To be honest, the major thing that's turning me off of "Meet the Browns," which opens in theaters this weekend, is the fact that Madea makes an appearance.

The rest of the movie looks like something anyone can relate to: a family secret gets brought to light under stressful circumstances.

In this case, the family secret is a half-sister, but it could as easily be a baby put up for adoption, a previous marriage, a miscarriage ...

Anyway, I thought it looked like an interesting comedy-drama about the difficulty a person has introducing herself into an established group and that group's trouble accepting her, or how they grow to include her.

And then the ads started featuring Madea.

Madea is funny, there's no doubt, but in no way, shape or form belongs in a real-feeling drama. Maybe in an over-the-top comedy, but not in any movie that is based in genuine human emotion.

That's why Patient Hubbins and I are going to catch "Drillbit Taylor" at Riverside Plaza on Saturday morning.

I know that we're going to get comedy that, due to the unfortunate PG-13 rating, won't push the envelope the same way "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" did. (The "unfortunate" is kind of tongue-in-cheek.)

But I like Owen Wilson. I'm sorry he had personal drama, because I think that will overshadow anything he does from here on out, but no one grabs ahold of an over-the-top character like he does.

And the mood will be consistent.

Especially with my husband, who will be grumpy that I'm dragging him with me. Let me set the scene for you:

INT. Living room.

A husband and wife are watching TV when a "Drillbit Taylor" ad comes on.

Wife: "OMG, we are SO going to see that."

Husband: "Oh, god, what did I do to deserve that?"

END SCENE.

Repeat scene every time the ad comes on.

If "Drillbit" and "Browns" aren't up your alley, here are some other movies coming to the area this weekend:

"Shutter": If generic thrills are what you crave, this will serve them up. I like Rachael Taylor (at least, I thought she was good in "Transformers") but wish she'd get some spill-off from the Rachel McAdams-Elizabeth Banks popularity.

"La Misma Luna": A movie expected to humanize the illegal-immigration debate, don't expect this area's vast conservative population to see this one. Considering the young antagonist and the heart-wrenching plot, however, expect this to be this decade's "Kolya."

"The Hammer": Wait, Adam Carolla is still alive?

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:36 PM, March 21
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Arthur Lyons

Arthur Lyons, director of the annual Palm Springs Film Noir Festival with his wife Barbara, has died. He was 62.

The author and screenwriter had a deep connection with film noir, always wearing a familiar grey fedora to screenings and inviting the stars of the eerie black and white films to discuss their roles on stage during a question and answer session with him.

From an e-mail from the Palm Springs Hospitality Association:

We're very saddened to report that Arthur Lyons passed away. Of course all our thoughts go out to Barbara and family at this time. He was a friend to many of us and gave valuable service to our community both as a city council member and through his Film Noir Festival. We will miss him.

Last May, he told The Press-Enterprise that he makes an effort to find obscure films that those who attend the festival may never see again.

"I'm like a paleontologist. I'm digging up bones, and I love it," he said then.

Links:
Arthur Lyon Interview

Death on the Cheap by Arthur Lyons

-- Kimberly Pierceall
kpierceall@PE.com

Posted by Kate Wood at 3:06 PM, March 21
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Sci-fi author Arthur C. Clarke has died at the age of 90, The Associated Press is reporting.

Rohan De Silva, an aide, reported the writer died in Sri Lanka, where he'd lived since the 1950s, after suffering from breathing problems.

Clarke wrote more than 100 books, including "2001: A Space Odyssey," which was made into a film in 1968, and followed by "2010: The Year We Make Contact," which was turned into a movie in 1984 co-starring Roy Scheider, John Lithgow and Helen Mirren.

According to his IMDB profile, Clarke once theorized that "the only way to discover the limits of the possible, is to go beyond them, into the impossible."

He did that consistently throughout his writing career, and the movie and book worlds are better for it.

Posted by Kate Wood at 2:47 PM, March 18
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Back in October, Disneyland announced that it was planning an estimated $1 billion overhaul of its California Adventure amusement park.

I don’t know if these are part of it, but on March 14, California Adventure launched two new attractions, a show called "Playhouse Disney Live on Stage!" which is aimed squarely at kids and families, and a Pixar Play Parade, which is delightful for any fan of the Pixar line of films.

For my reactions as a member of the first audience to see these, click here.

Continue reading "California Adventure extends offerings for the kids" »

Posted by Kate Wood at 2:08 PM, March 17
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If you just can't wait for the weekend, if you simply HAVE to be the first person on your block to see "Doomsday" or "Never Back Down," area theaters are obliging you with a midnight fix.

The late-night showings Thursday, March 13, of "Never Back Down" and "Doomsday" start at 11:59 p.m. will be at The Regal Riverside Plaza Stadium 16, in Riverside, the Edwards Eastvale Gateway Stadium 14, in Mira Loma, and Edwards Ontario Palace Stadium 22, in Ontario.

Posted by Kate Wood at 1:33 PM, March 13
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If you like movies, chances are good you've heard of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company.

Sure, the group itself is based in Chicago, but it's produced stars such as Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney, Kathryn Erbe, Joan Allen, Gary Cole, John Malkovich and Laurie Metcalf. And lots of other folks. Trust me when I say this is just the tip of the iceberg.

And now, the company is bringing some star power to Indian Wells this weekend for its fifth annual Celebrity Golf Classic, a fundraiser to help support the troupe's programs.

The events aren't open to the public, and tickets are on the expensive side (at least for me -- they start at $1,000 for desert residents who aren't planning on golfing and end up at $6,000 for a non-local golfer).

But I think it's cool that if you're at a Starbucks and think you see Gary Sinise behind you, you might be right!

For more information on the event, click here.

Among the folks participating: Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack, Congressman Connie Mack, Dennis Farina, Robert Hays, Cheech Marin, Richard Schiff, Scott Wolf, Dennis Haysbert, Joe Mantegna, Christopher McDonald, Bruce McGill, Super Dave Osborne, Jack Scalia, Kevin Sorbo and Mykelti Williamson.

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:29 PM, March 12
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The Associated Press is reporting that the last film in J.K. Rowling's wildly successful "Harry Potter" series will be two movies, not one.

Producers are expected to announce Thursday that J.K. Rowling’s last “Potter” installment, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” will be split into two parts on the big screen. The first film is slated for release in November, 2010, with part two following in May 2011.

All the previous books have been one movie, but they get longer and longer (both the books and the movies).

What do you think about this? Would you rather see it all done in one long long movie, or split into two movies and risk losing some of the magic?

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:16 PM, March 12
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Murrieta Valley High School graduate Ryan Bosch, 25, will debut his short film “Ten Years” Thursday night at the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles.

The 22-minute film centers around nine friends who reunite on the eve of their 10- year high school reunion and the story of how they’ve spent their lives since high school.

This marks Bosch’s directorial debut, though he has also had small acting roles in “Garfield,” Rob Schneider’s “The Hot Chick” and in the upcoming Untitled Onion Movie staring Steven Seagal and Joel McHale, scheduled for release this year.

The film is part of the First Cut Revue Series, hosted by the Los Angeles Film School. Films run from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and then will be replayed until 2 a.m.

The event is open to the public at the Bootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles, though seating is limited. For more information, contact the festival at firstcutrevue@gmail.com

-John Asbury
jasbury@PE.com

Posted by Kate Wood at 1:21 PM, March 12
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So, we know a lot of budding stars are living amongst us in the Inland region.

Here's our chance to see two such folks on TV.

* Cara, an aspiring soap star originally from Kansas but currently living in Temecula, will grace TV screens on "Beauty and the Geek" tonight at 8 p.m. Hmmmm, her page on the CW site says she's 21, but her MySpace says 26. Curious! *wink, wink* I think it should serve as a reminder that reality TV isn't necessarily real.

* James Lafferty, born and raised in Hemet, co-stars as Nathan Scott on "One Tree Hill" tonight at 9 p.m. He and his chiseled features are very prominently displayed on this season's "One Tree Hill" PR kits, so that bodes well for our young friend.

Posted by Kate Wood at 1:38 PM, March 11
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"10,000 B.C." came in tops at the box office with $35.7 million, which fell just slightly short of the $40 million or so it was expected to make.

But it was still far away more than the No. 2 movie, "College Road Trip," Disney's G-rated romp that made $14 million, a surprisingly low amount for a film that would be expected to have entire families attending.

The drama "Vantage Point" is still holding in, snagging the No. 3 spot with $7.5 million made this weekend. This brings its total take to $51.7 million.

Sports comedy "Semi-Pro" was in fourth place with $5.75 million.

And in fifth place was the premiere "The Bank Job," which made $5.71 million.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:30 PM, March 09
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I have my pets -- people or movies I want to see succeed at any cost.

Everyone does: If you like Ashton Kutcher (whatever; it's your choice to explain to St. Peter), you're going to see "What Happens in Vegas ..." on opening weekend and drag all your friends to it.

Here are some of my super-fan stories:

* Russell Crowe: Yes, I love him. I have for years. I've bought every 30 Odd Foot of Grunts CD, I've bought his pre-"Virtuosity" movies ("Proof" is a fave) on VHS and DVD. And I made a friend drive with me from Springfield, Mo., to Austin, Texas, to see him perform with the band. And I made her stand in line with me for five hours in the Austin heat in August so we could get close to the stage at Stubb's. And the venue was general admission and standing only. People were fainting. But we didn't. Oh, no. We stood in the heat and the sweat and the crowd for several hours. So I could see Russell Crowe perform.

* "Xanadu": I love the whimsy in this movie. I love the music, the roller-skating, the pastels ... and everyone makes fun of me for loving it. So I got my revenge one year by gifting the "Xanadu" DVD to all my friends. Several years ago, the Egyptian in LA was screening "Xanadu." MY FIRST TIME TO SEE IT ON THE BIG-SCREEN! So I dragged a friend who was, by this time, sick of hearing me talk about how much I loved it. And when we went, I sat by a fellow who'd dragged one of HIS friends to see it, and we recited lines along with the movie and sang songs and, yes, there were chills down my back when Olivia Newton-John stage-whispers that her name is Kira, and it echoes in the empty auditorium. In a Q-and-A session afterward, someone asked, "So, whatever happened to Michael Beck?" And I wanted to yell, "He's doing Grisham books on tape and guest shots on 'Walker Texas Ranger!' " Yeah, I'm a fan.

* Henry Rollins: I'm a late-comer to him: I didn't know Black Flag and actually hadn't heard of him until "Liar." Call me a poser if you want, but I've made up for lost time. I've bought his books, I love his written word performances (I'd call it stand-up, but some people would probably take offense), I even switched my cable company around to get IFC for his show. He's clever and funny. SO when he was going to be performing in Springfield with his band, I went. I may not have known about Rollins until "Liar," but that doesn't mean I don't like metal. The show was incredible, and after, I was wandering around the building, just enjoying the glow of it all. And on my walk, I saw a bus surrounded by a huge group of people. And in the middle of this group of people was Rollins. OMG! So I waited with my ticket for him to sign, and when I got up to him, in my excitement and appreciation for his spoken-word album "Think Tank," I blurted out, " 'Think Tank' was genius." Then I remembered that I was at a punk show. The kids around me stared like confused dogs. Even Rollins seemed confused -- after all, I doubt there's a lot of crossover between his music and spoken-word audiences. But I couldn't let the moment pass -- I'd loved "Think Tank," and apparently, I'd thought there was no better time to let him know ... when I was surrounded by testorone-fueled punk fans. I was relieved when he merely said, "Thanks." The pressure in the crowd dropped and I was allowed to pass by safely.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:07 PM, March 08
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In 1982, long before "Scary Movie" mocked slasher flicks, there was "Pandemonium."

You probably haven't heard of it. After all, it's not like it's available on DVD.

But it should be!

It stars, among others, Tom Smothers, Carol Kane, Judge Reinhold, Paul Reubens and Phil Hartman. And that's not including bit parts by Eileen Brennan, Edie McClurg and Donald O'Connor.

As I recall, it's incredibly goofy, but also features creative death scenes (incredibly overdone, but c'mon, it's a horror film. Part of the price of admission is the completely over-the-top, physically improbable murder).

This and "Student Bodies" need to be on a double DVD set STAT!

Posted by Kate Wood at 12:13 AM, March 08
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Everyone loves Disney's movies. OK, well, everyone who has kids or is a kid at heart loves Disney's movies.

And the Ontario/Chaffey Community Show Band is going to help you enjoy the music from those movies at a concert on March 10.

Disney Razzle Dazzle will include an appearance by the Inland Valley Youth Chorale.

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at Gardiner Spring Auditorium, Chaffey High School, 1245 North Euclid Ave. in Ontario. And it's free. Nothing says family friendly like a free show!

For more information, visit the band's Web site.

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:51 PM, March 07
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See? Doesn't that look heart-warming?

I love Jason Statham, but it’s OK, because my husband knows all about it. And he knows that I’m going to be dragging him to see “The Bank Job.” And he knows that he’ll enjoy the witty repartee and the heist. Really, it’s something for the whole family.

Based on the trailers for “College Road Trip,” I have three conclusions: 1) People are going to buy piglets for their kids. 2) Martin Lawrence wants desperately to be the new family-film Eddie Murphy. 3) Raven-Symone has all the exaggerated facial mugging skills she needs to have a long, successful career as the comic relief.

“Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day” looks like a delightful old-school comedy. I’m excited about this. I *heart* Amy Adams!

OK, so, I don’t know a lot about “CJ7” except that it’s by the same guy who did “Kung Fu Hustle” and “Shaolin Soccer” and that the poster makes it look adorable. IMDB says it’s about the son of a poor Chinese laborer who gets a strange toy. I like the “toy.” I WANT ONE!!!!

Posted by Kate Wood at 3:55 PM, March 06
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Nothing says H8 for a format like when an entire chain decides it doesn't love you anymore.

Circuit City stores are "(taking) care of our customers" by extending the time frame in which folks who were early adopters of HD DVD can return the players, according to a report by The Associated Press. Their return policy usually marks 30 days as the limit; that means shoppers now have 90 days to return them for store credit.

One assumes Circuit City assumes you will then use the store credit to stock up on a Blu-ray player and discs.

But caveat emptor (READ THE FINE PRINT) -- the return policy does NOT extend to HD DVDs themselves, and what good are HD DVDs without the player? (Although, you could return the HD player for store credit, then pick up an HD player on clearance. No word on if that loophole will work, but that's pretty fantastic!)

Anyway, the Circuit City Web site, as of 11:45 a.m., didn't have anything about this news, but it seems like Circuit City is trying to snag a huge piece of the electronics-store pie from Best Buy by doing this.

Whatever. All I know is that all this turmoil makes me even more thrilled that I learned my lesson in the Beta/VHS Wars of the 1980s and hadn't adopted either format yet.

Posted by Kate Wood at 11:32 AM, March 06
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Albert the pig, Eshaya Draper, Martin Lawrence and Raven-Symone in "College Road Trip." (Disney Enterprises)

There's apparently a scene in which Osmond plants a kiss on Lawrence. "That was the first scene we did together. I hugged him. I hugged him again. And then I gave him a kiss on the cheek. The look (Lawrence) gives the camera is real." One assumes Lawrence looks horrified.

But Lawrence doesn't believe the G-rated "College Road Trip" will hamper his ability to appeal to adults.

"You might see me in a family film today and an NC-17 tomorrow. I'm glad I'm able to do either/or."

Raven-Symone gets some help from "College Road Trip" director Roger Kumble. (Disney Enterprises)

"I know her because we keep the TV on the Disney Channel at my house. I've seen all of Raven's shows. It gave me cool points at home when I told them I'd be working with her."

The respect goes both ways.

"He's improv-ing all the time. But he makes sure his co-stars are right there with him so you don't get caught off-guard," said the young star.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:08 AM, March 06
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Separated at birth: Did you know Alison Lohman and Ellen Page were two different people? LIAR! (The Associated Press)

This replacement makes a ton of sense: The two actresses have a knack for playing characters much younger than they are (Lohman played 14 in "Matchstick Men" and was actually 22-going-on-23 at the time; Page was 21 playing 16 in "Juno"); both choose unique projects (Lohman has "Big Fish" and "Where the Truth Lies"; Page has "Hard Candy" and "Juno"); and, OK, well, physically, let me just say: did you even know these were two different actresses?

I bet not.

Fulfilling the dreams of fans of bad horror movies everywhere, "Prom Night II" will be coming to DVD. To the horror of '80s film fans everywhere, "Lovelines" won't be. (MGM)

Anyway, some idea wizard somewhere decided that "Prom Night II: Hello Mary Lou" should have a DVD release timed to the April 11 release of a new "Prom Night." Here's the funny part: The makers of this new "Prom Night" say it's not a remake of the original film (even though both are horror films, both take place on prom night and both involve a killer from the heroine's past). But I digress. I just think it's funny that MGM is using the opportunity to release a sequel to a movie that the new movie's makers are denying a connection to.

This also gives me another opportunity to wonder why some movies aren't on DVD while junk horror sequels are getting re-released. Can you tell me there's more of an audience for "Prom Night II" than there is for "Lovelines"? I THINK NOT!

Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana on CD AND DVD?? That's the best of both entertainment worlds! (The Associated Press)

That retailer has month-long exclusive rights to sell the "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds Concert" CD/DVD set before it's released through other outlets on April 15. The 3D concert film made more than $63 million at the box office.

What's next for Miley?

She's set to perform March 29 on Nickelodeon's 2008 Kids' Choice Awards, which will be hosted by Jack Black from Pauley Pavilion on the UCLA campus. And she and her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, are scheduled to host the 2008 CMT Music Awards on April 14.

So you've got plenty of Miley time in your future.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:41 PM, March 05
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ACCORDING TO THE TABLOID THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER, which I put in all caps and bolded so that EVERYONE would know where this information is coming from, actor Patrick Swayze has pancreatic cancer and may not have long to live.

Now, this is coming from the Enquirer, which I read, like, Too Often, and which is famous for saying, "DOCTORS GAVE PATRICK SWAYZE FIVE WEEKS TO LIVE" in a big headline on the cover, then saying, "after cancer diagnosis in 1988" in teeny tiny little letters in the story inside.

Anyway, this story is spreading like wildfire all over the Internet, and every mention is VERY CARFEUL to note that the info is coming from the National Enquirer, which has a habit of reporting sordid news from unnamed sources.

The bad thing is that many of the National Enquirer's stories also wind up being proven true.

I hope that this latest "news" is a report from years ago, but if it's not, good luck to Swayze.

Right now, his representatives are staying mum on the topic. I hope they speak up soon.

Swayze, whose films include "Ghost," "Dirty Dancing" and "Road House," at one time owned a 5-acre ranch, known as "Rancho Bizarro," in the Lake Arrowhead area. He also trained for the skydiving scenes in "Point Break" at the Perris Skydiving Center.

UPDATE as of 2:13 p.m.: Patrick Swayze's publicist has confirmed the report to the New York Post. Sad news. He's had a really awesome career. I watched "Ghost" over the weekend, and for a guy whose career started with the very physical, he really touches some high emotional notes, too.

Patrick Swayze, this is for you: "WOLVERINES!"

UPDATE as of 2:59 p.m.: From MSNBC: A press release issued by the actor's spokesperson Wednesday said: “Patrick Swayze has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and is currently undergoing treatment. Patrick’s physician Dr. George Fisher states, ‘Patrick has a very limited amount of disease and he appears to be responding well to treatment thus far. All of the reports stating the timeframe of his prognosis and his physical side effects are absolutely untrue. We are considerably more optimistic.’ Patrick is continuing his normal schedule during this time, which includes working on upcoming projects. The outpouring of support and concern he has already received from the public is deeply appreciated by Patrick and his family.”

Posted by Kate Wood at 1:59 PM, March 05
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Paddy and Manny are trained to sniff out mass quantities of DVDs. Keep them away from Blockbuster, Hollywood Video and any technophile's house. (The Associated Press)

On Monday, Malaysian authorities said Monday they're going to be taking aim at their reputation as leaders in pirated DVD production, and canines are the weapons.

Two male Labradors from Northern Ireland, named Paddy and Manny and trained to smell chemicals used in DVD production, will become the world’s first permanent canine national anti-piracy unit when they go into action next month, according to Malaysia’s Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs.

Dogs can't detect a difference between real and pirated DVDs, but through them, officers can find hidden stockpiles.

Does this sound like great fodder for a movie, or what? And to add to the drama, a previous team of DVD-sniffing dogs allegedly had a bounty placed on it by movie pirates.

And obviously, the Motion Picture Association would get behind the movie. A quick view of that group's Web site reveals no fewer than 10 links about movie piracy.

One of them, www.fightfilmtheft.org, even includes information about training for movie theater employees about catching people with camcorders. They get $300 for completing training and $500 for catching people.

I had no idea the fight against movie piracy had gotten so, I don't know, official.

I thought the movie business was playing tough when they started running those tear-jerker ads about the stuntmen and the set dressers who'd be losing jobs if movie piracy kept up.

Or the threatening "you wouldn't steal a car, you wouldn't steal a purse, why steal a movie" ads ... those were scary.

But I do take issue with some of the signs of a movie pirate:

* "Suspect Seating Arrangements — Movie thieves try to place themselves in the middle of the theater, and they will often try to shield themselves by having accomplices sit on either side." I sit in the middle of the theater 'cause that's the best seat in the house, and I sit with friends on either side so I can hear the conversation.

* "Coats in the Summer — If someone is wearing a long or heavy coat out of season, take a closer look." If I have a coat in the summer, it's usually either 'cause the theater's SUPER COLD after I've been outside, or because I'm trying to sneak in candy. (Yes, yes, I know that's bad too.)

* "Theater Rentals — Pay attention to individuals who rent the entire theater for a private showing of a new release." OK, I've never done this, but financially, it seems suspect. Also, maybe I just want to see that movie by myself!

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:22 PM, March 04
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So, I was reading a review of "The Bank Job," Jason Statham's movie coming out this weekend (and a movie you can bet I'm gonna be in line to see), and at the end, it talked about what's up next for Statham.

Jason Statham is REALLY mad that I thought he died at the end of "Crank." (Lionsgate Films)

Here's the shocker: It says "Crank 2: High Voltage" is on his docket.

So I mouse on over to IMDB and sure enough, there it is on his credits list.

I can't figure this out: He DIED at end of "Crank." Well, at least we saw him fall out of the sky onto a car with enough force to BOUNCE.

One friend joked that maybe he's a zombie this time; another said, "The shock knocks off a powerline, causing it to land on jason, shocking him back to life and causing the drugs to make him superhuman!"

Hmm ... both are good theories. Are there any other theories out there? Or am I overthinking mindless action and violence?

Posted by Kate Wood at 11:32 AM, March 04
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In addition to honoring the works of professional filmmakers, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also helps newcomers foster their talent.

AMPAS is accepting entries for the 2008 Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. Application forms may be downloaded from the Academy’s Web site and mailed with the other required materials, or they may be completed and submitted online.

