Monday, January 31, 2011

Me uno a la condena de esta agresión sexual por parte de la Policía.


El Proyecto Caribeño de Justicia y Paz que dirige Wanda Colón emitió un comunicado denunciando lo que a claras luces es una agresión sexual contra una de las estudiantes al ser arrestada por desobediencia civil el pasado jueves 27 de enero. Dice el Comunicado que:

Es inaceptable que un Gobierno que presume de defender la "Ley y el Orden", permita la tortura a jóvenes esposados a la espalda y la humillación del toqueteo contra las estudiantes detenidas, a la vista de todo el mundo haciendo alarde de su impunidad.

Exigimos al Gobernador, al Superintendente de la Policía, a la administración de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, así como a la Procuradora de las Mujeres, a la Comisión de Derechos Civiles, al Senado y a la Cámara de Representantes, que atiendan de inmediato esta crasa violación de derechos civiles y humanos. Que se investiguen y procesen a los agresores sexuales de la policía y de la Fuerza de Choque que manifiestan un comportamiento inmoral y abusivo. Así como las múltiples quejas contra los policías por hostigamiento sexual hacia las estudiantes dentro del campus de la Universidad de Puerto Rico.

Estas agresiones machistas contra las estudiantes promueven la violencia y le falta el respeto a todas las mujeres del País, por el mal ejemplo que dan los que se suponen protejan a la ciudadanía y respeten sus derechos civiles y humanos.


En la blogosfera boricua se había denunciado desde el primer momento por Carmen Enid Acevedo en su blog Pesquisa Boricua que luego retomó Elco Lao en un post en el suyo con la foto que es prueba de lo que se denuncia.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

And the box office champion this week is...


NEW YORK – The Anthony Hopkins horror film "The Rite" topped the box office on a weekend notable for the bump many Oscar-nominated films received, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The Warner Bros. flick earned $15 million from just under 3,000 theaters. The PG-13, "Exorcist"-influenced movie drew most of its audience from the older-than-25 demographic.

In its 10th week of release, the Weinstein Company's "The King's Speech" earned $11.1 million while adding nearly 900 screens.

Now with a cumulative box-office haul of $72.2 million, the story of King George VI's triumph over his stuttering affliction continues to build momentum as the Oscar favorite for best picture. It led with 12 Oscar nominations on Tuesday, and its director, Tom Hooper, won best director from the Directors Guild on Saturday.

Last week's top film, the Natalie Portman romantic comedy "No Strings Attached," from Paramount, slipped to second with $13.7 million.

The other debut this weekend, CBS Films' action film "The Mechanic," which stars Jason Statham and Ben Foster, took in $11.5 million, tied for third with Sony's updated superhero film "The Green Hornet."

Heavily marketed, "The Rite" sought a PG-13 rating less to attract younger audience members than "not to offend" older fans of the 73-year-old Hopkins, said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros.

Fellman credited the film's success to Hopkins, who remains a draw for moviegoers, especially in scary films that recall his famous performance as Hannibal Lecter in 1991's "The Silence of the Lambs."

"The King's Speech" saw the biggest increase after Oscar nominations were announced Tuesday, jumping 41 percent from its performance last weekend.

The Coen brothers' Western "True Grit" was up four percent in its sixth week, bringing its total to $138 million. "The Fighter," in its eighth week, and Portman's "Black Swan," in its ninth week, had only slight drop-offs from the prior weekend.

Still, it was hard to ignore the rising tide of "The King's Speech," which has usurped David Fincher's "The Social Network" as prognosticators' pick to win best picture at the Academy Awards on Feb. 27. Its star, Colin Firth, is believed to be a shoo-in for best actor.

"If I was in Vegas, I'd slip a few bucks on it," said Fellman of "The King's Speech." (Warner Bros.'s dog in the fight is Christopher Nolan's "Inception," whose chances for best picture are considered slim.)

The Screen Actors Guild, whose members make up a large block of academy voters, was to hand out their awards Sunday night.

"The Oscar bump is in full effect," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian.

But the box-office opportunity for Academy Awards favorites is available partially because of the lack of blockbuster dominance in the marketplace. The weekend was Hollywood's 12th down-weekend in a row, meaning total box office was below that of the corresponding weekend a year earlier.

Last year's high January totals were largely due to the enormous success of James Cameron's 3-D epic "Avatar," which went on to become the highest grossing film ever.

"`Avatar' is casting a long shadow, making our comparisons week after week very tough," said Dergarabedian. "It's an anomaly. ... The marketplace is kind of doing what it's supposed to be doing."

Dergarabedian says the streak of down-weekends is likely to continue, possibly passing the 2005 record of 18 consecutive down-weekends.

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

1. "The Rite," $15 million.

2. "No Strings Attached," $13.7 million.

3. "The Green Hornet," $11.5 million.

(tie) "The Mechanic, $11.5 million.

5. "The King's Speech," $11.1 million.

6. "True Grit," $7.6 million.

7. "The Dilemma," $5.5 million.

8. "Black Swan," $5.1 million.

9. "The Fighter," $4.1 million.

10. "Yogi Bear," $3.2 million.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

In Memoriam...




Los astronautas siempre han sido mis héroes. Ellos personifican el espíritu de descubrimiento del ser humano. Pero esta aventura ha costado vidas humanas. Aquí recordamos los astronautas que han perdido la vida por el sueño de la conquista del espacio.

APOLLO 1 (APOLLO/SATURN 204) - 27 DE ENERO DE 1967

VIRGIL "GUS" GRISSOM
EDWARD H. WHITE
ROGER B. CHAFFEE


TRANSBORDADOR ESPACIAL CHALLENGER (STS 51-L) 28 DE ENERO DE 1986

RICHARD "DICK" SCOBEE
MICHAEL J. SMITH
RONALD "RON" McNAIR
ELLISON S. ONIZUKA
SHARON CHRISTA McAULIFFE
DR. GREG JARVIS
JUDY RESNIK

TRANSBORDADOR ESPACIAL COLUMBIA (STS 107) 1RO DE FEBRERO DEL 2003

RICK D. HUSBAND
WILLIAM C McCOOL
DAVID M. BROWN
DR. KALPANA CHAWLA
MICHAEL P. ANDERSON
LAUREL B. CLARK
ILAN RAMON


Que en paz descansen.

Some 80's videos. Just beacuse...

Cold morning, depressing news.

What's better than some music?

So here's some videos. Enjoy!

WARNING! Some of them are weird!










Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Las nominaciones para los Oscares han sido anunciadas.


Ya han sido anunciadas las nominaciones para los premios de la Academia de Artes y Ciencias Cinematográficas (Los Oscares). Aquí la lista oficial de nominados.

