Slumdog Kids Back in Slum

Actor will name those who 'abused me'

(NEWSER) - A vampire hunter on The Lost Boys is now after Hollywood pedophiles. Former child actor Corey Feldman, a star of Stand By Me and The Goonies, has vowed to reveal the names of two Hollywood figures who abused him when he was 14. "These older men were leching around like vultures," Feldman told The Sun . "There are people who have got away with it for so long they think they are above the law. That's got to stop." More»

High prices and few choices don't help: Roger Ebert

(NEWSER) - News that movie theaters had lackluster revenue in 2011 didn’t surprise Roger Ebert. He ticks off a list of the reasons why at his blog , including the lack of an Avatar-like blockbuster and usual suspects like too-high prices for tickets and refreshments. But also:

• Distractions: Loud talkers and people using their cell phones (with their bright screens) to text are getting out of hand.

Sushil Kumar, 26, is first in country to win top prize

(NEWSER) - In a case of life imitating Hollywood, a poor Indian government clerk won $1 million on his country’s version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. And the Slumdog Millionaire-esque tale gets more remarkable: Sushil Kumar, who comes from a desolate region of the country, is the first person to ever win the top prize on the Indian game show, the AP reports. "You have created history. Your grit and determination has made you come so far in this show," said the host as he handed a weeping Kumar a check for 50 million rupees. More»

Just don't call it a remake...

(NEWSER) - Say hello to my little friend ... again. Sort of. Universal Pictures is preparing to make (but not remake) a third Scarface, which it says will not be a rehashing of or sequel to either the 1932 or 1983 films, but a new version, reports Deadline . It'll share the same premise (outsider busts his way into the criminal underworld in a bid to achieve the, ahem, American dream; violence is involved). No word on ethnicity or geography (Italian/Chicago, Cuban/Miami played big in the first two versions, Deadline reminds us). Former Universal head Marc Shmuger will produce, along with Martin Bregman, who produced the Al Pacino version. More»

He gets the nod for telecast in February

(NEWSER) - The rumor mill proved true this time: Eddie Murphy will host the Oscars in February, reports the Huffington Post . One connection that likely helped, as noted by Deadline : This year's show is being produced by Brett Ratner, who directed the soon-to-open movie Tower Heist, starring Murphy and Ben Stiller. Murphy also reportedly is a huge fan of the Oscars and movies in general, and he's got plenty of experience handling a live audience from his stand-up and SNL days. Click to read one Salon blogger's take on why this is a great pick. (Last year's co-host, James Franco, didn't go over so well with critics .) More»