Happy Birthday to: Actor Breckin Meyer (1974) Swedish musician Eagle Eye Cherry (1969) Actress Traci Lords (1968) Film director Amy Heckerling (1954) Singer/songwriter Janis Ian (1951) Ch...

Has Warner Brothers finally found their A-list actor to be in manga-adaptation “Akira?” The Hollywood Reporter claimed Reeves is in negotiations with Warner Brothers to play Kaneda, the bike gang leader. The actor has not officially been offered the role, but THR reported that the talks with Reeves’ reps have been “going well.” Several other actors were rumored for the part, including James Franco, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Robert Pattinson and even Michael Fassbender. “Akira” will be an English-language, live-action adaptation of the manga series by Katsuhiro Otomo. According to THR, the film’s version will be an action film in New Manhattan rather than post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo. The storyline revolves around Kaneda saving “his best friend from a medical experiment that threatens to unleash destructive powers.” The film will be directed by Albert Hughes. It is not known when the principal photography will begin for this project. These talks are very early and things could change again for this project.Source: The Hollywood Reporter

In a bidding war this week, Warner Brothers is close to finalizing a deal to acquire “Daughter Time: A Tale of Armed Robbery and Eskimo Kisses.” According to Deadline, the project is targeted for actor Matt Damon to star and it will also be his feature directorial debut. The film will be produced through his company Pearl Street with Ben Affleck, Chris Moore and Drew Vinton also on board as producers. The script is written by Matthew Aldrich. The storyline revolves around a man who goes on a three-state crime spree with his daughter. “The script is not a high concept, it’s a smallish, very personal, dark but playful road movie about a father and daughter,” described Aldrich to Deadline. Aldrich wanted the winner bidder to protect the vision of the film and was afraid a big studio may alter his original script. However, Damon promised to protect Aldrich’s vision. “When one of the biggest movie stars in the world, who also happens to be an Academy Award-winning screenwriter, gets on the phone with your client and offers to protect the writer’s vision and opens his hand to be a creative partner, it’s hard to say no,” said Jewerl Ross, Aldrich’s manager, to Deadline. “The money becomes secondary. This script is not the obvious studio movie. There are no explosions. It will require delicate handling. Avoiding years of development hell was our goal.” It was reported Warner Brothers won the spec auction with $500,000. Other studio bids came from Paramount Studios (with J.J. Abrams to produce), Twentieth Century Fox (for Peter Chernin), Mandate, Walter Parkes and Relativity Media.Source: Deadline

Arclight Films announced actor Brendan Fraser will star in a historical family action adventure film “William Tell: 3D.” “There is no other actor who is more perfectly suited to be the patriot and family man that is William Tell. Brendan was the driving force behind the movie being shot in 3D,” said producer Todd Moyer. “He’s a witty, charming and very likeable action hero, and he really anchors the ensemble cast.” Here is the official synopsis: William Tell is a legend in North America for shooting an apple from the top of his son’s head with a bow and arrow (it was really a crossbow).  What Americans don’t know is that he’s a revered historical figure in Europe. In the legend, Tell just can’t leave well enough alone.  The local potentate of the Hapsburg monarch, Hermann Gessler forces Tell to shoot the apple because he refused to bow before Gessler’s hat, erected in a town square.  Tell succeeds in cleanly (and safely) cleaving the fruit and wins his and his son’s freedom.  But Gessler asks Tell why he had two arrows is his quiver, and Tell replies he was going to shoot Gessler with the second if he’d missed.  Tell’s defiance of Gessler ignited an uprising against the Austrian government which led to the formation of Switzerland. Moyer also mentioned Arclight is in negotiations with actress Anna Paquin to play Zora, William Tell’s wife. The film will be directed by Nick Hurran (“The Prisoner,” “Doctor Who”). The film production will begin at Castle Studios in Romania and several locations in Switzerland on October 1st this year. Arclight will be handling the international distribution of the film at Cannes International Film Festivel.Source: Arclight Films press release

Filed under: SUV, Marketing/Advertising, Land Rover

Telly is all grown up. Or, at least the actor that protrayed him in the film Kids is. Leo Fitzpatrick, who also portrayed drug addict Johnny Weeks on The Wire, has decided to go in a different direction for Land Rover's new interactive film Being Henry.

The spot was created by Land Rover as a unique means to tout the many personalization options for its new Evoque. Directed by Nick Gordon, Being Henry allows the viewer to jump into the story and take control of Henry's actions. The result is an engaging, humorous and very different way for an automaker to advertise a product.

Once you reach the end of your decision making process, "the voice" comes in and shows you what type of Evoque fits the decisions you make. We will warn you that some of the language is certainly not safe for work, but the film is definitely worth a few moments of your time. Click past the jump to view a trailer of the film. After that, head over to the Being Henry website to start your journey.

Continue reading Land Rover launches Being Henry interactive film series to promote Evoque

Land Rover launches Being Henry interactive film series to promote Evoque originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 May 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You’d never think that one day a nameless homeless man could just roll into a scum-ridden town and clean it up with the power of a shotgun. Director Jason Eisener believed that it could happen within a Grindhouse-like world with the release of his new film “Hobo With A Shotgun.” The scruffy hobo is played by actor Rutger Hauer, blasting himself back onto the independent film scene with his new face-busting role that all came from one little mock trailer submitted a couple of years ago for a contest at the South By Southwest Film Festival. Once Eisener and company won the top prize, the rest was history. However, we...

EXCLUSIVE: Charles S. Dutton today became the first actor cast in FX's drama pilot Powers. Based on the graphic novel by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming, the project, written by Charles H. Eglee and to be directed by Michael Dinner, is a police procedural set in a world where superpowers are relatively common and centers on two detectives, Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim, in a Homicide department that deals with cases involving "powers" (people with superpowers). Dutton will play Captain Cross, the head of the department. Powers, from Sony Pictures TV and FX Prods., is one of 2 drama pilots FX is eying for a an early January launch. Camilla Luddington, who just portrayed Kate Middleton in the Lifetime film William and Kate, has booked a major recurring role on the upcoming season of Showtime's dark comedy Californication. In an 8-episode arc, Luddington, repped by Main Title and Progressive Artists, will play  a nanny who gets fired from her job and comes to work for Charlie and Marcy.

William Campbell , an actor who was widely familiar to film and television audiences and who was also known as the first husband of Judith Campbell Exner, a mistress of President John F. Kennedy , died on April 28 in Woodland Hills, Calif. He was 87. His death, at the Motion Picture & Television ...

The stately Georgian home where actor Macaulay Culkin outwitted a pair of bumbling thieves in the 1990 hit film "Home Alone" is for sale for $2.4 million.

Along with hip hop mogul Sean Combs’ evolving stage names — first there was Puff Daddy, then P. Diddy, plus the unofficial nicknames Puff and Puffy — have come versatile career moves, from producer and rapper to film actor, fashion designer and reality TV personality.

Filed under: Movie News

'Akira,' the long-in-development live-action version of the landmark 1988 anime film and comic book, might finally have a star in Keanu Reeves.

