Family films continue to dominate the box office as 'Up' soars to $68 million

Family movies dominated the box office this weekend as "Up" continued Pixar's unblemished record with a $68.2-million opening and "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" came in a solid No. 2 despite the competition.

"Up" came in just behind the Disney-owned animation studio's two most successful films, "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles," which grossed $70.2 million and $70.5 million," respectively, on their first weekends. Factoring in ticket-price inflation and the boost it got from higher prices at the 41% of its theaters that were in digital 3-D, "Up's" performance is closer to that of last year's "Wall-E," which opened to $63.1 million. Like all those films, "Up" will almost certainly end up grossing well over $200 million domestically.

Despite its PG rating, "Up" performed just as well in late-night showings as at matinees, according to Disney domestic distribution President Chuck Viane, and 69% of its audience was 12 years old or older. It's the first movie this year to earn a perfect A+ from CinemaScore, a system used to track audience responses to a film.

Despite "Up's" big bow, Fox's "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" experienced an average drop -- 53% -- for a summer event film. With $25.5 million on its second weekend, the Ben Stiller vehicle has sold a healthy $105.3 million in tickets in 10 days.

"Drag Me to Hell," a low-budget horror pickup for Universal from Ghost House Pictures, wasn't able to scare up much audience interest despite the cachet of director Sam Raimi. Its $16.6 million gross is more than 20% less than the $21-million opening of another horror film, "The Strangers," on the same weekend last year.

A dismal second weekend for "Terminator Salvation" put to rest any hopes that it could recover from a soft opening. Even though there were no new action movies in the market, the Warner Bros.-distributed sequel dropped 62% to $16.1 million.

Sony Pictures started its international rollout of "Salvation" with No. 1 debuts in seven Asian countries,  holding out promise, at least initially, for financier Halcyon Co. that the film could perform better overseas. It will launch in most foreign countries this coming week.

The overseas box office continued to be dominated by "Battle of the Smithsonian" and "Angels and Demons." Fox's family sequel grossed $37.2 million on its second weekend, helped by a strong $7.4-million debut in China. Its total international gross is $106 million, almost exactly even with the figure for the U.S. and Canada.

Sony's Tom Hanks thriller, meanwhile, grossed $32.9 million on its third weekend and brought its international total to an astonishing $251.7 million. Despite the film's relatively weak domestic performance, it has by far the biggest worldwide total ticket sales of any movie this year at $356.4 million.

Here are the top 10 movies at the box office in the U.S. and Canada:

1. "Up" (Disney/Pixar): Opened to $68.2 million, right in line with Pixar's best debuts.

2. "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" (Fox): Declined 53% to $25.5 million, bringing the domestic total to $105.3 million. Overseas total is $106 million.

3. "Drag Me to Hell" (Universal/Ghost House): Launched to a modest $16.6 million.

4. "Terminator Salvation" (Warner Bros/Halcyon Co.): Plunged 62% on its second weekend to $16.1 million. Domestic total: $90.7 million.

5. "Star Trek" (Paramount/Spyglass): Continuing to hold up very well, it dropped just 44% on its fourth weekend to $12.8 million. Surpassed "Monsters vs. Aliens" this week to become the year's biggest film at the domestic box office. Total gross: $209.5 million. International total is a much less impressive $101.5 million.

6. "Angels and Demons" (Sony): Fell 48% on its third weekend to $11.2 million, bringing domestic cumulative ticket sales to $104.8 million. Continuing its huge run overseas, however, where it has grossed $251.7 million.

7. "Dance Flick" (Paramount): Sold $4.9 million worth of tickets on its second weekend, down 52%. Domestic total: $19.2 million.

8. "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (Fox): $3.9 million on its fifth weekend, off 52%. Domestic total is $170.9 million, while internationally it is at $170.1 million.

9. "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" (Warner Bros./New Line): Fell 50% on its fifth weekend to $1.9 million. Total domestic ticket sales are a healthy $50 million.

10. "Obsessed" (Sony Screen Gems): Squeaked into the top 10 with $665,000 on its sixth weekend. Total domestic gross for the thriller is a very solid $67.5 million.

--Ben Fritz

Photo credits: "Up," Disney/Pixar;  Alison Lohman and Justin Long in "Drag Me to Hell," Melissa Mosely/Universal Pictures

A look back at the mid-20th-century photographs of Robert Frank
Fifty years later, the 83 painstakingly selected black-and-white photographs from Robert Frank's epic book "The Americans" remain as fresh and powerful — if not as startling — as they were when the volume was published.

'I'm a Gosselin, Get Me Out of Here': Morality, celebrity and reality TV

Opening Day: `Up' flies to $21.4 million, `Hell' digs for $6.4 million

"Up," the latest from Disney/Pixar, sailed to $21.4 million in box office on Friday. That's just under the $23.2 million that the last Pixar flick -- "Wall-E" -- took in on its opening day last year in route to a $63 million first weekend.

The strong Friday means up will definitely finish its first weekend looking more like "Wall-E" than Pixar's "Ratatouille," which opened at $47 million. There were projections that "Up" could hit as high as $65 million this weekend, but those might be a tad too optimistic. A safer bet would be between $57 million and $60 million. Hardly numbers to sneeze at.

The other major opening of the weekend, Sam Raimi's finance-themed horror film "Drag Me to Hell" posted $6.4 million on Friday, which puts it on pace for a respectable $17.5 million, but below industry estimates that had it taking in $20 million. Last year's "The Strangers" opened at $21 million.

-- Joe Flint

'I'm a Gosselin, Get Me Out of Here': Morality, celebrity and reality TV

I’m going to introduce the concept of morality to a discussion of reality television.

Go ahead and laugh. I can wait.

Few things are more irritating than a media commentator who yelps, “But think of the children!”

But when it comes to “Jon & Kate Plus 8” (8 p.m. Central Monday, TLC), well, think of the children.

The Gosselin parents, the infamous Jon and Kate, whose show drew a record 10 million viewers when it returned May 25, appear willing to film the full 40 episodes they’ve contracted for, despite the tattered (if not toxic) state of their relationship, which is well documented in the gossip magazines.

What say do their eight kidsâ€"a set of sextuplets and a set of twinsâ€"kids have in all this? Not much. The  fishermen on “Deadliest Catch” probably have more control over their working conditions (and now it's come to the point that Pennsylvania's Department of Labor has opened an investigation into "Jon & Kate").

And at least the "Deadliest Catch" guys get paid. These kids just get to wonder whyâ€"thanks to the TLC show and the paparazziâ€"cameras follow them everywhere.

No such qualms affect the Blagojevich clan’s latest dignity-shredding gambit. When it comes to “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!” (7 p.m. Central Monday, NBC), which features former Illinois first lady Patti Blagojevich as a contestant, we’ll likely get another dose of the cheerful amorality we’ve come to expect from most reality television.

In this show,  which is set in the jungles of Costa Rica, D-listers such as Sanjaya Malakar, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt from “The Hills” and Blagojevich will try to extend their 15 minutes of fame. The setup is familiar: NBC will exploit the contestants’ willingness to do anything to be on TV. And viewers will get to sit in judgment of the silly proceedings, and, via various interactive arrangements, control certain aspects of the competition, which will air live four nights a week through June 24.

 â€œIt’s a lot more fun to deal with people in the entertainment world,” Patti told the Tribune on Thursday. Yes, and in the entertainment world we’re used to people who are willing to do anything for the tiniest scrap of public attention. But these people are all grown-ups, and they’re quite willing to be exploited.

When do we get an interview segment on “Jon & Kate Plus 8” in which the kids are asked what they want? That didn’t come up in the show’s season premiere, nor did the words “marriage counseling.” Who has time for counseling when there’s a TV show to be made?

There’s no doubt that aspects of “Jon & Kate’s” extra-long season premiere were riveting. The couple’s well-publicized marital troubles gave a grimly fascinating subtext to the planning of the sextuplets’ fifth birthday party. Here was Jon arriving in a midlife crisis sports car; there was Kate stomping around and yammering about how much she does for everyone else.

“I have a lot of anger,” she said. No kidding.

Part of the reason we are fascinated by shows such as “Mad Men” and “The Sopranos,” not to mention Bravo’s “Real Housewives” franchises, is because they offer us a look at what money can’t buy. Are the couples depicted on these shows staying together because they are clinging to their luxurious lifestyles? Is it worth being unhappy if you get a McMansion with all the trimmings in return?

Surely there’s a little recessionary schadenfreude in watching Jon and Kate, who enjoy the money and perks fame has brought them, wrestle with a possible alteration in their circumstances. Would TLC want the show if they split up? Would anyone watch?

I suppose “Jon & Kate” is actually the perfect recession show: Both parties sound terrified of losing their jobs. In their well-compensated case, that career consists of presenting the picture of a happy family to television cameras.

