If you like suspense thrillers with proactive victims, then you'll get a kick out of Taken. Liam Neeson plays a former spy who has to save his daughter (Maggie Grace from Live Free or Die Hard), who's been kidnapped by slave traders in Paris. Ironically, this isn't the first time Grace has played the damsel in distress, desperate for her father to save her from enterprising men. But I have a feeling Neeson won't have a problem topping Bruce Willis's psycho quotient, since he's not playing by anyone's rules but his own.
If you are a fan of haunted houses and/or are tired of Elizabeth Banks making you laugh, you should go see The Uninvited. The horror flick is about a girl (Emily Browning from Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events) who has to stop her mother's murderous ex-nurse (Banks from Zack and Miri Make a Porno) from marrying her father. Naturally, she and her sister (Arielle Kebbel from Grudge 2 and John Tucker Must Die) will have trouble convincing anyone that the bubbly blonde could harm a soul, but unless they do, she'll kill them all.
If you're desperate for a romantic comedy with heart, then I'd suggest snuggling up for New in Town. My soft spot for Harry Connick Jr. (P.S. I Love You) resulted in me sneaking in to see this after watching the endearingly funny Paul Blart: Mall Cop. It had a slow start, but the story of a city girl having to transport her life to Minnesota in order to evaluate, and ultimately terminate, several factory empoloyees definitely had its moments. If you're from the city, you'll feel just as agitated by the hometown vibe as she is, and if you are bogged down by the current job climate, you'll get depressed mighty quick. But Connick's charm and Renee Zellweger's (Bridget Jones Diary) knack for comic timing will lift your spirits right back up.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
FILM NEWS: "Green Hornet" Back On, Segel & Blunt "Travel," Montiel & Tatum form "Brotherhood," and more
• Seth Rogen has confirmed that the Green Hornet is still alive and kicking (ass). Here's a few facts cleared up:
1. While Stephen Chow still won't be directing, he will be playing the role of Kato.
2. The budget isn't what's stalling production. They're just looking for another director.
3. Adam Sandler has a cameo in the film as a super hero.
4. The film is still slated for a Summer 2010 release.
• A fourth Resident Evil is in the works, but producers are still working on getting Milla Jovovich to sign on. In less enticing news, Sylvester Stallone plans on doing another Rambo. And in even worse news, producers are searching for a screenwriter for the Ghost Rider sequel...perhaps one that doesn't make a flaming skull seem like a total joke. No, but seriously, did someone think that Mark Steven Johnson, the guy behind the campy Daredevil and the barely badass Elektra, would actually produce something worth watching?
• Julia Roberts is going to star in the adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir Eat, Pray, and Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia. It's the story of how Gilbert had an epiphany, decided to divorce her husband, and travel the world.
• Michael Cera is rumored to have signed on for the "Arrested Development" film--fingers crossed for some incestual loving between George Michael and Maeby.
• Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Emily Blunt (Devil Wears Prada) might join Jack Black in the upcoming Gulliver's Travel adaptation. The way they intend on modernizing the story is by making it so that Black plays "free-spirited travel writer Lemuel Gulliver, who on an assignment to the Bermuda Triangle washes ashore on the hidden island of Lilliput, home to a population of industrious yet tiny people." So Blunt's playing a princess that Segel's Lilliputian character is interested in. I think it'll be trippy to see someone tower over Segel for once.
• I've never seen Shrek 2, even though I've seen 1 and 3. I wasn't offended by the addition of a sword-wielding (double entendre anyone?) feline Lothario, I just never got around to it. So maybe that's why it doesn't really interest me to know that Antonio Banderas' Puss in Boots will be getting a non-direct-to-DVD spinoff. What does interest me though is that Shrek has become a multi-billion dollar franchise, bolstered by children who can't even spell ogre and who probably think he's just a green man. Someone should really do a thesis on the power of animated figures over children during their formative years. I bet they could make kids do anything. Heck, after watching Wall-E, I would put money on the tykes of today growing up to eco-fy the world. Now if only someone could subliminally make them clean their rooms...
• I don't normally talk up celebrity romances on this blog, but Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilary Swank are re-teaming after their brief romantic encounter in P.S. I Love You for a suspense thriller, The Resident. When I started to read the premise, I was little worried that he might be dead in this one too, since he's known for dying on most of his jobs ("Weeds," "Supernatural," and "Grey's Anatomy"). Luckily, he's very much alive...albeit creepy. He plays a landlord who takes an obsessively invested interest in his new resident (Swank). Plot aside, maybe Swank and Morgan enjoyed their ten minutes of on-screen, raw, sexual tension and they decided to do another film together. Whatever the reason, newly divorced Swank should pounce on that handsome lug before Mary-Louise Parker ("Weeds") takes him back.
• Dito Montiel is steadily becoming the Scorsese to Channing Tatum's Leo. He cast Tatum in his directorial debut, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, and in his second feature film, a street boxing drama called Fighting. Now he's tapped him for his third film, an action thriller called The Brotherhood of the Rose. "In David Morrell's novel, two orphans are raised by a CIA operative to become assassins, only to become targets themselves." In the 1989 TV miniseries adaptation of the novel, the agent who trains the orphans was trying to create his own team of professionals who would be at his beck-and-call--kind of like Morgan Freeman's nefarious character did in Wanted. The agent is actually motivated by a secret government agreement with several countries that says "no nation shall make greater progress in any field than all the others are." His team of assassins work solely to maintain the status quo.
I wish and pray that Shia Labeouf were fully-recovered enough to be courted for the second brother role, but I could also see Cam Gigandet (Never Back Down and Twilight) in it as well--not that they have the same acting abilities. I just wish Gigandet would get some lines instead of being pigeon-holed as screen-candy. IMDb also mentions that the brothers team up with a female Mossad-executive to bring their adoptive father down. That sounds like a job for Natalie Portman, who's due for a badass role any day now. I mean, she was the kid in Jean Reno's 1994 hit man classic Professional. Her playing an assassin was written in the cards.
1. While Stephen Chow still won't be directing, he will be playing the role of Kato.
2. The budget isn't what's stalling production. They're just looking for another director.
3. Adam Sandler has a cameo in the film as a super hero.
4. The film is still slated for a Summer 2010 release.
• A fourth Resident Evil is in the works, but producers are still working on getting Milla Jovovich to sign on. In less enticing news, Sylvester Stallone plans on doing another Rambo. And in even worse news, producers are searching for a screenwriter for the Ghost Rider sequel...perhaps one that doesn't make a flaming skull seem like a total joke. No, but seriously, did someone think that Mark Steven Johnson, the guy behind the campy Daredevil and the barely badass Elektra, would actually produce something worth watching?
• Julia Roberts is going to star in the adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir Eat, Pray, and Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia. It's the story of how Gilbert had an epiphany, decided to divorce her husband, and travel the world.
• Michael Cera is rumored to have signed on for the "Arrested Development" film--fingers crossed for some incestual loving between George Michael and Maeby.
• Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Emily Blunt (Devil Wears Prada) might join Jack Black in the upcoming Gulliver's Travel adaptation. The way they intend on modernizing the story is by making it so that Black plays "free-spirited travel writer Lemuel Gulliver, who on an assignment to the Bermuda Triangle washes ashore on the hidden island of Lilliput, home to a population of industrious yet tiny people." So Blunt's playing a princess that Segel's Lilliputian character is interested in. I think it'll be trippy to see someone tower over Segel for once.
• I've never seen Shrek 2, even though I've seen 1 and 3. I wasn't offended by the addition of a sword-wielding (double entendre anyone?) feline Lothario, I just never got around to it. So maybe that's why it doesn't really interest me to know that Antonio Banderas' Puss in Boots will be getting a non-direct-to-DVD spinoff. What does interest me though is that Shrek has become a multi-billion dollar franchise, bolstered by children who can't even spell ogre and who probably think he's just a green man. Someone should really do a thesis on the power of animated figures over children during their formative years. I bet they could make kids do anything. Heck, after watching Wall-E, I would put money on the tykes of today growing up to eco-fy the world. Now if only someone could subliminally make them clean their rooms...
• I don't normally talk up celebrity romances on this blog, but Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilary Swank are re-teaming after their brief romantic encounter in P.S. I Love You for a suspense thriller, The Resident. When I started to read the premise, I was little worried that he might be dead in this one too, since he's known for dying on most of his jobs ("Weeds," "Supernatural," and "Grey's Anatomy"). Luckily, he's very much alive...albeit creepy. He plays a landlord who takes an obsessively invested interest in his new resident (Swank). Plot aside, maybe Swank and Morgan enjoyed their ten minutes of on-screen, raw, sexual tension and they decided to do another film together. Whatever the reason, newly divorced Swank should pounce on that handsome lug before Mary-Louise Parker ("Weeds") takes him back.
• Dito Montiel is steadily becoming the Scorsese to Channing Tatum's Leo. He cast Tatum in his directorial debut, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, and in his second feature film, a street boxing drama called Fighting. Now he's tapped him for his third film, an action thriller called The Brotherhood of the Rose. "In David Morrell's novel, two orphans are raised by a CIA operative to become assassins, only to become targets themselves." In the 1989 TV miniseries adaptation of the novel, the agent who trains the orphans was trying to create his own team of professionals who would be at his beck-and-call--kind of like Morgan Freeman's nefarious character did in Wanted. The agent is actually motivated by a secret government agreement with several countries that says "no nation shall make greater progress in any field than all the others are." His team of assassins work solely to maintain the status quo.
I wish and pray that Shia Labeouf were fully-recovered enough to be courted for the second brother role, but I could also see Cam Gigandet (Never Back Down and Twilight) in it as well--not that they have the same acting abilities. I just wish Gigandet would get some lines instead of being pigeon-holed as screen-candy. IMDb also mentions that the brothers team up with a female Mossad-executive to bring their adoptive father down. That sounds like a job for Natalie Portman, who's due for a badass role any day now. I mean, she was the kid in Jean Reno's 1994 hit man classic Professional. Her playing an assassin was written in the cards.
TV NEWS: Jon Hamm on "30 Rock," Lauren Graham to "Let it Go," and more
• Watch a clip of Jon Hamm's ("Mad Men") guest spot on "30 Rock."
• CBS will react to the current political climate with three new dramas this fall. The first is centered on a team of federal prosecutors for Manhattan's U.S. Attorney's office. The second, "Back," is about a man who returns to his family after being reported missing for the last 8 years following 9/11. No word yet on whether he was involved in the tragedy or why he left in the first place, but there will surely be awkward moments as his family has moved on without him. Lastly, there's "Washington Field," a political drama that'll focus on an elite squad known as the National Capital Response, whose sole purpose is to respond to global events that concern the U.S. national interest. Zzzz.
• In the ABC comedy "Let it Go," Lauren Graham will play a romance advisor, who just got dumped by her perfect boyfriend. That sounds awfully similar to ABC's canceled series "Men in Trees." In it Anne Heche played a relationship expert who dumps her cheating fiancee. Maybe ABC thought that the Alaskan-based series was in possession of a great concept, but not a great location...or cast. I personally loved the cast, and Heche had amazing chemistry with James Tupper. Either way, I'm glad Graham has work, and I can't wait to see what kind of hijinks her newly jilted character gets into.
• ABC is also developing a slightly political drama called "I, Claudia." While the idea of "a young prosecuting attorney who, viewers learn, will one day be a contender for the presidency" sounds promising, the fact that what occupies her time during the series will be romantic entanglements is just condescending. If this were a man's journey to the White House, it would be filled with scandal, cover-ups, and...well, you get it.
• CBS will react to the current political climate with three new dramas this fall. The first is centered on a team of federal prosecutors for Manhattan's U.S. Attorney's office. The second, "Back," is about a man who returns to his family after being reported missing for the last 8 years following 9/11. No word yet on whether he was involved in the tragedy or why he left in the first place, but there will surely be awkward moments as his family has moved on without him. Lastly, there's "Washington Field," a political drama that'll focus on an elite squad known as the National Capital Response, whose sole purpose is to respond to global events that concern the U.S. national interest. Zzzz.
• In the ABC comedy "Let it Go," Lauren Graham will play a romance advisor, who just got dumped by her perfect boyfriend. That sounds awfully similar to ABC's canceled series "Men in Trees." In it Anne Heche played a relationship expert who dumps her cheating fiancee. Maybe ABC thought that the Alaskan-based series was in possession of a great concept, but not a great location...or cast. I personally loved the cast, and Heche had amazing chemistry with James Tupper. Either way, I'm glad Graham has work, and I can't wait to see what kind of hijinks her newly jilted character gets into.
• ABC is also developing a slightly political drama called "I, Claudia." While the idea of "a young prosecuting attorney who, viewers learn, will one day be a contender for the presidency" sounds promising, the fact that what occupies her time during the series will be romantic entanglements is just condescending. If this were a man's journey to the White House, it would be filled with scandal, cover-ups, and...well, you get it.
BUZZ: "Heroes" Jumping Ship, Shannon & Scorsese, "Narnia" Revived, and more
TV NEWS
• In Season 6 of "Entourage," the guys are going to start figuring out what they're going to do with the rest of their lives. As in...Turtle might actually get a life?
• When the cast of "Private Practice" crosses over to "Grey's Anatomy" next week, they'll give Meredith the 411 on what Derek used to be like in his younger days, putting the future Mrs. Shepherd into panic mode...which is practically her default setting at this point.
• Either Hayden Panettiere or Ali Larter asked to be released from their "Heroes" contract, but NBC aint having it. My bet is on Hayden. She's young and she's starting to see her peers get all the good roles, complete with accolades and worldwide worship. I bet she'd love to have Amanda Seyfried's (Mamma Mia) budding career.
• Three formerly-fired actors will get another shot at series-success in NBC's "Off Duty." It's about a "once-legendary police detective (Bradley Whitford from "Studio 60") on his way down who complicates the life of his new partner (Romany Malco from "Weeds") -- a straight shooter on his way up -- both on duty and off." Bonnie Sommerville ("Cashmere Mafia") will play Malco's wife."
• The seemingly albino comedian Jesse Tyler Ferguson ("The Class" and "Do Not Disturb") will play a gay dad on ABC's "An American Family." It'll be a docu-style single-camera comedy that "revolves around three families: one comprised of a working dad, stay-at-home mom and two kids; another that includes a 60-year-old man who becomes a stepfather after marrying a Latina who is 30 years his junior; and the third, a gay couple who have just adopted a Vietnamese baby."
• Michael Shannon, who's been getting a lot of buzz lately for Revolutionary Road, officially became relevant when Martin Scorsese hired him to co-star in his HBO series "Boardwalk Empire." The project is based on Nelson Johnson's book about the early 20th century origins of Atlantic City, N.J. The story will focus on "Nucky Johnson (Steve Buscemi), who runs a liquor distribution ring at the onset of Prohibition, and Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt), a ruthless World War I veteran and a low-level flunky for Nucky. Shannon will play Van Alden, a dedicated senior agent with the Treasury Department who with his team has been charged with controlling bootlegging in the Prohibition era. Vincent Piazza's Luciano is a young associate of Arnold Rothstein, a rich, blunt New York businessman who wants in on Nucky's liquor production." Who better to revive the TV gangster than the honorary gangster himself?
FILM NEWS
• Amanda Seyfried stole Lindsay Lohan's role--not that it was that difficult--in the Oscar Wilde adaptation of A Woman of No Importance. She'll play "a young woman who falls victim to the mischievous games of a group of upper-crust members of British society." It seems Lohan's freefall isn't over yet. It's a shame...journalists probably would've had a field day with that title if it bombed.
• The third installment of Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader finally has a studio that's interested in footing the huge bill that'll take to bring all the characters to life. Fox 2000 set it for a holiday season 2010 release. While everyone attached to the previous films have been welcomed back, they are looking for a new writer.
