lily putts

Notes:

• Click on the chart to enlarge -- chart reflects usual Friday-Sunday box office only.
• DreamWorks Animation's Shrek Forever After held onto the #1 spot -- both in the normal 3-day and 4-day holiday weekend tallies. Its 4-day take was $55.7 million -- raising its 10-day domestic total to $145.5 million.
• Sex and the City 2 took second place in the 3-day weekend -- but fell to third over the 4-day period ($37.1 million).
• Another $14.2 million from its first day in release on Thursday gave Sex and the City 2 a five-day opening of $51.4 million, under-performing forecasts of a $60 million-plus debut. The original Sex and the City movie fetched $62.6 million in a four-day bow during 2008's Memorial Day frame. Critical reviews played a big part -- most were poor.
• Disney's Jerry Bruckheimer-produced adventure fantasy Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time jumped from third place in the 3-day frame to second place in the four days with a $37.8 million opening, in line with soft pre-release projections for the Jake Gyllenhaal starrer.
• Ticket sales for Friday to Monday came in at about $187 million, down nearly 16 percent compared to Memorial Day weekend in 2009, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.
• Reviews of Sex and the City 2 and other movies not in the top ten can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
• All figures are industry estimates. Final holiday weekend figures are released on Tuesday.
• Sources: Nielsen EDI, ew.com, The Hollywood Reporter, AP
  

Sex and the City 2

I have to admit, the trailers for Sex and the City 2 looked really bad -- why are they going to a desert? And then came the critics' reviews. Most were unfavorable. But is the movie THAT bad? I say, no. Any fan of the original HBO series and subsequent 2008 hit movie will surely find some joy in the sequel. Although not as funny as the original -- and way too long at nearly two-and-a-half hours -- it's still a blast catching up with Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). And, of course, the men in their lives and their other passions -- as they settle into middle age (yipes!). The bottom line -- once again, the strong actresses rise above a so-so script.

Writer/director/producer Michael Patrick King probably could have found a better setting for the bulk of the movie -- but he chose Abu Dhabi (though actually filmed in Morocco) because he needed a place where excess and richness were allowed. How else to show off $50,000 dresses? With a recession still raging at home, New York City was out of the question. But sadly, it's the Big Apple that added so much of the charm to the series. That's why it's in the title. Instead, the trip to the desert added too much silliness -- and the parodied Muslim customs often missed the mark.

Still, there are enough humor-filled and touching moments to recommend that fans ignore the critics -- and revisit with some old friends. Also stars the excellent returning cast of Chris Noth, John Corbett, David Eigenberg, Evan Handler, Jason Lewis, Willie Garson and Mario Cantone. With cameos by Liza Minelli, Penélope Cruz , Tim Gunn and Miley Cyrus. [Rated R; in theaters now]


Grade: B

Free Downloads

Here are this week's free offerings:

• Download John Rich's "Lend a Hand" here -- it's dedicated to the Nashville flood victims.
• Another country track from Rodney Atkins, "Get Together," can be downloaded here.
  
• The new ablum from glam rockers Scissor Sisters, "Night Work," comes out June 28. Click on the image above to download new music from the band.
  
• And here's another weekly source for free downloads -- KickKickSnare. Included this week is a remix of a song from She & Him. And check back at some older posts like this one -- which features a remix of a song from Timbaland and Justin Timberlake.
  

And don't forget to continually check the following sources for more free downloads -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

• AbsolutePunk
• Amazon singles
  
• Amazon albums
• The BoomBox
  
• Fuse.tv
• MTV
  
• Spinner
• Stereogum
• VolumeVote
  
• Walmart

Poll Update

Tomorrow and Wednesday is the two-part season finale of FOX's American Idol. So who do you think most deserves to win the season 9 crown -- Lee DeWyze or Crystal Bowersox? Vote in the poll at upper left before 8pm ET Wednesday!


Contest Update

Last week, EntertainmentBlogger's "Spring Into Summer iTunes Gift Card Giveaway" contest was launched! You can enter once a day through the remainder of spring -- which officially ends June 20. Click here for more details on how to enter to win a $25 iTunes gift card to help load up your iPod for summer!

Notes:

• Click on the chart to enlarge.
• DreamWorks Animation's Shrek Forever After opened lower than some had feared, with the family comedy topping domestic rankings with just $71.3 million in estimated weekend box office. The latest Paramount-distributed pic about a lovable ogre and his family debuted with significantly less green stuff than the two previous Shrek sequels, which each fetched $100 million-plus in their first three days.
• Elsewhere this weekend, Universal unspooled Rogue's action comedy MacGruber with a paltry $4.1 million in sixth place -- yet another flop for a film based on a Saturday Night Live sketch.
  
• Reviews of other movies not in the top ten can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
• All figures are industry estimates. Actual figures are released on Monday.
• Sources: Nielsen EDI, ew.com, The Hollywood Reporter

Notes:

• Click on the chart to enlarge.
• For the second weekend in a row, Iron Man 2 from Paramount and Marvel topped the domestic box office with $53 million. The Robert Downey Jr. starrer dropped a reasonable 59% from its week-earlier opening tally, while boosting cumulative box office to $212.2 million. That compares to a $177.8 million second-weekend cume for 2008's Iron Man. So movie-goers aren't tiring of sequels just yet.
  
