I was thinking about Eric Bana today after viewing the new Hulk trailer, and I wondered what he's up to. (Still haven't seen The Other Boleyn Girl -- looked like a rental film.) He's starring in The Time Traveler's Wife, due out Christmas Day.
It's one of my favorite books. Eric will play a man who travels through time, and he has no control over it. The love story unfolds as he meets his wife, and then meets her as a child and through her life. I can't recommend the book enough. Just excellent writing and a very different, but beautifully told, love story. The Christmas release date may mean they hope for Oscar consideration. I've always admired Eric's work -- he was the best damn thing in Troy besides Brad Pitt's naked bum. Maybe this will be a role that gets him some recognition. He's also in Star Trek, maybe as the villain?
Did you know that Eric Bana started his career as a stand-up comedian in Australia? Kind of hard to picture that with the kind of serious dramatic roles he's done in Hollywood, but I guess he was quite a famous comedian there with his own TV show, and known for his impressions.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The Time Traveler's Wife
Sleestaks!
Did you even know that they are remaking Land of the Lost into a feature film for next summer? My husband is VERY disappointed because Will Ferrell is playing dad Rick Marshall. He hates Will Ferrell, and Holly from the TV series was his first childhood crush. We have some of the show on DVD WITH commentary track by the Sleestaks -- it's just non-stop Sleestak hissing! LOL
Ain't It Cool posts this pic of the Sleestak look from the 2009 movie. Looks pretty familiar, and dare I say it, Old School?
Gandalf is a lock!
Yippee! Sir Ian McKellan has confirmed that he'll be back as Gandalf in the two Hobbit films! As if anyone else would do! From BBC News:
"Yes, it's true," he told Empire magazine. "It's not a part that you turn down. I loved playing Gandalf."
Two Hobbit films are planned for release in 2010 and 2011. They will be prequels to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson.
Guillermo del Toro has been named as the director of the movies, to be made back-to-back in New Zealand.
"I spoke to Guillermo in the very room that Peter Jackson offered me the part and he confirmed that I would be reprising the role," Sir Ian said.
He also said del Toro would be starting the script in about six weeks after he has finished filming current project, Hellboy 2.
According to studio New Line, the first film will be an adaptation of The Hobbit and the second will be an original story focusing on the 60 years between the book and the beginning of the Rings trilogy.
"As to how it's going to work over two films and what going to happen on screen, well Guillermo has not got down to working out the major details yet - I can tell you it's going to be amazing though," Sir Ian said.
Looking Good in a kilt!
I just read that Patrick Dempsey wears a mini-kilt so short he couldn't wear it the traditional way sans underpants in Made of Honor out this weekend. I was looking for a pic of that interesting image when I came upon this hilarious webpage: 40 celebrities who'd look great in kilts. Gerry fans will howl at this photoshop of Viggo in a kilt using an oh, so familiar pic! Some of these are fun!
New Hulk Trailer!
I don't know what to think about the new Hulk movie. I love Tim Roth, and I think he will be a very worthy opponent. The scene in this trailer where Tim Roth says, "Is that all you've got?" -- Love it! Edward Norton is NOT doing press for this movie due to "creative differences" with the producers. They probably went with a more "commercial" version of the film. And Janene, I DO like Eric Bana, but Ang Lee's Hulk film was a disappointment. Hope the negative buzz about Edward Norton's misgivings don't mean this one sucks.
Guy Ritchie Ad
Very cool Nike ad by Guy Ritchie, director of upcoming RocknRolla (and Mr. Madonna!)
Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Craig Ferguson reduces Ewan McGregor to tears
OMG. Just watched Craig Ferguson on my DVR from last night's show. Both clips are great, but the second one is where Ewan is wiping his eyes.
Does Chewbacca know?
From The Sun:
WHAT would Chewbacca say? Hollywood legend Carrie Fisher reveals she got up close with Harrison Ford while filming the iconic Star Wars movies.
The 51-year-old actress is still best known for impressing millions of teenage boys with her buns as Princess Leia.
Now, after decades of rumours, she finally spills the beans on her relationship with ever-hunky Harrison, 63, who played Han Solo.
She tells Justin Lee Collins in new C4 show Bring Back . . . Star Wars: “I went on the film saying ‘I’m going to have an affair’, like it was a kiwi, an exotic fruit — because I’d never had one!”
