Posted: 07 Jan 2010 01:22 AM PST

(AP) — Winners at the 36th annual People's Choice Awards:

? Favorite Movie: "Twilight."

? Favorite On-Screen Team: "The Twilight Saga."

? Favorite Franchise: "The Twilight Saga."

? Favorite Breakout Movie Actor: Taylor Lautner.

? Favorite Movie Actress: Sandra Bullock.

? Favorite Comedy Movie: "The Proposal."

? Favorite Independent Movie: "Inglourious Basterds."

? Favorite Action Star: Hugh Jackman.

? Favorite Comedic Star: Jim Carrey.

CONTINUED 1 | 2 | 3 Next

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Taylor Swift, Taylor Lautner Top Movie Poll - ABC News

Posted: 05 Jan 2010 10:18 PM PST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Apparently movie fans failed to get the memo that these two young romantics have broken up.

Teen heartthrob Taylor Lautner and "Fearless" singer Taylor Swift on Tuesday landed atop online movie ticket seller Fandango.com's annual "Hot List" as the new on-screen couple film fans can't wait to see together on movie screens.

Based on results of an informal online poll, the couple dubbed 'Tay-Squared' in the media who star in upcoming romantic comedy "Valentine's Day," outranked other new on-screen pairings of Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler, as well as Jennifer Lopez and Alex O'Loughlin.

Even though many film lovers seem eager to see the 17 year-old Lautner and the 20 year-old Swift connect on film in "Valentine's Day," which opens on February 12, in real life the romance between the two appears to have fizzled out.

Celebrity magazines People and Us revealed last week that Lautner and Swift, after going on a number of dates, have decided to just stay friends instead of pursuing romance.

The Fandango "Hot List" also showed that comic book movie sequel "Iron Man 2," starring Robert Downey Jr, is the most anticipated 2010 release, with 18 percent of respondents in the poll picking it as their first choice.

That was followed closely by "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I" with 17 percent and vampire romance "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" with 15 percent.

The Fandango poll rated Swift the "next big movie star of 2010" based on her supporting role in "Valentine's Day."

But expect Swift to compete for attention in "Valentine's Day" from plenty of already established stars. The film also features Jessica Alba, Jamie Foxx, Kathy Bates, Jessica Biel, Patrick Dempsey, Julia Roberts and others.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

The UBS Evening Television & Movie News 1.07.10 - 411mania.com

Posted: 06 Jan 2010 08:43 PM PST

The UBS Evening Television & Movie News 1.07.10
Posted by George H. Sirois on 01.07.2010

This week, we're taking a look back at some "Strange Days," seeing 2012 coming home in 2010, dealing with Spider-Man's decision makers not making a decision, and welcoming a new director to the Bond franchise. All this and more – plus Andy Critchell's Photo News Brief – in The "I told you so, Sam!" Edition…

Welcome everyone to the latest edition of the UBS Evening Movie News. I'm George H. Sirois, and if you're on Twitter, you can find me HERE! And don't forget, for all of you who are new to 411Mania.com, make sure you check out all of our zones. We have some of the best writers on the Internet right here, and we love to hear from all of you! So keep coming back to read what we have for you, make us your homepage and if you have Facebook, make sure to join our group HERE!

CHOSEN ONES, STEP FORWARD!

"Eons ago, on the planet known as Denab IV, its creator Excelsior appeared as a vision to several people he deemed "Chosen Ones." Those lucky few were selected by him to lead their fellow Denarians in keeping the planet as the paradise he always envisioned. As each passing generation of the Chosen Ones reached a certain age, Excelsior visited them in their dreams to give them the wisdom necessary to pick up where the previous generation left off. This continued on until Excelsior's spiritual form was cast down to the planet he had taken such care in crafting.

Although I didn't reach the goal of 50 pre-orders, I did pass 40 and I have a lot of people to thank for that. There's still plenty of time to get your orders in, so remember, if you send in your order, then you are not only guaranteed your own personally autographed copy, but you are also guaranteed a spot in the acknowledgements section in the back of the book. If you'd like to read a book that I take a lot of pride in writing – and have an added bonus of seeing your own name in print – then by all means, click on the button below…

And feel free to check out the new blog for the novel HERE!

This week's going to be a short one, since I noticed on my schedule that I have to be in on Wednesday afternoon instead of Wednesday morning. So there won't be a Mad Prophet rant this week, but I'll make sure to have one on hand for next week.

And with that, on with the news!

SYBIL THE SOOTHSAYER

DVD NEWS

Just in time to be out after Valentine's Day, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has already slated to bring 2012 to DVD and Blu-Ray Disc on March 2.

We already know the opinions of some of our esteemed colleagues here at 411Mania, but just in case you don't, let's just say this won't be on many "Must-Have" lists. But if you want it, then more power to you and let's take a look at the features you'll be getting with it.

