"HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2" SHATTERS BOX OFFICE RECORDS

Still from Harry Potter 7: Part 2

No surprises here! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows obliterates the competition this weekend for Warner Bros., taking in $168.6 million in its debut. The final installment of the Harry Potter franchise set a record for biggest single Box Office day ever, with $92.1 million on Friday.  It also broke the three-day weekend record held by 2008's The Dark Night, with $158 million - another Warner Bros. release. Above this, the Film universally has received praise, garnering an exceptional 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.  Expect this one to be a major player at the Oscars next year.  Read my Interview with star Matthew Lewis here.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon still continues to do exceptionally well, slipping to second this week with $23.5 million, ahead of Horrible Bosses with $17.5 million, which also is still going strong in its second week in the theatres, earning $59.8 million to-date. Read my Interview with Jason Sudeikis here. Meanwhile, Zookeeper finds itself in fourth this weekend with $12.5 million for Sony Pictures.

Disney's Winnie the Pooh debuts in sixth despite some really strong reviews, with $7.5 million.  Perhaps its opening up against Harry Potter wasn't the best in hindsight? Or was there simply not enough  buzz surrounding it?

Interestingly, Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris still sits in the Top Ten with $1.8 million this weekend in its ninth week of release.  The Comedy has become Allen's most commercially successful Film of all time with a total $41.7 million earned in North America.

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS LIVES UP TO ITS NAME IN DEBUT

Still from X-Men - First Class

X-Men: First Class had a first-in-class opening weekend at the Box Office, taking in $53 million from  3,641 theatres for 20th Century Fox.  Although a solid opening, this is considered weak for a Marvel Comics adaptation.   Reviews however, have been strong for the Film starring an Oscar-caliber Cast of Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence and Rose Byrne.  Rotten Tomatoes pegs it at 87% on its Tomatometer.

The Hangover Part II is still going strong in its second week, slipping to second with $35 million after a record-setting opening.  It is v. close to surpassing the $200 million mark domestically.

Meanwhile, Kung Fu Panda 2 continues to perform strong in third with $22 million this weekend in its second week, putting it just ahead of former Box Office-topper Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides in fourth with $16.5 million in its third week of release.

Bridesmaids just surpassed the $100 million-mark in earnings this weekend in fifth spot with $12 million (a second Movie in the Top Ten for Byrne) and more notably, Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris in Limited Release (147 theatres) is performing well in eighth spot with $2.4 million.

"THE HANGOVER PART II" SHATTERS BOX OFFICE RECORD

Still from The Hangover Part II

Congratulations, Warner Bros.! The Hangover Part II officially has shattered Box Office Records, becoming the highest opening R-rated Comedy of all time. Opening Thursday night with an eye-popping $31.6 million alone, the Wolf Pack are expected to make $107 million by Sunday and $139 by the end of U.S. Memorial Day Weekend. Despite poor reviews overall on Rotten Tomatoes (35%), CinemaScore rated the Film an "A" still.

Kung Fu Panda 2 was expected to give The Hangover Part II a run for its money, but in the end failed to threaten even though it performed well, with a projected take of $56 million by Sunday and $65 million over a five-day weekend.

After a superb debut, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is still going strong, estimated to take-in $50 million by Sunday. Bridesmaids follows behind in fourth with $20.6 million. To-date the Comedy has brought in $89.3 million in three weeks. Meanwhile, Thor finds itself in fifth this Memorial Day Weekend with $12 million.

Woody Allen's latest Midnight in Paris showing in only 58 theatres, lands in ninth spot in its second week of release with $2.2 million. The Rom-Com starring Rachel McAdams, Owen Wilson, Michael Sheen and Marion Cotillard will continue to expand in coming weeks.

"MIDNIGHT IN PARIS" WINS RAVES AT CANNES

Still from Midnight in Paris

They love it! Woody Allen's new Film Midnight in Paris with an all-star Cast of Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Marion Cotillard and more, just premiered as the opening night Gala at the Cannes Film Festival.

Thus far, reactions seem to be positive. Todd McCarthy at The Hollywood Reporter calls the Film "as beguiling as a stroll around Paris on a warm spring evening" and Jeffrey Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere states that it is a "relatively minor piece that works very well by way of charm and humour". Lookin' good! 

Yes, this is the Film responsible for McAdams and Sheen meeting and falling in love!

Midnight in Paris opens in theatres through Sony Pictures Classics May 20, 2011.

See Photos from its Press Conference held earlier today right here at Zimbio.

(Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics)

RACHEL MCADAMS AND CHANNING TATUM ON THE SET OF THE VOW IN TORONTO

Rachel McAdams & Mr. Will-W.

