New Moon rising and teen vampires suck bucks

STEP aside, Harry Potter. The vampires have taken over. Jaws were dropping yesterday at the record box office takings for The Twilight Saga: New Moon.

Pardon My French

GREATER UNION, 7pm

Movies - Thursday, July 9

Cassandra's Dream (2007)

Stars Colliding As Film Worlds Open

SEQUELS, prequels and grim comic book heroes are set to dominate the box office again in 2009, with new instalments of Harry Potter, Transformers, Star Trek and Terminator expected to be among the top money-makers in Australian cinemas.

Action Men Blow Away Box Office Challengers

ACTION men dealt the knock-out blows at Australian cinemas in 2008, with six of the year's top 10 box office hits featuring heroic blokes, two played by Will Smith.

Potty Mouth Least Of Ramsay's Woes

CHEF Gordon Ramsay was on the receiving end from many quarters yesterday, including Australia. As allegations surfaced in Britain that he had been conducting a seven-year affair with a "professional mistress", the Australian Communications and Media Authority decided it was a good day to do some Ramsay-bashing of its own, giving the Nine Network, broadcaster of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, a slap on the wrist for incorrect classification.

It's No Place Like Home

Despite movies now being watched on a range of new technologies, cinemas are rolling with the times and doing well, writes Garry Maddox.

Movie's Karaoke Edition

ABBA fans have reason to sing, with a special karaoke edition of the hit film Mamma Mia! about to arrive in Australian cinemas.

Biff. Zap. Kapow - Batman Fans Think

THIS column is getting out of the predictions business. Blame Batman for throwing off our calculations. I hereby confess to underestimating the IQ of the Australian moviegoer. I did not foresee the dawning of The Age Of The Brainy Blockbuster.

In Film, It's Not Independence Day Yet

THIS is scary. I was going to discuss how Australians are becoming less like Americans - how we're finally asserting our cultural independence from the entertaining empire. That trend is obvious on television, where local drama, comedy, variety and reality pull much bigger crowds than the US product. It seemed to be happening also in cinemas, where Australians are responding to the latest blockbuster, Iron Man, with far less enthusiasm that our trans-Pacific cousins.

Small Talk

THE Queensland-made Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey romantic thriller Fool's Gold has struck-box office gold in North America. The film, shot largely on the Great Barrier Reef, earned $US21.6 million ($23.9 million) to claim the number one spot in US and Canadian theatres on the weekend. Fool's Gold was also a winner in Australian cinemas despite some very poor reviews, taking the top spot with almost $2 million. The film is about a divorced couple searching for Caribbean treasure.

Harry Stays In Box Seat

TEEN wizard Harry Potter worked his money-making magic at the box office in 2007, with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix earning $35.5 million in Australian cinemas.

Coming Soon To Cinemas Near You: The Attack Of The Killer Blockbusters

Films are having a shorter run thanks to the cult of the blockbuster, writes Daniel Ziffer.

Golden Girls Pay Tribute To Another Leading Lady

LOCHINVAR-raised Abbie Cornish has united with Cate Blanchett in a display of Australian female star power at the 32nd Toronto International Film Festival.

Brenda Found Hersong, But We Know Her Secret

THE English actress Brenda Blethyn used to have a fantasy about being a nightclub singer. Now she has lived it by belting out the Tina Turner hit Nutbush City Limits with Frankie J. Holden in the new Australian film Clubland.

Superhero Takes On A Pirate And An Ogre

SPIDER-MAN faces off against two brand-spanking new villains in Hunter cinemas from Thursday.

Happy Feet Performs A Happy Feat For Its Makers

EXECUTIVES of film company Village Roadshow are tapping their feet after the Australian-made animated film about singing and dancing penguins topped the Boxing Day box office.

Parents Use Pools And Cinemas To Dump Kids

PARENTS are using swimming pools and cinemas as cheap child-minding centres, dropping off small children in the morning and and not picking them up until the afternoon.

D Generation

Tenacious D - Jack Black's comedy-acoustic-rock duo with actor buddy Kyle Gass - have made a movie and they're touring to promote it. The Pick of Destiny, which also stars Meat Loaf, hits Australian cinemas on January 11 and Tenacious D play the Hordern Pavilion on January 16.

Keep It Quiet Up The Back, Please

IF YOU think disruptive patrons are a problem in cinemas, you are not alone.