The Screening Room

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

Big props to Comingsoon.net for being the latest place on the Internet to scar me for life.

The guilty party? Promo shots from Tim Burton's upcoming Alice in Wonderland, including pictures of Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter in a type of creepy that I suspect will turn up in my dreams soon.

Watch. Boggle. Comment. Discuss.

Well, every once in a while, we get an exclusive. And, Twilight fans, we've got your back.

Here's some facts about your favorite movie. Of. All. Time.

1. It was the biggest opening of all-time for a female director.
2. It was the second-biggest opening for a non-sequel. Spider-Man's at No. 1.
3. It was the fourth-biggest opening of the year.
4. To date, Twilight has a box-office total of $375 million.
5. Twilight sold 3 million home videos in its first 24 hours of release.

And your exclusive, besides all of those facts that you probably knew already because you're such a good fan base? Why, it's the first poster image from The Twilight Saga: New Moon. You know you love me. And you're welcome.

Muscle-bound Hugh Jackman swarthed into theaters last week, raking in a cool $85 million for the fourth flick in the X-Men comic book series. And starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, the ridiculously attractive cast of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek reboots the franchise.

And TV has embraced its dorkier side from Chuck and The Big Bang Theory to Heroes and Lost.

As CNN.com tells it:

If the world of entertainment is any indication, the geeks shall inherit the Earth. Programs like CBS' The Big Bang Theory" are indicative of the coolness of geeks and nerds in pop culture.

The nerd herd is everywhere these days it seems: in books, on television and at the movies. ... In the 25 years since Revenge of the Nerds debuted at movie theaters, geek chic has grabbed hold and catapulted the brilliant, yet often socially inept, into the realm of -- dare it be said -- the hip and the cool.

And from the Associated Press:

It took just a few seconds of footage - a single trailer, dropped from the heavens with great fanfare - for the hue and cry to rise on Trekmovie.com, the top fan site for J.J. Abrams' new "Star Trek" movie. By the hundreds they weighed in, a contentious cacophony that would have jammed even Lt. Uhura's comms system.

Admittedly, this trend isn't as new as recent stories would have you believe. Heroes and Lost have both been going strong for some time. The big screen has embraced its nerd cred during the past few summer. I'm looking at you, Iron Man, The Dark Knight, and 300. But the interesting thing is it's still happening. It hasn't fizzled out yet, and (if Mr. Abrams has anything to say about it) it won't be any time soon.

There's also the question of why. Why now, why so popular, why why why? Ultimately, it comes down to the dollar. If one comic book or graphic novel film does well, the studio throws even more money at the next one. So did all the '90s honor students score the high-paying jobs that lead to lots of disposable income? Or has the mainstream audience finally learned that "speculative fiction" actually just means "really cool story?"

Battlestar Galactica fans won't have to wait long to dissect their favorite diversion. Battlestar Galactica Season 4.5 will be released on July 28 on Blu-ray and DVD. Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series, all 25 disks of it, will also be released in both formats that day.

That's a whole lot of Starbuck (pssst -- I saw Gaeta on Smallville Thursday night). But fans of this show, including some of us on this staff (me! me!), can't wait to press pause, then rewind, then zoom in on all the little things we might have missed the first (or second or third) time around.

Of course, SciFi (I think I'll always call it that no matter what NBC Universal says; they're changing the name to Syfy in July) has already blessed us with Caprica (already out on DVD). But Caprica is a much different animal in look and tone, which I guess it should be seeing that's it's pre-fleeing for their lives from the very machines that they built.

Anyway, I really just have one thing to say: "I love you Bill!"

(Photo from Universal Home Entertainment)

Our friends over at MovieTickets.com say that tickets for the latest X-Men film are being scooped up quickly:

MovieTickets.com is reporting over 150 sold out performances for Wolverine, which kicks off the summer blockbuster season Friday (May 1). Wolverine is accounting for more than one third (35%) of all tickets sold this week at MovieTickets.com.

I've actually never bought movie tickets in pre-sale. As much as I want to see Mr. Jackman in full-screen, Technicolor glory as soon as possible, I tend toward waiting until after the thronging masses have had their chance. I mean, that movie is not going anywhere any time soon.

However, I may change my tune come May 8. (I'm looking at you, J.J. Abrams...)

What about you, faithful readers? Do you already have tickets? Do you rush to be the first person at the midnight screenings? Or do you take a "second weekend or later" approach?

• Fighting (B+)
• The Soloist (B)
• Obsessed
• Earth (B+)
• Fanboys (D)
• Sugar (A)
• The Informers (D)
• Bob Funk (C)
• The Perfect Sleep (C)
• Shall We Kiss? (B)

OK, so it won't win any Oscars, and it often feels like the Jewish version of Rhoda, but Beau Jest, the latest entry in the 13th Annual Jewish Film Festival of Dallas, is the token entry in the Comic Relief category. It's a feel-good yarn about a young Jewish woman who's nervous about having her parents meet her Gentile boyfriend, whose name is -- and I'm not making this up -- Chris Kringle. So, she hires an unemployed actor (who also happens to be a goy) to masquerade as a Jewish doctor and have dinner with her and her parents. You can only imagine the kind of oy gevalt shenanigans that ensue from there. Robyn Cohen is quite fetching as Sarah Goldman, the young woman whose stories have more holes in them than a baker's dozen of bagels.

Photo: A scene from Beau Jest

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)

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.

Harry Potter just cannot make up his mind.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Harry Potter and his school chums are heading back to class a little sooner than expected.

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" now is opening Wednesday, July 15, two days earlier than its previous release date, Warner Bros. head of distribution Dan Fellman said Tuesday.

That gives the movie a head-start on the weekend during what's shaping up as a highly competitive summer season for Hollywood, which has major franchise films opening virtually every week.

"Every day the kids are out of school in summer is just like an extra Saturday," Fellman said.

Warner Bros. also opened the franchise's most recent release, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," on a Wednesday in July 2007.

It's the second date change for the sixth installment in the adventures of the boy wizard. "Half-Blood Prince" had been scheduled for release last fall until the studio bumped it to this July to take advantage of an open weekend in the busy summer lineup.

The franchise stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, with Emma Watson and Rupert Grint as his best pals at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Okay, we've thrown this question out there once already, but I'm tossing it out again:

Hannah Montana: The Movie opens this Friday aka Good Friday aka Everybody's Got the Day Off of School and Work, right?

