Cineplex Q2 Exhibition Earnings Down, Despite Higher Revenue

TORONTO -- Cineplex, Canada's biggest cinema chain, posted lower second quarter earnings, despite higher revenue from screening sequels to popular movie franchises. our editor recommends'Avatar,' 'Alice' help Cineplex post record resultsBooming Canadian b.o. lifts Cineplex Galaxy Toronto-based Cineplex, which operates 130 theatres nationwide with 1,351 screens, saw earnings to June 30 fall to $13.4 million, against a year-earlier $22.2 million, due mainly to a higher income tax charge and other one-time items. Overall revenue rose 6.6 percent to $258.4 million, box office revenue rose 5.2 percent to $151.1 million, concession revenue was up 5.5 percent to $76.2 million, and other revenues, including media advertising and gaming, rose 17 percent to $31 million. The biggest Q2 performers were Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Hangover 2, Fast Five, Thor and Bridesmaids. Cineplex said 3D, UltraAVX and IMAX movies comprised 26.8 percent of box office revenue during the latest quarter, against 25.9 percent in the year-earlier period. The Canadian exhibitor has pacted with rival Empire Theaters and the major Hollywood studios to install digital and 3D technology across its chain by late 2012 to take advantage of ticket price premiums on 3D movies. Related Topics International earnings

Ashton Kutcher Highest-Paid TV Actor; Bieber Reigns Supreme For Teen Earners

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Ashton Kutcher replaced Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men, and now, the 33-year-old actor has taken another title formerly held by Sheen highest-paid TV actor. Kutchers $700,000 per episode salary ranks No. 1 among television stars, according to TV Guides annual Who Earns What issue. Other notable TV star salaries include recent CSI addition Ted Danson at $225,000 per episode, and former 24 star Kiefer Sutherland, who will also earn a $225K paycheck for every episode of his new show, Touch, according to the mag. Former Home Improvement star Tim Allen also makes the list, with a $225K per show salary for his new comedy, Last Man Standing on ABC. Adults arent the only arent the only ones bringing home the bacon. On a different list, spotlighting teen earners, and featured in People magazine, Canadian heartthrob and singer, Justin Bieber, scores the No. 1 spot by bringing in a whopping $53 million last year. The mag dubbed Miley Cyrus the Richest Teen Queen, earning $15 million last year, while The Twilight Sagas Taylor Lautner, 19, took in over $8 million for the franchises final two films making him Peoples Richest Teen Movie Star. As for the richest teen TV star, the title goes to another Two and a Half Men actor 17-year-old star Angus T. Jones, who brought in $7.8 million last year ($300,000 per episode). Check out the full lists of Hollywoods largest salaries when the latest issue of TV Guide hit newsstands on Thursday. Peoples teen list hits newsstands on Friday. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Rebecca Black Taking Her Haters In Stride

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Love her or hate her Rebecca Black is having the time of her life! Access Hollywood caught up with the Friday and My Moment singer on the red carpet of the 2011 Teen Choice Awards, where the teen talked about her whirlwind year. Ive only been here a few minutes and its already been insane, its crazy! an ecstatic Rebecca told Access. Its my first award show she continued. Im still the same person Im kind of living my dream right now. Its really cool. The YouTube sensation, who recently released her second single, My Moment, said shes taking the good with the bad. Everyone has haters, I could donate all of my organs to children in need and I would still have haters, she said of her detractors. Its just something I think that comes with all the attention, so I just have to deal with it. One person firmly on Team Rebecca is Katy Perry, who Rebecca appeared with on Friday at the singers Los Angeles stop of her California Dreams world tour. Rebecca joined Katy onstage for a rendition of Friday. (See their performance HERE!) Thank you so much Rebecca. That was our moment. We love you Rebecca! Katy exclaimed as the young star exited the stage as the crowd cheered. Adding, Damn it, I love the internet! Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Sony Movie Channel Announces Weeklong Salute to Bollywood (Exclusive)

The Sony Movie Channel is honoring India's vibrant contribution to musical films with "Bollywood Masala," a weeklong event starting Sunday, November 6 with host,The Big Bang Theory's Aarti Mann. "Bollywood is known for its epic stories, beautiful scenery and show stopping musical numbers," says Sony Movie Channel GM, Superna Kalle. "India also has the largest film industry in the world, and we're proud to offer these Bollywood favorites to film lovers on the Sony Movie Channel. Good cinema has universal appeal." The event features several notable films from the past 30 years of Bollywood which showcase the industry's most notable stars, including Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Shahrukh Khan and Anil Kapoor. "Bollywood Massala" includes these classic and contemporary titles: Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Tezaab (1988), Dil (1990), Karan Arjun (1995), Kahoo Naa... Pyaar Ha (2000), Parineeta (2005), and more. For more information, visit the Sony Movie Channel website. Email: Jethro.Nededog@thr.com; Twitter:@TheRealJethro Sony Pictures Television

Does Oprah Deserve an Oscar?

