Blythe Danner Tagged Articles at Cinematical

The above is not much, but it's enough to start the impatient and eager anticipation for Paul. You know, the alien comedy that's reuniting Simon Pegg and Nick Frost; the one that will hopefully be a cross between the brilliance of Spaced and the comedic awesomeness of Hot Fuzz. The image, which you can see in all shapes and sizes over at Collider, is a photo of a poster hanging up on Stage 41 at Hollywood's Universal Studios.

From left to right, we've got Blythe Danner screaming in a granny dress, Pegg rockin' an Empire Strikes Back t-shirt, Frost with the boom stick, and Kristen Wiig running to catch up. One can only guess that they're facing an alien or government invasion. As we already know, the comedy centers on Pegg and Frost's science fiction geeks who, after going to a comic-con, decide to make a pilgrimage to Area 51 -- the notorious alien hotspot in Nevada. On their journey, the end up running into a real alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen).

Does the image whet your scifi comedy tastebuds, and make you want to go back and rewatch all of Spaced until the movie hits in 2010? (If, of course, you're not already doing just that in honor of the show's tenth anniversary.)

Be still our spacey hearts. There is no doubt that Sigourney Weaver is the ultimate Queen of Aliens. She's the unstoppable Ripley, the saucy Gwen DeMarco, and now she's heading to Area 51. But not just any 51 -- the infamous UFO hotspot as seen through the eyes of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

Variety reports that Weaver has signed on for Paul (the upcoming comedy mentioned here and here) along with Reno 911's Joe Lo Truglio and Blythe Danner, who seems to be comedy crazy these days. Paul focuses on two science fiction geeks who decide to make a pilgrimage to the otherworldly hotspot, and in the process, end up running into an alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen). Unfortunately, there's no word on who Weaver and the rest will play. Me, I'm hoping she's some sort of tough alien-wrangler determined to recapture Paul. Anything less would be a waste of her experience.

With these names (plus Bateman, Wiig, Hader, and Lynch from the last round), this film is going to be a puupuu platter of comedic talent, and the first time the geeky Brit duo face off against the world of American comedy. How do you think they'll fare?

When bad movie ideas hit the wire and then seemingly dissolve into thin air, there's a chance to breathe that sigh of relief over what could have happened, but didn't. Unfortunately, sometimes months or even years later, we're slapped with the news that silence doesn't necessarily mean death, and that our worst nightmares are coming true.

Fox News has "released" word that a sequel to Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers is happening. We already knew that was the case, since it was confirmed last year, but the news piece does add to it -- Blythe Danner and Robert De Niro are returning. This means that last year's news wasn't a dream, and that Ben Stiller hasn't forgotten about it, no matter what other projects he is busying himself with. We are getting more Fockers. We just don't know if Babs and Dustin are in for the ride as well.

Not that it matters. There are those that love the original, and those who actually like the sequel more, but can't we all agree that a third installment is pushing it. I mean, what're they going to do? Have Gaylord actually try milking a cat for his kid? Do any of you actually want to see that? Are you eager for more Focker hijinx?

Last year, John Sayles wonderfully took on the world of blues, guitars, and rock 'n' roll with Honeydripper. Now it looks like that was a warm-up for something even better. In a discussion with Collider, Charles S. Dutton revealed that he's working on an HBO miniseries about Louis Armstrong with Quincy Jones, and Sayles is writing the script. Dutton might play the older Louis, and might direct the first few hours of the 6-hour-long miniseries. "Quincy and I were trying to do it 15 years ago. The mistake we were making was that we were trying to do it as a 2 hour film. And Louie's life is just so huge you just can't..." Move over John Adams. I'm betting this wonder team can kick the founding father's butt.

Meanwhile, the cast continues to grow for James Keach's Waiting for Forever. The Hollywood Reporter posts that the film will star Tom Sturridge, with Jaime King, Nikki Blonsky, Scott Mechlowicz, Riley Smith, Blythe Danner, and Richard Jenkins also grabbing parts. While it initially seemed to be a stranger/stalker story, it's now being described as a film about "a wanderer who tries to reconnect with his childhood love, an actress in Hollywood." Sturridge will play the guy, and King will play his sister-in-law who helps him after he's spurned by his brother. The rest of the roles haven't been shared.

The Hollywood Reporter also posts that a Slate magazine article by David Plotz and Hanna Rosin is getting turned into a film. The pair "attempted to emulate a real-life pair of Buddhist teachers who vowed to never be more than 15 feet from each other" by tying themselves together with string for 24 hours. Ron Burch and David Kidd are penning the script. I wonder if they'll get into the groove by tying themselves together as well ... which begs the question: Which actor and actress would you like to see tied together for 24 hours?

I figure I'm about 20 years older, at least, than the target demographic for The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. I understand that there are some movies where I'll always feel a little old or out of touch, because they're just not made with me in mind, no matter how good or bad those movies are. Fortunately, I had no trouble empathizing with the four young women who are bound to friendship through their magical bifurcated nether garment -- more so than I did with the Sex and the City gang, who are much closer to my age.

Like Sex and the City, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 works better if you know the characters already through their previous appearances, because you're already emotionally invested in them. I hadn't read the young-adult novels by Ann Brashares, but my sister, who is a big fan, filled me in and we determined that this movie is based mostly on the fourth book in the series, with a few changes, so even if you've read the books you get some surprises.

It seems Teri Polo wasn't lying last month when she said there would be another sequel to Meet the Parents. Here, I thought she was just making up stuff in the hopes Universal would agree that a third installment is a good idea. She definitely needs the job more than the rest of the franchise's cast. In fact, I bet she's hoping for a television spin-off (on which she'd be the only actor to follow her part to the tube, I'm sure). Anyway, it is true. Universal is moving ahead with Little Fockers.

The sequel, which follows the comical next step by featuring children, was confirmed with the studio's renewing of its contract with Robert DeNiro's and Jane Rosenthal's Tribeca Productions, which will produce the movie. Jay Roach will be returning to the franchise as director and Larry Stuckey is set to write the script. Obviously Polo, DeNiro, Ben Stiller, and Blythe Danner will all have to return, possibly joined by Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand. And no Fockers movie is complete without a visit from Owen Wilson.

Unlike a lot of people, I hated Meet the Parents but really enjoyed Meet the Fockers, mostly due to Hoffman though for other reasons as well. I'm pretty positive that I would not like this third movie, though, because I feel like I already know every joke it will include. I could do without any more first-time diaper change gags, thank you. Anyway, didn't the second movie already feature enough kiddie comedy? Still, I'm very glad they're making this. My mother absolutely loves the first two and I'm sure she'll love another. And anything that makes Mom happy makes me happy.