Up to five $30,000 grants are awarded each year; since the program’s inception in 1985, 103 fellowships have been awarded.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:45 AM, March 04
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Actress Carrie Fisher's show "Wishful Drinking" includes topics like her famous mom Debbie Reynolds, right, her famous dad Eddie Fisher and her iconic role as Princess Leia. (The Associated Press)

OK, so, it's not exactly standup per se, but ... actress Carrie Fisher is bringing her one-woman show "Wishful Drinking" to Berkeley.

The show is an evening of story-telling in which the actress addresses her parents (Hollywood icons Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher), her history of addiction, her marriages and her iconic role as Princess Leia in the "Star Wars" trilogy.

In terms of stars who don't take themselves too seriously, Fisher seems like one of the tops. After all, she's mined her personal life for her books, and if she does talk at length about her parents and their divorces and her personal problems, it seems like the evening could be a charming inside look at a Hollywood survivor.

The show is set to run through April 12 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. For more information, click here.

To hear Fisher talk about the show on NPR, click here.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:05 PM, March 03
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Actors Veronica Cartwright, Christopher Lloyd and Aimee Teegarden, from left, film a scene for "Call of the Wild." (The Associated Press)

A handler holds a husky, playing the role of Buck in the movie "The Call of the Wild" before filming a scene depicting the start of a race on Feb. 24 in Lincoln, Mont. Christopher Lloyd sold his home in Darby years ago, but the actor said he's happy to be back in Montana this month helping to bring to life a modern adaptation of Jack London's famed novel. The movie is set to come out at the end of this year. (The Associated Press)

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:45 PM, March 03
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“Romeo Must Die” director Andrzej Bartkowiak is currently working on "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li," a movie based on the video game series.

So, it sounds like a fairly average action director's career, right? I mean, his previous films include "Doom," "Cradle 2 the Grave" and "Exit Wounds," after all.

But it's what he'll be working on next that's got me interested.

Bartkowiak will next focus on a film about Merian C. Cooper, the American-born aviator who helped create the Polish air force.

And after a lengthy military career, Cooper went to Hollywood, where he directed the original "King Kong" and produced movies such as "The Most Dangerous Game," 1933's "Little Women," "Flying Down to Rio" and "The Quiet Man."

It's like if Uwe Boll suddenly wanted to direct a movie based on Shakespeare.

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:46 AM, March 03
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In its debut week, "Semi-Pro" came in tops at the box office with $15.3 million as of Sunday night.

But that figure was only slightly higher than the No. 2 movie, "Vantage Point," which made $13 million in its second week.

Children's fantasy "The Spiderwick Chronicles" was third nationally with $8.75 million. As of Sunday evening, regionally, "Jumper" was the No. 3 film.

The No. 4 film nationally and regionally was new movie "The Other Boleyn Girl," with $8.3 million.

The fifth spot nationally was taken by "Jumper," with $7.6 million. Regionally, "The Spiderwick Chronicles" was No. 5.

"Penelope," the only other new movie that made the top 10 lists, was No. 8 nationally with a take of $4 million. The film was No. 7 regionally.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:20 PM, March 02
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Monday night's red-carpet premiere of "College Road Trip" has some odd partners.

First off, the premiere will benefit Habitat for Humanity.

Second of all, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is part of it, which I guess makes sense because the movie is about, as the title says, a road trip.

That's responsible. I just don't see where the Habitat for Humanity part comes in.

Anyway, the premiere is set for 7 p.m. Monday at the El Capitan Theatre, 6838 Hollywood Blvd., in Hollywood.

Folks expected to show are stars Martin Lawrence, Raven-Symone and Donny Osmond, as well as director Roger Kumble and guests Abigail Breslin, Spencer Breslin, Regina King and Tom Everett Scott.

Posted by Kate Wood at 10:03 AM, March 02
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One look at Uwe Boll's filmography should be enough to convince even the most masochistic filmgoer that video games tend to lose something in the translation to movies.

But the other way around? That could be fun.

Here are some movies I think could rock on Xbox, Wii or PlayStation (there's one caveat: I do NOT know if these had video-game tie-ins when they were first released):

"They Live": John Carpenter's B movie (oh, wait, I already said it was by John Carpenter -- zing!) has a strong lead character (played in the movie by Rowdy Roddy Piper), an intriguing plot about aliens trying to take over the planet, and props (you can see who's an alien by looking through special sunglasses or contact lenses). So, basically, that's the game: Your first mission is to find pairs of the special sunglasses, then try to shoot aliens or their "obey" signs while you try to convince humans to join your team. But beware: The humans can decide to join forces with the aliens if you're not attentive to their needs. The final goal of the game is to blow up the device the aliens use to send their signals.

"Die Hard": You're John McClane. Avoid the bad guys and dismantle their bombs as you try to save your (estranged) wife who's being held hostage. You'll receive valuable messages from the police and FBI agents watching the situation, and you can use the guns you find on the bad guys.

"Hair": The perfect party sing-a-long game. Relive the musical and show your displeasure with the man and his machinations by belting out family favorites like "Hair," "Good Morning Starshine" and "Let the Sunshine In." If you win, you avoid the draft.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:17 PM, March 01
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I haven't tried to hide my feelings about 3-D movies: that the technique is a novelty.

But you know, Hollywood hasn't listened to me before, so why would it start now?

In fact, so many 3-D flicks are on the docket that studios are having to move around their offerings.

DreamWorks Animation is moving "How to Train Your Dragon" to March 2010 instead of its original release date of November 2009.

That original date would have put it smack between 3-D films "A Christmas Carol" with Jim Carrey and James Cameron's "Avatar."

"The combination of a jam-up domestically and the very limited 3-D capacity internationally just didn't make sense," CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg told The Hollywood Reporter. "There will not be anywhere near the number of screens needed to accommodate two releases internationally."

A little more than 1,000 screens worldwide can handle 3-D films, but Katzenberg expects that number could grow to between 3 and 5 times that number by about a year from now.

"How to Train Your Dragon" is based on a book by Cressida Cowell about the son of a Viking, who tries to pass his initiation with a trained beast who ends up being more ornery than he expected.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:30 PM, February 29
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The son of Ol' Blue Eyes received a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars on Thursday.

Frank Sinatra Jr.'s star is at 125 S. Palm Canyon Drive; his father has a star at 123 N. Palm Canyon Drive, and sister Nancy has one at 155 S. Palm Canyon Drive. Stepmother Barbara has a star as well.

"This has been quite a sentimental journey," Sinatra, 64, said Thursday.

Nancy Sinatra said her brother deserves the honor because he "is practically, single-handedly, keeping the American songbook alive," according to an Associated Press report.

Frank Sinatra Jr. is mostly known as a singer, but has appeared in movies such as "Code Name: Zebra" and "Hollywood Homicide."

The desert's walk of fame was started in 1992.

Posted by Kate Wood at 3:10 PM, February 29
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* If you can't get enough of Will Ferrell in sports movies or of movies that make fun of the 1970s, check out "Semi-Pro" this weekend. I look forward to Ferrell doing something inexplicably funny in shorts that are too tight.

* If severely fictionalized history is more your speed, there's "The Other Boleyn Girl." The Web is full of history buffs complaining about everything that's wrong with this film. But there's nothing wrong with the cast: Eric Bana plays the king who loves both Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman. Don't use it as the sole source for your history exams, and you should be fine.

* "Penelope" is a modern fairy tale. And by that, I mean slightly terrorizing and a little cruel. Have you ever read the original Grimm fairy tales? They're bloody and violent and meaner than you remember. All I'm saying is, if you didn't have nightmares, you didn't read the originals.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:30 PM, February 28
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Organizers of the 2008 Riverside International Film Festival have released the names of the first 10 films that will be spotlighted at the April festival.

The films hail from as far away as Australia and as close as Idyllwild and Riverside.

“Absolute Zero”: An account of the grim and ironic death by freezing of a man trapped inside a refrigerated train car, told using a combination of archival and imagined material to speculate on the man’s final hours. A documentary short from Australia. 27 minutes.

“The Accidental Activist”: June is a shy, never-been-in-love, thirty- 30something who still lives at home, has a goldfish named Romeo and an addiction to romance novels. How could a simple trip to the library go so wrong? Made in Scotland by New Zealand-born writer/director Andrew Hunt. 15 minutes.

“Dislandia”: Made by Riverside filmmaker Brian Viveros, this short is a surrealistic observance of a child existing in an indistinguishable time and place — shrouded by frustration and haunted by surrealist visions. 29 minutes.

“The Feast of the Assumption: The Otero Family Murders”: A documentary based on Charlie Otero, the oldest surviving member of the first family murdered on Jan. 15, 1974, by the BTK killer. This is the first feature by writer/director Marc Levitz, who is expected to attend the screening. 1 hour, 25 minutes.

“Manila 1945: The Forgotten Atrocities”: This documentary from the Philippines looks at the treatment of the civilian population of Manila during the battle for the liberation of that city by American forces in 1945. 50 minutes.

“Limbo Lane”: When a homeowner buries a St. Joseph statue in his backyard, he fears he has summoned supernatural powers. This comedy short was filmed in Idyllwild and features actors and actresses from Riverside. Writer/producer/director Paul Hendry and co-director Ross Durand are scheduled to attend the screening. 23 minutes.

“Split: A Divided America”: This documentary look behind the scenes of the partisanship dividing our politics. 1 hour, 18 minutes.

“Turquoise Rose”: A coming-of-age story about a Navajo girl raised in the suburbs of Phoenix. The cast of the movie is populated with Navajos and the crew was 90 percent Navajo. From the United States. 1 hour, 34 minutes.

“Under the Snow”: This feature-film debut by director Candela Figueiro studies a connection made between four characters at different stages of their lives. Figueiro has studied film in both Argentina and at UCLA. From Spain. 1 hour, 35 minutes.

“Zozo”: A feature-length film about a young boy living in 1987 Beirut, Lebanon, during the war who becomes separated from his family and makes his way to Sweden for refuge. 1 hour, 45 minutes.

The film festival will take place April 11-20 at Regal Riverside Plaza Stadium 16.
Visit the festival's Web site for more information.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:30 PM, February 27
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* "Pirates of the Caribbean" star Orlando Bloom has signed up for "An Education," a new movie written by British author Nick Hornby ("About a Boy," "High Fidelity"). The story is about a young girl whose world is changed when a much older playboy comes into it. The movie also stars Alfred Molina, Emma Thompson, Peter Sarsgaard and Olivia Williams.

* Just in case you didn't think high school cheerleaders could get any meaner, Lifetime has announced an original movie, "Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal." That's not to be confused with "The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom." Anyway, so, like, there's this cheerleading captain and her friends, who, like, totally get away with anything? And like, this coach comes in to, like, totally nag them? She's totally played by Jenna Dewan ("Take the Lead," "Step Up") and then, OMG, she gets asked to leave when she tries to discipline them. So she TOTALLY narcs to the media. This is based on a true story that took place at a high school in a Dallas suburb; the story broke in late 2006.

* Dominic Monaghan ("Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "Lost") is continuing his sci-fi leanings with "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," the spinoff starring Hugh Jackman. Monaghan will inexplicably play a former military ally of Logan (the real name of the Marvel Comics mutant). I just don't buy that Monaghan and Jackman look like they were on the same side on anything. If anything, Jackman would be protecting Monaghan, but only because he HAD to.

* Director Gore Verbinski ("Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy) is turning to animation for his next big job. It will be an action-adventure and is targeted for release in 2010.

* Anime classic "Akira" is getting the live-action big-screen treatment with help from no less than Leonardo DiCaprio. The work started in 1988 as a manga and then as an animated movie. The story takes place in 2019, after a nuclear war. A teen biker gang member is part of a government experiment which unleashes his powers.

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:18 PM, February 26
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Rewards for jobs well done! And Scott Rudin passed out plenty of love.

AND the show is coming in at under 3 and a half hours!

If this is the result of the writers strike, then a strike should happen every year.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:46 PM, February 24
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They are certainly charismatic for people who make the types of movies they make!

I'm happy for the indie filmmakers who will get a career or an emotional boost from this win.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:41 PM, February 24
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So, was ANYONE shocked by this? I mean, I WISHED Viggo would win, but yeah, even I had to admit I thought Daniel Day-Lewis was the fated winner.

When they introduced the nominees, I noticed his smile, and interpreted it as graciousness.

My husband, however, interpreted the smile as DDL saying, "I could win this award every year if I chose to. I just don't choose to."

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:30 PM, February 24
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Cody must just love animal prints, if her gown tonight and the one she wore to the Palm Springs International Film Festival gala are any indication.

I loved "Juno," though I found the dialogue a bit on the precious side, so yay for this win.

Also, I thought her speech was suprisingly emotional for a former exotic dancer whose CHOSEN NAME is "Devil."

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:25 PM, February 24
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It was nice of the academy to invite the soldiers to announce the nominees.

I don't think anyone ever forgets that we have troops halfway across the world, but it's still a nice gesture.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:13 PM, February 24
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On Robert Clark's memorial, why no love for "Porky's"? Sure, it's no "A Christmas Story," but it was, according to IMDB, the highest-grossing movie from Canada for 24 years.

How did Jack Valenti get almost NO applause?!

Biggest applause at one point was for Suzanne Pleshette.

Ingmar Bergman got some love, but not as much as I thought he would.

Even Heath Ledger got less applause than I predicted.

Maybe the audience didn't realize this was coming up and had left the theater, 'cause these usually get tons of applause and hoots and hollers.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:03 PM, February 24
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That is SO ADORABLE!!!!

And also, they must really be flying along to let that happen!

Markéta Irglová got a chance and delivered a great speech.

Good thing, too.

Can you imagine if she'd given some stinkaroo of a speech, especially after they let her have a second shot at giving a speech?

This year has been a really good year for gracious winners.

What do you think have been the highlights so far?

I'm going to go with Tilda Swinton.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:57 PM, February 24
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Yay! I was so worried this was going to get lost in all the craziness!

How charming!

An Oscar-winning song that was relevant to the movie and actually performed by the songwriters and that they're the people who performed the song in the movie!

Such a perfect award, and such perfect winners.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:49 PM, February 24
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This dude is not doing this song any favors.

Did he win some contest to get to perform it live?

Did he even rehearse it with the band?

Does he even know what key it's supposed to be in?

From his performance, my guesses to the answers to the questions above are yes, no and no.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:46 PM, February 24
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It's probably bad that after Jon Stewart introduced Penelope Cruz as an Oscar-nominated actress, I had to visit IMDB.com before remembering that she was nominated for "Volver."

My bad.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:43 PM, February 24
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OK, normally, I don't pay attention to the more technical awards, 'cause how am I supposed to know if the sound effects are outstanding or not? The only time you notice them is when they're really bad, right?

But I have to say that "The Bourne Ultimatum," while an OK action movie, was NOT an outstanding action flick in any way, shape or form, least of all in its editing. (Part of this strong reaction on my part is probably due to the fact that I hate the directing of "Bournes 2 and 3." If taking a camera and shaking it around is all that's required of a director anymore, get me a camera and a jackhammer and I'll make a riveting movie about pogo-stick hobbyists.)

All action movies by their very nature depend on good editing as part of the story-telling.

I know it wasn't nominated in this category, but "Transformers" should have won this, for the highway chases alone. What a ripoff.

Though maybe "Bourne Ultimatum" won 'cause its editors managed to make something cohesive out of terrible shots provided by the director.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:28 PM, February 24
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In addition to winning the Oscar for "La Vie en Rose," she's also the winner of the Cuba Gooding Jr. Honorary Award for Enthusiastic Acceptance Speech.

Seriously, I'd've been happy with any of the nominees winning in this category, but the broken doll of a singer Edith Piaf was a powerful character, and Cotillard dug deep to portray her.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:08 PM, February 24
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Holy cow! Is it me, or is this really speeding along this year?

Then again, it always feels that way and it's always long, so we'll see ...

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:07 PM, February 24
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Well, hooray for a not-completely-lame dialogue!

Come on, you know you loved seeing the two of them arguing over who's the Halle Berry and who's the Judi Dench.

Who hasn't argued with a friend about that, am I right?

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:02 PM, February 24
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"No Country for Old Men" wins for best adapted screenplay.

Oddly enough, for Oscar-winning writers, they aren't very good speakers!

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:47 PM, February 24
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Not what I expected at ALL!

That's not to take it away from her performance, of course, it's just a shock.

And she seemed shocked, too.

Kudos for a speech that referenced both the Oscar statue's rear end and George Clooney's Batman costume.

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:34 PM, February 24
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Seriously, though, that coulda been something.

With "Rear Window" and "Hunt for the Red October" alone, you've got two movies that depend on binoculars and periscopes to move the plot along.

I'm sure there are others. Hmm ... let me think on it ...

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:23 PM, February 24
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It was definitely a performance to be reckoned with, and a chilling role.

Good for him!

Also good for him for mentioning that terrible hair, and for bringing his mama to the Oscars.

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:15 PM, February 24
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I wonder, how hard is it to for stars to find a baby-sitter for Oscar night?

And are there special instructions baby-sitters have to pay attention to, like, can the kids not watch the ceremony lest they break into "I WANT MOMMY!!!" cries when they see Mommy on TV?

If there's an emergency, do sitters wait to call until after Mom/Dad's category has been announced?

And everyone else is looking for a sitter too. Do you have to get your sitter locked in early? Just curious.

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:10 PM, February 24
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And he looks good in a tux to boot.

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:07 PM, February 24
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She looks so tiny on the stage alone, though, singing the "Happy Working Song."

I know that dance productions get mocked, but would a few dancers have killed them?

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:59 PM, February 24
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'Cause I guess it's harder to do makeup for a beautiful actress than it is a bunch of deck-swabbing scoundrels?

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:57 PM, February 24
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Yay! Brad Bird wins for charming speech vocal performance, though my husband says, "For a guy who knew he was going to win, he should have had a better speech."

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:55 PM, February 24
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Dude! I TOTALLY MADE THAT POINT when talking about Apple having movies for iPods!

Read it here.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:51 PM, February 24
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I'm kind of suprised, because wasn't half the work of designing costumes for this movie already done by history?

I guess I thought "Across the Universe" would win, since its costumes were imagination-driven.

But good for the winner being completely prepared for what's gotta be the shortest speech of the evening. Yay!

And then the time filler with Barbra Streisand. Why?

Oh well.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:43 PM, February 24
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It was such a relief to see Stewart take the stage. It was like, OMG, the end of the strike wasn't a dream, and this is the proof!

He respects the movies, but enough to make of them well. He kids because he cares.

And on some of the jokes that did bomb -- the joke about the Iraq war movies, for example -- there was still good-natured, thank-goodness-there's-a-show laughter.

Why is he making political jokes? It's the Oscars! Let's get on with it!!!

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:35 PM, February 24
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It was really uncomfortable seeing Regis "mingle" with the stars in the theater at the end of the red carpet event.

As good as he is on his show, there's just something weird about seeing him try to joke with Jack Nicholson.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:27 PM, February 24
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Just in case you're not watching the red carpet for the Academy Awards(I am, for example, catching half an episode of "CSI" before switching over), you can brush up on some Oscar highlights on YouTube at the academy's own channel.

Check it out here.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:14 PM, February 24
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My esteemed colleague Todd VanDerWerff and I are both movie fans, so we're taking a stab at guessing who's going to take home Oscars at Sunday's Academy Awards. Tell us if we're on target, or completely off-base.

Best Picture

Wood: “There Will Be Blood.” I was going to guess “Atonement,” since it seems like the type of lush epic that features pretty people and that the Academy likes to reward. But I think there’s a bit of an “Atonement” backlash (like “The English Patient” had eventually). Also, “There Will Be Blood” features the incredible man-vs.-man and man-vs.-himself bombast that contributes to a movie that will last.

VanDerWerff: I think “No Country for Old Men” has won too many other big prizes (from critics’ awards to Hollywood guild awards) to lose. If it does, I could see feel-good choice “Juno” or straightforward legal thriller “Michael Clayton” pulling it off, but I’ll stick with “No Country” for now.

Best Director

Wood: “No Country for Old Men.” Isn’t it about time the Coen brothers won for best director? Nothing that they put on the screen is ever an accident, but they make film-making seem so effortless, I think people forget how good they actually are. Here’s a challenge: Watch “ Fargo ,” then “Blood Simple,” then “No Country” and tell me how the academy could deny Joel and Ethan Coen this Oscar.

VanDerWerff: I completely agree. After finally awarding Martin Scorsese last year, the Academy gets to cross another great director (er, directing team) off the list by awarding the Coens. If there’s a dark horse (unlikely), it’s probably either “There Will Be Blood’s” Paul Thomas Anderson or “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’s” Julian Schnabel.

Best Actor

Wood: Viggo Mortensen, for “Eastern Promises.” I don’t envy voters having to make a decision in this category. After all, you have three chameleons, a veteran workhorse (Tommy Lee Jones) and this generation’s answer to suave (George Clooney). It’s one of the strongest categories in years. But I’m going to give the win to Mortensen ... mainly through the process of elimination. And because he hasn’t won an Oscar yet. And because of the fight scene in the steam room.

VanDerWerff: While I was … unswayed by that fight scene, I’d probably vote for Mortensen in this category too. Unfortunately, the Academy has yet to give me a ballot. I imagine they’ll go with the controlled volcanic eruption that was Daniel Day-Lewis’ work in “There Will Be Blood” if only for the baptism scene alone.

Best Actress

Wood: Julie Christie, for “Away From Her.” This is a strong category as well. I think academy voters will reward Christie not only for a great performance, but also for being so vital in her 60s. Her portrayal of a woman with Alzheimer’s disease will probably touch a lot of voters who are dealing with older parents.

VanDerWerff: Again, I agree. Christie is the one to beat. Ellen Page certainly has momentum on her side for being in surprise hit “Juno,” but the Academy has traditionally been shy about rewarding comedic performances, so I don’t think they’ll suddenly start tonight.

Best Supporting Actor

Wood: Hal Holbrook, for “Into the Wild.” Is it wrong of me to want him to win simply because I love “The Fog” so much? Don’t stone me all at once. I also like “Creepshow.” OK, OK, seriously, he was the heart and soul of this movie, and his performance helped make the movie have a lasting impression.

VanDerWerff: Well, “The Fog” DOES have ghost pirates. While the supporting categories are usually the ones most ripe for an upset, however, I’m going to go with Javier Bardem in “No Country,” who’s won just about every other award under the sun, sadly to the detriment of Casey Affleck’s excellent work in “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,” who at least got a “Thanks for playing!” nomination.

Best Supporting Actress

Wood: Amy Ryan, for “Gone Baby Gone.” THIS ITEM CONTAINS SPOILERS: The supporting actress Oscar is usually the ingenue award, which makes it perfect for Ryan, who has been acting for years, but is just now getting recognition. That she turned in such a layered performance of an ultimately unforgivable character proves she is worthy of the Oscar.

