Antonia Eugenia Vardalos, better known as Nia Vardalos, is a Canadian-born actress, producer, screenwriter and director. She is best known for her captivating role as Toula Portokalos in the popular comedy/romance My Big Fat Greek Wedding, a performance for which she received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Nia Vardalos Biography: Age, Early Life, Family, Education
Vardalos was born on September 24, 1962 (Nia Vardalos age: 60) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She was born to Greek-Canadian parents. Her father, Constantine Vardalos, was a land developer who originated from Kalavryta, Greece. Her mother, Doreen Christakos, worked as a bookkeeper and homemaker.
For her educational years, Vardalos studied at St. George School, as well as Shaftesbury High School in Winnipeg. Additionally, Vardalos attended Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto,...
Nia Vardalos Biography: Age, Early Life, Family, Education
Vardalos was born on September 24, 1962 (Nia Vardalos age: 60) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She was born to Greek-Canadian parents. Her father, Constantine Vardalos, was a land developer who originated from Kalavryta, Greece. Her mother, Doreen Christakos, worked as a bookkeeper and homemaker.
For her educational years, Vardalos studied at St. George School, as well as Shaftesbury High School in Winnipeg. Additionally, Vardalos attended Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto,...
- 8/20/2023
- by Trevor Hanuka
- Uinterview
Over 100 popular films are leaving HBO Max at the end of the month, but luckily you have the whole month to stream them.
They include cinema classics like “Ben Hur,” the winningest film in Oscars history
Leaving April 5
The Inside Story, 1948
Reminiscence, 2021 (HBO)
Leaving April 11
Adult Swim Yule Log (aka The Fireplace)
Leaving April 12
About Face: Supermodels Then and Now, 2012 (HBO)
Leaving April 13
The Last Duel, 2021
Game Theory With Bomani Jones, Season 1
Leaving April 18
The Lego Batman Movie, 2017
Leaving April 24
Tom and Jerry Cowboy Up!, 2022
Leaving April 27
Malignant, 2021 (HBO)
Leaving April 30
47 Ronin, 2013 (HBO)
3 Godfathers, 1948
Accepted, 2006 (HBO)
The Adventures of Robin Hood, 1938
A Private War, 2018 (HBO)
An American in Paris, 1951
The American President, 1995
Any Given Sunday, 1999
Australia, 2008 (HBO)
Before I Fall, 2017 (HBO)
Ben-Hur, 1959
Black Legion, 1937
Blade, 1998
Blood Diamond, 2006
Blow Out, 1981 (HBO)
The Bodyguard, 1992
Boogie Nights, 1997
The Book of Eli, 2010
The Bourne Identity, 2002 (HBO)
The Bourne Supremacy, 2004 (HBO)
Bringing up Baby,...
They include cinema classics like “Ben Hur,” the winningest film in Oscars history
Leaving April 5
The Inside Story, 1948
Reminiscence, 2021 (HBO)
Leaving April 11
Adult Swim Yule Log (aka The Fireplace)
Leaving April 12
About Face: Supermodels Then and Now, 2012 (HBO)
Leaving April 13
The Last Duel, 2021
Game Theory With Bomani Jones, Season 1
Leaving April 18
The Lego Batman Movie, 2017
Leaving April 24
Tom and Jerry Cowboy Up!, 2022
Leaving April 27
Malignant, 2021 (HBO)
Leaving April 30
47 Ronin, 2013 (HBO)
3 Godfathers, 1948
Accepted, 2006 (HBO)
The Adventures of Robin Hood, 1938
A Private War, 2018 (HBO)
An American in Paris, 1951
The American President, 1995
Any Given Sunday, 1999
Australia, 2008 (HBO)
Before I Fall, 2017 (HBO)
Ben-Hur, 1959
Black Legion, 1937
Blade, 1998
Blood Diamond, 2006
Blow Out, 1981 (HBO)
The Bodyguard, 1992
Boogie Nights, 1997
The Book of Eli, 2010
The Bourne Identity, 2002 (HBO)
The Bourne Supremacy, 2004 (HBO)
Bringing up Baby,...
- 4/4/2023
- by Lawrence Yee
- The Wrap
Nia Vardalos is doing her part to give back amid the coronavirus pandemic in honor of her late father, Constantine “Gus” Vardalos. He was 87.
Following her father’s death on March 12, the actress, 57, said she was unable to fly home to Canada for his funeral as the novel coronavirus restricted many people’s travel plans.
Gus, who was the inspiration for Nia’s father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, showed signs of his declining health during Christmas, the star told Variety.
“If he had gone 14 days ago when they weren’t acknowledging the [coronavirus] global threat, we all would have...
Following her father’s death on March 12, the actress, 57, said she was unable to fly home to Canada for his funeral as the novel coronavirus restricted many people’s travel plans.
Gus, who was the inspiration for Nia’s father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, showed signs of his declining health during Christmas, the star told Variety.
“If he had gone 14 days ago when they weren’t acknowledging the [coronavirus] global threat, we all would have...
- 3/21/2020
- by Georgia Slater
- PEOPLE.com
“Dream Doll,” a biopic based on Barbie Doll inventor Ruth Handler, is in development with Bron Studios, Rita Wilson and Rare Bird Films, Variety has learned exclusively.
The film will chronicle the life of Handler as she founded Mattel in 1945 and created the now-iconic Barbie doll, named after her daughter Barbara, in 1959. Handler was one of the first women to run a Fortune 500 company. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1970 and died in 2002.
“The world should know about the phenomenal woman behind the doll,” said Handler’s daughter Barbara and granddaughter Cheryl Segal. “We have chosen to work with Rita Wilson, Cristan Crocker, Andrea Nevins and Bron Studios to bring Ruth’s story to life. Working with them on this project seemed like a perfect fit because we feel that they recognize just how inspiring and empowering Ruth was.”
Oscar-nominated screenwriter Melisa Wallack (“Dallas Buyers Club”) will adapt the script,...
The film will chronicle the life of Handler as she founded Mattel in 1945 and created the now-iconic Barbie doll, named after her daughter Barbara, in 1959. Handler was one of the first women to run a Fortune 500 company. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1970 and died in 2002.
“The world should know about the phenomenal woman behind the doll,” said Handler’s daughter Barbara and granddaughter Cheryl Segal. “We have chosen to work with Rita Wilson, Cristan Crocker, Andrea Nevins and Bron Studios to bring Ruth’s story to life. Working with them on this project seemed like a perfect fit because we feel that they recognize just how inspiring and empowering Ruth was.”
Oscar-nominated screenwriter Melisa Wallack (“Dallas Buyers Club”) will adapt the script,...
- 9/17/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
There is genuine if exasperated warmth here, but it is far less satisfyingly bound up into a cohesive story in this halfhearted retread of the original film. I’m “biast” (pro): liked the first film
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
I recently rewatched the original My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which I enjoyed back in the day but had not seen since it was new in 2002. And it holds up well: it’s not perfect, and it’s a bit too heavy on the ethnic humor and sitcom schtick, but at its core there is a sweet story about a young woman coming out of her shell and finding herself in a way that her loving but overbearing family hadn’t allowed her to do before. That’s not the sort of story we often see in mainstream Hollywood films,...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
I recently rewatched the original My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which I enjoyed back in the day but had not seen since it was new in 2002. And it holds up well: it’s not perfect, and it’s a bit too heavy on the ethnic humor and sitcom schtick, but at its core there is a sweet story about a young woman coming out of her shell and finding herself in a way that her loving but overbearing family hadn’t allowed her to do before. That’s not the sort of story we often see in mainstream Hollywood films,...
