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Gossip, True Love, He-said-She-said, Splitsville, In Court (141)

So-called Runaway Production (6)

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* The Tragically Hip's US Release of World Container *
TTH: "We wanted to remind all of our friends in the United States of America that ‘World Container’ is being released nationally on Tuesday, March 6th." [More]

1,500 guests attend Pirates of Caribbean launch *
Johnny Depp joined about 1,500 guests at Disneyland for the premiere of his new action adventure film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. [More]

24: The end of a very long day *
It's been another heady season on TV's 24. With the final hour about to unfold, The Globe's JOHN DOYLE, SCOTT COLBOURNE, ANDREW GORHAM and ANDREW RYAN predict what happens next [More]

75th Academy Awards® -- Oscar® Results *
Chicago displayed Toronto in Hollywood -- Oscar night results... [More]

A folk-mock star: Eugene Levy never blows A Mighty Wind *
In A Mighty Wind, which opens on Friday, Christopher Guest and his gifted ensemble of improvisational actors, do for -- or to -- Sixties folk music, what they have previously done for amateur theatre in Waiting for Guffman, or dog competitions in Best in Show. [More]

A road show with a difference *
Independent poets, cartoonists and artists are mixing punk rock's do-it-yourself philosophy with avant-garde sensibilities in cross-country tours resembling variety shows, HAL NIEDZVIECKI writes [More]

A socko Québécois invasion *
Québec director Denys Arcand's new film must be considered a serious contender for the Palme d'or, writes LIAM LACEY [More]

A stretch for Chinese dance *
The National Ballet of China is trying to pull out of its 'Swan Lake rut' with a revised version of Raise the Red Lantern. But the audience seems unimpressed, GEOFFREY YORK writes [More]

A TV season with too much reality in the wings *
There was a whole lot of schedule shakeup going on last week. The American networks announced their new fall lineups. The honchos in charge threw out some old stuff and bought some shiny new stuff. Then they told lies about how great the new stuff is going to be. [More]

Actor Owen Wilson may have attempted suicide *
Oscar-nominated film star Owen Wilson -- best known for comedies like Wedding Crashers and Zoolander -- sought time on Monday to "heal in private" after media reports indicated he was hospitalized for a suicide attempt. [More]

Actor-writer Spalding Gray missing *
Actor-writer Spalding Gray, whose quirky monologues about his own hysterical neuroses took him from a cult following in downtown New York to a career in Hollywood movies, has been reported missing by his wife. [More]

Actors, writers fight back *
Television producers, writers and actors yesterday called for an immediate restoration of the $25-million the Liberal government chopped from the Canadian Television Fund in its Feb. 18 budget. [More]

Adam Sandler: Wedding Singer ties the knot *
Adam Sandler married model-actress Jackie Titone in an outdoor ceremony that was attended by celebrity friends and his pet bulldog dressed in a custom tuxedo. [More]

Addicted to opera *
Whether taking adult-ed courses, week-long seminars or European tours to the great meccas, long-time fans and neophytes alike are learning all there is to know about adagios, arias, baritones and bravi, writes SANDRA MARTIN [More]

Adult acting world no child's play *
The historic best-actress Oscar nod for a 13-year-old may inspire more starstruck parents and put the spotlight on new changes in B.C. law, ALEXANDRA GILL writes. [More]

Affleck wins big *
Ben Affleck won $356,400 (U.S.) at a poker tournament that also earned him a seat in next year's World Poker Tour Championship, casino officials said. [More]

Ahoy, Hollywood! *
JONATHAN FOWLIE meets Gordon Laco, a boat captain from Midland, Ont., whose passion for Napoleonic-era ships and expertise in naval history landed him on a film set with Russell Crowe for seven months [More]

Airports of the rich and famous *
Actors, musicians and design gurus are drawn to airports with amenities such as a massage centre, an indoor forest and even an on-site golf course. SIMONA RABINOVITCH tracks down 10 jet setters to talk about their favourites [More]

Alanis uncluttered *
'I literally got rid of everything in my house and started over,' the once-jagged singer tells SIMON HOUPT. With the release of a laid-back new CD, the host of this year's Juno Awards says the challenge now is 'to step up and stand there and not hide' [More]

Alec Baldwin: Life after the magazine covers *
Alec Baldwin talks about what it feels like when change catches up with a celebrity. [More]

Alice Cooper gets Hollywood star *
Alice Cooper showed up in full makeup to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. [More]

All hail 007, King of Scotland *
The CBC is showing a 1961 staged version of Macbeth tonight. REBECCA CALDWELL discovers how the film, starring a then-unknown Sean Connery, got made. [More]

All is forgiven as Cannes welcomes back Hollywood *
Dispelling concerns about tense international relations between Paris and Washington over the Iraq war, Cannes Film Festival organizers promised a full complement of Hollywood movie stars for the event next month. [More]

Alliance action sparks union outcry *
News this week that Halifax production company Salter Street Films was closing shop is another example of the need for federal regulators to protect Canadian television drama, argued a coalition of unions representing actors and film production crews. [More]

Alliance Atlantis chops itself in half *
If you're a big fan of TV shows such as Da Vinci's Inquest or The Eleventh Hour, or you liked the film The Good Thief with Nick Nolte, the news that Alliance Atlantis is taking an axe to its entertainment arm -- apart from the hit show CSI, of course -- probably comes as a nasty shock. [More]

Alliance Atlantis earnings up 23 per cent *
Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. -- maker of TV's hit CSI and CSI: Miami series -- said Monday first-quarter earnings rose about 23 per cent. [More]

Alliance Atlantis fires 'Hitler' producer after comments *
In a TV Guide interview, Gernon compares the contemporary United States with Nazi Germany... [More]

Alliance shuts Great North *
Just days after hearing of the closing of Great North Productions -- once Canada's largest documentary producer -- workers are already planning their comebacks. [More]

Amazing what's in store at Documart *
High-school sluts, fag hags and obsessive compulsive teens were just a few of the topics pitched at this year's CTV Canadian Documart. [More]

And the cash cow jumped over the moon *
Warning: I'm going to reveal the ending of every kids' movie that is out now, came out recently or is due soon. It's easy, because it's always the same ending. Everyone gets rich. Filthy, stinking, fish-eyed rich. [More]

André Alexis: A nomad at play in radio land *
Given carte blanche by the CBC to try his hand at writing for radio, author ANDRÉ ALEXIS discovered it's all about voice. [More]

Anger muscles into top spot at the box office *
Anger Management bullied its way to the No. 1 box-office spot, earning a whopping $44.5-million (U.S.) in its debut weekend, according to studio estimates yesterday. [More]

Anita Kunz: Drawing satirical conclusions *
Canadian illustrator Anita Kunz, being honoured with a Library of Congress exhibit, talks to SARAH MILROY about the change in climate artists are facing in the U.S. [More]

Ann Miller dies of lung cancer at 81 *
Ann Miller, the raven-haired, long-legged actress and dancer whose machine-gun taps won her stardom during the golden age of movie musicals, died Thursday of lung cancer. She was 81. [More]

Apple to launch music service *
It's time to buy, mix, and burn, according to Apple Computer Inc. The Silicon Valley company that angered the recording industry with its "Rip. Mix. Burn." ad campaign was expected to launch an on-line music service Monday that promises to make it easier for consumers to pay for music downloaded from the Internet. [More]

Are singles ready to spin again? *
Some in the music industry are betting the DVD single may be the product that restores the '45' to its former glory [More]

Arnold pumps up Leno's ratings *
Arnold Schwarzenegger's announcement that he was running for governor of California drew the second-highest rating of the year for NBC's The Tonight Show, Nielsen Media Research said on Thursday [More]

Arnold Schwarzenegger: A script tailored for a star *
Celebrity alone doesn't account for Arnie's rise. Add in resentment and a split opposition, says political scientist MICHAEL GREEN [More]

Art Carney, 85 *
Art Carney, who played Jackie Gleason's sewer worker pal Ed Norton in the TV classic The Honeymooners and went on to win the 1974 Oscar for best actor in Harry and Tonto, has died at 85. [More]

As It Happens: Who can resist a ringing telephone? *
In the 1960s, a very simple idea was born for a CBC radio show. And the rest is As It Happens history, writes co-host BARBARA BUDD on the phenomenon's 35th anniversary. [More]