She adds: “I had a crush on Harrison for sure. Harrison is great fun when he’s had a few drinks.”
Shaking her head and saying: “I’m going to get in so much trouble,” she adds: “Once I left the room and came back and he was in the closet not wearing a lot of clothes.”
Asked about reports of intergalactic battles between Harrison and co-star Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, Carrie says: “Harrison wouldn’t have a competition with Mark — it’s an uneven competition. He’d win, it would be mean to have a competition!”
Carrie, now a successful screenwriter, confesses there was “some jealousy” from Mark over Harrison’s huge success.
She adds: “Harrison had this enormous career by the second or third film, that was tough for Mark. He was like, ‘This wasn’t supposed to happen — it’s the adventures of Luke Skywalker’.”
She also reveals that during the first flick in 1977, director George Lucas made her cover her boobs with GAFFER TAPE.
She says: “I had to tape them down, because there’s no underwear in space. George knows that for a fact.”
Memorably, Carrie was made to wear a skimpy gold bikini as she was held hostage by Jabba The Hutt in Return Of The Jedi in 1983.
And she laughs: “George has it — he wears it all the time.
“That bikini didn’t move, so you could see all the way to Florida!”
Tall, Dark, and McDreamy
Just got my TV Guide magazine in the mail today. Hubba hubba! Very hot pics of Patrick Dempsey and several other hot stars in a special issue. Worth at least picking up at the supermarket to thumb through.
Rodrigo Santoro's in it, too!
Janene, still too skinny for ya? LOL Perez is all about Jim Carey's get up, but I can't get my eyes past Rodrigo Santoro's torso. He was the villain in 300, but looks oh so more caliente with hair on his head!
Perez says:
Jim Carrey plays gay in the new film, I Love You Phillip Morris.
Dressed in Versace from head to toe and sporting a fake tan, the Canadian actor - with fellow thesp Rodrigo Santoro - was spotted in the movie's Miami Beach set on Monday.
Uhmmmm….
Stereotype much????
In the movie, one of Jim's lovers is played by Ewan McGregor.
Persepolis - review
Persepolis is something truly special. This is a unique film, an Oscar nominated animated film that is the biography of Marjane Satrapi. Marjane Satrapi wrote her story of growing up in Iran during the revolution in two best-selling graphic novels. She was born in 1969, and was a spunky outspoken little girl who loved Bruce Lee, The Bee Gees and her Adiddas shoes. The revolution is seen through the eyes of this child, and the stark black and white of the images make the emotions more powerful than live action might have. Eventually, her outspokenness makes her parents fear for her safety, and they send her to go to a French school in Vienna. Imagine being a teenager that truly doesn't fit in -- one who has seen war and revolution and had relatives executed in prison.
I'm making it sound like this movie is full of doom and gloom. There is sadness, because there was tragedy and hardship in her life, but the film is full of funny moments. Marjane has a special relationship with her equally outspoken Grandmother. Marjane marries young, and comes weeping to her grandmother that she wants a divorce. Her Grandmother laughs, "Divorce! I thought someone had died! The first marriage is just practice for the next one."
This coming of age film tells a story that probably isn't unique in Iran -- that of a girl who lived in a secular family that became oppressed by the Islamic revolution. But to us in the West, this story is different, and I love that it is told from the viewpoint of this outspoken freespirited girl. Persepolis is a film that lost to Ratatouille for the Oscar for Animated film, but it made many critics top 10 films of year lists, and now I know why. It's a beautiful film, with an extraordinary story. Persepolis will be released on DVD June 24th.
Wolverine movie?
Got a comment to the Hugh Jackman barefoot pics that said Wolverine movie? Yes, Virginia, there will be a Wolverine movie: X-Men Origins: Wolverine due out May 1, 2009. It's got some cool co-stars: Dominic Monaghan from Lost and Liev Schrieber as Sabretooth.
Shia Who?
Who is Shia LaBeouf (and why should you care)? He's Hollywood's New It kid, and he'll be in Indy 4 with Harrison Ford on May 22. To me, I could see Shia LeBeouf becoming the next Tom Hanks or John Cusack. It's not that he's that gorgeous, although he is filling out, but it's the charm and the fast talking that I like. He's just damn talented, and I can see him really going places.
