Daily Variety articles from January 2005

Daily Variety archives from January 2005

Par goes for Grey matter; Viacom taps H'wood manager to turn around studio's fortunes.(Paramount Pictures)(Brad Grey)(Hollywood)
January 3, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Brad Grey will become Sherry Lansing's successor at Paramount Pictures--a signal that corporate parent Viacom intends to follow through on its promise to reinvigorate the studio. Move, which will probably become official in the...

'Meet' greets new year atop B.O.(Box Office)(movies)
January 3, 2005... "Meet the Fockers" continued to dominate the holiday marketplace in its second week, setting records for the biggest New Year's Eve and New Year's Day grosses. Over the weekend, Universal's sequel brought in $42.8 million, down just 7%...

A surprise power play.(The Back Lot)(appointment)
January 3, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Consider the anomalies of Viacom's decision to hire Brad Grey. No studio in memory has ever brought in a head of production so lacking in formal filmmaking credentials or corporate experience. No power player has ever...

'Idol' hands tweaking mix.(American Idol)
January 3, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- "American Idol" will undergo the biggest changes in the show's history when it returns for its fourth season this month. Producers of the Fox reality smash are guiding the shifts, which will be most evident to viewers--and the...

The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber.(musical theater)(Theater Review)
January 3, 2005... (Kennedy Center Opera House, Washington. D.C.; 2,679 seats: $93 top) A Kennedy Center presentation of a Jeffrey Finn Prods. production of a musical revue in two acts by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Directed by Tom Kosis. Sets, James Noone;...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
January 3, 2005... Phil Oldham does not own the program library of Burt Wolf; he is a distributor. Information was incorrect in the Dec. 20 issue.

Committed.(television series)(Television Program Review)
January 3, 2005... (Series; NBC, Tues. Jan. 4, 9:30 p.m.) Filmed in L.A. by Blackie and Blondie Prods. in association with NBC Universal Television Studio. Executive producers, Eileen Heisler, DeAnn Heline; co-executive producer, Rob Bragin; producers, Werner...

A surfeit of screeners.(The Back Lot)
January 3, 2005... Now that Oscar season has reached its zenith, Academy members are baffled by the following problem: What do you do with those screeners you no longer want? If you simply stash them in the trash, a gardener or garbage man may decide to...

Quebec in tax credit war.(Finance Minister Yves Seguin)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... MONTREAL -- The Quebec provincial government is increasing tax credits for foreign film producers to counter a similar tax-credit increase recently unveiled by the neighboring province of Ontario. On Thursday, Quebec Finance Minister Yves...

Goldeneye fest debuts Bond-style.(Goldeneye Film Festival)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... Palm Pictures topper Chris Blackwell's inaugural Goldeneye Film Festival wrapped Dec. 13, marking the close to the experimental event hatched by the Island Records thunder, at which most films screen via DVD in attendees' rooms. Jamaica...

Barker is 'Right' for 34th year.(Bob Barker)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Bob Barker will come on down for a 34th season as host of CBS gameshow "The Price Is Right." Despite speculation that Barker, who turned 81 in December, would retire, he reupped to remain the program's only daytime host since...

XM sat radio gets its debt under control.(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- XM Satellite Radio will start off the new year with an improved balance sheet after it retired nearly $100 million in debt with new equity. Satcaster on Thursday issued more than 2.7 million shares in exchange for $98.1...

The screening room.(movies)(Illustration)
January 3, 2005... THE SCREENING ROOM The Screening Room runs Mondays and Thursdays. Screenings are open to Academy and guild members. For a complete list, visit Variety.com/screenings. NEW YORK Alexander (Warner Bros.) RSVP:...

Desert fest honors Payne.(Alexander Payne)(Palm Springs Film Festival)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Alexander Payne has been selected director of the year by the Palm Springs Film Festival. The "Sideways" helmer will be honored at the fest's awards gala Saturday at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Payne joins the fest's...

Fox, Carsey-Werner eye ''70s' flashback.(Inside Moves)(Carsey-Werner Company L.L.C.)(That '70s Show)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... That '70s Show" may be back next season after all. Execs at Fox and Carsey-Werner are doing the hustle in a bid to bring the show back for at least one more round of episodes, industry insiders said late last week. Most of the cast has...

