And the Box Office champion this week is...

LOS ANGELES – "The Karate Kid" has not lost his chops.

The remake of the 1984 hit led the weekend with a $55.7 million debut, more than double the $25.7 million opening of another 1980s update, the big-screen take on the TV show "The A-Team."

The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Hollywood.com are:

1. "The Karate Kid," Sony, $55,665,805, 3,663 locations, $15,197 average, $55,665,805, one week.

2. "The A-Team," Fox, $25,669,455, 3,534 locations, $7,264 average, $25,669,455, one week.

3. "Shrek Forever After," Paramount, $15,770,491, 3,868 locations, $4,077 average, $210,022,557, four weeks.

4. "Get Him to the Greek," Universal, $9,942,405, 2,702 locations, $3,680 average, $36,400,720, two weeks.

5. "Killers," Lionsgate, $8,008,007, 2,859 locations, $2,801 average, $30,261,624, two weeks.

6. "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time," Disney, $6,486,150, 3,108 locations, $2,087 average, $72,228,302, three weeks.

7. "Marmaduke," Fox, $6,006,704, 3,213 locations, $1,870 average, $22,285,540, two weeks.

8. "Sex and the City 2," Warner Bros., $5,438,345, 2,750 locations, $1,978 average, $84,658,826, three weeks.

9. "Iron Man 2," Paramount, $4,521,206, 2,305 locations, $1,961 average, $299,282,390, six weeks.

10. "Splice," Warner Bros., $2,942,492, 2,450 locations, $1,201 average, $13,153,956, two weeks.

BTW, why they call it "The Karate Kid"? He's in China, learns Wushu, shouldn't it be called "The Kung Fu Kid"? Just saying...

And the box office champion this week is...

Despite a heavyweight sequel with Sarah Jessica Parker and the promise of Jake Gyllenhaal’s washboard abs, Shrek Forever After remains on top this holiday weekend. Funny that Memorial day weekend should feature some of the least memorable sequels, isn’t it?

Sex & the City 2 didn’t fare as well as I thought. While I’m disappointed that my predictions were off, after having to watch the movie twice, I’m glad it didn’t too well. As I told Bayer, I went to see it a second time for my one-year anniversary. The things we do for love, right? Check out Allen and I’s he said/He Said for some more thoughts on the less than fabulous sequel.

Prince of Persia didn’t exactly bring in the heat in its opening weekend either. Considering a lot of video game adaptations are straight money-makers, I was a little shocked, but considering the whole Aladdin come to life feel of the trailers, can’t say I’m too surprised.

The third sequel on this weekend’s top five list is Iron Man 2. Like I said, expect this one to hold on even after only so-so reviews. It’s definitely starting to slow down, but not stopping yet.

Finally, Robin Hood brings up the tail end of the top five. Honestly, all that can be said about this movie has already been said. Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott were probably hoping for a hit, but don’t expect it to stick around much longer, especially after next weekend’s line-up.

Rank. Movie Title – Weekend Gross | Theaters | Total Gross | Week #

1. Shrek Forever After – $43,345,000 / 4,367 / $133,095,000 / 2

2. Sex & the City 2 – $32,125,000 / 3,445 / $46,333,000 / 1

3. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time – $30,170,000 / 3,646 / $30,170,000 / 1

4. Iron Man 2 – $16,035,000 / 3,804 / $274,612,000 / 4

5. Robin Hood – $10,305,000 / 3,373 / $83,024,000 / 3

Source: www.boxofficemojo.com

And the box office champion this week is...

Warner Bros.' 3D action fantasy "Clash of the Titans" topped the domestic rankings on Friday -- its first full day of release -- with an estimated $26.4 million.

Co-produced and co-financed by Legendary Pictures, "Titans" totes $29 million in cumulative boxoffice including some Thursday night "pre-shows" in mostly 2D venues. Now playing in a combination of 2D and 3D locations with a total theater count of 3,777, "Titans" appears ready to march north of $60 million through Sunday.

That would seem to validate Warners' decision to convert the pic from 2D to 3D just two months prior to its scheduled release. It also would render moot most negative reviews of the pic, though reviewers' criticism of the quality of the 3D conversion may bear watching in future weeks for possible impact on 3D screen grosses.

Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married Too?" from Lionsgate enjoyed a solid start to its Easter weekend with $12.3 million in second place on Friday.

DreamWorks' 3D animated feature "How to Train Your Dragon" took the bronze medal position with $11 million on the day and an eight-day cume of $74.1 million.

Disney's Miley Cyrus starrer "The Last Song," which bowed Wednesday, grossed $7.1 million in fourth place on Friday for a three-day cume of $16.5 million.

MGM comedy "Hot Tub Time Machine" -- hitting its sophomore session in release -- ranked fifth among the daily grossers with $2.9 million and a $21.7 million cume.

And the Box Office champion this week is...

LOS ANGELES - Sandra Bullock's latest movie has taken the industry by surprise.

She stars in the football-inspired drama "The Blind Side" that has become the underdog hit of the season with a $20.4 million weekend and a box-office victory over "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

The Warner Bros. sports tale had been runner-up for the previous two weekends to Summit Entertainment's vampire romance "New Moon," which fell to second place with $15.7 million.

Great word-of-mouth from fans has sustained "The Blind Side," in which Bullock plays a woman whose family adopts homeless teen Michael Oher, now a rookie tackle for the Baltimore Ravens.

"How outstanding is it to have a movie at No. 1 in its third weekend?" said Jeff Goldstein, executive vice president for distribution at Warner, who added that the movie so far has done more than double the business he expected. "I don't know of anybody who ever saw anything this big."

"New Moon" still is far ahead in total gross with $255.6 million domestically, compared to $129.3 million for "The Blind Side." Overseas, "New Moon" added $40.7 million to raise its international total to $314.5 million and its worldwide gross to $570.1 million.

"The Blind Side" and "New Moon" fended off a rush of new wide releases that had so-so to abysmal openings.

The nationwide debuts were overshadowed by a huge premiere in limited release for George Clooney's comedy "Up in the Air," which took in nearly $1.2 million at just 15 theaters for a whopping average of $79,000 a cinema.