MEJOR PELÍCULA
* Black Swan (Fox Searchlight) A Protozoa and Phoenix Pictures Production
Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin, Producers
* The Fighter (Paramount) A Relativity Media Production
David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg, Producers
* Inception (Warner Bros.) A Warner Bros. UK Services Production
Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers)
* The Kids Are All Right (Focus Features) An Antidote Films, Mandalay Vision and Gilbert Films Production
Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray, Producers
* The King's Speech (The Weinstein Company) A See-Saw Films and Bedlam Production
Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, Producers
* 127 Hours (Fox Searchlight) An Hours Production
Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson, Producers
* The Social Network (Sony Pictures Releasing) A Columbia Pictures Production
Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
* Toy Story 3 (Walt Disney) A Pixar Production
Darla K. Anderson, Producer
* True Grit (Paramount) A Paramount Pictures Production
Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
* Winter's Bone (Roadside Attractions) A Winter's Bone Production
Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Producers

MEJOR ACTOR PRINCIPAL

  • Javier Bardem in "Biutiful" (Roadside Attractions)
  • Jeff Bridges in "True Grit" (Paramount)
  • Jesse Eisenberg in "The Social Network" (Sony Pictures Releasing)
  • Colin Firth in "The King's Speech" (The Weinstein Company)
  • James Franco in "127 Hours" (Fox Searchlight)
MEJOR ACTOR SECUNDARIO

  • Christian Bale in "The Fighter" (Paramount)
  • John Hawkes in "Winter's Bone" (Roadside Attractions)
  • Jeremy Renner in "The Town" (Warner Bros.)
  • Mark Ruffalo in "The Kids Are All Right" (Focus Features)
  • Geoffrey Rush in "The King's Speech" (The Weinstein Company)
MEJOR ACTRIZ PRINCIPAL

  • Annette Bening in "The Kids Are All Right" (Focus Features)
  • Nicole Kidman in "Rabbit Hole" (Lionsgate)
  • Jennifer Lawrence in "Winter's Bone" (Roadside Attractions)
  • Natalie Portman in "Black Swan" (Fox Searchlight)
  • Michelle Williams in "Blue Valentine" (The Weinstein Company)
MEJOR ACTRIZ SECUNDARIA

  • Amy Adams in "The Fighter" (Paramount)
  • Helena Bonham Carter in "The King's Speech" (The Weinstein Company)
  • Melissa Leo in "The Fighter" (Paramount)
  • Hailee Steinfeld in "True Grit" (Paramount)
  • Jacki Weaver in "Animal Kingdom" (Sony Pictures Classics)
MEJOR PELÍCULA ANIMADA

  • How to Train Your Dragon (Paramount) Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
  • The Illusionist (Sony Pictures Classics) Sylvain Chomet
  • Toy Story 3 (Walt Disney) Lee Unkrich
MEJOR DIRECCIÓN DE ARTE

  • Alice in Wonderland (Walt Disney), Robert Stromberg (Production Design), Karen O'Hara (Set Decoration)
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (Warner Bros.), Stuart Craig (Production Design), Stephenie McMillan (Set Decoration)
  • Inception (Warner Bros.), Guy Hendrix Dyas (Production Design), Larry Dias and Doug Mowat (Set Decoration)/span>
  • The King's Speech (Paramount), Eve Stewart (Production Design), Judy Farr (Set Decoration)
  • True Grit (Paramount), Jess Gonchor (Production Design), Nancy Haigh (Set Decoration)

MEJOR CINEMATOGRAFÍA

  • Black Swan (Fox Searchlight) Matthew Libatique
  • Inception (Warner Bros.) Wally Pfister
  • The King's Speech (The Weinstein Company) Danny Cohen
  • The Social Network (Sony Pictures Releasing) Jeff Cronenweth
  • True Grit (Paramount) Roger Deakins
MEJOR DISEÑO DE VESTUARIO

  • Alice in Wonderland (Walt Disney) Colleen Atwood
  • I Am Love (Magnolia Pictures) Antonella Cannarozzi
  • The King's Speech (The Weinstein Company) Jenny Beavan
  • The Tempest (Miramax) Sandy Powell
  • True Grit (Paramount) Mary Zophres
MEJOR DIRECTOR

  • Black Swan (Fox Searchlight), Darren Aronofsky
  • The Fighter (Paramount), David O. Russell
  • The King's Speech (The Weinstein Company), Tom Hooper
  • The Social Network (Sony Pictures Releasing), David Fincher
  • True Grit (Paramount), Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
MEJOR DOCUMENTAL (Largometraje)

  • Exit through the Gift Shop (Producers Distribution Agency) Banksy and Jaimie D'Cruz A Paranoid Pictures Production
  • Gasland Josh Fox and Trish Adlesic A Gasland Production
  • Inside Job (Sony Pictures Classics) Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs A Representational Pictures Production
  • Restrepo (National Geographic Entertainment) Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger An Outpost Films Production
  • Waste Land Lucy Walker and Angus Aynsley (Arthouse Films) An Almega Projects Production
MEJOR DOCUMENTAL (Cortometraje)

  • Killing in the Name- Nominees to be determined A Moxie Firecracker Films Production
  • Poster Girl -Nominees to be determined A Portrayal Films Production
  • Strangers No More- Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon A Simon & Goodman Picture Company Production
  • Sun Come Up -Jennifer Redfearn and Tim Metzger A Sun Come Up Production
  • The Warriors of Qiugang- Ruby Yang and Thomas Lennon A Thomas Lennon Films Production
MEJOR MONTAJE FILMICO

  • Black Swan (Fox Searchlight) Andrew Weisblum
  • The Fighter Paramount Pamela Martin
  • The King's Speech (The Weinstein Company) Tariq Anwar
  • 127 Hours (Fox Searchlight) Jon Harris
  • The Social Network (Sony Pictures Releasing) Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter
MEJOR PELICULA EXTRANJERA

  • Biutiful- Mexico
  • Dogtooth- Greece
  • In a Better World- Denmark
  • Incendies- Canada
  • Outside the Law (Hors-la-loi)- Algeria
MEJOR MAQUILLAJE

  • The Way Back (Newmarket Films in association with Wrekin Hill Entertainment and Image Entertainment) Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng
  • The Wolfman (Universal) Rick Baker and Dave Elsey
MEJOR PARTITURA MUSICAL ORIGINAL

  • How to Train Your Dragon (Paramount) John Powell
  • Inception (Warner Bros.) Hans Zimmer
  • The King's Speech (The Weinstein Company) Alexandre Desplat
  • 127 Hours (Fox Searchlight) A.R. Rahman
  • The Social Network (Sony Pictures Releasing) Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
MEJOR CANCION ORIGINAL

  • Coming Home from Country Strong (Sony Pictures Releasing (Screen Gems)) Music and Lyric by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey
  • I See the Light from Tangled (Walt Disney) Music by Alan Menken Lyric by Glenn Slater
  • If I Rise from 127 Hours (Fox Searchlight) Music by A.R. Rahman Lyric by Dido and Rollo Armstrong
  • We Belong Together from Toy Story 3 (Walt Disney) Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
MEJOR CORTOMETRAJE ANIMADO

