Todd Phillips talks 'The Hangover Part 3'

As the highly anticipated "The Hangover Part 2" finally hits theaters this weekend, director Todd Phillips is already discussing plans for the third and final chapter of the highly successful franchise. This should come as no surprise. The first installment broke box office records and became the highest grossing R-Rated comedy in history.

Phillips (who also helmed "Due Date" not too long ago) has already stated that he always imagined "The Hangover" as a trilogy. That said, he also mentioned he wants to take the final film into a new direction rather than rely on the same template that is used in the first two installments. "The Hangover Part 2" hits theaters Thursday. (via Screenrant)

2010 Writers Guild of America nominations

The Writers Guild of America today announced the 2010 nominations for outstanding achievement in writing for the screen during the last year, and James Cameron's "Avatar" is among those fighting for an award in the category of best original screenplay.

Also competing for that particular trophy are "The Hangover" (Jon Lucas & Scott Moore), "(500) Days of Summer" (by Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber) "The Hurt Locker" (Mark Boal) and "A serious Man" (Joel Coen & Ethan Coen).

The nominees in the category of adapted screenplay are: "Crazy Heart" (Scott Cooper), "Julie & Julia" (Nora Ephron), "Precious" (Geoffrey Fletcher), "Star Trek" (Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman) and "Up in the Air" (Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner).

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Ten Best Films of 2009

The year 2009 has come to an end, and I admit I got to enjoy a bunch of superb films, even though the movie year wasn't necessarily as powerful in terms of quality as some other recent years.

That said, these are my favorite flicks of 2009. Please note I picked these movies from all those I've seen this year. I really tried to watch as many as possible, but I admit I did miss a few in the end.

To keep a long story short, enjoy these picks and feel free to comment on them or post your own top 10. Thanks for stopping by, and here's to a new year filled with awesome cinematic experiences.

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Movie fans are excited about 'Hangover' sequel

As you may have read, a sequel to 2009's hit comedy "The Hangover" is already in early development, and movie fans are apparently very excited about the follow-up to the hilarious Todd Phillips comedy.

In a recent online poll, participants said the "Hangover" sequel is the one they are looking forward to most. The poll asked folks to name the 2009 film without an existing follow-up they would like to see a sequel to.

MovieTickets.com ran the survey and said "The Hangover" earned 37 percent of the votes. It beat "District 9" and "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra." Warner Bros. already ordered a sequel before the first one opened.

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'Inglourious Basterds' dominates overseas box office

Quentin Tarantino's fantastic WWII drama "Inglourious Basterds" rushed to the top of the international box office this weekend with an esimated $27.5 million in 22 markets, scoring the best opening for a Tarantino flick overseas. Domestically, the film also took the crown with $37.6 million.

Worldwide, "Basterds" pulled in $65.1 million this weekend. In the R-rated film, Brad Pitt stars as Lt. Aldo Raine, who assembles a gang of Jewish soldiers making it their mission to kill every Nazi they encounter on their way to Paris.

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'Hangover' star Ed Helms boards 'Central Intelligence'

Ed Helms, who's currently on-screen in "The Hangover" and will next be seen in the surprisingly funny comedy "The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard," is set to star in Universal's upcoming comedy "Central Intelligence."

Written by Ike Barinholtz and Dave Stassen, the film follows an accountant pulled into the world of espionage after he catches up with a friend on Facebook, according to Variety.

Helms' credits include "The Daily Show" and "The Office." Besides "The Goods," in which he delivers another hilarious performance, the actor will soon be seen in "Cedar Rapids."

Of course, Helms is also attached to return in the sequel to "The Hangover." The guy sure has a funny face, and so far, his performances have succeeded. Here's a guy who can make audiences laugh, and I bet we'll see a lot more from him soon.

Box Office: 'Funny People' takes top spot with $23M

Weekend of July 31 – August 2, 2009: “Funny People” opens strong, “Potter” close behind

Judd Apatow’s latest comedy “Funny People” jumped to the top of the North American box office this weekend with $23.4 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The R-rated film, which received mixed reviews, scored an average of $7,793 per theater at 3,008 locations. Starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann, “People” follows the adventures of a stand-up comedian who's having a near-death experience.

“Aliens in the Attic,” this weekend’s second wide release, only made it to No. 5 with a three-day gross of $7.8 million, despite a run at 3,106 locations. The film follows a family’s battle against alien intruders in their vacation home.

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'Half-Blood Prince' remains on top overseas

While high-tech guinea pigs ruled the North American box office this weekend, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" continued its overseas dominance with an estimated $84.4 million in ticket sales.

Playing in 64 markets, the David Yates-directed adventure lifted its international total to $405.3 million, compared to a domestic gross of $221.8 million.

At No. 2, "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" finished with $40.6 million, bringing its cumulative gross to $505.4 million. Following in third place with $10.2 million was Todd Phillips' "The Hangover," which reached an overseas cume of $98.5 million.

Meanwhile, Michael Mann's "Public Enemies" took home $9.6 million in 33 territories, lifting its total haul to $36.3 million. Johnny Depp stars in the film chronicling the adventures of John Dillinger.

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Box Office: 'G-Force' crawls to top with $32M

Weekend of July 24 – 26, 2009

Walt Disney’s 3D-animated family flick “G-Force” topped the North American box office with $32.1 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The Jerry Bruckheimer-produced film follows a squad of smart guinea pigs trying to stop a ruthless villain from taking over the world. The film grabbed an average of $8,697 per theater at 3,697 locations.

Last week’s winner “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” collected another $30 million in second place, reaching a total gross of $221.8 million after an excellent one-week run.

New entry “The Ugly Truth” debuted in third place with a weekend gross of $27 million from ticket sales at 2,882 locations. Starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler, the film centers on a TV producer struggling to control the cocky host of one of her shows.

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'Half-Blood Prince' dominates overseas box office

David Yates' "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" topped the international box office with a stunning five-day total of $237 million, enough to score the largest-ever five-day start overseas.

Worldwide, the sixth installment in the popular series has collected $396.7 million to date. The film is currently playing in 54 markets on the international circuit and had no trouble beating the five-day launch of $192.9 million set by "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."

At a distant No. 2, "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" picked up another $60.7 million, lifting its overseas total to $429 million. Following in third place with $15.3 million was "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," which brought its total gross to $398 million.

Meanwhile, Sacha Baron Cohen's R-rated comedy "Brüno" pulled $10.6 million this weekend, reaching a cumulative gross of $46 million.

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