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Despite Academy Snub, Ben Affleck Takes Home Top Prize At Director's Guild Awards

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Ben Affleck Argo shock

He wasn't even nominated for an Oscar, but on Saturday night Ben Affleck received the top directing prize at the Director's Guild of America Awards (DGA) -- voted on by his fellow directors. 

The "Good Will Hunting" actor beat out top talent including Kathryn Bigelow for "Zero Dark Thirty," Tom Hooper for "Les Miserables," Ang Lee for "Life of Pi" and Steven Spielberg for "Lincoln." 

"I don't this makes me a real director, but I think it means I'm on my way," Affleck said while accepting the award.

After "Argo"has had big wins at the Critics Choice Awards, SAG Awards, AFI Awards and Producers Guild Awards, the DGA win is a big indicator that the film will also do well at the Academy Awards come February 24.

In fact, according to the LA Times, "only six times since the DGA Awards began in 1948 have the two honors differed" in the Best Director category.

Only problem is that Affleck was "mind-bogglingly" snubbed by the Academy and isn't even nominated in the Best Director category at the Oscars.

Lena Dunham AwardsDirectors Kathryn Bigelow and Tom Hooper, DGA nominees, were also left off the Academy's list.

But Affleck wasn't the only big winner of the night. Lena Dunham was also lauded for "Girls," Rian Johnson for "Breaking Bad" and Jay Roach for "Game Change" were also honored.

See the full list of winners below:

FEATURE FILM

*WINNER BEN AFFLECK
Argo
(Warner Bros. Pictures)

KATHRYN BIGELOW
Zero Dark Thirty
(Columbia Pictures)
  
TOM HOOPER
Les Miserables
(Universal Pictures)
  
ANG LEE
Life of Pi
(20th Century Fox)
 
STEVEN SPIELBERG
Lincoln
(DreamWorks Pictures/Twentieth Century Fox)
 

DOCUMENTARY FILM

KIRBY DICK
The Invisible War
 
*WINNER MALIK BENDJELLOUL
Searching For Sugar Man

 
LAUREN GREENFIELD
The Queen of Versailles
 
DAVID FRANCE
How To Survive A Plague

ALISON KLAYMAN
Ai WeiWei: Never Sorry
 

MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND MINI-SERIES
 
GREG BERLANTI
Political Animals, “Pilot”
(USA Network)

PHILIP KAUFMAN
Hemingway & Gellhorn
(HBO)
 
KEVIN REYNOLDS
Hatfields & McCoys
(History)
 
*WINNER JAY ROACH
Game Change
(HBO)

 
MICHAEL RYMER
American Horror Story: Asylum, “Dark Cousin”
(FX)
 
DRAMATIC SERIES
 
MICHAEL CUESTA
Homeland, “The Choice”
(Showtime)
 
JENNIFER GETZINGER
Mad Men, “A Little Kiss”
(AMC)
 
LESLI LINKA GLATTER
Homeland, “Q & A”
(Showtime)
 
*WINNER RIAN JOHNSON
Breaking Bad, “Fifty-One”
(AMC)

 
GREG MOTTOLA
The Newsroom, “We Just Decided To”
(HBO)
 
 
COMEDY SERIES
 
LOUIS C.K.
Louie, “New Year’s Eve”
(FX)

MARK CENDROWSKI
The Big Bang Theory, “The Date Night Variable”
(CBS)
 
BRYAN CRANSTON
Modern Family, “Election Day”
(ABC)
 
*WINNER LENA DUNHAM
Girls, “Pilot”
(HBO)

 
BETH MCCARTHY-MILLER
30 Rock, “Live from Studio 6H”
(NBC)
 
MUSICAL VARIETY
 
MICHAEL DEMPSEY
12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief
(Multiple Networks/Cable Outlets)
 
DON ROY KING
Saturday Night Live with Host Mick Jagger
(NBC)
 
DON MISCHER
84th Annual Academy Awards
(ABC)
 
CHUCK O’NEIL
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, “#17153”
(Comedy Central)
 
*WINNER GLENN WEISS
66th Annual Tony Awards
(CBS)

 
 
REALITY PROGRAMS
 
TONY CROLL
America’s Next Top Model, “The Girl Who Becomes America’s Next Top Model”
(CW)
 
PETER NEY
Face Off, “Scene of the Crime”
(Syfy)

*WINNER BRIAN SMITH
Master Chef, “Episode #305”
(Fox)

 
J. RUPERT THOMPSON
Stars Earn Stripes, “Amphibious Assault”
(NBC)
 
TIM WARREN
Ink Master, “Episode 103”
(Spike TV)

 
DAYTIME SERIALS
 
ALBERT ALARR
Days Of Our Lives, “11895”
(NBC)
 
LARRY CARPENTER
General Hospital, “Bad Water”
(ABC)
 
