotely like Delgo, as early armchair pundits have been claiming (trust us, we actually sat through Delgo). Practically every Cameron sci-fi film has pushed the envelope of visual effects, and Avatar does so more than ever, from the vertiginous platform-game-style leaps across floating islands to a psychedelic night jungle that lights up underfoot like the sidewalk beneath Michael Jackson in "Billie Jean."

But it would be (mostly) for naught if the actors didn't compel, and thankfully, they do. As usual, Cameron casts based on the characters, not star power.

Box Office Top 5 for the Weekend

1. Avatar
In director James Cameron's latest sci-fi epic, a reluctant human hero fights to save the alien world he has learned to call home.

2. Sherlock Holmes
Robert Downey Jr. stars as the legendary London detective, investigating a mysterious nemesis who threatens all of England.

3. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
Alvin, Simon, and Theodore are back for another dose of mischief and musical mayhem... and this time, they've got company.

4. It's Complicated
Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin star as an amicably divorced couple who unexpectedly find themselves drawn into a renewed romance.

5. Up in the Air
George Clooney is a corporate downsizer whose cherished life on the road is threatened just as he meets the frequent-flyer of his dreams.

'The Twilight Saga: New Moon'

They're baaack! Star-crossed lovers Bella and her brooding vampire boyfriend Edward return for more teenage angst, forbidden love and cheesy dialogue in "New Moon." It's the sequel to last year's "Twilight," the first chapter of the wildly successful book series written by Stephenie Meyer, which overcame dismal reviews to gross more than $383 million worldwide.

And if you're a die-hard fan who loves "Twilight" unconditionally and can't get enough of Kristen Stewart's torment, Robert Pattinson's hair or Taylor Lautner's abs, then "New Moon" is for you. That's because despite being a more polished effort in terms of production values, the narrative is choppy, the pace is slow, it's way too long (at 2 hours and 10 minutes) and, well, not a lot really happens.

"New Moon" finds Edward and Bella still pining for each other, but in an effort to protect her, Edward decides to leave her behind in Forks, Washington. That means Jacob can finally pursue his feelings for Bella without some blood-sucking vampire standing in his way. But it turns out that Jacob has a secret of his own: he's a werewolf. Sheesh, does this girl know how to pick 'em, or what?

And that's pretty much it, save for some convoluted backstories about the Volturi and the Wolfpack that Twi-hards will understand, savor and appreciate more than anyone else. The problem is that director Chris Weitz ("American Pie," "About A Boy") - who took over the second installment after "Twilight" director Catherine Hardwicke fell out over budgetary constraints - plays it way too safe with a movie that's for the fans only.

Maybe Weitz was compelled to follow the book to the letter, lest he incur their wrath. Or perhaps more like likely, he was determined to prove himself as a filmmaker after his last directorial adaptation of a beloved literary tome, 2007's "The Golden Compass," fell way short of expectations, generating mixed reviews from critics and just $70 million at the domestic box office (though, to be fair, it grossed more than 4 times that overseas).

Regardless, fans will be happy to watch Bella, Edward and Jacob talk about how much they want each other, but can't have each other - even though Edward is hardly in the movie. As far as the young actors are concerned, Kristen Stewart is easily the best of the bunch, but Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner have a long way to go before they can command the screen without generating unintentional laughter (which brings us back to the hair and those abs).

"New Moon" arrives in theaters exactly one year after the first "Twilight" opened, and the third film, "Eclipse," is already scheduled for next June. At least Summit Entertainment, which produces the series, knows what it's doing: cranking them out as fast as possible, before its adoring fan base outgrows them. Those fans will be happy for now, but when they do grow up, hindsight will not be kind.

The Volturi in Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: New Moon - 2009

The Volturi in Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Dakota Fanning

Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: New Moon - 2009

Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: New Moon - 2009

Ninja Assasin Preview : Rain in Hollywood

It's Cooking Icon vs. Nobody Blogger in Half-Baked Julie & Julia!