He starred in Even Stevens as a child on Disney Channel, and won an Emmy for it. But I first saw him in Holes. My son loved the book so I was dragged to the movie which was a much better than average kids film. I could tell even then in his first feature film, that he had acting chops and that snarky John Cusack type attitude. He had minor roles in I, Robot and Constantine, but his breakthrough role was in Disturbia. The film is sort of teen Rear Window, and he spends a lot of the movie alone on screen -- and he carries the movie.
From the Variety cover article about Shia last year:
Ever since Disturbia paid for itself with a $22 million opening weekend, there’s been talk that Shia LaBeouf might just be the next big thing. (The name’s pronounced shy-a La-buff.) His charisma helped the movie survive the inevitable Hitchcock comparisons, which is how director D. J. Caruso planned it: “I basically said, ‘I want John Cusack. Girls will like him because he’s smart and witty and gets cuter the more you watch him, and also guys like him because he’s cool and he can be dangerous.’ Shia was perfect.”Watch Shia on Letterman last year right before Transformers came out, and you'll get a taste of what he's like. Transformers was only watchable because of Shia, to me. My husband teases me because I like him. Yes, he is young, but he's legal as he's now 21! (I am going to hell ...) He's just charming and funny. Can't wait to see how his career plays out.Caruso sent LaBeouf’s audition tape to his friend Steven Spielberg, one of the film’s executive producers. “Steven loved it,” Caruso says, enough so that he had LaBeouf read for another DreamWorks picture: Transformers, the $145 million summer blockbuster from director Michael Bay. Again, he nailed the leading role—this time as Sam Witwicky, who teams up with an 18-wheeler named Optimus Prime to save the earth from invading Decepticons. “The girls in my office were like, ‘He’s not that cute. Don’t hire him,’ ” says Bay. “They just wanted a hunk in the movie. And I said, ‘Ladies, watch the audition tape.’ They saw the tape and instantly went, ‘Oh my God, he’s great. He’s so funny.’ And that’s what it is. It’s just charm.” If Transformers, which opens this month, performs as expected, it will be LaBeouf’s second No. 1 movie this year.
After Disturbia and Transformers, Spielberg was ready to add LaBeouf to his all-star team. Based on an idea by George Lucas and starring Harrison Ford, the Indiana Jones trilogy—beginning with 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark and ending, or so it seemed, with 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade—is one of Spielberg’s signature creations, on a par with Jaws and E.T. Last winter, he finalized his plan for a new sequel, featuring LaBeouf. “I think what Steven really likes about Shia is his endearing quality,” Caruso says. “He calls it a Tom Hanks quality, where he’s this great actor and you want to root for him.”
LaBeouf shrugs this off, saying he gets compared to “any dark-haired actor who wasn’t an Adonis, basically: Tom Hanks, John Cusack, Dustin Hoffman. It has nothing to do with performance; it’s just a visual categorization.” But Jon Voight, who has acted with LaBeouf in the 2003 Disney hit Holes and in Transformers, thinks the analogy fits: “There’s never another one of these unique guys, but he’s a unique guy that is going to have a long career. Why do people say Tom Hanks? Because Tom is not a standard leading man, or doesn’t seem to be. He has great charm, great humor, and he’s a real actor. And all those things would describe Shia as well.”
O.K., but there are thousands of talented actors in L.A., many of them a lot handsomer than LaBeouf. Why has DreamWorks made him, as Caruso puts it, “their Mickey Mouse”? The answer may lie in his unique upbringing. “His dad basically was a grifter,” Caruso says. “His mom is this really cool hippie. This is a guy who from a very young age was basically the father figure in his own life and took care of his mother. He was an old soul at age 19.”
Monday, April 28, 2008
You only like skinny guys . . .
Went out with friends to see Persepolis tonight. I'll review that tomorrow, but a comment Janene made tonight demands some immediate attention. Due to my recent posting of pics of Shia LaBeouf and many of James McAvoy, Janene thinks I ONLY like skinny guys. Mainly, it's the accent, not how slender, that is key. But in Shia's case, he's kind of the up and coming John Cusack. More on Shia to come in another post, as Janene's education on Shia is sorely lacking.