Ashley McIsaac: Fiddling with Disaster *
Celtic-punk fiddler Ashley McIsaac, from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, has put his own stamp on traditional Celtic music for almost two decades. Now, in his autobiography, Ashley recounts his climb from Creignish to New York and beyond, and pulls no punches in the story of his subsequent troubles with fame, drugs and the media. [More]

Asia's latest celebrity hotspot *
In the beginning was Angelina. Then came Minnie, Ashley, Jackie, Rupert, Roger and Cliff. [More]

Audiences flock to holiday films, 2006 year-end results up over previous year *
Much to the chagrin of the gloom-and-doom merchants who insist the end of cinema is nigh, Hollywood ticket sales this year are on course to beat 2005 by 5 per cent. [More]

Author sues Steven Spielberg, Nick Park *
We think author hasn't got a (chicken) leg to stand on... [More]

Bands on the run -- to Europe *
There's a good reason Canadian groups make it overseas, and not in the U.S., some say: Europeans have better taste [More]

Battle of the Idols *
Canada's Ryan Malcolm is in London battling the odds, nasty judges, excited schoolgirls -- and other pop-star hopefuls who are all bidding on untold fame and riches. [More]

Battle over movie screeners hits court *
The battle over screeners used to promote movies during award season reached the courts yesterday as representatives from the independent film community accused the major Hollywood studios of engaging in illegal anti-competitive behaviour by restricting the indies' ability to market their films. [More]

BBC to launch on-line archive of shows *
The British Broadcasting Corp. plans to make much of its vast television and radio library, including portions of shows such as Dr. Who and Monty Python's Flying Circus, available for free on the Internet. It's an initiative that the BBC hopes will encourage other public broadcasters to do the same. [More]

Beloved C.S. Lewis series headed for big screen *
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the beloved fantasy novel by C.S. Lewis, will be made into a film in New Zealand, a newspaper reported Friday. [More]

Ben Mulroney: Sorry, girls, the boy is taken *
Once the boxers versus briefs issue was laid to rest, one burning question remained: Is he dating? SARAH HAMPSON's got the goods [More]

Bertolucci snubs U.S. censors *
No compromise on big-studio picture with NC-17 rating. [More]

Between Iraq and a hard place *
Living in a country between Afghanistan and Iraq, the Iranian director Samira Makhmalbaf felt compelled to tell its stories, LIAM LACEY writes [More]

Bin Laden's niece poses for sexy photo in GQ magazine *
Wafah Dufour, the daughter of Osama bin Laden's half brother -- provocatively dressed -- posed for an article of GQ's January edition. [More]

Bob Hope dies at 100 *
Bob Hope, ski-nosed master of the one-liner and favourite comedian of servicemen and presidents alike, has died, less than two months after turning 100. [More]

Bon Mots, not Bon Jovi: Celebrities as good as their word *
LIAM LACEY shows off his collection of pearls that fell from the mouths of stars in 2003. [More]

Boogie nights: Rock and Porn *
A special alchemy exists between the worlds of rock and pornography, as the infamous gain legitimacy and the famous get street credibility. [More]

Bowie had heart surgery, German paper says *
British pop legend David Bowie underwent heart surgery in Germany last month prompting him to cancel his European tour, German daily Hamburger Morgenpost reported yesterday. [More]

Box Office Prophets proudly announces...the 2003 Calvin Awards *
Hollywood seems to think we should pay attention to their "Academy" just because they all happen to work in the industry, but we know better. [More]

Bradbury celebrates 83rd birthday *
Science fiction author Ray Bradbury celebrated his 83rd birthday with this wish... [More]

Breaking the 'loi du silence' *
In France, where most turn a blind eye toward domestic violence, the death of much-beloved actress Marie Trintignant has raised questions about the country's famously libertine attitudes, reports EGLE PROCUTA [More]

Bridget Fonda weds composer Danny Elfman *
Actress Bridget Fonda and composer Danny Elfman were married last weekend, Fonda's publicist said Friday. [More]

Bryan Adams shot by air gun *
Bryan Adams was shot with an air gun as he rode a motorbike through London, the BBC reports [More]

Buffett joins Schwarzenegger team *
Arnold Schwarzenegger has hired Warren Buffett as his senior financial and economic adviser in his bid to replace Gray Davis if the governor loses the recall vote, the Republican actor's campaign announced Wednesday. [More]

California dreaming redux *
The songs of Grandaddy manage to blend the familiar alienation of alternative pop with large doses of sunshine as well, ROBERT EVERETT-GREEN writes [More]

Cameron Diaz tops actress pay list *
Cameron Diaz is the world's highest-paid actress, snatching the title from Julia Roberts, the Guinness Book of Records said on Friday. [More]

Canadian / Pacific Northwest actor charged with rape *
Scott Hamilton Bairstow, a TV and movie actor who grew up in Steinbach, Man., has been charged with having sex with a 12-year-old in 1998. [More]

Canadian content overhaul urged *
The federal government's formula for defining Canadian content in the film and television industries should be overhauled, says a report, which aims to make the broader system more efficient and able to stimulate greater domestic production. [More]

Canadian film inspires tears, applause at Cannes *
Denys Arcand's film about a French-Canadian man whose friends rally around him as he fights cancer won prolonged applause at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday and had many people wiping away tears. [More]

Canadian films still struggling at home, Statscan says *
Canadian films and videos continued to struggle on their home turf, with foreign entertainment grabbing the lion's share of this country's market in fiscal 2000-2001, Statistics Canada said Friday. [More]

Canadian Idol relies heavily on mob psychology *
A while back, when comedian Ron James was introducing CBC-TV's new fall season, he said, "If it wasn't for CBC producing their own product, all the country would be watching half-a-dozen amateurs from Scarborough singing April Wine cover tunes on Canadian Idol." [More]

Canadian TV producers prepare for more bad news *
Producers and broadcasters are girding for more bad news Tuesday as the Canadian Television Fund announces who will be getting what from a $64.5-million fund for drama, variety and comedy shows. [More]

Cannes clips *
Sweet, sensitive Claire Danes from television's So-Called Life fighting deadly killing machines out to destroy humanity? [More]

Cannes: Slow and decidedly sombre *
When this year's lineup of films isn't lulling the crowds to sleep, it's got them pondering some of the darker corners of the human condition, writes LIAM LACEY [More]

Canuck bucks head south for new shows *
For the past while, I've been telling you until I'm blue in the face that Canadian television is in a shocking state of confusion. I know it's hard to tell from the wee picture on my right (your left) but I am actually blue in the face. [More]

Carly Simon reveals who's so vain *
Carly Simon will finally reveal who's so vain to a man with major connections in the media world — should he ever decide to break his vow of secrecy. [More]

Carny World: Hey mark, put down your toonie *
Rarely do people look behind the whirring and clanging colour-saturated booths and notice the 427 trailers parked behind the rides, trailers housing the 300 core carnival workers who have been on the road working the southern United States since January and opened the Canadian tour in Thunder Bay in June. [More]

CBC axes Disclosure after three seasons *
Disclosure, one of CBC Television's highest-profile public-affairs shows, has been cancelled -- a victim of poor ratings. [More]

CBC masks lineup worries with coffee and cake *
The CBC announced its new schedule yesterday. It was a very nice occasion. There was coffee and cake. [More]

CBS chairman defends Jackson interview *
CBS's top executive has complained that the network's news division, embroiled in questions about how 60 Minutes obtained an interview with Michael Jackson, is held to a higher standard than its rivals. [More]

Celebs looking lovely in blood-red *
The hottest thing to be in this fall is not a plaid minikilt -- it's a blood feud. Everybody who's anybody is in some bitter battle or other, and they're all quite the show. [More]

Celine Dion bitter at 'very snob' critics *
World-famous Quebecois singer Celine Dion insists she doesn't care what critics say about her because her albums are so popular and tickets to her Las Vegas concerts are consistently selling out. [More]

Celine Dion: Her full houses will go on *
Even scathing criticism of Celine Dion and her Las Vegas extravaganza can't keep the delirious fans away, a hundred sellout shows later. [More]

Charlie Watts treated for cancer *
Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts is being treated for throat cancer, a spokesman for the band said Saturday. [More]

Charlie's angel hot over shots *
Cameron Diaz is seeking an injunction barring the release of photographs allegedly taken at a private modeling session over a decade ago, before she was a star. [More]

Chatty Ashley has lots to say, but is anyone still willing to listen? *
Ashley MacIsaac, the virtuosic and volatile Cape Breton fiddler who made self-destruction a public endeavour, popped up in Halifax to sign his new autobiography, Fiddling With Disaster, the first and last stop on a one-city book tour. [More]

Child of the fest comes of age *
Noah Cowan, who began his cinematic career at age 15 selling tickets for the Toronto International Film Festival, was crowned the fete's new co-director yesterday. [More]

Cirque draws ire *
Cirque du soleil, the Montreal-based circus company, is being targeted by protesters for firing an acrobat infected with HIV, a move that also has been criticized by figure skater Rudy Galindo and several Olympic athletes. [More]

Cirque's Alegria returning to Toronto this summer *
Cirque du Soleil is bringing its tried-and-true hit production Alegria -- with its trapeze artists, aerialists and contortionists, all accompanied by a world-music aura -- to Toronto's Ontario Place for a limited engagement from Aug. 19 to Sept. 12, according to Cirque's website. [More]

Clapton makes Queen's honours list *
Could the Queen be a rock 'n' roll fan? [More]

Clear as mud: Canadian TV producers despair *
The Canadian television industry is stupid.