VanDerWerff: This is the only category without a clear frontrunner, so my educated guess resides with Tilda Swinton in “Michael Clayton,” since there’s no chance that movie will win elsewhere, and it seems like something the older members of the Academy would love. But, really, pointing randomly at one of the nominees will probably be just as accurate.

Best Animated Feature

Wood: “Ratatouille.” I know it takes a lot to get over the idea of rats cooking. I know it begs belief that a French country mouse would speak like Patton Oswalt. But Brad Bird’s charming movie ultimately wins over any and all naysayers. Plus, it’s technically beautiful and a win here would give Bird a nice twin for his trophy for “The Incredibles.”

VanDerWerff: What? Rats don’t do YOUR cooking? Clearly, I live in the wrong apartment complex. Other than that, I, also, don’t think “Ratatouille” can lose this, even with the well-regarded “ Persepolis ” there as a potential spoiler.

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:14 PM, February 22
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I mean, what else explains the prominent "Xanadu" reference in last night's episode?

Obviously, it's because they love me!

Laugh if you must, but "Xanadu" is back, baby.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:55 AM, February 22
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"Be Kind Rewind": I adore Jack Black. I adore Mos Def. I adore Michel Gondry. I am hoping that this collaboration proves them worthy of that adoration.

"Vantage Point": The attempted assassination of the president is revealed by different witnesses to the crime. I hope it does the all-star cast, including Matthew Fox, Dennis Quaid, Forest Whitaker, Sigourney Weaver and Willam Hurt, justice.

"Witless Protection": At least they got the witless part right.

"Charlie Bartlett": Every flick about a hotshot teen will inevitably pale in comparison to "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." That's not a bad thing, but I sure wish Hollywood would quit trying.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:36 PM, February 21
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If you don’t have viewing plans locked up for Sunday’s Academy Awards, consider participating in the Oscar Night America party in Palm Springs.

Each year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences sanctions charities across the country to host viewing parties as a way to raise money.

This year, Palm Springs Women in Film and Television became the first desert group to host an Oscar Night America screening.

“We’re ecstatic that we got it,” said Denise DuBarry, president of the organization.
But it wasn’t necessarily a walk in the park.

“We had to apply and prove to them” that the screening would honor the academy and the awards in a “first-class, glamorous way.”

The group’s application got turned down at first. “We really had to make a case,” DuBarry said.
She said the group focused on the historical ties between the desert and Hollywood. “We don’t let little ‘no’s get in the way of progress.”

Money raised by the screening will go to the group’s scholarship and educational programs.

Past seminars have included screenwriting guru Robert McKee, actor Tony Shalhoub, producer Gale Anne Hurd and actress Gena Rowlands.

At the viewing party, the awards ceremony will be broadcast on 10-by-6-foot high-definition televisions.

People who attend the Palm Springs event will receive an official 80th annual Academy Awards poster and a gift certificate from the Morrow Institute Medical group.

There will also be raffle prizes from various desert businesses.

The academy’s program, which started in 1994, has raised more than $20.4 million for charities across the country.

The dress-code is Hollywood glam, or for those looking to be comfortable, “denim and diamonds” are the keywords.

If people want to wear jeans, they should just “bling it up a little bit,” DuBarry said.

“It’s about having fun and being together and oohing and aahing.”

Tickets range from $100 to $400. For more information, call 760-328-0306 or visit www.womeninfilm.com

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:15 PM, February 20
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As the philosopher says, sequels are, by their very nature, an inferior product.

The story of the Part Two is rarely a natural continuation of the first film (famous exceptions to this include “Godfather II,” “The Bride of Frankenstein” and, of course, “Police Academy II”), and they usually just come off as desperate bids to make more money off original ideas (“Saw IV” comes to mind).

That being said, there are some movies I wouldn’t mind seeing sequels to:

“The Adventures of Ford Fairlane”:Maybe it targets illegal downloads (a natural extension of the first film’s pirated copies plot), maybe it’s a “dead pool” type thing where the bad guy is killing off celebs according to his own list in the pool. Ooo! Maybe he’s killing them and then auctioning evidence from the crime scenes on eBay! I don’t know. What I DO know is that it could be an intriguing yet funny look at our celebrity-obsessed culture ... and that Andrew Dice Clay could use a job.

“Mystery Men”: The cast might be difficult to get back together (it’s not like Ben Stiller, William H. Macy and Hank Azaria are hurting for work), but this could be cool. Years after the events of the first movie, maybe the Mystery Men are feeling complacent (like Captain Amazing in the first movie) because no real villains are cropping up. So they’re reduced to busting, maybe, tax evaders and purse snatchers, and teaching hero classes at night school. Then Waffle-Man (Dane Cook, reprising his role from the first movie) shows up with a group of disenfranchised followers and they’re hungry for power. Can the Mystery Men rise to the occasion?

“Pitch Black”: I know someone’s going to say, “But what about ‘The Chronicles of Riddick’? THAT was the sequel to ‘Pitch Black.’ ” To that I just need to clarify: I want a GOOD sequel to “Pitch Black.”

“Constantine”: What with there being an entire comic book series behind it and an endless supply of evil in the world, there have got to be more demons for Constantine to tackle. Especially during an election year.

“Beat Street”: Because you just know it would make money.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:24 PM, February 19
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Look out, Mr. Potato Head. Indy Tot is coming for you. (Hasbro)

I SO know what I'm getting my dad (a fedora-wearing, whip-wielding English teacher) for his birthday.

Posted by Kate Wood at 11:01 AM, February 19
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You know that bug that's going around?

The one that makes you feel like crawling under an electric blanket and living there for a year?

The one that gives you a headache and a big, bad cough?

The one you just KNOW your dear husband brought home from work and gave to you?

Well, turns out that I am not invulnerable to it.

So while I'm waiting for the cold medicine to take effect, I thought I'd go over some movies where a sick person is a plot point.

"The Princess Bride": The story of the princess bride is the story being told to a sick boy (Fred Savage) by his grandfather (Peter Falk). OK, so it's not exactly about a sick person, but it's one of my favorite movies. I had to include it.

"Camille" (in all its permutations, including to an extent "Moulin Rouge"): Based on the novel and play by Alexandre Dumas, fils (basically, Jr.), "Camille" follows the story of a courtesan who's been bankrolled by a rich man. At long last, she falls in true love with a young man whose father intervenes and encourages the courtesan to spur his son. She does, but he pursues her even after she's contracted (here's the sick part) tuberculosis. Never did illness look as good on-screen as when Greta Garbo played Camille in the 1936 film. (Trivia tangent: According to IMDB.com, the film had its world premiere in Palm Springs on Dec. 12, 1936.)

"Love Story": A guaranteed tear-jerker, this 1970 movie starred Ryan O'Neal as a Harvard man who falls in love with and marries Ali McGraw against his father's wishes. Then she dies of an unspecified disease that may or may not be leukemia.

"Outbreak": A team of scientists (inexplicably led by Dustin Hoffman and Rene Russo) try to find a cure for a deadly airborne virus (much like the one I'm convinced has strucken me) as the miltary works to clamp down on the disease's spread by any means necessary.

"Twelve Monkeys": A man from a disease-ridden future is sent back in time to try to stop the release of a man-made virus that led to a world-wide epidemic. I have to say that I would count myself lucky if Bruce Willis showed up every time I got sick.

"She Lives!": This movie is about a couple who must find a way to cope after the woman is diagnosed with cancer. A made-for-TV tear-jerker probably best known for starring Desi Arnaz Jr. and the Jim Croce song "Time in a Bottle."

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:43 AM, February 18
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A little long-weekend love went a long way for "Jumper," which came in tops at theaters this weekend with a haul of almost $28 million this weekend. That sets it at a little less than the $30 million it was expected to make for the weekend alone.

However, because it opened on Thursday, and had several midnight screenings, its total take now stands at $33.9 million.

The No. 2 spot in theaters was taken by the aptly titled "Step Up 2 the Streets," which took in $19.7 million. Its total take is now $26.3 million.

Hot on its heels was "The Spiderwick Chronicles," which made $19.1 million. Its total take stands at $21.4 million right now.

Considering this movie was seen as the next in line to wear the fantasy-series crown previously held by the blockbuster "The Lord of the Rings" series and currently held by the Harry Potter series, that could be a big disappointment.

On the other hand, the movie could have legs.

Last week's top flick, "Fool's Gold," was in fourth spot this week. It made $13.08 million.

And stumbling into fifth place was the new "Definitely, Maybe." For just the weekend, it made $9.7 million. Counting the receipts from its early opening, it's made $12.8 million.

Just a thought: Isn't a romantic comedy about divorce kind of a tacky movie to release around Valentine's Day?

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:56 PM, February 17
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With “Definitely, Maybe,” Ryan Reynolds takes a step toward more serious fare than “Waiting ...” and “Van Wilder.” Could the next step be Oscar-worthy drama?

Here are some other comic actors who’ve turned dark:

Robin Williams: Known for his manic standup and his seemingly effortless ability to improvise. (If memory serves, when an “SNL” special came up short, he was asked to ad-lib for 5 minutes or so. If that doesn’t seem impressive, try talking for 5 minutes straight. Now, make it make sense. And make it funny. Good luck.) It’s funny, though, that it took so long for people to appreciate him as a dramatic actor, because one of his first movies was “The World According to Garp,” based on a novel by John Irving, who knows a little something about spinning dark stories. But his first real relationship with drama was “Dead Poets Society.” And after “Awakenings,” “The Fisher King” and “Hamlet,” he won an Oscar for “Good Will Hunting.”

Jim Carrey: Celebrity impersonations were the hallmark of his standup career. And when he got added to the cast of “In Living Color,” it seemed the die was cast. But he took small steps toward defying that. “The Mask” featured moments of him being a real loser, and “The Cable Guy” showed that he could be a menace. But “The Truman Show” revealed the layers of real guy under the rubber-faced exterior. By the time he starred in “Man on the Moon,” people were more comfortable with him displaying his dramatic side. Michael Gondry’s “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” has been the zenith of his serious side.

Tom Hanks: He never did stand-up, but coming off the TV show “Bosom Buddies,” he found a home in comedies. Oddly enough, it was the fantasy comedy “Big” that showed he had some sincerity to him. And like that, he tiptoed into dramas such as “A League of Their Own,” “Philadelphia” (hello, Oscar No. 1) and “Forrest Gump” (hello, Oscar No. 2). And now he’s considered one of the country’s greatest actors. Well done! Of course, he's never forgotten his comedy roots: He continues to pop in and host "Saturday Night Live" every now and then.

Posted by Kate Wood at 1:26 PM, February 16
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I love when casting news is announced. I like the possibility, the potential with every tidbit of news:

* Oscar-nominated Ellen Page is taking an interesting turn into horror with old-hand Sam Raimi in “Drag Me to Hell.” This will be Raimi’s first director’s gig since “Spider-man 3" and since he’s the fellow who was behind the “Evil Dead” trilogy and “Darkman,” I’m super-excited to see what happens. Especially with a leading lady like Page, whose smooth, pleasant features hide plenty of secrets.

* Old-school chameleon Hank Azaria will play a pharaoh in “Night at the Museum 2: Escape From the Smithsonian” and Abraham in “Year One,” a comedy set in biblical times. The first one, which co-stars Ben Stiller and Amy Adams, features a script by “Reno 911!” awesomesRobert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon. This movie will either rock like granite or fail like using lead for the tail on a kite. The second movie is produced by Judd Apatow and directed by Harold Ramis (my favorite Ghostbuster, even before I realized he was a genius in other movie-making fields). And it co-stars Jack Black and Michael Cera. Seriously, can things get better for Azaria? I *heart* him and the talent he gets to surround himself with.

* “G.I. Joe’s” villain Destro will be played by Christopher Eccleston. This is great, since he scares me anyway.

* “Showgirls” star Gina Gershon is set to star in “Love Ranch,” a drama set in a Nevada brothel. The description of the movie specifies that it is a “drama of passion and betrayal.” If you’ve said it’s set in a brothel, do you really need to clarify that there’s drama of passion and betrayal?

* Brittany Murphy is eyeing a role in “Poor Things” vacated by Lindsay Lohan. No matter what ends up happening, this could be really good cottage industry for actresses in Hollywood: picking up roles dropped by flakier, less-talented actresses.

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:10 PM, February 15
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With living undead impresario George Romero's latest offering, "Diary of the Dead," opening up, I thought the time was right for me to open up with a confession.

I love zombies.

I can't get enough of them.

I love that they are slow-moving.

You'd think that would make them easier to fight, but because their kill zone is only their head, anything less than a fatal blow will slow them down, but do little to keep them from their goal of, well, let's just say they have one goal in "mind" and they will "brain" you to get there.

That kind of single-minded determination is something to admire!

They no longer care about clothes and hair, but, depending on when they died, provide a snapshot look at the past. See the video for Michael Jackson's "Thriller" for evidence of this. I'd swear some of the ladies had died in the '40s. At least, that's what it looked like from the hats and dresses.

Also, the apathy comes in handy from a humor standpoint. They don't care if you make fun of them. You can wrestle them in the backyard whilst your flatmate runs inside to get a camera and, like, they don't even get it!

Or you can zing them with a song (a la Jonathan Coulton), and they'll only stare at you blankly.

Talk about great fun!

Plus, it's not like they're strong. They may have numbers on you, but Hercules, they ain't.

Now, what I do hate is that they can pass the zombification on to others. That's just not sporting.

Sure, vampires can turn people, but usually there's a seduction involved.

And werewolves are only werewolves when there's a full moon.

The whole "zombie for life" (or death, I guess it should be) just seems so ... I don't know ... final.

Posted by Kate Wood at 1:22 AM, February 15
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Could this be in the future? If Kate has her wish, it will be! (Photo illustration/The Press-Enterprise, The Associated Press pictures)

Some make sense, some don't:

* Miley Cyrus. Sure, her movie broke box-office records, but it was a concert film. And while she's adorable, her acting on the Disney show leaves something to be desired (yes, I have watched her show. It's cute enough, but ... see the note about her non-acting). Still, it stood to reason that even the Oscars couldn't stand up to the Miley freight train through the brick wall of stardom.

* Dwayne Johnson. I like that he's famous enough now that they don't even need to call him Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson anymore. I like that he's charismatic enough to be considered a "personality" for Hollywood's biggest night. AND ... a little teeny tiny part of me likes that mental image of Dwayne Johnson wearing a tuxedo. And eventually winning an Oscar.

* Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill will be there. I'm going to guess that they're going to present together, and possibly ask to write their own stuff and that they may sneak in a joke about marijuana. But that's just me.

* Amy Adams will sing "Happy Working Song" from "Enchanted" while Kristin Chenoweth, the original Glinda from "Wicked" and a Tony-award winner for and now on "Pushing Daisies," will perform "That's How You Know." I *heart* Amy Adams, but I'll make a guess that Chenoweth's song will bust out metophorical windows.

* Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova from "Once" will perform their song "Falling Slowly." I feel bad for them because I think their song is lovely, but I also feel it's going to get lost in all the bombast of the evening.

* Finally ... how did "Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem" miss out on some love?

Posted by Kate Wood at 1:57 PM, February 14
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So, I'll confess that my Dane Cook knowledge is far from encyclopedic, but even I was shocked to find out that he'd co-starred with Dennis Rodman in "Simon Sez." (It was on On Demand on cable. That's the only reason I was watching it. I swear.)

It's an action-comedy from 1999 that stars Rodman as an -- wait for it -- Interpol agent.

That actually makes sense. If there were drama in any situation and Rodman showed up to sort stuff out, I'd be terrified and willing to settle down as quickly as possible.

The idea that things had gotten so bad that even Rodman could find a solution is scary.

Anyway, the movie also co-stars a huge gap between Cook's two front teeth and comedian John Pinette, who's one of my faves.

And, look at that, a quick search of Pinette's Web site shows he's going to be performing at the Improv in Brea on Feb. 14-17.

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:39 PM, February 13
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So, this report came across my Google news alert the other day.

If you don't feel like clicking over, it basically says that actress Brigitte Nielsen has invited trouble Britney Spears to seclude herself at Nielsen's Palm Desert home.

While the idea of the 44-year-old Dane offering help to the Louisiana-born 26-year-old seems odd, it isn't, really. Here's what they have in common:

Relationships with successful men: Brigitte was married to Sylvester Stallone, Britney dated Justin Timberlake.

Later relationships with rappers: Brigitte dated Flavor Flav (of iconic group Public Enemy), Britney married Kevin Federline (his "Playing With Fire" was rap on a Vanilla Ice level).

Reality TV: Brigitte was on, among other things, "The Surreal Life" and "Strange Love" with Flavor Flav; Britney and K-Fed had "Chaotic."

Music: Brigitte has recorded several works, including "Every Body Tells a Story" and pop single "Body Next To Body" with "Rock Me Amadeus" singer Falco. Britney, well, if you don't know Britney's works, why are you reading a pop culture blog?

Razzie awards: Brigitte was a "winner" for "Red Sonja" and "Rocky IV" as well as being nominated for "Cobra" and "Bye Bye Baby." Britney "won" for "Crossroads" and "Farenheit 9/11" and was nominated for Most Tiresome Tabloid Targets along with Kevin Federline.

Rehab: Brigitte's credits include a stint on "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew." Britney, over the past 12 months, has had a well-documented flirtation with rehab.

Posted by Kate Wood at 11:39 AM, February 13
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Both January and February have seen record-breaking movies this year.

Despite the success of “Cloverfield” and the “Hannah Montana” concert movie, however, the box office has been idling.

To give an additional boost to the President’s Day weekend, which is already expected to bolster receipts, all four movies set to open Thursday are preparing for 11:59 p.m. Wednesday debuts in Inland Southern California.

“Definitely, Maybe,” “Jumper,” “The Spiderwick Chronicles” and “Step Up 2 the Streets” will get late-night showings at The Regal Riverside Plaza Stadium 16, in Riverside, the Edwards Eastvale Gateway Stadium 14, in Mira Loma, and Edwards Ontario Palace Stadium 22, in Ontario.

Just in case you've missed their massive advertising pushes, here are the stories:

“Definitely, Maybe”: A father (Ryan Reynolds) in the middle of a divorce spins the tales for his daughter (Abigail Breslin) about three loves of his life, including her mother. I'm excited to see Ryan take a role where he's a father, and not a homicidal one!

“Jumper”: A man (Hayden Christensen) with the power to teleport draws unwanted attention from the government and other bad guys. This is based on a book by Steven Gould, but not the original "Jumper" book. In the original, there's no cabal after him. Directed by Doug Liman (“The Bourne Identity,” “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”).

“The Spiderwick Chronicles”: After the Grace family moves to a relative’s estate, strange happenings are blamed on one of the kids (Freddie Highmore, who does Hayley Mills-style double duty as his own twin). Little does the family realize the grounds are populated by magical creatures. A family film improbably directed by Mark S. Waters, whose works include the teen comedy “Mean Girls” and dark drama “The House of Yes.” Rated PG.

“Step Up 2 the Streets”: A street dancer joins a high-falutin' dance school, because SHE'S JUST THAT GOOD, then, like, she and, like, OMG, the hawtest dancer there, like, TOTALLY hook up (not that way), to, lyk get 2gether a bunch o' loser dancers to lyk fite in a danz contest, f'reelz. Rated PG-13.

Posted by Kate Wood at 11:36 AM, February 12
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When Roy Scheider died Sunday, movie fans lost the human star of “Jaws” who uttered the immortal “You’re gonna need a bigger boat” — a line, it was rumored, he made up himself. No matter its origins, it summed up the scene, and the movie, perfectly.

Though he often got lost among his peers, including the bombastic Richard Dreyfuss and the equally demanding Dustin Hoffman, and his later career devolved into B action flicks and direct-to-video movies, when he got a chance to stand out, he did.

And sometimes, he was the best part of his movies.

Here are some must-sees:

“All That Jazz”: Four years after playing the slightly bewildered police chief in “Jaws,” Scheider took on the role of theater director Joe Gideon, a character based on Bob Fosse. Even more challenging was creating the unflattering portrayal right under the nose of Fosse, who directed the film. Scheider pulled it off, including making viewers believe that Gideon was a complete waste as a human being, yet talented and charismatic enough that people would continue working with him. Must-see scene: The ending, where Gideon “directs” himself, being just as demanding as he is on everyone else. Gideon is a jerk, but at least he comes by it honestly.

“The Myth of Fingerprints”: As the patriarch of a damaged family, Scheider oozes icy, dysfunctional power. Anyone who thinks his self-absorption is over the top hasn’t met stern, neglectful fathers. It’s creepy, but just what the role called for.

“Cohen and Tate”: Admittedly, Adam Baldwin is probably our favorite actor in this movie about two hitmen who find themselves at odds with one another. But there’s no one we find more convincing as a cold-blooded assassin than Scheider. When his face is placid, there’s no actor whose features alone seem to be the facade for an untold story.

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:25 PM, February 11
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The Kate Hudson-Matthew McConaughey romantic-comedy "Fool's Gold" took the No. 1 spot both regionally and nationally this weekend, taking in $22 million.

Not bad for a flick that got only so-so reviews!

And if you thought the Miley Cyrus juggernaut would continue its luck through a second week, you'd be wrong: New movie "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins" came in second place, with $17.1 million earned.

That two movies beat last week's record-breaking "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus" concert film quite handily: It ended up taking third place, which is still respectable, but the receipts dropped more than 66 percent nationally. It made $10.5 million nationally, giving it a total take this far of $53.4 million. Guess most of the fans went and saw it last week.

Jessica Alba's horror entry "The Eye" is hanging in there in fourth spot, with $6.6 million earned. It's the only movie in the top four that earned more per theater in the Inland region than it did nationally. Here, it made a per-theater average of $3,665, compared with the national stat of $2,684.

Posted by Kate Wood at 10:03 AM, February 11
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I love James Garner.

I love Dick Van Dyke.

So when I first saw "The Art of Love" (1965) years ago, I was delighted.

Van Dyke and Garner play roommates living in Paris. When Van Dyke is mistaken for dead, and the value of his artwork goes through the roof, they decide to keep up the illusion.

But when Garner starts falling for Van Dyke's grieving gal (a young and beautiful Angie Dickinson; if you wonder what Rip Torn's character in "Larry Sanders" saw in her, start here), and Van Dyke, who's in hiding and churning out new "post-humus" masterpieces, starts falling for a young lady (Elke Sommer) who had attempted suicide.

OK, so, it's a dark farce, but a lot of talent went into this (Carl Reiner co-stars and it was directed by Norman Jewison).

Plus, "A New Kind of Love" and "What a Way to Go" are both on DVD. There's no reason for this not to be.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:13 PM, February 08
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So, lots of movies opening this weekend, but the one we're really excited about is "Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show" (the real title is even longer ... seriously, it's like the title of that one Fiona Apple album).

Anyways, only part of the reason we're excited about it is because of Vaughn. Deeper is our affection for the home-grown talent that is comedian Ahmed Ahmed.

