Great Expectations

The latest Cinema Stew has a little sequel news...direction for a remake, a possible timetable for a prequel...a major movie has been abandoned by not one, but two studios--or has it... a star for a star, and some casting news for a potential summer '07 blockbuster:

The Sleuth remake I told you about last month is, apparently, a remake in name only--so says IGN-Filmforce

Christopher Nolan tells Sci-Fi Wire that Batman 2 Prep Is Easier

Earlier word all around the net was that the Halo Movie Got Dumped by Universal Pictures and 20th Century Fox. But The Los Angeles Times now says Game Not Over for 'Halo' Movie. What's really going on?

Paul Davidson of Filmforce has the latest on Star Trek XI:

Star Trek XI -- the prequel film that could bring big changes to the franchise -- is still on the drawing board at the moment, but the movie could be given an official green light for production this winter.

According to The Trek Movie Report, the eleventh Trek motion picture is likely to get the nod from Paramount in December or January. "Although it hasn't been greenlit yet, it is as close as you get around here," the site's industry source told them. Paramount intends to make it one of their 2008 summer tentpole releases.

Additionally, producer [J.J.] Abrams and his team are already interviewing potential cast members. A first draft of the movie script is expected soon, and the story's main characters apparently include Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Scotty.

If all goes well, Trek XI could begin filming in the spring, with production lasting six months...

Beamed Up And Ready To Go...

On Oct 16th 2006, actor Bruce Willis was honored with a star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame...TMZ.Com was there

Bruce Willis received the 2,321st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame... in front of a crowd of fans, friends and family.

Willis' ex-wife, Demi Moore, was in attendance along with her husband, Ashton Kutcher, and Willis and Moore's three daughters -- Scout, Rumer and Tallulah. "I used to come down here and look at these stars and I could never quite figure out what you're supposed to do to get one," Willis said. "And time has passed and now here I am doing this, and I'm still excited about it. I'm still excited to be an actor."

Willis And His Star

Other celebs in attendance included Kevin Costner, Ben Affleck, Billy Bob Thornton, Don Johnson and Sylvester Stallone...

...The fourth film in the "Die Hard" series, "Live Free or Die Hard," is due out June 29, 2007...

Congratulations!

Speaking of Die Hard 4, two more actors have joined the cast...One plays a villain--the other Det. John McClane's daughter...

Presto!

Clint Eastwood's World War II drama Flags of Our Fathers, (reviews) goes head to head with Christopher Nolan's mystery/thriller The Prestige, (reviews) in this weekend's box office derby for the top spot...Both films are getting their fair share of critical praise. It will be interesting to see which one of them comes out ahead by Monday.

Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale face off as rival magicians in The Prestige

Will the film be #1 on Monday?

Other new releases for the week include: Marie Antoinette (reviews)-an historical biopic from Sofia Coppola. Unfortunately though, the buzz on this period piece is pretty flat. Flicka (reviews) is based on the popular best selling novel, My Friend Flicka, by Mary O'Hara. The movie should do well with its target demo--teen women. And finally, Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas"--originally released in 1993, gets a second shot, all jazzed up by new 3-D effects...

Variety's Ian Mohr talks about all of this and more in Prestige pics battle at B.O.:

Clint Eastwood's WWII epic "Flags of Our Fathers" will have to fight off Christopher Nolan's magic-themed period piece "The Prestige" this weekend as studios start rolling out their big guns in the slog toward awards contention.

Also entering the fray will be Sony's Sofia Coppola-helmed "Marie Antoinette," the hipster twist on the story of the French queen that will target a mix of younger auds and arthouse denizens as it opens in just 859 [theaters]...

Sony also has another upmarket awards hopeful hitting screens, the lit adaptation "Running With Scissors," which starts its fall platform run in eight markets.

Fox is counterprogramming with family pic "Flicka" in 2,877 playdates as the frame's widest new rollout. Pic butts up against Disney's 3-D release of Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas," which hits in time for Halloween at 168 engagements.

But frontrunners "Flags" and "Prestige" both face challenges in their effort to replace Sony horror sequel "The Grudge 2" at the top of the charts.

"Flags" will roll out on just 1,800 screens -- 481 less than "Prestige" -- since Paramount has chosen to take a slow-and-steady release path, rather than try a blitz, based on Eastwood's track record.

Par brass said they have targeted 1,800 engagements by looking at the behavior of Eastwood's 2003 effort "Mystic River," which opened on 1,470 to take in $10.4 million on its way to $90 million-plus.

Venerable helmer's follow-up, "Million Dollar Baby," bowed in 2004 in 2,000 playdates, nailing a $12.3 million first frame before wrapping up $100.5 million and a best pic Oscar.

Par will be happy with a finish in the low eight figures for "Flags," which will skew toward older males.

Meanwhile, "Prestige," opening in 2,281 playdates, comes on the heels of another, unexpectedly popular pic with magic themes, the Yari Group's "The Illusionist." Edward Norton starrer has performed above expectations, taking in $36.5 million to date.

"Prestige" could very well conjure a young demo with stars Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale.

But still standing in the way is Martin Scorsese's "The Departed," the starry Warner Bros. cop drama that slid a scant 31% to land at No. 2 last frame...

Over at Entertainment Weekly, Joshua Rich thinks This weekend will be more about "Prestige" than "Flags" or "Flicka"...saying A cast of Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman will spell a winner for Disney's magic thriller

Both "Flags" and The Prestige look awesome and either film will look good in the coveted top spot...

In unrelated matters: Remember I told you on Wednesday about legal troubles for film star Wesley Snipes and that he was on run? Well, he has finally turned up...

Mist-y Eyed

Writer/director Frank Darabont is adapting another story, his third, by author Stephen King for the big screen...

Michael Fleming of Variety has the details:

Dimension Films will turn Stephen King novella "The Mist" into a horror film, which Frank Darabont will direct from his own script.

Thomas Jane [who was also in 2003's Dreamcatcher--another King tale turned movie] is in talks to be part of the ensemble cast.

Darabont, whose biggest hits were the King adaptations "The Shawshank Redemption" and "The Green Mile," has long been enshrouded in "The Mist."

King entrusted the rights to him several years ago, when Darabont had a first-look deal at Paramount. Darabont is in the final stages of reclaiming rights to his script.

