The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies
The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies |
- Big ratings for Globes, high praise for Fey, Poehler
- New report reopens questions over Natalie Wood death
- 'Zero Dark Thirty' tops N. American box office
| Big ratings for Globes, high praise for Fey, Poehler Posted: 14 Jan 2013 10:12 PM PST Ben Affleck and "Argo" were not the only big winners at Sunday's Golden Globes - the show itself scored big numbers in the ratings while co-hosts Tiny Fey and Amy Poehler won warm notices from critics and fans alike. Sunday's broadcast of the 70th annual Golden Globe Awards received its best ratings in six years, outpacing other award shows such as the Emmys and People's Choice Awards, NBC said on Monday. The three-hour broadcast on NBC was up 28 percent from last year in the coveted 18-to-49 age group, and spiked 17 percent in total viewers, according to figures from Nielsen Media Research. Some 19.7 million Americans tuned in to the show hosted by Fey and Poehler, compared with 16.8 million who watched last year, when acidic Briton Ricky Gervais was host, prompting comparisons from many quarters. Sunday's big Golden Globe winners were musical "Les Miserables," which garnered three awards, and Iran hostage drama "Argo," which won best dramatic movie and best director for Affleck. Viewers seemed enthusiastic about this year's show and the hosts. The movie site Fandango.com found in an overnight poll that 87 percent of moviegoers thought Fey and Poehler were more entertaining than Gervais, who has hosted several times. And nearly two-thirds of respondents said wins for "Argo" and Affleck for best drama and best director were the night's biggest surprises. Nearly one-third named "Lincoln," which won only one award for Daniel Day-Lewis as best actor in a drama, as having been accorded the biggest snub. Media experts also gave Fey and Poehler a big thumbs up, while fans and celebrities alike took to Twitter to express their delight with the pair. Comedian Ellen DeGeneres posted that Fey and Poehler "are hilarious. I don't know why someone didn't think of this sooner." The Hollywood Reporter raved that the annual show, where stars are known for imbibing freely, table hopping and generally letting loose, was "a funny, rousing and swiftly paced affair," adding "credit in large part goes to" Fey and Poehler. Comparing the duo to previous host Gervais, it noted that "it was nice to see Fey and Poehler prove that they could be fantastic, funny hosts while also staying out of the limelight." The New York Times said the co-hosts "brought charm and easy good humor to a ceremony where stars are supposed to relax and have fun. And it was one of the more amusing awards shows because of it." It added that after three years of Gervais' "puerile bullying," the two comedians "were gentle - up to a point," citing their joke about "Zero Dark Thirty" director Kathryn Bigelow knowing a bit about torture, having "spent three years married to James Cameron." Bigelow and "Titanic" director Cameron divorced in 1991. The Hollywood Reporter called the quip "A well-crafted thing of beauty that will be remembered for a very long time." The Los Angeles Times, meanwhile, worried for the host of this year's Oscars, which will air on February 24. "Poor Seth MacFarlane," its critic wrote. "Until Sunday night, hosting the Oscars must have seemed so easy." But Fey and Poehler, "lovely, brilliant and utterly fearless ... made awards-show hosting an art form again, helming three hours of occasionally hilarious, occasionally emotional and surprisingly enjoyable TV." And the Atlantic joined the chorus of praise, saying the pair "killed it" with their opening monologue. The Washington Post was more qualified, if still approving, calling Fey and Poehler "the two women we'd rather watch awards shows with (in sweat pants) than watch them endure the indignity of having to host" the show. Now, its critic added, addressing the hosts: "You've done your duty." - Reuters |
| New report reopens questions over Natalie Wood death Posted: 14 Jan 2013 03:36 PM PST LOS ANGELES - Hollywood icon Natalie Wood may have suffered non-accidental injuries before her 1981 drowning death and ended up in the sea in a "non-volitional" manner, a new coroner's report said Monday. The report, compiled by the LA County Coroner's Office after the case was re-opened in 2011, raises fresh questions about her death and the role of her actor husband Robert Wagner and a fellow actor on the fateful night. The "West Side Story" and "Rebel Without a Cause" star drowned on the night of November 29, 1981 off California's Catalina Island, after an evening of drinking and eating with her husband and actor Christopher Walken. Her "accidental" death at age 43 has long been a Hollywood mystery - but was thought to have been laid to rest until a November 2011 surprise announcement that police were reviving the probe. A "re-evaluation" coroner's report, dated last May but published Monday, recounts how Wood, Wagner and Walken were drunk after dining in a restaurant, and continued drinking after returning to the couple's boat the "Splendour." The captain of the boat, Dennis Davern, said they realized Wood was missing around midnight, but initially thought she might have returned to shore using the boat's dinghy. Wagner raised the alarm with authorities at 1:30 am. A search was launched, and her body was found floating face-down in the ocean some 200 yards from shore, while the dinghy was found nearby, about a mile from the main boat. In the new report, a copy of which was published by the LA Times, the Medical Examiner said some of the injuries found on her body did not necessarily come from an accident, such as falling from the boat or dinghy. "With the presence of fresh bruises in the upper extremities in the right forearm/left wrist area and a small scratch in the anterior neck, this Examiner is unable to exclude non-accidental mechanism causing these injuries," it said. And it added: "This Medical Examiner is unable to exclude non-volitional, unplanned entry into the water." As a result, "the cause of death will be changed to drowning and other undetermined factors. Manner will be changed to undetermined. How injury occurred will be listed as found floating in ocean," the report concluded. "Circumstances not clearly established." Captain Davern, who co-wrote a 2009 book about the mystery, said the couple had a fierce row shortly before she vanished, and that Wagner then delayed a search that could have saved her. A publicist for Wagner said when the case was re-opened that his family supported the police probe, while warning against people "trying to profit from the 30 year anniversary of her tragic death." - AFP |
| 'Zero Dark Thirty' tops N. American box office Posted: 14 Jan 2013 03:34 PM PST LOS ANGELES - "Zero Dark Thirty," Kathryn Bigelow's controversial movie about the hunt for Osama bin Laden, stormed to the top spot at the North American weekend box office, figures showed Monday. The Oscar-tipped film took in $24.4 million in its first weekend on national release, and as its star Jessica Chastain won the best actress award at the Golden Globes on Sunday. Second and third places went to newcomers, the comedy "A Haunted House" and the Sean Penn crime saga "Gangster Squad," with $18.1 million and $17.1 million respectively. They were trailed by Quentin Tarantino's blood-soaked spaghetti Western tribute "Django Unchained," which won two Globes on Sunday and earned $11 million according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations. Musical adaptation "Les Miserables" took fifth place, raking in $9.6 million. On Sunday the movie won best musical/comedy film as well as acting Globes for Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," the long-awaited first part of Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" prequel trilogy, was in sixth spot, racking up $9.2 million, for a total of $278 million so far. Steven Spielberg's multiple Oscar-nominated "Lincoln," starring Daniel Day-Lewis, was in seventh place in the standings, taking in $6.3 million for a total of $152.6 million so far. Day-Lewis took the best actor Globe Sunday night, but that was the only win out of seven nominations for the movie, which is competing in no fewer than 12 categories at next month's Academy Awards. In the number eight spot, "Parental Guidance," a comedy starring Billy Crystal and Bette Midler, earned $6.1 million. "Texas Chainsaw 3D," the latest offering in the horror franchise first launched in 1974 but now presented in 21st century 3D gore, came in ninth, taking in $5.3 million. Rounding out the top 10 was "Silver Linings Playbook," a dark romantic comedy with Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence - who won the best comedy actress Globe. The movie earned $5 million at the weekend box office. - AFP |
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