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The Cat in The Hat Tops US Most Popular Movie List!
Cat comes back. The comedy film adapted from a popular children's book is number one for a second straight week according to studio estimates; but it's just a whisker ahead of a new family comedy - this one based on a popular and scary theme park ride. Alan Silverman lists the week's top five films at North American theaters starting with an adventure of men, ships and the sea at number five.
The 19th century British Navy exploits from the popular novels by Patrick O'Brien come to the screen in Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World. Russell Crowe is captain 'Lucky Jack' Aubrey.
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Capt. Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) confers with friend, ship's surgeon Dr. Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany)
(Photo courtesy 20th Century Fox, Universal Studios and Miramax Film Corp.) |
| "I've never concerned myself with the commerciality of movies. It's got to be something that people can watch in 10 years and it's still relevant in terms of its story... if not 20 years. If you go back all the way through the movies that I've made, the emphasis always has been on 'what is the story,' says Crowe.
Directed by Peter Weir, Master And Commander sails on in fifth place.
Halle Berry is a psychiatrist who may be haunted or may just be losing her mind in the gothic thriller Gothika. Either way, Berry says it's scary.
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Halle Berry in scene from Gothika
(Photo courtesy Columbia pictures |
| "Usually it's good music that sort of starts to freak me out. I remember when I watched Jaws, all I had to hear was [the music] and I'm already scared," admits Berry. "It's the music that gets me going. I also like when the scares come and they're not in predictable places and you don't expect it. There are some scares that do scare you but you kind of know it's about to come. Those rare moments when you can have a real scare that you're not expecting is what I really like."
Penelope Cruz co-stars and Gothika slips to number four.
The top three spots belong to family-friendly films. Elf stands tall as the first hit of the holiday season. Will Ferrell stars as a normal human raised at the North Pole by Santa's elves. When he finds out his true background he travels to New York to find his real father, played by perennial tough guy James Caan.
"I think it's pretty funny. It's a Christmas 'feel good' movie for grown-ups as well; and Will is really funny," he says.
Elf, directed by Jon Favreau, is held over in third place.
The Disney studio had a big hit earlier in the year with Pirates Of The Caribbean, inspired by a ride at the Magic Kingdom theme parks. From that Adventureland attraction go past Frontierland to Liberty Square and the next ride adapted for the screen: The Haunted Mansion.
Eddie Murphy stars as a real estate agent who really earns his commission trying to sell the specter-infested estate.
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Eddie Murphy in scene from The Haunted Mansion
(Photo courtesy Disney) |
| "Whenever I go to Disneyland that's one of the first rides I want to go to. I don't know what causes the mystique about haunted houses and all that type of stuff, but I always like it," says Murphy. "Whenever I go to theme parks I like the 'spooky house' and The Haunted Mansion is the definitive spooky house. The movie has much more happening than the ride. You go on the ride and it is what it is; but the movie is imagination run wild."
Veteran English actor Terence Stamp plays the creepy butler; Jennifer Tilley is the medium inside her own crystal ball; and Oscar-winning creature-maker Rick Baker creates the look of the 999 odd ghosts lurking about. The Haunted Mansion has a strong debut in second place; but there is no scaring The Cat In The Hat from the top spot. Mike Myers brings his ribald humor to the screen version of the oversized feline from the Dr. Seuss children's classic.
"The Cat In The Hat still is my favorite book of all time because of its central idea that it's fun to have fun, but you have to know how," says Myers. "For people who don't know how to have fun it says 'lighten up;' for people who have too much fun, it says 'have fun in balance.'"
The Cat In The Hat weathers withering negative reviews to land on its feet in first place. For the second straight week, it's the most popular movie at North American theaters.
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| The School of Rock |
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| The world's least-employable heavy metal guitarist is entrusted with the minds of upstate New York's best and brightest in this fish-out-of-water comedy. Jack Black plays Dewey Finn, axe-bearer for a fitfully successful bar band determined to win a regional battle-of-the-bands competition. There's only one thing standing in their way: the self-indulgent solos and crowd-diving antics of their "embarrassing" lead guitarist. When his band votes him out in favor of a would-be rock god, Dewey has to make the rent somehow, and after intercepting a call for his substitute-teacher roomie Ned (Mike White), the pot-bellied ... Read moreThe world's least-employable heavy metal guitarist is entrusted with the minds of upstate New York's best and brightest in this fish-out-of-water comedy. Jack Black plays Dewey Finn, axe-bearer for a fitfully successful bar band determined to win a regional battle-of-the-bands competition. There's only one thing standing in their way: the self-indulgent solos and crowd-diving antics of their "embarrassing" lead guitarist. When his band votes him out in favor of a would-be rock god, Dewey has to make the rent somehow, and after intercepting a call for his substitute-teacher roomie Ned (Mike White), the pot-bellied slacker finds himself in front of a class of elite elementary school students. At a loss for a lesson plan, Dewey takes offense at the pre-teen prodigies' staid musical regimen and makes it his goal to preach them the gospel of the Who, Led Zeppelin, and AC/DC -- with the ulterior motive of getting them to compete against his former band for a cash prize. But no matter how willing his pupils, Dewey runs up against the consternation of the school's stern headmistress Principal Mullins (Joan Cusack), the battle-of-the-bands' promoter (Frank Whaley), and not least, his identity-deprived roomie Ned. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide Hide full summary | | |
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Behind the Kiss
What Really Happend.
And why is everyone talking about it?
Madonna nags Britney. Plus, Gwyneth turns the tables on paparazzi
by BeatBoxBetty
While Madonna made the world froth at the mouth with last week's lip-lock on Britney Spears at the MTV Video Music Awards, word behind the scenes is that the 45-year-old superstar acted more like Britney's mom than some smooch stealing seductress.
According to the Daily Mirror, Madonna was overheard nagging Spears about her smoking. One time during rehearsal, she actually told Britney that she really should give up the bad habit. "Madonna was telling her she shouldn't smoke," said spokeswoman Liz Rosenburg. "It was a really funny exchange."
But despite the fact that Britney's all-time favorite idol was telling her to snub out the butts, it doesn't look like the scolding will change her perspective on smoking anytime soon. The pop princess claims that she likes the way cigarettes make her voice sound. Whatever.
And while smoking hasn't lost its appeal, the very thought of kissing another woman has Britney's tight tummy all in knots. On the now famous kiss, she told Access Hollywood, "My mom liked it actually, and my dad, weirdly enough, thought it was fine, too." But on CNN's Crossfire, Britney back-peddled briefly and admitted that she didn't realize that the kiss "was going to be that long... I have never kissed a woman before. Would I do it again? No. Oh, maybe with Madonna."
Sure, that's all fine and dandy, but knowing how the former Material Girl feels about puffing, you might want to gargle a bit beforehand Britney.
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