- 3/22/2016
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Harry Potter's Tom Felton and Joseph Fiennes are at the centre of one of modern religion's great mysteries in the trailer for Risen.
The biblical epic tells the story of the confusion, wonderment and suspicion in the first 40 days following the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Tom Felton wants Bond role: 'It's why I wanted to do movies in first place'
Fiennes and Felton play Roman centurions who are compelled to discover the truth when Christ's body disappears from its burial tomb.
The religious thriller features many notable characters from the New Testament in its dramatisation of the resurrection.
Spooks star Peter Firth portrays their overlord Pontius Pilate, while Argentine actress María Botto (My Life in Ruins) is cast as Mary Magdalene.
Tristan + Isolde director Kevin Reynolds brings writers Paul Aiello (The Translator) and Karen Janszen's (A Walk to Remember) screenplay to life in Risen.
The film will be...
The biblical epic tells the story of the confusion, wonderment and suspicion in the first 40 days following the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Tom Felton wants Bond role: 'It's why I wanted to do movies in first place'
Fiennes and Felton play Roman centurions who are compelled to discover the truth when Christ's body disappears from its burial tomb.
The religious thriller features many notable characters from the New Testament in its dramatisation of the resurrection.
Spooks star Peter Firth portrays their overlord Pontius Pilate, while Argentine actress María Botto (My Life in Ruins) is cast as Mary Magdalene.
Tristan + Isolde director Kevin Reynolds brings writers Paul Aiello (The Translator) and Karen Janszen's (A Walk to Remember) screenplay to life in Risen.
The film will be...
- 5/2/2015
- Digital Spy
When Nia Vardalos' romantic comedy "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" hit theaters in 2002 it became a word-of-mouth, sleeper hit (to the tune of over $350 worldwide). Much of the film's success came from the fact that the Portokalos family was so relatable, with the demanding parents, and their quirky, ethnic traditions. Recently, Vardalos announced on Twitter that a sequel was in the works. (1 of 2) I'm working on the MBFGWedding sequel; now that I'm experiencing motherhood I feel ready to write this next chapter.— Nia Vardalos (@NiaVardalos) May 27, 2014 (2 of 2) A few jaded press corps will claim I ran out of money or just want to kiss John Corbett again. One of these things is true.— Nia Vardalos (@NiaVardalos) May 27, 2014 We at Indiewire couldn't be more ecstatic, but we're also a little nervous. Vardalos' follow-ups like "My Life in Ruins" and the TV spinoff "My Big Fat Greek Life" had their hearts in the right place,...
- 5/30/2014
- by Indiewire
- Indiewire
When Nia Vardalos' romantic comedy "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" hit theaters in 2002 it became a word-of-mouth, sleeper hit (to the tune of over $350 worldwide). Much of the film's success came from the fact that the Portokalos family was so relatable, with the demanding parents, and their quirky, ethnic traditions. Recently, Vardalos announced on Twitter that a sequel was in the works. (1 of 2) I'm working on the MBFGWedding sequel; now that I'm experiencing motherhood I feel ready to write this next chapter.— Nia Vardalos (@NiaVardalos) May 27, 2014 (2 of 2) A few jaded press corps will claim I ran out of money or just want to kiss John Corbett again. One of these things is true.— Nia Vardalos (@NiaVardalos) May 27, 2014 We at Indiewire couldn't be more ecstatic, but we're also a little nervous. Vardalos' follow-ups like "My Life in Ruins" and the TV spinoff "My Big Fat Greek Life" had their hearts in the right place,...
- 5/30/2014
- by Indiewire
- Indiewire
It has been more than a decade since the release of Nia Vardalos’s comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding, a film that earned her an Oscar nomination for best screenplay, and resulted in an ill-fated television show and some equally ill-fated copycat films. It seems that the actress is now planning a comeback, of sorts, in the form of a sequel to her successful film.
Vardalos will reprise her role as first-generation Greek woman Toula, who fell in love with decidedly non-Greek Ian (John Corbett, also returning). The sequel will feature the reveal of a family secret and yet another big fat wedding to bring the Greek clan together again. Presumably, this will take place ten years after the event of the original film. Vardalos penned the script for the sequel, and also plans to executive produce alongside original producers Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, and Gary Goetzman. Given the...
Vardalos will reprise her role as first-generation Greek woman Toula, who fell in love with decidedly non-Greek Ian (John Corbett, also returning). The sequel will feature the reveal of a family secret and yet another big fat wedding to bring the Greek clan together again. Presumably, this will take place ten years after the event of the original film. Vardalos penned the script for the sequel, and also plans to executive produce alongside original producers Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, and Gary Goetzman. Given the...
- 5/28/2014
- by Lauren Humphries-Brooks
- We Got This Covered
Here's your daily dose of an indie film in progress; at the end of the week, you'll have the chance to vote for your favorite. In the meantime: Is this a movie you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments. "On Hold" Tweetable Logline: Four people. Waiting. Each for something special. One of them could be you. Elevator Pitch: The film deals with the role of waiting in daily routine and life in general by observing four people, each of whom is on hold for something special. They wait for the better, the worse, the unexpected or just the unavoidable. Production Team:Director-producer: George Tsirogiannis Writers: George Tsirogiannis, Darío Acebales Starring: Stefania Kriezi, Giorgos Nikopoulos, Haris Trasanis, Andromahi Pouliasi Music: Deadfile Cinematographer: Petros Antoniadis Production Manager: John Nikolettos (Protasis Production, production services in Greece for "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" and "My Life in Ruins") About the Production: I decided...
- 2/5/2014
- by Indiewire
- Indiewire
Chicago – It is with mixed emotions that one regards the tenth anniversary edition of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” On one hand, it evokes memories of the crowded theaters that guffawed in delight during the film’s year-long theatrical run. On the other hand, it serves as a bitter reminder of the failed career it had promised to launch.
It was through serendipitous circumstances that Nia Vardalos’s affectionate stage show about her quirky Greek family was transformed into one of the most financially successful indies of all time. On the film’s 2002 audio commentary (included on this disc), Vardalos said that it was the most difficult for her to play the sad scenes because she was so blissfully happy offscreen. Her giddy excitement proved to be infectious in the film, but in all of her subsequent screen efforts, the actress seemed to mistake a chipper demeanor for a performance.
It was through serendipitous circumstances that Nia Vardalos’s affectionate stage show about her quirky Greek family was transformed into one of the most financially successful indies of all time. On the film’s 2002 audio commentary (included on this disc), Vardalos said that it was the most difficult for her to play the sad scenes because she was so blissfully happy offscreen. Her giddy excitement proved to be infectious in the film, but in all of her subsequent screen efforts, the actress seemed to mistake a chipper demeanor for a performance.
- 11/15/2012
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Blu-ray/DVD Release Date: Nov. 13, 2012
Price: Blu-ray/DVD Combo $19.98
Studio: HBO/Warner
For its 10th birthday, 2002 romantic comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding has its high-definition debut in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, even with some new special features.
