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We love crime movies. We may go on and on about Scorsese’s ability to incorporate Italian neo-realism techniques into Mean Streets (1973), the place of John Huston’s The Asphalt Jungle (1950) in the canon of postwar noir, The Godfather (1972) as a socio-cultural commentary on the distortion of the ideals of the American dream blah blah blah, yadda yadda yadda…but that ain’t it.

We love crime movies because we love watching a guy who doesn’t have to behave, who doesn’t have to – nor care to – put a choker on his id and can let his darkest, most visceral impulses run wild. Some smart-mouth gopher tells hood Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci), “Go fuck yourself,” in Scorsese’s Goodfellas (1990), and does Tommy roll with it? Does he spit back, “Fuck me? Nah, fuck you!” Does he go home and tell his mother?

Nope.

He pulls a .45 cannon out from...

By some way, the best screen adaptation of a Dr Seuss book is the 1966 TV film of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, animated by the great Chuck Jones (himself the creator of some of the most unforgettable cartoon characters), impeccably and inimitably narrated by Boris Karloff and lasting a beautifully crisp 26 minutes. Most of the other versions of his wonderful verse fables – including the Jim Carrey live-action treatment of The Grinch, the live-action The Cat in the Hat and the animated Horton Hears a Who! – are wildly overlong and sentimentalised.

The same, I'm afraid, is the case with the 3D-cgi The Lorax, in which the fashionably named Ted Wiggins of Thneedville goes in search of a real tree to impress his high school girlfriend. Thneedville is a synthetic community with fake vegetation, run by the corrupt capitalist O'Hare, who grows rich by selling bottled air to the easily swayed inhabitants.

With The Lorax now far and away the highest grossing movie of 2012 (at least until The Hunger Games hits theatres) the folks behind the movie are slowly realizing that the works of Dr. Seuss are an endless cash cow just waiting to be milked. Illumination Entertainment are already in the early planning stages on their next Seuss adaptation, although surprisingly they have chosen to tackle a book that was already brought to the big screen not that long ago. According to Deadline, they will be putting together a CG-animated version of The Cat in the Hat, with newcomer Rob Lieber writing the script. Okay, I get that the 2003 Mike Myers film was not that well-received, but still I need to know... when are we going to get Green Eggs and Ham: The Movie? The live action version of The Cat in the Hat just barely broke even, making $133 million worldwide on a budget of $109 million,...

Director Michael Bay is not a subtle man, as he’s proven with the science fiction movies he has helmed. Explosions are used where dialogue and better-than-normal exposition could be used better to move the story along. His quick editing and continued movement of the camera is, more or less, designed to appeal to people Adhd. Yet no where can you say anything of his films is actually grounded in any science. So why is the reboot version of The Teenage Mutant Turtles, which he’s producing, changing its origin concept of radiated turtles that become superheroes into space aliens who become superheroes? Bay recently spoke at Nickelodeon Upfront in New York where he announced that this live-action reboot will feature far more realistic, relatable ninja turtles. “When you see this movie, kids are going to believe, one day, that these turtles actually do exist when we are done with this movie.

In "The Sitter" (now on DVD and Blu-ray) Jonah Hill has his hands full when he takes on a babysitting gig and ends up running all over New York City with his charges in tow.

Just a guess, but it's possible that the kids' parents didn't quite have that in mind when they hired him. Perhaps they would have done better looking for a sitter on Craigslist? Based on these ads that other fictional babysitters might have posted -- helpfully provided by our friend Old Red Jalopy -- well, hmm, maybe not.

Originally posted Dec. 7, 2011. Craigslist ads, in order: 'Adventures in Babysitting,' 'When a Stranger Calls,' 'Crazy, Stupid, Love.,' ''The Hangover,' 'The Cat in the Hat,' 'The Incredibles'

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Prepare yourself for sequel madness! Actually, it’s not just sequels; there’s reboots and re-releases in the mix, too. Not only is Jurassic Park due to return to theaters in 3D, but Leprechaun is making a big return, getting a reboot from Lionsgate and WWE Studios. Meanwhile, Universal is giving The Cat in the Hat another go. There’s also this little film called The Hunger Games, which while only the first film in a new franchise, is tracking as though it’s a sequel, with bigger numbers than The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1. Then, call it what you want – the Alien prequel, an unrelated idea, whatever – but [ Read More ]...

Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill may play totally inept undercover cops in 21 Jump Street, but at the box office, they’re proving much more effective. The R-rated comedy scored a tremendous $35 million in its opening weekend, enough to easily top the chart.

21 Jump Street opened in the same range as films like Bad Teacher ($31.6 million), Superbad ($33.1 million), Wedding Crashers ($33.9 million), and Scary Movie ($42.3 million), but each of those films opened in the summer, when R-rated fare like The Hangover and Bridesmaids has traditionally captured raunch-loving audiences. For 21 Jump Street to earn $35 million over a weekend in mid-March is a far more impressive achievement.

What happens when "The Lorax" scores the biggest opening of 2012 to date (and took the #1 box office spot in its second week as well)? You start planning for more Dr. Seuss movies, that's what!

However, Universal and Illumination Entertainment aren't turning to "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish," "Green Eggs and Ham" or even "Oh, The Places You'll Go!" for their next animated Seussian adaptation. They've got their eye on what might be the most popular Seuss story of all time (next to "How The Grinch Stole Christmas"), "The Cat in the Hat," according to Deadline.

What makes this rather surprising news is that Universal already brought the "Cat" to the big screen in the form of the 2003 live action film starring Mike Myers (under a ton of makeup) in the title role. "The Cat in the Hat" grossed $101 million domestic and another $133 million worldwide - but at a budget of $109 million,...

EW has confirmed that Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment are working on a 3-D animated production of Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat. Spurred by the recent box-office domination of The Lorax, the reboot will hope to succeed where Mike Myers’ 2003 live-action iteration of the 1957 classic failed. As initially reported by Deadline, Rob Lieber (who’s adapted Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day for Fox) has signed on the write the script, and Audrey Geisel, the widow of Dr. Seuss (né Theodore Geisel), will serve as executive producer. No release date is projected at this point.

Rob Lieber is to adapt The Cat in the Hat as a 3D computer animated feature for Illumination Entertainment. The studio is moving ahead with the project following its domestic success with Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, which raked in more than $$130 million in the Us market, reports Deadline. Cat in the Hat, considered one of the most popular children's books of all-time, was first published in 1957. It tells the story of a young boy and his sister, who let a mischievous cat into their house while their parents are away. The book (more)...

As you may have heard Dr. Seuss' The Lorax is doing extremely well at the box office, pulling in $134 million so far. So of course Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment are excited to dive into Suess' library of books and make another one. The next film on their list is the original classic that we all know and love... The Cat in the Hat.

Like The Lorax, it will be a 3D CG animated film, and Rob Lieber has been hired to write the script. It will be produced by Chris Meledandri and Audrey Geisel. This will be the second time that The Cat in the Hat got the big screen treatment. Back in 2003 Universal developed the absolutely terrible live-action version that starred Mike Meyers. I think they actually might get it right the second time around. 

Poor Dick and Sally. It's cold and wet and they're stuck in the...

"The Lorax": $132m domestic gross (to date). "Horton Hears a Who!": $297m worldwide gross. "How the Grinch Stole Christmas": $345m worldwide gross. Dr Seuss adaptations are a cinematic brand that audiences respond to. Or to put it another way: When Hollywood studios adapt Dr. Seuss books, it's pretty much certain they'll make them big bucks. Even the dreadful live-action "The Cat in the Hat" starring Mike Myers earned more than $100m domestic, so don't be surprised to hear about a "Green Eggs and Ham" movie in the works, sooner rather than later.

The next Dr. Seuss story to make its way to thatres, however, will be one we've already seen. Illumination Entertainment ("The Lorax," "Hop," "Despicable Me") will be trying their luck with "The Cat in the Hat" again, but this time they'll be turning it into a 3D CG-animated feature, rather than a Mike Myers clusterfuck.

From all accounts, Mike Meyers' 2003 live-action adaptation of Dr. Seuss' classic story The Cat in the Hat was an unmitigated disaster. Well, it looks like Universal and Illumination Entertainment are hoping you can put those memories out of your head, because they're bringing the story back to the movies. This time, though, they're taking the safe route. Deadline reports that this version will be a 3D CG animated feature. With the recent box office success of The Lorax, the film has been number one the past two weekends, beating John Carter, so another animated trip through the world of Dr. Seuss seems like a bingo. Rob Lieber is writing the script, and he's a bit of a mystery in the entertainment world. So far he has no produced writing credits, but back in May of last year, he was set to write The Kids Are All Right helmer...

Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment are developing Dr. Seuss' 1957 book The Cat in the Hat for the screen, Deadline reports.

