Fair Proxy Web

‘Eagle Eye’ flies high at box office in No. 1 slot

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) — Shia LaBeouf’s conspiracy thriller Eagle Eye debuted at the top of the weekend box office with $29.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The Paramount-DreamWorks release was the second No. 1 premiere for LaBeouf and director D.J. Caruso, who also teamed on 2007’s hit Disturbia.

Opening in second place with $13.6 million was another reunion, the Warner Bros. romantic drama Nights in Rodanthe featuring The Cotton Club and Unfaithful co-stars Richard Gere and Diane Lane.

The previous weekend’s top flick, Sony’s thriller Lakeview Terrace, slipped to No. 3 with $7 million, raising its 10-day total to $25.7 million.

The Samuel Goldwyn release Fireproof, a Christian drama starring Kirk Cameron as a firefighter who turns to God to help save his marriage, premiered in fourth-place with $6.5 million.

Eagle Eye helped pull Hollywood out of the box-office doldrums that have lingered the last two months. The top 12 movies took in $87.8 million, up 15 percent from the same weekend last year.

You put a summer-style movie in the heart of the fall, and you can take advantage of the marketplace, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers.

found here.

Candidates say they’ll probably support bailout bill

(CNN) — Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain said Sunday they would probably vote for the government’s proposed bailout legislation once they check out the final details.

Congressional lawmakers announced early Sunday they made great progress toward reaching a deal on the White House’s proposed $700 billion bailout plan.

Rep. Barney Frank, D-Massachusetts, said the final plan will be a compromise that includes some of the original Bush administration proposals and elements demanded by congressional negotiators.

In an interview Sunday on CBS’ Face the Nation, Obama said he had not reviewed the language of the latest proposal, but he said if the core principles he put forth were incorporated into it, his inclination would be to vote for it.

The Illinois senator said the final deal must include strong oversight, make sure taxpayers share in any gains when the market recovers, provide relief for homeowners, and make sure taxpayers’ money does not go toward any executives’ bonuses.

Obama told CBS that it appears those principles have been included, and if that is the case, my inclination would be to vote for it, understanding I’m not happy about it. We should have never gotten into this place in the first place.

Ultimately, I believe that we have to get something done, he said. And so if I feel that those are meaningful provisions that provide some constraints on how the Treasury operates, and this is not going to to be welfare for Wall Street, then my inclination is to vote for it because I think Main Street is now at stake.

The Democratic presidential candidate said he agreed with President Bush that the country is facing the most serious economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Asked whether McCain should get any credit for jump-starting negotiations, Obama said no.

For two weeks, I was on the phone every day with [Treasury] Secretary [Henry] Paulson and the congressional leaders making sure that the principles that have ultimately been adopted were incorporated in the bill, Obama said.

McCain suspended his presidential campaign Wednesday to focus on the financial crisis and said he would not show up at Friday’s presidential debate if Congress had not reached a deal. The Arizona senator said Friday morning that enough progress had been made for him to attend the debate. Watch more on the ‘breakthrough’

In an interview Sunday on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos, McCain defended his decision to suspend his campaign, but said he did not deserve credit for bringing reluctant Republicans to agreement.

It wasn’t because of me that the House of — Republicans in the House of Representatives got into the negotiating and bargaining, which was vital. It had to be bipartisan and bicameral. But they did it themselves. And I’m proud of the work that they did, he said.

Asked what role he did play, McCain said, I will let you and others make — be the judge of that. I did the best that I could. I came back because I wasn’t going to phone it in.

McCain said he had not seen the details of the bailout proposal, but he would hopefully be able to support it.

The outlines that I have read of it, that this is something that all of us will swallow hard and go forward with. The option of doing nothing is simply not an acceptable option, he said.

McCain said the principles he laid out had been met: protecting taxpayers, avoiding excessive compensation for CEOs, having an oversight body and not putting all of the responsibility in Paulson’s hands.

The Republican presidential candidate said it is now time to put the deal into action.

found here.

Congressional leaders say bailout deal is near

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Congressional negotiators made great progress toward reaching a deal on the White House’s proposed $700 billion bailout of the financial system, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

Pelosi, flanked by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and other congressional leaders, made the announcement around 12:30 a.m. Sunday after a long evening of talks on Capitol Hill.

