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Latest Video: FilmCrunch 067: Hairspray, Chuck & Larry, Premonition reviewed

Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep review Hairspray, Chuck & Larry, and Premonition in this episode of FilmCrunch.
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Body of Lies Trailer

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Warner Bros, Adaptation, Drama, Thrillers, Trailers, Upcoming Releases

and director Ridley Scott, collaborators on three movies, have reteamed for a fourth due out this fall. The CIA thriller, Body of Lies, comes just under a year after their last project, American Gangster, debuted.

In this David Ignatius adaptation, co-stars as a a CIA operative (Roger Ferris) on the hunt for a terrorist in Jordan. Crowe plays Ed Hoffman, Leo’s “manipulative” boss.


Body of Lies - penned by Academy Award winner (The Departed) - hits theaters on October 10.


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Casting Corner: Nicolas Cage, Sarah Jessica Parker, Robert De Niro

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Drama, Comedy, Thrillers, Casting, Celeb News, Upcoming Releases

Nicolas Cage

Here’s a quick look at some of the casting announcements made recently:

Ghost Rider‘s may soon getting off the bike and heading behind bars. The actor, last seen in National Treasure, is currently in negotiations to play an inmate serving a life sentence in Scared Straight.

The movie, based on the program that tries to ‘scare’ temporary inmates into leading a clean life, will focus on an incarcerated teen held hostage during a prison riot. Cage, unable to sit back and watch this unfold, will reluctantly come to the kid’s rescue.

Scared - which will be directed by (Halloween) - should begin filming this October.

Click to continue reading Casting Corner: Nicolas Cage, Sarah Jessica Parker, Robert De Niro

Read More | Variety

Is Where the Wild Things Are Scaring Children?

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Warner Bros, Adaptation, Adventure, Family, Rumors, Upcoming Releases

Where the Wild Things AreScores of parents have used Where the Wild Things Are to help put their children to sleep.  Unfortunately, a viewing of ’s film adaptation could reportedly leave those same children with a few nightmares.

Jonze, the Oscar-nominated director behind Being John Malkovich, has been in the process of bringing Maurice Sendak’s children’s book to the big screen.  Unfortunately, poor test screenings may have forced Warner Bros. to push the film’s release date to 2009.

According to internet reports, children were so frightened by the scary images, they left the theater crying.  (Well that’s no good.) One tester supposedly said, “The things are not cute. Max comes off a bit weird and off-putting. He slaps his mom! And he seems confused and not charming at all.”

Well, if it makes Spike feel any better, I thought would do great things with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - and that movie creeped me out as well.  So if nothing else, at least he’ll be keeping good company.

(To see a clip of some leaked screen test footage, click here.)

Read More | Defamer

Lindsay Lohan to Tell Her Story?

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip, Rumors

Lindsay Lohan has it that Razzie-nominated actress may be making ready to write her memoirs. Gossip suggests Lohan is motivated by a single need: money.  Varied reports have Lohan borrowing money from friends and quickly running out of funds, though how this is possible I simply can’t say.

The book, reportedly, will talk about Lohan’s troubles with substance abuse (and subsequent trips to rehab) and what it’s like to be a big star in a small world. I’m less interested in what the book’s about and more interested in another compelling question: is she writing it herself, or using a ghostwriter? There’s a good chance the readers will never know.

Read More | E! Online

The Unauthorized Tom Cruise Biography

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip, Rumors

Tom Cruise: Unauthorized BiographyWhen you put yourself in the public eye in a very bold way, you have to expect at least a little backlash. Could that be what’s happening to couch-jumping and overzealous right this moment? Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography (which you can buy right now for less than twenty bucks online) talks at great length about Cruise and his various women, rumors concerning this love life and of course, . The media has already reported that Morton may be getting sued by Cruise and the Scientology Church for the mind-boggling sum of $100 million. Doesn’t matter. The book hit the shelves January 15, no matter what Cruise or anyone else has to say about it.

Before the book’s release, an excerpt of the prose was released which detailed the inner circle of Scientology followers, showing just how important Cruise’s role is therein. Followers of the religion, which is based on a series of books by author , have taken a lot of flak from the press (and the spoofers). But in this country, we’re all allowed to believe whatever we please - even our biggest stars. Read all about it in the unauthorized (and possibly very costly) Tom Cruise biography. 