  • Day & Night (Walt Disney) A Pixar Animation Studios Production Teddy Newton
  • The Gruffalo A Magic Light Pictures Production Jakob Schuh and Max Lang
  • Let's Pollute A Geefwee Boedoe Production Geefwee Boedoe
  • The Lost Thing (Nick Batzias for Madman Entertainment) A Passion Pictures Australia Production Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann
  • Madagascar, carnet de voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary) A Sacrebleu Production Bastien Dubois
MEJOR CORTOMETRAJE

  • The Confession (National Film and Television School) A National Film and Television School Production Tanel Toom
  • The Crush (Network Ireland Television) A Purdy Pictures Production Michael Creagh
  • God of Love A Luke Matheny Production Luke Matheny
  • Na Wewe (Premium Films) A CUT! Production Ivan Goldschmidt
  • Wish 143 A Swing and Shift Films/Union Pictures Production Ian Barnes and Sama
MEJOR MONTAJE DE SONIDO

  • Inception (Warner Bros.) Richard King
  • Toy Story 3 (Walt Disney) Tom Myers and Michael Silvers
  • Tron: Legacy (Walt Disney) Gwendolyn Yates Whittle and Addison Teague
  • True Grit (Paramount) Skip Lievsay and Craig Berkey
  • Unstoppable (20th Century Fox) Mark P. Stoeckinger
MEJOR MEZCLA DE SONIDO

  • Inception (Warner Bros.) Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo and Ed Novick
  • The King's Speech (The Weinstein Company) Paul Hamblin, Martin Jensen and John Midgley
  • Salt (Sony Pictures Releasing) Jeffrey J. Haboush, Greg P. Russell, Scott Millan and William Sarokin
  • The Social Network (Sony Pictures Releasing) Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick and Mark Weingarten
  • True Grit (Paramount) Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff and Peter F. K
MEJORES EFECTOS ESPECIALES

  • Alice in Wonderland (Walt Disney) Ken Ralston, David Schaub, Carey Villegas and Sean Phillips
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (Warner Bros.) Tim Burke, John Richardson, Christian Manz and Nicolas Aithadi
  • Hereafter (Warner Bros.) Michael Owens, Bryan Grill, Stephan Trojanski and Joe Farrell
  • Inception (Warner Bros.) Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley and Peter Bebb
  • Iron Man 2 (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment, Distributed by Paramount) Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright and Daniel Sudick
MEJOR GUION ADAPTADO

  • 127 Hours (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy
  • The Social Network (Sony Pictures Releasing), Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin
  • Toy Story 3 (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Michael Arndt. Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich
  • True Grit (Paramount), Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
  • Winter's Bone (Roadside Attractions), Adapted for the screen by Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini
MEJOR GUION ORIGINAL

  • Another Year (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Mike Leigh
  • The Fighter (Paramount), Screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson. Story by Keith Dorrington & Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson
  • Inception (Warner Bros.), Written by Christopher Nolan
  • The Kids Are All Right (Focus Features), Written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg
  • The King's Speech (The Weinstein Company), Screenplay by David Seidler

Los Oscares se transmitiran el Domingo 27 de Febrero a las 9pm - Hora de Puerto Rico.

"Twilight", lidera las nominaciones de "Los Razzies", los anti-Oscares.


Las películas The Twilight Saga: Eclipse y The Last Airbender son las favoritas para la 31ra edición de los premios Razzies, considerados los “anti-Oscar”.

Esas dos producciones empataron con nueve candidaturas en unos galardones que destacan lo más negativo del año cinematográfico y que otorga anualmente la fundación Golden Raspberry Award, que publicó ayer la lista de nominados.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse y The Last Airbender disputan el dudoso honor de ser nombrado el peor filme de 2010 junto con The Bounty Hunter, Vampires Suck y Sex and the City 2.

Los protagonistas de Twilight, Taylor Lautner y Robert Pattinson, obtuvieron sendas menciones en la categoría de peor actor, lo mismo que Gerard Butler (The Bounty Hunter), Ashton Kutcher (Killers, Valentine’s Day) y Jack Black (Gulliver’s Travels).

Kristen Stewart (Twilight), fue nominada a peor actriz, lo mismo que Jennifer Aniston (The Bounty Hunter, The Switch), Megan Fox (Jonah Hex), Miley Cyrus (The Last Song), y el reparto femenino de Sex and the City 2 con Sarah Jessica Parker a la cabeza.

M. Night Shyamalan fue candidato por partida doble, por peor director y peor guión de The Last Airbender.

Los Razzie estrenaron una categoría para destacar los peores efectos de 3D, un premio al que optan las películas Cats & Dogs 2: Revenge of Kitty Galore, Clash of the Titans, The Last Airbender, Nutcracker 3D y Saw 3-D.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Jack LaLanne - Fitness Guru, Juicer spokeperson. 1914-2011



(CNN) -- American fitness guru Jack LaLanne died Sunday afternoon at his home in Morro Bay, California, according to his long-time agent, Rick Hersh. He was 96.

The cause, said Hersh, was respiratory failure due to pneumonia. LaLanne had been ill for the past week. His wife, Elaine, was at his side, along with his family and friends, Hersh said. No funeral arrangements were announced, but his agent said plans were being made.

LaLanne spent decades talking about the healthful benefits of exercise and fitness. He opened his own health spa in California in 1936, years before the fitness craze swept the United States. LaLanne even designed the world's first leg-extension machine, along with several other pieces of fitness equipment now standard in the fitness industry.

He was born in San Francisco on September 26, 1914. A self-confessed sugar- and junk-food addict as a child, he went on to study bodybuilding and weight-lifting by the time he was in his late teens.

From the 1950s through the 1980s, LaLanne performed multiple feats of strength and endurance. His first such stunt was an underwater swim the length of the Golden Gate Bridge, loaded with 140 pounds of equipment, in 1954. He went on to stage many attention-getting events, including completing over a thousand pushups in a little over 20 minutes, and towing 65 boats filled with thousands of pounds of wood pulp in Japan.

LaLanne had his own workout program, "The Jack LaLanne Show." First broadcast nationally in 1959, the show went on to run for three decades.

In his later years, he was easily recognized because of late-night infomercials on on the benefits of juicing.

He also made many appearances on CNN's "Larry King Live" and was a friend of the talk show host. "There was no one like Jack LaLanne," King said Sunday night. "He would go on forever ... a true guru. I guess Charles Atlas from the old comic books would be the predecessor for Jack LaLanne."

But it wasn't simply LaLanne's physical prowess that impressed King. "Elderly people were encouraged by him because he just kept on going," King said, adding that modern fitness celebrities owe a debt of gratitude to the original impresario of exercise.