Inquiring minds want to know: Where are you seeing it? Are you taking your daughter and all her friends? Have you been begging mom and dad ALL MONTH to go? Are you breaking out the long blonde wig? C'mon! You know you want to share!

The poor Jonas Brothers kind of crashed and burned with their big screen debut, but Miss Miley Cyrus's first film, Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Disney 3D, topped the box office for some time.

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.

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

Yes, we know the thrill is not yet gone from Monsters vs. Aliens, but still for those thinking ahead to Hannah vs. Miley, er, we mean Hannah Montana: The Movie -- what are your plans when it opens April 10? Where are you going to see it and are you planning a party around it? Tell us about it!

Really!? I'm a fan of the women and the shoes and the whatnot, but c'mon! As much as I enjoyed this summer's flick, it felt very much like a much delayed (and much needed) swan song. This just strikes me as last desperate guests who just won't leave the party.

From the Associated Press:

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- There's still sex to be had in the city, even though Carrie Bradshaw has settled down with one man.

New Line Cinema spokeswoman Candice McDonough confirms that "Sex and the City" star Sarah Jessica Parker, her three co-stars and writer-director Michael Patrick King are signed for a sequel to last year's hit movie.

The film will reunite Parker and gal pals Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon.

In a statement, King says: "I'm very excited to work with these amazing actresses again and would love to give everyone more information about the sequel ... but I'm busy with my 'Sex' life."

New Line parent Warner Bros. plans to have the sequel out in summer 2010.

The DVD of Twilight is at the top of the current bestseller list on the Barnes & Noble Web site. That's expected, right? What's notable, though, is that the DVD isn't scheduled for release until March 21. And it's not even discounted.

Boys and girls, we hear you. Bella's scent is powerful. You can't resist. Vampires are hot. You have some discretionary income. Your parents are under your power. This DVD release will be bigger than big, ginormous even! Sequel, stat!

It's all in the timing. Just a few minutes ago, we movie geeks here at the Morning News were discussing Darren Aronofsky's upcoming The Wrestler, comeback vehicle extraordinaire for Mickey Rourke.

But, as Media Critic Tom Maurstad pointed out, to truly stage a comeback, you have to actually follow it up with more roles. So we got to wondering: What kinds of roles could Mr. Rourke expect to come his way? His shot at leading man roles went out with 9-1/2 Weeks and Angel Heart (and don't get me started on Another 9-1/2 Weeks).

Well it looks like he landed it: According to slashfilm.com, Mickey Rourke will join the cast of Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables.

The Wrestler star Mickey Rourke will join Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Randy Couture, Dolph Lundgren, Forest Whitaker and Ben Kingsley in a story about story an "expendable" team, hired to do jobs that no one else can or will.... According to Variety, Rourke will play "an unscrupulous arms dealer who becomes the go-to guy for the group of mercenaries". Principal photography is set to begin in Brazil and Louisiana in March.

(Pictured: Mickey Rourke in 9-1/2 Weeks, Sin City and The Wrestler)

From the Associated Press:

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- An attorney for 20th Century Fox says the studio will continue to seek an order delaying the release of Watchmen.

U.S. District Court Judge Gary Feess last week agreed with Fox that Warner Bros. had infringed its copyright by developing and shooting the superhero flick, scheduled for release March 6.

Feess said Monday he plans to hold a trial Jan. 20 to decide remaining issues.

Fox claims it never fully relinquished story rights from its deal made in the late 1980s, and sued Warner Bros. in February. Warner Bros. contended Fox isn't entitled to distribution.

Warner Bros.' attorney said Monday he didn't know if an appeal was coming, but thinks a trial is necessary and a settlement unlikely.

OK, so I'm watching the David Letterman show on Monday night, when the guest is Dustin Hoffman, who's appearing in the new movie Last Chance Harvey. He tells a great story about the time he played a woman for the movie Tootsie (best comedy ever), for which he won the Oscar as Best Actor. He was dressed up in drag and found himself on an elevator near the Russian Tea Room in New York City. Legendary actor Jose Ferrer happened to be on the same elevator. Mr. Hoffman, who decided to remain in character, started a conversation with Mr. Ferrer, leading up to an obscene remark, which was of course bleeped from the Letterman show. But before then, he, or rather she, kept telling Mr. Ferrer how she had learned to act while doing shows in Dallas. Don't you love these local connections?

Photo: Dustin Hoffman

In my business, we're always looking for the local connection. So, it was quite a kick to come across it twice in recent days (see entry above as well). I got a chance to see the fabulous new movie The Wrestler, in which Mickey Rourke plays a broken-down professional wrestler. For my money, Mr. Rourke deserves to win an Oscar for Best Actor. It's an incredible performance. At one point, the wrestler is working in a butcher shop, which bores him to tears. A guy comes in to buy some meat. The wrestler pretends he's a quarterback and asks the customer to go out for a pass. He hurls the wrapped-up meat, which makes a perfect landing in the guy's shopping cart. "How 'bout them Cowboys!" the wrestler shouts. See, I told you there was a local connection.

Photo: Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler

Rotten Tomatoes has the trailer for X-Men Origins: Wolverine. All I can say is: Is it May 1 yet?

No, really. We've been talking about this today. Such a swoon-worthy young man. Such a reckless disregard for hygiene. Seriously, in his own words to Baltimore's Metromix:

That's amazing. So, how long does it take to get your hair perfectly coiffed like that? It's the funniest thing. I just wear a hat a lot. I have so much residue crap in my hair from years and years and years of not washing it and not having any sense of personal hygiene whatsoever. Even today, I go into these things where I'm supposed to be this sexy guy or whatever, and I'm literally asking [the studio rep] if I get plumes of dandruff on me, can you just brush it off.

Never fear, Mr. Pattinson. The hilariously geeky peeps over at io9 prove that Edward is just the latest in a long line of poorly coifed undead. (Although I always liked Spike's bleached blond look.)

No, SERIOUSLY. Buy your tickets:

More from Fandango.com, as of 2 p.m. Wednesday:

Twilight has joined the list of Top Ten Advance Ticket-Sellers, covering all theatrical releases in Fandango's eight-year history. Twilight currently occupies the seventh spot (see full list below); the film may break into the top five before its opening.

