Sex and movies are hand and glove when it comes to the ratings of the Motion Picture Assn. of America. In a recent article in the LA Times, it was stated that “whether a film gets an NC-17, R or PG-13 can be a mystifying process.”

The most recent situation is the NC-17 given to Blue Valentine because of what the Weinstein Co. studio said is a steamy sex scene involving actors Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.

However, another new film, Black Swan includes the same act between two women, played by Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis, and received a less-restrictive R rating.

Ratings have been an issue through movie history and the LA Times offers a photo gallery of the most prominent movies with controversial ratings.  You can click here to see the article and photos.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came in second place at Friday’s box office with Tangled in the lead at first place with an estimate of $5.1 million while Harry Potter brought in about $4.8 million.  

Burlesque earned third place with about $2 million with Unstoppable and Love and Other Drugs both earning about $1.9 million. Due Date arrive in fifth with about $1.4 million Faster earned roughly $1.2 million.

Next in line is Megamind taking in about $1.17 million with opener The Warrior’s Way bringing in about $1.1 million. The Next Three Days rounded out the top ten with about $805,000.

Movies for the younger audience is staying near the top as expected. It will be interesting to see how the whole weekend turns out. Be here Sunday and you will find out.

Harry Potter is still magical at the box office with Tangled not too far behind.  It will be interesting to see what happens this weekend as another wave of holiday movies are released.  I will have a report for you tomorrow on Friday’s outcome.

Results:

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
$55,640,130 — $225.6

2. Tangled
$53,595,094 — $73.5

3. Burlesque
$14,678,381 — $20.0

4. Megamind
$13,697,845 — $131.3

5. Unstoppable
$13,236,147 — $62.2

6. Love and Other Drugs
$12,031,221 — $16.2

7. Faster
$10,319,869 — $13.8

8. Due Date
$8,607,424 — $86.3

9. The Next Three Days
$5,719,378 — $15.4

10. Morning Glory
$4,667,391 — $27.1

(Source)

The Broadcast Film Critics Association announced the 16th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, the official television kick-off to movie awards season! The Awards show will air on January 14, 2011 on VH1.  

The Critics’ Choice Movie Awards honors the best in cinematic achievement and has cultivated an outstanding record for predicting nominees and winners for the Academy Awards.  Nominees will be announced on December 13, 2011, as well as the host, presenters, performers and special honorees.

Something to spark the excitement is the Critics’ Choice Mashup, a new, weekly web show where movie fans can see their favorite stars talking about the latest movies. With special insider access available only from the BFCA, this show is an up-close and personal look at the stars, their new movies and their Critics’ Choice Ratings in bite-sized pieces. Hosted by Holley Sinn, the first episode of the Critics’ Choice Mashup is now available to watch on http://CriticsChoice.com and a new episode will be available every Wednesday!  Here is current episode.

Har-ry! Har-ry! Har-ry!…20 points for Gryffindor! I am sitting here eating the last of my pumpkin pie, happy as a lark that Harry Potter 7: Part 1 took the 5-day weekend box office. I really enjoyed this movie and look forward to the finale July 16, 2011.  If you have read the book, you know why I am so excited.

With that said, Tangled held its own by taking a good portion of the box office as well. Next was Megamind, followed by Burlesque and Unstoppable to round out the top five. It will be interesting to see how the week fares as the kids return to school and dream of the next holiday-released movie. We’ve just begun!

Results:

1. Harry Potter…Deathly Hallows: Part 1
$76,300,000

2. Tangled 3D
$69,000,000

3. Megamind
$17,600,000

4. Burlesque
$17,200,000

5. Unstoppable
$16,200,000

6. Love and Other Drugs
$14,000,000

7. Faster
$12,200,000

8. Due Date
$10,400,000

9. The Next Three Days
$6,600,000

10. Morning Glory
$4,000,000

(Source)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One still holds the top spot at Friday’s box office.

The Warner Bros. movie earned about $23 million on Friday, beating its closest competitor, Disney’s Tangled, by a few million. The new animated 3D toon took the second position with about $19.7 million. Another 3D film chased it for the third place spot, earning about $6.3 million on Friday. Unstoppable made about $4.6 million while Burlesque, the new Cher and Christina Aguilera starrer, earned about $4.5 million.