The PG film, which surprised Hollywood by stealing the hearts of viewers, was written by and stars Nia Vardalos (My Life in Ruins), shooting the relatively unknown, at the time, actress into stardom. Made on a reported $5 million production budget in 27 days, My Big Fat Greek Wedding grossed a whopping $241.4 million in the U.S. alone.
Vardalos plays Toula Portokalos, a Greek woman who disappears around her larger than life family. When she starts to break out with her own independence, she meets and falls in love with non-Greek Ian Miller (John Corbett, TV’s Parenthood). As their inevitable wedding day approaches (no spoiler — it is in the title), their families...
Price: Blu-ray/DVD Combo $19.98
Studio: HBO/Warner
For its 10th birthday, 2002 romantic comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding has its high-definition debut in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, even with some new special features.
The PG film, which surprised Hollywood by stealing the hearts of viewers, was written by and stars Nia Vardalos (My Life in Ruins), shooting the relatively unknown, at the time, actress into stardom. Made on a reported $5 million production budget in 27 days, My Big Fat Greek Wedding grossed a whopping $241.4 million in the U.S. alone.
Vardalos plays Toula Portokalos, a Greek woman who disappears around her larger than life family. When she starts to break out with her own independence, she meets and falls in love with non-Greek Ian Miller (John Corbett, TV’s Parenthood). As their inevitable wedding day approaches (no spoiler — it is in the title), their families...
- 8/9/2012
- by Sam
- Disc Dish
Richard Dreyfuss deserves more than this. The Oscar winner, in his prime, contributed to a handful of masterpieces like The Goodbye Girl, Stand By Men, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, American Graffiti and, of course, Jaws. Recently, he was in the truly atrocious Nia Vardalos comedy My Life in Ruins and the schlock horror flick Piranha 3D. That.s unacceptable. Hopefully these two new projects Dreyfuss just booked will be better. Variety says Dreyfuss is shooting a mainstream thriller and a lower-budget indie in the next few months. The first, an adaptation of the Joseph Finder novel Paranoia, boasts an all-star cast in a Robert Luketic-directed pic about a blue-collar worker (Liam Hemsworth) blackmailed by his employers into spying on a rival company. In addition to Dreyfuss and Hemsworth, Luketic.s cast currently includes Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Amber Heard, Lucas Till and Julian McMahon. From there, Dreyfuss...
- 6/26/2012
- cinemablend.com
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Directed by: John Madden
Cast: Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton, Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup, Dev Patel
Running Time: 2 hrs 2 mins
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: May 4, 2012 (Chicago)
Plot: A group of British retirees travel to India to stay at a dilapidated hotel purposefully geared towards the “elderly and beautiful.”
Who’S It For? Though this film features actors of a higher age, it wisely plays into the stars’ general fan base. If you enjoy Maggie Smith, for example, you might get a couple of guffaws out of watching her play a cranky racist woman here. With its shallow presentation of India, this one would be most enjoyable for people who don’t care to experience another culture. This story is too cheesy for any age.
Overall
Probably because Disney’s Epcot still refuses to acknowledge India as a country or whatever,...
Directed by: John Madden
Cast: Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton, Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup, Dev Patel
Running Time: 2 hrs 2 mins
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: May 4, 2012 (Chicago)
Plot: A group of British retirees travel to India to stay at a dilapidated hotel purposefully geared towards the “elderly and beautiful.”
Who’S It For? Though this film features actors of a higher age, it wisely plays into the stars’ general fan base. If you enjoy Maggie Smith, for example, you might get a couple of guffaws out of watching her play a cranky racist woman here. With its shallow presentation of India, this one would be most enjoyable for people who don’t care to experience another culture. This story is too cheesy for any age.
Overall
Probably because Disney’s Epcot still refuses to acknowledge India as a country or whatever,...
- 5/4/2012
- by Nick Allen
- The Scorecard Review
Scheduled to Air on Saturday July 14, 2012 at 8/7c on NBC
A talented young gymnast turns trials into triumphs in the inspiring new feature-length movie, An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars., coming to Blu-ray. Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital Download on July 3, 2012, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Inspired by the beloved American Girl® line of dolls and featuring the celebrated 2012 Girl of the Year®, the film stars Oscar® nominee
Nia Vardalos (My Life In Ruins, My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Jade Pettyjohn (.The United States of Tara.) as McKenna., Ian Ziering (.Beverly Hills 90210.), Kerris Dorsey (Moneyball, .Brothers & Sisters.) and former Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby (Broadway.s .Peter Pan.).
A modern and heartwarming original story about a young girl whose dream to compete as a world class gymnast is jeopardized when she begins to have trouble in school, An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars. helps girls learn...
A talented young gymnast turns trials into triumphs in the inspiring new feature-length movie, An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars., coming to Blu-ray. Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital Download on July 3, 2012, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Inspired by the beloved American Girl® line of dolls and featuring the celebrated 2012 Girl of the Year®, the film stars Oscar® nominee
Nia Vardalos (My Life In Ruins, My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Jade Pettyjohn (.The United States of Tara.) as McKenna., Ian Ziering (.Beverly Hills 90210.), Kerris Dorsey (Moneyball, .Brothers & Sisters.) and former Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby (Broadway.s .Peter Pan.).
A modern and heartwarming original story about a young girl whose dream to compete as a world class gymnast is jeopardized when she begins to have trouble in school, An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars. helps girls learn...
- 4/25/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Kurt here with a new Cinema de Gym, the first to focus on a movie I never knew existed before my cardio session. Is everyone familiar with Opportunity Knocks? It's a 1990 comedy noteworthy for being the breakout film for SNL alum Dana Carvey. With his straw-blonde hair styled into what I remember to be an almost-mullet, Carvey plays Eddie Farrell, a California con man whose slovenly style (oversized shirts, khakis with sneakers) is used to convey an enviably carefree outlook (as opposed to Steve Carrells's version of the same style in this week's Crazy, Stupid, Love., which is used to convey unenviable cluelessness). I entered the movie just as it was starting (another first), and got to see the unremarkable opening credits blip onto the screen as Carvey strutted down the street in his lazy dude's attire. There was no telling why he was carrying a potted plant.
Turns out...
Turns out...
- 7/29/2011
- by Kurtis O
- FilmExperience
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl was supposed to kick off a bunch of feature films based on the dolls from different historical eras. The 2008 movie wasn't a box office success, so subsequent movies looked doubtful. But, it looks like the next American Girl movie is moving forward as a DVD with Universal Home Video distributing. Newcomer Jade Pettyjohn will play the American girl with Nia Vardalos (My Life in Ruins) and Ian Zierling ("Beverly Hills 90210") starring as her parents. No other details were available about the storyline or which doll the film is about.
Source: Variety...
Source: Variety...
- 7/6/2011
- by tara@kidspickflicks.com (Tara the Mom)
- kidspickflicks
What if you woke up one morning and went to your job only to find out that you no longer fit the minimum requirements in order to keep it? Even with those who are about to graduate and join the work force, that's a harsh reality that we're all faced with. Suddenly the bar is raised up to a point in our society where there are a good number of us who struggle in order to reach it. Now those of us who barely made it with a bachelor's degree have to go back to school to get a masters in order to get the job we were promised we could get before we left college. Along with that, the availability of jobs has shrunk down even more. These are harsh times that we're living in, and it's no different with the main character in "Larry Crowne."The story focuses...
