Cinematical

Is 'Transformers 2' Going 3D?

Jessica Barnes — 2008-05-13T11:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Paramount, Tech Stuff, Dreamworks, Remakes and Sequels

If you're anything like me, you have completely given up on the next installment of Transformers having even a whiff of plot, and instead you are just going to sit back and enjoy the spectacle. Speaking of, it looks like it's going to be quite the show, too. The keen eyes over Comic2Film noticed that in the Dolby News release for ShoWest 2008, Transformers 2 was listed as a 3D film slated for 2009.

There have been plenty of updates for the film lately, but unfortunately most of them turned out to be smoke and mirrors -- just ask Teresa Palmer. But, a 3D release could be the real deal, even though we haven't heard a peep from Michael Bay on the matter. Kind of surprising, too, considering he is not the kind of guy who likes to keep quiet about these sorts of things.

Transformers 2 is scheduled to start filming on location in Pennsylvania this June, but everything is going to hinge on whether or not the SAG strike can be averted. A 3D release does make sense if you think about it, especially since the only way to top the FX of the first film is to have them flying off the screen at the audience this time around. (Yay! A monster truck is flying toward me at 150mph! Ain't this fun!)

Weigh in below and let us know if you think 3D is the way to go for our robotic friends, or will it just be an excuse for Bay to spend even more time on the FX and even less time on the script?

[via Comic2Film]

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New 'Indiana Jones' Trailer!

Erik Davis — 2008-05-10T15:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Fandom, Movie Marketing, Remakes and Sequels, Trailers and Clips

Above you will find the latest Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull trailer. While it looks kinda like the last one, it's easy to spot a whole bunch of new scenes and dialogue. Anyone else notice how all these trailers and TV spots have been very light on Marion Ravenwood's scenes? They've included her in this jungle car chase scene, and she's had a line or two, but that's it. Part of me wonders how much she's in the actually movie? Then again, perhaps they'd rather play up the Shia LeBeouf and Cate Blanchett roles over Karen Allen, who, while very well known to all of us movie buffs, isn't exactly a household name across the globe. Kinda diggin' LaBeouf's character more and more each day; he's a fun guy to watch on screen and my fingers are crossed he does a good job here. Reviews thus far have been iffy ... but I'd rather wait to see for myself.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull arrives on May 22. Check out our enormous (and fairly awesome) gallery of images from the film below.

Gallery: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

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'Transformers 2' Cast Update: Palmer Out, Lucas In?

Erik Davis — 2008-05-08T14:30:00+00:00

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

Things seem to be getting a tad confusing over on the Transformers 2 front. As of now, Michael Bay and his team plan to begin production in early June ... IF there isn't an actor's strike. (I know, another strike -- we're sick of 'em too.) Regardless of what might happen, they still need to cast this monster -- and that's where all this he said/she said is coming into play. Not long ago, Jonah Hill was rumored to be in negotiations for a part opposite Shia LaBeouf, but that's no longer happening. Now, if Michael Bay is to be believed, Australian actress Teresa Palmer is no longer in the film and was never considered in the first place. This is odd, because we were under the assumption that Moviehole (who first reported the casting) actually spoke to Palmer and SHE confirmed her own involvement.

Over on his personal blog, however, Bay denies everything. In a very brief statement, he says: "No we have stopped negotiating with Jonah, and Teresa Palmer was not considered for a role." Um, okay. If you say so. To further complicate the situation, IGN now reports that another Aussie actress, Isabel Lucas, has been cast in the role of Alice in Transformers 2. This bit of news comes via her management agency, Meissner Management, who list the actress as having that role. She's relatively new to the block, and will have parts in the upcoming vampire flick Daybreakers, as well as the HBO miniseries The Pacific.

No official word on Palmer or Lucas, so we'll have to wait and see if Michael Bay has anything to say about these latest rumors. Cute girl, though, I'll give her that.

