An Unexpected Journey

What’s opening this weekend? The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

 

The long-awaited (expected) journey back to Middle Earth finally sets off with the first installment of Peter Jackson’s imminent The Hobbit trilogy (still baffled as to how this turned into a hat-trick). As Bilbo, Thorin, Gandalf and the rest of the Dwarves make their way to the Lonely Mountain, so too will the film soar to the top of the box office this weekend. Not in the mood for second breakfast? Skip right to lunch with a handful of other menu options…

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Language: English
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage
In his younger years, sensible Bilbo Baggins finds himself somehow convinced to venture out of the Shire to accompany a band of Dwarves on a dangerous quest to reclaim a treasure stolen by the evil dragon, Smaug. See what Terrence had to say about this first act.

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Zero Dark Thirty' named best film by NBR

Bin Laden feature also wins director and actress honors

"Zero Dark Thirty" has been named the top film of the year by the National Board of Review.

The recognition comes after the New York Film Critics Circle named "Zero" top film on Monday.

Kathryn Bigelow and Jessica Chastain of "Zero" were also honored in the director and lead actress categories, but adapted screenplay honors went to David O. Russell for "Silver Linings Playbook," which also took best actor for Bradley Cooper.

The original screenplay nod went to Rian Johnson's "Looper." Supporting acting honors went to Leonardo DiCaprio of "Django Unchained" and Ann Dowd of "Compliance."

"Wreck-It Ralph" was named top animated feature.

"Argo" director Ben Affleck earned recognition for special achievement in filmmaking, while his co-star John Goodman drew the spotlight award for his work in that pic along with "Flight," "ParaNorman" and "Trouble With the Curve."

Tom Holland ("The Impossible") and Quvenzhane Wallis ("Beasts of the Southern Wild") received breakthrough acting honors. "Beasts" helmer Benh Zeitlin won for top directorial debut, and "Les Miserables" was awarded a best ensemble prize.

Honors for top foreign-language film and documentary went to "Amour" and "Searching for Sugar Man," respectively.

The NBR also bestowed two Freedom of Expression awards, to "Promised Land" and "The Central Park Five."

In addition to "Zero," the NBR named its remaining top films of the year in alphabetical order: "Argo," "Beasts," "Django," "Les Miserables," "Lincoln," "Looper," "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," "Promised Land" and "Silver Linings."

" 'Zero Dark Thirty' is a masterful film," said NBR prexy Annie Schulhof. "Kathryn Bigelow takes the viewer inside a definitive moment of our time in a visceral and unique way. It is exciting, provocative and deeply emotional."

Top foreign films after "Amour" were (alphabetically) "Barbara," "The Intouchables," "The Kid With a Bike," "No" and "War Witch," and top docs after "Sugar Man" were "Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry," "Detropia," "The Gatekeepers, "The Invisible War" and "Only the Young."

The NBR's alphabetical list of top independent films was "Arbitrage," "Bernie," "Compliance," "End of Watch," "Hello I Must Be Going," "Little Birds," "Moonrise Kingdom," "On the Road," "Quartet" and "Sleepwalk With Me."

A year ago, the NBR gave top awards to "Hugo" and Martin Scorsese for film and director, along with thesps George Clooney and Shailene Woodley ("The Descendants"), Tilda Swinton ("We Need to Talk About Kevin") and Christopher Plummer ("Beginners"). The most recent Oscar best picture winner that was also tapped by the NBR was "Slumdog Millionaire" in 2008.

Meredith Vieira will host the NBR annual gala Jan. 8 in New York.

Complete list of winners:

Best Film: "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Actor: Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"

Best Actress: Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Supporting Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, "Django Unchained"

Best Supporting Actress: Ann Dowd, "Compliance"

Best Original Screenplay: Rian Johnson, "Looper"

Best Adapted Screenplay: David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook"

Best Animated Feature: "Wreck-It Ralph"

Special Achievement in Filmmaking: Ben Affleck, "Argo"

Breakthrough Actor: Tom Holland, "The Impossible"

Breakthrough Actress: Quvenzhané Wallis, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Best Directorial Debut: Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Best Foreign Language Film: "Amour"

Best Documentary: "Searching for Sugarman"

William K. Everson Film History Award: "50 Years of Bond Films"

Best Ensemble: "Les Miserables"

Spotlight Award: John Goodman ("Argo," "Flight," "Paranorman," "Trouble with the Curve")

NBR Freedom of Expression Award: "Central Park Five"

NBR Freedom of Expression Award: "Promised Land"

Top Films

(in alphabetical order)

"Argo"

"Beasts of the Southern Wild"

"Django Unchained"

"Les Miserables"

"Lincoln"

"Looper"

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower"

"Promised Land"

"Silver Linings Playbook"