Next, Love and Other Drugs collected about $3.8 million while Faster followed close behind in seventh place with about $3.2 million. Due Date took in about $2.8 million with The Next Three Days, earning about $2.3 million. Morning Glory finished at tenth with about $1.7 million.

The question is: will Harry Potter 7  or Tangled take the weekend box office? What do you think?

No surprises here for the Weekly Box Office, Harry Potter’s magic continues to impress the audiences, so he is staying well ahead of all the other competitors. It will be interesting to see what happened with Friday’s openers, if they were able to take the popular franchise down a notch or two.

Results:

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
$170,007,000 – $170.0

2. Megamind
$24,315,029 – $117.6

3. Unstoppable
$20,114,012 – $49.0

4. Tangled
$19,950,000 – $20.0

5. Due Date
$14,198,000 – $77.7

6. The Next Three Days
$8,700,836 – $8.7

7. Morning Glory
$7,797,065 – $22.4

8. Burlesque
$5,350,000 – $5.4

9. Skyline
$4,368,225 – $18.6

10. Love and Other Drugs
$4,175,000 – $4.2

(Source)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 took the box office horcrux taking a jump on Thanksgiving Weekend by grossing an estimated $14.5 million on Wednesday alone. Trailing far behind with long blond hair is Tangled, Disney’s 3D toon, with $11.6 million.

Burlesque danced and sang in third place, with an estimated $2.8 million followed by another 3D toon holdover Megamind, which took in about $2.7 million. In fourth place is Love and Other Drugs, with an estimated $2.5 million ahead of Unstoppable with $1.9 million and then Faster, an opener, raced at sixth place, grossing $1.6 million.

The domestic box office should slow down today, but will pick up Friday and continue to draw the bucks through Sunday.

Is it just me or are reboots getting closer and closer to the original? Not only do we have a Spiderman reboot only a decade after the definitive movie version first hit our screens, but now one of the most iconic TV characters of the 90′s is being revived. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the 7-season series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, is set be remade for the big screen. Again.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Kuzui Enterprises, owners of Buffy, are developing a film of Buffy to be written by relative unknown Whit Anderson (at least it’s a she) for Warner Bros. Kuzui made the 1992 film flop of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which was not liked by creator Joss Whedon. But Whedon worked with Kuzui to resurrect the character into a TV show which followed the teen as she battled vampires and demonds through high-school and into university. The show was known for its razor-sharp wit, self-awareness, and sense of irony, appealing to both sarcastic teens and adults alike.

However, Whedon (who seems to be cursed, what with his Firefly and Dollhouse shows being cancelled too soon, not to mention the financial flop that was his film Serenity, the disaster of the binned Wonder Woman film, and now the endless delay of horror film The Cabin in the Woods) has not been asked to be involved. He wrote a letter to E Online expressing his dissatisfaction:

With reboots being the major event of this decade (as Hollywood studios get increasingly fearful of the scary notion of originality), how soon before we see a reboot of Jason Bourne, of the Twilight franchise, or even Lord of the Rings? Let’s hope this Buffy remains in the ground.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 opening at the domestic B.O. was triumphant with a huge tally of an estimated $125.1 million, beating Harry’s previous top opener, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire that tallied $102.7 million in November 2005.

Hallows also opened 239 domestic IMAX runs, which contributed to an estimated $12.4 million over the weekend. The IMAX runs of Hallows is the company’s biggest opening to date, surpassing Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, which debuted with $12.1 million.

Results:

1. Harry Potter…Deathly Hallows: Part 1
$125,100,000

2. Megamind
$16,200,000

3. Unstoppable
$13,100,000

4. Due Date
$9,200,000

5. The Next Three Days
$6,800,000

6. Morning Glory
$5,200,000

7. Skyline
$3,400,000

8. Red
$2,500,000

9. For Colored Girls
$2,400,000

10. Fair Game
$1,500,000

(Source)