• Writer Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) has been tapped for the romantic comedy Leap Year, which'll star Amy Adams (Enchanted). It's the story of an "uptight woman who travels to Dublin to propose to her boyfriend on leap day, Feb. 29, following an Irish tradition in which women propose to men on that day and the man must say yes. When weather derails her trip, she enlists the help of a surly Irish innkeeper to make an unexpected cross-country trek to pull off the perfect proposal in time." That's actually a real superstition, which makes it even funnier to watch.
• In Season 6 of "Entourage," the guys are going to start figuring out what they're going to do with the rest of their lives. As in...Turtle might actually get a life?
• When the cast of "Private Practice" crosses over to "Grey's Anatomy" next week, they'll give Meredith the 411 on what Derek used to be like in his younger days, putting the future Mrs. Shepherd into panic mode...which is practically her default setting at this point.
• Either Hayden Panettiere or Ali Larter asked to be released from their "Heroes" contract, but NBC aint having it. My bet is on Hayden. She's young and she's starting to see her peers get all the good roles, complete with accolades and worldwide worship. I bet she'd love to have Amanda Seyfried's (Mamma Mia) budding career.
• Three formerly-fired actors will get another shot at series-success in NBC's "Off Duty." It's about a "once-legendary police detective (Bradley Whitford from "Studio 60") on his way down who complicates the life of his new partner (Romany Malco from "Weeds") -- a straight shooter on his way up -- both on duty and off." Bonnie Sommerville ("Cashmere Mafia") will play Malco's wife."
• The seemingly albino comedian Jesse Tyler Ferguson ("The Class" and "Do Not Disturb") will play a gay dad on ABC's "An American Family." It'll be a docu-style single-camera comedy that "revolves around three families: one comprised of a working dad, stay-at-home mom and two kids; another that includes a 60-year-old man who becomes a stepfather after marrying a Latina who is 30 years his junior; and the third, a gay couple who have just adopted a Vietnamese baby."
• Michael Shannon, who's been getting a lot of buzz lately for Revolutionary Road, officially became relevant when Martin Scorsese hired him to co-star in his HBO series "Boardwalk Empire." The project is based on Nelson Johnson's book about the early 20th century origins of Atlantic City, N.J. The story will focus on "Nucky Johnson (Steve Buscemi), who runs a liquor distribution ring at the onset of Prohibition, and Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt), a ruthless World War I veteran and a low-level flunky for Nucky. Shannon will play Van Alden, a dedicated senior agent with the Treasury Department who with his team has been charged with controlling bootlegging in the Prohibition era. Vincent Piazza's Luciano is a young associate of Arnold Rothstein, a rich, blunt New York businessman who wants in on Nucky's liquor production." Who better to revive the TV gangster than the honorary gangster himself?
FILM NEWS
• Amanda Seyfried stole Lindsay Lohan's role--not that it was that difficult--in the Oscar Wilde adaptation of A Woman of No Importance. She'll play "a young woman who falls victim to the mischievous games of a group of upper-crust members of British society." It seems Lohan's freefall isn't over yet. It's a shame...journalists probably would've had a field day with that title if it bombed.
• The third installment of Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader finally has a studio that's interested in footing the huge bill that'll take to bring all the characters to life. Fox 2000 set it for a holiday season 2010 release. While everyone attached to the previous films have been welcomed back, they are looking for a new writer.
• Writer Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) has been tapped for the romantic comedy Leap Year, which'll star Amy Adams (Enchanted). It's the story of an "uptight woman who travels to Dublin to propose to her boyfriend on leap day, Feb. 29, following an Irish tradition in which women propose to men on that day and the man must say yes. When weather derails her trip, she enlists the help of a surly Irish innkeeper to make an unexpected cross-country trek to pull off the perfect proposal in time." That's actually a real superstition, which makes it even funnier to watch.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
CAST WHO?: "Tomb Raider" Replacement & Reinvention
You've probably heard by now that Warner Bros. is looking to revive the Tomb Raider franchise--mostly likely in an attempt to fill the female superhero void thats starting to grow wider with every caped and spandexed crusader that hits the screen. I mean, aside from Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, there doesn't seem to be any other female-driven action film on the horizon.Unfortunately, they're not looking to re-up Angelina Jolie's contract. I'm not sure if it's because:
1) She's too expensive now that she's practically A-list,
2) She has--count 'em--six kids,
3) Or she's been gunning for an Oscar for the last two years and can't be bothered with low-grade action films.
I would cancel out #3 if only because she's rumored to be attached to a Bourne-type thriller, slated for 2010. Number two can get nixed since, according to her, the more action she does, the more her sons thinks she's awesome. That leaves us with numero uno, but I can't imagine that they wouldn't be able to afford her. With the revival of the franchise and the almost certain revision of the video game, they should be able to cover her salary and execute a graphically impressive action film.
Maybe, just maybe, it's because she's a 33-year-old woman who looks like she's in her mid-40s--hot, but old. I mean, the woman played Colin Farrell's mother in Alexander--his mother, not his older sister, his mother. Perhaps, they're interested in someone who can hold up the franchise for a longer period of time and with a little more dedication, someone who's willing to spend six months promoting the film and playing the PR game, someone who has absolutely no obligations whatsoever.
Either way, one thing is for sure: they aim to reinvent the character the same way that Chris Nolan turned Batman into a Dark Knight and McG transported the Terminator franchise from the present into the future. According to the producers, Lara Croft won't have the same personality, background, enemy, love interest or mission anymore. So basically the only thing that's staying the same is her signature uniform and her profession. Hmmm.
So what young lady should be blessed with a sure-fire three-picture deal? Everyone is, of course, name-dropping the uber mysterious vixen Megan Fox. But for some reason, I have no recollection of ever actually hearing that girl speak. I'll give her credit for holding her own and not playing the damsel in distress in Transformers, but can she carry an entire movie practically by herself? I dunno. Any other suggestions?
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
BUZZ: Jamie Bell Scores "Tintin," "G.I. Joe" Posters, "Thriller" Broadway Play, and more
• Jamie Bell (Defiance and Jumper) was cast in the lead role of Steven Spielberg's Tintin.
• Scott Silver (The Mod Squad and 8 Mile) is penning a "futuristic take on the classic Samson and Delilah story" in Samson. The original tale is about "the biblical strongman [who] was invincible until he was betrayed by Delilah, to whom he entrusted the secret that his strength came from his long hair." I'm not quite sure how they'd modernize that concept, but I'm interested in seeing them try.
• Chris Evans has confirmed that there's been no talk of the Fantastic Four franchise being continued.
• While Mickey Rourke is locked in for the Iron Man 2 sequel, Sam Rockwell is still mulling it over.
• Steven Rogers (P.S. I Love You) is adapting Shanna Swendson's novel Enchanted, Inc., a story about "a small-town woman who comes to New York only to find out magic is commonplace in Gotham and has existed there for centuries. But because she is one of the rare creatures without the slightest bit of magic inside her, she can see through any spell." I think it'll look great visually, but it probably needs a new name so as not to confuse parents and kids who fell in love with the live-action fairytale Enchanted. As for casting...I think it's been proven that a big name isn't necessary, just as long as the acting is on par. Amy Adams flourished in her role as a lost princess, and whoever gets this role needs to do the same. I really liked Christina Ricci in Penelope, but there's been buzz all over about British import Carey Mulligan (above), who was the Sundance breakout star of the year in An Education and The Greatest, so maybe she could give it a whirl.
• Check out the film posters for G.I. Joe featuring the likes of Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, and a few more.
• The 3rd Dark Knight will hit theaters Summer 2011.
• Chris Rock and writer Aeysha Carr ("Everybody Hates Chris") have written a remake of the truly funny 2007 British dark comedy Death at a Funeral. The film only grossed $47 mil worldwide, but it was very well-reviewed by American critics. Rock has tapped Neil LaBute (Nurse Betty and The Wicker Man) to direct this story of a dysfunctional family trying to mourn the death of a patriarch, while all of the deceased's embarrassing secrets start to unearth themselves.
• Check out the trailer for this super cute and funny animated film, Mary and Max. It's the story of two pen pals who cultivate an amazing friendship over many years voiced by Toni Collette, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Eric Bana.
• Someone had the genius idea of turning Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video into a musical on Broadway. I'll be front and center for all...ten minutes of it. lol No seriously, so there's going to be a play about a young werewolf who goes on a date with a human girl, lures her into the darkness so that he can...introduce her to his dead friends, boogey down, and then make her think it was all in her imagination? That sounds more like a teen rom-com starring Zac Efron to me. What do you think? lol
• PETA activists, specifically Anjelica Houston, are campaigning for the producers of the next Tarzan film to not use real apes and blow their budget on CGIed creations.
• Scott Silver (The Mod Squad and 8 Mile) is penning a "futuristic take on the classic Samson and Delilah story" in Samson. The original tale is about "the biblical strongman [who] was invincible until he was betrayed by Delilah, to whom he entrusted the secret that his strength came from his long hair." I'm not quite sure how they'd modernize that concept, but I'm interested in seeing them try.
• Chris Evans has confirmed that there's been no talk of the Fantastic Four franchise being continued.
• While Mickey Rourke is locked in for the Iron Man 2 sequel, Sam Rockwell is still mulling it over.
• Steven Rogers (P.S. I Love You) is adapting Shanna Swendson's novel Enchanted, Inc., a story about "a small-town woman who comes to New York only to find out magic is commonplace in Gotham and has existed there for centuries. But because she is one of the rare creatures without the slightest bit of magic inside her, she can see through any spell." I think it'll look great visually, but it probably needs a new name so as not to confuse parents and kids who fell in love with the live-action fairytale Enchanted. As for casting...I think it's been proven that a big name isn't necessary, just as long as the acting is on par. Amy Adams flourished in her role as a lost princess, and whoever gets this role needs to do the same. I really liked Christina Ricci in Penelope, but there's been buzz all over about British import Carey Mulligan (above), who was the Sundance breakout star of the year in An Education and The Greatest, so maybe she could give it a whirl.
• Check out the film posters for G.I. Joe featuring the likes of Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, and a few more.
• The 3rd Dark Knight will hit theaters Summer 2011.
• Chris Rock and writer Aeysha Carr ("Everybody Hates Chris") have written a remake of the truly funny 2007 British dark comedy Death at a Funeral. The film only grossed $47 mil worldwide, but it was very well-reviewed by American critics. Rock has tapped Neil LaBute (Nurse Betty and The Wicker Man) to direct this story of a dysfunctional family trying to mourn the death of a patriarch, while all of the deceased's embarrassing secrets start to unearth themselves.
• Check out the trailer for this super cute and funny animated film, Mary and Max. It's the story of two pen pals who cultivate an amazing friendship over many years voiced by Toni Collette, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Eric Bana.
• Someone had the genius idea of turning Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video into a musical on Broadway. I'll be front and center for all...ten minutes of it. lol No seriously, so there's going to be a play about a young werewolf who goes on a date with a human girl, lures her into the darkness so that he can...introduce her to his dead friends, boogey down, and then make her think it was all in her imagination? That sounds more like a teen rom-com starring Zac Efron to me. What do you think? lol
• PETA activists, specifically Anjelica Houston, are campaigning for the producers of the next Tarzan film to not use real apes and blow their budget on CGIed creations.
FILM: Sundance 2009 Pictures
Adventureland: Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart
Dare: Ashley Springer, Director Alan Cumming, Emmy Rossum, and Zach Gilford ("Friday Night Lights")
The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle: Marshall Allman ("Prison Break") and Tania Raymonde ("Lost")
Manure: Ed Helms ("The Office"), Billy Bob Thornton, Tea Leoni, Kyle Maclachlan ("Desperate Housewives") and writer Michael Polish
La Mission: Talia Soto and Benjamin Bratt ("The Cleaner")
Paper Heart: Charlyne Yi (Knocked Up), Jake Johnson, Director Nicholas Jasenovec, and Michael Cera
Peter and Vandy: Jason Ritter ("The Class") and Jess Weixler (Teeth)
Rudo Y Cursi: Producer Alfonso Cuaron, Director Carlos Cuaron, Gael Garcia Bernal, and Guillermo del Toro
Sin Nombre: Edgar Flores, Diana Garcia, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, and Paulina Gaitan
Spread: Anne Heche and Ashton Kutcher
Spring Breakdown: Missi Pyle, Parker Posey, Rachel Dratch, Director Ryan Shiraki, Amy Poehler, and Jane Lynch
The Vicious Kind: Brittany Snow (Finding Amanda), Alex Frost (Drillbit Taylor), JK Simmons (Juno), and Adam Scott (Monster-in-Law)
Dare: Ashley Springer, Director Alan Cumming, Emmy Rossum, and Zach Gilford ("Friday Night Lights")
The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle: Marshall Allman ("Prison Break") and Tania Raymonde ("Lost")
Manure: Ed Helms ("The Office"), Billy Bob Thornton, Tea Leoni, Kyle Maclachlan ("Desperate Housewives") and writer Michael Polish
La Mission: Talia Soto and Benjamin Bratt ("The Cleaner")
Paper Heart: Charlyne Yi (Knocked Up), Jake Johnson, Director Nicholas Jasenovec, and Michael Cera
Peter and Vandy: Jason Ritter ("The Class") and Jess Weixler (Teeth)
Rudo Y Cursi: Producer Alfonso Cuaron, Director Carlos Cuaron, Gael Garcia Bernal, and Guillermo del Toro
Sin Nombre: Edgar Flores, Diana Garcia, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, and Paulina Gaitan
Spread: Anne Heche and Ashton Kutcher
Spring Breakdown: Missi Pyle, Parker Posey, Rachel Dratch, Director Ryan Shiraki, Amy Poehler, and Jane Lynch
The Vicious Kind: Brittany Snow (Finding Amanda), Alex Frost (Drillbit Taylor), JK Simmons (Juno), and Adam Scott (Monster-in-Law)
For more, click here.
FILM: "Charlie's Angels" Third Installment Casting
Drew Barrymore hasn't had a real hit since 2004's 50 First Dates, so it's no surprise that she's talking up the possibility of a third Charlie's Angels movie. While the second film barely cleared the budget domestically, it did manage to almost reach $300 mil. Getting greenlit shouldn't be a problem as long as they offer up a villain people will be interested in seeing. (Please God no more Mickey Rourke.) In the last two films, the bad guys have all been romantically involved with Drew Barrymore's character. I vote for someone to scorn Lucy Lui's character--maybe an ex who's trying to interfere with her wedding to Matt LeBlanc's character.
The good thing about this potential sequel is that there isn't one actor who's appeared in it that's too busy to reprise their role. Cameron just wrapped up her next two projects, Lucy's got nothing on the horizon, and Bill Murray is free as a bird. The true production-halter will be their choice of stunt-casting. According to wikipedia, they're looking for someone to fill the role of Kris Munroe, one of the six female detectives in the agency. While there have been rumblings about Rihanna possibly being considered, Barrymore's more interested in wooing Penelope Cruz. Who's your pick? Remember, the person has to be able to play kitsch with a side of sex appeal. Here are my picks:
• If they want a young actress, I'd vote for Amanda Bynes or Hayden Panettiere ("Heroes").
• If mid-twenties is the more ideal age-range, Shopaholic's Isla Fisher could do the trick, or Forgetting Sarah Marshall's Mila Kunis.
• But if they want to come straight out of left field, I vote for My Girl's Anna Chlumsky (below), who has grown into her looks mighty well, or Grey's Anatomy's Chyler Leigh, who is beyond bubbly, or Smallville's Kristin Kreuk, who's about to cut her teeth with her first starring role in Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, or One Tree Hill's Sophia Bush, who's due for a big break.
