I had to make such a tough decision last week when offered to attend a screening of either Tropic Thunder or Pineapple Express this coming Wednesday. What the hell does one do in that kind of situation? Both films look hilariously awesome to the tenth degree. I mean, if I could split my movie brain in half and send each part to a different screening, I totally would. But I can't. So I had to make a decision. I won't say which flick I picked right now, because then you won't tune in later this week when I spoil everything! That's right! Every last minute of the movie, right down to the order of the credits. Spoiled!

But anyway, check out a new international trailer for Tropic Thunder up top (or over on the film's official international site). Since it's from our international friends, it might be a little beyond a green band trailer, so keep that in mind office folk. There's not much else to say about this one -- watch it for yourself and tell me it doesn't look out of control. Stiller worries me sometimes because he could be a little too "stupid," but with Downey Jr., Steve Coogan, Nick Nolte, Bill Hader, Justin Theroux, Jay Baruchel and Jack Black in there, I think we'll be okay.

Tropic Thunder blows its way into theaters on August 15.

Indiana Jones -- he's got to be Harrison Ford, doesn't he? Okay, we had young Indiana Jones characters -- River Phoenix in the opening sequence of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Sean Patrick Flanery in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles -- but I never really thought of Indy as a character who could be cast in any other way. You know, you figure the part in Raiders of the Lost Ark was practically written for Ford, who'd been in a couple of George Lucas films before that anyway (Star Wars and American Graffiti).

However, that assumption couldn't be more wrong. I've been digging around on that great source of reliable information, the Internet, and reading all kinds of stories about the casting of Indiana Jones. The general gist is that Steven Spielberg was interested in Ford, but Lucas didn't want to be one of those directors who cast the same guy in all his movies. So they tested a bunch of other actors, and were seriously interested in one who had to back out ... and then ended up with Harrison Ford after all. We are all profoundly grateful. But let's take a look at some of those actors allegedly under consideration, and a few more that I threw into the mix just for fun. (I picked only actors who were alive and the right age at the time, which is why you don't see Steve McQueen on the list.)

It seems that Scarlett Johansson wasn't the only one in the Big Apple, shooting for the upcoming anthology New York, I Love You, and I kind of like it. I'm sure it wasn't an "On your marks, get set, go!" sort of affair, but it's neat to think of different filmmakers across a city filming bits for the same film at the same time. Actually, I'd love to see a bunch of great filmmakers all run off to different parts of the same city, on the same day, and shoot their versions of it, but I digress.

Just Jared has thrown up pictures of Natalie Portman filming scenes with a Hasidic jew for the film. In the shots, she was on the Brooklyn Bridge. All that's being said about her particular short is that she's playing a Jewish bride -- presumably of the cute fellow at her side.

There is, however, word on some of the other New York players -- aside from Kevin Bacon taking part in ScarJo's short, Elijah Wood and Nick Nolte are also involved. Could this mean that there will be two continuations from Paris, je t'aime? Both Wood and Nolte had bits in the first film, and that would be great, if a few players keep traveling around the world for these city love stories. Here's to hoping that they have the same parts.

I may not be too thrilled with the thought of male modeling sequels, but I'm itching to see what Ben Stiller makes with his first directing gig since Zoolander. The flick is Tropic Thunder, and that image above is part of the first look released by Entertainment Weekly. This time, the focus is actors, and the comedy follows a group "of self-indulgent stars cast in the modern equivalent of Apocalypse Now." However, the director (Steve Coogan) and writer (Nick Nolte) get fed up with them and ship them off to the jungle to fend for themselves.

Meanwhile, Stiller and those involved are hoping this comedy doesn't start an uproar.

2008 is not this generation's 1968. Let's get that matter straight, right away. Even if we can draw some parallels or see some similarities between now and then, the truth is that it was a very tragic year, and despite our penchant to fetishize the period and wish that our time could be so important and powerful, we need to pray no politicians are assassinated this year (the fact that one particular candidate has been compared to both MLK and RFK is especially upsetting) and we need to be thankful that there is no draft. But mostly we need to just move on from the '60s already and stop attempting to appropriate its events in order to heighten the relevance of the 2000s. 2008 is indeed a significant year on its own, or it could be if we let it exist as such.

That said, Chicago 10, the latest documentary from Oscar-nominee Brett Morgen (On the Ropes) is literally about events of forty years ago, though the filmmaker claims it is a film about now. Okay, sure, there may be some relevant themes, but imprisoning your film with such definite statements of purpose makes it possibly less enjoyable to the people who are tired of these weak and easy-minded juxtapositions. Without acknowledging the obviously apparent intent, Chicago 10 is actually appreciable as one of the most creative and entertaining documentary films in years. And it could indeed be viewed as significant on its own, if we let it exist as such.

Most directors' first effort is NOT a huge blockbuster smash of a comedy starring Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn, but that's how writer/director Rawson Marshall Thurber hit the scene: with Dodgeball. But based on the filmmaker's second effort, I'm guessing that Thurber took a lot of good-natured ribbing from his film-school friends and decided to snag some "indie cred" by doing a smaller movie for his second feature. That's all well and good, but it's too bad that the resulting movie -- The Mysteries of Pittsburgh -- is such an inert, episodic, and familiar piece of very typical festival fare. It's as if Mr. Thurber watched six Sundance films at random, and then just copied his favorite scenes from each one.

Based on the novel of the same name by Michael Chabon, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh is about the son of an infamous gangster who spends his last summer before "adult life" roaming around with two "free-spirited" pals. The year is 1983, and young Art Bechstein (Jon Foster) is at a serious crossroads. Completely opposed to his father's lifestyle, Art (reluctantly) plans to become a stockbroker in a few months' time -- but that means a few open months in which he can A) work at a chintzy discount book store, B) cast lovesick glances towards his new friend Jane (Sienna Miller), and C) become close pals with a bisexual street thug called Cleveland (Peter Sarsgaard). Oh, and D) nail his slightly unhinged boss (Mena Suvari).

