John Travolta is surely busting a move today after police announced that two men have been busted for heisting the star's vintage Mercedes-Benz last fall. On September 18, Travolta's 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL was stolen after he parked it on a residential street in Santa Monica and visited a nearby Jaguar dealership for a duration of about ten minutes. more ›

Actor John Travolta is wondering where his vintage 1970 Mercedes Benz 280-SL went, after it was reportedly stolen outside a car dealership in Santa Monica yesterday. Travolta says he left his vehicle on a residential street when he went in to the Jaguar dealership for about ten minutes. more ›

In a huge surprise, the brilliantly subversive Despicable Me dominated the weekend box office ($60.1M), almost doubling the total of last week's winner The So-Called Twilight Saga: Eclipse ($33.4M | $237M). The surprisingly well-reviewed Predators placed a strong third ($25.3M), just ahead of the sturdy summer champ Toy Story 3 ($22M | $340.2M). The dismal Avatar: The Last Airbender collapsed in its second weekend but still raked in an undeserved $17.1M ($100.2M). more ›

Following its debut at the Telluride Film Festival, Up in the Air was being heralded as a strong contender for a Best Picture Oscar. The fact that it didn't win anything at last Sunday's ceremony should tell you it wasn't nearly as weighty and significant as early press indicated. Still, it was another solid film by Jason Reitman and another effortless turn by Clooney. more ›

After seven weeks as King of the World, Avatar was knocked from its perch by the maudlin Dear John. The phony love story brought in an obscene $32.4M in its debut weekend to best the Pocahontas rip-off ($23.6M | $630M). From Paris With Love disappointed in its first frame ($8.1M) while Edge of Darkness collapsed in week two ($7M | $29M). The Tooth Fairy -- to America's eternal shame -- is holding up well ($6.5M | $34.3M) more ›

Ordinarily, the radiant, slightly goofy presence of Amanda Seyfried would have me rushing to the theater (as it will in the case of the randy Chloe), but the noxious presence of Channing Tatum will keep me away from the awful Dear John. Can someone please explain Nicholas Sparks to me? He's still writing? Really? I'm sure it will suck, but From Paris With Love looks like a hell of a lot a fun. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is completely out of his depth, but Travolta is usually -- and counterintuitively -- rock-solid when he plays a bad ass. Does it get more matter of fact than Frozen? Kids get stranded in the cold and bad things ensue. There's your movie! more ›

Phony romance New Moon reigned over the box-office for a second consecutive weekend ($42.5M | $230.6M), though feel-gooder The Blind Side almost nipped it in the end ($40.1M | $100.2). Disaster-fu disaster 2012 held onto third place ($18M | $138.7M), just nosing out awful newcomer Old Dogs ($16.8M) and the sturdy A Christmas Carol ($16M | $105.3M). Ninja Assassin debuted to a solid $13.1M ($21M), topping mediocre kiddy flick Planet 51 ($10.2M | $28.4M) and the superb Precious ($7M | $32.4M). more ›

Back in June I wrote, "Movies open every week in Los Angeles, and LAist always tries to let you know about as many of them as possible. Some films, though -- at least I think so -- deserve a special mention because a) they don't have a huge marketing budget supporting them; b) they are the kinds of provocative films that more people should see and c) they are the kinds of films that the worst toadies in corporate America don't want you to see." The film I was referring to was Food, Inc., and it is available today on DVD. It changed the way I eat. It may just do the same for you. On to lighter fare: G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra was a horrible, horrible film, but at least it wasn't as bad as Transformers 2. That's got to count for something, right? Proof that studios can still make big-budget films that are actually good: The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. more ›

The Cinefamily regularly makes movie-going an event, with mega-rare film screenings, musical performances, crazed clip compilations & backyard barbeques. This weekend, the group goes beyond even their usual gusto for those proud souls stitching & hoisting the DIY flag. Thursday, their "Don't Knock The Rock" series features I Need That Record!, a documentary tribute to the independent record store... more ›

