Movie News: Thursday, November 09

A Good Year - Behind The Scenes
   London-based Investment expert Max Skinner (Crowe) moves to Provence to sell a small vineyard he has inherited from his late uncle. As Max reluctantly settles into what ultimately becomes an intoxicating new chapter in his life, he encounters a beautiful California woman who also lays claim to the property.

Bond reboot explores 007's fascinating early days (Reuters)
   

Reuters - In "Casino Royale," James Bond is back. Back to his roots as Ian Fleming's driven, bare-knuckled, rough-around-the-edges sociopathic killer in Her Majesty's Secret Service. The movie is so retro it begins with a black-and-white sequence in which Bond brutally earns his 00 status with two textbook-perfect killings.

Tom Cruise is free from studio system (Reuters)
   

Reuters - Take all the PR spin out of last week's announcement that Tom Cruise and his producing partner Paula Wagner are reviving the United Artists studio, and what's left?

Comics question the rise of Dane Cook (AP)
   AP - Dane Cook's rise to the pinnacle of standup comedy is undeniable.

Columbia rebels reach out to film celebs (AP)
   AP - Colombia's largest rebel group is calling on Denzel Washington, Oliver Stone and Michael Moore to help it reach a deal with the government on exchanging imprisoned guerrillas for rebel-held hostages, including three U.S. citizens.

Richards has run-in with paparazzi (AP)
   

AP - A spokeswoman for Denise Richards blamed aggressive paparazzi for a run-in that prompted the Hollywood actress to toss a pair of laptops from a balcony, causing minor injuries to two elderly women.

'Stolen' ideas big business in Hollywood (AP)
   AP - "Pirates of the Caribbean." "The Matrix." "The Last Samurai." "Broken Flowers." "Amistad." Success isn't all these films have in common. Each was also challenged by a lawsuit claiming "idea theft" — a common Hollywood problem that lawyers say is likely to continue as long as huge movie studios wield enormous power.

Feddy Mercury biopic in the works
   Freddy Mercury was one of the most powerful singer/songwriters the world has ever seen. He was also the first famous person that I knew who died of AIDS. His life will now be made into a biopic, it's about time. The people over at cinematical.com give us this:Guitarist Brian May of the rock band Queen has announced that a biopic of lead singer Freddie Mercury is on the way, according to a report...

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S.D. high court rules in Costner's favor (AP)
   AP - The South Dakota Supreme Court has backed Kevin Costner in a legal battle over a Deadwood casino he owns, ruling Thursday that the actor-director doesn't have to sell his share in the business to sever his relationship with two partners.

Gang documentaries display violent world (AP)
   AP - The camera lists and bobs in the dizzy, dancing camera style of MTV reality television, then zooms in on a posse in purple in an infamously violent housing project. The footage is from a documentary called "Concrete Hell," which aims — like a wave of other straight-to-DVD gang documentaries — to grant viewers intimate access to the gritty and violent underworld of America's street gangs.

Movie music maker Basil Poledouris dead at 61
   Film scores can add so much to the tone and the pace of a movie, often they are instrumental in adding tension or showing the beauty in a shot that, without a melody would be overlooked. Basil Poledouris understood this well, now at age 61 his song has come to an end. The folks over at yahoonews.com give us this: Emmy-winning composer Basil Poledouris, best known for his powerful music for...

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Cruz downplays Oscar buzz for 'Volver' (AP)
   

AP - Penelope Cruz is fully aware of the Oscar talk for her performance in "Volver," and she's tuning it out.

Office Space - The Horror
   I get a kick out of these "recut" trailers that make one movie look like something it's not. Most of them suck... but some of them (like the one for The Shining) are pretty funny. I like this one that makes "The Office" (I still can't believe how many people haven't seen this film yet) look like a slasher flick.

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Nice Little Tranformers Footage Video
   A reader in the comments section pointed me to this nice little behind the scenes video (only like 2 minutes long) that shows us a bunch of footage and vehicles from the Transformers movie, as well as some stuff from Steven Spielberg. ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND... the first minute or so is the Transformers announcement trailer... the good stuff comes after that.

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Indiana Jones 4 Summed Up In One Picture
   The guys over at Herostew told me about this picture they drew summing up everything I've been saying about the whole Indiana Jones 4 mess and fiasco. This really does say it all. If you want to see a bigger version of it you can just go here.

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U.K. Web site traces celebrities' roots (AP)
   

AP - The ancestry of some famous Americans, including Tom Cruise, Halle Berry and Donald Trump, is revealed in immigration records released Thursday by a British genealogy Web site.

Treo has prominent role in new movie (AP)
   AP - The acclaimed film director behind the classic "1984" television commercial that launched Apple Computer Inc.'s Macintosh computers will soon promote yet another gadget icon. This time, however, the marketing will be incidental, not intentional.

