I have to hand it to the wardrobe people for Steven Soderbergh's The Informant since it's not easy making a guy who normally looks like this look like such a schlump. The Bad and Ugly have posted some behind-the-scenes photos for the comedic thriller, and even though there is nothing earth shattering going on, they are definitely a step up from the other pics floating around out there.
The Informant is based on the true-life novel by Kurt Eichenwald. The story revolves around Mark Whitacre (Damon), a rising star at the agriculture conglomerate, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). At the urging of his wife (who had threatened to go to the FBI), Whitacre spilled the beans to an agent that he had been involved in a price-fixing scam with other major corporations over the food additive, lysine. As if that wasn't enough of a story, it was later revealed that Whitacre (one of the most high profile, whistle-blowers in history) was suffering from Bipolar disorder and had defrauded millions from ADM.
For such serious subject matter, it came as a bit of a surprise when casting announcements first went out for the film and the list was chock-full of comedic actors (including Scott Bakula and Tony Hale). Soderbergh later confirmed that the film was going to be a "dark comedy", which makes sense because Damon is a pretty funny guy, and a great straight man. Soderbergh has just begun filming on location in Decatur, Illinois and there is no official release date, but The Informant is expected to arrive in theaters in 2009.
After the success of the crime drama, Gone Baby Gone, I guess Ben Affleck and everyone else involved figured why mess with a good thing, and jumped right into another project based on a gritty crime novel. The Hollywood Reporter announced that Affleck is reuniting with his producing (and writing) partner Sean Bailey for The Blade Itself. The two will be producing the flick along with Miramax for Bailey's Ideology Films.
Miramax owns the film rights to Marcus Sakey's crime novel about two childhood friends. The Blade Itself centers on Evan and Danny, two kids from the 'mean streets' of Chicago. After a botched pawn shop robbery, Evan serves hard time and Danny turns to the straight and narrow. Seven years later, Evan is out and comes looking for Danny for payback. Using their past ties as a bargaining chip, Evan tries to drag Danny back into their partnership.
Back in October, Sakey himself had announced that it was Affleck and Matt Damon who would be producing. But it looks like there have been a few changes, since it is now Bailey and Affleck in charge. Bailey recently scored a first look deal with Disney for Ideology Films, and in the tradition of keeping it in the family, they will also produce the Jennifer Garner film, Sabbatical. Aaron Stockard, who also co-wrote Gone with Affleck, has been hired to adapt the script. I can't see them making many changes, but something tells me that with these two in charge, The Windy City will most likely be transformed into Bean Town. Just call it a hunch.
From a magical private school to the heart of the Iraq war is quite a jump. Luckily, Jason Isaacs is just the kind of versatile actor to pull it off. (If you don't believe me, take a look at the man's IMDB page -- talk about well-rounded!) Variety reports that Isaacs (aka Lucius Malfoy of Potter fame) has signed to star in Paul Greengrass' military drama, Green Zone. Isaacs will play an American officer in Iraq in the days following the fall of Saddam Hussein. Matt Damon stars as an investigator searching for weapons of mass destruction, Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone) plays as a foreign correspondent from the NYT, and Greg Kinnear makes an appearance as a CIA agent.
Zone is based on the non-fiction book by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, titled Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Baghdad's Green Zone. For those of us who maybe don't watch the nightly news as much as we should, here is a little reminder: "The Green Zone, (the common name for the International Zone of Iraq), is a 10 km² (4 mile²) area in central Baghdad that was the center of the Coalition Provisional Authority and remains the center of the international presence in the city." Chandrasekaran's book highlighted the "absurdities, incompetence, and bureaucratic failings which prevented a timely transfer of power to the Iraqis and bred the growing insurgency" -- you know, just your usual fun bedtime reading.
Greengrass wrote the original script for the military thriller, but eventually L.A. Confidential scribe Brian Helgeland was brought aboard to help smooth out some of the rough edges. Green Zone started filming in Spain last month, and will then move to Morocco (the two locations have served as stand-ins for Iraq, since the production could obviously not work in the actual area). The film has yet to secure a release date, but is scheduled to arrive in theaters sometime in 2009.
I guess hearing musical numbers about different celebrities f**king each other is going to be all the rage for the next little while. On the heels of the highly successful Sarah Silverman/Matt Damon gag, and the only slightly less funny revenge song courtesy of Silverman's boyfriend Jimmy Kimmel and Ben Affleck, comes a contribution from Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks from the set of Zack and Miri make a Porno (courtesy of Quick Stop Entertainment)
It's pretty much the same jokes as the other two videos but with one notable difference; this time there is not a 'bleep' to be heard. Honestly, maybe that's what's missing; sometimes a well-placed bleep can almost be funnier than the naughty word itself. But, this is marketing for a Kevin Smith movie after all, so get ready for some truly crude lyrics; funny, but kind of gross. As for the cameos? Don't go looking for any A-listers in this video, but Jason Mewes, Traci Lords and Craig Robinson all make a brief appearance (but I guess they kind of had too since they are in the movie after all).
