If you're still reeling from Britney Spears' performance at the MTV Video Music Awards last week, it might help to remember that it really was just the latest in a series of headlines calling out young celebrities for making fools of themselves. So, it was only a matter of time before someone decided to make a movie about it. The LA Times reports that independent film producer Joe Nasser is in pre-production on Hollywood Brats, an indie drama based on the so-called 'celebutards'. You might recognize Nasser from his work as the producer behind the somewhat sleazy Anna Nicole Smith biopic. Nasser is basing Brats on what he calls "the public record". Which I would think is no easy task considering the amount of half-baked gossip surrounding these gals.

According to Nasser, Brats will be "...all about these girls in Hollywood getting into trouble...You see them all go to jail, you see them get arrested, you see them go through trials and tribulations". Nasser says that he will use real celebrities in his story, but could not confirm whether it would be the 'unholy quartet' of Britney, Paris, Lindsay, and Nicole. My guess would be that he's waiting to see if anybody sues first. Although, Nasser seems confident that he won't be facing any legal action, saying, "As long as we stick to the truth, we're in good shape." Brats is scheduled to start shooting in Hollywood this October -- and then probably to a discount DVD bin near you. Hmm, unless you're willing to pay 10 bucks for something you get for free on Entetainment Tonight.

One of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood has decided that she's ready to start spending more time with the family. Angelina Jolie told reporters in Cannes that she will take a year off following two months of work later this summer. I believe the exact quote was: "I take two months off, then I work for two months. Then I take a year off." Ah, but that only gives the paparazzi more time to catch Jolie in mama mode: "Look, there she is with Brad in the garden! And there she is playing jump-rope in the middle of some remote jungle!" While the folks from People Magazine look forward to capturing those ever-so-precious Jolie-Pitt moments, the rest of us now wonder which film(s), exactly, she'll be working on prior to taking that break.

Taking a quick look at the woman's upcoming film slate, it appears the work she's doing now is for the action flick Wanted. After that, she has both The Changeling (for Clint Eastwood) and Atlas Shrugged on her plate. Is two months enough time to shoot multiple films? Is Atlas Shrugged far enough along that they'll be ready to shoot in two months? Last I checked, the film hired a writer (Randall Wallace), but didn't even have a director. Chances are Atlas Shrugged is being, well, shrugged off for the time being. As far as hubby Brad goes, I wouldn't jump to any conclusions -- the guy is currently in pre-production on three films (Burn After Reading, Dirty Tricks, State of Play), with two more to follow after that. Thus, Angelina's "year off" might find her traveling to a number of different movie sets while Brad brings home the bacon. So much for Tomb Raider 3, huh?

It never fails to amaze me that despite the huge amount of public attention that Lindsay Lohan gets, very little of it actually has anything to do with her talent -- unless you count getting caught on security cameras with allegedly illicit substances a talent. But the director of her latest film, I Know Who Killed Me, is singing her praises on Bloody Disgusting. BD spoke with director Chris Sivertson, and he was eager to describe his working relationship with Lohan, saying, "Lindsay and I hit it off right away. It's fantastic to work with somebody that gifted. Her dual roles in the film were extremely demanding - both physically and emotionally and she pulled it all off with true style" -- a definite change from the last opinion voiced about Lohan's work ethic. Some highlights from Lohan's commitment issues of late include her dropping out of the Dylan Thomas biopic The Best Time of Our Lives, and then being replaced by Jessica Biel in A Woman of No Importance (although in a strange twist, both parts eventually went to Sienna Miller).

I Know centers on a young woman who is abducted and murdered by a brutal serial killer, only to show up in a hospital claiming that she is not who they think she is. The film, which also features Julia Ormond and Neil McDonough, is set to open July 27th, which seems like a strange date to pick since it is also when The Simpsons Movie hits theaters, but I guess they aren't competing for the same audiences. When it comes to Lohan's tabloid history, hopefully her talent will outlive her notoriety, and then comments like Sivertson's won't come as such a surprise.

Should a movie review include references to gossip or buzz surrounding the celebrities or filmmakers involved with that movie? That's the issue that the Alliance of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ) is pondering this week on the AWFJ blog. For example, a number of Georgia Rule reviews have included sly mentions of co-star Lindsay Lohan's personal life, or reminders about the rumors about her behavior on the set of that film. AWFJ isn't only considering salacious gossip, though, but also discussing whether references to the late actress/director Adrienne Shelly's life (and death) are appropriate when reviewing Waitress.

The film critics and journalists responding on the AWFJ site have a variety of opinions that are well worth reading. Some reviewers note that Waitress may be receiving "softball" reviews because critics have been influenced by their feelings about Shelly's tragic death. The AWFJ members are more divided on whether it's appropriate to mention gossip about Lohan -- some feel that comparisons can be drawn between the actress and the character she plays. I'd argue that even though we are surely affected by rumors or news about a cast or crew member, and that it is impossible to be unbiased, we should at least try to be as fair as we can. Rehashing celebrity gossip seems to decrease the perception of fairness in the eyes of readers -- sometimes it even seems like a cheap shot.

So what do you think? Does it bother you to read celebrity gossip, news or buzz in a movie review, or does that add welcome spice and entertainment to the piece? AWFJ doesn't have space for comments on their blog, but Cinematical does ... so feel free to share your thoughts about this issue here.