Review in a Hurry: Ever try baking or eating half a soufflé? Well, onetime genius Nora Ephron has treated us to half a foodie movie: two cups of fine, aged wine, courtesy of an amazing Meryl Streep, and two cups of air, supplied by Amy Adams. The ingredients fly and culinary disasters go down like flaming Bananas Foster. But does anyone care?

A Perfect Getaway a Long Slog to Nowhere

Review in a Hurry: Milla Jovovich and Steve Zahn play newlyweds who go hiking in Hawaii. And they hike. And hike some more. For over an hour.

There's also some stuff about a pair of murderers hiding out on the same island, but it doesn't pay off until the very end, by which time you may have hiked your way to the ticket counter to demand a refund.

Cyrus + Jonas + Anime Master = Ponyo!

Review in a Hurry: Japanese animation god Hayao Miyazaki returns to his roots with a tale that's more down-to-earth than the recent Spirited Away or Howl's Moving Castle. The result—dubbed into English with an all-star cast—is as irresistible as My Neighbor Totoro, but less furry and all wet.

'G.I. Joe' Sequel Confirmed

A sequel to "GI Joe, The Rise of Cobra" has been confirmed. The movie's cast - which includes Sienna Miller and Channing Tatum - are all contractually obliged to return for a second film and Paramount Pictures vice chairman Rob Moore says a follow-up will go ahead. However, the first film's director Stephen Sommers is not under agreement and it is unknown whether he will return even though he recently said he had already planned on a script to explore the "mythology" behind the elite military team. "GI Joe, Rise of the Cobra" has made over $100 million worldwide since its release last Friday (07.08.09) with $56 million being made in North America along over the first three days. Sienna - who plays femme fatal The Baroness - recently admitted her acting abilities weren't really put to the test when filming the movie. She said, "You know, 'G.I. Joe,' it's not going to be the best acting work we've ever done."

District 9—More Like District Awesome!

Review in a Hurry: Gamer hearts were broken when Rings lord Peter Jackson and his South African protégé Neill Blomkamp failed to mount a big-budget Halo movie. But it was all for the good, as they quickly moved on to this powerful, striking bit of smaller-scale sci-fi about alien bugs cordoned off into South African ghettos.

The Bigger Picture: Adapted from the director's short Alive in Joburg, District 9 depicts a near future in which aliens have arrived but appear dazed, aimless and unable to get their spaceship back home (it is strongly implied that they're antlike worker drones who've been separated from their colony leaders).

Dubbed "prawns" due to their perceived resemblance to bottom-feeding crustaceans, the newcomers look like giant, scary crickets and croak like that freaky ghost woman from The Grudge, so they're rather swiftly segregated into their own shantytown, the titular District 9. But even that proves too close to home for the paranoid citizens of Johannesburg, and as the movie begins, a plan to relocate the aliens yet again, this time to a more remote tent city, is set into motion.

Give any filmmaker $30 million to make their first feature with Peter Jackson as the producer, and chances are they won't do too bad a job. However, Blomkamp delivers way more than merely "not bad." Shooting in South Africa and utilizing the digital animation skills he's been learning since childhood, the director has created a memorable work that's likely to stand alongside the sci-fi classics.

He has also made something that looks a lot more expensive than it actually was, in part by using no-name actors; the lead here is Blomkamp's childhood friend Sharlto Copley, a newcomer to the big screen who won't be unknown for long.

Copley plays Wikus van der Merwe, a dorky bureaucrat who's in charge of serving eviction notices to the aliens, a profession made doubly dangerous by the fact that there's a brisk trade in illegal alien weaponry between the prawns and Nigerian voodoo gangs. When he accidentally comes into contact with some strange fluid, Wikus begins to mutate, his DNA gradually changing to that of an alien. The government swiftly becomes interested...since all the alien weapons are DNA-activated and no human has ever been able to use one until now.

Betrayed by his own side, Wikus makes an uneasy deal with an alien named Christopher Johnson (motion-capture performance by Jason Cope, who also did most of the other aliens) to steal back the rest of the dangerous fluid in exchange for a cure.