Born in Egypt, raised in Riverside, Ahmed is a delight to talk to (read the interview in Saturday's paper!) and incredible to listen to (check his Web site for snippets).

Should you decide not to show your Inland pride (le sigh!), here are some other options:

* "Fool's Gold": Take the obvious chemistry that Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey have. Give them great scenery but a bad script. Leave visually delighted, but spiritually unsatisfied.

* *Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins": Martin Lawrence plays a talk show host who leaves slick LA for his parents' anniversary celebration in Georgia. I predict stereotypes galore.

* "In Bruges": Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson play two talkative hitmen. Hey, as long as Colin takes of his shirt at some point, we're square.

* "The Hottie and the Nottie": Stop putting Paris Hilton in movies. Just ... stop.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:50 PM, February 07
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Dinner and a movie – it’s a standard date, right?

Valentine’s Day dinner and a movie, though – it’s a completely different league.
Studios try to help you out with releases of flicks like “Fool’s Gold” and “Definitely, Maybe.” But if you want to go classic, here are some romantic comedies to check out:

“Desk Set”: The story seems amazingly up-to-date: The women who work in a research department headed by Katharine Hepburn clash with an engineer (Spencer Tracy) who’s trying to computerize their department. By the time they made this film, Tracy and Hepburn had already been in seven other films, and sparks always flew. This is for the people who can find themselves on opposite sides of a quarrel and love each other anyway.

“It Happened One Night”: A no-nonsense journalist (Clark Gable; yes, he can do comedy) shepherds a run-away heiress (Claudette Colbert) back home, hoping to snag a story on the way. There’s just something about her frustration at his wryness that gets me every time I see this movie. I think this movie is why I enjoy getting mock-frustrated at Darling Hubby.

“While You Were Sleeping”: Sandra Bullock helped secure her status as America’s sweetheart with this rom-com that also showed us that Bill Pullman could act, like, REALLY act. The story is charmingly off-center: The family of a man in a coma mistakes Bullock for his fiancée, but she starts finding herself attracted to his skeptical brother. This is for people who found love when they least expected it.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:06 PM, February 06
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Awards shows mean you get celebrity trios like this: musician Chuck Berry, left, actress Hilary Swank and actor Robert De Niro. (The Associated Press)

Chuck Berry, Hilary Swank and Robert De Niro were in Berlin to accept German television "Goldene Kamera" (Golden Camera) media awards on Wednesday. Swank won best international actress, while Berry and De Niro were both recipients of the lifetime achievement award.

So where's my disconnect? Not that Berry is a musician while the other two act.

No, my disconnect comes from the fact that Berry and De Niro are icons while Swank is, well, an actress who wants desperately to be a star.

She's come far from her "The Next Karate Kid" and "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" days, but her flicks ain't exactly "Roll Over Beethoven" or "Taxi Driver."

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:59 PM, February 06
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Seriously. There is no other actor or actress who could look this awesome on this poster.

Or "Why I'm Even More Excited About the Harold and Kumar Sequel."

This poster just sums it all up.

I love unicorns.

I loved "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle."

And Neil Patrick Harris is a doll for mocking himself so handily.

*gush!!*

Posted by Kate Wood at 1:48 PM, February 06
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So, after "American Idol," I turned to one of the Cinemax stations (I am so in love with cable, if it existed in human form, my husband might have found himself in a duel for my affections) just in time to catch Steven Seagal in "Hard to Kill" say to the bad guy (who isn't even actually in the room. Seagal's character is instead remembering a political ad the guy was in), "I'll take YOU to the bank. ... To the blood bank."

Caruso doesn't reach these heights on even his best Ray-Bans-flinging sessions on "CSI: Miami." That's how awesome Seagal's intonation is.

Also, Kelly LeBrock can't act. I loved her in "Weird Science," she is certainly beautiful, but she cannot act. In the chase scenes, her stunt double does a more believable job.

Also, Seagal's character's name is Mason Storm. Love!

Posted by Kate Wood at 9:08 PM, February 05
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* Will Ferrell, fresh off that awesome Bud Light ad for the Super Bowl, has snagged a leading lady for "Land of the Lost." Anna Friel, currently on "Pushing Daisies," will co-star in the adaptation of the 1970s kids show. It's being directed by Brad Silberling ("Moonlight Mile," "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events").

* "The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" is a take on "A Christmas Carol" that stars Matthew McConaughey as a man guided through his romantic history when he's attending his younger brother's wedding. The news about the casting brings up some questions: In what world are Lacey Chabert (the bride) and Jennifer Garner (her best friend) best friends? In what world are Breckin Meyer and McConaughey brothers? Is McConaughey, like, dulling down his accent or something? In what world is Anne Archer (the bride's mom) still getting in mainstream movies? All that said, I'll probably see it anyway. Hey, Breckin Meyer is Breckin Meyer.

* The beautiful Michael Ealy ("Barbershop," "Sleeper Cell") will be co-starring in "Seven Pounds" with Will Smith, playing his brother. The rest of the plot is equally unbelievable.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:50 PM, February 04
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In case you've missed it, the Miley Cyrus steamroller is going to be remaining in theaters a week longer than previously anticipated.

The "Best of Both World" concert film, filmed at her sold-out concerts, hit theaters like a freight train, so much so that execs at Disney are keeping the 3-D film in theaters.

The film only opened in 683 nationally -- only about six of which were in the Inland region -- but it broke box office records.

(For comparison, "The Eye" opened in 2,436 theaters; "Cloverfield" is still in 3,007 theaters.)

So, here's the question: Where did you see it? And what was your favorite part? (Feel free to ask the kids for help.)

Posted by Kate Wood at 1:32 PM, February 04
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Films starring Miley Cyrus, Jessica Alba, Katherine Heigl and Ellen Page dominated the box office this weekend, taking the top four slots.

The 3D concert film "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds" came in at No.1, making $29 million. The film was originally supposed to be in theaters for only a week, but Disney has decided to extend its run.

The film also set a record for movies opening on Super Bowl weekend. The previous record was $21.6 million, set two years ago by "When a Stranger Calls."

Horror film "The Eye" came in a distant second, with a $13 million take.

"27 Dresses" and "Juno" followed, with last week's top flick "Meet the Spartans" rounding out the top five.

Another film debut starring women didn't even crack the top 10: "Over My Dead Body," starring Eva Longoria Parker and Lake Bell, was dead on arrival, coming in at No. 11 with a paltry $4.6 million.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:54 PM, February 03
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Word that New Line wants to relaunch "A Nightmare on Elm Street" immediately has me fearing a remake.

The series was a classic slasher hit, and "Freddy vs. Jason" was a spectacular entry. It had humor rather than the genuine horror of the original, but it was still a truly engaging film.

But rather than finding a way to enliven it -- a Freddy protege, perhaps, a real one -- they're probably going to go straight down the remake route.

I am deeply in hate with this idea.

Freddy isn't some faceless killer, he actually has a personality. Everything that Freddy is has been carefully crafted by Wes Craven and Robert Englund.

You can't catch lightning in a bottle twice, and Englund's getting a little "up there" to be playing the dream stalker.

Look, you can remake "Tourist Trap." You can remake "Curtains." I'll even give you "Incubus" (yes, I know Cassavetes is in it, but It's Not That Good!!!).

But keep your knife-fingered mitts off my Freddy.

Posted by Kate Wood at 10:48 AM, February 02
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* Lisa Kudrow is now officially playing mom roles. In "Will," a mismatched duo forms a band to play at a battle of the bands. Kudrow plays the mom of one of the kids. It's being called a musical coming-of-age dramedy. If they throw in an alien and a horse, they can add sci-fi and western. On the plus side, David Bowie may also be a part of it all. Love it!

* Josh Hartnett is the latest actor taking the martial arts route. Hartnett will play a stranger in town who finds himself in the middle of a fight in "Bunraku." Indie producers Snoot Entertainment say the film's influences include puppets (what?!), origami (OK, that's better), comic books (what ISN'T influenced by comics anymore?), video games (ditto) and German expressionism (OK, who just graduated college?).

* Let's pretend that "My Favorite Year," instead of being about a faux Errol Flynn, had been about Orson Welles. And that the role Cousin Larry played were instead played by Zac Efron. OK, that's sort of the atmosphere being created in the movie "Me and Orson Welles," an adaptation of the novel by Robert Kaplow. Claire Danes will be co-starring in the Richard Linklater flick.

* Robert Redford will be going on "A Walk in the Woods" with Barry Levinson. It's an adaptation of the work by Bill Bryson. The book is a true story about Bryson's attempt to walk the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail with an ex-alcoholic friend.

Posted by Kate Wood at 3:26 AM, February 02
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Last year, after I'd spent about three months poring over charts detailing what movies viewers in Inland Southern California went to see compared with viewers nationally, I decided to put myself to the test: I was going to look at the roster of upcoming releases and see if I could predict what fans here would like.

Anyway, here's the breakdown.

"Resident Evil: Extinction": The zombie thriller opened at top of both the national and regional box office, but was huge here. In its release time, it consistently earned more per theater here than it did nationally. Back then, my reason for its probable success was that horror and action genres do well here. That's still true, but back when I made this prediction, horror was No. 1 in our region and action was No. 5. Now, horror is third and action one spot behind. I was up on this movie in September, and it performed. I give myself an enthusiastic two thumbs up on this choice.

"Heartbreak Kid": All the research said we like slapstick comedies. Star Ben Stiller's comedies had a history of doing well, too. And then this came out ... and flopped, flopped, flopped, done in by the previous week's release "The Game Plan." Turns out our love of family films trumped our desire to see Stiller bumble around. I left 27 players stranded on bases with this move.

"Saw IV": It didn't blow away Inland moviegoers, but it wasn't a huge disappointment either. It overperformed in this region its first week, but fell off quickly. I'll give myself a C on this decision -- not failing, but I didn't put in any extra effort either.

"Hitman," "The Mist" and "Enchanted": Once upon a time, there were movies named "Hitman," "The Mist" and "Enchanted." They were due to be released the same weekend. A movies blogger in Inland Southern California was convinced "Enchanted" would be cute and popular and makes lots of money because families would go. But she was more convinced that "Hitman" would be a action superstar movie as it was based on a video game. And that "The Mist" would be an awesome thriller, which she knew people in her region liked. Then "Enchanted" came out and crushed everything in its wake. Absolutely crushed. "The Mist" and "Hitman" never recovered, while "Enchanted" went on the make more than $125 million. And Buena Vista execs lived happily ever after. Morale of the story: Don't guess that three movies released on the same day will all succeed.

"30 Days of Night": It was released, and was tops its first week. Then it sort of fell away and disappeared into the night. It was a horror movie about vampires. I was A positive person that it would do well here, but the truth B negative.

"Bee Movie": It opened opposite "American Gangster." The Crowe-Washington flick was tops nationally, but the animated movie was No. 1 here, making about $5,000 more per theater regionally than it did nationally. And we TOTALLY knew best, because the next week, "Bee Movie" was tops both nationally and regionally. This choice took flight!

"Fred Claus": This got caught in the "Bee Movie"-"American Gangster" struggle. It opened in the No. 3 spot the weekend after "Bee Movie" and "American Gangster," and it never really regained its footing. On the plus side, its per theater averages here were higher than the national stats and it stayed in our top five for six weeks. On this choice, I give myself one present and one lump of coal.

"The Golden Compass": This was going to be the next "Lord of the Rings," the next "Chronicles of Narnia," the next "Harry Potter." And it wasn't. I lost my way on this pick.

"I Am Legend": This post-plague vampire pic came out and SMASHED December box office records with the strength of a blood-sucking parasite. Right now, according to boxofficemojo.com, it's sitting at No. 6 for the year with $252 million in earnings. Will Smith is good, but I ... I am legend.

"National Treasure: Book of Secrets": It's at No. 9 for the year with $206.6 million in earnings. It topped the box office for three weeks before the "Bucket List," "First Sunday" and "Juno" came and got all medival on it. Three weeks! At the top! Three! Yaaayyyy!!! I didn't have to dig too deep to find this gem.

Posted by Kate Wood at 10:57 PM, January 31
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You know the deal: You get on a PR person's e-mail list, you're going to get EVERYTHING from that person, even about DVDs and events you don't really report on. (Sorry, Lewis, but I'm not going to be able to do anything with that note about the rifle racks you build in Kansas City.)

But sometimes, the tubes through which e-mail is delivered send something awesome my way.

Ladies and gentlemen, the evidence:

* An e-mail pimping the DVD release of the Tom Cruise-Robert Redford-Meryl Streep clunker "Lions for Lambs" includes the tagline "If you don't stand for something, you might fall for anything." Anything? Like, I don't know, a religion founded by a sci-fi writer? That kind of anything? Is that what they mean?

* Remember "Alien Nation," that movie with James Caan and Mandy Patinkin? Well, I knew that there was a TV series based on it. BUT: According to an e-mail I got Monday, there were five -- count 'em, FIVE -- movies that were made AFTER the series went off the air. Not only that, but this e-mail ALSO said that their appearance on DVD was "long-awaited." If they mean it took a long time for them to get to DVD, well, yes, that's true. But if they mean long-awaited as in "highly anticipated," maybe I would take issue with that.

* So, nearly two months ago, I was vexed that certain films weren't on DVD, a list that included "Mannequin 2." Lo and behold, what should appear in my e-mail, but a note announcing that that film and the original were going to be released as a double feature in April. Love, love, LOVE! Also am loving that the e-mail says the movies are "brimming with romance and fantasy and loaded with comedy." What's the difference between brimming and loaded? Maybe it's a technical difference I'm not equipped to know.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:13 PM, January 29
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* "Singin' in the Rain": Pretty self-explanatory. The gleeful expression on Gene Kelly's face as he dances exuberantly (and athletically) through the downpour sums it all up.

* "Four Weddings and a Funeral": The flick that launched Hugh Grant's rom-com rep here in the States features a climactic scene in the rain. The gloomy weather is 180 from the emotions.

* "Blade Runner": It seems like half the movie takes place in the rain. It suits it.

* "Rocky Horror Picture Show": Who can forget the fateful storm Brad and Janet get stuck in, forcing them to seek refuge at the Frankenstein place?

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:29 PM, January 26
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So, here's the thing:

I know it gets a completely bad rap, and I know there are much better thrillers (even much better ones that take place solely on a plane -- "Air Force One" is incredible).

But you know what?

There's something really special about it at 9:30 on a Saturday morning.

Samuel L. Jackson really sells it, as do Julianna Margulies, Lin Shaye, David Koechner and Bobby Cannavale.

All I really ask out of a B movie is that the actors don't disrespect the material. It turns me off when bad movies are full of sly winks to the camera, or the "I'm so much better than this" eye rolls.

Oh, oh!!! And Todd Louiso as the snake expert who's incredibly frustrated that the others just don't get that snake venom is a Very Specific Thing ... I've seen D&D gamers who get equally frustrated when I ask about the differences between the dice used.

It's like eating popcorn for breakfast: It's not good, or good for you, but somehow, it's really really satisfying.

Posted by Kate Wood at 10:27 AM, January 26
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On Jan. 27, dance icon Mikhail Baryshnikov turns 60.

Like Viggo Mortensen, Misha is a renaissance man:

* His ability to create new combinations of steps and leaps helped define ballet for a new generation of dancers and fans alike, much like Michael Jordan's mastery of physics changed basketball.

* Three years after he defected from Russia in 1974 (back when that sort of thing needed to happen), he snagged an Academy Award nomination for "The Turning Point," a film that garnered a total of 11 nods that year.

* He won an Emmy for "Baryshnikov on Broadway," in which he and others performed numbers from Broadway musicals such as "Oklahoma!," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Cabaret," "Guys and Dolls," "Kiss Me Kate" and "A Chorus Line."

* In 1979, he founded the Baryshnikov Dance Foundation. According to its Web site, its mission is "to foster an interest in the arts; to encourage the development of performers, choreographers, directors, writers, composers and designers; and to advance their collaboration." In 2005, he opened the Baryshnikov Arts Center in Hell’s Kitchen in New York City.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:28 PM, January 25
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* "Untraceable"? Maybe unwatchable. Maybe un-understandable. Quite possibly unforgivable. With talent ranging from Diane Lane to Colin Hanks (hey, I liked "Orange County"), maybe it stands a chance. But I'm guessing that after this, the stars will be un-castable.

* "Rambo": Remember "First Blood"? While it has a reputation as a violent film, it also addressed the plight of abandoned Vietnam War veterans once they returned to the United States. I'm gonna guess that this new one ... not so much. I miss when Sylvester Stallone made good movies. I'd even take "Rhinestone II" at this point.

* "How She Move": Another movie where dancing will save kids from a bad life. Not a college degree, not usable skills, but dancing. Only in Hollywood.

* "Meet the Spartans": It's well-nigh impossible to poke fun at something that doesn't take itself seriously to begin with. It's like insulting someone too stupid to know you're making fun of them: there's just no percentage in it.

* "U2 3D": It is telling, perhaps, that the concert film had to go into another dimension to encompass Bono's ego.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:27 PM, January 24
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Heath Ledger as the Joker in this summer's upcoming "The Dark Knight." (The Associated Press)

Christopher Nolan's sequel to "Batman Begins" is in post-production, according to IMDB. Since it was due to be released in July, it's likely that Ledger had completed most, if not all of his scenes. His portrayal of the Joker is the focus of most of the early trailers for the film.

For more, click here ...

Continue reading "What's the status after Heath's death?" »

Posted by Kate Wood at 3:51 PM, January 23
Comments: Add/View (2)
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Let me subtitle this blog: Who I Think Got Snubbed Big-Time.

I'm devoting this to people who I think shoulda been contendas. And I want to hear from you, too, either in the comments, or via e-mail!

Let's start with best picture.

"Eastern Promises" deserved a slot. I know I've been talking up this movie since it came out, but if you haven't seen it, you should. The acting is peerless (I'm thrilled Viggo got a nom, 'cause otherwise, well, let's just say I boycotted movies for a good month when "The English Patient" won best picture) and the direction complements the story without obscuring it (which is what good direction does!). Which leads me to ...

Best director outcasts

David Cronenberg, for "Eastern Promises." That he rarely has Naomi Watts and Viggo Mortensen in the same frame speaks volumes. He also should be rewarded for moving on to movies of substance after films like "Scanners" and "Videodrome." I also feel that Adam Shankman deserved some love for "Hairspray." It can be hard to sustain your own vision for a film, especially when it's based on a stage musical (there's a big difference between staging stuff for a stationery audience, and staging it for moving cameras.

And I probably can't talk about "Hairspray" without saying that Tim Burton should have been nominated for "Sweeney Todd." There is no other director working today who could have pulled off that film. There is no one whose vision so clearly works hand-in-hand with that specific topic to create that atmosphere, and no one who could have congregated that cast. The stars (literal and metaphorical) aligned perfectly for this film.

Speaking of stars, here are folks who got left out. The exclusion of James McAvoy and Keira Knightley seems egregious. I said this before: The success of "Atonement" in part relies upon their acting ability. To honor the movie, which really is a sum of its parts, and not honor two of those major parts is confusing to me.

The Ryan Gosling absence is surprising, but at least understandable. "Lars and the Real Girl" was probably a bit too quirky. I hope, though, that the Academy will keep Gosling on their radar. He's a young actor who could have chosen to trade in on his looks, but prefers to choose interesting projects.

They need to keep an eye on Amy Adams, too. It takes true grace and ability to make the cartoon character's transformation in "Enchanted" believable and she is not at all hesitant in her portrayal. I *HEART* Amy Adams, and I have ever since "Drop Dead Gorgeous." And I'm not afraid to say I own that DVD.

One last note: I know people are all, OMG, what about Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts and Jodie Foster? Well, not to sound cruel -- their performances are, after all, excellent -- but they already have their Oscars. And since this year's motif seems to be all about fresher talent, it's only appropriate that some new blood should make it into the winners' circle.

Well, that's it. You've read my piece.

It's your turn to share. Remember, leave a comment, or send an e-mail.

Let me know if I'm off-base.

Posted by Kate Wood at 1:15 PM, January 23
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Oscar-nominated actor Heath Ledger, 28, was found dead in a Manhattan apartment Tuesday afternoon.

Details are still slim at this point.

The actor, nominated for "Brokeback Mountain," portrays the Joker in the upcoming Batman film "The Dark Knight" coming out this year.

He was also part of last year's "I'm Not There" ensemble cast which received the Robert Altman Award at this year's Independent Spirit Awards.

Posted by Kate Wood at 2:38 PM, January 22
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It's inevitable. It's a lesson we learned in grade school. You're not always going to win.

And looking at the Academy Award nominees, I felt bad that in every category, someone's going to go home with his or her date, perhaps some hotties' digits, and pockets full of bruised dreams.

So, I'd like to propose the Inland Moviegoer Awesome Awards.

These awards would honor awesomeness in all its forms as based on my impressions of these people and on criteria decided by myself and friends over lunch (usually at an establishment at Riverside Plaza).

These would go to people who, for lack of a better word, are Awesome. Here's my look at potential Awesome Award Winners for this year.

Viggo Mortensen: Dude, he's a Renaissance man. And acting is, like, the LEAST of his abilities. That's how Awesome he is. He writes poetry, he paints (the stuff in "A Perfect Murder"? Totally his), he's a photographer, he's a musician ... did I mention he acts? Yeah, he'd be awesome to hang out with for a lifetime or two. BEST TO TALK TO: At a pub with Awesome ambient light and low background noise. The better for heady conversation, my dear.

Johnny Depp: Even in a bad movie, he seems to cherish the chance to make the movie his, respecting the opportunity to create a character from words on a page (or in the case of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," from meeting the living legend). That he was able to last in show business for 20 years before the mainstream hit that was the "Pirates of the Caribbean" juggernaut proves that he is Awesome. BEST TO TALK TO: In France, I'm guessing.

Chloë Sevigny: Actually, her ability to commit 100 percent to whatever role she's playing or outfit she's wearing kind of scares me. But, of course, that commitment is also what makes her Awesome. And U.K. Elle has hired her to be its new style adviser. OK, I will admit I was confused when she completely 86'ed her eyebrows, but hey, there was this time I home-bleached my hair a shade best called neon pineapple. Who am I to judge? BEST TO TALK TO: After fashion shows.

Posted by Kate Wood at 2:14 PM, January 22
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The question "How do you feel about this year's nominees?" has mostly been followed up by the question "How do you think the writers' strike will impact the Oscars ceremony?"

The shambles that was the Golden Globes ceremony may have scared a lot of people, but it also helped firm some resolve.

Here's what some Oscar nominees had to say about the strike and its possible impact on the awards:

Tony Gilroy, nominated for best director for “Michael Clayton": “I would never cross a picket line ever. I couldn’t. I’m a 20-year member of the Writers Guild. I think whatever they work out is going to be one way or the other but, no, I could never cross a picket line. I think there’s a lot of people who feel that way.”

