It's time to do some shopping, kids. After a week of semi-reasonable Golden Globe nominations (!) and the tragic downfall of The Daldry, I'm throwing away wads of cash at the Glendale Americana and never looking back. Do you think they sell the exotic headgear Elizabeth Taylor wore in Raintree County? Maybe at Zara or something? I don't know. Let's review the week and run away somewhere.
In this weekend's Carnage, Kate Winslet plays an uptight investment banker who tries to broker a parental agreement concerning the damage done during a playground dispute between her son and another boy. So how did the British actress transform herself from a teenage murderer in her breakthrough role to a middle-aged New Yorker determined to settle her son's stick fight?
"Inconceivable!" With a single word, unveiled at the close of last month's live-read of The Apartment, Jason Reitman launched AOUS (that's Anticipation of Unusual Size) for the December 15 installment in his brilliant LACMA/Film Independent series. Few films are so magical, so beloved, so instantly and indelibly quotable as The Princess Bride, Rob Reiner's 1987 fantasy-comedy, written by William Goldman, about a princess and her pirate and those involved in and affected by their adventure. And few live-read casting choices could be as inspired as Reitman's: Paul Rudd in the Westley role originated by Cary Elwes, Cary Elwes in the Humperdinck role originated by Chris Sarandon, and, performing the part of the Grandson first portrayed by Fred Savage over two decades ago... Fred Savage.
Maybe I'm still annoyed nearly ten years after I saw Anchorman in theaters and was so angry with its juvenile, unfunny, dude-baiting humor that I'm sour to any movie whose theme is "Will Ferrell is a hilariously alpha dimwit!" -- but I'm pretty sure Ferrell's new jam Casa de mi Padre with Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna is downright moronic for real. In fact, the sophisticated-sounding title isn't a good fit for the film (though it is written entirely in Spanish) and ought to be replaced. Here are nine titles we'd consider, along with the movie's new teaser trailer.
Now that David Cross's contractual obligations on the live-action/animation Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise are over -- the third and final of which is this weekend's Chip-Wrecked -- the comic actor isn't mincing words about the ordeal. "This last film was literally, without question, the most unpleasant experience I've ever had in my professional life," he told The Playlist. (Funny, Movieline's Michelle Orange, after reviewing the kid pic, might say the same.) Take in the spectacle of these burning bridges with more of Cross's post-traumatic musings after the jump!
It's a sad day for fans of the inspiring sports classic Rudy. Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, perhaps the most famous collegiate football underdog of all time -- on whom the title character in David Anspaugh's 1993 film was based -- has been charged by the SEC for a pump-and-dump scheme that earned him over $10 million in profits for a Rudy-branded sports drink.
I don't know if you can tell by its freakishly quirky title, but Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is freakishly quirky. Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, and a suddenly super-droll Kristen Scott Thomas star in what appears to be a Middle Eastern-set romcom with kooky supporting characters. There's also a chance that it's an Eat, Pray, Love for downtrodden white men, which would be despicable. You figure it out.
Lifetime movies are better than movie movies. They're melodramatic, inbred morsels of filmic stank. And the best ones -- as of today -- possess a sacred ingredient called "Rob Lowe's Moustache-y Acting Talents." As Bolingbrook, IL cop-turned-murder suspect Drew Peterson in the new TV feature Drew Peterson: Untouchable, Lowe tries on his best Da Bears accent and dons a moustache that reminds me fondly of Reno 911 and his Parks and Recreation costar Nick Offerman. You will not be able to handle his sole line of dialogue in the new teaser trailer.
He had divisive opinions and a rare mind, but the late, great Christopher Hitchens also, from time to time, deviated from politics, culture, and history to examine other important issues including film, filmmakers, and -- importantly! -- how to make tea. Pour one out for Hitch today -- the proper way, no dunking -- with his wise words from last year.
For generations, Time has taught you, your kids, and your step-grandkids what is "cool" in popular culture, and today they're dropping a bombshell on you: Ryan Gosling, who played the most alpha, well-jacketed dudes in cinema this year, is the magazine's "Coolest Man of 2011." Right, right, yawn, yawn. Does anyone else here object?
Finally, a Hunger Games poster that reminds us of the carnage and calamity that made the books so addictive. Here, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) stands before a packed stadium while her adversary Peeta Mellark's (Josh Hutcherson) image flies above the crowd. Yes, this is the poster that Lionsgate asked Twitter uses to assemble from jigsaw clues -- and it appears that @johnshoward is the one who pulled through. Pretty epic thunderdome. Katniss and Peeta are the new 2pac and Dre.
Heads up, Dark Knight Rises watchers: A cool bit of viral marketing just arrived on my doorstep detailing what appear to be the dastardly plans of Tom Hardy's S&M baddie Bane. If you're remaining spoiler-free, I'd advise you not to hit the jump for more... not that I can really make heads or tails of the elaborate map of Gotham City he's marked up with his dastardly plans. Fire's about to rise, y'all!
It's hard to be obsessed with the Oscars sometimes because they're often predictable, boring, and tolerant of things like Black Swan, but VINTAGE OSCARS is a whole different story. I could think about the discarded wedding dress Lee Grant wore for her Shampoo victory in '76 for days. And I have. Even better now, the Academy has released a dress code that legendary costumer Edith Head wrote for the 1968 ceremony. It is cold, direct, and bossy. It is awesome.
Make like Katniss and sharpen those hunting skills, Hunger Games fans, because Lionsgate's launching a scavenger hunt with a worthy payoff to count down the mere 100 days that remain until Suzanne Collins' dystopian teen battle royale tale hits screens on March 23: Collect all 100 pieces in the Hunger Games 100 Poster Puzzle Hunt and be the first to get a peek at the full official first poster for the March flick. You can start with golden-flecked puzzle piece #78 (of 100), which Movieline hosts exclusively after the jump. (Hint: It's a corner piece! Get to puzzling already!)
Just when you thought that the future of pop culture couldn't look more dismal, TMZ reports that Clint Eastwood's family is planning a Kardashian-like reality series on which the screen legend has every intention of appearing.
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