During the course of things, Wikus must go from totally pathetic nebbish to full-on hero, a challenging arc made even more challenging by the fact that there was no scripted dialogue in the film and Copley had to improvise it all. That he makes it look so effortless bodes well for his acting future.

Jackson's influence can be seen in some of the played-for-laughs carnage that ensues, but Blomkamp's vision is his own, and this auspicious debut will undoubtedly make a few studio executives regret killing Halo.

The 180—a Second Opinion: Having "tribal" vocals on the soundtrack every time something sad happens onscreen is a rotten cliché, and one we hope Blomkamp shakes off in whatever he does next.

'District 9' Lands, Infects Box Office

Grossing well above its estimated $30 million production budget in just 3 days, Peter Jackson's alien-arrival saga "District 9" soundly defeated "GI Joe" this weekend, taking in an estimated $37 million with audiences. The film's impressive success comes despite its R-rating, "message driven" subject matter and the absence of any A-list stars.

"It's a very cool start for a very cool movie," Sony Studio head of worldwide distribution Rory Bruer told Variety.com today. "A lot of risk was taken, because it was a total unknown."

With no shortage of recognizable names (or explosions), Paramount's "GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra" was able to nab an additional $22.5 million with domestic audiences, pushing its overall cume much closer to even. Budgeted at $175 million, the Dennis Quaid/Sienna Miller led cast has so-far managed to bring in just under $165 million for studio Paramount, worldwide.

Rounding out the week's Top 5: "The Time Traveler's Wife" took in $19.2 million, a 3-day gross that Warner Bros head of distribution, Rory Bruer, is more than happy with. "It's just a great result," Bruer tells Variety, "and will stay in the market for some time to come." The sci-fi romance starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams was made for $39 million.

In 4th place, Sony's reunion of Amy Adams and Meryl Streep in "Julie & Julia" continued scoring big with audiences, earning $12.4 million this week for a ten-day gross of $43.6 million. Last but certainly not least, Disney's "G-Force" brought in $6.9 million over the week, giving the animated comedy a 24-day worldwide total of just under $123 million.

The Time Traveler's Wife a Silly, Sappy Romance

Review in a Hurry: This silly romance about a hunky time traveler (Eric Bana) and the woman who loves and waits for him (Rachel McAdams) might placate those jonesing for the next Nicholas Sparks-esque sapathon. But others will wanna be transported to another theater.

The Bigger Picture: Oh, the ways cruel Fate conspires to keep preternaturally pretty lovers apart—whether it's a curse (Ladyhawke), death (Ghost), a genetic anomaly (Benjamin Button) or a time warp (The Lake House). This adaptation of Audrey Niffenegger's best-seller combines all of the above (except for the curse—that's on the audience) into a confounding, unsatisfying narrative that jumps around as much as its star-crossed hero.

Chicago librarian Henry (Bana) suffers from a congenital condition that causes him to skip involuntarily through years of his life. Since time jumpers travel sans clothes, which we learned from the Terminator movies, Henry is often scrambling to cover his naked bod. (Those craving some Bana beefcake should be sated.)

Crushing on Henry since she was a girl, Clare (McAdams) believes they're destined to be together, though she never knows when or for how long they'll be separated. So she struggles to build a life with her true but often-vanishing love—they marry, buy a house, have a kid, etc.

We as an audience also struggle to build a relationship with Henry and Clare, but despite the best efforts of two appealing stars, they remain bland and sketchy, saddled with desperately earnest dialogue: "I've been in love with you all my life!"

Wife flirts with farce, drama and romance but ultimately succeeds at none. Weeper fans hoping to drain their tear ducts might also be left high and dry, since all the time line bending prompts more confusion than connection and raises countless questions: Where does Henry go for what can often be weeks on end? How can there be two Henrys in the same place at the same time? And why don't they have a three way?

Perhaps the book fills in the blanks and emotional beats, but this Wife isn't really worth your time or travel.

The 180—a Second Opinion: It's fun watching Bana's hair change length and thickness from scene to scene—the result of reshoots after his shaved-pate turn in Star Trek.