Directed by Jason Reitman ("Juno"), Paramount's "Up in the Air" has earned great reviews and buzz as a potential Academy Awards front-runner, positioning it for a long run in theaters as it expands nationwide over the next few weeks. Clooney plays a corporate hit man addicted to the frequent-flyer life as he travels the country firing people for downsizing companies.

Lionsgate's war-on-terror-themed drama "Brothers" debuted at No. 3 with $9.7 million, averaging $4,646 in 2,088 theaters. A remake of a 2004 Danish film, "Brothers" stars Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman and Jake Gyllenhaal in the story of a prisoner of war who returns from Afghanistan to find his sibling has become the man of the house for his family.

Sony's heist thriller "Armored," with Matt Dillon and Laurence Fishburne, premiered with $6.6 million and tied for No. 6, averaging $3,446 in 1,915 theaters.

Another foreign-language remake — Miramax's "Everybody's Fine," with Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore and Kate Beckinsale in an update of a 1990 Italian film — opened a weak No. 10 with $4 million for an average of $1,888 in 2,133 cinemas. De Niro plays a retiree on a journey to reconnect with his grown children.

The vampire mania over "New Moon" did not extend to Full Circle Releasing's bloodsucker comedy "Transylmania," which took in just $274,000 in 1,007 theaters for a dismal average of $272. The movie is a campus-horror spoof about students studying at a Transylvania college overrun by vampires.

Overall revenues came in at $101 million, up 22.6 percent from the same weekend last year, when "Four Christmases" was No. 1 with $16.8 million.

Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com, estimates domestic receipts will finish at $10.6 billion for the year, easily surpassing the industry's all-time high of $9.68 billion in 2007.

Revenues stand at $9.66 billion after this weekend, so Hollywood should break that 2007 record in the next couple of days, Dergarabedian said.

With big movies such as James Cameron's sci-fi epic "Avatar" opening Dec. 18 and Robert Downey Jr.'s crime saga "Sherlock Holmes" and the family comedy "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" arriving Christmas week, that $10.6 billion estimate for the year might prove conservative, Dergarabedian said.

"It will probably go higher if we consistently outperform the way we have been," Dergarabedian said.

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 Blind Side," $20.4 million.

2. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," $15.7 million.

3. "Brothers," $9.7 million.

4. "Disney's a Christmas Carol," $7.5 million.

5. "Old Dogs," $6.9 million.

6. "Armored" (tie), $6.6 million.

6. "2012" (tie), $6.6 million.

8. "Ninja Assassin," $5 million.

9. "Planet 51," $4.3 million.

10. "Everybody's Fine," $4 million.

And the Box Office Champion this week is...

Crapola!!!!

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" rose to the top of movie box office charts for the second straight week on Sunday with a three-day haul of $42.5 million on a record-breaking holiday weekend in North America, according to studio estimates.

Over the five-day U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, the vampire romance starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner took in $66 million, pushing its two-week total in theaters to $230.7 million in North America, said independent studio Summit Entertainment, which backed the movie.

Internationally, the high-profile sequel to last year's monster hit "Twilight," based on the best-selling novels by Stephenie Meyer, has taken in $243 million for a worldwide total just under $475 million in two weeks.

Richard Fay, president of domestic distribution for Summit, said the movie continued to do strong repeat business from mostly teenage girls who are fans of the movies and books, and it was able to expand its audiences to include older women.

Total movie ticket sales for the five-day holiday period in North America reached a record $278 million, beating the old figure of $244 million set back in 2000 when "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and "Unbreakable" were the two top films, according to sales tracker Hollywood.com Box-Office.

Coming in at No. 2, also for the second straight week, was Sandra Bullock football film "The Blind Side" with three-day sales of $40.1 million and a two-week total of $100.5 million. Disaster film "2012" rounded out the top three with $18 million in three days, boosting its three-week total to $139 million.

SEEING "BLIND"

"Blind Side," produced by Alcon Entertainment and released by Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros,, played well to all audiences. Bullock helped draw women, sports lured men and the feel-good tale about a woman played by Bullock who helps a homeless boy become a football hero attracted families.

"This is a movie that plays equally to both genders," said Andrew Kosove, co-chief executive of Alcon Entertainment. "A great deal of moviegoing is consensus driven (among families) and we were the consensus movie for the weekend."

Natural disaster flick "2012" also continued to score well. Internationally, its ticket sales now stand at $456 million, boosting its global haul to $595 million, said distributor Columbia Pictures, a unit of Sony Corp.

Among new movies, Disney comedy "Old Dogs" with John Travolta and Robin Williams was No. 4 in North America with $16.8 million on the weekend and $24 million for five days. Warner Bros' "Ninja Assassin" with Korean superstar Rain was No. 6 with $13.1 million and $21 million for the 3-day and 5-day periods, respectively.

Other noteworthy titles include Disney's "A Christmas Carol," which claimed the No. 5 spot with $16 million, pushing its North American cumulative ticket sales to $105 million.

Twentieth Century Fox expanded the release of its animated movie "Fantastic Mr. Fox," widely around the United States and it climbed to the No. 9 spot with $7 million on the weekend. Fox is a unit of News Corp

And the box office champion this week is...

LOS ANGELES – Jim Carrey's Scrooge collected holiday donations from movie fans with his new take on "A Christmas Carol," which took in $31 million to open as the weekend's top movie.

The Disney animated version of the Charles Dickens classic knocked the King of Pop out of the No. 1 spot as "Michael Jackson's This Is It" slipped to second place with $14 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Sony's "This Is It," presenting rehearsal performances Jackson shot before his death last June, raised its domestic total to $57.9 million. Worldwide, "This Is It" has taken in $186.5 million.

Featuring Carrey as Ebenezer Scrooge and also as the three holiday ghosts that show Scrooge the error of his miserly ways, "A Christmas Carol" came in on the low end of Disney's expectations for opening weekend.

On the other end of the spectrum, Lionsgate's acclaimed drama "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" had a spectacular start, pulling in $1.8 million in just 18 theaters, averaging $100,000 a cinema. That compares with an $8,418 average for "A Christmas Carol" in 3,683 theaters.