WILLIAM LUDEL
General Hospital, “Magic Milo”
(ABC)
 
SCOTT McKINSEY
General Hospital, “Shot Through The Heart”
(ABC)
 
*WINNER JILL MITWELL
One Life To Live, “Between Heaven and Hell”
(ABC)

 

CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS
 
STUART GILLARD
Girl vs. Monster
(Disney Channel)
 
*WINNER PAUL HOEN
Let it Shine
(Disney Channel)

SAVAGE STEVE HOLLAND
Big Time Movie
(Nickelodeon)
 
JONATHAN JUDGE
Camp Fred
(Nickelodeon)
 
AMY SCHATZ
Don’t Divorce Me! Kids’ Rules for Parents on Divorce
(HBO)
 
COMMERCIALS
 
LANCE ACORD
Park Pictures
 
Jogger, Nike – Wieden + Kennedy, Portland
 
The Dog Strikes Back, Volkswagen 2012 – Deutsch LA
 
Thread, Levi’s – Wieden + Kennedy, Portland
 
Greatness, Nike – Wieden + Kennedy, Portland
 
STEVE AYSON
MJZ/The Sweet Shop

Beer Chase, Carlton Draught – Clemenger BBDO/Melbourne

Let Me Go, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas – Fallon Minneapolis

FREDRIK BOND
MJZ

Surfer, Puma – Droga5
 
Eternal Optimism, Budweiser – Anomaly
 
*WINNER ALEJANDRO G. INARRITU
Anonymous Content

Best Job, Proctor and Gamble – Wieden + Kennedy
 
TOM KUNTZ
MJZ
 
Terry Crews Muscle Music, Old Spice – Wieden + Kennedy NY
 
Stray Animals, DirecTV – Grey
 
Roadside Ditch, DirecTV – Grey
 
Platoon, DirecTV – Grey, NY

SEE ALSO: Outlawed 'Argo' DVDs are selling by the thousands in Iran >

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The 'Star Trek' Super Bowl Spot Delivers Chills

Here's The Church Of Scientology Super Bowl Ad

Marvel Just Released An Even Longer 'Iron Man 3' Trailer

Sylvester Stallone's 'Bullets' Can't Kill The 'Warm Bodies' Of Zombies—Here's Your Box-Office Roundup

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warm bodies

It was an incredibly slow weekend at the box office.  

The three new films out managed to earn a collective $25.5 million.

Warner Bros.' bet on Sylvester Stallone "Bullet to the Head" and Lionsgate's "Stand Up Guys" featuring Al Pacino and Christopher Walken debuted to weak openings. By default, that left Summit's twist on the classic zombie film, "Warm Bodies," to emerge on top.  

One of the past few weeks have been the perfect time for one of the distributors to sneak in with an unexpected big film. Last year's box office started out much of the same with poor weekend grosses until "Hunger Games" debuted in March. 

A strong debut in mid-January, that isn't a typical horror film, would have the potential of sitting atop the box office for at least a weeks between January and February until an anticipated film were to come out in March. 

Next week may fare better for the box office with Bruce Willis' return as John McClane in another "Die Hard" flick. 

With a slow weekend, Oscar-nominated films fill out the top ten with only two films falling fall off the list. 

"Gangster Squad" took a big dip this week dropping five spots with $1.9 million. It was raunchy, over-stuffed celebrity "Movie 43" that took the biggest hit. The Relativity film dropped nearly 66 percent in week two earning $1.7 million. The film barely earned back its estimated $6 million production budget. 

"Argo" just missed making the top ten this week. After its latest wins at the Director's Guild Awards and the Screen Actors' Guild, the film played in 300 more theaters over the weekend, helping it move up seven spots with $2 million in week 17. 

See this weekend's winners and losers at the box office: 

10. Oscar-nominated "Lincoln" returns to the top ten this week earning another $2.4 million. The foreign box office just helped the film cross the $200 million mark at theaters worldwide. 

9. "Les Misérables" stayed stagnant this week earning $2.44 million. Worldwide the film has earned $339.9 million thanks to a big push from overseas. 

8. "Django Unchained" makes its way toward the bottom of the top ten in week six with $3 million. Director Quentin Tarantino's highest-grossing film to date is the third Oscar film on this list to earn more overseas than at home bringing its worldwide total to $309.2 million.  

7. Jennifer Lopez's "Parker" falls flat in its second week with $3.2 million. Jason Statham's latest action flick is tracking slightly under his 2012 film "Safe." 

6. Sylvester Stallone's "Bullet to the Head" takes a hard hit two weeks after fellow "Expendables" co-star Arnold Schwarzenegger's singular film "The Last Stand" tumbled upon release. The film took in $4.5 million opening weekend, Stallone's lowest box-office opening since 2000 film "Get Carter." 