- 6/30/2011
- LRMonline.com
When people say “they just don’t make movies like that anymore” Island Of Death is the “that” they’re referring to. Murder is the least of the offenses in a movie featuring goat molestation, excessive tongue waggling, gun barrel fellatio, a golden shower perpetrated against a slutty old woman, hippie rapists, decapitation by bulldozer, and some of the rudest dialogue to come out of Greece since the audience reaction to Nia Vardalos’ My Life In Ruins. For all the violence, sex, and cruelty on display though this is one funny ass movie. In a blackly comic, far from subtle mix of the intentional, unintentional, and ridiculous… Christopher and Celia arrive on the beautiful Greek island of Mykonos, rent a house from a sexy lesbian, and immediately head out for some frolicking in the sun. One of their first stops is a phone booth where they decide the best course of action would be to fornicate inside...
- 4/3/2011
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
The legal ranks are about to get a lot more impressive on CBS’ The Good Wife. EW has learned exclusively that Rita Wilson (It’s Complicated) and F. Murray Abraham (Amadeus) will guest star in a February episode that’s inspired by The Social Network and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
The episode focuses on a junior genius who launched a successful website that prompts a big movie about his life. He ends up suing the producers for defamation, however, because he’s not happy with the results. (For more about the episode, click here). Abraham — last seen depicting a professor...
The episode focuses on a junior genius who launched a successful website that prompts a big movie about his life. He ends up suing the producers for defamation, however, because he’s not happy with the results. (For more about the episode, click here). Abraham — last seen depicting a professor...
- 12/16/2010
- by Lynette Rice
- EW - Inside TV
There are some actors whose off-screen press makes you think you don’t particularly care to see them on-screen, but then you do, and against your will, you enjoy them. I think it’s time I admit it: I like Katherine Heigl. The fact is, even though her self-admitted need for a filter has turned me off at times, I’ve somehow ended up seeing not only Knocked Up, but also 27 Dresses, The Ugly Truth, Killers, and Life as We Know It. It’s because I’ve made testing my tolerance for romantic comedies a favorite hobby. The clichés that...
- 10/11/2010
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW.com - PopWatch
Twentieth Century Fox CEO Marc Wooldridge believes the fact that less people are going to the cinema is never a good trend, and given the ever increasing competition for leisure time, neither the distribution nor exhibition sectors can be complacent.
Wooldridge also admits that Fox is not “as active as other studios” when it comes to distributing local product.
What were your strongest performing films of the 2009/2010 financial year?
Our top three was Avatar ($114.79M), Ice Age 3; Dawn Of The Dinosaurs ($29.8M) and Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel ($22.9M).
What titles didn’t necessarily meet your expectations?
I’ll never tell!
Were there any surprises, positive or negative?
Tooth Fairy – we released one week before the Us, which for Fox is unusual, in order to capitalise on the strong family potential in January and grossed A$10.5M. This was the biggest box office result of any market outside of the Us,...
Wooldridge also admits that Fox is not “as active as other studios” when it comes to distributing local product.
What were your strongest performing films of the 2009/2010 financial year?
Our top three was Avatar ($114.79M), Ice Age 3; Dawn Of The Dinosaurs ($29.8M) and Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel ($22.9M).
What titles didn’t necessarily meet your expectations?
I’ll never tell!
Were there any surprises, positive or negative?
Tooth Fairy – we released one week before the Us, which for Fox is unusual, in order to capitalise on the strong family potential in January and grossed A$10.5M. This was the biggest box office result of any market outside of the Us,...
- 8/16/2010
- by Miguel Gonzalez
- Encore Magazine
Nia Vardalos, whose My Big Fat Greek Wedding catapulted her to fame eight years ago, is set to write and star in a new comedy film for Walden Media (Ramona and Beezus, The Chronicles of Narna).
The film, tentatively titled Happy Mother’s Day will be fast-tracked into production, though a director is yet to be found.
Variety are reporting that Happy Mother’s Day will revolve around four suburban mums who decide to take a road trip for Mother’s Day.
Vardalos went onto say,
It’s about the pressure of doing it all: raising children plus working, while your gut’s held in by Spanx.
Happy Mother’s Day sounds like a project with potential. Whether that potential will be realised by whoever is hired to helm, is yet to be seen. Vardalos’s fame was a bit of a double edged sword as she has arguably been...
The film, tentatively titled Happy Mother’s Day will be fast-tracked into production, though a director is yet to be found.
Variety are reporting that Happy Mother’s Day will revolve around four suburban mums who decide to take a road trip for Mother’s Day.
Vardalos went onto say,
It’s about the pressure of doing it all: raising children plus working, while your gut’s held in by Spanx.
Happy Mother’s Day sounds like a project with potential. Whether that potential will be realised by whoever is hired to helm, is yet to be seen. Vardalos’s fame was a bit of a double edged sword as she has arguably been...
- 7/17/2010
- by Jamie Neish
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Madrid -- Spanish films earned more at the international boxoffice than at home in 2009, according to figures released Monday by Spain's Spanish Producers' Federation Fapae at the Madrid de Cine Spanish Film Screenings.
Spearheaded by animated feature "Planet 51," Pedro Almodovar's "Broken Embraces" and Steven Soderbergh's "Che, The Argentine" (which boasts a minority Spanish stake held by Telecinco Cinema and Morena Films), Spanish films earned €140.6 million ($175.7 million) in 18 countries from 75 distributed titles.
That compares to the €104.4 million ($130 million) collected from Spanish films released in Spain during the same time period. Spanish films accounted for 15.9% of domestic ticket sales in 2009.
"We sell our films better abroad than at home," Fapae President Pedro Perez said. "And we've seen tremendous growth in the U.S/Canadian market."
It is the first time official international sales figures have been presented to the industry. Fapae's figures come from data obtained from the European Audiovisual Observatory,...
Spearheaded by animated feature "Planet 51," Pedro Almodovar's "Broken Embraces" and Steven Soderbergh's "Che, The Argentine" (which boasts a minority Spanish stake held by Telecinco Cinema and Morena Films), Spanish films earned €140.6 million ($175.7 million) in 18 countries from 75 distributed titles.
That compares to the €104.4 million ($130 million) collected from Spanish films released in Spain during the same time period. Spanish films accounted for 15.9% of domestic ticket sales in 2009.
"We sell our films better abroad than at home," Fapae President Pedro Perez said. "And we've seen tremendous growth in the U.S/Canadian market."
It is the first time official international sales figures have been presented to the industry. Fapae's figures come from data obtained from the European Audiovisual Observatory,...
- 6/21/2010
- by By Pamela Rolfe
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Just last month we learned that Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts were reteaming for a new comedy called Larry Crowne, about "a man forced to reinvent himself and find a new career as he navigates the second act of his life." Tom Hanks wrote the script, and is gearing up to direct -- his first feature since That Thing You Do! all the way back in 1996. But there's a little more to the story, it seems.
Deadline Hollywood reports that Universal has grabbed the domestic distribution rights to the feature, and attached along with this news is the following tidbit: "Tom also wrote the screenplay with Nia Vardalos. (He hatched the idea in 2006 under the title of Talk of the Town, he got a first draft from Nia Vardalos.)" Since then, the pair have been working on the script together. You might remember, that he and Vardalos go back some...
