The Screening Room

Dallas was one of the cities to earn a free sneak peek at Paranormal Activity 2, through "on demand" sign-ups at the film's website. More than a quarter of a million people signed up for the film's first screenings.

The Dallas event will take place at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday at the AMC NorthPark, 8687 N. Central Expressway at Northwest Highway in North Dallas.

It's free, but tickets are required. E-mail pa.dallas@landh.com for reservations; just say how many tickets you want and your name will be added to the guest list. The movie opens Friday.

PHOTO: Paramount Pictures

At least the folks at Warner Bros. are fan-minded when it comes to the boy wizard, Harry Potter. News that they will release the first part of the last two films in plain old 2-D has this movies lover a little happier than I probably should be. (It's the little things.)

It turns out that the studio's just not able to complete the 3-D in time for the Nov. 19 release date. This gives us a chance to get rid of the obligatory line in all reviews of 3-D films lately. You know, the one that says that the 3-D looked odd and added on and didn't further the story or was just plain bad. That kind of talk reminds me of CG in its infancy.

The studio will, however, be finished with the 3-D for the second part, scheduled to open wide on July 15, 2011.

(Photo by Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros.Pictures)

Sally Menke, best known for being the editor of all of Quentin Tarantino's films, died Monday in Los Angeles. (L.A. Times) Menke had gone hiking with her dog on Monday and was found Tuesday morning in a ravine. There is speculation on whether or not the extreme heat in L.A. that day was a factor. (CNN)

If you've watched any of Tarantino's films, you know how crucial the editing is to the process. Imagine the narratives of Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction in less capable hands.

Tarantino and Menke had a very close working relationship. He would often have the cast say "Hi Sally" at the beginning or end of a take to surprise her in the editing room. Check out the videos below: (Some language NSFW)

Last week, I got to sit down with Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Brandon Routh, who star in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (which is a beyond excellent movie, you should definitely check it out.) I got to pick their brain about their involvement in the project and what the future holds for them - and, lucky for you, I recorded it all on tape.

To hear the whole interview, you can listen to it here, or you can get the CliffNotes version and read the article here.

Photo by Courtney Perry/The Dallas Morning News

And the role goes to...Rooney Mara.

Know who she is? Yeah, me neither. But you probably will very soon, as she has been cast in the highly anticipated U.S. film adaptation of Stieg Larsson's novel, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, as the leading lady Lisbeth Salander. And, most likely, Mara will get to reprise the role two more times if the film does well and Columbia gives the green light to continue the trilogy.

In the meantime, you can see her in the upcoming Facebook movie (erm, I mean, The Social Network) or last year's Nightmare on Elm Street remake.

So, what do you think? Will she do well?

AP photo.

Since its release July 23, the new Angelina Jolie movie Salt has grossed more than $71 million in the U.S. alone. It's even a hit in Russia, which brings us to a rather curious local connection. Less than 15 minutes after its dramatic opening, Salt takes us into an interview room, where a recently apprehended Russian spy is filling us in on some startling Cold War details. He calls it "a plan to destroy America," saying: "It had all started with an American named Lee Harvey Oswald. In 1959, he immigrated to Russia. Three years later, he returned home, but the man who came back to America was, in fact, a Russian spy named Alek. On Nov. 22, 1963, Alek became the first success of the new program and a hero of the Soviet Union" -- for, according to Salt, masterminding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on Elm Street in Dallas. Turns out that this is actually a recycled -- and dramatically disproved -- conspiracy theory.

Photo: Angelina Jolie

For two reasons you must watch:

1. This movie looks hilarious. Brad Pitt vs. Will Ferrell. Plus Tina Fey and Jonah Hill!
2. The fan's question near the end is a fun one. And I think Hollywood owes us an honest answer.

See Megamind in theaters and IMAX 3D on November 5.

Well, that was quick.

Less than a month after declaring her retirement via Twitter, Amanda Bynes has put herself back in the acting game in the same way. Her tweet was very simple ("I've unretired", followed by a link to the trailer of her newest movie, Easy A - shameless self-promotion rocks) and, just like that, we get the Hollywood funnygirl back before we can truly miss her.

That's right. Check out the TV blog for daily reports, live tweets and more on the biggest pop culture convention in existence.

Yeah, we know there's more to SDCC than just the television-show announcements and appearances, but the schedule is pretty TV-heavy this year, and we want to give you only one spot to go to for the latest news. Don't worry, guest blogger Noel Gross, our on-site corespondent, will be sending in the dish on comics, movies, video games and more today through Sunday.

Follow @guidelive for his tweets too! ..... Sooooooo wish I was there. /pout

Say what? Sweet, innocent, Enchanted princess Amy Adams is going to be playing the Flower Child heroine addict?

Apparently so: Twilight producer Wyck Godfrey mentioned working on a Joplin biopic in a recent interview and hinted that Adams was to star as the famous rocker. However, from the sound of it, the movie is a long time coming - there is no studio attracted to the production, and the script is still in draft form.

There have been a lot of Joplin projects in the past that have failed to take off, so I'm excited to see if this one actually makes it to theaters. I would say it's because I want to see how they portray the life of a legendary artist but, in all honesty, I just want to see if Adams can pull off being a hippie.

AP Photo

Beware the discoveries you make over an extended weekend. That's exactly what happened to me when I suddenly got hooked on Apple TV, a device we've owned for a while. Sitting there on my couch, not wanting to watch fireworks, I started playing around with Apple TV ... and wow! I did a search for many of my favorite movies dating back to the 1960s, and most were there, some with rental fees as low as 99 cents. My wife and I ended up renting New York, I Love You, an indie film from 2009. Although uneven at times, this ensemble art film of interlocking stories worked beautifully at times, not so beautifully at others. The short film within the larger film that worked best featured Julie Christie as an aging opera star. But back to my point: I then did a search for Goodbye, Columbus, a 1969 classic from my high school days at W.W. Samuell in Pleasant Grove. They had it on Apple TV! It's the film that "introduced" Ali MacGraw to movies (she played the female lead, opposite Richard Benjamin, in a film adapted from a Philip Roth novella). Apple TV requires wi-fil (a wireless Internet connection) and a high-def TV. The picture is great in high-def (many of its movies can be watched either in standard def or high def), and it's also great for listening to all of the music in your iTunes library. Very cool.

Photo: Ali MacGraw and Richard Benjamin in Goodbye, Columbus

Remember Tom Cruise's character in Tropic Thunder, Les Grossman? You know the one: foul-mouthed, outrageous, and hairy. He was the one that got on stage and danced with J-Lo during Sunday's MTV Movie Awards. I'm guessing he saw it as a good sign that he got a Golden Globe nomination for the role, because he agreed to produce the movie expanding on the character.

The Associated Press reports that Cruise is only "in talks" about reprising the role, but come on. Who else could play him? The real question is...can Paramount take a bit part and make it a full movie?

In this case, I sure hope so.

AP Photo.