He's been in talks with Warner Bros. to play gang leader Kaneda in the post-apocalyptic classic.

The studio has wooed a wide variety of actors, including James Franco, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Robert Pattinson and Michael Fassbender, an Anglo-centric list that has prompted protests from some fans.

Concerns about casting an Asian or Asian-American lead to stay true to the project's Japanese roots and setting might be assuaged with Reeves on board; the Hawaiian-born actor is part Chinese. (The same reasoning that makes it OK -- or not, depending on your point of view -- for Johnny Depp, who's got some Cherokee blood, to play Tonto in the upcoming 'Lone Ranger' film.)

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The actor discusses the new version of Total Recall and how it will be "quite a bit darker" than the Schwarzenegger film.

When Quentin Tarantino makes a casting wishlist, he sets his sights high. "High" as in one of the biggest box office stars in the world. The writer/director is currently meeting about his upcoming spaghetti Western [1] Django Unchained and people involved in the meetings have revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that the director's top choice for the lead role of Django, a freed slave who is trained by a German bounty hunter to save his wife, is none other than Will Smith. The Hollywood Reporter [2] also says that Samuel L. Jackson is circling as role as is Christoph Waltz, who was confirmed by William Morris Endeavor but he himself denied involvement. Jackson's role would be as the head slave of the bad guy, Monsieur Calvin Candie, who would face off with Django and Waltz is being eyed as the bounty hunter, the film's second lead. Smith hasn't been in a major motion picture since 2008's Seven Pounds but is currently filming next summer's [3] Men in Black III and is attached to star alongside his son, Jaden in a sci-fi film written and directed [4] by M. Night Shyamalan. According to The Hollywood Reporter, no formal offer of any kind has been made to Smith but any deal would hinge not only on his attraction to the part but availability and some kind of financial understanding. There's probably no way The Weinstein Company can afford Smith's huge going salary. Then again, working with Tarantino has made every single actor out there cooler, so it seems like dropping that number could be a smart decision for Smith. In fact, Variety has a slightly contrary report [5] that says Smith has already informally be offered the role and that he would definitely be willing to forgo his usual huge salary. They also say that both Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio have passed on the project. Can you picture Will Smith starring as a bounty hunting slave, fighting Samuel L. Jackson alongside Christoph Waltz? Me either. But it does sound pretty cool and would almost guarantee that Django Unchained would be Tarantino's biggest box office success yet. [1] http://www.slashfilm.com/more-details-revealed-about-quentin-tarantino%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98django-unchained%e2%80%99/ [2] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/will-smith-emerges-as-frontrunner-186250 [3] http://www.slashfilm.com/smith-josh-brolin-men-black-3/ [4] http://www.slashfilm.com/jaden-smith-star-scifi-film-directed-night-shyamalan/ [5] http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118036551

As Woody Allen prepares to arrive in Cannes with his latest film Midnight in Paris, he is confirming some casting reports about his next film, to be shot in Rome, which he calls "a comic picture, an out-and-out comedy." Speaking to USA Today [1] he offered that quote, said that reports pegging the film's title as The Wrong Picture were, uh, wrong, and confirming that he would indeed appear in the film. And he also confirmed Deadline [2]'s report that Roberto Benigni would play a part in the movie. We don't know what that part will be, but he'll join Penelope Cruz, Ellen Page, Jesse Eisenberg and Alec Baldwin. Roberto Benigni built a big European audience with comic roles in Italy and a small US audience thanks to appearances in films like Down By Law. But he broke into the mainstream in a big way with comic Holocaust film Life is Beautiful, earning a spot in Oscar highlight reels for decades to come with his seat-climbing antics after winning Best Actor for that movie, which also took home Best Foreign Language Film. But he followed that 1997 film with Pinocchio in 2002, which almost no one saw, and The Tiger and the Snow in 2005, which no one saw at all. So this Woody Allen comedy will essentially be his return to the screen after many years, as far as many audiences are concerned. He is a presence that tends to divide audiences -- I got used to him early on thanks to a deep love for Down By Law (much of his dialogue [3], especially his explanation of why he's jailed [4], still makes me laugh) but I can see why he irritates many. But he might be ideal for a Rome-set comedy, especially with Woody Allen at the helm. [1] http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2011/05/woody-allen-casts-the-greatest-actor-in-new-film-/1 [2] http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/roberto-benigni-resurfacing-for-woody-allens-italy-based-film/ [3] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP2tqJTSfgU [4] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHboNFi_zPU

Producer Todd Moyer has announced that Brendan Fraser will take on the title role in the historical family action adventure William Tell: 3D , to be shot this fall in Europe. Nick Hurran ("The Prisoner," "Doctor Who," Undertaking Betty , Little Black Book ) is slated to direct from a script by Scott Reynolds. Moyer expects principal photography to begin October 1st at Castel Studios in Romania and on location in Switzerland. Gary Hamilton will also produce under his Arclight banner, with Arclight handling international distribution of the film at Cannes. Moyer says, "There is no other actor who is more perfectly suited to be the patriot and family man that is William Tell. Brendan was the driving force behind the movie being shot in 3D. He's a witty,...

Naomi Watts stepped in to honour her actor partner Liev Schreiber at the opening of the Israel Film Festival in New York after their author pal Jonathan Safran Foer was forced to pull out of the event.

Critics find it difficult to separate Mel Gibson's personal life from troubled character.
By Kara Warner

Mel Gibson in "The Beaver"
Photo: Summit Entertainment

After release date changes and several other unrelated misfortunes, "The Beaver" is finally bowing in New York City and Los Angeles, with other cities to follow May 20. Starring Mel Gibson, Anton Yelchin, Jodie Foster (who also directed) and Jennifer Lawrence (in a supporting role), the film revolves around Walter Black, a once stellar CEO suffering from severe depression, until he discovers a Beaver puppet he uses as a therapeutic tool to help him reclaim his former self.

So what do the critics think? Of the 70-plus reviews up on Rotten Tomatoes, 51 deemed it "fresh," giving it a 70 percent fresh rating. The most interesting aspect is how each reviewer chooses to address the subject of the "Gibson drama."