The good thing about this potential sequel is that there isn't one actor who's appeared in it that's too busy to reprise their role. Cameron just wrapped up her next two projects, Lucy's got nothing on the horizon, and Bill Murray is free as a bird. The true production-halter will be their choice of stunt-casting. According to wikipedia, they're looking for someone to fill the role of Kris Munroe, one of the six female detectives in the agency. While there have been rumblings about Rihanna possibly being considered, Barrymore's more interested in wooing Penelope Cruz. Who's your pick? Remember, the person has to be able to play kitsch with a side of sex appeal. Here are my picks:
• If they want a young actress, I'd vote for Amanda Bynes or Hayden Panettiere ("Heroes").
• If mid-twenties is the more ideal age-range, Shopaholic's Isla Fisher could do the trick, or Forgetting Sarah Marshall's Mila Kunis.
• But if they want to come straight out of left field, I vote for My Girl's Anna Chlumsky (below), who has grown into her looks mighty well, or Grey's Anatomy's Chyler Leigh, who is beyond bubbly, or Smallville's Kristin Kreuk, who's about to cut her teeth with her first starring role in Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, or One Tree Hill's Sophia Bush, who's due for a big break.
Monday, January 26, 2009
BUZZ: "Ugly Betty" Postponed, Duff in "Bonnie & Clyde," "Green Hornet" Axed, and more
• "Ugly Betty" is getting bumped out of the Thursday 8pm slot to bolster ratings for award-winning "Samantha Who?" and ABC's new mid-season replacement "In the Motherhood." America Ferrara's series will return once those shows have finished their season, which estimates a June revival.
• You may have heard that there's a Bonnie and Clyde prequel in the works, begging the question, "Who'll fill their legendary shoes?" As of today it seems that they're shooting for a younger generation, with Hilary Duff and Kevin Zegers (Transamerica) in negotiations for the lead roles. The film won't be a remake, but a telling of a specific moment in their lives.
• Harrison Ford and Rachel McAdams have agreed to slash their salaries in half to star in their upcoming movie Morning Glory. Isn't it blasphemous to ask Indiana Jones to take a paycut? Ok, maybe not after that last movie.
• Seth Rogen's recreation of The Green Hornet is rumored to be benched for 2009. The studio is branding it too risky, especially since the director/Kato actor dropped out.
• You may have heard that there's a Bonnie and Clyde prequel in the works, begging the question, "Who'll fill their legendary shoes?" As of today it seems that they're shooting for a younger generation, with Hilary Duff and Kevin Zegers (Transamerica) in negotiations for the lead roles. The film won't be a remake, but a telling of a specific moment in their lives.
• Harrison Ford and Rachel McAdams have agreed to slash their salaries in half to star in their upcoming movie Morning Glory. Isn't it blasphemous to ask Indiana Jones to take a paycut? Ok, maybe not after that last movie.
• Seth Rogen's recreation of The Green Hornet is rumored to be benched for 2009. The studio is branding it too risky, especially since the director/Kato actor dropped out.
FILM: 10 Cliches NOT in "He's Just Not That Into You"
Justin Long, Kevin Connelly, and Bradley Cooper, three of the guys who are in He's Just Not That Into You, recorded a video listing and acting-out 10 romantic comedy cliches that aren't in the film in an attempt to to get the reluctant male population to watch it with their girlfriends. Love it!
Release Date: February 6th
Release Date: February 6th
MUSIC: Katy Perry vs. Kelly Clarkson
I don't really understand what musicians have to gain by leaking a track of themselves singing someone else's upcoming or recently released single. I don't mind when it's the no-name writer of the song who records it and posts how it would've been sung by them. For example, BC Jean wrote Beyonce's hit "If I Were Boy" and Perez posted her rocker version. But I find it odd that an established singer would want to compete with the person they gave the song to. Is it seller's remorse? Is it purely curiosity as to how many people prefer their singing? Or is it jealousy?
I was just as flabbergasted as everyone else was when it was revealed that Jesse McCartney wrote "Bleeding Love"for Leona Lewis, and even though I like his singing, there's no way in hell his version tops hers. So, to me, that just seemed like seller's remorse. Last summer when Miley Cyrus' album dropped, Perez leaked a recording of Katy Perry singing one of the tracks, "Breakout," which she recorded a few years before. Maybe that was all P's doing, but what if we do prefer Katy's version? We can't buy it, so it's sort of a waste of time. He posted it in an effort to determine who sung it better, but again, even if she had, we still can't buy it.
Now he's done the same with a track that's rumored to be on Kelly Clarkson's upcoming comeback album, called "I Do Not Hook Up." Apparently, Katy wrote this song three years ago and recorded a demo, but never released it. Having heard hers first and decided that it's so Katy, it's going to be mighty hard for me to imagine Kelly doing it any better. She doesn't ooze sexuality the same way Katy does--her specialty is ire--so her execution might be a little bit off. I say if you feel you HAVE to leak an alternate version of a song, at least let me hear the official one first. It's like alternate movie endings--they're hardly as substantial as the real ones, but it's nice to know there's another option.
Click here for Katy's version of "I Do Not Hook Up."
I was just as flabbergasted as everyone else was when it was revealed that Jesse McCartney wrote "Bleeding Love"for Leona Lewis, and even though I like his singing, there's no way in hell his version tops hers. So, to me, that just seemed like seller's remorse. Last summer when Miley Cyrus' album dropped, Perez leaked a recording of Katy Perry singing one of the tracks, "Breakout," which she recorded a few years before. Maybe that was all P's doing, but what if we do prefer Katy's version? We can't buy it, so it's sort of a waste of time. He posted it in an effort to determine who sung it better, but again, even if she had, we still can't buy it.
Now he's done the same with a track that's rumored to be on Kelly Clarkson's upcoming comeback album, called "I Do Not Hook Up." Apparently, Katy wrote this song three years ago and recorded a demo, but never released it. Having heard hers first and decided that it's so Katy, it's going to be mighty hard for me to imagine Kelly doing it any better. She doesn't ooze sexuality the same way Katy does--her specialty is ire--so her execution might be a little bit off. I say if you feel you HAVE to leak an alternate version of a song, at least let me hear the official one first. It's like alternate movie endings--they're hardly as substantial as the real ones, but it's nice to know there's another option.
Click here for Katy's version of "I Do Not Hook Up."
FILM: SAG Awards, "The Last Templar," and Hader Horror
• Paul Blart: Mall Cop won the box office again this weekend, reaching $65 mil. Meanwhile, the prequel Underworld: Rise of the Lycans didn't fare as well. It may have come in at #2, but it only opened with $21 mil. Inkheart, however, debuted at #7 with nearly $8 mil. Maybe it's the frigid weather or maybe Brendan Fraser lost his Mummy-flare. A few shake-ups include Slumdog Millionaire getting a wider release and shooting up from #10 to #5 with $56 mil, Benjamin Button moving back into the top 10 at #9 with $111 mil, Hotel for Dogs moving up one spot with $37 mil, My Bloody Valentine 3D dropping after the 2nd week from #3 to #6 with $38 mil, and Notorious plummeting from #4 to #10 with $32 mil after several in-theater acts of violence reported. Films that departed the top 10 were Defiance ($18 mil), The Unborn ($39 mil), and Marley and Me ($138 mil). Next weekend there'll be a few options to occupy the non-Super Bowl obsessed, but the box office might still take a hit.
• Slumdog Millionaire won the best ensemble cast at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Check out the rest of the winners.
• NBC's miniseries "The Last Templar" premiered Sunday night, and even though I didn't see The Davinci Code, it was pretty clear that it was practically a copycat. The religious treasure hunt starring Mira Sorvino and Scott Foley ("Felicity") will end its two-part adventure Monday night. But let's put aside the fact that I can never take Foley as an FBI agent seriously, and focus on the fact that the first two hours were kind of slow and...boring. Even with a few fight scenes, I was bored by half way through the first hour. However, I will say that Sorvino has a future in action films--not that we didn't already know that from her '98 film The Replacement Killers--and snarky comedy after hearing her say, "I'm the sequel to the prequel," in response to an Indiana Jones comparison.
• Judd Apatow may fund Bill Hader (Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Superbad) and "SNL" writer Simon Rich's comedic horror flick. Hader said he's a fan of true crime shows and wanted to do a film with the premise of: "What if that guy decided to come to your house? What would you and your dips--- friends do about it?" It's supposed to be "Straw Dogs meets Halloween meets Home Alone meets Monster Squad," which just sounds plain hilarious to me. Honestly, anything related to Monster Squad sounds down-right ridiculous.
• Slumdog Millionaire won the best ensemble cast at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Check out the rest of the winners.
• NBC's miniseries "The Last Templar" premiered Sunday night, and even though I didn't see The Davinci Code, it was pretty clear that it was practically a copycat. The religious treasure hunt starring Mira Sorvino and Scott Foley ("Felicity") will end its two-part adventure Monday night. But let's put aside the fact that I can never take Foley as an FBI agent seriously, and focus on the fact that the first two hours were kind of slow and...boring. Even with a few fight scenes, I was bored by half way through the first hour. However, I will say that Sorvino has a future in action films--not that we didn't already know that from her '98 film The Replacement Killers--and snarky comedy after hearing her say, "I'm the sequel to the prequel," in response to an Indiana Jones comparison.
• Judd Apatow may fund Bill Hader (Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Superbad) and "SNL" writer Simon Rich's comedic horror flick. Hader said he's a fan of true crime shows and wanted to do a film with the premise of: "What if that guy decided to come to your house? What would you and your dips--- friends do about it?" It's supposed to be "Straw Dogs meets Halloween meets Home Alone meets Monster Squad," which just sounds plain hilarious to me. Honestly, anything related to Monster Squad sounds down-right ridiculous.
FILM: Sundance Film Festival 2009 Wrap-Up
While we little people think of Sundance as the place indies go to get major buzz before they're unleashed into the free world, a majority of Hollywood insiders think of it as a business trip. They're either there to sell a movie or buy one. This year, however, many film producers were being low-balled because of the recession-hits that major studios have taken in this declining economy. While in the past studios may have taken a chance with an indie they'd give a limited release to, most of them were holding on tight to their wallets. What's made the situation even worse is that studios are scoring bootleg DVD screeners of the films, giving them the opportunity to mull it over before they even landed in Park City. It's one thing to watch a film, walk out of the theater, and realize you have, at best, a 24-hr window to make a bid for what could be the next Juno, and it's another to have a rewind button to dissect a film thoroughly and overthink what used to be an instinctual impulse-buy.
Luckily, some of the films already had distribution locked in before they debuted. For example, Kevin Bacon's Taking Chance will be on HBO in February, Amy Poehler's Spring Breakdown, which got a lot of good buzz, will get a DVD release, and the quirky comedy Adventureland will be in theaters this March. Here are a few of those who arrived sporting blank sale tags:
SCORED DISTRIBUTION
• Brooklyn's Finest (3 mil)
• An Education (3 mil)
• Spread (3.5 mil)
• Humpday
• Adam
• Lymelife
• The September Issue (Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour documentary)
DISTRIBUTION STILL PENDING
• I Love You Phillip Morris
• Cold Souls
• Paper Heart
• Push: Based on the novel by Sapphire
GREAT BUZZ
• Rudo y Cursi
• 500 Days of Summer
BIG WINNERS
• Push: Based on the novel by Sapphire won Audience award, Grand Jury award in the U.S. Dramatic Competition, and a Special Jury Prize
• Sin Nombre won Directing and Cinematography honors
• Paper Heart's Nicholas Jasenovec and Charlyne Yi won Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award
• Humpday won Special Jury Prize for Spirit of Independence
FEATURED CLIPS
• John Krasinski talks about his directorial debut, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
• Uma Thurman and Mini Driver in the comedy Motherhood
For more coverage, visit EW.com and HollywoodReporter.com.
Luckily, some of the films already had distribution locked in before they debuted. For example, Kevin Bacon's Taking Chance will be on HBO in February, Amy Poehler's Spring Breakdown, which got a lot of good buzz, will get a DVD release, and the quirky comedy Adventureland will be in theaters this March. Here are a few of those who arrived sporting blank sale tags:
SCORED DISTRIBUTION
• Brooklyn's Finest (3 mil)
• An Education (3 mil)
• Spread (3.5 mil)
• Humpday
• Adam
• Lymelife
• The September Issue (Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour documentary)
DISTRIBUTION STILL PENDING
• I Love You Phillip Morris
• Cold Souls
• Paper Heart
• Push: Based on the novel by Sapphire
GREAT BUZZ
• Rudo y Cursi
• 500 Days of Summer
BIG WINNERS
• Push: Based on the novel by Sapphire won Audience award, Grand Jury award in the U.S. Dramatic Competition, and a Special Jury Prize
• Sin Nombre won Directing and Cinematography honors
• Paper Heart's Nicholas Jasenovec and Charlyne Yi won Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award
• Humpday won Special Jury Prize for Spirit of Independence
FEATURED CLIPS
• John Krasinski talks about his directorial debut, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
• Uma Thurman and Mini Driver in the comedy Motherhood
For more coverage, visit EW.com and HollywoodReporter.com.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
TV Highlights: Judy Blume on "30 Rock," Sayid on "Lost," Piven on "Ugly Betty," and Riggins on "FNL"
30 ROCK
Liz started ranting after Jack rejected her public displays of friendship during a company retreat, quoting some embarrassing moments from her child: "Nooooo, I'll come over after prom and we'll make nachos." Jack was so annoyed that she wasn't understanding why he needed to distance himself from her that he said: "Lemon, this is a part of our problem. I give you a simple managerial suggestion in a professional context and I get back the second half of a Judy Blume novel." No he just didn't.
LOST
I realize there were several notable moments, but this isn't your one-stop-Lost-shop. Despite all the mind-blowing time travel, creepy Sun moments, and funny Hurley dialogue, I honestly thought the coolest thing that happened involved a character who was barely conscious for 90% of the 2-hr premiere. Sayid assaulted a guy while he was fighting off the effects of something he was injected with, executing a murder that I have officially dubbed "Death by Dishwasher." Bad-ass! He is the secret love child of MacGuyver and Bond.
UGLY BETTY
• Amanda was genuinely--albeit unintelligently--worried about Betty when she didn't return home for weeks after her father's heart attack. Even though I'm confused as to why she doesn't have her roommates cell phone number, I was more interested in Amanda's illiteracy. She thought Betty had had a heart attack, and when Betty corrected her, she responded: "I know Betty, but these things are generic." Naturally, she meant "genetic"--at least she only missed one letter.
• Mark was concerned about Wilhelmina, because she kept wandering off to have work-sex with Connor. So he asks Betty for advice, saying, "When Daniel gets 'distracted by life,' what do you do?" Wow! What a euphemism! On a side note, I'm glad he took Betty's advice and grabbed his chance to take on more responsibility.
• Betty accidentally mailed Daniel's private romantic getaway photos to that gabbing gay guy Suzuki, so Amanda suggested hounding his ex for dirt that would make for juicy blackmail. When he refused, Amanda threatened: "I'll tell everyone that you have ambiguous genitalia. Oh yeah, like a Ken Doll. And that's the kinda stank that don't wash off." That is the most heinous threat I've ever heard coming out a person that wears clothes worth more than my rent. Honestly, it's difficult to fear someone wearing French designers, but Amanda nailed it!
• I can't remember why they were talking about celebrity sightings, but Betty mentioned one that Amanda never shuts up about. Apparently, she saw Jeremy Piven on the train and he "goosed" her. Naturally, I had to look it up. I was disappointed to learn that it just means he
grabbed her ass. I feel like the word "goosed" has so much more potential for perversion. ;O)
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
• Lyla convinced Tim to go to a fancy lunch with a potential booster's family and her obnoxious dad. The booster was an Oklahoma University alum and Riggins just got interest from that university, so he was nervous about meeting him. When Lyla mentioned the man, he reeled off facts about him that he would only know if he had researched him on the Internet, which inspired Lyla to sarcastically say, "I didn't know you googled," to which he responded, "Well, I'm not retarded." You could've fooled us Riggs!!