Profile - Sona Mohapatra
   Sona Mohapatra is rather old for Indipop - or at least, that is what the typical Indipop image dictates. Still, she looks ravishing and her knowledge of music is stunning. This is a singer who has the talent to become a formidable force in Indipop. As far as music is concerned, she feels that Indian music is only now opening up to different genres and besides, with globalization, Indians are now open to different kinds of music.

Music Happening - Lata Mangeshkar turns 77
   As a person, she remains the person she has always been - unassuming and striving to do her best even today. India's original 'showman' Raj Kapoor was so inspired by her that he is said to have based his movie Satyam Shivam Sundaram on her. She was always his 'woman in white' and wears only a humble white sari to this day.

Music Happening - Rekha Sings Ghazal
   The versatile actress, who has enchanted three generations of Bollywood lovers, has now ventured into a new arena. Actress Rekha, who has sung for films earlier, is now singing one of Mohammed Rafi's ghazals Din dhal jaye from the film Guide in her new comedy Kudiyon Ka Hai Zamana in which she plays the lead no less. Those who have heard her say that she has done far better than many singers on the scene today.

Spiderman 3 Trailer Premiers on TV TONIGHT!
   For those of you who want to see the Spiderman 3 Trailer on TV instead of running out to See it before James Bond tomorrow night, then you are in luck. Sony Entertainment Announces:Catch the new trailer during CSI on Thursday November 9th at 9pm ET/PT on CBS. Then watch it Online at iFilm.com Looks like I will have to check it out after I watch Smallville tonight.

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Interview - Shweta Pandit
   I think my voice quality and versatility. That's what most people say to me, but I'm actually still figuring it out. They all feel I'm versatile, as I don't sound immature in the renditions, and actually the same singer singing 'halla re' from NEAL N NIKKI and 'bandhane lagi' from NAACH. I really love surprising the music listeners with the songs I do. That's what is usually appreciated, I guess.

From Russia, no love for 'Borat' movie (AP)
   

AP - "Borat" may be banned in Russia. A government agency said it would refuse to grant permission for Sacha Baron Cohen's controversial comedy "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" to be shown in theaters in neighboring Russia, its distributor here said Thursday.

Tom & Katie's Aisle Destination? (E! Online)
   E! Online - Now that's amore. 

Whether or not this is in fact the locale of the wedding of the year (sorry, Brangelina, you had your chance), an Italian newspaper has reported that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are planning to tie the knot at a medieval castle on the shores of Lake Bracciano, located to the northwest of Rome.

"Mission: Impossible" sequel tops DVD charts (Reuters)
   

Reuters - "Mission: Impossible 3" stormed to the top of both the sales and rental charts duriong its first week in stores, according to data issued Wednesday.

Reese Witherspoon files for divorce (AP)
   

AP - Nearly two weeks after Reese Witherspoon announced her separation from Ryan Phillippe, the actress has filed for divorce.

Disney tips hat to Walt with new DVD series (Reuters)
   Reuters - The Walt Disney Co. is launching a new DVD line honoring its famous founder.

Evangelical summer camp shown in film to end (Reuters)
   Reuters - Organizers of an evangelical summer camp for children featured in the documentary "Jesus Camp" are discontinuing the camp because of negative reaction sparked by the film and recent vandalism at the camp site in Devils Lake, North Dakota.

Actress Witherspoon files divorce documents (Reuters)
   

Reuters - Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon filed for divorce on Wednesday from her husband of seven years, actor Ryan Phillippe, just nine days after the couple announced their separation.

Movie composer Basil Poledouris dies in L.A (Reuters)
   

Reuters - Emmy-winning composer Basil Poledouris, best known for his powerful music for action-adventure films of the 1980s and '90s, died of cancer in Los Angeles on Wednesday, a spokeswoman said. He was 61.

"Spidey 3" trailer to hit Viacom's web (Reuters)
   Reuters - "Spider-Man 3" will receive a TV and online blitz Thursday night when Columbia Pictures unveils a 2-1/2-minute trailer at 10 p.m. in a "road block" across Viacom's online brands and CBS' TV network -- six months before the film's May 4 premiere.

Daniel Baldwin arrested in Calif. (AP)
   AP - Actor Daniel Baldwin was arrested on suspicion of stealing an SUV.

Weinstein Co. picks up French kids' cartoon (Reuters)
   Reuters - The Weinstein Co. has acquired all North American rights to the computer-animated French feature "Piccolo, Saxo and Company," a musical children's story.

Jagger helps bring "Women" remake to big screen (Reuters)
   Reuters - Indie distributor Picturehouse has acquired all North American rights to the long-gestating remake of "The Women," a project that will be produced by Mick Jagger.

Turistas - Trailer 5
   Finn and Liam, who just want to experience for themselves the beautiful Brazilian women they’ve heard so much about. The new friends find a hazy night of exotic liquors and sensuous dancing later, they wake up alone, their possessions gone, and only the faintest traces of the nightmare to come on their lips.