NTSC User's News Page

The Tree Of Life has won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Terrence Malick’s fantasy drama, which stars Brad Pitt and Sean Penn, beat 17 other nominees to collect the top award at this year’s prestigious event.

Previous Palme d’Or winners the Dardenne brothers took home the Grand Prix for The Kid With The Bike, as the evening’s most unexpected result came in the form of Jury Prize recipient Polisse, a critically-panned crime picture.

In the acting categories, Jean Dujardin won ‘Best Actor’ for his lead turn in Hollywood silent-era romance The Artist, while Kirsten Dunst took home the ‘Best Actress’ trophy for Melancholia, a film that has been somewhat overshadowed at the festival by director Lars von Trier’s controversial comments about the Nazis.

Elsewhere, Drive helmer Nicolas Winding Refn was named as ‘Best Director’ and Las Acacias scooped the Camera d’Or for best first film.

Watch the trailer for The Tree Of Life below:

Stephen King has claimed that he is open to having Lindsay Lohan play the titular role in a planned Carrie remake.

It was revealed today that Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, writer of Spider Man: Turn Off The Dark, is to bring a new adaptation of King’s classic horror novel to the big screen.

When asked for his thoughts on the project, the 63-year-old author expressed doubt that Brian De Palma’s 1976 flick could be outdone, but appeared excited by the prospect of seeing Lohan star.

He told Entertainment Weekly: “I’ve heard rumblings about a Carrie remake…who knows if it will happen?

(more…)

Marvel Studios’ Thor has topped the US box office for the second weekend in a row.

The comic book adaptation, which stars Chris Hemsworth as the God of Thunder, took $34.5 million domestically in its second week of release.

The Judd Apatow-produced comedy Bridesmaids enters in second place with $22.4 million, followed by Fast Five with $19.5 million.

Supernatural thriller Priest opened to a disappointing $14.5 million, while family animation Rio rounds out the top five films of the week with $8 million.

This week’s US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (1) Thor – $34,500,000
2. (-) Bridesmaids – $22,400,000
3. (2) Fast Five – $19,500,000
4. (-) Priest – $14,500,000
5. (5) Rio – $8,000,000
6. (3) Jumping the Broom – $7,300,000
7. (4) Something Borrowed – $7,000,000
8. (6) Water for Elephants – $4,100,000
9. (7) Madea’s Big Happy Family – $2,200,000
10. (10) Soul Surfer – $1,800,000

The Event and Law and Order: LA have both been dropped by NBC.

Sci-fi drama The Event started out strongly but saw ratings fade gradually, particularly after its winter hiatus.

Following the three-month gap, actor Jason Ritter said that the show had “completely changed” and was getting “really exciting”, but it was not enough to save the show which averaged 7.4 million viewers.

Dick Wolf’s Law and Order: LA, which has seen variable ratings from the start, was another casualty of NBC’s cancellations.

(more…)

Brothers and Sisters and V have been cancelled by ABC.

Also to be dropped from the channel are No Ordinary Family, Detroit 1-8-7, Off The Map and Mr Sunshine, all of which have seen disappointing ratings during their first season.

V showrunner Scott Rosenbaum recently said that he had solid plans for a third season of the drama, while its star Elizabeth Mitchell professed that she was hopeful of the show being renewed.

The future of Brothers and Sisters has also been under increasing speculation recently, with ABC forced to deny that the show was being axed earlier this month after Rachel Griffiths hinted that she would soon be “unemployed”.

(more…)

Lionsgate have become locked in a battle with an independent film producer for the rights to the Terminator franchise.

Deadline reports that Megan Ellison of Annapurna Films has outbid the company behind Kick Ass, Buried and the Saw movies for the right to make a fifth instalment of the sci-fi series.

Lionsgate had been favourites to claim the property outright before Ellison’s bid when they agreed to pay at least half of the $29.5m (£18.1m) spent by Paficior to win the Terminator rights in February 2010.

Ellison is currently funding production of Kathryn Bigelow’s Kill Bin Laden and Depression-era crime drama The Wettest County In The World, starring Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy.

(more…)

Marvel Studios’ Thor has topped the US box office in its opening weekend, taking an estimated $66 million.

The film, which also headed the UK box office last week, toppled last week’s record-breaking entry Fast Five, which took $32.5 million for its second weekend.

Salim Akil’s romantic comedy Jumping the Broom opened to $13.7 million, followed closely by Something Borrowed, starring Kate Hudson and John Krasinski, which took $13.2 million.

Rounding out the top five films of the weekend was Fox’s popular family animation Rio, with $9.5 million.

This week’s US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (-) Thor – $66,000,000
2. (1) Fast Five – $32,500,000
3. (-) Jumping the Broom – $13,700,000
4. (-) Something Borrowed – $13,200,000
5. (2) Rio – $9,500,000
6. (4) Water for Elephants – $5,700,000
7. (3) Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family – $3,800,000
8. (5) Prom – $2,500,000
9. (6) Hoodwinked Too! – $2,200,000
10. (7) Soul Surfer – $2,100,000

Brendan Fraser has been cast as the lead in a new film about the life of European folk hero William Tell.

Producer Todd Moyer confirmed that Fraser will take on the role of the infamous archer in William Tell 3D when it begins production later this year.

“There is no other actor who is more perfectly suited to be the patriot and family man that is William Tell,” Moyer said of the casting news.

“Brendan was the driving force behind the movie being shot in 3D. He’s a witty, charming, and very likeable action hero, and he really anchors the ensemble cast.”

(more…)