Guess we've got to hand it to Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. I oftentimes criticize the enormous compensation packages of celebrity thespians, but I'll give credit where credit is due. These two stars have powered News Corp.'s (NYSE: NWS) Marley and Me to great success (I suppose that dog helped out, too).

In its second weekend out in the marketplace, the film was again in the top slot at domestic theaters, with current estimates pegging its three-day gross at around $24 million. Marley is now well past the $100 million mark.

Another movie is doing well at the box office, one that I thought wasn't going to be so hot. Again, it has a big star to thank, to some degree at least. Adam Sandler and his Bedtime Stories flick, distributed by Disney (NYSE: DIS), came in second over the weekend, grossing about $20 million. It's total tally is at $85 million after two weekends.

Then there's Brad Pitt's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, from Viacom (NYSE: VIA). Button was third with $18 million, and now has almost $80 million in its box-office bank account.

Continue reading 'Marley and Me' tops first box-office weekend of the year

'Marley and Me' tops first box-office weekend of the year originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Is Jennifer Aniston's latest endorsement deal a 'smart' choice? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 19 Jun 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As if  you hadn't heard enough about hybrids lately -- the Toyota Prius, for instance, or the tomato genetically modified with salmon DNA -- now  Warner Home Video decides to drop a hybrid DVD on us.

That right, a hybrid DVD. What that means is that on one side, it's a standard DVD while on the other side, it's a high-definition DVD (those in the know will refer to it as "HD DVD." That's just FYI).  On May 9, Warner Home Video will roll out the the company's very first hybrid DVD -- the Jennifer Aniston vehicle Rumor Has It -- at $39.99.

Clearly, this news raises some pretty important questions:

• will owning a hybrid DVD will allow you to be as smugly self-righteous as owning a hybrid car?
• will Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Aniston's beau, get insecure because Dodgeball is only available in standard DVD format?
• will the release of the Rumor Has It hybrid overshadow forthcoming Angelina Jolie - Brad Pitt hybrid?

Warner launches DVD hybrid with Jennifer Aniston; Brangelina response unclear originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 26 Apr 2006 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.