Movie fans catch Bieber fever at box offices

By Bob Tourtellotte

LOS ANGELES | Sun Feb 13, 2011 2:24pm EST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Fans of teenage pop star Justin Bieber turned out in strong numbers during the weekend for his movie "Never Say Never," putting it in a tight race for No. 1 at box offices with Adam Sandler comedy "Just Go With It."

Film studio estimates released on Sunday had Sandler's romantic comedy, which co-stars Jennifer Aniston, taking in $31 million to claim the top spot on ticket charts. The Bieber film was close behind at $30.3 million for the three-day weekend.

But counting ticket sales for special screenings of "Just Bieber: Never Say Never" held late last week ahead of Friday's U.S. and Canadian opening, the movie's ticket sales hit just over $31 million, according to distributor Paramount Pictures.

Monday's final tally will decide the winner of the weekly box-office competition but Paramount was basking in a better-than-expected opening for the movie, which mixes 3D concert footage and more personal video of the 16-year-old singer to paint a picture of his rise to superstardom.

Don Harris, executive vice president of distribution for Paramount, said Bieber's legions of mostly young female fans turned out, as expected. But many positive reviews for "Never Say Never" and good exit polling of moviegoers had the studio believing the movie might expand to wider audiences.

"We think the movie will hang around (theaters) for awhile," Harris said.

The Bieber movie debuted in just over 3,100 locations for a per-theater average of $9,700. The Sandler movie opened in just over 3,500 venues for an average around $8,700 per theater.

MONDAY'S FINAL TALLY

If numbers hold up on Monday, "Just Go With It" will be Sandler's 11th No. 1 debut. Yet, it failed to match his last romantic comedy that opened ahead of a Valentine's Day weekend in the United States. In 2003, his "50 First Dates," opposite Drew Barrymore, took in $39.8 million in its first weekend, according to industry tracker boxofficemojo.com.

Still, distributor Columbia Pictures thinks Valentine's Day audiences should help boost ticket sales of "Just Go With It" if date-minded couples turn out on Sunday and Monday.

Columbia said Sandler continues to expand his popularity with international audiences. "Just Go With It" opened well in the United Kingdom with $2.6 million in ticket sales, and in Mexico it was the No. 1 film with $1.75 million -- a figure that was double the tally for "50 First Dates."

Elsewhere, the No. 3 film in the weekly sweepstakes at U.S. and Canadian movie box offices was animated family movie, "Gnomeo and Juliet" with $25.5 million in its first weekend. Its per-theater average was just over $8,500 in right around 3,000 locations.

The weekend's fourth new entry, action adventure "The Eagle," starring Channing Tatum, debuted with $8.6 million, or an average of about $3,700 in around 2,300 theaters. It placed at No.4 on box office charts.

Oscar hopeful "The King's Speech" rounded out the top five with $7.4 million in ticket sales, bringing its cumulative total to just under $94 million.

"Never Say Never" was distributed by Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc; "Just Go With It" by Columbia Pictures, a movie unit of Sony Corp; and "Gnomeo and Juliet" by the film unit of The Walt Disney Co.. "The Eagle" was released by Focus Features, the unit of Universal Pictures that is controlled by Comcast Corp.. "King's Speech" was released by privately-held The Weinstein Co.

(Reporting by Bob Tourtellotte; Editing by Bill Trott)

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Eminem hoping to avoid another Grammys shocker

LOS ANGELES | Sun Feb 13, 2011 8:11am EST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A decade after Eminem found himself on the losing side of one of the biggest upsets in Grammy history, the rapper will again vie for the top prize at the music industry awards show on Sunday.

As was the case then he is the favorite to take the trophy for album of the year, this time for a set detailing his near-fatal addiction to prescription medications.

The 12,000 music industry insiders who vote for the Grammys love to honor artists facing adversity, such as Amy Winehouse who picked up five Grammys in 2008 while battling drugs.

But she was pipped for best album by an obscure release from jazz icon Herbie Hancock, echoing Eminem's shock loss to an equally under-the-radar set by rock duo Steely Dan. (He also lost two years later to favored newcomer Norah Jones.)

If he does lose again, at least it won't be a grizzled veteran. At 38, Eminem is the old-timer in a field that also includes country group Lady Antebellum, pop singers Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, and Canadian rock band Arcade Fire -- all of whom are in the hunt with chart-topping releases.

SURVIVAL STORY

Eminem leads the field with 10 nominations, mostly generated by "Recovery," the biggest selling album in the United States last year. With his trademark brutal honesty, Eminem detailed his descent into madness, loss of self-esteem, and struggles with writers' block.