In separate interviews in the season premiere, they both sounded like adolescentsâ€"totting up how much they were doing “for the children.” Left unanswered was this question:  Would it have been better “for the children” if the parents had turned off the cameras, canceled Kate’s book tours and focused on getting their house in order?

At the birthday party, one of the girls asked her father not to “leave again.” (Jon had spent the previous weekend away from the Gosselin house.)

It was gripping to watch such an intimate moment. It also felt wrong, because that child is 5 and hasn’t asked for this.

As much as Jon and Kate’s narcissism and self-pity fascinate me, I can’t bring myself to watch anymore. When I think of the children, it’s just too sad.

Photos: Sanjaya Malakar, Jon and Kate Gosselin.

Susan Boyle finishes second on 'Britain's Got Talent'
LONDON — She dreamed a dream — and it almost came true. Susan Boyle's reality show journey ended Saturday with a second-place finish to a dance troupe called "Diversity" on the final of the television show "Britain's Got Talent.
Dream Over: Boyle Places 2nd In U.K. Reality Show

The 48-year-old Internet sensation, Susan Boyle, finished second in the finals of "Britain's Got Talent." An exuberant dance troupe called "Diversity" took the $159,000 prize and will perform for Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Variety Show. Millions tuned in to the live program and voted by telephone afterward.

'Torchwood's' new 'Children of Earth' trailer and 'Who's' next

Iget, Iger, whatever. Just get that check in the mail, Bob

Hey, Ithaca Colleg, em, here's a tip: If you're going to mention one of your most famous and wealthiest alumni on your website and in your magazine you might want to spell his name correctly.

In researching our snark-filled take on the newly formed children's advocacy group TrueChild, which cited how its operations director Danny Baker was an award-winning graduate of Ithaca College, we decided to see if Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger, a slightly more well-known Ithaca alumnus had won any awards from his alma mater.

He hadn't, but a Bob Iget, who is apparently the chairman of Disney (Iger is only president and CEO, not chairman) received the "Edgar `Dusty' Bredbenner Jr. Distinguished Alumni Award." Way to go Mr. Iget. Actually, the chairman of Disney is John E. Pepper Jr. (Yale, '60).

In fairness to Ithaca, the `R' and the `T' are right next to each other on the keyboard.

-- Joe Flint

Photo: Bob Iger. Credit: Bob D'Amico / Disney

'Torchwood's' new 'Children of Earth' trailer and 'Who's' next

The "Doctor Who" spinoff "Torchwood" returns in July with a five-part third season called "Children of Earth." Below is a clip from "Children of Earth" (and there's more info about the project here).

By the way, in other "Doctor Who" news, David Tennant will appear as the Doctor in a series of five specials that BBC America will air (the first special airs June 27). After that, Matt Smith will play the Doctor in the show's next full season. And here's some information about Karen Gillan, who was just chosen to play the Doctor's companion on the sci-fi show's next season. 

Review: Konstantin Lifschitz — keyboard phenom ought to be a star
At Le Petit Trianon, his playing had a spiritual depth that you just don't find in many pianists. Like the best performers in any genre, he is a medium; the music seems to arrive from elsewhere, passing through his fingers and finding expression in his uniquely soulful playing.

'Up': A Pixar-Style Lift, Pretty Much Guaranteed

With visual magic, high-adventure excitement and an intelligent look at one of Hollywood's persistent taboos, Up isn't just good; it's among the groundbreaking studio's best. (Recommended)

Oprah's influence is vast &mdash and enters a controversial realm

Oprah's influence is vast &mdash and enters a controversial realm

After more than a quarter-century as a television titan (she debuted as host of WLS-Ch. 7’s “AM Chicago” in 1984), Oprah Winfrey’s influence is undiminished. It may be stronger than ever.

One examination of her role as a cultural and consumer arbiter, “The Oprah Effect” (8 p.m. Thursday, CNBC; two and a half stars), won’t tell you anything you don’t already know: that getting an endorsement from Winfrey is like winning the lottery. 

This hourlong special from Chicago’s Kurtis Productions examines what happened to three businesses after they were mentioned on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Not surprisingly, sales went through the roof. The most interesting part of these case studies is how each firm responded to the wave of sales. Going from a small business to a bigger business isn't always an easy transition.

Of course, attempting to get a product featured on Oprah's show is an industry in itself these days. The owners of soap importers LAFCO talk of having had their PR representative pitch -- and send -- their products to Oprah's staff for years before it paid off with a mention on the show. Media coach Susan Harrow, who wrote a book about how to get booked on the show, talks about helping refine PR pitches for unnamed clients.

Oprah's endorsements, on her show and in her magazine, also raised the profile of Chicago yoga teacher and blogger Robyn Okrant, whose year of living life the Oprah way resulted in a higher profile for her site and a wave of media attention. Buying all those Oprah products and taking the talk-show queen's advice added some "stress" to her life, Okrant tells the producers of "The Oprah Effect," but it also resulted in a book deal, so she has no regrets.

Winfrey’s seal of approval hasn’t just transformed businesses whose products appear on her annual “Favorite Things” list, it’s also led to a wave of spinoff programs from the media titan’s Harpo Productions  (these ventures aren’t discussed in “The Oprah Effect,” by the way). Her proteges Dr. Phil and Rachael Ray have successful daytime franchises, and Winfrey recently bid farewell to health guru Dr. Mehmet Oz, who will launch his own program in the fall.

In May, Winfrey, whose contract for “The Oprah Winfrey Show” expires in 2011, struck a deal with actress, author and Chicago native Jenny McCarthy, who emerged as an autism activist after her son was diagnosed with the disorder. The deal with McCarthy, who has been a guest on Winfrey’s show several times, calls for McCarthy to develop a variety of projects with Harpo, one of which could be a syndicated talk show.

McCarthy’s position on childhood vaccines, however, has kicked up a controversy. McCarthy has said she is not “anti-vaccine” and that she is advocating for improved vaccines. But she said in an interview on Oprah.com that if she “had another child, I would not vaccinate.” She also told Time that “I do believe sadly it’s going to take some diseases coming back to realize that we need to change and develop vaccines that are safe.”

Asked if Oprah or her show endorses McCarthy’s views, a representative for Oprah’s program said, “We don’t take positions on the opinions of our guests. Rather, we offer a platform for guests to share their first-person stories in an effort to inform the audience and put a human face on topics relevant to them.” When McCarthy’s views have been discussed on the air, statements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics saying that there’s no scientific evidence of a vaccine-autism link have been read.

But Oprah is, after all, one of the most influential people in America, and the mere fact that she has given McCarthy a bigger platform, including a blog on Oprah.com, has some observers concerned. An "open letter" posted May 11 by science graduate student Shirley Wu asking that Winfrey reconsider the McCarthy connection got hundreds of comments, thanks to its wide circulation online. On the Internet, the topic of vaccines and autism seems to function as an invective magnet, but Wu's essay is remarkably gentle and temperate.

"Oprah, I hope you take my letter, and the well-intentioned if sometimes harsh criticisms from many others in the blogosphere, to heart," Wu wrote. "Because even though I still don’t watch your show, others do, and they listen to you."

Suzanna OwiyoÂ's big break into World Music scene
This year is turning out to be momentous for high-flying singer, songwriter and artiste Suzanna Owiyo. Last week saw Suzanna saunter on stage at the prestigious Territorios Sevilla International World Music Festival in Spain.
Summer preview: What's hot in pop music
Green Day, Phish and Outside Lands top the summer pop schedule
BOOKS: Canada's Agent Orange Victims Still Seeking Justice
NEW YORK, May 28 (IPS)Bruce Brown died of cancer at age 18. Some of Marilyn Kissinger’s other friends lived into their early and late twenties, dying in the late 1960s. Most had died by the late 1980s.

Summer Arts Preview: 'August: Osage County' and Green Day musical

Microsoft's new entertainment strategy: Use Xbox to save Zune

Microsoft's entertainment strategy has always resembled a lopsided table. Supporting one end is the Xbox 360, a successful (if not quite a phenomenon like the Wii) video game system that has sold about 30 million units worldwide and firmly established itself as an industry force since the brand launched in 2001. Propping up the other, shorter, side is Microsoft's portable music and video player, the Zune. It launched in late 2006 and has sold just 3 million units (in the U.S. and Canada only; Zune is not yet available in other countries). That is equal to about 27% of the iPods Apple sold last quarter alone. In fact, Apple sold 3.79 million iPhones last quarter, and those things come with a pricey service contract. Zune is, to put it bluntly, a flop.

