Blu-ray 26th January Releases

Michael Jackson: This Is It [Blu-ray]

Sony Pictures / 2009 / 111 Minutes / Rated PG
Street Date: January 26, 2010

Overall Grade Highly recommended




Genres: Documentary, musical, biography

Starring: Michael Jackson
Director: Kenny Ortega

Plot Synopsis: SEE THE EVENT OF A LIFETIME AT THEATERS – LOOK FOR IT SOON ON DVD AND BLU-RAY. Michael Jackson's This Is It will offer Jackson fans and music lovers worldwide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer as he developed, created and rehearsed for his sold-out concerts that would have taken place beginning this summer in London's O2 Arena. Chronicling the months from April through June 2009, the film is produced with the full support of the Estate of Michael Jackson and drawn from more than one hundred hours of behind-the-scenes footage, featuring Jackson rehearsing a number of his songs for the show. Audiences will be given a privileged and private look at Jackson as he has never been seen before. In raw and candid detail, Michael Jackson's This Is It captures the singer, dancer, filmmaker, architect, creative genius and great artist at work as he creates and perfects his final show. Directed by Kenny Ortega, who was both Michael Jackson's creative partner and the director of the stage show.

Disc Features:

• Staging the Return (HD, 40:46) This huge documentary is the centerpiece special feature on the disc, which can be viewed broken up into two smaller sections - 'The Adventure Begins,' and 'Beyond the Show.'
  
• The Gloved One (HD, 15:13)
• Memories of Michael (HD, 16:19)
• Auditions: Searching for the World's Greatest Dancers (HD, 9:50)
• Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2:31)
  

Surrogates [Blu-ray]

Disney/Buena Vista / 2009 / 88 Minutes
Street Date: January 26, 2010

Genres: Action, thriller

Starring: Bruce Willis, James Cromwell, Ving Rhames, and Radha Mitchell
Director: Jonathan Mostow

Plot Synopsis: How do you save humanity when the only thing that's real is you? From the director of TERMINATOR 3 comes a jaw-dropping psychological thriller starring the ultimate action hero, Bruce Willis. In the not-so-distant future, where people experience life through perfect surrogates controlled from the safety of their own homes, murder is a thing of the past. But when a college student linked to the creator of these replicants is killed, one FBI agent must re-enter reality and risk his life to unravel the mystery. In the battle of technology versus humanity, who can you trust? Experience every electrifying moment of this mind-blowing movie. Based on the acclaimed graphic novel and exploding with unforgettable action, SURROGATES is nonstop entertainment from start to finish!

Disc Features: Exclusive To Blu-ray: Deleted Scenes, Exclusive To Blu-ray: A More Perfect You: The Science Of Surrogates, Exclusive To Blu-ray: Breaking The Frame: A Graphic Novel Comes To Life, I Will Not Bow Music Video By Breaking Benjamin, Feature Audio Commentary By Director Jonathan Mostow

Saw VI [Blu-ray]

Lionsgate / 2009 / 91 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: January 26, 2010

Genres: Suspense, thriller

Starring: Shawnee Smith, Tobin Bell
Director: Kevin Greutert

Plot Synopsis: Special Agent Strahm is dead, and Detective Hoffman has emerged as the unchallenged successor to Jigsaw’s legacy. However, when the FBI draws closer to Hoffman, he is forced to set a game into motion, and Jigsaw’s grand scheme is finally understood.

Disc Features:

• Audio Commentary - With Mark Burg, Peter Block, and Jason Constantine.
  
• 
  
• The Traps of ' Saw VI' (HD, 9 min) - A look at the creation of each of the traps in the film, from creation of the machines themselves, to the prosthetics for the gore.
  
• Jigsaw Revealed (HD, 6 min)
• A Killer Maze: Making 'Saw': Game Over (HD, 10 min)
  
• Music Videos (SD) - There are four music videos included, with Mushroomhead's Your Soul is Mine, Memphis May Fire's Ghost in the Mirror, Hatebreed's In Ashes They Shall Reap, and Suicide Silence's Genocide/ 'Saw VI' Remix, with a play all option and individual playback choices.
• Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1 min) - The theatrical trailer for the film, in high def.
  
