Cinematical

New Video: Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes!

Erik Davis — 2008-04-07T10:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Fandom, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Trailers and Clips

I'm not entirely too sure where this video came from (I believe a few links popped up in the SHH forums), but it's up on YouTube now, so we're all good. Check out the first video of Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes above, as she speaks out to members of the Gotham City press on why she feels everyone should support Harvey Dent (as played by Aaron Eckhart in the sequel). Gyllenhaal, as most of us already know, took over for Katie Holmes after the actress decided not to return for The Dark Knight. It's not much, and this doesn't look to be part of the film (though maybe it will show up on a TV screen in the background somewhere), but those who were curious to see Gyllenhaal in action can finally do so now.

Personally, at this point I'm dying to see a Harvey Dent political commercial. I want children asleep in their beds, and a calm voiceover to say something like, "It's 3am in Gotham City, and the phone rings. Who do you want answering that call? Batman? No ... how about District Attorney Harvey Dent." Check out the video above, and let us know what you think of Maggie Gyllenhaal in this role? I've always had a thing for this gal, so I dig her in just about anything. You?

The Dark Knight hits theaters on July 18.

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Katie Holmes Heads to Broadway?

Monika Bartyzel — 2008-03-31T15:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Casting, Exhibition, War

These days, the only thing keeping Katie Holmes in the spotlight is her marriage to Tom Cruise and vampy new look. It's a shame after the cool flicks that jump-started her career like The Ice Storm, Go, Wonder Boys, and The Gift. Nevertheless, she's become one of the queens of tabloid fodder, and turning down Dark Knight for that stinker known as Mad Money didn't help things at all. Could Broadway save her?

The Daily Mail says that she's in final negotiations to make her Broadway debut in All My Sons, a post-WWII drama written by Arthur Miller (that also became a film in 1948). Should she sign on the dotted line (she's already committed to private workshops of the play), she'll join John Lithgow and Dianne Wiest in the production. Yes! At the very least, we've got a Footloose reunion to delight in.

Aside from the cast, this production should get a lot of buzz because it's the first major revival of Miller's work since his death a few years ago. Based on a true story, it follows a woman whose father sold faulty parts to the military during the war. It's no Mad Money, so this might just be Holmes' professional resurrection. Considering Cruise's waning roster lately, could she revive things and become the family bread winner?

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Review: Mad Money

Patrick Walsh — 2008-01-19T09:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Comedy, New Releases, MGM, Theatrical Reviews, New in Theaters

I have this theory that on the set of 1991's Father of the Bride, Steve Martin and Diane Keaton turned to each other and said, "You know what? From here on out, let's just keep doing this. Let's just play cute, cuddly versions of our formerly edgy and interesting selves -- slightly goofy mothers and fathers, that kind of thing -- and watch the cash roll in!" Then they high-fived and fell into an awkward, melancholy silence.

Through one unchallenging project after another, Keaton has served up the same old eye rolls, squeals, and stutters until you can't really tell one role from another. And what's really frustrating about watching her squander her talents is that -- as with Martin -- no matter how embarrassing the performance, you can't help but love her anyway. She's at her most unhinged in Mad Money, and painful as it is to watch at times, she does -- just barely -- manage to keep the film afloat.

Keaton plays a wealthy wife whose husband (a typically strong Ted Danson) loses his job, sending the couple into a spiral of debt and repossession. So Keaton takes work as a janitor at the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City. (This is a highly unbelievable development, and if you hope to get any enjoyment out of Mad Money, you'd better just accept it, along with all of the other highly unbelievable developments to come.) When money at the bank gets too old and worn out, it gets shredded. Keaton concocts a plan to intercept that money before it gets cut up. It's a difficult to trace and pretty much victimless crime (unless you count damaging the U.S. economy, but it's pretty much screwed already, no?).

To help in her caper, Keaton recruits Queen Latifah, as a Sassy Single Mother[TM], and Katie Holmes, as a Zany Free Spirit[TM]. I realize I'm not telling you much about the characters, but that's as much thought as the screenwriter -- Glenn Gers -- put into them. Oh, and they're given one additional trait apiece -- Latifah hasn't had sex in seven years, and Holmes can't believe Latifah hasn't had sex in seven years. The actresses do what they can with extremely underwritten roles. Latifah grounds the film by playing it straight and being -- as in every movie she's made -- tough n' sassy. Holmes' personal life has taken the focus off of her acting, but I've always found her to be a highly charming screen presence. She goes quite a bit broader here than normal, relying heavily on those big eyes, and the performance works. If her choice of spouse doesn't wind up getting her whisked away to an alien galaxy, she might have a future as a comedienne.