LaLanne's wife of 51 years released a statement on her husband's passing: "I have not only lost my husband and a great American icon, but the best friend and most loving partner anyone could ever hope for," Elaine said.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Fotos del evento "Rueda como Susan Soltero" en el campo del Morro.




Lo prometido es deuda. Aquí están las fotos del evento "Rueda como Susan". Que se se diviertan.

And the box office champion this week is...


LOS ANGELES – Audiences weren't afraid of committing to "No Strings Attached," making it the No. 1 movie at the box office in its opening weekend.

The romantic comedy from Paramount Pictures earned an estimated $20.3 million, according to studio estimates released Sunday.

Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman star as friends who try to maintain a purely sexual relationship with each other, even as they find they're falling in love. The strong supporting cast includes Greta Gerwig, Mindy Kaling, Lake Bell and Kevin Kline.

Last week's No. 1 movie, Columbia Pictures' action comedy "The Green Hornet," dropped to second place with $18.1 million. It has now made $63.4 million total. Seth Rogen stars as the title playboy-turned-superhero, based on the 1930s radio show, with Taiwanese pop star Jay Chou as his sidekick, Kato.

Much of the success of "No Strings Attached" could be attributed to the pairing of director Ivan Reitman and Montecito Pictures, which brought the movie in at a budget of just $25 million, said Don Harris, Paramount's executive vice president of distribution.

He thought audiences were drawn to the chemistry between the co-stars: "Natalie Portman couldn't be any hotter, and I think this is the kind of movie Ashton Kutcher had hoped to make and be in during his career. They go well together."

Portman just won a Golden Globe award for her portrayal of a ballerina gone mad in "Black Swan," the weekend's sixth-highest grossing film, and for which she's likely to receive an Academy Award nomination Tuesday. She recently announced she's expecting a baby with her fiance, Benjamin Millepied, who choreographed "Black Swan" and has a cameo in it.

Part of the allure of "No Strings Attached" also comes from the humor, which Harris said was a little edgier than expected in a romantic comedy.

"This was always intended to be an R," he said. "That's why I think these two were interested in being in the movie."

"No Strings Attached" was marketed as the perfect date movie, with its slogan: "Can sex friends stay best friends?", said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian.

"It's a so-called 'chick flick' because of the subject matter, but it had appeal for both men and women with the whole idea of being 'friends with benefits,'" Dergarabedian said. "For it to do $20 million is fairly impressive, considering it's rated R and January's not a hotbed of huge grosses, unless you're 'Avatar' and you're holding over."

It was the 11th weekend in a row that was down from the same time the previous year, when James Cameron's behemoth "Avatar" was still dominating from its debut at the end of 2009.

While Dergarabedian expected 2011 could be a record year at the box office, with total grosses surpassing $11 billion for the first time ever, "the huge year hasn't kicked in yet."

"I don't see much light at the end of the tunnel until March, when 'The Adjustment Bureau' and other movies open," he said, referring to the upcoming thriller starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. "We could be looking at a pretty sizable down streak."

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

1. "No Strings Attached," $20.3 million.

2. "The Green Hornet," $18.1 million.

3. "The Dilemma," $9.7 million.

4. "The King's Speech," $9.2 million.

5. "True Grit," $8 million.

6. "Black Swan," $6.2 million.

7. "The Fighter," $4.5 million.

8. "Little Fockers," $4.4 million.

9. "Yogi Bear," $4.1 million.

10. "Tron: Legacy," $3.7 million.

A rodar como Susan Soltero en el Morro hoy!


Para algunos quizás sea una ridícula, pero para los que la conocen bien, simplemente es Susan. Y es que la periodista Susan Soltero siempre ha sido una mujer que se ha proyectado en pantalla muy carismática y con un alto sentido del humor. ¿Quién no ha gozado con sus ocurrencias?

No es raro verla haciendo de las suyas en pleno reportaje y en directo, así es Susan, muy espontánea y real. En días recientes, la periodista de Univision ha estado en boca de todos, y no es para menos, es que ha causado sensación la manera como Soltero rodó con micrófono en mano, Morro abajo cuando en plena entrevista le picaron unas hormigas.

No es que sean raras las locuras de esta comunicadora, pero, en esta ocasión, el público quedó tan “afectado” que el vídeo se ha paseado por toda la Internet causando sensación. Tanto así que este próximo domingo, en honor a ella, se llevará a cabo una actividad en El Morro llamada Rueda como Susan organizada en Facebook por Alvin Alozuldo Negrón, joven de 23 años,

“Esto surge como un vacilón, sólo por eso. Yo no puedo creer que una periodista haga eso. Diablo, yo no sé, pero vamos a rodar todo el mundo por ahí para abajo. Vamos a vacilar un montón”, expresó Alozuldo, natural de San Juan.

Alozuldo Negrón quedó anonadado cuando empezó a recibir respuestas de todas las personas que apoyarían su evento, pero de la misma forma es bien consciente que lo que es una actividad para divertirse podría tornarse en una desgracia si no se toman las medidas pertinentes.

“Yo sé que podrían ocurrir cosas negativas o algún accidente, por eso quiero que la gente llegue allí para poderles hablar y decirles que deben estar pendientes a que no haya alguna piedra o jeringuilla en el terreno”.

El joven confiesa que en sus años de infancia llegó a rodar por El Morro en varias ocasiones, pero desea que en está ocasión la gente la pase bien y lleven sus cámaras para que se graben y lo suban a la Internet.

“Yo quiero organizar a la gente en fila. Deben ir vestidos con camisas amarillas para poder identificarlos. Quizás esto pudiera parecer algo de nenes chiquitos, pero quién sabe si podamos hacerlo todos los años”, aseguró.

El joven, quien trató de comunicarse con Soltero por medio de su Facebook y no obtuvo respuesta, espera que ésta pueda asistir al evento que es en honor suyo.

“Yo traté de comunicarme con ella, pero no recibí respuesta. A mí me gustaría hacer este evento todos los años. Esto es para que la gente se divierta y salgan por un momento de sus preocupaciones y se olviden de lo negativo. Vamos a reírnos”.

Por su parte, la periodista se comunicó con nosotros para dejarnos saber lo contenta que se siente de que el público la apoye siempre.




La actividad comienza a las 3pm en el campo del Morro. Voy con mi cámara a ver la actividad.

Pondré las fotos después.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Anne Hathaway to play "Catwoman" in new Batman movie!


LOS ANGELES – Anne Hathaway has clawed her way into the latest Batman movie, nabbing the role of Selina Kyle and her alter ego, Catwoman.

Warner Bros. announced the casting Wednesday for Christopher Nolan's latest film in the superhero saga, "The Dark Knight Rises." Hathaway will appear opposite Christian Bale, who's returning as Bruce Wayne and Batman.

The studio also announced that Tom Hardy, whom Nolan directed in last year's "Inception," will play one of Batman's enemies, Bane. "The Dark Knight Rises" is slated for release on July 20, 2012.