• The only other thing worth mentioning is that I am sick and tired of good guys being sucked into the black hole that is their first love. Can somebody please free Matt from Julie's clutches?...and while you're at it, pry Landry away from Tyra and visit Smallville to shake Clark awake from his Lana fantasies. These women are poison.
Liz started ranting after Jack rejected her public displays of friendship during a company retreat, quoting some embarrassing moments from her child: "Nooooo, I'll come over after prom and we'll make nachos." Jack was so annoyed that she wasn't understanding why he needed to distance himself from her that he said: "Lemon, this is a part of our problem. I give you a simple managerial suggestion in a professional context and I get back the second half of a Judy Blume novel." No he just didn't.
LOST
I realize there were several notable moments, but this isn't your one-stop-Lost-shop. Despite all the mind-blowing time travel, creepy Sun moments, and funny Hurley dialogue, I honestly thought the coolest thing that happened involved a character who was barely conscious for 90% of the 2-hr premiere. Sayid assaulted a guy while he was fighting off the effects of something he was injected with, executing a murder that I have officially dubbed "Death by Dishwasher." Bad-ass! He is the secret love child of MacGuyver and Bond.
UGLY BETTY
• Amanda was genuinely--albeit unintelligently--worried about Betty when she didn't return home for weeks after her father's heart attack. Even though I'm confused as to why she doesn't have her roommates cell phone number, I was more interested in Amanda's illiteracy. She thought Betty had had a heart attack, and when Betty corrected her, she responded: "I know Betty, but these things are generic." Naturally, she meant "genetic"--at least she only missed one letter.
• Mark was concerned about Wilhelmina, because she kept wandering off to have work-sex with Connor. So he asks Betty for advice, saying, "When Daniel gets 'distracted by life,' what do you do?" Wow! What a euphemism! On a side note, I'm glad he took Betty's advice and grabbed his chance to take on more responsibility.
• Betty accidentally mailed Daniel's private romantic getaway photos to that gabbing gay guy Suzuki, so Amanda suggested hounding his ex for dirt that would make for juicy blackmail. When he refused, Amanda threatened: "I'll tell everyone that you have ambiguous genitalia. Oh yeah, like a Ken Doll. And that's the kinda stank that don't wash off." That is the most heinous threat I've ever heard coming out a person that wears clothes worth more than my rent. Honestly, it's difficult to fear someone wearing French designers, but Amanda nailed it!
• I can't remember why they were talking about celebrity sightings, but Betty mentioned one that Amanda never shuts up about. Apparently, she saw Jeremy Piven on the train and he "goosed" her. Naturally, I had to look it up. I was disappointed to learn that it just means he
grabbed her ass. I feel like the word "goosed" has so much more potential for perversion. ;O)
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
• Lyla convinced Tim to go to a fancy lunch with a potential booster's family and her obnoxious dad. The booster was an Oklahoma University alum and Riggins just got interest from that university, so he was nervous about meeting him. When Lyla mentioned the man, he reeled off facts about him that he would only know if he had researched him on the Internet, which inspired Lyla to sarcastically say, "I didn't know you googled," to which he responded, "Well, I'm not retarded." You could've fooled us Riggs!!
• The only other thing worth mentioning is that I am sick and tired of good guys being sucked into the black hole that is their first love. Can somebody please free Matt from Julie's clutches?...and while you're at it, pry Landry away from Tyra and visit Smallville to shake Clark awake from his Lana fantasies. These women are poison.
VIDEO: Kat DeLuna feat. Lil Wayne's "Unstoppable"
Kat DeLuna's next album, Inside Out, will drop this summer. Under a new label, Konvict Muzik, she has access to more potential collaborators, including Dawn from Danity Kane, who will be writing a few songs for her. In some bizarre attempt to pull a Rihanna, adorned in rock and roll chic, Kat DeLuna teamed up with Lil Wayne for the pop song "Unstoppable" that's both repetitive and inaudible:
VIDEO: Sneak Peak of Josh Schwartz's "Rockville, CA"
Here's a sneak peak at Josh Schwartz's latest project "Rockville, CA," a music-oriented web series with cameos from real bands.
Watch it on TheWB.com March 17th!
Watch it on TheWB.com March 17th!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
FILM: New in Theaters - 1/23/09
If you've seen Underworld and don't mind watching a movie you already know the ending to, then go right ahead and see Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. The first film was about the war between wolves and vampires, the second was about one wolf taking down a legion of vampires, and this one is about the werewolf revolution that freed them from their servitude. Rhona Mitra takes on the role that Kate Beckinsale usually has, playing the badass, hopelessly in love vampire who will go against her father's (Bill Nighy) wishes to be with the werewolf (Michael Sheen from Frost/Nixon) she loves.
If you have a love for literature and fantasy films, then the adaptation of Cornelia Funke's novel Inkheart is your best bet. It's the story of a girl (Eliza Bennett from Nanny McPhee) who "rallies her friends -- both real and imaginary -- to rescue her father (Brendan Fraser), a bookbinder who can bring characters to life by reading aloud, from the clutches of an evil-doer" (Andy Serkis from Lord of the Rings).
If you...live in Phoenix, Arizona and you want to watch Mickey Rourke do what he does best--mutter threats in a baritone voice--then you HAVE to see Killshot. It's been backlogged for a very long time, but ever since Rourke's been on the Oscar train, he's garnered more pull to revive this adaptation of Elmore Leonard's novel. This dramatic thriller is about "a botched scam [that] sends an old-school hitman (Rourke) and a young stick-up kid (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) on a mission to find and kill an innocent couple (Thomas Jane from Punisher and Diane Lane) in order to protect their identities." Hopefully, it'll get a wide-release or at least a bi-costal release, so the rest of us can see it.
If you have a love for literature and fantasy films, then the adaptation of Cornelia Funke's novel Inkheart is your best bet. It's the story of a girl (Eliza Bennett from Nanny McPhee) who "rallies her friends -- both real and imaginary -- to rescue her father (Brendan Fraser), a bookbinder who can bring characters to life by reading aloud, from the clutches of an evil-doer" (Andy Serkis from Lord of the Rings).
If you...live in Phoenix, Arizona and you want to watch Mickey Rourke do what he does best--mutter threats in a baritone voice--then you HAVE to see Killshot. It's been backlogged for a very long time, but ever since Rourke's been on the Oscar train, he's garnered more pull to revive this adaptation of Elmore Leonard's novel. This dramatic thriller is about "a botched scam [that] sends an old-school hitman (Rourke) and a young stick-up kid (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) on a mission to find and kill an innocent couple (Thomas Jane from Punisher and Diane Lane) in order to protect their identities." Hopefully, it'll get a wide-release or at least a bi-costal release, so the rest of us can see it.
Friday, January 23, 2009
BUZZ: More Pregnancy on "Secret Life," Knightley & Farrell in Gangster Thriller, and more
• Molly Ringwald is pregnant with twins and they're writing it into "The Secret Life of an American Teenager," which basically means her character got pregnant by her ex-husband during their goodbye sex. This should make for an interesting dynamic. I wonder how unhelpful she'll be now that she too has to deal with an unwanted pregnancy.
• Keira Knightley is finally getting back to modern times with a gangster thriller opposite Colin Farrell. William Monaghan (The Departed) is adapting Ken Bruen's novel, London Boulevard. Farrell will play a "South London criminal who was just released from prison and tries to turn his life around by becoming a handyman for a reclusive actress." I hope it's a hit so she can stop rocking corsets and big wigs. I'd believe she was a great actress if she actually tried something new. I'm convinced it's the only way she'll win an Oscar.
• Ryan Reynolds had a cameo in X-Men Origins: Wolverine as the character Deadpool, but the director decided to increase his role and film a few scenes opposite Wolverine. The character is known as a man who acquires regenerative abilities from Wolverine, but becomes disfigured and mentally unstable after the operation. Maybe if he's a hit, they'll give him his own origin story.
• Keira Knightley is finally getting back to modern times with a gangster thriller opposite Colin Farrell. William Monaghan (The Departed) is adapting Ken Bruen's novel, London Boulevard. Farrell will play a "South London criminal who was just released from prison and tries to turn his life around by becoming a handyman for a reclusive actress." I hope it's a hit so she can stop rocking corsets and big wigs. I'd believe she was a great actress if she actually tried something new. I'm convinced it's the only way she'll win an Oscar.
• Ryan Reynolds had a cameo in X-Men Origins: Wolverine as the character Deadpool, but the director decided to increase his role and film a few scenes opposite Wolverine. The character is known as a man who acquires regenerative abilities from Wolverine, but becomes disfigured and mentally unstable after the operation. Maybe if he's a hit, they'll give him his own origin story.
TRAILER: "I Love You Phillip Morris"
There is absolutely no one else who could've pulled this off but Jim Carrey. It's one of those movies that they tell you will make you laugh and cry. Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Bad Santa) wrote this dramedy about a married cop who decides to throw caution to the wind and admit he's gay once the biological mom he was searching for rejects him. Eager to have everything he's always been deprived of, he uses his cop skills to scam people. Eventually he goes to prison where he falls in love with a man named Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor). His affections for him are so strong that when he's transferred to another prison, he spends the rest of the film comically trying to get back to him.
VIDEO: Pink's "Please Don't Leave Me"
You might look at this video and think, "Pink's insane." But I think she's just trying to say that sometimes couples emotionally destroy each other before the relationship is ended, and even though it hurts, you keep asking for more, and the more desperate you are to resolve things, the more psycho you start to seem.
I don't know if it's a coincidence that Pink has recently reconciled with her husband Cary Hart, or if she's working some clever publicity stunts to promote each song. Either way, this is one of my favorite songs off the album.
I don't know if it's a coincidence that Pink has recently reconciled with her husband Cary Hart, or if she's working some clever publicity stunts to promote each song. Either way, this is one of my favorite songs off the album.
TV Highlights: Death on "Grey's," Adrianna's Baby Daddy on "90210," and more
"Desperate Housewives"
I'm not quite sure why the entire episode was devoted to remembering a guy we've never even seen before, but I did appreciate what it brought to the table. We learned from flashbacks that:
• Bree: Her ex-husband was such a douche that he broke her spirit enough to almost destroy the incredible cooking maven we know today.
• Gabrielle: She was a total bitch to the women the first time she moved to Wisteria Lane because she missed the city, and she had to humble herself to get them to like her, admitting that she was lonely and neglected by her husband.
• Lynette: She almost chose her job over her kids. When she went into labor once, she proceeded to have a phone interview for a job she really wanted. Tom tried to get her to go the hospital, but she refused, screaming: "If you take this phone, I'll give birth to this baby and
beat you with it." Clearly she was determined. But as usual Tom had something snarky to say in response. When she was done with the interview, she told him that she got the job and he responded, "The baby's arm is sticking out, why don't you high five it?" Classy.
• Susan: She cries over men a lot.
• Edie: Well, actually she just confirmed that she will have sex with anyone--even an old man--just to validate her self-image.
"The New Adventures of Old Christine"
• New Christine revealed that she's not a very worldly person...and by worldly she means trashy. When she was in college, she lived at home and she usually went straight home after class to take care of her grandparents, which solicited the comment, "What are you...Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?" Wow! That was a tricky one. If you haven't seen the movie more than once or recently, you won't get that. Nobody ever remembers why it's so amazing that Charlie found the golden ticket. They just remember all the crazy shit that goes down once he enters the factory.
• Since New Christine had never been to Spring Break or guzzled a keg at a frat party, Old Christine was guilted into treating her to a bachelorette party in Vegas. Unfortunately, once she got drunk, she became uncontrollable to the point that Barb felt the need to say: "What are we going to do about Lindsay Lohan?" Ouch! Once you become a TV joke, like Paris Hilton, there's no going back...unless you're Robert Downey Jr. or Mickey Rourke. Girls are rarely as lucky--just ask Winona Ryder.
"Gary, Unmarried"
The night really belonged to Tom. He was seriously on point--almost as hilarious as Jake on "Two and a Half Men."
• Allison was trying to get her son Tom to go on a date with their new neighbor's daughter. So Tom felt the need to say, "After this I don't want to ever hear again about how my big head ruined my body."
• Once Tom met the smoking hot girl, he was at a loss for words and the words he did say made no sense. Gary gave him some money, causing Tom to ask, "Do I pay her now or after?" Later as he was leaving on his date, he nervously departed with: "I just want to let you know that I'm completely unprepared for this and it's all your fault."
• When he returned from his date, he started ranting about how attractive she was and asked his father if he hallucinated that fact, forcing Gary to reply: "The law doesn't really let me have this conversation with you, but I understand the words you're saying." Well said.
• The only genius line uttered by an adult that night was from Gary when he revealed why he named the house he was forced to give to Allison in the divorce: "When you're in prison, you get lonely and you start to name things."
"90210"
• I was a little surprised that Adrianna wasn't the car accident victim and that the only reason she didn't get an abortion was because she'd passed the three month mark. Wow! You know you're a skinny bitch when three months pass and you still look anorexic.
• The biggest surprise, of course--besides Ethan getting into a car accident--was that Ty is the real father of Adrianna's baby. Can't wait to see how unexcited he's going to be about that. I thought Adrianna was going to give her child to Brenda, but with Ty in the picture that might be difficult to do. Who knows how his rich parents will feel about it.
• The worst part of the evening was Annie's whining about her acting skills. Face it sweetie sometimes other people are going to be better than you and Adrianna is damn good. She knows pain and anguish because she's experienced it. What have you experienced? A broken nail.
• The best part of the evening though was when Naomi pretty much emancipated herself after discovering that her father was cheating on his mistress. What doesn't that woman get? He doesn't like to be domesticated. He's like a wild dog. Naomi's feigned kindness when she said, "I don't need a father anymore, but thanks," was the highlight of the evening.
• As for the failed attempt to show Ryan regain his hunger to enlighten students and Silver's continuous journey down the rabbit hole...can you say "over-acting"? Dixon dumping her is the final nail on her crazy coffin and next week we'll get to see her out-crazy Britney.
"Privileged"
• This week's episode was pretty boring. Besides the fact Lily and Megan grew closer as they started to accept that their mom's a bitch and the fact that their dad decided to be in denial and booze it up again, Sage and Rose ended their stint as famous socialites so they can be normal teenagers. I sort of liked Sage's lame excuse for wanting to be famous. Her attempt to provide for her little sister without Laurel's money is impressive. But maybe she should aim a little higher.
• The best dialogue of the night was an exchange between Megan and Will that occurred because she was trying to get him to cancel the check he wrote to her scammer-of-a-mom:
Megan: Please tell me you didn't give her the money in a briefcase.
Will: No, this isn't Mission Impossible.
Megan: You're a billionaire. Isn't there like a special hotline for you guys?
Will: Yeah, 1-800-I'm-Rich.
Megan: That's not enough numbers.
Why oh why did she count the numbers?
"Grey's Anatomy"
It was all about death: asking to die, being afraid to die, and trying not to. You'd think that all of the episodes are about death, but this one really was about the sudden appreciation for life and wanting someone to be there for you if you're being robbed of it. Bailey's patient got organs, Meredith granted the serial killer's wish and acted as a friendly face in the room as he was being executed, and Izzie....well, Izzie finally figured out that Denny was "there for her" in the sense of being there to take her to heaven. It was all quite satisfying. However, the most surprising scene wasn't when Lexie and Mark's relationship transcended the sexual after his penile injury or when Sadie pretended to be the one who caused it so that the other interns wouldn't find out the truth, but when Christina finally stopped holding a grudge and helped Meredith through her post-execution sadness. In two weeks, the series will crossover with "Private Practice," so we'll have to watch both episodes to see if Derek saves Addison's brother. Of course, she has to come back into the picture once he's ready to propose to Meredith.
