Maher’s Religulous Already Creating Oscar Buzz
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Lionsgate, Documentary, Trailers, Upcoming Releases
After much delay, Bill Maher’s Religulous will finally make it to theaters October 3, 2008. The trailer is out and early reviews are giving the documentary high praise.
Maher, an avowed atheist, hits city streets in the film in an attempt to learn more of the true nature of religion. He converses with every day citizens, over-the-top zealots and many experts to talk about God - so fundamental to so many belief systems.
Already the media is talking about an Oscar nomination, some saying that Religulous is sure to get a nod in the documentary film category. According to Maher, the title of the film comes from the words “ridiculous” and “religious.”
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Read More 
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Jason Bateman Says Juno Not to Blame for Teen Pregnancies
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Fox Searchlight, Drama, Comedy
It was inevitable. Once word got out about the 17 pregnant teens at Gloucester High School, we knew the blame would start flying. We also knew the entertainment industry would eventually be named one of the responsible parties.
Somewhere out there, there are people who seriously believe that Jamie Lynn Spears has glamorized teenage pregnancies. These same people are probably not taking these two very important factors into consideration:
- I’m sure Jamie-Lynn didn’t want to be a 17-year-old mother.
- The Zoey 101 star can probably afford to raise a child, unlike a lot of teenage mothers out there. Therefore, giving her baby up for adoption might not have been a necessary option.
Click to continue reading Jason Bateman Says Juno Not to Blame for Teen Pregnancies
Read More | Access Hollywood
Sharon Stone Apologizes for China Remark
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip, Celebrity Controversy
What a difference a year makes. In 2007, Sharon Stone was serving on the jury of the Shanghai International Film Festival. Today, that same organizing committee has banned her for life.
This stiff decision was a result of Stone’s controversial remarks about the Chinese earthquake; it follows a large theater chain’s proposed boycott of the star’s films.
As part of the fallout, one of Stone’s own employers has had to take swift action to repair the damage. In addition to dropping the 50-year-old from their Chinese ads, fashion house Christian Dior has released a statement from the Casino actress:
“Due to my inappropriate words and acts during the interview, I feel deeply sorry and sad about hurting Chinese people. I am willing to take part in the relief work of China’s earthquake, and wholly devote myself to helping affected Chinese people.”
So Sharon’s insensitive remarks caused her to lose work? Now, I think that would qualify as karmic retribution.
Read More | Hollywood Reporter
China May Boycott Sharon Stone Films
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Celeb News, Celebrity Controversy
While it’s not unusual for Sharon Stone to make her presence known, controversial remarks made during the Cannes Film Festival currently have her in China’s spotlight.
While speaking to the Cable Entertainment News of Hong Kong, the Tibetan supporter lent her thoughts on China’s devastating earthquake. And while her comments seemed less offensive toward the end, most only heard what she said in the beginning. (You can see that full interview after the jump.)
The 50-year-old admitted she wondered if karmic retribution played any part in the May 12th event. “I’m not happy about the way the Chinese are treating the Tibetans because I don’t think anyone should be unkind to anyone else.” She then said, “And then this earthquake and all this stuff happened, and then I thought, is that karma? When you’re not nice that the bad things happen to you?”
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Read More | Hollywood Reporter
Mel Gibson Plans Acting Return
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Adaptation, Drama, Thrillers, Casting, Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip, Upcoming Releases
After spending some time under the radar, Mel Gibson is apparently ready to make a return to acting.
Although Gibson has definitely been busy over the last several years, his primary focus has been on directorial work (Apocalypto, The Passion of the Christ). It’s actually been some time since Mel has placed himself in front of the camera. His last major motion pictures hit theaters back in 2002 (Signs, We Were Soldiers).
I’m sure the calculated time off also had something to do with the actor’s brush with the law. If he could manage to keep out of the limelight, people would eventually forget those anti-Semitic remarks. Right?
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Read More | Variety
Robert Downey Jr. Plays a Black Man in Next Role
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Paramount, Comedy, Casting, Celeb News, Upcoming Releases
While many have been oohing and ahhing over the pics of Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, its his work in a less splashy flick that may generate the most talk.
In the upcoming movie, Tropic Thunder, Downey plays an actor who plays a black man in a film he is shooting. Instead of rewriting a role originally written for an African-American, Robert’s character, Kirk Lazarus, opts to go the method route and dyes his skin. (You can see him in the picture next to Jack Black.)
This movie already came with buzz attached to it long before Downey’s role was revealed. This was the film Owen Wilson was attached to at the time of his suicide attempt.
So what do you think? Should this role be considered controversial? Should it simply be taken into context? Should we just be happy that it’s not 1986’s Soul Man?
Read More | Daily Mail
‘The Golden Compass’ vs. Religion: An Opinion
Posted by David Onda Categories: New Line, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Religious, Science Fiction, Thrillers, Books, New Releases, Theatrical Reviews
We saw The Golden Compass this weekend. I’m a guy who loves movies. And as such, I set out Friday night to go see what was supposed to be one of the biggest blockbusters of the holiday season. I saw The Golden Compass despite negative critical response and Catholic protests and without reading any of the three Philip Pullman books off which the film is based. The film was dazzling, imaginative and certainly innovative. After having seen the movie I checked out the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly (as well as a few anti-Compass sentiments online) and simply could not believe the garbage I was hearing.