You get an Oscar! And you get an Oscar! And you get an Oscar... Seems like the Academy is emulating its latest honorary recipient, Oprah Winfrey, in being unbelievably generous. Oscar officials announced yesterday that Winfrey is the winner of this year's Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. She'll join fellow honorary Academy Award winners James Earl Jones and movie makeup pioneer Dick Smith to pick up her Oscar at the Academy's annual Governors Awards on Nov. 12. Oprah's humanitarian credentials aren't in doubt. But why would the TV icon get an award ostensibly meant for people known for their contributions to the movie industry? It would be easy to dismiss Winfrey's award as a ploy for ratings -- if they still gave out the honorary awards during the Oscar telecast each February. But for the past couple of years, to streamline the ever-draggy awards ceremony, the honorary trophies have been shunted aside to a separate gala, the Governors Awards, which takes place three months earlier and is not televised. Of course, if the Academy wanted to start televising the Governors Awards, what better year to start than when the Queen of All Media and the Lord of the Sith are recipients? Oprah does seem to have conquered every medium she's tried. She won an Oscar nomination for her acting debut in 1985's 'The Color Purple,' even before she launched the nationally syndicated talk show that became the cornerstone of her fame and her empire. Since then, she's appeared in two other live-action features ('Native Son' and 'Beloved') and done voice roles in three animated movies. She's also produced three feature films ('Beloved,' 'The Great Debaters,' and 'Precious'). So that's eight movies in 26 years -- not chopped liver, but not anything like her prolific work in TV or magazines or other media, all of which she is better known for than her Hollywood work. Of course, Oprah has also done work for the Academy. She's appeared on the Oscar show a few times as a presenter (this year, she handed out the Best Documentary Feature prize to 'Inside Job' filmmakers Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs), and in recent years, she's taken over Barbara Walters' traditional slot on ABC as the host of an annual pre-Oscar celebrity interview special. Maybe this is the Academy's way of thanking Winfrey and ABC for services rendered. Among Oprah's fellow honorary winners, Jones has made nearly 70 movies in 47 years, including an Oscar-nominated turn in 1970's 'The Great White Hope' and roles in such classics as 'Dr. Strangelove,' 'Field of Dreams,' 'The Lion King,' and the first 'Star Wars' trilogy, where his booming voice made Darth Vader one of the most iconic movie characters of all time. Dick Smith, a makeup artist for 50 years, already has an Oscar (for aging F. Murray Abraham in 'Amadeus') and did the makeup on such landmarks as the first two 'Godfathers,' 'Taxi Driver,' and 'The Exorcist.' Both have worked extensively in television as well, but no one would argue that they haven't had Oscar-worthy film careers. Oprah may be a philanthropist second to none, and she remains a dominant and influential figure in TV even after having pulled the plug on her talk show. But she doesn't have a movie career with the depth and breadth of other honorary Academy Awards winners, past and present. When she does, maybe then she'll deserve an honorary Oscar. Does Oprah Winfrey Deserve an Honorary Oscar?YesNoVote Follow Gary Susman on Twitter @garysusman.

'Cowboys & Alien's' Harrison Ford Rips Smurf's Head Off on Conan (Video)

TBS Harrison Ford's Cowboys & Alien's narrowly beat The Smurfs at the weekend box office ($36.4 million vs. $35.6 million) -- no thanks to his 10-year-old son with wife Calista Flockhart, Liam. PHOTOS: Summer Movie Guide "My wife took my son to see The Smurfs," Harrison deadpanned in his trademark gravely voice on TBS' Conan Monday night. "He got into my movie for free, and so she took him to see The Smurfs." When Conan O'Brien asked if he was mad some of his money went to pay for a competitor, Harrison said, "We're going to try to get it back." STORY: How 'Smurfs' Tied 'Cowboys & Aliens' at the Box Office Conan then handed Harrison a Papa Smurf doll, and told him to take out "anger or rage" on it. Harrison ripped its head off as the audience applauded. PHOTOS: Best and Worst Alien Movies Smurfs and Cowboys & Aliens engaged in a neck-to-neck weekend box office race, with Smurfs performing better than expected due to the nostalgia factor of its '80s TV show and a younger-skewing audience. Calista Flockhart Harrison Ford Conan O'Brien The Smurfs Cowboys & Aliens

Summit Buying U.S. For Scott Derrickson-Directed Thriller With Ethan Hawke

EXCLUSIVE: Summit Entertainment has won an auction for U.S. distribution rights to an untitled "found footage" thriller that Scott Derrickson will direct, with Ethan Hawke starring. Jason Blum is producing with Brian Kavanaugh-Jones' Automatik Entertainment and shooting starts in September. I'm told the movie will cost under $5 million, but the success of the Blum-produced micro-budget horror pics Paranormal Activity and Insidious ramped up the bidding on the project. I've heard that Summit's deal entitles it to a 17.5% distribution fee, but Summit is also on the hook for a 5% gross payment to the filmmakers. I'd heard there is a P&A commitment for a wide release, but insiders said the film will have to earn its way to a broad release. It's an aggressive but not crazy deal because the budget on the film is so low and because past Blumhouse low-cost thrillers like Insidious and Paranormal Activity minted money, as did the Derrickson-directed The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Buyers bought it based on the track record of Blum and Derrickson, and they also got to read a script by Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill that I've heard is good and unsettling. Hawke plays a journalist who travels with his family around the country to investigate gruesome murders he turns into books. After he moves his family into a house where another family was murdered, the journo discovers found footage that unveils horrifying clues beyond what caused the original tragedy. The movie was shopped by Kavanaugh-Jones of Automatik, the film company hatched by Alliance and IM Global.Charles Layton is exec producer.