But Microsoft doesn't give up on struggling products easily (try logging on to MSN; it's still there). Before the Zune launched in 2006, president of entertainment and devices Robbie Bach said it represented a "three-, four-, five-year investment horizon," and apparently he meant it. This fall, Microsoft is giving it another go with the third iteration of the gadget, Zune HD (pictured), which essentially matches the iPod Touch feature-for-feature and adds a high-definition radio receiver.

Playing catch-up with Apple isn't going to cut it, and Microsoft surely knows it. Which is why the really interesting play is its decision to integrate the Zune digital media store (its version of iTunes) onto the Xbox 360. The 17 million-plus owners of the console who log on to its Xbox Live Internet service will get access to all of Zune's music and video content via a prominent logo on the main menu.

Microsoft didn't explain exactly how this will work â€" it's saving the details for the E3 conference next week â€" but the implications are obvious: Download music or TV shows and play them on an Xbox 360 or a Zune. Regardless of which device you use, there's one brand for downloading content on any entertainment device from the tech giant, and that is Zune. (The exception may be movie downloads, which might very well remain restricted to the Xbox for now due to rights issues.)

No doubt Microsoft will position this as a better value for consumers' digital media dollar. But strategically speaking, it's classic piggybacking: Put the struggling brand front and center on the successful one. If 17 million Xbox Live users notice the Zune logo every time they log on, a fraction of them start downloading videos and music, and a fraction of those people are convinced to buy a Zune so they can take the content with them on the go, Microsoft's entertainment table might become a little more balanced.

â€" Ben Fritz

Picture: Zune HD. Credit: Microsoft.

Summer Arts Preview: 'August: Osage County' and Green Day musical
Also: TheatreWorks lives up to its reputation as a crucible for new musicals with "Tinyard Hill," the '60s tale of a Georgia blacksmith hammering out a living at the smithy that has been in his family forever.
Summer Movies: The Sweet, The Light And The Loud

The summer-movie slate looks like a typically airheaded one, from Land of the Lost to the naughty new spoof Bruno. But fear not: We found a few dramas — even some foreign weepies — to help tide you over.

RIGHTS-CHILE: Ex-Soldier Arrested for Víctor Jara Murder
SANTIAGO, May 27 (IPS)A judge in Chile has charged a former soldier in the 1973 murder of internationally renowned Chilean folk singer Víctor Jara. Up to now, the only person prosecuted in the case was the commanding officer at the temporary prison camp where the songwriter was killed shortly after the Sept. 11, 1973 coup led by General Augusto Pinochet.

The Star Report: Jon and KatePopular reality show stars are angry that they are popular

Where the Wild Things Are video game looking for a new publisher

With five months to go until its release along with the movie, the Where the Wild Things Are video game is still on the hunt for a publisher.

Developer Amaze Entertainment confirmed on its website that it is producing the game, which was among numerous titles in the works at defunct publisher Brash Entertainment when it went out of business late last year. While some of Brash's games, such as ones starring superheroes the Flash and Superman, were early enough in production that their developers canceled them after Brash stopped paying the bills, others, including Six Flags Fun Park and Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, were far enough along that they were finished up and released by new publishers.

Amaze, which is owned by Foundation 9 Entertainment, has kept up production on the game since Brash folded and is, in fact, almost done with it in preparation for an October release along with the Spike Jonze-directed film. According to a person familiar with the situation, Foundation 9 is currently in negotiations with several publishers in hopes of finding one to release the game.

One likely candidate known to be in the mix: Warner Bros., which is releasing the "Where the Wild Things Are" movie and could publish the game at the same time through its Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment division. But it's only one of several potential publishers in talks.

A Warner Bros. representative declined to comment.

Only one remaining game on Brash's slate, an adaptation of the recently canceled Fox TV show "Prison Break," is far enough into production that it may still be released.

-- Ben Fritz

Photo: "Where the Wild Things Are." Credit: Warner Bros.

The Star Report: Jon and KatePopular reality show stars are angry that they are popular
The stars of TV's most trainwrecky reality show, "Jon and Kate Plus 8," are in a bit of a pickle. They signed on to let camera crews into their home to film the travails of a large family — twins and sextuplets — and of course to collect the $50,000 to $75,000 per episode and a houseful of freebies from sponsors.
On The Ground At Cannes

Critic-at-large John Powers reports on the scene at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.

CHILE: Study Shows How Leading Paper Colluded with Dictatorship
SANTIAGO, May 26 (IPS)The coverage of human rights violations cases by the powerful conservative Chilean newspaper El Mercurio during the country’s 17-year dictatorship was the focus of a meticulous study by five young reporters.

A cornucopia of classical music for summer

Memorial Day box office sluggish as 'Museum' opens strong but 'Terminator' struggles

The healthy box office seemed to lose its mojo over Memorial Day.

Overall ticket sales for the weekend rose only 2% from last year,according to Hollywood.com, a big downward shift in a year where thetotal is up more than 14%.

"Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian" grossed a healthy $70 million over the four days, while "Terminator Salvation" came in at a relatively weak $53.8 million. However, combined, they barely matched the opening of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" last year, leading to virtually flat total sales for the industry.

The opening of Fox's family sequel was right in line with estimates based on pre-release tracking and a solid figure given its $125-million production budget, after Canadian tax rebates. However, its $50.1-million gross in 93 foreign markets was less impressive compared with other movies that have opened simultaneously worldwide this year. That's an early indication it may not mirror the performance of the original, which made more money overseas than in the U.S. and Canada.

Family films tend to hold on very well at the box office, but "Smithsonian" will face significant competition   Friday from Disney and Pixar's "Up," which is pursuing the same audience.

"Terminator" paled next to other big summer action movies like "Wolverine" and "Star Trek" and didn't even match the opening weekend of "Terminator 3" six years ago. The $200-million movie started relatively well Thursday but quickly lost momentum. That's a sign of weak word of mouth and should leave Warner Bros. and The Halycon Co., which financed the film, concerned that it will decline rapidly in the coming weeks.

"Salvation's" hopes now rest largely on international markets, where Sony Pictures will launch the film next week.

"Dance Flick" did decent business for a low-budget spoof comedy, grossing $13.1 million through Monday on its opening weekend.

Here's the domestic box-office top 10 chart for the weekend based on studio estimates and data from Hollywood.com. While all grosses are over four days, percentage drops are based on the Friday-Sunday receipts so that the comparison with last weekend is fair.

1. "Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian" (Fox): Opened to a healthy $70 million for the four-day weekend. Overseas its performance was less impressive, as it debuted to $50.1 million in 93 countries.

2. "Terminator Salvation" (Warner Bros.): Its four-day gross of $53.8 million was a soft launch for a $200-million summer event film. The total gross since Thursday is $67.2 million. Sony opens the film internationally in two weeks.

3. "Star Trek" (Paramount): Continuing to post relatively modest declines, it fell 47% and grossed $29.4 million through Monday. Domestic total (19 days): $191 million. International total: $87.5 million.

4. "Angels and Demons" (Sony): Grossed $27.7 million on its second weekend, down 53%. Foreign grosses continue to be big, though the figures for U.S. and Canada are not. Domestic total (11 days): $87.8 million. International total: $198.3 million.

5. "Dance Flick" (Paramount): Opened to $13.1 million, about what was expected.

6. "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (Fox): Grossed $10.1 million, down 46%. Domestic total (25 days): $163.4 million. International total: $156.7 million.

7. "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" (Warner Bros. / New Line): $4.8 million, down 43%. Domestic total (25 days): $47 million.

8. "Obsesssed" (Sony / Screen Gems): $2.5 million, down 57%. Domestic total (32 days): $66.4 million.

9. "Monsters vs. Aliens" (Paramount / DreamWorks Animation): $1.9 million, down 55%. Domestic total (60 days): $193.5 million.

10. "17 Again" (Warner Bros. / New Line): $1.3 million, down 70%. Domestic total (39 days): $60.6 million.

-- Ben Fritz

Photo: Christian Bale and Sam Worthington in "Terminator Salvation." Credit: Warner Bros.

'Jon & Kate' plus controversy: The new season begins

One question hanging over “Jon & Kate Plus 8” (8 p.m. Central Monday, TLC) is whether the recent tabloid scandals about Jon and Kate Gosselin will actually help the show’s ratings. 

“Jon & Kate,” which is entering its fifth season, chronicles the lives of the Pennsylvania couple and their large brood, which consists of 8-year-old twins and 5-year-old sextuplets. Cute as the kids are, they’ve mostly been a footnote in the recent media stories about the couple; far more attention has been focused on Jon and Kate’s denials of their alleged infidelities.

In a clip from the season premiere, Jon looks glum, to put it mildly.

“I’m just all over the place,” he says in a distracted monotone. “Kate and I obviously have been going through a lot of stuff.”

Many people will be tuning in Monday to see how the show deals with that “stuff” (and the show will reflect recent events to some degree, thus TLC was not able to provide full episodes for review). And how are the kids faring amid all this drama? That’s another big question.