The film's premise is a solid one, and the old "good people are capable of terrible things" plot has served great dramas for decades. But instead of playing as A Simple Plan or Before the Devil Knows You're Dead with jokes, Mad Money plays more like a less funny version of the Jim Carrey Fun with Dick and Jane (a movie that wasn't exactly uproarious to begin with). A huge portion of Americans (myself included!) are desperate for money, and eager to relate to and laugh with characters in similar situations. But, as in Dick and Jane, the really interesting stuff a movie like this lends itself to beautifully -- moral questions, explorations of poverty, the economy, corporate criminals, etc -- are all barely touched upon or brushed aside in favor of formulaic punchlines and tired slapstick.

A lot of the blame here must go to Gers, who wrote last year's entertaining legal potboiler, Fracture. Maybe he should stick to the thrillers -- the low-key heist set-up of Mad Money really does feel fresh. But everything else in the script -- particularly the laugh count, which by my calculations totaled zero -- comes up mighty short. Don't get me started on the wildly overdone device of having the film start with the criminals already captured, the characters narrating from the interrogation room. Good call -- take a movie with no suspense and make it even less exciting by telling us the ending right up front!

Calle Khouri (Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood) directs, with very little spice. It's a lot of point and shoot, and the film looks about as bland as a mayonnaise sandwich on a paper plate. Khouri won the Academy Award for her Thelma and Louise screenplay, it's a shame she couldn't get some of that film's wonderful female characterization up on the screen here. Keaton deserves better than having to run around twitching and spazzing for laughs. If only she hadn't had that imaginary conversation with Steve Martin...

Let me put it to you like this, if you pay to see Mad Money, you'll be mad you spent the money.

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Katie Holmes, Queen Latifah and Diane Keaton: Ask 'Mad Money' Stars a Question

Patricia Chui — 2008-01-02T17:03:00+00:00

Filed under: Comedy, Fandom, Interviews, Unscripted

Back before she became Mrs. Tom Cruise, and way before she became mom to the Most Photographed Baby in the World, Katie Holmes used to, you know, act and stuff. And while we haven't seen her on-screen (large or small) since Thank You for Smoking, little Joey Potter's back, starring in the upcoming comedy Mad Money with Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah.

Keaton's the nominal lead as a middle-class housewife who, when her husband (Ted Danson) gets laid off, is forced to take a job as a janitor at the Federal Reserve Bank. And what do you do when you're working as a janitor at the Federal Reserve? Why, try to rob it, of course! Latifah and Holmes play her fellow employees and partners in crime -- and if you think it sounds like Thelma and Louise meets, uh, Quick Change, that's no surprise; it's directed by Callie Khouri, who won an Oscar for her very first screenplay: Thelma and Louise.

The movie opens on January 18, but on January 12, Holmes, Keaton and Latifah will be gracing the Moviefone studios for a mad, mad, Mad Money Unscripted interview -- and they'll need your questions to do it. So hit us (them) up with whatever you want to ask them ... though I can tell you right now, any questions containing a word that starts with "S" and ends in "ology" ain't gonna be making the cut. That's right, no sociology questions, you hear?

To submit a question for Katie Holmes, Queen Latifah or Diane Keaton, leave it here in the comments and please provide your first name and your city and state. If you're looking for inspiration, then take a look at some of our past Unscripted interviews here. Good luck.

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Cinematical Seven: Dysfunctional Families

Jessica Barnes — 2007-12-22T20:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Cinematical Seven, Lists, 12 Days of Cinematicalmas

Most of us are probably painfully aware of the stress of the holidays when it comes to familial relationships. Films about families tell the one story that practically anyone can relate to. So in the spirit of feeling better about ourselves I've compiled a list of some of the most dysfunctional families in film. Maybe after taking a look at some big-screen dysfunction, we can sit back and take a little solace in that at least none of us have to sit down to Christmas dinner with any of the people on the following list.

1. Spanking the Monkey

Before he was famous on You Tube for his demented freak-out on the set of I Heart Huckabees, David O. Russell was famous for making the unthinkable; a comedy about incest. Monkey stars Alberta Watson as Susan Aibelli; a lonely and depressed mother who develops a sexual relationship with her son after they are left alone together for the summer. Jeremy Davis stars as her son and the subject of this unlikely coming-of-age story. The film might not be for the weak of heart, but it did manage to win an audience award at Sundance in 1994, and was responsible for turning Russell into the megalomaniac we've all come to know and love.