• Also From Lionsgate - The same batch of trailers that play before the main menu, including 'Gamer,' 'Train,' 'Cabin Fever,' 'Planet Hulk,' a Lionsgate catalog title promo, and spots for the Fearnet and Epix channels.
  
• Bonus Blu-ray - Advertised in a sticker on the plastic wrap around the case is the fact that this Blu-ray contains a bonus Blu-ray, for the original 'Saw' (the DVD editions contain a bonus DVD).
  

Whip It [Blu-ray]

20th Century Fox / 2009 / 120 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: January 26, 2010

Genres: Drama

Starring: Drew Barrymore, Daniel Stern, Ellen Page
Director: Drew Barrymore

Plot Synopsis: Hang onto your helmet and get ready to break away from the pack! Ellen Page scores huge laughs as Bliss Cavendar, a small-town teenager with a big dream: to find her own path in the world. Tired of following in her family's footsteps of compliance and conformity, Bliss discovers a way to put her life on the fast track...literally. She lands a spot on a rough-and-tumble roller derby team and becomes "Babe Ruthless" - the hottest thing on eight wheels! Co-starring Drew Barrymore (in her feature film directorial debut), Marcia Gay Harden, Juliette Lewis, Daniel Stern and Jimmy Fallon, Whip It is a triumphant, free-spirited comedy loaded with high-speed action and nonstop fun!

Disc Features:
Disc 1:

• Forced Trailers: Theatrical Trailer, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Amelia, Glee, Fame, AFI Trailer
• 17 Deleted Scenes and 1 Alternate Opening
• Soundtrack Spot
• Fox Movie Channel Presents Writers Draft: Shauna Cross of Whip It
• Commentary
• Sneak Peek

Disc 2: Digital Copy

Back Catalogue/ Other Blu-ray Releases:

"Avatar" replaces "Titanic" in record books

James Cameron's latest juggernaut Avatar became the first film since the director's own Titanic to rule the number one spot for six straight weekends as it once again steamrolled over the competition topping the charts by a wide margin. Three new films without 3D trips into outer space opened to mixed results with the thriller Legion leading the way in second place with a solid showing. The family comedy The Tooth Fairy saw mild business in fourth while moviegoers ignored the drama Extraordinary Measures which landed in seventh. Films with major Golden Globe wins all witnessed small declines.

There was no stopping Avatar which slipped a remarkably low 16% in its sixth frame and grossed an estimated $36M to remain atop the North American box office. After only 38 days of release, the Fox smash catapulted its total domestic gross to an eye-popping $552.8M and on Saturday surpassed The Dark Knight to seize the number two spot on the list of top-grossing domestic blockbusters of all-time. It now trails Titanic's $600.8M by a mere $48M and will break the 12-year-old record next week with ease. Avatar also set a new record for best gross in the sixth weekend of any film's release beating the iceberg pic's $25.2M from this very frame in 1998. The Pandora hit has grossed north of $35M in each of its six weekends - another industry first.

In the world of actual tickets sold, Avatar trails numerous films from the past like 1990's Home Alone, 1994's Forrest Gump, and 2002's Spider-Man. But in the world of grosses - the actual dollar amounts that participating production, distribution, and exhibition companies will be dividing up and stuffing their pockets with - the Na'vi hit is now in the same league that Titanic has been in by itself for so long. Avatar's strength has been powered in part by Saturday surges. The Golden Globe winner for Best Picture - Drama took in $9.1M on Friday, soared by 81% to $16.5M on Saturday, and is estimated to dip 37% to $10.4M on Sunday. 3D and IMAX screens are also at the center of the public fascination with the film as people are continuing to pay extra for this next-generation moviegoing experience. At Avatar's current pace, reaching the $700M domestic barrier cannot be ruled out.