The studios are hoping that the recent box office smash hit "The Lorax" is indicative of an audience hungry for animated adaptations of Seuss' riddle-happy books. "Lorax" brought in a strong $122 million over its first 10 days and won the weekend box office two weeks in a row as families flocked to the theaters to see the movie.

Deadline notes that The Cat in the Hat is probably Seuss' third-most iconic book, after Green Eggs and Ham and How The Grinch Stole Christmas. But while the live action film "The Grinch" was a box office winner, a previous attempt at bringing The Cat to the big screen was widely panned.

The 2003 live action adaptation starred Mike Myers and earned an abysmal 11 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Deadline reports that it...

Joss Whedon says out wait for a new Dr. Horrible is almost over. They have a number of songs written, and an entire outline done. Now it's down to scheduling, which Neil Patrick Harris is the complicated part of, but they think this summer should allow them to film. Neil's latest question is how long they'd need.

Steve Levitan says that even if it was an option, he wouldn't take Modern Family to cable with a shorter season because the kids are growing up so fast. “They’re growing. We tried to stop it and it’s not working. For that reason alone, we want to get as many stories in as we can while they’re going through these years. So we’re going to try to maintain this pace for as long as we can.” Added Levitan: “The greatest stories we hear are from gay teens that never...

It’s such a shame with what happened to the live action adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat. Not only was the movie a critical and commercial failure, but also Audrey Stone Geisel declared she’d never let Hollywood make a live-action adaptation of her late husband’s work again. However the works that have gone the animated CGI route is a completely different story.

Horton Hears a Who (which was produced over at Fox) and The Lorax were both very successful at the box office, with the latter beating John Carter. So Universal Pictures hopes to replicate that success with a CGI version of the acclaimed Dr. Seuss novel.

According to Deadline, The Cat in the Hat will re-team Universal with Geisel and Illumination Entertainment’s Chris Meledandri, who served as executive producer and producer on The Lorax, respectively. Meledandri developed a relationship with Mrs. Geisel...

After topping the domestic box office for the past two weeks with Dr Seuss' "The Lorax," Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment are re-teaming for another version of Dr Seuss' "The Cat in the Hat," which will be a 3D CG-animated film. Back in 2003, Universal turned the property into a live-action film, starring Mike Myers. The $109 million film failed to earn back its budget domestically, but with the help of overseas revenues, ended up grossing $134 million. It's still considered a big disappointment. The new movie will be written by Rob Lieber. At the same time, Illumination is developing a film about the life of Dr. Seuss, with Johnny Depp attached to play the lead.

In less than two weeks, The Lorax has already become this year's highest-grossing movie, so it's no surprise that Universal wants to return to the world of Dr. Seuss. This time, though, they'll be animating one of the Seuss tales they couldn't get right in live action: The Cat in the Hat. Deadline reports that Uni, Seuss widow Audrey Geisel, and Illumination Pictures will reteam for a 3-D, CG-animated take on the classic tale that will hopefully wipe the slate clean after the 2003 version of Cat in the Hat, which put Mike Myers into a very unnerving feline costume. If that pays off, will they dare to attempt a new animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, even though the 1966 TV special is a holiday perennial?...

With "Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax" topping the box-office for the past two weeks and scoring big coin, Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment have decided to tackle another Seuss property with the same 3D CG-animated feature approach reports Deadline.

What's surprising is the choice - "The Cat in the Hat". Arguably Seuss' most famous story worldwide, the decision to adapt it comes after Universal turned the property into a 2003 live-action feature starring Mike Myers that was considered a major disappointment.

The feeling seems to be that the works of Seuss connect better in animation as they did with 'Lorax' and Fox/Blue Sky's "Horton Hears a Who" so the decision was made to tackle this story with Rob Lieber set to pen the script. Chris Meledandri will produce.

Illumination remains separately working on a film about the life of Dr. Seuss with Johnny Depp attached to play him.

You may remember that they already made a movie version of The Cat in the Hat. Directed by Bo Welch, the movie came out in 2003 and starred Mike Myers, Alec Baldwin, Kelly Preston and Dakota Fanning. But that's probably not what you remember, though; you probably remember the epic trashing that the title got from critics or how it failed to make back its $100 million-plus budget at the box office. Well, let's hope that the second time is the charm because we're getting another film version of that same story. Deadline reports that Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures, the same companies that brought you The Lorax, is now planning on bringing The Cat in the Hat back to the big screen. Much like those two previous films, the new project is also being planned as a 3D movie made with CGI animation. Rob Lieber has already been hired to pen...

With Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax actually being the “first blockbuster of the year,” well on its way to a domestic take of $150m+ (sorry, John Carter), it is no surprise we have news of another one of the author’s books getting the animated treatment. Deadline is reporting that Universal Pictures is re-teaming with Illumination Entertainment’s Chris Meledandri once again, this time for The Cat in the Hat.

Rob Lieber will script the the film, which will avoid recognition of the 2003 live-action film starring Mike Myers, Alec Baldwin and Dakota Fanning. Considering I altogether forgot that even existed, I assume they’ll have little problem carving out new territory. I vividly remember the actual book as a kid though (including the mysterious Thing One and Thing Two characters) and hope they opt for more of the fun spirit found in the material, rather than banging our heads over and...

With "The Lorax" outperforming expectations at the box office (even, in its second weekend, beating "John Carter"), Dr. Seuss has once again become a hot property for Hollywood, and one of his most famous creations is heading for the big screen again. "The Lorax" team of Universal, Illumination Entertainment, and Seuss' widow Audrey Geisel will next turn "The Cat in the Hat" into a 3D CG family film, Deadline reports. Rob Lieber will write the script, with Illumination's Chris Meledandri and Geisel producing. The book was the basis for the dismal 2003 box office disappointment starring Mike Myers as a heavily...

Exclusive: After topping the box office the past two weeks with Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, Universal Pictures, Illumination Entertainment’s Chris Meledandri, and Audrey Geisel will tap the Dr. Seuss library for another classic title, and this one is a surprise. They will begin developing a 3D CG-animated feature based on The Cat in the Hat. Rob Lieber has just been set to write the script. Meledandri will produce and Geisel will be executive producer. Aside from Green Eggs And Ham and How The Grinch Stole Christmas!, The Cat In the Hat is arguably the most famous story generated by Theodor Dr. Seuss Geisel. The surprise comes from the fact that Universal turned it into a live action film in 2003. That film grossed $101 million domestic and $133 million worldwide, it cost about $109 million to make and was considered a big disappointment. While a live action Grinch was a big hit for Universal,...

Gather round, chilblains, and listen close. See, there was a dark time, back around 2003, when Hollywood thought that it could replicate the success of Ron Howard’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas by stuffing Mike Myers into a fur suit and letting him run rampant as fellow Dr Seuss character The Cat In The Hat. The results? Not pretty. Well, it would seem that the Cat might just be getting a second chance at the cinema, with Despicable Me producers Illumination Entertainment and Universal plotting a CG ‘toon version of the tale. It’s not the most shocking news, given that the two companies just scored a healthy opening for their latest Seussian offering, The Lorax. Add to that the fact that Illumination overlord Chris Melendandri is a huge Seuss fan, a friend of the man’s widow, Audrey, and has seen success with Lorax and, back in his Fox days,...

In the wake of the tremendous box office receipts being generated by The Lorax (currently at over $130 million domestically), Illumination Entertainment has announced to Deadline their intention to adapt another classic Dr. Seuss story. Rob Lieber will adapt the tale for a 3D CG animated feature. Arguably the most famous children's book of all time, The Cat in the Hat was published in 1957 and tells the story of a young brother and sister stuck inside their house on a rainy day. Their parents gone, the pair -- against the better judgment of their fish -- let a mischievous cat into their house. The Cat and the Hat was previously adapted into an animated television special in 1981 and a live-action feature in 2003 with Mike Meyers playing the lead. Lieber, a relative...

It's an interesting weekend, with three new releases vying for the crown. But a holdover is going to win, with The Lorax perfectly positioned to scoop up the family dollar. Let's break it down! Laremy predicted the #1 movie correctly 1 Week In A Row Dr. Seuss' The Lorax The production budget is listed at $70m, which means they are headed for gravy town. I hated the film, but I have to tip my cap to Universal for timing it perfectly. Is the next animation really The Pirates! Band of Misfits in late April? Could that be? How did they get so much time in the marketplace all by themselves?

Sidenote: how do we think this will fare internationally? Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! did about even money overseas, but The Grinch and The Cat in the Hat were punished by comparison. Which means The Lorax is either going to perform 1) well or 2) extremely well.