2. Ordinary People

Besides going down in infamy as the film that beat Raging Bull out of a 'Best Picture Oscar', this 1981 drama about a family dealing with the loss of it's 'favored son' was the directorial debut of Robert Redford. Timothy Hutton stars as the younger brother who is readjusting to life after a botched suicide attempt. Donald Sutherland and Mary Tyler Moore also star as the parents to Hutton and Judd Hirsch as the prototypical 'earthy NY Jewish' psychiatrist. So for anyone who watched Mary Tyler Moore as the epitome of 'chirpiness' during the seven year run of her self-titled series, get ready to be blown away, because her performance as a cold and repressed suburban mom is one of the best there is.

3. American Beauty

There was no shortage of praise for Sam Mendes 1999 Oscar winning drama about a suburban father in the midst of a mid-life crisis. With a strong script by Six Feet Under scribe Alan Ball, and good performances by Thora Birch and Wes Bentley, and an amazing one by Annette Bening, I think that Beauty probably deserves it. Most of the hoopla surrounding the film were about debating the morals of watching a pot-smoking Kevin Spacey hit on Mena Suvari, but if you have ever sat through an uncomfortable family dinner you will recognize some very real moments depicting a truly unhappy group of people who by random luck are forced to be related to one another.

4. The Royal Tenenbaums

You know you are in some pretty dark territory when The Tenenbaums are probably one the most functional families on the list. Wes Anderson's classic about over-achieving siblings who have stumbled in their later years, Tenenbaums stars Luke Wilson, Ben Stiller, and Gwyneth Paltrow as the siblings. The ensemble cast also includes Gene Hackman as their eccentric and absent father, Anjelica Huston as their academic mother, Owen Wilson as the "rockstar novelist" and family friend, and Danny Glover as Hustons's latest paramour. In spite all the suicide attempts, drug overdoses, and paranoia (Not to mention enough bad parenting to make you cringe) there is plenty of sweetness to be had, which has always been Anderson's strengths as a filmmaker. In the midst of all the absurdity there are some truly touching moments of affection. Every time I hear Chas (played by Stiller) tell his Dad, "It's been a rough year," I still blubber like a big baby.

5. The Ice Storm

You can't talk about dysfunctional families without including The Carvers and The Hoods. The film was adapted from Rick Moody's novel by James Schamus and was directed by Ang Lee. The all-star cast included Sigourney Weaver, Joan Allen, Kevin Kline, Christina Ricci, Tobey Mcguire, and Katie Holmes. Basically these people are the poster children for suburban dissatisfaction and 70's ennui. Some of the highlights include alcoholism, adultery, kleptomania, and parents who are so isolated from their children that in one scene a parent returns from a long trip only to discover that no one even noticed that he was gone. Since this is a Rick Moody story after all there is plenty of emotional conflict and isolation, and in the end it makes those of us who were around in the seventies think, "Was it really that depressing back then"?

6. House of Yes

This movie has the distinction of probably being the only good film that Tori Spelling will ever be involved with -- although if you are going to talk dysfunction, a Spelling might have some insight. Yes is based on the play of the same name by Wendy Macleod and stars Parker Posey and Josh Hamilton as siblings who have had an incestuous affair -- wow, so I guess there is more than one person crazy enough to make a comedy about incest. The cast also includes Geneviève Bujold as their supportive mother and Freddie Prinze, Jr as the youngest brother. Spelling stars as Josh's wholesome girlfriend who comes home with him for Thanksgiving and wanders into a truly messed up holiday.

7. Nil by Mouth

Alcoholism, heroin addiction and deadly spousal abuse; well I guess its Christmastime in South East London! Well, not really, but Gary Oldman's directorial debut is probably the most disturbing film on the list, although I guess you couldn't expect any less from Oldman as a director. The story is based on Oldman's own experiences growing up in a housing project in London and the film does have the dubious distinction of having the most frequent use of the 'f' word in a fiction film. But there are plenty more reasons to recommend this seriously heavy movie. For starters, Ray Winstone's (Beowulf) performance as an alcoholic abuser could give those folks on Intervention a run for their money and it never lets up from there. The cast also includes Oldman's sister Laila Morse (East Enders) and Kathy Burke (Elizabeth) as Winstone's physically (and mentally) battered wife.

So there you have it, these are some of the most dysfunctional families that I could think of. But I know that there are plenty more that deserve to be on the list. So take a moment and let me know what families you think deserve to be there -- just remember you can't nominate your own. Happy Holidays!