So folks have been taking tons of jabs at Tom Cruise for wearing an eye patch in the new Bryan Singer flick Valkyrie. If you think that's bad, get a load of the guy in these new photos (courtesy of JustJared) in which he's dressed as a studio exec for a cameo role in Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder. And what's their idea of a studio exec? Why a fat, hairy-chested bald guy -- is there any other kind? Cruise's cameo had been rumored for quite some time now, while Stiller and Co. have been doing what they can to keep quiet when asked about the role. Unfortunately, the surprise casting is now out in the open, but in my opinion it's worth it to see these pics. And kudos to Cruise for putting himself out there ... though as a guy who has the potential to one day be fat and bald, I sort of take offense. Boo Tom Cruise. Shame on you.

In Tropic Thunder, Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Justin Theroux and Jay Baruchel play a group of American actors attempting to shoot a war film who, through a series of freak accidents, become forced to become the soldiers they're portraying. Nick Nolte, Bill Hader and Steve Coogan also star. Honestly, with this cast, how can this film not be an absolute riot. I've been off the Stiller wagon for awhile now, as I'm sure a lot of you have, so hopefully he still has it in him to produce a gem. Tropic Thunder is due out on July 11. A petition to ban Tom Cruise from giving fat, bald men everywhere a bad name will be started (by myself) tomorrow.

[via Joblo]

It does strike me a little funny that after watching the trailer for the documentary Chicago 10, it managed to make me just a little less interested in watching the flick (not the best start for a movie trailer, IMO). Written and directed by Brett Morgan, the doc is a re-enactment of the infamous trial of the Chicago Seven in 1969. For those of you out there who aren't up on your counter-culture history: In 1968, Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, David Dellinger, Tom Hayden, Rennie Davis, John Froines, Lee Weiner, and Bobby Seale organized a large scale protest at the 1968 Democratic convention. After an unfair conviction of inciting violence and numerous appeals, five of the eight members finally had their convictions overturned and were able to walk away free men in 1972.

This is Morgan's second animated documentary, and uses the same style as Morgan's acclaimed Robert Evans flick, The Kid Stays in the Picture. Last November, a NYT piece had profiled the doc as a brand new approach to making documentary films. Instead of a bunch of talking heads, Morgan decided to use actual court transcripts to re-enact the trial with actors providing the voices on the infamous seven (well, eight if you count Seale, and in my opinion you really should). The cast includes Mark Ruffalo, Hank Azaria and Nick Nolte. Initial buzz surrounding the film was good, and there was even talk of a bidding war for the property. But after reading James' review back in January, as well as getting my first good look at the motion capture, I have to admit my enthusiasm has been dulled ever so slightly. Luckily, I'm a big enough documentary nerd that I can probably overlook it. Chicago 10 is scheduled for release in February.

You know you must like an actor when you are willing to sit through a film you are convinced you have already seen dozens of times before. The new website for the crime drama Pride and Glory has launched with fancy new photos and a theatrical trailer. Pride was co-written by Joe Carnahan and director Gavin O' Connor, and was inspired by O'Connor's childhood growing up in a home full of policeman. O'Connor was quoted as saying, "My father was a New York City detective, and I grew up in that world. It's a celebration of honest cops, which was everything my father was about. Though it is fictional, it is an homage to my father". New Line president Toby Emmerich had reportedly been a big fan of the script and made sure that the project found a home at New Line.

The film focuses on a family who are at the center of a police corruption scandal that could ruin not only their careers, but tear apart the entire family. Norton stars as a good cop up against crooked cops and the "Blue Code of Silence" when he is put in charge of solving the murder of four police officers. Joining Norton are Colin Farrell as the the black sheep of the family (as to be expected) with Jon Voight stepping in as the patriarch. The part had originally gone to Nick Nolte, but due to a knee-injury he had to be replaced by Voight. Pride and Glory will hit theaters on March 14th, 2008.

[via Latino Review]

When Owen Wilson dropped out of filming Tropic Thunder due to his sudden (and, thankfully, non life-threatening) hospitalization, I was pretty bummed -- that film was shaping up to be one of my most anticipated of 2008. I know, I haven't been too fond of Ben Stiller as of late, but he had lined himself up with one heckuva cast, and the premise sounded like a blast. Hey, that rhymes. Cool. But what can you do -- sh*t happens -- and since the cast still rocks without Wilson, it's all good. Now, Variety tells us they've found Wilson's replacement in one Matthew McConaughey. But you McConaughey fans shouldn't get your hopes up too much, as Variety claims "the job amounts to an uncredited cameo." So no matter who took on the part, we still would've been left with the same response: "Oh, look, it's blah blah blah in a cameo role. Ain't that cute?"

McConaughey joins a cast that already includes Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Nick Nolte, Jay Baruchel, Justin Theroux, Bill Hader, Steve Coogan and, although nothing official was ever released, apparently Tom Cruise may show up playing a studio executive in another one of them uncredited cameos. Those of you who know Stiller and his entourage should be aware that his films are full of these cameos -- but that's what makes them sooo special. In the flick, directed by Stiller, a group of actors gather to shoot a big-budget war film on a remote island. However, problems arise when the situation calls for these fake soldiers to become real ones. McConaughey will shoot his part over the course of one week; he also just finished filming the flick Surfer Dude for director Andy Tennant. Tropic Thunder hits theaters on July 11, 2008.