"Precious" had a record average for films opening in 10 or more theaters. Others that have averaged $100,000 or more typically debut in only a few cinemas.

The weekend brought a rush of other new movies, led by George Clooney's comedy "The Men Who Stare at Goats," which finished at No. 3 with $13.3 million. The Overture Films release is a satiric look at U.S. military efforts to create "warrior monks" who can predict the future or walk through walls.

Debuting in fourth place with $12.5 million was Universal's "The Fourth Kind," starring Milla Jovovich as a psychologist studying alien abductions in Alaska.

Cameron Diaz and James Marsden's sci-fi tale "The Box" opened at No. 6 with $7.9 million. The Warner Bros. thriller centers on a couple given a mysterious box that can provide them $1 million, but at the cost of a stranger's life.

With nearly two months of playing time through the holidays, Disney is counting on steady business for "A Christmas Carol," particularly over Thanksgiving weekend and in the buildup to Christmas itself.

"You have to play these things for the long term," said Chuck Viane, Disney's head of distribution. "You've got to have the patience and you've got to pick the right weekend. For us, the days when the malls turned to Christmas stores is when we wanted to go."

Director Robert Zemeckis shot the movie using the same performance-capture technology used on his 2004 holiday offering "The Polar Express." Carrey and his co-stars acted on a bare soundstage as digital cameras caught their performances, with computer animators later adding costumes, sets, props and other effects.

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

1. "A Christmas Carol," $31 million.

2. "Michael Jackson's This Is It," $14 million.

3. "The Men Who Stare at Goats," $13.3 million.

4. "The Fourth Kind," $12.5 million.

5. "Paranormal Activity," $8.6 million.

6. "The Box," $7.9 million.

7. "Couples Retreat," $6.4 million.

8. "Law Abiding Citizen," $6.2 million.

9. "Where the Wild Things Are," $4.2 million.

10. "Astro Boy," $2.6 million.

And the box office champion this week is...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Michael Jackson's much-hyped concert movie reigned at the worldwide box office on Sunday, but its performance in North America was hardly a thriller.

"This Is It," composed mostly of rehearsal footage recorded in the weeks before the "King of Pop's" death in June, earned an estimated $101 million in the five days since opening globally on Wednesday, distributor Columbia Pictures said.

Moviegoers in the United States and Canada contributed $32.5 million. In the days leading up to its opening, industry forecasters had said it could earn at least $40 million.

Columbia said it had hoped for an opening in the $30 million to $40 million range.

"This has always, always been a worldwide play," said Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution at Columbia's parent Sony Corp. "We're very happy with the results domestically, but ecstatic with the worldwide."

Top territories included Japan with $10.4 million, Britain with $7.6 million, Germany with $6.3 million, France with $5.8 million, Australia with $3.6 million and China with $3.2 million.

Rival studios, perhaps looking to put Sony in the hot seat, had been particularly bullish about the film. One executive, requesting anonymity, predicted the film could make $660 million globally during its limited two-week run -- $260 million domestically and $400 million internationally.

Columbia had shied away from issuing global forecasts because of a dearth of comparable concert films. The record for such movies is held by "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus -- Best of Both Worlds," which earned $65 million domestically last year.

The film's prospects were not helped by Halloween, which fell on a Saturday for the first time since 1998, siphoning off a large swathe of potential North American moviegoers on the biggest night of the week.

Columbia said it extended the planned two-week limited run in North America through Thanksgiving (November 29). Foreign territories will extend the run on a case-by-case basis.

The studio paid Jackson's estate and closely held concert promoter AEG about $60 million for the rights, but will deduct the production costs from its tab. As for box office revenues, which are usually split evenly with movie theater owners, Sony will share its haul with the estate and AEG according to a complex, undisclosed formula.

Columbia's sister company, Sony Music, has done much better with Jackson's recordings. His albums have sold more than 5.7 million copies this year in the United States, according to tracking firm Nielsen SoundScan.

For the traditional three-day period, beginning Friday, "This Is It" earned $21.3 million.

Last weekend's North American champ, Paramount Pictures' micro-budget horror flick "Paranormal Activity," slipped to No. 2 with $16.5 million in its sixth weekend, taking its total to $84.8 million. Paramount is a unit of Viacom Inc.

No other new releases dared compete with Halloween festivities.

And the box office champion this week is...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Low-budget fright film "Paranormal Activity" scored a kill over the sixth picture in the perennial "Saw" franchise, with a pre-Halloween weekend box office draw of $22 million.

Lionsgate's "Saw VI" took in $14.8 million. The results were the worst in the series' history -- the first five "Saw" films had an average opening weekend of $29.1 million, according to box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian. The horror series features a killer who calls himself Jigsaw and puts his victims in deadly contraptions to torture them.

"Paranormal" went into wider release by Paramount after playing to sellout crowds at midnight-only screenings over the past few weekends in a handful of markets determined by online balloting.

Taking a page from the playbook of 1999's underground smash "The Blair Witch Project," the Viacom Inc unit is letting the fans do the marketing through such social-networking sites as Twitter. Its own marketing costs have been minimal.

Paramount bought the $15,000 movie last year at the Slamdance Film Festival, an indie rival of the concurrent Sundance festival in Utah.

Last weekend's top movie, "Where the Wild Things Are," which was adapted from the acclaimed Maurice Sendak children's book, dropped to the No. 3 spot with $14.4 million.

"Wild Things" was released by Time Warner Inc unit Warner Bros Pictures.

Other new releases included Summit Entertainment's "Astro Boy," which came in No. 6 with $7.0 million and Universal's "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant" at No. 8 with a take of $6.3 million.

Fox Searchlight's Amelia Earhart biopic "Amelia" crashed on take-off, debuting at No. 11 with a box office draw of just $4 million. The distributor is a unit of News Corp.

