Britney Spears reveals a big secret she was keeping from her fans about new music, Miranda Kerr explains the real reason she left Victoria’s Secret, Victoria Beckham, and more!
The Help cleaned up against the competition this week, rising to the number one box-office spot during its second week in release with $20.4 million. The Help is only the second film this year — the first being True Grit in January — to move up to a number one spot after debuting lower. Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which held the number one spot for the previous two weeks, slipped to second place with $16.3 million.
Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D came in third with $12 million during its opening weekend, the worst opening that a film in the Spy Kids franchise has ever seen. Conan the Barbarian also saw a weak debut at fourth place with $10 million, followed by The Smurfs, which hung on to a top five spot with $8 million. Newcomer Fright Night had a poor showing, taking in just $7.9 million and landing in sixth.
Photo courtesy of Dreamworks
Rise of the Planet of the Apes breathed new life into the franchise as the film drew in $54 million in its opening weekend and taking first place at the box office. The Smurfs took a distant second with $21 million, followed by Cowboys & Aliens, which earned $15.7 million in its sophomore weekend. The Change-Up saw a disappointing debut of $13.5 million, which isn't a particularly strong showing compared to other comedies that bowed this Summer. Captain America: The First Avenger added $13 million to its box office run, which put it in fifth.
Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox
The Smurfs movie hit theaters on Friday, bringing Smurfs out of obscurity and into the spotlight. A new generation of fans of the lil blue and white characters is in the making and soon kiddos may be requesting a Smurfs themed birthday party. Check out these Smurftastic party ideas that will have everyone singing "la la la la la la" all the way home!
In the box office showdown between Cowboys & Aliens and The Smurfs this weekend, neither film emerged a definite winner. Instead, the tiny blue creatures lassoed in as many dollars as their Wild West counterparts, with each film grossing $36.2 million. Captain America: The First Avenger saw a steep 62 percent drop, falling to third place with $24.9 million, followed closely by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which brought in $21.9 million. Though Potter fell to fourth place it took in another milestone this weekend as it crossed the $1 billion mark worldwide. Newcomer Crazy, Stupid, Love rounded out the top five, bringing in $19.3 million.
Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures and Sony Pictures
If you were a child of the '80s, you likely spent Saturday mornings with The Smurfs while scarfing a heaping bowl of Smurf-Berry Crunch. But even if you aren't too familiar with small blue creatures that dominated television screens during the Reagan era, you're about to be.
The Smurfs movie premieres today, so let's see what happens when humans try to get Smurfy. Some drinking is often involved, and, of course, obscene amounts of blue paint.
It's time to get Smurfed! The iconic blue guys (and one gal) will be moving directly out of kitchy nostalgia territory and into the spotlight when The Smurfs hits theaters this weekend. If Mama had a collection of little blue figurines as a kid, she can be sure her own tots will be clamoring for their own versions of the movie toys after exiting the theater. Smurfs mania is about to blow up — there's even a free app, Smurfs' Village, for fans to get their Smurf fix on the go — and we found Smurf goodies that tots big and small will think are simply Smurftastic!
Clockwise from top left: Schleich Smurf Set 1990-99 ($25), Smurfette Knee High Socks ($9), Mega Bloks Papa Smurf's House ($15), personalized name blocks ($4 each), Smufs Vehicle ($15), Schleich Smurf Cottage and Movie Set Figures ($90), Unisex Cowboy Boots ($70), The Smurfs - Smurfette With Rainbow Canvas Tote Bag ($50), Wii Smurfs: Dance Party ($30).
In the new Smurf movie, Katy Perry lends her voice to Smurfette, a character introduced to the original Belgian comic series for potentially cynical reasons. Some speculate that in 1966 a female Smurf was added to prove the all-male Smurf village's heterosexuality and stop rumors that they might be gay. Don't buy that the creators had something to prove about the sexuality of imaginary creatures intended to entertain children? There's another explanation: Smurfette was added in order to market the series to little girls. And in fact, Smurfette is the franchises' most heavily merchandised character.
Within the story, Smurfette's creation myth alludes to Adam and Eve. Gargamel, the Smurfs' enemy, decides to create Smurfette from clay so that she can use her good looks and charm to cause jealousy and competition among the all-male Smurf village. Gargamel hopes the female temptress will bring down the Smurfs, but the blue creatures' kindness makes Smurfett want to be a real Smurf. Papa Smurf can help, and he takes her to his lab. She emerges sweet and with long blond hair, and throughout the comics the lone female Smurf is treated like a prize for the male Smurfs.
The US TV-cartoon interpretation of the Smurf comics follows most of this story. Smurfette works as a spy for Gargamel until she is captured by the Smurfs and put on trial. Papa Smurf shows her mercy and eventually turns her into a real Smurf with frivolous feminine trappings, including blond hair, a frilly dress, flirty lashes, and high-heel shoes. It's a cartoon version of extreme-makeover plastic surgery. Luckily, once the second female Smurf Sassette comes along, she's allowed to keep her red hair and freckles.
Thought Katy Perry might forget about her love of nail art with all the hair dying she's been doing? That's not Mrs. Russell Brand's style. Last night, she tweeted a photo of her nails with this holographic Smurf manicure. They look like they may be artificial nails, and it was for the premiere of The Smurfs, so it wasn't exactly out of the blue (ha ha). Regardless, Katy certainly hasn't lost her sense of adventure. Do you like the look?