Aside from the censor fiasco, the Sunday MTV Movie Awards had its moments -- one of which being the premiere of the new Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows teaser trailer. Moviefone has broken down the trailer and asked for fan reactions, so I ask you: what did you think? Does it make you more excited for the movie or not?

Haven't seen the trailer yet? Feast your eyes:

It was quite the festive scene at Cinemark 17 at Webb Chapel Thursday afternoon as Will Smith made a surprise appearance on the red carpet to celebrate his 11-year-old son Jaden's first starring role in The Karate Kid in advance of a free screening at the theater. The 800-plus kid-crowd, courtesy of local schools and organizations like the YMCA and Big Brothers Big Sisters, was already jazzed about Jaden and the great Jackie Chan who plays the wise mentor to Jaden's karate kid role.

Then Dallas Mavs owner Mark Cuban came by with his daughter Alexis clinging to him and former Dallas Stars goaltender Marty Turco with his two daughters and their best friends. But when emcee Rickey Smiley started playing Will Smith's "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" theme song it was clear that royalty was in the house. And when Will waxed ecstatic about the "fantastic" new film and introduced his son, it was clear that a new prince, Jaden was being groomed.

PHOTOS: (TOP) Will Smith greeted fans while on stage near the red-carpet before a screening of The Karate Kid at the Cinemark 17 in Dallas, (BOTTOM) Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan on the red carpet, photos by Andy Jacobsohn/The Dallas Morning News
ANDY JACOBSOHN/Staff Photographe

Will Smith, Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan were on hand Thursday for the premiere of The Karate Kid, which opens in theaters June 11, at the Cinemark 17 in Dallas.

Watch the video

Looked like a lot of fun. I'm actually a bit excited about this remake, thinking I might like it better than the 1984 original. What do you think? Is it a film worth remaking?

Photo by ANDY JACOBSOHN/DMN

OMG what's in the box?!?!

That's what CNN's Todd Leopold is asking. In this article, he notes that everyone is expected to be a critic, what with people posting their thoughts on personal blogs and tweeting first impressions just minutes after seeing a movie. So do we need professional film critics?

Sean P. Means, the Salt Lake Tribune's movie critic, has kept a list of all the movie critics who have lost their jobs or been reassigned since 2006. Those professionals serve a function, he says.

"My initial point was every time a paper loses the movie critic job ... they lose a voice, and they lose a voice that's unique to that paper," he says. Local movie critics speak to their communities in distinct ways, he says, and don't just review the blockbusters. They can pick up on films or aspects of films that might be important to a particular city.

The article goes on to talk about the importance for film critics to adapt to the Internet if they want to stick around.

What say you? Is your friend's "OMG Awesome! #ironman" tweet more important to you than a critical analysis? Does it depend on the genre?

Just what you've always wanted!
DallasNews.com/movies now has a handy-dandy little section in the right rail pulling in movie trailers and other film-related videos, including interviews and (new!) critic reviews. Pretty cool, eh? We're posting new trailers all the time, so check in often. Just look for this area:
And beginning this week with Iron Man 2, critic Chris Vognar will give you his quick take on new releases via video, letting you know if a film is worth your time. Which I think is super cool. Because you know you'd watch that on your phone while on the way to the theater or waiting in line to get tickets.

HollywoodNews.com reports:

Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau sneak "Iron Man 2″ for Texas crowd

Tuesday night, "Iron Man 2″ screened before a rabid crowd of comic book fans at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Tex. (an amazing venue, and an excellent choice by Favs and the Paramount team).

Lots of plot details are leaking all over the Web this morning, including news (and reported screenshots) of a surprise ending. Don't click on too many movie gossip blogs if you'd like to be surprised when the film finally opens on May 7.

And if that wasn't enough to amp up your excitement, check out this vid Favreau and Downey Jr. made for the Alamo audience. Looked like a lot of fun. Where you there?

This week's big movie, or at least Lions Gate Entertainment's, will open at several theaters in the Dallas-Fort Worth area tonight starting at 10.

Kick-Ass, a violent superhero story based on a comic book, stars Nicolas Cage and a host of youngsters. It's beating the crowd by opening a few hours ahead of its regularly scheduled release date of Friday.

Lucky Dallas: "There were a few select markets with these approved show times," says local studio representative Chet Whitmore in an e-mail.

Dawn M. Burkes

True Grit, a film classic that saw John Wayne win a Best Actor Oscar in 1969, is being refilmed in Granger with a cast that includes Jeff Bridges in the Wayne role, Matt Damon and Josh Brolin.

The Temple Daily Telegram chronicled the transformation of the rural Hill Country town into a movie set.

Read on for the full story:

The waiting is over. It's here. The "TV Spots" and "Clips" section are still coming soon, but you can still check out the trailers, character bios, photos, downloads, the full soundtrack, links to buy the first film, and more.

But even cooler is the sister site that launched today too. StarkExpo2010.com. All the flashy things you need to know about Stark Industries' International Technology Exhibition.

The film opens May 7.

Because I suppose it's never too early to start talking about next year, The Associated Press reports...

LOS ANGELES -- The Academy Awards are moving back to February. Awards organizers said Thursday next year's Oscar ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 27. That's about a week earlier than this season's awards show, which was held March 7 to avoid conflicting with the Winter Olympics. Though the show used to be held in late March, the Oscars have been staged in late February in most recent years to shorten the long Hollywood awards season. Nominations for the 83rd annual Oscars will be announced Jan. 25.

The ceremony will once again take place at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland and be broadcast by ABC.
Separately, the Producers Guild of America also set dates for its 22nd annual Producers Guild Awards, which will take place on Saturday, Jan. 22.
The 2011 calendar is quickly filling up. The Golden Globe Awards have already claimed Sunday, Jan. 16. The DGA Awards will be held on Saturday, Jan. 29, and the SAG Awards are set for Sunday, Jan. 30.

Chris Vognar is in Austin at the South By Southwest Film Festival, and he got a chance to sit down and interview the stars of Get Low.

Click here to watch the full video.

For more SXSW reports, catch up on Chris' columns, his blog posts on The Screening Room or on our Twitter widget.

You may have noticed recently a few changes to guidelive.com/movies. Click the link, then scroll down a bit and you'll find links to the most recently added critic reviews, along with bylines and given star ratings. If you're more interested in how you and your friends have been rating films, there's a new module to the left just for you. These star ratings in the left rail are separated between critics' reviews and users' reviews to help make your searching easier. (The image below shows what I'm talking about.)

Another new area of interest is at the top of the left rail. Here are quick links to what's currently playing, kid-friendly films, and a directory of area theaters and showtimes.

Remember, film buffs, you can leave your own movie reviews on GuideLive.com too. Just register (or log in with your DallasNews.com account information), find a film, and rate and review away! Ever have any questions with movie listings on GuideLive.com? Let us know.

Released this morning, the full trailer for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, which hits theaters June 30. Does it look super awesome like you've been imagining?

Let the craziness ensue.

That's the question being asked over on the Cowboys blog.

Sports reporter David Moore notes actor Robert De Niro has signed on to play Vince Lombardi in an upcoming movie about the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers.

