Actor struggles to look afraid in face of bad SFX | Photo courtesy of Warner Brothers Despite a critical reception that could charitably be called awful, 10,000 B.C. rolled to the top of the box office this weekend, taking in $35.7M. Fellow newcomer (and fellow terrible movie) College Road Trip finished a distant second with $14M, almost twice that of the resilient Vantage Point ($7.5M/$51.6M). Semi-Pro sunk in its second weekend ($5.9M/$24.8M) but still......

Photo by atomicshakespeares via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Suffering from an Oscar hangover? Then check out the next generation of hot filmmakers at The Beverly Hills Shorts Festival, which begins tonight and runs through the weekend. The studio that brought you such blockbusters as the "Lord of the Rings" franchise will soon become only the merest shadow of its former self: Warner Brothers will be absorbing New Line Cinema, which employs......

Did John McCain have a sex scandal? Is Perez Hilton going to have a deal with Warner Brothers? Both stories come from the New York Times with uncorroborated sources, the latter today in which the facts of Hilton's story were "confirmed by several other people associated with the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity because no deal has been made." Whether or not it is true or will go through, it is interesting nonetheless.......

Photo courtesy of Warner Brothers In what can only be seen as a ratification of Mike Huckabee's belief that Satan actually exists, Fool's Gold roared to the top of the box office this weekend with a robust take of $22M. Plans are already underway for a third Kate Hudson-Matthew McConaughey pairing, tentatively titled Shit Sandwich. In further bad news, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins finished second with a healthy gross of $17.1M in its first......

Photo courtesy of Warner Brothers The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford didn't exactly set the box-office on fire when it landed in theaters. Something tells me, though, that this superb, meditative neo-Western will enjoy a long life on DVD. Across the Universe is the world's longest music video and a treat for any Beatles fan (and only for Beatles' fans!). Elizabeth - The Golden Age was unexpectedly ripped by critics.......

a writer's perspective Today was buzzing on the line – in no small part because Thursdays at Warner Brothers are now officially “Teaching Thursdays at Warner Brothers”. Wannabe writers, students, and fans are being encouraged to show up and learn about the craft from the experts. Each week there will be a different theme, and today was “Multi-Camera Sitcom Day”. Those of us who have worked on multi-cam shows were asked to wear nametags......

a writer's perspective Returning to Warner Brothers to picket yesterday and today felt like a bit of a homecoming. Between Monday’s SAG unity day at Fox, and the last holiday-shortened week that saw me putting in appearances at Paramount, WGA headquarters, and, of course, Xena Appreciation Day at NBC, it seemed like I’d been working out of the office for ages. It felt good to be home. I don’t know what they’re putting in......

People are always there for you in the midst of crisis. But eventually they have to get back to their own lives, and on to the next crisis. Unfortunately, that is when you really need someone. I was running errands early this morning and realized I was only a block away from the studios, and right next to an open bagel shop. I thought about Heath measuring their support in dwindling Twizzlers. When I pulled......

a writer's perspective On the heels of last weeks announcement that Warner Brothers would be laying off as many as 1000 people this week, the WGA hosted Employee Solidarity Day at the studio today. All picketers, barring those at NBC, were asked to report to Warner Brothers instead of their usual posts. As a result, my usual gate was the place to be today. I think it was a pretty savvy move on the......

In its first weekend of wide release, The Bucket List charged to the top of the box office. Its tally of $19.54 million ($20.9M) just edged Ice Cube's First Sunday which debuted with an even $19M. There was some talk that upstart Juno might win the weekend crown, but it had to settle for a still healthy $14M ($71.2M). It now seems certain to reach $100M while holiday stalwarts National Treasure: Book of Secrets......

a writer's perspective All right! We got the first finger of the New Year! Stationed outside Warner Brothers, where news broke last night that there would be imminent layoffs for a lot of the staffers, I expected the strikers to be the target of increased vitriol. We had our share of negative gestures today, but the truth is fingers are still few and far between. If we made a drinking game where we drank every......

I Am Legend proved to be legendary, indeed, as it opened with a staggering 76.5 million dollars--an all-time record for a film in December. Considering it exceeded estimates by over $30M, I think it's safe to say that Will Smith is now officially the biggest movie star in the world. I can't remember the last time I typed out such a depressing statement. Alvin in the Chipmunks surged unexpectedly, bringing in an even $45M,......

Heath is out of town this week, so I thought I would take up the reins covering the strike. Yesterday, I was at Heath's stomping grounds -- Warner Brothers. Though I'm hearing from below the line friends that the negotiating committee should table the reality and animation writers issue as well as the no-strike clause (which would keep us from supporting other unions when they strike), it's hard to trust that doing that would......

The Harry Potter series of films may be due for a bit of a letdown now that the books are all done and the secrets are out. Nevertheless, something tells me I'll be curling up with the family to watch Order of the Phoenix over Christmas. If Paul Greengrass isn't the best director working right now he's definitely on a very short list and Bourne Ultimatum is the proof. What was Vanessa Hudgens thinking?......

Day 32 of the strike was "Bring Your Dog To Work Day". Apparently, it was also day 32 of we're coincidentally performing random construction right where you are attempting to strike. "Don't Make Us Beg" bandanas and dog treats were provided for the pets. In the above picture, two volunteers use the bandanas to protect themselves from the toxic asphalt fumes. We showed you the other day how the crosswalk at Warner Brothers Gate......