Hathaway, an Oscar nominee for 2008's "Rachel Getting Married," will co-host the Academy Awards with James Franco on Feb. 27.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Paul The Octopus to get memorial in Berlin Aquarium.


BERLIN, Jan 18 - Paul, the German octopus famous for correctly predicting each of Germany’s 2010 World Cup matches, will get his own permanent memorial three months after his death.

The memorial corner will be unveiled on Thursday at the Sea Life aquarium in Oberhausen in western Germany, the aquarium said on Tuesday.

Dubbed “Paul’s Corner,” the centerpiece of the memorial will be the octopus oracle’s urn. Paul died aged 2-1/2 in October.

He became an international sensation this summer after he correctly predicted each of Germany’s World Cup matches — including their two losses. Paul also correctly tipped Spain to defeat Netherlands in the final.

During the height of Paul’s popularity, scores of reporters and photographers crowded around the octopus’ tank when he made his predictions. The picks were also broadcast on live television in Germany and across parts of Europe.

The mystic mollusk would foresee the winner of the soccer match by choosing a mussel from two transparent boxes adorned with the competitors’ flags. The mussel from the box that Paul chose was considered his prediction.

Following the World Cup, marketers seized on Paul’s popularity. The octopus was cast in an advert for a German supermarket and promoted England’s bid for the 2018 World Cup.

An American-produced documentary about Paul is in the works.


And who are going to be the memorials most ardent visitors?

The Spaniards, of course.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Miguel Ángel Álvarez (El Men) Actor Puertorriqueño de Cine, Radio y TV. 1941-2011




Por Mariela Fullana Acosta / Primera Hora

La risa era parte fundamental de su vida. No se podía despegar de esa sonrisa ancha y pícara, incluso en los momentos dramáticos. Solía sorprender con diversos chistes a sus colegas de trabajo y al público.

Y fue con esa misma sonrisa que el actor Miguel Ángel Álvarez partió del escenario terrenal en la madrugada de ayer, domingo, a los 69 años de edad, luego de sufrir un paro respiratorio.

El artista falleció a la 1:15 de la madrugada en el Hospital Metropolitano en Guaynabo, donde estaba recluido desde el sábado debido a que se encontraba deshidratado y con fiebre a causa de un virus.

La muerte del intérprete de “Johnny el Men” tomó por sorpresa a sus familiares, amigos y colegas, quienes ayer no salían de su asombro ante la pérdida de este actor, nacido el 25 de agosto de 1941 en San Juan.

“Es impactante, impactante porque no lo esperaba”, expresó ayer María Milagros Rivera, compañera del actor por los pasados 12 años.

“El sábado a las 8:00 de la noche ya estaba en recuperación y me dijo que me debía ir para la casa porque iba a estar cansada y él quería que lo fuera a buscar temprano el domingo. Y le dije: ‘No te preocupes’ y lo arropé bien... Entonces cuando me voy, me llaman como a la 1:30 de la madrugada del hospital que había fallecido”, comunicó María Milagros, quien destacó que lo último que le expresó Miguel Ángel era que se encontraba contento al conocer que el programa radial Desde mi tierra, el cual animaba por la estación 940 AM, se transmitiría a partir de la semana próximo de lunes a viernes de 12:00 a 1:00 de la tarde.

“Esa noticia lo puso a él bien contento. Fue una alegría que hasta gritó: ‘Gloria a Dios’”, comentó ayer la compañera del actor durante un programa especial que realizaron los actores del Taller Dramático de Radio de WIPR, donde laboró el artista por los pasados 17 años.

Edith Cabrera, Erick Pérez, Ricardo Fábregas, Luz Odilea Font, Héctor Méndez, Anamín Santiago, Amalia Cruz, Maylea Pérez, Carlos Ortega, Viviana Falcón, Alejandro Primero, Shorty Castro y Alberto Zambrana fueron sólo algunos de los talentos del Taller Dramático de Radio de WIPR que llegaron ayer hasta la emisora en Hato Rey para recordar a su colega. Muchos no salían de su asombro porque tan reciente como el pasado miércoles el artista grabó cinco programas radiales y el viernes pasó por la estación.

En la cabina radial, eran muchos los que no podían disimular la tristeza por la pérdida, pero también mostraron sus sonrisas recordando anécdotas del actor.

“Hemos perdido uno de los pilares más importantes en la lucha por mantener la clase artística trabajando en este país”, precisó Bobby Cruz, director del Taller Dramático de Radio de WIPR.

Y es que Miguel Ángel fue un férreo defensor de la clase artística. Tan reciente como el pasado mes de diciembre el actor marchó frente al Departamento del Trabajo junto con un grupo de sus colegas para reclamar que se asignaran fondos para que el proyecto siguiera funcionando. Sus reclamos fueron escuchados y el taller continuará.

Amalia Cruz, quien compartió con el artista en la comedia radial Agapito's Place, en la que el actor interpretada a un jíbaro puertorriqueño, recordó que fue Miguel Ángel Álvarez quien le enseñó a trabajar el género de la comedia.

“Fue mi profesor”, dijo la actriz, quien describió a su colega como un perfeccionista.

Shorty Castro y Ricardo Fábregas, quienes trabajaron con el actor tanto en radio como en televisión, destacaron el espíritu jovial del artista, así como su gran disciplina artística.

Los restos de Miguel Ángel Álvarez serán expuestos el martes, a partir de las 10:00 de la mañana, en la funeraria Buxeda en Hato Rey. Ese mismo día en la tarde se llevará a cabo una ceremonia en el Teatro Arriví en Santurce.

Al actor le sobreviven sus tres hijos: Lonka Rodríguez (que procreó con la actriz Gladys Rodríguez) Miguel y Aimée.

Miguel Ángel Álvarez se destacó como actor, director y productor. Inició en la radio como locutor a los 17 años de edad en la estación WKAQ en Hato Rey, donde laboró con Ramón Rivero (Diplo), José Luis Torregrosa y Rafael Agudo. Luego pasó a realizar radionovelas bajo la dirección de Edmundo Rivera Álvarez. Participó, además, en varias obras de teatro del dramaturgo puertorriqueño Francisco Arriví hasta que dio su salto al cine, destacándose en producciones de Hollywood, así como en mexicanas.

En suelo azteca tuvo la oportunidad de actuar con Mario Moreno “Cantinflas” y fue de los primeros boricuas en tener un contrato con Columbia Pictures. Pero fueron sus personajes en la televisión que lo convirtieron en uno de los favoritos de los puertorriqueños, específicamente su caracterización de “Johnny el Men”.

Se destacó en varias comedias para la pantalla chica como El Barrio cuatro calles y más reciente en El kiosko Budweiser. Su último trabajo en la gran pantalla fue en la producción puertorriqueña Maldeamores, donde dio cátedra, una vez más, de su gran talento al realizar una interpretación cargada de humor, drama, pero sobre todo, de mucha verdad.