"He represents a bravery ... all of us, we should hope to be that brave," urban pop singer Cee Lo told Reuters.

"To be a success as a personality you first have to be a success as a person. People get a kick out of seeing you crash and burn, that happens an awful lot too. So his is a survival story because he crashed but didn't burn."

Eminem and Cee Lo will compete against each other in the key record and song of the year races, with their respective hits "Love the Way You Lie" and "F*** You." (The record prize goes to the artist, and the song award to the songwriter.)

But Cee Lo did not see it as a rivalry. "I see it more as camaraderie than competition because we're all on the frontline forging freedom of speech, of expression, freedom of individuality," he said.

Probably the most important category, as far as millions of young girls are concerned, is best new artist. Pop idol Justin Bieber and hip-hop star Drake, both Canadians, are front-runners for the prize.

"I think Drake probably would have been the favorite and I think that Bieber is coming on," said R&B producer Jimmy Jam, a veteran Grammys official. "Or they could split the votes and someone else could sneak in."

That could be one of two British bands, Florence & The Machine and Mumford & Sons, or American jazz singer Esperanza Spalding.

In all, awards will be handed out in 108 categories, most of them during a fast-paced ceremony that precedes the main event at 5 p.m. PST (0100 GMT Monday). The three-hour telecast will be heavy on performances, beginning with a tribute to ailing R&B icon Aretha Franklin. Most of the major nominees will perform, as well as veterans like Bob Dylan and Mick Jagger.

(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Doina Chiacu)

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Julie Andrews, Ramones receive lifetime Grammys

LOS ANGELES | Sat Feb 12, 2011 9:57pm EST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Punk pioneers the Ramones, British actress and singer Julie Andrews and jazz drummer Roy Haynes were among the diverse musical stars who received Grammy Awards for lifetime achievement on Saturday.

They were honored at a ceremony alongside country music's Dolly Parton, the Juilliard String Quartet, folk revivalists the Kingston Trio, and gospel legend George Beverly Shea, whose rich baritone is still intact at age 102.

The event took place a day before the 53rd annual Grammy Awards are handed out, and the honorees will be acknowledged during the telecast. But that was not enough for the brother of late Ramones singer Joey Ramone.

"This should be televised tomorrow night, and you should bump Justin Bieber," joked Mickey Leigh.

It was a bittersweet moment for the Ramones, a group whose stripped-down, fast-paced songs such as "Blitzkrieg Bop" and "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" paved the way for bands like the Sex Pistol and Green Day.

But they never achieved commercial success, and three of the founding members died in the past decade: bassist Dee Dee Ramone and guitarist Johnny Ramone, as well as Joey Ramone. The members were not related, and took fraternal stage names.

Still recording and touring is Haynes, a seminal figure in the postwar jazz scene who played with Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane.

"Now that the days are short, we're in the winter of the year, and I think of my life as vintage wine in fine old kegs," he said, waxing poetic. "I ride in limousines, the chauffeurs they drive, now that I'm 85."

He was a rookie compared with Shea, who is confined to a wheelchair but full of one-liners. The Canadian native, who composed the popular hymn "The Wonder Of It All" and joined the Billy Graham Crusade in 1940, surveyed his fellow honorees and said he was reminded of the farmer who wanted to race a mule in the Kentucky Derby.

When asked why, the farmer replied, "Look at the company he's keeping."

Andrews, 75, used the occasion to draw attention to budget cuts affecting school music programs. She became one of Hollywood's biggest stars by playing prim and cheery nannies in the 1960s hit movie musicals "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music."

Parton, 65, was unable to attend because of a family commitment, she said in a recorded video message. Noting she had already won seven Grammys, she said she was working on new music and expected to double her collection.

The Kingston Trio, best known for "Tom Dooley," helped lay the groundwork for the folk revival of the 1960s. Sole surviving founding member Bob Shane said an authorized group was carrying on the legacy and that would-be folkies could even attend a Kingston Trio fantasy camp.

"I'm not sure what the fantasy is," he added.

The Juilliard String Quartet has also gone through many lineup changes since it was founded in 1946. Among the recipients was Robert Mann, who was first violinist for its first 51 years.

(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Peter Cooney)

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Justin Bieber leads Friday box office with $12.4 million

By Pamela McClintock

Sat Feb 12, 2011 1:19pm EST

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The race is on between Paramount's Justin Bieber: Never Say Never and Sony's Adam Sandler-Jennifer Aniston romantic comedy Just Go With It.