5. "Zero Dark Thirty" brings in another $5.3 million to bring its worldwide total to $90.8 million.   

4. The Oscar-nominated film isn't Jessica Chastain's only win at theaters. "Mama" is still going strong in week three with $6.7 million. Guillermo del Toro's horror flick has earned $64 million to date. 

3. "Silver Linings Playbook" has finally earned $100 million at the box office. Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper's Weinstein Company drama has barely slowed down at theaters earning $8.1 million in week 12. 

2. Jeremy Renner's "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters" managed to hold on to second place with $9.2 million at theaters. Though the film isn't doing great at home, the film has picked up overseas earning $96.7 million worldwide. 

1. Summit's quirky action/drama about a human-turned-zombie-turned-human (think that one through) "Warm Bodies" led the box office with a cool $19.5 million. The film led Fandango Friday representing a third of the ticket-seller's sales.

SEE ALSO: The extended "Iron Man 3" Super Bowl ad >

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'Texas Chainsaw' Producer Says 3D Glasses Need To Evolve Or Disappear

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Texas Chainsaw 3D

Earlier this month, we told you that 3D movies aren't going anywhere just yet

Our reasoning then, and remains now, based on our conversation with one of the minds behind one of the most recent films to be made in 3D—the revival of "Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

We spoke with the film's producer Carl Mazzocone extensively on the debate over the future of 3D.

Business Insider: When does 3D work and when doesn't it?

Carl: A lot of producers have exploited 3D unnecessarily to capture that extra little [sur]charge at the box office. Certain movies clearly should not be 3D. There's no true benefit of, I think, having a conventional love story in 3D. But, in a horror movie where there's action and you're trying to make it as frightening as possible, and of course you're wielding a three foot chainsaw, you have a situation where you can actually enhance the situation by making a 3D movie. 

Technically, when you have an animated movie that’s one of the best 3D [films] you can get because of the control they have in absolutely every aspect. The whole movie is made on the computer. 

3D is not going to turn a bad movie into a good movie, when it comes to story you need a great script and you need somebody who understands the script and is making a great script, so ultimately you can’t say 3D’s going to make your movie great, its only an enhancement.

BI: Why was "Texas Chainsaw" filmed in 3D?

texas chainsaw 3d

Carl: I wanted to make the movie thrilling. I thought if used correctly, it would enhance the movie. There’s parts of the movie that have enormous realism. Theres a scene where Leatherface [villain] is chasing Heather, a character played by Alexandra Daddario, and that's a really fabulous scenario for 3D because because you have all these objects in the foreground mid ground and in the distance, well lit and as you’re chasing somebody there’s a real realistic feeling of actually being in the crowd, of being in the point of view of leatherface with the crowd coming by you and its some of the coolest 3D in the movie.

BI: When is it appropriate to use 3D versus 2D? 

Carl: From a business point of view 3D is expensive. It does cost more to make a 3D movie [than] a 2D movie and when you crunch the numbers it’s a lot better 3D if you shoot native 3D [than] if you converted. The reason for that is you know you're making a 3D movie and you know that you're going to put these 3D glasses on that are like wearing sunglasses so you can light appropriately for 3D. You can set and stage your action appropriate for 3D and then really most importantly is as you’re recording in 3d you're sitting in video village watching a very expensive high def 3D monitor wearing 3D glasses and at that point in time you actually get to see that 3D that you recorded and that’s profoundly efficient and valuable. 

BI: And what are your thoughts on 2D to 3D conversion?  

"As the audience get wiser and it gets used to certain things, they won't lean toward 3D unless it serves its purpose."

Carl: Of course it wasn’t shot to be in 3D so you're limited by the decision making of the filmmaker at the time not realizing it was someday going to be a 3D movie. And, then there's the enormous expense. 3D conversion cost $50,000 a minute. So, that’s very cost prohibitive when you're making a lower budget movie to do that. I’ve learned a lot about 3D. I’ve made one and I did my best to shoot native 3D on absolutely everything, but because of the size of the camera, there are times that you just have to shoot 2D and convert to 3D. And, of course, you want to keep it down to a minimum because of the expense.

You know, obviously if you're converting an older movie like “Jurassic Park” you have no choice, you have to convert that one. But yeah, I definitely believe that native 3D has a better quality. There are times where I think that if an average movie could do 90 percent native and 10 percent conversion then that’s just the nature of the beast. 

BI: Where do you see the future of 3D in film going? 

Carl: I don’t think it's over, but I do think its future is going to be decided by the technological advances that are going to be made in the future. One of the problems is wearing the glasses. At some point in time when they can either eliminate the glasses or improve the glasses, it will improve the experience. It's all about the experience. So, I’m hopeful that 3D will evolve technologically and will enhance the cinematic experience.

