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SAST: stills from the missing Voice of Saruman scene
Oscar nominations column (with idiotically brave predictions for the winners)
Dailydigest @ Livejournal: Cinefex article on visual effects selection process; EW article on Oscar nominees’ reactions
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Top stories
Gothenburg Film Festival: Correspondent Vladimir reports from Sweden all this week—as a juror, no less.
Empire Awards: Return of the King leads with eight; however, this is probably the only awards show in which you’ll ever see X2 and Cold Mountain nominated against each other for Best Picture. A couple of interesting categories (and please, do join us in laughing at the nomination of Orlando Bloom, whose character did nothing but state the obvious, shoot things, and look pretty):
Sony Ericsson Scene of the Year
Ride of the Rohirrim (Return of the King)
House of the Blue Leaves (Kill Bill)
Opening Battle (Master and Commander)
The flag speech (Gangs of New York)
The rum scene (Pirates of the Caribbean)
Best British Actor
Jude Law (Cold Mountain)
Andy Serkis (Return of the King)
Sir Ian McKellen (Return of the King)
Orlando Bloom (Return of the King)
Ewan McGregor (Young Adam)
Oscar Watch: This Year, the Academy Rocks; Kris Tapley's Oscar Nom Redux; Diary of a Hobbit Friend Continues; Corrections from Yesterday, Readers Letters
New images
Cinema Confidential: 50 First Dates
Coming Soon: Quentin Tarantino on Alias
Dark Horizons: Hidalgo, The Girl Next Door, Mask 2 set pics
Jo Blo: White Chicks, Spanglish, Little Black Book, Against the Ropes, The Perfect Score
Kristanna.com: Kingdom in Twilight (Wagner’s Ring cycle)
Movieweb: Agent Cody Banks 2, The Dreamers, The Big Bounce, Welcome to Mooseport, Spider-Man 2
Z Review: Piccadilly Jim, Monster
Trailers and multimedia
Apple: The Village, King Arthur
Empire Movies: Dawn of the Dead, The Passion of the Christ, Envy, The Reckoning, Carandiru, I’m Not Scared, Shaun of the Dead, Touching the Void, Valentin, Zatoichi, Big Bounce TV spots, clips from 50 First Dates, Barbershop 2, Eulogy, You Got Served
Official sites: Spider-Man 2 updated
Trailer Park: Episode III footage
Casting calls and future films
Release dates
Ginger Snaps II: Unleashed: April 13 (DVD) (CHUD)
Quick casting
Back to School: Cedric the Entertainer? (Yes, this is a remake.) (Moviehole)
Bye Bye Birdie: Dark Horizons reports, “Director John Cho is sitting down with a group of girls this weekend to find the female lead. Among them - Jessica Simpson, Mandy Moore, Evan Rachel Wood & Lindsay Lohan. The front runner appears to be Mandy Moore, though producers LOVE the idea of Jessica Simpson & aren't afraid of her as being box office poison.”
Doing It: Kelly Osbourne, Sean Farris, Chris Lowell, Jon Foster, Marguerite Moreau, Missy Peregrym (Coming Soon)
Fat Albert: Kenan Thompson? (IGN)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Robbie Coltrane says that he’s signed to do at least four movies (SciFi Wire) Also: Casting under way for Viktor Krum? (CHUD)
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: Martin Freeman (Arthur Dent), Mos Def (Ford Prefect), Zooey Deschanel (Tricia McMillian/Tril Lian). Robert Downey Jr. has lost out on Zaphod Beeblebox due to insurance reasons and script demans. I have no idea who any of these characters are, so clearly I need to finally get around to reading the book. (Dark Horizons)
John Carter of Mars: Josh Duhamel? (Dark Horizons)
King Kong: Naomi Watts has been confirmed for the lead (The Movie Box)
Star Trek: Patrick Stewart is hanging up his phaser (Moviehole)
Superman: If AICN is to be believed… Beyoncé Knowles for Lois Lane and Johnny Depp for Lex Luthor. There are no words
Walk On: Jessica Simpson (Jo Blo)
Screenwriters
Mark Millar superhero project: He’s writing a script for some “established character you all know and love.” And when he feels like telling you who that is, we’ll let you know. (CHUD)
Sahara: Josh Friedman has apparently written an “AMAZING” new draft starting almost from scratch. Maybe this one will get back on track, if only for my mother the Clive Cussler fan (who is still whinging that Matthew McConaughey is all wrong for Dirk Pitt, ALL WRONG!). (Dark Horizons)
Song of Kali: Lucas Sussman will adapt from Dan Simmons’ book. Darren Aronofsky will direct. (CHUD)
Superhero love triangle: Disney has bought Alain Chabat’s pitch about a love triangle between a woman, her new boyfriend, and her ex—a superhero. (Cinescape)
More films
After the Sunset: CHUD has a set report. (Bit short on films today, aren't we?)