Nearly 600 of the film's Thursday midnight show times are already sold out.

• 94% of Fandango's daily ticket sales are for this one film;
• 83% of respondents to a Fandango Twilight survey claim they will see the movie more than once.
• 25% of respondents claim they will see Twilight with their moms or daughters.

The Top Ten Advance Ticket-Sellers on Fandango.com:

1. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
2. The Dark Knight (2008)
3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
5. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
6. Hannah Montana 3D (2008)
7. Twilight (2008)
8. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)
9. Spider-Man 3 (2007)
10. Sex and the City (2008)

Heading out to Twilight this weekend? Not so fast! Do you have your tickets yet? From the good people at Fandango:

More than 500 of Thursday's Twilight midnight showtimes are sold-out in advance online - from Poulsbo, Washington to New York's Staten Island; 86% of daily ticket sales on Fandango.com are for this single film.

And from MovieTickets.com, by way of Variety.com:

SELLOUTS As of 12 p.m. ET today, "Twilight" has already sold out 389 performances at MovieTickets.com, including more than 140 this past weekend alone.

TOP-20 PRESELLERS
Four days prior to its release, "Twilight" is already No. 20 on MovieTickets.com's Top-20 Pre-Sale List of All-Time.

TICKET SALES
As of 12 p.m. ET, "Twilight" accounted for 85 percent of tickets sold at MovieTickets.com on Monday.

Given the popularity and the utter fangirliness of the film, it might be worth your while to go get tickets now. Find your theater and buy your tickets now. And while you wait, check out two videos from ET!Online. Just scroll down.

LIEK OMG! It's almost time for TWILIGHT! But if waiting for the movie's release is like waiting for your very own sparkly vampire to sweep you off your clumsy feet, take comfort. Participating Borders book stores are hosting pre-release parties this Saturday, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Here's what you can expect (besides flailing fangirls):

7-7:30: Twilight Movie Discussion Watch trailers, cast interviews, and Borders-exclusive behind-the-scenes video.

7:30-8 pm: Twilight Quote Contest How well do you know Stephenie Meyer's characters? See how you stack up against other fans.

7:30-8 pm: Twilight Soundtrack Listening Party and Discussion Listen to cuts from the Twilight soundtrack.

8-8:30 pm: Twilight Charades See how well you and your friends can act out the parts.

You can also enter for a chance to win free tickets to the film. Find out more at the Borders Web site.

And if waiting for Saturday is too much for you, why not watch our video of Robert Pattinson signing autographs at Galleria Dallas or the trailer?

I know you're all counting down the minutes until the year's biggest vampire flick hits the screens.

Nope, not that one. Let the Right One In opens Friday at the Angelika Film Center in Mockingbird Station, and the reviews around the country are already raving.

I caught the screening last night, and for now, all I can say is that this is the kind of film that deserves multiple viewings to really wrap your head around.

But to tide you over until the film actually opens, catch this interview from MovieWeb.com with the film's director, Tomas Alfredson.

Apple.com has the new trailer for the third film in the Underworld series, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, which opens Jan. 23. Here's the synopsis:

The third film in the franchise delves into the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires, known as Death Dealers, and the barbaric Lycans (werewolves). A young Lycan, Lucian (Michael Sheen), emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor (Bill Nighy), the cruel vampire king who has persecuted them for hundreds of years. Lucian is joined by his secret lover, the beautiful vampire Sonja (Rhona Mitra), in his battle to free the Lycans from their brutal enslavement.

So... basically, it's a prequel? With how the feud started? I'm all in, but really: If you've seen the first two films, don't you already know how this is going to end? Didn't we see it all in Michael's visions in Underworld: Evolution?

But more importantly, this brings me to a topic we were tossing around last week: How often is the trailer better than the film? Seriously, there is an ART to creating a good trailer. I blame good editing and Blur's "Song 2" for getting me to pay $8 for Starship Troopers. How many times have you been disappointed when the movie you came to see wasn't as good as the trailers that preceded it?

So tell me: What film do you think failed to live up to the promise of its trailer?

CNN.com has put together their top nine greatest comebacks by Hollywood actors.

Making the list: John Travolta, who bounced back from a career of Look Who's Talking sequels with the help of a little-known director by the name of Quentin Tarantino, and Mickey Rourke, who is no doubt hoping that his turn in Darren Aronofsky's upcoming The Wrestler will do the same for him. (The Wrestler is scheduled to open Dec. 19.)

First it was Mike Modano in The Mighty Ducks. Now recently acquired Sean Avery hits the big screen. Well, sort of.

From Reuters/Hollywood Reporter:

New Line Cinema will presumably answer that question in a romantic comedy feature about professional hockey player Sean Avery's experiences as an intern at the fashion bible Vogue.

A member of the NHL's New York Rangers at the time of the internship, he has since signed with the Dallas Stars. He told The Hollywood Reporter he's always been a fashionista. "I was always trying to be the best-dressed kid in school," he said.

Continue reading at Reuters.com.

Heading to the new Tyler Perry film this weekend? You're in for a treat:

From the Associated Press:

Here comes Madea, a few months early.

Theaters showing Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys, which opens Friday, will show a sneak peek of the third installment of his popular Madea movies, Madea Goes to Jail. The movie isn't due out until Feb. 20, 2009.

The summer movie season is wrapping up, which can mean only one thing: fall movie season!

Usually lthis means that summer's blockbusters give way to the studio's grand hopes for Oscar nominations. But this year? Maybe not so much, or so says Media Critic Tom Maurstad:

Traditionally, summer was the hot season of big movies, full of action and special effects, while fall was the cool season of small movies, full of stars and award-winning acting and filmmaking. But this looks like the year that Indian summer hits Hollywood, turning fall into a second summer of big, noisy films.

Read the rest of what Tom has to say here, then check out his top 10 picks for the season. Not enough? That's okay; we've got the whole season staked out for you.

So now tell us: Which films are you looking forward to? The Coen Brothers return with Burn After Reading? Finding out just what a Quantum of Solace is? Wondering if Twilight will be just as angst-ridden as Stephanie Meyer's book? Let's talk movies!

Relax, everyone -- this one isn't going to scare you the way No Country for Old Men did.

The Associated Press says that sibling filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen previewed Burn After Reading at the Venice Film Festival. It's a spy satire with an all-star cast: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand and John Malkovich.

Read all about the premiere here.