Their goal has been to craft and announce a final deal on legislation by Sunday, in time for the start of financial markets around the world.

We have to get it committed to paper so we can formally agree, Pelosi said.

Reid said congressional staffers would be up all night putting the details so a deal could be announced sometime Sunday.

Under the tentative deal being finalized, the rescue program would be overseen by a board including the treasury secretary, secretary of commerce, head of the Securities and Exchange Commission and chairman of the Federal Reserve, said Sen. Kent Conrad, R-North Dakota, who heads the Senate Budget Committee.

According to Conrad, $700 billion would be disbursed in stages, with $250 billion made available immediately. In addition, the Treasury would establish an insurance program — with premiums paid by the industry — to mitigate taxpayer losses. The bill would also probably include some curbs on the compensation of executives at companies that participate.

Finally, the government would get the right to receive equity stakes in the companies that sell it assets. The measure is an attempt to reduce fiscal risk to taxpayers.

A senior House Democratic aide called it a framework of an agreement, and you still have to put everything on paper. The aide added that all sides would have to review it carefully Sunday. Watch what the bailout could mean for you

House Republicans have not yet signed off on the newest plan, but their negotiator, Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, said he would present it to the GOP caucus Sunday morning after it is written on paper.

I think we’re going to be able to have an announcement tomorrow, but these are difficult issues, Blunt said.

Reid said there was a breakthrough just before midnight Saturday that was made possible by a new idea proposed by Pelosi.

A senior House Democratic aide said the breakthrough that Reid referred to was an idea Pelosi came up with to address questions about whether taxpayers would be protected in the bailout.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson stood with Pelosi and Reid as they announced the progress.

We’ve made great progress toward a deal which will work and will be effective in the marketplace and effective for all Americans, Paulson said. iReport.com: Are you upset about the bailout?

Rep. Barney Frank, D-Massachusetts, the House leader on the issue, said the final plan will be a compromise that includes some of the original Bush administration proposals and elements demanded by congressional negotiators.

I do think we have reached as good a product as you can in this democracy given all the interests, Frank said.

Sen. Judd Gregg, R-New Hampshire, called it dramatic progress towards accomplishing something that is critical for the American people.

We can’t underestimate what we face as a threat relative to a fiscal meltdown and the impact it would have on Main Street, Gregg said. This is about people’s jobs. It’s about people’s savings. It’s about people’s ability to participate in commerce and send their kids to school and be able to borrow money to run their small businesses.

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said the Bush administration was very pleased with the progress made tonight in these discussions. He applauded the hard work on both sides of the aisle that led to this point.

Fratto said that the president had been in close contact with key negotiators throughout the evening, including an evening phone call with Pelosi and frequent calls with White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten.

However, when pressed on whether the president has signed off on a formal agreement, Fratto would only say, the White House is very pleased with the progress.

Paulson first announced the bailout plan September 18.

The Bush administration is seeking authority for the Treasury to buy as much as $700 billion in troubled mortgage assets that are weighing down banks and other financial institutions in hopes of freeing up the banks to start lending again.

If enacted, it would be the most dramatic and extensive government intervention in the economy since the Great Depression. The aim is to unfreeze the credit markets — short-term lending among banks and corporations — by giving the Treasury authority to purchase bad assets from banks and other financial institutions.

found here.

Larry King: I admired ’superstar’ actor Paul Newman

(CNN) — Legendary actor Paul Newman died of cancer at his home in Westport, Connecticut, at the age of 83.

The actor, who was known for his classic roles in movies such as Cool Hand Luke and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, died Friday according to his spokeswoman.

CNN’s Larry King, who interviewed Newman a number of times, spoke about what it was like to interview the legendary actor and his impact on the entertainment industry.

CNN: When did you first meet Paul Newman?

Larry King: In the 1960s, when Cool Hand Luke came out, he was on my radio and television shows in Miami promoting that movie. So I’ve known him 40 years. Well I admired him so much as an actor. I was a great fan of his. Watch Larry King talk about Paul Newman

I found him extraordinarily honest as an interview, forthcoming and to the point. He was not an elaborative person — by that I mean, he didn’t give you extra words. If it took 20 words, he gave you 20 words, not 25.

