MARTHA STEWART, JOAN RIVERS & LIZ GILBERT HEADLING "UNIQUE LIVES & EXPERIENCES" SERIES

Official Flyer for Unique Lives & Experiences (Toronto)

The line-up for next year's Unique Lives & Experiences series has been announced for Toronto and it's actually quite impressive.  The Lectures allow Audience members to interact with these influencial Women, who will be speaking about their life experiences.  Q&A Periods follow each Show. 

Next year's line-up here includes the likes of Joan Rivers, Martha Stewart and Liz Gilbert, all Women we love.  Click here to find out more.

WIN A COPY OF "EAT PRAY LOVE" OR "THE OTHER GUYS" ON DVD

Something for both Guys and Girls! Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada and Mr. Will-W.:Pop Maven are pleased to offer readers a chance to win DVDs of 2010's biggest Blockbuster hits!  Beginning today, you can win 1 of 3 copies of either scenic Eat Pray Love starring Julia Roberts, or hilarious The Other Guys starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.

• To qualify for a copy of Ryan Murphy's Eat Pray Love, leave a comment with the name of any of the three countries Elizabeth Gilbert (Roberts) visits in the film

• To qualify for a copy of Adam McKay's The Other Guys, leave a comment with the name of the actress who plays Allen Gamble's (Ferrell) wife.

Winners will be drawn Sunday, December 5, 2010, so please remember to include some way for me to reach you back. This Contest is restricted to residents of Canada  only and you are allowed one entry per DVD. If you are entering to win both DVDs, you must leave separate comments. 

Eat Pray Love hits stores Tuesday, November 23, 2010, while The Other Guys hits stores Tuesday, December 14, 2010. Perfect Holiday Gifts!

Again, tell me which Blog loves you the most.  Good luck, Mavenati! 

Don't forget to add yourself as a fan on my Facebook Page for more exciting Giveaways.

ELI ROTH'S THE LAST EXORCISM POSSESSES THE BOX OFFICE... OR NOT!

Eli Roth at MuchMusic (2009)

Eli Roth indeed is the new King of Horror as his latest film The Last Exorcism possesses Moviegoers this weekend, earning $20.4 million from 2,874 theatres. The film has also opened to strong reviews, earning a 70% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Takers which also opened this weekend debuted in second with $21 million and in all likelihood would have been at the top but had showed at only 2,206 theatres.  The action film with its cast of Bad Boys galore, stars vetern actor Matt Dillion and rapper T.I. who was jailed for possession of weapons and released this Spring. The film also stars Chris Brown who has had his share of headlines, of course not all positive. Is it premature to say that the public has forgiven him somewhat?

Two-week champion The Expendables slipped to third with $9.5 million, although still performing well. The same applies to Eat Pray Love which made $6.9 million this weekend, good enough for fourth spot in its third week also. Never under-estimate the staying power of Julia Roberts.  The Other Guys also, is a model of consistency, dropping to fifth spot in its fourth week of release, with $6.5 million putting it just shy of the $100 million mark in earnings.

The Top Ten is rounded out by parody Vampires Suck in sixth with $5.4 million, Inception in seventh with $5 million in seven weeks; Piranha 3D is on its way out in its second week with only $4.5 million in tenth.

EDIT: Updated numbers have just been released.  Takers actually just narrowly edged-out The Last Exorcism - the former pulling in $20.5 million, while the latter earned $20.4 million, reversing the previously reported Top Two positions. Nailbiter!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

MOVIE-GOERS GIVEN TOO MANY CHOICES THIS WEEKEND - THE EXPENDABLES DECIDEDLY ON-TOP AGAIN

Vampires Suck 

Movie-goers scratched their heads over what to see this weekend with five films opening domestically. But one can never under-estimate the power of Testosterone as Lionsgate's The Expendables makes it two weeks on-top with $16.5 million, earning $64.9 million.

The Twilight Saga-parodying Vampires Suck from Fox has created a new market of fans in the same vein as the Scary Movie franchise. Opening on Wednesday, the film pulled in a surprising $12.2 million, placing it in second.

Eat Pray Love continues to perform consistently well in third spot with $12 million, earning $47.1 million. The film was made for $60 million and has yet to open overseas, where it is expected to perform well also as Julia Roberts does her promotional rounds.


Lottery Ticket, which I enjoyed, landed in third sport above all expectations, with $11.1 million. The film opened only in 1,973 theatres.

Piranha 3D, which was absolutely amazing, marks yet another weak opening for fumbling The Weinstein Co., which in recent memory had another major studio loss with the musical NINE. The horror-comedy debuts in sixth spot with $10 million. Luckily though, this one was made for $24 million and should earn it back in its Box Office run.