Bandleader Shaw dies.(american musician Artie Shaw)(Obituary)
January 3, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Oscar-nominated clarinetist and bandleader Artie Shaw, whose recording of "Begin the Beguine" epitomized the Big Band era, died Thursday at his home in Thousand Oaks, Calif. He was 94. Shaw had long had diabetes and likely died...

Stadium staredown: Dolan, mayor square off over Olympic venue.(Mayor Michael Bloomberg and James Dolan of Cablevision Systems Corp.)
January 3, 2005... The new year will ring in renewed hostilities in what has become Gotham's most public feud: that between Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Cablevision chief executive James Dolan. The two are locked in an epic battle over the proposed $1.4...

Military net girding for cable battle.(new Military History Channel)
January 3, 2005... The Military History Channel is planning to blast its way into cable TV homes. No cable operators or satellite distributors have signed up yet, but the net isn't worried because its parents are the popular A&E and History Channel. Dan...

Woody pic goes west.(Santa Barbara Film Festival)(Woody Allen)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... Woody Allen's new film "Melinda and Melinda" will kick off this year's Santa Barbara Film Festival. The love story, alternately portrayed as comedy and tragedy, stars Radha Mitchell, Will Ferrell, Jonny Lee Miller, Amanda Peet and Chloe...

NBC praiser extends reins.(promotion)(National Broadcasting Company Entertainment)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Rebecca Marks has been upped to exec VP of the NBC U TV Group's West Coast publicity division. New post gives Marks oversight for PR at NBC Entertainment, NBC U Television Studio and the company's cable and syndication...

Medium.(television series)(Television Program Review)
January 3, 2005... (Series; NBC, Mon. Jan. 3, 10 p.m.) Filmed in L.A. by Picturemaker Prods. in association with Grammnet Prods. and Paramount Network TV. Executive producers, Glenn Gordon Carom Kelsey Grammer, Ronald L. Schwary, Steve Stark, Rene Echevarria;...

Spain panel to fight rampant piracy.(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... MADRID -- Spain's ruling socialist party is launching a five-point Integrated Government Plan aimed at attacking rampant piracy. Speaking to film and music execs Wednesday, culture minister Carmen Calvo announced Spain will create an...

Showbiz stocks: Friday, December 31, 2004.(Illustration)
January 3, 2005... SHOWBIZ STOCKS Friday, December 31, 2004 YTD Name Tkr PE Last Chg %Chg AcmeCm ACME ... 7.01 +.21 -20.2 Actvsn ATVI 24 ...

Films in the future.(Film Production Chart)
January 3, 2005... PRODUCTION CHART KEY Abbreviations: EXP, Executive producer; PROD--Producer; COP--Co-producer; DIR--Director; AD--First assistant director; 2DIR--Second-unit director; SCR--Screenwriter; DP--Cinematographer; ED--Editor; PD--Production...

Filming in the U.S.(Film Production Chart)
January 3, 2005... PRODUCTION CHART KEY Abbreviations: EXP, Executive producer; PROD--Producer; COP--Co-producer; DIR--Director; AD--First assistant director; 2DIR--Second-unit director; SCR--Screenwriter; DP--Cinematographer; ED--Editor; PD--Production...

Filming in Gotham.(Film Production Chart)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... Abbreviations: EXP, Executive producer; PROD--Producer; COP--Co-producer; DIR--Director; AD--First assistant director; 2DIR--Second-unit director; SCR--Screenwriter; DP--Cinematographer; ED--Editor; PD--Production designer; ART--Art director;...

Datebook.(movie screening and concert)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
January 3, 2005... JAN. 5 Jean-Pierre Jeunet The helmer of "Amelie" and "City of Lost Children" will talk with the Museum of the Moving Image's David Schwartz following a screening of his most recent film, "A Very Long Engagement." 35th Avenue at 36th...

Vox's cold shower: web stops airing sex show in favor of docs.(Wa(h)re Liebe television show of VOX Film und Fernseh GmbH und Company KG)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... COLOGNE -- Germany's Vox, a web of RTL Group, has kicked out its sex information programming in favor of enhanced international docu coverage from BBC. On Thursday, Vox for the last time aired "Wa(h)re Liebe," which had been running for...

