Marvel’s team of superheroes banded together to keep the top spot at the box office, beating out Tim Burton’s spin on a vampire soap opera. See what other movies made it big this weekend:
1. Marvel’s The Avengers $103.2 M
2. Dark Shadows $28.8 M
3. Think Like a Man $6.3 M
4. The Hunger Games $4.4 M
5. The Lucky One $4.1 M
6. The Pirates! Band of Misfits $3.2 M
7. The Five-Year Engagement $3.1 M
8. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel $2.7 M
9. Chimpanzee $1.6 M
10. Girl in Progress $1.4 M

When Jay-Z — one of the best lyricists-turned-business-moguls of all time — enjoys a certain drink, it’s safe to say it’s as good as gold. Add the maven’s exclusive inner circle, a stellar New York City venue, and the proclamation of D’USSE, “a bold new expression of cognac,” and you’ve got the perfect blend for a night among Gotham’s who’s who. Can’t knock that hustle!

This week the stars aligned to celebrate the New York debut of Bacardi’s cognac venture, D’USSE, a smooth VSOP produced at the celebrated Chateau de Cognac in France. The exclusive launch, at the equally-exclusive Top of the Standard space in the city’s Meatpacking district, featured three D’USSE cognac signatures: a neat Perfect Pour, the Benedictine and Grenadine spritzed Lorraine 75, and an apricot brandy-blended Crusaders Cross, all concocted by famed mixologist Justin Noel.Also in attendance to endorse the Hennessy rival were Solange and Tina Knowles (sans Beyoncé and baby Blue); producers and N.E.R.D. dream team Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo; society fixture Genevieve Jones; “The Tanning of America” author Steve Stoute; Hot 97 personality Angie Martinez; former Cheetah Girl Adrienne Bailon; a scruffy, incognito Jake Gyllenhaal; and Roc Nation DJ Jus Ske, who set the tone with a Jay-Z-laden soundtrack.

And to think, all it took was a sultry little cognac bearing a gold Cross of Lorraine to pad that type of guest list. Perhaps, D’USSE, can bring us some A-list company for our next swanky nightcap.Available in June at fine wine and liquor retailers nationwide for $44.99.

Last week Havianas got the jump on the Mother’s Day celebrations at the launch of its Mommy & Me Collection. The flip-flop authority partnered with Baby Buggy as well as celeb moms like Courtney Cox, Nina Garcia, Rebecca Romijn, and Tori Spelling to customize prints for moms to match with their little ones. Brooke Burke, Busy Philipps, Garcelle Beauvais, Elisabeth Rohm, Marissa Jaret Winokur, and Ana Ortiz were among the many who brought their families to check out the matching shoe styles and try out some arts and crafts. Ten percent of the proceeds from each pair benefit the non-profit to help provide baby equipment, products, clothing, and educational services to at-risk families in major cities throughout the U.S.
The Baby Buggy flip-flops are available at Havaianas.com for $26.

Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, the Black Widow, Hawkeye, and the Hulk smashed box office records this weekend! The comic book blockbuster blew away last year’s record-breaking opening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II of $169 million. Check out what other movies made big bucks this weekend:
1. Marvel’s The Avenger’s $200.3 M
2. Think Like a Man $8 M
3. The Hunger Games $5.7 M
4. The Lucky One $5.5 M
5. The Pirates! Band of Misfits $5.4 M
6. The Five-Year Engagement $5.1 M
7. The Raven $2.5 M
8. Safe $2.5 M
9. Chimpanzee $2.4 M
10. The Three Stooges $1.8 M

January Jones, Oceana ambassador joined Susan & David Rockefeller and Christie’s CEO Steve Murphy last night at the Paris Theatre to host the exclusive screening of “La Revolution Bleu,” a documentary that followed the life and work of nouveau realism artist Yves Klein, which was sponsored by La Mer. His most important painting, FC1, is set to break the world record for the artist at auction when it is featured in Christie’s upcoming Post War & Contemporary sale for more than $30 million. A portion of the painting’s sale will benefit Oceana, an international organization devoted to protecting the ocean and its creatures. Jones recently became a huge fan of the legendary artist whose monochromatic work shook up the post war art world.

“I thought both of the films were great,” she said. “I’ve recently become a huge fan of Yves Klein, and I think his work was fascinating. I also hadn’t seen that footage from Oceana, and it was really beautiful. I got goose bumps. I’ve gotten to be part of that, and it’s been really rewarding.”

Guests like Georgina Bloomberg, Adam Lindeman, Ahn Duong, Bettina Alonso, Lauren Remington Fenet, Victoria Silverstedt, La Mer’s Sandra Main, and Stavros Niarchos were treated to cinema soiree complete with champagne, gourmet popcorn, and boxes of candy handed out by attendants donned in Zara dresses. After the screening of the documentary and a short film created by Oceana, Jones spoke about her passion for her work with the organization to protect sharks and other sea creatures.

“I’ve always been passionate about sharks since I was a little girl,” she explained. “And when I learned that they were endangered through the finning process, it became something very emotional to me. So when I got to a point in my career that I was able to give back and have a voice, I wanted to make that a priority. I contacted Oceana and found they didn’t have a shark spokesperson, and it seemed like a great fit. We’ve been able to, in a few short year, accomplish a lot of great things.”

The audience headed of to the Casa Lever for the after party where gusts sipped Blue Cosmo cocktails and danced late into the night to the sounds of DJ Luka Tacon before leaving with gift bags from La Mer.

For more information, please visit Christies.com.

