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February 16, 2000

Source: Aol.com

"CoachP" sent us a note about an upcoming chat going on with the lovely couple of the March release called THE MEXICAN. Here's the scoop: "Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt will have an online chat promoting their upcoming movie
"The Mexican" here on AOL. Keep in mind though, this is ONLY for people who have AOL."

Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts will participate in their first-ever online chat with fans on Sunday, February 18, at 7:30 p.m. (EST) on AOL. The chat will be available at AOL Keyword: Live. AOL members will not only be able to chat live with two of today's hottest superstars, but also simultaneously view the event in a streaming Webcast for 30 minutes. The film opens nationwide on March 2, 2001, and follows the misadventures of reluctant mob bagman Jerry (Brad Pitt), who has been sent to Mexico to retrieve a priceless antique pistol, known as "The Mexican." Fed up with his mob connections, his girlfriend Samantha (Julia Roberts) leaves him, only to be taken hostage by a hit man, played by James Gandolfini, to ensure that Jerry will return with the valuable pistol.

In addition to the live chat, fans will have the unique opportunity to view a Brad Pitt celebrity feature and additional content and previews on "The Mexican" in the AOL Entertainment Movies area, at AOL Keyword: Coming Soon. For those who miss the live event, both the video and the transcript from the chat will remain available on AOL at Keyword: Live.
                         

February 16, 2000

Source: Film Force

To promote the upcoming IMAX version of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Disney held a press conference where Disney Animation President Thomas Schumacher revealed some information about other upcoming Disney projects.
Schumacher spoke about MONSTERS Inc., ATLANTIS and showed a sneak preview of TREASURE PLANET, Disney's futuristic take on Robert Louis Stevenson's TREASURE ISLAND. He went on to reveal that PLANET is scheduled for release in the fall of 2002 and will feature the voices of David Hyde Pearce, Emma Thompson and Martin Short. He then moved on to the picture that apparently all of Disney is buzzing about, LILO AND STITCH. The film revolves around a young Hawaiian girl (Tia Carrere) who loves Elvis and who has a dog with a little secret. He's actually an alien on the run from the intergalactic police. Disney so far has paid quite a bit of dough to license some Elvis classics and you can expect to see LILO in the summer of 2002. ATLANTIS, PLANET and LILO all certainly don't sound like your traditional fare for Disney who seems anxious to prove they can make non-musical animation.  I'm guessing the success of TOY STORY really kicked them in the ass.
                    

February 16, 2000

Source: Dark Horizons

Warner Brothers has announced that it will re-issue the Stanley Kubrick Collection on DVD, tentatively scheduled for June 12th. The new edition will feature the newly remastered 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (C'mon Warners! Get this mother in theaters already!), Columbia's new DR. STRANGELOVE and EYES WIDE SHUT. Also included will be a new 2-hour plus documentary on the late, great Kubrick narrated by the World's Most Eligible Bachelor himself, Tom Cruise.
                     

February 16, 2000

Source: The Force

The Force is posting a scoop from someone they say has been 100% in the past, and he claims that the lightsaber used by Anakin Skywalker in STAR WARS: EPISODE II will be the exact saber used by Luke in EMPIRE and JEDI. If you go back and watch your copy of A NEW HOPE, Obi-Wan shows Luke a box that contains a lightsaber and says "I have something here for you. Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough...Your father's lightsaber. This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight." So keep your eyes peeled for that little Skywalker family heirloom in May of 2002.
                   

February 16, 2000

Source: Dark Horizons

Fox, traditionally the slowest when it comes to opening film related web sites, has gone live with the official site for Baz Luhrmann's MOULIN ROUGE. The site looks a lot like you expect the movie to look with all the vibrant
colors and such. When you arrive, expect to see a behind the scenes clip (you kinda have to look for this one) and although a little bit late for Valentine's Day, you can send a lovey-dovey e-card to your one and only.