If you were planning on seeing Vin Diesel's big summer movie this week, you might want to rethink your movie choice. At least, that's what the director thinks:

French director Mathieu Kassovitz, who cradled and loved his Babylon AD project for 5 years, is mad as hell at Fox. Citing terrible management, budget shenanigans, bad producers and partners, Kassovitz says making the futuristic tale starring Vin Diesel was a hideous ordeal. What went so wrong with Babylon AD that its own director and star call it "terrible"?

In the film, Vin Diesel plays Toorop, an ex-mercenary who is getting paid to transport an important girl from one end of the globe to another, while dodging enemy fire and hiding from the oppressive government. But according to Kassovitz, it should have been so much more. He worked on a project whose main point was to focus on refugee trafficking in a gritty tomorrow, as well as political issues like censorship and a declining educational system.

Read the rest of the post here.

So: Another case of an evil studio sucking the life and creativity out of a project to make it more marketable? Or a director with auteur visions for his Hollywood popcorn flick? Does this whole thing make you more or less likely to see the movie?

It doesn't sway me from my "maybe I'll catch it someday on Showtime" plan. If anything, it provides a little vindication for my belief that if the studio thought it was a great blockbuster, it would have come out earlier in the summer. And if it was a big think piece, it would find a home this fall. But the end-of-summer dead zone? Not a good sign.

Via io9

Change your plans, fangirls and boys. The Associated Press reports that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has been moved from Nov. 21, 2008 until next summer, July 17, 2009. According to the story, Studio President and Chief Operating Officer Alan Horn says the studio has had success with past summer Harry Potter releases, including the fifth movie.

So that's another eight months until Lord Voldemort's dark past gets to the big screen. What do you think? Will this keep you from seeing the movie? Is it all a ploy? Were you all set to get your Harry Potter fix just before the holiday season kicked off?

An organization of disabilities groups is planning a full-scale boycott of Tropic Thunder ahead of its Wednesday release, according to The New York Times. The offending portion of the movie concerns a mentally challenged character that Ben Stiller's character played in a previous movie (still with me?) in an attempt to land an Oscar.
Do the groups actually have a bone to pick? I saw the movie at a screening last week, and I can see why someone would be offended. Any time you play a disability for a laugh, you run that risk. That being said, the butt of the joke is not the mentally challenged but the actors who take these parts in an attempt to show what range they have.
The question then, becomes: Is the joke worth the tangential harm caused to these groups? If the movie makes a ton of cash, I have a feeling DreamWorks will feel it was worth it. If the boycott leads to Tropic Thunder's early demise, then DreamWorks may wish it would have been a little more sensitive.
With the hunger out there these days for comedy to push the boundaries with each successive film, I would bet on option A.

There's still time to enter the Angelika Film Center's Baghead contest. Contestants can enter a photo or video of the most creative baghead, either you or someone else, to angelikasubmissions@gmail.com by 11:59 p.m. Thurs., Aug. 7.

First places snags $100 in Angelika Cinemoney and a spot on the Angelika Blog. Second and third place get $50 and $25 in Cinemoney, respectively. (Cinemoney can be redeemed for movie tickets and concessions.) Wanna know more? Visit www.angelikablog.com.

Baghead, which opens Friday, is a tongue-in-cheek horror story that centers on a stalker who inflicts terror by lurking around in a brown paper bag.

The Angelika Dallas and the Video Association of Dallas are pairing up Thursday night for a special screening of The Puffy Chair, the feature debut from writer-director duo Mark and Jay Duplass. The comedy, which screens at 7:30, centers on a a man's cross-country mission to deliver his father's birthday present, the title chair.
Before the film, the Duplass Brothers' short This is John will screen. The 8 minute film, about a man trying to record the perfect outgoing message on his answering machine, put the filmmaking brothers on the map when it earned a place in the Sundance Film Festival
I talked to Video Association of Dallas head honcho Bart Weiss this afternoon, and he had high praise for the short, saying it goes to show that you don't need high-tech production value to make a good film -- sometimes simple is best.
So why all the hubub about the Duplass Brothers? Their latest film, Baghead, hits the Angelika on Aug. 8. To get ready for its arrival, the Angelika is holding a baghead contest, looking for the most creative baghead. The winner gets $100 worth of Angelika Cinemoney. Entries must be submitted to angelikasubmissions@gmail.com by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, August 7.

Some interesting blog posts from around the Pottersphere, regarding fans' reactions to the first Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince teaser trailer, released last night.

MTV.com's movie blog says:

This first trailer, in fact, isn't really a trailer at all -- not in the sense that we've grown accustomed to, anyway. Most trailers tell you about story. This trailer, conversely, tells you about character, the character of the young orphaned wizard who grows up to be the most powerfully Dark sorcerer of all-time. It's a bold departure from most trailers (including the previous ones in the Harry Potter series), but one which immediately sets an ominous, foreboding tone.

Meanwhile, MTV.com's Shawn Adler goes on to say, we're also getting some hints about what we likely won't see in the final, two-part film of the series, Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows.

Note: MTV.com's blog comments include Book 7 spoilers -- a caveat for those of you who may only watch the Harry Potter movies, and who have somehow managed to avoid knowing how J.K. Rowling's book series ended a year ago...

Though the movie's release is still a good three-and-a-half months away (Nov. 21, to be exact), the first teaser trailer for Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince was released tonight -- and it will soon be seen in theaters, when The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor opens this weekend.

Check the trailer out in HD here.

The new Potter film has a couple of acting-dynasty casting notes. Young Tom Riddle, who later becomes evil Lord Voldemort, is played first at age 11 by Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, the nephew of Ralph Fiennes, who plays the snakelike Dark Lord in his present-day form. Later, Tom as a teenager is played by Frank Dillane, son of British actor Stephen Dillane, who recently was seen as Thomas Jefferson in HBO's much-lauded John Adams miniseries. Coincidentally, the elder Dillane also has experience in playing a powerful wizard: He portrayed Merlin in the 2004 film King Arthur.

Alicia Keys and Jack White will team up to perform the theme for Quantum of Solace, this November's next entry into the James Bond franchise. The song was originally slated to go to Amy Winehouse, but, um, she's been kinda busy lately. The pairing of White and Keys marks the first time that a Bond theme has been performed as a duet.