Viggo Mortensen, nominated for best actor for “Eastern Promises”: “No, if there’s a strike I will not go but I have a feeling they’ll solve it. I hope they do. I’m sure my mom would like to see me on TV and so forth, but if there’s a strike I’m not crossing the line.”

Tom Wilkinson, supporting actor nominee for “Michael Clayton”: “A nomination is a nomination and people will get a statuette at the end of the day. (But) it would be a shame if this strike persisted to the extent that the Oscars were canceled because it’s a fun time, not just for those who attend but for people watching on television.”

Scott Rudin, producer of “No Country for Old Men” and executive producer of “There Will Be Blood,” both nominated for best picture Oscars: “I think the only way there will be an Oscars is if the strike gets settled.”

Lianne Halfon, one of the producers of best-picture nominee “Juno”: “I don’t think you can postpone it, it’s not like a wedding. They’re saying it’s going to happen. If they throw the party, if they open the door, I’m going to go.”

Posted by Kate Wood at 10:38 AM, January 22
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I'm surprised that the stereotypical Oscar fare of "Atonement" is sharing the nom list with such new-gen works as "Juno" and "No Country for Old Men."

I'm delighted by the number of newcomers to the Oscar ring.

But I keep going back to the surprises: I'm surprised that "Juno" got so many nominations.

It's a delightful film (and earned kudos at this year Palm Springs International Film Festival) but hardly the standard Oscar bait.

The virtual shutout of "Into the Wild" was surprising, though I'm ecstatic at Hal Holbrook's nomination. He's been acting so long, and over so many roles, his nomination seems a natural.

Keira Knightley's absence from the list was a gasper. "Atonement" was nominated for best picture, but belief in the story hinges in part on the acting. While the actress who played her little sister got a nod, Keira was left out.

All in all, though, aside from being a tad disappointed that there are enough categories and enough entries for EVERYONE to get a nod, I can't think of a movie or a performance I'd replace.

Though I'm sure it'll come to me later ...

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:43 AM, January 22
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Foreign Film
"Beaufort," Israel
"The Counterfeiters," Austria
"Katyn," Poland
"Mongol," Kazakhstan
"12," Russia

Animated Film
“Persepolis”
“Ratatouille”
“Surf's Up”

Original Screenplay
Diablo Cody, "Juno"
Nancy Oliver, "Lars and the Real Girl"
Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton"
Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava, Bob Peterson, "Ratatuoille"
Tamara Jenkins, "The Savages"

Adapted Screenplay
Christopher Hampton, "Atonement"
Sarah Polley, "Away from Her"
Ronald Harwood, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"
Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood"

Supporting Actor
Casey Affleck, “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
Javier Bardem, “No Country for Old Men”
Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Charlie Wilson's War”
Hal Holbrook, “Into the Wild”
Tom Wilkinson, “Michael Clayton”

Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett, “I'm Not There”
Ruby Dee, “American Gangster”
Saoirse Ronan, “Atonement”
Amy Ryan, “Gone Baby Gone”
Tilda Swinton, “Michael Clayton”

Actress
Cate Blanchett, “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”
Julie Christie, “Away from Her”
Marion Cotillard, “La Vie En Rose”
Laura Linney, “The Savages”
Ellen Page, “Juno”

Actor
George Clooney, “Michael Clayton”
Daniel Day-Lewis, “There Will Be Blood”
Johnny Depp, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Tommy Lee Jones, “In the Valley of Elah”
Viggo Mortensen, “Eastern Promises”

Director
Julian Schnabel, “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”
Jason Reitman, “Juno”
Tony Gilroy, “Michael Clayton”
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, “No Country for Old Men”
Paul Thomas Anderson, “There Will Be Blood”

Picture
“Atonement”
“Juno”
“Michael Clayton”
“No Country for Old Men”
“There Will Be Blood”

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:39 AM, January 22
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... all set up and waiting for the news. I lucked into a spot in the first bank of journos.

It's far stage right, and if I'd bought the seat on Ticketmaster, it would've had to note "obstructed view," but I'm here and the technology is working!

They just anounced 11 minutes ...

Last guesses: Viggo, Daniel, Keira, Nikki, "Hairspray"

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:25 AM, January 22
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The press folks who have equipment to set up have just headed into the theater with a warning to watch out for loose wires. I'm about 20 minutes from being in there with them. That's OK with me, though: It gives me time to enjoy the exhibit of photos by Douglas Kirkland in the lobby!

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:52 AM, January 22
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The press folks who have equipment to set up have just headed into the theater with a warning to watch out for loose wires. I'm about 20 minutes from being in there with them. That's OK with me, though: It gives me time to enjoy the exhibit of photos by Douglas Kirkland in the lobby!

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:52 AM, January 22
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It's about 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday and I'm getting ready to head to LA for the Oscar announcements!

I'm over the moon about this.

There are the givens, Oscar bait such as "Atonement" and "La Vie en Rose," but I'm really interested to see what wild cards like "Eastern Promises" and "Sweeney Todd" have to say for themselves, not to mention the little-seen curveballs that get a major boost when two successes split the vote!

And I'm going to be there, blogging live. Starting at 5:38:30 or so (the Academy is Very Precise about this), I'll be giving you live reactions.

(I'm asking you now to please forgive any sloppy typing. My fingers may be trying to figure out what I'm doing up so early!)

Posted by Kate Wood at 2:31 AM, January 22
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In addition to breaking buildings and bodies, the monster in “Cloverfield” stomped into theaters this weekend and broke January records, debuting with $41 million.

In Inland Southern California, the movie’s earnings outpaced national figures, where the film earned an average of $12,020 per theater. Regionally, it raked in an average of $14,041 per theater.

The film benefited from cryptic viral marketing that sent young moviegoers on a scavenger hunt to decode clues about the movie’s plot, images and even its title, which was not confirmed until shortly before its release.

“As we started it, we asked, how do we draw people in and have them say, ‘Hey, I want to know more about that. That looked cool, that looked intriguing,’” said Rob Moore, Paramount vice chairman. “Then fortunately, they delivered a movie that was as unique and engaging as people had hoped from the marketing campaign.”

Romantic comedy “27 Dresses” took second place with $22.4 million, proving not only that counter-programming works, but also that there’s enough room in theaters for two success stories in one weekend.

“This is almost like a summer weekend,” said 20th Century Fox distribution executive Chris Aronson. “… You have two pictures aimed squarely, at least initially, at different audiences, and they both succeeded.”

The success of this film and last summer’s “Knocked Up” will help solidify “Grey’s Anatomy” co-star Katherine Heigl’s big-screen reputation, as well as bolstering the career of James Marsden, who is still riding high on the success of “Enchanted.”

That film, now in its ninth week of release, is ranked 22nd nationally and 20th regionally, and has made $123.8 million.

The weekend’s other new wide release, Overture Films’ crime comedy “Mad Money,” with Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes plotting a Federal Reserve Bank heist, opened at No. 6 with $7.7 million. Regionally, however, film opened at No. 4.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Posted by Kate Wood at 11:52 AM, January 21
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"Cloverfield" stomped into theaters this weekend and let lose a mighty bellow to the tune of $41 million.

That's a record for January debuts.

The monster movie, made for about $30 million, had no household names involved, except for "Alias" and "Lost" wunderkind J.J. Abrams. The film also proved the value of an intriguing marketing campaign, including viral Web sites and an initial trailer that didn't even have the name of the film.

But there was plenty of room in the weekend for other success stories.

"Grey's Anatomy" co-star Katherine Heigl has been building her way back to the big screen since nabbing a role on the hit TV show. And with "27 Dresses," she's shown that she can help open a movie. The romantic comedy came in with $22.4 million.

The film's lack of fail also means good news for co-star James Marsden. Between this and "Enchanted," he's having a really good couple of months.

Maybe I'll forgive him for "Superman Returns" now.

The last wide opener of the weekend, "Mad Money" scratched up $7.7 million and came in, appropriately enough, at No. 7.

P.S. I'm working on a story about guilty pleasure movies. If you have time to jot me a note telling me your fave and why, including your name, hometown and phone number, I'd be eternally grateful!

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:14 PM, January 20
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So, I've just picked up my press pass for the Oscar nomination announcements, and I'm already getting excited.

The AMPAS office was easier to find than I'd expected and traffic was remarkably light.

I'm hoping it will be this easy Tuesday morning when I come in here to report the nominations and do my live blogging!!

P.S. I'm working on a story about guilty pleasure movies. If you have time to jot me a note telling me your fave and why, including your name, hometown and phone number, I'd be eternally grateful!

Posted by Kate Wood at 1:31 PM, January 20
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We'll be observing Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday on Monday, so here's a rundown of some films that honor activism in all its forms.

* "Braveheart": Before Mel Gibson kind of lost the average movie-going public, he starred in this 1995 flick as William Wallace, the Scotsman who led his people to defend their country against English rule. I wasn't a super-huge fan of it when it came out. I didn't like the fact that several politicians call it their favorite movie. And the fact that it's far too long and beat out "Babe" for best picture sort of doomed it in my eyes. But that epic rallying cry -- "they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM" -- rings throughout movie history.

* "Malcolm X": Spike Lee directed Denzel Washington to an Academy Award nomination in his 1992 biography of the activist. Malcolm X's beliefs were certainly controversial, even to Martin Luther King Jr., who nonetheless respected him. And even if Lee's movies aren't always to your taste, there's a genius to the casting of Washington, whose natural gravitas in powerful roles, serves him well.

* "Gandhi": From Ben Kingsley's portrayal to the cinematography to the script, this 1982 biopic was epic in scope. There were gaps, but the filmmakers even acknowledged their potential inability to do justice to his life in an opening statement.

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:14 PM, January 19
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* "Be Kind Rewind" reminds me of an old "SNL" skit. It was one where Eddie Murphy and maybe Joe Piscopo work in a video store. I can't remember what the problem was -- they only stocked Beta tapes rather than VHS or something like that -- but the only way to keep the customers from getting mad was for Eddie Murphy to get out and do impersonations of the celebs whose movies they wanted to see. I think when someone requested a scene from "48 Hours," he said, "I can't do Eddie Murphy."

* I hate the writers strike, but am loving the time I'm getting with my video game systems. When I was a kid, I'd dismissed video games as spasm-inducing entertainment that rewarded twitching. But now I really appreciate the writing -- dialogue and stories and all -- that go into epics such as "Mass Effect," "Gears of War" and "Metroid Prime 3." They may be even more layered than movies (gasp! The horror!).

* Remakes are terrible, awful beasts for the most part, but I have to admit I'd like to see what Kevin Kline could do with "The Court Jester."

* "The Jerk" is still making fans. According to a TV Land press release, Steve Martin's 1979 comedy was the cable network's most-watched theatrical movie ever -- averaging 1.2 million total viewers -- when it aired Jan. 11. I hope the people who watched it decide to seek out some of his writing as well. "Pure Drivel" and "The Pleasure of My Company" are two of my faves. And, of course, "Cruel Shoes."

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:33 PM, January 18
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The flick machine is in full effect. Here's what's hitting the multiplex today, Jan. 18:

"Cloverfield": Starring no big names and directed by an unknown, the things drawing people to this flick are producer J.J. Abrams and the yet-unseen creature. Big reveals like this can be like arranged marriages: They seem like a good idea in theory, but in some cases, by the time you figured out it wasn't for you, you're already committted.

"27 Dresses": I like Katherine Heigl. Hey, anyone who can act like Steven Seagal is actually going to put down hair grease and a ponytail holder to save her gets my undying admiration.

"Mad Money": No way Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes hang out together, let alone plan a big robbery together. No way.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:30 PM, January 17
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If the news that Disney Channel's wildly popular "High School Musical" series is getting a third entry isn't enough for you, now you gorge yourself on a spin-off documentary, "High School Musical: The Music in You," set to air at 8 p.m. Sunday night.

(Of course, since it's cable, it'll probably run over and over and over again, much like the original musicals themselves.)

The show is supposed to be a look the staging of "High School Musical" by a high school in Texas, which is neat.

It's always cool to see auditions for characters you already know by heart and compare what other talented people do with them. (This is one reason I like cover songs. Big Daddy's version of "Welcome to the Jungle" is a favorite, as is Garth Brooks' version of "Hard Luck Woman" is another.)

But it's only a half hour! With commercials and all, it'll be, what, like 20 minutes? Songs alone are two to three minutes, leaving hardly any time to get to know the kids.

If Disney were going to do something like this, I wish they'd thought ahead and gone whole-hog on it, doing a two-hour show, much like "American Idol" is doing with the auditions.

And since you just KNOW they're going to release it on DVD, it would give kids more of a reason to spend their hard-earned cash on it.

Posted by Kate Wood at 11:09 AM, January 17
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So here's news that iPod fanatics and movie archivists alike can enjoy: Twentieth Century Fox and Apple are joining hands to cross the finish line called "customer service." Here's part of the press release. I've cleaned it up, taking out pesky unnecessary capitalization and the fake registered signs (which come across in e-mails as (R) and only serve to annoy me, especially when it's after any brand name. I get it, I can't use iPod to describe something other than an iPod. Get over yourself.)

Twentieth Century Fox and Apple ... announced Digital Copy for iTunes, which provides customers who purchase a DVD with an additional digital copy of the movie. Just like movies purchased from the iTunes store, an iTunes digital copy can effortlessly be transferred to iTunes and then viewed on a PC or Mac, iPod with video, iPhone or on Apple TV. The first DVD to make its debut with iTunes digital copy is the special edition DVD premiere of the "Family Guy" "Star Wars" parody.

On the surface, this really excites me.

As someone who totes a laptop on vacation so she can watch movies and who tried to watch "The Blues Brothers" while balancing said laptop on a flight from Denver to Ontario and gave up before they met Ray Charles, I look forward to having my entertainment on tap.

And the cheapskate in me loves that I wouldn't have to double-buy movies -- once at a brick-and-mortar and once on iTunes.

But the idea of watching movies on an iPod still has me cringing.

Even the biggest screen on an iPod is still pretty small.

It is rumored that when David Lean saw a letterbox version of his classic "Lawrence of Arabia" on a television he noted that the vast image of an army crossing the arid wasteland had been reduced to looking like a snake winding its way around a desert.

Now imagine every scene in a movie, except for closeups, looking like that. Action sequences become blurs accompanied by grunts, dance sequences mere flashes of light, and subtitles rendered impossible to read.

That's what moviegoers depending on this technology will be faced with.

Now, I'll admit, that there are a good number of movies I've seen so many times that I don't really even watch them anymore. I'll put them on in the background while I'm doing chores.

And maybe that's the concession iPodders will have to make: only having old favorites in return for having entertainment in the palms of their hands.

But I'm willing to bet that the next step in this "digital copy" revolution is going to be an iPod with a bigger screen.

Here's hoping, though, it will still be smaller than my laptop. If nothing else, Ray Charles deserves to sing "Shake Your Tailfeather."

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:30 PM, January 16
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Our best wishes to "Hairspray" and "High School Musical" heartthrob Zac Efron, who went into an LA hospital for an appendectomy. Good luck, and get well soon.

"Hairpsray" was honored at this year's Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:29 PM, January 15
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Actor Brad Renfro in 2004. On his IMDB.com profile, he is quoted as saying, "Everybody thinks I'm, like, a bad boy. I've had my day, but I just sit at home and play the blues mostly." (The Associated Press)

He was 25.

According to MSNBC, the Los Angeles County Coroner confirmed the death to “Access Hollywood.”

According to the coroner’s office, a Brad Barron Renfro, with the same date of birth as the actor, died today. They have no cause of death yet; the investigation is pending.

The Tennessee native had been plucked from obscurity to star in 1994's "The Client" opposite heavy hitters Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones, but had run into problems with the law concerning heroin and drunken driving.

His career included "The Cure," "Tom and Huck," "Telling Lies in America," "Bully" and "Apt Pupil."

He won "The Hollywood Reporter's Young Star Award" in 1995 and was nominated as one of People Magazine's "Top 30 Under 30."

At the time he made "The Cure," director Peter Horton compared Renfro to Robert Redford.

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:57 PM, January 15
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Roger Moore is going to stretch his writing muscles with his memoirs. (The Associated Press)

Sir Roger Moore, the handsome British actor known for playing James Bond in such films as "Live and Let Die" and "The Spy Who Loved Me," has a memoir coming out in the fall. “The time is right to tell my story,” the 80-year-old Moore, whose book is called “My Word Is My Bond,” said in a statement released Tuesday by publisher HarperCollins. Moore will not only write about his work on the Bond films, but his friendship with Audrey Hepburn, his encounters with Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor and other stars, and his struggles with his health.

The press release also says that Moore would talk about playing "some of the world's most famous roles," of which I could only think of James Bond, though on second thought, I guess he did also play the Saint (though they're hardly on the same level).

Anyway, here are some folks I'd like to see take a stab at writing:

* Daniel Day-Lewis. I've made no bones about my admiration of his eloquence; I only hope he actually did write that speech about Marion Cotillard. It would also be interesting to see his side of his self-imposed isolation. When reporters ask him about that stuff, he seems amused that people think he very mysterious, but he still seems like an intensely private person.

* Ben Affleck: OK, so, he does seem a bit postured (ie, affected) in his writing, but back when he had some blog or another on the Web (back during, like, "Dogma," he was writing something. I remember seeing pictures of him with the stunt heads for when he gets blowed up at the end), it was definitely entertaining. And his gift for words is well-documented in his interviews. He has a voice, and sometimes that all a writer needs. Oh, yeah, and then there's that Oscar for "Good Will Hunting."

* Jessica Alba: OK, I'll go out on a limb and say it: I think Jessica Alba comes across in her interviews as an extremely thoughtful person. And she is very outspoken, too, at least if the rumors about her getting Paris Hilton booted by her agents are true. I think that she should spend her upcoming family leave puttering about on a Word document and see where she gets. Hey, if Hilton and Nicole Richie can write books and get published, anything's possible.

Posted by Kate Wood at 2:25 PM, January 15
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J.J. Abrams' "Cloverfield" is coming out and the talk isn't about the stars, or the story, or a soundtrack.

Rather, the e-chatter is all about what does the monster look like?

"Nature has a way sometimes of reminding man of just how small he is. She occasionally throws up terrible offsprings of our pride and carelessness to remind us of how puny we really are in the face of a tornado, an earthquake, or a Godzilla. The reckless ambitions of man are often dwarfed by their dangerous consequences." -- "Godzilla," 1984

The casual fan looking at the poster is left to ponder what exactly left a wake in the harbor around Ellis Island.

But those in the know say they have the inside scoop. And folks itching for spoilers have the Interwebs buzzing.

The good: The monsters all look to be greenish-gray and slimy, which is always scary. Even nature-phobes feel they could bargain with a warm and fuzzy lion or bear.

The bad: None of the pictures look much alike outside of being greenish-gray and slimy.

The unknown: How will all this affect the bottom line?

There are probably plenty of fans who were going to see the movie anyway -- maybe some are seeking a clue to "Lost," maybe some just like a good old-fashioned horror film.

But some people might just be seeing the movie to see what the monster looks like, and that's probably why producers tried to keep it a secret.

Producers tried the same thing with "Spider-Man 3." How the character of Venom was going to be realized was going to be the big "reveal." PR kits didn't focus on pictures of Topher Grace in character (he was even blurred out in the background of one picture) and he didn't figure in the trailers.

The concept of movies having reveals or twists isn't new -- hello, Rosebud! hello, Mrs. Bates! -- but the idea that an entire publicity campaign could be built out of it, or that people would see a movie solely because of it, is a bit jarring.

I was thrilled at the end of "Scream," and made all my friends see it. I saw it seven times in the theater, delighting in the phenomenol structure of the movie.

Then again, even if the reveal stinks, people have still paid their admission to see it. And that's counts for something, too, especially when the hype machine is running hot, like on "Cloverfield."

The last time a movie had this much viral love, it came out and promptly tanked. "Snakes on a Plane" made just over $34 million, barely making back its $33 million budget.

The worst thing for "Cloverfield" would be if people ignored it on opening week and waited to see if the monster was worth it.

If it's not, word of mouth will kill it, much like word of net is boosting its profile now.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:41 PM, January 14
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I don't know, can we even say there was a Golden Globes ceremony?

I liked that folks such as Ryan Seacrest tried to add some pizazz to the rather dry affair, but I think it definitely showed some chinks in Seacrest's armor: Even the most charismatic host can't add flava to a list reading.

Anyway, here are some of my reactions:

* Yay to the Palm Springs International Film Festival folks for honoring "Atonement" director Joe Wright, "There Will Be Blood" star Daniel Day-Lewis and "La Vie En Rose" star Marion Cotillard at this year's gala. At the Golden Globes, "Atonement" won best drama, while Day-Lewis and Cotillard took their respective acting categories.

* I'm thrilled that "Sweeney Todd" and Johnny Depp won in the comedy-musical categories. I really want Depp to win an Oscar (How could I not, after watching "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," then "Pirates," then "Nick of Time." What can I say, I get obsessed.), and it may as well be for this. I don't harbor any illusions that he cares about awards, but in some justice-in-the-cosmos way, I want him to win the award Hollywood most values.

* If you haven't seen "Ratatouille," which won best animated movie, drop everything and go rent it. Buy it if you need to. Watch it. Love it. Consider naming your first-born Brad Bird. (Note to self: Brad Bird Wood sounds weird. Kid would get beat up a lot. Especially if it's a girl.)

* Please, please, please, let the strike end soon. If the Oscars go without writers, well, I just hate to see what that'll be like. My TiVo's getting lonely as it is.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:38 PM, January 13
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Since the Golden Globes are basically going to be a press conference, and there isn't going to be a red carpet, it's not really going to be an event worth watching. I DO give NBC credit, though, for trying to amp up excitement, calling the event "a special presentation."

So instead of watching what NBC touts as "Hollywood's biggest night for TV and film," here's what I will and won't be doing tonight:

* I won't be working. When awards shows such as the Oscars or the Grammys are on Sunday nights, I'm usually part of the crew that comes in to create lovingly designed and crafted packages for you to read. They may include snarky cutlines about what so-and-so wore. And I get to write those! Then again, because I'm not working, it means I get to stay in my PJs all day long. Just see if I don't.

In 1998, Ving Rhames shared his Golden Globe with Jack Lemmon. This is the type of fun we're missing by shortening the Golden Globes. (The Associated Press)

* I won't be making snarky comments about people's wardrobes. Since there's not a red carpet (indeed, it's entirely possible that no celebs will appear at all), there's no chance to see something really heinous. Some women wear good dresses that are elegant and stylish and actually fit them. That's not what I'm talking about. What I'll miss are the Jessica McClintock-circa-1984 gowns where it looks like the woman is dressing in revenge for having not been asked to prom 25 years ago and is all, "Look at me! I look good! And I'm successful!"

