There's no good reason for it whatsoever, but I'm sort of perpetually annoyed at Frank Whaley. I've actually seen a lot of his movies, but I think he somehow bears the brunt of my desperate hatred for Swimming with Sharks, in which he had the great misfortune to play personal assistant to Kevin Spacey's absurdly sadistic (like, so sadistic that it just gets stupid) boss. I'm sorry, Frank, because I really like your gooey early movies (particularly Field of Dreams and Swing Kids), but I just don't think I can get over Swimming with Sharks.

For the Whaley fans among you, however, your man is getting ready to direct his third film, New York City Serenade.* The movie, which The Hollywood Reporter describes in such detail that I suspect they're on someone's payroll, is based on a period in the actor/director's own life, and tells the story of "two close friends who realize that sometimes to keep a friend you have to grow up and grow apart." (And here we go again with the summary that spells the movie's moral out for us before it's even made. Super.) The plot becomes pretty complicated, but basically the friends are an aspiring filmmaker (Owen, to be played by Freddie Prinze Jr.) and "a drummer, ex-husband and father who plays the dive bar circuit" (Ray, played by Chris Klein); they have a falling-out which, like all good falling-outs, revolves around Wallace Shawn. Also in the cast is Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who plays Owen's finaceé.

*For the musically-inclined among you, the movie takes its title from a Bruce Springsteen song. And, in further news, Ed Harcourt will both "[oversee] the original songs and score" and record a cover of Springsteen song for the soundtrack.

How many computer-animated satires of fairy tales can we possibly tolerate? Lionsgate is hoping at least one more since they have acquired Happily N'Ever After for distribution in North America. The film is a version of the Cinderella story and takes place in Fairy Tale Land, where a war is brewing between good and evil characters. Voicing these characters are Sigourney Weaver, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze, Jr., George Carlin, Patrick Warburton, Andy Dick and Wallace Shawn.

Shrek was witty enough in its poking fun of of fairy tales, and even went a bit too far with the jokes, in my opinion. Since then Shrek 2 and Hoodwinked have further driven the gags into the ground, and I can only expect this movie to be more of the same. Is it necessary to keep ripping off Shrek? Considering the box office for Hoodwinked wasn't anywhere near what the two Shrek films were, we know that kids aren't simply into the premise. This time the copy has more in common with the original, though, as Happily was produced by Shrek producer John H. Williams. We'll just have to wait until early next year to see if there's any interest in this, but my guess is the kids will just wait for Shrek the Third, which comes out in May.