I'm not quite sure why the entire episode was devoted to remembering a guy we've never even seen before, but I did appreciate what it brought to the table. We learned from flashbacks that:
• Bree: Her ex-husband was such a douche that he broke her spirit enough to almost destroy the incredible cooking maven we know today.
• Gabrielle: She was a total bitch to the women the first time she moved to Wisteria Lane because she missed the city, and she had to humble herself to get them to like her, admitting that she was lonely and neglected by her husband.
• Lynette: She almost chose her job over her kids. When she went into labor once, she proceeded to have a phone interview for a job she really wanted. Tom tried to get her to go the hospital, but she refused, screaming: "If you take this phone, I'll give birth to this baby and
beat you with it." Clearly she was determined. But as usual Tom had something snarky to say in response. When she was done with the interview, she told him that she got the job and he responded, "The baby's arm is sticking out, why don't you high five it?" Classy.
• Susan: She cries over men a lot.
• Edie: Well, actually she just confirmed that she will have sex with anyone--even an old man--just to validate her self-image.
"The New Adventures of Old Christine"
• New Christine revealed that she's not a very worldly person...and by worldly she means trashy. When she was in college, she lived at home and she usually went straight home after class to take care of her grandparents, which solicited the comment, "What are you...Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?" Wow! That was a tricky one. If you haven't seen the movie more than once or recently, you won't get that. Nobody ever remembers why it's so amazing that Charlie found the golden ticket. They just remember all the crazy shit that goes down once he enters the factory.
• Since New Christine had never been to Spring Break or guzzled a keg at a frat party, Old Christine was guilted into treating her to a bachelorette party in Vegas. Unfortunately, once she got drunk, she became uncontrollable to the point that Barb felt the need to say: "What are we going to do about Lindsay Lohan?" Ouch! Once you become a TV joke, like Paris Hilton, there's no going back...unless you're Robert Downey Jr. or Mickey Rourke. Girls are rarely as lucky--just ask Winona Ryder.
"Gary, Unmarried"
The night really belonged to Tom. He was seriously on point--almost as hilarious as Jake on "Two and a Half Men."
• Allison was trying to get her son Tom to go on a date with their new neighbor's daughter. So Tom felt the need to say, "After this I don't want to ever hear again about how my big head ruined my body."
• Once Tom met the smoking hot girl, he was at a loss for words and the words he did say made no sense. Gary gave him some money, causing Tom to ask, "Do I pay her now or after?" Later as he was leaving on his date, he nervously departed with: "I just want to let you know that I'm completely unprepared for this and it's all your fault."
• When he returned from his date, he started ranting about how attractive she was and asked his father if he hallucinated that fact, forcing Gary to reply: "The law doesn't really let me have this conversation with you, but I understand the words you're saying." Well said.
• The only genius line uttered by an adult that night was from Gary when he revealed why he named the house he was forced to give to Allison in the divorce: "When you're in prison, you get lonely and you start to name things."
"90210"
• I was a little surprised that Adrianna wasn't the car accident victim and that the only reason she didn't get an abortion was because she'd passed the three month mark. Wow! You know you're a skinny bitch when three months pass and you still look anorexic.
• The biggest surprise, of course--besides Ethan getting into a car accident--was that Ty is the real father of Adrianna's baby. Can't wait to see how unexcited he's going to be about that. I thought Adrianna was going to give her child to Brenda, but with Ty in the picture that might be difficult to do. Who knows how his rich parents will feel about it.
• The worst part of the evening was Annie's whining about her acting skills. Face it sweetie sometimes other people are going to be better than you and Adrianna is damn good. She knows pain and anguish because she's experienced it. What have you experienced? A broken nail.
• The best part of the evening though was when Naomi pretty much emancipated herself after discovering that her father was cheating on his mistress. What doesn't that woman get? He doesn't like to be domesticated. He's like a wild dog. Naomi's feigned kindness when she said, "I don't need a father anymore, but thanks," was the highlight of the evening.
• As for the failed attempt to show Ryan regain his hunger to enlighten students and Silver's continuous journey down the rabbit hole...can you say "over-acting"? Dixon dumping her is the final nail on her crazy coffin and next week we'll get to see her out-crazy Britney.
"Privileged"
• This week's episode was pretty boring. Besides the fact Lily and Megan grew closer as they started to accept that their mom's a bitch and the fact that their dad decided to be in denial and booze it up again, Sage and Rose ended their stint as famous socialites so they can be normal teenagers. I sort of liked Sage's lame excuse for wanting to be famous. Her attempt to provide for her little sister without Laurel's money is impressive. But maybe she should aim a little higher.
• The best dialogue of the night was an exchange between Megan and Will that occurred because she was trying to get him to cancel the check he wrote to her scammer-of-a-mom:
Megan: Please tell me you didn't give her the money in a briefcase.
Will: No, this isn't Mission Impossible.
Megan: You're a billionaire. Isn't there like a special hotline for you guys?
Will: Yeah, 1-800-I'm-Rich.
Megan: That's not enough numbers.
Why oh why did she count the numbers?
"Grey's Anatomy"
It was all about death: asking to die, being afraid to die, and trying not to. You'd think that all of the episodes are about death, but this one really was about the sudden appreciation for life and wanting someone to be there for you if you're being robbed of it. Bailey's patient got organs, Meredith granted the serial killer's wish and acted as a friendly face in the room as he was being executed, and Izzie....well, Izzie finally figured out that Denny was "there for her" in the sense of being there to take her to heaven. It was all quite satisfying. However, the most surprising scene wasn't when Lexie and Mark's relationship transcended the sexual after his penile injury or when Sadie pretended to be the one who caused it so that the other interns wouldn't find out the truth, but when Christina finally stopped holding a grudge and helped Meredith through her post-execution sadness. In two weeks, the series will crossover with "Private Practice," so we'll have to watch both episodes to see if Derek saves Addison's brother. Of course, she has to come back into the picture once he's ready to propose to Meredith.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
BUZZ: Oscar Noms, Fanning in "Eclipse," Ruffalo's Return, and more
FILM NEWS
• The Oscar nominations have been announced. Can't wait to see the showdown between Slumdog Millionaire and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
• Dakota Fanning was offered the role of the evil Jane, a Volturi member, in the Twilight sequel. Jane's power is the ability to create illusions of pain, which basically means a lot of sadistic facial expressions. She should start watching all of the Harry Potters and taking notes from the Malfoys. I'm glad Dakota found a niche. Her alabaster skin and creepy bulging eyes work perfectly for the horror and scifi genres.
• Mark Ruffalo's getting back into the swing of things after his brother's unfortunate death. Prior to the tragic event, Ruffalo planned a directorial debut called Sympathy for Delicious. Unfortunately, James Franco's schedule closed up and he can longer star in the film. What's worse is that Orlando Bloom is set to takeover his role. While its true that having award-winning actress Laura Linney in the cast could elevate its credibility, it would take a lot to elevate Bloom's. Much like Keira Knightley, he fails to impress when he isn't in some fictional or historical time period, as was proven by the box office failures of Cameron Crowe's Elizabethtown and the indie Haven.
TV NEWS
• George Clooney will reprise his role on "E.R." April 2nd.
• Jon Hamm ("Mad Men") revealed in EW that he once auditioned for the role of Jack on "30 Rock."
• A "Heroes" promo shows all (or most) of the heroes working together to escape a plane during a prison transport. I spotted Claire, Hiro, Peter, and that girl who looks like Nicky, but there were plenty of other people in the plane too. Think of the next chapter, "Fugitives," as "Prison Break" but with mutants.
• The Oscar nominations have been announced. Can't wait to see the showdown between Slumdog Millionaire and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
• Dakota Fanning was offered the role of the evil Jane, a Volturi member, in the Twilight sequel. Jane's power is the ability to create illusions of pain, which basically means a lot of sadistic facial expressions. She should start watching all of the Harry Potters and taking notes from the Malfoys. I'm glad Dakota found a niche. Her alabaster skin and creepy bulging eyes work perfectly for the horror and scifi genres.
• Mark Ruffalo's getting back into the swing of things after his brother's unfortunate death. Prior to the tragic event, Ruffalo planned a directorial debut called Sympathy for Delicious. Unfortunately, James Franco's schedule closed up and he can longer star in the film. What's worse is that Orlando Bloom is set to takeover his role. While its true that having award-winning actress Laura Linney in the cast could elevate its credibility, it would take a lot to elevate Bloom's. Much like Keira Knightley, he fails to impress when he isn't in some fictional or historical time period, as was proven by the box office failures of Cameron Crowe's Elizabethtown and the indie Haven.
TV NEWS
• George Clooney will reprise his role on "E.R." April 2nd.
• Jon Hamm ("Mad Men") revealed in EW that he once auditioned for the role of Jack on "30 Rock."
• A "Heroes" promo shows all (or most) of the heroes working together to escape a plane during a prison transport. I spotted Claire, Hiro, Peter, and that girl who looks like Nicky, but there were plenty of other people in the plane too. Think of the next chapter, "Fugitives," as "Prison Break" but with mutants.
TV REVIEW: "Lie to Me"
HUMOR: 2.5/5
DRAMATIC INTENSITY: 2/5
APPEAL: 3/5
Who Would Like It: Viewers who enjoy learning crime-busting techniques with a side of humor.
The FOX series starring Tim Roth is about an agency of human lie detectors, who examine gestures, posture, voice inflections, and word choices to determine whether or not a suspect, or even a client, is lying. While it was cool to see them nitpick at a suspected criminal like Brenda does on "The Closer," notice lie indicators like on "Psych," and display a certain amount of humorous unprofessionalism like the lead does on "House," I was mostly intrigued with how their specialty affects their everday life. Roth's character Cal Lightman doesn't seem to be able to turn off his ability. If they were to tap into that more--exploring his relationship with his teenage daughter, his ex-wife, and his partner Gillian (Kelli Williams from "The Practice")--then I might be persuaded to tune in again. Although, I have to admit, learning how to tell when people are lying does have its perks.
Best Dialogue
• "Have you had any specialized deception training?" Lightman asks his newest recruit Ria (newcomer Monica Raymund), to which she responds, "I've dated a lot of men."
• As Gillian's about to meet up with a political client, Lightman tells her: "Charge him by the lie, you can retire tomorrow."
• Lightman tries to justify the profession of escorts by saying something to the affect of: "We all pay for sex one way or another, at least they're honest about the price up front."
DRAMATIC INTENSITY: 2/5
APPEAL: 3/5
Who Would Like It: Viewers who enjoy learning crime-busting techniques with a side of humor.
The FOX series starring Tim Roth is about an agency of human lie detectors, who examine gestures, posture, voice inflections, and word choices to determine whether or not a suspect, or even a client, is lying. While it was cool to see them nitpick at a suspected criminal like Brenda does on "The Closer," notice lie indicators like on "Psych," and display a certain amount of humorous unprofessionalism like the lead does on "House," I was mostly intrigued with how their specialty affects their everday life. Roth's character Cal Lightman doesn't seem to be able to turn off his ability. If they were to tap into that more--exploring his relationship with his teenage daughter, his ex-wife, and his partner Gillian (Kelli Williams from "The Practice")--then I might be persuaded to tune in again. Although, I have to admit, learning how to tell when people are lying does have its perks.
Best Dialogue
• "Have you had any specialized deception training?" Lightman asks his newest recruit Ria (newcomer Monica Raymund), to which she responds, "I've dated a lot of men."
• As Gillian's about to meet up with a political client, Lightman tells her: "Charge him by the lie, you can retire tomorrow."
• Lightman tries to justify the profession of escorts by saying something to the affect of: "We all pay for sex one way or another, at least they're honest about the price up front."
BUZZ: Streep & Baldwin Rom-Com, Major Actor Paycuts, and more
• The studios are allowing the older generation to helm films much more lately, ever since the success of Mamma Mia and Wild Hogs. The latest film to benefit from this new trend is an untitled Nancy Meyers (The Holiday) project, starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. It's a romantic comedy about a woman, who has to figure out a way to fill the void left by her children and her ex-husband (Baldwin). The fun soon starts when she suddenly has to choose between her ex and her good friend (Martin). Hunter Parrish ("Weeds") will play Streep's youngest child, who is graduating from college and moving to the city. Newcomer Zoe Kazan will be the middle child, who's moving to LA and doesn't approve of her parent's possible reunion. And Lake Bell (Over Her Dead Body) will play Baldwin's new wife, who's hellbent on having his baby. It's about time someone let Baldwin be funny on a grander scale. I want to be clear though, this Baldwin, not all of the Baldwins.
• Lifetime's new miniseries "Maneater," starring Sarah Chalke ("Scrubs"), will also have Judy Greer ("Miss Guided" and 27 Dresses) and Philip Winchester ("Crusoe") in the cast. The story is based on Gigi Levangie Grazer's book, which is about a "shallow thirtysomething socialite in a panic because she's still single. Setting her sights on a Hollywood producer (Winchester), Clarissa puts into motion a plan to land herself a husband." Greer will play her best friend, "the daughter of a plastic surgeon who is in a dead-end relationship with a married man." Ugh! I wish producers would stop giving Greer the shaft. She's totally a leading lady.
• After news that Samuel L. Jackson refused a low salary for a recurring role in Iron Man 2 as Nick Fury, a report has appeared revealing the rampant salary cutbacks in Hollywood. While I'm sure Robert Downey Jr. and John Favreau are being well-compensated, everyone else is getting paycuts. Even Oscar-hopeful Mickey Rourke is only getting $250,000 for his upcoming villain role. There are rumors that Disney offered Nicolas Cage a lower wage for the National Treasure sequel. Twilight's Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart will get lower seven-figure upfront paychecks than they expected for the sequel, and they won't even get a piece of the gross. Jim Carrey seems to have been singled-out as the perfect example of what Hollywood hitmakers should do. He forfeited his salary to become an equity investor in the film for a percentage of the gross. While that sounds like a good idea, it's really only advised if the film is a guaranteed blockbuster. For a film like Yes Man, released during this brisk winter, a lot of agressive press was necessary in order to get it on everyone's radar and slip it past nay-saying critics. He was successful, but not many actors would go as above-and-beyond as he did.
• The boys of Hot Fuzz and Sean of the Dead, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, plan on doing a kooky alien road trip film next. Wait! It's not as stupid as it sounds. Here's the plot: "Two British slackers who, after visiting Comic-Con, go on a road trip to Area 51, where they encounter a small alien named Paul, who enlists them to help him find his way home." Could be pretty hilarious. I'm just worried that--since the alien will be 70% CGI--it'll turn out like Kangaroo Jack.
• Lifetime's new miniseries "Maneater," starring Sarah Chalke ("Scrubs"), will also have Judy Greer ("Miss Guided" and 27 Dresses) and Philip Winchester ("Crusoe") in the cast. The story is based on Gigi Levangie Grazer's book, which is about a "shallow thirtysomething socialite in a panic because she's still single. Setting her sights on a Hollywood producer (Winchester), Clarissa puts into motion a plan to land herself a husband." Greer will play her best friend, "the daughter of a plastic surgeon who is in a dead-end relationship with a married man." Ugh! I wish producers would stop giving Greer the shaft. She's totally a leading lady.
• After news that Samuel L. Jackson refused a low salary for a recurring role in Iron Man 2 as Nick Fury, a report has appeared revealing the rampant salary cutbacks in Hollywood. While I'm sure Robert Downey Jr. and John Favreau are being well-compensated, everyone else is getting paycuts. Even Oscar-hopeful Mickey Rourke is only getting $250,000 for his upcoming villain role. There are rumors that Disney offered Nicolas Cage a lower wage for the National Treasure sequel. Twilight's Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart will get lower seven-figure upfront paychecks than they expected for the sequel, and they won't even get a piece of the gross. Jim Carrey seems to have been singled-out as the perfect example of what Hollywood hitmakers should do. He forfeited his salary to become an equity investor in the film for a percentage of the gross. While that sounds like a good idea, it's really only advised if the film is a guaranteed blockbuster. For a film like Yes Man, released during this brisk winter, a lot of agressive press was necessary in order to get it on everyone's radar and slip it past nay-saying critics. He was successful, but not many actors would go as above-and-beyond as he did.