The first trailer for Oliver Stone's W. has made it to the Internet. (If you click here and scroll down the page just a bit you can watch it.)
From the 30-seconds of film we get to see, the movie looks like it will focus on what drove the president to seek the White House. We also get a look at the supporting players in the film, and though we don't hear them speak, Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney and Jeffrey Wright as Colin Powell look to be spot on.
It should come as a surprise to no one, however, that at least these 30 seconds aren't particularly flattering of No. 43 -- Stone has been one of the president's harshest critics. So why would he make the film before Bush's term is up? The guess here is that Stone hopes it will have some kind of influence on the upcoming election. Michael Moore tried that by releasing Fahrenheit 9/11 in 2004 and that didn't seem to have any impact. We'll see about W.

UPDATE: An alert Screening Room reader alerted me that the above link was forced to take down the trailer, but it seems to be working fine on the E! Network's site here.

Though George W. Bush will beat him to the punch when Oliver Stone releases W this fall, a movie centering on Bill Clinton seems on the way as well. Patrick Goldstein, who covers the movies beat for the Los Angeles Times, interviewed Peter Morgan recently, who confirms that indeed a movie focusing on Clinton's relationship with Tony Blair is in the works. Morgan envisions it as the capper on his political trilogy that started with The Deal, which focuses on Blair's rise to power (and out on DVD Tuesday) and continued with 2006's The Queen, which earned Helen Mirren an Oscar.
Morgan is hopeful that Stephen Frears, who directed both films, and Michael Sheen, who portrayed Blair in each, will return for part three.
Now the only question is: Who will play Bill? No doubt Darrell Hammond's agent is awaiting a call. For more on Goldestein's interview with Morgan, check out the Times' Big Picture blog.

Tom may be right about the box office prospects for The X-Files. But I think it's a fun coincidence that a story has just emerged about Apollo 14 astronaut and moon-walker Dr. Edgar Mitchell maintaining that aliens have indeed been among us and have had their appearance hidden by the governement. Now if they could get an alien to promote the film, that could really pull people in...

Straight from the story: "It's been well covered up by all our governments for the last 60 years or so, but slowly it's leaked out and some of us have been privileged to have been briefed on some of it. "

Counting down the days/hours/minutes to the release of The Dark Knight? Me, too. Here's a few things to keep you occupied for now:

Showtimes: Regular theaters

Showtimes: IMAX theaters

More: Summer Movie Guide

Slideshow: From Batman to The Dark Knight

Video: Watch the trailer

Link: Official Web site

Link: Why So Serious?

Survey: Grade The Dark Knight

Survey: Who was the best Bruce Wayne/Batman?

Survey: Which Batman film was the best?

Survey: Is The Dark Knight overhyped?

3-D is having a moment. Yup, it's come a long way from the floppy cardboard and red-and-blue plastic you might remember from Jaws 3-D. With better technology -- and much cooler glasses -- 3-D is making a comeback.

I saw U2 3D earlier this year, and it was definitely worth it. Yeah, I would have enjoyed the movie either way, but I was definitely impressed by the technology. And while I didn't exactly feel like I was at the concert, there were moments I leaned to see around a head in front of me -- a head that wasn't actually in the theater.

What do you think about this resurgence? Will you chose Journey to the Center of the Earth's multi-dimensional version over the flat-screened variety? Does it add to the movie experience, or is it merely a gimmick to put more bodies in theater seats?

Chicago Tribune critic Michael Phillips says that The Dark Knight (opening July 18) is a sure thing:

The new Batman picture...will be the biggest of the summer, the biggest of the year and one of the pop cinematic phenoms of the new century. Even if it wasn't very good, it'd be big. But it's very good. It's potent blockbuster filmmaking -- grander and more unsettling than director Christopher Nolan's previous entry in the franchise, Batman Begins.

Phillips also calls Christian Bale's co-star, the late Heath Ledger, "a marvel, a one-man insane clown posse." Yikes! I can't wait. Count me as one who will definitely be in line for this film.

If you weren't geeked out enough about Hellboy next week, here's a little something to tide you over (for a whole 20 seconds):

Not enough? Understandable. Apple.com/trailers has lots more goodies to help you waste time before the three-day weekend.

From Hollywood Reporter:

Christopher Guest is joining Fox's sequel to Night at the Museum.

The Spinal Tap star will play Ivan the Terrible for the comedy adventure, officially titled Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.

Also joining the cast are Jon Bernthal (Al Capone), Bill Hader (Gen. George Armstrong Custer) and French actor Alain Chabat (Napoleon).

The film, directed by Shawn Levy, reunites lead Ben Stiller with castmates Robin Williams, Ricky Gervais and Owen Wilson.

Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon, who penned both "Museum" films, will make a cameo in the sequel, playing the Wright brothers.

Museum was a box office success for Fox, grossing $574 million worldwide. With the Smithsonian as the centerpiece, the studio and Levy kicked the current production up a notch by getting the rare chance to film portions of the movie in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington.

The early reviews of The Dark Knight are trickling in, and word is that Heath Ledger's final performance is one to remember him by. Los Angeles area critics got an early press screening Thursday night (luckies) and the best-supporting-actor campaign has already begun.
David Germain of the Associated Press writes, "With his final full film role, Ledger delivers what may be remembered as the finest performance of his career ... At times sounding like a cross between tough guy James Cagney in a gangster flick and Philip Seymour Hoffman's fastidious Truman Capote, Ledger elevates Batman's No. 1 nemesis to a place even Jack Nicholson did not take him in 1989's Batman.
The Dark Knight comes out July 18, aka, not soon enough.

I can't say much about the strange and wonderful Wall-E before the movie opens Friday or the Disney people will hunt me down and take my first born. But I can recommend catching up on a couple of sci-fi classics to get you in the mood (and perhaps help things make a little more sense).

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), in which Hal, the ship's computer brain, decides to take things into his own hands (and shows a remarkable grasp of lipreading). Stupid humans. What do they know?

2. Metropolis (1927), the silent slice of dystopia in which the masses are all-too-easily placated - until they decide not to be.

Sorry. That's all I got for now. (Except that the photo is courtesy of Disney/Pixar).

So The Incredible Hulk screened Tuesday night at the North Park. Screening started at 7:30 (or thereabouts). But the line to get in started at about 4 p.m., this after the frenzy for the early Iron Man screening prompted publicity folks to do a second showing later that night. Moral of the story: If you want to check out an advance screening of a superhero movie you had best get there in time to beat the fanboys.