Check it out here
                       

February 16, 2000

Source: Upcoming Movies

ABOUT A BOY, which is based on the novel by the author of HIGH FIDELITY, Nick Hornby, has been picked up by Universal after being unceremoniously dropped by New Line Cinema. The movie was being developed at New Line by
then head Michael DeLuca, but upon his "resignation" the movie was sent packing and has now been picked up.  The film will star Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson and Emily Watson about a womanizing Londoner who falls in love with a single mother and her 12 year old son. Well, he doesn't fall in love with the son, just the mother...see the woman has a son and he falls for her but he also loves the son, but not in a romantic way but...nevermind.  The movie will be directed by Chris and Paul Weitz of AMERICAN PIE and DOWN TO EARTH fame.
                   

February 15, 2000

Source: Movie Headlines and Ananova

We heard last week that Steven Spielberg approached TRAFFIC screenwriter Stephen Gaghan about possibly scripting the final INDIANA JONES movie and that may lend credence to a recent story that the fourth movie is picking up major speed. Ananova is reporting that Harrison Ford will get 15 million lbs. (I think that's about 22 million dollars, but I could be wrong) to get back into character as Indy and that Spielberg has already talked to Sean
Connery, Kate Capeshaw (I'm pretty sure he talks to her, it's his wife) and Karen Allen about returning to their roles.  Production could begin as early as next spring.  Not sure what to think about this, but a guy can hope, right?
                 

February 15, 2000

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Could this really be happening? Is Winona Ryder FINALLY gonna choose to do a "fun" project? Or will she and Matt Damon continue to barrage us with the plethora of "serious" movies that the respective Gen Xers have been prone to do? Well, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Ryder may soon sign on to star opposite none other than funny-man Adam Sandler, in the semi-remake of the 1936 Frank Capra comedy MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN, called simply DEEDS.

The story would follow a small-town bumpkin named Deeds (Sandler) who moves to New York after he inherits a multibillion-dollar international business from his dead uncle, where his small-town values ultimately begin to affect the jaded inhabitants of the Big Apple. Ryder would play Babe, a tabloid TV reporter in New York who goes undercover as a small-town girl with the intent of doing an expose on Deeds. Along the way, the two fall in love. The project is scheduled to go before cameras at the end of next month, right after Sandler finishes shooting the untitled Paul Thomas Anderson comedy.
                

February 15, 2000

Source: Cinescape

Sheesh! It seems like every day there are about four new cast members added to the list of Ridley Scott's BLACK HAWK DOWN. In fact, on Wednesday, four newer members were announced. Those lucky four were Ron Eldard, Jeremy Piven, William Fichtner and Orlando Bloom. These actors join the already signed Tom Sizemore, Ewan McGregor, Josh Hartnett and Sam Shepard for the military drama which goes into production on the 23rd of March.
                  

February 15, 2000

Source: Spider-Man Hype

Well, we all know by now (or at least we should) that the Lizard will not make an appearance as a villain in SPIDER-MAN. But it had been widely reported that director Sam Raimi had cast his brother Ted in the role of Dr.
Curt Conners, the doomed scientist who eventually becomes the Lizard. Now reports state that Raimi will not be playing Conners and will simply be playing a Daily Bugle reporter. May be a wise decision if they're looking to have the Lizard appear in a possible SPIDER-MAN sequel.
                    

February 15, 2000

Source: Variety

Tim Allen and Mel Gibson are developing a sci-fi comedy together entitled STARCHILD in which Allen may star. The story revolves around a CIA Agent (Allen) who is forced to help a lost alien find his way home. On the way, his character becomes the middleman in an intergalactic war. Sounds a little bit like a cross between ET and GALAXY QUEST to me. Not that there's anything wrong with that...
                   