Not necessarily the people who make the programs or the shows that end up on our TV screens. What's stupid is the system in which these people work and which provides the money for the programs we supposedly want to see. And because it is stupid. [More]

Clooney: 'Solaris' a Tough Acting Job *
Harder than "The Perfect Storm"? George Clooney said his latest role in Steven Soderbergh's "Solaris" has been his toughest acting job to date. [More]

Cobain wanted to quit Nirvana, interview shows *
Grunge rock icon Kurt Cobain dreamed about leaving his band Nirvana to join wife Courtney Love's group Hole, a music magazine (published a year ago) quoted him saying in an interview months before his 1994 suicide. [More]

Coconut does not fall far from the tree *
Rolling Stone gathers no moss: Stones' Keith Richards hospitalized in New Zealand after falling from tree. [More]

Coldplay star charged *
Chris Martin, the lead singer of pop band Coldplay and boyfriend of Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow, allegedly clashed with a photographer on a popular tourist beach and will appear in an Australian court, newspapers reported Monday. [More]

Colin Farrell is dad to baby boy *
S.W.A.T. star Colin Farrell and model Kim Bordenave are the parents of a baby boy, his publicist said Tuesday. [More]

Coming soon: Conrad Black the movie *
A movie-of-the-week about the life of Conrad Black could be on the CTV schedule as early as 2005, says a network spokesman. [More]

Cost crunch hits movie theatres *
Canadians still love watching a good movie on the big screen, but the country's love affair with the cinema is waning, Statistics Canada says. [More]

Could Harry Potter be Imax's magic brew? *
Movie chain shifts to Hollywood blockbusters on its giant-screen format as recipe for success. [More]

Courtney Love regains custody of daughter *
Singer Courtney Love has regained full custody of her 11-year-old daughter, her lawyer said. Love is celebrating after winning back full custody of her daughter, Frances Bean Cobain. [More]

Courtney Love to produce and star in Lovelace *
Just past the anniversary of her late husband's death, colourful U.S. diva Courtney Love -- emerging from more than a year of legal woes -- has agreed to play legendary porn star Linda Lovelace in an explosive movie comeback. [More]

Craig slate heavy on talk *
Calgary-based Craig Media kicked off its fall schedule yesterday announcing a plethora of high-profile talk shows, big brand sports, Hollywood movies and a new specialty channel, Stampede, which is billed as the "urban cowboy" station. [More]

Critics' Day 2: dumb and dumber on cable *
The original Dance Fever was a kitschy-cool show, ANDREW RYAN writes. But the remake is a mess, despite Merv Griffin's fancy footwork [More]

Crush are kings for a day *
The Newfoundland duo Crush did just that to the competition at the East Coast Music Awards on Sunday, winning all five categories in which they were nominated. [More]

CTF throws funding lifeline to popular programs *
There was good news and bad news in the Canadian TV industry yesterday as the Canadian Television Fund announced the recipients of $64.5-million from its Equity Investment Program. [More]

Cuts loom for TV shows *
The Canadian Television Fund (CTF) is expected to slash the number of programs dramatically that will qualify for subsidies in the 2003-2004 season. [More]

Dark horse takes top prize *
In a surprise twist, Louis Bélanger's Gaz Bar Blues was awarded the jury prize at Montreal's World Film Festival instead of the top-ranking Grand Prize of the Americas, which went to a taut Serbian war drama called The Cordon, by Goran Markovic. [More]

David Bowie has heart surgery *
Musician David Bowie underwent emergency heart surgery after a concert in Germany and is recovering in New York, his spokesman said Thursday. [More]

De Niro expected to recover from cancer *
Two-time Academy Award-winning actor Robert De Niro has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, but his publicist said he is in "excellent" condition and is expected to make a full recovery. [More]

Delivering perfect pitch *
With pressure on the likes of Britney Spears and Shania Twain to hit all their notes accurately, singers are piping their voices through hardware that corrects their vocal flaws during concerts [More]

Depp named sexiest man alive *
People magazine has named Johnny Depp the sexiest man alive, saying the actor, known for his "brooding eccentricities," has mellowed since becoming a father. [More]

Director fired from Exorcist prequel *
Director Paul Schrader says he's been fired from work on the upcoming thriller, which is a prequel to the acclaimed 1973 original about a demon-possessed little girl. [More]

Disney to cut jobs despite record box office sales *
It's Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow -- the drunken pirate famously modeled on the Rolling Stones' Richards -- who may have propelled Pirates to the all-time largest opening box-office gross. [More]

Download Wars: Dividing the spoils *
As it seeks ways to sink file-sharing pirates, the music industry might be advised to take a new tack, GUY DIXON writes [More]

Dr. Richard Hu: Nurse, get me a fork *
He's already a dab hand with the scalpel, so why shouldn't Dr. Richard Hu launch his own Calgary cooking show featuring surgeons and shanks? GAYLE MACDONALD pulls up to the table [More]

Drawn into Courtney's tar-pit trap *
This month marks the 10th anniversary of Kurt Cobain's suicide, an occasion that has merited only the mildest of media attention. [More]

DVD movie pirates looking for new treasure in Canada *
Just seconds before the start of the summer's first blockbuster, the Warner Bros. epic Troy, a slide appears on the giant screen of downtown Toronto's Paramount theatre explaining that video recording of the movie is illegal and that any one caught taping it will be prosecuted. [More]

Eastwood film named best of the year *
Mystic River wound its way to the top of the National Board of Review's list of the best films of 2003. [More]

Edinburgh Fringe Festival rises like a phoenix *
The Edinburgh Fringe rose triumphantly from the ashes yesterday to stage what it proudly billed as the world's biggest arts festival. [More]

Elia Kazan, 94 *
Elia Kazan, the Academy Award-winning director of such influential films as On the Waterfront and A Streetcar Named Desire but whose conduct during the McCarthy era haunted his career, has died. He was 94. [More]

Eminem, 50 Cent lead Billboard awards *
Cent won four awards Friday night at the Billboard R&B Hip Hop Awards, including top artist, while his mentor Eminem took home three honours, including top album. [More]

Engaging viewers is key *
CHUM's new president advises fellow broadcasters to follow Quebec's example on home-grown drama, GAYLE MacDONALD writes [More]

Entertainment caricaturist Al Hirshfeld dies *
Al Hirschfeld, whose graceful, fluid caricatures captured the essence of performers from Charlie Chaplin to Jerry Seinfeld, died Monday, January 20, 2003. He was 99. [More]

Escaping the Phantom's shadow *
After years playing the leads in Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera, Colm Wilkinson is ecstatic to be doing his own thing, MICHAEL POSNER writes. [More]

Every Arnie film has been a manifesto *
Ya, hello und guten tag. I am Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign manager, und I am here to demonstrate that Arnold is more qualified than Peter Ueberroth und Larry Flynt to be fuehrer -- sorry, governor -- of 34-million Californians. [More]

Exhausted and infuriated *
Toronto's Lola Magazine and Vancouver's Blinding Light Cinema were two of Canada's richest cultural voices. Their demise says a lot about cultural burnout [More]

Faith in popcorn: John Bailey departs Famous Players *
At a theatre near you, video arcades and fast food have turned movie-going into a 14-year-old's dream. And a cinephile's nightmare. As the CEO of Famous Players, John S. Bailey was largely responsible for the "megaplexing" of the country's theatres. Toronto's Paramount, Montreal's StarCité and dozens of others were born under his watch in a strategy that helped Famous Players stay in the black while rival chains spilled red ink. Bailey, 56, a 30-year veteran of the movie industry, left the company in February. He will not disclose the circumstances of his departure [More]

