I’m a big fan of Nicole Kidman. Almost without exception I have loved every performance she has ever turned in. I still think her performance in Moulin Rouge is one of the best I’ve ever seen by an actress… but I digress.
The good folks over at Cinema Confidential are reporting on a new project Kidman is going to be developing for herself:
Nicole Kidman and writer Simon Kinberg are teaming on an untitled spy thriller for Rengency Enterprises and 20th Century Fox. Kinberg will write the screenplay while Kidman will star and produce. The trade says that story details are being kept under wraps, but the film is described as being in the vein of “The Bourne Identity” but with a female protagonist.
Nicole Kidman in an action role? Hmmm… it’s hard for me to picture this one. Yeah, she was in The Peacemaker with Clooney… but she really wasn’t involved in the action that much. Can she pull this off? Well… if she can, it’ll make her one of the most well rounded actresses of all time in my opinion, cause this lady has already shown she can pull off just about everything else.
I am one of the few humans alive today that actually enjoyed Punisher. I’ve also been looking forward to seeing where they take things with Punisher 2. However, it would appear that while Punisher 2 is still going to get made… it’s getting delayed for a while. Our friends at Cinematical give us this:
Tom Jane recently gave another Q and A session over at his message boards, and in the very first question Tom back-tracked on his earlier suggestion about the movie filming this summer. According to Tom, P2 is “still looking for a good script,” which the team hopes to have in place by sometime this fall.
Hmmm… that actually flies contrary to the word I heard a while ago that said the script was finished. oh well… guess that was either incorrect or they trashed the script and decided to start again. I’m not DYING to see Punisher 2… but I’ll still be happy when it finally comes out… IF it ever comes out.
Non-Actress Jessica Simpson just doesn’t want to take the hint. Totally confused why some studio won’t hand her a serious role, Jessica has taken matters into her own hands (Many of you are wishing your penis was named “matters”), and bought the movie rights to the Jackie Collins novel “Lovers and Players“. Gosh, I wonder who she’s planning on putting in the lead female role?
The good folks over at Cinematical give us this little tid bit onthe project:
Lovers and Players tells the story of a billionaire who summons his three sons to Las Vegas in order to make an announcement about their inheritance. Somewhere mixed in is a 19-year-old waitress named Liberty who aspires to be the next Mariah Carey.
Oh surprise surprise! A music celeb who is going to make a movie about a character who wants to become a music celeb. Gee Whizz… never seen that before have we. Look, I’m sorry to come off so harsh, but it has to be said: Someone needs to tell her to wear her tight little outfits, smile with those beautiful teeth and shake her titties for 3 minutes at a time in her music videos and stay the hell out of movies. She’ll make more money than I ever could in 8 lifetimes. Do all of us film fans a favour and leave the art of acting to real actresses.
Here is some of the other movie news floating around the web today:
– Richard Dean Anderson Returns To Stargate Yeah it’s a TV show… but it’s based on a movie so worth commenting on. The reruns are one of my guilty pleasures from time to time.
– Gnomeo & Juliet Canceled A 3D animated film about garden Gnomes in a rendition of the Shaekpser play gets the axe at Disney. Looks like that Pixar merger is paying off with some decent decisions.
Take this one with a grain of salt folks. A film site I like to visit once in a while (Movie Tab) has put up what they claim is the “Official Plot Summary” for Spider-Man 3. How do they have their hands on this an no one else? Your guess (or suscpision) is as good as mine. But, I thought I would be remiss if I didn’t at least share this with you and let you decide for yourselves.
With his secret now revealed to both Mary Jane and Harry, Peter must face the consequences of his actions and his new life together with Mary Jane as they finally form a relationship. Yet their newfound open display of love has yielded some unfortunate results, not the least of which is Peter’s upset boss determined to make his life hell for causing his son emotional distress. Not helping is a young investigative reporter named Eddie Brock who Jameson has hired to find out why Mary Jane dumped his son for Peter – what’s Parker’s secrets?
At the same time an escaped prisoner hiding out on a remote beach is caught in a dreadful accident and finds himself turned into a shape-shifting sand creature. Peter’s investigations into the past of this ‘Sandman’ brings him in contact with two very different things that will inevitably alter his life. The first a young woman named Gwen Stacy, daughter of the city’s new police chief who is developing a soft spot for Peter. The other, a black substance from an accident scene which ‘merges’ with Peter’s costume and gives him new found abilities.
Things come to a head however when Harry Osborn, determined to take revenge against Peter for his father’s death and now equipped with what he needs to pull it off, teams with The Sandman in a new variation of his father’s Green Goblin guise and causes mayhem. In the ensuing chaos lives are lost, including people very close to Peter, whilst the black substance covering his suit separates from him and merges with a distraught Brock to form something else entirely – a creature unlike anything he’s ever faced. A ‘Venom’ that he may not be able to stop.