Reviews (Here be spoilers!)
AICN: Paparazzi, Blueberry, 23 reviews from Sundance, Rotterdam 2004, Osama, The Girl Next Door, Battle Royale 2
Dark Horizons: Torque, The Corrections (script), Miracle, The Girl Next Door, The Big Bounce, Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed
Upcoming DVDs
DVD Fanatic: Radio clips, Something’s Gotta Give release date moved up
DVD File: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Hud
DVD Talk: 1992 & 1993 Paris Roubaix, 2003 Vuelta a España: Heras, the Soft-Spoken Hero, Cube: SE, The Rules of the Game: Criterion Collection
IGN DVD: Xena: Warrior Princess (S3), Grind
Interviews and profiles
About.com: Erika Christensen (The Perfect Score)
AICN: Luke Greenfield (The Girl Next Door)
CHUD: Mike Mignola (Hellboy)
IGN: Elisha Cuthbert (The Girl Next Door), Leonardo Nam (The Perfect Score), Mark Hamill (Comic Book: The Movie)
Jackman’s Landing: Stephen Sommers (Van Helsing)
Latino Review: Chris Evans (The Perfect Score)
Movieweb: audio interviews from The Big Bounce cast; Frankie Muniz, Anthony Anderson (Agent Cody Banks 2)
Salon: Harvey Weinstein gives an interview from an alternate universe in which Miramax apparently “dominated” the Oscar nominations on Tuesday
Other news
Ananova: He's not the Pitts; Bulgarians bid for Potter role; Finding Nemo 'plagiarism' court case; Halle hurt on film set
Chicago Sun-Times: Streisand ponders 'Meet the Fockers' role
IMDB: Halle Back in Hospital; Spears Clashes with Knowles; Streisand "Is Reading Fockers Script"; Jackson's Children Interviewed by Welfare Officers; Farrell: Alexander Is Not All About Bisexuality; Kevin Smith Blames Media for Jen and Ben Meltdown; Redford's Audience with Castro; Travolta and Phoenix's Firefighting Worries Bosses; Lennox: I Don't Know If I Can Make the Oscars; 'American Idol 3' Hopefuls Depress Cowell
Jam Showbiz: Halle Berry OK after 'Catwoman' mishap; Jessica Simpson to make film debut; 'Rings' lords over Oscar nominations; Court date for Madonna film case; Malden to receive Actors Guild award
USAToday: Oscar race is on; Picture this; Frodo’s fate; Nominee list; Castle-Hughes on top; Berry hurt on set
Yahoo: Court Date Set for Madonna, Ritchie Case; Crystal Happy About Murray's Nomination; Moore at Work on Terrorism Project
Zap2It: Celebrities Hot for “Friedmans”; Lebowski Fest Goes West; Madonna 'Swept' with Lawsuit; Master Yoda: Steal Him Not; Theron Keeps It 'Reel' for Theater Chain; 'Streets' Stars Douglas and Malden Honored; Newman's Own Car 'Toon Character
Fun and games
Dateline Hollywood: Peter Jackson, AV Table Kids Sweep Golden Globes (subhead: “Al Pacino represents stoner table”)
DVD Fanatic: Win Lost in Translation, Angel (S3) on DVD
… of charm and strange: Eric’s Oscar predictions
The Onion: Ask a ‘60s Horror-Movie Radio Spot; Actress Opens Poorly Conceived Animal Shelter
Something Awful: "Dark Stories: Tales from Beyond the Grave" (pt. 2)
Short Attention Span Theater: After many reader requests, we have identified The Guy in the Dentyne Ice Commercial, praise Jesus hallelujah
Parting shot
Alternet (via TORN and other sources): Selections from "Dating tips from Middle Earth"
** When you're trying to catch the cute guy's eye is the exact moment the dwarf will pick to approach you;
if you're the only girl among 100 guys you'll still fall for the only one who has a girlfriend;
It doesn't matter if you look like Liv Tyler; your pining and whining will still get on people's nerves;
Don't blame your friends just because they can see right through your creepy little partner;
If you can get along on a road trip, the relationship will probably last;
And finally, the mother of all dating wisdom:
Some people will go to any lengths to get a ring; others, having had one for awhile, will go to any lengths to chuck it into a volcano. **
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