February 13, 2000

Source: Joey Baloney

Siiiigh.  It was a sad, sad morning in the Baloney household.  Much like the old Time/Life "Mysteries of the Unknown" commercial where the sister in Tuscaloosa feels a sharp pain in her hand just as her sister in Portland
burns her hand on a stove, I felt the sting in New Jersey as Cameron Crowe got burnt in Los Angeles.  Not that Cameron Crowe and I are related, but I can't imagine there are too many people rooting for ALMOST FAMOUS as
fervently as I was.  So while I'm happy for Kate Hudson and Frances McDormand, I can't help but be disappointed that the movie wasn't nominated for Best Picture.  I really thought it would make it, as it showed up often during critics' nominations which are often a predictor of Academy success.

But Miramax did its thing once again and through a barrage of publicity (despite a lack of important critical accolades) CHOCOLAT grabbed the last Best Picture spot, following GLADIATOR, ERIN BROCKOVICH, TRAFFIC, and CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.  While CHOCOLAT was a surprise, the morning certainly belonged to GLADIATOR.  The film scored the most nominations at 12, including a puzzling Best Original Screenplay nod (most special effects laden epics are recognized solely for their visual work.  Example:  this was one of the only awards TITANIC was not nominated for).  Following close behind was CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON with ten nominations, which could've matched GLADIATOR if it had gotten any nods for acting (but did manage to set a record for nominations for a foreign film).  Steven Soderbergh also had reason to celebrate as he became the first director to be nominated for two films in both the Best Picture and Best Director category for TRAFFIC and ERIN BROCKOVICH.

Surprising also was the fact that THE GRINCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS received more nominations than CASTAWAY, WONDER BOYS, THIRTEEN DAYS or REQUIEM FOR A DREAM.  But that was just one of the surprises the Academy had in store for us this Tuesday morning.  Ed Harris snuck into the Best Actor race for his work in POLLOCK (hmm....a Miramax film) joining Tom Hanks, Russell Crowe, Geoffrey Rush and Javier Bardem.  The Best Actress category was one of the fields were there really weren't any surprises.  Laura Linney, Joan Allen,
Ellen Burstyn and Juliette Binoche were all nominated, as suspected, to lose to heavy favorite Julia Roberts.

Gary Oldman missed the Supporting Actor boat, but fellow CONTENDER castmate Jeff Bridges grabbed a spot.  Of the two performances Joaquin Phoenix could've made it in for, he rode the success of GLADIATOR to a nomination and left his QUILLS performance behind.  Golden Globe winner Benicio Del Toro, Albert Finney and Willem Dafoe round out the category.  The Douglas family was snubbed every way possible as Michael Douglas failed to get Best Actor consideration (for WONDER BOYS or TRAFFIC) and his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones failed in her attempt to get recognized for TRAFFIC.  Taking her spot in the Best Supporting Actress category was the surprising nod for POLLOCK's Marcia Gay Harden who joins Kate Hudson and Frances McDormand, both for ALMOST FAMOUS, Julie Walters and Dame Judi Dench (who seems like a staple at awards shows these days).

I think one of the biggest surprises of the morning (besides the ALMOST FAMOUS debacle) was the nomination of Stephen Daldry as Best Director for BILLY ELLIOT.  I don't think many people suspected he had much of a chance
of being nominated considering who he was up against (Lasse Hallstrom or Cameron Crowe) but the Brit pulled it out.  He joins Steven Soderbergh, Ridley Scott and Ang Lee.  And if you read Variety this morning and saw
Cameron Crowe as being nominated, don't get too excited.  It was a misprint.

All in all it was a bit of Golden Globes déjà vu, when it came to this crop of Oscar nominees.  So what did we learn today?  Let Professor Baloney recap:

1) Where can 500 lb. Gorilla named Harvey sit?  Wherever the f**k he wants to!
2) Comedies about rock and roll aren't going to get nominated for Best Picture.
3) Movies where people kick other people's asses will.
4) Oscar wasn't for the kids this year.  Just ask Jamie Bell or Erika Christensen.
5) The little golden statuette they give out every year?  If you look close that's actually Tom Hanks.