• The boys of Hot Fuzz and Sean of the Dead, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, plan on doing a kooky alien road trip film next. Wait! It's not as stupid as it sounds. Here's the plot: "Two British slackers who, after visiting Comic-Con, go on a road trip to Area 51, where they encounter a small alien named Paul, who enlists them to help him find his way home." Could be pretty hilarious. I'm just worried that--since the alien will be 70% CGI--it'll turn out like Kangaroo Jack.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
SPOILERS: Chuck's Lost Memory on "Gossip Girl," Callie & Arizona on "Grey's," and more
"Gossip Girl"
• Chuck will wake up in a hotel with little memory of what happened the night before. That pretty much sounds like a Tuesday for him. But I guess since he's supposed to be on the straight and narrow these days after rejoining the Van der Woodsen gang, it's a little disconcerting.
• According to EW's Ausiello, "It just might come to pass that Serena and Blair find themselves in a situation where they have no recourse other than to recruit Georgina Sparks." O. M. G. I really hope this is because of Miss Carr. I so very much want her to be a devil in disguise. That sweet little girl from the country crap won't fly with me. There's a reason she got where she is at such a young age, and it isn't because of her smile.
"The Office"
• Ryan will make a "dramatic" return later in the season. Hmm, should Kelly take him back or would playing hard to get be more amusing?
"90210"
• In April, Tori Spelling will return to the zip code as Donna, and we'll meet Dixon's birth mother. Oh my god! Is it Tori? lol I'm kidding. I would never wish such fresh hell on such a tortured soul.
"Chuck"
• The good news: Someone's finally going to start noticing how peculiar Chuck's lifestyle is. I vote for either Ellie or Morgan. The bff would be funnier, but if his sister finds out, she might at least stop worrying so much.
• The bad news: The writers are trying to shove all of the necessary plot lines into the next 10 episodes in case there isn't another season. Tear.
• Good news to soften the blow of the bad news: Jordana Brewster will return to play Chuck's backstabbing ex Jill in the season finale!
"Grey's Anatomy"
• Denny will still be a figment of Izzie's imagination all the way through March. By April, she'll be diagnosed with something that'll cure even us...of sheer boredom.
• That new doc, Arizona, who pisses Bailey off, is actually developing into a love interest for Callie. Did not see that coming, since she's the most unsexualized character on the series, besides Bailey and the chief.
• In the Feb. 12th "Private Practice"-crossover episode, Callie will get advice from Addison that'll help her cope with her feelings for Arizona. Also, several of the doctors will be transferring to Addison's hospital for the day, while she's at there's, forcing us to watch her f*ing series. Won't that be confusing? I haven't seen that show since November. I tuned in last week and two of the characters, who used to barely acknowledge each other, were in a sexual relationship. The mean Southern doc from the major hospital had started her own practice and suddenly grew a heart when her daddy died. That guy who gave Stella her groove back is dating again, after trying to get his ex-wife away from the male nurse, who I think has a baby on the way. What? I am so freaking confused. They better fill us in or I'm just going to pretend like that episode was a figment of my imagination.
"Pushing Daisies"
• There are three final episodes, but there's a chance we won't get to see them until the DVD is released, which--for some of us unlucky Netflixers--means a year of seeing that "Very Long Wait" notice. They should add another one, like "Ridiculously Long Wait! Just Go Buy It. Have a Viewing Party in Your Neighborhood!"
• Chuck will wake up in a hotel with little memory of what happened the night before. That pretty much sounds like a Tuesday for him. But I guess since he's supposed to be on the straight and narrow these days after rejoining the Van der Woodsen gang, it's a little disconcerting.
• According to EW's Ausiello, "It just might come to pass that Serena and Blair find themselves in a situation where they have no recourse other than to recruit Georgina Sparks." O. M. G. I really hope this is because of Miss Carr. I so very much want her to be a devil in disguise. That sweet little girl from the country crap won't fly with me. There's a reason she got where she is at such a young age, and it isn't because of her smile.
"The Office"
• Ryan will make a "dramatic" return later in the season. Hmm, should Kelly take him back or would playing hard to get be more amusing?
"90210"
• In April, Tori Spelling will return to the zip code as Donna, and we'll meet Dixon's birth mother. Oh my god! Is it Tori? lol I'm kidding. I would never wish such fresh hell on such a tortured soul.
"Chuck"
• The good news: Someone's finally going to start noticing how peculiar Chuck's lifestyle is. I vote for either Ellie or Morgan. The bff would be funnier, but if his sister finds out, she might at least stop worrying so much.
• The bad news: The writers are trying to shove all of the necessary plot lines into the next 10 episodes in case there isn't another season. Tear.
• Good news to soften the blow of the bad news: Jordana Brewster will return to play Chuck's backstabbing ex Jill in the season finale!
"Grey's Anatomy"
• Denny will still be a figment of Izzie's imagination all the way through March. By April, she'll be diagnosed with something that'll cure even us...of sheer boredom.
• That new doc, Arizona, who pisses Bailey off, is actually developing into a love interest for Callie. Did not see that coming, since she's the most unsexualized character on the series, besides Bailey and the chief.
• In the Feb. 12th "Private Practice"-crossover episode, Callie will get advice from Addison that'll help her cope with her feelings for Arizona. Also, several of the doctors will be transferring to Addison's hospital for the day, while she's at there's, forcing us to watch her f*ing series. Won't that be confusing? I haven't seen that show since November. I tuned in last week and two of the characters, who used to barely acknowledge each other, were in a sexual relationship. The mean Southern doc from the major hospital had started her own practice and suddenly grew a heart when her daddy died. That guy who gave Stella her groove back is dating again, after trying to get his ex-wife away from the male nurse, who I think has a baby on the way. What? I am so freaking confused. They better fill us in or I'm just going to pretend like that episode was a figment of my imagination.
"Pushing Daisies"
• There are three final episodes, but there's a chance we won't get to see them until the DVD is released, which--for some of us unlucky Netflixers--means a year of seeing that "Very Long Wait" notice. They should add another one, like "Ridiculously Long Wait! Just Go Buy It. Have a Viewing Party in Your Neighborhood!"
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
TV RECAP: "Gossip Girl": Hit the Road Jack!
Jack be Nimble, Jack be Quick, or Chuck Will Beat You with his Stick!
This week they curbed the "You-two-share-a-brother-oh-wait-you-don't" fiasco (as dubbed by
Dan) for the dethroning of Jack Bass (or JackBass, depending on how you read it). Chuck was seriously on the offensive. According to Lily, he tried the obvious approach, tempting his uncle with underaged girls, then planted coke in his gym bag, ambushed him with a transexual hooker ("Two--they owed me a favor."), tried to buy anthrax with his credit card, and got him on Megan's list ("If only his apartment were a few blocks closer to a playground."). He even wrote down more than twenty ideas for other tactical attacks to run by Lily, his temporary partner in crime--one of which involved a staged plane crash.
Luckily, Lily managed to simultaneously convince Chuck of her genuine concern for him and send Jack packing by legally adopting her little Charles, and gaining full control over Bass Industries. While she may have paid for her bravado when Jack tried to rape her in the Opera bathroom, she was reassured that she did the right thing when Chuck saved her. (Finally! He punches someone.) She later reinvites him to officially rejoin the family and move back into the house. Hmm, I wonder if the Humphreys will move in soon. Maybe Chuck and Dan will share a bathroom. lol And maybe he'll even get a little fatherly advice from Rufus. Can't wait for the Christmas card family photo.
Ms. Carr's Christening
Rachel Carr is Serena and Blair's new English teacher. She's so suburban that she referred to Brooklyn as that borough on the other side of the bridge. Why yes, non-New Yorker, that would be why we call it the Brooklyn Bridge. However, it's important that, as New Yorkers, we welcome newcomers, tourists, and migrators with open arms and open hearts...so that they can lower their guards long enough for us to haze them. So think of what Blair did as a mere initiation. While her actions were totally warranted--I mean, who gives B's to seniors in their second semester?--they could've been perceived as slightly childish, especially since Ms. Carr did eventually agree to give her a high average. Alas, B had already sent her to the wrong restaurant with hopes of going to the Opera, while she froze her naive little toush off. I would hardly call that humiliating, but then again, she is new in town. I'm sure she'll get the gist of how bad B's revenge could've been once B is finally through with her. It's one thing to stand in the way of Yale, but it's quite another to dangle it in front of her and then rip it away. Like B said, it's war. Something tells me though that Carr won't be easy to defeat. The way she whined to the headmistress was a little disconcerting. Maybe she has more pull than we know.
I read in the blogosphere that there'll be some type of storyline where B and Dan will be in a play together. Perhaps, the detention the headmistress has in store for her involves B having to participate in the arts, which she so clearly loathes by how she spat the word "poet" out at one point. I personally think making her kiss Dan would be punishment enough. lol I mean, if she won't name her new bulldog Handsome Dan as her fathers suggested, I doubt she'd ever agree to touching Dan in any affectionate manner whatsoever. However, it could make for interesting strife in a brand new love triangle that'll revive her tug-of-war with Chuck, especially since B and Dan will most likely be heading to Yale together. Speaking of which, I get that it was "Yale Day," but I really would've loved it if we could've learned where everyone else was going. Will Nate and Chuck be rooming together in the NYC for the next four years?
On a side note, I thought it was interesting that B said that this was a war she planned on winning. I hadn't noticed until now that she hasn't won any in a while. She lost the battle against Chuck and fell for him and she lost the battle against her stepfather, adding a third dad to the brood. I think she's in store for a win don't you? Or maybe she should accept this loss and save up her energy for the storm that Georgina will surely brew at the end of the season. She'll need all the fury she can muster.
Borderline Ridiculous Behavior
Okay, if you read this blog every week, you know I love GG. But I don't know if it's because of this momentous weekend of history in the making or if the writing was a bit off, but there were some truly over-campy moments that made me cringe:
• Blair screaming, "Cancel the Nelly Yuki project now!" was so overly dramatic.
• Her drones pretending to be the "Devil" on one shoulder and an "Angel" on the other was cute, but also very...middle school.
• Nelly, openly acting out towards Blair as though she stood a chance against her, was completely out of character.
• And, of course, the very end, when B ominously muttered to Derrota that soon she'd have to go "Black-ops" and "off the radar" to destroy Ms. Carr, was beyond bizarre.
Were they off this week or are they always this nutty?
QUOTES
Here are a few choice moments that reminded me why I love GG:
• A lovely exchange between Dan and Serena regarding Blair's psychotic obsession with getting into Yale:
D: What if I don't get in?
S: Forget you! What if I do and Blair doesn't?
D: Fire...and brimstone? And a lot of bitchy asides. Death by Derrota.
Wow! There's a "Death by Derrota"? What the hell does that look like?
• After a long night of old-people sex, Eric catches Lily and Rufus making out in the kitchen, which inspires him to declare: "I would say, 'Get a room,' but yours is RIGHT above mine. Please try to remember that."
• Blair was trying to explain to the headmistress that there's no way anyone would turn down Yale and give her their position, sneaking in a jibe at her favorite plebian: "Dan Humphrey? He's like a cafeteria lady who won the lottery. You couldn't pry that acceptance from his hands with the jaws of life."
• Ahh, I love it when there are pop culture references. Dan felt the need to over-exaggerate how young the new English teacher is by saying: "That's Miss Clark? Does she have Benjamin Button syndrome?"
This week they curbed the "You-two-share-a-brother-oh-wait-you-don't" fiasco (as dubbed by
Dan) for the dethroning of Jack Bass (or Jack
Luckily, Lily managed to simultaneously convince Chuck of her genuine concern for him and send Jack packing by legally adopting her little Charles, and gaining full control over Bass Industries. While she may have paid for her bravado when Jack tried to rape her in the Opera bathroom, she was reassured that she did the right thing when Chuck saved her. (Finally! He punches someone.) She later reinvites him to officially rejoin the family and move back into the house. Hmm, I wonder if the Humphreys will move in soon. Maybe Chuck and Dan will share a bathroom. lol And maybe he'll even get a little fatherly advice from Rufus. Can't wait for the Christmas card family photo.
Ms. Carr's Christening
Rachel Carr is Serena and Blair's new English teacher. She's so suburban that she referred to Brooklyn as that borough on the other side of the bridge. Why yes, non-New Yorker, that would be why we call it the Brooklyn Bridge. However, it's important that, as New Yorkers, we welcome newcomers, tourists, and migrators with open arms and open hearts...so that they can lower their guards long enough for us to haze them. So think of what Blair did as a mere initiation. While her actions were totally warranted--I mean, who gives B's to seniors in their second semester?--they could've been perceived as slightly childish, especially since Ms. Carr did eventually agree to give her a high average. Alas, B had already sent her to the wrong restaurant with hopes of going to the Opera, while she froze her naive little toush off. I would hardly call that humiliating, but then again, she is new in town. I'm sure she'll get the gist of how bad B's revenge could've been once B is finally through with her. It's one thing to stand in the way of Yale, but it's quite another to dangle it in front of her and then rip it away. Like B said, it's war. Something tells me though that Carr won't be easy to defeat. The way she whined to the headmistress was a little disconcerting. Maybe she has more pull than we know.
I read in the blogosphere that there'll be some type of storyline where B and Dan will be in a play together. Perhaps, the detention the headmistress has in store for her involves B having to participate in the arts, which she so clearly loathes by how she spat the word "poet" out at one point. I personally think making her kiss Dan would be punishment enough. lol I mean, if she won't name her new bulldog Handsome Dan as her fathers suggested, I doubt she'd ever agree to touching Dan in any affectionate manner whatsoever. However, it could make for interesting strife in a brand new love triangle that'll revive her tug-of-war with Chuck, especially since B and Dan will most likely be heading to Yale together. Speaking of which, I get that it was "Yale Day," but I really would've loved it if we could've learned where everyone else was going. Will Nate and Chuck be rooming together in the NYC for the next four years?
On a side note, I thought it was interesting that B said that this was a war she planned on winning. I hadn't noticed until now that she hasn't won any in a while. She lost the battle against Chuck and fell for him and she lost the battle against her stepfather, adding a third dad to the brood. I think she's in store for a win don't you? Or maybe she should accept this loss and save up her energy for the storm that Georgina will surely brew at the end of the season. She'll need all the fury she can muster.
Borderline Ridiculous Behavior
Okay, if you read this blog every week, you know I love GG. But I don't know if it's because of this momentous weekend of history in the making or if the writing was a bit off, but there were some truly over-campy moments that made me cringe:
• Blair screaming, "Cancel the Nelly Yuki project now!" was so overly dramatic.
• Her drones pretending to be the "Devil" on one shoulder and an "Angel" on the other was cute, but also very...middle school.
• Nelly, openly acting out towards Blair as though she stood a chance against her, was completely out of character.
• And, of course, the very end, when B ominously muttered to Derrota that soon she'd have to go "Black-ops" and "off the radar" to destroy Ms. Carr, was beyond bizarre.
Were they off this week or are they always this nutty?
QUOTES
Here are a few choice moments that reminded me why I love GG:
• A lovely exchange between Dan and Serena regarding Blair's psychotic obsession with getting into Yale:
D: What if I don't get in?
S: Forget you! What if I do and Blair doesn't?
D: Fire...and brimstone? And a lot of bitchy asides. Death by Derrota.
Wow! There's a "Death by Derrota"? What the hell does that look like?
• After a long night of old-people sex, Eric catches Lily and Rufus making out in the kitchen, which inspires him to declare: "I would say, 'Get a room,' but yours is RIGHT above mine. Please try to remember that."