DOES JULIA ROBERTS HATE JAPAN?

So does Julia Roberts hate Japan? That's what many Japanese fans seem to think as surprisingly to-date she has yet to visit one of the world's most technologically and fashion-forward countries. Roberts arrived in Japan earlier this week to promote Eat Pray Love and was nothing but smiles for Photographers.

"It’s just my good fortune to finally find myself here in Tokyo with all of you nice people”, it appears she's been groomed to say, at her Press Conference held this Wednesday in Tokyo.

From my own personal experience, Roberts seems a very private person and other than promoting, she appears to prefer staying away from the spotlight. I don't think this really applies specifically to Japan - it applies to everyone as she was pretty much in hiding for much of her stay in Toronto. And don't even think about approaching her when she has her Kids with her, I've heard as things can turn ugly. But I don't really think that's out-of-character for any Mother really being approached by strangers.

Japanese fans report that Roberts was extremely generous signing autographs at her Premiere in trendy Rappongi Hills. She even donned a Kimono - at least she's put forth some effort! You can check out some of the photos on JustJared.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

EAT PRAY LOVE REVIEW

You will have an uncontrollable urge to eat Pasta and Thin-Crust Pizza after seeing this. Sony Pictures' Eat Pray Love might take a few liberties with the Elizabeth Gilbert memoir in which it is based upon, but overall it succeeds as a movie-going experience.

Eat Pray Love, directed by Glee's Ryan Murphy, follows the story of successful writer Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) who decides that she is no longer satisfied with her marriage, leaving her husband Stephen (Billy Crudup). As predicted by a Medicine Man named Ketut (Hadi Subiyanto) whom she visits in an off-chance in Bali, she will lose everything before going on a year-long journey, which brings her back to him full circle.  He predicts she will gain everything back again in due time, but in order to do so she must complete this said journey. Thus, in finding herself, she takes a transcontinental trip leaving her life, possessions and friends like Delia (Viola Davis) in New York.  She travels to Italy, India and finally Indonesia. 

Liz is forced to face her biggest inner-demon - that is - finding and loving herself. Along the way though, she gets involved with an alluring young actor in David (James Franco); learns Italian while gaining much weight from Italy's sumptuous cuisine; masters the art of Meditation in India while befriending a no-nonsense Texan named Richard (Richard Jenkins) and finally finds love in Indonesia unexpectedly with a world-traveling Brazilian hunk Felipe (Javier Bardem).  All play a pivotal role in teaching her life lessons.  Oh, yeah.

MOVIE-GOERS PREFER TESTOSTERONE OVER ESTROGEN: THE EXPENDABLES LANDS ON TOP

Although it was never really much of a contest, Lionsgate/Maple Pictures' Festival of Testicles known as The Expendables, landed on top this weekend's Box Office tally with an estimated $35 million from 3,270 theatres. Although critically a failure (43% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), the film appears to be a hit among fans of the action genre. Perusing through Twitter, praise is coming from allover.   Fans like @xsavagistx claim, "The Expendables=Violent Perfection. Simply amazing. Loved it." @yerkarmeldream admits, "As much as I HATE action movies, The Expendables was A GOOOOD movie!!!".  So there you have it.

Sony Pictures' Eat Pray Love pulled in $24 million this weekend, which is a very strong showing, even though Critics ripped it to shreds. The Julia Roberts film about a tri-continental journey of self-discovery, ironically loses out to The Expendables, which stars that Oscar winner's older brother Eric.

NYC PREMIERE OF EAT PRAY LOVE & JAMES FRANCO ON EAT PRAY LOVE

*scream*  That's Javier Bardem and Julia Roberts at the New York premiere last night of Eat Pray Love held at Ziegfeld Theatre.  Doesn't she look amazing in a jacket Stella McCartney, daughter of this man, and shorts of by DVB (David Victoria Beckham)?

I just finished reading Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat Pray Love literally minutes ago in what seemed like the quickest read ever, and am psyched to see it this Friday.  In the film, Bardem will play Felipe, a sexy Brazillian world traveler whom Roberts' character falls in love with after a journey of self-discovery which takes her across three countries.

Interestingly, James Franco who appears only early in the film as the younger lover David who devastates Roberts' character, covers the September issue of Esquire Magazine also.  In his interview, he's asked what he thought about the book Eat Pray Love and he replied frankly, "What can I say about Eat Pray Love? Let’s see (pauses for 15 seconds) You know, in Eat Pray Love, my character mostly appears in the first 20 pages of the book. (smiles) And I can definitely say I read the first twenty pages."  Hey - why work harder than you have to, right?  I call that efficiency!