New strategy for Wolzien.(Tom Wolzien joins Sanford C. Bernstein and Company L.L.C.)
January 3, 2005... Longtime Wall Street showbiz analyst Tom Wolzien will ankle the daily research grind this month to launch a media and communications strategy unit at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., his firm of nearly 14 years. Wolzien is well known on Wall...

Argentinean TV host flips to Canal 9.(Marcelo Tinelli)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... BUENOS AIRES -- Marcelo Tinelli, Argentina's most influential TV host-impresario, has switched to third-ranked Canal 9 after 15 years with leader Tetefe, a move touted as sparking stiffer competition for ad coin, content and viewers in...

Bavaria org funds Schlondorff pic.(Volker Schlondorff recieved funds for Who Is Anna Walentynowcz)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... COLOGNE "Who Is Anna Walentynowcz," from "The Tin Drum" helmer Volker Schlondorff, is among 28 projects allocated coin by Bavaria's film funding body FFF Bayern. Total outlay comes to $6.3 million. Schlondorff received $330,000 for "Anna,"...

Sony Wiser about digital.(Sony Corp)(Phil Wiser )(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Sony Corp. of America has upped Phil Wiser to chief technology officer and put him atop two new divisions charged with coordinating company's strategy in digital media, where it has so far been a surprising also-ran. Wiser was...

Spidey takes on Frodo in DVD kudos.(fifth annual DVD Exclusive Awards)
January 3, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- It's Mary Poppins against Scarlett O'Hara, Clint Eastwood. Steve McQueen and Luke Skywalker, and it's Jack Black against Spidey. Frodo, Neo and the Friedmans in this year's battle for top honors at the fifth annual DVD Exclusive...

Lightning hits digital.(Lightning Media's partnership with Teresis Media Management)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Post-production house Lightning Media has launched an exclusive partnership with Teresis Media Management to offer a digital workflow system that promises to cut post-production costs for unscripted TV shows by 30%-50%. The...

The Year of the Yao.(Movie Review)
January 3, 2005... (Docu) A Fine Line Features release of an Endgame Entertainment/NBA Entertainment production. Produced by James D. Stern, Adam Del Deo. Executive producers, Adam Silver, Gregg Winik, Bill Sanders. Co-producers, Christopher Chen, Paul...

New year, new job hunt.(Working the Town)(executive search firms)
January 3, 2005... Now that the holidays are over, those inclined to consider a job change or to secure a job if they are out of work are ready to spring into action. Headhunters can be helpful in this effort. The trick is: How to get their attention? A...

SAG's recurring headache.(The Back Lot)(Screen Actors Guild)(Brief Article)(Column)
January 3, 2005... Hardly anyone is paying attention, but there's still a chance that the noisy, neurotic Screen Actors Guild could shut down the industry. As negotiations meander along, the following question is being asked by some of the grown-ups: When will...

Bye bye 2004.(Pix Mix)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... Brad Pitt waves to the crowd at Cannes in May, where he joined his "Troy" castmates for the fest bow of Wolfgang Petersen's pic. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ron Howard and Brian Grazer saluted the original wild and crazy guy at the...

L.A. screening for Scandi pix.(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Oscar hopefuls from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden will he screened during the sixth Scandinavian Film Festival L.A., running Jan. 14-16. The Nordic festival will open with Norwegian Erik Poppe's film "Hawaii,...

No pic party o'seas for New Year's.(World Watch)
January 3, 2005... However folks overseas celebrated the start of the new year, going to the cinema didn't figure high up on their menu of choices over the weekend. Notable exception was Australia, where the Dec. 26-Jan. I frame rated as the industry's 11th...

Specialty films ring in New Year's with bang.
January 3, 2005... With boffo results spread throughout the marketplace, specialty films, which have had a tough time finding traction outside big cities like L.A. and Gotham, saw refreshingly strong results over the New Year's weekend. Leading the pack of...

Wives in the balance: contending perfs sharpen edges of standard roles.(Eye on the Oscars: the actress)
January 3, 2005... Oscar voters may reside in the blue states, but there's still a "Father Knows Best" mentality when it comes to "wifely" roles. This year, though, performances by Laura Linney, Imelda Staunton, Laura Dern, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, Kim...