Maybe it was the message. Maybe there are so many people out there just dying to hear how trees save us all, how we have to take a stand for what we believe, how it’s our Earth, too. Maybe people just can’t wait for the summer movie season to become a year-round period, but we’ll get to that in the weekend analysis below. Or maybe they just thought the Lorax was cute. Whatever the reasoning behind it, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax took top honors at the box office this weekend, and it did so with a fury. There’s a healthy dose of shock that comes with learning the film topped the opening weekends for How the Grinch Stole Christmas – Jim Carrey, not Boris Karloff – The Cat in the Hat – that one’s not so much a shock as it is appropriate – and Horton Hears a Who! It...

The Lorax could not be chopped down this weekend opening with an estimated redwood-sized gross of $70.7 million, beating out the teen party comedy on steroids, Project X which placed second with $20.8 million. The Lorax opened better than any other film based on one of Dr. Seuss’ books.

Personally speaking, I think going the animated route as opposed to the live action method (The Cat in the Hat, Horton Hears a Who!, and How The Grinch Stole Christmas) was a big help. Every adaptation doesn’t need a live-action treatment and I wish those making super hero films would understand that. We’ll see if The Lorax has the legs to outpace How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which opened at $55 million, but went on to bring in $260 million when it was all said and done. It was also a huge win for Danny Devito who hasn’t been involved with this...

Ted (Zac Efron), Audrey (Taylor Swift), Dr. Seuss' The Lorax Partly thanks to 3D ticket surcharges — and the fact that five- and ten-year-olds can't go to the movies on their own — the Universal release Dr. Seuss' The Lorax collected $70.7 million in North America this weekend, March 2-4, according to studio estimates found at Box Office Mojo. That's about $10-20 million more than most had been expecting. That's the third-best March opening ever — if you choose to pretend that inflation and 3D surcharges don't exist. In terms of actual attendance figures, The Lorax is behind not only Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and Zack Snyder's 300, but also Carlos Saldanha's Ice Age: The Meltdown, and quite probably Snyder's Watchmen and the original Ice Age. Among animated films, The Lorax had the fourth-biggest debut ever in non-adjusted dollar amounts. In terms of attendance, it's behind not only Shrek the Third,...

Will Smith, Steven Spielberg, Nicolas Sparks, Tyler Perry – to these foolproof brands, add one more: the late Dr. Seuss. “The Grinch,” “The Cat in The Hat“ and “Horton Hears a Who” have all grossed over $100 million, and now, opening with stronger numbers than the three of them is “The Lorax.” The environmentally-minded ‘toon, which ironically has helped market SUVs, is the third effort from Illumination Entertainment, and it looks very likely to outgross the openings of both “Despicable Me” and “Hop.” Industry expectations pegged this as a huge opener, as it was a notably deflated market with no animated blockbusters since last winter’s mostly well-received “Puss-In-Boots.” In other words, duh.

In a similar vein, found-footage remains as reliable as ever with “Project X” pulling in similar numbers to this year’s “Chronicle.” Both films showcase that these types of films carry a strong draw for younger audiences, featuring youthful...

Grammy Norma (Betty White), Audrey (Taylor Swift), Ted (Zac Efron) Dr. Seuss' The Lorax Boosted by 3D ticket surcharges, the Universal release Dr. Seuss' The Lorax collected an estimated $17.4 million in North America on Friday, March 2, according to studio estimates found at Box Office Mojo. That's the best domestic opening since the Robert Pattinson-Kristen Stewart-Taylor Lautner blockbuster The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 last November. Among animated films, The Lorax's Friday debut was the best since Cars 2 last summer. Needless to say, the animated feature directed by Despicable Me's Chris Renaud and co-directed by Kyle Balda will easily surpass The Vow's $41.2 million debut weekend, thus raising the bar for the year's biggest weekend debut. Now, two things: a) in terms of ticket sales, on opening weekend The Lorax should end up only slightly ahead of the Rachel McAdams-Channing Tatum romantic drama,...

Moviegoers will see it with a group. Movigoers will see it while they eat popcorn. Moviesgoers will see it with their 3-D glasses. Moviegoers will see it while they sit on their theater seats. What did you think I was gonna say? However people see it, there are sure to be millions of eyes on the latest Dr. Seuss adaptation, The Lorax, this weekend. Enough, in fact, that it’s all but guaranteed the #1 spot on the chart. Unless there’s some Danny DeVito backlash that we’re not privy to, it seems a foregone conclusion. Sure, there’s an R-rated, high school, found footage comedy hitting theaters, as well, so the little tree hugger won’t be making all the scratch, but a majority of it? Yes. The weekend box office is upon us, and one of these movies is bound to be a hit. If you don’t like what we’re saying, you...