I saw the movie. I watched the fuzzy talking animals. And I tried, with little success, to connect the dots and see how this film was so evil. I tried to pick out the atheistic sentiments. And I tried - really, really tried - to put myself in the Catholic League’s shoes. And honestly - what is the big freakin’ deal?
Ok, I get it - Philip Pullman isn’t exactly going to win “Christian Of The Year.” The allegory within his His Dark Materials trilogy is not exactly what one might call “God friendly.” But why, in a country based on the principals of religious freedom, is this man, this movie, and everyone behind it, being vilified? I’ve read the arguments and I understand what they are saying, but for the life of me (and with all personal religious beliefs set aside), I can’t understand how this one film is going to be detrimental to society?
Click to continue reading ‘The Golden Compass’ vs. Religion: An Opinion
Lohan Joins Alcoholics Anonymous
Posted by Johnny Mercedes Categories: Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip, Celebrity Controversy, Rumors
Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls, Freaky Friday) has begun attending A.A. meetings, according to her publicist. The twenty-year-old actress has been portrayed in recent years as a wreck, partying irresponsibly and brazenly feuding with other celebrity divas like Hillary Duff and Paris Hilton. Her controversy recently culminated with an allegedly inebriated, Blackberry-mashed email to family members of the late director Robert Altman, with whom she recently worked on A Prairie Home Companion. The email expressed her condolences amid many misspellings and grammatical errors, now thoroughly ridiculed by the press.
Publicist Leslie Sloan said Friday that Lohan made the decision on her own to attend A.A., but doesn’t want people to think “she’ll stop drinking tomorrow.” Sloan went on to say, “I want everyone to leave her the hell alone. I’m so bored of this with her. No matter what she does, it’s never good enough for everybody.”
At FilmCrunch, we completely disagree – Lohan receives exactly as much criticism as she deserves, including that which surrounds her films and performances. She may have had good intentions when writing Altman’s family, but a letter like that should be carefully considered – spelling and grammar thoroughly checked – before it’s sent, especially when living under constant public scrutiny. The reason she’s “never good enough” is that her life revolves solely around heavy drinking, all-night partying, shopping, and film performances that are consistently unchallenging and trite; this is not a life worthy of much respect. However, Lohan is now attempting some self-improvement, that which could help to amend her damaged public image. Will recent roles in A Prairie Home Companion and Bobby steer Lohan into more reputable cinema? Could A.A. be the first step in her rebirth as an actor, role model, and overall contributor to society? Maybe, but we’re pretty confident that she’ll fall back off the wagon, and when she does, the paparazzi will be there snapping pictures of her drunken, spoiled, panty-less crotch.
Read More | CNN
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan…Review (phew!)
Posted by Johnny Mercedes Categories: 20th Century Fox, Comedy, Celebrity Controversy, New Releases, Theatrical Reviews
Borat Sagdiyev is a journalist from Kazakhstan sent to the United States to learn the ways of American culture. Upon arriving in New York, Borat and his producer begin setting up interviews with various experts in an effort to take back to their country all they have learned, and to improve the Kazakh way of life. Plans change, however, when Borat discovers a late night rerun of Baywatch, falls in love with Pamela Anderson, and becomes determined to travel across the country to make her his wife. Borat: Cultural Learnings For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan will push the moral limits of even the most unscrupulous person, but cannot be ignored for its brilliant social satire and outrageous humor.
Casino Royale Premiers in Britain
Posted by Johnny Mercedes Categories: Sony, Action, Adventure, Thrillers, New Releases, Upcoming Releases
The new James Bond film, Casino Royale, premiered Tuesday in London to screaming fans and one particularly special lady – Queen Elizabeth II. The screening took place at the annual Royal Film Performance, a fundraiser for performers’ charity the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund, and an honor bestowed on only one other Bond film. Based on Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel, Casino Royale will be the 21st film in the series and chronicles the life of James Bond before he became the dark, dashing, smooth-talking secret agent movie-goers know him to be. This, of course, means that fans may have to get on without some of the high-tech gadgets and futuristic locales – this Bond will be beating bad guys in a world closer to our own. This won’t be the first incarnation of the film, either: Casino Royale aired as a poorly received television adaptation in 1954, and later as a full-length comedy, spoofing Fleming’s novel and the Bond character in 1967.
Daniel Craig (Munich, The Jacket) will be the sixth man to fill the giant shoes and, while he may not seem perfect (a blond Bond?), some are calling him the best since Sean Connery. Still, others are upset with the new choice, even going so far as to start an anti–Daniel Craig website. We here at FilmCrunch think he’ll be just fine. We certainly aren’t going to speculate about where he’ll sit with respect to the mighty Connery, but Craig looks like he can sturdily hold his own against any other Bond. The only question now: can he hold his own against critics and hardcore fans? Give him a chance – he may surprise you. Look for Casino Royale in theaters November 17th.
Read More | CNN
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