So study hard kiddies and get your office pool picks ready for the big day. The 73rd Annual Academy Awards will be presented on March 25th at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.  If you look at any article written about the
nominations, they all end with that sentence.  It's required.

Regards,

Your Old Pal
J.

Your thoughts about the nominees here
               

February 13, 2000

Source: Variety

BEST PICTURE
CHOCOLAT
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
ERIN BROCKOVICH
GLADIATOR
TRAFFIC

ACTOR - LEADING
Javier Bardem - BEFORE NIGHT FALLS
Russell Crowe - GLADIATOR
Tom Hanks - CASTAWAY
Ed Harris - POLLOCK
Geoffrey Rushm - QUILLS

ACTOR -- SUPPORTING
Jeff Bridges - THE CONTENDER
Willem Dafoe - SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE
Benicio Del Toro - TRAFFIC
Albert Finney - ERIN BROCKOVICH
Joaquin Phoenix - GLADIATOR

ACTRESS -- LEADING
Joan Allen - THE CONTENDER
Juliette Binoche - CHOCOLAT
Ellen Burstyn - REQUIEM FOR A DREAM
Laura Linney - YOU CAN COUNT ON ME
Julia Roberts - ERIN BROCKOVICH

ACTRESS -- SUPPORTING
Judi Dench - CHOCOLAT
Marcia Gay Harden - POLLOCK
Kate Hudson - ALMOST FAMOUS
Frances McDormand - ALMOST FAMOUS
Julie Walters - BILLY ELLIOTT

DIRECTING
BILLY ELLIOT - Stephen Daldry
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON - Ang Lee
ERIN BROCKOVICH - Steven Soderbergh
GLADIATOR - Ridley Scott
TRAFFIC - Steven Soderbergh

WRITING (ADAPTED)
CHOCOLAT - Robert Nelson Jacobs
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON - Hui-Ling Wang, James Schamus and Kuo Jung
Tsai
O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? - Ethan Coen
TRAFFIC - Stephen Gaghan
WONDER BOYS - Steven Kloves

WRITING (ORIGINAL)
ALMOST FAMOUS - Cameron Crowe
BILLY ELLIOT - Lee Hall
ERIN BROCKOVICH - Susannah Grant
GLADIATOR - David Franzoni
YOU CAN COUNT ON ME - Kenneth Lonergan
 
FILM EDITING
ALMOST FAMOUS
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
GLADIATOR
TRAFFIC
WONDER BOYS

ART DIRECTION
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
GLADIATOR
QUILLS
VATEL

CINEMATOGRAPHY
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
GLADIATOR
MALÈNA
O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?
THE PATRIOT

COSTUME DESIGN
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
GLADIATOR
102 DALMATIANS
QUILLS

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
INTO THE ARMS OF STRANGERS: STORIES OF THE KINDERTRANSPORT
LEGACY
LONG NIGHT'S JOURNEY INTO DAY
SCOTTSBORO: AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY
SOUND AND FURY

DOCUMENTARY SHORT
BIG MAMA
CURTAIN CALL
DOLPHINS
THE MAN ON LINCOLN'S NOSE
ON TIPTOE: GENTLE STEPS TO FREEDOM

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
AMORES PERROS
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
DIVIDED WE FALL
EVERYBODY FAMOUS!
THE TASTE OF OTHERS

MAKEUP
THE CELL
DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE

MUSIC (SCORE)
CHOCOLAT
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
GLADIATOR
MALÈNA
THE PATRIOT

MUSIC (SONG)
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
DANCER IN THE DARK
THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE
MEET THE PARENTS
WONDER BOYS

SHORT -- ANIMATED
FATHER AND DAUGHTER
THE PERIWIG-MAKER
REJECTED

SHORT -- LIVE ACTION
BY COURIER
ONE DAY CROSSING
QUIERO SER (I WANT TO BE...)
SERAGLIO
A SOCCER STORY (UNA HISTORIA DE FUTEBOL)