• Blair was trying to explain to the headmistress that there's no way anyone would turn down Yale and give her their position, sneaking in a jibe at her favorite plebian: "Dan Humphrey? He's like a cafeteria lady who won the lottery. You couldn't pry that acceptance from his hands with the jaws of life."
• Ahh, I love it when there are pop culture references. Dan felt the need to over-exaggerate how young the new English teacher is by saying: "That's Miss Clark? Does she have Benjamin Button syndrome?"
Monday, January 19, 2009
BUZZ: "Veronica Mars" Film, "Karate Kid" Does Kung Fu, 500 Days of Summer Trailer, and more
TV NEWS
• There will only be one more "24" season.
FILM NEWS
• The "Veronica Mars" movie is progressing smoothly. So far Rob Thomas, the creator, has determined that it won't involve the main character working in the FBI, like they intended on doing for the season-that-never-was. Instead, the film would open days before she graduated from college. I just hope they nail down all of the original actors, not just Kristen Bell. It won't be the same without Percy Daggs III (Wallace), Jason Dohring (Logan), Enrico Colantoni (Keith Mars), or even Francis Capra (Weevil). I would even love it for Tina Majorino (Mac) and Chris Lowell (Piz), who weren't original characters, to get some screen time. While Daggs and Capra seem to be free, there will still be trouble synchronizing everyone's schedules. Dohring will soon start on the HBO pilot "Washingtonienne," Colantoni is busy with the Canadian war drama mini-series "ZOS: Zone of Separation," Majorino's been recurring on "Big Love," Lowell scored a steady job with ABC's "Private Practice," and, of course, Bell has two films to shoot and three others to promote in '09.
• For those of you who are totally psyched (note: sarcasm) for the Karate Kid remake starring Jaden Smith, you might be bummed to learn that the producers, namely Will, intends on setting the film in China and using kung fu. And for those of you who weren't actually paying attention during the original, Mr. Miyagi is Japanese and, like the title says, he taught karate. So clearly, they might have to tweak the title, without coming up with something lame like the Kung Fu Kid.
• Check out screen shots of the comic dramedy adaptation of Kick Ass, where you can see the teen hero in uniform.
• Astro Boy, the big screen animated adaptation of the 60s cartoon series set for a Fall 2009 release, was almost canned because of the recession. It turns out that banks are major investors in the moviemaking business and the film almost fell victim to the rampant bankruptcy of the freefalling industry.
MUSIC NEWS
• After radio stations realized Britney Spears' new single "If You Seek Amy," actually meant f*u*c*k me, they threatened to ban the song if she didn't change the title. So she dropped the "k" and it's called "If You See Amy," making the song completely meaningless. Just pick a different song Brit.
TRAILERS
• 500 Days of Summer: Watch this super informative "teaser" of a comedy, where a guy (Joseph Gordon Levitt) is sort of put to the task of proving that true love exists to the girl (Zooey Deschanel) he's in love with.
• Beautiful: Teenage girls are being kidnapped and two teens search for the truth that just might live next door. It's an Australian suspense thriller much like Disturbia, except not funny and possibly a whole lot more disturbing.
• There will only be one more "24" season.
FILM NEWS
• The "Veronica Mars" movie is progressing smoothly. So far Rob Thomas, the creator, has determined that it won't involve the main character working in the FBI, like they intended on doing for the season-that-never-was. Instead, the film would open days before she graduated from college. I just hope they nail down all of the original actors, not just Kristen Bell. It won't be the same without Percy Daggs III (Wallace), Jason Dohring (Logan), Enrico Colantoni (Keith Mars), or even Francis Capra (Weevil). I would even love it for Tina Majorino (Mac) and Chris Lowell (Piz), who weren't original characters, to get some screen time. While Daggs and Capra seem to be free, there will still be trouble synchronizing everyone's schedules. Dohring will soon start on the HBO pilot "Washingtonienne," Colantoni is busy with the Canadian war drama mini-series "ZOS: Zone of Separation," Majorino's been recurring on "Big Love," Lowell scored a steady job with ABC's "Private Practice," and, of course, Bell has two films to shoot and three others to promote in '09.
• For those of you who are totally psyched (note: sarcasm) for the Karate Kid remake starring Jaden Smith, you might be bummed to learn that the producers, namely Will, intends on setting the film in China and using kung fu. And for those of you who weren't actually paying attention during the original, Mr. Miyagi is Japanese and, like the title says, he taught karate. So clearly, they might have to tweak the title, without coming up with something lame like the Kung Fu Kid.
• Check out screen shots of the comic dramedy adaptation of Kick Ass, where you can see the teen hero in uniform.
• Astro Boy, the big screen animated adaptation of the 60s cartoon series set for a Fall 2009 release, was almost canned because of the recession. It turns out that banks are major investors in the moviemaking business and the film almost fell victim to the rampant bankruptcy of the freefalling industry.
MUSIC NEWS
• After radio stations realized Britney Spears' new single "If You Seek Amy," actually meant f*u*c*k me, they threatened to ban the song if she didn't change the title. So she dropped the "k" and it's called "If You See Amy," making the song completely meaningless. Just pick a different song Brit.
TRAILERS
• 500 Days of Summer: Watch this super informative "teaser" of a comedy, where a guy (Joseph Gordon Levitt) is sort of put to the task of proving that true love exists to the girl (Zooey Deschanel) he's in love with.
• Beautiful: Teenage girls are being kidnapped and two teens search for the truth that just might live next door. It's an Australian suspense thriller much like Disturbia, except not funny and possibly a whole lot more disturbing.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
ACTOR ON-THE-RISE: Ken Leung
During this lovely snowstorm, I found time to abuse my Instant Watch option on Netflix. Since it has a new restriction where the film has an expiration date, I chose the only film set to expire, a romantic dramedy called Shanghai Kiss.
The film is about a depressed, 28-year-old, aspiring actor (Ken Leung) who feels torn between being American and being Chinese, traumatized by his mother's death, which was accidentally caused by his alcholic father, and troubled by his growing affection for a sixteen year old girl (Hayden Panettiere from "Heroes"), who refuses to only be his friend. While this has "disturbing pedophilia fantasy" written all over it, Leung has honed his cynical rage-against-stereotypes persona long enough to come off as broken and relatable, instead of a pathetic perv. He has a pinch of Woody Allen and Billy Crystal sprinkled over his features as he delivers every hard-hitting punch line and over-confident criticism.
I first saw him, as many did, in Rush Hour as the villain, battling Jackie Chan. It was your typical Asian role--ten minutes of combat and maybe three lines if you're lucky. It wasn't until 8 years later that I noticed him again in X-Men: The Last Stand as Kid Omega, a sort of porcupine-type mutant villain. Not that many lines, but also no martial arts. At 38-years-old, after almost fifteen years in this business, he's finally found his niche. You probably haven't even noticed that you've seen him in action on "Lost" as Miles, one of the "rescuers" who has an interesting ability to sense and speak to the dead. Despite such an emotional gift, his character is perceived as a sarcastic and self-preserving jerk with his own hidden agenda. Thus, Leung has created a name for himself, not as yet another "Asian" actor, but as a cynical comedic actor.
If you can't wait to see him in action this Wednesday when "Lost" returns with a 2-hour premiere, then I suggest renting (or searching Youtube for) Shanghai Kiss, which I believe is his first and only lead role. And just in case you're worried about being skeeved-out by the age difference, take comfort in knowing that their relationship is totally PG.
Just watch the first 3.5 minutes of this clip to get sold on the film (and Leung):
Saturday, January 17, 2009
FILM: Sundance Film Festival 2009 Picks
Even though sometimes a celebrity-less indie can become a cult classic, like Slumdog Millionaire, it's always nice to know about the ones that are star-studded. Here's a rundown of them, with stars for my recommended:
COMEDY
*Adventureland: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Martin Starr (Knocked Up and "Freaks & Geeks"), Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig
Plot: "A comedy set in the summer of 1987 and centered around a recent college grad who takes a nowhere job at his local amusement park, only to find it's the perfect course to get him prepared for the real world."
Arlen Faber: Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham ("Gilmore Girls"), Lou Taylor Pucci (Fifty Pills and Thumbsucker), Olivia Thirlby (Juno and The Wackness), Kat Dennings (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist)
Plot: "A reclusive author of spiritual books, is pursued for advice by a single mother and a man fresh out of rehab."
*Brief Interviews with Hideous Men: Julianne Nicholson (Law & Order: Criminal Intent), John Krasinski ("The Office"), Bobby Cannavale ("Will & Grace"), Timothy Hutton ("Leverage"), Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia), Christopher Meloni ("Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"); Directed by Krasinski
Plot: "A graduate student copes with a recent breakup by conducting interviews with various men."
Motherhood: Uma Thurman, Anthony Edwards ("ER"), Minnie Driver
Plot: "In Manhattan, a mother of two preparing for her daughter's sixth birthday party has no idea of the challenges she's about to face in order to pull off the event."
*Paper Heart: Charlyne Yi (Knocked Up) and Michael Cera
Plot: A look at the relationship between two young actors.
*Rudo y Cursi: Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal; Written and directed by Carlos Cuaron, brother to Alfonso (Children of Men).
Plot: "Two siblings rival each other inside the world of professional soccer."
*Spread: Ashton Kutcher, Anne Heche, Margarita Levieva (The Invisible and "Vanished"), Rachel Blanchard ("Clueless"), Sebastian Stan (The Covenant)
Plot: It's "a hard biting story about a high-end lethario, Nikki (Kutcher), who has slept his way into a life of privilege. He shares his secrets with us as he hosts parties and beds scores of women, all while living it up at the Hollywood Hills home of a middle-aged female attorney, Samantha (Heche). Everything is going swimmingly until Nikki meets a gorgeous waitress named Heather (Levieva), who, unbeknownst to him, is playing the same game that he is. As the truth of their life unravels, they find themselves sexually charged by a game of one-upsmanship that has them dining at fine restaurants and crashing posh parties, until the truth of their lives forces them to choose between love and money."
*Spring Breakdown: Amy Poehler, Parker Posey, Rachel Dratch ("SNL"), Amber Tamblyn ("Joan of Arcadia"), Jane Lynch (Role Models), Missi Pyle (Galaxy Quest)
Plot: "Three women vacation together at a popular travel destination for college co-eds on spring break."
*Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy: Chris Rock, Cedric the Entertainer, Dave Chappelle, Bill Cosby, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley, Mo'Nique, Eddie Griffin, Russell Simmons, Wanda Sykes, Damon Wayans, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Katt Williams, and more
*The Winning Season: Sam Rockwell, Emma Roberts ("Unfabulous" and Nancy Drew), Rob Corddry (What Happens in Vegas), Shareeka Epps (Half Nelson)
Plot: "A comedy centered on a has-been coach who is given a shot at redemption when he's asked to run his local high school's girls basketball team."
*World's Greatest Dad: Robin Williams, Daryl Sabara (Spy Kids), Alexie Gilmore ("New Amsterdam")
Plot: "Lance is a high school teacher who protects his family from shame following the embarrassing accidental death of his son. Lance writes a fake suicide note to cover up the death, but without permission the note is published and becomes an unexpected hit. Keen to be a successful author, Lance produces an entire journal which he passes off as his son's."
*500 Days of Summer: Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel (Yes Man)
Plot: "An offbeat romantic comedy about a woman who doesn't believe true love exists, and the young man who falls for her."
DRAMEDY
Cold Souls: Paul Giamatti, David Strathairn (The Bourne Ultimatum), Emily Watson (The Water Horse), Lauren Ambrose ("Six Feet Under")
Plot: "An exploration of a man in search of his soul."
*I Love Your Phillip Morris: Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor, Leslie Mann (Knocked Up), Rodrigo Santoro ("Lost" and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle)
Plot: "The movie is a true story of Steven Russell (Carrey), a married father whose exploits landed him in the Texas criminal justice system. He fell madly in love with his cellmate (McGregor), who eventually was set free, which led Russell to escape from Texas prisons four times."
The Missing Person: Michael Shannon (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead), Amy Ryan ("The Office" and Gone Baby Gone), Frank Wood ("The Flight of the Conchords")
Plot: "Private detective John Rosow is hired to tail a man on a train from Chicago to Los Angeles. Rosow gradually uncovers the man's identity as a missing person; one of the thousands presumed dead after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Persuaded by a large reward, Rosow is charged with bringing the missing person back to his wife in New York City."
*The Vicious Kind: Brittany Snow (Finding Amand and John Tucker Must Die), Adam Scott (Monster-in-Law), J.K. Simmons ("The Closer"), Alex Frost (Drillbit Taylor and Elephant)
Plot: "A man becomes obsessed with the girlfriend his brother brings home for Thanksgiving."
DRAMA
Against the Current: Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love), Justin Kirk ("Weeds"), Elizabeth Reaser ("Grey's Anatomy" and "The Ex List"), Mary Tyler Moore, Michelle Trachtenberg ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Gossip Girl"), Pell James (Undiscovered)
Plot: "Struggling with a tragic past, a man with an urgent calling enlists two friends to help him swim the length of the Hudson River."
Big Fan: Patton Oswalt ("King of Queens"), Michael Rapaport ("Prison Break"), Kevin Corrigan ("Grounded for Life")
Plot: "Paul Aufiero, a hardcore New York Giants football fan, struggles to deal with the consequences when he is beaten up by his favorite player."
Dare: Emmy Rossum (Phantom of the Opera), Zach Gilford ("Friday Night Lights"), Ana Gasteyer ("SNL"), Alan Cumming (X-Men), Sandra Bernhard ("Roseanne")
Plot: "The good girl, the outsider and the bad boy...like you've never seen them before."
An Education: Peter Sarsgaard, BBC actress Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Emma Thompson; Written by Nick Hornby.
Plot: "A coming-of-age story about a teenage girl in 1960s suburban London, and how her life changes with the arrival of a playboy nearly twice her age."
Endgame: William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Strong (Stardust), Jonny Lee Miller ("Eli Stone")
Plot: "A story based on the covert discussions that brought down the Apartheid regime in South Africa."
The Greatest: Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon, BBC actress Carey Mulligan, Johnny Simmons (Hotel for Dogs), Michael Shannon (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead)
Plot: "A drama that is centered around a troubled teenage girl and a family that is trying to get over the loss of their son."
It Might Get Loud: the Edge, Jimmy Page and Jack White
Plot: "A documentary on the electric guitar from the point of view of three significant rock musicians."
*Lymelife: Alec Baldwin, Kieran Culkin (Igby Goes Down), Rory Culkin (Mean Creek), Jill Hennessy ("Crossing Jordan"), Timothy Hutton ("Leverage"), Cynthia Nixon ("Sex and the City"), Emma Roberts ("Unfabulous" and Nancy Drew)
Plot: "Set in the late 70's, seen through the innocent eyes of a fifteen year old boy, Scott, it's a unique take on the dangers of the American Dream. This funny, sad, violent and sometimes tragic look at first love, family dynamics and divorce weaves an intricate tapestry of American life during a time of drastic economic and emotional change."
The Messenger: Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma), Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton (Minority Report), Jena Malone (Into the Wild)
Plot: "An American soldier struggles with an ethical dilemma when he becomes involved with a widow of a fallen officer."
La MISSION: Benjamin Bratt, Erika Alexander ("Living Single"), Jesse Borrego ("Dexter"), Talisa Soto Bratt (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation); Directed by Bratt's brother Peter.
Plot: "Set in the colorful, seedy streets of the San Francisco district that bears its name, La MISSION is a story of redemption imbued with the curative power of Aztec tradition."
Peter and Vandy: Jason Ritter ("The Class"), Jess Weixler (Teeth), Jesse L. Martin (Rent), Tracie Thoms (Rent)
Plot: It "is a love story told out of order. Set in Manhattan, the story shifts back and forth in time, juxtaposing Peter and Vandy's romantic beginnings with the twisted, manipulative, regular couple they become. The film explores the question most couples ask themselves... 'How the hell did we get this way?'"