The DVD version will feature a Commentary Track with Writer/Director Roland Emmerich and Co-Writer Harald Kloser, as well as a selection of Deleted Scenes and an Alternate Ending. Also included is the "Time For Miracles" Music Video by Adam Lambert and the Featurette "Roland Emmerich: The Master of the Modern Epic."

On Blu-Ray Disc, the film will be available as a single-disc release and a 2-disc version that also includes the DVD version and a Digital Copy. Unlike the DVD version, the Blu-Ray version will be packed with bonus materials, including the extras found on the DVD. In addition, you will get a Making Of Featurette for the "Time For Miracles" Music Video and a Countdown to the Future.

A Picture-in-picture Video Commentary called "Roland's Vision" includes Pre-Visualization, storyboards and behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with filmmakers, cast and crew as you watch the film. A series of additional featurettes will also be included, such as "Designing the End of the World," "Science Behind the Destruction" and "The End of the World: The Actor's Perspective."

movieIQ and BD-Live connect you to real-time information on the cast, music, trivia and more while watching the movie and an Interactive Mayan Calendar will give you the chance to enter a date to reveal your horoscope and personality profile! It is complemented by the Mysteries of the Mayan Calendar featurette.

You gotta hand it to Emmerich & Co. They made sure their DVD customers were getting their money's worth.

Credit: DVDReview.com

CLASSIC MOVIE TRAILER OF THE WEEK: Strange Days

We discussed this in last week's podcast, and I was reminded of how effective the original teaser was. So for your viewing pleasure, enjoy…

JIM WEBBING AND HIS IT'S THE HONEST TRUTH DEPARTMENT

Well, at least nobody wants to use a clone: The latest Spidey sequel is proving villainously difficult to plot out.

Sony and director Sam Raimi are at loggerheads over which direction to go with the villains for the latest installment -- an impasse which has prompted the studio to delay its scheduled spring production start and potentially to bump the pic from its May 11, 2011 release slot.

Raimi wants to have a criminal known as the Vulture act as the primary antagonist in the film while the studio, which dislikes the idea of the winged wrongdoer, is pushing for a romantic sub-plot involving a burglar named the Black Cat in addition to another villain.

A succession of writers has tried to marry the two parties' differing visions to no effect.

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire ("Rabbit Hole") was hired in October 2008 to pen a key version of the screenplay, on top of the earlier version penned by James Vanderbilt ("Zodiac"). Last year, Sony brought in Gary Ross -- Oscar-nominated for his adapted script on 2003's "Seabiscuit" -- which he also helmed.

Alvin Sargent is penning the latest iteration.

Word of the Sony-Raimi conflict first surfaced mid-December on genre Web site IESB, but at the time Sony denied the report, saying tweaking of the script was "nothing unusual."

The differing views about the villain have their origins in the making of "Spider-Man 3."

Raimi, a fan of the wall-crawling super-hero since the character's 1960s debut, wanted to use classic villain Vulture in addition to Sandman, another classic creation, for that movie. The studio pushed him to use Venom, a character that was introduced in the late 1980s, because it thought that character, with its slick alien-symbiote origin, would lend itself to more effective marketing material and a way to attract "the kids."

"Spider-Man 3," while ensnaring $890 million in its worldwide web, turned out to be reviled by both the fanboy community and by many critics. In addition to a hefty paycheck, Raimi purportedly returned to helm the fourth installment in order to leave the series on a high note.

Production still could begin by this summer. While Sony insiders maintain the pic still could remain in its current release date, a shift to a date later in summer 2011 may be more likely considering the lack of a final script for the visual effects-driven project.

A few months ago, while I was manning the main elevator at Top of the Rock, I got to see Sam Raimi heading up to the observation deck I can only assume he was location scouting for Spider-Man 4 so it's a shame that nobody can come up with an agreeable direction for this film.

However, I hate to tell Sam & Co. that I told you so, but I TOLD YOU SO! You may remember my breakdown of Spider-Man 3 after its release and how the third one seemed like the last part of a trilogy because of all the elements thrown into it. Since everyone kept saying they likely wouldn't be back for a fourth, they had multiple villains and multiple storylines that would have normally fit two separate movies, which would make any sequel after that seem small by comparison since they threw so much into this one.

Now, of course, with everyone on board to come back for a fourth film, the powers-that-be can't get on the same page about how to handle this one. I hate to disagree with the director, but after dealing with Venom in the third one (a missed opportunity, but they still dealt with him), bringing in someone like The Vulture just doesn't have the same punch to it. It reminds me too much of having Mr. Freeze right after The Riddler, and we all know how well THAT turned out.

Credit: Hollywood Reporter

Taking the Road to Bondition: It's Mendes. Sam Mendes.

The British helmer is in negotiations to direct the 23rd installment of the James Bond franchise.

Production is being fast-tracked and could begin as early as June with an eye toward a 2011 release. Plans for the film are moving forward despite a possible sale of MGM. Sony co-produced and distributed the most recent installment of the 007 series with MGM.