The previous season finale of “Jon & Kate” drew 4.6 million viewers for TLC, confirming the show’s status as a sizable hit by cable standards. If I had to guess, I would say the ratings won’t significantly go down, and may increase, thanks to the couple’s new level of notoriety.

Jon and Kate’s passive-aggressive bickering has long been one of the show’s main draws, and by this point, I would argue that their rocky relationship is more of a draw than the kids. This show would not be as big as it isâ€"and the Gosselins would not present such tempting targets for certain elements of the mediaâ€"if it were titled “Jon & Kate Get Along Great.”

Over the years, I've watched the show at the urging of readers and friends. The pitch was always a variation of, "Have you ever seen 'Jon & Kate'? She's so mean to him!" 

The show was never my cup of tea, though, because the sightâ€"or rather the soundâ€"of several children having meltdowns at once isn’t exactly relaxing. But one person’s anxiety-inducing scenario is another’s escapism, and, the truth is, there is a certain voyeuristic fascination in watching Jon and Kate snipe at each other. 

It’s easy to paint Kate as the villain of the piece, and many seemed eager to do that well before the couple’s recent troubles. Kate is certainly an exacting micro-manager, and it’s not easy to warm to someone who, in an old episode of the show, interrupted her husband to bark, “I’m sorry, can you stop breathing so loud?”

But don’t we all wonder how the world would view us if cameras followed us around all day? Who among us can say we haven’t shouted at or become irritable with family members? For years, Jon and Kate have had cameras catching every bad moment, every spat and every meltdown. That, combined with the demands of raising eight children, would make anyone twitchy.

It’s no wonder Kate seems to become even more tightly wound and Jon more resigned with each passing season. And with each season, the show’s ratings have grown.

In any case, what was once an unassuming reality show about an unusual family now seems something else. One clip from Season 5 shows TV chef Emeril Lagasse cooking in the Gosselins’ kitchen. There’s an attempt to make it all jovial, but the scene feels forced.

At one point, Kate hits Emeril with a spatula.

Jokingly! Ha ha ha!

A cornucopia of classical music for summer
This summer's classical music and opera landscape is a little daunting '” there's too much to choose from, a nice dilemma!

Targeted TV: Ads Will Soon Know You, Your Wants

No kids? No more diaper ads for you. A new generation of narrowly targeted TV commercials is coming — courtesy of your cable company, your DVR and a brand of data-mining voodoo that concerns some.

San Jose's FanimeCon draws thousands of fans who go character wild
The chaotic, colorful world of anime filled San Jose's McEnery Convention Center and spilled out onto the street Saturday, as perhaps 15,000 fans of Japanese cartooning and animation gathered to meet stars, watch episodes, hear tips and see and be seen in costume.
Commuters' Conversations Rise To High Art

Jump on a bus in Manhattan, and instead of eavesdropping on conversations around you, you might just hear some of that chatter set to music. A group of college students turn snatches of overheard conversations into librettos — and perform them on the routes and stops where they first heard the words.

Opening day: 'Night at the Museum 2' has a solid start, 'Terminator' losing momentum

Fox's "Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian" grossed $15.3 million Friday, slightly ahead of the $14.85 million earned by Warner Bros. "Terminator Salvation."

"Museum" is on track to sell between $65 million and $75 million worth of tickets by Monday, a solid performance given its studio-estimated $125-million budget and well within expectations for the weekend based on pre-release audience polling.

But most industry experts had expected "Terminator" to win the day given that it appeals to older audiences more likely to go to the movies on a Friday night. In addition, films that open the Thursday before Memorial Day usually see a significant increase in ticket sales on their second day. "Terminator" was up only 11% from its $13.37 million debut, a somewhat discouraging trend.

The film, which is being distributed domestically by Warner Bros. for The Halcyon Co. and cost about $200 million, is on track to gross around $50 million for the four-day weekend. Add in the Thursday numbers and its total ticket sales should be between $60 million and $65 million. That's a relatively soft start, particularly given how quickly action movies tend to fade at the summer box office.

The one exception to that rule continues to be Paramount's "Star Trek," which was down a relatively modest 51% on its third Friday, grossing $5.8 million. It was just a bit below the $6 million worth of tickets sold by Sony Pictures "Angels and Demons," which declined 64% from a week ago, a more typical drop for a summer event film. "Star Trek" should end up grossing around $30 million for the four- day weekend, while "Angels" will be in the mid-20s.

Paramount's spoof movie "Dance Flick," the weekend's only other wide release, earned $3.9 million Friday, indicating it will gross in the low- to mid-teens by Monday, which is in line with projections for the low-budget film from the Wayans brothers.

Despite earlier hopes that it could be a huge holiday for the movie industry, the Memorial Day weekend is no longer looking too hot. Total ticket sales might not even be up from 2008, bucking the hugely positive trend seen so far this year.

-- Ben Fritz

Photo: Ben Stiller in "Night at the Museum: Battle for theSmithsonian." Credit: Doane Gregory / 20th Century Fox

Clay Aiken apologizes for stinging critique of Adam Lambert
;Clay Aiken says blood didn't truly pour forth from his ears when he heard runner-up Adam Lambert sing "Ring of Fire"—and hey, he's sorry for his "colorful choice of words.'
The Story Of The Plantation That Moved Away

Film critic Godfrey Cheshire spent his North Carolina childhood playing with his cousins on his ancestral home, Midway Plantation. The city grew up around Midway though, destroying the once-bucolic setting. Moving Midway is a documentary about the current owner's decision to move Midway to a new location, and the history that the undertaking unearthed. NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Cheshire and Robert Hinton, the film's historian and a descendent of slaves at Midway.

William Morris' Jim Wiatt contemplates next move

 

After pulling off the big William Morris Agency-Endeavor merger, Jim Wiatt is reportedly looking for a new  gig.

The William Morris chairman, who would retain the same title at the combined agency, WME Entertainment, won't leave immediately, according to one source familiar with the situation. He is, however, looking to start his next chapter.

Prior to the merger announcement, Wiatt had vigorously denied claims that he would play an emeritus role in the merged company, handing over day-to-day control to Ari Emanuel. Now with William Morris' future assured, it seems he's got his eyes fixed on the door.

-- Dawn C. Chmielewski

Photo: William Morris Chairman Jim Wiatt. Credit: Stephen Shugerman / Getty Images

Local documentary chronicles WW 2 submarine's last journey

This Memorial Day weekend, WTTW-Ch. 11 airs a documentary that not only sheds light on the Midwestern war effort but provides interesting glimpses of life on a World War II submarine.

"Lost and Found: Legacy of USS Lagarto" (6 p.m. Sunday, WTTW-Ch. 11; three stars) revisits the shipyards of Manitowoc, Wis., which produced dozens of submarines for the Navy during World War II. This well-paced film also chronicles the recent efforts of divers who found one of those submarines, the USS Lagarto, in the Gulf of Thailand six decades after the war ended. And the one-hour film also documents the efforts of family members, some of whom live in the Chicago area, who wanted the Navy to recognize the sub's crew, all of whom perished in the sub during a 1945 battle.

"Lagarto" was made by Chicago filmmakers Harvey Moshman and Chuck Coppola, who produced the award-winning local documentary "The Eastland Disaster." "Lagarto" is a diligent film -- Moshman and Coppola tracked down dozens of family members, World War II submarine veterans and shipyard workers for engaging interviews. But it's also a very personal and even moving tale: There are snippets from the letters crew members wrote to their families and reminiscences from the son of the sub's skipper.

Nancy Mabin Kenney of LaGrange was one of the leaders of the effort to get the Navy to recognize the Lagarto crew's service. Her father, William Mabin, was a signalman on the sub, and Moshman and Coppola followed her to a remembrance ceremony celebrating the crew's contributions. The tribute was held on the same part of the Manitowoc River that had been used for the launching of submarines decades earlier.

Why didn't the crew members escape from the Lagarto, even though the sub was in relatively shallow waters? What happened to the Lagarto in its final moments? And how did subs made in the Midwest end up in the Pacific? These are only some of the intriguing questions that "Lost and Found" explores.

Miss Manners: Let your absence make his heart grow fonder
DEAR MISS MANNERS: Two months ago, I started a beautiful relationship with a 59-year-old guy. I am 44.
'Virtue,' Old And New: At Least The Silent's Golden

It was a Noel Coward play, but Stephan Elliott's sleek-looking comedy never finds its bearings. Better: The 1928 version — whose director you've almost certainly heard of.