What if the network decided to make a film that focused on the formative years of the Dallas Cowboys? Who would you chose to play iconic coach Tom Landry?

Your thoughts? Post who you'd cast below or see who the sports fans are voting for.

Listen up, Twihards. The first trailer for Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: Eclipse will be available tomorrow at 8 am. The 90 second trailer's contents are being kept under tight wraps until its debut. (You can also see it in theaters before this week's release of Remember Me, starring Robert Pattinson.) But here's a 10-second teaser of that trailer released today.

Corey Haim was found dead this morning. The 1980s teen heartthrob's most memorable film for me is without a doubt The Lost Boys. What's your favorite film or memory (anyone remember A&E's reality TV show "The Two Coreys"?) of the late actor?

Guest book: Share your memories
You Tube: Corey Haim Tribute
Twitter: Corey Haim trending
Full coverage

Photo: Corey Feldman (left) and Corey Haim stared in 1989's Dream a Little Dream.

We finally saw how the Avatar-Hurt Locker battle played out, making for an exciting night. And so we give you...

Movie critic Chris Vognar's analysis of the 82nd annual Academy Awards: The Hurt Locker drops a bomb on Avatar with biggest Oscar haul

Media critic Tom Maurstad's review of the televised show: Show goes on and on

Slideshows of the winners and the red-carpet fashions

A chat replay of the real-time commentary from the movies staff during the show

Commentary from our fashion experts of the red-carpet

Photo: Dressed as a Na'vi from Avatar, Ben Stiller presented the Best Make-up award to Star Trek.

Today brings this Facebook update:

The Official TWILIGHT SAGA Facebook fan page has reached over 5 million of the best fans in the world! To celebrate, we would like to announce that the first trailer for ECLIPSE will play with REMEMBER ME in theatres on March 12! Stay tuned for more information on where you can see it earlier that week. Thank you so much for your love and support!

For those who've been living in a cave at the bottom of the ocean for the past few years, Eclipse is the upcoming third film of The Twilight Saga, based on author Stephanie Meyer's vampire series. Theatrical release date: June 30. And Remember Me is Robert Pattinson's second attempt to prove his acting chops not as the sought-after Edward Cullen. Anyone remember last year's Little Ashes? So, what good is it doing him as an actor for the studios to premiere the Eclipe trailer with Remember Me?

I can just imagine how that's so not going to help him. Young enthralled girls everywhere want to go see him in a love a story, where he's not a vampire, just to be reminded minutes before the film begins of this fan-crazed role. How can you then watch the film without thinking about the Edward-Bella chemistry the whole time? I guess the absence of sparkles will help.

The Oscars in March are huge, but let's not forget all the smaller awards given out leading up to them. To name a couple:

The Beliefnet Film Awards give viewers a chance to select films, released the previous year, that are the most spiritual or inspirational. Each category gets a People's Award and a Judges' Award. Voting ends Feb. 26, so get your votes in. Winners will be announced March 1. A couple of the categories and nominees:

Best Spiritual Film of 2009: The Blind Side, Avatar, A Serious Man, The Stoning of Soraya M. and The Road
Best Inspirational Film of 2009: Up, Precious, American Violet, Away We Go and Invictus
Best Spiritual Documentary of 2009: Oh My God, Enlighten Up, More Than a Game, Earth and Unmistaken Child.

Then, soon after those awards, we have the 25th Film Independent's Spirit Awards at 10 p.m. March 5 on IFC, which will be hosted by Eddie Izzard. All independent films nominated in these awards must: be at least 70 minutes long; have either played one week in a commercial theater in 2009, or have been shown at one of six film festivals (the Los Angeles Film Festival, New Directors/New Films, New York, Sundance, Telluride, or Toronto); be made for no more than $20 million, including post.

You can vote for these too, but must do so by Feb. 22. A few categories and nominees:

Best Feature: (500) Days of Summer, Amreeka, Precious, Sin Nombre and The Last Station.
Best Screenplay: Adventureland, The Messenger, The Vicous Kind, (500) Days of Summer and The Last Station.
John Cassavetes Award (best feature made for under $500,000): Big Fan, Humpday, The New Year Parade, Treeless Mountain and Zero Bridge.

Having 10 Best Picture nominations is already making a difference. As the writer who reviewed The Blind Side (which won nominations for Best Actress and, amazingly, Best Picture), I gave it an A-minus -- though some have complained (correctly) that it's too commercial, even too corny. (To read my review, click here.) It is, however, an enduring crowd-pleaser and a remarkable true story, involving the life of Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman Michael Oher, which may account for its box-office tally of more than $238 million. It proved to be the perfect vehicle for Best Actress candidate Sandra Bullock, who has undermined her talent over the years by saying yes to so many bad movies. Bullock, who spends much of her time these days in Austin, has already won Best Actress from the Screen Actors Guild and the Golden Globes and deservingly so. At the Oscars, of course, she will have serious competition from the ever-popular Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia), Helen Mirren (The Last Station), Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) and Carey Mulligan (An Education). She was aided by Texan John Lee Hancock, who wrote and directed The Blind Side. (To read my feature on Hancock, click here.) I was thrilled to see that Jeff Bridges, whose first major role came in The Last Picture Show in 1971, was nominated for Best Actor for Crazy Heart. No less an authority than Jackson Browne was raving about Crazy Heart before his recent sold-out performance at Music City Texas Theater in Linden. So far, Bridges has copied Bullock's success, winning Best Actor from the Screen Actors Guild and the Golden Globes.

Photo: A scene from The Blind Side

Interesting that though Avatar got nominated as Best Picture and James Cameron for Best Director, the film didn't receive a single acting or writing nomination. Seems a reflection of the art vs commerce split within the Hollywood community. Avatar is the perfect big-tent nominee to drive public interest and, more to the point, TV ratings, just as Cameron's Titanic was back in 1997.

But Titanic's record-setting 14 nominations included a Best Actress nod for Kate Winslet (she didn't win) and some critical grousing that co-star Leonardo DiCaprio was overlooked. Not so with Avatar. The film is a box-office-shattering behemoth and a spectacle-generating stunner and now seems likely to be Oscar night's top contender for its two biggest prizes. But in this whole-is-greater-than-its parts scenario, won't it send a strange message to say that neither the writing nor the acting is all that great (or even all that important) in what may be crowned the best film of the year?

Good morning movie lovers! We're up, it's early, and we're ready to hear who's been nominated for the 82nd Academy Awards. Watch the announcement along with us on ABC. 7:30 a.m.

7:35: In just a few moments we're going to see which 10 films get the Best Picture nom. Read Chris Vognar's predictions here.

7:38: It's starting! Anne Hathaway walks on to the stage to begin the announcement.