Yo conocí a Don Miguel desde hace mucho años, y puedo decir que era una de las personas más humildes y talentosas que he conocido.

Que descanse en Paz.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

And the box office champion this week is...


LOS ANGELES – "The Green Hornet" is buzzing away with the top spot at the weekend box office.

The tongue-in-cheek superhero film starring Seth Rogen as a playboy-turned-crimefighter earned $34 million during its opening weekend, according to studio estimates released Sunday. Sony Screen Gems' "Green Hornet," which was directed by indie auteur Michel Gondry, shot down Paramount's "True Grit," the Western that reigned supreme the previous weekend.

"As we moved down the road, it got a lot of love, the love that it deserved," said Rory Bruer, Sony's president of worldwide distribution. "I think everything worked really well for the film: the timing, the release date, the marketing, and, most importantly, the film itself. It all gelled in a terrific way. We're very pleased with the results."

The weekend's other major new release, Universal's "The Dilemma," opened in the No. 2 spot. The comedy starring Vince Vaughn and Kevin James as partners at an automobile design firm earned $17.4 million. Despite driving away with the top two spots at the box office, Hollywood's first major new releases of the year didn't help to rev up ticket sales.

Hollywood's overall revenues this weekend continued the slump that's persisted through the fall and holiday season. Ticket sales this weekend totaled $115.2 million, down 25 percent compared to the same period last year, when the sci-fi epic "Avatar" continued to dominate at the box office with $42.7 million. Attendance was also down by 27 percent.

Potential Oscar contenders "True Grit," "The King's Speech" and "Black Swan" respectively followed behind "Green Hornet" and "The Dilemma." Both the royal saga "King's Speech" and ballet thriller "Black Swan" are up for several awards, including best drama motion picture and best supporting actress, at Sunday's 68th annual Golden Globes ceremony.

"I think the lack of an 'Avatar' this season has given an opportunity to films like 'True Grit,' 'King's Speech' and 'Black Swan' to draw audiences to the theater who are looking for something that's getting great reviews and who are maybe wanting to watch the Oscars or the Golden Globes with an informed mind," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian.

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

1. "The Green Hornet," $34 million.

2. "The Dilemma," $17.4 million.

3. "True Grit," $11.2 million.

4. "The King's Speech," $9 million.

5. "Black Swan," $8.1 million.

6. "Little Fockers," $7.1 million.

7. "Tron: Legacy," $5.6 million.

8. "Yogi Bear," $5.3 million.

9. "The Fighter," $5.1 million.

10. "Season of the Witch," $4.5 million.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

La huelga en la UPR. Como critico uno, critico al otro...

Ayer le toco a los estudiantes dar el bochornoso espectáculo de intransigencia. Los encapuchados (Que no aparecieron el 20 de Diciembre.¿Que casualidad?), rompieron y agredieron a cuanta gente y a cuanta cosa les dio la gana y no fueron arrestados.

¿Son tan cobardes estos individuos que no se aparecen cuando la Fuerza de Choque hace presencia, y aparecen cuando no?

¿Serán estudiantes? ¿Huelguistas profesionales? ¿Infiltrados? Una cosa si son...¡MORONES!

Watch live streaming video from primerahora at livestream.com


Watch live streaming video from primerahora at livestream.com


Vídeos cortesía de Primera Hora.com

Monday, January 10, 2011

Major Richard "Dick" Winters, commader - Easy Company, featured in mini-series "Band Of Brothers" 1918-2011




Dick Winters, a decorated Army officer whose World War II service was recounted in the best-selling book and HBO mini-series "Band of Brothers," died Jan. 2. News reports listed his age at 92.

Based on the 1992 book by historian Stephen E. Ambrose, the HBO mini-series came out in 2001 and was produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.

The story follows the tragedies and triumphs of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, E Company.

To Mr. Winters, these citizen-soldiers came to be known as the men of Easy Company -- paratroopers who jumped into combat on June 6, 1944 above Normandy, France.

According to Ambrose's account, Easy Company suffered 150 percent casualties throughout the war.

One of the soldiers who served in Easy Company, David Webster, once wrote that among his colleagues the Purple Heart "was not a decoration but a badge of office."

Mr. Winters, who separated from the Army at the rank of major, and his men fought together through D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge and later occupied Adolf Hitler's mountainside retreat, the Eagle's Nest, near Berchtesgaden.

A charismatic officer who led by example, Mr. Winters received the Distinguished Service Cross, the country's second highest decoration for valor, while conducting combat operations on D-Day.

Mr. Winters led a small group of men on a raid of German cannon emplacements near Utah beach on Normandy's coastline.

While taking out the heavily fortified bunker, Mr. Winters and his men killed 15 German soldiers and took 12 more as prisoners, helping to save countless American lives from the withering cannon fire.

Later in the war, one of Mr. Winters's soldiers, Floyd Talbert, wrote a letter to the officer from a hospital in Indiana expressing gratitude for his loyalty and leadership.

"You are loved and will never be forgotten by any soldier that ever served under you," Talbert wrote to Mr. Winters in 1945. "I would follow you into hell."

For Mr. Winters, his soldiers were his Band of Brothers and their experiences together in the war "created a bond between the men of E company that will last forever."


A man I never knew, but admired from the book and TV series. May he rest in peace.

Here's a video tribute to him.



Rep. Giffords and the Tucson Massacre. Was Sarah Palin to blame?



Maybe.

If you see the things she published to unseat democratic candidates in the last congressional elections, anybody with a unbalanced personality like Jared Loughner, might take it the wrong way. Now six people are dead, including a nine year girl.

The Tea Party is responsible for this!

Maybe they should be denounced as a terrorist organization?

Even Jared says he was a terrorist.

Here's a sample of the things published to unseat congresswoman Giffords.

You be the judge.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Sunday, January 9, 2011

And the box office champion this week is...


LOS ANGELES – "True Grit" seized the reins at the weekend box office with $15 million, taking the No. 1 spot and becoming the first Western to top the $100 million mark since the 1990s, according to studio estimates released Sunday.

The Paramount release starring Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon bumped off Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller's comedy "Little Fockers," which was No. 1 for the previous two weekends. Released by Universal, "Little Fockers" slipped to second with $13.8 million, raising its total to $124 million.

"True Grit," which was directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, lifted its total to $110.4 million.

Among newcomers, Nicolas Cage's supernatural thriller "Season of the Witch" opened at No. 3 with $10.7 million. Distributed by Relativity Media, the movie stars Cage as a knight in the Middle Ages escorting a suspected witch to her trial.

Gwyneth Paltrow's country-music drama "Country Strong" premiered at No. 6 with $7.3 million. The Sony Screen Gems release casts Paltrow as a boozy singer trying to get her act straight after rehab.

