newsmakers

newsmakers

‘Watch,’ ‘House,’ ‘Curve’ in photo finish

LOS ANGELES

Hollywood is in photo-finish mode with three new movies bunched up tightly for the No. 1 spot during a sleepy weekend at the box office.

Studio estimates Sunday put two movies in a tie for first place with $13 million each: Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena’s police story “End of Watch” and Jennifer Lawrence’s horror flick “House at the End of the Street.”

And right in the same ballpark was Clint Eastwood and Amy Adams’ baseball tale “Trouble with the Curve,” which opened with $12.7 million.

Actual rankings will be determined today as studios release final numbers for the weekend.

No matter which movie comes out on top, it was another slow weekend for Hollywood, whose business has been sluggish throughout late summer. Revenues were down for the fourth-straight weekend, with all three of the top new movies opening to modest crowds.

Rep: Armstrong getting treatment

NEW YORK

Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong is headed to treatment for substance abuse.

Sunday’s announcement by the band’s rep comes after the 40-year-old frontman had a meltdown onstage at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas on Friday. As Green Day was wrapping up its performance during the all-star, two-day concert, Armstrong profanely complained that the band’s time was being cut short.

“One minute left, one minute [expletive] left. You’re gonna give me [expletive] one minute? ... I’m not [expletive] Justin Bieber, you [expletives]!” he yelled (although Bieber was not part of the night’s festivities).

Armstrong smashed his guitar before leaving the stage.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Green Day apologized “to those they offended at the iHeart-Radio Festival” and said its set was not cut short by Clear Channel, the host of the two-day festival.

The Grammy-winning band also is canceling some of its promotional appearances. It is due to release the album “Uno” on Tuesday, the follow-up to “21st Century Breakdown,” released three years ago. “Uno” is the first in a trilogy of albums; the second is to be out in November, and the last in January. The band is due to kick off a nationwide tour Nov. 26 in Seattle.

It’s unclear what Armstrong is receiving treatment for; in 2003, he was arrested for DUI, and has acknowledged in the past taking various drugs but has said he now eschews them.

Springsteen celebrates birthday with mom

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.

Bruce Springsteen celebrated his 63rd birthday onstage until nearly 2 a.m. Sunday, joined at the end by his hearty mom.

Adele Springsteen danced and sang background to “Twist and Shout,” walking offstage with her son and his band at nearly 2. Her only concession to age was a pair of hastily made earplugs.

She watched as her son cut a giant cake in the shape of a guitar, passing out pieces to some audience members.

His show in the open-air MetLife Stadium was delayed three hours Saturday by authorities because of a downpour and worries about lightning. Thousands of fans clustered on indoor ramps waiting for the rain to stop.

Associated Press