Fame or bus *
Canadian comic Carmen Stockton once fled L.A. on a Greyhound. Now she's heading for stardom on public transit [More]

Fifteen minutes can seem an awfully long time *
Earlier this week I sat in a darkened theatre and listened to some shameless shilling from Gene Simmons. [More]

Film critic Roger Ebert undergoes third emergency surgery *
Film critic Roger Ebert, who has battled cancer in recent years, was in serious condition today following an emergency operation to repair complications from an earlier cancer surgery. [More]

Film folks give kudos to the King *
Barely out of the starting block, and Peter Jackson's third -- and final -- The Lord of the Rings adaptation is already the toast of the town. [More]

Finding strength in the sisterhood *
This from my pal C, editor of a fashion magazine, with reference to her Look. [More]

Fish Flushers Learn Life Does Not Imitate 'Nemo' *
Margie Valadez, a dispatcher for RotoRooter, is used to calls from upset customers whose watches, rings or even cell phones were accidentally flushed down the toilet. Lately, though, she's been taking calls from hysterical parents asking if plumbers can rescue fish. [More]

For ABC it's Barr none *
Two days, two cancellations for Roseanne Barr. [More]

For Eminem, the butt stops here *
Eminem's moon has been eclipsed -- is he the butt of jokes? [More]

Fox sues Al Franken for trademark infringement *
Al Franken, the humorist being sued by Fox News Channel for use of the phrase "fair and balanced," said he doesn't mind the legal action. But he does wish it hadn't happened during his vacation. [More]

Frances Bay in life-threatening accident *
Many of you may have read that 83-year-old actress Frances Bay was struck by a car and severely injured as she walked near her home in California recently. But what didn't make the standard American Press version picked up by your local newspaper is that Bay herself was born near Winnipeg (not even reported by the Canadian online news sources) and that she has a fascinating back-story. We at evalu8.org urge you to pray for Frances Bay's recovery... [More]

Frankie Avalon: 'Don't forget, I was a teenage idol' *
As long as the questions are gentle, he pours on the charm, SARAH HAMPSON writes. When they get tough, she finds out what it's like to get the celebrity brush-off [More]

Frasier to end in May *
After some brief talk of keeping the show going for a 12th season next fall, NBC said Monday that its five-time Emmy-winning comedy, Frasier, will call it quits in May. [More]

Frasier: So long to an old friend *
This parting seems particularly sweet sorrow for Kelsey Grammer. He'll soon say farewell to Frasier, his enduring, endearing TV creation, and the sadness shows in his eyes and in his voice. [More]

French author sues Disney *
French children's book author has filed a lawsuit against Disney claiming that the superstar fish Nemo closely resembles his own creation, a smiling, wide-eyed clown fish named Pierrot. [More]

From shock to schlock rocker *
Oh Gene, the tongue, we're getting so tired of it. The least you could do is offend us with something new, SARAH HAMPSON writes. [More]

FTC sues Web sites in Internet scam *
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is suing an Internet operation that allegedly fleeced consumers by using the agency's own national do-not-call registry as bait. [More]

Funding move threatens Red Green, 22 Minutes *
A money squeeze at the Canadian Television Fund means many Canadian TV shows are at risk, JAMES ADAMS and GAYLE MacDONALD report... [More]

Geek no more *
Wondering where your accountant is? He's probably at home with his buddies, the lawyers, teachers and MBAs, who've turned off the TV and turned on to Doom 3 and Ghost Recon [More]

Gemini Awards are so bad they're almost good *
Things change, and then sometimes they don't. The poor old Geminis (hereafter referred to as the POGs) are back. There was an announcement the other day for the final and allegedly most glamorous batch of Gemini Award nominees. The POGs are the awards for English-language television, in case you've forgotten [More]

Genius: What it is ain't exactly clear *
For those of you who were not born into the generation that dare not speak its name more than once or twice a sentence, Garth Hudson was a brilliant member of a brilliant band called the Band. [More]

Gibson film stirs passionate debate *
Critics accuse star of anti-Semitism, while he screens movie for D.C. elite [More]

Gisele MacKenzie, 76 *
Singer-actress Gisele MacKenzie, who had her own CBC radio show before becoming one of early television's biggest stars through her appearances on NBC's Your Hit Parade, has died of colon cancer. She was 76. [More]

Goal is releases 'in the creases' *
CBC Television's strategy to try to grab more eyeballs in 2003-2004 is to stagger the air dates for its new and returning programs, and basically carve its schedule into five distinct parts... [More]

Golden Globes may lack cachet of the Oscars, but the stars glitter just as brightly *
Foxx, Eastwood, Bening, Canada's perennial winner, Howard Shore take home Golden Globes at Academy Award "preview" [More]

Golden Globes will delay 2004 ceremony *
The Golden Globe Awards, often considered a crystal ball for the Oscars, will air a week later than usual next year. [More]

Golden moments at 2006 Golden Globes *
Last night's 63rd annual Golden Globes, the world's second most important movie prize night after the Oscars, were a breakthrough night for small budget, independent films that dealt with once-taboo topics such as homosexuality and transsexualism. [More]

Gonzo with the wind *
A new owner's promise to revive Creem magazine is prompting sceptical guffaws from some of its original writers, including ALAN NIESTER , who here recalls the golden age of a publication that lived and breathed rock 'n' roll [More]

Good, clean summer fun (Cole) *
You know how children want their food the same and are keen on recycling? Hollywood is like that too as it dishes up its kiddie menu over the next few months, STEPHEN COLE finds [More]

Good, clean summer fun (Groen) *
There's no use getting hot and bothered about summer's shallow fare, RICK GROEN explains. Studio bosses are taking a page from Scott and Spenser, in a tradition as old as literature itself. [More]

Gregory Hines, 57 *
Tony Award winner Gregory Hines, the tap-dancing actor who started on Broadway and in movies, including White Nights and Running Scared, has died, his publicist says. He was 57. [More]

Gregory Peck dead at 87 *
Gregory Peck, the lanky, handsome movie star whose long career included such classics as Roman Holiday, Spellbound and his Academy Award winner, To Kill a Mockingbird, has died, a spokesman said Thursday. He was 87. [More]

Group calls for Thunder boycott *
Politically correct win first round of silly protest, but fail to gain a sense of humour. [More]

Gwyneth Paltrow expecting first child *
Gwyneth Paltrow and boyfriend Chris Martin are expecting their first child next summer, her publicist said Wednesday. [More]

Gymnast files complaint against Cirque du Soleil *
An HIV-positive gymnast has filed a complaint accusing Cirque du Soleil of denying him the chance to take part in an acrobatic act in the Las Vegas show. [More]

Hands off this cliché! *
It must be the silly season. In the United States, the Fox News Channel (Rupert Murdoch, prop.) is suing Al Franken, a satirist familiar from the TV show Saturday Night Live, for using the phrase "fair and balanced" on the cover of his new book. [More]

Handwritten Lennon song sold *
John Lennon's handwritten lyrics to Nowhere Man sold for $455,000 (U.S.) at an entertainment memorabilia sale at Christie's auction house. [More]

He walked the line *
The legend of Johnny Cash holds sway in truck stops, alt-rock clubs and even among gospel singers, ROBERT EVERETT-GREEN writes [More]

Hear my song, see my thong *
Say it ain't so, J.Lo. Don't tell us you can't drag your fine self to New York for The MTV Video Music Awards (MuchMusic, CITY-TV, 8 p.m.). Please think about it, J.Lo. Bring Ben, if it's about all that. [More]

Here's looking at you, kids *
Raised by parents who are more likely to rent Chaplin or Hepburn, some of today's kids are spurning Hollywood blockbusters for the classics, REBECCA CALDWELL writes [More]

Hey kids, it's true...video games make you sharper: study *
Action-packed video games may offer more than just entertainment: They may make you sharper, according to a new study. [More]

Hey, kids - it's a retro inferno! *
In the first of a series on the way people entertain themselves around the globe, CAROLINE BYRNE visits a London club where 'responsible adulthood' is many drinks away [More]

His love for children is impeccable *
Michael Jackson 'isn't guilty of anything,' Motown producer Bobby Taylor, who discovered the singer, tells ALEXANDRA GILL. 'This young man used to babysit my kid' [More]