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Jonah Hill Drops 'Transformers 2'

Jessica Barnes — 2008-05-07T11:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Casting, Paramount, Dreamworks, Remakes and Sequels

I can't be the only one who's just a little relieved that Jonah Hill has dropped out of negotiations to star in Transformers 2. Hill is riding high on the comedy wave, and while a big-budget summer flick is always a career booster, it's not like Michael Bay is known for his comedy. According to Entertainment Weekly, "negotiations between Jonah Hill and Dreamworks have broken down, and the Superbad star is no longer expected play a sidekick to Shia LaBeouf in the upcoming sequel from director Michael Bay."

Bay and company are expected to start production on Transformers 2 this summer at the University of Pennsylvania, which fit with early reports that Hill would be playing Sam Witwicky's (LaBeouf) college roommate. Now that Hill is out of the picture, maybe a little co-ed co-habitation could be in his future since Teresa Palmer signed for an unnamed role last week.

There were no details about why Hill chose not to sign on the dotted line, but I'm sure a lot of fans are glad that he did. Unfortunately it's not all good news coming from Hill's people; instead of starring in Transformers 2, he has agreed to appear in the follow-up to A Night at the Museum -- so now I don't know what to think. As crappy as Transformers 2 might turn out to be (and there is a good chance it could be pretty darn crappy), it would definitely be a step up from A Night at the Museum 2. Or maybe not.

What do you think? Should Jonah stick to the simple comedies without all the big-budgeted effects?

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'Transformers 2' Gets Another Babe!

Erik Davis — 2008-05-01T11:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Casting, Deals, RumorMonger, Fandom, DIY/Filmmaking, Remakes and Sequels, Games and Game Movies

After the Justice League movie slowly (and quietly) fell apart, that cast of almost-superheroes had to look for different work. Now, Moviehole reports that Teresa Palmer (who was supposed to play Talia al Ghul in JLA) has landed a role in Transformers 2. This seems to be a pretty solid bit of news, seeing as our friend Clint knows the gal personally. As of now, we have no idea who she's playing and/or whether she gets to make out with a giant robot. Yuck! Totally weird!

We haven't seen much of this Australian beauty on the big screen; she did the creepy thing in films like Wolf Creek and The Grudge 2, but also lined up roles in Kids in America, Bedtime Stories (that Adam Sandler comedy) and, now, Transformers 2 (I wonder if Michael Bay will find a way to clone himself for this production?). Needless to say, get ready for a new pretty face around town, folks. Yesterday we learned that Jonah Hill might be in negotiations to star opposite Shia LaBeouf as his dorky college roommate (aka comic relief), which is a move I'm personally not crazy about. But, whatev ...

Teresa Palmer? Jonah Hill? What do you folks think about this new Transformers cast? And do the humans in the film even matter at all?

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Jonah Hill in Talks for 'Transformers 2'

Jessica Barnes — 2008-04-30T11:02:00+00:00

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

Either Erik has missed his calling as a casting agent, or maybe he just knew something we didn't. A few weeks ago, Erik oh-so casually mentioned that Jonah Hill would be perfect for the new comedic sidekick role in Transformers 2. Entertainment Weekly now reports that Hill is in early talks to play sidekick to Shia LaBeouf (early speculation is that he will play LaBeouf's college roommate) in the follow up to the summer blockbuster. I might not have been a big fan of the so-called comedy in the first Transformers flick, but at least if Hill does sign on, he'll be able to pull off some snappy rapport with LaBeouf.

Remember, Transformers 2 is still a Michael Bay film; and as to be expected, the man has not been able to shut up about it. Proving that sometimes too much self-promotion really can be a bad thing. Originally, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Ehren Kruger had been hired to write the script, and the tone was going to be "darker, and moodier." Unfortunately, Bay couldn't keep his hands to himself, and he has since proclaimed that he has written the script, and that it is awesome. Something tells me if Bay is in charge, we are going to have a lot more jokes about robots peeing on each other. If nothing else, it will dovetail nicely with Hill's love of body-fluid humor.
Dreamworks has neither confirmed nor denied the report, but the smart money is probably on Hill signing on the dotted line. Hill is currently working on Ricky Gervais' This Side of The Truth, and is scheduled to do some voice work on How to Train Your Dragon, but other than that, his schedule is clear. Transformers 2 is set to start shooting this summer and is scheduled to arrive in theaters on June 26th, 2009.