"True Grit" is a new take on Charles Portis' novel, previously adapted in a 1969 version that earned John Wayne an Academy Award. Bridges stars as lawman Rooster Cogburn, hired by a 14-year-old girl to track down her father's killer.

In Wayne's day, Westerns were a fixture in Hollywood, but the genre fell out of favor over the last 40 years. There was a small surge of $100 million Western hits in the 1990s, including Oscar best-picture winners "Dances With Wolves" and "Unforgiven."

The past decade brought the cowboy romance "Brokeback Mountain" and the modestly successful Westerns "Open Range" and "3:10 to Yuma," but none approached the earnings of "True Grit," which also is the first $100 million hit for the Coen brothers.

While "True Grit" rides high, Hollywood's overall revenues continued a slide that persisted through the fall and holiday season. Ticket sales this weekend totaled $112 million, down 30 percent compared to the same period last year, when the sci-fi sensation "Avatar" led with $50.3 million.

The post-holiday period typically is a quiet time at movie theaters, but "Avatar" did blockbuster business last January, backed by such hits as "Sherlock Holmes" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel."

"This time a year ago, that little film called `Avatar' was just pumping up the box office in a huge way and a totally unexpected way for January," said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com.

Even the No. 4 movie from the same weekend last year, the vampire tale "Daybreakers," did $15.1 million, more than this weekend's No. 1 film.

Hollywood may get a box-office jolt this coming weekend with Seth Rogen and Cameron Diaz's action tale "The Green Hornet" and Vince Vaughn and Kevin James' comedy "The Dilemma."

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

1. "True Grit," $15 million.

2. "Little Fockers," $13.8 million.

3. "Season of the Witch," $10.7 million.

4. "Tron: Legacy," $9.8 million.

5. "Black Swan," $8.4 million.

6. "Country Strong," $7.3 million.

7. "The Fighter," $7 million.

8. "The King's Speech," $6.811 million.

9. "Yogi Bear," $6.81 million.

10. "Tangled," $5.2 million.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

¡Feliz Dia de los Tres Reyes Magos! ¡Happy Three Kings Day!


When people think of Christmas, most people think of gifts, Santa Claus, and family. However, there is much more to the holiday season than these three words. Many Christian Latino families celebrate the holidays until January.

January 6th is also known as Three Kings Day. On La Víspera de Reyes (the Eve of Three Kings Day) Puerto Rican children cut grass to put in a shoebox under their bed for the camels to eat. Their “wish list” is placed on top of the grass. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends ask children to put a box under their bed too – just in case. Then on Jan. 6th, children who leave the grass receive their gifts.

Me? I leave gifts, so they will leave me grass.

Why are all looking at me like that?

Para todo el mundo, feliz día, de parte de Rice, Beans And Razor Blades!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Gerry Rafferty - Singer, Composer: "Stuck In The Middle", "Baker Street". 1947-2011


LONDON (Reuters Life!) – Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty, whose 1970s hits include "Baker Street" and "Stuck in the Middle With You," has died at age 63, his agent said on Tuesday.

"I can confirm that Gerry very sadly passed away," Paul Charles said in an email, giving no further details.

British media reported that Rafferty died peacefully at home with his daughter Martha by his side. He had battled a drinking problem and spent time in hospital at Bournemouth in the south of England, with liver failure, the BBC reported.

Rafferty was born in Paisley, Scotland, and played in several bands before forming the folk rock outfit Stealers Wheel in 1972.

The group's eponymous debut album featured "Stuck in the Middle With You," a hit single that enjoyed a new lease of life when it was used in Quentin Tarantino's movie "Reservoir Dogs."

Stealers Wheel broke up in 1975, but three years later Rafferty released the solo album "City to City" which produced the song "Baker Street" and sold millions of copies worldwide.

In October, "Baker Street," which includes the famous saxophone solo, was recognized by the royalty collection organization BMI for more than five million plays globally.

"Stuck in the Middle With You" has been aired more than four million times.


Two of my favorite songs. Here they are;





May he rest in peace!

Monday, January 3, 2011

Demandan al Pato Donald por tocar...y no a Daisy.


Agencia EFE

FILADELFIA - Una mujer que alega que un hombre con un disfraz del Pato Donald le tocó un seno cuando visitaba el parque temático Epcot de Disney, en la Florida, podrá continuar con su demanda.

Un juez federal en Filadelfia determinó que los abogados de Disney deberán ir a la corte para defenderse de la demanda que presentó April Magolon, argumentando que sufre estrés postraumático.

La mujer de 27 años de Pensilvania alega que estaba caminando con su hijo en el parque de Walt Disney World cuando un integrante del personal le agarró un seno y luego bromeó sobre ello.

Magolon dijo que el incidente, ocurrido en mayo de 2008, le ocasionó pesadillas, problemas digestivos y otras lesiones permanentes.

La mujer también alega que los parques de Disney tienen un historial de quejas por toques inapropiados.

La defensa de Disney argumentaba que Magolon demandó a la rama equivocada de la empresa y le pidió al juez que descartara el caso o lo trasladara a Florida, pero el juez determinó que el proceso judicial podía continuar en Pensilvania.


Bueno...¿Que esperan de alguien que no se entiende lo que habla, esta siempre de mal humor y no lleva pantalones? El Pato Donald es el Mel Gibson del mundo animado.

Anne Francis, Actress "Forbidden Planet", "Honey West". 1930-2011



LOS ANGELES – Actress Anne Francis, who was the love interest in the 1950s science-fiction classic "Forbidden Planet" and later was sexy private eye in "Honey West" on TV, has died at age 80.

Francis died Sunday at a Santa Barbara nursing home, said Bill Guntle, a funeral director McDermott-Crockett & Associates Mortuary in Santa Barbara.

Francis, who had surgery and chemotherapy after being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2007, died of complications of pancreatic cancer, her daughter, Jane Uemura, told the Los Angeles Times.

Francis, a stunningly beautiful blonde with a prominent beauty mark, appeared opposite such stars as Spencer Tracy, Paul Newman, Robert Taylor and Glenn Ford in some of the most popular films of the 1950s. But "Forbidden Planet" and "Honey West" made her reputation.

"Forbidden Planet" was hailed in Leonard Maltin's "2006 Movie Guide" as "one of the most ambitious and intelligent films of its genre."

A science-fiction retelling of Shakespeare's "The Tempest," the 1956 film had Leslie Nielsen and other space travelers visiting a planet where expatriate scientist Walter Pidgeon, his daughter (Francis) and their helper, Robby the Robot, built a settlement.

Before filming began, the actors held a meeting and agreed "to be as serious about this film as we could be," Francis said in a 1999 interview.

"We could have hammed it up, but we wanted to be as sincere as we could," she said.

In "Honey West," which aired from 1965 to 1966, Francis' private detective character — who kept a pet ocelot, a wildcat — was a female James Bond: sexy, stylish and as good with martial arts as she was with a gun.

She was nominated for an Emmy for the role, which lasted 30 episodes.