Latest Dr. Seuss adaptation isn't winning over too many critics.

A scene from "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax"

Photo: Universal Studios

There are few authors whose oeuvre is as universally beloved as that of Dr. Seuss. The love for Dr. Seuss is so great that plenty of his stories are rife for big-screen treatment. We've seen movie versions of "The Cat in the Hat," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and "Horton Hears a Who," and now we have "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax," which hit theaters Friday (March 2).

Led by an all-star cast of voice talent including Taylor Swift, Zac Efron, Danny DeVito, Betty White, Ed Helms and Rob Riggle, the story follows the journey of a young boy who fights to reintroduce endangered trees to the plastic-obsessed town of Thneedville in hopes of winning a girl's heart. Despite the warm-and-fuzzy sheen of the film, critics were not as wowed by the colorful adaptation.

Latest Dr. Seuss adaptation isn't winning over too many critics.

A scene from "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax"

Photo: Universal Studios

There are few authors whose oeuvre is as universally beloved as that of Dr. Seuss. The love for Dr. Seuss is so great that plenty of his stories are rife for big-screen treatment. We've seen movie versions of "The Cat in the Hat," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and "Horton Hears a Who," and now we have "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax," which hit theaters Friday (March 2).

Led by an all-star cast of voice talent including Taylor Swift, Zac Efron, Danny DeVito, Betty White, Ed Helms and Rob Riggle, the story follows the journey of a young boy who fights to reintroduce endangered trees to the plastic-obsessed town of Thneedville in hopes of winning a girl's heart. Despite the warm-and-fuzzy sheen of the film, critics were not as wowed by the colorful adaptation.

Dr. Seuss was ahead of his time. A flat-out creative innovator. Cementing his trademark wild and free renderings and rhyming linguistic liberties, 1957's "The Cat in the Hat" brought mainstream children's books into the realm of absurd yet agreeable anarchy. There were many great books in the surrounding years, but with 1971's "The Lorax", the good doctor delivered a moral tale of levelheaded environmentalism before there were such things as eco-politics and environmental activism. And perhaps since Seuss (actually Theodor Seuss Geisel) was quoted having said, "kids can see a moral coming a mile off," he boldly left the tale unresolved, with only the possibility of hope. A few years later, the author teamed with his friend, animation genius Chuck Jones, to faithfully and...

Have you noticed that (as often as not) when Hollywood moviemakers stray from their source material they insist on putting the author’s name above the title? To me, this only compounds the offense. No author has suffered more at the hands of Hollywood in recent years than Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. The man who brightened my childhood, and my daughter’s, with his clever verse, fanciful drawings, and vivid imagination has been pummeled by such overblown productions as How the Grinch Stole Christmas and (even worse)The Cat in the Hat. Now comes The Lorax, a bright, shiny 3-D animated film from the team that made its reputation with the unpretentious feature...

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The trend suggests I'll never again pick the top movie correctly - though luckily I've been handed a freebie to turn things around. It's been 16 weeks since an animation topped the charts (Puss in Boots) which means the family dollar should be nice and hongry. This weekend they'll be chomping on some Lorax, though I see some give as the weekend progresses. Let's break it down! Laremy predicted the #1 movie correctly 0 Weeks In A Row Dr. Seuss' The Lorax The tracking is higher but I foresee a slight bleed as word gets out on the overall quality. Still, anything over $10k per theater equates to an easy weekend crown, plus the film will have a decided edge in theater counts. Have I even mentioned the 3-D surcharge? Oh yes, parents will be paying this weekend to be immersed in glorious (pointless) 3-D.

The Wall Street Journal has the production...

Courtesy Universal Pictures

What is that, you say? The Lorax is hitting theaters Friday!

Danny Devito, who lends his voice to the lovable Lorax, is joined by stars including Zac Efron, Taylor Swift and Betty White for Dr. Seuss‘s classic story of a young boy’s journey to find the one who talks for the trees.

But that’s not the only thing to celebrate this month. PBS Kids is also hosting a celebration in honor of the children’s book author’s Mar. 2 birthday.

On Friday, the network will air a two-hour The-Cat-In-The-Hat-a-Thon, featuring two brand new episodes...