And the Box Office Champion this week is...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The family cartoon "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" led the North American box office for a second weekend on Sunday while another slew of newcomers bombed amid crippling reviews and moviegoer apathy.
"Cloudy," a 3D animated feature based on a popular children's book, earned $24.6 million during the three days beginning Friday. The 10-day haul for the Columbia Pictures release stands at $60 million.
The Bruce Willis robot thriller "Surrogates" opened at No. 2 with $15 million. The film's Touchstone Pictures distributor had hoped it would open at No. 1 but "Cloudy" enjoyed a bigger-than-expected hold. The cartoon lost just 19 percent of its audience, compared to a standard drop of about 50 percent.
"Fame," a family-friendly remake of the 1980 musical, opened at No. 3 with $10 million. The low-budget film was released by cash-strapped studio MGM, which had hoped for an opening in the $15 million range.
The Dennis Quaid sci-fi film "Pandorum" did even worse, opening at No. 6 with $4.8 million. Industry observers had expected an opening in the high-single-digits for the Overture Films release.
The sub-par performances come a week after another bunch of newcomers -- "The Informant!," "Love Happens" and "Jennifer's Body" -- all suffered disappointing openings. Early fall is traditionally a quiet time at the box office as the studios quietly clear out their weaklings while laying the groundwork for their awards-season hopefuls.
Columbia Pictures is a unit of Sony Corp. Touchstone Pictures is a unit of Walt Disney Co. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc, which is closely held. Overture is a unit of Liberty Media Corp.

And the Box Office Champion this week is..

Sony's 3D animated feature " Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" enjoyed a balmy weekend opening, topping the rankings with an estimated $30.1 million in domestic boxoffice.

Warner Brothers' " The Informant!" -- a Matt Damon-toplined whistleblower thriller -- bowed about as expected with $10.5 million in second place amid lackluster competition. Tyler Perry's " I Can Do Bad All by Myself," from Lionsgate, dropped 57% from its week-earlier tally to register $10.1 million in third place, with a 10-day cume of $37.9 million.

Universal's romantic drama " Love Happens," starring Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston, debuted with a tepid $8.5 million in fourth. Fox Atomic's horror film " Jennifer's Body" was buried deep in fifth place, as the Megan Fox starrer disappointed with a $6.8 million bow.

Another horror film -- Summit's similarly R-rated "Sorority Row" -- dropped a relatively modest 51% in its sophomore session to register $2.5 million in ninth place, with an $8.9 million cume. Three rungs higher, second-frame holdover "9" -- an animated feature from Focus -- recorded $5.5 million on a 49% slide for a 12-day cume of $22.8 million.

Collectively, the weekend top 10 fetched $83.3 million to mark a 14% uptick from last year's comparable frame, according to Nielsen EDI.

In a limited opening, fledgling indie Apparition launched its first pic -- Jane Campion's romantic drama "Bright Star" -- in 19 locations in six cities to gross $190,343.

That represented a bright $10,018 per site, as cume reached $207,289 since a Wednesday bow in New York. "Star" will shine in a total 32 markets when it expands on Friday.

IFC Films' Juliette Binoche starrer "Paris" arrived in six theaters in New York and L.A. and grossed $46,800, or a pleasing $7,800 per venue. "Paris" broadens into 15 cities on Friday.

Elsewhere in the specialty market, Variance Films' Asian-American dramedy "White on Rice" added two screens for a total four playdates in four West Coast cities and grossed $9,200. The runs cooked up a thin $2,300 per engagement -- or a more acceptable $3,000 after excluding a site programming only early-morning showtimes -- as cume reached $20,170.

Based on a popular children's book, "Meatballs" featured about 1,828 Imax and RealD 3D screens among its 3,119 theaters. Produced for less than $100 million, the film features a voice cast including Anna Faris and Andy Samberg, and was co-directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord.

"The trailer on the film played extremely well," Sony distribution president Rory Bruer said. "All of the marketing materials really worked, and the movie delivers on that."

The PG-13 pic drew audiences composed 79% of family patrons, with 52% female support.

"Informant!" -- the exclamation point underscores comedic elements -- was co-financed by Participant Media. It opened to audiences evenly split between males and females, with 72% of patrons aged 30 or older.

"It performed as expected," Warners distribution topper Dan Fellman said.

As a well-reviewed adult pic, the film should have an unusually leggy run, Fellman added.

"Love" played in a relatively modest 1,898 locations. Its opening audiences were composed 78% of females, with 71% of patrons aged 30 and older.

"It was a solid result and in line with our expectations," Universal distribution president Nikki Rocco said.

Co-financed by Relativity Media, "Love" was produced for an estimated $18 million.

Produced for $16 million, "Body" attracted audiences 51% female, with 70% of patrons under age 25.

"We always want more, but it was a modestly budget project," Fox senior vp distribution Chris Aronson said.

Looking ahead, three wide openers are set for Friday. MGM gets back into the distribution game with the female-targeting musical "Fame," Overture unspools Dennis Quaid starrer "Pandorum" and Disney sends out sci-fi thriller "Surrogates," starring Bruce Willis.

And the Box Office Champion this week is...

The curse of the cross-dressing big fat black mama strikes again!

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Prolific filmmaker Tyler Perry scored his second No. 1 movie of the year at the North American box office on Sunday, leading a weak field of newcomers in what is traditionally one of the industry's slowest weekends.
Perry's latest family comedy, "I Can Do Bad All By Myself," sold $24 million worth of tickets during the three days beginning Friday, distributor Lionsgate said.
The writer-producer-director-actor, whose low-budget films are popular among black women, did better in February with "Madea Goes to Jail," which opened to a personal best of $41 million. But exactly a year ago, Perry's "The Family That Preys" opened to $17 million. The two most recent films starred Perry's alter ego Madea, a pistol-packing granny.
Also new was the animated film "9" at No. 2 with $10.9 million, in line with expectations. The film got an early start on the competition by opening on Wednesday, and its total stands at $15.3 million.
The horror movie "Sorority Row" debuted at No. 6 with $5.3 million, and English actress Kate Beckinsale's icy thriller "Whiteout" came in at No. 7 with $5.1 million. Both films, targeting younger moviegoers, were expected to open in the high-single-digit range.
Business usually drops sharply in the first weekend following the U.S. Labor Day holiday weekend, as children return to school and football season kicks in. The studios respond in kind by clearing out their summer leftovers.
The top 12 films grossed $78 million, according to tracking firm Hollywood.com Box-Office. This represents a 3 percent drop from last weekend, and a 9 percent fall from the year-ago period, the company said.
After two weekends at No. 1, the horror film "The Final Destination" fell to No. 5 with $5.5 million, taking its total to $58.3 million.
Quentin Tarantino's Nazi revenge fantasy "Inglourious Basterds" slipped one place to No. 3 with $6.5 million in its fourth weekend. The film has now earned $104.4 million, and needs just $4 million more to become his biggest film in North America. The title is currently held by "Pulp Fiction," which earned $108 million in 1994.
Lionsgate is a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. "9" was released by Focus Features, a unit of General Electric Co's Universal Pictures. "Inglourious Basterds" was released by Weinstein Co. The closely held firm co-financed "Inglourious Basterds" with Universal Pictures.
"Sorority Row" was released by Summit Entertainment, which is closely held. "Whiteout" and "The Final Destination" were released by Warner Bros Pictures, a unit of Time Warner Inc.