"It's a project Stephen King and I have been talking about doing for almost 20 years now," Darabont said. "In fact, it almost was my first directing project many years ago, but I went classy and did "The Shawshank Redemption" instead. It's time to get down and dirty and make a nasty little character-driven gut-punch horror movie." ...

Published in 1985 as part of King's short story collection "Skeleton Crew," "The Mist" takes place in a small town where a thick mist engulfs the area, killing those caught in its darkness.

Terrified survivors seek refuge in a supermarket, while a swarm of murderous critters tries to get in...

Click Here For More Of The Story

King is one of my favorite storytellers and I loved what Darabont did with The Shawshank Redemption. It's one of the BEST films ever made...I know I'm in the minority here, but the film version of The Green Mile made 5 years after, just wasn't as good. Solid at best...It's interesting that "Mist" was on Darabont's radar--even before Shawshank. It's funny how it all worked out. I'm curious to see how Darabont will use his talents for this 'down and dirty' horror tale..

In case you were wondering--The Dreamcatcher is a horrible movie...If Jane does Mist--he should have better luck with Darabont calling the shots this time...

I'm A Fugitive...And I Used To Play One In A Movie

Talk about "Art Imitating Life"...

Where Is He?

Actor Wesley Snipes once played a fugitive from law enforcement in the 1998 actioner U.S. Marshals. In that movie, he was framed for murder, and spent lots of screen time running from a persistent Tommy Lee Jones. Now Snipes finds himself in trouble with the law for real, indicted by the Feds yesterday, on eight counts of tax fraud.

Greg Farrell of USA TODAY reports

...According to the indictment, Snipes allegedly not only avoided paying millions in income taxes from 1999 through 2004, but he fraudulently tried to get an $11 million refund for taxes paid in the 1990s.

Prosecutors also filed charges against two Florida men who acted as tax advisers to Snipes, Eddie Ray Kahn and Douglas Rosile.

Snipes, who used to have a residence near Orlando, has starred in nearly 50 movies including White Men Can't Jump, New Jack City and the highly successful Blade series. But he reportedly also has run into a series of financial and legal difficulties. In this case, prosecutors allege that Kahn and Rosile convinced Snipes that under an unusual interpretation of federal law, known as the "861 argument," only income derived from foreign-based activities was taxable. A U.S. court has never supported the argument.

Kahn founded a group known as American Rights Litigators and Guiding Light of God Ministries. Although GLGM described itself as a "Christian ministry and organization established to assist men and women in their pursuit of truth and freedom as Americans," the government alleges GLGM is a for-profit operation that sells fraudulent tax schemes. According to the indictment, Snipes paid Kahn a consulting fee and paid to become a member of his American Rights Litigators group.

Rosile, an accountant whose CPA licenses to practice in Ohio and Florida were revoked, worked with Kahn to file tax returns for GLGM clients to claim refunds based on the "861 argument." According to the indictment, if the government refunded money based on the "861" theory, Kahn would take 20% of the refund and pay half to Rosile.

Despite warnings from previous tax advisers that his movie-related income was taxable and the "861" scheme was bogus, Snipes apparently sided with Kahn and Rosile in 2000 and stopped paying income taxes, the indictment says. Using the "861 argument," Snipes tried to recover $4 million in taxes paid for 1996 and $7 million for 1997. The government also claims that Snipes tried to pay some of his income taxes from 2000 to 2002 by sending $14 million in bogus checks to the U.S. Treasury.

Paul Perez, the U.S. Attorney in Tampa who filed the charges, said in a statement: "Those who intentionally and unlawfully harass the IRS through deceit, trickery and fraud undermine the collection of revenue that is vital to every aspect of the operation of our government."...

Further complicating things for Snipes...The Associated Press is reporting:

Perez said Snipes has not been arrested because authorities don't know his whereabouts. Two of the charges that Snipes each carry a maximum sentence of five years. The remaining six charges carry up to one year each...

I really like most of Snipes' work--especially as an action star in The Blade Trilogy...I hope he has enough sense to arrange for surrender. As for his career...That's been in the tank for some time.

What The Flock?

News of another remake is on the agenda today...

Stax of IGN Film Force writes:

Universal Pictures and Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes production company have been developing a remake of the Alfred Hitchcock suspense classic The Birds for over a year now.

The powers-that-be are reportedly eager to take the next step in the development process and attach a star. According to TMZ.com, Universal is poised to make an offer to scream queen Naomi Watts (The Ring, King Kong) to star in the film.

The role would be the one played by Tippi Hendren in the original film. TMZ also claims that screenwriter Leslie Dixson (The Thomas Crown Affair) has come onboard the pic.

IGN was advised this past June by Platinum Dunes producer Brad Fuller that Stiles White and Juliet Snowden (Boogeyman) were scripting the project, which Fuller stressed would be more faithful to Daphne Du Maurier's original story than Hitchcock's film was.

The original TMZ post can be found right here...

The 1963 version of The Birds and the work of its director Alfred Hitchcock, in particular, are among my favorite films. And as I've said before:

When it comes to hearing news about remakes of movies that I like (or love), my initial reaction is usually one of skepticism or yes, seething rage, while I ask something like 'Why risk ruining a good thing with a dopey remake?' ...

Take this--On Tuesday, June 6th, 2006, discussing The Omen remake, I wrote:

...in my opinion, if all you are doing is ripping off the original (particularly with a classic) then why bother? Think the 1998 version of Psycho, made by director Gus Van Sant, and you might understand what I mean...

While it sounds like the plan is to follow the short story source material more closely, than Hitchcock did--thus, making it different. I still believe a remake of The Birds is ultimately unnecessary...Of course I know this is a subjective argument...Just because you can remake a film doesn't mean you should It's a classic that need not be touched....If it does move ahead though, I hope Michael Bay uses the model he employed for the 2003 version of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Tippi Hedren in a classic scene from the Hitchcock film...

Do we really need a remake?

I'll be watching out for news on this one...

Holding A Grudge

As expected--The Grudge 2 is the new number one movie in America...

In his Weekend Report for Box Office Mojo, Brandon Gray, said this:

Losing much of its predecessor's audience, 'The Grudge 2' grabbed an estimated $22 million, while 'The Departed' [at #2 with $18.7 million in tickets sold] held firm and 'Man Of The Year' [in 3rd place with $12.6 million] had a moderate turn-out...