Canada's sweetheart Rachel McAdams, as many of you are aware, is back in her hometown of Toronto shooting Michael Sucsy's The Vow. Although we've seen plenty of her handsome co-star Channing Tatum around town, McAdams has been pretty low-key. There have been only been a few Twitter reports of McAdams these past couple weeks riding her Bike through Yorkville, or going out for a stroll in Kensington Market.

I went by this evening to visit the set of The Vow in the city's Financial District, where they were taking advantage of the reduced traffic with it being Labour Day. McAdams looked absolutely gorgeous sporting a red-haired wig and a navy blue dress, heading back and forth between her Trailer and the Set. And thanks to a wonderful sweetheart on the Crew, I was lucky enough to chat with the talented actress and snap a photo together before she headed out for the day. 

Upon being escorted under an Umbrella, she was all smiles coming over to greet a few young ladies also who were waiting earlier in the day and myself.  I gave McAdams a big hug and told her how proud I was of her and how much she's accomplished; graciously she accepted the compliment appearing genuinely touched and appreciative.   I did express my excitement to see her next projects: Morning Glory (opposite Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford) and Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. The latter just wrapped-up a couple weeks ago and it seems she didn't get much of a breather between films. And of course, we both giggled about how much we love Allen, but she did whisper to me that unfortunately he'll only be here for a few hours this Sunday for his TIFF Gala for You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger. Could this possibly be a hint that we'll see McAdams there too?  

RACHEL MCADAMS FILMING IN PARIS

Canada's Sweetheart Rachel McAdams is currently in Paris filming Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris and she is seen here reuniting with missing-in-action Owen Wilson after last being seen together in the 2005 hit The Wedding Crashers.  The film with an all-star cast including Michael Sheen (!), Kathy Bates, Marion Cotillard (!) and many more, is about a young American couple who travel to Paris and realize that the grass might actually be greener on the other side of the Atlantic.

Allen, Cotillard and McAdams are all scheduled to be in the city this September during TIFF. Perhaps we might see them out and about partying with one another?

Well, one thing's for sure - McAdams better hurry back as she's scheduled to start filming in Toronto next week alongside Hunk-of-the-Masses Channing Tatum, for upcoming project The Vow!  The Sony Screen Gems drama is about a young couple who get into a tragic car accident, with one of them experiencing severe memory loss.  Expect a "sighting" here soon.

(Photo credit: Fame Pictures/Pacific Coast News Online)

CANNES FILM FESTIVAL TITLES ANNOUNCED

Director Doug Liman's Fair Game will be among many future Oscar-contending films at this year's 63rd Cannes Film Festival  to be held May 12-23, 2010.  The film stars Sean Penn and Naomi Watts, who will be appearing together yet again after garnering critical success in The Assasination of Richard Nixon and 21 Grams previously.  The political drama is about CIA agent Valerie Plame, who is exposed by White House Officials after he wrote a New York Times piece with incriminating evidence against the Bush administration and its decision to invade Iraq.  Heavy stuff. 

The story inspired 2008's Nothing But The Truth starring Vera Farmiga and Kate Beckinsale, but Liman's film is the actual real deal.  Watts has a second film, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, which also is the latest film from legendary Woody Allen.  It also stars Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, Freida Pinto and Josh Brolin.  Hmm, gee... I wonder who will be cast as the Tall Dark Stranger in this one?  Could it be sexy MANtonio?

PRODUCT WATCH: DYLAN'S CANDY BAR - THE "it" BAR

Dylan Lauren definitely needed money to make money, but she had a vision and business savvy.  She is the founder of now the world's largest candy store, Dylan's Candy Bar.  The daughter of fashion tycoon Ralph Lauren majored in Art History at Duke University and incorporated her expertise into her products, creating a very distinct and unique aesthetic.  She claims to have been inspired also by seeing Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory with her father as a child.

Hype aside, Lauren has some pretty amazing chocolate bars, my favourite being The "it" Bar with a 33% Milk Chocolate base and savoury, mildly spicy Jalapeño bits.  OMG.  So effin' good. The $6 CAN chocolate bar comes beautifully wrapped in silver foil and a cleanly designed casing with an embossed logo.  Other varieties include Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt, Milk Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs and Coffee and Dark Chocolate Layered With Milk Chocolate.

And it's not just me who's a huge fan of Dylan's Candy Bar products, David Beckham, Mika and Woody Allen are among her more famous clientele.  Lauren has also branched into fashion and beauty products at her store.  You can visit her official website for the full catalogue of products.  For those of you in Canada, you can find Dylan's Candy Bar at select Holt Renfrew locations, which is where I got Lauren to pose graciously for the above pic back on her Toronto visit last month.  Isn't she cute?