Review: Decemberists brave 'Hazards of Love ' in Oakland

Upfront Wrap: Women hot, the money's not, Kimmel suggests therapy

Upfront week officially ended around 11:50 a.m. Eastern Standard Time today. That's when CW Chief Executive Dawn Ostroff paraded that network's young stars â€" most of whom looked as if they'd fallen out of an Abercrombie & Fitch catalog â€" on the stage of the theater at Madison Square Garden to give media buyers one last chance to leer before deciding where to place their commercials.

For four days, five broadcast networks and a handful of cable channels did their best to try to persuade advertisers they know how to reach the young men, teens or any number of other demographics or niche audiences and that buying any other network would be a waste of their time and money. Jimmy Kimmel, ABC's late-night talk show host, probably summed it up best when he cracked to advertisers: “Every year we lie to you, and every year you come back for more. You don’t need an upfront. You need therapy."

Therapy may come this year in the form of a reality check. Other than CBS, the networks don't have a lot of positives in their ratings performances to point to this season. It wouldn't matter if they did. Advertisers don't have a lot of money to spend. Normally, the upfront takes about a week to wrap up. This year, it could drag on all summer. Some networks are willing to wait. Rob Tuck, executive vice president of sales for the CW, said he's willing to skip the upfront if the price isn't right. "If we have to sell in scatter all year long, we'll do it."

A few trends emerged out of upfront week. It used to be that young men were the hot demographic that everyone went after. This year it's women. Never mind that women already watch more television than men and, hence, are easier for advertisers to reach. Fox, CBS and the CW all stressed women when talking about their fall schedules. There are already several cable networks, including Lifetime, Oxygen and Bravo, aimed at women, not to mention daytime and morning. Are there really more slices in the pie?

Doing more with less was the other big story of the week. Every network stressed fiscal responsibility with regard to production costs. Fox's Entertainment chief Kevin Reilly said shows that had five story editors will now get three. At the same time, they all said viewers at home won't notice any difference on the screen. That begs the question of just how bloated the creative process has become over the years.

On a lighter note, the best quote of the week goes to Greg Garcia, creator of the canceled NBC sitcom "My Name Is Earl," who said, "It’s hard to be too upset about being thrown off the Titanic."

Best crack of the week, also at NBC's expense, goes to CBS sales chief JoAnn Ross, who made fun of NBC's argument that ratings don't matter. “Not keeping score might work in t-ball, but at CBS we are playing in the big leagues,” she said.

Prediction: After this year's upfront, no one will be looking to keep score for a little while.

â€" Joe Flint

CW moves 'Smallville' and unleashes a new 'Melrose Place'

The CW came out with its schedule today, so upfront week is now over. Thank goodness. Why are upfronts the same week as many finales, including the "American Idol" finale? Why? It's not right. Too much stuff to write about at once.

You may have noticed in these upfront posts (here's ABC, NBC, Fox and CBS), I haven't talked much about new shows. I don't care much about new shows, until screener DVDs are in my hands or episodes are on a site where I can watch them in their entirety.

Pilot buzz is meaningless to me, and in fact, I try to ignore it if I can. Unless and until I can evaluate something for myself, I don't really follow what new shows are "hot" or not, because I'd rather not have a preconception about whether a show is good or bad. (A favorite memory: Pullling the "Mad Men" DVD out of the mailer and watching the first few episodes of that show. I hadn't heard a word about the project. What delight to just watch it like that, without a shred of preconception about what it would be.)

Anyway, that's quite a digression. Back to the CW: There's really not much big news in the network's schedule. But here are a few notes:

"Melrose Place" is coming back, to lurk alongside "90210" on Tuesdays. I couldn't even get into "90210" as a guilty pleasure, and I wasn't a regular "Melrose" watcher back in the day, so my reaction is, "Meh." Your mileage may vary. "Smallville" moves to Friday, which is far from a network dumping ground these days. It's actually turning out to be a night chock full of credible scripted fare (well, I wouldn't call "Ghost Whisperer" credible, but you know what I'm saying -- the night isn't exactly "Supernanny" Burnoff Theater any more). What with vampires being all the rage, "Supernatural's" new Thursday companion is "The Vampire Diaries." James Poniewozik made me laugh by calling them "glampires." Heh!Also, on "Supernatural," as previously reported, Misha Collins (Castiel) is now a series regular. Until the new season begins, I've commenced my Great "Supernatural" DVD Project. I'm up to Episode 4 of Season 1 (and I realize now that I've already seen two of the first three Season 1 episodes, but the plan is to re-watch everything). With the cancellation of "The Game" and "Everybody Hates Chris," it's looking grim for African-American scripted shows on network television. Tyler Perry has his "House of Payne" on TBS, but the days of the WB, UPN and the CW supporting African-American programs appear to be over. Although someone pointed out on Twitter that Fox has a new comedy, "Brothers," with two African-American stars. For a full list of canceled shows, go here. "Reaper" has been canceled by the CW, but there is a chance it could live on in syndication. However you should be aware that the creators of the show have left "Reaper." And given how the show failed to consistently reach the potential it showed in its pilot, I'll shed no tears if it's dead for good. I'll hope that Ray Wise turns up on a new show soon, however.

The CW's press release on its fall schedule is below.

THE CW ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE

FOR 2009-2010 SEASON

 

A NEW SEASON OF TV TO TALK ABOUT

LAUNCHES IN THE FALL WITH RETURNING HITS

“GOSSIP GIRL,” “90210” AND “AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL,”

ALONG WITH HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NEW SERIES

“MELROSE PLACE,” “THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE” AND

“THE VAMPIRE DIARIES”

 

 

Monday Night Stays Strong with Winning Team of Hit Dramas

“Gossip Girl” and “One Tree Hill”

 

Tuesday Night:

“90210” Returns for a Second Season in The Zip,

Followed By New Updated Version of Iconic Drama

“Melrose Place”

 

On Wednesdays, “America’s Next Top Model” Leads Into

New Fashion-Fueled Drama “The Beautiful Life”

From Producer Ashton Kutcher

 

New Drama “The Vampire Diaries” From

Producers Kevin Williamson (“Dawson’s Creek”) and Julie Plec (“Kyle XY”)

Teams with “Supernatural”

For a Spine-Tingling Thursday Lineup

 

Fan-Favorite “Smallville” Moves to Friday Night,

Followed by an Encore of “America’s Next Top Model”

 

New Drama Premieres Midseason:

“Parental Discretion Advised”

 

 

May 21, 2009 (New York, New York) â"€ The CW Network unveiled the schedule for its 2009-2010 season today at a presentation for advertisers, affiliates and national media in the Theater at Madison Square Garden.  The announcement was made by Dawn Ostroff, President of Entertainment, The CW. 

 

            “In just three years, The CW has become TV to talk about, with culturally current, quality programming,” said Ostroff.  “Next fall, we will have great flow from Monday through Friday, starting with the Monday pairing of ‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘One Tree Hill,’ which made The CW one of the top destinations for young women this season.  Tuesday night gives us a perfect match with ‘90210’ and ‘Melrose Place.’  And what could be better than our Wednesday night shows from Tyra Banks and Ashton Kutcher â€" the all-model lineup of ‘America’s Next Top Model’ and ‘The Beautiful Life.’  On Thursdays, ‘The Vampire Diaries’ taps into the continuing fascination young women have with all things vampire, and makes the perfect lead-in for ‘Supernatural,’ which is coming off its strongest year ever.  Moving ‘Smallville’ to Fridays gives us a major player with a loyal fan base to kick off the night.  Top all that off with our heartwarming and humorous midseason drama ‘Parental Discretion Advised,’ from writer/producer Liz Tigelaar, and we have a full slate of great programming to keep our viewers watching, chatting, texting and tweeting all next season.”

 

            On Monday, the powerhouse combination of GOSSIP GIRL and ONE TREE HILL will remain in place.  Last fall, this winning team made The CW the Number One network with women, and sent Monday night ratings up 118 percent in women 18-34.  GOSSIP GIRL, which continues to be one of the most talked-about shows on television, will return to its 8:00-9:00 p.m. slot, followed by ONE TREE HILL from 9:00-10:00 p.m.

 

            On Tuesday, 90210 returns for its sophomore season in the 8:00-9:00 p.m. timeslot.  Last season, 90210 gave The CW its highest-rated series premiere ever and improved the 8:00 p.m. time period by 35 percent in women 18-34.  The highly anticipated, updated version of the 1990s monster-hit drama MELROSE PLACE will premiere in the 9:00-10:00 p.m. timeslot.  The new MELROSE PLACE features a dynamic ensemble of up-and-coming stars, along with two original cast members reprising the roles they made famous: Laura Leighton as Sydney Andrews and Thomas Calabro as Dr. Michael Mancini.  MELROSE PLACE promises to deliver all the backstabbing and sizzle of the original series.  And, as they did once before, 90210 and MELROSE PLACE will combine for a great night of television.

