Ben Affleck's 'Argo' wins top Golden Tomato awards
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. actor-director Ben Affleck's political thriller "Argo" was the best-reviewed wide-release film of 2012, said website Rotten Tomatoes.
The aggregator of film reviews said "Argo" received a 96 percent positive rating, based on 253 reviews. In addition to scooping up the Golden Tomato Award for best-reviewed film in wide release, the movie was also named best thriller.
With a 99 percent positive rating based on 146 reviews, Jafar Panahi's Iranian documentary "This is Not a Film" was presented the Golden Tomato awards for best-reviewed film in limited release, as well as best foreign film.
"Skyfall" won Golden Tomatoes for best action/adventure film and best U.K. release with 92 percent positive reviews, while "The Secret World of Arrietty" won in the animation category with 94 percent positive reviews.
"Bernie" won for best comedy with 91 percent, "Marvel's the Avengers" for best comic book adaptation with 92 percent, "Coriolanus" for best drama with 94 percent, "The Cabin in the Woods" for best horror flick with 92 percent, "Moonrise Kingdom" best romance with 94 percent and "Looper" for best sci-fi/fantasy with 93 percent.
Eddie Murphy's "A Thousand Words" was presented with the Moldy Tomato for worst-reviewed film of 2012. It earned zero percent positive reviews.
Report: J.J. Abrams to direct 'Star Wars' sequel
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- Hollywood director-producer J.J. Abrams has signed on to helm the seventh "Star Wars" film for Disney, TheWrap reported.
Abrams is the mastermind behind TV's "Fringe," "Lost" and "Alias." He also has directed blockbuster installments in the "Mission Impossible" and "Star Trek" film franchises.
He has been floated as a possible director of the next "Star Wars" flick since writer-director-producer George Lucas announced last year he sold his Lucasfilm studio to Disney, and more "Star Wars" movies are on the way.
Abrams previously denied to EW.com plans to take over the classic sci-fi series, but TheWrap said Thursday he has since had a change of heart.
"Little Miss Sunshine" scribe Michael Arndt is writing the script for the next "Star Wars," which is set for theatrical release in 2015.
Matt Damon 'kidnaps' Jimmy Kimmel, takes over show
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- Actor Matt Damon took over Jimmy Kimmel's Los Angeles chat show Thursday night, tying his faux rival to a chair and interviewing his celebrity guests.
"Since the beginning of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' in 2003, the late-night host has made it a nightly tradition to 'bump' Matt Damon from his show, explaining that unfortunately he's run out of time for the A-list star. The two men have a decade long history of taunting each other," ABC said in a tongue-in-cheek news release before the show aired. "Now Damon has taken matters into his own hands. The Oscar winner accepted Kimmel's invitation to finally be a guest on his show tonight, but then arrived at the 'JKL' studio this morning and promptly took Kimmel hostage."
"There's a new host in town and his initials are M.D.," Damon told the studio audience at the beginning of the show. "That's right, the doctor is in."
"I've been waiting for this moment for a long, long time," Damon said during his monologue after the opening credits. "This is like when I lost my virginity, except this is going to last way longer than one second. ...
"I am in command of this ship," he told the audience.
Gesturing to Kimmel, who had his tie stuffed in his mouth, Damon said, "You have never been funnier."
Among the superstars who dropped by the show while Damon was in charge and Kimmel was incapacitated were Damon's "Good Will Hunting" co-star Robin Williams, his best friend Ben Affleck and Sarah Silverman, Kimmel's ex-girlfriend.
Singer Marc Anthony and model Shannon de Lima break up
NEW YORK, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- Marc Anthony's publicist says the U.S. singer has ended his year-long romance with model Shannon de Lima.
"Marc is no longer dating model Shannon de Lima," his representative Blanca Lasalle told People.com. "The amicable breakup became official right in mid-January."
"The truth is they have been having a great time together, but it no longer worked," a source told the celebrity magazine.
"Marc is in a good place," the insider said. "Sometimes things work out and sometimes they don't."
Anthony has two children with his ex-wife Jennifer Lopez.