In an impressive start, Never Say Never opened to an estimated $12.4 million from 3,105 theaters on Friday to beat Just Go With It, which grossed an estimated $9.7 million from 3,548 theaters.

Both movies should crack the $30 million mark for the full weekend. Heading into the frame, most box office observers expected Just Go With It to win the session, but Never Say Never is now a real contender.

Concert films generally drop more than regular movies as the weekend unfolds, and that's the reason why no one is ready to call the contest between Never Say Never, directed by Jon M. Chu, and Just Go With It, directed by Dennis Dugan.

Of those turning out for Bieber's bigscreen debut, 84 percent were females, with 67 percent under the age of 25. Just Go With It played to a distinctly older audience, with 67 percent of those buying tickets over the age of 25. The Sandler-Aniston pairing played heavily to females, or 61 percent.

In 2008, Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour opened to $8.7 million on Friday on its way to grossing $31.1 million for the weekend.

Moviegoers liked Never Say Never and Just Go With It, portending good word of mouth. Bieber fans gave Never Say Never an A CinemaScore, while Just Go With It received an A- (females gave the romantic comedy an A).

Disney's animated family film Gnomeo & Juliet opened to an estimated $6.1 million from 2,994 theaters on Friday. The 3D film should pick up Saturday and gross north of $20 million for the weekend.

Focus Features' Channing Tatum Roman epic The Eagle, directed by Kevin Macdonald, opened to an estimated $2.8 million from 2,296 theaters, in line with expectations.

Coming in No. 5 on Friday was Screen Gems holdover The Roommate, which grossed $2.6 million in its second Friday bringing its total ticket sales to $20.3 million.

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Rock 'n' roll on sick list as Grammys and fans go pop

LOS ANGELES | Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:06am EST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rehabbed rapper Eminem will likely seal his comeback on Sunday with a slew of Grammy awards at a ceremony dominated by hip-hop stars and pop singers.

Now, it might be rock 'n' roll's turn to seek treatment.

Canadian indie rockers Arcade Fire are the sole standard bearer for rock in the album of the year race, the event's top prize.

No rock acts made the cut for the similarly coveted song and record of the year categories. The best new artist competition features two genre-spanning British groups with rock elements: Mumford & Sons, and Florence + the Machine.

Grammy organizers do honor rockers in specific categories, and artists such as veteran British guitarist Jeff Beck and blues-rock duo Black Keys received multiple nominations.

But the field is headed by Eminem who received 10 nominations, largely for an album detailing his recovery from a near-fatal addiction to prescription medication. Grammy voters love these sorts of comeback stories.

Top contenders also include pop/R&B hitmaker Bruno Mars with seven nominations; and rapper Jay-Z, pop singer Lady Gaga and country group Lady Antebellum with six each. Beck received five nominations and the Black Keys four.

FANS JUST WANT TO DANCE

Rock is not exactly dead, as pundits occasionally declare during low points in the cycle. Kings of Leon, Coldplay and Green Day won key Grammys in recent years. Bon Jovi, AC/DC and U2 were the world's biggest concert draws in 2010. Newer groups such as Muse and Vampire Weekend are enjoying commercial and critical acclaim, along with Grammy nods.

But neither is rock capturing the Zeitgeist in the same way as colorful pop singers like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, and popular TV shows like "American Idol" and "Glee."

"The public is using music differently, or liking it for different reasons," said producer Bill Bottrell, who worked on hits for Sheryl Crow and Michael Jackson. "It's lighter, less profound. It's just something to dance to, or wash dishes to."

Bottrell said Eminem has "the rock 'n' roll spirit," writing provocative lyrics and casting himself as an outsider in the same way that canny rock heroes of yore did.

But for the most part, the biggest selling songs last year were breezy dance-pop confections like Perry's "California Gurls," Kesha's "Tik Tok" and Taio Cruz's "Dynamite."

Indeed, pop tunes were the most popular downloads in the United States last year, accounting for 33 percent of sales among tracks released in 2009 or 2010, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Rock (17 percent) came in at No. 4 behind R&B/hip-hop (27 percent) and rap (20 percent).

The most popular rock band last year broke up in 1970: the Beatles, who ranked No. 10 among U.S. album sales. No rock releases made the 10 biggest selling albums.

Beck said there is "some truth" in the old saw that rock died with Buddy Holly in 1959, a few years before the Beatles formed. He said too many rock acts have no appreciation of the "nuclear explosion" that occurred during the mid-1950s with the emergence of acts like Gene Vincent and Little Richard.

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