Too bad for our favorite felt-covered friends that the vampire-werewolf movie came out the same weekend. I'm not sure if "The Muppets" will be able to beat "Breaking Dawn" for the No. 1 spot - though the former will likely have more staying power in the coming weeks.

From The Associated Press:

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1,” $42 million ($71.5 million international). (Review by The News-Herald's Mark Meszoros)
2. “The Muppets,” $29.5 million ($1.6 million international). (Review by Meszoros; Q&A with Kermit the Frog by The AP's Derrik J. Lang)
3. “Happy Feet Two,” $13.4 million ($10 million international). (Review by The AP's David Germain)
4. “Arthur Christmas,” $12.7 million ($11.9 million international). (Review by Germain)
5. “Hugo,” $11.4 million. (Review by Meszoros)
6. “Jack and Jill,” $10.3 million. (Review by The AP's Jake Coyle)
7. “Immortals,” $8.8 million ($8 million international). ("You can see the next Man of Steel in theaters now swinging a sword in 'Immortals'" by Lang)
8. “Puss in Boots,” $7.5 million ($9 million international). (Review by The AP's Christy Lemire)
9. “Tower Heist,” $7.3 million ($7.3 million international). (Review by Lemire)
10. “The Descendants,” $7.2 million. (Review by Lemire)

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

For the diehard Batman fans, like myself, wondering what Director Christopher Nolan would do in his next installment of the Dark Knight to write off the Joker character, it appears fans have an answer.

The gap between "The Dark Knight" and the sequel "The Dark Knight Rises," out next summer, is eight years. Nolan revealed that in an interview with Empire.

"Perhaps surprisingly for some people, our story picks up quite a bit later, eight years after The Dark Knight," Nolan said. "So he's an older Bruce Wayne; he's not in a great state."

The Joker, played by the late Heath Ledger, was not killed in "The Dark Knight," but Ledger obviously could not return for the next Batman film. Christian Bale will reprise his role as Batman in "The Dark Knight Rises."

One of the most famous Batman stories is Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns," as a middle-aged Bruce Wayne comes out of retirement for one last adventure. Whether or not Nolan is using the '80s graphic novel as inspiration for his next film is anyone's guess.

- Mark Podolski | @mpodo

I don't think an introduction to this weekend's box office is even necessary. If you know what movies came out this weekend, you know what movie killed at the box office, and what would have taken a solid second place.

(P.S.: You like movies, right? Check out Entertainment Editor Mark Meszoros' holiday film preview.)

From The Associated Press:

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1,” $139.5 million ($144 million international) (Review by The News-Herald's Mark Meszoros)
2. “Happy Feet 2,” $22 million ($2.6 million international). (Review by The AP's David Germain)
3. “Immortals,” $12.3 million ($11.9 million international). ("You can see the next Man of Steel in theaters now swinging a sword in 'Immortals'" by The AP's Derrik J. Lang)
4. “Jack and Jill,” $12 million ($1.6 million international). (Review by The AP's Jake Coyle)
5. “Puss in Boots,” $10.7 million ($2.4 million international). (Review by The AP's Christy Lemire)
6. “Tower Heist,” $7 million ($4.5 million international). (Review by Lemire)
7. “J. Edgar,” $5.9 million. (Review by Meszoros)
8. “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas,” $2.9 million.
9. “In Time,” $1.7 million ($4.2 million international). (Review by Lemire)
10. “The Descendants,” $1.2 million.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

I came across this neat music video on the blog LikeCool and had to share it here. I've blogged before about how I love stop-motion videos, and this is no exception.

The Australian band Hudson's video for the song "Against The Grain" uses pencils and colored pencils moving up and down and in waves, shrinking, and making rainbows and patterns. Check it out below or click here to watch it on vimeo.


Hudson - Against The Grain from Dropbear on Vimeo.

If you like what you hear, check out the player below for more of Hudson's music:


I don't know if I'm going to be a fan of the band, but "Against The Grain" is a pretty catchy tune, and I tend to be a sucker for that acoustic-y guitar type of stuff.


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

I took a brief spin with the iCookbook app ($4.99 in the ITunes app store) last weekend, installing it on both my iPhone 4 and iPad 2 -- its one of those apps you buy once and can put on multiple devices linked to the same Apple iTunes account.

I really liked the app, which sets itself apart by offering voice commands. The idea is the cook, while preparing a dish, can speak instructions such as "next," to move to the next step in the process, and "back," to move to the previous one. While this is a neat trick, it's not enough reason alone to recommend the app. I do recommend it, however, because it's very user-friendly and offers a ton of recipes, along with easy ways to store them for access later. I also liked that you can write and save notes within a recipe.

Check out a couple of screenshots from the Mama's Beer Chili recipe -- I used Great Lakes Christmas Ale as the beer, giving me an excuse to have a few sips of the brilliant concoction before noon -- along with a couple of photos of the finished product. After that you'll see my video review. Please not that I refer to the app as "iCooking" in the video, which is incorrect.

-- Mark Meszoros | Entertainment@News-Herald.com | @nhfeatures

My son, Sam, just turned 3, and he's at the stage of his life when he's green.

No, I'm not talking about an individual who's inexperienced, although a 3-year-old would qualify. For Sam, it's all about the color green.

He excited to see "The Muppets," which hits the big screen next week, and mom and dad will gladly oblige. We remember watching Kermit the Frog and Co. when we were kids, and now that it's making a comeback, a new generation can enjoy Jim Henson's creation.

Sam also loves another shade of green. Cartoon Network debuted its newest superhero show, "Green Lantern: The Animated Series," and the boy - and his dad - love it.

In reality, the show is way above a 3-year-old's head, but it doesn't matter. The action, CGI graphics and cool green lights are enough to grab any toddler's attention. Any type of action too violent can be fast forwarded thanks to DVRs.

The series follows test fighter pilot Hal Jordan, who has been chosen to join the Green Lantern Corps and wear a special ring that provides him unbelievable super powers. The one-hour premiere was just a taste of what Cartoon Network is touting as part of its "DC Nation" for 2012.

The Network has confirmed a handful a episodes have been green-light (pardon the pun), so if you missed the first episode, get ready for more after New Year's.

As Sam can attest, Green Lantern is a hit. Up next, though, is Kermit and his friends. Sam, and even his dad, are excited.

- Mark Podolski | @mpodo

So I’ve been receiving information at work lately about two apparently very talented local artists and I wasn’t sure what to do with them. They both sounded like they might make decent feature stories, but how do you single them out and ignore the many others who likely would contact the paper seeking similar exposure?

That’s one good thing about blogging: I can shamelessly promote whomever I choose :)

Take Jeff Kinder, for instance — a longtime Painesville Township resident, who happens to play on the church worship team on which I sing. He recently released his first CD, “Moments,” which is a compilation of his own compositions that he performs on piano, joined by various first-rate musicians.

Did I mention that Jeff and his family also happen to live across the street from me? And that he’s helped me with everything from mouse trapping to Mac computer conundrums? (At least they were for me)

In fact, I guess I live on a pretty talented street. I’m told that the Life Brand Cowboy Church down the way has a pastor with an extremely gifted country singer for a daughter. Her name is Abbey Gregory. I have not heard her, personally, but I’m told this teen has raw natural talent and a beautiful voice, at least a couple of albums under her belt, and has partnered with Natural High ministry to promote drug and alcohol awareness in middle schools. For more, visit www.abbeygregory.com.

Back to Jeff. He would like to make a career of being a musician and says it’s possible in this technology-enhanced day and age. The 30-year-old plans to do so with an Internet marketing campaign heavily focused on social media and advertising.

“It takes awhile as an independent artist,” Jeff says. “When somebody’s searching for what you’re doing — in my case solo piano music — you have to be very focused in a campaign to attract customers to your website. Facebook is good, Twitter is great, but they don’t necessarily earn you revenue. They draw potential customers to your site. Just by having your songs on iTunes, you’re not going to make a lot of money.
“You can’t do it with one album. Unless you are a recording artist that has a contract with a company that will be promoting that album. If you’re doing it by yourself, it’s going to take a few albums and a few years.”

“Moments” was released Nov. 1 and has already sold 70 copies (68 not purchased by me). I have to say it’s gorgeous stuff that I’m told falls into the New Age music genre. “It has nothing to do with anyone’s philosophical beliefs,”  he notes. “It’s really a style of music.”

If you get my tweet in time, you can stop by Joughin Hardware in Painesville from 5-9 tonight and get a CD signed. If not, check him out online: www.jeffkinder.com.


Good luck Jeff & Abbey!

-- Betsy Scott, BScott@News-Herald.com, Twitter: @ReporterBetsy.com

I can't believe that "Jack and Jill" made it all the way to second place at the weekend box office. But that won't matter too much by this time next week, when all of the Twi-hards will have been to the theater two or three times to see The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1", which hits theaters at midnight Thursday night. Do you have your tickets yet????????!!!?!?