 

            On Wednesday, AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL returns in its successful 8:00-9:00 p.m. timeslot, followed by the glamorous new drama THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE.  Last season, AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL ranked second in its time period with young women.  Tyra Banks is one of the few women who is seen regularly on both daytime and primetime television.  Beginning this fall, The CW’s daytime block will feature two hours of THE TYRA BANKS SHOW, with an encore episode from 3:00-4:00 p.m. and an original episode from 4:00-5:00 p.m.  AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL and THE TYRA BANKS SHOW provide perfect symmetry and a natural fit for The CW brand by targeting the same audience in both primetime and daytime.

 

            New drama THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE joins TOP MODEL on Wednesdays.  From producers Ashton Kutcher, Jason Goldberg, Karey Burke, Mike Kelley and Carol Barbee, the fashion-based series gives viewers an exciting, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the cutthroat world of a group of young, beautiful and very sexy models living together in a models’ residence in New York City.  The show features a stunning ensemble cast, featuring Sara Paxton (“Last House on the Left”), Mischa Barton (“The O.C.”) and supermodel Elle Macpherson (“Friends”).  Together, AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL and THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE will be television’s most fashionable night.

 

            Thursdays go Goth with the new teaming of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES from 8:00-9:00 p.m., followed by SUPERNATURAL in the 9:00-10:00 p.m. hour.  Based on the best-selling series of books, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES is the story of two vampire brothers obsessed with the same beautiful girl, and battling to control the fate of an entire town.  Starring Nina Dobrev (“DeGrassi: The Next Generation”), Paul Wesley (“Mad Men”), Ian Somerhalder (“Lost”) and Steven R. McQueen (“Everwood”), THE VAMPIRE DIARIES makes the perfect new lead-in to SUPERNATURAL.  Last season, SUPERNATURAL’s Winchester brothers gave the network ratings growth across key young demos, despite the highly competitive timeslot.

 

            Big changes are in store on Fridays when SMALLVILLE relocates to the 8:00-9:00 p.m. hour, bringing young viewers from Thursday into Friday nights.  With non-stop action and classic DC Comics characters from Lois Lane to Doomsday, SMALLVILLE continues to give loyal viewers the stories and characters they love.

 

            The heartwarming and humorous drama PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED will premiere midseason.  From writer/producer Liz Tigelaar, (“Brothers and Sisters”), PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED is the story of a young girl who finds her biological parents and how that discovery changes all their lives.  The show stars Britt Robertson (“Swingtown”), Kristoffer Polaha (“Mad Men”), Shiri Appleby (“E.R.”) and Kerr Smith (“Eli Stone”).

 

            Following is The CW’s 2009-2010 primetime schedule, a night-by-night breakdown and accompanying details on all the programs.

 

 

THE CW’s 2009-2010 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE

 

 

MONDAY

               8:00-9:00 PM              GOSSIP GIRL

               9:00-10:00 PM            ONE TREE HILL

TUESDAY

               8:00-9:00 PM              90210

               9:00-10:00 PM            MELROSE PLACE (New Series)

WEDNESDAY

               8:00-9:00 PM              AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL

               9:00-10:00 PM            THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE (New Series)

THURSDAY

               8:00-9:00 PM              THE VAMPIRE DIARIES (New Series)

               9:00-10:00 PM            SUPERNATURAL

FRIDAY

               8:00-9:00 PM              SMALLVILLE (New night)

          

 

 

 

MONDAY

 

8:00-9:00 P.M.           “GOSSIP GIRL”

Returning for its third season, GOSSIP GIRL is a one-hour drama based on an exclusive group of privileged teens on Manhattan’s Upper East Side whose lives revolve around the blog of the all-knowing albeit ultra-secretive Gossip Girl.  No one knows Gossip Girl’s identity, but everyone in this exclusive and complicated vicious circle relies on her website and text messages for the latest scoop.  The series stars Blake Lively as Serena van der Woodsen, Leighton Meester as Blair Waldorf, Penn Badgley as Dan Humphrey, Chace Crawford as Nate Archibald, Taylor Momsen as Jenny Humphrey, Ed Westwick as Chuck Bass, Jessica Szohr as Vanessa Abrams, Kelly Rutherford as Lily van der Woodsen and Matthew Settle as Rufus Humphrey.  Filmed in New York and based on the popular series of young-adult novels by Cecily von Ziegesar, GOSSIP GIRL is from Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios with executive producers Josh Schwartz (“Chuck,” “The O.C.”), Stephanie Savage (“The O.C.”), Bob Levy (“Privileged”), Leslie Morgenstein (“Privileged”), John Stephens (“Gilmore Girls,” “The O.C.”), and co-executive producer Joshua Safran.

 

 

9:00-10:00 P.M.         “ONE TREE HILL”

In season seven of ONE TREE HILL our beloved characters learn the struggle to live an exceptional life doesn’t end once you’ve achieved your dreams.  Whether they found true love, answered a call to greatness, or sought redemption for sins of the past, nothing that’s come before compares to the challenges our characters now face to keep their dreams alive, their friendships intact and their lives full in the place they call home.  ONE TREE HILL was created by Mark Schwahn and is executive produced by Schwahn, Joe Davola, Greg Prange, Mike Tollin and Brian Robbins.  ONE TREE HILL is a Mastermind Laboratories and Tollin/Robbins Production in association with Warner Bros. Television.

 

 

 

TUESDAY

 

8:00-9:00 P.M.           “90210”

The second season of “90210” focuses on the West Beverly group as they begin their all-important Junior year.  They’ll go through all the ordinary teenage struggles and triumphs â€" crushes, sexual discovery, academic pressure, evolving friendships, shunning and isolation, love and relationships, family issues, SATs, STDs, a desire to fit in, a desire to stand out, fear and humiliation, joy and exultation â€" but they’ll do so in the extraordinary world of LA â€" a world of movie stars and overnight success, glamour and glitz, surfing and sunshine; a city where the American dream is writ large in the Hills and yet failure could come around any corner of the Boulevard of Broken Dreams.  We’ll follow Naomi, the well-meaning, but delightfully narcissistic rich girl with a heart of cubic zirconium; Adrianna, the gifted, artistic drama queen whose personal life is as dramatic as any role she could hope to play; Silver, the outspoken free spirit who marches to the beat of her own drum machine; Annie, the good girl from Kansas who has gotten a bit lost in the land of Oz; Dixon, her charming, good-natured brother who adapts easily to any challenging situation and yet is still struggling to find his own voice; Navid, whose geeky charm makes all the Blaze girls swoon; and Liam, the troubled New York transplant who abhors the decadent materialistic world of Beverly Hills.  These stories could only happen in LA...and only on “90210.”   The series stars Rob Estes as Harry Wilson, Lori Loughlin as Debbie Wilson, Shenae Grimes as Annie Wilson, Tristan Wilds as Dixon Wilson, AnnaLynne McCord as Naomi Clark, Ryan Eggold as Ryan Matthews, Jessica Stroup as Silver, Michael Steger as Navid Shirazi, Jessica Lowndes as Adrianna Tate-Duncan and Matt Lanter as Liam Court.  90210 is produced by CBS Television Studios with executive producer Rebecca Sinclair.

 

 

9:00-10:00 P.M.         “MELROSE PLACE” (New Series)

In an elegant Spanish-style apartment building in the trendy Melrose neighborhood of Los Angeles, a diverse group of 20-somethings have formed a close-knit surrogate family.  Sydney Andrews (Laura Leighton, the original “Melrose Place”) is the landlady, still beautiful at 40, and a central figure in the lives of all her tenants, especially handsome and rebellious David Breck (Shaun Sipos, “Shark”).  Sydney started an affair with David despite her turbulent history with his estranged father, Dr. Michael Mancini (Thomas Calabro, the original “Melrose Place”).  Both father and son learned through experience that Sydney was not above using blackmail to control people.  Another tenant, high-powered publicist Ella Simms (Katie Cassidy, “Supernatural”), once considered Sydney her mentor, but their friendship was destroyed by betrayal, and Sydney threatened to evict Ella and ruin her career.  Sydney also played a pivotal role in the career of Auggie Kirkpatrick (Colin Egglesfield, “All My Children”).  After they met at an AA meeting, she became Auggie’s sponsor and encouraged his dream to become a chef.  Now a successful sous chef at the trendy restaurant Coal, Auggie has been avoiding

 

Sydney since she began drinking again.  The other tenants include Lauren Yung (Stephanie Jacobsen, “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”), a medical student in desperate need of money to pay her student loans, and Jonah Miller (Michael Rady, “Swingtown”), an aspiring filmmaker who has just proposed to his live-in girlfriend Riley Richmond (Jessica Lucas, “Cloverfield”), a first-grade teacher.  The newest tenant, 18-year-old Violet Foster (Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, “7th Heaven”), has just arrived in LA with her own secret connection to Sydney.  When a bloody body is found floating in the courtyard pool, David is the leading suspect.  However, as the police are soon to discover, almost everyone living at Melrose Place had a reason to want the deceased out of the way.  An updated version of the popular 1990s series, MELROSE PLACE is from CBS Television Studios with executive producers Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer (“Smallville”).  Oscar-winner Davis Guggenheim (“An Inconvenient Truth”) is the director and executive producer of the pilot.

