RIO FLIES WITH ANGRY BIRDS ON HOME VIDEO

The debut of 20th Century Fox’s animated Rio debuted at the top of the DVD and Blu-ray sales charts last week, taking in five times the reals (well, dollars really) that its closest competitor did, according to Nielsen VideoScan First Alert. (Actual sales figures are not disclosed.) Sales of the Blu-ray version reportedly got a […]

HAWAII MAY UP TAX CREDITS FOR SHOOTING OUTSIDE OAHU

Some Hawaiian lawmakers want to see some of the other islands share in the benefits of film production that the principal island of Oahu, where Honolulu is located, has enjoyed. A bill currently before the legislature would increase production tax credits from 20 to 40 percent on all the islands except Oahu, where they would […]

HANNA STRONGER THAN EXPECTED; ARTHUR WEAKER

Hold on! Russell Brand pictures did not finish in first and second place at the weekend box office as Sunday estimates had indicated. Final figures did indeed put the animated Hop, for which Brand provided the voice of the lead character, in first place with $21.3 million, but “lovable drunk” flick Arthur, which also starred […]

RUSSELL BUILDS HIS OWN BRAND

It’s certainly not often that one actor stars in the top two films at the box office (researchers are probably scrambling to see whether such a finish has ever occurred before), but Russell Brand nabbed that honor this weekend. [Update: Final figures released on Monday put Arthur in third place, not second; see below.] He […]

MOVIE REVIEWS: SOUL SURFER

Soul Surfer is based on the story of Bethany Hamilton (portrayed by AnnaSophia Robb), who, while surfing at the age of 13, was attacked by a shark and lost most of her left arm — but within a few years became a champion surfer. It’s an inspirational tale that is being strongly promoted among church […]