WHAT STUCK OUT TO ME
Supporting actor: Matt Damon (Invictus), Woody Harrellson (The Messanger), Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones)

Best actress: Sandra Bullock, any surprise here? Gabourey Sidibe (Precious)

Best actor: Jeff Bridges *heart!*, George Clooney (Up in the Air), Colin Firth (A Single Man), Morgan Freeman (Invictus), Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker)

Best director: James Cameron, bigelow, tarantino, lee daniels precious, reitman up in the air

7:42: The guys for Up

7:42: animated: Coraline, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Princess and the Frog, The Secret of Kells, Up -- My favorite category!

7:43: film: avatar, the blind side, district 9, an education, hurt locker, inglorious basterd, precious, a serious man, up, up in the air

Precious got 4 noms: Monique for supporting actress, and Gabourey for best actress, best film and screenplay

Up in the Air got 2 supporting actress noms, actor, director, picture, and adaptive screenplay. I wonder if it'll do better than it did at the Golden Globes.

Here's the full list on Oscar.com.

Once again, we have a movie that's opening to little or no fanfare (and not being screened for critics). But, as usual, we have your back. Here's what all the non-fuss is about "Preacher's Kid," starring LeToya Luckett. Editor's note: Tough still not my cup of tea, I probably will eventually see this movie. Should be interesting to say the least.

By Robert W. Butler
Kansas City Star
Rated PG-13
Time: 1:41
What is it? The sheltered daughter (LeToya Luckett) of a small-town widowed preacher (Gregalan Williams) strikes out on her own, joining the cast of a touring gospel musical and falling for the company's charismatic leading man (Durrell "Tank" Babbs). It's a modern update of the parable of the prodigal son.
Why didn't Gener8Xion Entertainment show it to us? The studio did not respond to our request for comment. But it seems to be following the marketing plan laid out by Tyler Perry's recent movies -- no advance reviews, emphasize TV advertising.
Who else is in it? Clifton Powell, one of the movies' more reliable black baddies.
Why we'd see it: First-time director Stan Foster has been getting positive buzz. And you've gotta love gospel music.
Why we wouldn't: Not our cup of tea.

(Photo by Paul Hawthorne/The Associated Press)

That's this Saturday, so if you haven't added them to your collection yet, now's the time. My Disney Movie Club e-newsletter reminds me that production will stop on DVDs and Blu-rays on Jan. 30 for Sleeping Beauty 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition, The Jungle Book 40th Anniversary Platinum Edition, The Jungle Book 2 Special Edition, and four 101 Dalmatians movies, including 101 Dalmatians Platinum Edition, 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure Special Edition, 101 Dalmatians (the 1996 live-action one), and the 2000 live-action 102 Dalmatians. A couple box sets of these films exclusive to the club are being locked away too.

I'm anxiously awaiting the liberation of Beauty and the Beast from the vault later this year. I don't know how, but I somehow missed that one. And the waiting has been looooong. If any of these are on your list of must-haves, I suggest getting them now, because who knows when your next chance will be.

"Sooner or later, everyone goes to the zoo."
And sooner or later all the good films get remade into a new shiny Hollywood baby. Here's hoping the 1986 John Hughes classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off isn't tarnished.

Reports say Matthew Broderick insists he would be "happy" with plans to bring back the rebellious teen, as long as the project is handed to a completely new cast.

He tells Cinematical, "(A remake) would be fine. I would be perfectly happy for somebody to do that. I probably wouldn't enjoy (having a role in the film). I would rather leave what we did as our thing."

If the project moves forward, who do think would be best for the cast of characters?

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Word went out today of the South by Southwest Film Festival's opening-night feature: Kick-Ass. I think the title speaks for itself.

"The movie tells the story of average teen Dave (Aaron Johnson), a comic-book fanboy who decides to take his obsession as inspiration to become a real-life superhero. His life is forever changed as he inspires a subculture of copy cats, is hunted by assorted violent and unpleasant characters, and meets up with a pair of crazed vigilantes, including Hit Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) and Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage), and another fledgling superhero, Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). But thanks to the scheming of a local mob boss Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong), that new alliance will be put to the test."

The SXSW Film Festival is March 12-20 in Austin. Register here.

Director Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker picked up another best-picture award before the end of last year, this one from the National Society of Film Critics.

The critics association named Bigelow best director and handed an award to Hurt Locker star Jeremy Renner, who says he's not playing "Hawkeye" in the upcoming Avengers movie, as best actor. I'm going to keep showing my geek here; remember when Renner played a serial-killer vamp on Angel? (Really, is there any other kind? I'm looking at you Edward Cullen, also coincidentally unleashed upon the world by Summit Entertainment.)

(If you haven't seen it, The Hurt Locker was re-released on Dec. 18 at Cinemark Movies Grand Prairie and the AMC Grapevine Mills Cinema 30.)

Anyway, if this usually contrary outfit is agreeing with the mainstream critics groups, then Oscar had better watch out. He might be going home with Kathryn. Ms. Bigelow, if you're nasty.

(Photo of Jeremy Renner in "The Hurt Locker" from Summit Entertainment)

Thanks to Twitter-er Danyel Smith, former Vibe magazine editor-in-chief, I caught this clip on the And the Winner is... blog of comedian/actress/talk-show host Mo'Nique from last month. Fellow actors and friends Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard were on her show and ended up educating her both on what she needs to do in order to get her highly-likely Oscar nomination for her role in Precious and what to do afterward.

Entertainment Weekly's Oscar guru Dave Karger wrote about this in October, as word spread that Mo'Nique was reportedly "demanding appearance fees to show up at film festivals." Karger said, "I'd like to think that winning an Academy Award is only about the performance. But we all know that's not true. You have to play the game as well. Many observers still believe one of the reasons Marion Cotillard beat Julie Christie for Best Actress two years ago is because Cotillard worked the circuit hard, especially in the final stretches, while Christie mostly stayed home in England."

For one we can assume Mo'Nique has been busy with her brand new BET late-night talk show, but I think we can all agree with Karger. Ask any average American who wins awards - even titles like homecoming queen or the student council president - and they know, for the most part, it's the people who shake hands all day.

Watch the video below for yourself of Henson and Howard on The Mo'Nique Show. It's kind of long, but you can either just listen to the audio while you work or, like ATWI said, only pay attention to the segment from 3:42 to 9:53.

No review? Well, this might be why ...

Armored': No critics allowed
By Sharon Hoffmann
The Kansas City Star

What is it? Guards at an armored truck company coerce a newbie co-worker into stealing $42 million. But of course the plan goes wrong.
Why didn't Screen Gems show it to the press? The studio, a division of Sony, had no comment.
Why we'd see it: That cast! Laurence Fishburne, Jean Reno and Matt Dillon.
Why we wouldn't: The studio must know something we aren't picking up from the trailers -- how else to explain the critic shutout?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, FX, with its R- and Eww-rated dramas and its superhero-movie marathons, will start showing Twilight in 2011 after nabbing the rights in a deal with Summit Entertainment.

In the deal, the net also will show The Hurt Locker, Knowing and Push. So, I know what you thinking: "Of course they're going to show Twilight and Underworld in an all-day marathon." And I feel you (remember the Buffy the Vampire "Slay-a-Thon" that FX used to show on Thanksgiving Day? I do, and I miss it). This is one network that knows its packaging. They'll be able to show the films after the pay-cable deal is complete with Showtime.

