'Collateral' tops U.S. box office
HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- "Collateral," distributed by DreamWorks, grossed $24 million and topped the U.S. box office in its debut week, estimated the Web site boxofficemojo.com.
Buena Vista's "The Village" added $16 million to its box office of $86 million.
Universal's "The Bourne Supremacy" added $14 million to its box office of $124 million.
"The Manchurian Candidate," distributed by Paramount, added $11 million to its box office of $39 million.
"Little Black Book," distributed by Sony Revolution, grossed $7 million in its premier week.
Fox's "I, Robot" added $6.3 million to its box office of $127 million.
Sony's "Spider-Man 2" added $5.5 million to its box office of $355 million.
New Line's "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" added $3.2 million to its box office of $12 million.
"A Cinderella Story," distributed by Warner Bros., added $3 million to its box office of $47 million.
"Catwoman" added $2.9 million to its box office of $36 million.
Spike Lee says movie is a moral compass
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Director Spike Lee says in his new U.S. movie "She Hate Me," half of the lesbians screening the movie liked it and half did not.
"Interestingly," Lee told Newsweek. "the half who liked it were lesbians of color. I was talking to Rebecca Walker, Alice Walker's daughter, and she said that lesbians of color are probably more apt to entertain (the idea of sex with a man)."
In the movie, lead character Jack Armstrong, played by Anthony Mackie, is a vice president at a pharmaceutical company. He's fired for being a whistleblower on his corrupt bosses.
With no job, he accepts an offer from ex-fiancee turned lesbian Fatima, played by Kerry Washington, to impregnate her so she and her girlfriend, Alex, played by Dania Ramirez, can have a child. Later, Jack earns $10,000 a pop for impregnating lesbians.
"He had to have morals -- scruples, ethics -- to blow the whistle. But when you blow the whistle, they're going to come after you, there's going to be ramifications," Lee said. "And then you're forced to switch to survival mode, and your moral compass goes askew."
Niece of Julia Roberts to make TV debut
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Thirteen-year-old Emma Roberts, niece of U.S. actress Julia Roberts, makes her television debut as Addie Singer, in Nickelodeon's "Unfabulous."
Emma Roberts plays an awkwardly adorable teen who uses music to navigate day-to-day life and the trials of adolescence. She's a typical teen with one exception: her penchant for sometimes silly, but poignant song-writing. The show premiers, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) as part of the new TEENick line-up.
"Roberts brings this character to life with just the right balance of comedy, quirkiness and heart as Addie journeys down the bumpy road of adolescence," said Cyma Zarghami, president, Nickelodeon Television.
"In a familiar mark of teen life, Addie's pendulum swings back and forth everyday between being fabulous and being unfabulous as she tries to discover who she really is."
The teen actress was cast as the daughter of Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz in the 2001 box office hit "Blow." She also starred in the Sundance short film "Big Love" and appeared in a lead role in "Grand Champion," an independent feature film scheduled for release in summer 2004.