So what do you think? Real? Bunk? Leave your thoughts below. Thanks to Devon for brining this to my attention.
I really enjoyed Ocean’s 11. I even liked Ocean’s 12… just not as much. Well now here comes the word that Ocean’s 13 is on its way:
George Clooney’s an Academy Award winner, he and his crew are returning to their thieving ways. Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon will star in “Ocean’s 13,” the third flick in their franchise about a gang of lovable crooks, distributor Warner Bros. announced Monday.
Word is that most of the supporting cast are coming back as well… except this time there doesn’t seem to be any mention of Julia Roberts or Catharine Zeta Jones Douglas Campea (last part is just wishful thinking). Does that mean there will be a new love interest? Or none at all (that would be my vote).
I like this news… mostly because as an actor, I really like George Clooney, and I still think Brad Pitt is one of the 10 best in the business today. The two of them had (in my opinion) fantastic on screen chemistry as partners in crime. I just hope this one is better than the second one. (via MSNBC)
Just the other day my friend Dave Blondel from Pocket Sized Films was over here and asking me if I’ve ever watched Arrested Development… to which I replied “no” (I don’t watch a lot of TV besides Battlestar Galactica, news and sports). He then went on about how amazing the show is (I’ve read a lot of people say that too).
Well perhaps the TV gods heard that conversation and decided that John needed to see the show in his own native language of film… so now here comes rumbling that there may indeed be an Arrested Development movie on its way. The good folks over at Cinema Confidential give us this:
“Arrested Development” TV series creator Mitch Hurwitz has quit the show, leaving little hope for the series to continue on another network for a fourth season. But could it follow in the footsteps of “Firefly” and be resurrected as a feature film? The trade hints as such. Hurwitz hints to the trade that while “Arrested Development” has run its course as a TV series, a feature film is a possibilty for the future.
So what do you think? I’m not really in a position to comment on if this is a good idea or not since I haven’t seen the show… so the floor is yours.
Ever since the trailer for the new film United 93 came out, a lot of people have been bashing the project saying it’s someone trying to cash in on the tragedy of the events of 9/11. I never bought that. I still don’t buy that (well… at least until I see the movie). Perhaps that bashing is what’s behind the release of this behind the scenes video of United 93, which talks about how director Paul Greengrass went and talked to the families of the victims of Flight 93 before going ahead with the movie.
This short little video is pretty moving. Several family members of victims talking about how they wanted this film to get made, and to tell the stories of their loved ones.
Is the studio hoping to make money on this? Obviously they are… it’s still a business. But in doing this film, I don’t think they crossed any lines, and appear to have gone about it the right way. Final judgement will have to wait until we see the film to decide is they succeeded or not. (via AICN)
FHM magazine has come out with their annual “100 Sexiest Women in the World” issue, and drop dead gorgeous movie star Scarlett Johansson hit #1 replacing Angelina Jolie in the top spot (Jolie dropped all the way down to #2).
The top 10 of the list looks something like this:
1) Scarlett Johansson
2) Angelina Jolie
3) Jessica Alba
4) Jesica Simpson
5) Keira Knightley
6) Halle Berry
7) Jenny McCarthy
8) Maria Sharapova
9) Carmen Electra
10) Teri Hatcher
Do I agree 100% with that list? Not really. However, let’s just say that if that particular list was my April Date card… then I would be a very happy man.
I guess it was only a matter of time. Here comes “Fuck” the movie. Hot on the heel of “The Aristocrats” (which is just hilarious by the way), a movie which traces the life of a single joke as told by 100 comedians, ThinkFilm is following up with a movie that traces the history and origins of the dirtiest of words.
Think decided to pick up the Steve Anderson helmed ‘Fuck’ after it played at the South by Southwest film festival earlier this year. Theatrical release is planned for late 2006.
Good grief. This may be the first time in history that a movie gets an “R” rating just for it’s title. All joking aside, I think this could actually be a little interesting. I’m always facinated by the origins of popular sayings or words… I guess I never really thought about this one. But really… when you think about it… who came up with the word “Fuck” in the first place and why?!?!
– Tom Hanks to make “How Starbucks Saved My Life” “Hanks starring as a hot shot business guy who loses his job and family and must take a job at the titular caffeine joint. He learns important lessons, by the way, possibly including that your value as a person isn’t dictated by your job or paycheck. Hanks will be acting this epiphany out in between visits to the bank to cash his 20 million dollar fee.”