Annette Bening: 'Being Julia'.(Lead Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... Private and unassuming in her personal life, Annette Bening relished the idea of going diva in "Being Julia." "The part was so rich--a feast of words and character and ideas," says Bening, who already this awards season has been named best...

Julie Delpy: 'Before Sunset'.(Lead Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... Among the many reasons Julie Delpy agreed to do a sequel to 1995's "Before Sunrise"--the chance to reteam with Richard Linklater and co-star Ethan Hawke, to reprise a role nine years later and find out what happened to Celine and Jesse after...

Laura Dern: 'We Don't Live Here Anymore'.(Lead Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... After more than 25 years of trying, Hollywood finally made Laura Dern blush. Having cast away her inhibitions in David Lynch's "Blue Velvet" and "Wild at Heart" and Alexander Payne's "Citizen Ruth," Dern reached the height of unease this...

Catalina Sandino Moreno: 'Maria Full of Grace'.(Lead Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... Catalina Sandino Moreno is spoiled. Her first film, Joshua Marstons Maria Full of Grace," proved such an intense, fulfilling experience that it'll be hard to duplicate. Indeed, it may have ruined everything else for the young thesp. ...

Emmy Rossum: 'The Phantom of the Opera'.(Lead Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... Emmy Rossum, the object of desire in "The Phantom of the Opera," is generating ample buzz for her performance as Christine Daae and already has a citation for female breakthrough performance from the National Board of Review to show for it. ...

Imelda Staunton: 'Vera Drake'.(Lead Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... For approximately half of period drama "Vera Drake," shuddering despair overwhelms the title character played by Imelda Staunton, carrying her away from former happiness like an undertow. It is such an unremitting sadness that one might...

Hilary Swank: 'Million Dollar Baby'.(Lead Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... Hilary Swank, who won an Oscar at age 25 for her performance in 1999's "Boys Don't Cry," knows a thing or two about great expectations. The award immediately placed her in rarified company, and under the microscope. "People talk about...

Audrey Tautou: 'A Very Long Engagement'.(Lead Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... Audrey Tautou received worldwide acclaim for her performance in "Amelie." But working with the same director, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, on "A Very Long Engagement" didn't necessarily mean the World War I romantic drama would promise a smoother ride....

Kate Winslet: 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'.(Lead Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... Although only 29, Kate Winslet is no stranger to awards season hoopla with three Oscar noms already to her credit. This year she continued to draw critical attention for a pair of disparate performances: candy-tressed, wild child Clementine...

Ziyi Zhang: 'House of Flying Daggers'.(Lead Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... Much is made of Ziyi Zhang's beauty. Profiles on her often invoke incandescent screen sirens of Hollywood yore. In one typically effusive review of "The House of Flying Daggers," the New York Times' A.O. Scott wrote, "Occasionally, Ms. Zhang...

Dark horse candidates.(Lead Actress Contenders)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... Kim Basinger What: "The Door in the Floor" Why: Basinger and Jeff Bridges deal with their personal anguish in ways that make this downer pic worth watching. Bryce Dallas Howard What: "The Village" Why: The pic disappeared...

Cate Blanchett: 'The Aviator'.(Supporting Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... Cate Blanchett was on the Santa Fe set of "The Missing," playing an American frontier woman--one of many non-native accents for the Australian thesp--when she got the call from Martin Scorsese about the role of Katharine Hepburn in Howard...

Regina King: 'Ray'.(Supporting Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... Ray" allowed Regina King to tackle one of the most complex and compelling roles of her young career--Ray Charles' mistress and backup singer Margie Hendrix. It also afforded her the opportunity to cross off three items from her...

Laura Linney: 'Kinsey'.(Supporting Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... Laura Linney got downright bawdy in 2004. In "Kinsey," she and onscreen husband Liam Neeson do nothing but engage in explicit sex talk for nearly two hours. In "P.S.," Linney plays a Gotham college admission's officer who teaches...

Virginia Madsen: 'Sideways'.(Supporting Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... Virginia Madsen isn't shy about expressing her eagerness for entering the Oscar race. "I've been waiting for this for a long time," she says. "I suppose you can never know success until you get there but I think I wear it well." The...