Hugh Jackman has to be a non-skinny case in point. Saw him live on Broadway doing Boy From Oz, and he was slender for that, I do admit. He literally danced his ass off in that play! He's bulked up for the filming of Wolverine now, but I cannot WAIT to see him in Baz Luhrman's Australia due out Nov. 14. This will be Baz's first film since 2001's Moulin Rouge. Check out these promo stills above by clicking on them to see them full size. Yum! And he will have his native Aussie accent in this one! I was a goner for Hugh when I saw Kate & Leopold.
And then there's Gerard Butler. Janene, have you SEEN 300 yet? If not, I may have to force a copy into your hands.
Not just Gerry, but Michael Fassbender in that one. I think we need a little Raining Men to round out this post! 300 is a chick flick because the movie is just RAINING barely-clothed six pack NON-skinny men!
James McAvoy a priest?!
From Perez: "I considered becoming a priest very seriously. I wanted to travel the world – and as a young Catholic it seemed the easiest way. By the time I turned 16 I realized I was only in it for selfish reasons, and there were easier ways to explore the world. And, more importantly, I didn’t want to sacrifice the ladies!”
- Angelina Jolie's Wanted co-star, James McAvoy, tells Britain's Closer magazine
Thank you Perez
Perez says, "You're welcome!" for this pic of Shia LaBeouf.
"It looks like he's also discovered manscaping and waxing!"
Uhhhh.......yeah. 24 days till Indy 4.
Craig Ferguson at White House Correspondents Dinner
"Another case of immigrants taking jobs Americans don't want."
Low Budget Star Wars
Have to agree with this blogger. Better than Be Kind, Rewind!
Low Budget Star Wars
Monday morning Dish
Hugh Jackman, in pj's and barefoot, waves goodbye to his wife, leaving on an overseas trip. Looking good for Wolverine!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
When a Pit Bull isn't enough
Fluffy, the snapping turtle, formerly used to guard a drug dealer's stash.
Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Now there's video of the "Deforestation"
Access Hollywood has posted video of Harrison Ford getting his chest waxed. Not quite like the scene from 40 Year Old Virgin. No screaming!
Sex with Angelina Jolie was a Nightmare
You've got to love the Scottish Press - they are one for the catchy headline! The Glasgow Daily Record has a nice interview with Glaswegian James McAvoy, with this lovely headline:
Sex with Angeline Jolie was a nightmare, reveals James McAvoy
SCOTS actor James McAvoy has admitted he was terrified filming sex scenes with Angelina Jolie for his latest movie.
One of Hollywood's hottest young stars, he lines up opposite Angelina in Wanted, a film based on Mark Miller's explosive novels.
He plays 25-year-old account worker Wesley Gibson, who is transformed from a loser, cheated on by his girlfriend and bullied by his boss, into a dark superhero.
But despite having starred opposite Keira Knightley in Atonement and now Angelina, James says he doesn't enjoy the sex scenes, however convincing they may seem on the big screen.
He said: "It's sweaty and uncomfortable.
"My paranoia is the girl I'm doing the sex scene with will think I'm getting off on her.
"I have nightmares about that the night before a sex scene. There's no chance of getting any kind of stimulus because you're so nervous and there's all these people watching you.
"It's daunting. They're considered to be the most beautiful people in the world, and I'm clearly not. I don't think I've been hit by the ugly stick, but I'm not exactly a matinee idol."
No, James, I can think of a few people who would say you haven't been hit with the ugly stick!"Angelina and I share one epic snog, which was kind of weird. Her life is mad with all the attention she gets, but she still retains a really approachable air. She's lovely, actually. We had a good laugh on a fairly demanding shoot, because it was so physical."Regarded as Hollywood's new It boy, and having celebrated his 29th birthday earlier this week, his film star status has taken him a long way from Glasgow's Drumchapel housing estate, where he was brought up.
Famously, it was only after actor-director David Hayman addressed James's school and the 16-year-old offered to make tea on his next film that he got his first break. Four months later, Hayman rang to ask him to audition for a part in 1997's The Near Room.
Read the rest of the article here. Some of the stories about his childhood and early career I hadn't read before.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Gwyneth Paltrow on Red Carpet at London Iron Man Premiere
Um . . . maybe the micro-mini wasn't such a great idea.
