Following is a summary of current entertainment news
briefs.
Thriller “Taken 2” grabs movie box office crown
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Liam Neeson thriller “Taken 2”
captured the No. 1 spot on movie box office charts over the
weekend with a brawny $50 million take from theaters in the
United States and Canada. “Taken 2” stars Neeson as a former
CIA agent kidnapped during a vacation in Istanbul. The movie
added $55 million from some 50 international markets for a
global opening of $117 million including Korea where it opened
earlier, distributor 20th Century Fox said.
China art auctioneers eye slice of Hong Kong market
HONG KONG (Reuters) – A leading China auctioneer holds a
debut sale in Hong Kong on Sunday, lured by the city’s
international buyers, low tax regime and stable regulatory
framework in a trend that could bring more competition for
global companies. China Guardian’s sale of Chinese art and
classical furniture in the former British colony follows its
rise as the world’s third largest auction house on the crest of
China’s art market boom, with sales of $1.77 billion last year.
Rihanna’s “Diamonds” reaches UK pop chart summit
LONDON (Reuters) – Barbadian pop singer Rihanna climbed to
the top of the British charts on Sunday with her new single
“Diamonds”, ousting South Korean pop star Psy and his internet
video sensation “Gangnam Style” from the number one spot. Local
boy band One Direction were new in third place with “Live While
We’re Young”, while London-born singer Adele burst in at number
four with the theme song for the latest James Bond film
“Skyfall”.
Comedian Steve Martin in ad for Nebraska Senate candidate
OMAHA, Nebraska (Reuters) – Steve Martin has released an
off-beat ad endorsing Bob Kerrey’s candidacy in Nebraska’s U.S.
Senate race, in which the actor and comedian demonstrates how
to build a wad of paper while cue cards offering praise for
Kerrey are displayed on the screen. Martin, playing the role of
“home crafts expert,” mangles a blank single sheet of white
paper with paper clips, scissors, staples, chewing gum and a
hammer, while a hand emerges from off screen offering typed
messages in praise of Kerrey.
Bond films turn 50 with Adele song and documentary
LONDON (Reuters) – The James Bond film franchise turns 50
on Friday with the release of a revealing new documentary about
its turbulent past and the first listen of the new theme tune
performed by Adele. The premiere of the first Bond film, “Dr.
No”, was held in London on October 5, 1962 and starred Scottish
actor Sean Connery as the suave and brutal super-spy working
for British intelligence to thwart the plans of an evil
megalomaniac.