And the Box Office Champion this week is...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A new action movie based on the "G.I. Joe" line of toy soldiers crushed enemy forces at the worldwide box office during the weekend, ending the three-week reign of the sixth "Harry Potter" fantasy.
"G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" sold about $100.3 million worth of tickets, distributor Paramount Pictures said on Sunday.
The three-day take of $56.2 million from the United States and Canada ranks as the fourth-highest August opening ever, and comes after the $175 million effects extravaganza had been besieged by bad buzz for months.
The foreign component of $44.1 million -- from 35 markets comprising 75 percent of international sales -- was led by South Korea ($5.6 million). The film opened at No. 1 in two countries not exactly favorable to American militarism, China ($4.8 million) and Russia ($4.6 million).
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" earned $31 million worldwide, taking its total to $816 million. The North American total of $274 million was bolstered by a fourth-place $8.9 million weekend. The film was released by Warner Bros. Pictures, a unit of Time Warner Inc.
Besides "G.I. Joe," other new entries in North America included Columbia Pictures' Meryl Streep culinary offering "Julie & Julia" at No. 2 with a tasty $20.1 million, and indie producer Relativity Media's horror-thriller "A Perfect Getaway" at No. 7 with just $5.8 million.
Last weekend's North American champion, the Adam Sandler comedy "Funny People," slid to No. 5 with $7.9 million, taking the 10-day total for the $75 million comedy to a disappointing $40.4 million. The film was released by Universal Pictures, a unit of General Electric Co.
"G.I. Joe" stars Channing Tatum and Marlon Wayans as two young soldiers recruited by the international G.I. Joe military force to help save the world. It was directed by Stephen Sommers of "The Mummy" fame.
BAD BUZZ
While based on the venerable Hasbro Inc action figures, the film tips its hat to the multilateral series of dolls relaunched in the 1980s rather than the American-oriented military heroes coveted by boys in the 1960s and 1970s. (G.I. is a generic term for U.S. soldiers.)
Given the wide awareness of the brand, fans were underwhelmed by a trailer that premiered in February during the Super Bowl football championship, the most-watched television event of the year in the United States.
Paramount opted not to screen the movie in advance for critics, a gambit often reserved for box office clunkers. In the end, reviews were predictably bad but not as bad as those for such recent releases as "G-Force" and "The Ugly Truth."
"I think it plays to real people," said Don Harris, executive vice president of distribution at the Viacom Inc-owned studio. "They check their disbelief at the door and have a good time with the movie."
Surveys indicated the film played best in the American heartland -- anywhere "east of Beverly Hills and west of Manhattan island," Harris said. It also was especially popular with Hispanic and black moviegoers, he said.
Overall, male moviegoers accounted for 60 percent of the audience, with an even split either side of 25 years.
Based on the film's better-than-expected $22 million opening on Friday, Paramount had forecast a $60 million weekend. But Saturday sales fell more steeply than expected. Harris said he was not troubled by the decline.
The record for an August opening was set in 2007 by "The Bourne Ultimatum" with $69.3 million, while "Rush Hour 2" kicked off with $67.4 million in 2001, and "Signs" with $60 million in 2002. All ended up with more than $220 million.
Columbia Pictures offered some effective counter-programing with "Julie & Julia," which pulled in older women. Streep plays Julia Child, while Amy Adams stars in a parallel story as a young woman who seeks to replicate the noted TV chef's culinary exploits.
"We're finding that men love it too," said Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution at the Sony Corp-owned studio.
He expected the $38 million film, which was directed by Nora Ephron ("Sleepless in Seattle"), to simmer in theaters for some time.

And the Box Office Champion this week is...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Adam Sandler suffered his worst opening at the North American box office in almost five years on Sunday with "Funny People," a chart-topping comedy darker than the low-brow fare beloved by his young fans.
According to studio estimates, the film sold $23.4 million worth of tickets in the three days since opening across the United States and Canada on Friday. It's the lowest start for a No. 1 movie since Jim Carrey's "Yes Man" launched with $18.3 million last December.
Sandler plays a comedian diagnosed with a fatal blood disease who then tries to break up a marriage. Top critics disliked the movie, according to Rotten Tomatoes (http://www.rottentomatoes.com), a website that analyzes reviews.
His previous worst opening was "Spanglish," which started off with $8.8 million in December 2004. His big summer movie last year, "You Don't Mess with the Zohan," opened to $38.5 million but stalled at $100 million.
"Funny People" was directed by Judd Apatow, who was dubbed the smartest person in Hollywood by Entertainment Weekly in 2007. His "Knocked Up" opened to $31 million in 2007 and finished with $149 million.
The new film is the latest summer disappointment for its distributor, Universal Pictures. The General Electric Co unit recently released the Sacha Baron Cohen comedy "Bruno," which quickly lost steam at the box office, and the Johnny Depp gangster drama "Public Enemies," which failed to hit $100 million. It ranks last among the big six studios in market share this year, according to Box Office Mojo (http://www.boxofficemojo.com).