Deadline Hollywood reports that Universal has grabbed the domestic distribution rights to the feature, and attached along with this news is the following tidbit: "Tom also wrote the screenplay with Nia Vardalos. (He hatched the idea in 2006 under the title of Talk of the Town, he got a first draft from Nia Vardalos.)" Since then, the pair have been working on the script together. You might remember, that he and Vardalos go back some...
- 2/10/2010
- by Monika Bartyzel
- Cinematical
When My Big Fat Greek Wedding came out in 2001, it seemed for a minute there as if Nia Vardalos could be the new voice middle-aged women, speaking out for the pudgy and the awkward and proclaiming, yes, you too can find love! Of course Vardalos then followed that up with flops Connie & Carla and My Life In Ruins, so with a girl-power spot open, here comes Gurinder Chada rushing into the breach. Chadha was at Sundance in 2002 to debut a little soccer movie called Bend It Like Beckham, and now she's back with It's A Wonderful Afterlife, a movie that's precisely as goofy and feel-good as the title suggests. Mileage will vary on whether or not it's too silly to stand-- people in my audience howled with laughter when the movie went into an extended Carrie reference and swooned when the transparently obvious romance finally worked out, but it's just...
- 1/28/2010
- cinemablend.com
As with any year in Hollywood, there were a lot more bad movies than there were good. If there was one particularly unusual trend in seriously awful movies this year, however, it was not only in how well they did at the box office, but level of cultural impact several of these movies had in 2009. It's one thing to be an awful movie that falls on its ass at the box office and vanishes from our collective consciousnesses -- see My Life in Ruins, Battle for Tera, The Collector, Whiteout, New in Town, Dance Flick, or The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard -- but the Golden Pajibas are more interested in heinous cinematic butt nuggets (or anal bon mots) that not only made an impact at the box office, but commanded a lot of attention. These are bad movies that blew up in our faces and took big bloody hunks...
- 1/4/2010
- by Dustin Rowles
If you woke up this morning thinking, “Wow, I wonder what that some other guy has to say about my favorite movies of 2009,” this list may or may not solve your problem. If you were also thinking, “Haha, what loser actually saw Ghosts of Girlfriends Past?” I have your answer.
Let It Be Known, All:
As of 1/01/10, I have not seen “important” movies like The Lovely Bones, The White Ribbon, The Messenger, Broken Embraces, It’s Complicated, and Dance Flick.
Onto the list:
Most Honorable Role For Nicolas “The Cagemaster” Cage
A mole named “Speckles” who was an actual mole within the G-Force in G-Force
The Best Moving Pictures On The Silver Screen Of 09 (Subject to change, but in order)
Up In The Air
Up
Inglourious Basterds
A Serious Man
Yeah, That Movie Was Pretty Truckin’ Great! (In no order)
Nine
Antichrist
Sin Nombre
I Love You, Man
Pirate Radio...
Let It Be Known, All:
As of 1/01/10, I have not seen “important” movies like The Lovely Bones, The White Ribbon, The Messenger, Broken Embraces, It’s Complicated, and Dance Flick.
Onto the list:
Most Honorable Role For Nicolas “The Cagemaster” Cage
A mole named “Speckles” who was an actual mole within the G-Force in G-Force
The Best Moving Pictures On The Silver Screen Of 09 (Subject to change, but in order)
Up In The Air
Up
Inglourious Basterds
A Serious Man
Yeah, That Movie Was Pretty Truckin’ Great! (In no order)
Nine
Antichrist
Sin Nombre
I Love You, Man
Pirate Radio...
- 1/1/2010
- by Nick Allen
- The Scorecard Review
In a new W magazine cover story interview, Demi Moore speaks candidly about her position in Hollywood (which is currently on the indie scene, see: a role opposite Parker Posey in the upcoming Happy Tears). She also talks about her decision to "step back" and semi-retire to Idaho after starring in and producing G.I. Jane. "I think G.I. Jane got hit because I was paid $12 million to do Striptease,” Moore says. “In a sense, Striptease was a film where women felt I betrayed them. G.I. Jane is a film where men felt I betrayed them. The focus went on that paycheck.
- 11/10/2009
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW.com - PopWatch
In the 2007 awards season, Fox Searchlight had two strong films in the mix with Juno and The Savages, and then in 2008, they dominated with Slumdog Millionaire and The Wrestler. As many other indie arms were folding (Paramount Vantage, Warner Independent, Picturehouse), Searchlight managed to keep things up on their end.
2009, however, hasn't been so kind to them. January's Notorious didn't do bad actually, though March's Miss March was indeed D.O.A. June's My Life in Ruins similarly underperformed, while July's Adam failed to catch on as that same month's (500) Days of Summer had. Post Grad was dumped in the doldrums of August, while Whip It failed to find a crowd in October.
Cut to now: Amelia has been effectively neutered as a ready-made Oscar contender, while Gentlemen Broncos (from the director of Napoleon Dynamite, which did particularly well for the same studio) is being pulled from wider release after...
2009, however, hasn't been so kind to them. January's Notorious didn't do bad actually, though March's Miss March was indeed D.O.A. June's My Life in Ruins similarly underperformed, while July's Adam failed to catch on as that same month's (500) Days of Summer had. Post Grad was dumped in the doldrums of August, while Whip It failed to find a crowd in October.
Cut to now: Amelia has been effectively neutered as a ready-made Oscar contender, while Gentlemen Broncos (from the director of Napoleon Dynamite, which did particularly well for the same studio) is being pulled from wider release after...
- 11/5/2009
- by William Goss
- Cinematical
Real estate mogul Donald Trump is here to help out one "Extra" friend who needs a financial boost -- by paying their bills!
Donald Trump is helping one winner pay their bills by giving them $5,000! The winner must live in New York, provide their own transportation to Trump Tower, and be willing to meet Donald on-camera to accept his check. The winner's meeting with Trump will be featured on an episode of "Extra."
Sign up to become an "Extra" friend,...
Donald Trump is helping one winner pay their bills by giving them $5,000! The winner must live in New York, provide their own transportation to Trump Tower, and be willing to meet Donald on-camera to accept his check. The winner's meeting with Trump will be featured on an episode of "Extra."
Sign up to become an "Extra" friend,...
- 10/14/2009
- Extra
Thirty Republican senators voted down an amendment by Al Franken to take away government funds from defense contractors who prevent their employees from pursuing legal action for workplace assault or sexual discrimination, but luckily it passed anyway.
Meanwhile, David Letterman admitted to affairs with his employees, and his ratings are higher than ever.
Fix your boss with a “no means no” stare and let’s talk about this week’s movies.
The weekend’s big release is Couples Retreat, and while the resort-set movie always looks postcard-pretty — which is never a given, since lush Greek locales couldn’t save Mamma Mia! or My Life in Ruins from looking washed-out and awful — the script is rather problematic.
Four couples (Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell, Vince Vaughn and Malin Akerman, Jon Favreau and Kristin Davis, Faizon Love and Kali Hawk) fly off to a tropical paradise, but three of the pairs don...
Meanwhile, David Letterman admitted to affairs with his employees, and his ratings are higher than ever.
Fix your boss with a “no means no” stare and let’s talk about this week’s movies.
The weekend’s big release is Couples Retreat, and while the resort-set movie always looks postcard-pretty — which is never a given, since lush Greek locales couldn’t save Mamma Mia! or My Life in Ruins from looking washed-out and awful — the script is rather problematic.