The Cameron megahit is still a durable smash overseas as international audiences have not had enough. The overseas tally hit an estimated $107M this weekend, off a slim 14%, boosting the international haul to a staggering $1.288 billion beating Titanic's record of $1.242 billion. The global gross now stands at a jaw-dropping $1.841 billion for Avatar putting it a mere $2M behind the long-standing record of $1.843 billion set in 1998. Avatar will have no problem crashing through the $2 billion worldwide mark in the coming weeks as it topples all of Titanic's major box office records.

In the weekly battle to be the top non-Avatar film, Sony scored a hit with its supernatural thriller Legion which debuted to an estimated $18.2M from 2,476 theaters for a strong $7,351 average. The R-rated effects film starring Paul Bettany, Tyrese Gibson, and Dennis Quaid played to young men done with Pandora. Studio research showed that 58% of the audience was male and 54% was over 25. Legion cost $25-30M to produce.

Denzel Washington's apocalyptic thriller The Book of Eli dropped a moderate 48% to an estimated $17M and placed third this weekend. After ten days, the R-rated actioner has taken in a solid $62M for Warner Bros. and has a chance at becoming the Oscar-winning actor's fourth career $100M+ hit.

The Rock generated mild results for his latest entry into the family film market The Tooth Fairy which bowed to an estimated $14.5M from 3,344 sites for a mediocre $4,336 average. Dwayne Johnson's PG-rated tale of a hockey superstar that becomes, yes, a tooth fairy played mostly to kids and parents. Reviews were bad, but probably had little impact.

Off 48% in its second weekend of wide play, Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones dropped to fifth with an estimated $8.8M lifting the total to $31.6M. Paramount might end up with around $50M which didn't seem possible just two weeks ago. Sherlock Holmes held strong easing only 28% to an estimated $7.1M in its fifth frame. The Warner Bros. hit has banked $191.6M and next week will become the tenth film from 2009 to break the $200M hurdle.

Brendan Fraser and Harrison Ford failed to excite adult audiences with their new drama Extraordinary Measures which opened in seventh with only $7M, according to estimates. The first release from CBS Films averaged a weak $2,746 from 2,549 locations and played best in the midwest, southeast and mountain areas. The PG-rated film drew poor reviews which had an impact on the older-skewing audience.

With Fox's own Tooth Fairy taking away kids looking for goofy comedy, the studio's smash Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel fell 44% to an estimated $6.5M for eighth place. But the runaway hit did break the double century mark this weekend pushing its total to $204.2M.

Universal's adult comedy It's Complicated still held up well dipping only 24% in its fifth round to an estimated $6.2M boosting the total to $98.7M. Look for the Meryl Streep pic to break the $100M mark by the end of the week. Jackie Chan rounded out the top ten with his kidpic The Spy Next Door which fell a troubling 51% in its second weekend to an estimated $4.8M. Lionsgate has grossed only $18.7M in ten days and should finish with $27-29M. Chan will try to attract a larger audience this summer when he stars in the China-set remake of The Karate Kid opposite Will Smith's son Jaden.

#	Title	Jan 22 - 24				Weeks		Cumulative	Distributor
1	Avatar	$ 36,000,000				6		$ 552,797,000	Fox
2	Legion	18,200,000				1		18,200,000	Sony
3	The Book of Eli	17,000,000				2		62,003,000	Warner Bros.
4	The Tooth Fairy	14,500,000				1		14,500,000	Fox
5	The Lovely Bones	8,800,000				5		31,624,000	Paramount
6	Sherlock Holmes	7,115,000				5		191,564,000	Warner Bros.
7	Extraordinary Measures	7,000,000				1		7,000,000	CBS
8	Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel	6,500,000				5		204,237,000	Fox
9	It's Complicated	6,190,000				5		98,650,000	Universal
10	The Spy Next Door	4,750,000				2		18,710,000	Lionsgate

In Theaters This Week 22nd January 2010

The Tooth Fairies
Copyright © 2010 20th Century Fox

"The Rock" will star as an ordinary man who's brought in to try to save the tooth fairy kingdom.