Today on the Audio Edition Darren, Doug and I discuss Lindsay Lohan’s desire to be Wnder Woman and who we can see in the role, the take off of March of the Penguins “Farce of the Penguins”, some pointless Transformers chatter and we review “Inside Man” and “Stay Alive”… and I still can’t believe Rafe liked this one! All this and a few things more.
Over at Movie Blog TV I’ve uploaded my quick 3 minute review of the new Denzel Washington / Clive Owen heist film “Inside Man”. Also appearin in the film are Jodi Foster and Wilem Dafoe.
To see the review you can head over to the Movie Blog TV page, or just watch it below.
I can’t decide if this one sounds like a pile of stupid brain dead nonsense… or fantastic fun. The new project called “Razorwire” is about ready to go into production… and here’s what Dark Horizons tell us about it:
The script centers on a group of small-time drug dealers who discover that vampires, who also happen to be cops, have been feeding on the disadvantaged people in the ghetto. When the vampire cops start framing them for the murders, the dealers go to war with their new immortal enemies.
Oh… My… Goodness. Drug dealers going to war against Vampire cops?!?!?! Are they serious?!?!?! This idea is moronic. No wait… it’s hilarious. No… no I’m going back to stupid. Wait a second, I want to line up for tickets right now. Gaaaa… I can feel my intelligence slipping away every second that I even think about this… and yet it could be the greatest thing EVER!!!
Forget it, I can’t make up my mind. What do you guys think?
File this one under “Good heavens please don’t ever let this happen“. But according to the UK newspaper The Sun, it appears Lindsay Lohan is interested in playing Wonder Woman. I’m going to have trouble sleeping tonight.
“Wonder Woman would be cool. I’m trying to find roles right now that are different to anything I’ve done to show my abilities, to show that I have some sort of stretch in me. Because most of the things that I’ve done so far are aimed at younger girls and are light-hearted.”
Now remember, this is Lindsay Lohan saying this… not Joss Whedon or some studio exec. I have to believe that Whedon wouldn’t EVER allow this kind of casting to happen (at least I hope he wouldn’t). If this were to ever happen, the Wonder Woman project would instantly become a “stelth” project and magically vanish from everyone’s collective interest radar screen. At least it would disappear from mine. (via)
Watchmen has been “on again/off again” almost as much as the new Indiana Jones project of the last couple of years. Now it looks like there could finally be some real tangible movement on the film. According to AICN, Watchmen may finally have itself a director. Here’s what they had to say:
I’ve been able to confirm now that (Zack) Snyder has entered negotiations with Warner Bros. to helm the project, which is fantastic news. I know that all you guys have seen so far is DAWN OF THE DEAD, so that’s all you can judge him on, but trust me… 300 is a whole different ball game. When you get a load of what this guy is capable of… when you see how far he pushes things with bringing Frank Miller’s world to life… you’ll be just as excited as I am.
WIth the success of Sin City, you just knew the studio would find a way to take advantage of the graphic novel at some point. Maybe this is actually it.
A few months ago I posted a story about the upcoming film “The Mutant Chronicles“. The movie will star Thomas Jane (Punisher) and apparently they’ve also just got one of my favorite actors on the planet, Mr. John Malkovich! Yee Hawww, this thing is shaping up to be fun!
So what is “The Mutant Chronicles” all about? Here’s a quick synopsis from the good folks over at Killer Movies:
Malkovich will play Constantine, who heads a United Nations-style council of four corporation-run countries that have pillaged Earth’s natural resources. When a marauding army of “NecroMutants” wages a battle against humans for the little that remains, Constantine is tempted to destroy the planet and evacuate some of its people rather than allow it to be overtaken, all with the corporations’ best interests in mind.
Oh my sweet goodness this sounds like earth shattering cheesy goodness. The Sci-Fi geek in me just can’t wait! Yeah, it’ll probably suck hard… but I choose to be optimistic! :)
As most of you know, Ben Affleck is getting ready to make his directorial debut with his film “Gone Baby Gone“. He’s already pulled off the next to impossible task of getting his younger brother to appear in the film, as well as Kiss Kiss Bang Bang hottie Michelle Monaghan. But come one, what serious actor wants to hook up with a film that Ben Affleck is directing right?
Well, it appears maybe a couple of big names. Reports are now saying that multi Oscar nominee Ed Harris has joined up for the project, and that Morgan Freeman could be on lhis way as well. That’s adding some serious talent fire power. Do these guys know something about Affleck that we don’t? Here’s a quick synopsis of Gone Baby Gone from the good folks over at CHUD:
The thriller follows Affleck and Monaghan’s Beantown private detective duo who, while on a child-abduction case, get enmeshed in a web of drug dealers and police corruption. Harris, last seen menacing The Vig in A History of Violence, will be on the other side of the badge to play Remy Broussard, a special crimes unit cop who assists the dicks on their case.