Owie! Harrison Ford Gets Waxed for the Environment
And just how did Harrison, who is the vice chair of the global environment group Conservation International, want to get his message across? By waxing his chest, of course. In an effort to showcase the pain involved in deforestation, Harrison willingly subject himself to the painful process of stripping his chest of all its follicles. Having worked with CI for 15 years, it was Harrison’s hope that his trip to the salon might just shock people into thinking “green.”
Owie!!!
Harrison invited Access Hollywood exclusively along as he embarked on a personal project to promote going green.
The man ain't bad for 65!
Watch it here.
Okay, now I'm hooked
Remember my post about the Gay Kiss Controversy on As The World Turns? I noticed that the YouTube channel that I found the kiss clip on, had the ENTIRE Noah and Luke storyline. LukeVanFan is up to 160 video clips that just relate to Noah & Luke. Now, THIS is the way to watch a Soap without all the filler! All the video clips are just a few minutes. I'm up to Video 74 just past that famous kiss back in September, and I am TOTALLY hooked on their story. You don't even want to know how late I stayed up last night watching "Nuke!" videos.
I watched All My Children for 20 years, and gave it up because it was just too much time commitment. Also, Soaps are famous for their crazy evil twin and amnesia type plot lines. THIS story of Noah and Luke, and the triangle with Maddie feels very real and honest. It's compelling!
Early Iron Man Review from Variety
W00T!! Variety likes Iron Man!Finally, someone's found a sure-fire way to make money with a modern Middle East war movie: Just send a Marvel superhero into the fray to kick some insurgent butt. The powerhouse comicbook-inspired actioner "Iron Man" isn't principally about this fantasy, but it won't hurt at least American audiences' enjoyment of this expansively entertaining special effects extravaganza. Having an actor as supercharged as Robert Downey Jr. at the center of such a tech-oriented enterprise reps a huge plus, and Paramount should reap big B.O. rewards by getting out ahead of the summer tentpole pack with such a classy refitting of an overworked format.
Snapping off lines as crisply as Bugs Bunny might bite into a carrot, the sculpture-bearded Downey invigorates the entire proceedings in a way no other actor ever has in this field. Initially conveying Tony's Matt Helm lifestyle as if it's second nature, Downey possesses a one-of-a-kind intensity that perfectly serves the character's second-act drive and obstinacy. His Achilles' heel is his heart, at first threatened by shrapnel and later central to his superpower and his submerged romantic relationship with ever-loyal assistant Pepper Potts, who Gwyneth Paltrow, in an unexpected casting move, endows with smarts and appeal.
Ouch! Ted Casablanca calls Gerard Butler Lame
This! Is! Lame!Just 'cause you’re treated like a VIP by all the trendy T-town clubs, it doesn’t mean all the gals and guys inside will gaze upon you as if you're royalty. Case in point: Gerard Butler and his bud were at the Tropicana Bar at the ritzy-butt Roosevelt Hotel in H'wood, enjoying a stud’s night out. Dude was dressed to the sorta-eights in black pants, ratty shoes more apropos for beers 'n' bowling and a fitted white Tee that would’ve been too pectoral-gazing even for Simon Cowell. G.B. also donned a scruffy five-o'clock job, a seriously messy mop of hair and bounced around the room, feelin' just a wee bit too pain-free. What a dreamboat, eh? Still pretty doable, though. 'Least he didn’t have that face he had in Phantom of the Opera, tho maybe a mask woulda helped cover up some of that blasted bedhead.
Ger-babe’s anticlassy antics continued when it appeared he was attempting to pick up two lovely ladies in the lounge. Sure, the guy’s a celeb, but his off-screen demeanor certainly has nothing on his onscreen persona. G.B. tried out some tried-and-trite classic pickup lines such as, “you must be an angel because you fell from heaven.” So say the pregagging gals present. Gosh, do some straight women actually like that stuff? I mean, isn’t that just the prick polar opposite (same diff, though) from the ol’, "OK, come over here and do me, bitch"? Just a thought. You het gals must let me in on that one.Gerard did, however, make the women laugh uproariously. And no, not because they were hysterically swooning over the 300 thesp, but rather, because they were tragically embarrassed for him. Gerry laughed along, too, obviously not in on the joke at his expense—not to mention, the dude’s Scottish brogue was so thick it made it hard to understand half of what he was saying, besides the lame flirt parts. That’s simply tragic. You gotta work damn hard to make a sexy Scottish accent lose its appeal, especially with cocktail-consuming chicks dying to be hit on by anything remotely famous.Gerard’s friend, tho, was every bit the witty hunk Ger-hon wasn’t, and the ladies would’ve gladly left in his company had Butler not eventually picked up on the girls’ interest in his less famous bud and left, taking his crushed pal along to sulk. We gotta wonder how G landed Cameron Diaz with an arsenal of antigame like that. Was it just the bod? Women are so shallow.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Guillermo del Toro to direct "Hobbit"!!!!