Sophie Okonedo: 'Hotel Rwanda'.(Supporting Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... Sophie Okonedo is still trying to figure out how she made the leap from a hooker in "Dirty Pretty Things" to the wife of a real-life hero in "Hotel Rwanda." "I'm not quite sure how (director) Terry George thought that part made me right...

Natalie Portman: 'Closer'.(Supporting Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... With her provocative turn as wounded waif Alice in "Closer" and an unexpectedly oddball rendering of an animal-loving epileptic in "Garden State," Natalie Portman had crix in a tizzy about her "coming of age" this year. "It's always...

Lola Duenas, Mabel Rivera and Belen Rueda: 'The Sea Inside'.(Supporting Actress Contenders)(Movie Review)
January 3, 2005... In Alejandro Amenabar's "The Sea Inside" quadriplegic Spanish poet Ramon Sampedro, played by Javier Bardem, is gently teased by his sister-in-law Manuela about the "harem" he keeps. Indeed, for the poet who fought nearly 30 years for the...

Meryl Streep: 'The Manchurian Candidate'.(Supporting Actress Contenders)
January 3, 2005... In the pantheon of great psycho performances, at least two come to mind that no self-respecting thesp, under any circumstances, should attempt to duplicate. In 1998, Vince Vaughn tried to out-Norman Anthony Perkins in Gus Van Sant's...

Dark horse candidates.(Supporting Actress Contenders)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... Kate Beckinsale What: "The Aviator" Why: Ava Gardner was one of the most beautiful actresses in movie history and Beckinsale's portrayal honored the legacy with flair. Kate Bosworth What: "Beyond the Sea" Why: As Sandra...

Shrek and Sony highlight '04 B.O.(box office)
January 4, 2005... It came down to the wire, but annual box office for 2004 managed to edge out 2003 with $9.214 billion through Sunday, according to the final tally released Monday by Nielsen EDI, vs. 2003's $9.166 billion. Victory margin was just $48 million,...

Shifting Sands: D'Works prexy steps in as Geffen ups role.(David Geffen, Rick Sands )
January 4, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- DreamWorks is kicking off 2005 with some substantial shifts at the studio. Former Miramax chief operating officer Rick Sands has assumed his duties as president and chief operating officer of DreamWorks, the studio confirmed...

A wave of compassion.
January 4, 2005... Tsunami relief was top on the mind of showbiz Monday as Rupert Murdoch dispatched a letter to all News Corp. staffers saying his company would give $1 million in aid and match any employee's donation, while NBC Universal announced it will carry...

Par move leaves exex out of loop.(Paramount)
January 4, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- A significant number of Paramount execs and producers have found themselves troubled over being left out of the loop by Brad Grey's impending ascension as Sherry Lansing's successor. News of Grey's appointment expected to be...

Just for Variety.
January 4, 2005... GOOD MORNING: The first phone call on my return to the office Monday morning was from Julie Andrews. She was calling as a member of the board of Operation U.S.A., having been a founding member with husband Blake Edwards and Tony Adams since its...

Vegas bets on 'Aviator'.(Las Vegas Film Critics Society)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... LAS VEGAS -- "The Aviator," Miramax's Martin Scorsese-directed biopic of Howard Hughes, flew away with seven nods from the Las Vegas Film Critics Society, including picture and director. Other top winners of the org's Sierra Awards are...

SBC box homes in on digital entertainment.(SBC Communications Inc.)
January 4, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Telco SBC revealed plans for the first generation of its new home entertainment service that will include video programming, broadband content, TiVo-like recording and downloadable movies. Set for rollout in the middle of this...

Showbiz stocks: Monday, January 3, 2005.(stock markets)(Illustration)
January 4, 2005... SHOWBIZ STOCKS Monday, January 3, 2005 YTD Name Tkr PE Last Chg %Chg AcmeCm ACME ... 6.30 -.71 -10.1 Actvsn ATVI ...

Blank to remain atop profitable Showtime.(Matt Blank, Showtime Networks Inc.)
January 4, 2005... Matt Blank, the chairman and CEO of Showtime Networks since 1995, has renewed his contract with the company for another three years. Showtime Networks has racked up steady profits every year under Blank, harvesting $242 million in cash flow...