Stay tuned. I hear they're working on that fourth Underworld movie. A conflicted Michael Sheen (he's a smarmy vamp in one franchise and a heartache-y werewolf in the other, and if you haven't seen him in The Queen, you oughta run out and buy the DVD) will be all over the place!

(Photo of Michael Sheen as Underworld's Lucian from michaelsheen.net)

Our panel of bloggers discussed more than just Team Edward vs. Team Jacob (although it appears Jacob is the hot new crush). We talked about how Bella's actions affect young girls, what guys are thinking of the tween craze, what worked and what didn't in the film and book, and more. Just click Play to revisit the conversation.

A lot can change in a week's time.

In preparation for my New Moon coverage I saw the first Twilight movie on Sunday and was not that impressed. Still, I dove head first into the Twilight pandemonium Thursday night thanks to a fan meet-and-greet with actor Charlie Bewley at the AT&T store off of Park Lane and Central Expressway.

Of course I've heard about and covered the Twilight madness for nearly a year now, but with the new movie I figured it was time to investigate more into what's surely a moment in pop culture history. Thankfully, Bewley's sort of new to it all as well, and the fans weren't hesitant to let me know what they loved about it.

Twilight fans are getting another addition to the empire with news out today that a "family restaurant" called Volterra will open in Forks, Wash., where the vampire book and movie series is set.

So, now there's a TV show, a lounge, several homes on the Web and so on and so forth.

Turns out the folks in charge of opening this restaurant didn't check with another place called Volterra in Seattle. But owners Annette and Tim Root say that "Volterra" is just a working name.

Stay tuned.

(Photo of Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen and Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan by Kimberley French for Summit Entertainment)

Michael Jackson's This Is It opens at 11 p.m. Tuesday in area theaters, though the movie's official opening date is Wednesday. Tickets are widely available, including at www.thisisittickets.com and at individual theaters and movie Web sites such as Fandango.

The movie's running time is 1 hour and 51 minutes, for those of you wondering just how much of the reported 120 hours of footage made it onto the screen.

I'm sure the DVD will be ready for purchase during the holiday season. Aren't you?

Really? They don't have even one Oscar betwixt the three of them? Lauren Bacall, Roger Corman and Gordon Willis will receive honorary Oscars at a gala to be held Nov. 14. Little Shop of Horrors has always been my favorite play, my favorite movie, with my favorite songs. I figured the Academy wouldn't see the genius there, but, really, you would've thought that with all the films that Bacall and Corman made that they would have at least stumbled on an Oscar. Really.

Bacall, Corman, Willis to get honorary Oscars
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Actress Lauren Bacall, producer-director Roger Corman and cinematographer Gordon Willis are the first Oscar winners of the season.
The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Thursday that the three will receive honorary Oscar statuettes.
Bacall made her screen debut with Humphrey Bogart in "To Have and Have Not" in 1944. She went on to star in more than 30 films, including such classics as "The Big Sleep" and "Key Largo." Corman has directed more than 50 films and produced more than 300 during his five-decade career, including "It Conquered the World" and "The Little Shop of Horrors (1960). Willis is a two-time Academy Award nominee for "Zelig" and "The Godfather, Part III."
The board also voted to present the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award to producer-executive John Calley. His producing credits include "Postcards from the Edge," "The Remains of the Day," for which he earned a Best Picture Oscar nomination, "Closer" and "The Da Vinci Code."
All four awards will be presented at the Academy's inaugural Governors Awards gala event on Nov. 14 in Hollywood.

Tyler Perry, once again, isn't showing his latest movie to critics. We probably couldn't sway you one way or the other about his film anyway. But the headline on the explanation below says it all. So check Guide Daily and dallasnews.com on Saturday for a review.

I Can Do Bad All By Myself, without any help from critics
By Robert W. Butler
The Kansas City Star

TYLER PERRY'S I CAN DO BAD ALL BY MYSELF
Rated PG-13
Time: 1:53
What is it? Madea (writer/director Tyler Perry in full-bosom drag) practices tough love on miscreant kids, putting them in the hands of their aunt (Taraji P. Henson), a nightclub singer struggling to get her own life together.
Why didn't Lionsgate show it to the press? It's been several years since Perry has shown his work in advance.
Why we'd see it: Perry's work is hugely popular, and Bad looks to have his trademark blend of raunch and moral uplift -- with musical numbers, too (Mary J. Blige and Gladys Knight are in the cast).
Why we wouldn't: Seems to some of us that Perry keeps remaking the same movie.

(Photo of Taraji P. Henson from Lionsgate)

Well, well ... we have two offenders this week. Rumer Willis' star turn as a damsel in a bit of distress isn't going to get the critic treatment in time for opening night. Ah, well. We've got you covered until the review hits Guide Daily and dallasnews.com.

Sorority Row doesn't allow critics
By Robert W. Butler
The Kansas City Star
SORORITY ROW
Rated R
Time: 1:41
What is it? After one of them dies in a prank gone wrong, sorority sisters try to keep the death a secret ... but find themselves stalked by a murderous stranger.
Why didn't Summit Entertainment show it to critics? Hollywood has realized even positive reviews can't help exploitation efforts like this one.
What others are saying: "Boasting a welcome sense of tongue-in-cheek humor and girlsploitation heroics (all the product placements get a bit much, though), Sorority Row isn't just another brain-dead and bloodthirsty exercise in macabrely entertaining those who like to watch people die in gruesome, graphic ways," says EmpireOnline.co.uk.
Why we'd see it: There's a big shower scene, right?
Why we wouldn't: No-name director and cast don't inspire confidence.

(Photo by Michael Desmond/Summit Entertainment)

If you hurry, you can catch a wax figure of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine as it hits the Dallas stop on its five-city tour in anticipation of the Sept. 15 release of X-Men Origins: Wolverine on DVD and Blu-ray. The wax figure is at the Blockbuster Video at 3501 McKinney (McKinney and Lemmon) until 7 p.m.

If that's too much information too late, then you can wake up early tomorrow morning and head downtown to WFAA studios in Victory Park (3030 Olive St.). The wax figure will be there at 8:15 a.m. Sharp. (LOL ... I crack myself up!)

Tussauds spokesman Neil Linssen, who is also a sculptor and artist, is riding shotgun withthe statue. He'll talk about the sculpting process. The head of this particular figure took more than six weeks so that they could get an accurate likeness of Jackman.

I'll race you there! (And, um, yeah. That's the wax figure to your right ...)

More often than not, we'll all know a film is opening on a certain date, but we won't get to see it in time to give you a review. That hamstrings us just as much as it does you, dear reader. So, I've found this little feature that we'll try to trot out every time we miss out on the big films.

You can always come back home for the review, though, just not on Friday ... Sigh. This week's hold-out? Gamer, starring Gerard Butler, Michael C. Hall and Ludacris, ahem, Chris Bridges.