Gray's entire report can be found here

Sarah Michelle Gellar is living another nightmare in The Grudge 2

Meantime, Ian Mohr Of Variety writes in Fright has B.O. bite

Sony horror sequel "The Grudge 2" easily topped the weekend's box office, taking in $22 million off 3,211 playdates for a per-screen average of $6,851...

...With "The Grudge 2" at the top of the frame, the weekend was the second in a row to see an English-language remake of an Asian pic land at No. 1, following the last frame's boffo bow of Martin Scorsese's star-studded cop pic "The Departed."

"Departed," from Warner Bros., meanwhile, held well, slipping a scant 31% to land at No. 2.

"Departed" took in $18.6 million over the weekend after topping the charts last frame for Scorsese's biggest opening ever. Pic is now on track to become the director's biggest earner ever: Cume is $56.6 million after two frames.

Pic's staying power spelled bad news for Universal's presidential parody "Man of the Year." While helmer Barry Levinson successfully mined politics for laughs with his earlier "Wag the Dog," auds didn't go for the mix this time around. Robin Williams starrer opened on 2,515 screens to take in just $12.5 million and a per-engagement average of $4,990.

Laffer's auds were primarily older females, while older males chose "Departed," which has been crossing over to younger auds with a cast that include Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg.

Fox, meanwhile, bowed "The Marine," which World Wrestling Entertainment pumped heavily because it stars grappler and sometime rapper John Cena. Pic played to $7 million from 2,545 screens to land in the top 10 with a per-playdate average of $2,745...

Lastly, Entertainment Weekly's Joshua Rich offers in his weekend wrap-up: "The Grudge 2" brings in a crowd on the weekend of Friday the 13th

My belief that the Grudge sequel would be number one for the weekend, was confirmed as early as Friday night--after finding out that my teenage niece and her friends were going to see the film that night.

In tonight's Monday Night Football match-up the Chicago Bears take on the Arizona Cardinals and rookie QB Matt Leinart...

Diamond In The Rough

Hot on the heels of The Departed, the trailer for Leonardo DiCaprio's next film, Blood Diamond has hit the net...

After watching it, I have a few comments to make--DiCaprio's accent sounds really awful...Jennifer Connelly looks absolutely stunning as always...It's nice to see Stephen Collins break away from his TV role as a Minister...Director Edward Zwick is a very good filmmaker, and despite the bad accent I mentioned, seems to have made another thought provoking movie...Djimon Hounsou is a great actor and it looks like he turns in another fine performance...

Look for Blood Diamond in theaters on December 15th, 2006

DiCaprio And Hounsou In Harm's Way For Blood Diamond

The Mea Culpa Tour Continues

Actor/director Mel Gibson faced tough questions from ABC News Good Morning America anchor Diane Sawyer earlier this week...

The Apocalypto helmer has been apologizing six ways to Sunday for his despicable behavior during that now infamous traffic stop last July.

Kudos to Ms. Sawyer for not letting Gibson off the hook. Having read transcripts of the interview, as well as seeing a few video clips--here, here, and here--of Sawyer's piece, I don't feel sorry for him. And I don't buy his explanations/apology at all.

To say that he's not a racist, but then admit that those "feelings came from somewhere" just doesn't wash with me. I know he is human and as such is very flawed, and that I should forgive him...Yadda Yadda. Here's my problem: He just didn't come across as genuine in the interview...As someone who used to enjoy his work, I want to forgive him, I really do. But the cynic in me wonders what Gibson would be saying if he didn't have a new movie coming out--or didn't need to get back in good graces with his Hollywood pals--to continue his career?

Another part of the interview that bothered me: His concern at the time of his arrest that his mug shot not resemble the wild haired look of Nick Nolte...

You've just been arrested on serious charges...and you worry about looking bad in your mug shot? Wow!! I guess even at that point in the story, he knew he would be avoiding jail...What a dumb ass.

For a fee, you can Watch the Full Mel Gibson Interview...

I am glad he's in rehab getting the help he needs...but he has done little else to win me over as yet... He has a long way to go in that regard.

Nudging A Grudge

Leading off the new releases for this week is The Grudge 2 (reviews). I very much enjoyed the first film in the series--the second one looks decent enough--and is poised to take the top spot after all the receipts are counted...

Other fresh flicks include: The Marine (reviews), an actioner that is very reminiscent of the kind of films Arnold Schwarzenegger used to make in the 80's... The drama One Night With the King (reviews) is based on the novel by Mark Andrew Olsen and Tommy Tenney of the same name and is clearly the "Serious" pic of the lot; Despite having the talents of writer/director Barry Levinson and funnyman Robin Williams on its side, as political satire Man Of The Year (reviews) is getting a vote of "no confidence" from critics.

Ian Mohr of Variety sizes up the contenders for us:

After waking up last Sunday to his most flush weekend ever, Martin Scorsese should find his star-studded, sophisticated crime drama "The Departed" deposed by the latest installment of Sony's "The Grudge" horror franchise.

Pic -- with Sarah Michelle Gellar back in the lead -- should pack a potent punch heading into Halloween: First remake in the series bowed a year ago to $39.1 million on its way to $110.3 million.

And gunning for "Departed's" older-skewing core aud, meanwhile, will be Barry Levinson and Universal's populist political fantasy "Man of the Year," in which Robin Williams toplines as the U.S. president.

Fox will bow "The Marine," which has been getting a raft of promotion through World Wrestling Entertainment.

Sony isn't expecting "Grudge 2" to hit the opening frame heights of its predecessor in a market still offering the latest in New Line's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" franchise, which bowed to $18.5 million last frame.

Last year, "Grudge" had little genre competish. But in the sequel's corner is that it's the frame's widest new release, with 3,211 playdates, and it's rated PG-13, whereas "Chainsaw" is rated R.

Continue reading the article here

Competition aside, Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly says, "The Grudge 2" will possess the No. 1 spot this weekend... adding: The horror sequel will scare up big bucks leading into Halloween I think he's right...

The Grudge 2

The Creepy Albino Child Is Back!

Raise The Flag

Clint Eastwood's latest film, the World War II drama Flags of Our Fathers, looks to make some noise come Oscar time. TV Ads for the movie have started to pop up everywhere and the theatrical trailer will certainly tug at one's patriotism for America.

As part of his daily 411 column, Fox News.Com's Roger Friedman offers his take on 'Flags', and its quite interesting:

Clint Eastwood is 76 years old, and in less than four years he’s made three remarkably good films: "Mystic River," which was nominated for an Oscar; "Million Dollar Baby," which won Best Picture; and most recently, "Flags of Our Fathers," which opens a week from tomorrow.