Smith and company are still shooting the romantic comedy about two childhood friends who get into the porn business. Rehearsal finished back in January and now Smith has begun shooting on location in *Chicago. Zack and Miri make a Porno is scheduled for release later this year. As for this 'I'm F**cking ____", craze, I can only image who might come up with one next? Hilary Clinton is f**king Obama? Not to mention, it is getting just a little less funny each time -- where is the next 'D**k in a Box' when you really need it?
Frankly I'm amazed that the announcement for a fourth Bourne movie wouldn't get a little more fanfare than buried half way down an article. In a press release in Variety, Universal announced that Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass will be returning for a new installment of the Bourne franchise. Originally, when the two were peppered with questions about a fourth film, they had the stock answer that Damon would only reprise his role if Greengrass returned to direct, and Greengrass would only return to direct if Damon was willing to star. Confused? Don't be, it was basically the PR equivalent of keeping the idea of a film on the back-burner without promising anything too specific.
Universal released the info in a release about their upcoming slate of films, and according to them both Damon and Greengrass are definitely returning to work together on the spy franchise. There are two books left in the Bourne series, so at least there would be some source material to start with. The two are currently working on the Iraq drama, The Green Zone, and Damon has already signed to star in The Informant for Steven Soderberg and is also in talks to star in The Human Factor for Clint Eastwood. Greengrass is also going to be busy with his upcoming Vietnam drama, They Marched into Sunlight. So it could be as late as 2010, before the two can even get started on making another Bourne flick, let alone get one into the theaters. However, with Bourne Ultimatum taking home three Oscars last night (three!), I imagine the fourth flick might be made a priority. For Universal's sake, I hope this one is a done deal. I can't help but think how embarrassing it must have been for MGM's Harry Sloan when his studio got a little overzealous about a certain spy franchise.
Slashfilm now has the first on-set photos from Gus Van Sant's Harvey Milk biopic, Milk. As we all know, Bryan Singer's competing Milk film, The Mayor of Castor Street, has been parked in development hell. Now it looks like Van Sant's film will be the first Hollywood life-story of the legendary mayor of San Francisco, so get ready for a little stroll down memory lane since most of these photos are of the local spots in the area being given a 1970's makeover.
For those of you not familiar with Milk's legacy, he was, "an American politician and gay rights activist, was the first openly gay city supervisor of San Francisco, California, and therefore, according to Time magazine, 'the first openly gay man elected to any substantial political office in the history of the planet.'" The perpetually dour Sean Penn will play Milk, and most gossip had Matt Damon in the role of Milk's murderer and co-worker, Dan White. Now it's looking like Josh Brolin will step in. Other cast members include Emile Hirsch, James Franco, and Diego Luna
While most of the focus had been on whether Penn could pull off the congenial and upbeat Milk, I have to admit I'm a little nervous on the directing end of things as well. As much as I respect Van Sant, I wonder whether he is willing to make a more 'conventional' biopic. It might be the only way to introduce as many people as possible to this invaluable figure in gay rights, rather than alienating them with something a little more along the lines of Last Days. Milk is set to open in theaters later this year.
I just love those lists that are supposed to represent the fandom of the general public. This is probably because my preferences rarely converge with them. Sure, some of my tastes are a little off the beaten path -- I'd pick Danny Huston over Brad Pitt, or Julie Delpy over Julia Roberts. That being said, I still love me some good mainstream. Yet I still find myself raising my brows when I read these lists, just as I did today when I saw the annual Harris Poll for America's favorite movie stars, which Hollywood.com put up today. The order is surprising, as is the one lone oldie to the group.
Yes, that's John Wayne there at number 6. Apparently he is the only actor to nab a spot on the poll every year since its inception in '94. Also, Depp is quickly working his way up the ranks, having moved up four positions from last year. Personally, I find the list surprising, and a bit sad in the realm of women in cinema. What say you?