Hitler, Martha: must be sweeps *
Only the desperately cynical would suggest that the U.S. networks planned their May sweeps schedules in clandestine consort with the war effort, but think about it: If new TV movies about Hitler, Martha Stewart and Three's Company don't distract and entertain the American viewing public, what will? [More]

Hockey and music: the score stands at one all *
A centre in Parry Sound, Ont., containing both the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame and an impressive concert hall for playing classical music is the latest in a list of strange compromises in Canadian culture [More]

Hoffman, Witherspoon Win Lead-Acting Oscars *
Reese Witherspoon as country singer June Carter in Walk the Line and Philip Seymour Hoffman as author Truman Capote in Capote won the lead-acting Academy Awards on Sunday. [More]

Holding court in Cannes *
Canadian Charlotte Mickie is in the big leagues of global film distribution. LIAM LACEY finds her hunkered down in a back office, doing deals. [More]

Hollywood legend Gregory Peck dies at 87 *
Invariably playing the hero, he graced both stage and screen for six decades... [More]

Hollywood north at risk *
British Columbia risks losing its competitive edge as a mecca for film and TV production if it doesn't give companies more labour flexibility, a report released Thursday concludes. [More]

Hollywood North(east): So far, rumour spreads faster than SARS *
Gossip and rumour are in high circulation these days in "Hollywood North," but there seems precious little fact about the impact of SARS on Toronto's $3-billion film and TV industry. [More]

Hollywood reeling as 2003 box office sales slump *
This year's movie superheroes are getting licked by last year's. [More]

Hollywood wants pirates' gold *
The Hulk is the latest to turn up first on the Net as Napster-like digital heists threaten movie studios, GAYLE MacDONALD reports [More]

Home Improvement's hidden neighbour dies at 61 *
Actor Earl Hindman, best known for playing a neighbour whose face was forever obscured by a fence on the television show Home Improvement, died of lung cancer Monday. He was 61. [More]

Hopkins presents new film at Venice *
Anthony Hopkins' new film The Human Stain tells the tale of a brilliant man brought down by political correctness, a modern trend that the esteemed actor describes as "a cancer." [More]

How do we define what a movie is? *
There were eight commercials before the feature, Bruce Almighty, on Monday. Before the previews, even. There was a grainy minidocumentary about Gatorade; a white-on-white L'Oréal pitch featuring pouty models with sticky hair enacting the seven deadly sins; a half-live, half-animated ad for the Toyota Matrix; a redhead with a put-on-sounding British accent touting Acuvue colour contact lenses; an Axe deodorant spot where gorgeous girls forgive all manner of male transgressions; plus ads for The Toronto Star, Labatt Blue and the DVD for Die Another Day. [More]

How the Eagles became the best-selling band of a generation *
Their greatest hits compilation has managed to become the best-selling album of all time in the United States. [More]

How to keep the laughs coming *
Montreal's annual comedy fest offers speed dating, mind reading and Cosby [More]

I tell ya, I'm lucky. . . I've never had writer's block *
Canada's most prolific, most produced playwright fell into a theatre career by accident, MICHAEL POSNER writes. In fact, Norm Foster was 30 when he saw his first play [More]

Intimate portrait of celebrated jazz musician Linton Garner to air on Nov. 27, 2003 *
Intimate portrait of celebrated jazz musician Linton Garner to air on CBC Television Opening Night on November 27th. [More]

Is that the bell tolling for Big Ben? *
Vancouver's no longer a paparazzi-free zone, ALEXANDRA GILL writes. The National Enquirer has landed [More]

Is the Earth Doomed? *
Scientific study is announced at a time when Hollywood prepares release of the motion picture THE CORE, which depicts a similar scenario [More]

It's a mad, mad, Maddin world *
Is filmmaker Guy Maddin a genius, or just another Prairie eccentric who will never be understood, asks GRAEME SMITH? [More]

J.Lo and Affleck: Delivering the Lo-down on Jenny *
As the superstar lands in the BC interior to shoot her latest film, the local press vows to give Lopez her space -- sort of, ALEXANDRA GILL writes [More]

Jack White charged with assault *
Grammy-nominated White Stripes lead singer Jack White was charged Monday with aggravated assault after a fight with the lead singer of another band at a local music venue. [More]

Jackie Chan revives tourism in Hong Kong *
Hong Kong is turning to action star Jackie Chan to help draw visitors back to the territory after the SARS outbreak. [More]

Jacko's back in town *
Michael Jackson has returned to Indianapolis for a second attempt at giving a court-ordered deposition in a copyright lawsuit. [More]

Jackson Browne Wins Suit But Loses Race With Time *
Is there more to this story? Like bad karma, maybe? Or is it really all about the money? [More]

Jackson moves into new mansion *
The King of Pop's new digs are fit, well, for a king. [More]

Jackson reluctant to talk about boob-oo *
Unlike the last time she appeared on CBS, Janet Jackson was bleeped by censors Monday while talking to David Letterman — for saying “Jesus!” [More]

Jagger gets his ya-yas out for 60th birthday *
The term 60s rock star took on a new meaning as Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger prepared to perform before a crowd of more than 60,000 in the Czech capital, a day after celebrating his 60th birthday in a downtown nightclub. [More]

Jeepers Creepers 2 scares Freddy off *
Jeepers Creepers 2 sunk its claws deep into audiences over the Labour Day weekend, raking in $18.5-million (U.S.) and replacing another horror flick atop the box office ratings. [More]

Jennifer Lopez marries Marc Anthony: Reports *
Jennifer Lopez reportedly married Marc Anthony in a small ceremony at her home on Saturday, less than six months after she ended her high-profile engagement to Ben Affleck. [More]

Jewel cancels tour *
Jewel has cancelled her North American tour due to the death of her bass player, her record company announced Thursday. [More]

Jimi Hendrix bassist Noel Redding dies, age 57 *
Noel Redding, bass player for the legendary Jimi Hendrix Experience from its formation in 1966 through its dissolution three years later, has died. He was 57. [More]

Johanna Schneller: What's in a face? *
What's in a face? Studies show that even babies prefer large, symmetrical features. Movies specialize in blowing them up two stories tall, inviting leisurely, detailed scrutiny of a matinee idol's mouth or cheekbones or chin. You could ponder for years which centimetre makes Jeff Bridges face so much more classically handsome than his brother Beau. [More]

John Ketcham Directorial Debut *
Vancouver's own John Ketcham directs I Accuse in production in Moose Jaw in April, 2003. [More]

Johnny Cash in hospital *
Johnny Cash's plans to attend the MTV Video Music Awards were scuttled by his hospitalization for an unspecified stomach ailment. He was in stable condition on Thursday. [More]

Jolie attends British Lara Croft premiere *
Angelina Jolie delighted screaming fans as she arrived in central London for the British premiere of her new film, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life. [More]

Judge denies Fox TV's attempt to block book *
A U.S. federal judge denied Fox News Channel's request Friday for an injunction to block humorist Al Franken's new book, whose title mocks the Fox slogan "fair and balanced." [More]

Judge ponders Jackson gag order *
Meanwhile, media clamour for access to sealed documents related to police search of pop star's Neverland estate. [More]

Julia Roberts has twins, People magazine reports *
Actress Julia Roberts gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, early yesterday in a Los Angeles hospital, People magazine reported on its Web site, citing an anonymous source. [More]

Katharine Hepburn dead at 96 *
Exit Katharine Hepburn, aristocrat of the screen, who died yesterday at 96. [More]

Kazaa, iMesh vulnerability termed 'serious' *
Users of file sharing programs such as Kazaa and iMesh are urged to install a security patch after a serious bug was discovered in their underlying network [More]

Keep lid on foreign ownership: Broadcast report *
A two-year study of Canadian broadcasting has called for a vast overhaul of both the industry's public and private wings — but pointed in a starkly different direction than a parallel parliamentary committee recommended just six weeks ago. [More]

Kennedys mum on Arnold *
Few in the family will speak publicly about the political hopes of Republican in their midst [More]

Kidman film leads Golden Globe nominations *
The Civil War epic Cold Mountain collected a leading eight Golden Globe nominations Thursday including best drama, as Hollywood marked the start of its annual trophy-giving season. [More]

King of the airwaves *
It feels very odd grilling Larry King... [More]

Krall honoured in BC *
Diana Krall's dad can't tell a lie and he's so happy he wasn't able to keep her engagement to singer-songwriter Elvis Costello a secret, the jazz star said Friday. [More]