• Release Date:January 22nd, 2010
• Director:Michael Lembeck
• Writer:Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel, Joshua Sternin, Jeffrey Ventimilia
• Starring:Dwayne Johnson, Ashley Judd, Julie Andrews, Chase Ellison, Billy Crystal
• Studio:20th Century Fox
• Genre:Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
• Official Site:toothfairy-movie.com
• Rating: PG for mild language, some rude humor and sports action

Legion
Copyright © 2010 Screen Gems

God loses faith in humanity and sends his legion of angels to wipe out the human race for the second time. Mankind's only hope lies in a group of misfits holed up in a diner in the desert who are aided by the archangel Michael.

• Release Date:January 22nd, 2010
• Director:Scott Stewart
• Writer:Peter Schink, Scott Stewart
• Starring:Paul Bettany, Dennis Quaid, Tyrese Gibson, Doug Jones, Jon Tenney, Charles S. Dutton, Lucas Black, Kate Walsh, Adrianne Palicki, Kevin Durand, Willa Holland
• Studio:Screen Gems
• Genre:Action, Horror, Thriller
• Official Site:legionmovie.com
• Rating: R for Strong bloody violence, and language.

Extraordinary Measures
Copyright © 2010 CBS Films

Harrison Ford will star in "Crowley," based on the true story of John and Aileen Crowley, whose two children had a rare genetic disorder. Rather than give up hope that nothing could help his children, John Crowley found a researcher (Ford) with a potential cure.

Ford also will executive produce the film inspired by a Wall Street Journal article and subsequent book, "The Cure," by Geeta Anand.

• Release Date:January 22nd, 2010
• Director:Tom Vaughan
• Writer:Robert Nelson Jacobs
• Starring:Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser, Keri Russell, Courtney B. Vance
• Studio:CBS Films
• Genre:Drama
• Official Site:extraordinarymeasuresthemovie.com
• Rating: PG for thematic material, language and a mild suggestive moment

Blu-ray 19th January Releases

Pandorum [Blu-ray]

Starz/Anchor Bay / 2009 / 108 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: January 19, 2010

Genres: Suspense, thriller

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Norman Reedus
Director: Christian Alvart

Plot Synopsis: In Pandorum, Dennis Quaid (Vantage Point, The Express) and Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma, Alpha Dog) join Cam Gigandet (Never Back Down, Twilight), Cung Le (Tekken, Fighting), newcomer Antje Traue, and director Christian Alvart (Antibodies) to tell the terrifying story of two crew members stranded on a spacecraft who quickly – and horrifically – realize they are not alone. Two astronauts awaken in a hyper-sleep chamber aboard a seemingly abandoned spacecraft. It’s pitch black, they are disoriented, and the only sound is a low rumble and creak from the belly of the ship. They can’t remember anything: Who are they? What is their mission? With Lt. Payton (Quaid) staying behind to guide him via radio transmitter, Cpl. Bower (Foster) ventures deep into the ship and begins to uncover a terrifying reality. Slowly the spacecraft’s shocking, deadly secrets are revealed…and the astronauts find their own survival is more important than they could ever have imagined.

Disc Features:

• Audio Commentary with Director Christian Alvart and Producer Jeremy Bolt
  
• The World of Elysium: Behind-the-Scenes Featurette (HD, 13:59)
  
• What Happened to Nadia's Team (HD, 4:30)
• Flight Team Training Video (HD, 2:45) This brief video serves as a kind of overview to the made-up world of 'Pandorum.'
  
• Deleted Scenes (HD, 27:57)
  
• Still Galleries
  
• Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2:19) Pr

Gamer [Blu-ray]

Lionsgate / 2009 / 95 Minutes
Street Date: January 19, 2010

Overall Grade Recommended

Genres: Action, thriller

Starring: Gerard Butler, Amber Valetta, Michael C. Hall,
Director: Garry Lucchesi

Plot Synopsis: Gerard Butler stars as Kable, condemned criminal and globally famous super-soldier in the ultimate multiplayer game, "Slayers.” Human controllers direct each thought and move of real-life prison inmates battling in hyper-intense environments – where the goal is freedom and the penalty is death. But when Kable suddenly decides he wants out, his rebellion threatens the twisted plans of game creator Ken Castle (Michael C. Hall, TV’s "Dexter”), who will stop at nothing to crush the renegade commando in this taut, adrenaline-packed action-thriller.