I get very excited about the upturns some actors and actresses' careers take following awards season, especially when those performers end up Oscar winners. I always enjoyed reading the post-Oscar write-ups on "What's Next for ____?", though it's less of a thrill nowadays because I typically already know what is in their pipeline. For example, thanks to Variety, I now know that Amy Ryan will be co-starring in Paul Greengrass' "untitled Iraq war thriller". She joins the movie, along with Greg Kinnear, which already starredMatt Damon (who has worked with Greengrass on two Bourne films) and which reportedly began filming in Spain yesterday. While Kinnear and Damon will both play CIA agents involved in the search for Weapons of Mass Destruction, Ryan has been cast as a New York Times correspondent investigating the WMD investigation.
A front-runner for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (for Gone Baby Gone), Ryan has already had one heck of a year (she also appeared in Before the Devil Knows You're Deadand Dan in Real Life). In fact, I'm sure I'm not the only one to admit I'd never heard of her until 2007. But she may still not be a household name, and that should surely change following her expected win (she's also the best bet for the Golden Globe this Sunday). The supporting actress category is sometimes a bit of a joke, as it was throughout most of the 1990s (starting with Whoopi and ending with Angelina, with a Mira in the middle), but Ryan is hopefully going to be one of the few actresses that shows us how much she deserves the accolades by continuing to take respectable roles. In addition to Greengrass' film, Ryan will be co-starring in Clint Eastwood's The Changeling, which also stars Angelina (whose "What's Next ... " in 1999 included Gone in 60 Seconds and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider). By the way, for those not keeping track, after making The Changeling, Ryan will have worked with four of the ten 1990s supporting actress Oscar winners (Marisa Tomei is in Before the Devil; Juliette Binoche and Dianne Wiest are both in Dan). Perhaps Greengrass can find a part in his new film for Anna Paquin?
Project Greenlight producer Chris Moore is already busy with his directorial debut, Killers, but now The Hollywood Reporter posts that he's also executive producing a miniseries and feature-length documentary based on A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn. First published in 1980, the book follows the history of the United States from Columbus and Native Americans right through the twentieth century. However, instead of your ordinary historical book, Zinn critically looked at both the triumphs and tyranny of the country.
The project is titled The People Speak, and it's looking like it could be a pretty successful documentary, if the collaborators are any indication. The history will be brought together by music and readings that focus on the country's war, class, race, and women's rights struggles. Actors like Matt Damon, Viggo Mortensen, Marisa Tomei, Danny Glover, David Strathairn, Kerry Washington, and Josh Brolin will perform, while the likes of Eddie Vedder and John Legend will add some music into the mix. This collaboration will be topped off by Zinn himself, who will give introductions and historical contest to the pieces of the film.
As Moore describes it: "It's going to be a great piece of entertainment, but more importantly, something people can watch and learn and remember how great this country has been and how individual people have changed the course of history. It's going to make them think, laugh, and cry and be proud to be American." Yet the cynic in me is waiting for those people who will say all of this is anti-American. Hopefully, it will just be a well-received, good, accurate film that teaches as well as entertains. But what do you think?
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix I don't think that I've ever been half as impressed with a series of films as I've been with Potter's trip to the big screen. It's the sort of franchise that instigates excitement and still pays off in the face of huge expectations. This time around, the kids finally have enough of the stodgy adults who won't believe that Lord Voldemort is back. In the face of Dolores Umbridge's rapidly-growing rules, they take matters into their own hands. It's got great action, and that undeniable fire of good-guy rebellion. But it's also got one heck of a supporting cast that is not only powerful due to the likes of actors such as Gary OIdman, but the new, quirky faces that have popped up -- namely Evanna Lynch's Luna Lovegood.
No DVD of wizardry would be complete without a slew of special features, and for this installment, there are the usual treats, plus one really sweet extra feature for those getting the HD version: the option to have a "Live Community Screening" where a number of Potter fans with the HD DVDs can all watch the film together through web-connected players.
The Bourne Ultimatum It took five years, but the travails of Jason Bourne on the big screen have finally come to an end -- as much as "end" ever means what it is supposed to in the world of cinema. I must admit that I'm not the hugest fan of the series (I miss Franke!), but it's easy to see why many flock to it, and rave about it. And heck, how many action movies get a 93% positive review rating over at Rotten Tomatoes? In this third and final installment, Matt Damon's Bourne is still raving around trying to put together the pieces of his past -- this time spurred on by a reporter trying to do an Operation BlackBriar expose. And he's also being followed by an assassin -- just to make life more difficult and action-packed.
For action-laced extras, you get to taste some director's commentary, deleted scenes, and five featurettes.