Great American animation is having an event on PBS Kids, a fantastic edutainment destination for kids of all ages. Dr. Seuss. 108th birthday is coming March 2nd on PBS Kids. PBS Kids will celebrate the 108th birthday of Dr. Seuss on-air, online, and on mobile. PBS stations nationwide will feature The Cat-in-the-hat-a-thon, a two-hour marathon of The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About That! (check local listings). Kids will also be able to engage with the Cat and friends through games and video content online and on mobile, and parents will be able to enjoy a new free Birthday Party Builder Tool on the PBS Kids Shop website. From PBS .The Cat In The Hat...

More so than in past years, March 2012's releases look like they could have been plucked straight from a Summer lineup. The Lorax, The Hunger Games and Wrath of the Titans will all likely reach $100 million, while John Carter is shooting for well over that mark despite a troubled production and marketing history. Comedies Project X and 21 Jump Street are also receiving strong advanced buzz, and could be hits in their own right as well. The March record was set in 2010 ($832.3 million), and with all these major titles reaching theaters there's an awfully good chance March 2012 reaches a new high mark. March 2 - The Lorax Vs. Project XAside from The Hunger Games, Dr. Suess' The Lorax looks like the safest bet this March. Chris Meledandri's Illumination Entertainment has only made two movies prior to The Lorax, and both Despicable Me ($251.5 million) and Hop ($108.1 million) were very successful. Additionally, the...

Dakota Fanning has grown up in front of the camera -- and today, she turns 18!The young actress got her start doing TV appearances on shows like "Ally McBeal" and "Spin City," before getting her first big break starring alongside Sean Penn in "I Am Sam."From there, Dakota's career was off and running -- co-starring with Tom Cruise, Mike Myers, Robert DeNiro and Julia Roberts in flicks like "War of the Worlds," "The Cat In the Hat," "Hide and Seek" and "Charlotte's Web."Recently, she juggled projects like playing the evil Jane in the "Twilight" movies with high school, where she was a cheerleader. Dakota graduated in June 2011.Fanning currently attends Nyu ... but may be the only undergrad who also mingles with Natalie Portman, George Lucas and Marc Jacobs in the front row of New York Fashion Week's hottest shows.Through it all, Dakota has remained a pretty, stylish...

Dakota Fanning turns 18 today -- and this starlet has a whole lifetime of accomplishments and accolades already under belt!Dakota’s first break came from a national Tide commercial at the age of five, after which her family decided to permanently move from Conyers, Georgia to Los Angeles, California in support of her promising career. But it was Dakota's starring role in the 2001 film “I am Sam” opposite Hollywood heavyweights Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer that put her on the map. The film earned her a Best Young Actress Award from the Broadcast Film Critics Association, in addition to a nomination from the Screen Actors Guild Awards (she is the youngest star to receive a nominee to date). Dakota’s gone on to star in major Blockbuster hits with some of the best in the biz, including Tom Cruise, Denzel Washington, Mike Myers, Charlize Theron, Reese Witherspoon and Robert DeNiro.

We've seen plenty of ridiculous ideas turned into movies over the past few years, so let's face it, at this point nothing should come as a surprise. If something out there has a big enough following, someone is going to find a way to put it on the big screen... even if it's just a funny YouTube video. We've seen everything from Christian the Lion to Epic Beard Man optioned for feature films in the past, and now a little viral video called Ultimate Dog Tease is getting the same treatment. The popular one-minute video features a man telling his dog that he gave different kinds of food to the cat, with a voice dubbed in for the exasperated dog's response. Hey, who doesn't want to see a movie about a talking dog that loves bacon? The original video was created by a guy named Andrew Grantham along with a friend of his,...

DVD or Blu-ray? Redbox or Netflix? Streaming? Get your home entertainment options settled before midnight on Saturday, Februrary 11 -- because that's when "Breaking Dawn," the latest installment of "The Twilight Saga," arrives in stores. We've got the highlights and lowlights on the week's new releases, plus an exclusive preview of the Blu-ray debut of Disney's "Lady and the Tramp." Moviefone's Pick of the Week "Project Nim" What's It About? This documentary from the Academy Award-winning filmmaker behind "Man on Wire" chronicles Nim Chimpsky, a newborn chimp that was raised like a human for a controversial study on linguistics. See It Because: If you're looking for a cute movie about cute animals doing cute things like cute babies, this isn't that movie; instead "Nim" is an honest and captivating look at the complex relationship between man and nature, and the too-simple definitions we try to apply to the animal kingdom. Also...

