Live from ShoWest in Las Vegas

Live from ShoWest in Las Vegas
By Scott Bowles, USA TODAY
Welcome to USA TODAY's notebook from ShoWest in Las Vegas, where theater owners are gathered to see what's new at the movies. Scott Bowles offers this notebook on the summer movies that have exhibitors talking and the stars who show up to peddle their films.
J.J. Abrams, creator of such hit television shows as Lost and Alias, has a message for theater owners.

"Movies kick TV's ass," he says.

Abrams is in Las Vegas for his first ShoWest, promoting his big-screen debut, Mission: Impossible III, which hits screens May 5.

"I've always wanted to come to ShoWest," Abrams says. "Some of the most important moments in my life happened (in theaters). I guess that's pretty sad."

What hasn't been so sad, he says, was the chance to direct Tom Cruise and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

"Why they let me direct this movie, I have no idea," he says. "It's insane. But it was nice of Phil to go out and win an Oscar (for last year's Capote) to promote this movie."

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Dozens of movies are being paraded at this year's convention in the hopes of getting the attention of theater owners.

Some are making a strong impression. Others, not so strong.

Exhibitors had their choice of a half dozen independent films Monday night, and many were still buzzing Tuesday about the Al Gore documentary An Inconvenient Truth, about the dangers of global warming. It's due in theaters May 26.

Jennifer Aniston's comedy Friends with Money (April 7) scored well, as did Confetti (no release date yet), a mockumentary about three couples competing for the title of "Most Original Wedding of the Year."

Reception was more mixed, though, for Hard Candy, an unsettling drama about a 32-year-old man who takes home a 14-year-old girl he meets on the Internet. Several exhibitors walked out in the middle of the screening. "I'm not sure how I can sell this," said ShoWest attendee Mary Franklin. "I'm not sure people are ready for a 14-year-old girl talking about pedophilia." The movie arrives April 14.

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Could Wolverine beat Superman?

It's a playful what-if on the tongues of some attendees, as the stars from both films are expected here Thursday. Hugh Jackman, who plays Wolverine in X-Men: The Last Stand, will receive the show's male star of the year award, while Superman Returns' Brandon Routh collects the honor for male star of tomorrow.

While that standoff isn't a serious one, both films will be competing to be the must-see film of summer — and are hoping to land on more screens nationwide.

But Superman director Bryan Singer, who directed the first two X-Men installments, says there's no competition between himself and X-Men 3 director Brett Ratner.

"We're really good friends," Singer says. "We talked last week, after I saw the trailer to X-Men. It looked awesome. I can't wait to see it."

Any wagers between the two men on which film will come out on top at the box office?

"Are you kidding? Singer says. "The way things have been going, nobody knows what's going to do well anymore."

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ShoWest used to be a gathering of a few hundred theater owners who would share tips on things like making popcorn and cleaning carpets.

Today, more than 5,000 exhibitors gather every year in Las Vegas to schmooze with stars and studio execs, talk stadium seating and digital projection and swap secrets about catching video pirates.

Oh, and fret.

For the past three years, movie attendance has been in a downward spiral, and owners are "here this year with their game faces on," says Bob Berney, the new head of Picturehouse, the small studio hoping to wow owners with A Prairie Home Companion, the Garrison Keillor adaptation with Meryl Streep and Lindsay Lohan that's out June 9.

"They're a little worried about the box office, about how quickly the DVDs are coming out" after a film's commercial release, Berney says. "It's not quite as much fun and games this year."

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Former Vice President Al Gore is used to making his plea about global warming to politicians, business execs and even the American people.

Monday night, he found himself trying to convince a new crowd: cineplex owners.

Gore, who narrates and stars in the documentary An Inconvenient Truth, screened the movie and fielded questions for 40 minutes from more than 300 theater owners. Gore, who debuted the movie at the Sundance Film Festival and has given more than 1,000 slide show lectures nationwide on the dangers of a warming climate, urged exhibitors to give the film a chance in their theaters. The movie opens May 26.

Both screenings ended in raucous applause, giving the vice president some optimism.

"I'm not really used to doing something like this," Gore told USA TODAY after the first screening. "I hope it went well. I guess it will be up to (theater owners) to decide."