Krall leads Walk of Fame inductees *
Jazz performer Diana Krall, Quebec filmmaker Denys Arcand and hockey star Mario Lemieux were among the 10 names unveiled Tuesday as 2004 inductees into Canada's ever-growing Walk of Fame. [More]

Kurt Cobain's Hometown Adds 'Come As You Are' To Welcome Sign *
Cobain Memorial Committee also planning a park and a youth centre in Aberdeen, WA. [More]

Led it be *
Vintage rockers Led Zeppelin rise again, J.D. CONSIDINE writes, with the release of a live concert album and a video compilation of performances from the seventies [More]

Letter from Cannes *
People often ask me what the Cannes Film Festival is really like and I try to explain to them that, when sex-starved starlets aren't trying to pull you into bathtubs filled with champagne and European royalty of dubious pedigree aren't pressuring you to attend their gaudy little yacht parties, it can be a modest, relaxing spring interlude on the Riviera. [More]

Liam Lacey: Onward to the Oscars *
Merry Os-mas everyone! The movie competition/promotion of the Oscar campaign has become so mixed with the Christmas season that Hollywood and the retail industry really should converge to create a new superholiday, celebrating the best in celluloid pride and seasonal joy. [More]

Lies and the Lying Liars: Judge denies Fox TV's attempt to block book sales *
A U.S. federal judge denied Fox News Channel's request Friday for an injunction to block humorist Al Franken's new book, whose title mocks the Fox slogan "fair and balanced." [More]

Lights, camera, Apocalypse! *
As bombs explode, locusts swarm and seas turn to blood, GAYLE MacDONALD investigates a growing appetite for 'endtimes entertainment' and finds that two brothers running a tiny film company in St. Catharines, Ont., are feeling the Rapture [More]

Lining up for love *
A great deal of the avalanche of romance and lust at Toronto's film festival is not on the screen, GAYLE MacDONALD reports [More]

Lions Gate posts deeper loss *
Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. reported a deeper loss in the third quarter as merger costs and higher marketing expenses offset a 25 per cent rise in sales. [More]

Lipstick and sabotage: The blood sport of beauty *
It's not just hairspray and hissyfits behind the scenes at the Miss Universe Canada contest. Someone's got to remember the little people, and the starving kids. [More]

Lisa Marie Presley: Making a name for herself *
For Lisa Marie Presley, songwriting is therapy.

And the lyrics on her debut album, To Whom It May Concern, are as raw, brutally honest and uncensored as the woman herself. Presley's music, like the artist, pulls no punches. [More]

Listen bud, he's got Canadian blood *
Before Tobey Maguire donned tights, your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man was Paul Soles. [More]

Long live Buffy *
The network can kill off the ultimate high-school story of friendship and grrl-power, but CARL WILSON predicts the show's enduring feeling will live on forever in the minds of its fans [More]

Look, up on the Web, it's . . . *
A tiny Canadian company helps out American Express with its latest brand-me-different attempt, Superman and Seinfeld advertising 'webisodes,' writes GAYLE MacDONALD. [More]

Looking for the next Bowling for Columbine? *
Truth, it is said, is stranger than fiction -- and, I would add, frequently more entertaining. Last year, Michael Moore's Bowling For Columbine was an uproarious success, while the buzz on films like Spellbound and Winged Migration lasted long after their Toronto International Film Festival screenings, both films becoming box office successes for the genre. [More]

Lord of the Oscars *
Peter Jackson's third film in the hugely successful series won a record-tying 11 Academy Awards; Canada led by Denys Arcand's Barbarian Invasions and composer Howard Shore. [More]

Lost Beatles tape to air during music awards *
This year's American Music Awards will feature stars such as Usher, Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani and Rod Stewart, but the most talked-about moment might come from the Beatles. [More]

Lost in Translation named film of the year *
Lost in Translation, writer-director Sofia Coppola's story of two American insomniacs whose paths cross in Tokyo, has been named the best film of the year by the Toronto Film Critics Association. [More]

Lost strikes Gold *
Scarlett Johansson, call your agent. He thinks he can get you 20 mil for your next picture. [More]

Low points in Cancon *
Waving the white flag for cheesy TV, Celine Dion and navel-gazing Canadian writers [More]

Lucasfilm® to launch new 'Hyperspace' site *
On Tuesday, June 10th, Lucasfilm Ltd.® will launch a major redesign of its popular starwars.com website (www.starwars.com) and unveil a brand-new service called Hyperspace. [More]

Lynn Coady: Rock Nerds *
A male friend of mine watches eighties music videos with an air of wistful resignation. "In the years between 1979 and 1984," he explains, perhaps gesturing to Ric Ocasek by way of visual aid, "there was a small window of opportunity in which it was possible for complete nerds to become rock stars." [More]

Lyric Benson, aspiring actress shot *
A vibrant young actress in the opening stages of a promising career was shot in the face by her ex-boyfriend early Thursday in the doorway of her Chinatown apartment, police said. [More]

Madonna says she's feeling broody again *
Madonna wants to have another child. The 45-year-old singer and pop icon, who has two children, told Britain's Times newspaper she was consulting doctors about having another baby. [More]

Mag on hook for Douglas, Zeta-Jones court costs *
A High Court judge ruled Friday that a celebrity magazine that published unauthorized wedding photos of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones must pay the bulk of the couple's legal costs. [More]

Major networks dominate Geminis *
The usual suspects dominated the list of Gemini nominees in the TV news, documentary and sports categories released yesterday. [More]

Making waves in Cannes *
LIAM LACEY talks to underground folk hero Harvey Pekar and goes on the trail of the film fest's first flap [More]

Martha vs Oprah *
They're the queens of the domestic realm, but more than bad business decisions separate Martha and Oprah. TRALEE PEARCE looks at how two daytime goddesses stack up [More]

Mary Tyler Moore quits Neil Simon play *
Mary Tyler Moore has withdrawn from Rose's Dilemma, the new Neil Simon play, scheduled to open off-Broadway in two weeks. [More]

Matrix and Cannes: Feelin' kind of blue *
LIAM LACEY listens to other hacks thrash out the merits of blue screens in the Matrix sequel and sees a film about the blues [More]

Matrix sequel loads up at the box office *
The sci-fi thriller The Matrix Reloaded sold $93.3-million (USD) worth of tickets in its first weekend of release across North America -- the second-best opening of all time behind Spider-Man, according to studio estimates issued yesterday. [More]

Mauled magician in critical condition *
Roy Horn, one half of the illusionist team Siegfried & Roy, remained hospitalized in critical condition on a ventilator Sunday, two days after one of his tigers mauled him during their nightly show. [More]

Mel Gibson defends The Passion *
Gibson insists his forthcoming film about Jesus Christ will "inspire, not offend" Catholics and Jews. [More]

Mercer wins Ustinov Award at Banff fest *
Political satirist Rick Mercer will be honoured next month at the Banff Television Festival. [More]

Merit found amid video-game mayhem *
Violence aside, researchers argue skills can be gained by playing regularly [More]

Michael Jackson pleads not guilty *
Circus atmosphere prevails as pop star is arraigned on child molestation charges; fans invited back to Neverland. [More]

Michael Jackson throws carnival bash *
Like a real-life Willy Wonka, Michael Jackson has announced plans to open his carnival-style Neverland Ranch estate to 500 guests. [More]

Michael Jackson to be charged this week *
Santa Barbara County prosecutors said they will file charges in the molestation case against Michael Jackson on Thursday or Friday, and they have hired a public-relations firm to handle the expected crush of news media inquiries. [More]

Michael Jackson's finances a mystery *
Michael Jackson, whose albums once generated tens of millions of dollars in sales, would like the world to believe he has a billion dollar fortune at his disposal. [More]

Michael Jackson's ranch searched by police *
Officers conducting a criminal investigation searched Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch on Tuesday. The purpose of the raid was not disclosed. [More]

Michael Jackson: Not as easy as ABC *
Michael Jackson appears in court Friday to battle allegations that he sexually abused a 13-year-old boy. Has his odd behaviour robbed him of the credibility he needs so badly? CHRISTOPHER REED reports. [More]

Michael Moore loves Alberta's nurses *
Canadian Distributor echoes his sentiments by offering free admission to all nurses across Canada, starting Monday, July 16, 2007. [More]

Mick Foley: Wrestling with his muse *
Mick Foley, known as Mankind on the WWE circuit, tells REBECCA CALDWELL that giving birth to his three books was more painful than being brutalized in the ring [More]