This is a film with much merit, and it will get a lot of kudos, "thumbs up" and the all the rest. The question is, is it as good as the other two? I’m not sure.

“Flags of Our Fathers” tells the story of what happened to the soldiers who were photographed in the famous picture of an American flag being planted on Iwo Jima during World War II.

The story is based on a book written by James Bradley, the son of one of those soldiers, with Ron Powers, one of the great dramatic non-fiction prose writers of our time. I’d love to see his “White Town Drowsing” made into an HBO film. It’s wonderful.

The screenplay for “Flags” was written by William Broyles Jr. and then tweaked by Paul Haggis, who wrote the screenplays for “Mystic River” and “Million Dollar Baby.” It’s too bad he didn’t just overhaul “Flags” from top to bottom.

Broyles — who started out at Newsweek years ago — can be pretty stodgy in his delivery.

Witness such lumps of exposition as "Jarhead," "The Polar Express," "Planet of the Apes" (remake) and — ugggh! — "Cast Away," in which the most memorable character was a volleyball.

Broyles also co-created “China Beach” for TV, and that’s what “Flags” reminds me of the most. It has a big ensemble cast and one self-destructive main character.

In “China Beach,” it was Dana Delany’s alcoholic McMurphy, the nurse. In “Flags,” it’s Ira Hayes, actor Adam Beach’s Native American soldier whose lack of self esteem sends him into a downward spiral. Luckily, Beach like Delany, finds the vulnerability. Delany won Emmys; Beach will at least be nominated for Oscars.

“Flags of Our Fathers” soars in many regards. Grisly and realistic, Eastwood’s battle scenes are incredibly exciting.

He’s shot most of the movie in dull blues and grays, and black and white. In fact, the only real colors you ever see are bright blue (in a dress, in the ocean) and red (in the stripes on the American flag). Otherwise, as just about everything blows up and limbs are shorn, the picture is muted of life.

At the same time, though, Eastwood has to balance the story of the soldiers from that picture.

They’re sent home to become public-relations icons; heroes who must sell war bonds to a weary, financially-drained populace.

In the process, they see the act they performed diminished, and the heroism that’s projected on them becomes uncomfortable.

Ryan Phillippe and Jesse Bradford, playing Hayes’ buddies, do a good job as likeable guys caught in a tricky spot. Eastwood does everything he can for them, but the screenplay is their enemy. The pair gets no showy scenes, nothing that might illuminate their plight separate from Hayes’.

And there are so many pointed digs at Hayes’ heritage (everyone, annoyingly, calls him “Chief” as in “Indian Chief”) that it almost seems that being Indian is more central to the story than having planted the flag at Iwo Jima.

There are some caveats about “Flags of our Fathers” that can’t be overlooked, and again I think they have more to do with Broyles’ script than anything else.

First, there don’t seem to be any black soldiers at Iwo Jima. Outside of Beach’s character, it’s an all-white American army. This is historically inaccurate.

Writer Christopher Paul Moore talks about the Army’s 471st, 473rd and 476th amphibious truck companies in his excellent book, “Fighting for America: Black Soldiers — The Unsung Heroes of World War II,” and includes many pictures of black Marines and soldiers from the month-long battle of Iwo Jima. Certainly, at least one of them could have been represented (to be fair, black soldiers were also omitted from Steven Spielberg’s "Saving Private Ryan," as Moore notes).

No black characters, but more than 30 actors from Iceland, where a big chunk of the movie was filmed, are credited as soldiers.

And there’s almost no mention of Joe Rosenthal, the Pulitzer prize-winning photographer who took the picture of the flag raising. An actor who resembles Sean Penn snaps the photo in the movie, but he’s uncredited and never again discussed (there are about 40 references in the book upon which the movie is based, however). Rosenthal died this past August at age 95.

But these are mere quibbles: “Flags of Our Fathers” remains undiminished.

“Flags” also has a cast that’s a who’s who of solid actors, including John Slattery, Jon Polito, Robert Patrick, Neal McDonough, Barry Pepper, John Benjamin Hickey and Judith Ivey.

There’s also a top notch selection of younger actors in key soldiers’ roles with Jamie Bell, Joseph Cross and Paul Walker (in a cameo) as the standouts.

And the older actors who play the WWII soldiers in the present — Harve Presnell, Len Cariou, George Grizzard and George Hearn — make the whole thing that much more believable.

All the actors are, as Eastwood once told me, “get up and go” kind of actors, the sort who are already so talented he says he doesn’t have to tell them much.

“Flags of Our Fathers” comes out at an interesting time. Like “Bobby,” (a film about the assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy) which doesn’t hit until Nov. 20, “Flags” is a historical picture with a lot of contemporary resonance.

Setting aside the tremendously grand nature of the battles, the central issue of “Flags” — how a war is sold to a country that may no longer want it — is far too important to dismiss without discussion. That the discussion comes from Clint Eastwood, an American icon, means the director earns even more respect this time around.

I agree that as a screenwriter William Broyles Jr. leaves a lot to be desired. I was surprised by the fact that the film practically omits the guy that took that now famous photo at Iwa Jima. Sheesh. As to the issue of diversity in the film, It's not the first time its happened in a movie like this, as was noted, and it sadly probably wont be the last.

Battle Plans

One month ago, MGM announced big plans to roar back to life. Now, as Variety's Alison James reports, the studio's chief exec knows that it will be a tough slog. But he sounds as if he is more than prepared on paper at least, for the challenges that lie ahead

MGM topper Harry Sloan thinks he's the best thing that's happened to the studio in a while -- and he said so at the Mipcom TV mart Tuesday.

When asked what single new factor would be responsible for getting the Lion to roar again, he replied: "Can I be immodest? It's me."

But the times offer some tough challenges, Sloan said -- not least because of the fact that, in his view, "the studio system is broken."

A day after Google's $1.6 billion acquisition of YouTube, the topper warned of a looming "battle between user and commercial content."

"We've got to get the creativity to stand up against user-created content -- because that's what people are watching in my house," Sloan, the father of a 17-year-old, told Daily Variety's Elizabeth Guider, who moderated the panel.