For those who thought we were getting an April start date for Baz Luhrmann's epic Australia, it looks like we might have to wait a little longer: Australian newspaper The Age just reported that star Nicole Kidman was beginning *seven months of rehearsals for the film, a period story about cattle ranchers in WWII Australia. The film also stars Hugh Jackman as the rough-around-the-edges drover to Kidman's English lady.

News that Kidman had begun work on the film came through her spokesperson having to deny a pregnancy rumor started by the tabloid rag News of the World. Kidman's publicist was quoted as saying, "She is about to get on a horse in the outback and break in brumbies. I hardly think she will be able to do that if she is pregnant," and that the star is "looking forward to ... making a great adventure in Australia."

The production has been closely watched from the beginning, and there has been plenty of speculation on the progress of the film -- casting, location, you name it. Just as long as I'm not writing about a production shutdown due to a horse-riding injury, it looks like we are getting at least a little closer to our first look at Luhrmann's masterpiece.

*Correction: Rehearsals will not last the entire 7 months, shooting is still scheduled to begin in April.

We've been getting bits and pieces about the next Bond film going all the way back to last year, and the rumor mill has never left high gear. Our cousin-blog Autoblog has a new log to throw on the fire -- they received a tip from one of those ever so helpful unnamed sources that an Audi TT was spotted with a set of 007 plates. As the story goes, the source noticed that an Audi TT had been prepared for video shooting and a driver for the shoot confirmed that the car was being used in a "James Bond Commercial." Whether that means an actual promotion for a film, or just another way to trade off the Bond glamor to hawk a few extra cars, remains to be seen.

By now I think most Bond fans are resigned to change when it comes to their beloved super spy -- although at the risk of ticking off certain Bond fans, I never quite understood why a the idea of a "Blond Bond" caused such a fuss. We've had the demise of the Cold War villains, a decrease in bed-hopping antics, and in Casino Royale there was nary a gadget to be seen, except for the glovebox defibrillator. Is a different car really that big of a deal anymore? Since Bond 22 is a long way off, we might as well sit back, relax, and watch the gossip fly.

Every once in a while you come across a bit of movie news that makes you think, "They're kidding, right"? Well, this is one of those times. According to a report on Virgin.net, Val Kilmer has signed on to make the sequel to the 1985 comedy Real Genius.

If you haven't seen it, then I can't really say you are missing anything. The story follows a freewheeling genius (Kilmer) and his uptight sidekick who get duped into creating a weapon for the government by none other than '80s villainous staple, William Atherton. The whole thing plays like a time capsule, and I really don't remember the '80s as being quite that lame, but the proof is all there on film. Kilmer claimed that he signed on to revive his character from the first film in hopes of broadening his career horizons to include more comedy roles. Kilmer has a flair for comedy, as he proved in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and even Top Secret (a personal guilty pleasure), but was the world really crying out for a sequel to this particular flick?

There aren't many details on the production yet, and a shooting schedule hasn't even been announced. You have to wonder if maybe Kilmer is trying to drum up a little publicity for himself ... either that or the salad dressing idea isn't selling like he thought it would.

[via G4-The Feed]

Oh, that wacky George Clooney: He's announced that he'd like to outwit the paparazzi, who are continually linking him with this actress or that one, by going out to dinner every night with a different celebrity, whether male or female, and letting everyone draw (incorrect) conclusions. Today's my little sister's birthday, George ... she's not famous, but she'd love to help you thwart photographers and gossipmongers.

So how many of the following news items do you think were staged by the celebrities themselves, either for publicity or to intentionally diminish the credibility of gossip columns?

• Actress/singer Avril Lavigne has not been handling the paparazzi in such a classy fashion. Last weekend, she had to apologize for spitting on some of the photographers.
• Peter Sarsgaard (pictured at right, mmm) and Maggie Gyllenhaal have announced the birth of their daughter. The baby, born Tuesday night, is named Ramona. No other details are available, although I guess that refutes the rumor I heard about Sarsgaard being spotted holding hands on the beach this week with Clooney.

Usually I try to ignore gossip related to the private anatomy of actors and celebrities. I quite frankly don't want to know about size, although I'm not unwilling to watch male frontal nudity in films. I don't want to know about anyone's quirky little habits in that area, either. But this week's celebrity news has made the topic unavoidable, from book-promotion interviews to the red carpet itself. You have been warned.

• I suppose if you want innovation at red-carpet events, you have to break taboos: Steve-O (pictured above), star of Jackass: Number Two, broke ground -- or at least dampened it -- by urinating on the red carpet at the film's premiere. (Caution: The linked story does include photos.)

Did the title manage to invoke an earworm from The Lion King in your head? Sorry about that. But it seems like this is a record week for celebrity milestone events: birth, death, birth and death at the same time, divorce, and even strange addictions. Here are some of the highlights from this week's film-related celebrity gossip. I made sure all the celebrities mentioned had something to do with film, and noted their big movie achievements when it seemed doubtful.

• Birth: Britney Spears (Crossroads) had another baby, a boy with nearly the same birthday as his brother. In an unbelievably tragic event, Anna Nicole Smith (The Hudsucker Proxy) had a baby daughter and lost her son at nearly the same time.
• Divorce: Whitney Houston (The Bodyguard) announced that she's filed for divorce from Bobby Brown (Ghostbusters II) after 14 years of marriage. I'm a little slow on the gossip uptake sometimes but even I knew that the couple had a somewhat turbulent relationship.