* I won't be enjoying the "anything goes" atmosphere. Unlike the stodgier Oscars, the Golden Globes really do seem to be a lot of fun, thanks in no small part to what I'm sure is an open bar. After all, the Globes have given us Mary-Louise Parker thanking her recently born son for her endowments, Steve Carell (in a speech he said was written by his wife) thanking his wife numerous times, and Ving Rhames insisting that Jack Lemmon accept the Golden Globe that Rhames himself had won for his portrayal of Don King.

* I will have a free day to actually see some of the movies that have been nominated.

Of course, this is at least partially bluster on my part. I probably will actually watch the ceremony. Not only am I guaranteed that it will end at a specific point, but I'll probably want to blog about it.

If nothing else, it's an interesting experiment!

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:49 PM, January 12
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At some point after "Police Academy," but before "Police Academys" two, three, four, five, six and the classic "Police Academy: Mission to Moscow," Michael Winslow co-starred in 1984's fluffy teen romantic comedy "Lovelines."

They almost turned their backs on this movie, but no, they cannot.

The plot is pure '80s: The lead singers of the hottest bands from two rival schools fall in love, and then face the turmoil of having to compete against each other in the battle of the bands. (Bands are key to many teen movies -- "Rock 'n' Roll High School Forever," "Back to the Future," "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" -- but I don't know why. Very few kids I went to school with were actually in bands that didn't require them to wear wool uniforms and plastic hats with plumes.)

They meet after the girl and her best friends sneak onto the rival campus to pull some sort of prank that only happens in movies. (No wonder I thought high school was going to be a series of Goldbergian capers. My romantic ideas, however, were shattered during a scavenger hunt, the lone antic of my whole high school career. We got pulled over with a bunch of contraband in our car, and spent 30 minutes trying to explain to a police officer why we had a box with roadkill in it.)

Anywho, the girl's older brother is nicknamed "Gorilla," the girl wore '80s pastels all the time and is played by Mary Beth Evans, who moved on to an extremely successful career in daytime soaps, and the boy is played by Greg Bradford, who hasn't done much according to IMDB, but who had fabulous '80s boy hair and great eyes.

Also, they depend on an answering service called Lovelines, which is run by Winslow, to keep contact with each other.

Posted by Kate Wood at 2:20 PM, January 11
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“In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale” wasn’t screened for critics, but that doesn’t mean you have to go into it unprepared. Here’s a primer:

Jason Statham, Leelee Sobieski and Brian J. White look in the distance to see how far away their career prospects are.

* The film is based on the 2002 computer role-playing video game. Players start their quests as a farmer (portrayed in the movie by Jason Statham), and eventually gather a team of allies, and even donkeys.
* German director Uwe Boll has directed several other video-game movies, including “House of the Dead,” “Alone in the Dark,” “BloodRayne” and “Postal.”
* What reviewers have said about Boll and his work:
“There’s nothing certain in life except death, taxes and ... that movies based on video games are going to stink. Cue ‘BloodRayne.’ ” – Tom Maurstad, The Dallas Morning News
“The German hack, the one-man Blitzkrieg of Bad, is the worst filmmaker in the movies today.” – Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
“Most of the budget seems to have been spent on the cast, with apparently little left over for sets or costumes.” – Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter, about “BloodRayne”
“If nothing else, ‘Alone in the Dark’ proves that it’s possible to ‘dumb down’ a video game.” – Philip Wuntch, The Dallas Morning News
* Boll has been nominated for the Razzie Award for worst director twice, for “Alone in the Dark” and “BloodRayne.” Kristanna Loken, who plays Elora in the “Dungeon Siege” movie, was nominated for a worst actress Razzie for “BloodRayne.”
* Burt Reynolds, who plays King Konreid, was nominated for an Oscar for “Boogie Nights.”

Posted by Kate Wood at 10:40 AM, January 11
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Please, please, please, thinks Ice Cube, don't let any serious casting agents recognize me in "First Sunday." (The Associated Press)

"National Treasure: Book of Secrets," "I Am Legend" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks" were shiny new releases over the holidays; here's what's coming in to theaters this weekend:

"First Sunday": Note to Ice Cube: Just when I thought you'd successfully phased out robbers, gang members and ruffians out of your film choices, you appear in this, where you're robbing a church. I know it's just a movie, and a comedy at that, but I just know there's a romantic comedy waiting for you somewhere. And if there isn't, you certainly have the juice to make it happen.

"The Bucket List": The film is opening wide today after an initial release at the end of 2007. Does Jack Nicholson even try to act anymore, or does he just show up, do some variation of his own personality, and collect a paycheck? Tangent: I believe that Heath Ledger is an incredible actor, but I also believe that his voice in "The Dark Knight" sounds a little too much like Nicholson's to be a coincidence.

"In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale": I love Jason Statham and yet am so disappointed that he's appearing in a Uwe Boll movie. He'll need to be thoroughly cleansed after this. Perhaps an exorcism of some sort will do.

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:23 PM, January 10
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Without a cast, crew or cameras to look good for, some actors just give up all concern for their appearance in their off-time.

Some guys pull it off better than others.

The Good

Russell Crowe (The Associated Press)

Brad Pitt: I know, I know, a lot of people merely think he looks unbathed when he shows up sporting stubble and long hair. But come on: His eyes are his best feature, and they don't get covered up by the facial hair or Rapunzel-style locks.

Johnny Depp: His usual off-season Van Dyke merely serves to accentuate his sharp jaw and cheekbones.

The Bad

Daniel Day-Lewis (The Associated Press)

Leonardo Di Caprio: A good rule of thumb for men growing facial hair should be that if your hair is so light, you can't really see the facial hair, don't try to grow it.

Keanu Reeves: Not really that bad -- the dark hair against the light skin is a great juxtaposition -- but that big patchy spot on his right cheek just stands out like a spotlight.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:45 PM, January 09
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This comilation sent by the Associated Press shows four of the directors nominated for DGA awards. Why they couldn't squeeze in pictures of the Coen brothers is beyond me. (The Associated Press)

Paul Thomas Anderson for "There Will Be Blood": This was a real departure for Anderson, much like "Punch Drunk Love" was a departure. In fact, when I first saw the trailers, I was certain it was a Coen brothers movie, just from the atmosphere. And he directed Daniel Day-Lewis to a Palm Springs International Film Festival award.

Joel and Ethan Coen for "No Country for Old Men": The brothers always strike me as a bit -- how should I put this? -- misanthropically sociopathic (or vice versa), but they make it work for them. They approach film-making like their antagonist Anton Chigurh approaches his job: keep doing it until it's done, and if you do it right, nothing's the same afterward.

Tony Gilroy for "Michael Clayton": This may be "congratulations, you made a movie that wasn't bad" nomination. This was Gilroy's directorial debut, and not to take anything away from him (after all, holy moley, did you see those performances???), but look at his competition. At least he can parlay the nomination into more work.

Sean Penn for "Into the Wild": The Palm Springs International Film Festival folks certainly knew what they were doing when they named Penn director of the year. I know I keep loving up on his Spicoli performance, but did anyone expect this of him?

Julian Schnabel for "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly": Schnabel was an artist before he turned to film-making, and luckily, his creative eye followed him. It's like watching a dream.

Fun facts from the DGA press release:
* This is the first DGA feature film award nomination for every nominee except Joel Coen. He was previously nominated for "Fargo" (1996).

* Throughout the 60-year history of the guild honors, the winner almost always has gone on to win the best-directing prize at the Academy Awards, including last year’s recipient, Martin Scorsese for “The Departed.”

* Since the DGA Awards began in 1948, there have only been six times the winner of the Feature Film award did not go on to win the corresponding Academy Award:

1968: Anthony Harvey won the DGA Award for "The Lion in Winter" while Carol Reed took home the Oscar for "Oliver!"

1972: Francis Ford Coppola received the DGA’s nod for "The Godfather" while the Academy selected Bob Fosse for "Cabaret."

1985: Steven Spielberg received his first DGA Award for "The Color Purple" while the Oscar went to Sydney Pollack for "Out of Africa."

1995: Ron Howard was chosen by the DGA for his direction of "Apollo 13" while Academy voters selected Mel Gibson for "Braveheart."

2000: Ang Lee won the DGA Award for his direction of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" while Steven Soderbergh won the Academy Award for "Traffic."

2003: Rob Marshall won the DGA Award for "Chicago" while Roman Polanski received the Academy Award for "The Pianist."

The guild announces its winner Jan. 26, four days after Oscar nominations come out. The Oscars are scheduled for Feb. 24.

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:57 PM, January 08
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Amanda Bynes gives an interview at the outdoors singalong screening of "Hairspray" Jan. 4 in Palm Springs. (Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise)

Adam Shankman, director of "Hairspray," chats with Ricki Lake. (Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise)

"Hairspray" composer Marc Shaiman with actress Ricki Lake. (Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise)

Ricki Lake, the star of the original "Hairspray," at the outdoors screening of the new musical "Hairspray." (Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise)

Elijah Kelley, left, and Amanda Bynes, who co-starred in "Hairspray," with director Adam Shankman. (Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise)

Ricki Lake and Amanda Bynes. (Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise)

The "Hairspray" contingent, from left, composers Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, actress Ricki Lake, actor Elijah Kelley, actress Amanda Bynes and director Adam Shankman. (Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise)

Posted by Kate Wood at 3:32 PM, January 07
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I've been a Jason Bateman fan for a long time. "Silver Spoons," 'The Hogan Family," Teen Wolf Too"--love them! So after I heard Bateman was coming to the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala, I made it my mission to talk to him.

Then I realized that he was receiving the award with the rest of the "Juno" crew that "Little Miss Sunshine" earned last year (Chairman's Vanguard Award). Then I started thinking about Jason Bateman versus Steve Carell. Both were comedic kingpins in their respective shows ("Arrested Development" and "The Office"). Both were in successful movies. Both are comedians. So then I started wondering who would win in a cage match between the two.

I started asking friends about this mythical battle royale in my brain. Everyone is going with Bateman.

So then I figure that if I get a moment with him on the red carpet, I'll just ask him, after I ask him something serious about "Juno," of course. I figure of all the people there, Jason Bateman would be the most likely to have fun. I mean, he was in "Dodgeball." That was a hilarious movie. He's hilarious. Right? Right?

I kept one eye looking for Jason Bateman on the red carpet when I wasn't interviewing other really awesome people like Jason Reitman or Tom Bosley. And I tracked down Bateman's PR people and asked if I could do an interview. They told me I could have one question.

I asked the cage match question, even though videographer and fellow features team member David Zink was urging me to ask him if he ever guessed he would be the most successful of the "Silver Spoons" cast of Ricky Schroeder, Bateman and Alfonso Ribiero. That was an excellent question, but I only had one to ask. And I had to go with my gut.

Bateman said that Carell would win because he's funnier. I told Bateman he was more charming.

"It's not a charm fight," he said.

He then said something about blunt force comedy. We'll have to wait for Zink to post the interview, though, because I couldn't believe I asked him about the cage match.

The red carpet makes people do crazy things.

Jason Bateman, thank you for being a good sport. Thank you.

Photo by Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise

Posted by Vanessa Franko at 11:54 PM, January 05
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Tags: awards gala, palm springs international film festival, red carpet
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Last year was my first year covering the red carpet at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. I ended up talking to Brad Pitt. That interview, on the first weekend of 2007, pretty much made my year.

Tonight, I interviewed none other than John Travolta.

I am a big Travolta fan. I love "Welcome Back, Kotter." I've even seen all of the "Look Who's Talking" movies, even the terrible one with the talking dogs! "Saturday Night Fever" and "Grease" were high school staples. Don't even get me started on my love of Travolta in"Pulp Fiction."

Anyway, I was super shocked that when young stars such as Zac Efron ditched interviewers and superstars like Halle Berry ran past, John Travolta took time to talk to people.

I asked him about what he thought it was about the "Hairspray" cast that made them receive the gala's "Ensemble Performance Award."

He explained that in doing a musical, you have to get a high caliber of performers and that the award "means you did it well."

He then went on to talk about how the awards are different than other ones, because you know who is winning what when you get there.

"It's a different kind of event. You can relax. You don't have to worry," he said.

Posted by Vanessa Franko at 11:44 PM, January 05
Tags: awards gala, palm springs international film festival, red carpet
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There were a few surprises guests on the red carpet at the Palm Springs International Film Festival's Awards Gala on Saturday night--including Alan Rosenberg, Bruce Willis, Tom Bosley and Barry Manilow.

That's right, desert resident Manilow, strolled down the red carpet. Sadly, he didn't stop to serenade, or even talk to reporters. One of my personal New Year's resolutions is to interview Barry in 2008. This is how our conversation went:

Vanessa: Mr. Manilow! Mr. Manilow!
Barry turns and waves
Barry: Hello!
Vanessa: Mr. Manilow, if I could just ask...
Barry keeps walking.

Posted by Vanessa Franko at 11:39 PM, January 05
Tags: awards gala, barry manilow, palm springs international film festival, red carpet
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Jason Reitman, who has been receiving high praise for directing "Juno," comes to Palm Springs to get work done.

He said that when he needs to concentrate, he'll come to town in the summer because it's so hot he won't be tempted to go outside or do anything but work.

He said he spent some time furniture shopping in Palm Springs earlier on Saturday but didn't buy anything.

Reitman was honored at the Palm Springs International Film Festival's Award Gala with the cast and writer of "Juno."

"Directing this cast was like driving a Ferrari," he said.

Reitman said he thought people were responding to the film because it is something hopeful among a lot of dark things.

"Most people don't know what it's like to be in Iraq but they do know what it's like to be in a family," he said.

Also of note, Diablo Cody, who wrote "Juno" in a Starbucks inside a Target in suburban Minneapolis, raced down the red carpet, denying interviews.

Posted by Vanessa Franko at 10:28 PM, January 05
Tags: awards gala, palm springs international film festival, red carpet
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The gala is over and everyone's making a run for the doors and their cars.

The rain has stopped. Because speed and looking nice are no longer my primary concerns, I take off my fancy shoes and hobble toward the parking lot.

OK, notes for next year:

* Bring my fancy camera, 'cause it can't hurt.

* If I see Sean Penn ever again, compliment him on "Taps," which my mom uses in her classes, THEN for his work in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." Somehow work in that one of Vanessa Franko's "Guitar Hero" bands is named Spicoli.

* Wear comfortable shoes.

Posted by Kate Wood at 10:25 PM, January 05
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As "Hairspray" star Nikki Blonsky made her way down the red carpet at the Palm Springs International Film Festival's Awards Gala, her mother Karen explained that the singer had been sick for the past two days and had been put on vocal rest.

That didn't stop Blonsky from happily answering reporters' questions.

"It's this journey--you don't know where it's going to go and it's crazy and exciting," she said about her budding success.

She also quipped that John Travolta and Christopher Walken, who played her mother and father, respectively, in "Hairspray" were two of the best parents anyone could ask for.

Photo by Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise

Posted by Vanessa Franko at 10:21 PM, January 05
Tags: awards gala, palm springs international film festival, red carpet
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Emile Hirsch, the star of both the thought-provoking "Into the Wild" and the teen comedy "The Girl Next Door," had a celebrity of he wanted to meet at the Awards Gala tonight--Daniel Day-Lewis.

Hirsch recently saw "There Will Be Blood," and really hoped he had a chance to meet Day-Lewis, who was on hand to receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award. Hirsch was to receive the Rising Star Award.

Another interesting note about Hirsch is that he filmed parts of "Into the Wild" at the Salton Sea. Also, parts of "Alpha Dog," another film he starred in, were filmed in Palm Springs. He said he didn't have any favorite hot spots in town...yet, explaining that whenever he is out here, he's working.

By the way, he stopped and spoke with every reporter and was very gracious. Two thumbs way up for him!

Posted by Vanessa Franko at 10:06 PM, January 05
Tags: awards gala, palm springs international film festival, red carpet
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Mr. Cunningham is in the Coachella Valley, and he's looking for moving help.

Tom Bosley, who played the famed Mr. C on "Happy Days," walked the red carpet at the Palm Springs International Film Festival with his wife. They told me that they just moved to Palm Springs one week ago and then invited me over to unpack boxes with him.

Welcome to the neighborhood!

I just hope we can get him involved with some community activities, such as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Photo by Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise

Posted by Vanessa Franko at 9:57 PM, January 05
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Tags: awards gala, palm springs international film festival, red carpet
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The rain probably kept a lot of people away from the red carpet at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala, as the crowds were only a fraction of the size of last year's.

Also, the red carpet configuration left a lot of fans out in the cold, only catching glimpses of the backs of heads, according to our veteran film festival reporter Pat O'Brien, who was working the crowd while I was on the red carpet.

John Travolta walked the carpet, taking the time to talk to reporters, Halle Berry sprinted down it, avoiding reporters entirely, and Drew Barrymore, Jamie Foxx and Sean Penn ditched it altogether.

Kate Wood, our reporter inside the awards gala, said the three came in through a different entrance and were inside the event.

Posted by Vanessa Franko at 9:48 PM, January 05
Tags: awards gala, palm springs international film festival, red carpet
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I just got back from covering my second Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala red carpet (wow, that was a mouthful), and there's plenty of things to tell.

First up--the star who got the most screams of the evening wasn't John Travolta, or even the surprise appearance from Bruce Willis.

Nope, it was "High School Musical" and "Hairspray" heartthrob Zac Efron.

He arrived on the red carpet with girlfriend and "High School Musical" co-star Vanessa Hudgens.

Handlers ushered the pair down the red carpet, refusing to allow any interviews. Then Efron returned to the carpet to pose for some photos with the rest of the "Hairspray" cast, which received the "Ensemble Performance Award."

His handlers rushed him past reporters again.

Sorry kids, no Zac Efron quotes tonight. Maybe Kate Wood got to him inside the gala!

PHOTO: Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron get placed for a picture. Photo by Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise

Posted by Vanessa Franko at 9:40 PM, January 05
Tags: awards gala, palm springs international film festival, red carpet
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They're finally down to the last award, and when they put up the slide for "Hairspray," the copy editor in me gasps: They spelled Zac Efron's name wrong.

Sweet fancy Moses.

Posted by Kate Wood at 9:32 PM, January 05
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Halle Berry is more glam when seven months pregnant that almost any other woman, like, ever, and since every other person talked about her impending motherhood, so did she.

"It is true that I'm about three times the girl I usually am," she started, then said the red carpet outside was the first red carpet she didn't have to suck in her stomach for -- "because I can't" -- and that it's the first time she's been served a meal at a gala and eaten it all, and even taken food from other people's plates.

She seemed really enthusiastic about the award. She's adorable!!

Posted by Kate Wood at 9:24 PM, January 05
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Elliott Gould is on hand to help present the SAG Foundation Patron of the Arts award.

Is it wrong that I wish he come out in his drunken dad mode from "The Big Hit," or as Ross and Monica's dad from "Friends"?

Yes, I know he's been a ton of other stuff, and better stuff, too, but I can't help that those are characters I think are closest to his real personality.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:55 PM, January 05
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Does anyone even ask Sean Penn about Spicoli anymore? Do you think he misses Spicoli at all?

I mean, yeah, it's a Cameron Crowe character, but it's such an iconic character, and I can't imagine any of Penn's peers playing it so well. The fact that it was a year after his debut in "TAPS," in which he played the moral compass, just makes it all the better.

And since he's never done anything as free-wheeling since (except for when he hosted "SNL"), I assume that he even takes his fun seriously.

So it was a natural that he got a standing ovation when he came out to accept his award for director of the year for "Into the Wild."

I was surprised when he started his speech with, "I always start by saying something unplanned because it relaxes me."

He then told a story about seeing Pedro Almodovar in a hotel lobby after Penn had been named president of the 2008 Cannes festival. He said Almodovar crossed the lobby and said, "Sean Penn! Can you believe you're the president of anything?!"

He then went all "defending Jude Law to Chris Rock" and turned down Paul Thomas Anderson's assertion that Sean Penn and Daniel Day-Lewis were peers in the quality of their acting: "Daniel Day-Lewis may be the greatest actor ever recorded on the screen."

He then compared film crews to warrior tribes, saying to other filmmakers, "You are welcome around our fire any time. We are certainly warmed by yours."

Certainly eloquent and gracious, but also very serious.

Yeah, I probably wouldn't have asked him about Spicoli either.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:52 PM, January 05
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Daniel Day-Lewis is back to talk about Marion Cotillard, winning the Breakthrough Award for her performance in "La Vie En Rose."

He's far more eloquent when talking about other people than when he's talking about himself. He said "no bouquet of superlatives" was enough to prepare him for Cotillard's performance, and also spoke about the "might appetites of (Edith) Piaf."

Someone get this man a laptop. There's obviously a writer begging to get out.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:28 PM, January 05
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Drew Barrymore got really personal with her love for "Juno," saying it had her in hysterical sobs by the end of it.

When it was done, she said, "I wrote Jason Reitman an e-mail filled with love."

It just seemed like such a Drew thing to say!

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:21 PM, January 05
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Director Paul Thomas Anderson talked about visiting a bookstore in the desert and seeing an unauthorized autobiography of Daniel Day-Lewis, and thinking that out of respect for the actor, whom he'd never met, he was not going to buy the book.

Then he thought that out of respect for the actor, he'd better buy the book so that no one else could buy it.

When DDL (which I'm sure no one calls him) took the stage, he said, "I want that book back, Paul."

Then I had merely a minute to enjoy the fact that he was wearing gold hoop earrings before he was done with his speech.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:20 PM, January 05
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Paul Thomas Anderson comes out to talk about Daniel Day-Lewis, and all I can think is, OMG, I totally made eye contact with this dude when I was wandering through the front of the room to see if Sean Penn and Drew Barrymore were around.

Only I didn't recognize him.

Remember what I said about celebs looking like themselves?

It does not apply for PTA. Let's just say, I thought he was Damien Lewis.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:12 PM, January 05
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Jamie Foxx, who's currently working with director Joe Wright on "The Soloist," lauded Wright's work, calling it a "remix of the period film."

He also complimented his physicality: "He's good-looking and he has nice eyes," inviting him to the stage with, "Come on out here, good-looking."

Wright walked on stage looking slightly bewildered, or maybe I'm just imagining that because I know he's English.

After accepting the award, a blown-glass bowl made by Dale Chihuly, Wright held it to his ear and said, "I can hear the sea in there."

Then he said, "I didn't really prepare a speech. I guess I should have."

I laughed, because I thought he was joking. But considering he didn't really say anything else of note, I think maybe he wasn't.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:07 PM, January 05
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Holy moley, Jamie Foxx came out to present the Sonny Bono Visionary Award to director Joe Wright.

He shouted, "Soulja Boy! Play Soulja Boy!" to the orchestra playing live music throughout the gala. He offered the musicians $1,000 if they knew Soulja Boy then clarified: $1,000 apiece if they could play one of the singer's hit songs.

Then he feigned exasperation and started singing the Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up," which the orchestra gamely started playing as Foxx strutted like Mick Jagger across the stage.