SEE ALSO: Roadmap To The Future

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'Amazing Spider-Man 2' Director Tweets First Photo From Set

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It's official! Production on "The Amazing Spider-Man" sequel has begun.

Director Marc Webb tweeted the following in celebration of the first big day:

People are most surprised that from the looks of the photo, the film appears to be shot in 35mm instead of digital.

This comes as a surprise considering the first film was shot in digital. Since the film is planned for a 3D release, that means that when all is said and done the film will have to be converted to 3D. 

In addition to Andrew Garfield reprising his role as Peter Parker, Jamie Foxx and Paul Giammatti are joining the cast as villains Electro and the Rhino.

"The Descendants" actress Shailene Woodley is joining the cast as Mary Jane Watson while Felicity Jones is starring in a still unspecified role.

"The Amazing Spider-Man" sequel is set to film in New York City later this month.

SEE ALSO: What the Rhino's role in the sequel could mean >

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James Cameron Didn't Steal The Idea For 'Avatar'!

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james cameron avatar

A U.S. District Court judge ruled today in Los Angeles that James Cameron didn't steal the idea for "Avatar."

Judge Margaret Murrow granted summary judgment against visual effects designer Gerald Morawski, ruling there is "clear, undisputed evidence" that Cameron came up with the idea for the billion-dollar blockbuster on his own.  

Morawski is one of a handful of people who have come forward since the film's 2009 release with plagiarism lawsuits. 

Here's Cameron's statement following the case via Deadline:

“It is a sad reality of our business that whenever there is a successful film, people come out of the woodwork claiming that their ideas were used. AVATAR was my most personal film, drawing upon themes and concepts that I had been exploring for decades. I am grateful that the Court saw through the blatant falsity of Mr. Morawski’s claim.”

Last year, Cameron filed a 45-page detailed declaration documenting the long process that went into creating the box-office blockbuster.  

The analysis described four early sci-fi projects of Cameron's from which he borrowed to create "Avatar." 

The film went on to become the highest-grossing movie of all time earning $2.7 billion worldwide. 

Cameron's currently working on "Avatar 2" which is scheduled for a 2015 release.

SEE ALSO: The first photo from "The Amazing Spider-Man" sequel set >

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8 Ways Online Streaming Killed The Video Store

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blockbuster south park

When DISH announced it would be closing only 300 of its remaining 850 Blockbuster video stores, we were a little surprised the number was that small. 

The only thing we may have been more surprised by was that there were still so many Blockbusters open across the country.

"South Park" did an episode recently on the very topic.

One of the protagonists' father (Stan) purchases a Blockbuster thinking it's a great idea to invest all of the family's savings. But in the end, it turns up a bust.

Why?

Simple – the rise of streaming content and Internet viewing consumption in the past few years. 

Back in September 2010, Blockbuster filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy because it wasn't able to transition to online content like Netflix and Hulu.

Slowly, the franchise's more than 7,000 worldwide video stores began shutting down over the course of the past two years.

In many instances, a replacement came in the form of Coinstar's Redbox locations popping up conveniently inside (and outside) of supermarkets, Wal-Marts, and 7/11s. 

And, of course, there were Netflix accounts there to keep consumers satiated from the comforts of their couches.

As the DVD King began closing shop, those online streaming services began rising in subscribers. Add in the ease of access to video-on-demand from cable providers and there was never a reason to leave the couch on a Friday night to wander down the aisles of a Blockbuster or its former competitor Hollywood Video.

Since DISH acquired Blockbuster's assets – and 1,700 stores – for $320 million in 2011, there hasn't been a sweeping change in content delivery to customers.

DISH did launch a streaming site initially thought to be a Netflix killer called Blockbuster Movie Pass. The site also shipped out DVDs and video games by mail and offered streaming video. However, the service was abandoned after a year when it failed to compete with Netflix. 

Instead, the continued presence of the antiquated video store in comparison to Netflix, Hulu, or video-on-demand has made it so going anywhere outside one's living room is a major inconvenience to a consumer.

The amount of time people have spent using DVD and Blu-ray devices decreased 16% in the last year.

(Source: Nielsen



Instead, 37% more people are watching video on the Internet ...

(Source: Nielsen



... and 25% more people are watching video on mobile devices.

(Source: Nielsen



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Disney CEO Bob Iger Confirms There Will Be More Than Three 'Star Wars' Films

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star wars

Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed on CNBC that there will be more "Star Wars" films in addition to the three already in the works!

"There's been speculation ... and I can confirm that we are in fact working on a few standalone films," says Iger. "Larry Kasdan and Simon Kinberg are both working on films derived from great 'Star Wars' characters."

Kasdan co-wrote "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" while Kinberg worked on the screenplay for "Sherlock Holmes" and is currently writing "X-Men: Days of Future Past."

The standalone films will be in addition to episodes 7, 8, and 9 that are currently in the works. 