By Robert W. Butler
The Kansas City Star
GAMER
Rated R
Time: 95 mins.
What is it? In the future people play video games in which real living humans -- convicts who volunteer hoping for an early release -- become pawns in life-and-death scenarios.
Why didn't Lionsgate show it to the press? The studio has a longstanding policy of not screening most of its exploitation and genre titles for critics.
Why we'd see it: We're big fans of Scottish actor Gerard Butler (as one of the prisoners who gets wrapped up in the game) and Michael C. Hall (TV's Dexter, as a sinister game designer).
Why we wouldn't: Writers-directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor made the high-energy, low-content Crank films. This looks like more of the same ... and we're looking for something more substantial.

(Photo of Gerard Butler by Saeed Adyani/Lionsgate)

What a deal! Disney is set to aquire Marvel Entertainment, giving them access to the Marvel vaults and every character Stan Lee ever dreamed of. While it's a boon for Marvel shareholders, what might that mean for Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.)? Will Disney, notorious for scrubbing clean anything it touches, demand that future representations of Stark and his hard-partying ways be toned down?

Will the Punisher adopt a Mickey Mouse shirt instead of his death skull. Will Wolverine suddenly start playing nice? Will Minnie and Magneto run off together? Stay tuned. This should be fun.

I will say this: Marvel is late to the game as DC has been under Warner Bros. for years. Perhaps that's why the movies made from DC comics seem to have more of a soul and less popcorn. What say you?

(Photo by DAMIAN DOVARGANES/The Associated Press of Stan Lee with one of his creations at Marvel)

Dolby 3D has arrived. It made an impressive debut on Friday at Studio Movie Grill -- the only place in the Dallas-Fort Worth area that has Dolby 3D at the moment -- in the form of X Games 3D: The Movie. The film itself is not exactly my vision of cinematic heaven, but it offered a good showcase for an amazing new technology, which is vastly superior to any 3D I've ever seen. Maybe it's the glasses. They're hardly the cheap, roadside-gas-station-like sunglasses you're used to wearing for 3D movies. Each pair of the Dolby 3D glasses costs $28. Brian Schultz, the owner and founder of Studio Movie Grill, told me he purchased 900 pairs for each Studio Movie Grill. That's $25,000 per outlet, and the cost is increasing, since Studio Movie Grill is now available in Dallas (Royal Lane and Central), Addison, Plano, Lewisville, Arlington and at two locations in Houston. It was really cool to watch Dolby 3D previews of A Christmas Carol (starring Jim Carrey) and the Alice in Wonderland movie starring Johnny Depp that won't arrive until 2010. Lynne McQuaker, director of creative affairs at Studio Movie Grill, says one of the boldest examples of Dolby 3D promises to be the highly anticipated Avatar, director James Cameron's first feature film since Titanic. It opens Dec. 18. Studio Movie Grill will also show live concerts in Dolby 3D in the coming months. You can read all about it in this story, which appears in the GuideSunday section of The Dallas Morning News.

Photo: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs will make its Dolby 3D debut on Sept. 18

Multiple sources including CNN.com are reporting that director John Hughes has died of a heart attack in New York.

Hughes directing credits include Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

So the man who brought us Showgirls and Sharon Stone's, er, interrogation scene in Basic Instinct now wants to turn his attentions to the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Yeah, you read that right.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- "Basic Instinct" screenwriter Joe Eszterhas is moving from racy to religious for his next Hollywood project.

The writer whose credits include the sexually explicit megabomb "Showgirls" plans an original screenplay on the Virgin of Guadalupe, an icon of the Virgin Mary that supposedly appeared to a Mexican peasant in the 16th century.

Once notorious as a heavy boozer and smoker in Hollywood, Eszterhas overcame his addictive habits and found God after he was diagnosed with throat cancer.

"This is a labor of love for me," Eszterhas said. "I have been hoping for some time to write a film that is both entertaining and inspiring."

Eszterhas' as-yet-untitled Guadalupe project is being written for Mpower Pictures, founded by producer Stephen McEveety, whose credits include Mel Gibson's religious blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ."

"Basic Instinct" with Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone established Eszterhas as one of Hollywood's top screenwriters, while the much-anticipated "Showgirls" became one of the industry's all-time flops.

I came across the trailer for Alice in Wonderland (creepy) and thought I would share it on the blog. Alas, when I went to do that, Disney had filed a copyright claim for it on YouTube. Go ahead, click on it. It says "This video is not available in your country due to copyright restrictions."

So, I noticed that my friend Sandi Jo found another trailer embedded in another place. But here's the rub. If Disney is stalking the Web, trying to keep people from seeing this trailer, I'm not setting us up like that.

It's all over the Web, though, in Disney-approved places which doesn't include some of my usual haunts. And it's a sight to behold. There's Facebook groups devoted to the Red Queen, the White Queen and the Mad Hatter. The group who has the most members at 4 p.m. Pacific will get the first look at the trailer that Tim Burton was supposed to present at Comic-Con tomorrow. Run, children, and press play.

(Photo of Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter courtesy of Disney via the Associated Press)

Could it be that Brüno had a killer first round only to be knocked out in the second? TIME magazine has a fascinating story about Brüno losing major box-office share from the moment it opened at 12:01 a.m. Friday through the rest of last weekend. Brüno did finish first in the weekend sweepstakes, but the experts are calling it a defeat, of sorts, because the dropoff was so substantial from the end of Friday to the end of Sunday. And why? TIME blames it on Twitter, saying it may become the first movie casualty of the Twitter age.

Photo: Sacha Baron Cohen as Brüno

So, DC Comics is going all movie again and this time the casting's for Green Lantern. Rumor (and the Hollywood Reporter and Wired.com) has it that the casting is down to three, ahem, stars to play Hal Jordan. You know, he's the straight-arrow pilot picked by a dying alien to join the Green Lantern Corps, protecting that sector of the Universe that contains Earth.

Anyway, the three finalists are: Justin Timberlake (Alpha Dog, numerous Saturday Night Live appearances); Bradley Cooper (The Hangover, Wedding Crashers); and Ryan Reynolds (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Proposal).

Either way, I don't know if I like any of them for Hal Jordan and it seems that the producers, writers and director all have a different favorite. Just squash it, I say, and go with the John Stewart Green Lantern. And for that? Well, I'm all about some Henry Simmons.

Until then, "In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight."

(Photo from atomicpopcorn.net)

Brüno made its way into theaters today, so now we can see whether it passes the box office test. Sacha Baron Cohen's previous guerilla effort, Borat, earned $260 million worldwide. Having seen the new movie, I'm amazed by his utter fearlessness in going after such targets as a real terrorist, not to mention incting a near riot in Fort Smith, Ark. Baron Cohen uses Brüno to make a bold statement about homophobia, as Borat attempted to pull the mask off racism. But already, Brüno has its critics. Salon suggests in its review that gay-rights groups may be less than thrilled with the movie, and Newsweek quotes sources in Arkansas who question the authenticity of scenes filmed there. I wrote this story last Sunday that quoted two women who attended the taping of a fake Brüno talk show in Carrollton about a year ago and who were less than thrilled with what went down.