"The TV is on in the background, behind him. He's got two screens in front of him, one connected to friends and the other to play 'World of Warcraft.' "

Investors have already understood the changes taking place, Sloane said.

In his keynote, Sloan predicted that 1 trillion dollars was being invested worldwide in new media platforms, of which half that sum was being spent in the U. S.

That, he continued, will mean ever greater need for content and for expert marketing to steer consumers to what they want to experience.

"There's a line around the block at MGM of films that are fully financed, looking for distribution," Sloan said.

Evoking MGM's recent overhaul, the topper outlined the changes he'd made at the company, based on the observation that studios are bad at certain things -- development and production -- and good at others --marketing and distribution.

"The best product is being made outside the studio system," he said.

Sloan talked up the new distribution-orientated strategy he has put in place at the Lion, which will involve the studio's producing only two or three tentpoles a year, while marketing and distributing around twenty independent films.

As a result of the changes, the company has shed 1,000 staff, down now to 400, and is saving $200 million a year.

"I think we have the model right this time," he said.

MGM has five $100 million- $200 million tentpoles in the works.

Outlining your strategy for success, in a multi-faceted marketplace, during some panel discussion is one thing...Now let's see him actually implement said plan.

Casting Service

Two films that I've been following for this blog, recently made some pretty cool casting news, that should mean good things for the projects in question...

Variety's "Dynamic Duo", Michael Fleming and Ben Fritz lead things off

Terrence Howard is set to join Robert Downey Jr. in "Iron Man."

The Jon Favreau-directed film is the first to be coined through a financing arrangement that Marvel Studios formed with Merrill Lynch. Paramount Pictures releases the film May 2, 2008.

Howard will play Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes, the confidante of Iron Man's alter ego, Tony Stark. Rhodes, a high ranking military officer and aviator, steers the team that develops the robotic suit that allows the sickly Stark to fly around and battle bad guys.

In the comic, Rhodes' character gets his own armored suit and evolves into an occasionally antagonistic character called War Machine. That development seems likely to be saved for the sequel, though, as Iron Man will battle villain the Mandarin when shooting begins in February in L.A.

"The suit is purely an innovative creation, so this is Marvel meets Tom Clancy technology," Marvel Studios production president Kevin Feige said. "Having the best actors for the key roles allows them to inhabit the hyperkinetic reality of this world."...

...Howard recently completed "The Brave One" and is shooting "Spring Break in Bosnia."

He's poised to play country music icon Charley Pride in a biopic for Paramount...

I can think of no better actor to play opposite Robert Downey Jr. for this movie than Howard. He has already proven himself as a talented guy--with roles in flicks like Hustle & Flow, Ray and of course Crash--Just to name a few. Kudos to director Jon Favreau for enlisting some top talent to bring Iron Man off the pages of comics books and onto the silver screen. Please keep it up.

Fellow Variety scribe, Pamela McCintock posted this news a few days ago:

Lee Pace will star opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar in supernatural thriller "Addicted," set to begin shooting later this month.

The Yari Film Group is financing and producing with Vertigo and Spitfire [films].

Joel Bergvall and Simon Sandquist, who helmed Swedish film "The Invisible," will direct from a Michael Petroni script loosely based on the 2002 South Korean pic "Jungdok." Story revolves around a woman whose husband and brother-in-law end up in a coma; when the brother-in-law awakes, he insists he is her husband...

Pace appeared in Sundance fave "Soldier's Girl" and is in two films hitting the big screen this fall: Truman Capote biopic "Infamous" and "The Good Shepherd."

Pic reunites Gellar with Vertigo, which produced "The Grudge" and "The Grudge 2" (latter bows Friday). Vertigo also produced "The Ring" and "The Ring 2."

Lee Pace has made some interesting choices over the years. Obviously his chemistry with Sarah Michelle Gellar will be key, of course, but I think he makes a good fit in terms of the material...He was great in Soldier's Girl.

Departed Returns

The Departed took U.S. cineplexes by storm over the weekend--whacking the competition but good

The Weekend Report by Brandon Gray of Box Office Mojo starts off with this:

The Departed' left 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning' and 'Employee of the Month' [clocking into 4th place with just $11.8 million] in the dust with an estimated $27 million opening...

To read more from Gray, click here

Meanwhile, for his article in today's Variety Ian Mohr writes:

Martin Scorsese scored his biggest opening ever with Warner Bros. release "The Departed" as the cop drama took in just over $27 million on 3,017 screens over the weekend.

Among the helmer's previous pics, only 1991 remake "Cape Fear" had bowed to more than $10 million.

New Line's latest entry in the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" franchise, meanwhile, ripped $19.1 million from 2,820 locations to land at No. 2.

Pic's predecessor bowed in October three years ago to more than $28 million and a No. 1 finish.

Frame's other new wide opener, Lions Gate's PG-13 rated "Employee of the Month," with a cast including Dane Cook and Jessica Simpson, punched in on Sunday with an estimated $11.8 million off 2,579 playdates.

Unlike three years ago, this October is filled with a glut of genre product aimed at young males, as Paramount and MTV Films' "Jackass Number Two" and "Jet Li's Fearless" both stayed in the top 10.

Tracking on "Departed" had suggested the film would be popular with older males, but the feature managed to bring in female and younger [folks] as well.

You can read the complete article for more...

Lastly, Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly, had this to say about the results: Martin Scorsese and a hunky cast ruled the box office


I'm happy that Scorsese has both a critical and financial success in The Departed. If anyone deserves it--he does. Unfortunately, for me, my schedule is such that I will not be able to see the film in theaters, anytime soon...

Making The Rounds

This week's Cinema Stew is a meal fit for anyone who's in training for the fight of his life

Gillard Helming War Games 2

Production Weekly reports that TV director Stuart Gillard (Charmed) has been tapped to helm the sequel to the 1983 Matthew Broderick film WarGames. Randall M. Badat has written the film's script, called WarGames 2: The Dead Game, which is scheduled to begin principal photography mid-November in locations around Montreal.

The storyline follows a teenage hacker whose world gets turned upside after playing an online terrorist-attack simulator game against a government supercomputer designed to profile potential terrorists. All hell breaks loose when the Department of Homeland Security is convinced that he's a terrorist intent on disrupting the fabric of our society.

Even though the WarGames premise has been "updated" for a 21st century audiences, I'm dubious that the sequel will be able to hold its own against the pitch perfect original--Casting will make or break the project...