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Friday Night Double Feature: The TomKat Edition!

Monika Bartyzel — 2007-12-21T20:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Fandom, Friday Night Double Feature

While zipping through my RSS feeds this week, I found a blurb from In Style, via CNN. With the title "The world according to Katie Holmes," I couldn't resist. What followed was a word association game that shared her thoughts on a bunch of brief, personal topics like her work, marriage, fashion, and age. Between listing one of her roles of a lifetime as being a wife, making many marriage references, and talking about what husband Tom Cruise likes to see her wear, I started to muse about the good old days.

Remember when she was just starting out and lived for herself? When her main interest in life wasn't the fact that she nabbed Mr. Cruise? How about when Tom was wowing audiences everywhere instead of being the tabloid face of Scientology? It seems like a million lifetimes ago that Holmes was a big up-and-coming actress, and Tom was the uber-awesome, megastar actor that everyone loved. In memory of those days, I thought it would be nice to throw a couple great flicks into the DVD player that captured their great, successful, and gossip rag-free early days.

The Ice Storm

Before popping up in Dawson's Creek, Katie Holmes was Libbets Casey, a wild schoolgirl in the '70s who makes Paul Hood's (Tobey Maguire) Thanksgiving all sorts of memorable in Ang Lee's The Ice Storm. My favorite of Ang's films, Storm stars one heck of a cast -- Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Christina Ricci, Maguire, and Elijah Wood. Instead of the regular thanks and turkey gluttony, the film deals with two families who struggle for happiness and a road out of romantic disillusionment -- all in a '70s backdrop of changing times and political lies.

But Kate comes into play outside of the family dynamic. Libbets is the object of Paul's affection, but he has to battle his paramour-stealing friend Francis (David Krumholtz) for her attentions. While her role is brief, it looked to be the start of something good. Of course, some of the work that followed couldn't even be classified anything but stinkeriffic, but still -- there's some good ones like this wonderful first role, Go, and of course, her next film with Tobey -- Wonder Boys.

Unfortunately, while you can find a few trillion billion TomKat videos up on YouTube, no one has reveled in Libbets love yet. So, here's a selection of other goodies from the movie, and some retro Katie action for good measure.

Charlie Rose Interview -- Ang Lee, Rick Moody, James Schamus

Clips set to the song "Santa Clara"

Christina Ricci, Elijah Wood, and where to store your gum when making out.

Katie Holmes sings I Hate Myself for Loving You

Katie on Speed in Go -- Ignore the Dubbing
Born on the Fourth of July

Picking which Tom Cruise film would be best was tough -- in the good old days, there was lots to choose from. There's the ultra-old-school Outsiders, or the action-packed and romantic Top Gun, or even a little brotherly Rain Man. However, I chose one of the films that brought Cruise an Oscar nomination -- Born on the Fourth of July. Between Academy love and a similar time-span, it's a good match for Lee's Ice Storm. Based on Ron Kovic's autobiography, and co-written by director Oliver Stone, the film details Ron's voluntary tours of duty, and how his admiration for his country led to paralysis, disillusionment, and revolt.

In the world of clips to share, the selection is lighter than much of the film, but to whet your appetites, check these out:

Shouts of angry 'Penis' through the Night.

A Willem Dafoe and Tom Cruise spit fight.

Tom's Kovic hits on a teenage Holly Marie Combs.

A Long Clip -- Cruise's Kovic protests at a Nixon convention.

The cynic in me doubts that we'll ever get back to these old days for both actors, but one of the perks of the fine world of cinema -- you can always relive the past on your own TV.

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Zeta-Jones Drops 'Nine,' Katie Holmes Heartbroken After Being Rejected

Patrick Walsh — 2007-11-20T09:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Drama, Music & Musicals, Romance, Casting, Celebrities and Controversy, Scripts, Remakes and Sequels

According to the New York Daily News, Catherine Zeta-Jones will no longer co-star in Nine, the film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, which itself was an adaptation of Fellini's classic film 8 1/2. Zeta-Jones would have played the role of Claudia, "the alluring muse of skirt-chasing director Guido Contini." The reason for the falling out is allegedly -- it's always allegedly with the Daily News -- because director Rob Marshall (the inexplicably Best Picture-winning Chicago) "wouldn't give in to her demand to beef up her role." The script is adapted by Michael Tolkin (The Player), and apparently the creative team wasn't willing to change the story around. A friend of Zeta-Jones told the Daily News "She was never 100% committed to Nine. She had a meeting with Rob. She'd love to work with him again. But she felt she'd done the same sort of role in Chicago. The script wasn't an issue."