We'll have a sneak peak review Thursday in the paper and at Guidelive.com. One side note: I watched the Ang Lee Hulk again when I got home last night. That is one loopy movie, and not just because The Hulk looks like Gumby. All that Oedipal mumbo-jumbo? The 'roided-up attack dogs? Weird, wild stuff. Suffice it so say that the new film is, well, different.

Here's a random movie niblet for all fans of Steve Carell, who stars in Get Smart (opening June 20): he played goalie for his hockey team at Dennison University. (That's in Granville, Ohio if you were wondering). What was the hardest part of the gig? Keep reading.

Today's New York Times has a story about why Dallas audiences may see the new film Baghead before folks in L.A. or New York do:

LOS ANGELES -- On June 13, Sony Pictures Classics, one of New York's wilier distributors of independent films, plans to open its little comic thriller "Baghead" with a splash.

But not in New York. And not here.

The movie will show first in Austin, Tex., where its writer-directors, the brothers Mark and Jay Duplass, got their filmmaking careers in gear. Then "Baghead" will probably move on to Dallas, Houston or, maybe, Portland, Ore. -- cities that, in the words of Tom Bernard, the co-president of Sony Pictures Classics, "tend to connect with what's new and different."

Seems like we saw a trailer for Baghead recently at the Angelika Dallas, so I won't be surprised if it shows up here soon.

Between Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone and the upcoming Shutter Island (currently being film by Martin Scorsese), Dennis Lehane has become the most popular novelist to adapt for the movies. I sat down with him for a half hour Sunday afternoon at Book Expo in Los Angeles to talk about his new epic novel The Given Day, and I had to ask him: do you ever write novels with movie adaptation in mind?

All Sex and the City fans have a favorite character, so in preparation of the movie's release, we asked four die-hards to tell us why they love Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte or Samantha the best. Now its your turn. Tell us who you love best and why.

Why settle for seeing the Sex in the City girls when you can be one of them? The Angelika is offering $150 in Angelika Cinemoney for winners and $75 in Cinemoney for runners-up in two categories as part of Sex and the City: The Movie Contest. The two categories are (drumroll, please) -- a photo that shows your unerring likeness to one of the fabulous foursome and a Carrie Bradshaw-style column.
So what is Cinemoney? It's an opportunity to see Sex and the City LOTS with your best girlfriends when it opens on May 30 (and it pays for the refreshments, too). For contest rules and details, visit here.

This AP story on the new Indiana Jones flick premiering in Cannes this weekend seriously buries the lede.

While the article mostly focuses on the layer of secrecy around Crystal Skull -- you'd think Spielberg would have learned his lesson after this backfired so badly on A.I., but whatever -- the writer also delves into why it took so long for the new movie to get made:

In its earliest incarnation, Lucas proposed an all-out alien flick called "Indiana Jones and the Saucer Men From Mars." Spielberg and Ford didn't like that idea, and it took more than a decade of wrangling to come up with a story all three could live with.

Just let that sink in.

Indiana Jones and the Saucer Men from Mars

I think the question is no longer how Lucas managed to screw up the Star Wars prequels so badly, but how he managed to not screw up the original three films.

Sheesh.

She's back (Paramount Pictures)

Karen Allen returns to Indiana Jones land next Thursday. She's happy to be back for the ride, as well she should be; Raiders of the Lost Ark was the biggest hit of her career. But, as she told me last week, it's not the only movie that gets her stopped in the grocery store.

"I get recognized for Starman a lot," she says. Certainly Raiders. And Animal House still, even though it was 30 years ago. That film will not stop celebrating itself. And Scrooged because it's on every year at Christmas now, and people see it year after year and it stays in people's minds."

Check out Guidelive.com this Sunday for more on Karen Allen and her Crystal Skull experience.

David Mamet seems like a tough customer. He certainly writes like one. But Chiwetel Ejiofor, the star of Mr. Mamet's Redbelt, says the Man's Man of theater and film is actually kinda...soft?

"I found him really easy - a really nice, really pleasant guy to spend time with," Ejiofor told me recently. "He's very big-hearted. I don't know if I was really expecting that actually, to find him so soft. His writing has a real edge to it, so I always thought of his demeanor as a bit prickly, having never met him. Spending time with him I realized that there's a slight touch-in-cheek quality to his writing, and people don't really recognize it until you meet him. He's a very funny man."

Read much more about Ejiofor and Redbelt this Friday at Guidelive.com.

Steven Soderbergh is set to make his second feature for Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner's 2929 Entertainment. The first, Bubble, painted a sufficiently creepy love triangle amongst workers at a doll factory. The new joint is called The Girlfriend Experience. Like Bubble, it will be released simultaneously in theaters, on DVD, and on HDNet. Read the Variety story here.

What does winning the Audience Choice Award at Texas Frightmare Weekend get you these days? A nice little run at the five local Studio Movie Grills. Dallas filmmaker Anthony Brownrigg picked up a small distributor, Kurv Entertainment, for his dark comedy Red Victoria, and now he's looking to gauge further audience interest. The screenings run May 4-8, at the various SMGs, and, glory be, they're free. Get all the info at the official Website here.

Vampire fans, take heed: Filming is underway for the big screen adaptation of Stephanie Meyer's popular teen novel, Twilight. As of now, it's slated to open Dec. 12.

Vampires aren't supposed to see the light of day. But the sun keeps shining on the set of Twilight, an adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's popular teen vampire-mortal love story.

It may be classified as teen, as any horror reader knows, good vampire fiction is hard to come by. I'll admit I haven't read it yet, but it's about #6 on my Big Stack of Books to Read.

Here's one for the roundball junkies: Adam "MCA" Yauch has made a basketball documentary called Gunnin' For That #1 Spot. The films zooms in on 24 of the top high school players (now in college) as they hoop it up at Harlem's legendary Rucker Park in 2006. Featured ballers include UCLA's Kevin Love, Arizona's Jerryd Bayless and K-State's Michael Beasley. I'm optimistic; Spot will be released by the new Oscilloscope Pictures, a company started by my boy David Fenkel. Fenkel used to be at Think Films, and he knows from hoops. Spot will hit theaters this summer. Lace 'em up. And peep the press release below.