 

 

WEDNESDAY

 

8:00-9:00 P.M.           “AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL”

Returning with its thirteenth and fourteenth cycles, the runaway runway hit series stars Tyra Banks.  The show gives real people an opportunity to prove that they can make it in the high-stress, high-stakes world of supermodeling.  With mentoring by Tyra Banks and exposure to high-profile fashion-industry gurus, young women of various backgrounds, shapes and sizes must endure a highly accelerated modeling boot camp and face weekly tests to determine who will make the cut as they vie for a professional modeling contract.  The executive producers are Ken Mok (“Making the Band”), Tyra Banks and Daniel Soiseth (“Hell’s Kitchen”). The reality series was created by Tyra Banks and developed by Mok and Kenya Barris.  AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL is produced by 10 by 10 Entertainment in association with Bankable Productions.

 

 

 

9:00-10:00 P.M.         “THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE” (New Series)

The life of a high-fashion model appears glamorous and sexy, but as every new model quickly learns, behind the beautiful façade is a world of insecurity and cutthroat competition.  Two teenage models who are about to discover this world for themselves are Raina Collins (Sara Paxton, “Last House on the Left”), a stunning beauty with a secret past, and Chris Andrews (Benjamin Hollingsworth, “The Line”), a strikingly handsome Iowa farm boy.  When Raina makes an unforgettable impression at a show introducing the new line from designer Zac Posen (appearing in a cameo role), she steals the spotlight from her friend Sonja (Mischa Barton, “The O.C.”).  Sonja has been out of the country for mysterious reasons and is now desperate to reclaim her standing as the reigning supermodel.  While Raina and Sonja live at the top of the fashion food chain, Chris is starting at the bottom, having just been discovered by agent Simon Lockridge (newcomer Dusan Dukic) of the Covet Modeling Agency, which is owned by former supermodel Claudia Foster (Elle Macpherson, “Friends”).  At his first photo shoot, Chris’ inexperience almost derails his career until Raina comes to his rescue, showing him how to relax and work the camera.  That afternoon, Raina brings Chris to the “models’ residence” where she lives along with other young hopefuls, including Marissa Delfina (Ashley Madekwe, “Secret Diary of a Call Girl”), Egan (Jordan Woolley, “As The World Turns”), Issac (Corbin Bleu, “High School Musical 2”) and the current alpha-male-model known as Kai (Nico Tortorella, “Twelve”).  At an exclusive industry party that night, Chris is again impressed by Raina’s generosity when she steps aside to make sure Sonja lands a job that will resurrect her career.  However, after an ugly scene with Simon, Chris is left to question whether he can survive in this world of dangerous excess and fleeting fame.  THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE is from Katalyst Films in association with CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television with executive producers Ashton Kutcher & Jason Goldberg (“True Beauty,” “Punk’d”), Karey Burke (“True Beauty”), Mike Kelley (“Swingtown,” “Jericho”) and Carol Barbee (“Swingtown,” “Jericho”).  Christian Duguay (“Coco Chanel”) directed the pilot.

 

THURSDAY

 

8:00-9:00 P.M.           “THE VAMPIRE DIARIES” (New Series)

Four months after the tragic car accident that killed their parents, 17-year-old Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev, “DeGrassi: The Next Generation”) and her 15-year-old brother, Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen, “Everwood”) are still trying to cope with their grief and move on with their lives.  Elena has always been the star student; beautiful, popular and involved with school and friends, but now she finds herself struggling to hide her sadness from the world.  As the school year begins, Elena and her friends are fascinated by a handsome and mysterious new student, Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley, “Army Wives”).  Stefan and Elena are immediately drawn to one another, and Elena has no way of knowing that Stefan is a centuries-old vampire, struggling to live peacefully among humans, while his brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder, “Lost”) is the embodiment of vampire violence and brutality.  Now these two vampire brothers â"€ one good, one evil â"€ are at war for Elena’s soul and for the souls of her friends, family and all the residents of the small town of Mystic Falls, Virginia.  Based on the series of books by L. J. Smith, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES is from Alloy Entertainment and Bonanza Productions Inc in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios with executive producers Kevin Williamson (“Dawson’s Creek,” “I Know What You Did Last Summer”), Julie Plec (“Kyle XY,” “Wasteland”), Leslie Morgenstein (“Gossip Girl,” “Privileged”) and Bob Levy (“Gossip Girl,” “Privileged”).  Marcos Siega (“Dexter”) directed the pilot.

 

 

9:00-10:00 P.M          “SUPERNATURAL”

Returning for its fifth season, this haunting series follows Sam and Dean Winchester, two brothers bound by tragedy and blood to their dangerous, other-worldly mission.  This past season, Dean was rescued from Hell by the angel Castiel, who told Dean he was meant to avert the impending Apocalypse, as well as Lucifer rising from Hell.  As the brothers were caught up in the epic battle between angels and demons, Sam and Dean found their relationship was strained almost to the breaking point until ultimately, both brothers were betrayed.  Now, in season five, they must battle the Devil himself.  The series stars Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester, Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester and Misha Collins as Castiel).  SUPERNATURAL is from Warner Bros. Television in association with Wonderland Sound and Vision, with executive producers McG (“Charlie’s Angels,” “The O.C.”), Eric Kripke (“Boogeyman”) and Robert Singer (“Midnight Caller”).

 

FRIDAY

 

8:00-9:00 P.M.           “SMALLVILLE”

Returning for its ninth season, last season SMALLVILLE was filled with twists and surprises, starting with the disappearance of Lex Luthor.  However, someone quickly arrived to take his place â€" the enticing Tess Mercer.  As Tess maneuvered her way through town, she flirted with her old flame Oliver Queen, discovered Clark’s true identity and unleashed a new world of danger.  As if that hurdle wasn’t enough for Clark, he also met his greatest match â€" Doomsday.  SMALLVILLE explored the origins of Doomsday, revealing a sympathetic guy named Davis Bloome, who battled an inner demon â€" the Doomsday character fans have loved to hate for years.  When Clark wasn’t busy battling the beast, he was knee-deep in work at the Daily Planet.  Last season threw Clark and Lois Lane together â€" literally across the desk from each other.  As Clark’s persona as the cub Planet reporter emerged, so did his feelings for Lois, the fated love of his life.  The series stars Tom Welling as Clark Kent, Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan, Erica Durance as Lois Lane, Justin Hartley as Oliver Queen and Cassidy Freeman as Tess Mercer.  Reinterpreting the Superman mythology from its roots, SMALLVILLE was developed for television by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar (“Shanghai Noon,” “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”), based on the DC Comics characters.  Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson serve as executive producers, along with James Marshall, Mike Tollin, Brian Robbins and Joe Davola.  The series is produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions and Warner Bros. Television.  SUPERMAN was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

 

 

9:00-10:00 P.M.         “AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL”

                                     (Encore Presentation).

 

 

MIDSEASON

 

“PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED” (New Series)

After spending all of her 15 years bouncing from one foster family to another in Portland, Oregon, Lux (Britt Robertson, “Swingtown”) has decided it’s time to take control of her life and become an emancipated minor.  Her journey through the legal maze leads Lux to her biological father, 30-something Nate “Baze” Bazile (Kristoffer Polaha, “Mad Men”), who owns a bar, lives like an aging frat-boy with two slacker roommates, and is astonished to learn that he has a teenage daughter.  Lux is equally astonished when Baze reveals that her mother is Cate Cassidy (Shiri Appleby, “E.R.”), a star on the local “Morning Madness” radio show, along with her on-air partner and real-life boyfriend, Ryan Thomas (Kerr Smith, “Eli Stone”).  Lux has been listening to Cate’s voice on the radio as long as she can remember, so she feels an instant connection with the mom she’s never met.  Baze takes Lux to meet Cate, who is shocked and saddened to learn that Lux has grown up in foster care, but thrilled to finally meet her beautiful daughter. When a judge decides that Lux isn’t ready for emancipation and unexpectedly grants temporary joint custody to Baze and Cate, they agree to try to get past the awkwardness and make a belated attempt to give Lux the family she deserves.  PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED is produced by Mojo Films in association with CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television with executive producers Liz Tigelaar (“Brothers and Sisters,” “What About Brian”) and Gary Fleder (“October Road”).  Gary Fleder directed the pilot.