Industry forecasts for "Funny People" had ranged between the low-$20 million to the mid-$30 million area, according to trade paper Daily Variety.
But Universal distribution president Nikki Rocco said the movie opened "exactly where we thought it would be" given its darker themes. The studio said it cost $75 million to make, although some reports have said the bill was closer to $100 million.
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" was No. 2 for a second weekend with $17.7 million. The 19-day haul for the sixth entry in the fantasy series stands at $255.5 million. Its 2007 predecessor, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," had earned $242 million at the same stage.
Internationally, the new film has earned $492 million, including a $66.5 million contribution from Britain. The films were released by Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc.
Last weekend's champ, the Walt Disney Co rodent cartoon "G-Force" fell to No. 3 with $17.1 million. Its 10-day haul was $66.5 million.
The Katherine Heigl romantic comedy "The Ugly Truth" slipped one place to No. 4 with $13 million, taking its 10-day tally to $54.5 million. It was released by Columbia Pictures, a unit of Sony Corp.
The 20th Century Fox family movie "Aliens in the Attic" opened at No. 5 with a disappointing $7.8 million. It had been expected to open in the double digits. The News Corp-owned studio said it cost $45 million to make.

And the Box Office Champion this week is...

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – U.S. box-office leader "Up" dipped its animated toes in international waters during the weekend, but it was "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" that claimed the top spot overseas.
The family comedy from 20th Century fox, a sequel to 2006's "Night at the Museum," reaped $37.2 million from 9,000 screens in 100 markets.
The Ben Stiller-starring movie opened at No. 1 in China, grossing $7.4 million from 818 screens, and finished first in at least 11 other territories, propelling its overseas gross past the $100 million mark to $106 million.
Its worldwide gross to date is $211.3 million.
After two weekends atop the international circuit, Sony's "Angels & Demons" finished a close No. 2 this round, grossing $32.9 million from 10,145 screens in 101 territories.
The follow-up to "The Da Vinci Code" ranked first in at least 14 markets, including Germany, where it tallied $4.8 for the weekend, and Japan ($3.2 million). Its overseas total stands at $251.7 million.
Like DreamWorks Animation's "Monsters vs. Aliens" before it, "Up," the 10th title from Pixar/Disney, opened in Russia before its domestic bow largely because of piracy concerns. It drew an animated $4.2 million from 560 screens, taking the No. 1 spot and marking the biggest weekend opening of a Pixar/Disney title in the territory.
The 3-D animation saga, centering on a septuagenarian (voiced by Ed Asner) whose house is lifted by multiple balloons to the wilds of South America, premiered May 13 at the Cannes Film Festival, where it became the first animation title to kick off that event.
Opening overseas simultaneously with its domestic release was Mandate Pictures' "Drag Me to Hell." It screamed all the way to $4.4 million from a combined 700 screens in the U.K., Israel and France, said Mandate International, which is sharing overseas distribution with Universal. The tongue-in-cheek horror title from Sam Raimi finished at No. 2 in the U.K. and was No. 1 in the Paris area.
No. 3 for the weekend was "Terminator Salvation," which drew an action-packed $13 million from mostly Middle East and Asian markets. Sony, which is sharing overseas distribution with local distributors, said "Salvation" drew $8.6 million from 673 screens, finishing at No. 1 in the seven markets it handled. The international total so far for the fourth "Terminator" title stands at $23.1 million; its worldwide gross is $113.8 million.
Fourth overall was Fox's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," which finished a month on the foreign circuit with an international cume of $170.1 million after an $8.1 million weekend from 5,000 screens in 104 markets. A delayed Mexico opening produced a decisive No. 1 market ranking with $4.4 million from 1,336 screens.
At No. 5 was Paramount's rejuvenated "Star Trek," which rocketed past the $100 million overseas mark ($101.5 million) thanks to an $8 million weekend from 4,869 situations in 59 markets. Its worldwide tally is $311 million.
(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)

And the Box Office Champion this week is...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – "High School Musical" heartthrob Zac Efron graduated to the big leagues at the North American box office on Sunday as his new comedy crushed a weighty thriller starring Russell Crowe.
"17 Again," in which Efron plays a dispirited 37-year-old family man who gets to relive his glory days at high school, earned a better-than-expected $24.1 million, distributor Warner Bros. said.
Crowe's "State of Play" opened at No. 2 with $14.1 million, but managed to exceed the modest expectations of its distributor, Universal Pictures.
Last weekend's champion, "Hannah Montana: The Movie," fell to No. 4 with $12.7 million, taking the 10-day haul for Walt Disney Co's Miley Cyrus vehicle to $56.1 million.
Just ahead of it, the family cartoon "Monsters vs. Aliens" held steady at No. 3 with $12.9 million. After four weekends, the DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc production has earned $162.7 million, making it the biggest movie of the year so far.
Also new was "Crank: High Voltage," a sequel starring British actor Jason Statham. It opened at No. 6 with $6.5 million. Pundits had expected the thriller to do better than "State of Play."
While "17 Again" is the latest in a long line of body-switch comedies including such hits as "Big" and "Freaky Friday," its producers had their cake and ate it too by poking fun at the genre.
"I don't think we tried to play the earnest version," said producer Jennifer Gibgot, who originated the project after working with Efron in "Hairspray."
Critics were generally kind to the picture, which also stars "Friends" veteran Matthew Perry as the adult version of Efron, and Leslie Mann as his wife.
Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc, said it had been hoping for an opening in the low $20 million range, and was heartened by preliminary data showing that the PG-13 movie was playing to a wider audience than the 9-to-12-year-old tweens who made Efron a star in the "High School Musical" franchise.
EFRON AS LEADING MAN
Gibgot said her goal was to show that Efron, 21, could be a leading man. She envisaged future roles for him in smart thrillers or the sort of movies that made Michael J. Fox a star, like the "Back to the Future" series.
"State of Play," on the other hand, was dogged by the same challenges that have befallen other adult-oriented thrillers, such as "Michael Clayton" and "Duplicity." Older audiences generally don't flock to the cinemas on opening weekends, and may wait for the DVD.
"Adult films don't rock the box office," said Nikki Rocco, president of domestic distribution at Universal, a unit of General Electric Co's NBC Universal.
But she said "State of Play" was off to a solid start, and she hoped it would hold up well over the next few weekends.
The $60 million movie, based on a BBC miniseries, stars Crowe as a grizzled reporter who investigates a political conspiracy. The cast is rounded out by fellow Oscar-winner Helen Mirren as his editor and Ben Affleck as a politician. Critics were effusive in their praise.
"Crank: High Voltage," which did not screen in advance for critics, was released by Lionsgate, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. A spokesman was not immediately available for comment. The first film, "Crank," opened to $10.5 million in 2006 and ended up with $28 million.
Overall sales rose for the fourth consecutive year, when compared to the year-ago weekend, according to tracking firm Media By Numbers. Year-to-date sales are up 17 percent at $2.9 billion, placing the industry on a firm footing ahead of the summer movie-going period. "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" kicks off the lucrative season on May 1.

