just my luck Tagged Articles at Cinematical

We already knew that Chris Pine was in talks to star as Captain Kirk in J.J. Abrams upcoming Star Trek XI, but up until now we haven't had official confirmation. "In talks" can mean a lot of things, and if the recent almost-casting of Jessica Biel in the Justice League of America movie means anything, it's that you should never take "in talks" as proof the actor or actress has landed the role. Over on his blog, Smokin' Joe Carnahan (who was vying for Pine to star in White Jazz) confirms the actor will not be taking on the role of Junior Stemmons in Jazz. Why? Well, that's because he's opted to go for Trek.

Here it is, straight from Carnahan himself: "The young man playing Junior Stemmons has opted to 'go where no man has gone before' and thus, had to bow out of WHITE JAZZ. I've been talking to him this past week and knew how tough the decision had to be for him. I don't envy ever being in that spot but I gave him my full support, even if it meant he didn't do JAZZ. I get it. You don't get opportunities like that often and I told him as long as he could control as much of that process as possible and not get sucked into doing lesser sequels as a result of taking this gig, then good luck and God bless. We're sure to do something down the road. I've already slotted him in for KILLING PABLO." So there you have it -- Chris Pine will indeed be starring as Captain Kirk in Star Trek XI (according to Carnahan, that is), and instead of placing him in Jazz, the director has instead found a part for him in Killing Pablo. No word on what that part is, but it looks like Pine's stock just shot straight up. I guess there was a reason why he starred opposite Lindsay Lohan in a film called Just My Luck -- and, as ironic as it might seem, the premise of that film is, like, totally becoming true.

Chris Pine as Captain Kirk? Whadyya think?

• Poseidon: Pretty much everyone agrees with James that this remake did away with the cheese and personalities of the original film, and has replaced them with non-stop action. They also, largely, agree that the choice wasn't a very good one (As evidenced by the fact that every single critic mentions Shelley Winters, but can hardly remember anything about the characters in the movie they're reviewing). Well, at least it's not boring. And hey, the effects are good!

• Goal! The Dream Begins: Goal! is a)about soccer, and b)formulaic: on these things, critics agree. Beyond that however, you have to wonder whether these people were watching the same movie. For example, star Kuno Becker is either blindingly talented or a waste of space. By the same token, his character's illegal immigrant status is either a sign of depth and nuance or just another part of the money-hungry studio's effort to broaden the film's appeal. Me, I'm just thrilled to see the phrases "Newcastle United" and "Alan Shearer" in the American media.

• Just My Luck: Yeah, this one's just not very good -- according to most of his critical brethren, James hits the nail on the head when he labels it "fluff" and "not horrible." Those who find good things to say about the movie are entirely focused on Lindsay Lohan who, despite her inability/unwillingness to stay off the gossip pages, remains -- to some, anyway -- a charming, talented actress. (Roger Ebert, in particular, loves her muchly.

Why is it so hard for us to confront our problems? Are we lazy? Do we not have the time? Is it easier to run away from a situation and create larger problems, then it is to face the music? And what's so bad about music? When I was younger, in times of moronic behavior, my parents would always tell me to just "face the music." Instead of agreeing with them, I'd stand there with a puss on my face, expecting Mom to shovel out a boom-box and blast German techno music into my ears until, eventually, I caved.

Nothing against German techno, but that was my idea of bad music. So, in order for my problems to drift away, I figured I'd have to face this music until something clicked...or hurt - like my ears. And then it hit me: As hard as it was to listen to obnoxiously loud German techno music, it was much easier to get it out of the way fast (like ripping off a band-aid) then it was to avoid. Why let this uncomfortable anger towards German techno music ruin my entire day? They have a right to express themselves. And so do I.

While the above probably makes no sense whatsoever, so does avoiding your problems. So, while I call up the Lifetime Channel and pitch them "How I Learned to be a Better Person by Listening to German Techno Music," why don't you check out the following films. Put the suicide note down, we're running from our problems on this week's Trailer Park...

Lindsay Lohan admitted in a Vanity Fair interview that she has dabbled in drug use and her weight loss last year was the result of bulimia.  The young actress, who was hospitalized this week for a severe asthma attack, told the magazine that after 2004's Mean Girls she experimented with drugs "a little". She denies using cocaine in the interview, but openly discusses the bulimia that led to her sudden skinniness. "I was making myself sick," Lohan admits.

Is this really a big shock to anyone? Anyone who witnessed Lohan's shrinkorama over the past year, as she went from curvy and sexy to stick-like and sickly-looking, knew the girl had an eating disorder; with the crowd she's been running with and the late night partying, the drug use shouldn't come as a huge shock either. Why is it that if an actress admits drug use, it's no big deal, but if someone actually takes a photo of it, ala Kate Moss, it's a huge-ass scandal?

Lohan, one of the hardest-working actresses in Hollywood at the moment, has been maintaining a busy schedule -- she costars in A Prairie Home Companion, due out in June, and the just completed Just My Luck,  has been filming Emilio Estevez's film about Robert F. Kennedy's assasination, Bobby, another project called The New Girl in pre-prod, and is due to begin filming another assasination film, Chapter 27, about John Lennon's murder, in two weeks. Lots of work, lots of Hollywood pressue to be thin, blond and beautiful, and lots of hanging out with the skinny, rich, partying crowd in Hollywood (can you say Paris Hilton? I knew you could), apparently added up to lots of pressure on Lohan to morph from curvaceous, freckly redhead to ultraskinny blond. Here's hoping she finds her way back to the uniqueness that set her apart from the rest of the Hollywood Barbie doll wannabes, and that she keeps her head on straight.

• The New York City tax incentive program Made in NY has so far been a rousing success, drawing $600 million in new filmmaking business to the city, and creating more than 6,000 jobs. The progame has helped pay for a total of 350 film and TV productions this year, and it's not just about tax credits – the city also offers free advertising on any city-owned media property to productions that conduct at least 75% of their shoot here, which somewhat explains why I can't leave the house without seeing an ad for The Producers.
• In other non-Hollywood Hollywood news, Washington state is putting together its own incentive package to lure film production back to the states from Canada. The project, organized by a group of Seatlle-based industry leaders and soon to work itself through the Washington legislature, would offer rebates of up to $1 million per picture (which seems pathetically low for all but the most indie of productions). The state is said to be smarting over the loss of several recent, Seattle-set films to the more affordable British Columbia.
• And now, you've been patient, so here's your Lohan: Fox is moving the young bombshell's upcoming Just My Luck from March to May. They're apparently so confident in the film, they're setting it up to compete against Warner Brothers' huge-money remake, Poseidon.