If you missed the great animated film Persepolis and subtitles challenge your faculties, you're in luck. A dubbed version is rolling into theaters this weekend. I'm not sure if this sublime look at growing up in the Iran and Europe of the '70s and '80s would have made my Top Ten in a dubbed version - dubbed foreign films make my skin crawl - but hey, different strokes.

Beware if you have a chimp in your movie: PETA is watching. In the last week I've received two E-blasts from the animal rights organization, one concerning the new documentary Circus Rosaire (just played at AFI-Dallas; check the earlier post here), the other condemning the upcoming adaptation of the anime TV icon Speed Racer (which I'm tempted to condemn just because of its live-action format, but I digress).

Keep reading for the full text of PETA's Speed lament.

Check out Nancy Churnin's roundup of summer movies that might be of interest to kids and teens here. It ran as part of Guide's Parents' Guide to Summer (and, hey, while you're there you can check out listings for more than 200 camps and activities for the youngsters).

What summer movie are you most looking forward to?

Oh, Apple.com/trailers, what would we do without you?

Apple has an exclusive clip from the delighfully geektastic Iron Man, which opens May 2.

Watch "Run Before You Can Walk."

Awards season is done. Let's get on to summer movie season with its adventure and ear-shattering explosions.

Here's something wacky: a non-AFI blog item. I just got back from talking to one of my favorite actors, Chiwetel Ejiofor. He's exuded intelligence and range in Dirty Pretty Things, Talk to Me and American Gangster, among others, and now he's in David Mamet's upcoming Jiu-Jitsu film, Redbelt. The strongest impression from a 30-minute chat: This is a very international dude.

LOS ANGELES — The truth about The X-Files sequel — some of it, anyway — is now out there.

The X-Files creator Chris Carter, writer Frank Spotnitz and other crew members gathered Wednesday to discuss the TV series — and declassify some information about the upcoming film.

Read more from the Associated Press.

/film offers links to two bootleg trailers

In case any cine-Potterheads missed the news, Warner Bros. and producer David Heyman have announced that the movie version of the seventh and final Harry Potter book, Deathly Hallows, will be split into a two-part film release.

DH1 is set for November 2010 and DH2 for May 2011. David Yates, director of both Order of the Phoenix and the now-in-production Half-Blood Prince, will helm Deathly Hallows as well.

Texas-born screenwriter Steve Kloves tells the Baltimore Sun that he's on board with the plan: "As for Deathly Hallows, I intuited -- almost from the first moments I began reading it and certainly once I'd finished -- that to realize the story in a single film was going to be a tall order."

Javier Bardem starred in one of 2007's best films (No Country for Old Men) and one of its worst. Mr. Bardem's Love in the Time of Cholera got no love at the box office, disappearing quickly from multiplexes after its November 2007 release. To see it is to know why.

Fans of films gone hilariously awry (you know who you are) won't want to miss this one, which lands on DVD today. Based on Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez's epic novel, Love tells the story of Florentino and Fermina, whose attraction for each other goes unrequited for decades.

The book is tragic, romantic, poetic and moving. The movie is a showcase for stiff acting, bad makeup jobs, funny fashion choices (authentic though they may be) and many scenes to snicker over. Enjoy! Enjoy!

As promised, here's a little more on my Martin Scorsese interview Saturday. We talked mostly about his new Stones movie, Shine a Light, which opens April 4. If you're a fan of Scorsese's music flicks, this one is more of a Last Waltz-style concert movie than a No Direction Home study of Dylan.

Near the end of the interview I told him I was a fan of his doc A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through American Movies. He immediately lamented that his press schedule was causing him to miss a rep screening of Bigger Than Life, a Nicholas Ray/James Mason film that was playing up the street in New York and is featured in Personal Journey. Classic Scorsese: He's rather be watching a movie - even one that he's seen a million times - than doing anything else. Except, possibly, making a movie.

We'll have much more Marty as his film's opening date approaches.

.

So tomorrow afternoon I'm supposed to chat with one Martin Scorsese on the phone. To get an idea of where this rates on my "giggling like a schoolgirl" meter, picture Bob Sturm hanging out with Brett Favre. The only other time I've had idol-worship nervousness was before I talked to Clint. Pray for me.

His Martyness' new movie, the Rolling Stones doc Shine a Light, opens April 4.

Paramount

According to Bloody-Disgusting.com, director Uwe Boll has announced that he will release his newest film Postal, on the same weekend as Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull to "go out and destroy Indiana Jones in the Box Office."

Riiiiiiight. Good luck with that, Uwe.

Mr. Boll has brought us many box office blockbusters, such as Alone in the Dark ($8 mil worldwide), BloodRayne ($2 mil worldwide) and In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale (about $5 mil). Of course, those three films combined cost an estimated $105 million to make.

So what do you think: Is Indy really in any danger on May 23? Are you going to skip the crowds at Crystal Skull for Postal? And how DOES Uwe Boll keep getting funding for new films?

Iron Man Exclusive Trailer

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Of course, so did The Phantom Menace, but I'm trying to stay optimistic here.

For those of you salivating over the possible details of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, you need only wait until Thursday for more info. The first trailer of the film will air on Good Morning America and then will be available at Indianajones.com. And if you are catching one of the four new releases in theaters that night, you've also got a shot of seeing it on the big screen.

According to Variety (by way of /film), we just may see more of the mysterious Cloverfield on screen:

Matt Reeves is in early talks with Paramount to direct a "Cloverfield" sequel, and he has also made a deal with GreeneStreet Films to direct "The Invisible Woman." (Read more)

I'm torn. As much as I enjoyed the original (and plan to see it again and perhaps again), can they really sustain the momentum of the original? Most of the draw for seeing Cloverfield was the "OMG what was that?" factor, which is gone. And do we face another instance of 28 Days Later vs. 28 Weeks Later? Does the new version lose what made the original so cool?

So, early days yet, but what do you think? Would you fork out to see the sequel? Would you prefer a prequel? What would it take to get you back in the seats for Cloverfield 2?

Rambo's back and ready for more action - 20 years after his last on-screen appearance. First Die Hard's John McClane came back last summer, followed by Indiana Jones this summer, both after 19 years, and let's not forget Rocky Balboa. When is it too much? Are you rejoicing to see the heroes of your youth back on the big screen? Or is it to time to pass the torch to the next cast of characters?