Disc Features:

• Audio Commentary - With Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor, Amber Valletta, Alison Lohman, and Terry Crews.
  
• Inside the Game: Controlling 'Gamer' (HD, 79 min) - A multi-part feature, playable as a whole or in segments. This feature covers the past works of the directing team, themes of the film, casting and cast praise, production and crew aspects, the concept of making 'Gamer' in 3D, stuntwork (from creation of concept to actual filming), gun creation, editing (including aspect ratio considerations), budget constraints, and finally scoring the film.
  
• First Person Shooter: The Evolution of Red (HD, 17 min) - A look into the camera work and ideas put into use to create 'Gamer.'
  
• Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2 min) - The theatrical trailer for the film.

The Invention of Lying [Blu-ray]

Warner Brothers / 2009 / 100 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: January 19, 2010

Genres: Comedy

Starring: Jennifer Garner, Ricky Gervais
Directors: Matt Robinson, Ricky Gervais

Plot Synopsis:

The Invention of Lying takes place in an alternate reality in which lying—even the concept of a lie—does not even exist. Everyone—from politicians to advertisers to the man and woman on the street—speaks the truth and nothing but the truth with no thought of the consequences.

But when a down-on-his-luck loser named Mark (Ricky Gervais) suddenly develops the ability to lie, he finds that dishonesty has its rewards. In a world where every word is assumed to be the absolute truth, Mark easily lies his way to fame and fortune.

But lies have a way of spreading, and Mark begins to realize that things are getting a little out of control when some of his tallest tales are being taken as, well, gospel. With the entire world now hanging on his every word, there is only one thing Mark has not been able to lie his way into: the heart of the woman he loves.

Disc Features:

Prequel: The Dawn of Lying: documenting a monumental occasion in history
A Truly "Honest" Making-of Featurette: cast members share their admiration for a comedic genius
Meet Karl Pilkington: Ricky's best buddy and cohost of The Ricky Gervais Show chronicles his travels to the U.S.
Ricky and Matt's video podcasts: over 10 minutes of insider coverage
Additional scenes
More laughter: Corpsing and outtakes

Weeds: Season Five [Blu-ray]

Lionsgate / 2009 / 286 Minutes
Street Date: January 19, 2010

Genres: TV Series, comedy

Starring: Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins

Plot Synopsis: The hemptress returns in the complete fifth season of the Showtime® Original Series, WEEDS. When pot-selling soccer mom Nancy Botwin took her homegrown business south of the border, she found the grass wasn’t greener on the other side. Now she’s pregnant with the child of a powerful politician turned dangerous drug lord – or is she? Doug and Silas are trying to branch out on their own, Andy is looking to score, and Celia attempts to turn the tables on her kidnappers. With enemies out to smoke the Queen of Green, Nancy’s sure to find a whole new crop of trouble in an all new season of WEEDS – starring Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Mary-Louise Parker.

Disc Features:

• Audio Commentaries - On disc one, there are commentaries for 'Wonderful, Wonderful' with Jenji Kohan, 'Su-Su-Sucio' with Roberto Benabib and Matthew Salsberg, and 'Van Nuys' with Hunter Parrish and Kevin Nealon. For disc two, we get commentaries for 'Ducks and Tigers' with Justin Kirk and Alanis Morissette, 'Glue' with Elizabeth Perkins, Allie Grant, and Andy Milder, and 'All About my Mom' with Jenji Kohan.
• History of Weed (HD, 2 min)
  
• Yes we Cannabis (SD, 1 min) - A parody of the Obama election speeches, with an obvious marijuana tint.
  