Four couples (Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell, Vince Vaughn and Malin Akerman, Jon Favreau and Kristin Davis, Faizon Love and Kali Hawk) fly off to a tropical paradise, but three of the pairs don...
- 10/9/2009
- by ADuralde
- The Backlot
The hysterical comedy My Life in Ruins has arrived on DVD from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and M&C.s giving away four copies! Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) stars as a discouraged single woman looking for a way to reconnect with her soul and find her kefi-Greek for .mojo.. Working as a tour guide in her native country, she leads a motley group of eccentric tourists on a dilapidated tour bus through Ancient Greece, while waiting to land her dream job. Opening her eyes to an exotic foreign land, she soon begins to see things in a new way finding her kefi and a new romance in the process. From director Donald Petrie (How To Lose a...
- 10/7/2009
- by Patrick Luce
- Monsters and Critics
Last week's major release was a 70-year-old classic, and coincidentally today brings yet another iconic film that's actually two years older. "Snow White" was Disney's first animated feature, and appropriately enough it marks the launch of their new "Diamond Series" Blu-ray line. But blasts from the past aren't the only highlights of the week, as Jack Black and Michael Cera rock it old school in today's DVD Report.
"Year One" combines the talents of mega-producer Judd Apatow and legendary director Harold Ramis for a old-fashioned road trip through the ancient world. Starring Black and Cera as down-on-their-luck cavemen, the film draws together an eclectic cast from the comedy scene, including Paul Rudd, David Cross, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Hank Azaria and many others. "Year One" had an underwhelming response at the box office, but Sony is hoping this Blu-ray and DVD release will bring in new fans. Audio commentary with Raims, Black...
"Year One" combines the talents of mega-producer Judd Apatow and legendary director Harold Ramis for a old-fashioned road trip through the ancient world. Starring Black and Cera as down-on-their-luck cavemen, the film draws together an eclectic cast from the comedy scene, including Paul Rudd, David Cross, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Hank Azaria and many others. "Year One" had an underwhelming response at the box office, but Sony is hoping this Blu-ray and DVD release will bring in new fans. Audio commentary with Raims, Black...
- 10/6/2009
- by Brian Jacks
- MTV Movies Blog
Here’s a list of some of the new movie and TV shows coming to DVD and Blu-ray this week that we’re looking forward to seeing. Also, there’s some classic, and not-so-classic, movies hitting Blu-ray for the first time this week as well.
Of all the new releases, we’re particularly interested in the Blu-ray versions of movies and TV shows like Trick ‘r Treat (pictured above with Anna Paquin), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Chinatown, Bones Season 4 and the complete Stargate: Atlantis series.
Check them out.
Movies
Anvil: The Story of Anvil ~ Robb Reiner (DVD)
Assassination of a High School President ~ Kathryn Morris, Michael Rapaport, Bruce Willis (DVD and Blu-ray)
Chinatown ~ Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston (DVD)
Contact ~ Jodie Foster (Blu-ray)
Dance Flick ~ Damon Wayans (DVD and Blu-ray)
The Gate ~ Christa Denton, Stephen Dorff (DVD and Blu-ray)
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein ~ Helena Bonham Carter (Blu-ray...
Of all the new releases, we’re particularly interested in the Blu-ray versions of movies and TV shows like Trick ‘r Treat (pictured above with Anna Paquin), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Chinatown, Bones Season 4 and the complete Stargate: Atlantis series.
Check them out.
Movies
Anvil: The Story of Anvil ~ Robb Reiner (DVD)
Assassination of a High School President ~ Kathryn Morris, Michael Rapaport, Bruce Willis (DVD and Blu-ray)
Chinatown ~ Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston (DVD)
Contact ~ Jodie Foster (Blu-ray)
Dance Flick ~ Damon Wayans (DVD and Blu-ray)
The Gate ~ Christa Denton, Stephen Dorff (DVD and Blu-ray)
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein ~ Helena Bonham Carter (Blu-ray...
- 10/6/2009
- by Joe Gillis
- The Flickcast
What do the DVD release gods have in store for us today? This week's biggest releases would have to be the Jack Black/Michael Cera comedy Year One and Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on Blu-ray, but looking beyond that there are a handful of smaller movies worth checking out. Both Trick r' Treat and Assassination of a High School President are movies that ended up going direct to DVD despite fairly positive reviews, so now is your chance to check them out. Also out this week are two amazing documentaries, Anvil! The Story of Anvil and Not Quite Hollywood, plus Blu-ray releases for Audition, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and some holiday classics including A Charlie Brown Christmas. Will you be buying or renting anything this week? Year One [1] (DVD, Blu-ray [2]) My Life in Ruins [3] (DVD, Blu-ray [4]) Trick 'r Treat [5] (DVD, Blu-ray [6]) Assassination of a High School President [7] Seventh Moon [8] (DVD,...
- 10/6/2009
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
Year One (Unrated)
The marketing made it look like it was all about Jack Black and Michael Cera as primitive cavemen, when in reality it's very much a Biblical comedy. In either guise, it fails to fire on all cylinders, never igniting into a full-blown laugh romp. Still, Black and Cera display enough rambunctious charm to keep the proceedings moving along nicely. And maybe the unrated edition will restore some much-needed adult-oriented humor. Also on Blu-ray. Rent it.
Add to Netflix queue | Buy at Amazon
Imagine That
As I wrote in my review, Eddie Murphy gives a very warm, very funny performance as a stressed-out financial executive trying to be a better parent to his seven-year-old daughter, but the film springs to life only at rare moments, which are surrounded by so much fatty tissue that you fear the movie will die of a heart attack before it huffs and...
The marketing made it look like it was all about Jack Black and Michael Cera as primitive cavemen, when in reality it's very much a Biblical comedy. In either guise, it fails to fire on all cylinders, never igniting into a full-blown laugh romp. Still, Black and Cera display enough rambunctious charm to keep the proceedings moving along nicely. And maybe the unrated edition will restore some much-needed adult-oriented humor. Also on Blu-ray. Rent it.
Add to Netflix queue | Buy at Amazon
Imagine That
As I wrote in my review, Eddie Murphy gives a very warm, very funny performance as a stressed-out financial executive trying to be a better parent to his seven-year-old daughter, but the film springs to life only at rare moments, which are surrounded by so much fatty tissue that you fear the movie will die of a heart attack before it huffs and...
- 10/6/2009
- by Peter Martin
- Cinematical
DVD Links: DVD News | Release Dates | New Dvds | Reviews | RSS Feed
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Platinum Edition) I just posted my review of this one (read it here) and I tried to keep it as short as possible all while managing to gush all over it. Seriously, this baby is packed with goodies and the film simply looks spectacular as Walt Disney's first feature length animated film comes to life in high definition. Snow White is 72-years-old and boy does it age well.
I reviewed the two-disc edition (or three-disc if you count the included DVD version of the film), but there are a ton of additional versions to buy including the collector's pack featured in the image to the left and then one that comes with a bunch of stuffed toys. Oh, and if you buy it at Amazon you can enter the promotional code Snowhite and...
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Platinum Edition) I just posted my review of this one (read it here) and I tried to keep it as short as possible all while managing to gush all over it. Seriously, this baby is packed with goodies and the film simply looks spectacular as Walt Disney's first feature length animated film comes to life in high definition. Snow White is 72-years-old and boy does it age well.