Sounds SLIGHTLY interesting. I’ll reserve all judgements till be get closer to an actual release. But as for the issue at hand… is anyone else surprised that Harris would sign up for this?
I’m man enough to admit this publicly. I FRICKIN LOVED MARCH OF THE PENGUINS!!!! I seriously did. I’m also man enough to admit that I actually had a couple of tears well up when that mother Penguin was wailing over the frozen body of her dead baby. But I was sitting with another guy at the time… so I fought back the tears in a very manly way.
Anyway, in the funniest idea for a spoof comedy I think I’ve ever heard, Samuel L Jackson is going to narrate the Penguins take off “Farce of the Penguins” (if you’ll recall Morgan Freeman did the voice work for March of the Penguins). The story will be about a bunch of penguins who march for 70+ miles in a quest to get laid. Hilarious!!!!!
Oh oh oh… and guess who’s directing? BOB SAGET!!!! This thing is gold before it even starts shooting! And get this amazing list of actors lending their voices for the film (from the good folks over at Cinema Blend):
Saget will voice the lead penguin, and he is joined by a huge array of talent: Lewis Black, Mo’Nique, Tracy Morgan, Jason Alexander, James Belushi, Jason Biggs, Dane Cook, Harvey Fierstein, Whoopi Goldberg, Gilbert Gottfried, Norm Macdonald, Carlos Mencia, Alyson Hannigan, Jamie Kennedy, Jon Lovitz, Adam Duritz, John Stamos, Dave Coulier, and more.
Holy crap! With Saget, Stamos and Coulier all involved it’ll be a Full house reunion special! Where are the Olsen twins? Sign me up, I think this sounds hilarious!
I’m a big fan of Randy Quaid. The man just brings so much pure character to every role he plays. Sometimes outrageously silly, sometimes deadly serious, the man seemingly always delivers. The same is true of his performance in Brokeback Mountain.
However, all is not smiles and giggles in Brokeback land. Randy Quaid is suing the producers of the film alleging that they engaged in “intentional and negligent misrepresentation”. What’s the problem? The good folks over at the USA Today give us this:
Quaid filed a lawsuit Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleging the producers got him to work cheap by falsely claiming the movie was “a low-budget, art house film, with no prospect of making any money.”
“Yet from day one, defendants fully intended that the film would not be made on a low budget, would be given a worldwide release, and would be supported as the studio picture it always was secretly intended to be,” the lawsuit says. Quaid agreed to waive his usual seven-figure fee and share of gross profits in favor of a much smaller payment, the suit claims, although it doesn’t say how much he was paid.
The story goes on to say that Quaid is seeking… are you ready for this… $10 million in damages. Yikes!
I’m of two minds on this issue. On the one hand, Randy suffered no damage from this. It’s not as if he had to work harder because the film did well and got a wide release. Randy agreed (under whatever circumstances) to do a job for a certain amount of money. He did the job, got paid what was agreed, and that should be the end of it. HOWEVER…
On the other hand I can sort of see where Quaid is coming from. If he took a huge paycut as a favour to the producers under the impression that the film was going to cost much less to make and not get big studio backing or release… and THEN he finds out it cost more to make and got the big studio treatment… then maybe I’d be ticked off too.
I’m not sure what the answer is to this one… the only thing that is certain is that this is going to get messy and it’s not going away anytime soon. What do you think? Should Quaid get more cash?
I’m a big fan of Nicole Kidman. Almost without exception I have loved every performance she has ever turned in. I still think her performance in Moulin Rouge is one of the best I’ve ever seen by an actress… but I digress.
I am one of the few humans alive today that actually enjoyed 
Non-Actress 
Take this one with a grain of salt folks. A 
I really enjoyed Ocean’s 11. I even liked Ocean’s 12… just not as much. Well now here comes the word that Ocean’s 13 is on its way:
Just the other day my friend Dave Blondel from 
Ever since 
I guess it was only a matter of time. Here comes “Fuck” the movie. Hot on the heel of “
Today on the Audio Edition Darren, Doug and I discuss Lindsay Lohan’s desire to be Wnder Woman and who we can see in the role, the take off of March of the Penguins “Farce of the Penguins”, some pointless Transformers chatter and we review “Inside Man” and “Stay Alive”… and I still can’t believe Rafe liked this one! All this and a few things more.
Over at 
I can’t decide if this one sounds like a pile of stupid brain dead nonsense… or fantastic fun. The new project called “Razorwire” is about ready to go into production… and here’s what 
File this one under “Good heavens please don’t ever let this happen“. But according to the UK newspaper 
A few months ago 
As most of you know, 
I’m man enough to admit this publicly. I FRICKIN LOVED 
I’m a big fan of 
