The "Harold and Kumar" trilogy has never been a giant money-maker, but with a dedicated fan base (i.e. pot smokers) and a small price point, the raucous R-rated comedies have continually been a solid investment for New Line Cinema. This weekend, the laughter will have some steep competition from two big box-office draws, Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy, in "Tower Heist." Stiller's star power has been pretty reliable for years. It's Murphy who's much more of a wild card.
The Times' Steve Zeitchik and Nicole Sperling discuss the allure of Harold and Kumar and ponder what exactly Murphy wants with his career.
While "Puss in Boots" will win the box-office crown this weekend, two other new releases will provide some of the most compelling storylines. "In Time" will serve as the latest notch on the acting resume of Justin Timberlake, who continues his career reinvention from singer to actor. Meanwhile, Johnny Depp will try to prove that he can still work his quirky magic in a smaller, more independent film when he opens "The Rum Diary."
The Times' Nicole Sperling and Steven Zeitchik break down the careers of two of the more magnetic, and complicated, entertainment personalities working today.
As the world mourned the passing of Steve Jobs this week, Hollywood also reflected on the legacy the Apple and Pixar co-founder left on the movie world. Meanwhile, Universal announced a bold experiment under which the Eddie Murphy-Ben Stiller movie "Tower Heist" will be available on-demand three weeks after it arrives in theaters.
The Times' Rebecca Keegan and Steven Zeitchik offer their thoughts on what Jobs meant to Hollywood, as well as on the viability of the "Heist" experiment and this weekend's release of George Clooney's political drama "The Ides of March."