Iger says that Disney plans on making the new trilogy over a six-year period with the standalone films being released within that time frame as well.

Could we be seeing a Yoda or Chewbacca spinoff down the line?

Watch the announcement below:

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It Took 200 Hours To Make Beyoncé's Super Bowl Outfit—Here's Today's Buzz

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SEE ALSO: 11 National Enquirer stories that turned out to be true >

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Here's Everything We Know About The 'Star Wars' Spinoff Films

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Bob Iger

Before yesterday's Disney Q1 earnings were released, CEO Bob Iger announced on CNBC there would be more "Star Wars" spinoff films, in addition to episodes 7, 8, and 9.

Iger said the standalone films will follow individual characters from inside the "Star Wars" universe and that veteran Lucasfilm writer Lawrence Kasden and Simon Kinberg ("X-Men: Days of Future Past") will be working on new films, but didn't say much more.

Though we can still ponder who the films may follow, Iger expanded a bit more on his earlier announcement during the Q1 earnings call:

"When we were exploring very seriously with George the acquisition of Lucasfilm, the idea of producing a few so-called standalone films that were not part of the overall saga came up. And we discussed not in great detail, a few of the possibilities. What I confirm today is that those possibilities are becoming more real and they are now creative entities that are working on developing scripts for what would be those standalone films. We are not saying how many."

 "Lawrence Kasdan who wrote 'Empire Strikes Back' and 'Return of the Jedi' is working on one. And Simon Kinberg is working on another. And Lucasfilm will have details about these projects at a later date."

What to take from this:

  • How many we can expect: There will be at least two "Star Wars" spinoffs. One created from Kinberg and Kasdan.
  • The idea has been brewing since October: Spinoff films were in mind during Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm. 
  • Release dates: In his CNBC interview, Iger said the spinoffs will hit theaters sometime between the releases of episodes 7, 8, and 9 which are expected to rollout over a six-year period beginning summer 2015.

UPDATE:EW is reporting the first two films will center around Boba Fett and a young Han Solo.

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DreamWorks Animation Bracing For Up To 500 Layoffs Following Poor Box-Office Performance

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Rise of the Guardians

Rumors are circulating that there's about to be layoffs at DreamWorks Animation. 

Cuts are expected to come to the studio's production, technology, and overhead departments, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

Deadline is now reporting that the company may cut up to 500 employees in the coming months.

Word of a potential staff reduction comes after the announcement this morning that the studio plans to cut its 2013 film lineup down from three to two films. 

"Mr. Peabody & Sherman" which was originally scheduled for release November 1 of this year has been pushed back until next March leaving films "The Croods" with a March release and "Turbo" to debut in July. 

In addition, the Kate Hudson and Bill Hader 2014 animated flick "Me & My Shadow"  has been shelved indefinitely. 

The move of "Peabody" from November to March leaves a clear pathway for Disney's November release, "Frozen."

CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg released a brief statement on the move:  

"We believe the best strategy for DreamWorks Animation in the long run is to ensure that every one of our films has an optimal release date with the biggest opportunity to succeed at the box office," said Katzenberg, "The move of Mr. Peabody & Sherman means that we will now release two films in 2013, and we are adjusting our operating infrastructure costs accordingly." 

The changed film schedule follows the underwhelming performance of "Rise of the Guardians" last fall. Though the film eventually earned $300 million worldwide (thanks to a $200 million cushion from the foreign box office), its opening weekend was $23.8 million. For comparison, a DreamWorks film hasn't had that low of an opening since its 2006 film "Flushed Away" which earned $18.8 million in 2006. 

The film's weak opening caused DreamWork's stock to sink nearly five percent following final weekend box-office estimates.

A DreamWorks spokesperson declined further comment. 

SEE ALSO: Everything we know about Disney's "Star Wars" spinoff films >

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50 Years Of 'Star Wars' Makeup Artist Stuart Freeborn's Most Memorable Work

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stuart freeborn

Makeup artist Stuart Freeborn passed away in London Wednesday at 98. 

Freeborn, who brought iconic "Star Wars" characters to life, including Yoda, is known as a pioneer throughout the industry. 

Freeborn has been responsible for revolutionizing the makeup of characters ranging from "Oliver Twist" in 1948 to "Superman IV," for more than 50 years.

Freeborn is most known for leading the makeup department for "Star Wars."



He worked on Yoda for "The Empire Strikes Back."



Freeborn also created Chewbacca ...



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Willow Smith Turned Down The Lead In 'Annie' Because She Just Wants To Be A Kid

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willow smith at Annual Easter Egg Roll

It's a "Hard Knock Life" for Willow Smith. 

The daughter of megastar Will Smith may only be 12 years old, but the singer and actress has been featured in movies and television shows for the past five years.