It was such a surprise to see Foxx there, and it provided a much-appreciated shot of adrenaline for the evening.

Posted by Kate Wood at 8:00 PM, January 05
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Mary Hart mentioned that the night was a very big night, as it's the 10th anniversary to the day of Sonny Bono's death.

She then introduced Bono's widow, Mary Bono-Mack, exclaiming, "This is the first time I've gotten to say your married name."

When Bono-Mack came out, Hart immediately wanted to see the rings, asking if they were Cartier.

Bono-Mack demurely stated that while they were NOT Cartier, everything else she was wearing was.

She seemed caught off-guard by the attention to her recent marriage (which seemed tacky to me, but hey, maybe that's just me), but recovered quickly for her speech.

Bono-Mack noted that the atmosphere backstage was extremely emotional, letting out a sob and saying, "I wasn't going to do this," then urging herself to think of dead puppies or anything else to get her mind off the symbolism of the day.

It was an extremely heart-tugging speech. More power to her for showing up on what's gotta be a tough day.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:58 PM, January 05
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On the red carpet, Emile Hirsch was very smiley, which surprised me, because I figured he'd be one of those brooding and tortured young actors.

But the charm extended to his acceptance speech for a Rising Star award.

Accepting it, he exclaimed, "This thing is gigantic!"

Later, he thanked his mom for making him possible, and actor Hal Holbrook, one of his co-stars in "Into the Wild," who "showed us whippersnappers how it's done."

He dedicated the award the Christopher McCandless.

—Kate Wood
kwood@pe.com

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:50 PM, January 05
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Mary Hart is the host and master of ceremonies for the event, which is dandy -- she's pretty, polished and certainly knows her way around a mic -- but there was a 5-minute film detailing her more than 25 years with "Entertainment Tonight" before she came on stage.

And she didn't even come on stage until two awards in.

So that was confusing.

Then again, I've never been to the awards gala before, so maybe my expectations were skewed.

Anyway, she said that there were nearly 1,700 people at the gala, "proving to the world (the festival) is getting bigger and better all the time."

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:27 PM, January 05
Comments: Add/View (1)
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Ricki Lake and Adam Shankman came out the present the Rising Star award to "Hairspray" star Nikki Blonsky.

Lake talked a bit about festival founder Sonny Bono, saying it had been a pleasure to work with him on the original "Hairspray" film.

Shankman talked about the difficulty of finding the perfect Tracy Turnblad for the film musical, noting that she had to be a teenager of the right physicality who could sing and dance, and, oh yeah, act. The studio, he said, was "gunning for me like I was a residual check at a writers guild meeting."

When Blonsky got out there, she had to lower the mic before starting. She talked about how her eyes started to tear up backstage hearing about how she was cast.

"I still can't believe this is true."

When thanking people, she thanks John Travolta -- "You're the best mommy a girl could have!"

—Kate Wood
kwood@pe.com

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:02 PM, January 05
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Elijah Kelley is performing with Marc Shaiman.

I can't believe how good Kelley's voice is in real life. Read my earlier thoughts on actors in real life looking like they look in pictures and apply it to singers performing live.

A guy at my table says Nikki Blonsky was supposed to perform but was ill.

—Kate Wood
kwood@pe.com

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:57 PM, January 05
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And there it is: Smoke has started pouring from machines hidden somewhere in the room.

This completes the transformation of the convention center into a dance club.

—Kate Wood
kwood@pe.com

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:40 PM, January 05
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I should have worn more comfortable shoes.

And I'm slightly horrified that my green faux-silk jacket matches the tablecloths.

—Kate Wood
kwood@pe.com

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:29 PM, January 05
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On the red carpet, I had noticed J.K. Simmons wearing a bright yellow sun-shaped pin.

Knowing that pins and ribbons like that usually stand for something, I wanted to find out what it was about.

I hadn't had luck accosting him on the red carpet, so I figured my best bet was to pester him inside.

I started wandering toward the front of the room and had actually walked by him when I heard his distinctive voice out of the corner of my ear, and I spun around.

And there he was, talking to screenwriter Diablo Cody and two other people.

I hit the motherlode.

So I just sort of eavesdropped (the gentleman in the group was gently teasing Simmons about his new facial hair and Simmons patted down the front of his outfit and said, "This is all new and chic" -- and waited for a way to insert myself in the conversation.

Luckily, I didn't have to work too hard at it. The fellow with them made eye contact with me, and I said, "Hi, I'm sorry to intrude, I just wanted to find out what his pin stood for."

The guy reached out to Simmons' chest and toggled the pin, and asked him.

Simmons said the pin is for the Sunshine Kids, an organization for children with cancer. "It's a great outfit."

—Kate Wood
kwood@pe.com

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:21 PM, January 05
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OK, so, my promptness has worked against me. It's about 6:15, and so far, no one's sitting at their tables (except for me ... remind me to wear a comfy pair of shoes next year).

But I'm not the only one waiting. An army of servers are lining the walls, waiting to help us unsheath our chopped vegetable martini salad -- portions are covered by an upside-down martini glass on a plate -- so everything can get started.

Some servers are milling about with appetizer trays. Huge rosebuds are nestled in the middle of amuse-bouches. Why, yes, I do watch "Top Chef." Why do you ask?

—Kate Wood
kwood@pe.com

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:15 PM, January 05
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It's so dark in here.

I walked in from the relatively well-lit lobby and had to stand for a bit and blink until my eyes adjusted.

And that's when I noticed a huge U-shaped crowd of gala attendees waiting right inside the doors to greet people as they came in.

And by people, I mean celebs.

So I quickly turned right and hugged the wall, much like my character in "Mass Effect" when she's armed and loaded for bear.

It's not totally dark in here. There are tons of festive lights -- like the palm tree display I saw earlier, and slideshows on the walls -- that are adding ambient light to the joint.

But because they're multicolor, it has the cumulative effect of looking like a discotheque.

All it needs is a smoke machine.

Photo by Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:12 PM, January 05
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The gala is supposed to start at 6, and it's 5:59 now, so I'm gonna ditch the red carpet and head on in.

I know my table assignment -- 1102 -- so I figure even if things start late, I can use the extra time to get my bearings.

See you inside!

—Kate Wood
kwood@pe.com

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:59 PM, January 05
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Jason Bateman, center, arrives at the Palm Springs International Film Festival awards gala. His film, "Juno," was being honored at the gala.

Photo by Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:58 PM, January 05
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OK, so, like Allison Janney is, like, one of my favorite actresses ever.

Her transformations from a repressed, shell of a person in "American Beauty" to a trashy Minnesotan in "Drop Dead Gorgeous" to the type-A personality of "West Wing's" C.J., she's just perfection to me.

So I was thrilled to see that she's got such a great personality on the red carpet as well.

After walking a short little dogleg of a red carpet, she turned a corner to face a pack of photographers and started and laughed that she'd thought the first part was it for the red carpet: "Oh! ... I thought to myself, 'It's such a short little way!' "

Photo by Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:49 PM, January 05
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"Hairspray's" Brittany Snow on the red carpet.

Photo by Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:48 PM, January 05
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"High School Musical" co-stars Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron, there for the "Hairspray" ensemble award, braved the red carpet about 5:47 p.m.

Yells from the photographers -- "TO YOUR RIGHT! TO YOUR RIGHT! SHOW US THE FRONT!" -- drowned out all ambient noise.

It was like being at a NKOTB concert circa 1989.

At some points, it seemed like Hudgens tried to step aside to give Efron his time in the spotlight alone, but the cries were very pro couple pictures.

Photo by Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:47 PM, January 05
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I think J.K. Simmons is fantastic. That's all there is to it. From "Oz" to "Law and Order" to, come on, you know what's coming next, "Spider-Man," he's just the awesomest character actor ever. When I see him on screen, I just know his role is going to rock.

So I was thrilled when he walked down the red carpet. He was at the ceremony to help celebrate "Juno's" award.

I was also thrilled that before he walked down the red carpet, he combed his not-the-usual facial hair.

He grinned after he did it, either at a joke someone made or at the acknowledgement that he came prepared for having pictures taken by bringing a comb for his beard.

Photo by Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:34 PM, January 05
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Ever wonder why newspaper offices in the movies are always shown as being cluttered with papers, coffee cups and toys?

Well, part of it is because journalists are hardy go-getters fueled by information, caffeine and Play-Dough.

And part of it is because PR reps do their jobs well and send out any number of cute little items they hope will serve to imbed their program or movie in your memory.

There's a whole world beyond the digital press kits (CDs with movie stills and production notes). Here are some of my favorites:

"The Sarah Connor Chronicles": The plug for the Fox series based on the sci-fi series include a key on a dog-tag keychain with the name of the show on it and a note from the future.

November 26, 2027
We have hope. Join the resistance to ensure our survival. Keep this key. You will need it in the near future. Do not let it fall into enemy hands. It's time to TAKE BACK THE FUTURE!
John Connor

"Legally Blonde": To promo the Reese Witherspoon flick, the studio sent out a clear hot-pink clipboard and a pen with a pink feather on the end. It definitely struck the balance between frothy and serious.

"Shrek": The magic mirror gets transformed to a handheld item for this press kit. Press a button on the side and the mirror lights up, revealing a picture of Shrek, while Mike Myers, in Shrek's voice, tells you the release date.

"Almost Famous": Again with the keys. Meant to evoke the sense of a travelling band, this key was on a diamond-shaped plastic keychain, something like old-school motels used to use. It was accompanied by a collection of photos and reprints of director Cameron Crowe's music stories.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:30 PM, January 05
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"Entertainment Tonight" has its own stop for celebrity interviews on the red carpet, and Cartier has its own photo spot.

A person in charge at that station is patting down the stars, asking them to take things out of their pockets and taking off their wraps.

She just told director Edward Zwick -- he who helmed "Glory," "Legends of the Fall" and "Blood Diamond" -- not to stand with his hands in his pockets.

PHOTO: Director Edward Zwick, left, and composer James Newton Howard on the red carpet. For the record, Zwick had his hands in his pockets while posing for this. Photo by Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:22 PM, January 05
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"Hairspray" co-star and all-around adorable actress Amanda Bynes.
Photo by Kate Wood/The Press-Enteprise

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:21 PM, January 05
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OK, so, I know that pictures usually pretty accurately depict people. I mean, certainly more than, like, an Etch-a-Sketch or a fingerpainting.

But I have to say that the celebrities I've been seeing in person look, for the most part, like their pictures. Emile Hirsch looks like he does in pictures; Amanda Bynes does, too. So did Curtis Hanson that one time I saw him outside a theater when I was waiting to see "Party Monster" (it was the same time I saw Dave Navarro ... and he looked just like he usually does, too, only with less eyeliner).

Maybe part of my surprise is due to the fact that everything is so Photoshopped these days, I just assume that no one actually looks like they do in pictures.

Contributing to this is the fact that I know that photos can be staged more easily than video. A photo taken from above will yield radically different results than a straight-on video. Hair only has to stay airborne for an instant to create a mind-blowing image that would be nearly impossible to re-create on film.

Of course, it could also be some subconscious desire for some of these stars to show up looking haggard.

AT RIGHT: "Into the Wild" star Emile Hirsch looking like Emile Hirsch. Photo by Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:15 PM, January 05
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Joe Wright, director of "Atonement" and "Pride and Prejudice."

Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:06 PM, January 05
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Singer/songwriter Carol Connors (she was nominated for an Oscar for "Gonna Fly Now" from "Rocky" and "Someone's Waiting For You" from "The Rescuers").

According to IMDB.com, she also wrote the theme for the Dolphin Research Center, so it makes sense that she carried a dolphin-shaped purse ... and treated people standing along the red carpet to dolphin noises.

Awesome.

Photo by Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:01 PM, January 05
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It's 4:54!

None of the celebrities are here yet! It's only an hour until showtime!

And it's getting colder.

—Kate Wood
kwood@pe.com

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:54 PM, January 05
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It's 4:15, and I can't believe how many different newspapers, magazines and TV shows are here.

In addition to your friendly squad of reporters and photographers from The Press-Enterprise, there are teams from "Entertainment Tonight" and Cartier (both of which are helping sponsor the whole thing) and "Inside Edition" and a variety of local radio and TV stations.

Various crews are finding places to hunker down and go over game plans.

The whole Palm Springs Convention Center is one big war room.

AT RIGHT: Muyra Perez, of Univision 12, works with her crew at the Palm Springs International Film Festival awards gala. Photo by Kate Wood/The Press-Enterprise

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:18 PM, January 05
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I loved this simple but effective and COLORFUL decoration at the gala!

Posted by Kate Wood at 3:54 PM, January 05
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3:50 p.m.

I've been wandering around the convention center in Palm Springs, just getting a feel for things.

I followed the red carpets down to the main conference room, where workers are still setting up drink tables and clearing storage bins.

Mary Hart was on the stage, polishing parts of her speech. It's kind of surreal: I'm less than a football field's length from the face of "Entertainment Tonight"!

Posted by Kate Wood at 3:50 PM, January 05
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It's 3:30, a good two and a half hours before the awards gala is supposed to start, and fans are already lining up to catch glimpses of their favorite stars.

Even the cold and threatening-to-be-dreary weather can't keep them from holding up homemade signs, including "D'you know 'Juno' " and a sign with DVD covers from the Daniel Day-Lewis movies "Last of the Mohicans" and "The Boxer."

The excitement is treading a cliff, just waiting for the first celeb to arrive and push it over the edge!

—Kate Wood
kwood@pe.com

Posted by Kate Wood at 3:30 PM, January 05
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This is my first year as part of The Press-Enterprise's reporting team helping cover the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

I was a little nervous about tackling my assignments, so I was excited -- ecstatic, even -- to find out that my debut assignment would be at the film festival's first-ever outdoor screening.

Yay! It was a start for both of us!

And, of course, the fact that it was the awesomeness of "Hairspray" was fantastic. I love LOVE the musical, love LOVE the original movie ... but hated HATED the idea of driving out to the desert through the crazy rain.

But I braved it for you. Because I love you.

Anyway, here are the answers to your burning questions:

* Yes, I got to talk face-to-face to director Adam Shankman, actress Amanda Bynes, actor Elijah Kelley and composers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

* Yes, Amanda Bynes is quite taller than I am. I'd like to think her darling silver heels helped, but since my dear hubby likes to tease me for being short, I don't think the heels were the only reason she was taller than I am.

* Everyone I spoke to was incredibly positive, not just about the outdoors screening, but also about the movie and its lasting success. Kelley spoke rather eloquently about how rewarding it is to get kudos for a movie with such a great message. Shaiman and Wittman talked about the musical's youthful and unjaded qualities. And Shankman summed it up: "It makes people happy."

* OK, so, remember that this was my first out-and-about when I tell you that I embarrassed myself horribly in front of Amanda Bynes and confused her in the process. In the 20 seconds I had with her before she was whisked away for another interview, I asked her some sort of rambling, ill-planned question about the fans "Hairspray" has been getting compared with fans of her other films and her TV shows and the people most likely to be attending the Palm Springs International Film Festival. She looked at me for the longest two seconds of my life before saying, "I don't really know what you're saying." Neither did I, Amanda, neither did I.

* The best moment of the night came as I was leaving to file my story. Before introducing the film, the stars and filmmakers were hanging out in an RV near the press zone. Some youthful fans surrounded the passenger side of the RV and serenaded Bynes and company with "Hairspray's" "You Can't Stop the Beat." Delightful? Yes. Surreal? A little bit. But certainly indicative of the devotion the musical breeds in people who see it.

Posted by Kate Wood at 10:03 PM, January 04
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News that Dianne Wiest and Alan Cumming would be starring in "The Seagull" in New York really excited me.

Not because "The Seagull" is my favorite Anton Chekov work, not because I'm planning some big trip to New York, but because some of my favorite actors are as comfortable in the footlights of a stage as they are the floodlights of a film premiere.

Wiest and Cumming are just two of them. Here are some others:

Joan Allen: The wonderfully patrician actress has a very composed air about her, which I like to attribute to her years on stage. She got her start with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, which also produced folks such as Gary Sinise (another of my fave stage-screen-stage actors), John Malkovich (ditto previous note), Glenne Headly, Gary Cole, Kathryn Erbe and Laurie Metcalf.

Cherry Jones: She's not usually the star of the movies she's in, but in terms of support, celebs could do worse. And once you know what she looks like, she pops up All Over the Place. Like in "Ocean's 12": There she is, being Matt Damon's mom. And "Signs": There she is, being a good ol' gal police officer.

Billy Crudup: A bit of a scoundrel in real life, based on the MLP thing, but quite talented. To go from "Without Limits" in 1998 to "Jesus' Son" in 1999 to "Almost Famous" in 2000 would be a challenge for any actor, but to pull it off only a couple of years after his film debut is astounding.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:47 PM, January 04
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Of course I was going to write about this. Everyone calls the winter holidays something else, and celebrates them with different things, but when the clock tolls 12 on Dec. 31, it's the new year for everyone.

Here are some New Year's movies you can use to welcome Baby New Year.

"Strange Days": I know I've written about this before, but that doesn't keep it from being a trip to watch on New Year's Day.

"200 Cigarettes": It's not the best movie ever made (if I'm wrong, tell me why), but the cast rivals that of "American Graffiti," "Dazed and Confused" and "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." You've got the Affleck brothers, Kate Hudson, Janeane Garofalo, Dave Chappelle, Jay Mohr, Paul Rudd and (drumroll please) ELVIS COSTELLO.

Poseidon films: All the various versions of the story take place on New Year's Eve. I think it's solely for the novelty of seeing people trying to save their lives while wearing fancy clothes Maybe it's just me, but the people I celebrate New Year's Eve with are usually wearing jeans and sweaters.

"Four Rooms": Four of the most influential filmmakers of the early '90s each directed a segment of this film about the goings-on in a hotel on New Year's Eve. Perhaps you recognize their names: Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino.

Best New Year's Eve scenes:

"Someone Like You": ... and she gets up her courage to go find him on New Year's Eve, and he doesn't see her at the party until right before she leaves, but she never knows it, and then, and then ... and I well up just thinking about it!

"When Harry Met Sally": Almost the same as above except he gets up HIS courage to go find HER on New Year's Eve, and then he confesses his love for her, and awwww ... and I well up just thinking about it!

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:41 PM, December 31
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Family films ruled the box office again this weekend, with "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" coming in at No. 1 again, with "Alvin and the Chipmunks" coming in at No. 2 in its third week of release.

Remember when every reviewer bashed "Alvin" and I said it was good family fun? I feel somewhat vindicated now.

"I Am Legend" is still going strong, coming in at No. 3. Its total take is now $194.6 million, virtually guaranteeing it will hit $200 million before it leaves theaters.

"Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem" was the highest-ranking debut in sixth place. The film, which wasn't screened for critics, made $10.05 million. Because it opened beofre the Christmas holiday, its total take is at $26.88 million.

The other debut in the top 10 was in the seventh spot: "The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep" made $9.2 million over the weekend, giving it a total take of $16.82 million over the holiday week.

The Jack Nicholson-Morgan Freeman film "The Bucket List" debuted in the No. 20 spot, but opened in only 16 theaters.

Its per-theater average nationally was $20,188, higher than every film on the top 25 list except debut "There Will Be Blood," the indisputed champion at $93,000 per theater. It opened in only two theaters.

Meet me back here at 11 a.m. for the details on how these flicks did in local theaters.

Posted by Kate Wood at 9:18 PM, December 30
Tags: box office, box office results, business, Inland Southern California, local
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We didn't go to a lot of movies when I was a kid.

I don't know if it was because there weren't as many movies for kids released back then, or if it was because my mom was hyperactive (still is) and can't sit still for 90 minutes, and my dad didn't like to go to the movies without her (still doesn't).

It's probably a combination of both, but in any case, my first movie-going experiences meant a lot to me. Here are some. Feel free to share your own!

"Oh, God!": Mostly, I remember thinking that John Denver was an ugly woman. I still had fun, though. I didn't understand a lot of what was going on, but I liked George Burns a lot. My nana had left her purse in the theater, so we went back to get it. I got my first look at a theater with all the lights up. Somehow, it seemed less magical.

"Sleeping Beauty": When this was re-released at some point during my childhood, a friend's mom took a bunch of us kids to see it. Now that I know how a troop of children is likely to behave, I wonder now if my friend's mom was irrevocably damaged by this experience. I was fascinated by the burning pyre of spinning wheels and terrified when -- SPOILER AHEAD -- the villain turns into a dragon.

"Fantasia": This was also a re-release when I remember seeing it. My mom, in a rare display of calm, took me and my brother (a baby at the time) and sister to see it. During the "Dance of the Hours" sequence, my mom had me turn to get out a diaper for my brother. I missed the scene where the hippo falls and squishes on the alligator. Everyone was laughing, so I laughed, too, and when my mom asked, "Wasn't that funny," I admitted that I had not seen it. Mom: "Then why did you laugh?" Kate: "Because everyone else was laughing." I thought that's what people did. I didn't actually get to see that scene until years later, and of course it's hilarious.

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:20 PM, December 29
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I like to "theme" my gifts.

If I'm giving hats, for example, everyone gets hats. I prefer to think of it as being orderly rather than showing a lack of creativity.

This year, I went with B movies -- the movies that are so bad, you can't help but love them. My nearest and dearest know of my fondness for "Xanadu," so when I say a movie was "AWESOME," they know to ask if it was seriously awesome or morbidly awesome.

Here are some flicks I gifted to people this year. You'd have to ask THEM if I thought they were naughty or nice.

"Red Heat" (1988): The man who would be California's governor teams up with James Belushi in a just-slightly-stranger pairing than Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy. A Russian detective (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and a Chicago cop (Belushi) join forces to capture a drug dealer. If you guess that Arnie is the straight man and Belushi is the funny guy, shockingly enough, you'd be right.

"Jocks" (1987): Known mostly for co-starring "Law & Order: SVU" star Mariska Hargitay (in, I think, red leather boots!) and comedy director Tom Shadyac, the movie also starred "Shaft" original Richard Roundtree and horror icon Christopher Lee. Yet none of these big names were the stars. The Kid (Scott Strader -- this is his last film credit, according to IMDB.com) has to win a big tennis match to save his teen. So '80s teen comedy! Also notable: the hero's torn sweatshirt over torn sweatshirt fashions ... with shorts.

"Night Shift" (1982): Henry Winkler and Michael Keaton run a brothel out of a morgue. Shelley Long is one of the prostitutes. Seriously, does it get any odder than that? Oh, yes, actually it does: The film was directed by Ron Howard.

"Cutthroat Island" (1995): Poor Geena Davis hasn't seemed to recover yet from this disaster that also took its toll on her relationship with director Renny Harlin. A pirate movie made before "Pirates of the Caribbean" totally refurbished the genre, it didn't stand a chance. Also, it's somewhat painful to watch. We were about 10 minutes in to it when my husband turned to me and said, "This is quickly on its way to becoming my favorite film." Consider carefully that he is a glutton for punishment.

