OTG Daily News

WASHINGTON, December 26, 2011 — For many department stores, today marks a kind of “Black Monday” as staffers gear up for the inevitable onslaught of Christmas gift returns. But for Hollywood, the entire month of December 2011 has been a kind of black hole into which year-end releases fall while rapidly losing escape velocity. Aside from the Tom Cruise thriller, “Mission Impossible—Ghost Protocol,” which topped this weekend’s box office numbers at the number 1 spot with $26.5M in domestic receipts (first-weekend full release), most of the remaining holiday-release films on the docket failed to win much traction. (UPDATE: Today, Reuters updated figures for the four-day weekend MI take to an even more impressive $46.2M.) The Cruise action flick gained a near-perfect score from the online reviewers at Rotten Tomatoes where it's described as “Stylish, fast-paced, and loaded with gripping set pieces,” further noting that it is “big-budget popcorn entertainment that really works.” ...

Four years ago, 12-year old Deamonte Driver died of a toothache. Extreme neglect had led to an abscess that spread to his brain and killed him. The Drivers were a desperately poor family in Maryland that had trouble locating an oral surgeon who would work for Medicaid rates. But whether rich, poor or in between, regular dental care has declined as out-of-pocket costs have risen during the Great Recession. Few people know that good dental care can be the key to good overall health. According to the Mayo Clinic, a full menu of diseases can result from poor dental care, including endocarditis (an infection of the inner lining of the heart), cardiovascular disease (clogged arteries and stroke may be linked to oral bacteria) and premature birth and low birth weight babies, to name a few. In the months after the Wall Street crash of 2008 , Dr. Aziza Askari faced her own financial crisis. Patients in her Farmington Hills, Mich., dental practice began asking for refunds on prepayments for...

It’s all about the bottom line. Whether your wedding budget is $5.00 or $50.000, these savvy strategies will save you serious change. by Francesca Castagnoli/BRIDES 1-Eat dessert first. Want a big bash, but don’t have the cash? Do a cocktails-and-dessert reception instead of springing for din-din 2-Off-peak is on the money. With the exception of the holidays, dates from November through April are less coveted—so less pricey—than other times. Set on June vows? Book ‘em on an off-night, like Friday or Sunday. 3-Know who your friends are. Nipping the guest list can shrink costs big-time. To avoid offending non-invitees, pepper wedding convos with words like small and intimate. 4-Say okay to day. Throw your party before 5 p.m: Brunches and lunches mean a lower tab for the location, meal, and bar. 5-Find a furnished space. Reduce rental costs by picking a site that’s already outfitted with tables, linens and chairs. 6-Stamp out overspending. Instead of shelling out a ton on...

Jennifer Hudson has revealed she turned down the title role in " Precious " because she didn't want to pack on weight to play the abused single mom. Fresh off her Oscars victory in " Dreamgirls ," director Lee Daniels approached the singer/actress and asked her to consider playing Precious -- but she wasn't interested. In her new memoir "I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down," Hudson writes, "As much as I was moved by this film, I wanted to try a role that had nothing whatsoever to do with my weight." Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe eventually won the role as Precious, while Hudson became a weight loss icon and WeightWatchers spokesperson.

NEW YORK — Between 100 and 120 Sears and Kmart stores will be closed, the retailer said Tuesday, after terrible holiday sales during what is the most crucial time of the year for retailers. Sears has yet to determine which stores will be closed, but there has been a clear shift in where the retailer will devote its resources. The company is moving away from its practice of propping up "marginally performing" stores in hopes of improving their performance . Sears said it will now concentrate on cash-generating stores. "Given our performance and the difficult economic environment, especially for big-ticket items, we intend to implement a series of actions to reduce ongoing expenses, adjust our asset base, and accelerate the transformation of our business model," said CEO Louis D'Ambrosio. "These actions will better enable us to focus our investments on serving our customers." Sears would not discuss how many, if any, jobs would be cut. Sears H...

NEW ORLEANS Once he watches the game replay, Drew Brees will be hard on himself. The New Orleans Saints quarterback will bemoan throwing two uncharacteristic passes into double coverage that were intercepted. He will feel just as badly about trying to call consecutive timeouts late in the second quarter, which is a Football 101 rules violation. There were 16 incompletions and three second-half drives that ended without a first down or points to prolong what had the early makings of a blowout. But immediately after this magical Monday night in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome came to an end, Brees had every right to proclaim a 45-16 victory over Atlanta as “perfect,” even though he wasn’t. New Orleans (12-3) defeated its archrival to clinch the NFC South title and notch a seventh consecutive win. The Saints were outstanding on the ground with 164 yards against the NFL’s fourth-ranked run defense. They also stymied a Falcons offense that simply couldn’t keep pace. And in the proc...

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) -- Silent film is taking over Hollywood's awards scene. The silent-era tale " The Artist " heads the Golden Globes with six nominations, among them Best Comedy or Musical and acting honors for its French stars, Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo. Tied for second-place in Thursday's nominations are the 1960s racial tale " The Help " and George Clooney's Hawaiian family story " The Descendants ." Both films are up for Best Drama, while Clooney was nominated for Best Dramatic Actor and "The Help" earned acting slots for Viola Davis , Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain. Also competing for Best Drama: Martin Scorsese's Paris adventure " Hugo "; Clooney's political thriller "The Ides of March"; Brad Pitt's baseball chronicle " Moneyball "; and Steven Spielberg's World War I epic " War Horse ." Joining "The Artist" in the Best Musical or Co...