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Cinematical Picks: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

James Rocchi — 2008-04-23T15:37:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Paramount, Box Office, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Remakes and Sequels

Why We Can't Wait to See It: Well, it's Indy. That alone is pretty much all you have to say, isn't it? Harrison Ford is back as Dr. Jones, and while some of the folks around for the ride are new (Cate Blanchett, Shia LeBouf and others), the return of Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood is reason enough for old-school fans to be excited.

Why It Might Do Well: Again, it's Indy -- and a long-anticipated return to the big screen for one of the most beloved movie franchises of modern times. Plus, the only big opener the week before is Prince Caspian -- which, while anticipated, probably won't pull people from the ticket lines opening week.

Why It Might Not Do Well: The question's less if it will do well than if it will be good; interviews have suggested that George Lucas has taken a heavy hand in the writing this time around -- which, frankly, hasn't been a good sign in recent years. Plus there's that disturbing gimmick in the trailer with Indy saying "I thought that was closer ..."; back in the day, Spielberg, Lucas and Ford would have let that go unsaid. ...

Fun Fact: Crystal Skull takes place 19 years after the events of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade -- the same amount of time it's been since we've seen Indy on-screen.

Trivia:

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Gallery: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

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Four New 'Indiana Jones' Pictures!

Elisabeth Rappe — 2008-04-18T14:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Classics, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers, Paramount, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Remakes and Sequels, Images

Image removed at the studio's request

I think this photo is officially the funniest still I have seen from a movie, ever. IESB.net was sent four photos from Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull from an unknown source. They are quite grainy, so I bet they were scanned in from some kind of companion book.

There's a very classic and iconic one of Indy cracking his bullwhip -- and I very nearly posted it, but we've seen that before. What we've never seen is a Russian Cate Blanchett getting sucker punched ... by Shia LaBeouf! It's like the entire Cold War boiled down to one single image -- you're going down, Communism! But if Irina Spalko is the uber-villain Lucas and Spielberg say she is, there's no way she's going to take that from Mutt Williams. (Then again, if Rocky IV taught us anything, it's that Russians can be beaten by much weaker opponents.)

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (sucker) punches its way into theaters on May 22.

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Indiana Jones and the Epic Running Time

Elisabeth Rappe — 2008-04-16T09:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Classics, Thrillers, Paramount, RumorMonger, Newsstand, Steven Spielberg, Remakes and Sequels

As the release date for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull draws near, the worried rumblings begin. First, there's insider talk that Indiana Jones is only going to screen for the press a day or two before its premiere. To quote CHUD's Devin Faraci, "I was told a long time ago - when the movie was still filming - to not expect to see Crystal Skull until maybe a day or two before domestic release. According to some insiders, this policy was a smart one, as the movie may not have turned out to be what people in the industry call 'good.' I'm hoping for the best, of course." Aren't we all. This is being whispered elsewhere, so don't shoot this messenger or Faraci.

Second, Crystal Skull is going to have a run time of rather epic proportions. Jeff Wells reports that the final cut runs two hours and twenty odd minutes, longer than any previous Indy installment. There was a great deal of groaning last summer over needlessly long blockbusters -- I rather think Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End was the most guilty. There are some movies that scream for 2+ hours, like anything with hobbits or scantily clad Spartans (ok, that one is just me) but there are others that are just fine clocking in at 90 minutes or so. That's where Indiana Jones belongs -- he's the man who never overstays his welcome and makes a graceful exit, leaving you wanting more. Don't read too much into that.

