"LIMITLESS" ACHIEVES BOX OFFICE PERFECTION

Still from Limitless

Just as its Hero reaches perfection with a Miracle Drug, Limitless does the same at the Box Office this weekend debuting on-top with $19 million for Relativity Media/Rogue in the U.S. and Alliance Films in Canada. This is Bradley Cooper's fourth Film to debut at the number one spot in two years, others include He's Just Not That Into You, The Hangover and Valentine's Day. Another Film, The A-Team debuted at number two.

Rango, which debuted on-top two weeks ago is still hanging strong, placing second in its third week of release. The Animated Feature from Paramount brought in $15.5 million, just ahead of last week's number one, Battle: Los Angeles with $14.5 million.

Matthew McConaughey-headlining The Lincoln Lawyer which continues to win raves with 80% on the Tomatometer at Rotten Tomatoes, debuts in fourth for Summit Entertainment with $13.6 million from 2,707 theatres, just ahead of Alien-Comedy Paul which lands in fifth also in its debut for Universal.

Red Riding Hood in its second week slips to sixth with $7.3 million, bringing its total to $26 million and appearing to under-perform domestically. It has yet to open overseas, where likely it will fare better for Warner Bros.

"BATTLE: LOS ANGELES" A CLEAR CHAMPION AT BOX OFFICE

Still from Battle: Los Angeles

Sony Pictures gets their fourth consecutive number one Film of 2011 with Battle: Los Angeles debuting with an impressive $36 million at the Box Office this weekend. The Alien Invasion Film was made for $70 million and looks well on its way to making that back despite overall negative reviews.

Rango after an impressive opening, does well in its second week with $23 million, slipping only one spot. To date it has made $68.6 million domestically for Paramount Pictures.

Debuting below expectations is Warner Bros.' Red Riding Hood which perhaps didn't cater to a male demographic as much as Battle: Los Angeles. It made only $14 million despite high hopes, although it was made for $42 million and surely will recoup this over the next few weeks.

Former Box Office topper The Adjustment Bureau is still going strong in fourth spot in its third week of release with $12 million made this weekend. It has made $39 million thus far.

Disney's Mars Needs Moms debuts in fifth this weekend with only $7 million earned. It was made for a budget of $150 million.  Perhaps its advertising campaign didn't clearly sell the Film as in all honesty I had no movie was about after seeing its Trailer multiple times.  Yikes.

Best Picture winner The King's Speech slips to ninth this week in its 16th week of release, earning a total $129 million in these parts - likely its final week on the Top Ten. An impressive run for a fantastic Film.

INTERVIEW: CATHERINE HARDWICKE, DIRECTOR OF "TWILIGHT" AND "RED RIDING HOOD" | SIGNED PHOTO GIVEAWAY

Catherine Hardwicke in Toronto - March 2011

Known commercially as the Most Successful Female Director of all time, Catherine Hardwicke would appear to have a lot - pardon the pun - riding on her re-imagination of The Brothers Grimm classic, Red Riding Hood. After surprisingly opting not to sign-on for the second Film in The Twilight Saga franchise due to the rushed demands of its studio, many are wondering: will Catherine Hardwicke be able to replicate her success without that franchise?

Sitting down to chat with Hardwicke recently during the Toronto stopoff of her promotional tour for Red Riding Hood, the Architect-turned-Production Designer-turned Filmmaker sure had me fooled if there was an inkling of pressure. The effervescent Texas native walked into the room all smiles, apologizing for running behind schedule in one of many interviews she had slated for the day.  "Ooh, that`s cute!", she said as she  admired a Paul Smith-designed Limited Edition bottle of Evian on the table.

Despite Red Riding Hood being Hardwicke`s fifth time directing a Feature Film with critical successes Lords of Dogtown and moreso Thirteen on her Résumé, this is the first project which allowed her to incorporate her talents as an Architect and an Artist into her Filmmaking. "When I first arrived in Hollywood I was so naïve and thought they only wanted creative people.  I thought I could be like Tim Burton and just do whatever I wanted", she  giggles.  Incorporating her artistic vision into the Film wasn`t an easy feat though as  Hardwicke had to draft various images, paintings and drawings and present them to the studio, "Essentially, I had to sell Warner Bros. on their own project", she admits.

RED RIDING HOOD - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from Red Riding Hood

Catherine Hardwicke has a lot - pardon the pun - riding on her re-imagining of Red Riding Hood after much criticism for the first Film in The Twilight Saga series.  She does however, step up to the challenge and prevails in her darker take on The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale.

Amanda Seyfried stars in the role of Valerie, a Girl in the village of Daggerhorn who is caught between two lovers - one aristocratic in Henry (Max Irons, son of Jeremy) and one whom she loves by choice in Peter (Shiloh Fernandez). After her Sister is found dead at the paws of a Wolf which terrorizes her Village, soon we learn that it has its eyes on her with the intentions of taking her away. Valerie is frightened to learn that she is in fact able to communicate with the Wolf and after this is uncovered, she is accused of being a Witch.

Unsure of its true identity and desperate to rid of the Wolf, the Village calls upon the corrupt and tyrannical Father Solomon (Gary Oldman), who reveals that the Wolf actually can manifest itself in human form as long as it bites its Victim before the end of the Blood Moon (the first Full Moon after the Harvest Moon). As the Village grows mad with paranoia as the deadly Wolf ever-presently lurks in the background, we wonder whether the Wolf's true identity ever will be unveiled and whether or not Valerie will escape from it unharmed. All the while, with both her Suitors risking their lives to protect her, we want to know who she will choose as her Lover, Henry or Peter?

GEMMA ARTERTON & JEREMY RENNER CAST IN "HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER"

Gemma Arterton at TIFF 2010

Gemma Arterton and Oscar-nominated Actor Jeremy Renner are confirmed to star in Paramount Pictures' upcoming twist on The Brothers Grimm's classic Hansel and Gretel.  According to Entertainment Weekly, the upcoming Fantasy Film, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters picks-up with the Siblings as adults, having escaped the Evil Witch who captured them as children. 

Previously, Noomi Rapace from the popular Swedish franchise The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was considered also for the role of Gretel but it was lovely and kind-hearted Brit Arterton who proved victorious in the end.  This should be a huge breakout role for the actress who appears on-the-verge of something big.

Will Ferrell among others, will be in the Producer's Chair, while Norwegian Director Tommy Wirkola will be helming the project.

AMANDA SEYFRIED IN "RED RIDING HOOD"

Still from Red Riding Hood

Last night while reviewing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I saw the Official Trailer for Red Riding Hood starring Amanda Seyfried and it looks beautiful. Shot pretty much in the same style/tone as Twilight, Director Catherine Hardwicke appears to be applying a thing or two to this one.

The dark adaption of the classic story Rotkäppche by The Brothers Grimm looks sexy and terrifying, also boasting a cast that includes Virginia Madsen and Gary Oldman.  I can foresee this one actually doing rather well and with Leonardo DiCaprio's name listed as Executive Producer, how can this fail? Warner Bros. will be relasing Red Riding Hood, which hits theatres March 11, 2011.

In the meantime, while we're awaiting its release we'll have to settle for this little bite of Red Delicious below: