The New York Post's Joe Neumaier claims that Jack Nicholson told London reporters that he "warned" Heath Ledger: but about what, exactly? Burning the candle at both ends? Playing a gay cowboy in a homophobic country? "Well, I warned him," is the full and exact quote. Still, under the caption of Nicholson in full purple regalia in the Post, it claims Nicholson "warned Ledger about the part [of The Joker]." Neumaier notes other reports that Ledger had slept two hours a night during the filming of The Dark Knight, and that Ledger had told the press "prescription drugs didn't help."

This might just be a ghoulish attempt to capitalize on Ledger's death by linking him to a celebrated screen and comic book villain, so I thought I'd check Burton on Burton (edited by Mark Salisbury) to see if Tim Burton recalled Nicholson going through similar angst when making the 1989 Batman, giving him grounds for worrying about the stress on another actor playing the role. Not quite. On Nicholson, Burton commented, "He was very cool...he was very calming and helpful and would just say, `Get what you need, get what you want, and just keep going.'" (Thanks to Moviefone for this tipoff.)

You want to start a movie off right? Hire Morgan Freeman as your star and then open the flick with some smooth Freeman voice-over. In this particular case, the film doesn't really need the narration, but there's just something so comfortable about Mr. Freeman's vocal chords. So obviously we're off to the right foot here: The Bucket List stars the endlessly cool Morgan Freeman -- as well as the famously entertaining Jack Nicholson. Already this movie is entertaining by default ... but we have two more very important components to check on before we get rolling.

The director is Rob Reiner, a man who definitely knows how to make good movies -- even if he hasn't really done it in over a decade. And the screenwriter is a relative newcomer ... so that's where I choose to focus. After all, The Bucket List is a movie about two terminally ill cancer patients who decide to hit the road, travel the world, and check all the items off their "bucket list" before the reaper finally comes calling. In the hands of a hacky screenwriter, this movie could easily become Grumpy Old Men 3, complete with oh-so-hilarious profanity, a bunch of Viagra gags, and a tacked-on and completely unearned emotional "payoff."

So what a pleasant surprise it is to learn that A) The Bucket List is Mr. Reiner's most satisfying film in a very long time, B) Justin Zackham's canny screenplay avoids schmaltz and artifice at (almost) every turn, and C) that Freeman and Nicholson strike an on-screen chemistry that's simply joyous to behold. I knew I'd enjoy the leads, but the movie's got a few more assets than that...

The Bucket List stars Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as two terminally ill men who escape from a cancer ward determined to complete everything on their "Bucket List" -- a list of things to do before they "kick the bucket." The film, directed by Rob Reiner, was just named one of the Ten Best of the Year by the National Board of Review. Cinematical spoke with the film's screenwriter, Justin Zackham.

Cinematical: You sit down to write The Bucket List, do you ever dream that you're going to get Rob Reiner to direct, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman to star...

JZ: Of course not! I'd have to be an idiot! Not even close. I wrote it with Morgan Freeman's voice in mind, somehow thinking maybe I'd find a way to get it to him. But no, nothing like this.

Cinematical: And how did you get it to these huge names? What were the steps that brought this movie to the screen?

JZ: I went to film school at NYU. I did a TV pilot that I wrote and executive produced in New York with Paul Sorvino years ago. And then I came out here (Los Angeles) and was dicking around for a while. I made Going Greek, which was a very sort of crappy fraternity comedy that I did back in 2000. I wrote, produced, and directed, and that took so much out of me that I spent another couple years dicking around. And then I just sat down one day and wrote my own "Bucket List" just to kind of get my head organized. On that list was like "Get a movie made by a major studio, marry the perfect woman," all that kind of stuff. A lot of the stuff on there wound up in the movie. I had always fantasized about going to the Pyramids, the Great Wall, I've always been sort of obsessed with the whole notion of Everest. All those things were on it, and I just stuck it on a bulletin board.

About a year later, I just came up with this quote one day, a line that's actually in the film -- "You measure yourself by the people who measure themselves by you." Stuck that up on the bulletin board. And then another year went by before I had the idea "What about making this into a script?" And I thought if it were about me, at the time I was about 34, it wouldn't be that interesting. So I decided to make it about two guys who had lived a full life, and they only have a few months left, and suddenly there's a ticking clock, and the things that do have real importance, at least in their minds. The story really became about the one thing neither of these guys puts on their list but is the thing they most want. And that's a best friend. I have this ridiculous process, and I wrote the actual script really quickly, in about two weeks.

It's not much of a secret that Francis Ford Coppola did The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II in order to work on more personal films, particularly The Conversation. So, it isn't that surprising to find out neither those two nor The Godfather: Part III are among his personal favorites. According to Page Six, Coppola considers his five best films to be Apocalypse Now, Rumble Fish, The Rain People, his upcoming Youth Without Youth and, obviously, The Conversation, which also happens to be my favorite of his work. This shortlist comes from the next issue of Time magazine, which also includes a continuation of a lengthy two-part profile on the filmmaker. Within the article, Coppola suggests that it's his films that took awhile for critics to appreciate, like Apocalypse, or awhile for audiences to discover, like Rain People, that he prefers.

None of this should upset his fans; they still love The Godfather trilogy, and at least his other monument, Apocalypse, is included. It isn't like he selected Jack or Captain EO. Also in Time is Coppola's clarification of his alleged chiding of Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino and Jack Nicholson, which apparently was taken out of context. He told reporters at the Rome Film Festival, where Youth premiered last month, that his comments in GQ weren't true, that he has "nothing but respect and admiration" for the three actors, who he considers the best in the world, as well as his friends. However, he wouldn't address the original comments specifically for Time's article. Other things that were discussed in the profile include Coppola's next film, Tetro, which will begin shooting in Argentina in February, despite the recent robbery. Youth Without Youth, which sounds a lot better to me since Coppola lumped it with my own favorites of his films, is set to hit U.S. theaters (NYC and L.A.) December 14.

Everyone knows about Chinatown and how it's one of the great screenplays of all time. Some people know about the sequel, The Two Jakes, and how it was a critical and commercial failure. Few people know about the plans for a third film that was planned from the beginning yet never came to be. But now Jack Nicholson, who starred in the first two films and directed the second, has resurrected the idea of a Chinatown trilogy, claiming that he'd still consider doing it. During an interview conducted by MTV News, Nicholson discussed the plan for the third film, which he says was to be titled Gittes vs. Gittes. Set in 1968, which would be twenty years after the events of Jakes, the film focuses on no-fault divorces, which went into effect in California that year. Nicholson's Jake Gittes is divorcing his wife (I never bothered to watch Jakes, but I'm assuming his wife is Meg Tilly's character from that film), which somehow leads him to involvement with Howard Hughes, and I guess something to do with planes and flight. See, Nicholson explained that Chinatown represented water, Jakes represented fire (oil) and Gittes would represent air. Hmm, what about the fourth element, land? Or the fifth element, Leeloo?

It's cool that Nicholson is into reprising the role of Jake Gittes, and it seems in the chronology that now would be a good time to do something set twenty years after the last film (released in 1990). But the strange thing is that this is a completely different plot from the one most of us have read about. That one, mentioned as trivia on the IMDb and Wikipedia and elsewhere, even had a title, too: Cloverleaf. Set in the 1950s (making sense after the '30s and '40s setting of the prior two), this other planned film focused on the building of the Los Angeles freeway system. There was still to be an element theme, though; the sequel was to deal with air pollution. So, did Nicholson just make this story up, or has he and screenwriter Robert Towne really always have this fourth idea? Was there to be four parts for the four elements? Did they change this one to fit with the air theme? It's all so complicated -- which I guess is fitting for Chinatown.

In the new issue of GQ, erstwhile filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola -- we'll see what Youth Without Youth does for his ailing career -- goes off on an impressively long and specific rant against three of today's geriatric acting legends for not showing passion for their craft anymore. "I met both Pacino and De Niro when they were really on the come," Coppola says. "They were young and insecure. Now Pacino is rich, maybe because he never spends any money, he just puts it under the mattress. De Niro ... created an empire and is wealthy and powerful. Nicholson was -- when I met him and worked with him -- he was always kind of a joker. He's got a little bit of a mean streak. He's intelligent, always wired in with the big guys and the big bosses of the studios."

Coppola goes on to say that he doesn't know what they "want" anymore (in their work, presumably) and then he singles Nicholson out as the most unmotivated of the three. "I think if there was a role that De Niro was hungry for, he would come after it. I don't think Jack would. Jack has money and influence and girls, and I think he's a little bit like Brando, except Brando went through some tough times. I guess they don't want to do it anymore." (Come on -- no tough times? Nicholson found out his sister was his mother when he was, like, 40!)

You think Coppola's done? Oh, no ... he's just getting warmed up. "Even in those days, after The Godfather, I didn't feel those actors were ready to say 'Let's do something else really ambitious,'" he continues. "A guy like Javier Bardem is excited to do something good: 'Let me do this' or 'I'll put stuff in my mouth, change my appearance.' I don't feel that kind of passion to do a role and be great coming from those guys..." So there you have it folks. Francis Ford Coppola is back, and he's looking for young, hungry actors who are willing to put stuff in their mouths.

[via NYDailyNews]

I live a ten minute walk from the Arclight Cinema in Los Angeles, easily one of the best movie theaters in the country. The American Film Institute hosts awesome screenings of new and classic films there weekly, and I try to see as many as I can. Just last week, I enjoyed the new Michael Douglas flick King of California, which was followed by an enlightening talk with the movie's writer and director -- Mike Cahill. Neat, right? But nothing could prepare me for the event that hit my inbox just now. Had I been a cartoon character, my bow tie would have spun around rapidly and smoke would have blasted out of my ears. Readers, if you live in Los Angeles -- KEEP OCTOBER 3RD FREE!

The AFI is celebrating its 40th anniversary with an almost unbelievably cool event. On October 3rd, they will screen eleven classic movies at the Arclight, all at the same time. But what truly sets this event apart are the people they've booked to host the screenings. Check this lineup out, and try to keep your jaw attached to your face: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, presented by Jack Nicholson. Spartacus, presented by Kirk Douglas. The Birds, presented by Tippi Hedren. The Sound of Music, presented by Julie Andrews. Bonnie and Clyde, presented by Warren Beatty. Rocky, presented by Sylvester Stallone. Star Wars, presented by George Lucas (settle down!). When Harry Met Sally, presented by Rob Reiner and Billy Crystal. Beauty and the Beast, presented by Angela Lansbury. The Shawshank Redemption, presented by Morgan Freeman. And Unforgiven, presented by Clint Eastwood. Um...wow. Just wow.

Here is the official site for the event. Tickets go on sale September 19th. which is this Wednesday. Tickets are $25, and include popcorn and soda. The first 100 people to show up for each screening get a 40th Anniversary AFI Book. Dress is "festive attire," all screenings begin at 7PM, and doors are at 5:30. For you non-Angelinos, which screening would you choose if you could go? And if you plan on attending, which one are you going to? I'll be at either Unforgiven or One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for sure. Both movies are in my personal top ten, and where else am I going to be up close and personal with Jack Freaking Nicholson or Clint Freaking Eastwood? This is going to be a tough choice! See you there?

I thought The Departed was fiction, but apparently it is actually "revisionist history." At least, that is the opinion of a man who won't go to see the Oscar-winning film. There are a number of people who are like him, too, who are avoiding the picture because of its "glorified" depiction of real-life Boston gangster James "Whitey" Bulger. These people are the families of Bulger's victims and they each have their accusations. One man says the filmmakers are cashing in on the story while another claims the film displays "hero worship" for Bulger. One even claims the film protects the still-at-large criminal. Never mind the fact that The Departed is a remake of a Hong Kong film or the complete absence of any claim that the film is based on a true story, Bulger's or anyone else's, and these people have a point. But really, they have no reason to be angry at Warner Bros. because they feel exploited by the film.

It is certainly evident that Jack Nicholson's character, Frank Costello, is loosely based on Bulger, but according to Martin Scorsese, the basis is only enough to make the film's gangster seem true. It doesn't help his case, however, to include a documentary about Bulger on the special edition DVD in the first place. Following two historically based films that were criticized enough for their revisions, Scorsese could have distanced himself as much as possible from making any link to true stories, but he didn't because he shouldn't have to. He makes movies, not textbooks. If Warner Bros. makes him apologize for any of this, we should all complain even louder. Maybe the studio would even apologize to us for being so apologetic.

I can't say I agreed with the Academy's unexpected decision to award the Best Picture statue to The Departed. Like most people, I'm glad to see Martin Scorsese return to the cops-and-robbers genre that he does so well, and I thought the film was entertaining and well-made, but it has some serious problems that prevent it from being taken seriously. The ending is absurd -- don't worry if you haven't seen it, I'm not going to spoil anything -- and most of the scenes with Jack Nicholson have a strange kind of un-directed air, as if Nicholson insisted on being able to riff and do improvisation. There are a couple of scenes where Leo DiCaprio's anxious undercover cop character is required to just sit and stare at Nicholson's googly-eyed maniac, and you're thinking to yourself 'how are these two characters even in the same movie?'

I didn't see Little Miss Sunshine, and based on recommendations from friends, I probably never will. I did see Babel, however, and thought it was an intriguing piece of filmmaking -- it wound up sneaking in at number ten on my Top Ten List for 2006. Little Children would probably have been my number eleven, but I'm not sure if The Departed would have cracked the top fifteen. As for The Queen -- great central performance, but the movie was essentially made-for-television material. It's place on the Academy shortlist was bizarre to begin with. Am I the only one who thinks The Departed wasn't quite deserving of the honor bestowed on it last night?

The Oscars, the Golden Globes and those other movie awards are all well and good, but they're the same thing every year: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Motion Picture, etc., etc. Booooooring! We here at Moviefone thought we'd spice things up a bit, do something a little different just to give you movie lovers an awards program about which you can really be proud. And so this year we tapped Mr. Moviefone himself to distribute awards in categories that you'll most likely never EVER see at the Academy Awards. And you know what? Those other awards are weaker for it. And so we present the first annual Mr. Moviefone Awards.

But first, here's a special message from the one and only Mr. Moviefone ...

Here's what I've learned after reading some of your comments ... you guys are way better at this as I am. So add your very own award, and sometime in mid-February I will choose and then broadcast the top 10 on one of my TV or radio outlets. Probably the one I want to get fired from the most ... because I'm pretty sure it will happen. And of course we will broadcast it right here on Moviefone.com. So let 'er rip. We're not easily offended.

Actor Most Likely to Make You Want to Throw Crap at the Screen: Robin Williams in 'RV'

Actor Most in Danger of Becoming Overexposed: Hugh Jackman for starring in six films this year

Actress Most in Danger of Becoming Overexposed: Scarlett Johansson -- not so much because she's in too many movies; she's just likely to pop out of her dress

Best Actor/Actress Nobody Saw: Tie between Ryan Gosling and Shareeka Epps, both in 'Half Nelson'

The "Why Can't I Be Matt Damon" Award: Ben Affleck

Lamest Couple: Tristan and Isolde in -- you guessed it -- 'Tristan and Isolde'

Actress Most Likely to Split Six Pitchers of Beer and a Bucket of Wings With You (and Look Sexy While Doing It): Elizabeth Banks in 'Invincible'

Funniest Performance in a Drama: Tie between Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin, both in 'The Departed'

Most Vindicated Actor of the Year: Daniel Craig in 'Casino Royale'

The Most Humiliating Sequel (aka The "No Matter How Old I Get I'm Going to Act Like a 20-Year-Old Tramp" Award): Sharon Stone for 'Basic Instinct 2'

"Biggest Act of Hubris" Award: M. Night Shyamalan for casting himself as a writer whose work will change the world in the not-so-world-changing 'Lady in the Water'

Best Use of a Severed Body Part on Screen: Jack Nicholson using a corpse's hand for emphasis in 'The Departed'

Best Movie Line for Picking Up Chicks: "Very nice. How much?" -- Sacha Baron Cohen in 'Borat'

Movie That Should Have Required Guys to Trade Their Manhood Instead of Cash for Admission: 'The Holiday'

Most Over-Hyped Movie of the Year: 'Snakes on a Plane'

Best Movie Nobody Saw: 'Little Children'

Worst Movie Everybody Saw: 'X-Men: The Last Stand'

Funniest Movie of the Year: 'Borat'

Scariest Movie of the Year: 'An Inconvenient Truth'

Biggest Rip-Off of the Year: 'The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause'

The "Why on Earth Do They Still Let Them Make Movies" Award: Tie between Harrison Ford in 'Firewall' and The Wayans brothers for 'Little Man' (and every other movie they've ever made)

Movie Most Likely to Induce Vomiting: 'Jackass: Number Two'

The Most Porn-Like Movie Title of the Year: Tie between 'Stick It,' 'Little Man,' 'Glory Road,' 'She's the Man,' 'The Pink Panther' and 'Failure to Launch'

POST: What movie awards would you bestow this year?

WATCH IT: Mr. Moviefone's weekly TV spot

The L.A. Film Critics Association and AFI just released their lists of best films of 2006, and I have to say, you disappoint me, L.A. Film Critics Ass. and AFI. No 'Departed'? Oh, come on. Martin Scorsese's blockbuster crime drama is the most exciting movie to hit the big screen since ... Martin Scorsese's crime drama 'GoodFellas.'

