Funding for Independent Films Dries Up

Movie reviews: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum can't save amnesia romance

(NEWSER) - In The Vow, Rachel McAdams plays a woman who must learn to love her husband again after amnesia wipes her memory. It's no surprise it was released ahead of Valentine's Day: It's pure mushiness, critics say.

• In the New York Daily News , Elizabeth Weitzman calls the film a "down-the-middle, by-the-numbers fantasy, in which no one is too quirky or interesting or challenging in any way." Still, "there’s no shortage of viewers ready to embrace an old-fashioned, guilty-pleasure romance."

Kristen Wiig comedy snags another record

(NEWSER) - It's official: Bridesmaids has become the most popular video-on-demand movie ever, with 4.8 million rentals in four months, says the Hollywood Reporter . It's just the latest record for the sometimes raunchy female comedy, which is also the top-grossing movie in its genre ever made—$288 million worldwide. And that's not counting $100 million in Blu-ray and DVD sales in the US and two potential Oscars—for original screenplay and supporting actress (Melissa McCarthy). More»

Karen Handel painted move as non-political: insider

(NEWSER) - Susan G. Komen Foundation leaders have given several reasons for the charity's now-reversed cuts to Planned Parenthood funding —but here's one they didn't mention. Komen's VP for public policy, abortion-rights opponent Karen Handel, fueled the decision, an insider with the group tells the Huffington Post . Handel worked to paint the decision as nonpolitical, the source says. She "was the prime instigator of this effort. She said, 'If we just say it's about investigations, we can defund Planned Parenthood and no one can blame us for being political.'" HuffPo reports that it was shown internal emails sent on the day the Planned Parenthood cuts were announced that confirm that Handel had "sole authority in crafting and implementing the policy." More»

Daniel Radcliffe makes post-Hogwarts debut

(NEWSER) - The boy wizard is back—but this time, he's a 19th-century gentleman. Daniel Radcliffe is generally successful playing a spooked lawyer in The Woman in Black, a throwback haunted house thriller. What the critics are saying:

• The film "makes the most of its old-fashioned virtues," writes Manohla Dargis in the New York Times . It "isn’t especially scary, but it keeps you on edge, and without the usual vivisectionist imagery." For his part, Radcliffe "has the haunted eyes of the eternal mourner."

Says it prefers to fund groups offering direct breast health services

(NEWSER) - As the backlash against it continues to grow, the Susan G. Komen Foundation has changed its explanation for dropping its Planned Parenthood funding. Initially, the group said it had decided not to fund any organization currently under federal investigation . Now, leaders say the cuts have nothing to do a congressional inquiry into whether Planned Parenthood spent public money on abortions; instead, Komen is looking to back groups that offer direct breast health services, like mammograms. Planned Parenthood only gives mammogram referrals, Komen founder Nancy Brinker told reporters. "The essence of our organization’s position has been lost," Brinker said, according to the Washington Post . More»