She's appeared opposite her dad in "I Am Legend" and most recently made an appearance on Nickelodeon's "True Jackson, VP" in 2010. 

The following year, the young star toured with Justin Bieber performing her 2010 hit "Whip My Hair" and has been set to star in Sony's re-imagining of Broadway play Annie"since early 2011 

So last week, when Sony announced Jay-Z and father Will Smith were officially signed on to produce the remake, it was a surprise when Willow was no longer attached because she's simply "too old."

However, father Will tells a different story.

When Smith recently spoke at Temple University in Philadelphia, he revealed that tour didn't go over so well with his daughter. As a result, she decided to step down from her role in "Annie." 

"Willow was supposed to be doing Annie, we got Jay-Z to do the movie, got the studio to come in and Willow had such a difficult time on tour with Whip My Hair and she said, 'You know Daddy, I don't think so,' and I said, 'Baby, hold up!' I said, 'No, no, no, listen, you'll be in New York with all of your friends and Beyoncé will be there. You will be singing and dancing,' and she looked at me and said, 'Daddy, I have a better idea, how about I just be 12." 

Recently, Willow Smith has undergone a massive overhaul in look and style, shaving her head and stepping out in LA in all black garb. 

She was expected to release a self-titled album last April entitled "Willow," (later reworked to "Knees and Elbows") but nothing ever came of that. Instead, she released three more singles including "21st Century Girl" and "Fireball" featuring Nicki Minaj which were poorly received on the Billboard charts.  

Her most recent music release, "Sugar and Spice" also showed a shift in tone from 2010's upbeat "Whip My Hair":  

"I sat in front of the TV screen
Sad he’s always screaming at me
They wanna puncture me and then wonder why I bleed
The big city everyone is looking for
Step on my ladder and bathe in glory
Inject my soul with darkness
And take my heart and go market it." 

Smith added at Temple that his daughter may be taking a break from the limelight for a while. 

"I'm really learning through Willow the necessity that we have to snap ourselves back and refocus on the emotional needs of the people that we love. Someone's emotional needs can be very, very different from your dreams and what you think they should be doing and where they are supposed to be." 

Her brother Jaden meanwhile will be in full force this year appearing in "After Earth" opposite Will Smith 

SEE ALSO:  50 years of "Star Wars" makeup artist Stuart Freeborn's most memorable works >

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15 Method Actors Who Refuse To Break Character

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Daniel Day Lewis Abe Lincoln

When the first Oscar promos premiered, Seth MacFarlane poked fun at Daniel Day-Lewis' ability to get lost in his film roles.

In each of his movies, Day-Lewis seamlessly transforms into his characters on screen, sometimes going to extreme lengths to prep for his parts and stay in character. 

And, it works. His efforts earned him two Oscar wins and another nod this year.

However, he isn't the only actor to go to extremes for his roles.  

Anne Hathaway was willing to do anything to understand the misery of her tuberculosis-ridden prostitute in "Les Misérables," while Rooney Mara and Kate Winslet found themselves taking their characters off set. 

From dropping acid to strapping their knees with belts, these actors prove they're willing do anything to play the part. 

Daniel Day-Lewis texted as Abraham Lincoln.

Day-Lewis is known to do extensive research before any and all of his roles.

He refused to leave his character's wheel chair in "My Left Foot" even after filming was finished. All of the slumping caused him to eventually break two ribs. Later, for "The Last of the Mohicans" Lewis spent six months in the wild teaching himself to build a canoe and trap and skin animals.

In his latest role as the 16th president in "Lincoln" the British actor kept his higher-pitched American accent going the entire shoot, and began signing texts "Yours, A."

His efforts have worked, because Lewis has won two Oscars and is on his way to a third.



Leonardo DiCaprio cut his hand -- and continued filming.

DiCaprio didn't let a few shards of glass in his hand slow him down.

During the filming of "Django Unchained," producer Stacy Sher told Variety the actor accidentally slammed his hand on a table so hard he broke a glass, injuring his hand in the process. Instead of stop, DiCaprio carried on and the performance made it into the final edit.

"Blood was dripping down his hand," said Sher. "He never broke character. He kept going. He was in such a zone. It was very intense. He required stitches."



Anne Hathaway actually lost 25 pounds for her role in "Les Mis."

The actress told Vogue she ate nothing but dried oatmeal paste for two weeks to lose 25 pounds for her role in "Les Misérables."

“I had to be obsessive about it — the idea was to look near death,” said Hathaway. “Looking back on the whole experience — and I don’t judge it in any way — it was definitely a little nuts. It was definitely a break with reality, but I think that’s who [my character] Fantine is anyway.”

The actress also cut off all her hair — something hair and makeup artist Lisa Westcott and director Tom Hooper tried talking her out of — to comprehend the pain of a mother willing to do anything to keep her child alive. Her dedication paid off, as Hathaway earned her second Oscar nomination for the role.