Bond regulars Neal Purvis and Robert Wade are writing, along with "Frost/Nixon" scribe Peter Morgan. Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are producing. Daniel Craig will reprise his role as 007.

The film will be Mendes' first action-heavy project, though his 2005 effort Jarhead was set amid U.S. war in Kuwait. Mendes' most recent directorial effort, the road-trip dramedy Away We Go, grossed $10 million domestically last summer.

Marc Forster directed the previous Bond film, 2008's Quantum of Solace, which grossed $586 million worldwide.

Mendes is repped by CAA.

I still have yet to sit down and watch Quantum of Solace, but it took me an equally long time to watch Casino Royale, and I felt that was worth the wait. In the meantime, I do believe Mendes is a damn good director, and it's going to be interesting to see what he brings to the James Bond table. So I wish him the best of luck and hope this goes well for him and for the rest of the fans who have bought into the Daniel Craig era…

Credit: Hollywood Reporter

Now it's one of the most ironic titles ever: Screen Gems' recent heist film "Armored" could have used its own security detail over the holidays. The film, which Sony opened theatrically Dec. 4, was accidentally released last week on the company's PlayStation Network.

"Due to an error, the movie 'Armored' was briefly available for download on PlayStation Network ahead of schedule," said a Sony Computer Entertainment rep, who estimated the breach to be a few hours. "It was removed from the service as soon as we became aware of the issue and we have taken steps to ensure this won't happen again."

It was unclear how many times the Matt Dillon starrer was downloaded from the network, which has 33 million registered users worldwide. The film then became available on myriad pirate film sites.

"Armored" has grossed $15.8 million theatrically. The accident could impact sales of the film's DVD, which hasn't been dated yet.

Blogs speculated that Sony may have actually been planning to release "Armored" on the PlayStation Network before the DVD release -- as the studio did with "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" -- and just hit the button too early.

Everyone needs a laugh every now and then, and reading this news bit definitely accomplished that for me. How perfect is this, that a movie about an armored car – appropriately titled ARMORED – gets released way too early into the PlayStation network? Just goes to show you that you can have the most bulletproof walls and the best state-of-the-art anti-theft equipment around and it won't mean a damn thing if someone leaves the front door unlocked.

Oh, and Sony, just to let you know, judging by how the film came and went, I'd concentrate on how much money you'll be bringing in from rentals, not sales. But who knows, maybe this little glitch will result in the right people seeing it and realizing they DO want to buy it. But then again, I'm an optimist at heart.

Credit: Variety

FILM MUSIC NEWS
Download This Week's Issue at: www.filmmusicweekly.com.

VOX POPULI

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: January 1 – 3, 2010

1. Avatar: $68,490,688
Total: $352,114,898
2. Sherlock Holmes: $36,685,000
Total: $139,425,000
3. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel: $35,189,653
Total: $155,916,935
4. It's Complicated: $18,802,965
Total: $59,178,840
5. The Blind Side: $11,855,000
Total: $208,482,000
6. Up in the Air: $10,720,052
Total: $44,375,265
7. The Princess and the Frog: $9,824,311
Total: $85,859,339
8. Did You Hear About the Morgans?: $4,932,338
Total: $25,312,384
9. Nine: $3,901,203
Total: $13,745,976
10. Invictus: $3,890,000
Total: $30,590,000

Credit: BoxOfficeGuru.com

AND NOW, A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR

Click here to take part in the latest discussions in the Past/Current Movies Thread at the 411Movies/TV Forum.

CHECK OUT MY INTERVIEW WITH RECORDING ARTIST STAN BUSH HERE!

SHOP AT THE 411MANIA MALL HERE!

CHECK OUT AARON BRAUNSTEIN'S SHOW "WISEGUYS, BLACK GUYS AND RABBIS" MONDAY – THURSDAY 6PM – 7PM HERE!

BE SURE TO READ MY REVIEW OF RALPH VACCHIANO'S NEW BOOK, "ELI MANNING: THE MAKING OF A QUARTERBACK," HERE IN THE 411MANIA SPORTS ZONE...

END OF AN ERA: Scene Anatomy 101 Issue #200 can be seen here.

And check out these other areas of 411Mania while you're at it…

The 411 Wrestling Zone
The 411 Music Zone
The 411 Politics Zone
The 411 Games Zone
The 411 Boxing Zone
The 411 MMA Zone

ANDY CRITCHELL'S INTERACTIVE BABE PHOTO NEWS BRIEF WITH ANDY CRITCHELL

Good day my friends! For this week's gal, I picked a face you may find familiar; Adriana Karembeu. Adriana is a Slovakian model who gained a lot of notoriety back in the day for being the first Wonderbra model. While she is not as popular in the US anymore, she is still a pretty big deal in Europe and she still looks damn good. Let's check her out: