The introduction of Brian Selznick’s The Invention of Hugo Cabret vividly describes how the story begins, “…the sun will soon rise, and you will find yourself zooming toward a train station in the middle of the city. You will rush through the doors in a crowded lobby. You will eventually spot a boy amid the crowd, and he will start to move through the train station. Follow him, because he is Hugo Cabret.” Next are several elaborately detailed drawings that show Paris at dawn, the station, and the boy walking all around. The film Hugo brings these words and images to life on screen. Instead of having to imagine the events described or just see it represented flatly on the page, the audience sees it created right before their eyes, thanks to the magic of film.

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On today’s Daytime and Pop Confidential podcast Luke Kerr, Jamey Giddens, Jillian Bowe and Melodie Aikels mix it up with Larry Flick and Keith Price on The Morning Jolt With Larry Flick. During the two-hour show they discuss everything from Prospect Park licensing All My Children and One Life to Live to Genie Francis on The Young and the Restless. In the second hour, the gang discusses Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony’s marriage coming to an end, VH1’s Single Ladies, Lady Gaga, Harry Potter, Torchwood: Miracle Day, Whitney Houston and the primetime Emmy nominations. READ MORE

The swan song in a decade long franchise broke all-time box office records this weekend. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 bested the weekend record held by The Dark Knight, earning a stunning $168 million in just three days! Internationally the film has earned almost half a billion dollars. Deadline breaks down the numbers.

Photo Credit by Warner Brothers

Sob!  The end really is near!  With less than a month to go, Warner Brothers has released a new international trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.  The eighth and final film of the franchise makes its debut July 15.  The new trailer features lots of action and old faces like Gary Oldman’s beloved Sirius Black.  Combined with clips of Harry, Hermione, and Ron from the earlier films, the promo packs quite the emotional punch.  Watch the trailer after the jump, but be warned—sobbing may follow. READ MORE

On Monday, Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe spoke at the 92nd Y in New York City about the pitfalls of growing up in the public eye as a child star:

“Here’s the thing: if I can do it — in the biggest film franchise of all-time in terms of grosses — no one else has any excuses. I just want the next generation of child actors to not have to answer all those bloody questions in interviews, ‘So, how long do you expect this to last?’ Essentially, that is what we get asked. A lot. I have had that phrased that way. So I just want the next lot of kids who want to act not to have to deal with those questions.”
 

The Huffington Post has the full story.

Photo by PR Photos