The Story
" 'The Beaver' is almost successful, despite the premise of its screenplay, which I was simply unable to accept. I concede it is possible that a man in depression might be able to heal himself by projecting his personality into a hand puppet. I am not sure it is possible, or even advisable, to make a serious movie about that. We go through the movie with Mel Gibson wearing a toothy beaver on his left hand, and that creates a whole lot of disbelief for us to suspend. — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times

The Performances
"So what's to recommend in 'The Beaver'? First but not least, Jennifer Lawrence playing Norah. I wish this hadn't been her first released film since 'Winter's Bone'; the role doesn't deserve her. Still, she fills every moment of it — even a manipulative graduation speech — with warmth and graceful intelligence. Then there's the man to the right of the puppet, by turns tortured, morose, animated or charming. When I first met Mel Gibson in Sydney almost 35 years ago, he was a handsome young actor with an open face, a winning smile, an abundant gift and a bright future, although no one could have imagined the extent of his success, or the depth of his fall. The gift remains." — Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal

Tiptoeing Around the Gibson Drama
"As someone observes in the movie, 'People love a train wreck when it's not happening to them.' How strange that this movie should seem to be commenting on Gibson himself, when it was filmed before his recent public scandals. Further, how strange that the movie should seem like an apology, recorded in advance — or that we should feel like accepting the apology, when we weren't the ones who were wronged." — Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

"I know I shouldn't allow my feelings about a performer in 'real life' to affect my view of him or her on film, but that's like a judge telling a jury to ignore damning evidence they've already heard. Gibson has always excelled at playing men on the edge — apparently for good reason — and this part takes that to an extreme, a place he's perfectly willing to go." — Leonard Maltin, for IndieWire

The Director
"Foster clearly knows she's telling a very messy, unmanageable story. The puppet seems to know it too: Sometimes its face looks cute and cheerful; other times, you catch a demented gleam in its eyes. Foster has crept out on a limb here, showing us a grown-up human being who's in terrible pain, and for whom there are no easy answers. And if 'The Beaver' isn't as effective as it ought to be, at least there's integrity in Foster's approach. She doesn't work the movie like a puppet; she lets it speak for itself." — Stephanie Zacharek, MovieLine

The Final Word, Pro-Con-Pro Style
"It's hard to imagine anyone other than Gibson, with his wounded gaze and eloquent variations of posture, bringing such resonance to this character. At one point Walter says, 'People seem to love a train wreck, as long as it's not them' — and the real-life overtone is unmistakable. The redemption the movie most strongly suggests is Mel Gibson's own." — Kurt Loder, Reason.com

"Maybe Ms. Foster thought she was doing Mr. Gibson a favor by showing that he could play a troubled man who simply needs help. The problem is that, as an actor, Mr. Gibson doesn't do normal anymore and is at his best playing men on the verge, as in 'Edge of Darkness,' a thriller about a cop hunting his daughter's murderer. It was a suitably blunt character for an actor who has become a blunt instrument and has a lock on loony tuners and angry patriarchs. That should make Walter a fine fit for Mr. Gibson, except that there's no there there to the character, just a puppet with a bad attitude and good timing. A raggedy rage-aholic, it steals the show, handily. Take away his puppet, and the man disappears." — Manohla Dargis, The New York Times

"Foster merits praise for putting her energy into a movie about mental illness that goes beyond the slickness of 'As Good as It Gets,' in which a happy ending can be spun from a patient's mere promise to take his medication. There is one element of 'The Beaver' that does reflect a Hollywood sensibility: Walter's breakdown never threatens the family financially. The narrative would have more tension if they didn't appear so comfortably padded in a Nancy Meyers-like milieu. (Meyers directed Gibson in 2000's 'What Women Want,' a feel-good movie that now seems very far in his past.) But despite that and the ludicrousness of the puppet prop, 'The Beaver' is serious about portraying mental illness. And whatever your opinion about Gibson the man, so is Gibson the actor." — Mary Pols, Time

Check out everything we've got on "The Beaver."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Actor tells MTV News that co-directors Gaga and Laurieann Gibson 'gave me a lot of confidence.'
By Matt Elias

Rick Gonzalez
Photo: MTV News

Just a day after Lady Gaga's video for "Judas" debuted, fans and foes alike are still buzzing with reactions. That includes actor/rapper Rick Gonzalez, who plays Jesus in the video. For Gonzalez, the experience was somewhat surreal, beginning with his initial casting.

"I'm sitting in my house, I get a call from my manager, [and] she says, 'Lady Gaga wants you to be in the video,' " Gonzalez recalled to MTV News. "I'm like, 'Oh, cool. Lady Gaga who?' and she's like, 'Rick, the Lady Gaga.' And I'm like, 'Wow, OK.' And the first thing that comes to my mind and what I tell her is, like, 'How does she know I even exist?'

"They send a treatment over and I read it, and I was like, 'Wow, I'm honored to be even a part of it.' I really love the story and what she did and [where] she was thinking of going with it and I was really honored to be a part of it. So I was really stoked."

Once on set, Gonzalez said it felt more like a film than a music video.

"Laurieann Gibson, who directed along with Gaga — I mean, they really had great shots and they had this amazing huge production set up for the video," Gonzalez said. "It really did feel that way. We were on a bike, on a flatbed truck, and I have Gaga behind me, and we're like moving around the lot, just running around. So it was definitely grand in that scheme."

While Gonzalez had the honor of manning Gaga's motorcycle in the opening shots, he was relieved that he didn't have to actually drive it for the wide shots.

"Those shots, that's not me riding," the actor revealed. "So the shots with me and her, we're literally being dragged on a truck. I didn't want the responsibility of dropping a bike with Gaga on it."

The actor developed newfound respect for Gaga after witnessing just how hands-on she was with all aspects of the clip. But there was one area that Gaga and co-director Gibson ceded to Gonzalez.

"The beautiful thing about playing Jesus in the video was they really gave me the freedom to find it in my own way and they gave me a lot of confidence in that, and I was really impressed in Laurieann's direction and just giving me the space and letting me find it," Gonzalez said.

He was equally impressed with how Gaga and Gibson communicated, which at times wasn't even verbal.

"I think the chemistry between Laurieann and Lady Gaga, it was interesting to watch because they were totally in sync with each other creatively, and I think that you're going to see a lot more amazing things with them, 'cause they totally have like this synergy with them," he predicted, adding, "And I've overheard them say they're totally gonna do a lot more things together, so I'm excited to see what that stuff's gonna be."

What do you think of Rick's portrayal of Jesus in the "Judas" video? Tell us in the comments.

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The Greek gods are making their presence known this weekend while the Norse gods are in theaters with “Thor.” Relativity Media released a new image from Entertainment Weekly of actor Henry Cavill as Theseus in the Tarsem Singh-directed “Immortals.” The film stars Cavill, Stephen Dorff, Isabel Lucas, Freida Pinto, Luke Evans, Kellan Lutz, John Hurt and Mickey Rourke. Here is the official synopsis: The brutal and bloodthirsty King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) and his murderous Heraklion army are rampaging across Greece in search of the long lost Bow of Epirus. With the invincible Bow, the king will be able to overthrow the Gods of Olympus and become the undisputed master of his world. With ruthless efficiency, Hyperion and his legions destroy everything in their wake, and it seems nothing will stop the evil king’s mission. As village after village is obliterated, a stonemason named Theseus (Henry Cavill) vows to avenge the death of his mother in one of Hyperion’s raids. When Theseus meets the Sybelline Oracle, Phaedra (Freida Pinto), her disturbing visions of the young man’s future convince her that he is the key to stopping the destruction. With her help, Theseus assembles a small band of followers and embraces his destiny in a final desperate battle for the future of humanity. The film will be in theaters on November 11 later this year in 3D. Check out the photo below. And here is the latest trailer “Immortals” trailer, which will debut with “Thor” in theaters. Let us know what you think. Source: Entertainment Weekly

Kristen Stewart has found her Prince Charming - on the big screen! “I’m on board to do Snow White [and the Huntsman],” Sam Claflin confirmed to JustJared.com Friday (May 6) while promoting his other film, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. “I’m excited to work with Kristen,” the 24-year-old British actor, who’ll be playing her love [...]