Vanessa Hudgens' 'Bandslam' Thuds With Audiences

Despite the curiously timed release of buzz-inducing nude pictures, an exclusive "New Moon" trailer and heavy promotion at last week's Teen Choice Awards, it seems Vanessa Hudgen's latest film "Bandslam" may end up being one of 2009's biggest box-office duds.

With an estimated budget of $20 million, the rock-themed teen comedy brought in a dismal $2.2 million with audiences this weekend, landing the Summit Entertainment produced film in 13th place.

According to Exhibitor Relations box-office analyst Jeff Bock, at least some of the blame for the movie's lackluster debut has to be placed on Summit's decision to center "Bandslam's" marketing campaign around the "New Moon" trailer. "Whether or not you attach an exclusive trailer onto a film," Bock noted today in an e-mail to E! News, "it will be available online for download practically minutes after it debuts."

And available the second trailer was, one day before "Bandslam" hit theatres. Though numbers on the full "pirated" version are unavailable, the 14-second "preview" clip (below) has so-far received 1.4 million views on Youtube, since its release Tuesday.

Kate Beckinsale Back as 'Underworld' Vampire

Kate Beckinsale is set to sink her fangs into a fourth UNDERWORLD movie after learning the project will be in 3-D, according to reports.
The actress pulled out of the third installment of the vampire versus werewolves action movie, which was created by her husband filmmaker Len Wiseman, and was replaced by fellow Brit Rhona Mitra.

But Beckinsale will be back for "Underworld 4: 3-D," according to movie news website BloodyDisgusting.com. The new film is expected to hit cinemas in January, 2011.

Funny People : Adam Sandler

Running Time: 2 hr. 20 min.

Release Date: July 31, 2009

MPAA Rating: R for language and crude sexual humor throughout, and some sexuality

Starring:Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman

Directed by:Judd Apatow



Story
In this quirky drama about comedy, we look backstage into the lives of two comics: a famous stand-up veteran and a young guy just starting out in the biz. George Simmons has his onstage act honed to perfection, but his personal life is bleak and depressing. When a medical scare forces him to confront his own mortality, he decides to leave a legacy by reaching out to newcomer Ira Wright and helping him find his way onstage. In the end, George learns more from Ira than he could ever hope to teach.

Three Good Reasons
1. Judd Apatow, the writer/director of Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, is an expert at blending real emotion into his comedies. This film ventures deeper into serious themes, but without losing the funny.

2. Adam Sandler (Apatow's one-time roommate) and Seth Rogan seem like a match made in heaven -- why haven't they been in a movie together before now?

3. In addition to Apatow stalwarts Leslie Mann and Jonah Hill, newcomers Eric Bana and Jason Schwartzman join the crew.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

Starring:Dennis Quaid, Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, RayPark, Rachel Nichols, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

Directed by: tephen Sommers

What's the Story
Duke and Ripcord are two specially trained military operatives who join an elite international team called "G.I. Joe." This highly-skilled unit works under the radar, answers to no one, uses the latest in ultra-high-tech equipment, and does not accept failure as an option. Their current assignment will take them all over the world as they go head-to-head with an infamous arms dealer known as Destro and learn the dark truths behind the ominous new organization known only as "Cobra."

Three Good Reasons
1. Director Stephen Sommers, best known for The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, knows how to bring the action. The way he sees it, this film is his chance to explore some fun, James Bond-like territory.

2. Not familiar with the "G.I. Joe" franchise? Not a problem. The movie is designed to be just as entertaining for newcomers as it is for old fans. And the writers say it's inspired by the early '80s comic book more than the cartoon series.

3You haven't seen a grrrlfight until you've seen Sienna Miller and Rachel Nichols face off as Scarlett and the Baroness. Actual injuries were incurred during filming.

Bet U didn't Know
While Duke and Cobra Commander may be arch-nemeses, the actors playing them, Channing Tatum and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, are best friends in real life. They met on the movie Stop-Loss where they played soliders, naturally. Now you know that. And knowing is half the battle.

Director: No Full Moons In 'New Moon'

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Despite the hopes of millions of rabid Twi-hards and a cheeky statement from a "Twilight" star - "New Moon" won't be showing any full moons!