It's official! Guillermo del Toro, director of Pan's Labyrinth and Hellboy, has signed on to helm "The Hobbit"!
Del Toro's moving to New Zealand for the next four years to work with Jackson and his Wingnut and WETA production teams. He'll direct the two films back to back, with the sequel which will deal with the 60-year period between "The Hobbit" and "The Fellowship of the Ring," the first of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
Game Day! Guilty Pleasure Movies
Play along with Buck. How many have you seen? I don't know that I've seen the entirety of the ones I counted, but I scored only 9 out of 20. So sue me, I haven't seen Grease 2!
Gay Kiss Controversy
There's been controversy about a gay teen storyline on 52 year old CBS Soap As The World Turns, but it's not the one you'd expect. Fans of the show have been protesting, sending bags of Hershey's Kisses and even starting a counting "Nuke Liplock Clock" website showing how long it had been since Noah and Luke (or Nuke to fans) have kissed. Yesterday, with no advance leak, they finally kissed onscreen, and it had been 211 days, 14 hours, 45 minutes, and 45 seconds since the last kiss back in September.
Daytime television’s only gay couple, often referred to as “Nuke” by fans, last kissed on September 26, 2007. Since then, there has been plenty of kissing between the show’s heterosexual couples, but a series of interruptions and pan-aways whenever it seemed like the gay teens might kiss.
In the most well-publicized example, during last year’s Christmas episode, the characters leaned in to kiss, but at the last moment, the camera passed upward to mistletoe hanging above the doorway—an “artistic decision,” according to Brian T. Cahill, Sr. V.P., Managing Director for TeleVest Daytime Programs.
The Soap had some protests back in September after the first kiss:
After two passionate on-screen kisses last fall, the couple lovingly referred to by fans as "Nuke" suddenly stopped displaying their affection toward one another. Jeannie Tharrington, the producer's spokeswoman, told The Advocate, "To be frank, a lot of people weren't expecting that first kiss. We got a lot of letters -- not from activists but from regular fans who said, 'We're not ready for this.'"But then the demands from fans and the "Kiss Campaign" started. CBS has gained a younger and bigger audience for this aging Soap. I think it's fantastic, and I'm glad they're telling an honest story like this. The kiss is pretty hot, too! I've never watched the show, but my Grandma used to watch every day. Wonder what she would have thought about this!
Young Me -- Now Me
This is very cool: a website where people post their own childhood snapshots - and then try to recreate them as adults.
Pacino and De Niro - How the Mighty Have Fallen
You must read this article in the LA Times by Patrick Goldstein:
I thought Francis Ford Coppola was being cranky last fall when he badmouthed Al Pacino and Robert De Niro -- the stars of Coppola's immortal "Godfather" films -- for taking parts for the money and losing their passion for doing great work. "I met both Pacino and De Niro when they were really on the come," Coppola told GQ magazine. "Now Pacino is very rich, maybe because he never spends any money; he just puts it in his mattress. . . . They all live off the fat of the land."
Coppola was right on the money. The two icons of '70s New Hollywood, heroes to a generation of young actors and filmmakers, have become parodies of themselves, making payday movies and turning in performances that are hollow echoes of the electrically charged work they did in such films as "Serpico," "Dog Day Afternoon," "Mean Streets" and "Taxi Driver."
On Al Pacino's latest critically reviled film 88 Minutes:
The New York Times' Manohla Dargis zeroed in on what might be Pacino's most glaring failing, his vanity, describing the actor as having "a dusky orange tan that suggests a charbroiled George Hamilton and an elevated poof of hair that appears to have been engineered to put Mr. Pacino within vertical range of his female costars." Throughout the film, Pacino, who turns 68 on Friday, is surrounded by nubile young actresses who play students lusting after or enamored by him. One of the film's bizarre moments occurs when Pacino and a comely student rush back to his apartment, where, in the midst of their desperate efforts to locate the killer, she takes off her blouse and tosses it on his stairs.And it just goes on from there, in exquisite deliciousness as it eviscerates both actors for their recent career choices.