Who can say no to a film starring Rodrigo Santoro? Not only is he a fine actor, but not half bad to look at for two hours either. In his latest production, There Be Dragons, Santoro combines his experience playing the dashing love interest in like Love Actually with his understanding of working with factual material in Che as well as his know-how in action-packed realms like 300. Santoro plays Oriol, a leader of the revolution during the Spanish Civil War. While at a rally, Oriol catches sight of a Hungarian radical, Ildiko (Olga Kurylenko). However, Oriol isn’t the only one to fall for this gun-toting fighter; so does another...

Arnold Schwarzenegger has picked his first film role that will mark his return to the big screen and our hearts. America's biggest action star will play…a horse trainer? Instead of returning to his action roots, just yet at least, the actor will take on a dramatic role as a down-on-his-luck horse trainer who is hired to kidnap [...]

Overwrought Spanish Civil War epic
There be no dragons in this film. Still, that didn't stop me from wishing that a fire-breathing creature would drop in and lop off the heads of every actor in Roland Joffé's overwrought Spanish Civil War epic.

"Not only am I lending my voice to Spy Kids, but they can keep it. I'm sick of it." That's what Ricky Gervais had to say when it was announced he'd be voicing an "outrageous robot spy dog" named Argonaut in Robert Rodriguez's fourth installment in the [1]Spy Kids [2] series, Spy Kids: All The Time In the World. The popular actor and comedian is best known for co-creating and starring in the original version of The Office and has since done an incredible amount of work both in front of the camera, behind the camera, on stage and in animation. He joins a cast that already includes [3] Jeremy Piven, Joel McCale, Jessica Alba, Danny Trejo, Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara. Read more after the jump. The Weinstein Company released a press release announcing Gervais' casting and gave the following plot description for the upcoming 3D film, set for release August 19, 2011: On the surface, Marissa Cortez Wilson (Jessica Alba) has it all...married to a famous spy hunting television reporter, a new baby and intelligent twin step kids. But in reality, trying to mother Rebecca (Rowan Blanchard) and Cecil (Mason Cook), who clearly don’t want her around, is her toughest challenge yet. Also, her husband, Wilbur (Joel McHale), wouldn’t know a spy if he lived with one which is exactly the case - Marissa’s a retired secret agent. Marissa’s world is turned upside down when the maniacal Timekeeper (Jeremy Piven) threatens to take over the planet and she’s called back into action by the head of OSS, home of the greatest spies and where the now-defunct Spy Kids division was created. With Armageddon quickly approaching, Rebecca and Cecil are thrust into action when they learn their boring stepmom was once a top agent and now the world’s most competitive ten year olds are forced to put their bickering aside and rely on their wits. With a little help from a couple of very familiar Spy Kids, Carmen (Alexa Vega) and Juni Cortez (Daryl Sabara), and some mind-blowing gadgets, they just may be able to save the world and possibly bring their family together while they’re at it. Spy Kids: All The Time In the World sounds very much like it's a passing of the torch film from the old Spy Kids to a new generation and it's no surprise that Rodriguez has been able to get such an amazing supporting cast, Gervais included. He's cast everyone from Sylvester Stallone to Alan Cumming, Steve Buscemi and Ricardo Montalban for the previous installments. Are you excited to hear Gervais play a dog? [1] http://www.slashfilm.com/set-photos-spy-kids-4-time-world/ [2] http://www.slashfilm.com/set-photos-spy-kids-4-time-world/ [3] http://www.slashfilm.com/spy-kids-4-time-world-shooting-jeremy-piven-playing-villain/

Curious about Mark Ruffalo's portrayal of The Hulk in The Avengers? Where that leaked Avengers script has recently turned up? Who is interested in directing Thor 2? Could Wolverine could appear in X-Men: First Class sequels? Are there any set photos of The Dark Knight Rises yet? And what's the latest on The Amazing Spider-Man? Never fear, Superhero Bits is here! Now that Thor is in theaters, featuring an awesome cameo by Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and with Captain America: The First Avenger on the way, the only member of The Avengers we won't have seen by July is Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk. Marvel President Kevin Feige spoke to The Playlist [1] recently about what Ruffalo is bringing to the character: I think like James Bond changing actors many times or Batman changing actors many times, or Dr. Who changing actors, every actor brings something different to it and I think what we’re going to find [with Mark Ruffalo is] a pathos that I think we haven’t seen in Bruce Banner since Bill Bixby. Ruffalo is I think going to be matching that in terms of really sort of feeling for that character and caring for that character. I think one of the reasons Mark wanted to come on is that Banner becomes as interesting a character as the Hulk does. And all rooted in that pathos for this brilliant man who has this condition. And while he seems pleased as punch at that casting, one thing Feige certainly wasn't happy about recently was the leak of Samuel L. Jackson's script for The Avengers. Though rumors that production would be delayed were exaggerated, once a leak begins, it's hard to stop. According to Movieweb, the script has already found its way into the bins of bootleg screenplay salesman in Downtown Los Angeles. Head to Movieweb [2] to read more. As you well know by now, Kenneth Branagh's Thor is in theaters and already experiencing success. That begs the questions, what's up with Thor 2 and will Branagh be back to direct it? Well, in several recent interviews he was keenly aware not to say "yes" or "no" but his quotes all suggested he'd be up for it. In a Q&A with the Los Angeles Times [3], he said the following: It would be a great problem to have, I must say. It would be a very nice problem to have that conversation....obviously the film gets to an ending that kind of begs a question. There are other tales to tell and we'll listen to the public and see if they want us to tell them. You can watch him say that, and much more, in the below video (the quote in question is at about 4:30) or head to MTV Movies [4]for even more non-committal answers about Thor 2. Two other major Marvel comics have upcoming films that will not tie into The Avengers. Those, of course, are X-Men First Class and The Amazing Spider-Man. X-Men First Class is out in less than a month and, as was discussed above, that means it's already time to look towards a possible sequel. With The Wolverine dead in the water, producer Bryan Singer confirmed that there would be room for Hugh Jackman's character to appear in a First Class sequel. I think there would definitely be room. I think it would be a very exciting thing. This universe has to establish itself first, but that would be a very interesting and fun thing. Thanks to IGN [5] for the quote. Moving on to next summer, we have The Amazing Spider-Man, which is still in production. It's been a long shoot for director Marc Webb and, probably, star Andrew Garfield as well. Check out these latest set photos of him wearily walking around town both as Peter Parker and Spidey himself. [gallery columns="2"] For more brand new Spidey images, head to CelebBuzz [6] or Splash News [7]. Last, and unfortunately least, is easily the most anticipated superhero movie of them all, The Dark Knight Rises. Shooting has reportedly just begun and a beyond awful "set photo" has appeared online. Yes, even worse than the Tom Hardy fan photo from a few weeks back. Check it out. [8] This came from the Twitter of Gautam Valluri [9] and fan speculation over on Coming Soon [10] says it might be "Ra's al Ghul's Lazarus Pit." That or proof that the Loch Ness Monster exists. Head over to Coming Soon to read more and laugh at the enlargements. [1] http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/mark_ruffalo_the_hulk_throwback_bill_bixby [2] http://www.movieweb.com/news/the-avengers-bootleg-script-for-sale-on-the-black-market-in-downtown-los-angeles-get-yours-today [3] http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2011/05/05/thor-kenneth-branagh-hris-hemsworth-interview/ [4] http://splashpage.mtv.com/2011/05/05/thor-2-movie-sequel-kenneth-branagh [5] http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/116/1166183p1.html [6] http://celebbuzz.com [7] http://www.splashnewsonline.com/2011-05-05/andrew-garfield-suits-up/ [8] http://www.slashfilm.com/wp/wp-content/images/Dark-Knight-Rises-Pit.jpg [9] http://twitter.com/#!/gautamvalluri [10] http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=77280