Inspirational Indian artistes celebrated
Poetry is a backdrop of many societies, and praises of artistes behind great poetic works are sung for generations. Two Indian poets, Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam, are no exception. The Great poets of the 19th century were instrumental in IndiaÂ's independence movement. The piece of prose of lyrics, An offering of songs, by Tagore was later translated to be the national anthem of India and Bangladesh. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913, the first such prize for Asia.
Review: Decemberists brave 'Hazards of Love ' in Oakland
The art-rock band tackles its new challenging concept album live, and succeeds.
'Salvation': The End Of The World, All Over Again

John Connor's back — played this time by Christian Bale — in the first Terminator movie that'll make it or break it without Ahhhnuld. Movie critic Bob Mondello goes back to the future to see how it works.

ARGENTINA: Blogs â€" a Shortcut to Fame?
BUENOS AIRES, May 21 (IPS)While many are still warning that the Internet will do away with reading, unknown writers in Argentina who have joined the global trend of blogging are winning prizes around the world and watching their online writings turn into books, plays and television screenplays.

First footage from 'Jon & Kate Plus 8's' new season

California appealing video game violence bill to the Supreme Court

California is taking one last stab at saving the state's video game violence bill.

Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown announced today that he would ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Appeals Court and District Court rulings that invalidated the bill on First Amendment grounds.

"These video game makers are shamelessly exploiting vulnerable children for profit," Brown told The Times in an interview. "And in the same way pornography can be banned, pornographic violence can be banned as well."

The law, which Gov. Schwarzenegger signed into law in late 2005, requires that video games deemed by the state to be "violent" be labeled with the numeral "18." Retailers who sell or rent such games to anyone younger than 18 could be fined as much as $1,000.

Video game publishers and retailers have consistently opposed such laws by arguing that their voluntary ratings system, similar to the one used for movies, is sufficient and that games shouldn't be treated differently than other media.

"We are confident that this appeal will meet the same fate as the state's previous failed efforts to regulate what courts around the country have uniformly held to be expression that is fully protected by the First Amendment," said Michael D. Gallagher, president of the Entertainment Software Assn., which represents game publishers.

Eight similar laws passed by other states and localities have been struck down by courts.

Should the Supreme Court agree to hear Brown's case, it would be the first before the nation's highest judges to deal with regulation of video games. Experts have clashed over whether games, because of their interactive nature, are more likely than other media to influence children to engage in violent behavior.

Brown said he was confident the Supreme Court would take the case.

"I think, as Justice [Robert H. Jackson] once said, that the Constitution is not a suicide pact," Brown stated. "Disseminating this kind of poison to children is noxious."

-- Ben Fritz

Photo: Jerry Brown. Credit: Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press

First footage from 'Jon & Kate Plus 8's' new season

It hasn't been an easy few months for the Gosselin family.

And as you can see in this footage from the new season of "Jon & Kate Plus 8," which premieres Monday on TLC, the strain is showing, especially on Jon Gosselin.

You've no doubt heard about the scandal that has swirled around Jon and Kate Gosselin. You can't walk by a magazine rack or click on a gossip site without hearing about alleged infidelity by both parties, which Jon and Kate have both denied. Yet things appear to be quite tense. In this video, for example, Jon and Kate both look grim and they don't sit together on the couch they usually share for interviews.

Most notably, there's something flat and listless about Jon's voice. "Too much of anything is bad," he says. It certainly looks as though too much attention from the tabloids has taken its toll on the father of eight (one set of twins and one set of sextuplets). 

A TLC representative said that this 2-minute clip would be the only new footage that the media would get before the show's premiere. I'll be writing a more extensive "Jon & Kate" review that will run on Monday. But I wanted to share this clip now and also ask you this question: Do the recent stories about "Jon & Kate" make you more or less likely to watch the show?

I think I will argue in my upcoming piece that the controversy may garner even more viewers for "Jon & Kate," which, as media writer Kim Masters noted in this piece, is already a "monster hit" for TLC. One of the attractions of the show has always been the tension between Jon, who seems passive and hapless, and Kate, who, even before the recent headlines, came off as a control freak.

Now that those tensions are at an all-time high, could the show draw even more than the 4.6 million viewers who watched the previous season? What do you think?

Wanderlust: A beach that offers more than just sun and sand
A newly reopened beach at Fort Ord offers more than sun and sand.
TV Networks Preview Fall Shows

TV networks roll out their fall schedules this week. Ken Tucker, editor-at-large and TV critic for Entertainment Weekly, talks about the big surprises so far.

'The Unit,' 'Privileged' and 'Earl': A list of shows that have been canceled

Legendary Pictures making a play for video games and digital

Thomas Tull is taking another stab at video games.

The CEO of Legendary Pictures, who lost a bundle on his investment in defunct publisher Brash Entertainment, has made official what many in the industry have known for months: Kathy Vrabeck, a former top executive at Electronic Arts and Activision, is joining his company to oversee a new digital division that's expected to produce video games and original content for online and mobile platforms.

 The LA Times' Technology blog has the scoop:

Tull has not detailed his plans for the newly created interactivedivision, but the film financier has an abiding interest in games.Among his film projects are movies based on Activision Blizzard'sfantasy-themed World of Warcraft game and Epic Games' Gears of Warshooter franchise. A gamer himself, Tull invested in BrashEntertainment, a company headed by Massive Entertainment founder Mitch Davis. Brash burst on the scene in 2007 promising to reinvent Hollywood's relationship with video games only to disintegrate months later amid a flurry of lawsuits.

Get all the details on Vrabeck's hiring here.

-- Ben Fritz

Photo: Kathy Vrabeck. Credit: Electronic Arts.

'The Unit,' 'Privileged' and 'Earl': A list of shows that have been canceled

It's the least fun part of this job (aside from watching most new network comedies): Telling folks what shows have bitten the dust. But in the interest of providing one-stop shopping (and one link when people ask about what's dead), here's a roundup of shows that are not coming back.

To see what shows are coming back, look at this week's posts on the fall schedules for Fox, NBC and ABC -- every network show that is returning is mentioned in those press releases. Soon I'll have longer posts up with information on what's returning on CBS and the CW.

As far as the cancellation list goes, I will keep adding to it as needed in the next day or two. And by the way, other shows that premiered in the 2008-'09 season have been canceled, but I'm assuming you don't really want to know about shows, such as "Crusoe," that bit the dust months ago. If you want charts with that kind of info, check out this LA Times page and this EW list. 

Without further ado, here are the shows that are not returning next season:

NBC: "My Name Is Earl" (theoretically another network could pick the show up), "Life," "Kath & Kim," "Lipstick Jungle," "Kings"ABC: "Samantha Who?," "Cupid," "The Unusuals," "According to Jim" (finally!)CBS: "The Unit," "Without a Trace," "Eleventh Hour," "Worst Week" CW: "Privileged," also the "Gossip Girl" '80s spinoff is dead. "Reaper," "Everybody Hates Chris" and "The Game" are unlikely to live on Fox: "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," "Sit Down, Shut Up"

A few notes:

Compared to other upfront weeks, in my opinion, this hasn't really been a heartbreaking week for cancellations. I think "The Unit" and "Privileged" did quality work for the most part, and I know some "Terminator" fans are sad about that loss. But frankly, I expected those three shows to go. And we got renewals for "Chuck" and "Dollhouse" -- I truly never expected that both those shows will return. My condolences to fans of shows on the list above, but all in all, I think it could have been much worse this week. NBC said it was done with "Medium," but CBS is picking up the show. So it's not done for good, it is coming back. And CBS had some choice words for NBC, calling its decision to cancel the show "inexplicable."It's not yet known whether ABC's "Surviving Suburbia" will come back. Fox's "'Til Death" is officially the new "According to Jim": "Death" is coming back. Why?

'Spamalot' makes its California premiere
The Broadway smash hit musical 'lovingly ripped off' from all things Monty Python, an unabashedly zany homage to the canon from 'Life of Brian' to the 'Holy Grail,' swashbuckles into San Francisco's Golden Gate Theatre for its California premiere now through July 5.

DreamWorks Plans Martin Luther King Biopic

DreamWorks Studios plans to tell the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s story on the big screen in a film to be co-produced by Steven Spielberg, the studio announced Tuesday. Officials are touting the project as the first theatrical motion picture authorized by The King Estate

LITERATURE: Mario Benedetti, the Most Beloved of Uruguayan Writers
MONTEVIDEO, May 19 (IPS)The literary oeuvre of Uruguayan author Mario Benedetti, who died Sunday night, is enormous and diverse, comprising dozens of books of poetry, songs, novels, short stories, chronicles, essays, plays and humour. As he himself used to joke: "The only thing I never wrote is an opera."