Photo: Sacha Baron Cohen as a gay Austrian fashionista in the new movie Brüno.

Brace yourself is right. Bruno, Sacha Baron Cohen's latest entry in guerilla filmmaking, arrives in theaters July 10. As I have written about before (in this story), Baron Cohen came here a year ago and filmed scenes at an office park in Carrollton. He lured in the unsuspecting by having his production team recruit audience members for a new TV talk show on family values. What ensued was pretty wild. You can read more about it on Sunday, when I offer my latest on Bruno's escapades (and how he offended a whole bunch of local people). I just got back from Baron Cohen's native London, where he is wildly popular. Mention his name at a pub and they start telling their favorite stories from Da Ali G Show, especially the one where he duped soccer star David Beckham and his wife, ex-Spice Girl Victoria Beckham. As Mike Bell, the colorful owner of Portobello Gold in Notting Hill, London's best pub-hotel, told me, he thinks Baron Cohen is "brilliant." My own favorites were his Da Ali G Show interviews with former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Bruno is apparently so wild that in England, it got an 18 rating, meaning that no one under 18 can get in to see it. Period. You can read about that in this story.

Photo: The one and only Sacha Baron Cohen

Iron Man 2 won't be out until May 2010, but that doesn't stop fangirls (and boys) from salivating over every scrap we get out of Marvel and anywhere else.

Jon Favreau is back as director, and Robert Downey Jr. (perfect casting, right?) is back as Tony Stark. This time, though, we get Mickey Rourke joining in on the fun.

What'll he look like as Whiplash? Well, I got you. Always. Look up.

(Photo from Marvel.com)

Well, I don't think founder Dan Florio meant his Web site to be an aid for all of us trying to avoid a recurrence of kidney stones, but it's sure going to help.

Florio's Web site, wonderfully titled Runpee.com, tells you when it's OK to leave during a film because you have to, well, you know ... He came up with it while watching Peter Jackson's King Kong (at least it was an inspiration for something besides my S.O. yelling at the screen, "Leave the monkey alone!").

I sure could have used it when I saw every film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy in one sitting. No matter; it's here now, with the tagline of "Helping your bladder enjoy going to the movies as much as you do." With even comedies heading into the three-hour ring, now every moviegoer's bladder (bless your heart, pregnant women; the Web site even has a maternity T-shirt) can breathe a sigh of relief.

Community activist Jason Roberts is doing some cool things at the storied Texas Theatre, and Saturday night promises to be one of the coolest. At 7 p.m. Saturday, he and the Oak Cliff Foundation are showing the legendary movie Bonnie and Clyde at the Jefferson Boulevard theater, where, of course, Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested in 1963. The Oak Cliff Foundation has renovated the Texas Theatre and is trying to do more. They have shown the movies Oswald's Ghost and JFK, and the Dallas Summer Musicals would eventually love to use it as one of its venues. Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker hailed from West Dallas and undoubtedly spent plenty of time in Oak Cliff, maybe even at the Texas Theatre, which opened in 1931. Saturday marks the 75th anniversary of the ambush that killed the lawbreaking pair, whose exploits are chronicled in the 1967 movie, directed by Arthur Penn and starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. (Please click below to read on.)

Photo: Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde

The final film starring Heath Ledger, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, had its premiere at Cannes.

Director Terry Gilliam, if you remember, thought of canceling the production when his star was found dead from an accidental prescription pill overdose. But three other A-list stars stepped in to play Ledger's character in three different incarnations during the fantastical sequences in the film: Jude Law, Johnny Depp and Colin Farrell. The actors played for peanuts, as the money they would have been making was set aside for Ledger's daughter with actress Michelle Williams (Wendy and Lucy), Matilda.

Awwww. Right? Well, reviews have been circulating and they're killing the movie softly.

One would have hoped for better as an epitaph for Heath Ledger, one of Hollywood's rising stars but it's early yet. We'll see.

(Photo of Terry Gilliam by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP/Getty Images)

Exclusive interview by the Los Angeles Times:

For more than 2 1/2 years, Farrah Fawcett's battle with cancer has sparked a flurry of headlines for celebrity tabloids. But it has also stripped the actress of her ability to seek treatment while maintaining her privacy, she said in an interview.

In a three-hour conversation with The Times in August -- her only media interview after being diagnosed with anal cancer in September 2006 -- Fawcett denounced the National Enquirer for publishing leaked details about her illness, including some that she said were false. And she criticized UCLA Medical Center for failing to protect her medical records from snooping employees.

The former "Charlie's Angels" star, 62, said she set up a real-life sting operation to prove to UCLA that one of its employees was leaking her medical data to the Enquirer. She also talked about the pressure she felt from the hospital to donate money to set up a foundation in her name.

(Read the rest of the story, and see video of Fawcett's interview.)

A two-hour documentary, Farrah's Story, about the actress's struggle with cancer, will air Friday on NBC.

Photo: Farrah Fawcett arrives for the MTV Video Music Awards in this August 2004 file photo. (AP file)

From the Associated Press:

NEW YORK (AP) -- Peter Sarsgaard and Maggie Gyllenhaal have made it official.

Amanda Silverman, Gyllenhaal's publicist, says the couple were married Saturday. She didn't provide any details.

Gyllenhaal and Sarsgaard have a daughter, Ramona, who was born in October 2006. They announced their engagement earlier that year.

Gyllenhaal's film roles include "The Dark Knight" and "World Trade Center." Sarsgaard has appeared in the films "Jarhead," "Boys Don't Cry" and "Kinsey."

The couple recently co-starred in an off-Broadway revival of the classic play "Uncle Vanya."

Well, we've got your first look at the Wolf Pack right here.

Alex Meraz (Paul), Chaske Spencer (Sam Uley), Bronson Pelletier (Jared), and Kiowa Gordon (Embry) star in The Twilight Saga: New Moon, in theaters Nov. 20.

(Photo courtesy of Timothy White)

That crazy Sacha Baron Cohen came to North Texas last June and punked dozens of unsuspecting citizens at a Carrollton office park by inducing them to show up as the audience for a "new television talk show." I wrote a column about it (click here to read it) because my son was among those who showed up for the $50 cash they were giving out. It turns out Cohen was using this local audience as comic fodder for his next movie, which features the gay Austrian fashionista Bruno. We have seen Bruno before, in the Da Ali G series on HBO, but apparently, few of the folks who showed up at the office park had ever heard of him. Well, now the London Times has an "exclusive" trailer of the Bruno movie on its Web site. Click here to view it. Bruno is scheduled for a July release.