Marshall has moved on and is looking for a younger actress to hop in and play Claudia. The list of possibles includes Natalie Portman, Liv Tyler, Keira Knightley, Kate Hudson, and Gwyneth Paltrow. (In what world is Gwyneth Paltrow a reasonable substitute for Zeta-Jones?) The cast of Nine, one of the more attractive bunches of actors in recent memory, features Javier Bardem as Guido, Sophia Loren as Guido's mother, Penelope Cruz as his mistress Carla, and Marion Cotillard as Luisa Contini. Reportedly (another word for "allegedly"), Katie Holmes was "heartbroken" when Marshall turned her down for a role. Who would you guys like to see in the part? We'll keep you posted on how this drama turns out.

Additionally, Variety has announced today that the Weinstein Co. has officially delayed production on Nine due to the script not being ready.

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'Mad Money' Site and Trailer Arrive

Jessica Barnes — 2007-10-30T15:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Comedy, Site Announcements, Tom Cruise, Movie Marketing, Trailers and Clips

The new website for the heist comedy Mad Money has gone live with its first full-length trailer. It is pretty much what you would expect from a harmless little comedy, so if you are looking for a hard-edged crime flick, you are definitely in the wrong place. Along with the trailer, the website has the usual photo galleries and downloads (you can check out Cinematical's exclusive gallery here). There is even the chance to win a little of your own 'mad money' in a sweepstakes. Directed by Callie Khouri, the film stars Katie (or Kate; I can never keep it straight) Holmes, Queen Latifah, Diane Keaton, and Ted Danson. The story centers on three employees of the Federal Reserve who pull together for a plot to steal the money that is going to be taken out of circulation.

Khouri is probably best known as the writer for another famous female 'buddy film'; Thelma and Louise. Money is a pretty light-hearted flick so I doubt we'll be seeing Keaton, Holmes, and Latifah going over a cliff in a protest of patriarchal control. Mad Money will be Holmes' first big-screen role since Batman Begins and Thank You for Smoking back in 2005. As we all know, Holmes wasn't invited back for The Dark Knight and there were even a few thinly veiled shots directed towards her in the press over the whole matter. Since all that Wonder Woman talk never panned out either, for the sake of her career I only hope that comedy vets like Keaton and Danson can help keep Mad Money afloat at the box-office. Maybe then, Holmes will get credit for being something other than Mrs Tom Cruise. Mad Money hits theaters on January 18th.

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Maggie Gyllenhaal Trash Talks Katie Holmes

Patrick Walsh — 2007-07-23T14:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Casting, Warner Brothers, Celebrities and Controversy, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

As J. Peterman once said, "I am smack dab in the middle of a good old-fashioned cat fight!" While recently discussing her role in next year's Bat-sequel The Dark Knight, Maggie Gyllenhaal dunked Katie Holmes into a Dawson's Creek of verbal abuse. Gyllenhaal is taking over the role of Rachel Dawes, which Holmes originated in 2005's Batman Begins. Check out this quote from Gyllenhaal, but you might want to put a jacket on first: "I'm not thinking of it as a role that anyone's played before. I'm not walking into Katie Holmes' performance. I'm thinking of it as an opportunity to play somebody who's alive and smart. Chris (Nolan) asked me to do this because he wanted me, not because he wants some generic lady in a dress." Daaaaaamn! No she didn't!

I'm not sure Holmes really deserves any more negativity at this point. She's in a mercilessly mocked marriage that no one seems to take seriously, she's got a new baby, and she hasn't exactly been adored by the critics. Holmes certainly gave a pretty weak performance in Batman Begins, but let's give the gal a break here, no? What do you guys think about this, is Gyllenhaal being too harsh on Holmes? In the interview, Gyllenhaal also mentions that she might give the Jackie Chan thing a try in the film: "I'm really excited about it. I mean, it's not some silly action movie. Chris Nolan is directing, Christian Bale's starring. I'm really excited and curious about doing a couple of stunts in Batman." Why do all "serious actors" feel they have to justify being in action movies? They always have to point out how different and superior this one is to all the others, or its "I'm only doing this crap so I can finance my pet project -- a tone poem about migrant Chinese workers." You want to do an action movie, silly or otherwise, do it! We don't need to hear that you'd normally be above such frivolous projects.

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The Dark Knight Will Film In Chicago As 'Rory's First Kiss'

Ryan Stewart — 2007-01-31T13:31:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Warner Brothers, RumorMonger, Fandom, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

According to a story at superherohype.com, the secret code name under which The Dark Knight will be filming in Chicago has been cracked already. The shooting title for the film will be 'Rory's First Kiss,' and the film will shoot for over 80 days in the summer. Rory is the name of Christopher Nolan's son, and someone put that together with the source story over at Reel Chicago very quickly. So now you can all go to Chicago and bother Batman while he's trying to shoot his scenes.

Why is this movie being filmed in Chicago anyway? Is Chicago a major hub for filming big action extravaganzas like this one? What's the attraction? Tax breaks? By the way, Batman Begins was also filmed under a code name: Intimidation Game. The other big Bat news of late -- the question of who will take on the role of Rachel Dawes now that Katie Holmes has vacated the part for greener pastures -- is still up in the air. When something changes, we'll let you know.

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Katie Holmes Is Out -- Will Rachel McAdams Step In?

Jessica Barnes — 2007-01-29T10:01:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Casting, RumorMonger, Fandom, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

Reactions to Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins might have been varied, but on one point most seemed to agree -- there was nothing all that thrilling about the performance of Katie Holmes. To be honest, although I was ambivalent about her in the movie, "the girl" role in Batman movies has never been all that interesting to me to begin with. In the end, they are always just somebody to rescue.

On Thursday, tipsters inside Warner Brothers told LatinoReview.com that Katie Holmes would not be returning in the role of Bruce Wayne's childhood love Rachel Dawes for the sequel, The Dark Knight. Then, Variety confirmed that Holmes had officially dropped out to join Mad Money with Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah. Now, the rumor mill is at full tilt about Rachel McAdams being the front-runner to replace Holmes as "the girl" in the film. It's all completely unsubstantiated at this date, but another rumor -- that McAdams has been asked to make an appearance in the film as Selena Kyle -- seems somehow more credible. Also, Nolan is still looking for his Harvey Dent, so it may be a while before this cast begins to fall into place.

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Sources Say Katie Holmes Out Of The Dark Knight

Mark Beall — 2007-01-26T10:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Casting, RumorMonger, Fandom, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

How many of you out there hate it when studios go and switch around the actors/actresses playing main characters in a good TV or movie series? I think it is something nearly all fans can agree on. I understand sometimes that it is necessary for one reason or another, but most of the time, I'd rather they just write the character out of the plot, if at all possible.

Enter Rachel Dawes, the love interest from Batman Begins. Despite general knowledge telling us she'd return, there have long been whispered concerns about the increasingly inscrutable Katie Holmes. And now, LatinoReview adds some fuel to those whispers by indicating Katie Holmes will not return for the long-awaited sequel to the film, but the part of Rachel Dawes will be a part of the story. So we can go ahead and crank up the rumor mill in regards to who will take her place. In the meantime, LatinoReview also says Matt Damon has passed on Harvey Dent, but Ed Norton and Josh Lucas are still being considered (among others, of course), while Oswald Cobblepot has disappeared from the script.

In related Holmes news, she's just signed on to star opposite Queen Latifah and Diane Keaton in Mad Money, the "Ocean's 11 ... but with females" flick we told you about the other day. Yup, she's gone from Batman to Latifah. And are we happy about this?

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James Van Der Beek Has Gone Punchy

Jessica Barnes — 2006-12-14T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Independent, Thrillers, DIY/Filmmaking, Cinematical Indie

I guess that with the exception of Michelle Williams, none of the Dawson's Creek alum really managed to make a big splash in the movies. Joshua Jackson kind of dropped off the radar, but he seems to be in the midst of an upswing with roles in Bobby and Battle in Seattle. And, I think we all know what happened to Kate Holmes. Then there was Dawson himself, James Van Der Beek. Van Der Beek had a few film roles during the Dawson years -- Varsity Blues had an All The Right Moves charm to it in a way, and I thought he was pretty good in Rules of Attraction, but since the end of the show, Van Der Beek had kept a low profile.

ComingSoon.net has reported that principal photography has finished on Punchy with Van Der Beek in the starring role. Punchy follows a screenwriter (who's hopefully not a Spielberg fan) who comes up with the idea that if he locks himself away in his apartment for a month, he'll be able to finish a screenplay that's rapidly approaching the "drop dead" date. Things turn sour when his isolation brings on the worst kind of cabin fever. Jonathan Duech is directing the Darryn Lucie script with Peace Arch Entertainment Group Inc. holding the worldwide distribution rights. There isn't any word on a release date yet, but since principal photography has only just finished, I would think it could be a while.