Publishers taps Nelson.(Publishers Weekly appoints Sara Nelson )(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Publishers Weekly on Monday tapped New York Post publishing columnist Sara Nelson as editor in chief in a bid to revitalize the 133-year-old trade pub. Nelson replaces current editor Nora Rawlinson, who had helmed the magazine since 1992....

Party on Broadway: B.O. take hits record high: $22.1 million.(Box office reports)
January 4, 2005... An avalanche of B.O. records fell last week, including the big one. Thirty-one shows brought in $22,069,502, the highest cume to date for Broadway. It breaks the previous record of $21,350,633, the tally for 33 shows during Christmas week 2002...

Griffin back on Bravo list.(Kathy Griffin)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Bravo is back in business with Kathy Griffin, greenlighting a six-episode reality series chronicling the "D-List" comedian's attempts to keep her career afloat. Cabler has also ordered up the one-hour pilot "Celebrity Pool"...

'Sweet' smells success of official springtime revival.(Sweet Charity)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... The "Sweet Charity" producers make it official: The 2005 Broadway revival, starring Christina Applegate and Denis O'Hare, opens April 21 at the Al Hirschfeld Theater. Previews begin April 4. Under the direction of Walter Bobbie, "Sweet...

Wopat a real Mamet man.(Tom Wopat, David Mamet)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Tom Wopat has joined the Broadway cast of David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross." The Joe Mantello-helmed revival also stars Alan Alda, Liev Schreiber, Jeffrey Tambor, Frederick Weller and Gordon Clapp. Wopat will play James Lingk, who falls...

Gotham's tax law now wide 'Awake'.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Gotham's film and TV heavyweights' efforts to pass a 5% tax credit on below-the-line production were rewarded Monday when Mayor Bloomberg signed the bill into law. A number of the bill's biggest cheerleaders, "Law & Order" creator Dick Wolf,...

'Shrek' vid sales beat B.O.(box office)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Worldwide consumer spending on DVDs and videocassettes of "Shrek" and "Shrek 2" has reached $1.6 billion, according to DreamWorks. That amount surpasses the $1.38 billion in worldwide B.O. grosses on the two films and...

Top 10 films in Manhattan: for the weekend of Dec. 31, 2004-Jan. 2, 2005.(Illustration)
January 4, 2005... TOP 10 FILMS IN MANHATTAN For the weekend of Dec. 31, 2004-Jan. 2, 2005 Rank Wknd. B.O. Film (distributor) 1. $437,833 Meet the Fockers (U) 2. 179,779 The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (BV) 3. ...

Weekend stats.(domestic box office news)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
January 4, 2005... WEEKEND STATS Domestic Box Office $146.6 million Dec. 31, 2004-Jan. 2, 2005 vs. last week vs. last year +9% +4% Daily Breakdown (in millions of $) FRI. $44.3 SAT. $61.2 SUN. $41.1 ...

Exclusives report: for the weekend of Dec. 31, 2004-Jan. 2, 2005.(Illustration)
January 4, 2005... EXCLUSIVES REPORT For the weekend of Dec. 31, 2004-Jan. 2, 2005 NEW YORK NEW THIS WEEK Weekend Film B.O....

Alias.(television series)(Television Program Review)
January 4, 2005... Alias (Series: ABC. Wed., Jan. 5, 9 p.m.) Filmed in L.A. by Bad Robot in association with Touchstone Television. Executive producers, J.J. Abrams, Ken Olin, Jeff Melvoin; co-executive producers, Jeff Pinkner, Jesse Alexander, Jeffrey...

White Tower.(Movie Review)
January 4, 2005... White Tower (BAI TA) (Docu-China) A Su Qing Independent production. (International sales: Su Qing/Mina, box2003@126.com, Beijing.) Produced, directed, edited by Su Qing, Mina. Camera (color/B&W, DV), Su, Mina; music, Su:...

U stokes homevid stocks.(Universal Studios Inc.)
January 4, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Universal will resume its long-running animated straight-to-DVD movie franchise "The Land Before Time" on Jan. 11 with the release of the 11th feature-length installment, "Invasion of the Tinysauruses," featuring the voices of...