Maybe I am alone in my skepticism of an extended Indy trip -- I am in the minority when it comes to all things Crystal Skull anyway. I just don't want Jones overstaying his welcome and leaving my extremities numb. Wow, I can't write anything that doesn't sound suspicious -- let's just call it quits.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull opens on May 22nd. Take a brisk walk after, get your circulation going again. It's summer, it'll be warm out.

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Shia LaBeouf Traverses 'Dark Fields'

Monika Bartyzel — 2008-04-14T12:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Thrillers, Casting, Universal

Right on the heels of Eagle Eye, Shia LaBeouf is signing on for another role that has him playing the slacker dude thrown into extraordinary circumstances. The Hollywood Reporter posts that the actor has signed on to star in The Dark Fields, a new thriller by The Illusionist director Neil Burger, which is based on the book by Alan Glynn.

The novel follows a divorced copywriter in Manhattan who gets a helping of MDT-48, a new, illegal drug that will make him smarter -- a drug he scores from his dealer and ex-brother-in-law. While reveling in the financial and social success of his new-found smarts, he ignores a selection of side effects from terrible headaches to "trip-switching" -- a phenomenon that makes time move like stop-motion. He becomes a successful addict, who then gets implicated in a murder and linked to pharmaceutical espionage.

The project is being linked to both Fight Club and The Game, and I can't tell if that's just a reference to the style of the film, or a big, spoiler-filled mistake, since both films deal with surprise twists that rewrite reality. In the meantime, of course, we get to see LaBeouf go on adventures with Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Eagle Eye, and New York, I Love You. Oh, and don't forget Transformers 2.

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First Photo of Shia LaBeouf in 'Eagle Eye'

Jessica Barnes — 2008-04-10T13:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Thrillers, Paramount, Dreamworks, Steven Spielberg, Movie Marketing, Images

Granted, it's not like Eagle Eye is the Shia LaBeouf flick that has the world on the edge of their seats (cough, Crystal Skull, cough) -- but, the luckiest guy in Hollywood has been busy bouncing between sets for a while now. Paramount and Dreamworks have released the first photo from LaBeouf's political thriller, Eagle Eye (you can see the hi-res version by clicking the image above).

Eagle Eye stars LaBeouf as a slacker type struggling with the mysterious death of his over-achieving brother. When he returns home, he discovers that he and a single mother (as played by Michelle Monaghan) have been framed as terrorists. When the two are forced to join a real terror cell bent on political assassination, they have to figure out a way to bring down the bad guys and get out alive. On a side note: does it make me a jaded moviegoer if I say that I can smell a twist coming involving the dead brother a mile off?

Eye was originally an idea by Steven Spielberg (who is really starting to look like LaBoeuf's fairy godmother -- I mean, the two are starting to turn into a wholesome version of Scorsese and De Niro) and, at one point, he was also slated to direct. When Spielberg dropped out to work on Indiana Jones, D.J. Caruso (Disturbia) stepped in and Hillary Seitz was in charge of some rewrites. Shooting wrapped for the film in February, and is scheduled to arrive in theaters on September 27th.

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New 'Indiana Jones' TV Spot!

Eugene Novikov — 2008-03-30T01:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Paramount, Fandom, Steven Spielberg, Movie Marketing, Trailers and Clips

Check out a brand new wonderful-looking Quicktime TV spot for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. (There's also a chintzy flash version here, if that's your thing.) It's snappier than the trailer we got earlier in the month, with the humor excised to make room for the action (they cut away just before our hero crashes ass-first into the windshield of that truck). There's also more Shia LaBoeuf and Cate Blanchett, plenty of those absurd off-road vehicles they drive, and a stronger classic Indiana Jones feel -- I love that sandtrap and retracting spiral staircase.

I actually quite admire Paramount's marketing of their big summer tentpole: it's been funny, classy, and appropriately reverent of the beloved franchise. They're clearly confident about the film's box-office prospects, as evidenced by the fact that we didn't get a trailer until just over two months before release, and this seems to have led to an advertising campaign that's more relaxed and less overbearing than we're used to. There's only a bit of new footage in this spot, but it's exciting, and its tone recalls the series at its best. Those eager to devour every scrap the studio throws us before May 22nd -- and I know there are plenty of you -- ought to check it out.