Push (Based on the novel by Sapphire): Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe, Paula Patton (Deja Vu), Mo’Nique, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd ("The View"), Lenny Kravitz
Plot: "In Harlem, an overweight, illiterate teen who is pregnant with her second child is invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that her life can head in a new direction."
Shrink: Kevin Spacey, Keke Palmer (Akeelah and the Bee and The Longshots), Mark Webber (Snow Day), Dallas Roberts ("The L Word"), Saffron Burrows ("My Own Worst Enemy")
Plot: "Unable to cope with a recent personal tragedy, LA's top celebrity shrink turns into a pothead with no concern for his appearance and a creeping sense of his inability to help his patients."
Taking Chance: Kevin Bacon
Plot: "Based on real-life events, Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, a volunteer military escort officer, accompanies the body of 19-year-old Marine Chance Phelps back to his hometown of Dubois, Wyoming."
ACTION/CRIME/THRILLER
Brooklyn's Finest: Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Ellen Barkin, Jesse Williams (Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2), Lili Taylor ("State of Mind" and "Six Feet Under")
Plot: "Three unconnected Brooklyn cops wind up at the same deadly location after enduring vastly different career paths."
The Informers: Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger, Mickey Rourke, Winona Ryder, Jon Foster ("Life as We Know It" and Life As a House), Amber Heard (Never Back Down)
Plot: "A multi-strand narrative set in early 1980's Los Angeles, centered on an array of characters who represent both the top of the heap (a Hollywood dream merchant, a dissolute rock star, an aging newscaster) and the bottom (a voyeuristic doorman, an amoral ex-con). Connecting the intertwining strands are a group of beautiful, blonde young men and women who sleep all day and party all night, doing drugs -- and one another --with abandon, never realizing that they are dancing on the edge of a volcano."
*The Killing Room: Chloë Sevigny, Peter Stormare ("Prison Break" and Constantine), Clea DuVall (The Faculty), Timothy Hutton ("Leverage"), Nick Cannon, Shea Whigham (Man of the House)
Plot: "Four individuals sign up for a psychological research study only to discover that they are now subjects of a brutal, classified government program."
Moon: Sam Rockwell (Choke) and Kevin Spacey
Plot: "Astronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter while stranded on the moon for a three-year period."
TAKE A LOOK at a few unknowns
Don't Let Me Drown: "In a post-September 11th world overflowing with fear and hate, two Latino teens discover that sometimes the only thing that can keep them from drowning is love."
Sin Nombre: "The stories of Sayra, a teenager living in Honduras and hungering for a brighter future, and teen gang members Smiley and Casper, for whom the Mara Salvatrucha is nearly their entire universe, become interlaced on the train to the border, a journey that will determine the future of their lives."
Unmade Beds: "When wide-eyed Spaniard Axl comes to London on a quest for the father who abandoned him, he lands in the middle of a creative hotbed—an underground polyglot squat filled with colorful free spirits. Among them is Vera, a beautiful Belgian girl recently dumped by her boyfriend, who seeks to restore her faith in romantic destiny after meeting a charismatic stranger. As Axl and Vera separately pursue these bittersweet and elusive connections, they circle each other's orbits—their fates almost inevitably intertwined."
For a full list of the grand event happening in Park City, Utah from Jan. 15th - Jan. 25th, click here!
COMEDY
*Adventureland: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Martin Starr (Knocked Up and "Freaks & Geeks"), Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig
Plot: "A comedy set in the summer of 1987 and centered around a recent college grad who takes a nowhere job at his local amusement park, only to find it's the perfect course to get him prepared for the real world."
Arlen Faber: Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham ("Gilmore Girls"), Lou Taylor Pucci (Fifty Pills and Thumbsucker), Olivia Thirlby (Juno and The Wackness), Kat Dennings (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist)
Plot: "A reclusive author of spiritual books, is pursued for advice by a single mother and a man fresh out of rehab."
*Brief Interviews with Hideous Men: Julianne Nicholson (Law & Order: Criminal Intent), John Krasinski ("The Office"), Bobby Cannavale ("Will & Grace"), Timothy Hutton ("Leverage"), Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia), Christopher Meloni ("Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"); Directed by Krasinski
Plot: "A graduate student copes with a recent breakup by conducting interviews with various men."
The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle: Marshall Allman ("Prison Break"), Natasha Lyonne (American Pie), Tania Raymonde ("Lost")
Plot: "After he loses his high-paying job, Dory takes a gig as a night janitor in order to pay rent. Alone late at night inside a market research firm, he soon discovers the company is experimenting on their other janitors..."
Manure: Billy Bob Thornton, Téa Leoni, Kyle MacLachlan ("Desperate Housewives")
Plot: "When a tragic accident ends the life of Mr. Rose, the genius behind Rose's Manure Company, the livelihood of its loyal fleet of salesmen threatens to go, as they say, into the toilet. Enter estranged daughter Rosemary, a high-class cosmetics salesgirl, who steps in to take control. She is not sure she has a nose for the family business, but she is determined to make foul into profit. Little does she know that a ruthless, slick-talking fertilizer rep is plotting a takeover. Whether she likes it or not, she must trust her top salesman, Patrick Fitzpatrick, to devise a plan to regain Rose's rightful position on top of the heap."
Motherhood: Uma Thurman, Anthony Edwards ("ER"), Minnie Driver
Plot: "In Manhattan, a mother of two preparing for her daughter's sixth birthday party has no idea of the challenges she's about to face in order to pull off the event."
*Paper Heart: Charlyne Yi (Knocked Up) and Michael Cera
Plot: A look at the relationship between two young actors.
*Rudo y Cursi: Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal; Written and directed by Carlos Cuaron, brother to Alfonso (Children of Men).
Plot: "Two siblings rival each other inside the world of professional soccer."
*Spread: Ashton Kutcher, Anne Heche, Margarita Levieva (The Invisible and "Vanished"), Rachel Blanchard ("Clueless"), Sebastian Stan (The Covenant)
Plot: It's "a hard biting story about a high-end lethario, Nikki (Kutcher), who has slept his way into a life of privilege. He shares his secrets with us as he hosts parties and beds scores of women, all while living it up at the Hollywood Hills home of a middle-aged female attorney, Samantha (Heche). Everything is going swimmingly until Nikki meets a gorgeous waitress named Heather (Levieva), who, unbeknownst to him, is playing the same game that he is. As the truth of their life unravels, they find themselves sexually charged by a game of one-upsmanship that has them dining at fine restaurants and crashing posh parties, until the truth of their lives forces them to choose between love and money."
*Spring Breakdown: Amy Poehler, Parker Posey, Rachel Dratch ("SNL"), Amber Tamblyn ("Joan of Arcadia"), Jane Lynch (Role Models), Missi Pyle (Galaxy Quest)
Plot: "Three women vacation together at a popular travel destination for college co-eds on spring break."
*Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy: Chris Rock, Cedric the Entertainer, Dave Chappelle, Bill Cosby, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley, Mo'Nique, Eddie Griffin, Russell Simmons, Wanda Sykes, Damon Wayans, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Katt Williams, and more
*The Winning Season: Sam Rockwell, Emma Roberts ("Unfabulous" and Nancy Drew), Rob Corddry (What Happens in Vegas), Shareeka Epps (Half Nelson)
Plot: "A comedy centered on a has-been coach who is given a shot at redemption when he's asked to run his local high school's girls basketball team."
*World's Greatest Dad: Robin Williams, Daryl Sabara (Spy Kids), Alexie Gilmore ("New Amsterdam")
Plot: "Lance is a high school teacher who protects his family from shame following the embarrassing accidental death of his son. Lance writes a fake suicide note to cover up the death, but without permission the note is published and becomes an unexpected hit. Keen to be a successful author, Lance produces an entire journal which he passes off as his son's."
*500 Days of Summer: Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel (Yes Man)
Plot: "An offbeat romantic comedy about a woman who doesn't believe true love exists, and the young man who falls for her."
DRAMEDY
Cold Souls: Paul Giamatti, David Strathairn (The Bourne Ultimatum), Emily Watson (The Water Horse), Lauren Ambrose ("Six Feet Under")
Plot: "An exploration of a man in search of his soul."
*I Love Your Phillip Morris: Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor, Leslie Mann (Knocked Up), Rodrigo Santoro ("Lost" and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle)
Plot: "The movie is a true story of Steven Russell (Carrey), a married father whose exploits landed him in the Texas criminal justice system. He fell madly in love with his cellmate (McGregor), who eventually was set free, which led Russell to escape from Texas prisons four times."
The Missing Person: Michael Shannon (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead), Amy Ryan ("The Office" and Gone Baby Gone), Frank Wood ("The Flight of the Conchords")
Plot: "Private detective John Rosow is hired to tail a man on a train from Chicago to Los Angeles. Rosow gradually uncovers the man's identity as a missing person; one of the thousands presumed dead after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Persuaded by a large reward, Rosow is charged with bringing the missing person back to his wife in New York City."
*The Vicious Kind: Brittany Snow (Finding Amand and John Tucker Must Die), Adam Scott (Monster-in-Law), J.K. Simmons ("The Closer"), Alex Frost (Drillbit Taylor and Elephant)
Plot: "A man becomes obsessed with the girlfriend his brother brings home for Thanksgiving."
DRAMA
Against the Current: Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love), Justin Kirk ("Weeds"), Elizabeth Reaser ("Grey's Anatomy" and "The Ex List"), Mary Tyler Moore, Michelle Trachtenberg ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Gossip Girl"), Pell James (Undiscovered)
Plot: "Struggling with a tragic past, a man with an urgent calling enlists two friends to help him swim the length of the Hudson River."
Big Fan: Patton Oswalt ("King of Queens"), Michael Rapaport ("Prison Break"), Kevin Corrigan ("Grounded for Life")
Plot: "Paul Aufiero, a hardcore New York Giants football fan, struggles to deal with the consequences when he is beaten up by his favorite player."
Dare: Emmy Rossum (Phantom of the Opera), Zach Gilford ("Friday Night Lights"), Ana Gasteyer ("SNL"), Alan Cumming (X-Men), Sandra Bernhard ("Roseanne")
Plot: "The good girl, the outsider and the bad boy...like you've never seen them before."
An Education: Peter Sarsgaard, BBC actress Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Emma Thompson; Written by Nick Hornby.
Plot: "A coming-of-age story about a teenage girl in 1960s suburban London, and how her life changes with the arrival of a playboy nearly twice her age."
Endgame: William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Strong (Stardust), Jonny Lee Miller ("Eli Stone")
Plot: "A story based on the covert discussions that brought down the Apartheid regime in South Africa."
The Greatest: Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon, BBC actress Carey Mulligan, Johnny Simmons (Hotel for Dogs), Michael Shannon (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead)
Plot: "A drama that is centered around a troubled teenage girl and a family that is trying to get over the loss of their son."
It Might Get Loud: the Edge, Jimmy Page and Jack White
Plot: "A documentary on the electric guitar from the point of view of three significant rock musicians."
*Lymelife: Alec Baldwin, Kieran Culkin (Igby Goes Down), Rory Culkin (Mean Creek), Jill Hennessy ("Crossing Jordan"), Timothy Hutton ("Leverage"), Cynthia Nixon ("Sex and the City"), Emma Roberts ("Unfabulous" and Nancy Drew)
Plot: "Set in the late 70's, seen through the innocent eyes of a fifteen year old boy, Scott, it's a unique take on the dangers of the American Dream. This funny, sad, violent and sometimes tragic look at first love, family dynamics and divorce weaves an intricate tapestry of American life during a time of drastic economic and emotional change."
The Messenger: Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma), Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton (Minority Report), Jena Malone (Into the Wild)
Plot: "An American soldier struggles with an ethical dilemma when he becomes involved with a widow of a fallen officer."
La MISSION: Benjamin Bratt, Erika Alexander ("Living Single"), Jesse Borrego ("Dexter"), Talisa Soto Bratt (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation); Directed by Bratt's brother Peter.
Plot: "Set in the colorful, seedy streets of the San Francisco district that bears its name, La MISSION is a story of redemption imbued with the curative power of Aztec tradition."
Peter and Vandy: Jason Ritter ("The Class"), Jess Weixler (Teeth), Jesse L. Martin (Rent), Tracie Thoms (Rent)
Plot: It "is a love story told out of order. Set in Manhattan, the story shifts back and forth in time, juxtaposing Peter and Vandy's romantic beginnings with the twisted, manipulative, regular couple they become. The film explores the question most couples ask themselves... 'How the hell did we get this way?'"
Push (Based on the novel by Sapphire): Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe, Paula Patton (Deja Vu), Mo’Nique, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd ("The View"), Lenny Kravitz
Plot: "In Harlem, an overweight, illiterate teen who is pregnant with her second child is invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that her life can head in a new direction."
Shrink: Kevin Spacey, Keke Palmer (Akeelah and the Bee and The Longshots), Mark Webber (Snow Day), Dallas Roberts ("The L Word"), Saffron Burrows ("My Own Worst Enemy")
Plot: "Unable to cope with a recent personal tragedy, LA's top celebrity shrink turns into a pothead with no concern for his appearance and a creeping sense of his inability to help his patients."
Taking Chance: Kevin Bacon
Plot: "Based on real-life events, Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, a volunteer military escort officer, accompanies the body of 19-year-old Marine Chance Phelps back to his hometown of Dubois, Wyoming."
ACTION/CRIME/THRILLER
Brooklyn's Finest: Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Ellen Barkin, Jesse Williams (Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2), Lili Taylor ("State of Mind" and "Six Feet Under")
Plot: "Three unconnected Brooklyn cops wind up at the same deadly location after enduring vastly different career paths."
The Informers: Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger, Mickey Rourke, Winona Ryder, Jon Foster ("Life as We Know It" and Life As a House), Amber Heard (Never Back Down)
Plot: "A multi-strand narrative set in early 1980's Los Angeles, centered on an array of characters who represent both the top of the heap (a Hollywood dream merchant, a dissolute rock star, an aging newscaster) and the bottom (a voyeuristic doorman, an amoral ex-con). Connecting the intertwining strands are a group of beautiful, blonde young men and women who sleep all day and party all night, doing drugs -- and one another --with abandon, never realizing that they are dancing on the edge of a volcano."
*The Killing Room: Chloë Sevigny, Peter Stormare ("Prison Break" and Constantine), Clea DuVall (The Faculty), Timothy Hutton ("Leverage"), Nick Cannon, Shea Whigham (Man of the House)
Plot: "Four individuals sign up for a psychological research study only to discover that they are now subjects of a brutal, classified government program."
Moon: Sam Rockwell (Choke) and Kevin Spacey
Plot: "Astronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter while stranded on the moon for a three-year period."
TAKE A LOOK at a few unknowns
Don't Let Me Drown: "In a post-September 11th world overflowing with fear and hate, two Latino teens discover that sometimes the only thing that can keep them from drowning is love."
Sin Nombre: "The stories of Sayra, a teenager living in Honduras and hungering for a brighter future, and teen gang members Smiley and Casper, for whom the Mara Salvatrucha is nearly their entire universe, become interlaced on the train to the border, a journey that will determine the future of their lives."
Unmade Beds: "When wide-eyed Spaniard Axl comes to London on a quest for the father who abandoned him, he lands in the middle of a creative hotbed—an underground polyglot squat filled with colorful free spirits. Among them is Vera, a beautiful Belgian girl recently dumped by her boyfriend, who seeks to restore her faith in romantic destiny after meeting a charismatic stranger. As Axl and Vera separately pursue these bittersweet and elusive connections, they circle each other's orbits—their fates almost inevitably intertwined."
For a full list of the grand event happening in Park City, Utah from Jan. 15th - Jan. 25th, click here!
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