Pirated CDs and DVDs seen through the hole of a CD during a campaign against piracy in Algiers October 15, 2012. Over one million pirated movie, music and software CDs and DVDs seized in recent police operations were destroyed in a campaign organised by the government. [REUTERS/Ramzi Boudina] NEW: Follow Reuters Pictures on Tumblr
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Pirated CDs and DVDs seen through the hole of a CD during a campaign against piracy in Algiers October 15, 2012. Over one million pirated movie, music and software CDs and DVDs seized in recent police operations were destroyed in a campaign organised by the government. [REUTERS/Ramzi Boudina]

NEW: Follow Reuters Pictures on Tumblr

Lionsgate goes into the arena with The Hunger Games. The studio is betting an estimated $120 million that the best-selling trilogy will be a film success.

And Disney licks its wounds after the abysmal failure of John Carter in this week’s Media Bite. [REUTERS/Peter Lauria reports]

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The 84th Annual Academy Awards were a generally forgettable affair, but even with — or perhaps because of — the general mediocrity, there were a few standout moments.

Latest story: The best moments of the 2012 Oscars
Photos: The best of the Oscars
Photos: From the red carpet at the Oscars 

Comedian Tina Fey reacts as she looks at “ashes” on the red carpet at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012. Actor Sasha Baron Cohen, who came dressed as his character in “The Dictator”, spilled ‘ashes’ at TV personality Ryan Seacrest as part of a publicity stunt. Cohen claimed the ashes were of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. [REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni] Join the Reuters live blog during the Academy Awards here
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Comedian Tina Fey reacts as she looks at “ashes” on the red carpet at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012.

Actor Sasha Baron Cohen, who came dressed as his character in “The Dictator”, spilled ‘ashes’ at TV personality Ryan Seacrest as part of a publicity stunt. Cohen claimed the ashes were of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. [REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni]

Join the Reuters live blog during the Academy Awards here

U.S. President Barack Obama honors National Medal of Arts recipient Al Pacino in a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, February 13, 2012. Obama honored 17 people and organizations for their service in the arts and humanities. [REUTERS/Jason Reed]
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U.S. President Barack Obama honors National Medal of Arts recipient Al Pacino in a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, February 13, 2012. Obama honored 17 people and organizations for their service in the arts and humanities. [REUTERS/Jason Reed]

“I can honestly say I never drank at work on ‘Harry Potter.’ I went into work still drunk, but I never drank at work. I can point to many scenes where I’m just gone. Dead behind the eyes.” Read more: Daniel Radcliffe admits being drunk during “Harry Potter” scenes
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“I can honestly say I never drank at work on ‘Harry Potter.’ I went into work still drunk, but I never drank at work. I can point to many scenes where I’m just gone. Dead behind the eyes.”

Read more: Daniel Radcliffe admits being drunk during “Harry Potter” scenes

Actress Octavia Spencer (C) reacts as the cast of “The Help” accepts the award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture at the 18th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles, California January 29, 2012. [REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson] Read more: “The Help” gets Oscar boost with big SAG winsFactbox: A list of winners at the SAG AwardsSAG Awards: Mary Tyler Moore Receives Lifetime Achievement Award  
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Actress Octavia Spencer (C) reacts as the cast of “The Help” accepts the award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture at the 18th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles, California January 29, 2012. [REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson]

Read more: “The Help” gets Oscar boost with big SAG wins
Factbox: A list of winners at the SAG Awards
SAG Awards: Mary Tyler Moore Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

 
shortformblog: Unexpected sequel of the day: Rudy Ruettiger, the Notre Dame football walk-on and inspiration for the Sean Astin movie “Rudy,” just had to settle with the Securities and Exchange Commission — getting fined $382,000 for turning his Gatorade challenger “Rudy” into a penny stock pump-and-dump scheme that drew $11 million in illicit profits, hundreds of thousands of which went to the feel-good icon. In the end, the hardworking runt sold more stocks than he did beverages. “Investors were lured into the scheme by Mr. Ruettiger’s well-known, feel-good story but found themselves in a situation that did not have a happy ending,” said the sound-bite-ready Scott W. Friestad of the SEC’s enforcement division. That feel-good story doesn’t feel so good anymore now, does it?
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shortformblog:

Unexpected sequel of the day: Rudy Ruettiger, the Notre Dame football walk-on and inspiration for the Sean Astin movie “Rudy,” just had to settle with the Securities and Exchange Commission — getting fined $382,000 for turning his Gatorade challenger “Rudy” into a penny stock pump-and-dump scheme that drew $11 million in illicit profits, hundreds of thousands of which went to the feel-good icon. In the end, the hardworking runt sold more stocks than he did beverages. “Investors were lured into the scheme by Mr. Ruettiger’s well-known, feel-good story but found themselves in a situation that did not have a happy ending,” said the sound-bite-ready Scott W. Friestad of the SEC’s enforcement division. That feel-good story doesn’t feel so good anymore now, does it?

(via shortformblog)