Sure the title in the headline makes this sounds like a sweet little film, but right off the bat you should know that this new project is actually titled: Father Daughter Time: A Tale of Armed Robbert and Eskimo Kisses. With a title like that, it's easy to understand why studios have been furiously bidding on this spec script from Matthew Aldrich. Well, Deadline reports it's Warner Bros. who has picked up the script and it sounds like Matt Damon will star in the film. In addition, the actor might even be looking at the script to finally make his directorial debut. To find out just what this project is all about, keep reading below. The script is said to focus on a man who goes on the lam with his daughter, his accomplice on a 3-state crime spree. I'm picturing something along the lines of The Professional or ...

Critics are applauding the God of Thunder's big-screen debut.
By Kara Warner

Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman in "Thor"
Photo: Paramount Pictures

The golden-locked God of Thunder has finally descended upon theaters. "Thor," starring brawny Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth, tells the tale of a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. As a result, his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), banishes Thor to Earth, where he meets humans Jane (Natalie Portman), Darcy (Kat Dennings) and Dr. Eric Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård). When a dangerous villain from Thor's world invades Earth, Thor must learn what it takes to be a true hero.

Next to "Fast Five," "Thor" is one of the first potential blockbusters of the summer. Also, with Thor being part of Marvel Comics' "Avengers," the hopes are high for the film to be a success and draw in more fans in advance of 2012's highly anticipated ensemble flick.

So what do the critics think? So far, so good. The film's current approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes is a "certified fresh" 80 percent.

The Story
"Can a blockbuster be momentous and lighthearted at the same time? Thor, Kenneth Branagh's rousing popcorn adventure about the Norse-blond, hammer-wielding god of thunder who made his Marvel Comics debut in 1962, pulls off something I wouldn't have thought possible: It restores the innocence to big-budget superhero mythmaking." — Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

The Visuals
" 'Thor' is a fantasia of geektacular iconography. It is loaded with TV-show Batman Dutch angles, features a WWE-style brawl in the mud, a giant spherical teleportation beam at the foot of a rainbow bridge, Frost Giants, Anthony Hopkins screaming like he hasn't since 'The Bounty' and, most importantly, a shot of Chris Hemsworth, golden locks flowing, flying toward camera parallel to the ground holding his charmed hammer Mjolnir, daring to be a more super man than even Christopher Reeve himself." — Jordan Hoffman, UGO

The Comic-to-Film Adaptation
"The exiled and agitated Norse god Thor was distinctly B-list or worse on the Popsicle-stained colour page. There's only so much you can do with a hammer and attitude. But on the big screen, it's a whole other Thor-y, especially with the welcome discovery of Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth in the title role. As quick with a smile as he is with a snarl, he lands with a roar instead of the feared thud." — Peter Howell, The Toronto Star

Kenneth Branagh's Shakespearean Touch
"It's supposed to have mind-blowing action scenes, a heart-rending father-son story, a compelling love affair and a Cain vs. Abel fraternal standoff. Branagh's 'Thor' does most of those things fairly well, in fact, and a few of them better than that. I've never felt sure that Branagh was a natural filmmaker, although he's been doing it for quite a while now, but all his projects, on stage or on screen, have a natural bravado about them that's endearing. ... Branagh's completely at home in this kind of inflated family drama, of course, and the three guys yell, sulk and brood in their ridiculous costumes to fine effect." — Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com

The Final Word, Pro-Con-Pro Style
"The effects are effective. The humor is humorous and just self-referential enough to let you know the film doesn't take itself too seriously." — Michael O'Sullivan, The Washington Post

"A howling turkey is at least something to laugh at, and maybe even something to see. But 'Thor' is an example of the programmed triumph of commercial calculation over imagination." — A.O. Scott, The New York Times

"At its best moments, 'Thor' weaves a spot of magic from the complex science of $150-million fantasy-film technology." — Richard Corliss, Time

Have you seen "Thor" yet? Share your reviews in the comments!

Check out everything we've got on "Thor."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

Gaga's latest clip mixes the sacred with the profane and includes a nod to Marlon Brandon too — here are all the references!
By James Montgomery

Lady Gaga
Photo: George Pimentel/ Getty Images

Love her or hate her, you've got to admit that Lady Gaga knows how to make a music video. Her clips always have been a mixture of high-art posturing and knowing nods to pop-culture ephemera, and "Judas" is no different. While it's not filled with blink-and-you'll-miss-it references like "Telephone" or odes to German Expressionism like "Alejandro," there's still plenty to wrap your eyes around in "Judas," offering a mixture of the sacred and the profane. Gaga merges mentions to religious iconography and cult biker flicks (and pretty much everything in between) in the video, and so, we decided to take notes. Here's our "Judas" pop-culture cheat sheet, alphabetized for your perusing pleasure ... you can't tell your Botticellis from your Brandos without it.

"The Birth of Venus": Iconic 15th century painting by Sandro Botticelli depicting the Roman goddess Venus emerging from the sea. Art historians have interpreted the work in many ways — a contemplation on physical and spiritual beauty, a celebration of the divine, a "wedding painting" meant to, uh, inspire the bride and groom — but in "Judas," when Gaga strikes a pose similar to the painting, she seems to be paying tribute to all three.

"Electric Chapel": Gaga has said that she created her Monster Ball Tour so that her fans "would have a place to go ... a safe place ... an 'Electric Chapel.' " It's also the name of a song on her upcoming Born This Way album. In "Judas," the Chapel is reimagined as a biker bar, where LG attempts to warn Jesus about Judas' impending betrayal.

Eye of Horus: An ancient Egyptian symbol of protection, closely associated with the goddess Wadjet. In "Judas," Gaga wears eye makeup that recalls the symbol, which makes sense, since, as Mary Magdalene, she attempts to protect Christ from Judas' backstabbing.