• Little Titles (HD, 3 min)
  
• Really Backstage With Kevin Nealon (HD, 11 min) - Footage shot by Nealon behind the scenes of 'Weeds.'
• Crazy Love: A Guide to the Dysfunctional Relationships of 'Weeds' (HD, 12 min)
  
• Bloopers (HD, 11 min)
  
• University of Andy (SD, 34 min) - A series of PSA's that were originally aired as webisodes from Justin Kirk's quirky character.
  

Back Catalogue/ Other Blu-ray Releases:

It's An Avatar World And We're Just Living In It

For a fifth straight weekend James Cameron's Avatar controlled the box office setting another milestone as it moved past Star Wars into third place on the all-time domestic box office chart. Watch out Dark Knight, you're next.

The unstoppable force that is Avatar dropped a slim 18% from last weekend and brought in another $41.3, according to estimates, bringing its total to an other-worldly $491.7M. Internationally, the film has now made $1.1B, which is just a hop, skip and a jump from Titanic's current record of $1.2B. Combined, the 3D sci-fi adventure flick has made an astounding $1.6B worldwide in only five weeks and the only question now is when it'll beat Titanic, not if.

The Book of Eli gave it a valiant effort, but fell short this weekend, taking in $31.6M according to estimates. That's good enough to give Denzel Washington his second biggest opening weekend ever, behind only 2007's American Gangster which shot up $43M in its opening weekend on its way to a final gross of $130M. The Book of Eli averaged a very strong $10,162 this weekend which could portend good things for the future.

Rising up to third place this weekend after a nationwide rollout was Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones. The movie version of the bestselling novel brought in $17M, according to estimates, for an above average per screen take of $6,656. Reviews had been mixed for the dark tale of a murdered girl who narrates her life from the beyond, but apparently there were enough fans of the book that wanted to see the film regardless of the reviews.

A couple of holdovers rounded out the top five this weekend, flipflopping positions from the last few weeks. Fourth place went to the squeaky Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel which sang to the tune of $11.5M this weekend, according to estimates, down only 30% from last weekend. Its total now stands at $192.6M, which is just a stone's throw from the original's $217.3M final total. Fifth place went to the dashing duo Holmes and Watson as Sherlock Holmes brought in another $9.8M, according to estimates, down 41% from last weekend, bringing its cume to $180M.

Debuting softly in sixth place was Jackie Chan in The Spy Next Door. The spy-turned-babysitter film took in $9.7M this weekend, according to estimates, for a per screen average of only $3,317. Apparently families have not had their fill of singing rodents leaving Mr. Chan and his brood out in the cold.

Universal took the next two spots on the chart with It's Complicated and Leap Year. Complicated took in $7.6M in its fourth weekend of release, according to estimates, bringing its total to $88.2M and a shot at the $100M mark definitely within reach. On the opposite end of the spectrum was Leap Year, starring Amy Adams, which fell a reasonable 36.7% from last weekend to an estimated $5.8M. Its total stands at $17.5M and should end its run with around $35M.

In ninth place was the surprise hit of the season, The Blind Side which just keeps rolling along, this time taking in $5.6M, according to estimates, bringing its total to a tremendous $226.7M. And in tenth place was George Clooney's award-bait Up in the Air which fell 23.7% from last weekend to $5.4M, according to estimates. The total now stands at $62.8M with a lot more to come if it can win a few major awards in the next few weeks.

A couple of last weekend's debuts dropped heavily in their sophomore frame as Daybreakers fell 67% to an estimated $5M and Youth in Revolt fell 59% to an estimated $2.8M. Totals are $24.1M and $11.9M respectively, which not a lot more left in the tanks.