SOUND
CAST AWAY
GLADIATOR
THE PATRIOT
THE PERFECT STORM
U-571

SOUND EDITING
SPACE COWBOYS
U-571

VISUAL EFFECTS
GLADIATOR
HOLLOW MAN
THE PERFECT STORM

Your thoughts about the nominees here
               

February 13, 2000

Source: The Razzies

The nominees for the 21st Annual Golden Raspberry Awards, saluting the worst in film, were announced this weekend. BATTLEFIELD EARTH (surprise) took home the most nominations with 8, despite the fact the movie received a positive review from our own JoBlo (you don't believe me? Check out the back of the DVD...:-) ). Other nominations for Worst Picture of the Year were BLAIR WITCH 2, THE FLINTSTONES IN VIVA ROCK VEGAS, LITTLE NICKY and THE NEXT BEST THING. The awards will be announced the day before the Academy Awards on March 24th. Here's a list of some of the other nominees:

WORST PICTURE:
* BATTLEFIELD EARTH
* BOOK OF SHADOWS: BLAIR WITCH 2
* THE FLINTSTONES IN VIVA ROCK VEGAS
* LITTLE NICKY
* THE NEXT BEST THING

WORST ACTOR:
* Leonardo DiCaprio/THE BEACH
* Adam Sandler/LITTLE NICKY
* Sylvester Stallone/GET CARTER
* Arnold Schwarzenegger (As The REAL Adam Gibson) THE 6th DAY
* John Travolta/BATTLEFIELD EARTH and LUCKY NUMBERS

WORST ACTRESS:
* Kim Basinger BLESS THE CHILD and I DREAMED OF AFRICA
* Melanie Griffith /CECIL B. DEMENTED
* Madonna /THE NEXT BEST THING
* Bette Midler /ISN'T SHE GRATING (sic)
* Demi Moore /PASSION OF MIND
              

February 13, 2000

Source: E! Online

While answering questions from his fans, rapper Eminem revealed he has been approached to play the villain in an upcoming action movie. Em explains that he has been approached before but that this was "the first offer I have
got that actually sounded appealing to me." He may be referring to a thriller entitled TRAINING DAY, which will star Denzel Washington as a cop breaking in a rookie narcotics officer and would have Eminem playing the film's central villain. Shooting is expected to begin on this project in the spring, so if it's true, expect an announcement soon.

Of course, our very own JoBlo had heard about this scoop months ago when he interviewed the director of that very project, Antoine Fuqua, and here's what he had to say about the whole "Eminem" thang:

Read JoBlo's interview with Antoine Fuqua here
            

February 13, 2000

Source: Joey Baloney

It's been called THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST, THE HOOK-UP, HOOKING UP ETHAN and UNDERGRADS, but official word from Destination Films now says the project is back to its original title, SLACKERS. The comedy, starring Devon Sawa (FINAL DESTINATION) and Jason Schwartzman (RUSHMORE), revolves around a nerd who catches fellow college students cheating and blackmails them into getting him hooked up with the hottest girl on campus (model James King). The release date has not been finalized yet, but we'll keep you up to date.
               

February 13, 2000

Source: Variety

Bruce Greenwood (THIRTEEN DAYS) added his name to a long list of actors who have turned down the male lead in BASIC INSTINCT 2 this weekend when he opted to star in the thriller BELOW instead. I can hear the knight from
INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE now... "You have chosen...wisely." Greenwood joins Olivia Williams (RUSHMORE) in the tale of a WW2 US submarine trying to avoid Nazis and an unknown creature from the depths of the ocean. Greenwood will play the captain of the submarine while Williams will play a British doctor named Claire.  The film will be directed by David Twohy (PITCH BLACK) and was co-written by Darren Aronofsky (REQUIEM FOR A DREAM), who at one time wanted to direct but stepped aside to concentrate on his version of BATMAN.
           