And the Box Office Champion this week is...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Teen idols the Jonas Brothers got beaten up by a pistol-packing granny at the weekend box office in North America, failing to live up to the hype generated by their concert movie.
"Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience" came in at No. 2 with estimated three-day sales of $12.7 million, distributor Walt Disney Co said on Sunday. The studio had hoped for $15 million, which itself paled against wild industry forecasts that reached as high as $25 million.
The film's core audience of screaming young girls was evidently outnumbered by the older black women who ensured that "Madea Goes to Jail" logged a second term at No. 1.
The comedy about a tough-talking old lady earned $16.5 million, taking its 10-day total to $64.9 million. The Lionsgate release has already become the biggest of the six movies prolific filmmaker Tyler Perry has released since February 2005. Perry, 39, dons drag to play Madea, a character featured in many of his critic-proof films and plays.
Lionsgate is a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment Corp, in which activist investor Carl Icahn recently disclosed that he had taken a 14.3 percent stake.
Meanwhile, "Slumdog Millionaire" jumped two places to a new high of No. 3, on the heels of its eight Oscar wins last Sunday. The Mumbai-set romantic drama earned $12.2 million, the biggest haul for a best-picture winner in at least 10 years, said News Corp-owned distributor Fox Searchlight.
The three-day haul represented a 45 percent increase over last weekend's sales, thanks in part to a boost in the theater count by almost a third. British director Danny Boyle's film has earned $115.1 million after 16 weekends.
MILEY VS. JONAS
The disappointing No. 2 start for "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience" is a rare setback for the fresh-faced siblings -- Kevin, 21, Joe, 19 and Nick, 16.
The best yardstick was Disney's hugely popular concert film "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds," which opened to $31.1 million a year ago, and ended up with $65.3 million.
But the earlier film was originally scheduled to be a one-week-only engagement, which stoked feverish demand. On the other hand, "Hannah Montana" opened in 683 theaters, while "Jonas Brothers" was playing in 1,271 outlets. Cyrus is arguably a bigger act, with her own Disney Channel TV show. The Jonas Brothers' own show will not premiere on the cable network until the summer.
Disney distribution president Chuck Viane said he was not disappointed with the debut, suggesting that some of the more bullish forecasts were unrealistic. With the average 3D theater auditorium holding just 240 people, attendance was "very, very good," he said.
Overall ticket sales rose for the fourth consecutive weekend, and for the ninth time in 10 weekends. The populist offerings are providing recession-weary moviegoers with some modestly priced escapism, studio executives said.
Tracking firm Media by Numbers said revenues are up 17 percent at $1.8 billion so far this year, while the number of tickets sold is up 15 percent.
One of the biggest surprises of the year is the Liam Neeson thriller "Taken," which earned $10 million in its fifth weekend, rising one place to No. 4. Its tally stands at $108 million, giving the Irish actor his biggest headlining role. The movie, released by News Corp's Twentieth Century Fox, was produced and financed by French filmmaker Luc Besson.
Another female-driven movie, "He's Just Not That Into You," swapped places with "Taken," earning $5.9 million. The total for Warner Bros. Pictures' ensemble romance stands at $78.5 million after four weekends. The studio is a unit of Time Warner Inc.
Twentieth Century Fox had less success with the only other new entry in the top 10. "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li" opened at No. 8 with $4.7 million. But the studio said it was distributing the film for a fee on behalf of closely held producer Hyde Park, and was happy with the debut.

And the Box Office Champion is...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than to watch college kids get slaughtered in a remake of "Friday the 13th"?

The revival of the venerable slasher franchise easily took the No. 1 spot at the North American box office this weekend, setting a new record for a horror opening with estimated sales of $42.2 million, distributor Warner Bros. Pictures said on Sunday.

The old mark was held by "The Grudge" with a $39 million debut in 2004. That film had a less-restrictive PG-13 rating, while the R rating for "Friday the 13th" ostensibly prevented fans under age 17 from buying tickets unless accompanied by an adult.

The new film is essentially a remake of the 1980 film that kicked off the horror series and eventually introduced a hockey-masked villain named Jason. His most recent appearance, in 2003's "Freddy vs. Jason," generated a $36.4 million opening.

Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc, predicted "Friday the 13th" would end up in the $48 million range once sales for the U.S. Presidents Day holiday on Monday were calculated.

The film was directed by German filmmaker Marcus Nispel, who shot the hit 2004 retread of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." Both films were produced by "Transformers" director Michael Bay, whose Platinum Dunes banner specializes in low-budget horror remakes.

Also new this weekend were Walt Disney Co's Isla Fisher comedy "Confessions of a Shopaholic" at No. 4 with a modest $15.4 million, and Columbia Pictures' Clive Owen thriller "The International" at No. 7 with $10 million.

Columbia, a unit of Sony Corp, also had a disappointment last weekend with "The Pink Panther 2" ($22 million to date). But the studio's surprise hit comedy "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" crashed through the century mark, tallying $110.5 million after an $11.7 million weekend.

Last weekend's champion, Warner Bros.' ensemble romance "He's Just Not That Into You," slipped to No. 2 with $19.6 million, taking its 10-day tally to $55.1 million. The comedy, based on a self-help book that was itself inspired by the TV show "Sex and the City," revolves around the lives and loves of various couples. The A-list lineup includes Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Ben Affleck and Scarlett Johansson.

The thriller "Taken" fell one place to No. 3 with $19.3 million in its third weekend. Liam Neeson plays a father in a race against time to prevent his kidnapped teen daughter's virginity from being taken by an Arab sheikh. The surprise success, produced by French filmmaker Luc Besson, has earned $77.9 million to date, and should hit $120 million, said distributor 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp.