Nine are dead in Omaha, Nebraska today after a man opened fire in a shopping mall, and then shot himself. Police do not have a motive so far. Did you have this conversation this morning? "Sorry, boss, I can't come in to work today...a terrible cough, I, uh, flu symptoms, definitely -- what waves? Uh, I don't know what you're talking about...." Lots of SoCal surfers took a sick day and busted out on......

"You see this watch? You see this watch? That watch cost more than your car. I made $970,000 last year. How much you make? You see, pal, that's who I am. And you're nothing. Nice guy? I don't give a shit. Good father? Fuck you -- go home and play with your kids! You wanna work here? Close! You think this is abuse? You think this is abuse, you cocksucker? You can't take this......

a writer's perspective I’m not sure why, but there is such a difference between 5am and 6am. When I show up to picket at 6, it feels like it’s early in the morning. Today, when I pull up at Warner Brothers just before 5, it feels like it’s the middle of the night. It’s dark. It’s freezing. I drink 5 cups of coffee, not to wake up, but to stay warm. It doesn’t work......

Yesterday we started our Best of 2007 list with choices from KCRW's Nic Harcourt and Tom Schnabel. But then we realized we weren't being gentlemen. The ladies of KCRW should have gone first! D'oh! So fasten your seatbelts for The Drop's host Liza Richardson's picks for 2007. Something tells us our comments will be buzzing. Will it be for the inclusion of M.I.A.? Let's hope. 1) Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon......

a writer's perspective On the picket lines, there’s a phenomenon I like to call Gate Pride. Most of the writers at this point have been wedged firmly into a niche, and few stray from their perennial patterns. We tend to work the same gates and the same shifts every day. Even then, we tend to break off into the same mini-clusters. Sure, there are Drifters. Displaced nomads who wander from gate to gate, studio......

Today went fast. I reported to Warner Brothers Gate 2 for the “late shift”. Even though I had heard that all of the strikers were going to mobilize at Gate 2, there are writers and supporters stationed at all the gates around the studio. Unlike Gate 7, Gate 2 is bustling with activity. The sign in table here is covered with an amazing variety of snacks. Cartons of donuts from Krispy Kreme and Winchells......

I “worked” the morning shift today. Reporting into Gate 2 at Warner Brothers before heading to Gate 7 on Forest Lawn. Yesterday afternoon, Gate 7 was dead, but this morning it’s bustling. Lots of traffic coming in and out of the gate. Again, lots of honking and thumbs ups from the passing cars. Again, I’m marching with a lot of writers who work on the Warner Brothers lot. They have ridiculous energy for this......

a writer's perpective The first day of the strike is in the books. I marched at the Warner Brothers lot in Burbank. I was one of the only people who didn’t have a red shirt, but someone gave me a solidarity rubber wristband that says “No Justice. No Scripts.” I actually ended up walking for about five straight hours, and, even though I didn’t have tape to protect my hands from splinters (like some......

In a shocking upset, Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married easily topped the box-office with a much higher than expected $21.5 million haul. Ordinarily, I'm on the side of the underdog, but Perry's movies are so aggresively mediocre that I'm not looking forward to the glut of his product that is now certain to follow. Then again, Why Did I Get Married is hardly worse than The Game Plan which finished second in......

When you list the truly groundbreaking films in the history of Hollywood, The Jazz Singer would be right up near the top (if not at the top). For those who don't know, it was the first successful "talkie"--a film that has synchronized dialogue. It opened in New York on October 6th, 1927 and changed the course of cinema history. Silent films, which until then had dominated the film industry, would eventually become little more......

Considering its initial mixed critical reception and middling box-office performance, it's sort of amazing how Blade Runner has grown in stature over the last two decades. In 2007, the American Film Institute even named it the 97th greatest movie of all time. Starting Friday, a final version of the film (there have been 7 different cuts) will begin screening in Los Angeles and if you're even half a fan of this movie you should......

Within the first 10 pages of Brandon Christopher's Dirty Little Altar Boy, a black-rubber dildo makes an appearance, a church's Eucharist wafers get stolen, and young Brandon reveals that he has to wear two pairs of underwear to deal with the anxieties of sixth grade. That's when you start to realize that you're not reading the standard collection of childhood reflections, but are perusing the memories of a great storyteller, one with the ability to......

The fall tradition of releasing prestige films continues tomorrow as Resident Evil: Extinction opens wide. Milla Jovovich stars as the beneficent Alice, a latter-day Tess of the d'Urbervilles who is charged with the stygian task of killing armies of the undead--and the joke is now over. Anyone dumb enough to see the latest chapter of this awful series probably didn't notice anyway. At least there's nudity. But not from Ali Larter. Dang! Into the......

Jodie Foster's rather inexplicable box-office appeal was on half-display this weekend as The Brave One pulled in a mediocre 14 million dollars to top the charts. Early forecasts had suggested a 17-20 million dollar haul but mixed reviews, an R-rating and rather dark subject matter cut into those expectations. 3:10 to Yuma held strong in its second weekend, stealing an additional 9.15M and raising its treasure chest to 28.5M. The pitifully-reviewed Mr. Woodcock came......

There was a time when all top-of-the-music-chart bands had killer flash websites, showing off their graphic and motion skills and competing with other record labels' fancy webpages. But there were problems. Flash became more about gimics and "cool tricks" than actually letting the fans access the information in a timely and easy manner. Not only that, for the record labels, flash sites are expensive to update, time consuming to update, and not accessible to......