Foot Washing: A religious rite observed by several Christian denominations. In the Bible, Christ washed the feet of his apostles before the Last Supper, the final meal he shared before his crucifixion. Gaga washes Christ's feet in "Judas," perhaps symbolizing his forthcoming demise, something that Judas certainly had a hand in.

Golden Gun: Fictional weapon from the 1974 James Bond film "The Man With the Golden Gun," and a totally kick-ass sidearm in the "GoldenEye" video game. Gaga wields a similar piece in "Judas," though hers doesn't contain bullets; instead, it's a rather grandiose tube of lipstick, which she smears on Judas' face.

The Kiss of Judas: In the Bible, it is Judas' final act of betrayal — he kisses Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane after the Last Supper as a way of identifying him to the soldiers who have come to arrest him. The same scene is played out in "Judas," as the betrayer plants a pair of kisses on Christ's cheeks.

Mary Magdalene: A disciple of Jesus and one of the most controversial characters in the Bible, early scholars painted her as a repentant prostitute, while in the 20th and 21st century, she has come to be celebrated as a patron saint of women's preaching and ministry. Not surprisingly, Gaga takes on the role of Magdalene, reimagining her as a badass chick with a penchant for chola fashion.

Norman Reedus: American actor/model known for his roles in "The Boondock Saints" and, more recently, AMC's "The Walking Dead." In "Judas," he plays the titular apostle with gleefully evil aplomb.

Rick Gonzalez: American character actor who has appeared in dozens of films, most notably "Coach Carter" and, uh, "Old School," where he played "Spanish." In "Judas," he's given a gangster makeover as Jesus Christ.

Sacred Heart: Religious icon that symbolizes Christ's divine love for humanity. Often depicted as bleeding and wrapped in thorns, in "Judas," Gaga can be seen wearing a Sacred Heart on her wardrobe.

Simon Peter: One of Christ's 12 apostles, also known as Saint Peter, he is regarded by the Catholic Church as the first pope. Before the Last Supper, when Christ washed his apostles' feet, Peter originally refused, claiming he was not worthy. During Christ's arrest, Peter sliced the ear of a servant of the High Priest who had come to seize him. In "Judas," Gaga singles out Peter at the "Electric Chapel," patting him on the back.

"The Wild One": 1953 biker film starring a young Marlon Brando as the leader of the Black Rebels Motorcycle Club. That leather-clad gang of ne'er-do-wells seems to be the direct inspiration for Christ's biker-apostles in "Judas."

Can you spot any other literary, historic or pop-culture references in Lady Gaga's "Judas" video? Tell us in the comments.

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The stately Georgian home where actor Macaulay Culkin outwitted a pair of bumbling thieves in the 1990 hit film Home Alone is for sale for $2.4 million ($NZ3m).

CULVER CITY, Calif., May 6 (UPI) -- British actor Hugh Grant has lent his voice to the lead character in "The Pirates! Band of Misfits," a stop-motion 3-D film produced by Aardman Animations.

Content Film has acquired international sales rights to director Derick Martini’s "Hick."

The coming-of-age film stars "Kick-Ass" star Chloë Grace Moretz, "Gossip Girls" maven Blake Lively, "The Good Shepherd" actor Eddie Redmayne and "Cape Fear" actress Juliette Lewis.

It also reunites Martini with Rory Culkin and Alec Baldwin, who starred in his acclaimed 2008 indie "Lymelife."

read more

Actor Gary Sinise says playing President Harry Truman in a movie changed his life. Sinise, the star of CBS' "CSI: NY," was in Kansas City Thursday to receive the Harry S. Truman Good Neighbor Award. He says playing Truman in a 1995 HBO film prompted him to begin working on international relief programs, including People to People in Kansas City.

 

Israeli films have had a strong profile at international film festivals and in the Oscar competitions for the past decade. For the next two weeks, New York area audiences will get a chance to sample the variety, dexterity and quality of contemporary Israeli films as the Israel Film Festival marks its 25th anniversary. The Festival runs through May 19 at the AMC Loews 84th Street Theater on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.  Over a dozen filmmakers will join us from Israel for their films, festival Q&As and gala celebrations. 

Last night’s Opening Night film was the New York premiere of Nir Bergman’s INTIMATE GRAMMAR, which recently won the Best Feature Film Award from the Jerusalem International Film Festival as well as the Sakura Grand Prix from the Tokyo International Film Festival. The Opening Night ceremonies, which began with a VIP reception at the famed Plaza Hotel, were held at the adjacent Paris Theater, with the Awards Presentation followed by the film screening.  Honorees included actor Liev Schrieber (THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE) who received the 2011 IFF Outstanding Achievement In Film Award; legendary film director and choreographer Stanley Donen (SINGING IN THE RAIN) who received the 2011 IFF Lifetime Achievement Award; and pioneering Israeli producer/director Micha Shagrir, who was honored with the 2011 IFF Cinematic Achievement Award. 

This year’s event will showcase 30 titles, including award-winning features, documentaries and television programs that have won awards and been featured on the international film festival circuit. Among the highlights are THE MATCHMAKER (Avi Nesher), a coming-of-age story set in 1968 that won 4 Israeli Academy Awards; INFILTRATION (Dover Kosashvili), an multi-character story about soldiers in combat adapted from one of Israeli literature's most celebrated novels by author Yehoshua Kenaz; THIS IS SODOM (Adam Sanderson and Muli Segev), a wacky comedy set in the infamous city of Sodom that is the highest grossing Israeli film in the last 25 years; 2AM (Roi Werner), a witty satire on contemporary urban obsessions, particularly the never-ending search for the perfect parking space; RABIES (Navot Papushado & Aharon Keshales), Israel’s acclaimed and controversial first horror film that was enthusiastically received at last month’s Tribeca Film Festival; and SALSA TEL AVIV (Jorge Weller), a romantic comedy with music and salsa dancing, with a mostly Spanish script (a first for Israel).

 

Documentary subjects in this year’s strong non-fiction program range from a portrait of internationally celebrated author Amos Oz, to an environmental film that highlights Israel’s diverse geography, to the personal odyssey of a son’s investigation of the death of his disgraced military father, to the portrait of the hangman responsible for the death of notorious Nazi murder Adolf Eichmann, and STRANGERS NO MORE, winner of this year’s Best Short Documentary Oscar, a plea for multi-cultural peace and harmony. 

The annual Panavision Audience Choice Award for Best Israeli Feature Film will be presented at the IFF’s Closing Night presentation.  The award carries a state-of-the-art Panavision package worth over $60,000 for the director and producer to use toward their next film shot in Israel.  For additional information on the films and programs and to purchase tickets to attend, visit: www.IsraelFilmFestival.com

Sandy Mandelberger, Film New York Editor

   

Even though Shawn thought I was fairly crazy, I went out last night with some folks I only sort of know through the Internet and fandom to the midnight showing of "Thor." More than that, I paid over twice the usual price for movie tickets for the privilege.

But you know what? It was AWESOME.