Last week, "New Moon" actor Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays a member of the evil Volturi vampire clan, jokingly told MTV News, "We just all sit there, completely naked, for one scene...it's me, Michael Sheen and Christopher [Heyerdahl]; we just sit there, naked."

But on Monday, "New Moon" director Chris Weitz set the record straight about his cast keeping their clothes on.

"I would like to put everyone's mind at rest and let them know that the Volturi are not naked!" Chris said in a statement. "Jamie has what you might call a dry sense of humor and almost managed to convince me -- which is why he's such a good actor.

Anyway, be assured that, even though we do want the look of the Volturi to be a bit of a surprise, they are always -- as in the book! -- fully clothed."


Fans will have to get their fill of "New Moon" flesh from Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and the rest of the werewolf pack who go shirtless in the next installment of the vampire franchise out November 20.

Kate Gosselin Shows Off Two Bikinis on Reality Show Return

Jon & Kate Plus 8 returned to TLC tonight for the first time since Jon and Kate Gosselin announced their separation in June.Back-to-back episodes featured Kate in two different bikinis, closeups of the kids and a noticeably absent Jon (he's been to St. Tropez with Hailey Glassman and then New York's Hamptons with Kate Major over the past few weeks).

On the first show, Kate took her kids to Bald Head Island, N.C., to escape a kitchen renovation in her $1.1-million Pennsylvania home."It's kind of strange we're remodeling our kitchen in the middle of our separation, but it's something that we already planned beforehand," Jon said, adding that the house upgrade was "really for [the kids]."

After a few tense conversations (Kate snapped to Jon, "What planet do you live on?" at one point), she left town with the children.Admitted Jon: "I think Kate and I needed a break from each other. This landed at a good time. Kate could take the kids to the beach, and I could stay here and supervise cabinet construction."

Kate showed off her first bright orange bikini -- and free tummy tuck -- on the sand. "I'm not as ridiculous as I used to be. I'm just going to cook and dig in the sand with my kids," she said before burying Mady in the sand.

Jon admitted he was "extremely bored" with the kids gone. Kate struggled being solo.

'Harry Potter' Breaks Records with Midnight Showing

After a two-year wait, muggles stormed the box office Tuesday night as 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' raked in the biggest midnight gross of all time, earning $22.2 million at the box office, according to Warner Bros.

With screenings beginning at 12:01 a.m. around the country, the sixth film in the phenomenal franchise beat out the top two record holders, 'The Dark Knight' and 'Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith,' which earned midnight grosses of $18 and $17 million, respectively. Earlier this summer, 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' cracked $16 million for its initial midnight run.

In 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,' the boy wizard (Daniel Radcliffe) and his pals Hermione and Ron (Emma Watson and Rupert Grint) face danger in the halls of Hogwarts as Voldemort's minions attempt to pull off a nefarious plan. Meanwhile, the students find romantic distractions -- hormonal and via potent love potions -- all around them. With a used book of potion spells once belonging to the Half-Blood Prince, Harry must work with Dumbledore (Sir Michael Gambon) to uncover a vital secret.

Another 'Bridget Jones' movie in development: Report

Variety is reporting that Renee Zellweger will reprise her role as a British publishing exec in yet another installment of the Bridget Jones series. The project from Working Title is untitled and not expected to go into production until the end of next year. The movie will likely focus on Bridget's attempt to have a baby in her 40s, according to the report.

'Bruno' sashays to box-office fame with $30.4M (AP)

LOS ANGELES - Gay Austrian fashion devotee Bruno has landed the No. 1 spot at the weekend box office, though it's uncertain how much staying power he has.

Sacha Baron Cohen's "Bruno" started big on opening day Friday but had a huge drop the rest of the weekend, with the Universal Pictures mock documentary finishing with $30.4 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The movie took in nearly half of its weekend total — $14.4 million — on Friday, then tumbled with just $8.8 million Saturday and an estimated $7.2 million Sunday.

Revenues for hit movies typically go up on Saturday, so the nosedive for "Bruno" could be a sign that it lacks the shelf life that made Baron Cohen's "Borat" a $100 million smash.