#	Title	Jan 15 - 17				Weeks		Cumulative	Distributor
1	Avatar	$ 41,300,000				5		$ 491,767,000	Fox
2	The Book of Eli	31,615,000				1		31,615,000	Warner Bros.
3	The Lovely Bones	17,060,000				4		17,527,000	Paramount
4	Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel	11,500,000				4		192,592,000	Fox
5	Sherlock Holmes	9,825,000				4		180,018,000	Warner Bros.
6	The Spy Next Door	9,700,000				1		9,700,000	Lionsgate
7	It's Complicated	7,672,000				4		88,223,000	Universal
8	Leap Year	5,828,000				2		17,529,000	Universal
9	The Blind Side	5,565,000				9		226,774,000	Warner Bros.
10	Up in the Air	5,460,000				7		62,833,000	Paramount

In Theaters This Week 15th January 2010

The Book of Eli
Copyright © 2010 Warner Bros Pictures

The drama revolves around a lone hero who fights his way across the wasteland of post-apocalyptic America. He's the protector of a sacred book that may hold the key to saving humanity.

• Release Date:January 15th, 2010
• Director:Allen Hughes, Albert Hughes
• Writer:Gary Whitta, Anthony Peckham
• Starring:Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson, Jennifer Beals, Evan Jones
• Studio:Warner Bros. Pictures
• Genre:Drama
• Rating: R for some brutal violence and language

The Spy Next Door
Copyright © 2010 Lionsgate Pictures

Jackie Chan is set to star in "The Spy Next Door," an action-comedy which centers on a man (Chan) who is called to baby-sit his neighbor's children and winds up having to fight off secret agents after one of the kids inadvertently downloads a secret code.

• Release Date:January 15th, 2010
• Director:Brian Levant
• Writer:Jonathan Bernstein, Jim Greer
• Starring:Jackie Chan, Madeline Carroll, Alina Foley, George Lopez, Billy Ray Cyrus, Amber Valletta, Katherine Boecher
• Studio:Lionsgate
• Genre:Action, Comedy
• Rating: PG for sequences of action violence and some mild rude humor

"Basterds" leads winners at Critics Choice Awards

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Inglourious Basterds" won three awards at the Critics' Choice Awards on Friday, and remained in contention for the event's best picture honor.

Quentin Tarantino's Nazi revenge fantasy picked up statuettes for supporting actor, original screenplay and best ensemble. Along with the all-star musical "Nine," it led the field with 10 nominations.

But Tarantino lost the directing award to Kathryn Bigelow, who made the Iraq war drama "The Hurt Locker."

Other awards went to Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner for their adapted screenplay for "Up in the Air," and to comedienne Mo'Nique for her supporting turn as an abusive mother in the harrowing urban drama "Precious."

The corresponding award was won by Austrian actor Christoph Waltz, who played a Nazi officer with a malevolent twinkle in his eye in "Basterds."

Tarantino won for his screenplay, and heralded the film's actors.

"My material is not easy. It is hard," he said. "I cannot have dumb actors read my dialogue, I've tried it and it was a disaster."

"Avatar," which scored nine nomination, was named best action movie. "Avatar" producer Jon Landau declined to be drawn on the film's Oscar chances, or how much money writer/director James Cameron's blockbuster would make at the box office. It is quickly catching up to the pair's all-time champ "Titanic."

"I'm very excited about the whole season," Landau said. "I think it's a very competitive year this year. To be included with the group of movies that we are it's very exciting."

All four movies will compete for the best picture award, an honor that usually leads to the top Oscar.

The Critics' Choice Awards, organized by the 235 members of the Broadcast Film Critics Association, have established a reputation as the leading barometer of Oscar success. In the last 10 years, 80 percent of its best-picture winners went on to take Oscar gold. The success rate for director, best actor and actress is 70 percent.