"A lot of people speak to me about Honey West," Francis recalled. "The character made young women think there was more they could reach for. It encouraged a lot of people."

After a childhood career in New York radio and television and on the Broadway stage, Francis arrived in Hollywood when she landed a movie contract at MGM. She later went to 20th Century-Fox, then returned to MGM, and the two big studios afforded her the chance to act opposite the biggest male stars of the day.

In "Blackboard Jungle," the landmark 1955 film about an idealistic teacher (Ford) in a violent city school, Francis played his pregnant wife who is targeted for harassment by one of his students.

Among her other films: "Bad Day at Black Rock" with Tracy and Robert Ryan, "Rogue Cop" with Taylor, "The Rack" with Newman, "A Lion Is in the Streets" with James Cagney, and "Hook, Line and Sinker" opposite Jerry Lewis.

When her movie career declined, Francis became active in television, appearing in dozens of series, including "Mission Impossible," "The Virginian," "My Three Sons," "Ironside," "Gunsmoke," "The Twilight Zone," "Charlie's Angels," "The Golden Girls," "Home Improvement" and "Nash Bridges."

Her name was Ann Marvak when she was born Sept. 16, 1930, in Ossining, N.Y.

By age 5 she was working as a model, and by 11 she was appearing on daytime radio serials, winning the nickname the Little Queen of Soap Operas. She also had some small roles on Broadway.

After her first MGM contract, during which she attended studio school with Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Powell and Natalie Wood, she returned to New York. There, she took part in television's Golden Age, acting in such acclaimed dramatic series as "Studio One" and "U.S. Steel Hour" before returning to Hollywood.

Francis' early marriage to actor Bam Price ended in divorce.

In addition to Jane, Francis and her second husband, Robert Abeloff, had another daughter, Maggie, before divorcing. She also is survived by a grandson.

Pete Postlewaite, Actor , "In The Name of Father" "Usual Suspects" "Inception" 1946-2011


LONDON – Oscar-nominated British actor Pete Postlethwaite, described by director Steven Spielberg as "the best actor in the world," has died at age 64 after a long battle with cancer.

Longtime friend and journalist Andrew Richardson said Monday that Postlethwaite died in a hospital Sunday.

A gritty and powerful actor, Postlethwaite was nominated for an Oscar for his role in the 1993 film "In The Name Of The Father."

He had recently been seen in the critically acclaimed film "Inception" and had worked with Spielberg on "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" and "Amistad."

Postlethwaite initially planned to become a priest but was drawn to acting.

He received an OBE in 2004 along with many other honors for his long career in movies, theater, and television.

Postlethwaite lived in the hills of rural Shropshire, in western England. He was a political activist known for his opposition to the recent war in Iraq and his call for policies to fight global warming.

He had recently returned to the stage to star as King Lear.

The actor had been treated at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Shortly before his death he publicly thanked the hospital staff in the Shropshire Star newspaper for their "wonderful" treatment and care during his illness.

He is survived by his wife, Jacqui, his son Will and daughter, Lily.



He was one of my favorite actors. May he rest in Peace.

And the box office champion this week is...


LOS ANGELES – Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller's "Little Fockers" remained the top draw at the weekend box office with $26.3 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

It was closely followed by Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon's Western "True Grit," which was No. 2 for the second-straight weekend with $24.5 million.

"Little Fockers," released by Universal, raised its domestic haul to $103.2 million. Paramount's "True Grit" lifted its total to $86.8 million, becoming the top-grossing film ever from directors Joel and Ethan Coen, whose previous best was $74.3 million for "No Country for Old Men."

With no new wide releases out over New Year's weekend, the Hollywood top-10 lined up largely the same as it did over the Christmas holiday.

Bridges also had the No. 3 film with Disney's sci-fi sequel "Tron: Legacy" at $18.3 million, while Dan Aykroyd's family flick "Yogi Bear," from Warner Bros., was fourth with $13 million.

After a sluggish fall and holiday season, Hollywood is off to a slow start in 2011. Overall revenues came in at $158 million, down 28 percent from New Year's weekend a year ago, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.

The holiday season in 2009 was unusually strong, largely because of James Cameron's "Avatar," which was on its way to becoming the biggest modern blockbuster with $2.8 billion worldwide.

A year ago, "Sherlock Holmes" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" also held up well over New Year's weekend.

"What made the difference last year was just that incredible combination of films," said Paul Dergarabedian, Hollywood.com box-office analyst. "That said, I think 2011 is going to be a huge year. If you look at the titles, I think we're going to get our box-office strength back."

The final "Harry Potter" film is among Hollywood's offerings this year, along with the latest in the "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Transformers," "Twilight," "Cars," "Kung Fu Panda," "X-Men" and "The Hangover" franchises.

"Little Fockers" has done good business despite bad reviews for the third installment in De Niro and Stiller's "Meet the Parents" franchise.

"I'm sorry the business isn't better for the industry overall, but having said that, it doesn't make a difference for us. We were the No. 1 film for the holidays," said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution for Universal. "Considering it's the third time around, not so bad."

"True Grit" is a rare hit Western — once a Hollywood staple but a genre that has all but vanished. Industry insiders had been skeptical about the film's prospects, especially since the 1969 version of "True Grit" was one of John Wayne's best-known roles from late in his career, earning him the best-actor Academy Award.

But the Coens never considered their version a remake. They did a faithful adaptation of Charles Portis' novel, the source for both movies, and the Coens' version has earned terrific reviews.

"They acted like there'd never been another movie made, that this was the first. You've got to give them credit. It's a stunning achievement," said Don Harris, executive vice president of distribution at Paramount.

While this season's top hits failed to measure up to "Avatar" and other 2009 holiday blockbusters, smaller Oscar contenders continued to score in the top-10.

Paramount's boxing drama "The Fighter," with Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, was No. 7 with $10 million, raising its total to $46.4 million; Fox Searchlight's psychosexual thriller "Black Swan," starring Natalie Portman, came in at No. 9 with $8.5 million, raising its haul to $47.4 million; and the Weinstein Co. historical drama "The King's Speech," with Colin Firth, was No. 10 with $7.7 million, pushing its sum to $22.8 million.

Other awards contenders debuted well in limited release. The Weinstein Co. marital drama "Blue Valentine," starring Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling, took in $180,066 in four theaters.

Sony Pictures Classics' British drama "Another Year," from director Mike Leigh and featuring Jim Broadbent, took in $120,390 in six theaters.

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

1. "Little Fockers," $26.3 million.

2. "True Grit," $24.5 million.

3. "Tron: Legacy," $18.3 million.

4. "Yogi Bear," $13 million.

5. "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," $10.5 million.

6. "Tangled," $10.01 million.

7. "The Fighter," $10 million.

8. "Gulliver's Travels," $9.1 million.

9. "Black Swan," $8.5 million.

10. "The King's Speech," $7.6 million.