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It's All Shia in New 'Indiana Jones' Featurette

Erik Davis — 2008-03-21T13:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Fandom, DIY/Filmmaking, Movie Marketing, Remakes and Sequels, Trailers and Clips

While it would certainly appear that we're not going to get a new Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull trailer this week, we have been given a new featurette starring that kid who smokes where he shouldn't, Shia LaBeouf (who plays some dude named Mutt in the film). You can check it out over on the film's official website, and what we basically have are a bunch of snippets of Shia in action, with voiceover from the actor. There's Shia riding a motorcycle with Harrison Ford, there's Shia practicing his sword fighting and there's Shia fooling around with a switchblade.

An interesting note about that switchblade, as brought up by Shia in the featurette: They didn't have time to bring someone on set to teach him how to use it, so he taught himself and became kinda addicted to the thing. He calls it his "Tetris" -- named, of course, after the highly-addictive Nintendo game. Not much in the way of actual footage here, save for a bit from that motorcycle chase. Am I the only one itching to see that scene already? The first images we saw from this set were of this chase scene, and they keep teasing the damn thing over ... and over ... and over again. For almost a year now!

Keep a look out for the new Indy trailer, which should hit at some point before the film is released (in glorious widget form!). Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull arrives in theaters on May 22.

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Indiana Jones Leaps Into Danger -- New Photo!

Elisabeth Rappe — 2008-03-07T11:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Classics, Steven Spielberg, Remakes and Sequels, Images

Entertainment Weekly has got their hands on an Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull exclusive. (It's flash, so we can't post it here -- plus they probably would be annoyed. Sorry!) It's a big action shot, with all the usual suspects. Marion is driving, Indy is about to go punch some Soviets, and his son is right behind him. I hope he has a good reason for trying to jump into the other vehicle so lightly armed.

Entertainment Weekly is being very polite and buying into the Lucas-Spielberg pretense that we don't already know who Shia LaBeouf is the genetic combination of. So they call "[the] new character" by his name.

I am bewildered as to how I missed the name of Shia LaBeouf's character. Mutt? Mutt Williams? I thought I had stayed on top of this, but that slipped right by.

"No, son. We called the dog Mutt!!"
"I've got a lot of fond memories of that dog!"

Anyway, enjoy the picture. I think it's very evocative of Raiders.

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Indy in Quicksand, Spalko Does More Pointing: New 'Indy 4' Pics

Ryan Stewart — 2008-02-13T09:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, New Releases, Paramount, Fandom, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Remakes and Sequels, Summer Movies

What is it with Agent Spalko and pointing? We've already seen pictures of her brandishing her sword at Indy, at Mutt and now here comes a new picture of her pointing her finger directly in Indy's face, or else just past his line of sight towards something off in the distance -- to be fair, I think it's the latter. That's just one of three new pictures from the forthcoming Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull that have popped up in an Italian magazine, L'espresso. Another of the pics is intriguing because it seems to show us Indy with a giant sword tucked into his trousers -- has he vanquished Spalko and taken her pointy stick by this point in the film? Will Indy have a sword battle in this film? Boy, I hope not. Also, we get our first look at the much talked-about 'quicksand' scene, although it's too much of a close up to give any real detail. We see Indy coming face to face with a snake just as he's seemingly about to sink into the sand. I think I get the idea here -- he'll have to grab onto the snake in order to get out of the sand, so it's a bad choice either way.

I can't imagine I'll be up early enough tomorrow to catch the premiere of the trailer on Good Morning America, but on the subject of 'Indy and publicity',' producer Kathleen Kennedy recently made the rather eyebrow-raising statement that the film would hit theaters in May without the accompaniment of a press junket -- what's that all about? I know The Beard is prickly when it comes to interviews, but as Jeff Wells pointed out, how hard could it possibly be to get Karen Allen and Shia LaBeouf to free up some time to actually do some press for their movie? I'm thinking Kennedy was probably speaking without thinking, since Paramount probably wouldn't stand for such a thing.