And the Box Office Champion this week is...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – "He's Just Not That Into You," a comedy featuring Jennifer Aniston and Drew Barrymore, romanced the North American box office on Sunday, as overall ticket sales defied the recessionary gloom.
The new champ earned $27.5 million during the three days beginning on Friday, with women accounting for 80 percent of the audience, said its distributor, Warner Bros. Pictures.
The movie -- based on a book that was itself inspired by the TV show "Sex and the City" -- revolves around the lives and loves of various couples. Despite the A-list lineup -- which also included Ben Affleck and Scarlett Johannson -- critics largely disapproved.
Its success marks an early birthday present for former "Friends" star Aniston, who turns 40 on Wednesday and is still riding high with her recent box office champ "Marley & Me."
Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc, was confident the film would hold up well next weekend, when business will be boosted by Valentine's Day on Saturday.
Three other pictures opened in the top 10. The biggest disappointment was Steve Martin's "The Pink Panther 2," which came in at No. 4 with $12 million. The first film in Columbia Pictures' revived comedy franchise opened with $20 million in 2006 and ended up with $82 million. Despite the sequel's performance, Columbia's worldwide distribution president Rory Bruer said he "wouldn't bet against" a third film going into production.
DAKOTA DUO
Also new were Focus Features' stop-motion animated entry "Coraline" at No. 3 with $16.3 million and Summit Entertainment's sci-fi thriller "Push" at No. 6 with $10.2 million. Both did better than expected, and both feature 14-year-old actress Dakota Fanning.
Last weekend's No. 1 film, 20th Century Fox's Liam Neeson crime thriller "Taken," slipped to No. 2 with $20.3 million; its 10-day total rose to $53.4 million.
The top Oscar contenders, meanwhile, have largely stalled. The only exception was "Slumdog Millionaire," the favorite to take the best picture prize in two weeks. Fox Searchlight's Indian game-show drama has earned $77.4 million after 13 weeks, boosted by a $7.4 million weekend. It fell one place to No. 7.
No other Oscar contenders made the top 10. The leading nominee, Paramount Pictures' "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," with 13 mentions, has earned $120 million, and will struggle to match its reported $150 million budget.
As for the other best picture nominees, Focus Features' "Milk" has made $25.3 million; Universal Pictures' "Frost/Nixon," $15.6 million; and the Weinstein Co's "The Reader," $16.1 million.
But moviegoers are lining up for other movies as evidenced by overall ticket sales, which have risen for six out of the past seven weekends when compared with year-ago tallies. Year-to-date revenues are up 19 percent, said tracking firm Media By Numbers.
The year's top movie is also the most notable Oscar snub, Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino." Warner Bros.' urban drama has earned $120.3 million since opening in limited release in mid-December, and is on its way to $140 million, the studio said.

And the Box Office Champion this week is...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Kevin James comedy "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" captured the top spot at the North American box office for a second week in a row, beating back a challenge by the vampires and werewolves of "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans."
"Mall Cop," which stars James as a bumbling shopping mall security guard who takes on a gang of high-tech crooks, sold an estimated $21.5 million in tickets over the weekend and has now taken in a strong total of $64.8 million in two weeks, distributor Columbia Pictures said on Sunday.
James, the star of the sitcom "The King of Queens," also co-wrote and co-produced "Mall Cop," which was made for a modest $26 million and has become a major box office hit despite taking a drubbing from critics.
"This movie was not made for the critics, it was made for the audience, and that certainly paid off," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of the box office tracking and analysis firm Media By Numbers.
"Its going to be a $100 million-plus movie now and I don't think anybody thought that was possible," he said.
Dergarabedian said that the success of "Cop" meant that "Kevin James is now a bona fide movie star" after nine years on television and in mostly sidekick film roles.
"Underworld," the third film in an action series chronicling a centuries-old battle between vampires and werewolves, also had a strong debut, falling just short of the top spot with $20.7 million.
Dergarabedian said "Underworld" had proven to be a reliable franchise, after the first two films claimed the top spot.
"The only reason this one didn't was because the vampires and werewolves had Paul Blart to contend with," he said.
In third place was Clint Eastwood's gritty suburban drama "Gran Torino," which took in $16 million to run its total to date to $97.6 million.
This weekend's box office tally also reflected the Oscar nominations, which gave a significant bounce to most of the contending films.
"Slumdog Millionaire," the tale of an impoverished orphan's improbably game-show victory which received 10 Academy Award nominations, including best picture, saw ticket sales up 80 percent to $10.5 million, putting it in the fifth spot behind family comedy "Hotel for Dogs."
And "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," which led all films with 13 Oscar nominations, returned to the top 10 by taking in $6 million over the weekend, good enough for 9th on the list and pushing the Brad Pitt star vehicle to $111 million total.

Wolverine to host the Oscars?

Yup! This sounds like a desperation move to me.

After last year's disappointing performance by John Stewart, that resulted in the lowest ratings ever for the telecast, the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences have asked Hugh Jackman, actor, singer and dancer, best known for his roles in the X-Men series as Wolverine, to host the 81st Academy Awards in Hollywood on Feb. 22nd of next year.

The Academy says that a "new look and a new direction is needed".

In other words, the have fallen behind in the times!

The couldn't capture the younger audience they want!

They say, and I quote, "There will be more emphasis in dance and song this time."

Get ready to see crappy Oscars next year!

I don't dislike Hugh Jackman as a host, he has been a great host at the Tony Awards for theater, and will give some glamour back at the ceremony that was lacking in the last few years. But if the Academy wanted a new direction, why don't they try this method...

Nominate movies that actually people watch!!!!

Look at the Golden Globes this year, they have nominated a lot of art films that have bombed at the box office.

Can somebody say what film was this year's top performer?

That's right class..."The Dark Knight"!

How many nominations for the GG's? One for Heath Ledger.

BORING!!!! Bet your sweet bippy I'm not watching that old fart snooze fest!!!

If the Oscars are going that way, in ten years, they'll be gone from TV.