"It is unusual for a film to drop on Saturday. Normally, you expect the film at least to be even on Saturday or above compared to Friday, because Saturday is the biggest moviegoing day of the weekend," said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com. "It's going to be interesting to see how it does over the long run."

"Bruno," which features Baron Cohen as a wannabe going to extremes to achieve celebrity, finished ahead of 20th Century Fox's "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs," which took second with $28.5 million. The "Ice Age" sequel raised its domestic total to $120.6 million.

Finishing third after two weekends in the No. 1 spot was Paramount's sci-fi blockbuster "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" with $24.2 million, raising its domestic haul to $339.2 million. The sequel passed the $319 million total of 2007's "Transformers."

The weekend's other new wide release, 20th Century Fox's romantic comedy "I Love You, Beth Cooper" opened weakly with $5 million, finishing at No. 7. The movie centers on a high school valedictorian who uses his graduation speech to declare his love for a bombshell classmate (Hayden Panettiere).

"Bruno" outpaced the $26.5 million opening weekend for Baron Cohen's surprise 2006 hit "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." "Borat" started with $9.2 million on opening day Friday then climbed to $10.1 million Saturday, a sign that fans were talking it up to friends.

That good word-of-mouth propelled "Borat" to a long run at theaters, the movie climbing to a $128.5 million domestic total.

"Borat" also scored its big opening weekend in far fewer theaters. "Bruno debuted in 2,756 cinemas, more than three times the number for "Borat."

Nikki Rocco, head of distribution at Universal, said comedies such as "Bruno" typically drop off over opening weekend this time of year, while "Borat" opened in November, when audiences are less fickle than summer crowds.

The studio will have to wait until next weekend for a sense of how well "Bruno" can hold up for the long haul.

"I don't know. That crystal ball just isn't on my desk this morning," said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution for Universal. "Zany comedies tend to be like that, so I'm hoping that in the scheme of things, it just plays out the way zany comedies will play out."

Reviews on "Bruno" were not as strong as those for "Borat," which critics generally liked. There also had been questions about whether Baron Cohen's flamboyantly gay persona might prove off-putting to audiences.

"Bruno" did most of its business in cities on the East and West coasts, while revenues were "softer, much softer in middle America," Rocco said.

Even if revenues continue to plunge, "Bruno" is well on its way to turning a profit for Universal, which paid $42.5 million for rights to distribute it domestically and in eight other territories. "Bruno" took in $25 million in overseas markets so far, including $20 million in those Universal acquired, among them Great Britain, Australia and Germany.

Modi Wiczyk — co-chief executive officer of Media Rights Capital, which financed "Bruno" — said the movie exceeded the company's expectations. Wiczyk said he had anticipated "Bruno" would finish in the range of $25 million domestically for the weekend.

"We don't have talking robots or karate in our film," Wiczyk said. "For that increasingly small subset of films that don't have robots, we did terrific."

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Bruno," $30.4 million.

2. "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs," $28.5 million.

3. "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," $24.2 million.

4. "Public Enemies," $14.1 million.

5. "The Proposal," $10.5 million.

6. "The Hangover," $9.9 million.

7. "I Love You, Beth Cooper," $5 million.

8. "Up," $4.7 million.

9. "My Sister's Keeper," $4.2 million.

10. "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3," $1.6 million.

'Transformers 3'? LaBeouf says it'll be darker

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- If there's going to be a third "Transformers" movie, director Michael Bay says he'll be back to make it.

And star Shia LaBeouf promises it'll be darker than the first two.
Bay and LaBeouf talked about the prospects of another sequel Monday night at the Los Angeles premiere of the second installment, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," which opens Wednesday.

While a third chapter has not been officially announced, Bay said he intends to return to the franchise if No. 3 moves forward. But he wants some time off first, having just finished the second one.

"I will do it, but you've got to give us time," Bay said. "I need a little rest."

LaBeouf said he expects a third "Transformers" would carry the action beyond Earth and become "more of an intergalactic thing."