Additionally, after the jump check out another, more revealing Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull cover for the upcoming Dark Horse comic due out this May. This will be part of a two-issue comic book adaptation, and the second issue reveals a bit more ... skull on its cover.

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Michael Chiklis Joins 'Eagle Eye' as New Set Pics Surface

Monika Bartyzel — 2008-01-08T11:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Drama, Thrillers, Casting, Images

Another actor has been added to the cast of Eagle Eye, and it's none other than The Commish, The Shield -- Michael Chiklis. The Hollywood Reporter has posted that he's signed on to play the U.S. Secretary of Defense in the thriller, which is coming our way from D.J. Caruso and DreamWorks. As you might remember, this is that weird movie that stars Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan as a slack and a single mother "who form an unlikely partnership when they are framed as terrorists and forced to become members of a cell with plans to carry out a political assassination." I'm not so sure how you get framed as a terrorist and then have to become one, but this is the movies, and they pull off strange premises all the time. I imagine that Chiklis will lead some sort of manhunt for these accidental bad guys in the name of national security.

Sweetening this bit of news are the first images from the set, and they are pretty much all Shia, all the time, although there's also a little bit of Monaghan too. Looking at the images, which are over at Just Jared, I can't help but think that this guy who looks all too comfortable with a shotgun and smoke is the same curly haired peppy kid from the second Charlie's Angels. He's all grown up! They'll be filming this flick until March, and it will hit theaters for our entertainment on August 8.

[via MovieWeb]

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Shia LaBeouf Wants to Cage Himself?

Monika Bartyzel — 2007-12-21T12:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Drama, Music & Musicals, Casting, RumorMonger, Fandom

Shia LaBeouf has come a long way since his curly head popped up as a young target in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. He's starred in Disturbia, chilled with larger-than-life robots in Transformers, and got to do what many kids dream of -- have adventures with Indiana Jones. So it might sound surprising that he's got a passion project he'd like to get off the ground; one about a troubled rapper. According to Hollywood.com, LaBeouf would like to whip up a movie tribute for his hero -- Cage. As Shia describes it: "It's kind of like how no matter what film De Niro was making, he was always ready to pull Raging Bull out of his back pocket. Cage is my Jake LaMotta. I have been listening to Cage since I got into hip-hop when I was 12."

The film is nowhere near a reality, but it could make for a decent piece of cinema if it's done right. Born Christian Palko, Cage was a kid from a troubled family. His father was a heroin addict who made Cage help him shoot up, and then suddenly left the boy and his mother. Later, a stepfather would beat the kid severely, and Cage soon became a drug addict, tasting the likes of drugs from pot to LSD. In his later teens, he was seen as mentally unstable and sent to a psychiatric hospital for over a year. There, his troubles continued as he was a guinea pig for Prozac, which made him suicidal. Essentially, it was a neverending series of struggles for the guy, who then broke out of his troubles and became a rapper in the '90s. A super-popular young star, abuse, mental issues, AND music? It's amazing the movie hasn't been picked up yet. Should LaBeouf's success continue, I imagine we'll see this film in no time.

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The 50 Dumbest People in Hollywood?

Christopher Campbell — 2007-12-04T12:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Lists

The current issue of Entertainment Weekly features a cover story on "The 50 Smartest People in Hollywood." Last week, Monika commented on that list, stating that it's not as fun reading about smarties as it is reading about the dummies. Well, in response to EW, New York's Daily News ran its own list of the "Top 50 Dumbest People in Hollywood." Not surprisingly, sitting in the number one spot is Lindsay Lohan. An obvious choice since she's been the subject of more bad decisions -- at least that the media has concentrated on -- than any other celeb out there. Well, maybe Britney Spears (shockingly far down at #14) has made more. But Lohan has also made bad career decisions in addition to her bad personal-life decisions. Go ahead and sift through Cinematical's coverage of Lohan throughout the past year or two; I challenge you to find one smart idea she's had (entering rehab doesn't count).

