Celebrities Lend a Hand For Holidays

Dick Van Dyke joined dozens of Hollywood notables to serve Christmas dinner at the Midnight Mission in Los Angeles. A reformed alcoholic himself, Van Dyke told reporters he can relate to being down during the holiday season. Helping at the Mission allows the actor a chance to tell others there is a "way out".

Other familiar faces offering encouragement and support at the shelter included Debbie Reynolds and her daughter Carrie Fisher. Over 2000 of Los Angeles' homeless and underpriveledged ate their Christmas meal at the Mission this past Monday.

Rooney Breezes Through Bypass

Loved ones of Mickey Rooney are happy he made it home for Christmas this year. The 80 year old actor underwent heart bypass surgery and was released from Los Robles Regional Medical Center around noon Christmas Day. Ironically, the blockage to his heart was discovered while he was testing a heart imaging machine he had been asked to endorse.

Still a working actor at the age of 80, Rooney is expected to return to the stage in February (along with his wife Jan) in the stage show One Man - One Wife Rooney began his career as a child star, and was Hollywood's biggest box-office draw from 1939 to 1942 in such films as the Andy Hardy series.

Bullock Hits the Skids

In 1999 Sandra Bullock starred in a film with Ben Affleck called Forces of Nature, a film about a couple who fall in love after their plane skids off a runway. This past Wednesday, the actress faced a similar fate in real life after a small private plane slid off the tarmac and into the snow upon touching down at a resort village of northwestern Wyoming.

The twin-engine Hawker corporate jet, owned by RR Investments of Texas, was heavily damaged. According to Associated Press a spokesman for the Jackson Hole Airport said the main nose landing gear was sheared off and both wings were damaged. Other passengers to escape unharmed were Bullock's boyfriend Bob Schneider and two of the plane's crew members.

More Awards?

Before 2000 comes to an end, the entertainment industry will have presented over 4000 awards at nearly 600 award ceremonies. According to Variety, the total averages out to 1.5 ceremonies every day, with an award handed out every two hours, 365 days a year.

In addition to the more familiar awards like the Oscars and the Grammys, new awards are always being announced. New ones include the AFI Movies of the Year and the European Film Awards.

December 18th, 2000

Hefty Fine For Hurley

British actress Elizabeth Hurley told reporters this week she had been dealt a hefty fine of $100,000 by the Screen Actors Guild for making a perfume commercial during the October Hollywood strike against advertisers.

Hurley, who's latest film Bedazzled was picketed by striking actors, was branded a scab in October for making an Estee Lauder advert during the dispute. According to Reuters, the sexy, shag-a-delic star claims she never received official notice of the strike. Hurley has already donated $25,000 to the strike relief fund of the Screen Actors Guild, but is still expected to pay the $75,000 balance.

Foreign Film Makes History at LAFCA Awards

The Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. voted Ang Lee's martial arts extravaganza Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Best Picture of 2000, marking the first time in its 25-year history that the LAFCA's best picture honors went to a foreign-language film. Edward Yang's Yi Yi from Taiwan was honored as best foreign film.

In all, Crouching Tiger won four awards Saturday, including cinematography, production design and music. As well, the foreign film is expected to pick up several Oscar nominations, including one for Best Picture.

Martin To Host Oscars

Billy Crystal was their first choice but he had too many obligations to be host of this year's Academy Awards Ceremony. Apparently, Whoopi Goldberg wouldn't sign up for the spot either. As a result the Academy has decided to go with funnyman Steve Martin as this year's emcee. Producer Gil Cates told reporters this morning that he felt Martin was perfect for the position.

Ironically, Martin has made eight Oscar appearances over the years as both presenter and performer, but has never himself been nominated for an award.

Nicholson Takes A Pay Cut

It isn't every day that a high-caliber actor like Jack Nicholson agrees to take a pay cut. But the high-paid actor did just that when he recently agreed to star in director Alexander Payne's About Schmidt. Nicholson is known for bringing home close to fifteen million per project, but this new film's budget tops out at $30 million, so obviously the actor couldn't feasibly ask his normal going rate. At this time, the specific details of the deal have not been disclosed, but it seems likely that Nicholson would take home a decent share of the film's profits.

According to Variety Nicholson will play a recently divorced, retired insurance man quickly losing his battle of self-deception. Filming begins March 15th in Omaha, Nebraska.

December 11th, 2000

Grinch Still Big Box Office

Joyful and triumphant is what Ron Howard's Grinch is turning out to be. The holiday film lingered a fourth week in the number one position at the box office, and is likely to soon replace Mission: Impossible 2 as the biggest film of the year. Box office reports show that Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas has already grossed nearly $18.5 million for the past weekend (including Friday), earning $195.5 million for Universal Pictures after only 24 days.

The spring opener of M:I-2 took over 6 weeks to pass the $200 million mark, and earned a total of $215.4 million overall in North America. With four weeks on top, Grinch ties Meet the Parents for the longest run at number one so far this year.

Director's Guild Honors Kennedy, Nichols and Pollack

Sen. Edward Kennedy and filmmakers Mike Nichols and Sydney Pollack were honored for their support of the movie and television industry this past Sunday. Kennedy was given the National Honoree award for his support of the National Endowment for the Arts and First Amendment issues. Nichols, director of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Graduate was given the Filmmaker award, while Pollack was honored for outstanding commitment to the rights of artists.

The second annual Directors Guild of America Honors gala this past weekend also featured Tom Cruise, Ellen DeGeneres, Gwyneth Paltrow and Shirley MacLaine.

A Trial for DiCaprio

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio will be facing a trial after all. It seems a Manhattan appeals court has approved a $45 million lawsuit against the actor for his alleged initiation of a street fight over actress Elizabeth Berkley. 26 year old DeCaprio is being accused of encouraging his friends to attack 41 year old Roger Wilson, outside a restaurant in March of 1998. Wilson claims he was beaten up by the DiCaprio's friends, as the actor shouted incitement.

According to Associated Press,tThe ruling upheld a lower court decision that dismissed an assault allegation against DiCaprio but sustained a charge of ``aiding and abetting an assault and battery.''

The Race For Oscar Starts Here

The National Board of Review named Quills the Best Film of 2000, and has released their list of winners, which traditionally starts the buzz of early Oscar predictions.

Here is the complete list of National Board of Review winners:

Best Films:

1. Quills
2. Traffic
3. Croupier
4. You Can Count on Me
5. Billy Elliot
6. Before Night Falls
7. Gladiator
8. Wonder Boys
9. Sunshine
10. Dancer in the Dark

Best Foreign Films:

1. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
2. Butterfly
3. A Time for Drunken Horses
4. Malena
5. Girl on the Bridge

Special Mention for Excellence in Filmmaking:
(Alphabetically)