"Revenge of the Fallen" takes place largely on Earth as LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro and other co-stars continue their alliance with the benevolent shape-shifting Autobots in their war against the evil Decepticon robots.

A third movie also "will be darker. Something crazy will happen," LaBeouf said. "Someone has to die."

G-Force

PG

Genres: Family,Action

Releases: July 24, 2009

Director: Hoyt Yeatman

Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Gabriel Casseus, Zach Galifianakis ...more

Synopsis
Two time Oscar-winning visual effects artist Hoyt Yeatman makes his feature directorial debut with this Jerry Bruckheimer-produced family film following a group of highly trained guinea pigs on their mission to prevent an evil billionaire from taking over the world. Beginning in the Civil War -- when carrier pigeons delivered messages from the front lines -- the American government has been covertly training animals to work in espionage. The latest government program is a clandestine espionage team known as "G-Force," which includes a team of ultra-intelligent guinea pigs who share 98.7 percent of their DNA with humans. Comprised of unpredictable weapons expert Blaster (voice of Tracy Morgan), alluring martial arts expert Juarez (voice of Penélope Cruz), stealthy reconnaissance expert Mooch, and a star-nosed mole named Speckles (voice of Nicolas Cage), who specializes in computers, this crack team of agents is fronted by heroic squad leader Darwin (voice of Sam Rockwell). When a deranged billionaire hatches a plan to control the entire planet through common household appliances, the G-Force leaps into action on a mission to ensure that he does not succeed.

My Sister's Keeper

PG13,1hr 46min

Genre: Drama

Releases: June 26, 2009

Director: Nick Cassavetes

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Starring:Cameron Diaz, Alec Baldwin, Abigail Breslin ...more

Synopsis
Director Nick Cassavetes collaborates with screenwriter Jeremy Leven (The Notebook) for this drama about a pair of parents who resort to unorthodox methods in order to save their young daughter's life, only to find their decision coming back to haunt them in a manner neither could have ever foreseen. Sara (Cameron Diaz) and Brian (Jason Patric) were coasting through life with their young son and daughter when tragedy threatened to tear the family apart. Suddenly, their baby girl falls ill, and her only hope for survival rests in her parents' ability to find a compatible bone marrow donator. Desperate to save their daughter's life at any cost, Sara and Brian conceive another child in hopes that the baby will be a genetic match. But that decision raises a series of moral and ethical questions that rapidly begin to erode the foundation of the once-happy couple's relationship. Incensed upon learning that she was brought into this world for the singular purpose of prolonging the life of her ailing older sister, the young girl (Abigail Breslin) ultimately decides to sue her parents for the rights to her own body. Alec Baldwin, Sofia Vassilieva, and Joan Cusack co-star.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

PG

Genres: Family,Action,Sci-Fi

Releases: July 15, 2009

Director: David Yates

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson ...more

Synopsis
Adolescent wizard-in-training Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts for another year of schooling and learns more about the dark past of the boy who grew up to become Lord Voldemort in this, the sixth installment of the film series that originated from the writings of author J.K. Rowling. There was a time when Hogwarts was thought of as a safe haven, but thanks to Voldemort's tightening grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds, that simply isn't the case anymore. Suspecting that the castle may even harbor an outright threat, Harry finds his investigation into the matter sidelined by Dumbledore's attempts to prepare him for the monumental battle looming ever closer on the horizon. In order to discover the key to Voldemort's defenses, Dumbledore enlists the aid of resourceful yet unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, who may have a clue as to their enemy's Achilles' heel. Meanwhile, teenage hormones cause the students at Hogwarts to lose focus on their true mission. As Harry and Dean Thomas clash for the affections of the lovely Ginny, Romilda Vane attempts to woo Ron away from Lavender Brown with some particularly tasty chocolates. Even Hermione isn't immune from the love bug, though she tries her hardest to suppress her growing jealousy and keep her emotions bottled up. But there is one student who remains completely aloof from the romance blossoming all around, and he intends to leave a dark impression on his classmates. With tragedy looming ever closer, it begins to appear as if peace will prove elusive in Hogwarts for some time to come.