I've done a quick search for early reviews of the movie and there appears to be some sort of an Embargo as there is nothing published yet still.  And generally that's a bad sign.  But let's be honest though, critics generally are tougher on Chick Flicks, so I say - walk in with low expectations.  I don't care as I am going to love it - any excuse to stare at Roberts for 133 minutes!  Let yourself go, B*tches!!

UPDATE: Ouch.  The Critics are mauling the Baby Lamb that is known as Eat Pray Love.  Click here for the scathing reviews.

(Photo credit: Associated Press)

THE EXPENDABLES, EAT PRAY LOVE AND SCOTT PILGRIM: BOX OFFICE SHOWDOWN

Although I know it's only Tuesday, I predict this weekend's Box Office numbers will be huge.  Opening Friday are:

Sony Pictures' Eat Pray Love starring Julia Roberts (2.800 theatres)

Lionsgates Films' Festival of Testicles, The Expendables (3,000 theatres)

Universal Pictures' Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2,600 theatres)

JULIA ROBERTS IS NOT A FAN OF GLEE

*scream*  Julia Roberts sits down with Entertainment Weekly's Dave Karger on this week's issue and talks about (what else?!?) filming Eat Pray Love.  Karger flat out asks her, "Do you obsess over your appearance?  Do you like the way you look today?", to which she replies "I'm human.  Sometimes I, like anybody, wake up in the morning and go, 'F----, Really?  This is the starting point?'". 

On director Ryan Murphy and Glee, Roberts confirms she's not a fan of the show, "I'm not a Gleek.  But I was lucky because I had an in, so I got to watch all the DVDs.  I felt like I was ahead of the tsunami."

To read more from the interview, click here.

Sorry Peaches, I realize my obsession with Julia is bordering obsessive now so I apologize in advance if this is too much.  Actually, no - I don't really apologize.  What's wrong with you?  Can you not see how out-of- this-world gorgeous (albeit Photoshopped) she looks on the cover?!? 

JULIA ROBERTS ON GAINING 11 LBS. FILMING EAT PRAY LOVE

PopSugar has posted trascripts for a Press Junket my current obsession Julia Roberts for Eat Pray Love. She talks about working with Javier Bardem and putting on 11 lbs from all the eating in Italy.... but she definitely isn't feeling the Indian Cuisine.

On Italian cuisine: "...they did go to great elaborate pains to make food that I had to eat endlessly in the heat. So there was this one plate of pasta that was — all other circumstances removed — delicious pasta. It was simple spaghetti. It was delicious..."

On Indian cuisine: "India, well let's just say this. I, as a mother, pack like a 10-pound box of medicines and Band-aids and alcohol and all these things — which I never had to open — and a 10-pound box of snacks, so that might have been my favorite bite. Every time I turned to that box late at night, a granola bar."

Ouch! How could anyone not love Indian food?  Clearly she was eating in the wrong places!

JULIA ROBERTS IN TORONTO FOR JESUS HENRY CHRIST

They say things always happen in Threes and that would apply to my crossing paths today finally with Julia Roberts.  Last week I met her ex-fiancé Kiefer Sutherland and older brother Eric.  And now today, at long last I got to meet the Oscar-winning, once Highest Paid Actress in Hollywood herself.  I'll  be honest - I was down a bit that I didn't get a chance to see her a couple weeks ago when sightings of her were first reported in Toronto.  I was fully convinced that she would not be returning again after seeing photos of her in Mexico last week in Cancun promoting Eat Pray Love.  Fortunately in this instance, I was wrong.

After scoping out the set today of Jesus Henry Christ, produced by Julia Roberts' Red Om Films, I was nudged by a friend to look to my left after having been in a heat and humidity-induced trance.  Low and behold, there she was.  Incognito in a pair of Sunglasses, a Bucket Hat, Sleeveless Tee and Khaki Shorts, she could be seen exchanging kisses on the grass with husband Daniel Moder, who is currently at work behind-the-scenes on the project also.  

JULIA ROBERTS AT EAT PRAY LOVE PHOTOCALL

Check out these pics of Julia Roberts at the Photo Call for Eat Pray Love in Cancun Wednesday.  Gorgeous!  I am seriously contemplating a trip to New York next month if she does promotion for the film there.  Who's in with me?

(Photo credit: X17)

VIDEO: NEW EAT PRAY LOVE TRAILER

Although I am still a little sad I missed her last week, I have this new trailer of Sony Pictures' Eat Pray Love to cheer me up. This film looks absolutely exquisite and other than Sex and The City 2, is the World Cup of Chick Flicks. August 14th cannot come soon enough. Its official website has been re-vamped also and looks gorgeous. It looks like they've decided upon with the Gelato shot as the primary image for promo.