Last weekend saw Sensei call “Twilight” very close to its actual numbers. He also gave “Happy Feet Two” a much deserved tongue lashing. This week “Twilight” tries to fight off newcomers to hold the top spot.

This weekend’s predictions and revenue results go as follows:

1. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part One ($39 million, Fri-Sun) ($53 million, Wed-Sun) – This blockbuster’s inevitable second-week drop falls in line with previous “Twilight” entries. The film still holds its “event” feel just enough to fight off all the newcomers.

2. The Muppets ($37 million, Fri-Sun) ($51 million, Wed-Sun) - This film has had top-notch marketing and is looking at a “Smurfs”-like opening for its efforts. Numerous family films are in the marketplace this week and will pull a few numbers away. Still, the film has a rare appeal for both younger and older audiences that will factor into the hunt for the weekend crown. (more…)

Though some interns are still unaccounted for, we’ve finally recovered from our one-year anniversary bash. In case you missed anything, catch up on all the essays and special items here. Now that we’ve located our home computers (turns out they were buried under what remains of the Green Zone pinata), we are back in business.

Our predicted box-office and revenue rankings:

1. Contagion ($25 million) – Outside of a precious few, almost every other film out this weekend is either tanking or disappointing. That gives “Contagion” a solid chance on its 3100+ screens to overcome actor Matt Damon’s recent box office troubles and take the top spot. Let’s be clear though, if “Warrior” was on as many screens it would win the weekend. 

It’s that time of the year again — Oscar time!  (Cue “Hooray It’s Hollywood!” music.)  I know it’s supposed to be uncool to care, but I grew up watching the Oscars with my mom every year, and just can’t kick the habit.

Like some grim tribal ritual whose original meaning is lost in the mists of time, I will most probably sit down in front of the tube at the appointed hour, and brace myself for the onslaught of awkward acceptance speeches, corny jokes, and interminable dance numbers (please, God, no dance numbers!).

The experts agree there are two main contenders for Best Picture.  (What would we do without experts?)  One is a movie about a peaceful, idyllic land invaded by an evil military force trying to steal their resources.  The other one is called Avatar.

The struggle between Avatar and The Hurt Locker has gone back and forth.  Avatar was an early favorite, but Hurt Locker seems to have enjoyed a late General Petraeus-like surge.

Then in the final days, an ugly controversy struck Hurt Locker as one of its producers had the gall to ask people to vote for his movie.  Imagine that!  Doesn’t he know that Hollywood is a respectable place where aggressive self-promotion and crass commercialism are strictly off-limits? (more…)

My research at the La Brea tar pits has uncovered even more Nostradamus Quatrains that just may, (I repeat in the name of truth and science); may pertain to our current national situation. My humble opinion as to what the Quatrain just might be saying is in parentheses next to the listing. You be the judge. (Additional research at Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank and J.G Melon’s in NYC.)

Quatrain 3 Century XMII (The Vice President)

Then came in the wild stories. The tall of the truth will be at full ebb. Laughter from high rooms of the House of White walls. Quash factus, push out all that matters in truth. Rove on in the snicker. Wash away all the real and only then the Byden will spin the tallest tales and really shovel the crap. (more…)

Michael Sheen has two movies in release this weekend. The classically-trained Welsh actor plays Lucien in the wildly commercial Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (Sony), opening on about 3,000 screens, and he plays David Frost in Frost/Nixon (Universal), expanding to about 800 playdates.

He is a classically-trained stage actor, who has starred in heavyweight UK productions of Romeo and Juliet, Henry V, Amadeus and The Dresser, was somehow overlooked by both Hollywood Foreign Press and Oscar voters when he starred as Tony Blair in 2006’s The Queen. (He was outshined by Helen Mirren, who won every acting prize imaginable). This year, he is in the shadow of Frank Langella’s towering portrayal of President Richard Nixon in Frost/Nixon.

As an aside, The Queen was the second in screenwriter Peter Morgan’s Tony Blair trilogy. The first film was called The Deal for British television and tells the story of the rivalry between Blair and current British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. (This is a great title to put in your Netflix or Blockbuster cue.) The final film will be called The Special Relationship, which will focus on the intimate friendship between the British PM and President Bill Clinton between 1997-2000. Sheen has signed on, but there is no word on who will play Clinton. Morgan says the idea for the third film began to germinate when he heard that Blair and Clinton were alone together when Vice President Al Gore conceded the 2000 election.

In the meantime, Sheen will almost certainly have the #1 movie in America this weekend with Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. This is the third Underworld movie, but it is a prequel set in the dark ages with Sheen as Lucien, a young werewolf, who leads a war against Bill Nighy as Viktor, the leader of the vampire race. (more…)