I reviewed the two-disc edition (or three-disc if you count the included DVD version of the film), but there are a ton of additional versions to buy including the collector's pack featured in the image to the left and then one that comes with a bunch of stuffed toys. Oh, and if you buy it at Amazon you can enter the promotional code Snowhite and...
- 10/6/2009
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
This week in home video, we had to wade through some slim pickings to give you a handful of rentals and video purchases worth your time. Having said that, we still managed to select a few gems here and there that many of you will be able to appreciate. There are several new releases coming out tomorrow, though most of them did not fare too well with critics (Year One, My Life in Ruins, Imagine That), and then we've got a couple of reissued classics (Snow White from the Disney vault and Miracle on 34th Street). There are a couple...
- 10/5/2009
- Rotten Tomatoes
"My Big fat Greek Wedding" Star Nia Vardalos' latest romantic comedy from 20th Century Fox, "My Life In Ruins," is premiering on Blu-ray disc and DVD on October 6.
In the film, the actress plays a Greek American tour guide in Greece looking for ways to reconnect with her soul and find her "kefi," Greek for "mojo."
Richard Dreyfus, Alexis Georgoulis, Rachel Dratch, Harland Williams, Maria Adanez, Maria Botto, and Alistair McGowan join the cast. Donald Petrie ("How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days") directed the film.
The film was released in June. It will debut in Blu-ray and DVD on October 6. Special features will include deleted scenes, alternate ending, "Everybody Loves Poupi" - getting to know Greek God Alexis Georgoulis, and audio commentary.
In the film, the actress plays a Greek American tour guide in Greece looking for ways to reconnect with her soul and find her "kefi," Greek for "mojo."
Richard Dreyfus, Alexis Georgoulis, Rachel Dratch, Harland Williams, Maria Adanez, Maria Botto, and Alistair McGowan join the cast. Donald Petrie ("How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days") directed the film.
The film was released in June. It will debut in Blu-ray and DVD on October 6. Special features will include deleted scenes, alternate ending, "Everybody Loves Poupi" - getting to know Greek God Alexis Georgoulis, and audio commentary.
- 8/18/2009
- icelebz.com
On October 6, 2009 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment will release My Life in Ruins on Blu-ray and standard definition DVD. Bonus Features: Blu-ray Disc Specs: The My Life In Ruins Blu-ray disc is presented in widescreen format (1.85:1) with English 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio and French Dolby Digital with English, French and Spanish subtitles. Bonus features include: · Deleted Scenes · Alternate ending · Everybody Loves Poupi – getting to know the Greek God Alexis Georgoulis · Audio commentary with actress Nia [...]...
- 8/9/2009
- by The Critic
- SmartCine.com
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has gone straight to the top of the Australian box office. The sixth instalment in the wizard saga's impressive $$14.3 million weekend haul is more than the rest of the top ten movies combined. Ice Age 3 remains at number two, while last week's leader Brüno dips to three. Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen and Hannah Montana: The Movie round out the top five. The only other new entry, comedy My Life In Ruins, debuts at number seven. The box office top (more)...
- 7/20/2009
- by By Simon Reynolds
- Digital Spy
I Hate Valentine’s Day
Directed by: Nia Vardalos
Cast: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett
Running Time: 1 hr 35 mins
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: July 3, 2009 (Limited)
Plot: A woman who runs a floral shop (Vardalos) hates love but enjoys Valentine’s Day. Her impressions on the “pointlessness” of love begin to change when she meets Greg (Corbett).
Who’s It For? Those who can enjoy all-around cheap movies about relationships (this is certainly not by definition a romantic comedy).
Expectations: Considering the title, I was more than willing to share Vardalos’ aggression towards a holiday that can be as brutal for some as it is spectacular for others. Even though Vardalos put My Life In Ruins last month, I was willing to give her a chance to make things right.
Scorecard (0-10)
Actors:
Nia Vardalos as Genevieve: Vardalos is as much of a trickster as her title. It turns out for ninety...
Directed by: Nia Vardalos
Cast: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett
Running Time: 1 hr 35 mins
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: July 3, 2009 (Limited)
Plot: A woman who runs a floral shop (Vardalos) hates love but enjoys Valentine’s Day. Her impressions on the “pointlessness” of love begin to change when she meets Greg (Corbett).
Who’s It For? Those who can enjoy all-around cheap movies about relationships (this is certainly not by definition a romantic comedy).
Expectations: Considering the title, I was more than willing to share Vardalos’ aggression towards a holiday that can be as brutal for some as it is spectacular for others. Even though Vardalos put My Life In Ruins last month, I was willing to give her a chance to make things right.
Scorecard (0-10)
Actors:
Nia Vardalos as Genevieve: Vardalos is as much of a trickster as her title. It turns out for ninety...
- 7/5/2009
- by Nick Allen
- The Scorecard Review
Welcome to The Morning Read. Since Hollywood tried to get a jump on the holiday weekend, everything opened on Wednesday, so "Public Enemies" and "Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs" are both playing wide, and for anyone who feels like they just didn't get enough Nia Vardalos with "My Life In Ruins" last month, her new film "I Hate Valentine's Day" is opening limited. How much you want to bet her character doesn't reeeeeally hate it? Hmmm? Fourth of July weekend normally means the news cycle slows down to a crawl, but already this morning, Sarah Palin announced she's resigning from...
- 7/3/2009
- Hitfix
Actress Nia Vardalos has fired off at Hollywood executives who greenlight film romances featuring "fat" Russell Crowe and Seth Rogen and then poke fun at her for finding love with hunks on the big screen.
The My Big Fat Greek Wedding star is tired of Tinseltown's double standards when it comes to pairing up stars for movie love stories - because older women can't get away with dating hunks, while ageing actors regularly romance hotties.
And she's had enough of the questions about her own onscreen match-ups with the likes of John Corbett and My Life In Ruins co-star Alexis Georgoulis.
She tells CNN, "On the publicity tour of My Big Fat Greek Wedding I was asked over and over again, if, as the writer, I felt it was a fair depiction of real life to have someone of my below average looks, hook up with hottie John Corbett.
"I thought I was attractive when I shot My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Studio executives and movie reviewers let me know I had a confidence in my looks that was not shared by them. In other words, they labelled me with words like, overweight, unattractive, unappealing. Hey, just say fat. I love the word fat. I used it in the title. It’s actually not a naughty word.
"I have sat through many a movie like Sideways, where nobody blinks an eye when Paul Giamatti gets together with gorgeous Virginia Madsen, and Knocked Up. I mean the visual of Seth Rogen on top of Katherine Heigl made me put the popcorn down and reach for my purse... because I knew the film was about to stop and Ashton Kutcher would now jump out and go, 'Aha, you’ve been punked.' I waited, but no Ashton.
"Socially, the issue of men’s weight is simply not a big deal. Let’s face it, Russell Crowe is fat and no one ever talks about it. Alec Baldwin just orders his suits a size bigger and we continue to swoon.
"Meanwhile, I get hit with this awkward question about my weightloss daily and I have answered it in press interviews, at the grocery store, at the newspaper stand. Why? Because I see their (people) anxious, open faces needing the secret, the new pill, the cure, anything: 'Just please share the secret'. So I hesitantly answer and I am always met with the same response: the glaze-eye, slack-jawed face.