I need to preface anything I have to say about the film by the fact that I'm NOT, nor have I ever been, a Thor fan. As I said before, I remember looking over my cousin Laun's shoulder at various Silver Age issues of Thor. I vaguely followed the Beta Ray Bill storyline of the early 80s. But Thor was never a title I sought out or bought for myself. Of course, I knew about him from his various interactions with the Avengers and other titles that I preferred.

Part of my inability to attach to Thor as a character is, in point of fact, the whole God thing. I was never a big fan of Superman because I like the heroes that bruise more easily. For me part of being heroic is the courage it takes to stand up to powers much stronger than you are. Thor is a freaking God. Hard to be stronger than that.

On top of that rather major character issue, I was also a snotty kid. I thought the title was full of people with strange names and hard to pronounce words, like, Mjöllnir. Plus, people talked weird (and in a weird font) on Asgard. They had very stylized costumes and Jack Kirby made everyone look square (literally) and kind of grumpy.



The writers of the movie deal with the God-issue very nicely, IMHO. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to tell you that, in the movie, Thor gets cast out of Asgard for being a self-centered git. Odin strips him of his powers and, he spends the rest of the film attempting to be worthy of Mjöllnir again. For me, that’s a classic Marvel conundrum. It’s like Spider-Man’s “with great power, comes great responsibility” only it’s more like, “heroes need humility as well as strength to be truly great.” Though, humility isn’t quite the right word in this situation. One of the things I love about what the writers explore in the Thor movie is the idea of what it means to be a hero. The turning point in the movie actually stirred me. I cared about Thor enough to care whether or not he came through the other side of his challenge.

That’s pretty miraculous, IMHO, since normally I could care less.

It helps, though, that the actor who plays Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is a complete hottie. (IMDB just informed me that he played Kirk’s dad in the Star Trek reboot. Cool!)

I also really ended up liking what they did with Loki, who, from my memories of the Thor comic books (which, granted is very sketchy), could very easily have been played as a larger-than-life EVIL villain. What they did in the movie, IMHO, was make him the hero of his own story in a way, frankly, that I found very sympathetic. Both Thor and Loki have serious daddy issues/needs to prove themselves MEN, but they manifest completely differently.



I went to the movie with David J. Schwartz (author of Superpowers) . He was saying that what they did with Loki in the movie is very different from Thor canon. This is one of the moments where not being a hardcore Thor fan probably helped me enjoy the movie more.

Also, my other companion did not like the look of Asgard, but, for me, it looked exactly like something Jack Kirby might have imagined. In fact, all the costuming on Asgard really felt Kirby-esque to me, which could either be a plus or a minus depending on how you feel about his particular style. Though (and I realize this is sort of blasphemy) I normally am not a huge Kirby fan, I thought it really worked in the film.



My last couple comments about the Thor movie is that it seemed clear to me that Kenneth Branaugh is a big, fat fan (very likely of Silver Age Thor). There were lots of “money shots” early and often, including spinning hammers and lightning strikes. I laughed out loud (and sometimes by myself) at a few of the fan insider jokes, including what it probably the best Stan Lee cameo of all the Marvel films.

The biggest flaw in the film was Natalie Porter, who played a revised version of Jane Foster. It was hard to imagine her as a love interest, especially since Darcy Lewis (played by Kat Dennings) is WAY cuter and funnier. I totally fell for her in the movie and could not understand what Thor saw in Jane.

Anyway, for me, it was one of the best Marvel films to-date. Right up there with Ironman (#1).

In Case You Missed It: Republicans threaten to defund National Labor Relations Board over Boeing ruling and The Stranger live-slogs last night's rickety-ass, Santorum-covered Republican presidential debate.

Dorothy Parvaz: Still missing in Syria, as concerns for her safety and calls for her release proliferate.

Haters Gonna Hate, Terrorists Gonna Terrorize: Al Qaeda vows that Bin Laden's death will serve as a "curse that chases the Americans and their agents, and goes after them inside and outside their countries," as the terror group says in a new message. "Soon—with help from Allah—their happiness will turn into sorrow, and their blood will be mixed with their tears."

Give Us the Details: "Two United Nations human rights watchdogs have asked the US to provide details about the operation that killed Osama bin Laden, in particular whether it ever included the possibility that he could be captured alive," reports The Guardian.

Cinco de Mayo in South Park: Celebrated with groundbreaking on the forthcoming new bridge, visiting political leaders, and a 26-foot-long, 7-foot-tall bridge-shaped piñata.

V-Bar Goes Dry: Troubled Belltown bar—whose owner isn't above trying to stop on-site fights by firing a gun in the air—denied liquor license.

Trippy Dinner: Connecticut mom faces criminal charges after allegedly serving her 5-year-old daughter noodles laced with PCP.

The Limited Return of Smoke?: Washington State lawmakers look into modifying the smoking ban.

Meanwhile in Eastern Washington: "A Colville man and his stepdaughter who were found fatally shot last week were in a romantic relationship and practiced a pagan religion, according to the woman who was the man's wife and the girl's mother," reports the Associated Press.

That's Not Kosher: Israeli rabbi convicted of molesting female passenger on flight out of Tel Aviv.

Local Print Media Is on Fire!: As vandals torch six Seattle newspaper boxes in two days.

Here Is a Thing That Exists: "The FBI has raided the Gig Harbor home of an alleged hacker suspected in a cyber attack against Kiss bassist Gene Simmons," reports Seattlepi.com.

FInally, happy birthday to Orson Welles, the legendary director and actor born on this day in 1915. In the YouTube era, Welles will perhaps be best remembered as that drunk guy trying to sell champagne, but of course he's so much more. Here's footage from Welles' greatest work, set to the song he inadvertently co-wrote with Jack White. (Film created by Jack Metier.)

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Looks like the stars aligned for Joel Edgerton. The man who earned new fans though Animal Kingdom after years in the trenches was a possible lead for both The Bourne Legacy and Snow White and the Huntsman. But Bourne slipped his grasp and now he has passed on Snow White and the Huntsman. Instead he'll be a key part of the film being called Kill Bin Laden, which is the Kathryn Bigelow picture that focuses on a raid intending to take out the Al Qaeda leader. The LA Times [1] says that the Australian actor will play a special operative in the movie, and will be part of an ensemble cast portraying the commando/SEAL unit that targeted Bin Laden. He was mentioned as a possibility for the film earlier this week [2], and it's great to see indication that things are moving forward. So what else do we know about the film? Not a lot at this point. It's the movie that was said to be a 'black ops thriller' when first discussed. Not long ago rumor surfaced that Bin Laden was an integral part of the film, but emails from writer and producer Mark Boal (who also fulfilled those roles on The Hurt Locker) seemed to kill that report. But when Osama Bin Laden was reported killed this past Sunday, suddenly talk of this project intensified, and the Bin Laden angle was confirmed. More to the point, the original conception revealed for the movie was to follow an unsuccessful bid to take out the terror leader. Real life intervened, and we could well see a film with a 'happier' ending. We'll likely see a picture that includes a long sequence replicating the firefight in Pakistan that took out Bin Laden, but earlier this week it seemed like research and conversations were still ongoing. All I can say at this point is that, given that the killing of Osama Bin Laden is likely to be filmed soon by someone, I'd rather this be the team that does the work. And this is great casting, and almost an ironic break for Joel Edgerton. He lost Bourne to Jeremy Renner, who probably wouldn't have his current career without The Hurt Locker. If things go well with Kill Bin Laden, Joel Edgerton could find himself in high(er) demand soon. [1] http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2011/05/joel-edgerton-signs-on-for-kathryn-bigelows-bin-laden-movie.html [2] http://www.slashfilm.com/inevitable-death-bin-laden-film-gritty-indie-big-studio-effort/