Theater Shuts Down Rather Than Screen "Drivel"

The two-screen Lorraine Theater in Hoopeston, IL, reopened for business Friday following a two-week protest shutdown by owner Greg Boardman. Boardman said that he closed down the theater rather than run such studio offerings as Jackass Number Two and The Covenant.

"There's just so much lousy material out there -- people vomiting on the screen, " Boardman told the Chicago Tribune. "I have one of the finest sound systems in the world, and I don't want to waste it on such drivel."

Noting that Boardman now operates the theater from his home in California, Carol Hicks, managing editor of the Hoopeston Chronicle remarked, "He's got away from Hoopeston and changed. ... He doesn't know what people like here."

Boardman, who lives in the foothills of the Sierra near Yosemite, told the [paper]: "I can fly back there anytime I want and show any movie I want. ... How man people can say they have their own movie theater and can do that?"

This is no different than the more well known theater chains refusing to show Death of a President. It's a choice.

Have a look at the one-sheet poster for Rocky Balboa, first found on Aint It Cool News:

I may have my doubts about the film...But you gotta love the film's tagline:

It Aint Over 'Till It's Over (snicker-snicker)



That's all for now--the Chicago Bears try to remain undefeated, going up against the Buffalo Bills...Bears QB Rex Grossman had a great game last week. Here's hoping he will do so again today.

A View To A Kill

The movie Death of a President has raised a lot of eyebrows, since its debut at Toronto International Film Festival last month...for good reason. Taking place in 2007, and shot like a documentary, 'Death' depicts the fictional assassination of President George W. Bush.

Politicians on both sides of the political aisle have denounced the film. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-New York) said of the film:

"I think it's despicable", she said, "I think it's absolutely outrageous. That anyone would even attempt to profit on such a horrible scenario makes me sick."

Now, The Hollywood Reporter says the British imports American distributor is having a bit of trouble finding a U.S. theater chain willing to show it.

Newmarket Films set itself an unusual challenge when it decided to release the controversial faux investigative documentary "Death of a President" just six weeks after acquiring the movie at the Toronto International Film Festival last month.

But it might face an even more formidable obstacle because several major theater chains are refusing to play the film, which mixes real news footage with dramatized segments depicting the fictional 2007 death of President Bush.

Newmarket, the 12-year-old Los Angeles-based film financing, production and distribution company, plans to open the film October 27, just in time for the November 7 election.

"Yes, it's controversial," Newmarket co-founder Chris Ball said. "It's quite a compelling political thriller. In many ways it is sympathetic to George Bush. It talks about a rush to judgment. In no way is it a call for violence."

But the country's largest theater chain, Regal Entertainment Group, has passed on playing the film, citing the subject matter as the primary reason. "We would not be inclined to program this film," Regal Entertainment Group CEO Mike Campbell said. "We feel it is inappropriate to portray the future assassination of a sitting president, regardless of political affiliation."

Texas-based Cinemark USA also has declined to play the indie film, corporate spokesman Terrell Falk said. The circuit, which recently completed its acquisition of northern California-based Century Theatres, will not allow the regional player to book the film either. "We're not playing it on any of our screens," Falk said. "It's a subject matter we don't wish to play. We decided to pass on the film."

Boston-based National Amusements, controlled by Viacom Inc. chief Sumner Redstone, still is in negotiations as to whether it will play the R-rated film from director Gabriel Range, who reportedly was the subject of death threats before the film's debut in Toronto.

"We're currently in discussions with the distributor of the film," said Wanda Whitson, director of corporate communications at National Amusements. "The availability of the film in our markets is an important factor affecting this discussion. Our film department does consider all films, and we've run controversial films in the past

Newmarket distribution consultant Richard Abramowitz insisted he was having no trouble booking the film, which initially will open in several hundred locations. "Every day during a busy time we are picking up plenty of screens," he said, citing the Landmark Theater chain as being supportive.

Abramowitz declined comment on problems with theater bookings. "We're getting a good reception in a lot of places. No matter how tight the screens are, once a film has success, it's always easier to get more screens."

The entire article can be found here.

I don't believe in the censorship of artistic expression of any kind...That said, I have a reaaly hard time with a film that acts out scenes of a sitting President being taken out--whether I agree or disagree with the administration's policies. The film will find a venue willing to screen the movie. I doubt many people will buy tix to see this though no matter where they are politically.

Departure Time

Martin Scorsese's eagerly anticipated, star-powered drama, The Departed (reviews), finally arrives. Judging by the positive reaction the film is generating from the nation's critics, thus far, Scorsese has hit a grand slam with this one. The movie leads a trio of high profile new releases.

Scorsese on The Departed set with stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon

The horror prequel, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (reviews), may not have the endorsement of critics...As a fan of the 2003 remake and of the 1974 classic, on which this series is based, I'm looking forward to seeing this anyway. The producers of the 2003 flick are behind the new film as well. Given that, I'm hoping for good things from this scare-fest.

Actor Matthew Bomer, in the Texas Prequel, is just hanging around on set

The comedy, Employee of the Month (reviews), has 2 things going for it. Some of the folks behind Wedding Crashers worked on this film as well, and comedian Dane Cook (in his first "leading man" role). Will the Wedding Crasher momentum hold? As a fan of Cook's--I'm pulling for the film to do well...

Cook and Jessica Simpson get real close for a scene in "Employee"...

Here's an overview of the weekend landscape, courtesy of Variety's Ian Mohr:

Columbus Day weekend is usually friendly to family pics, but it's the very grown-up "The Departed" and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" that look to have the inside track this weekend.

Martin Scorsese's latest is bowing on 3,017 screens -- the most ever for the filmmaker -- as the frame's widest rollout.

New Line's latest installment in its "Chainsaw" franchise has drawn strong interest from the under-25 crowd and will hit 2,820 playdates.

The school holiday on Monday, meanwhile, bodes well for Sony's CG animated holdover "Open Season," the No. 1 pic last [weekend]. A year ago, DreamWorks' animated "Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" was able to take the top spot thanks to the added availability of family auds Sunday.

Lions Gate's PG-13 Jessica Simpson starrer "Employee of the Month" also could enjoy a bump from the holiday weekend, as could Disney's holdover "The Guardian."...

Read more here...

Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly predicts that Scorsese's "Departed" will be a raging bull this weekend...saying

Harking back to his grittier beginnings, the "Mean Streets" and "GoodFellas" director will score big with "The Departed"

Whether The Departed ends up being number one, or not, I'm hoping that the positive buzz for the film finally translates to Oscar gold for Scorsese.

Trail Blazer

Wow! As a fan of the original comic book story, I was already looking forward to seeing the 2007 film 300, with great anticipation. But after watching the first theatrical trailer for the movie, I'm even more excited!! It looks really awesome!

It looks as though (from the preview anyway) director Zack Snyder stayed very true to Frank Miller's story, while at the same time, making it his own.

300 opens on March 9th, nationwide.

Quality Control

George Lucas, the man behind the Star Wars saga and a co-creator of the Indiana Jones adventures, said in an interview with David S. Cohen of Variety that Lucasfilm is getting out of the movie business:

...Lucas has a message for studios that are cutting their slates and shifting toward big-budget tentpoles and franchises: You've got it all wrong.

The creator of "Star Wars," which stamped the template for the franchise-tentpole film, says many small films and Web distribution are the future...

"We don't want to make movies. We're about to get into television. As far as Lucasfilm is concerned, we've moved away from the feature film thing, because it's too expensive and it's too risky.

"I think the secret to the future is quantity," Lucas told Daily Variety. "Because that's where it's going to end up."

Lucas spoke to Daily Variety after the groundbreaking ceremony for the renamed School of Cinematic Arts at USC.

He gave $175 million -- $100 million for endowment and $75 million for buildings -- to his alma mater. But he said that kind of money is too much to put into a film.

Spending $100 million on production costs and another $100 million on P&A makes no sense, he said.

"For that same $200 million I can make 50-60 two-hour movies. That's 120 hours as opposed to two hours. In the future market, that's where it's going to land, because it's going to be all pay-per-view and downloadable.

"You've got to really have a brand. You've got to have a site that has enough material on it to attract people."

He said he's even discussed this with Pixar's Steve Jobs and John Lasseter.

"If you don't do very many movies, and you're really lucky, and you really know what you're doing, you can get away with it. But you know at some point you're going to lose a game."

Lucas said he believes Americans are abandoning the moviegoing habit for good.

"I don't think anything's going to be a habit anymore. I think people are going to be drawn to a certain medium in their leisure time and they're going to do it because there is a desire to do it at that particular moment in time. Everything is going to be a matter of choice. I think that's going to be a huge revolution in the industry."

That doesn't mean Lucasfilm is diving into online distribution, though. "Having had a lot of experience in this area, we're not rushing in," he said. "we're trying to find out exactly where the monetization is coming from. We're not interested in jumping down a rat hole until such time as it finally figures itself out."

Nor is Lusasfilm's exit from features instant or absolute. "Indiana Jones 4" is still in development. "Steve (Spielberg) and I are still working away, trying to come up with something we're happy with. Hopefully in a short time we will come to an agreement. Or something," Lucas said, without a great deal of enthusiasm.

Lucasfilm also is working on a film about the Tuskegee airmen of World War II called "Red Tails."

"I've been working on that for about 15 years," he said, adding he's also been working on "Indy 4" for 15 years.

And Lucas Animation does plan to start making feature films -- eventually.

"Right now we're doing television, which looks great. I'm very very happy with it," he said of his animation division. "And out of doing the animation, we're getting the skill set and the people and putting the studio in place so we can do a feature. But it's probably going to be another year before we have the people and the systems in place to do a feature film."

Lucas admitted the big-budget strategy has done well for him in the past, but, "We're not going to do the $200 million investments."

He calls himself "semi-retired" but reiterated his plans to direct, "small movies, esoteric in nature," after his other projects are launched. He expects to serve as exec producer on the two features and the TV shows, including a live-action "Star Wars"[TV series].

At the USC groundbreaking, Lucas was honored amid canon-shots of confetti and fanfares from the USC Marching Band for his gift, the largest in the school's history.

For the rest of the article click here.

Lucas thinks studio's shouldn't depend on blockbusters anymore

I think the reason that movie attendance is down, has more to do with the quality of the product generated by Hollywood, rather than any technology. Add to that, the shrinking home video window and there you go. Sure, tech is a component of the problem, but if the films were better, people would return to the multiplex...When VHS first appeared some 30 years ago, I remember folks saying things very similar about movies then... I do agree with Lucas on the out of control budgets of films though.

I was fascinated by the characterization that Lucas isn't as optimistic about an Indy 4, as he once was...That makes 2 of us George.

Re: Action

Before I get into today's subject--A little backstory first:

Comic books were a big part of my life for almost 18 years. But movies came first...Fact is, I didn't really start collecting the super hero chronicles until after the original Supes movie series was at its peak, circa 1980...At one time though, I was buying some 30 titles a month, from both the DC and Marvel universes. When all was said and done I had amassed some 1,000-plus books. As college loomed, my free time waned and I stopped collecting, save for the occasional graphic novel or collected series one shot--which I still do today.

When news came that director Richard Donner was teaming up with award winning writer Geoff Johns to create a new Superman storyline for Action Comics, I was intrigued by the idea, more than excited...Here's why: I had not bought a standard book in so long I wasn't sure if I wanted to get back into the game of waiting for the next issue to arrive. Do I bide my time for the collected version of the story to arrive at a later date? Decisions. Decisions.

Nisha Gopalan of Entertainment Weekly, offering up a preview, of the tale on the mag's website, helped make up my mind for me.

Check out a few pages of "Action Comics: Last Son": When a new Kyptonian boy is discovered, the Man of Steel is resolved to protect him


Think of this story as Donner's chance to do Superman III-if you will. Had he been allowed to continue with the film series--this might have been where things would have gone...

A super kid ala`Superman Returns ???!! I hope it's more than that!! I 'm enticed enough by what I saw here though to check things out first run. For his part, Johns recently discussed the storyline with Newsrama. Read the complete interview right here.

The art by Adam Kubert looks very very nice. He is also talking about the project to Comicon Pule

The saga begins in Action Comics #844.

The Casting Process

Garth Franklin of Dark Horizons posted some casting news on two high profile films. The first of which, proves the that old saying--History Repeats Itself:

"The Bourne Ultimatum," the third installment of Universal Pictures' successful action series, began shooting this week in Tangier but without its main villain yet to be cast says The Hollywood Reporter.

