Groupon's "Lincoln Lawyer" ticket offer is popular (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Don't expect long lines to see "The Lincoln Lawyer" -- a big portion of the audience for the Lionsgate film has already purchased their tickets online and got a hefty discount for doing so.

Lionsgate began selling tickets for $6, roughly a 50% discount in many areas, on Wednesday through social-shopping site Groupon, and insiders say it has been a hot offer.

Groupon hasn't disclosed how many tickets it sold nationwide, but its website tracks the number city-by-city. In Los Angeles, 9,710 tickets had been bought, with eight hours and 29 minutes remaining before the deal expires at midnight Thursday.

Groupon is using movie website Fandango to facilitate the transactions, and on Thursday, 31% of all movie tickets sold were to "Lincoln Lawyer," far ahead of second-place "Rango" at just 12%.

It should be a horse race for the top spot at the box office this weekend, so if "Lincoln Lawyer" can crack the Top 2 ahead of either of the other newcomers - "Limitless" and "Paul" - the Groupon initiative might get the credit.

Unclear, though, is how the $6 tickets will be accounted for in determining box office revenue. Groupon and Lionsgate did not comment for this report.

Lionsgate intends to profit from a marketing standpoint from the discounted tickets, though the $6 admission fees are probably too small for the studio to share in after theaters, Groupon and Fandango take their cuts.

Groupon, though, has said it intends on delving deeper into the sale of media products, though it hasn't disclosed upcoming initiatives.

LivingSocial, a competitor, this month was selling a pair of Fandango tickets to any movie for $9, representing up to a 70% discount, and reportedly more than 600,000 of its users took advantage of the deal.

For a short while, it also sold tickets to "Little Fockers" for $5 apiece, though it was limited to two per person. LivingSocial said 100,000 tickets were sold in 12 hours.

(Editing by Zorianna Kit)

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Your ticket inside the Golden Globes ceremony (AP)

By SANDY COHEN and LYNN ELBER, AP Entertainment Writers Sandy Cohen And Lynn Elber, Ap Entertainment Writers – Mon Jan 17, 12:00 am ET

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – Some people really know how to throw a party.

Each year the Hollywood Foreign Press Association brings the top stars from TV and film to a booze-soaked, black-tie dinner, invites them to catch up with colleagues as they collect accolades for their work, then puts the whole thing on TV as the Golden Globe Awards.

Sunday's 68th annual ceremony unfolded at the Beverly Hilton Hotel's International Ballroom, where hundreds of stars, from Jane Fonda to Justin Bieber, took part in one of Hollywood's hottest parties of the year. Here's a running view from inside the festivities, where some of the most colorful moments often happen off-camera.

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She may be a big star, but even Kyra Sedgwick learned the hard way that you don't yak when the cast and creators of "The Social Network" are onstage accepting the biggest award of the night. As "The Social Network" was being honored as best dramatic film, Sedgwick was chatting up husband Kevin Bacon and actress Tilda Swinton. Until a Golden Globe official came over and shushed her.

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Indeed, the Globes may be a freewheeling affair, but even the people who run them crack down from time to time. The night's first award winner, Christian Bale (best supporting actor for "The Fighter") was trying to give a shout-out to Robert De Niro at the end of his acceptance speech when he went over his time limit and the orchestra played him off the stage.

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Even stars get star-struck at the Golden Globes "There's Sandra Bullock!" Zachary Levi, star of TV's "Chuck," said excitedly as he left the ballroom during a break in the show to pay a visit to the smoking patio.

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Handsome vampires also need a smoke break. Midway through the show, "Twilight" star Robert Pattinson stepped onto the patio to light up. Also spotted there during the evening: Christina Aguilera and "Tron: Legacy" star Garrett Hedlund.

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Mark Ruffalo, after a friendly chat with Michelle Williams, wasn't interested in finding the smoking patio. "Is there a bar around here?" he asked.

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Claire Danes found the bar. Soon after being named best actress in a miniseries or movie she was seen backstage with a beer in one hand and a Golden Globe in the other.

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The bar, and Golden Globe nerves, mean bathroom breaks are as much a necessity during the show as commercials. Here's some ladies room chatter: A partygoer greets Carrie Underwood and asks the newlywed how married life is with Mike Fisher of the National Hockey League's Ottawa Senators. "It's all good. No complaints," the country music star replies.

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"I'm trapped in a sea of tulle," Scarlett Johannson quips as she attempts to navigate her way through the dining room during a commercial break. Meanwhile, Michelle Williams and Bijou Phillips chat with Jack McBrayer as Brad Pitt gently rubs Angelina Jolie's back as the couple sits at a table near the stage.

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Power couple mash-ups: During a commercial break Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie chat with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas. Meanwhile, Emma Stone kibitzes with Julie Andrews as "Glee" nominee Matthew Morrison leads co-star Dianna Agron to the pair's seats.

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From the Golden Globes mutual admiration society: "You deserve it." "No, you," nominees Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter say, exchanging air kisses, as they cross paths.

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Back to the smoking patio, where "Tron: Legacy" star Garrett Hedlund said he knows what film he'd like to be involved in next: a sequel to "Tron: Legacy." As for this year's Golden Globe nominees, he was partial to "The Fighter" and "The Social Network."

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After the Golden Globe awards, even the losers go home winners. On the way out everyone is told to grab a leather satchel. Each is stuffed with cosmetics, candy and a book of style secrets.

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Associated Press writer Ryan Pearson contributed to this story.

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AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen is on Twitter: Follow her at http://www.twitter.com/APSandy.

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