Back in 1997 both filmmaker Neil LaBute and actor Aaron Eckhart made a splash onto the big screen with In the Company of Men, a film that was a festival hit at the time. Since then the two have worked together on films such as Tumble, Nurse Betty, Possession and The Wicker Man, but now the duo (who actually went to school together at Brigham Young University) are looking to work together yet again. 24 Frames reports LaBute and Eckhart will reunite for an indie called The Geography of Hope, and Ed Harris will also be along for the ride as well. LaBute also write the script himself as he's done many times before. The story, set in the 70's, will follow two crooks (Eckhart and Harris) who flee to Baja, Mexico, after a robbery in a San Diego convenience store goes bad. There they encounter several ...

Mem Ferda’s gory death in Devil’s Double sends Film Festival audience fleeing London, 06 May 2011 - Critics have praised it, audiences are calling it the bloodiest gangster movie in years. But one particular scene in THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE, the upcoming biopic of Latif Yahia, proved too shocking for viewers at this year's Sundance Film Festival.The scene in question depicts Saddam Hussein's evil son Uday (played by English actor Dominic Cooper) brutally disembowelling a man with a machete, in the midst of a garden party full of guests. The scene, like the film, is based on true events - but its gruesome nature terrified audience members at the premiere in Utah, to the point that some had to leave the auditorium.And the man on the receiving end of this cinematic brutality? None other than classically trained British actor Mem Ferda."It was one of the most difficult scenes of my life," says Mem. "One minute I'm standing drunk atop a table, laug...

Italian funnyman famous for 'Holocaust comedy' Life is Beautiful has reportedly been offered part in Midnight in Paris follow-up

He is best known outside Italy for an exuberant appearance at the 1998 Oscars, where his film Life Is Beautiful picked up three Oscars. Now Roberto Benigni is set to make a belated return to the big screen after being cast in Woody Allen's next film, Deadline reports.

The as-yet-untitled project will be shot in Italy, but Benigni is so far the sole Italian casting choice. The movie will also feature The Social Network's Jesse Eisenberg – surely an actor destined to play an Allen cypher at some point in his career – along with Penélope Cruz, Ellen Page and Alec Baldwin.

Benigni has only appeared fleetingly on film since the success of Life is Beautiful, his bittersweet drama about a father who pretends their life in a Nazi concentration camp is an elaborate game to shield him from the horrors of the Holocaust. Benigni won the best actor Oscar and the film also took the prizes for best foreign language film and best original score. In 2002 Benigni wrote, directed and starred in a live-action version of Pinocchio, which was poorly reviewed outside Italy, and also directed and acted in the 2005 romantic comedy The Tiger and the Snow.

For the last few years, much of Benigni's time has been taken up with recitals of Dante's Divine Comedy from memory. More than one million Italians have seen him perform his show Tutto Dante ("everything about Dante") in piazzas, arenas and stadiums since 2006.

Allen's latest film, Midnight in Paris, will open the Cannes festival on 11 May. It stars Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Michael Sheen and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and focuses on a family that travels to Paris for a business trip. Producers have revealed that the party "includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better".

Jackie Cooper, whose tousled blond hair, pouty lower lip and ability to cry on camera helped make him one of the top child stars of the 1930s in films such as “Skippy” and “The Champ,” has died. He was 88.

Mr. Cooper, who grew up to become a successful TV star in the 1950s, a top television studio executive in the ’60s and an Emmy Award-winning director in the ’70s, died May 3 at a nursing facility in Santa Monica, Calif. No cause of death was reported.

A former “Our Gang” cast member, Mr. Cooper shot to stardom at 8 playing the title role in “Skippy,” the 1931 film based on a popular comic strip about a health inspector’s son and his ragamuffin pal, Sooky.

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Jackie Cooper, whose tousled blond hair, pouty lower lip and ability to cry on camera helped make him one of the top child stars of the 1930s in films such as “Skippy” and “The Champ,” has died. He was 88.

Mr. Cooper, who grew up to become a successful TV star in the 1950s, a top television studio executive in the ’60s and an Emmy Award-winning director in the ’70s, died May 3 at a nursing facility in Santa Monica, Calif. No cause of death was reported.

A former “Our Gang” cast member, Mr. Cooper shot to stardom at 8 playing the title role in “Skippy,” the 1931 film based on a popular comic strip about a health inspector’s son and his ragamuffin pal, Sooky.

Read full article >>

Actor Vijay’s latest film ‘Kaavalan’ has been exclusively chosen to be screened at the upcoming Shanghai Film Festival in China.

Not even T.I. and his 4-H Club district prized piglet can resist the sweet temptation of filling up on free food and booze — they will even scale a fence Mission Impossible style to get to it. While making his publicity rounds in support of new film Jumping The Broom (which hits theaters today) actor Laz [...]

Category: Performance
Date: Sat, May 7 at 7:30pm
Where: Shanghai Stadium Details
Contact:

• 6217-2426
• www.culture.sh.cn/product.asp?id=8794

Contributed by: shijiach

City Weekend says:

Hong Kongnese Cantopop singer and film actor Andy Lau hits Shanghai for one night only to celebrate his 30-year career with fans. The pop legend will be performing 50 of his best-selling songs, including “Bad Boy,” “Zhongguo Ren” and “I’ll Love You for 10,000 Years.” ¥180-1,680. 7:30pm

Actor Gary Sinise says playing President Harry Truman in a movie changed his life. Sinise, the star of CBS' "CSI: NY," was in Kansas City Thursday to receive the Harry S. Truman Good Neighbor Award. He says playing Truman in a 1995 HBO film prompted him to begin working on international relief programs, including People to People in Kansas City.

A new image from IMMORTALS debuted on Collider, and you can check it out below. It features lead actor Henry Cavill (BLOOD CREEK) front and center as Greek warrior Theseus. He looks pissed off and ready for battle! Cavill stars alongside Mickey Rourke, reida Pinto, Isabel Lucas (below), John Hurt, Kellan Lutz, Stephen Dorff, Luke Evans, Joseph Morgan and Stephen McHattie. The film is directed by Tarsem... Read More...

George Clooney is so much more than good looks and good film roles. And on the occasion of his 50th birthday, it seemed appropriate to offer up 50 of the things we love about the actor.

The suburban Chicago home where actor Macaulay Culkin outwitted a pair of bumbling thieves in the hit 1990 holiday film Home Alone could be yours for $2.4 million. John and [...]