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Disney's A Christmas Carol Movie Review

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:44:14 +0000

Don't let the "Disney's" in Disney's A Christmas Carol fool you. This is definitely Charles Dickens' classic Christmas tale come to life on the big screen for the umpteenth time. Granted, it's told with performance capture technology for the very first time, but this A Christmas Carol is still Dickens' not Disney's.

Filmmaker Robert Zemeckis remains faithful to the source material throughout the 96 minute film, though I can't remember Dickens ever making Scrooge take a trip down the rabbit hole to emerge a miniature man with a high squeaky voice. I also don't remember Scrooge riding an icicle all over London, skidding down rooftops while trying to evade the Ghost of Christmas Future. But for the most part, Zemeckis delivers a faithful interpretation of Dickens' work in this PG-rated holiday tale. What he misses out on capturing is the spirit of Dickens' story. Read On...

More on Disney's A Christmas Carol:

_{(Photo &copy Walt Disney Pictures/ ImageMovers Digital LLC)}

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Disney's A Christmas Carol Movie Review originally appeared on About.com Hollywood Movies on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 12:44:14.

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Bradley Cooper Heads to Dark Fields

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:09:59 +0000

Bradley Cooper continues to be one of the busiest actors in Hollywood. The 34 year old actor's been working fairly steadily since 2001, but this summer's runaway hit, The Hangover, catapulted him into 'in-demand' status. Now The Hollywood Reporter says Cooper's signed on to yet another project: Dark Fields.

Set up at Relativity Media, Dark Fields is based on the book of the same name by Alan Glynn and tells the story of a struggling writer who gets involved with a new smart drug that produces deadly side effects. Leslie Dixon will be adapting the screenplay. Neil Burger (The Illusionist) is directing.

Cooper will next be seen in the romantic comedy Valentine's Day with Julia Roberts, Taylor Lautner, and Jessica Biel. He's currently at work on the big screen version of the classic TV show, The A-Team.
_{(Exclusive Photo &copy Richard Chavez)}

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Bradley Cooper Heads to Dark Fields originally appeared on About.com Hollywood Movies on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 03:09:59.

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Adam Lambert Interview - 2012 Soundtrack Artist

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:21:28 +0000

Season 8 American Idol stand-out (and 2nd place finisher) Adam Lambert has three major projects in the works for the month of November. First up, Lambert will show off his vocal range with "Time for Miracles," a new song that's featured in Columbia Pictures' big action epic, 2012, opening on November 13th. And then on November 23rd his debut album, "For Your Entertainment," hits shelves. Do people say "hits shelves" anymore now that most music is purchased by downloading tracks from iTunes? However you put it, Lambert's got a busy November in store for himself, including an appearance on the American Music Awards on the 22nd.

At the LA premiere of Columbia Pictures' 2012, Lambert talked about handling his first soundtrack tune, American Idol, and more:

Adam Lambert Interview from the 2012 Premiere

_{(Exclusive Photo &copy Richard Chavez)}

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Adam Lambert Interview - 2012 Soundtrack Artist originally appeared on About.com Hollywood Movies on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 14:21:28.

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Johnny Depp May Be Part of The Tourist

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:52:41 +0000

And then again, he might not. There have been so many names linked to this remake of the French thriller that it's nearly impossible to take any casting news seriously. Johnny Depp's just the latest big name to be rumored to be attached to The Tourist. Depp follows the exit of Sam Worthington (Avatar) who replaced Tom Cruise, etc., etc., etc. The only 99.9% confirmed actor involved in The Tourist is Oscar winner Angelina Jolie who replaced Oscar winner Charlize Theron back in October.

In addition, The Hollywood Reporter is reporting newly appointed director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, the German filmmaker who took over the job when Bharat Nalluri walked away, is also now off the film. Talk about your snakebit movies...

_{(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)}

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Johnny Depp May Be Part of The Tourist originally appeared on About.com Hollywood Movies on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 13:52:41.

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RISK the Board Game to Become RISK the Movie

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:03:16 +0000

Don't act shocked - you knew it was bound to happen. With Monopoly, Candy Land and Battleship films in the works, it was really only a matter of time until a RISK movie was announced. Though, frankly, I'd be more excited by a Hungry, Hungry Hippos project, Sony Pictures Entertainment believes Hasbro's RISK board game would make a great film.