Raunchy bachelor-party comedy The Hangover topped the box office for a surprising second straight weekend as it dropped only 26% from its strong debut ($33.4M/$105.3M). Pixar's delightful Up presented a strong challenge in its third week to finish a close second ($30.5M/$187.1M) while superb newcomer The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 finished third with a slightly underwhelming $25M. After that, it was the dreadful Night of the Museum 2: Jesus, We Suck ($9.6M/$143.4M), the reasonably funny Land of the Lost ($9.1M/$34.9M) and Eddie Murphy's epic shitfest Imagine That ($5.7M). Someone, please stop Eddie Murphy. more ›

I'm surprised that reviews haven't been better for the re-imagined version of The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. It is, by all rights, a superior film to the original from the 70s. Moon may not be as funny as Solo, but it does cover similar territory. How can you not love Sam Rockwell? There will be no hot dogs served at the screening of Food, Inc.! Repeat -- no hotdogs! Has Eddie Murphy really come to this? Imagine That looks awful, awful, awful. Francis Ford Coppola is finally a true independent filmmaker. Tetro proves yet again, though, that he probably could use some pressure from above. Seriously, some people need studio interference to thrive. more ›

Who would have ever thought that overlaying a Mormon template over standard teen angst fare and vampire mythology would have proven to be as successful as the Twilight series has been? And more importantly, where are the "porn" versions of this movie (e.g. Shaving Ryan's Privates). Bolt returns John Travolta to an unwelcome state of prominence and further bolsters the career of the rancid Miley Cyrus. Elegy was depressing as hell but damn if it wasn't a fine movie. Did anyone have a better two-fer last year than Penelope Cruz (Elegy and the fantastic Vicky Cristina Barcelona)? Maybe Ben Kingsley (Elegy and The Wackness)? more ›

There's something incredible at the corner of Olympic and La Cienega. Something shocking. And inspiring. Everything in this town traces back to the cinematic, and yet truly independent film promotion is rare (mini-majors like Fox Searchlight don't count). Which is why I'm entranced with Polanski, opening this Valentine's weekend at Laemmle's Sunset 5. Taking its cue from The Room, the brazen billboard sports writer/producer/director/actor Damian Chapa (of Street Fighter & Under Siege fame) gazing deep into the viewer's soul as he forces himself onto a little girl. It's doubtful the production will help the tragic auteur's legal situation (there's a reason this gift is wrapped with "Unauthorized"), it should make for quite the Valentine. Go with someone you love. more ›

Christopher Atkins was first seen walking around an island with Brook Shields in the 1980 hit film, The Blue Lagoon. Now he can be seen hanging out in Hollywood with the likes of David Chokachi and Jamie Walters every Sunday night on VH-1's "Confessions of a Teen Idol." Atkins who describes "Teen Idol" as a "show that isn’t about the comet, it's about the comet tail. Fame is the comet. If the fame were presented to us would we want it again," took time to speak with LAist about his career, the show and life after the Lagoon. more ›

As little as a week ago, forecasters were estimating that ($7.2M/$48M) rounded out the top 5. more ›

No one is really sure what's going to happen at the box office with Twilight this weekend. My personal take is that it will radically over-perform the early guesses of ~$45M. America, never underestimate the desire and resolve of teenage girls. Didn't you learn anything from ?! Bolt is worth seeing just to hear the grating but hilarious voice of Susie Essman. The addition of Miley Cyrus to the cast, however, is pure Hollywood marketing evil! I Can't Think Straight = forbidden and hot Middle Eastern lesbianism. more ›

Helena Bonham Carter and her boyfriend, director Tim Burton, both Golden Globe nominees for Sweeney Todd welcomed their second baby together, a girl, in London this weekend - People more ›

movie as much as it does a big, dumb Hollywood action movie. I miss the old, non-invulnerable John McClane. Zeppelin party at my house! Bring the sharks! more ›

I can understand your John Travolta or your Tim Allen going for the good paycheck and doing a Wild Hogs, but Bill Macy? The universe is a little less bright today and many fairies are dead. Inland Empire is three hours long, shot on video and makes Lost Highway seem overly coherent. If you're a Lynch fan, that's probably music to your ears. Ryan Gosling's hype took a big hit with his ordinary turn... more ›