February 13, 2000

Source: Variety

Greg Kinnear has joined the cast of Mel Gibson's upcoming war project WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE...AND YOUNG. Kinnear joins Gibson, Chris Klein, Barry Pepper and Madeleine Stowe in this tale of a failed U.S. Air Cavalry mission that results in 80 soldiers being surrounding by enemy forces in Vietnam's Ia Drang Valley .... zzzzzzzzzzzzzz ......... zzzzzzzz ........ snooooore ........ zzzzzz ......wa-wha, who....oh, I'm sorry. I must've fallen asleep at my computer.
             

February 12, 2000

Source: Reuters

Let's see how many bad "eating" puns I can work into this story... HANNIBAL ate up the competition this weekend, including the unappetizing SAVING SILVERMAN, and finished up with $58 million, surpassing the delicious X-MEN movie for the third-highest opening weekend in history. The movie also chomped away at records for a non-summer opening, a R-rated release and an MGM release. HANNIBAL is now behind only THE LOST WORLD and STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE in opening weekend box-office receipts. (P.S. - it stunk).

Click here to check out the entire weekend's box-office
         

February 12, 2000

Source: Coming Attractions

A scooper at Coming Attractions chimed in with a few notes about the Green Goblin's look for SPIDER-MAN as well as some quick notes about Dr. Octopus and The Lizard. The Green Golin is described as being in "the spirit of the
classic Goblin" and resembling the Ditko/Romita design. The eyes have been described previously as being "bulbous beyond belief" and the scooper maintains that there is no way these could be Dafoe's real eyes and may be
CGI or prosthetics (probably the latter). The costume will resemble a leather armor, which the scooper compared to something in the LORD OF THE RINGS movie. As for Doc Ock and The Lizard, apparently preliminary drawings are complete and are being saved for possible appearances in the sequels. Someone please get me a picture of this!
        

February 12, 2000

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Actress Renee Zellwegger is currently in negotiations to co-star opposite Michelle Pfeiffer (who would play her mom) in a film entitled WHITE ORLEANDER (nice title, eh...not!). The film is based on Jane Finch's 1999 debut novel of the same name that tells the contemporary story of a woman (Pfeiffer) who murders a former lover and is imprisoned for life and how her daughter (Zellweger) must navigate a new reality through a series of Los Angeles foster homes. The daughter is eventually asked to falsify her testimony at a trial to free her mother. Can anyone say, "chick flick"!?
         

February 12, 2000

Source: Aint it Cool News

Ain't It Cool posted some news from a French martial arts magazine that claims to have some inside scoop on the Luc Besson/Jet Li film KISS OF THE DRAGON. Here are the highlights: Jet Li will fight a bunch of French martial arts champs, Jet may fight against three women, and a final scene where Jet fights 20 policemen led by Hoang Nghi (who?) in a scene reminiscent of WAY OF THE DRAGON (Bruce Lee). This has the potential to be a really bad-ass flick.
      

February 12, 2000

Source: Variety

Ed Burns, who took some time off from acting and directing to date hot chicks (and is soon to be starring in 15 MINUTES - which JoBlo saw, and quite enjoyed, incidentally!), is getting back into the mix with his next directorial effort, ASH WEDNESDAY. The onetime Sundance darling will write, direct and star in the film, along with Oliver Platt (READY TO RUMBLE) and Rosario Dawson (JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS) about the Italian and Irish Mafia in 1983 New York. I say stick to shagging Christy Turlington, dude!
          

February 12, 2000

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Disney has moved up the release of its Thanksgiving hopeful MONSTERS, INC. (from the Pixar folks who brought you TOY STORY) to November 2. The thinking was to get a jump on the other "family oriented" release that
Thanksgiving weekend, the Warner Bros. film HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE. Probably a good move, considering there are about 10 trillion little kids already lining up for HARRY POTTER (although I'm already lining up for MONSTERS, INC.).