In a press release announcing the deal with Hasbro Columbia Pictures President Doug Belgrad said, "Hasbro has already seen tremendous success with Transformers and G.I. Joe and audiences have shown a great desire for films that bring to life everything that has made these franchise properties stand the test of time. The strategic thinking and the tactical gambles that players must take in the game are what make RISK a classic, thoroughly engaging game. Those elements translated into an action-packed, thrilling story are what will make this a uniquely exciting movie."

"We are thrilled to be working with tremendous partners like Sony Pictures and Overbrook Entertainment on RISK," President and CEO of Hasbro, Inc Brian Goldner stated. "Like so many of Hasbro's brands, RISK resonates with consumers of multiple generations around the world. We can't wait to re-imagine this brand into a motion picture."

In case you forgot what the board game was all about, here's a brief refresher courtesy of Hasbro, Inc and Sony Pictures Entertainment: "The game was invented in 1957 by French filmmaker Albert Lamorisse as La Conquete du Monde (The Conquest of the World). Two years later, Parker Brothers published the game in the U.S. as RISK. According to Hasbro, RISK was a groundbreaking game, the first board game to offer nonlinear movement. In the game, players compete on a map of the world, amassing armies and attempting world domination, or, as its rules put it, to 'occupy every territory on the board and in so doing, eliminate all other players.' The game has sold millions of copies and spawned several variations, with settings ranging from movie properties to various periods from world history to the moon."

There's no word yet on the storyline of the film or who will adapt the game for the big screen.

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RISK the Board Game to Become RISK the Movie originally appeared on About.com Hollywood Movies on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 20:03:16.

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Gerard Butler Joins Ralph Fiennes in Coriolanus

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:59:47 +0000

Ralph Fiennes is ready to take on the arduous task of producing, directing and starring in a modern version of Shakespeare's Roman tragedy, Coriolanus. Fiennes will tackle the lead role of Gaius Martius Coriolanus and Gerard Butler, hot off starring in and producing Law Abiding Citizen, will play General Tullus Aufidius of the Volscian army, a sworn enemy of Gaius Martius.

William Hurt and Vanessa Redgrave are also on board Fiennes' directorial debut. John Logan (The Aviator, The Last Samurai) adapted the screenplay. The Hollywood Reporter says filming is expected to begin in March in Serbia.

Shakespeare's tale follows one of Rome's greatest soldiers, Coriolanus, whose political aspirations are thwarted by two tribunes, Brutus and Sicinius. Banished from Rome after he rails against the system, Coriolanus joins with Rome's enemies, the Volscians. Fighting beside his former enemy Tullus Aufidius, Coriolanus and the Volscian army march on Rome. But after Coriolanus' mother, Volumnia, begs her son to stop the attack, Coriolanus ends the march and makes peace with Rome. This is taken as a betrayal of their agreement by Aufidius, and that betrayal costs Coriolanus his life.

Gerard Butler recently completed work on the action comedy The Bounty opposite Jennifer Aniston. Ralph Fiennes has been keeping busy with Clash of the Titans, Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, Cemetery Junction, and the final Harry Potter films: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 & Part 2.

_{(Exclusive Photo by Richard Chavez)}

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Gerard Butler Joins Ralph Fiennes in Coriolanus originally appeared on About.com Hollywood Movies on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 13:59:47.

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Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin Land Oscar Gig

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:02:04 +0000

Last year's host, Sexiest Man Alive Hugh Jackman, declined to handle the tough and time-consuming job of hosting the Academy Awards two years running, and Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr also passed on the gig, so naturally the Oscar producers asked Steve Martin and Oscar nominee Alec Baldwin (The Cooler) to team up to tackle MC'ing duties. Martin and Baldwin will serve as co-hosts of the 82nd Academy Awards to be held on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. And while Baldwin's an Oscar hosting rookie, Martin's already performed the job twice previously, hosting the 73rd and 75th Academy Awards shows.

In a press release from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Oscar producers Adam Shankman (Hairspray) and Bill Mechanic stated, "We think the team of Steve and Alec are the perfect pair of hosts for the Oscars. Steve will bring the experience of having hosted the show in the past and Alec will be a completely fresh personality for this event."

"I am happy to co-host the Oscars with my enemy Alec Baldwin," said Martin.