Gay Lovers?!
From Perez:
Ewan McGregor and Jim Carey were spotted at Miami gay bar Halo for "Martini Tuesday" this week.
Just hangin' with the 'mos???
Well, it turns out that Carey and McGregor were 'doing research' for their new movie, I Love You Phillip Morris, shooting in the MIA.
Said McGregor, "Jim's character is a con artist and an escape artist, who escapes from prison to be with me. It's an incredible story."
Yes, Ewan and Jim play gay lovers!
Perez is excited.
Jimmy Fallon to Replace Conan
Fox News' Roger Friedman reports that a long-swirling TV rumor is about to become fact: Jimmy Fallon will replace Conan O'Brien when O'Brien makes the jump to "The Tonight Show" in 2009. Friedman writes:
The word is out among the NBC brass: As rumored and bounced around for some time, Jimmy Fallon is set to take Conan O'Brien's job as host of "Late Night" in 2009. It's a done deal....
There's much debate about letting Leno leave NBC etc. but right now let's just concentrate on Jimmy. He's the perfect successor to Conan and should have just as big an audience when he takes the reins. Fallon is one of those great underrated performers. This should be the right milieu for him.
NBC will make the formal announcement about Fallon around May 11 or 12, when the network presents the fall '08 schedule to advertisers here in New York.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
NPR features Show-Stopping Aria at the Met
Just heard this in my car radio!
Listen to Robert Siegel interview Peter Gelb, general manager of the Met about Monday night's incredibly encore aria performance.
Peter Gelb, general manager of the Met, says that stopping the show for an encore has generally been forbidden.
"In the '20s and '30s and '40s, there was wording in the program books admonishing the audience with words saying 'positively no encores allowed,' kind of like no-smoking signs."
He also notes that Monday night's Donizetti opera will be performed again Saturday night, and broadcast live on radio and in movie theaters across the country.
2 Days In Paris - A mini-review
Last night I saw a Woody Allen film, or at least it felt just like one, but it was starring, written, edited and directed by French actress Julie Delpy. Heck, she probably sewed the costumes, too! 2 Days in Paris is not a movie for everyone, but if you enjoy quirky films and like lots of interesting dialog in a film this one may be for you. Marion and Jack (played by Adam Goldberg) are at the end of a disastrous trip to Venice. On their way back to New York, they spend two days in Paris and visit Marion's parents, played by Julie Delpy's real parents, both actors. Julie Delpy makes fun of Paris, American tourists, French families and thirty-something people who can't seem to grow up and commit fully to relationships. These two characters are not totally likeable, and you're not even sure they should stay together at the end of the movie. Adam Goldberg's Jack is a neurotic, hypochondriac New Yorker, but he's covered with tattoos over his muscles. There are no stock characters or complete stereotypes here, and it's refreshing. Julie Delpy does a great job as a first-time director showing us a different Paris than the usual romantic idealized film version, and she shows no vanity in how she films her character. I like a film where I'm not sure what crazy thing is going to happen next, and you almost have to agree when Jack says, "I'm dating Mike Tyson!" after Marion blows up at an ex-lover in a cafe. Watch the trailer below for a taste of what this film is like. Again, not for everyone, but I give it 3 stars.
Watchmen ad contest
Zack Snyder is just the coolest director ever, and he's always thinking of ways to keep fans involved. He posted this contest on YouTube to have fan generated ads appear in the film. The Watchmen YouTube channel will also have the video blogs from the set.
When Logos Go Very Wrong
The British government wanted to rebrand the Office Of Government Commerce, so they came up with a new logo. When it was presented to OGC staff it didn't take long for them to look at the new brand logo (emblazoned on mouse mats and so forth) from all angles:
Apparently they are pressing ahead with it anyway. A spokesman for the OGC said (I kid you not) this:
We concluded that the effect was generic to the particular combination of the letters 'OGC' - and is not inappropriate to an organisation that's looking to have a firm grip on government spend.
Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Spielberg, Lucas & Ford may not get paid for Indy 4
From LA Times: The Indiana Jones series is known for its cliffhangers. But the real cliffhanger in the long-awaited upcoming sequel is when -- and perhaps even if -- the famous filmmakers and the star will make money.
That's because before executive producer George Lucas, director Steven Spielberg and leading man Harrison Ford get their hands on any treasure, Paramount Pictures will need to collect $400 million in revenue to recover all its costs and make a sizable fee to distribute "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."
If that seems like a no-brainer, consider the norm in Hollywood, where top-tier filmmakers and stars traditionally earn huge upfront fees and get a big cut of ticket sales before a studio recoups its investment.
The atypical arrangement between the studio and the triumvirate illustrates the new economic realities of the movie business. Read the rest of the article.
Sing 9 High C's. Repeat.
From the NY Times:
Ban on Solo Encores at the Met? Ban, What Ban?
After the tenor Juan Diego Flórez popped out his nine shining high C’s in “La Fille du Régiment” at the Metropolitan Opera on Monday night, the crowd rose and cheered. Mr. Flórez obliged with something not heard on the Met stage since 1994: a solo encore.
He sang the aria “Ah! Mes Amis” again, nailing the difficult note — a kind of tenor’s macho proving ground — nine more times. It was one of those thrilling moments that opera impresarios live for. Read the rest of the article.
Listen to the performance here, including the lengthy ovation!
Watch a video of the dress rehearsal performance here.
More on Gerard Butler and Cheryl Burke
From Perez: Cheryl is keeping hush about her relationship with Butler though. She recently told Ryan Seacrest on his morning radio show Tuesday, “You know, honestly he’s good friends with Cristian [her dance partner] and his wife — and we met through them. He actually lives in my apartment building, and we’ve been friends for a few months.” And when Seacrest questioned her about the rumored kiss that recently took place in public, she responded, “You know, everyone says hello and says goodbye and kisses each other. Don’t you, Ryan?” How long will these two last? We think Gerard will drop her in 2 months .. weeks.
Brings to mind my favorite line from Definitely, Maybe when Abigail Breslin asks her Dad
Maya Hayes: What's the boy word for 'slut'?
Will Hayes: They still haven't come up with one yet.
;)
Imogen Heap and Jeff Goldblum?!!
From Perez: Jeff Goldblum and Imogen Heap are getting physical. And, the new couple, are taking their relationship to the next level! Goldblum and Immi went on a very public date in London's Hyde Park this week. They were seen walking together, holding hands, hugging and kissing. He's 55. She's 30. Hello, daddy!
Um . . . I love Imogen's music, but this leaves me speechless right now.
Oy! CNN extends Larry King's contract
From Perez:
Sources tell TVNewser that CNN and Larry King have agreed to a contract extension, which will keep the anchor with the network through 2010, beyond his 77th birthday.> Update: The extension will actually continue until June 2011. TVNewser spoke with King's agent, John Ferriter, who confirmed the deal to be, "the exact same deal as last time," just extended for two years. "Larry's thrilled to continue to call CNN his home," said Ferriter.
A recent New York Times story speculating about Katie Couric's future reported that King's contract was set to expire in the summer of 2009.
Oy! I do think he is losing it a bit. Who can forget this classic exchange with Jerry Seinfield where he blows up when Larry says that Seinfield was cancelled! "Can we get a resume in here for me for Larry to go over?!!"
Daily Sex Scenes tire out Ewan McGregor
Check out this awesome kilt picture of Ewan I found!
In more Ewan news: Actor Ewan Mcgregor was a relieved man when the filming of his new movie Deception finally got over, for filming the sex scenes in the pic left him exhausted. Mcgregor reveals that he not only had to practice, but also shoot the passionate scenes every day. By the end of the filming, he admits that he was a very tired man.
"I'd be introduced to a girl, do sex scenes with her, go back to my dressing room, have coffee, come back, then it's 'Hello, I'm Ewan' to another girl, clothes off and off we go," Contactmusic quoted him, as saying. "I've done my fair share of sex scenes in my career, believe me. But this was something else," he added. The movie also stars Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams. It will be released on April 25, 2008 in the USA.
Gee, I wasn't that anxious to see this flick, but if Ewan filmed so many sex scenes the man was exhausted, I may have to catch a matinee!