IVER HEATH, England — Quantum of Solace is the title of the
new James Bond film, the 22nd Bond adventure.

Read more.

Also, have you gotten used to Daniel Craig as Agent 007?

Fellow fanboy (fanperson? fan...atic?) Dave Hiott points out this rather shaky look at the Star Trek XI Teaser trailer:

Moviefone has come out with a list of the 38 most anticipated films of 2008 (why 38? your guess is as good as mine). But it is a list that gets my blood pumping a bit for this year. The top 10 are:
10) Star Trek XI (Dec. 25)
9) The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (May 16)
8) Hancock (Will Smith superhero movie out July 2)
7) Speed Racer (May 9)
6) Sex and the City (May 30)
5) Iron Man (Comic book movie starring Robert Downey Jr. May 2)
5) Bond 22 (real name pending, hopefully before its Nov. 7 release)
3) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Nov. 21)
2) The Dark Knight (July 18)
1) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (May 22)
For the compelte list, head over to here.
I'd say they picked most of the well-known biggies for 08, and there's no way anything out scores Indiana Jones on the anticipation meter.

Denzel Washington in The Weinstein Company's The Great Debaters

To judge a book by its cover (or a movie by its trailer), I'd definitely give it my $8 — and not just to keep from seeing its opening day competitor, Alien vs. Predator: Requiem.

According to IMDb.com, this will be Mr. Washington's 45th movie role. So talk: Which of those 45 roles did you like best? Or are you a rebel and want to vote for his days on St. Elsewhere?

A man and his dog at the end of the world (Warner Bros)

You know those cheap B horror movies that get by on camp? Think that, without the camp. Matheson hated the final product so much he wanted his name taken off the credits. When told that would mean no residuals, he opted for a pseudonym, Logan Swanson. The things you can learn by watching DVDs these days.

That said, there have been a number of fine "end of the world as we know it" movies over the years, including 2002's 28 Days Later and 1975's A Boy and His Dog. Anyone in blog land have a favorite doomsday yarn? Or are the memories too traumatic to recall? (All that canned food can drive a person mad).

Go fly a Kite this Friday (Paramount Vantage)

At first glance Atonement would seem to have nothing in common with The Kite Runner, opening this Friday. But as that clever American Beauty campaign once said, look closer. Both films revolve around childhood shame, adult redemption and the power of the written word, with fiction writers trying to atone for selfish acts. Kite Runner doesn't have those rythmically clickety-clacking typewriter keys, to which we say good for it. Look for our sitdown with Kite star Khalid Abdalla this Thursday at Guidelive.com.

For those of you who may be concerned about an anti-religion message in The Golden Compass, it might make you feel better to read this review from the Catholic News Service. The most telling passage of the review:
Most moviegoers with no foreknowledge of the books or Pullman's personal belief system will scarcely be aware of religious connotations, and can approach the movie as a pure fantasy-adventure. This is not the blatant real-world anti-Catholicism of, say, the recent "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" or "The Da Vinci Code." Religious elements, as such, are practically nil.

Check out Movie Critic Chris Vognar's holiday movie preview, then tell us your picks and pans for this year's holiday movie season.

Cate Blanchett: She (he?) will be There Wednesday (The Weinstein Company)

It's also a fine opportunity to gorge on other Dylan DVDs. Herewith three rentable essentials:

Joshing with Brolin at the No Country premiere (WireImage.com)

"It’s not that it’s too slow; remember, I grew up on the central California coast," he told me a couple weeks back in Dallas. "It just hasn’t found itself yet. It’s rediscovering itself but hasn’t discovered what it is yet. I feel the same way about where I’m from. It was horse and farming country. Now it’s wine country. There’s a lot of East Coast money influence. The old ranchers that I knew, they wore their hats tilted sideways and forgot to put their denture glue in so their teeth clanked when they talked. Nobody cared then, whereas now they're a little more refined."

Read more from Brolin Thursday at guidelive.com.

Russell Crowe made an interesting comment about American Gangster in an interview with co-star Denzel Washington in the Nov. 2 issue of 'Entertainment Weekly':

EW: There's already Oscar buzz around American Gangster and your performances. Is it hard not to get invested in it when you hear that?
WASHINGTON: What are you going to do? There's no Oscar gym you go to to get in Oscar shape. There's not much you can do about it. If you get invited to the show, you go. The work is done. You know what? It beats a sharp stick in the eye that people are talking about it. That's gravy.
CROWE: Let's not discourage people from going to see it, though.
WASHINGTON: By saying it's Oscar-worthy?
CROWE: I think it just gets into a ho-hum thing. ...

Gangsta macks: Crowe and Washington hit the scene next week (Universal Pictures)

But let's take a peek into the next couple of weeks. Next Friday delivers American Gangster, Ridley Scott's epic cat-and-mouse look at Harlem crime lord Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) and Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), the Jersey cop who gradually grew hip to Lucas' clout. Not your thing? Then try Bee Movie, the new animated baby of Jerry Seinfeld.

Things stay hot and heavy the following week with the Coen Bros.' No Country for Old Men and Robert Redford's Lions for Lambs. After that there's really not a dull slate the rest of the year.

So have patience, oh moviegoers. The cavalry is on the way.

Our man Clint: Ch-ch-Changeling (Warner Bros.)

Thus spake the Reporter:

The story follows a woman (Jolie) whose son goes missing in 1920s Los Angeles. The police return the wrong child and the woman is thrown into an insane asylum for disagreeing with the LAPD. When it seems that her real son has been murdered by a child serial killer and the child returned admits to fraud, she takes her case to the city council and takes down the mayor, the police chief and several corrupt officers, concurrently sparking changes in the insanity legislation.

Good times. Changeling is due to be released by Universal and Imagine in 2008.

Musician biopics are nothing new. But Across the Universe and I'm Not There are taking new spins on reality. Which music icon's story would you like to see grace the silver screen?

Don Cheadle in Hotel Rwanda (United Artists)

"I'm a conduit," says Cheadle, an Oscar nominee for 2004's Hotel Rwanda (which raised his awareness and concern for the current plight of African nations). "I'm not an expert on the area. I just want to do things to help. In my position, I can do things publicly that other people can't get to. Me working on this stuff doesn't in any way, shape or form help me in the business."

Read more on Cheadle and the film closer to the Dallas opening Nov. 9.