Photo: Sacha Baron Cohen invades the catwalk in Milan, Italy, to film a scene for his forthcoming Bruno movie

For those of us in the newspaper business, two new movies have taken on special resonance. I went to Studio Movie Grill last night to see State of Play and was frankly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Sure, it's a Hollywood movie but a decent thriller and although some of its references to print journalism are ludicrous (who does the editing at that paper?), much of it rang true. Russell Crowe plays a reporter dedicated to the best of print journalism, a guy who's sniffing out not just a big story but a HUGE story and realizing he needs time, most of all, to give it justice. One of his newsroom colleagues is a blogger who thrice daily feeds the on-line beast, even if the information is not quite ready for prime time. And Helen Mirren plays the editor trying to satisfy a new owner who likes celebrity gossip most of all. Friday marks the release of The Soloist, which apparently deals, in part, with layoffs and buyouts at the Los Angeles Times, whose columnist, Steve Lopez, discovered the schizophrenic homeless guy who plays a mean cello -- the guy at the heart of the story (played by Jamie Foxx). Check out this blog post about The Soloist.

Photo: Russell Crowe in State of Play.

Twilight junkies, here's the latest. Michael Sheen, who wowed as Tony Blair in The Queen and Frost in Frost/Nixon, is going (bad) vampire on us for New Moon according to eonline.com. So, does this bring a class to the project? Or does it bring Sheen down to earth? Do you like the choice?

The Hollywood Reporter tells us that Grammy winners Gladys Knight and Marvin Winans have joined the cast of Tyler Perry's next film, I Can Do Bad By Myself. (Every time I see that title, I think of the song by Jesse James and finish the lyrics, "and I don't need no help to starve to death.")

Already attached to the film are Mary J. Blige, Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Adam Rodriguez (CSI: Miami).

There's obviously going to be a lot of singing going on, with Knight playing a choir-singing matriarch in the film about teens sent to live with their hard-living, nightclub-singing aunt (Henson). Knight, Blige and Winans will sing in the film. And, yes, Madea will be in attendance.

This just in: Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke (right) will be ringside for Wrestlemania XXIV, this Sunday at Houston's Reliant Stadium.

Rourke received several awards nominations for his role as Randy "The Ram" Robinson in The Wrestler, putting the actor back in the limelight decades after he first came onto the scene in Hollywood. Never one these days to turn up his nose at a good thing, Rourke will continue his feud with WWE Superstar Chris Jericho during the event celebrating Wrestlemania's 25th anniversary. Rourke called Jericho out from the red carpet at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in January, challenging him to a fight. Jericho rose to the challenge, confronting Rourke on Larry King Live.

Who knows? Maybe Rourke will channel "Randy" and climb into the ring. For now, though, he'll be ringside in support of some of my favorites, including Ric "Nature Boy" Flair, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper (remember the cartoon Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling with Roddy, Junkyard Dog, Iron Sheik, etc.?) and Ricky "the Dragon" Steamboat, all Hall of Famers. The legends will all fight Jericho, and according to a press release, "Jericho will not only be looking to defeat the Legends, but also to show Rourke the difference between being a movie actor and a real WWE Superstar."

You can watch the whole thing live on pay-per-view. Or you can wait for the inevitable blog report.

(Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP)

Patience is a virtue, fanboys. You couldn't wait until this summer?

From CNN.com:

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Someone stole an "incomplete and early version" of the next installment in the blockbuster X-Men movie series and posted it on the Internet this week, according to the studio that owns the billion-dollar film franchise.

Twentieth Century Fox said the FBI was investigating who leaked "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," which is set for release in U.S. theaters May 1.

"The source of the initial leak and any subsequent postings will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law; the courts have handed down significant criminal sentences for such acts in the past," the studio's statement said.

Removing the pirated files from the Internet may prove an impossible challenge, an industry source said. This source did not want to be named because of the sensitive nature of the matter.

Although the studio said it was removed from the Web site that first hosted it, the digital file has probably been downloaded tens of thousands of times, the source said.

"It's not removed from the Internet," the industry source said. "It's still there."

Continue reading on CNN.com.

Photo: Hugh Jackman stars in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Courtesy: 20th Century Fox

So, people are now getting off their sofas and headed to the places depicted in movies. Case in point: The family who lives in the house depicted in The Haunting in Connecticut is complaining of obtrusive, and sometimes scary, visitors.

I get it. You've done the research, or you've watched the special on the Discovery Channel. You figure, "What harm can it do if I just drive by the house? Maybe I'll see a curtain move and get a chilly thrill?" Um, no. Real people trying to carry on real lives now live in the house.

So, if you must, ride by. But don't knock on the door and frighten the children that now live there.

(Photo by Jessica Hill/The Associated Press)

The Hollywood Reporter reports that MacGyver is in the works to become a feature film for New Line Cinema. Maybe this is another sign of the apocalypse, or maybe it's just a sign that Hollywood is only betting on bankable projects.

Richard Dean Anderson, lately of Stargate SG-1, starred as a jack-of-all-trades secret agent that you wouldn't want to leave tied up next to some peanut butter, a paper clip and a headache powder - you'd be in for one big bomb.

(1994 Photo by Peter Kernot)

It's been buzzed about for a while now, but Dakota Fanning has signed on to The Twilight Saga: New Moon, the fast-tracked sequel to Twilight.

The Hollywood Reporter, People.com, MTV.com and various other sources says it's now official that she'll play the vampire Jane, who is "sweet but sneaky" and "sinister." Really, are there any other kind of vampires?

Back in January, when the scuttlebutt was at full scuttle, Fanning told MTV News that "I'm glad that people are excited about me possibly being in it. That's so nice! We're both pale. ... I don't think they'd have to put a lot of makeup on me if it works out. I'm pretty pale as it is."

It'll be interesting to see Dakota take on a character such as this one. Her acting chops are undeniable. But are her fans ready to see her vamp out?

(Photo by MARIO ANZUONI/Reuters)

There's no rest for those Jonas Brothers. It seems that after they visited with local fans outside the Main Event in Grapevine in the wee hours of Sunday morning (watch our video and read about it here), they went on to the home of Jayla Cooper, a nine-year-old from Grapevine who is battling leukemia. Jayla came to national attention as a "child bride" when she married 7-year-old Jose Griggs, who is also battling cancer.

Watch the "Early Show" video of the Jonas Brothers visiting Jayla.

It wasn't quite Waiting for Godot, but it sure felt that way as 10:30 p.m., the announced arrival time, morphed into 1:16 a.m., and the temperature kept dropping into the low 30s. But there we were, on the red carpet, in front of the sprawling Main Event entertainment center near the Cinemark Grapevine, waiting for the Jonas Brothers to jet in from Atlanta Saturday night (er, Sunday morning) and talk to the news media and, of course, a horde of screaming fans about their new movie, Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience. (Please click below to read on!)

Photo: Fans in Atlanta scream for the Jonas Brothers, who then flew to Dallas, where they would not arrive until after 1 a.m. Sunday

The final pieces are falling into place for the Harry Potter saga. Fans know that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is coming out July 17 and that part one of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is due out Nov. 19, 2010. Now People reports that the date for part two is fixed: July 15, 2011. Which is not to say that dates can't change. But it does bring an air of finality to the end of the Potter era. An era I will sorely miss.