Mike Newell to direct new Harry Potter movie *
Mike Newell, the British director of Four Weddings and A Funeral will direct the fourth Harry Potter movie, Warner Bros. Pictures announced on Sunday. Filming will begin on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in April. [More]

Moore may crash Bush's party *
The ever-colourful filmmaker Michael Moore is rumoured to be on the guest list for this year's White House Correspondents dinner -- a development that would surely give his nemesis, George W. Bush, a severe case of heartburn. [More]

More Oscar screeners turn up on Internet *
Two additional movies sent to Oscar voters have surfaced on the Internet, with a screener copy of House of Sand and Fog briefly up for sale on an auction site and Cold Mountain available for downloading, studios said. [More]

Mostly Alt-Rock 101 *
Although the first pop stars to make the transition from concert halls to athletic arenas were true giants, the acts most commonly associated with the term "arena rock" were clearly of a lesser order. [More]

Move on over, Shania *
Albertan Terri Clark -- not Twain -- is the Canadian nominated for Nashville's best female artist this year, and five Canadian country-music awards as well [More]

Movie noise: Turn that fish down *
It's not the death of Bambi's mother that scares kids these days -- it's the noise level of movie soundtracks, which can spike louder than a jackhammer or a live rock show, LUMA MUHTADIE writes [More]

Movies: From June to September: It's the perfect story arc *
Looking at the long, hot summer-movie lineup, I see tentpoles and actioners, remakes and laffers, but what I don't see is an example of the most poignant kind of summer picture -- one about the transformative effects of summer itself. No other time of year is as mythic, and therefore as filmic. [More]

MTV Virtual Performance Movie Award goes to monster Gollum *
You don't have to exist to get an MTV Movie Award. [More]

Murder mysteries win awards in Vancouver *
Vancouver loves its retro murder mysteries. When the 21st annual Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards were handed out in Vancouver last night, The Fall (Electric Company) and The Cat Who Ate Her Husband (Ruby Slippers) shared the lion's share of awards in the small-theatre category. [More]

Music industry fights piracy on two fronts *
Nearly two years after it sued Napster into submission, the recording industry has discovered it's not enough to try to beat Internet music purveyors whose digital distribution techniques allow copyright violations. It also has to join them. [More]

Music industry to unveil amnesty offer *
The recording industry is expected to announce as early as next week an amnesty program for people who admit they illegally share music files across the Internet, promising not to sue them in exchange for their admission and pledge to delete the songs off their computers [More]

Myers leads pro-Toronto charge *
Comedian's visit to The Tonight Show precedes upcoming late-night appearances by Avril Lavigne, Dan Aykroyd and Jim Carrey [More]

Mystic River receives three SAG nominations *
Mystic River and The Station Agent each collected three Screen Actors Guild nominations on Thursday, including best ensemble cast. [More]

Naomi Campbell appeals to House of Lords *
Model Naomi Campbell went to the tradition-steeped House of Lords on Wednesday to try to win legal privacy rights for Britain's beleaguered celebrities. [More]

Nation of Islam takes role in Jackson's affairs *
Members of the Nation of Islam have begun playing a role in Michael Jackson's affairs, according to the Associated Press, although the controversial group denies having any official part in the pop star's life. [More]

Neil Young missed at Juno ceremony *
Some of Manitoba's most famous musicians were on display with the notable exception of Neil Young, who cancelled after he suffered a brain aneurysm, recently. [More]

Never mind the vinyl -- here's Ryko *
It's been 20 years since the upstart label led the charge of the digital age when it championed the CD, BRAD WHEELER writes. [More]

New Kidman & Paltrow flix at London Film Festival *
Two new films starring Nicole Kidman will be among the highlights of the Orange Film On The Square strand at this year's London Film Festival. [More]

Next season: What's hot and not *
Hardly anybody has seen the pilot episodes for the new American network shows and some haven't even been made yet. Network executives and some ad buyers have seen the pilots but their stamp of approval is no guarantee of quality. The same alleged experts have endorsed dozens of failures. [More]

Nickelback: Give the people what they want *
Nickelback has its critics, but it couldn't care less. Millions of fans love what they do, and the band isn't about to let them down [More]

Nickleback cups runneth over *
A Manitoba woman is collecting bras to toss at Nickelback when they perform here in March. [More]

Nina Simone dead at 70 *
Smoky-toned jazz and blues singer Nina Simone, who was called the High Priestess of Soul for the breadth of her sound and who helped give voice to the American civil-rights movement before she left the United States to escape racism, died yesterday at her home in France. She was 70. [More]

Nirvana song named best of last 25 years *
Here they are now, entertaining us — or at least entertaining VH1, which named Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" the greatest song of the past quarter-century. The Seattle band's groundbreaking grunge anthem is No. 1 on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Songs of the Past 25 Years." [More]

No. 2 Democrat gaining in California *
Lieutenant Governor picks up key support in the state's fragmented recall campaign [More]

Nokia, Kodak click cellphone-photo deal *
Nokia and Eastman Kodak Co. announced an agreement Monday aimed at making it easier for users of the Finnish company's mobile phones to store, print and share digital pictures. [More]

Not just another episode of Murder She Wrote *
Telefilm Canada turns down funding for Nick Orchard's screen adaptation of award-winning murder mystery [More]

Not so easy, is it? Re-enactment of Wright brothers flight fizzles *
One-hundred years after the Wright brothers' first flight, an attempt to re-create the moment failed Wednesday when a replica craft couldn't get off the ground and sputtered into the mud. [More]

Nycfashiongirl takes on recording industry *
Lawyers for a New York woman accused of unlawfully sharing music over the Internet suggested Tuesday the recording industry acted illegally when it investigated her on-line activities and that a search of music files on her computer may have been unconstitutional [More]

Oprah picked for jury duty *
Oprah Winfrey was picked to serve on a jury at Cook County Criminal Court... [More]

Oprah to keep talking for two more seasons *
Talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey has signed up to host her ratings-topping show for another two seasons, her production company said this week. [More]

Osbournes airing all summer long *
School's out, but The Osbournes are back in session. [More]

Osbournes lose a family member *
The Osbournes reality show has lost a member of the family. [More]

Oscar Nominations 2003 (for 2002 films) *
Read all the nominations here, plus quotes from key players... [More]

OSCAR UNWRAPPED (MacDonald) *
The jousting over jewellery, gowns and spa spots is well under way, as Oscar, who was denied maximum glitz last year, gets ready for a blowout party, GAYLE MacDONALD reports from Tinseltown. [More]

Oscar via the sip, shot and chug *
The Academy's taking the high road (yawn), but that doesn't mean the rest of us have to, JOHANNA SCHNELLER writes. [More]

Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman seriously injured in car accident *
Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman has been injured in what was called a "serious car accident" in Mississippi last night. [More]

Oscars saved as Hollywood writers' and Producers Reach 'Tentative Deal' *
Striking writers --who have manned picket lines since October -- could be back to work next week, breathing new hope and life into the 2008 Academy Awards show. [More]

Ottawa may allow sale of pot at pharmacies *
Under pressure from the courts to reform its medical-marijuana policy, Health Canada is considering a Dutch option in which marijuana would be made available to needy patients at the corner pharmacy. [More]

Ozzy leaves intensive care *
Rocker Ozzy Osbourne has been moved out of intensive care as he recovers from the crash of an all-terrain vehicle two weeks ago, his family said Tuesday. [More]

Ozzy Osbourne breathing on his own *
Musician Ozzy Osbourne is making good progress after his quad bike accident and is now able to breathe on his own, hospital officials said Monday. [More]

Ozzy Osbourne cancels British tour *
Ozzy Osbourne cancels British tour; aging rocker says he needs time to recover from motor-bike accident. [More]

Ozzy Osbourne cracks up *
Ozzy Osbourne was seriously injured Monday in an accident on the grounds of his estate in England and had emergency surgery, a spokeswoman said. [More]

Pact brings peace to the Seinfeld cast *
Resolution of a bitter conflict over royalties clears the way for the release of a DVD collection. [More]

Paltrow, Fiennes to perform 'Romeo and Juliet' scene *
Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes are to perform the famous balcony scene from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet before Prince Charles at a royal performance Monday. [More]

Paltrow, Martin wedding confirmed *
Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin are married, the Santa Barbara County clerk-recorder's office said. [More]

Paris Hilton Late Show...no-show *
Socialite Paris Hilton, star of an upcoming Fox reality series and an inadvertent Internet icon, is pulling out of her announced November 26 interview on David Letterman's Late Show. [More]