This year's biggest blockbusters were trailed in last night's Super Bowl, from John Carter to Battleship – here's what we learned

Contrary to popular belief, the Super Bowl isn't actually about American football. Nor, for that matter, is it about the half-time performance. No, the best parts of the Super Bowl happen when the ads are on. This is down to two reasons: first because it's fun to loudly wonder if Jerry Seinfeld and Matthew Broderick really need the money that much and, second, because it's when we get to see spots for all this year's big blockbuster movies, one after the other. Here's what last night's Super Bowl had to offer:

Sadly, The Avengers still isn't offering very much in the way of plot secrets. Parts of a city blow up, Robert Downey Jr looks stern, Thor continues his quest to become the next Timotei model and everyone does their...

HollywoodNews.com: DreamWorks Animation Skg, Inc. today announced that Gregg Taylor has been named head of development for the studio, a role previously held by Alex Schwartz. Schwartz will serve as a producer on the studio’s upcoming feature film, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, which is scheduled to be released onMarch 14, 2014. Taylor will oversee the development of all projects at DreamWorks Animation.

“Gregg is an exceptional executive with a wide range of creative experience that will positively influence our future slate. I am confident that he will thrive as the new leader of DreamWorks Animation’s development team,” said DreamWorks Animation Chief Creative Officer Bill Damaschke. “Alex’s exemplary work in development over the years makes her an ideal choice to assume the role of producer on Mr. Peabody & Sherman and I look forward to her continued creative input and leadership. On behalf of the entire studio, I offer heartfelt congratulations...

Before there was Jack Skellington preceding Christmas with nightmares, Billy Bob Thornton giving Santa Claus a bad name, or rare exports maiming innocent reindeer, it was the Grinch who first turned the tables on the festive season, daring to be indifferent (after Scrooge, of course).

The first of Dr. Seuss’ acclaimed children’s stories to be adapted to feature length – beating The Cat In The Hat and Horton Hears A Who to cinemas – How The Grinch Stole Christmas is a staple of the holiday period and a triumph in passive-aggressive seasonal comedy.

The story revolves around the titular Grinch, a cynical misanthrope who has spent the majority of his life living in exile on the outskirts of Whoville. Bullied out of town as a child due to his green visage and general disregard for Christmas convention, the Grinch has turned his back on the occasion and declared war on merriment and cheer.

PBS Kids is offering holiday specials for the little ones, including an It.s a Wonderful Life-inspired episode of Wordgirl and a week of .chilly. episodes of The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That! PBS brings cheer to families throughout the country this holiday season with new programming. From The Nutcracker and a holiday concert with pop sensation David Archuleta, to an It.s a Wonderful Life-inspired episode of Wordgirl and a week of chilly episodes of The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That! PBS offers a variety of content to delight all ages. .PBS Kids offers holiday programming that can be enjoyed by the whole family,. said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President, Children.s...

We have a new trailer for Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, and this one has an intro from the Lorax himself, Danny DeVito. Check it out for a few new scenes from the animated adventure.

Dr. Seuss stories make me twitchy when they journey from page to screen, mainly because the journey isn’t always kind to the book. On the one hand, we have How the Grinch Stole Christmas (yah!), while on the other hand, we have The Cat in the Hat (boo!). Sure, unlike those two films, The Lorax is 100% animated but there’s still plenty of potential to mess things up when you transform a children’s book into a feature-length movie.

Fortunately, it look like The Lorax will be a great movie with plenty of laughs. If I didn’t want to already see it, this trailer would change my mind because it captures the whole essence...

It's December 1st! Time to celebrate with ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas, a month full of cheerful family-friendly programming that will put a smile on everyone's face. Tonight ABC features "Mickey's Christmas Carol" and ending on Dec. 25 with "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." From ABC: Tonight (Dec. 1): 6 p.m. "Mickey.s Christmas Carol" 6:30 p.m. "Winnie The Pooh and Christmas Too" 7 p.m. "The Santa Clause" 9 p.m. "The Santa Clause" . encore presentation Friday (Dec. 2): 6 p.m. "Dr. Seuss On The Loose" 6:30 p.m. "Dr. Seuss. The Lorax" 7 p.m. "Dr. Seuss. The Cat In The Hat" 7:30 p.m. "Dr. Seuss. The Grinch Grinches The Cat In The Hat" 8 p.m. "Dr. Seuss.