From The Associated Press:

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. “Immortals,” $32 million ($36 million international). ("You can see the next Man of Steel in theaters now swinging a sword in 'Immortals'" by The AP's Derrik J. Lang)
2. “Jack and Jill,” $26 million ($2.7 million international). (Review by The AP's Jake Coyle)
3. “Puss in Boots,” $25.5 million ($4.5 million international). (Review by The AP's Christy Lemire)
4. “Tower Heist,” $13.2 million ($7.6 million international). (Review by Lemire)
5. “J. Edgar,” $11.5 million. (Review by The News-Herald's Mark Meszoros)
6. “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas,” $5.9 million.
7. “In Time,” $4.2 million ($8.5 million international). (Review by Lemire)
8. “Paranormal Activity 3,” $3.6 million ($7.1 million international).
9. “Footloose,” $2.7 million. (Review by Coyle)
10. “Real Steel,” $2 million ($12 million international). (Review by The AP's David Germain)

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

I've heard good things about "Tower Heist," but I've heard great things about "Puss in Boots." Also, as I say regularly in this space, family-friendly movies rule the weekend box office.

(Also: Is it weird that a Christmas movie is out already? Or is it OK because it's just Harold and Kumar?)

From The Associated Press:

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. “Puss in Boots,” $33 million. ($15 million international.) (Review by The AP's Christy Lemire)
2. “Tower Heist,” $25.1 million. ($9.5 million international.) (Review by Lemire)
3. “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas,” $13 million.
4. “Paranormal Activity 3,” $8.5 million. ($14.1 million international.)
5. “In Time,” $7.7 million. ($16.6 million international.) (Review by Lemire)
6. “Footloose,” $4.5 million. (Review by The AP's Jake Coyle)
7. “Real Steel,” $3.4 million. ($10.7 million international.) (Review by The AP's David Germain)
8. “The Rum Diary,” $2.9 million. (Review by Coyle)
9. “The Ides of March,” $2 million. (Review by The News-Herald's Mark Meszoros)
10. “Moneyball,” $1.9 million. (Review by Lemire)

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

I used to get all kinds of good mail here at The News-Herald. As "the entertainment guy," I'd get my fair share of CDs, a DVD now and then and lots of little promotional trinkets. But, in this digital age, most of that stuff has stopped coming, replaced by links for album downloads and the like.

Sure, I still get plenty of mail, but most of it isn't too exciting -- a press kit here, a pay-to-publish book there. So last week when I opened up a large envelope I had no high expectations. When out fell the DVD for Rush's "Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland" I was excited. I'm a longtime fan of the Canadian prog-rock trio, sure, but, no doubt like a few of you, I was at this show. I was one of the 20,000 or so fans that packed Quicken Loans Arena for an evening with Rush in April.

It was a really solid show, the band picking and choosing cuts from their entire, nearly four-decades-long career. And while I was most thrilled to hear middle/late-career songs "Presto" (one of my absolute Rush faves) and "Marathon," the draw for most was hearing "Moving Pictures" in its entirety. That album, released 30 years ago and probably the band's most popular work, boasts "Tom Sawyer," "Red Barchetta" and "YYZ."

Of course, if you're a true Rush fan, you know that one of the evening's top highlights will come fairly late in the night -- and that it will be well worth the wait. And drumming great Neil Peart's solo that night was well worth the wait, confirmed by watching the track, titled "Moto Perpetuo (featuring Love for Sale)," on the DVD. Peart is a joy to watch and hear, as are his counterparts, bassist-vocalist Geddy Lee (OK, he used to sound better, but he still gets it done) and guitarist Alex Lifeson. Spending time with the DVD over the last few days has given me a new appreciation for Lifeson. Yes, he still falls behind Peart and Lee in the talent department, but the man is no slouch.

Here's a sampling from the DVD, a nice combination of early numbers "Presto" and "Faithless":



"Tiem Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland" comes out Tuesday on DVD and Blu-ray. If you're a fan of the band -- if you keep them closer to the heart -- and especially if you saw the show, I recommend picking it up.

-- Mark Meszoros | Entertainment@News-Herald.com | @nhfeatures

If you like old-school Mario and Rubik's cubes, there's no way you won't like this video of someone making Mario's portrait out of Rubik's cubes. I can't imagine solving a Rubik's cube, much less manipulating it to look like something else, so I'm pretty impressed with this:




-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl