Oscar 2010: More Best Picture Contenders

Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw in Bright Star

Oscar 2010: Early Predictions for Best Picture Part I
Among the top runners-up in that category are: Jane Campion’s period romance Bright Star, which would have a much better chance had its box-office figures been more impressive; Quentin Tarantino’s dark World War II fantasy Inglourious Basterds; Marc Webb’s quirky 500 Days of Summer; Tom Hooper’s The Damned United, about Leeds United coach Brian Clough; Tom Ford’s A Single Man, based on a Christopher Isherwood novel; Michael Moore’s anti-Wall Street Capitalism: A Love Story; and Pete Docter’s animated hit Up.

And here are some more: Clint Eastwood’s Invictus (above, with Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon), adapted by Anthony Peckham from John Carlin’s [...]

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE Dominates Box Office

Online leak or no, X-Men Origins: Wolverine slashed its competition at the North American box office with a remarkable $87 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Released by 20th Century Fox, the Gavin Hood-directed action spectacle scored an average of $21,225 per theater at 4,099 locations.
Starring Hugh Jackman in the title role, the film follows Wolverine as he seeks revenge against the evil-minded Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber) and William Stryker (Danny Huston). Also in the cast are Ryan Reynolds and Taylor Kitsch.

Debuting in second place with $15.3 million was Mark Waters‘ latest romantic comedy, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, which stars Matthew McConaughey as a celeb photographer [...]

Beyonce’s OBSESSED at the Top of the Box Office

Beyoncé Knowles‘ Obsessed defeated its competition at the North American box office with $28.5 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
In the Steve Shill-directed thriller, Idris Elba co-stars as a successful asset manager who gets into trouble with his wife (Knowles) when his new temp (Ali Larter) starts stalking him.

At No. 2, last week’s box office winner 17 Again collected another $11.6 million, lifting its domestic total to $39.9 million. Starring Zac Efron, the comedy follows a 37-year-old who gets to relive his past as a 17-year-old.

New release Fighting debuted in third place with $11.4 million. Directed by Dito Montiel, the drama follows Channing Tatum [...]

Zac Efron’s 17 AGAIN at the Top of the Box Office

Zac Efron’s latest teen comedy, 17 Again, beat the competition at the North American box office this weekend with $24 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Directed by Burr Steers, the film follows a 37-year-old man who despises his existence and gets to relive his past as a 17-year-old. Leslie Mann, Thomas Lennon and Michelle Trachtenberg co-star.

Debuting in second place with $14 million was Kevin Macdonald’s thriller State of Play, which stars Russell Crowe as a print journalist who launched his own investigation into the murder of a congressman’s assistant. Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren and Rachel McAdams round out the lead cast.

Things didn’t turned out as well [...]

Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren, Rachel McAdams in STATE OF PLAY Photos

Ben Affleck

Helen Mirren

Rachel McAdams

Ben Affleck

Robin Wright Penn, Ben Affleck
Photos: © Universal Pictures
Click on the photos to enlarge them.

 
Ben Affleck, Russell Crowe in STATE OF PLAY Photos
Sylvia Miles, John Barry at MIDNIGHT COWBOY Screening
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Ben Affleck, Russell Crowe in STATE OF PLAY Photos

Ben Affleck, Russell Crowe

Directed by Kevin Macdonald and adapted by Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy, and Billy Ray from Paul Abbott’s television series, the thriller State of Play stars Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright Penn, Jeff Daniels, Justin Bateman, and Michael Berresse.
State of Play opens in the US on April 19.
Official site
Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren, Rachel McAdams in STATE OF PLAY
Photos: © Universal Pictures
Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Helen Mirren, Rachel McAdams, Russell Crowe

Helen Mirren, Russell Crowe

Jeff Daniels, Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck

 
Sylvia Miles, John Barry at MIDNIGHT COWBOY Screening
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