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TomKat to Make Beautiful Music Together?

chris ullrich — 2006-11-30T19:01:00+00:00

Filed under: RumorMonger, Celebrities and Controversy, Newsstand

Ok, you're Tom Cruise. You have a "religion" you're devoted to which gives your life purpose, tons of money, a huge amount of success, you know quite a bit about pharmacology and mental health issues, you have a new baby and a pretty hot wife who just married you at a gigantic wedding in a picturesque Italian city attended by almost anyone who is anyone in Hollywood (except Oprah and a few other non-believers). In other words, you have everything you could ever want in life. So, with all those things, what could you possibly need or want to do next? Why, make a record of course!

Yes, its true -- at least according to a recent article in The Sydney Morning Herald (via Blowing Smoke), Cruise has decided he wants to record and release a rendition of The Righteous Bothers' You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling with new wife Katie Holmes. The idea reportedly came to him after he serenaded Holmes with the song at their recent wedding. According to sources at the wedding, Cruise has a pretty good voice and so does his wife (proven by her vocal performance in the remake of The Singing Detective) so the idea isn't out of the realm of possibility -- especially with all the high-powered record producer types who were in attendance.

Apparently, after Cruise finished singing and proposed the idea of recording the duet, he and his new bride were inundated with offers of huge sums of money for the exclusive rights -- and at his wedding too. Tacky. But really, what do you expect from record industry execs anyway? So, with all the attention and deals on the table, why hasn't this all moved forward and why are we not downloading this sure-to-be-fantastic recording right now via iTunes? One reason: Scientology. Cruise's obsession with and devotion to the late L. Ron Hubbard's creation apparently is too "bizarre" for record industry execs and they're concerned about its impact on sales. Cruise, however, is adamant that his religion isn't "bizarre" and won't be a problem because, according to a source at the wedding, "the song is a symbol of their love and Scientology is a basis for their companionship." Yeah, that doesn't sound bizarre at all.

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Film Threat's Frigid 50 Returns with a Big 'Ole Mel Gibson Cherry

Monika Bartyzel — 2006-11-20T16:01:00+00:00

Filed under: Newsstand, Lists

Film Threat's Frigid 50 is back. Last year, the list was topped by everyone's favorite Scientologists Tom and Katie. (Wait ... Is she one yet?) Luckily they've saturated the press so much lately with their wedding shenanigans that they remain on the list, just bumped down a few to number 10. The top spot goes to the natural choice - Scottish-hero-turned-anti-Semitic-raving-drunk -- Mel Gibson. It'd be tough to beat the man who, in one night, managed to offend a religion, be a slimy misogynist and drive while drunk.

While I don't think anyone could surpass Mel's 2006 flubs, the list holds some expected names as well as a few shockers. Although Jennifer Aniston is a surprise in the number two spot, her appearance on the list isn't as surprising as her follower, Borat. Beyond that quirky Kazakhstanian creation rests wild girl Lindsay Lohan, whose spot is extra-specially detailed with Eddie Murphy lyrics. Finishing off the top five is the lackadaisical tax payer, Wesley Snipes.

Unfortunately, the likes of Gibson-sympathetic Patrick Swayze and Lady in the Water survivor Paul Giamatti will have to try harder to get further up on the list. But even their showings at 49 and 50 were topped by Colin Farrell, who got a special icy place of 51 for acting in numerous bombs yet still having the money and media.

Go take a look. Did they miss anyone?

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Name Your Baby After a Movie Character

Christopher Campbell — 2006-11-18T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Fandom, Tom Cruise, Peter Jackson, Harry Potter, Lists

We like to give celebrities a lot of crap about their baby naming practices. Of course, names like Apple and Suri and Banjo and Rumor and Moon Unit seem ridiculous to most of us normal folk who prefer common names like Michael and Elizabeth, but a lot of non-celebrities are just as guilty with their name choices. I'm talking about movie fans and other celebrity-obsessed parents. A recent survey in the UK has revealed a lot of interesting names given to newborns, including Gandalf, Superman and Harry Potter. None of these are exactly movie-related, and they could be the result of fans of literature or comic books, but I'm willing to bet they have more to do with the recent film versions of the works in which these characters appear.