And AFI, please. 'The Inside Man' made your list of Top 10, but NOT 'The Departed'? Sure, it's well acted, well directed, taut-ly suspenseful. But 'The Departed' is all that and so much more. Career-best performances by Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio. Jack Nicholson unglued in a really interesting, crazy-crime-boss kinda way. Alec Baldwin, Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg fully investing themselves in solid, award-worthy supporting roles. Scorsese masterfully bringing out the best in everyone on the screen (and there are a lot of people on that screen).

This early best-of listing is worrying me. When I saw 'The Departed' the first time, I just knew that this was the year Marty was gonna be awarded his long-overdue Oscar, that this movie couldn't lose. And then when I saw it the second time, I thought that maybe Leo would win his first Oscar; the biggest problem I envisioned was how would the Academy decide if it was a lead or supporting role? And then, when the box office kept growing ($116 mil to date), I was reassured that there was no way 'Departed' could lose, since the Academy likes its artistic achievement to be accompanied by a big slice of financial pie.

But now, I have to admit, I'm scared. What if 'Departed' peaked too early, and it loses momemtum before Oscar can show its love? What if Clint Eastwood, with his freakin' TWO big '06 serious, dramatic war movies, wins Best Director AGAIN?!?! Come on, Academy -- isn't Marty slaving away to save old film from disappearing? He's working his butt off for you people. Plus, hasn't he been snubbed enough? This is the year. Don't forget him. And don't make me beg. Because I will, and nobody wants that. It's just demeaning.

Back in 1981, Warren Beatty was still known as an unrepentant ladies man and party boy. Having made his name in films like Splendor in the Grass and Shampoo, Beatty was still the go-to guy when a romantic lead was required. Everyone was happy with the arrangement -- except Warren Beatty. Tired of being a sex symbol, he wanted to make films with substance and a point of view, and Reds was the perfect opportunity. After the success of Heaven Can Wait, he could pretty much call the shots on his next project and of course, what he really wanted to do was direct.

Written and directed by Beatty, Reds was considered the ultimate vanity project; at over 200 minutes long, the film is the story of American journalist John Reed and his coverage of the Russian Revolution. Critics thought that Beatty was in way over his head, but they were wrong; the film became a hit and garnered 21 Oscar nominations, including three wins; Beatty (as director), Maureen Stapleton, and Vittorio Storaro (cinematography). The film also starred some of Reed's famous friends; Diane Keaton (Louise Bryant), Jack Nicholson (Eugene O'Neil), and Paul Sorvino (Louis Fraina).

Check out this great video with Warren as he discusses Reds and why its subject matter is still important 25 years later.

[via Yahoo! Movies-DVD]

So, I'm skimming through the trades this morning, innocently searching for news of more jobs for geniuses like Kristin Cavallari and Chad Michael Murray when I suddenly slam into a wall. Well, a bucket, actually. Rob Reiner, you see, is directing a movie called The Bucket List. And, get this: Two actual actors are going to star in it. Woo hoo! Who are they? Oh, you know. Just a couple of old dudes. You might have heard of them -- Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. Assuming Reiner can get Nicholson to stay reasonably calm, I feel comfortable giving this one a "Oh hell yes!" without even reading about the plot.

For those of you more cautious than I, however, the The Bucket List is about "two terminally ill men" who break out of a cancer ward and set off to fulfill everything on their "Bucket List," a list of things they want to do before they kick the bucket. I'm guessing that, mixed in with all the caviar, race cars, and high-stakes poker games are going to be some heartfelt family reconciliations, but come on. It's Nicholson! It's Freeman! You can handle a little schmaltz.

The hope is that production will begin this fall; no word yet on budget or release date.

It truly is a "something for everyone" week for Austin film events. I think the title of this entry says it all. I will have to put the names of events in a hat and pick one to decide what I'm doing on a couple of nights this week.

• The SXSW film schedule has been posted, and you can buy film passes now at Waterloo Video. The passes put you in the second-tier line for screenings behind the conference badge holders, but I had no trouble getting into all the movies I wanted last year with the film pass. (Admittedly, I stayed away from the crazy-popular stuff, but even a badge doesn't guarantee you a seat then.)
• The Austin Film Society/Dobie Theatre collaboration of AFS@Dobie films this week are Before the Fall  (held over for a third week) and the documentary Ballets Russes, about exiled Russian dancers. These films will play all week at Dobie.
  
• The European cut of The Passenger, Michelangelo Antonioni's 1975 film starring Jack Nicholson, isn't available yet on DVD. However, you can see the European cut of the film at Arbor Great Hills all week long.