John Travolta, in a wig and fat-suit, tops the list as the most likely thing to draw people to the popcorn stadium this weekend. A decent sci-fi flick about restarting the sun and a sure-to-be-awful movie with all the gay-marriage jokes you can stomach are also on tap. Behold the blandness of the 3rd week of July. more ›

Hair High - The latest film from animator Bill Plympton is a gothic high-school comedy. When Spud, the new kid in town, accidentally offends Cherri and Rod, the high school power couple, he is forced to become Cheri's slave, and eventually Spud and Cheri fall for each other. They secretly decide to attend to the prom together, but Rod forces their car off the road and they sink to the bottom of the lake... more ›

- The #1 downtown landowner, and major contributer of Mayor Tony's sure has a curious history of allegedly doing some horrible things - LA Weekly - Homelessness up in Downtown! - LA Times - Verizon's "Unlimited" EVDO plan is actually 5 Gigs a month - Cybernet - Keith Richards is now flipflopping on his snorting of coke laced with dad story - MTV - Britney to KFed "You’re the biggest mistake I’ve ever made,... more ›

Britney's getting a lot of support from her celebrity "friends" now that she's locked away in rehab. Where were these friends when she was sans panties and shaving her head? - poponthepop Judge Seidlin will LOVE this - Fatbacks and Collards Little vixen Antonella Barba gets to stay on Idol. I still suspect her "BFF" Amanda (who was cut in the earlier rounds) may have been the cause of the picture leak...or maybe I've just... more ›

Tonight - Tuesday - February 27th, 2007 Wuthering Heights (TCM, 7:00 p.m.) Get Bronteed with the original '39 film. NCIS/The Unit (CBS, 8-10:00 p.m.) Pull on the Depends for 2 hours of non-stop CBS action. Dateline NBC/Law & Order: Criminal Intent/Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC, 8-11:00 p.m.) Perverted Justice/Poisoned journalist/A rape in Philadelphia Gilmore Girls (the CW, 8:00 p.m.) Rory gets offered an interview with the New York Times. Primetime (ABC, 9:00... more ›

A Word Or 30: Who else is waiting to hear the announcement of the Anna Nicole Smith Story film deal? Jaime Pressly presents us tonight, with the first reason to watch Leno in years. Tonight - Wednesday - February 21st, 2007 That Touch of Mink (TCM, 6:30 p.m.) Cary Grant wants to get hot n' heavy with Doris Day. Trail Blazers @ Lakers (Fox Sports, 7:30 p.m.) Jericho (CBS, 8:00 p.m.) Back from hiatus.... more ›

Lamar Odom has been the John Travolta of the Lakers: For the first three games of the season it was an amazing performance, such as Pulp Fiction (or averaging 28 points per game); for the next three it was more like Battlefield Earth (averaging 13.3). It wasn’t just this season — inconsistency was Odom’s middle name last year as he deferred to Kobe and couldn’t find his space. more ›

Pete Doherty, the fromer Libertines singer who had abused heroin and crack allegedly with Kate Moss, has been offered a job as a drug counsellor by his rehab clinic. - Female First Police guitarist Andy Summers writes in his autobiography about the time John Belushi rented a Jeep with him, took shrooms, and sped through a storm in Bali, ending in the pair rolling through puddles like kids - NY Daily News Sharon Stone... more ›

You've heard that the South Park Scientology episode was pulled. Trey Parker and Matt Stone wrote, in a statement to Variety, "So, Scientology, you may have won this battle, but the million-year war for Earth has just begun! Temporarily anozinizing our episode will not stop us from keeping Thetans forever trapped in your pitiful man-bodies. Curses and drat! You have obstructed us for now, but your feeble bid to save humanity will fail! Hail Xenu!!!" (via MTV news) Well, Xenu's now up one over the forces of L. Ron, thanks to YouTube. more ›

The American Cinematheque presents a double feature of Reese Witherspoon in "Vanity Fair" (2004) and Alexander Payne's "Election" (1999). A discussion with Ms. Witherspoon will take place between films. more ›

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