Actor-turned-filmmaker Ben Affleck won the top honor from his peers at the Directors Guild of America on Saturday (February 2) for the movie "Argo," cementing the Iran hostage drama's frontrunner status for the Oscars.
The Hollywood directors' recognition for Affleck, however, is an awkward result for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, which failed to nominate him for Best Director in what is considered one of the biggest snubs of this year's Oscars.
Academy Award nominee Jennifer Lawrence was honored with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival's "Outstanding Performer of the Year Award" on Saturday night (February 02).
Lawrence received her second Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance in the film "Silver Linings Playbook."
"Warm Bodies," a romantic comedy featuring a warm-hearted zombie, lured teenage girls to the theater, collecting 20 million dollars (USD) in ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada to take the box office title on a weekend dominated by Super Bowl parties and football watching.
The film collected just over 9 million this weekend, according to studio estimates.
The weekend's other widely released newcomer, "Bullet to the Head," starring 66-year old Sylvester Stallone as a tattooed hitman, collected a disappointing 4.5 million for sixth place.