An offer has gone out to Gael Garcia Bernal to take the role, though negotiations have not yet begun. The story centers on assassin Bourne uncovering mysteries of his past, which puts him in the cross-hairs of a superkiller.

Matt Damon is back as Bourne, as are Joan Allen and Julia Stiles in their respective roles.

David Strathairn has also joined the cast. In addition to Tangier, shooting locations include Madrid, Paris, New York, London and Riga, the capital of Latvia.

What is it about casting the villains, for these kind of films that's so beyond last minute lately? You may recall that a similar situation occurred earlier this year, when filming on the the latest James Bond movie, Casino Royale commenced, without the villain being cast. You would think this kind of stuff would have been worked out by now. Since Damon is locked in as the "Hero", the film's second most important role, should have been cast. With filming underway, the director is forced to deal with 2 big challenges now, instead of one. I realize things can come up last minute, but really, there's no reason for this to happen on another high profile flick.

I don't know the work of Gael García Bernal well enough to have an opinion about his skills as an actor--other than to say, I recognize the name.

Overall, I think the Bourne films are OK at best--Meh.

Franklin continues with story #2 (originally reported by Production Weekly):

"Employee of the Month" writer/director Greg Coolidge, is currently in pre-production on his next project "Coxblocker," a comedy with Seann William Scott and Topher Grace attached to star...

In Coolidge's script Grace plays William Cox, who has trouble with women until he finally meets the girl of his dreams. The trouble is her best friend is her ex-boyfriend (Scott).

Little does he know that the ex-boyfriend is trying to get back together with her -- so while our hero, Grace, is trying to hook up with her, Scott is blocking him all along the way. The girl has no idea.

Topher Grace does a great job playing an underdog. He also has excellent comic timing. Watch a rerun or two of That 70s Show...and you'll see what I mean. We already know that Seann William Scott can play a jerk, thanks to the first three American Pie movies. As long as the script works--the team-up and movie should work.

Finally folks over at IGN attended "An Evening With Christopher Nolan" last night at the historic Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, (lucky dogs!) where Nolan's first feature, Following, was screened along with the trailer for his next release, The Prestige (due October 20th)

Nolan and his wife-producer Emma Thomas were in attendance for a Q&A session after the film.

The director's brother Jonah Nolan, who is scripting The Dark Knight, was also there but he did not take questions from the audience.

During the Q&A, the IGNers got the chance to ask Nolan if The Dark Knight would delve further into the themes established in Batman Begins, specifically the idea of justice vs. revenge and the exploration of Bruce Wayne's daddy issues.

"I haven't finished the script yet. I'm supposed to be doing it right now," Nolan admitted, sparking laughter from the crowd. "It does, absolutely. It's a pretty direct continuation of where the last film left off, and the last scene of Batman Begins suggests a strong direction we wanted to take the story in. It absolutely carries on with a lot of the thematic concerns and hopefully takes it someplace new."

When asked if District Attorney Harvey Dent – a.k.a. Batman's future nemesis Two-Face would indeed be in the film, Nolan replied, "I don't want to go into too many specifics. Yes, he is."

As everyone was leaving the venue, Nolan was asked if Dent had been cast. "Not yet."

Would that actor be an American, an Aussie or a Brit? "You'll see," Nolan promised...

As far as the casting of Two-Face is concerned, I think Nolan may already know who has the part, but didn't want to make any official announcement in that setting, waiting instead, for the studio's publicity dept. to do the job.

Open And Shut Case

Ashton Kutcher must be feeling pretty good. He appeared in two new movies over the weekend, and both of them combined to take in an estimated $40.7 million in ticket sales. In the process of earning all that dough, both films also took over the top spots from last week's winners.

The CGI animated flick Open Season was number one, while the Coast Guard action/drama The Guardian, had to settle for second place.

Having 2 top films opening at the same time makes Kutcher king

Brandon Gray Of Box Office Mojo writes in his Weekend Report:

Hitting their expected pecking order, Open Season grabbed an estimated $23 million in first, The Guardian swam to a solid second and School For Scoundrels [coming in at #4 with $9.1 million] folded...

Read the entire report by Gray right here.

Meanwhile, Ian Mohr of Variety had this to say about Kutcher's double take:

"Open Season," shot to No. 1 over the weekend, bringing in family auds to the tune of $23 million. "Open" had been projected to be in a tighter battle for first place with Disney's "The Guardian," which came in well behind at $17.7 million.

Click here for more...

Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly states: It's all about Ashton at the box office...

...Wow! Little Miss Sunshine came in at #10 again this week with another $ 2 million added to its domestic gross.

Scalett Fever

The editors of Esquire Magazine have named actress Scarlett Johansson The Sexiest Woman Alive for the November '06 issue. All I can say is the editors have great taste. I first noticed her in the acclaimed (but somewhat overrated) Lost in Translation from 2003. She definitely was a bright light in that film. And then there was Girl with a Pearl Earring (also from 2003)...Both films earned the young star Golden Globe Nominations . The great thing about Johansson though, she is not just another pretty face. It's amazing just how much versatility she does have for someone so young...At almost 22 years of age, she's already had a 12 year career.

Here's part of an Associated Press story from Friday:

...The 21-year-old actress poses in come-hither garb on the cover and inside pages of the magazine's November issue, on newsstands Oct. 18.

On the cover, she wears a bra and a white Calvin Klein mini-dress; In a series of photos inside (showing her as an "enigmatic trailer-park temptress," the magazine says), she wears cleavage-baring black lingerie paired with an open white robe, among other get-ups.

Johansson, whose screen credits include "The Black Dahlia," "Lost in Translation" and "Match Point," says she would rather be admired for attributes other than sex appeal.

"What about my brain? What about my heart? What about my kidneys and my gallbladder?" she asks, addressing all the hoopla about her curves in an interview in the magazine.

She is no stranger to the paparazzi's cameras, and once flashed a sign proclaiming, "the person taking this picture is harassing me."

"Apparently I spelled `harass' wrong," she recalls. "It was horrible. I couldn't remember whether it was one `r' or two, and I asked like four people, and they said two."

WOW...It's The Sexiest Woman Alive Looking Very Sexy!

It's nice to know that she's not afraid to laugh at herself...

Today's Football game to watch: The Chicago Bears take on the Seattle Seahawks in a nationally televised contest in the hopes of remaining undefeated. It's rare that I get to actually watch one of their games. You can bet I'll be tuning in for this Sunday Night Football event...