The Golden Globes, by contrast, have a 60 percent rate for best picture in the same period, even after dividing its category into drama and comedy. Its hit rate with best director is 50 percent. "Up in the Air" is the leading contender at the Globes, which will take place in Beverly Hills on Sunday. [Source from: reuters.com]

BEST PICTURE

Nominees:
• Avatar
• An Education
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• Invictus
• Nine
• Precious
• A Serious Man
• Up
• Up In The Air

BEST ACTOR

Nominees:
• Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
• George Clooney - Up In The Air
• Colin Firth - A Single Man
• Morgan Freeman - Invictus
• Viggo Mortensen - The Road
• Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker

BEST ACTRESS

Nominees:
• Emily Blunt - The Young Victoria
• Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side
• Carey Mulligan - An Education
• Saoirse Ronan - The Lovely Bones
• Gabourey Sidibe - Precious
• Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Nominees:
• Matt Damon - Invictus
• Woody Harrelson - The Messenger
• Christian McKay - Me And Orson Welles
• Alfred Molina - An Education
• Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones
• Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Nominees:
• Marion Cotillard - Nine
• Vera Farmiga - Up In The Air
• Anna Kendrick - Up In The Air
• Mo’Nique - Precious
• Julianne Moore - A Single Man
• Samantha Morton - The Messenger

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS

Nominees:
• Jae Head - The Blind Side
• Bailee Madison - Brothers
• Max Records - Where The Wild Things Are
• Saoirse Ronan - The Lovely Bones
• Kodi Smit-McPhee - The Road

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

Nominees:
• Inglourious Basterds
• Nine
• Precious
• Star Trek
• Up In The Air

BEST DIRECTING

Nominees:
• Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
• James Cameron - Avatar
• Lee Daniels - Precious
• Clint Eastwood - Invictus
• Jason Reitman - Up In The Air
• Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Nominees:
• Mark Boal - The Hurt Locker
• Joel Coen & Ethan Coen - A Serious Man
• Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber - (500) Days Of Summer
• Bob Peterson, Peter Docter - Up
• Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Nominees:
• Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach - Fantastic Mr. Fox
• Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell - District 9
• Geoffrey Fletcher - Precious
• Tom Ford, David Scearce - A Single Man
• Nick Hornby - An Education
• Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner - Up In The Air

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Nominees:
• The Hurt Locker
• Nine
• Avatar
• The Lovely Bones
• Inglourious Basterds

BEST ART DIRECTION

Nominees:
• A Single Man
• Avatar
• Nine
• The Lovely Bones
• Inglourious Basterds

BEST EDITING

Nominees:
• Up In The Air
• Inglourious Basterds
• The Hurt Locker
• Avatar
• Nine

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Nominees:
• Nine
• Bright Star
• The Young Victoria
• Inglourious Basterds
• Where The Wild Things Are

BEST MAKEUP

Nominees:
• Avatar
• District 9
• Nine
• The Road
• Star Trek

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Nominees:
• Avatar
• District 9
• The Lovely Bones
• Star Trek
• 2012

BEST SOUND

Nominees:
• Avatar
• District 9
• The Hurt Locker
• Nine
• Star Trek

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Nominees:
• Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs
• Coraline
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
• Princess And The Frog
• Up

BEST ACTION MOVIE

Nominees:
• Avatar
• District 9
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• Star Trek

BEST COMEDY

Nominees:
• (500) Days Of Summer
• The Hangover
• It’s Complicated
• The Proposal
• Zombieland

BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Nominees:
• Gifted Hands
• Grey Gardens
• Into The Storm
• Taking Chance

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Nominees:
• Broken Embraces
• Coco Before Chanel
• Red Cliff
• Sin Nombre
• The White Ribbon

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Nominees:
• Anvil
• Capitalism: A Love Story
• The Cove
• Food, Inc.
• Michael Jackson’s This Is It

BEST SONG

Nominees:
• "All Is Love" - Karen O, Nick Zinner - Where The Wild Things Are
• "Almost There" - Randy Newman - The Princess And The Frog
• "Cinema Italiano" - Maury Yeston - Nine
• "(I Want To) Come Home" - Paul McCartney - Everybody’s Fine
• "The Weary Kind" - Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett - Crazy Heart

BEST SCORE

Nominees:
• Michael Giacchino - Up
• Marvin Hamlisch - The Informant!
• Randy Newman - The Princess and the Frog
• Karen O, Carter Burwell - Where The Wild Things Are
• Hans Zimmer - Sherlock Holmes