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Prepare To See Even More Films In High Frame Rates

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the hobbit

When "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" debuted in experimental 48 frames per second (FPS) reports came out that the new technology was making audiences sick, causing headaches and dizziness.  

If you're unfamiliar with the high-frame rate vernacular, films are normally distributed at 24 fps. With Jackson's distribution of 48 fps in select theaters, viewers are processing double the amount of images on images on screen in the same amount of time.  

When initial reviews of the high-frame rate came in some directors including Bryan Singer of "X-Men: Days of Future Past" delivered initial jealousy:

bryan singer tweet

And, critics revealed a mixture of praise and dismay at Jackson's decision to film at 48FPS. 

Variety's film editor Josh Dickey was blown away:

josh dickey Variety 

"The Book of Eli" and "The Walking Dead" screenwriter, Gary Whitta seemed skeptical:  

Gary Whitta tweet

And, then there was Slate's review:

slate article 48fps 

Sure, the high-frame rate wasn't perfect.  

Quick motions on screen looked too fast. If people scurried too hastily or if too many moving subjects were present up close in the foreground, it delivered a slight jolt to the visual cortex. 

Love it or hate it, high frame rate movies aren't going anywhere. 

At the least, Jackson's two impending Hobbit sequels, "The Desolation of Smaug" and "There and Back Again" will also debut at the high frame rate.  

Jeff Gomez, CEO of Starlight Runner Entertainment, told Business Insider 48FPS isjust the beginning of what we can expect to see on the big screen in the next few years.  

"We haven't begun to see the potential in high frame rate on film," said Gomez. "In the years to come, possibly even with Cameron's second Avatar film, we're going to see creatures and other computer generated characters move completely naturally, without that animated "judder" or almost subliminal strobing motion that tells us that what we're seeing is somehow fake. " 

More than a month prior to "The Hobbit" release, Jackson said in a Facebook post the shift to 48 fps is simple.  

"We haven't begun to see the potential in high frame rate on film,"– Jeff Gomez, CEO, Starlight Runner Entertainment

We've been watching films in 24 fps for more than 80 years. Science tells us that humans see the world in 66 frames per second (though the amount of what we can actually perceive is estimated to be closer to 40 moments / frames per second). Jackson says his high-frame rate experiment is to evolve the movie-going experience to provide what he refers to as an "illusion of real life."  

Chief technology officer at projection company Christie, Paul Salvini, told Fast Company while HFR certainly isn't necessary to a film, it will become an option directors will have—like 3D—to expand and aid to the storytelling process.  

"It’s a new opportunity to do things in a new way and a better way," says Salvini. "It’s not something that you have to use. It’s something that when it makes sense you have the creative freedom to use and over time we will see more directors and more cinematographers understand the medium and explore the medium." 

Like the eventual transformation of silent films to include sound and black-and-white to color, high-frame rate films still have miles to go technologically, but, in time, can be utilized more frequently. 

"The 'soap opera effect' that some people are complaining about won't be as prominent as filmmakers learn how to light, stage and process their shots," said Gomez. "On the contrary, the combination of technologies like HFR, 4K (which is a quantum leap in terms of picture resolution), 3D, and advanced computer generated imagery will bring us these stunningly detailed vistas that ultimately will look photorealistic. No stylization needed." 

And, if you think 48 frames per second is too much to handle, there are still others who back shooting in 60 and even 120 fps.

SEE ALSO: Roadmap To The Future

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Winter Storm Nemo Is Already Wreaking Havoc On Hollywood

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Identity ThiefWinter storm Nemo hasn't even come down in full force yet, but its effects are already taking a toll on Hollywood. 

From awards shows to the box office, here's who's affected this weekend in Hollywood:   

That last note could put a dent in what has already been a slow start to the box-office year.  

Out this weekend are Melissa McCarthy's "Identity Thief" featuring Jason Bateman and Rooney Mara's "Side Effects." 

The former is already getting awful reviews sitting on Rotten Tomatoes with a 26 percent rating. Though it's anticipated to earn between $20 and $25 million this weekend, a weak Friday start could make way for the positively reviewed Steven Soderbergh directed film to inch its way to number one.  

"Identity Thief" will clearly have the edge as it's opening in 3,141 theaters compared to "Side Effects"2,605. 

Remember, Soderbergh's previous early 2012 release, "Magic Mike," debuted to $39.1 million thanks to star power from Channing Tatum and the "Fifty Shades of Grey" craze of last year.  

Right now, "Side Effects" has the added boost of Oscar-nominated Bradley Cooper and Rooney Mara ("The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"). 

From the looks of the trailers, it doesn't look like Cooper's in the film for long, but he's been prominent in the movie marketing, a smart move since his "Silver Linings Playbook" is still going strong at theaters after 12 weeks.  