Read More | MSNBC

The Buzz About ‘The Secret Life of Bees’

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Fox Searchlight, Adaptation, Drama, Casting, Celeb News, Upcoming Releases

Queen Latifah is one bee movie which will boast A-list stars. An of the best-selling book, the story is a coming-of-age tale which focuses on two friends. , , and are already signed up, while negotiations with and are just on the verge of being wrapped up.

Set in the 1960s American south, The Secret Life of Bees is about teen Lily Owens (the role undoubtedly going to Fanning) and her pal Rosaleen (Hudson). The pair leave their homes on a quest to discover the truth about Lily’s deceased mother. While in South Carolina, the two meet three sisters who keep bees (Latifah, Okonedo and Keys). Since the script was completed pre-, this is one movie project that may not be quickly canceled.

Right now, plans to release the flick in 2008. 

Read More | Yahoo! News

What’s in ‘The Mist’?

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: MGM, Adaptation, Horror, New Releases

The Mist screenshotActual mist is created with suspended droplets of moisture, and is not to be confused with fog (which has greater visibility) or haze (which is a different color altogether). And , pop kitsch horror writer-turned movie mogul, is not to be confused with a writer who actually offers some value. If weather phenomenon frighten you and you’re at all interested in seeing yet another movie about losing visibility and being beset by scary occurrences, go see The Mist. If you started to get bored with King, stay away.

So, here’s the setup. Bunch of people living in Maine, everyone’s just doing their thing. All of a sudden, a strange mist (not a fog, mind you, a mist) rolls into town. Frightened and dismayed, citizens hole up in a grocery store to escape this ever-encroaching mist. How likely is that, honestly? You’re out and about, you’re shopping, a thick mist rolls in. Do you lock the doors, batten down the hatches and wait it out? Or do you just take your groceries home? Honestly now. Anyway, the film takes place entirely in the grocery store and features effects which at least saves the movie from being a complete waste of time. Did I mention there are some sort of weird monsters living in the mist? Mist monsters? 

Click to continue reading What’s in ‘The Mist’?

Read More | Hollywood Reporter

J.K. Rowling Writes Harry Potter Spinoff

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Family, Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip

J.K. RowlingDespite several press conferences and comments that she would like to branch out into writing new things, has completed the first spinoff. So much for the integrity of writing.

The book – an illustrated collection of fairy stories – is The Tales of Beedle the Bard, and only seven copies will be printed. One will be auctioned for charity, the others given away as gifts. Rowling drew the illustrations in the book herself and provided the handwriting for five of its stories. The book is mentioned in Rowling’s last Harry novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. 

Read More | CNN

Kurt Cobain Story Hits the Silver Screen

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Universal, Adaptation, Drama, Filmmaking, Scripts, Upcoming Releases

Kurt CobainDavid Benioff (Troy screenwriter) has signed an agreement to write a movie about former Nirvana singer, Kurt Cobain. A Universal project, the movie will be based on the 2001 book Heavier Than Heaven, written by Charles Cross. Details are still up in the air on the film, which may or may not contain an on-screen appearance from Cobain’s widow, . She will, however, serve as an executive producer.

After Cobain’s 1994 death, rumors and innuendo abounded regarding the mysterious circumstances of how he died.  Whenever a celebrity is involved, gossip circles will often repeat the same question: ‘Was it murder or suicide?’ From Marilyn to , no one wants to believe their favorite stars would take their own lives (or attempt to). It’s unknown at this point which side of the story the movie will tell.  In any event, it’s a death that will continue to remain question-rich and somewhat unsolved in the minds of fans…like many other Hollywood deaths before and since. 

Read More | Yahoo! News

‘Thank You for Smoking’ Now A TV Series

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Adaptation, Drama, Books

Thank You for SmokingThe 2006 film, Thank You For Smoking, will now see itself repackaged as a series.  A television version of the Christopher Buckley novel version had been swirling around for some time (it was once considered by NBC) and has now found a home on cable.

The film adaptation starred as Nick Naylor, a spokesperson for tobacco industry.  His M.O.D. squad (’Merchants of Death’) friends included and David Koechner (lobbyists for the alcohol and gun industries, respectively).  Naylor did a great job doing what he was paid for, yet had a slight change of attitude by the movie’s end.  The Eckhart-free series would see Naylor supporting those ‘more deserving’ while continuing to ride the moral fine line.

My love for anything Aaron Eckhart has biased me against any remakes—though might have been a good option here.  What do you think?  Do you think this could be pulled off?

Read More | Variety

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