Top 5 Foreign Language Films

(In Alphabetical Order)

"Barbara"

"The Intouchables"

"The Kid with a Bike"

"No"

"War Witch"

Top 5 Documentaries

(In Alphabetical Order)

"Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry"

"Detropia"

"The Gatekeepers"

"The Invisible War"

"Only the Young"

Top 10 Independent Films

(In Alphabetical Order)

"Arbitrage"

"Bernie"

"Compliance"

"End of Watch"

"Hello I Must Be Going"

"Little Birds"

"Moonrise Kingdom"

"On the Road"

"Quartet"

"Sleepwalk with Me"

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Sundance unveils Premieres lineup

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The Most Disappointing Movies of 2012

If you were a Romney supporter, a Tigers fan, or a Twinkie enthusiast, 2012 probably proved to be a disappointing year. Check out some of the biggest disappointments of the year in movies.

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Anne Hathaway: I Really Want a Baby

 

Newlywed Anne Hathaway has baby fever!

During a round table discussion put on by The Hollywood Reporter, the Les Miserable actress revealed that she's ready to start a family, saying, "I really want to have a baby, and my husband and I are like, 'Where are we gonna live?'"

This reveal came after actress Amy Adams said she was getting angered that the paparazzi kept focusing on her child. Marion Cotillard chimed in, saying, "Come to France! We have laws!"

Hathaway, 30, married her longtime love Adam Shulman this past September up in Big Sur, Calif.

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Elmo actor Kevin Clash resigns amid sex allegation

NEW YORK (AP) — Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash resigned from "Sesame Street" on Tuesday amid allegations he sexually abused underage boys, bringing an end to a 28-year career in which he turned the furry red monster into one of the most beloved — and lucrative — characters on TV and in toy stores.

"Personal matters have diverted attention away from the important work 'Sesame Street' is doing and I cannot allow it to go on any longer," the 52-year-old performer said in a statement. "I am deeply sorry to be leaving and am looking forward to resolving these personal matters privately."

His departure came as a 24-year-old college student, Cecil Singleton, sued Clash for more than $5 million Tuesday, accusing the actor of engaging in sexual behavior with him when he was 15. Singleton charged that Clash made a habit of trolling gay chat lines for underage boys and meeting them for sex.

It was the second such allegation in just over a week. On Nov. 12, a man in his 20s said he had sex with Clash at age 16. A day later, though, the young man recanted, saying their relationship was adult and consensual.

Clash was a young puppeteer at "Sesame Street" in the mid-1980s when he was assigned a little-used puppet now known as Elmo and turned him into a star, creating his high-pitched voice and child-like personality. Clash also served as the show's senior Muppet coordinator and Muppet captain, winning 23 daytime Emmy awards and one prime-time Emmy.

In a statement, Sesame Workshop said that "the controversy surrounding Kevin's personal life has become a distraction that none of us want," and that Clash had concluded "he can no longer be effective in his job."

"This is a sad day for Sesame Street," the company said.

Clash did not address the new allegations. He said previously that he had an adult and consensual relationship with the first accuser. The divorced father of a grown daughter, he acknowledged that he is gay.

At a news conference Tuesday, Singleton said he and Clash met on a gay chat line when he was 15, and for a two-week period, they had sexual contact but not intercourse. He said he didn't know what Clash did for a living until he was 19 and Googled the man's name.

"I was shocked when I found out what he did for a living," said Singleton, a student in criminal psychology who lives in New York but would not say where he goes to school.

He said he didn't consider speaking up until he heard about last week's accusation.

"I thought I was a unique circumstance," Singleton said. "I did not know that it was something he had done habitually."

Singleton's lawyer, Jeff Herman, said he had been contacted by two other potential victims and expects additional legal action. Sex with a person under 17 is a felony in New York if the perpetrator is 21 or older.

Elmo has been a major moneymaker for Sesame Workshop. By one estimate, Elmo toys account for one-half to two-thirds of the $75 million in annual sales the Sesame Street toy line generates for Hasbro.

Clash became something of a star himself. In 2006, he published an autobiography, "My Life as a Furry Red Monster," and he was the subject of the 2011 documentary "Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey."

Episodes with Clash performing as Elmo will presumably continue well into 2014. Taping of season No. 44 will wrap by mid-December and will begin airing next September, according to someone close to the show who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to publicly discuss details of its production.

As for who might take over as Elmo, other "Sesame Street" puppeteers have been trained to serve as Clash's stand-in, Sesame Workshop said. "Elmo is bigger than any one person," the company said last week.

On Tuesday, Hasbro echoed that sentiment with its own statement: "We are confident that Elmo will remain an integral part of Sesame Street and that Sesame Street toys will continue to delight children for years to come."

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