Name a trilogy with no weak link: OK, Star Wars, sure. Lord of the Rings, obviously. Back to the Future? Sure, I dig the third one too. But as the years go by I really hope that Universal's Bourne trilogy achieves that sort of shelf life, because after the last several hours rediscovering the movies, I'm convinced it's one of the best trilogies ever made. The first (The Bourne Identity) was damn good, the second one (The Bourne Supremacy) was even better, and this third one (The Bourne Ultimatum) is now my favorite of the bunch!
Here's some thoughts from my theatrical release review:
Keeping things brief and spoiler-free, here's the plot: We pick up mere seconds after the conclusion of Supremacy, and if you thought the treachery ended with the demise of Ward Abbott (Brian Cox), then you probably haven't seen that many spy movies. Bourne's latest pursuer is CIA Deputy Director Noah Vosen (David Strathairn), who gives chase once Bourne is located trying to give a sympathetic reporter some crucial information. From there it's another supremely satisfying series of chases, escapes, brawls and betrayals. (And of course the filmmakers were smart enough to find something interesting for series regulars Joan Allen and Julia Stiles to do. Both women are quite excellent here.) For his part, Strathairn is as great as always, here displaying a Dustin Hoffman-ish weasel in authority. Other newcomers to the series (Paddy Considine, Edgar Ramirez, Scott Glenn, Albert Finney) add a lot to the mix, but I don't want to give too much away here...
I once thought that Matt Damon was the only actor suitable to portray Dan White. But that was a whole month ago, before I saw Josh Brolin in American Gangster and No Country for Old Men. Now I'm satisfied that he too would be great as the bad guy in Gus Van Sant's Milk, and fortunately enough, he's close to being cast in the role. According to Variety, Brolin is in negotiations to replace the never-quite-locked-in Damon as the man who assassinated two prominent city officials in 1978. For those of you not living in the Bay Area in the late '70s and who haven't seen the Oscar-winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milkand who haven't been reading my coverage of this movie, Milk dramatizes the story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician, who served as a San Francisco county supervisor before being shot by his former co-worker Dan White. Also killed by White at the same time was S.F. Mayor George Moscone.
While I still kinda wish Damon was attached, I have an easier time picturing Brolin under that little boy haircut of White's. Of course, just as Damon would have, Brolin will need a prosthetic dimple chin in order to get the look just right. Then again, it might be bad if he looks too much like the real White, who was eventually convicted of manslaughter and who later took his own life after serving five years in prison. The actor portraying the title character is Sean Penn, and he hardly looks anything like Milk. Anyway, it sure wouldn't be the first time an actor didn't look much like the famous person he or she is playing.
Additionally, The Hollywood Reporter tells us that Emile Hirsch and James Franco are also in negotiations to star, with Hirsch playing gay rights activist Cleve Jones and Franco playing Milk's lover and campaign manager, Scott Smith.
Three people I'll admit to being a fan of: Harvey Milk; Gus Van Sant; Sean Penn. Yet for some reason I'm not really looking forward to Van Sant's Milk, a biopic of openly gay politician Harvey Milk, in which Penn will play the title role. Mostly (and I said this when Penn was first attached) I can't see the cranky actor playing the typically smiling San Francisco city supervisor, who was assassinated by a co-worker in 1978. Sure, Penn is a terrific actor who can play nearly any kind of role. But Harvey Milk? I'll believe it when I see it. If you haven't already seen the Oscar-winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk, and you are looking forward to Milk, you might as well save the doc to watch after seeing the Hollywood version ...
... Or, this Hollywood version, at least. There are two. The other one, titled The Mayor of Castro Street, is supposed to be directed by The Usual Suspects' Bryan Singer. But according to Variety, Mayor is stuck "in strike limbo" -- Christopher McQuarrie's script is reportedly finished but failed to be submitted pre-strike. So, Milk will definitely be the first to be filmed, and therefore will likely be the first to hit theaters. Traditionally, the first of dueling biopics wins the better box office (see Capote vs. Infamous), so Mayor may not even want to bother. Unless it gets a much better actor to play Milk -- and who knows a better actor who also resembles Milk more than Penn? As much as I dislike Penn in the role, I don't see anyone else fitting the part (I'd rather just let Times be the only Milk movie). At one point, Matt Damon was also lightly attached to Milk, but the latest news makes no mention of Damon playing assassin and fellow S.F. City Supervisor Dan White, who he would be perfect as. If he were still set to play the film's villain, I would be totally into it, but without him, I'm really fearful.