And Baldwin was quoted as saying, "I don't play the banjo but I'm thrilled to be hosting the Oscars - it's the opportunity of a lifetime."

Months before they'll share Oscar hosting duties, Martin and Baldwin will be seen on the big screen co-starring opposite Meryl Streep in Universal Pictures' It's Complicated.

So, what do you think of the team of Baldwin and Martin? Will it make you more or less likely to watch the 2010 Oscars? I'll watch because it's my job, but I would have preferred Jackman or Neil Patrick Harris who killed as the host of this year's Emmys.

_{(Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)}

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Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin Land Oscar Gig originally appeared on About.com Hollywood Movies on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 03:02:04.

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Hitting Theaters This Week

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:19:35 +0000

Halloween weekend was pretty empty of new theatrical releases, but that's definitely not the case for this upcoming weekend. Your choices of new films include an exploration of alien encounters, a couple facing a moral dilemma that - if they can live with making the wrong choice - will make them rich, men staring at goats and other bizarre mind control experiments, and Robert Zemeckis' latest excursion into the world of performance capture films:

The Box starring Cameron Diaz and James Marsden
Disney's A Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey and Gary Oldman
The Fourth Kind featuring Milla Jovovich and Elias Koteas
The Men Who Stare at Goats starring George Clooney and Ewan McGregor
Precious (Limited) with Mo'Nique and Gabourey Sidibe

New and Expanded Photo Galleries

2012 Photos - John Cusack/Amanda Peet
Beastly Photos - Alex Pettyfer/Vanessa Hudgens
The Box Photos - Cameron Diaz/James Marsden
New Moon Photos - Kristen Stewart/Robert Pattinson

And a Couple of New Posters

New Videos

_{(Photo &copy Universal Pictures)}

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Hitting Theaters This Week originally appeared on About.com Hollywood Movies on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 13:19:35.

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Katie Holmes Joins True Blood's Anna Paquin in The Romantics

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:30:29 +0000

Liv Tyler's out of The Romantics and Katie Holmes is in, according to Variety. Holmes (aka Mrs Tom Cruise) will take over the role Tyler had originally signed on to play in the comedy film from writer/director Galt Niederhoffer. Holmes, who is also now on board as an executive producer, will play Anna Paquin's maid of honor.

In real life, Paquin is engaged to her handsome True Blood co-star Stephen Moyer. In the film, Paquin will be marrying Josh Duhamel (who's actually married to Fergie from The Black Eyed Peas). The Romantics also features Malin Akerman, Elijah Wood, Jeremy Strong and Adam Brody as college friends who get back together for Lila's wedding.

Variety reports The Romantics will begin shooting in New York in the next few days.

_{(Photo by Frederick M Brown/Getty Images)}

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Katie Holmes Joins True Blood's Anna Paquin in The Romantics originally appeared on About.com Hollywood Movies on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 20:30:29.

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Keir Gilchrist, Zach Galifianakis and Lauren Graham Star in It's Kind of a Funny Story

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:03:14 +0000

Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the filmmaking team responsible for Half Nelson and Sugar, just announced who will be starring in their next movie: It's Kind of a Funny Story. With filming expected to begin in December in New York City on the Focus Features production, Boden and Fleck revealed United States of Tara's Keir Gilchrist has landed the lead role. The Hangover's Zach Galifianakis, Emma Roberts, Viola Davis, Zoe Kravitz, Aasif Mandvi, Lauren Graham and Jim Gaffigan have also been cast in the comedy-drama.

Based on the novel by Ned Vizzini, the story follows Craig (Gilchrist), a 16 year old who checks himself into a mental health clinic because he's too stressed out to deal with life. Although he's just a teen, he's placed in the adult ward because the youth section is closed. There he finds a mentor in Bobby (Galifianakis) and a love interest in Noelle (Roberts).

Focus CEO James Schamus calls and Boden and Fleck two of the finest independent filmmakers working today. "The compassion they always show towards the characters in their movies will be particularly in evidence in this humane comedy, especially as performed by these wonderful actors," stated Schamus.

_{(Pictured: Zach Galifianakis, Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)}

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Keir Gilchrist, Zach Galifianakis and Lauren Graham Star in It's Kind of a Funny Story originally appeared on About.com Hollywood Movies on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 20:03:14.

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