He also said something I’ve never forgotten. He said it the first time I interviewed him. He said anybody who is successful in life and who doesn’t use the word luck is a liar. He thought that luck visited everybody who was successful. Stars honor screen legend

CNN: What’s his legacy?

King: He was a great actor, of course; that’s obvious. His charitable work, the $200 million he raised, the things he did with kids, the camps, the products he produced. He was one of the forerunners, when you think of it, of healthy eating. He was into that early. Watch one of the staffers at Newman’s camps talk about him

He had an extraordinarily happy show business marriage. The odds against that were enormous. He was a racecar driver; he was adventuresome; he took on challenging roles.

He made so many extraordinary films. There were so many different avenues he touched. He was amazing. iReport.com: What do you remember best about Paul Newman?

CNN: How often did you interview him?

King: A total of about five times, and once Paul McCartney’s ex-wife interviewed him on my show. I had a night off, and she interviewed him. I had one social dinner with him. I would run into him at events. It wasn’t a social relationship; it was professional.

CNN: What was he like in your interviews?

King: He was a great person to explain roles he did. And then once we did an interview just on his foods and charity and racecar driving … but most of the times it was about acting.

CNN: In the pantheon of Hollywood celebrities, where did he rank, and how was he viewed?

King: I think he ranked at the top. He would be in the superstar vein. The word I would use about Hollywood and Paul Newman would be respect. People had enormous respect for him, for his ability, for all he’d done, what he did with his life.

He was incredible when you think about all he’d done. Here’s a guy, he parlayed a good acting career into a great acting career, charity into enormous charity, racecar driving into celebrity. He’d be on the A list way up at the top.

found here.

Larry King: I admired ’superstar’ actor Paul Newman

(CNN) — Legendary actor Paul Newman died of cancer at his home in Westport, Connecticut, at the age of 83.

The actor, who was known for his classic roles in movies such as Cool Hand Luke and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, died Friday according to his spokeswoman.

CNN’s Larry King, who interviewed Newman a number of times, spoke about what it was like to interview the legendary actor and his impact on the entertainment industry.

CNN: When did you first meet Paul Newman?

Larry King: In the 1960s, when Cool Hand Luke came out, he was on my radio and television shows in Miami promoting that movie. So I’ve known him 40 years. Well I admired him so much as an actor. I was a great fan of his. Watch Larry King talk about Paul Newman

I found him extraordinarily honest as an interview, forthcoming and to the point. He was not an elaborative person — by that I mean, he didn’t give you extra words. If it took 20 words, he gave you 20 words, not 25.

He also said something I’ve never forgotten. He said it the first time I interviewed him. He said anybody who is successful in life and who doesn’t use the word luck is a liar. He thought that luck visited everybody who was successful. Stars honor screen legend

CNN: What’s his legacy?

King: He was a great actor, of course; that’s obvious. His charitable work, the $200 million he raised, the things he did with kids, the camps, the products he produced. He was one of the forerunners, when you think of it, of healthy eating. He was into that early. Watch one of the staffers at Newman’s camps talk about him

He had an extraordinarily happy show business marriage. The odds against that were enormous. He was a racecar driver; he was adventuresome; he took on challenging roles.

He made so many extraordinary films. There were so many different avenues he touched. He was amazing. iReport.com: What do you remember best about Paul Newman?

CNN: How often did you interview him?

King: A total of about five times, and once Paul McCartney’s ex-wife interviewed him on my show. I had a night off, and she interviewed him. I had one social dinner with him. I would run into him at events. It wasn’t a social relationship; it was professional.

CNN: What was he like in your interviews?

King: He was a great person to explain roles he did. And then once we did an interview just on his foods and charity and racecar driving … but most of the times it was about acting.

CNN: In the pantheon of Hollywood celebrities, where did he rank, and how was he viewed?

King: I think he ranked at the top. He would be in the superstar vein. The word I would use about Hollywood and Paul Newman would be respect. People had enormous respect for him, for his ability, for all he’d done, what he did with his life.

He was incredible when you think about all he’d done. Here’s a guy, he parlayed a good acting career into a great acting career, charity into enormous charity, racecar driving into celebrity. He’d be on the A list way up at the top.

found here.