Despite what has been a difficult-to-grasp plot from trailers, both Cooper and Rooney Mara's allure along with an 85 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes may bode well for "Side Effects." 

Nemo's expected to bring ticket sales down as much as ten percent on McCarthy's first stand-alone film. Coupled with poor word-of-mouth, "Identity Thief" could prove an upset. 

SEE ALSO: 15 actors who refuse to break character on screen >

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10 'Star Wars' Characters Who Should Get Their Own Spinoff Film

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Han Solo

Now that we know we'll be getting "Star Wars" spinoff films in addition to episodes VII, VIII, and IX, everyone wants to know which characters will appear on the big screen. 

There have been rumors and reports that characters from Han Solo to Yoda will get their own feature, but until we hear from Lucasfilm, it's anyone's guess which characters will be getting their own film.

We're rounded up ten characters we'd like to see in theaters from the obvious to a few you may not be familiar with unless you know the extended "Star Wars" family.

And, no, you won't find Admiral Ackbar here. The character's great for a gag, but any film with him would be a trap.

Mace Windu

Sure Samuel L. Jackson has another Disney franchise on his hands right now with "The Avengers," and there's the slight issue about his character getting axed in "Star Wars—Episode III: Revenge of the Sith"; however, the actor's made it clear he wants in on the new installments, even if he has to come back as a hologram.



Chewbacca

Han's Wookie sidekick has a family back on his home planet of Kashyyk. And, in the books, Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader imprisoned most of the Wookies to help build the Death Star.



Han Solo

Though Disney has yet to confirm, EW reported Han will get his own movie.

Harrison Ford's a little old at 70 to reprise the role, but if the film was to follow a younger Solo in all of his smuggling glory alongside Chewy, then we could get a peek at his adventures before joining up with Luke and Leia. 



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Melissa McCarthy's 'Identity Thief' Steals Audiences—Here's Your Box-Office Roundup

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identity thief melissa mccarthyWinter storm Nemo was no match for Melissa McCarthy.

Though the storm caused theaters across the Northeast to shut down, "Identity Thief" stole the box office earning nearly double of what analysts expected. 

The film was tracking to a weekend gross between $20 and $25 million at theaters. 

Compared to McCarthy's previous films, the actress' first standalone movie blew away the opening weekend for "Bridesmaids," which just goes to show critic's opinions don't always hold water if an actress—or actor (Jason Bateman)—is popular enough with the public.

The performance of "Identity Thief" may be an indicator of how her next movie, "The Heat," with Sandra Bullock will perform come its release in April. 

Meanwhile, Bradley Cooper and Rooney Mara's "Side Effects" debuted with a solid opening, while the re-release of late director Tony Scott's "Top Gun" in 3D opened to a balmy $1.9 million. 

Out of the top ten this week include Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" which has earned  $221 million worldwide to date, "Les Misérables" in week seven, and Jennifer Lopez's "Parker" dropping six spots this week.

Here are this week's winners and losers at the box office: 

10. Sylvester Stallone's "Bullet to the Head" nearly dropped out of the top ten in week two earning $1.98 million. The film has earned a paltry $8.2 million since its release making it Stallone's worst box-office bomb since his wrestling film "Paradise Alley" in 1978.

9. After seven weeks and $341.6 million worldwide "Django Unchained" falls one more notch with $2.3 million.

8. With an added boost of 470 theaters, "Argo" comes back into the top ten with $2.5 million this week. It's 18-week box-office run has earned $198.7 million worldwide.

7. "Zero Dark Thirty" dropped two spots adding $4 million to its eight-week total of $96.6 million at theaters.

6. Jessica Chastain's other movie, horror flick "Mama," continues to thrill at theaters earning another $4.3 million in week four.

5. Jeremy Renner's "Avengers" star power helps "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters" stay in the box office top five earning $5.8 million. The film has received a massive boost from overseas helping it to earn $127.8 million worldwide.

4. "Silver Linings Playbook" continues to be the box-office darling adding another $7 million to its $120 million earned at the box office. The Weinstein Company film featuring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence cost an estimated $21 million to produce.

3. Rooney Mara's psychological thriller "Side Effects" had a decent debut with $10 million, but not good enough to beat out Summit Entertainment's zombie film.

2. The quirky twist on your typical apocalyptic-zombie film, "Warm Bodies" continues its box-office run with $11.5 million. The film has now earned $45.4 million worldwide in two weeks.

1. No one can stop Melissa McCarthy's "Identity Thief." Universal's comedy, also starring Jason Bateman, took in an unexpected $36.6 million opening weekend. That's eight million more than Bateman's "Horrible Bosses" and $10 million more than McCarthy's "Bridesmaids."

SEE ALSO: The best photos from Taylor Swift's "Alice in Wonderland" Grammy performance >

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