"Gravity" soared with a record-setting seven Critics' Choice Awards, but "12 Years a Slave" was named best picture.

The Broadcast Film Critics Association presented its annual awards Thursday in Santa Monica, California, honoring many movies that earned Oscar nominations just hours earlier.

Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter Zara Phillips gave birth to a baby girl on Friday, Buckingham Palace announced.

The baby is the first child for 32-year-old Phillips, a former eventing world champion, and her rugby-player husband Mike Tindall.

Britain's Prince Harry is to quit flying army Apache helicopters and take up a desk job organizing commemorative military events, Kensington Palace said Friday.

Captain Wales, as he is known in the military, served in Afghanistan as an Apache co-pilot gunner during his three years with the Army Air Corps.

Lee Roy Myers has everything you'd expect to find in the nation's porn capital in Southern California: sets of a classroom, hospital room, locker room and a bedroom, as well as a list of porn stars waiting to perform.

But his plywood universe is not in the San Fernando Valley. It's a few paces away from the glittery casinos of the Las Vegas Strip.

Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has warned the National Rifle Association (NRA) he plans to make a movie with Meryl Streep that will make them "wish they weren't alive."

The NRA did not immediately respond Thursday to the warning, made in an interview on shock-jock Howard Stern's show, in which Weinstein said he hoped to turn cinema goers against the gun lobby.

Miles Teller — who can be seen on screen later this month with Zac Efron in "That Awkward Moment" — took four-hour drum lessons three times a week to play the lead in "Whiplash," shown opening night at the Sundance Film Festival.

Teller plays a jazz drummer determined to succeed, whether because of or in spite of an unforgiving instructor, played by J.K. Simmons at his most intimidating (and muscular). Paul Reiser also stars.

The following are key quotes from actors and directors nominated for the 86th Academy Awards, following the announcement of the shortlists on Thursday.

- Alfonso Cuaron, director, "Gravity":

Three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep extended her record as the performer with the most Academy Award nominations, with her 18th nod announced on Thursday.

"Hunger Games" star Jennifer Lawrence meanwhile became the youngest ever three-time acting nominee at 23, with her performance in top-tipped crime caper "American Hustle."

A tale of tragic romance from the Palestinian territories is among five nominees for best foreign-language film at the Academy Awards.

The contenders announced Thursday in Beverly Hills include Hany Abu-Assad's "Omar," the story of a love affair and its consequences against the backdrop of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Crime caper "American Hustle" and 3D space spectacular "Gravity" topped the Oscars nominations list Thursday with 10 each, leading a crowded field of contenders for Hollywood's most coveted honors.

Historical drama "12 Years a Slave" was close behind with nine nominations in a year chock full of critically acclaimed movies, leaving no clear frontrunners ahead of the Academy Awards on March 2.