Since this is a tabloid, though, the Daily News' list is hardly about career smarts. Most of the people on the list are there because of their scandals, controversies and apparently unforgivable, ongoing problems. That is how Shia LaBeouf -- who should be on EW's list more than Ben Affleck should -- can be considered dumb, despite the fact that his public drunkenness arrest has hardly dented his career. Same goes for Russell Crowe, whose phone-throwing incident was more than two years ago. Other celebs are easily agreed with: former Oscar hopeful Courtney Love; almost-threw-it-all-away-at-the-beginning actress Vanessa Hudgens; K-Fed (only #38?). Check out the rest here.

[via Fark.com]

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More Casting for D.J. Caruso's 'Eagle Eye'

Jessica Barnes — 2007-11-24T14:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Drama, Thrillers, Casting, Paramount, Dreamworks, Steven Spielberg

I have to be honest with you: probably the only reason I will watch the upcoming thriller Eagle Eye can be summed up in one word (well, possibly two): LaBeouf. Moviehole reports that the D.J. Caruso film currently filming in Chicago has added Ethan Embry to their growing cast. Eagle Eye was based off an idea by Steven Spielberg about "a young slacker whose overachieving twin brother has died mysteriously. When the young man returns home, both he and a single mother find they have been framed as terrorists. Forced to become members of a cell that has plans to carry out a political assassination, they must work together to extricate themselves". Spielberg had originally intended to helm the project but instead he headed off to work on Indiana Jones 4. Instead, the film has become a 'Disturbia reunion' with both director and lead together again.

If you watched a lot of teen flicks in the '90s, chances are Embry is a familiar face. Some of his credits include Can't Hardly Wait, Final Destination, Empire Records, and Disturbing Behavior. Now that he's all grown up, he has started to take on slightly "grittier" parts, most recently starring in Vacancy alongside Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson. In Eagle Eye, he will play agent Toby Grant, a government agent who is partnered with Rosario Dawson. The cast also includes Billy Bob Thornton, Michelle Monaghan (MI3), as a single mother on the run, and Madelyn Sweeten (who TV trivia buffs might recognize as Allie from Everybody Loves Raymond). Eagle Eye is set for release on August 8th, 2008.

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Shia LaBeouf Arrested!

Christopher Campbell — 2007-11-05T11:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Steven Spielberg

From what I understood, Shia LaBeouf was not like other young celebrities. He's even appeared on late night talk shows explaining how he's different. How he won't be caught out at the clubs, wasted and doing embarrassing things. But just as everybody is due 15 minutes of fame, everybody with more than that quarter hour is due at least one day of scandal. So, here's LaBeouf's moment of controversy, finally: the 21-year-old was arrested at a Chicago Walgreens, where he was allegedly drunk and refusing to leave. This was at 2:30 a.m. on Sunday morning; at first he was detained by a security guard, and then taken away by police, who booked him and released him on bond at 7 a.m. His official charge was misdemeanor criminal trespassing and he is due to appear in court November 28.

Man, I can't wait to hear Shia's side of the story. I mean, there has to be a good reason for what happened. And even if not, who hasn't been drunk at a Walgreens on a Saturday night once in their life? The thing is, the police didn't test LaBeouf's sobriety since he wasn't driving (how did he get there? who was he with? inquiring minds want to know details!), and so there's no proof that he was in fact drunk. Of course, it hardly matters if he was sober, because right now the whole world is reading about his drunkenness. At least this is the perfect time for a scandal, if he must have one. It's many months past his successes with Disturbia and Transformers and many months before he'll be seen in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull -- not that people would not see that movie just because of this incident. I doubt Spielberg will even have to scold him at all.

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