'Eagle Eye' has a view from the top
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- The action thriller "Eagle Eye" debuted at No. 1 in U.S. movie theaters this weekend, Box Office Mojo said Sunday.
The film, starring Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan, pulled in an estimated $29.2 million in its first weekend.
No. 2 was another new offering, "Nights in Rodanthe." The romantic drama starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane, grossed an estimated $13.57 million.
Last week's top movie, "Lakeview Terrace," slipped to No. 3 with $7 million in ticket sales.
"Fireproof," a drama about a firefighter trying to save his marriage," opened at No. 4. The new release, written and directed by Alex Kendrick, had $6.51 million in ticket sales.
Next up were "Burn After Reading," $6.17 million; "Igor," 45.5 million; "Righteous Kill," $3.803 million; and "My Best Friend's Girl," $3.8 million.
Opening at No. 9 was "Miracle at St. Anna," a Spike Lee effort about four black U.S. soldiers during World War II, with $3.5 million in sales.
Completing the Top 10 was "Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys," down from sixth at $3.16 million.
Falling out of the top tier were "Ghost Town," "The Women" and "The Dark Knight," which spent 10 weeks among the leaders, at $1.66 million.
Moss portrait sold for $62,000
LONDON, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- A self-portrait by British model Kate Moss marked with blood from her ex-lover, rocker Pete Doherty, has sold for nearly $62,000, The Sunday Telegraph reports.
The British newspaper said the Moss portrait, which the model drew in lipstick and features her lip imprint in lipstick and blood stains on the canvas offered by Doherty, was purchased by an unidentified buyer after it failed to attract any bids during a London auction.
The portrait created by Moss was initially owned by Doherty, who adorned it with the words: "Who needs blood when you've got lipstick?"
The rocker later sold the piece to an anonymous buyer, who decided to auction the portrait off Saturday at the London auction house Lyon & Turnbull.
While the portrait did not earn any bids during the auction, it was purchased following the show by a buyer whose identity was not revealed, the Telegraph said.
The Telegraph said a Doherty self-portrait also failed to generate any bids when it went on the auction block this weekend. That item was autographed in Doherty's blood.
Maher: Religion a comedy smorgasbord
NEW YORK, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- TV comedian Bill Maher says it was easy to generate material for his new movie "Religulous" because religion is innately funny to him.
The host of "Real Time with Bill Maher" said while "Religulous" will likely create controversy when released this week, he is happy to have finally created a film based on one of his favorite comedic topics, the New York Post reported Sunday.
"Religion makes me laugh, and it should make you laugh, because it's a side of a barn, comedically," he told the newspaper. "If you can't hit the folks who believe in the talking snake and the man who lived in the whale and the raining frogs and the walking on water -- it just goes on and on."
When asked if the documentary-style movie on most major religions could impact his ongoing HBO series, Maher told the Post he is no stranger to controversy.
"Probably not more than I've already had to endure," he said regarding potential fallout from "Religulous," which opens Wednesday. "We don't get many guests that other shows routinely do, and that's partly because of things I say that are a little too controversial to even associate with."
Hudson to issue first album
NEW YORK, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- "Dreamgirls" star Jennifer Hudson says she will soon release her first album in the United States, which she says will show her in "a different way."
Hudson said when her self-titled album is released nationwide this week, most people will likely not think of it as her first musical offering due, in part, to the success of the "Dreamgirls" film, the New York Post reported Sunday.
"Everyone thinks this is my second or third album. It's been a long journey," Hudson said of Tuesday's release. "I'm using this album as a platform to introduce myself in a different way."
Hudson said winning a best supporting actress Academy Award for her singing performance in "Dreamgirls" and enjoying a role in this summer's "Sex and the City" film made it difficult to finish her debut album.
"It took over a year and a half to complete the album because of all the film stuff," she told the Post. "The success of the movies has been great. But now I feel a lot of pressure to live up to what I've done, with the awards and all."
Proposed 'Runway' network move blocked
NEW YORK, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- The proposed move of the TV series "Project Runway" from Bravo to the Lifetime network has been temporarily blocked by a New York judge's ruling.
New York State Supreme Court Judge Richard B. Lowe III ruled in favor of NBC Universal, granting the studio that owns the Bravo network a preliminary injunction in the proposed network shift of the popular reality series, The New York Times reported Saturday.
NBC Universal officials allege the Weinstein Co., which owns "Runway," never gave the NBC group a chance to counter the offer from Lifetime officials.
The judge's ruling poses a major problem for Lifetime executives, who had been prepared to premiere the fifth season of the fashion-based series Jan. 7 and create related spin-off series.
The injunction not only forbids the cable network from airing the series, but from offering any kind of "Runway" promotions or creating other series based on the show.
The Times said the Weinstein Co. plans to appeal.
