CinemaScore is the audience-reaction research tool of choice for the film industry - because of its uncanny accuracy. Not good news for Richard Kelly, whose latest film The Box has just been awarded a rare-as-Ed-Wood's-teeth F-grade
There can be no doubt that Cameron Diaz's new film has flopped. The Box, a horror thriller adapted from a short story by Richard Matheson by Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly, took just $7.5m (£4.5m) in its first weekend of release in the Us. The critics, too, were far from convinced.
But that's not the worst of it. Many films are panned far more viciously. Many films fail to make back their budget (The Box's is said to be about $30m). But few suffer the ignominious fate of being awarded an F grade by CinemaScore, the market research company which tots up opening-night audience reaction to major new releases.
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The nominations are in for Spike TV's 2009 Video Game Awards, and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves leads the pack with a total of eight. But right behind are Batman: Arkham Asylum with seven, followed by Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Left 4 Dead 2 with six each. Rounding out the nominees for "Game of the Year" is Assassin's Creed 2.
Here's a small sample of the other categories:
"Studio of the Year": Infinity Ward (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2), Naughty Dog (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves), Rocksteady Studios (Batman: Arkham Asylum), Valve (Left 4 Dead 2)
"Best Game Based on a Movie/TV Show": Ghostbusters: The Video Game, South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play!, The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition
"Best Performance by a Human Female": Eliza Dushku as Rubi Malone (Wet), Kristen Bell as Lucy Stillman (Assassin’s Creed 2), Megan Fox »
- Uncle Creepy

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Above, a look at the new UK quad-sized poster for The Sperig Brothers' upcoming vampire film Daybreakers, courtesy of Empire. It is one of three new looks that we have for this film, which our Brian Salisbury called "a dystopian, sci-fi vampire film that is every bit as entertaining as it is thought-provoking" when he reviewed it at Fantastic Fest. Since then, it has quickly become one of the few January movies worth looking toward. Ethan Hawke plays Edward Dalton, a researcher in the year 2019, in which an unknown plague has transformed the world's population into vampires. As the human population nears extinction, vampires must capture and farm every remaining human, or find a blood substitute before time runs out. However, a covert group of vampires makes a remarkable discovery, one which has the power to save the human race. For more on this concept of vampires capturing humans and using them to harvest blood, check »
- Neil Miller

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Of all the viral marketing campaigns I’ve seen over the last few years, I’ve really been digging how Fringe is carrying-over one of the running mysteries of the show into the real world: namely, the appearance of “The Observer,” a creepy-looking bald man in a black suit and fedora, who has shown up (on camera, of course) at real-world events ranging from Nascar races to NFL Football games.
With this week’s episode of Fringe, entitled “August” we learn more about the The Observer -- namely [Semi-spoiler] that “The Observer” is actually “The Observer(s),” with a hint as to what the purpose and/or agenda of these mysterious beings means for the world(s) of Fringe. To help promote the episode, Fox has been sending “Observers” out into the real-world, to be spotted by those keeping a careful eye on everything related to the show.
 

As of recently »
- Kofi Outlaw

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Trailer Park's MySpace Blog has got its hand on two new stills from thriller movie "Daybreakers". In the two images that have been released on Wednesday, November 18, Ethan Hawke's Edward Dalton is being exposed in his two different activities.
In the first picture, Edward is seen wearing a white coat while standing in front of a microscope in what seems to be a laboratory. The other photo, meanwhile, captures the vampire researcher and Willem Dafoe's Elvis, who both bring a weapon.
"Daybreakers" is set in 2017, when a plague transforms the world's population into vampires. As the human population nears extinction, vampires must capture and farm every remaining human, or find a blood substitute before time runs out. However, a secret team of vampires uncovers a way that would rescue the human race. At the same time, a group of surviving humans wishes to repopulate the species and survive. »
- AceShowbiz.com

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It comes as no surprise that supporting cast members in "New Moon" would try to splinter off their own factions in the endless "Team Edward vs. Team Jacob" debate, but it looks like BooBoo Stewart's got at least one backer for Team Seth, judging from his TwitPic upload today. Tinsel Korey, meanwhile, remains firmly behind Team Jacob.
In non-"Twilight" posting today, Danny DeVito had a nice showing for his birthday last night, even if his picture wasn't high enough quality to make Twitter Pic of the Day. Neil Patrick Harris posted a new shot from the "How I Met Your Mother Set" and David Wain contributed a courtside view from the Lakers game. Check out all of those after the jump where you'll also find out which actress enjoys dancing to Lady Gaga and which actor claims he's the only one who didn't audition for "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. »
- Brian Warmoth

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A brand new TV spot and quad poster for Lionsgates “Daybreakers” have been released.
Two-time Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke plays Edward Dalton, a researcher in the year 2019, in which an unknown plague has transformed the world’s population into vampires. As the human population nears extinction, vampires must capture and farm every remaining human, or find a blood substitute before time runs out.
However, a covert group of vampires makes a remarkable discovery, one which has the power to save the human race.
The film is directed by Peter Spierig and Michael Spierig (Undead), also stars Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, Perfect Strangers), Isabel Lucas (Transformers 2), Christopher Kirby, Michael Dorman, Vince Colosimo and will hit theaters on January 8th, 2010.

Check out our “Daybreakers” Photo Gallery
Click below to take a look at this unusual Public Service Announcement (PSA) TV spot from the new vampire film.




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- Allan Ford

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It seems like yonks (yes, we said yonks – go with it) since the last truly great power ballad soundtrack song. So many of the recent musical movie efforts have been a bit more edgy and contemporary, like Adam Lambert’s “For Your Entertainment” from 2012, Death Cab for Cutie’s “Meet Me on the Equinox” for The Twilight Saga: New Moon or Linkin Park’s “New Divide” for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Hell, even that bastion of belters, James Bond even offered us something a little less conventional for last year’s Quantum of Solace by putting Jack White and Alicia Keys together for “Another Way to Die”. Good job then that we’ve got a new James Cameron flick on the horizon as the man who brought us Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” from watery tear-jerker, Titanic has roped in none other than Leona Lewis for the upcoming Avatar. »

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Suggesting that 2012's supremacy at the box office is likely to be shortlived, the online ticket seller Fandango said Sunday that The Twilight Saga: New Moon has sold more tickets in advance of its opening than any film in history. The film, which opens at midnight Thursday/Friday, has also altered the plans of theater owners, for as each midnight screening sells out, they have reportedly been adding new ones, presumably by "bicycling" prints between screens. Last year's original Twilight, which opened on the same weekend, took in $69 million, and some analysts are predicting that the new one could earn close to $100 million, and a few are predicting it could challenge Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which has the year's best opening weekend with $108 million. »

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Five days before its release in over 4,000 theaters, The Twilight Saga: New Moon has sold the most advanced tickets in Fandango.com history.  The 10-year-old website is the largest destination for online movie tickets.
The Twilight sequel topped the list as of Saturday night, according to Nikki Finke, beating reigning champ, 2005’s Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith; this year’s second highest-grossing movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince; last year’s box office juggernaut, The Dark Knight; and the original Twilight.
Up until this series, most people only knew Robert Pattinson as Cedric from Harry Potter. Now he’s drawing bigger early crowds than even that huge franchise, plus Batman and Star Wars? Though, to be fair, the Stephenie Meyer adaptation also stars a perpetually shirtless Taylor Lautner and, oh yeah, Kristen Stewart.
The vampire franchise became a hit a year ago this weekend, posting $7 million in midnight sales alone, »
- Jeff Leins

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