"TRUE GRIT" EXPECTED TO TAKE TOP OF BOX OFFICE

Still from True Grit

In a tight finish for a third consecutive week, True Grit and Little Fockers duke it out Cowboy style at the Box Office. True Grit based on preliminary numbers from Friday, is expected to take the top spot with $13.5 million. Two-week champion Little Fockers, is expected to land in second with $13.2 million although it could well take top spot after final tallies come in tomorrow.  Screeners have already floated online as illegal downloads for True Grit, not impacting its Box Office performance.

Season of the Witch, which critically has been-panned, the latest in a series of Box Office and critical failures from Oscar winner Nicolas Cage, is expected to bring in $9.2 million, good enough for third spot in its debut. Rotten Tomatoes has pegged the Film at 1% on the Tomatometer. Pathetic.

Sony Screen Gems' Country Strong also failed to impress the Critics despite high hopes, but doesn't disgrace itself in its debut with $7.5 million in fourth. Keep in mind that it only opened in 1,424 theatres versus Season of the Witch which is showing in 2,816 theatres.

COUNTRY STRONG - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from Country Strong

In what might more aptly be named Country Weak, Shana Feste-written and directed Musical Drama Country Strong falls short of expectations. Misleadingly advertised as something resembling a heart-warming story of fictitious Country singer Kelly Canter's (Gwyneth Paltrow) return to triumph from a battle with Depression and Alcoholism, the finished product is about as empty as its defeated Heroine's soul. There is little to root for here in Kelly as her character is written so thinly and one-dimensional that Paltrow's best efforts to bring her to life prove futile.

Country Strong follows Kelly after she suffers a Miscarriage from a fall on-stage while performing drunk in Houston, at five months pregnant. Managed by Husband James (Tim McGraw), her marriage is on-the-rocks with her having an obvious affair with hired-hand and aspiring Musician Beau (Garrett Hedlund). All the while, James takes beautiful and talented Beauty Queen Chiles (Leighton Meester) under his wing, threatening Kelly's place as his lover and Country Music's Darling also. Beau and Chiles follow the troubled singer on her ill-fated Tour one year later, realizing their own attraction to one another, as Kelly hopes to make amends for her disgraced Houston performance, all the while trying to overcome her own demons.

GWYNETH PALTROW TO HOST "SNL" A THIRD TIME



Gwyneth Paltrow at TIFF 2005

Somebody needs to give Gwyneth Paltrow's Agent a raise because the Actress/Singer/Tastemaker is front and center again suddenly. With Country Strong hitting theatres this Friday, Paltrow will also be filling hosting duties on the Saturday, January 15, 2011 episode of NBC's Saturday Night Live. Musical Guest for the evening will be Cee Lo, whose most recent hit Fuck You, she covered recently on Glee in cleaned-up form. I suppose we can expect a musical collaboration that night too?

This coming appearance actually will be Paltrow's third time hosting the show. She hosted for the first time back in 1999 alongside the Barenaked Ladies and again in 2001 with Mandy Moore's now-husband Ryan Adams. She also appeared twice uncredited on episodes back in 2000 with then-boyfriend Ben Affleck and again with Tom Green hosting.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

REVIEWS COME IN FOR "COUNTRY STRONG"

Still from Country Strong

One of the Films I am most excited to see right now actually won’t be opening over the Holidays in these parts, but it opens today for the lucky people of Los Angeles and Nashville. Country Strong from Director/Screenwriter Shana Feste, stars Gwyneth Paltrow as an unlucky Country Singer with a few vices, on the comeback trail. Believe it or not, Feste has cited Britney Spears’ downward spiral a few years back as being the inspiration behind her Heroine, Kelly Canter (Paltrow).

Previewing its Soundtrack last night for the first time, I was rather impressed by Paltrow’s conviction on the four tracks in which she appears, like the rockin’ swagger of Shake That Thing and the Film’s title track. Garrett Hedlund from TRON: Legacy is convincingly Bluegrass with that lower Baritone register on his sole track Chances Are. Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester does a credible job too on her one track Words I Couldn’t Say, although there is no doubting who the real star is in Paltrow. It appears co-star Tim McGraw might have lent her a pointer or two.

Reviews are starting to come in for the Musical Drama and although mixed unsurprisingly with the most telling sign being its snubbing at last week's Golden Globe nominations in the Acting and Best Motion Picture categories, Variety Magazine’s Justin Chang praised it still.  Chang in a review just published last night says it is a “rare ensemble piece in which all four principals are not only compellingly drawn but handled with an astute sense of dramatic balance.”

GARRETT HEDLUND IN TOKYO FOR "TRON: LEGACY 3-D"

Garrett Hedlund in Japan for Tokyo International Film Festival

You might not fully recognize him yet, but come early next year he'll be on Cell Phone Wallpapers and Screensavers everywhere.  An extremely hot handsome Garrett Hedlund was spotted by our friend MiT, who is out enjoying the Tokyo International Film Festival right now and after seeing him pass by quickly at Disney's TRON: Legacy 3-D Press Conference on Saturday, she by chance ran into him yesterday having a conversation on his Cell Phone.  After he wrapped up the call, he went over to greet MiT who flagged him down.  Hedlund was more than nice about it all and luckily she had a couple photos for him to sign in her Folder and apparently he was extremely generous about it and signed up a storm.

Hedlund not only is appearing in TRON: Legacy 3-D but also Gwyneth Paltrow's much-buzzed Country Strong as a Singer, both to be released this December.  The latter marks the second time the Minnesota-born actor has starred alongside Country Megastar Tim McGraw as they both starred in 2004 Football Drama Friday Night Lights.

What's that?  You want another look?  Okay, why not!  I'll join in on the shameless gawking with you.

GWYNETH ON GLEE

Gwyneth Paltrow and Tim McGraw in Country Strong

Now who ever said an Oscar is a curse?  Gwyneth Paltrow has been confirmed to play a Substitute Teacher on an episode of Glee coming later this season.  Producer/Director Ryan Murphy is a good friend of Paltrow's and was inspired to write a part for her on the show, expressing confidence in her singing ability to Us Magazine yesterday.  It is said that Matthew Morrison's character will fall for her and that she will have three to four songs on the episode.

Paltrow of course will also be singing up a storm on the forthcoming film Country Strong in which she plays a recovering alcholic Country singer.  The film hits theatres December 22, 2010. Today also happens to be Paltrow's Birthday!

GWYNETH PALTROW CROONING A COUNTRY SONG

Honestly Gwyneth, just go on and record that album already.  You know you want to!

The Oscar-winning actress will be starring as an alcoholic Country Singer on-the-verge of a comeback with the help of Tim McGraw in Country Strong, due in theatres December 22, 2010.  Sony Screen Gems will be distributing the film and they seem to understand the power of a Pop Star at the Box Office, having released Beyoncé's classic Obsessed and Christina Aguilera/Cher's forthcoming Burlesque this fall.

Preview Country Strong which I'm sure will surface on its forthcoming Soundtrack also below (audio content owned by RCA Nashville):