Penn suit to go forward *
A judge refused to dismiss key portions of a $10-million (US) lawsuit that Sean Penn filed, accusing a producer of reneging on a contract for the defunct movie Why Men Shouldn’t Marry. [More]

Pirates fastest movie to earn $300-million *
And Lady in the Water -- an adult fairy tale from Warner Bros. that took in $18.2-million -- was the weakest debut for writer-director M. Night Shyamalan in a string of wide releases since 1999 that included the blockbusters The Sixth Sense and Signs. [More]

Pirates tops box office for 3rd weekend *
Pirates passed the 300-million-dollar gross mark this weekend on its 16th day in theatres to become the first film in box office history to pass the milestone so quickly. [More]

Polanski wins 'video' suit against Vanity Fair *
Filmmaker Roman Polanski on Friday won his libel suit against Vanity Fair magazine over an article that accused him of propositioning a woman while on the way to the funeral of his murdered wife, Sharon Tate. [More]

Police may change security for next Jackson hearing *
Authorities in Santa Barbara County are considering security changes for Michael Jackson's next court date after hundreds of fans surged into the street last week to watch the pop star dance on top of his sport utility vehicle after his arraignment. [More]

Press conference rigged, producers say *
The producers of the heartwarming Anne of Green Gables TV shows alleged in court yesterday that author Lucy Maud Montgomery's heirs deliberately set out to torpedo a public offering by Sullivan Entertainment four years ago. [More]

Prime Minister Gross, I presume? *
Perhaps Canada's most famous Mountie, the actor is now shooting a political drama with Ottawa as his backdrop and Leslie Hope as his love interest. [More]

Prince's Trust concert rocks London *
Shania Twain, Beyonce Knowles, Craig David and David Gray were among a host of singers who took to the stage in London's Hyde Park for an open-air concert to raise money for disadvantaged children. [More]

Publicizing Lizzie (Grubman): Confidence meets commonness *
Lizzie Grubman's notoriety has made her a hero among a certain set, writes SIMON HOUPT. Now she's selling the secrets to success [More]

Radar: Not another 'celebrity kiss-ass magazine' *
Talk magazine survivor Maer Roshan launches Radar, SIMON HOUPT reports: "It's amazing what a guy can accomplish when he drops Tina Brown's name." [More]

Ragged standup needs clear focus *
Edmonton performer Sheldon Elter begins his one-man show Metis Mutt with a series of ghastly jokes about Indians, one-liners mocking drunken, unemployed welfare bums. [More]

Rappers can't shake the booty *
The bling-bling of fabulous riches and more fabulous babes is supposed to be passé. Look again [More]

Ratings up 17 per cent for Oscars *
They slew beasts, toppled tyrants and destroyed a ring of ultimate evil, becoming lords of the Academy Awards for their troubles. [More]

Real-life toxic drama hits TV's 90210 school *
Brockovich's firm files class-action suits on behalf of sick Beverly Hills students. [More]

Record industry to target uploaders *
Large-scale file swappers may face litigation, but downloading for personal use not CRIA's main concern. [More]

Report urges tighter, simpler CanCon rules *
Canadian content regulations in television and film are "inadequate" and require substantial changes, says a report commissioned by the Heritage Department. [More]

Ring riches devoured by Tyson *
Document reveals spending of ex-champ, including $300,000 in limousine rides [More]

Robert Stack, 84 *
Robert Stack, whose granite-eyed stare and menacing baritone spelled trouble for fictional criminals in TV’s The Untouchables and real ones in Unsolved Mysteries, died at his home. He was 84. [More]

Rodney Dangerfield in coma *
Rodney Dangerfield has been in a coma for a couple of weeks after undergoing heart surgery, but has begun to show some awareness, his wife said Monday. [More]

Roger Ebert diagnosed with cancer again *
Famed film critic Roger Ebert is undergoing cancer surgery for the fourth time. [More]

Roger Ebert to undergo cancer treatment *
Film critic Roger Ebert has a cancerous tumour in his salivary gland and will receive radiation treatment, the Chicago Sun-Times reported on Wednesday. [More]

Roll over Beethoven: The VSO is adding video *
Screens will show close-ups of conductor and soloists, ALEXANDRA GILL writes [More]

Ruling the world without a martini *
The legendary stage actress has battled more than her share of demons, writes SARAH HAMPSON. Still, at 77, it's as if she's in an arm wrestle with life [More]

Russian drama tops at Venice Film Festival *
An intense Russian father-and-son drama, The Return, won the Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion for best picture Saturday, though first-time director Andrey Zvyagintsev remained shaken by the death of the 15-year-old star of the movie. [More]

Ryan Adams: B or no B, that is the question *
The parallels between Ryan and Bryan Adams are eerie and impossible to ignore, BRAD WHEELER writes. [More]

Salter Street Films to close *
As Salter Streets Films Ltd. co-founder Paul Donovan says, he's in "an incredibly good mood" as the small Halifax production company prepares to close it doors only a few months after winning an Academy Award. [More]

Salter Street gets shuttered *
Salter Street Films, the small Oscar-winning Halifax-based production company behind This Hour Has 22 Minutes, will be shut down permanently early next year. [More]

Salter Street Productions: The day the boss yelled 'Cut!' *
Pondering the demise of his Salter Street Productions, Michael Donovan says, 'I feel deeply upset and sad.' [More]

SARS Escape: Truth to tell *
It's hardly an escape from reality, but the Hot Docs film festival does offer Toronto a 10-day respite from its own problems [More]

SARS hasn't scared most stars -- yet *
Major artists are still honouring their commitments to Toronto audiences, but there's no question the SARS outbreak and World Health Organization advisories are starting to affect the city's arts and culture scene. [More]

Schwarzenegger films could trigger FCC equal time rule *
Arnold Schwarzenegger's foray into California's gubernatorial recall election poses a dilemma for broadcasters who might be tempted to show his films during the race: Doing so would allow rival candidates to demand equal time. [More]

Schwarzenegger skips California recall debate *
Arnold Schwarzenegger was a no-show at the initial debate of California's recall election yesterday, and delivered what was billed as his first major campaign speech, getting pelted with an egg as he waded through a crowd at a college campus. [More]

Seminal moments on the festival circuit *
From Newport and Monterey to Woodstock and Lollapalooza, JAMES ADAMS offers a guide to the past 50 years... [More]

Shaw Festival: Stars rise to the occasion *
The Shaw Festival is enjoying a rich season in its Court House Theatre, where traditionally the company programs its more risky work. Widowers' Houses and Diana of Dobson's only fall into that category because the scripts are lesser known; both plays turned out to be bracing social comedies. [More]

Shhh! It's conspiracy talk radio *
Some blame the Internet, but aliens could be behind it. MICHAEL POSNER reports on why talk shows about government plots, space invasions and other things that go bump in the night are booming on radio [More]

Shiloh and her proud parents *
Here's a look at Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt. [More]

Shrek 3 tops weekend box office with $122 million *
After ruling the box office for two weekends, Sony's Spider-Man 3 slipped to second place with $28.5 million, raising its domestic total to $281.9 million. [More]

Shy 'Bennifer' sacrifices altar *
Even Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are sick of hearing about their wedding [More]

Simon and Garfunkel reunite *
Dusting the cobwebs off their friendship, the folk-rock duo Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel announced on Tuesday they were reuniting for a concert tour of North America this fall. [More]

Simpsons humans want more d'oh *
— Homer and the rest of The Simpsons are holding out for more “d'oh.” [More]

Singer's son spars with CBC over documentary *
Simon Collins threatens to sue over the way he is portrayed in a film about children of stars [More]

Six Feet Under lands on top *
Six Feet Under was six feet tall at this year's Emmy Award nominations. [More]

Sorkin a casualty of prime-time ratings warfare *
News of the departure of Aaron Sorkin from The West Wing got a lot of attention last week, mainly because the show really matters to media people. The coverage tended to concentrate on declining ratings and rumours of budget problems, and the speculation was that these were the main reasons for Sorkin's decision to quit. [More]

Sorkin leaving The West Wing *
Saying it’s time to take on new challenges, Aaron Sorkin has announced he is leaving NBC’s The West Wing, the Emmy-winning White House drama he created four years ago. [More]

Sounds familiar: Record companies lure customers *
Record companies are re-releasing recent CDs with 'bonus' material in hopes of drawing customers back into stores [More]

Spellbound: Sleeper spells success for offbeat doc ****
Financed on credit cards, Spellbound has taken a surreal journey to box-office hit [