Other baby names that should lead to future torment include Addidas, Reebok, Tiger, Snoop, Gazza, Arsenal and Apple (after Gwyneth Paltrow's daughter). Some popular names associated with famous people, though less likely to garner ridicule, are Madonna, Kylie, David Beckham, Peaches, Keanu and Britney. This isn't that strange, though. Many of the people I know were named after someone famous, whether an actor, musician or writer.

I have to admit honestly that I can relate to parents wanting to reflect their fandom at the expense of their poor children. For most of my life, I claimed that I would name my first son Atticus. Then, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore had to name their daughter Scout, and I didn't want to seem like a copycat. The final blow to my idea, however, came when I heard that Atticus was the name of one of Jake Gyllenhaal's dogs (the other is named Boo).

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TomKat Baby Kills MI3 Junket; HD DVD; Porn Blazes Download Trail: Fill in the Blank, Thursday, April 20th, 2006

Karina Longworth — 2006-04-20T09:01:00+00:00

Filed under: Tribeca, Podcasts, Celebrities and Controversy, Box Office, Tech Stuff, Tom Cruise, Movie Marketing, Remakes and Sequels, Fill-In-The-Blank

Today on the show: victim families praise United 93, the porn industry beats Hollywood to the burn-able download, and the little Cruise missile begins its evil reign of junket-cancelling terror. Just two days left to vote for our name - do it!

Get the podcast
[Watch] Online (please make sure you have the latest version of Quicktime for best results).
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Hosts
Karina Longworth

Editor
Randall Bennett

Music
Love as Laughter - I'm a bee

Format
4:55, 28.6 MB

Program
00:00 - United 93 donating some proceeds to 9/11 survivor fund
01:22 - CinemaNow has $30 useless downloads, or $20 fully functional porn
02:37 - HD-DVD out on da streetz
04:27 - Katie Holmes' new baby puts freeze on MI3 press cruise

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Quickhits: 9 to 5 Again?, Columbia Lands McElwain, Cruise Baby Screwing Up MI3

Martha Fischer — 2006-04-19T20:04:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Comedy, Drama, Casting, Deals, RumorMonger, Fandom, Newsstand, Tom Cruise, Movie Marketing, Remakes and Sequels

Bits and pieces for Thursday:

According to JoBlo, Jane Fonda visited with Larry King last night, and told him that there are some conversations taking place about a sequel to Nine to Five. While this is among the worst ideas I've ever heard -- is any movie more firmly rooted in its time? -- I have to admit that I'm a sucker for Dolly Parton (Yes, I'm the one person who saw Straight Talk in the theater. Twice.), and will accept even the lamest excuse to watch her be sassy. I would totally go.

Remember the Jason McElwain? The autistic kid who'd spent two years as a basketball manager, so the coach let him dress for a game his senior year? And he came out raining threes to the delight of his teammates, the fans, and the entire world? Well, we mentioned shortly after the game that his family was being courted by multiple drooling studios -- and now, ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner: Columbia gets to make the Jason McElwain movie.

Curse that scientologist baby! Tom Cruise was supposed to head off today on a world-wide publicity voyage to promote Mission: Impossible III (which, let's face it, no one will even know exists if he doesn't go talk it up), but the arrival of little Suri is screwing everything up. Cruise has canceled a junket scheduled for LA today, and upcoming stops (including Paris, London, and Rome) are very much up in the air. Katie, if this movie flops, you are in such huge trouble. Couldn't you cross your legs for a few weeks, or something?

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Cruise and Holmes Welcome Baby Girl - BREAKING NEWS

Bob Sassone — 2006-04-18T19:29:00+00:00

Filed under: RumorMonger, Celebrities and Controversy, Tom Cruise

Yup, it's finally here. Katie Holmes has given birth to a baby girl. Her name is Suri (not sure what that means), and she weighs 7 pounds, 7 ounces.

More details soon ...

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Katie Holmes to Leave Gotham

Mark Beall — 2006-04-14T08:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Casting, RumorMonger, Fandom, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

While every female in Hollywood is jockeying for the lead in Wonder Woman, it is beginning to look like another spot could be opening up in a different superhero title. Whispers have suggested for some time now that Katie Holmes may not return to Gotham, and according to the near-prescient folks over at Batman-on-Film, those whispers may be picking up steam: "In other Bat-Sequel news, I'm starting to hear a few rumblings that Katie Holmes may not return to reprise her role as Rachel Dawes."Hand-in-hand with the no-Katie rumor comes the rumor of a new female lead being created. There are certainly several good possibilities from the comic books -- anyone have a bet they'd like to place on who the new character may be?

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