Posted by Kate Wood at 2:56 PM, December 27
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Choreographer Michael Kidd, who died Sunday in Los Angeles, according to the Associated Press report, won a total of five Tonys and an Oscar in his career. But a man's worth is not judged by awards alone. Here are some reasons to praise the artistic athleticism of Kidd's career:

1) "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers": The 1954 movie was directed by Stanley Donen, no slouch in the musicals department himself. After all, he also brought "Royal Wedding," "Singing in the Rain" and "Damn Yankees" to theaters. But Kidd's athletic touch helps viewers believe that seven backwoods brothers would actually perform a certain way when dancing. According the IMDB, Kidd initially turned down the project. He wanted to rest after coming off a show on Broadway. Imagine how boring the barn-raising scene would have been without the athletic moves performed by the actors.

2) "Guys and Dolls": Kidd taught super-serious Marlon Brando how to dance for his role of Sky Masterson, a role that (again, IMDB says) genuine hoofer Gene Kelly had lobbied for. To put it into perspective, that would be like taking Denzel Washington and training him to do stand-up comedy: tough work, but rewarding.

3) His work with Mikhail Baryshnikov: One of Kidd's rare forays into TV, “Baryshnikov in Hollywood” was nominated for an Emmy in 1981. “I was amazed by his energy and his willingness to reinvent all the time if the situation didn’t work,” Baryshnikov said. When you have one of the top male dancers of his generation saying that about you, you know you're something special.

In 1954, Kidd told The New York Times in 1954, “Dancing should be completely understandable — every move, every turn should mean something, should be crystal clear to the audience. If you can make them laugh or cry, move them emotionally ... you’ve done your job.”

For years, Kidd did his job and did it well.

Well-played, good sir, well-played.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:04 PM, December 26
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I know what you're saying: Kate, you've obviously gone bonkers. The Coreys -- both Feldman and Haim -- were in plenty of good movies in their heydays, but this is NOT one of them.

To you, I answer, you are incorrect, sirs and madams. "Rock 'n' Roll High School Forever," while certainly not up to any standards, low or otherwise, set by the cult hit "Rock 'n' Roll High School," featuring the Ramones, is a fun flick that deserves a DVD release -- a SOLO DVD release, not this nonsense where it gets packaged with "South Beach Academy." I want a Feldman commentary. And some of us don't want "South Beach Academy."

Corey, the Feldman version, stars as a wannabe rocker determined to lead his band to a battle of the bands victory. Does it sometimes seem like every movie in the late '80s and early '90s featured either a battle of the bands or a live band performance? Yeah, I thought so, too.

The drug test scene stands out, as does the school catching fire.

Also, Feldman was deep into his MJ worship, which is evident in his clothing choices.

Posted by Kate Wood at 2:28 PM, December 26
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Hey, I'm with you. You're so busy getting the presents for the nieces and nephews, that you inevitably forget your spouse.

Well, OK, maybe that's just me.

In any case, if you've forgotten anyone on your list, you can always say the perfect gift just wasn't released yet. Here's a primer to help you get your story straight.

"Shoot 'Em Up": For the Clive Owen archivist, buy this action flick, starring Owen as a gunslinger who spends the movie maiming the people who killed a pregnant woman and tried to kill the baby he helped deliver in an alley. Available on DVD Jan. 1.

"Death Sentence": Co-starring Hemet native Stuart Lafferty, this "Death Wish" remake stars Kevin Bacon as the dad who wants someone to pay for the death of his son. Nothing says "Thanks for being in my life" like vigilante violence. Available Jan. 8.

"3:10 to Yuma": OMG, can I just say how much I LOVE the cast of this movie???? Christian Bale! Russell Crowe!!! ALAN TUDYK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously. How can you not love these actors? OMGOMGOMGOMOMGOMG, I'm so getting this. Also, it is apparently a Western. Available Jan. 8.

"Good Luck Chuck": For the folks whose hopes are dashed upon the news that Jessica Alba is expecting a baby, here's a chance to see her delightfully ditzy self rocking the cuteness. Available Jan. 15.

Posted by Kate Wood at 12:34 PM, December 25
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What a difference the box office results can see in 12 hours!

Apparently, Inland residents finished their shopping sprees with a round of movies.

And if you saw one of the top three movies this weekend, you were part of almost 68 percent of moviegoers.

That’s how much of the national box-office take this weekend was generated by “National Treasure: Book of Secrets,” in its debut, and “I Am Legend” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” both in their second weeks of release.

In the Inland region, those top movies accounted for an even higher percentage of the box office: 71.22 percent.

And from there, the numbers drop drastically: “Charlie Wilson’s War,” the No. 4 film accounted for just over 6 percent of the national box-office take. “Sweeney Todd,” the region’s No. 4 movie, was only 6.78 percent of the take.

The top film, the Nicolas Cage sequel, took in a total of $45.5 million, for a national per-theater average of $11,874. Its regional per-theater average was $13,061.

Posted by Kate Wood at 10:42 AM, December 24
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So real surprise, considering how big a hit the first flick was, but Nic Cage's sequel "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" topped the box office report this weekend.

The biggest surprise could be how slim the margin was between "National Treasure," which made $45.5 million as of Sunday night's reports, and the No. 2 flick, last weekend's indisputed champion "I Am Legend," which brought in $34.23 million.

For the most part, it looks like Inland audiences were too busy with last-minute holiday shopping to get to the movies: Regional per-theater averages were significantly lower than the national averages.

For example, the take for "I Am Legend" was down 55.67 percent nationally, but was down 74.45 percent in the region. "Alvin and the Chipmunks," in the No. 2 spot, was down 34.55 percent nationally and down 67.18 percent regionally.

The debut "Charlie Wilson's War" came in at No. 4 with $9.6 million, but the No. 5 movie, "Sweeney Todd," is a close fifth with $9.35 million. It's pretty close, and since these numbers are just Sunday night numbers, things could shift by Monday morning.

Meet me back here around 11 a.m. for the final update of the weekend and a look at the local numbers!

Posted by Kate Wood at 7:28 PM, December 23
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You know how in the movies, trials are always sexy, with well-dressed and carefully coiffed lawyers (who may or not have some simmering sensuality between them) dropping bombs about the history of a witness?

After my three-day affair with jury duty last week, I can say that's not always the case.

Anyway, it got me thinking about my favorite movies about the legal system. Feel free to share your faves!

"12 Angry Men" (1957; also made for TV in 1997): This classic shows that the best parts of a trial can happen behind closed doors, as one juror tries to convince 11 other men to see his point of view. The deck is stacked with awesome actors (Henry Fonda, Jack Klugman, Martin Balsam, E.G. Marshall, and my mom's fave Lee J. Cobb among them), and the frustration as time wears on is realistic and palpable.

"Liar, Liar" (1997): People who think lawyers are too slick for their own good would like this film, about an attorney forced to tell the truth for 24 hours. It starred Jim Carrey, who's been better but only barely. My favorite scene is the one where he's forced to say what he really thinks about his bosses. I also like his legal advice to a repeat offender: "Stop breaking the law!"

"Legally Blonde" (2001): Reese Witherspoon inherited the crown of America's sweetheart with her role as Elle Woods, a sorority girl who follows her social-climbing ex-boyfriend to law school. I love how she retains everything that makes her Elle while succeeding in a new field. I like the message that you don't have to change. And the expression on Elle's face in situations when the penny drops and she understands something new is priceless.

Other great trial scenes:
"Primal Fear" (1996): When Richard Gere gets Edward Norton to "switch." Perfect combination of excellent acting and the wrapping up of a story.

"A Time to Kill" (1996): Matthew McConaughey's star-making turn. His closing arguments warrant a closer look for actors looking to hold a camera's attention.

"A Few Good Men" (1992): "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" hahaha

Posted by Kate Wood at 9:32 PM, December 22
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Seriously, if you're an adult, the movie studios are actively seeking your money this weekend. You have no excuses.

FOR THE ADVENTURE FAN: "National Treasure: Book of Secrets"
Nicolas Cage is back with the sequel to surprise hit "National Treasure." Next up: "National Treasure: The Search for the Hairpiece That Fits" (may co-star Kevin Costner and Sean Connery).
Also for: history geeks and people who like seeing Helen Mirren loosen up a bit

FOR THE COMEDY FAN: "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story"
While I'm not in love with the title, I AM in love with the goofiness of it all. Professional hangdog John C. Reilly stars as a Johnny Cash-style singer in this faux biopic.
Also for: music fans who don't take themselves seriously and folks with short attention spans

FOR THE CHICK FLICK FAN: "P.S. I Love You"
Aside from the dependably funny Lisa Kudrow and the less-funny-but-the-emotional-hook-is-based-on-her-so-that's-OK Hilary Swank, this film stars an assortment of eye candy in the form of Gerard Butler, Harry Connick Jr. and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Since the story's about a woman trying to find love after her husband's death (shade of "Truly Madly Deeply"), just assume it's co-presented by Kleenex and stock up.
Also for: people who feel they need to cry -- A LOT

FOR THE MUSICAL FAN: "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
That Johnny Depp is one sharp fellow. Hahahahaha, see what I did there? Seriously, my humor is on the cutting edge. Oh, wait, here's another: Only in this musical would singing sharp be OK! And I wouldn't have wanted to be on set when Tim Burton yelled, "Cut!"
Also for: goth kids and musical-theater nerds

FOR THE AWARDS JUNKIES: "Charlie Wilson's War"
I like Mike Nichols. His movies just have an atmosphere to them (though I always feel a little bit guilty that "Wolf" is my favorite Nichols film). And awards-season power trio Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman is on hand for this based-on-a-true-story movie.
Also for: recent history geeks and Oscar-bait oddsmakers

Posted by Kate Wood at 11:17 PM, December 20
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I wasn't sure what to expect walking in to see "Alvin and the Chipmunks." I don't have any special love for the Chipmunks -- I never clutched a Theodore doll while wearing Simon PJs and waiting for the cartoon to start -- but I don't like seeing icons torn down clumsily (a la the Scooby-Doo movies) or updated only for the purpose of crude humor, especially when the resulting film is expected to appeal to children.

So I was worried.

Luckily, I had no reason to worry.

“Alvin” starts out with the Chipmunks — Alvin, Simon and Theodore — storing nuts for the winter while singing a sophisticated three-part-harmony rendition of Daniel Powter’s “Had a Bad Day.”

When their home is chopped down to adorn the lobby of a record company in LA, they’re forced to seek refuge in a muffin basket stolen by Dave Seville (Jason Lee), an aspiring music writer who’s not finding a lot of success — and with good reason. The demo he plays for the studio flak, played by David Cross, is gut-wrenching in its awfulness, much like the “Somebody Kill Me” song performed by Adam Sandler in “The Wedding Singer.”

The Chipmunks, of course, save the day, become big rock stars and fall victim to the system (somewhat; don’t worry, there’s no Janis Joplin-esque downfall here) before the heartwarming resolution.

On a technical level, the movie is astounding. Even knowing the Chipmunks are animated, I was astounded by their near-seamless inhabitation of the movie scenes, especially when they interact with real objects (cheese puffs, bowls, etc.).

The vocal acting for the chipmunks is great as well. Even though the voices are rendered nearly unrecognizable by their transformation into chipmunk pitch, Mac computer guy Justin Long, “Criminal Minds” co-star Matthew Gray Gubler and singer/actor Jesse McCartney turn in great performances. I got the feeling that these guys had hung out before recording their lines. Between the voices and the animation, the chipmunks have a genuine brotherly bond.

The characters are treated with a certain amount of reverence. There are no ironic winks at the cool kids; there is no sexual innuendo meant for the adults. While the updating of old-school material has worked in films such as “The Brady Bunch Movie,” it is a relief to see a film based on characters from the past that lacks subtext. There is some potty humor, but it's not excessive.

Though the poster features Alvin, Simon and Theodore dressed in a Crayola version of Run-DMC tracksuits, their clothes in the film are delightfully retro. The Chipmunks are simply the Chipmunks as they’ve always been and as people remember them.

The message about family is clear, and if you don’t “Awww” either audibly or emotionally when a nightmare-traumatized Theodore asks to sleep in Dave’s room, you have no business seeing this movie. WARNING: There are some complicated emotions that come into play when the Chipmunks and Dave are attempting to clarify what exactly a family is, and why getting what you want isn't always what's best for you. In fact, a child next to me wondered, "Why is (Dave) mad?" and the woman with him had to explain that Dave was actually sad.

The weak link in the film, unfortunately, is its human star, Kevin Smith comrade Lee. Don't get me wrong, I love him in "My Name Is Earl," but as an actor, he's a really good skateboarder. There's always been something very self-conscious about his acting. He can’t even yell the iconic “Alvin!” very convincingly.

But the rest of the film is a delight, a pure, simple delight.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:00 PM, December 13
Tags: Alvin, Alvin and the Chipmunks, animation, Chipmunks, family, Jason Lee, review
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The Golden Globe nominations came out Thursday, and the high school that is Hollywood once again started grooming the cool kids for the awards season.

In fact, looking at this year’s nominations, it struck me how much the Golden Globes are like the year-end awards at a small high school: If you don’t get nominated for something, you just aren’t trying.

“Atonement” is leading the awards with seven nominations, yet the film has barely been released.

And some films nominated haven’t been released at all: “Charlie Wilson’s War,” “The Great Debaters” and “There Will Be Blood” have good buzz, to be sure, but unless the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has perfected time travel and been to the future, how do they really know they’re award-worthy.

I understand that they have seen them in screenings, but the dozens of people who make up the association can’t possibly judge the award-worthiness of these films on their own.

It’s odd that these people wield such power over awards season.

Another oddity is that seven films were nominated for best drama — usually only five make the cut — but it would have been very easy to cut the list down to five.

First off, take “Atonement” away. It seems a very pretty movie and I’m looking forward to seeing it, but isn’t it basically a romance with some intrigue? You can’t just go around rewarding intriguing romances or next year’s “The Time Traveler’s Wife” would be a shoo-in (oh, sorry, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, did I give something away?).

Also take out “The Great Debaters” or “American Gangster.” There should be a rule that limits how many serious movies Denzel Washington can be in in a year.

I don’t understand how “Sweeney Todd” is going to compete with “Hairspray.” Yes, people sing throughout, yes, there are elaborate sets, but that’s about where the comparisons end. Yet, they’re in the same category.

Considering how much the awards season is spun by the Golden Globes, it'll be interesting to see how it all shakes down by the time the graduation ceremony of the Oscars comes around.

Posted by Kate Wood at 3:59 PM, December 13
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Malls with movie theaters often become destinations for day-long excursions. After all, you have everything you need to fill the hours wandering idly, shopping, eating, shopping more, seeing a movie, and do more hanging with friends.

The first couple years I lived in Riverside, I’d go to the Galleria at Tyler several times a month, but eventually, just quit going. In fact, I remember telling people, “Well, I’d go there more often, but they don’t have a theater.”

So I was thrilled a while back when a friend sent me a press release detailing the plans for the AMC Theatres Tyler 16 at the mall.

On my way there for a screening, I wasn’t sure exactly where I was headed, so the clearly visible signs were a welcome sight.

Following them around the edge of the mall, I turned a corner and was greeted by the glowing red of the AMC logo cutting through the darkness like a beacon.

I was home.
(For more, click below!)

Continue reading "My trip to the new AMC theater at the Galleria at Tyler" »

Posted by Kate Wood at 4:49 PM, December 12
Tags: AMC, Galleria, Galleria at Tyler, mall, movie theater, Riverside, theater, Tyler
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The lights on "Las Vegas" shine plenty bright for model-turned-actress Molly Sims, but the TV show's star is also seeing light from Hollywood's spotlight.

Sims is snagging herself two funnymen to co-star opposite in her next two movies: Jim Carrey and Steve Martin.

"Yes Man" stars Carrey as a man who decides to say "yes" to every opportunity that opens to him. Hmm, seems like that's how Carrey has chosen some of his film roles. Sims has the unenviable role as the ex-wife he can't forget.

And then there's Martin's "Pink Panther 2." To get a sequel made, the original must have had legs for days overseas, 'cause no one here saw it. Sims will play a broadcast journalist who tracks Inspector Clouseau's misadventures.

Based on my extensive viewing of "Las Vegas," Sims seems affable enough, which will serve her well in these these movies.

Posted by Kate Wood at 10:08 AM, December 12
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Even after my parents got cable (and then stopped getting it), we still didn't get premium channels. HBO was like a mythical creature I heard about from my cousins.

So, I'd watch premium channels at the homes of relatives we'd visit on the way to the East Coast over the summer. This is how I ended up seeing "Grease," like, seven times one summer.

And that's how I ended up seeing "Curtains" (1983).

Sure, it's a Canadian horror film.

Sure, it co-stars John Vernon, who at that point I only recognized as Dean Wormer from "Animal House."

And I certainly wasn't old enough at the time to appreciate the "And Then There Were None" plotage: A bunch of actresses who want to be in a star director's (Vernon) latest movie gather in an isolated house for a lengthy audition process. Only the "cuts" aren't of the film-set variety.

Plus, the film co-stars Michael Wincott, who's one of my favorite bad-guy actors.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:01 PM, December 11
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Josh Brolin, seeing such an awesome upswing to his career right now, is in final talks to star with Emile Hirsch (getting an award at this January's Palm Springs International Film Festival), Sean Penn (ditto previous parenthetical statement) and James Franco (no real parenthetical statement to be had, just like the repetition for effect) in a biopic of Harvey Milk, the country's first openly gay elected official, a San Francisco city supervisor who was assassinated in 1978.

The movie will be directed by Gus Van Sant, meaning Brolin will be continuing his streak of working with a really awesome set of directors for this part of his career:

"Grindhouse": Robert Rodriguez
"In the Valley of Elah": Paul Haggis
"American Gangster": Ridley Scott
"No Country for Old Men": The Coen brothers

Posted by Kate Wood at 2:53 PM, December 11
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* The blogosphere is abuzz with news about Brawndo, the new drink planned by Redux Beverages. This commentary from Britain's Guardian Unlimited ponders why Fox is supporting the drink based on a movie to which it lent no support. Reminder: Fox doesn't need to make sense, just cents.

* Still looking for that perfect present for the time-traveling wannabe in your life? Check out this "Back to the Future" Flux Capacitor Replica. Sure, you can't order it until after the new year, but if you can reach 88 miles per hour with it, maybe you can have it ready for the upcoming holidays.

* Movies DO rock. This version of Paul McCartney's "Live and Let Die" by Fergie, however, does not.

NOTE: Clicking on links will direct you away from content approved by The Press-Enterprise.

Posted by Kate Wood at 5:36 PM, December 10
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The final figures are in, and yep, "The Golden Compass" underperformed. The film still pulled in $26.1 million, in spite of the fact that religious groups called for its boycotting.

That's well below estimates, especially since the movie was the only movie that opened wide this weekend, but considering it cost upwards of $180 million, I'm sure New Line will take what it can get.

Nationally, the film made a per-theater average of $7,405; regionally, it overperformed, making a per-theater average of $8,622.

"Enchanted" is still overperforming in our area, making a per-theater average of $3,568, compared with the national per-theater average of $3,041.

The region's moviegoers were apparently in the heart-warming, family-film zone this weekend. While "Beowulf" was ranked 7th in our area compared with 5th nationally, "This Christmas," "Fred Claus," "August Rush" and "Bee Movie" were still performing well.

The family vibe also helps set the stage for "Alvin and the Chipmunks" and "The Perfect Holiday" to open to decent returns this coming weekend.

Posted by Kate Wood at 10:54 AM, December 10
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In a fairly weak weekend, a movie that was supposed to be one of the biggest of the winter -- "The Golden Compass" -- couldn't find the direction to the big bucks.

The film, based on Philip Pullman's best-seller, made only about $26.1 million nationally as of Sunday night, far below New Line's estimates of $30 million to $40 million. Its numbers were also about half of what season surprise "Enchanted" made in its debut weekend.

Even a layman could see that "The Golden Compass" should have dominated the box office in a weekend in which it was the only movie opening wide (other films debuting this weekend included "Revolver," "Juno" and "Atonement").

"Enchanted" has thus far racked up a total of $83.9 million in three weeks, while No. 3 "This Christmas" has made $42.76 million. "Fred Claus" apparently still has folks feeling generous: It's in the No. 4 spot in its fifth week of release. And "Beowulf" is rounding out the Top 5.

Be back at this blog at 11 Monday morning for the complete weekend picture, and to check out the numbers from the Inland Empire.

Posted by Kate Wood at 10:45 PM, December 09
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My predictions for a movie that will rule the 2009 or 2010 Oscars now officially includes Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island."

I've written about this movie before, but since the recent announcement that Ben Kingsley is joining the cast, my excitement has ratcheted up.

Plus, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Kingsley plays an enigmatic chief physician, and any character description that includes the word "enigmatic" gets my curiosity juices flowing.

Posted by Kate Wood at 3:10 PM, December 09
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"I've had it with these **** administrators in this **** hospital!"

If only.

Samuel L. Jackson may be hoping for an Oscar bid anew with his newly announced film role.

He'll be playing the "chief administrator of an overcrowded hospital located in the middle of South Africa's violent Soweto ghettos," according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Anything but light work.

But as long as Jackson can leave the smirking and the shades here at home, we're pretty excited to see what he'll pull out of his talent hat.

Posted by Kate Wood at 6:49 PM, December 08
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Yes, my video tapes are getting a complex.

You may have numbered your videotapes.

You may have created a spreadsheet cataloging what was on each one so that you could easily find a specific episode of "The A-Team."

You may pride yourself on being the only person you know in real life who has some episodes of "The Edge" on tape.

But tapes, both audio and video, degrade eventually, so I'm faced with the unpleasant task of trying to transfer these treasures to DVD.

Some tapes are easy to finish: For example, "Scrubs, "Friends" and "Seinfeld" are on DVD, so there's no need to keep them. And in the meantime, I'm patiently transferring programs from other tapes to DVD.

Which leaves me with lots of tapes piling up and nothing to do with them. Of course, there's the old standby of recyling (if you Google "video tape" and "recycling," there are lots of options; I think I'm going to go with GreenDisk), but sometimes I feel a bit more creative than that.

Here are some options for those old video tapes:

Carpet skates: Strap two video tapes in their cases to your feet and away you go. I discovered this one by accident after a pile of tapes fell and I slipped on one. It's no ice skating at Rockefeller Center, but it'll do.

Gift ties: Unspool the tape and use to make bows and ties when you're wrapping presents. Nothing says shiny and cheap like video tape ribbon.

Packaging: Unspool the tape and use to pack fragile items before sending them to family and friends. It could also work in a goth-themed gift basket. (Note: I haven't tried this myself, so I have no idea how cushiony the pile of video tape would be. All I know is that it's fragile enough that it crinkles at the slightest hint of a change in the weather and you lose the Kevin Spacey "SNL" where he imitates Christopher Wa