People has officially named Matt Damon 2007's Sexiest Man Alive -- and a whole bevy of hot guys as sexy runners-up (is that kind of like being part of the Homecoming Queen's Court?), and we've taken some time to ponder their selection. Not that we have any objection to Damon -- he's certainly deserving of the honor, after rocking the Bourne flicks as the mysterious and oh-so-sexy Jason Bourne, but with so many choices out there, it's so hard to choose just one as "Sexiest." What does that mean, anyhow, to be the "sexiest?" Sexy is so subjective, it's really impossible to say conclusively that this particular guy is truly THE sexiest man alive, isn't it? That's why we threw together this gallery for you, dear readers, of some of our picks for our own Sexy Man list.
Browse our selections, then chime in on our poll to tell us who you think is the sexiest man out there ...
Ocean's Thirteen George Clooney and pals caught a lot of flack for faltering (somewhat) in the second installment of this crime caper trilogy. Critics berated Hollywood's finest for enjoying themselves off set so pointedly you'd think dead hookers were popping up left and right. Excuse the guy if he needs a break from trying to save Darfur and prepping pensive, top-notch fare like Syriana, Good Night, And Good Luck, Michael Clayton and so on. And for all its faults (I'm looking at you, Julia Roberts cameo), Twelve was still as entertaining as a popcorn movie needs to be. There seemed to be a "you owe us" attitude among some critics, and Thirteen for the most part put the carping to rest. Its biggest strength? It becomes personal for Ocean's crew, once Reuben (Elliott Gould) is royally screwed over (nearly keeling over as a result) by Al Pacino's SOB casino mogul. Not only is our faith fully restored in Ocean et al here, but suddenly we're rooting for them harder than ever. As nice as it is to see Pacino hooting and hollering again (mostly hollering), the real treat in terms of new blood is Ellen Barkin as his empowered assistant/ the "cougar" Linus (Matt Damon) attempts to seduce in the movie's funniest sequence. Who'd think Barkin could be still be so sexy 16 years after Switch?
Shrek the Third Speaking of critical lashings, Shrek's third outing was a popular target for ire this past summer. Not so much in terms of popular opinion, though. Mylesomaticx, for one, declared it "THE BEST MOVIE EVER MADE" in his/her user review on Moviefone. Whoa there, Mylesomaticx. I'll play the diplomat and say it falls somewhere smack dab in the middle of the critiques of the Rotten Tomatoes majority ("flat and pointless," says one) and the Caps Locked Mylesomaticx. I didn't find Shrek the Third any less enjoyable than Shrek 2 (which got glorious reviews), that's for sure. There are more storylines here (they could've done without those creepy dronkeys) and the humor, seemingly skewed even further for adults, is still funnier and smarter than the vast majority of animated rip-offs we see nowadays. The suddenly ubiquitous actorJustin Timberlake (when in the world does he find time to practice the Moonwalk?) joins the fun as Artie, the rightful heir to the throne of Far Far Away, and is surprisingly adept at voicing a whiny teen. But Mike Myers needs to hurry up and play someone/something else. Is it just me or is he becoming increasingly interchangeable with the character Shrek? Luckily, The Love Guru, his first non-Shrek film in five years, opens next June. JT co-stars.
I have to hand it to the wardrobe people for Steven Soderbergh's The Informant since it's not easy making a guy who normally looks like this look like such a schlump. The Bad and Ugly have posted some behind-the-scenes photos for the comedic thriller, and even though there is nothing earth shattering going on, they are definitely a step up from the other pics floating around out there.
After the success of the crime drama, 
From a magical private school to the heart of the Iraq war is quite a jump. Luckily, 
I guess hearing musical numbers about different celebrities f**king each other is going to be all the rage for the next little while. On the heels of the highly successful 
Frankly I'm amazed that the announcement for a fourth Bourne movie wouldn't get a little more fanfare than buried half way down an article. In a press release in Variety, Universal 
Slashfilm now has the 
I just love those lists that are supposed to represent the fandom of the general public. This is probably because my preferences rarely converge with them. Sure, some of my tastes are a little off the beaten path -- I'd pick Danny Huston over Brad Pitt, or Julie Delpy over Julia Roberts. That being said, I still love me some good mainstream. Yet I still find myself raising my brows when I read these lists, just as I did today when I saw the annual Harris Poll for America's favorite movie stars, which 
I get very excited about the upturns some actors and actresses' careers take following awards season, especially when those performers end up Oscar winners. I always enjoyed reading the post-Oscar write-ups on "What's Next for ____?", though it's less of a thrill nowadays because I typically already know what is in their pipeline. For example, 
Project Greenlight producer 
Three people I'll admit to being a fan of: 
People has officially named 
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SCOOP: Spider-Man 4 and 5 Might be Shot at the Same Time!
Cinematical Seven: Disney's Awesome Live-Action Kid Adventures