• Universal's Russell Crowe starrer Robin Hood -- with Cate Blanchett as Maid Marion in Ridley Scott's history-based telling of the well-known legend -- struck the lower edge of pre-release projections with an estimated $37.1 million in opening box office -- good for second place. Are movie-goers tiring of remakes?
  
• Reviews of other movies not in the top ten can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
• All figures are industry estimates. Actual figures are released on Monday.
• Sources: Nielsen EDI, ew.com, The Hollywood Reporter
  

My Jazz Fest Trip

New Orleans is a great town -- and if you haven't had the chance yet to visit, I strongly recommend you consider planning a trip to the next Jazz & Heritage Festival. Yes, jazz plays a big part in the fest -- but other genres are strongly represented as well. There are a mind-boggling 12 stages spread out over a race track's fair grounds. Throughout seven days, the music starts close to 11am and stretches out to 7pm. The food is top-notch -- and includes Creole and Cajun offerings as well as international cuisine. And there is plenty of art work and other goods for sale. Click here for the fest's Website to learn more.

I scheduled my trip over the last four days of the festival -- to capitalize on Pearl Jam headlining the second weekend. The boys did not disappoint. And have you heard -- in a class act by the band, the concert was simulcast to our soldiers in Iraq. Click on my souvenir shirt above to see the band's set list. My only complaint -- the sheer size of the audience for the main act. It was overwhelming! I actually enjoyed some of the smaller acts I saw more -- only because I had never seen some before -- and we were able to move up closer to the stage to get a more intimate experience. Still, Pearl Jam rocked it out like they always do! And it was great to add Louisiana to my previous list of states I've seen the band: California, New Jersey, New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania!

Amongst all the many jazz, pop, folk and rock performances, here is just a small sampling of other acts I saw and recommend:

• Astral Project
• Band of Horses - opening for Pearl Jam on current tour!
  
• Derek Truck & Susan Tedeschi Band
• Elvis Costello and the Sugarcanes
• Gov't Mule
• Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk
• Martin Sexton
• The Radiators
• Richie Havens
  
• Van Morrison
• Widespread Panic

Free Downloads

Here are this week's free offerings:

• Speaking of jazz, Amazon has two free jazz downloads this week with multiple tracks -- both can be downloaded via the link here (just check upper right of that landing page).
• From The Black Lee Catastrophe comes 11 free tracks from the band's new album, American Hotel. Click here for the downloads.
  
• Join the Styx email list here and receive a free MP3 of their brand new song, "Difference In The World."
• Disney is giving away 50 free downloads -- one a day since last week -- on its Walt Disney Records Facebook page here.
• Also via a Facebook page, you can download Jack Johnson's "Breakdown" here.
• And how about some goofy downloads? Compliments of Waffle House, here are four free downloads -- and yep, lyrics mention the restaurant chain!
  

And don't forget to continually check the following sources for more free downloads -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

• AbsolutePunk
• Amazon singles
  
• Amazon albums
• The BoomBox
  
• Fuse.tv
• MTV
  
• Spinner
• Stereogum
• VolumeVote
  
• Walmart

Contest Update

The next EntertainmentBlogger contest will be announced in this column NEXT Monday, May 17! Want 10 bonus entries? Just tweet this message below ONCE today and you've got them! Remember, only once -- and only today.

Follow @Entertainment2u for the next EntertainmentBlogger contest -- it launches next Monday, May 17 @ http://bit.ly/4MvJV -- #MusicMonday

Thought you saw all of Betty White's great hosting job on Saturday Night Live last night? Think again! As I noted from my visit to the NBC set earlier this season (click here), sketches performed in the evening's dress rehearsal often get cut due to timing.

Here are four sketches that didn't make it to last night's live show -- three include White. And all feature some female regulars from seasons past. Included are two series favorites -- "Debbie Downer" and "Bronx Beat." The other sketches are "Joyologist" and "Car Bomb Press Conference." ENJOY!

Notes:

• Click on the chart to enlarge.
• The first summer blockbuster, Iron Man 2, had a strong opening with $133.6 million -- beating the box office debut of its predecessor, but falling short of a record.
  
• The first Iron Man pic -- also starring Robert Downey Jr., who enjoyed a personal-best bow with the sequel -- debuted with $98.6 million in May 2008.
• Some experts had suggested that broad pre-release buzz could translate into a record opening by Iron Man 2, but the $158.4 million first-frame performance of The Dark Knight in July 2008 remains secure in the record books.
• Also of note, the animated How to Train Your Dragon crossed the $200 million mark in its seventh week of release.
  
• Reviews of other movies not in the top ten can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
• All figures are industry estimates. Actual figures are released on Monday.
• Sources: Nielsen EDI, ew.com, AP, The Hollywood Reporter
  

You may have missed a very funny commercial during last weekend's Kentucky Derby. Well, I did -- because I was away on vacation as you know. But fear not, the full video for TrackPackPA.com is now available here. So click on the video screen and enjoy -- and then click on the share button below to spread the fun.

3/11/11 update: congrats, Machinery -- Philadelphia agency that won a Gold ADDY Award last night for this spot. www.machineryphilly.com