Are you an enthusiastic film lover who dreams of having your unique indie movie pitch go from paper to the silver screen? American Express, founding sponsor for the Tribeca Film Festival, answered that call last year with its first “My Movie Pitch” contest. Cinephiles submitted 60-second pitches of their best flick ideas to be voted upon and brought to life during a coveted premier slot at the annual film fete. This year, a Brooklyn full-time legal secretary, part-time poet’s pitch about dating and “Doggy Bags” took the top prize.

Cardmember Susan Brennan was the lucky winner whose pitch was picked up by actor, writer, and director Edward Burns. He turned her 60-second idea in a 14-minute short with a little bit of romance, a dash of drama, and a whole lot of laughs. Following the funny short, Brennan and Burns answered audience questions and gave a mini course in filmmaking 101.

Susan Brennan: Right, because confidence is definitely something that helps you go forward… And, you say you have actors in mind. I think having people in mind helps. Even if it’s someone from your life that you want to write about, that definitely helps.

EB: My brother is a screenwriter as well, and he’ll sometimes write with a specific actor in mind. Like, say, Owen Wilson. He’ll kind of zero in on that voice, even if it’ll never go to Owen Wilson, that’ll just help him get through the first draft.Do you think it’s easier to produce a film now than it was earlier in your careers?

EB: As far as making the film? Yeah!

SB: Yes. Like how you made “Newlyweds.” How people can just pick up a camera and not have a studio say yes or no. You can just do it.

EB: For young filmmakers, there’s no excuse now not to go buy one of those inexpensive cameras and go out there and shoot. [To Brennan] You plan on directing?

SB: There’s a short I wrote, actually, about one year I had to wrap presents in  a mall for Christmas, and I’m thinking, ‘that I can handle,’ because it’s like the same scene — like a vignette. I think I’m going to do it.How different is the process of writing and directing for a full-length feature than it is from the short form?

SB: You have though, in the script, all these builds—

EB: Well, the fact that it wasn’t my own idea — I knew there were certain things, based on your pitch, that I had to do — sort of helped me know where it was going to end… I had to remind myself of what the pitch was in order to bring it back down to 15 pages.

Those 15 pages worked out like a charm. You can catch a look at “The Making of ‘Doggy Bags’” below, or screen the short in its entirety here, along with these other offerings from the Tribeca (Online) Film Festival.

“Think Like a Man” has staked out it spot at the top of the box office for the second week in a row. Check out what other movies made big money this weekend:

1. Think Like a Man $18 M
2. The Pirates! Band of Misfits $11.4 M
3. The Lucky One $11.3 M
4. The Hunger Games $11.3 M
5. The Five-Year Engagement $11.2 M
6. Safe (2012) $7.7 M
7. The Raven $7.2 M
8. Chimpanzee $5.5 M
9. The Three Stooges $5.4 M
10. The Cabin in the Woods $4.5 M

At 85 years old, Tony Bennett’s standard of life on and off stage is simple. “I grew up in an era where everything was made with quality,” the sage quips in the opening scene of the aptly-titled film, “The Zen of Bennett.” He continues, “You should do every move that you make with quality. And the public rewards you for that.”

The public has lauded Bennett and his velvety vocals for over 70 albums since his 1952 debut. “The Zen of Bennett,” the brainchild of his own son, Danny Bennett, offers an intimate look at the making of Tony’s 2011 chart-topper, “Duets II.” The documentary debuted at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, sponsored by American Express. In it, the accomplished singer and painter sprinkles out his life philosophy amid world travels, family affairs, and collaborations with stars like Natalie Cole, Michael Bublé, Aretha Franklin, John Mayer, Lady Gaga, and the late Amy Winehouse.Winehouse’s father, Gaga’s parents, Harry Belafonte, and Michael Moore were among the audience members who packed the Tribeca Performing Arts Center for the 84-minute premiere and panel with the doc’s filmmakers. Deb Curtis, VP of Events, Sponsorships, and Marketing for American Express told us how this extended access to the film is key to the Tribeca Film Festival experience.“We’ve been partnered with the Tribeca team for 10 years, so it’s really been a very long and amazing partnership,” Curtis explained. “Our role is to really put our cardmembers closer to great films and great independent film, and the diverse genres that are really represented here at the film festival. Another element that we do is have them hear directly from filmmakers on the stories behind the films. Our cardmembers are yearning for more and more insight behind the films that they love, so that’s really what we’re here to do.”We took full advantage of the AmEx treatment and heard from producers Danny Bennett and Jennifer Lebeau, director of photography Dion Beebe, and director Unjoo Moon on their experience capturing “The Zen of Bennett.”

“The only one I regret not doing a duet with was Louis Armstrong… we did performances in Britain together. He taught all the jazz artists, right up to Miles Davis; he taught them how to play the right way. He invented swing, and hip hop, and whatever you want to call it next. You find out that Louis was the first one to do it.”

Check out the film’s trailer below, and make sure to purchase Bennett’s Duets II, available now.

The Steve Harvey-written rom-com has everyone thinking like a man as it beat out The Hunger Games to top the box office. See what other movies made big money this weekend:

1. Think Like a Man $33 M
2. The Lucky One $22.8 M
3. The Hunger Games $14.5 M
4. Chimpanzee $10.2 M
5. The Three Stooges $9.2 M
6. The Cabin in the Woods $7.8 M
7. American Reunion $5.2 M
8. Titanic 3D $5 M
9. 21 Jump Street $4.6 M
10. Mirror Mirror $4.1 M