"They don’t want to hear the truth - I had a blood sugar problem, so my doctor ordered me to lose weight. It was really hard but I did it through diet and exercise, and it took a year."...
The My Big Fat Greek Wedding star is tired of Tinseltown's double standards when it comes to pairing up stars for movie love stories - because older women can't get away with dating hunks, while ageing actors regularly romance hotties.
And she's had enough of the questions about her own onscreen match-ups with the likes of John Corbett and My Life In Ruins co-star Alexis Georgoulis.
She tells CNN, "On the publicity tour of My Big Fat Greek Wedding I was asked over and over again, if, as the writer, I felt it was a fair depiction of real life to have someone of my below average looks, hook up with hottie John Corbett.
"I thought I was attractive when I shot My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Studio executives and movie reviewers let me know I had a confidence in my looks that was not shared by them. In other words, they labelled me with words like, overweight, unattractive, unappealing. Hey, just say fat. I love the word fat. I used it in the title. It’s actually not a naughty word.
"I have sat through many a movie like Sideways, where nobody blinks an eye when Paul Giamatti gets together with gorgeous Virginia Madsen, and Knocked Up. I mean the visual of Seth Rogen on top of Katherine Heigl made me put the popcorn down and reach for my purse... because I knew the film was about to stop and Ashton Kutcher would now jump out and go, 'Aha, you’ve been punked.' I waited, but no Ashton.
"Socially, the issue of men’s weight is simply not a big deal. Let’s face it, Russell Crowe is fat and no one ever talks about it. Alec Baldwin just orders his suits a size bigger and we continue to swoon.
"Meanwhile, I get hit with this awkward question about my weightloss daily and I have answered it in press interviews, at the grocery store, at the newspaper stand. Why? Because I see their (people) anxious, open faces needing the secret, the new pill, the cure, anything: 'Just please share the secret'. So I hesitantly answer and I am always met with the same response: the glaze-eye, slack-jawed face.
"They don’t want to hear the truth - I had a blood sugar problem, so my doctor ordered me to lose weight. It was really hard but I did it through diet and exercise, and it took a year."...
- 6/15/2009
- WENN
Dude here again. In honor of the new releases this weekend, I decided to write this particular box office report while actually Being hungover. Granted, that's how I mostly write these, but I find this time particularly fitting. One might say I visited the Land of the Lost whilst drinking. There's also a My Life In Ruins joke in here somewhere, but I'm just not finding the proper wording for it. This weekend, a close call for first place that may very well change these numbers tomorrow, making all my hard work null and void. Let's go to the numbers, shall we? (All in millions, remember, and...
- 6/9/2009
- MoviesOnline.ca
A little-known fact: some studios recently decided to no longer make female-lead movies. Lately, I've been in meetings regarding a new script idea I have. A studio executive asked me to change the female lead to a male, because... "women don't go to movies." Really? When I pointed out the box office successes of Sex and The City, Mamma Mia, and Obsessed, he called them "flukes." He said "don't quote me on this." So, I'm telling everybody. I'm in a new movie, My Life In Ruins, out in theaters now. It's a small indie, that was picked up for distribution by a studio (thank you Fox Searchlight.) We're in one-third, maybe less, about one-quarter of the amount of screens of the big movies...yet we made it into the Top Ten. I'm not too cool to admit this -- on the weekend, I snuck into the...
- 6/9/2009
- by Nia Vardalos
- Huffington Post
Disney/Pixar’s Up still reigns supreme in its second weekend at the box office as it barely leaps over the Todd Phillips directed comedy, The Hangover. Hurdling over it by barely over a million, the families came back in droves for a second round of the heart warming tale taking in 44 million. The Hangover caught the attention of many being able to wrangle up a slot in second with 43 million, bringing us some good raunchy comedy back into theaters.
Hi...are you Carl Fredricksen?
Land of the Lost, the Will Ferrell starring vehicle based off of a 1970’s series of the same name, did not live up to the expectations box office wise, reaching into third with 19 million. Going on with its weekend with mainly bad word of mouth did not help its case in reaching out for more viewers. With its random and strange layout, this film was...
Hi...are you Carl Fredricksen?
Land of the Lost, the Will Ferrell starring vehicle based off of a 1970’s series of the same name, did not live up to the expectations box office wise, reaching into third with 19 million. Going on with its weekend with mainly bad word of mouth did not help its case in reaching out for more viewers. With its random and strange layout, this film was...
- 6/8/2009
- by Melissa
- Atomic Popcorn
Seen on: June 6, 2009
The players: Director: Donald Petrie, Writer: Mike Reiss, Cast: Nia Vardalos, Richard Dreyfuss, Harland Williams, Rachel Dratch, Caroline Goodall
Facts of interest: Donald Petrie also directed "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days."
The plot: Georgia is a desperate tour guide who has trouble entertaining her group of eccentric tourists.
Our thoughts: Sure, Nia Vardalos is a talented, charming actress, but she has no business being in Donald Petrie’s disastrous comedy “My Life in Ruins.” A movie with a main thematic as ancient as the architectural treasures of Greece, this big-screen trip is one you should skip at all costs… unless you fancy a simplistic plot with bad humor and absolutely no surprises.
The players: Director: Donald Petrie, Writer: Mike Reiss, Cast: Nia Vardalos, Richard Dreyfuss, Harland Williams, Rachel Dratch, Caroline Goodall
Facts of interest: Donald Petrie also directed "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days."
The plot: Georgia is a desperate tour guide who has trouble entertaining her group of eccentric tourists.
Our thoughts: Sure, Nia Vardalos is a talented, charming actress, but she has no business being in Donald Petrie’s disastrous comedy “My Life in Ruins.” A movie with a main thematic as ancient as the architectural treasures of Greece, this big-screen trip is one you should skip at all costs… unless you fancy a simplistic plot with bad humor and absolutely no surprises.
- 6/7/2009
- by Franck Tabouring
- screeninglog.com
After last weekend's high-flying start, Up seemed poised to hang on to the top spot for a second weekend, but The Hangover rang in with a punchy opening day gross to top Friday and has a shot at maintaining that lead for the weekend as a whole.
The Hangover drew an estimated $16.5 million on approximately 4,500 screens at 3,269 sites. That's more in a single day than the entire opening weekends of pictures like Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay and The Heartbreak Kid. Not only that, first day attendance was around 40 percent higher than for Wedding Crashers and more than 60 percent higher than Knocked Up, among past raunchy summer comedies that were pre-ordained hits like Hangover.
On this same weekend last year, You Don't Mess with the Zohan had a $14.9 million Friday and wound up with a $38.5 million weekend. If Hangover follows the same path, its weekend would come in at $43 million.
The Hangover drew an estimated $16.5 million on approximately 4,500 screens at 3,269 sites. That's more in a single day than the entire opening weekends of pictures like Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay and The Heartbreak Kid. Not only that, first day attendance was around 40 percent higher than for Wedding Crashers and more than 60 percent higher than Knocked Up, among past raunchy summer comedies that were pre-ordained hits like Hangover.
On this same weekend last year, You Don't Mess with the Zohan had a $14.9 million Friday and wound up with a $38.5 million weekend. If Hangover follows the same path, its weekend would come in at $43 million.
- 6/6/2009
- by Brandon Gray
- Box Office Mojo
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