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Exclusive: ?Star Trek? Teaser Trailer Description Surfaces Online
2008-01-16 00:08:00
CHICAGO ? Hollywood Chicago .com on Tuesday had a trusted source post on our message boards a description of the upcoming teaser trailer for J.J. Abrams? ?Star Trek ?. Following this post, various other movie sites (including IESB.net, /Film and TrekMovie.com) have confirmed the accuracy of this information with multiple sources along with a source at Paramount Pictures. Here?s our exclusive teaser trailer description. Warning: This is full spoiler information about the teaser trailer. Here?s the ?Star Trek? trailer description. Hope you can use it. Slow Paramount logo. Bad Robot logo. Black, suddenly some sparks (very saturated [with] Michael Bay-looking cinematography). We hear an old NASA radio countdown: ?30 seconds and counting.? Close up of a timeless guy with goggles leaning down doing some wielding and sparks flying around. He lifts his googles. Slightly futuristic head covering. It?s not a space suit, by the way. The dude leans down and wields some more. He?s standing on big m...
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Marvel Releases Two New Production Stills of ?Iron Man? With Downey Jr.
2008-01-15 04:29:00
CHICAGO ? Marvel on Monday released two new production stills from the highly anticipated adaption ?Iron Man? with Robert Downey Jr. In the first photo, he displays a gauntlet for from the ?Iron Man? armor and the second new photo shows Downey Jr. with director Jon Favreau as they talk about a scene on a workshop set. Favreau has also directed ?Elf?. ?Iron Man,? which is scheduled to open on May 2, also features Samuel L . Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow , Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard and Stan Lee. In playing Tony Stark, Downey Jr. fashions a life-support suit to keep him alive after an accident. He decides to use the suit to fight crime. The first photo above is similar to the production still below, which was released on Jan. 9. By ADAM FENDELMANEditor-in-ChiefHollywood Chicago . comadam@hollywoodchicago.com
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?The Dark Knight? Viral Marketing Rings Again From Cake-Embedded Cell Phone
2008-01-14 19:47:00
CHICAGO ? Back on Dec. 4, 2007, we reported on ?The Dark Knight? viral marketing activities that concluded in fans rushing around the U.S. to snag cakes in bakeries. Items were baked inside them and enthusiasts tore apart the treats to find out what they were. The Joker promised that the embedded cell phones would have a purpose later. On Monday, the Chicago cake finder again contacted Hollywood Chicago.com and said a text message was sent to the phone he received on that day. Here?s the e-mail to us containing the Joker?s new viral marketing message. Hey, Adam! If you remember, I am the Chicago Joker cake finder. I have the cell phone and I just got a text message from the Joker today from humanresources@whysoserious.com. Here?s what it said: ?You still out there, clown? Reply and let me know.? I replied ?yes? and I got another response: ?See you found my little message. So do you think you have what it takes to be a part of my circle of friends? Are you a backstabbing, self…?...
More About: Marketing , Phone , Cell Phone

Production Stills Surface For George A. Romero?s ?Diary of the Dead?
2008-01-14 03:01:00
CHICAGO ? The Weinstein Company has released 11 new production stills for George A. Romero?s ?Diary of the Dead,? which will show at the Sundance Film Festival later this month and hits limited U.S. theaters on Feb. 15. In the film, a group of young film students run into real-life zombies while filming a horror movie of their own. ?Diary of the Dead? is written and directed by horror master George A. Romero (?Land of the Dead,? ?Day of the Dead,? ?Dawn of the Dead,? ?Night of the Living Dead?). Though the film?s primary cast relies on many actors you?ve likely never heard of, it interestingly features voice work from people including Wes Craven, Stephen King , Quentin Tarantino and Guillermo del Toro. I?ve included a few of the production stills below. All of them can be found in our new ?Diary of the Dead? image gallery. The publicist for the film has informed us that ?Diary of the Dead? will show at the Sundance Film Festival on these dates and at these locations: Jan. 18, 11:...
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Theater: ?Bird Dog Sedition? Billed as ?Most Dangerous Play in Chicago?
2008-01-13 01:42:00
CHICAGO ? With Chicago ?s art gallery district as its conversational and thought-provoking backdrop, the free thinking ?Bird Dog Sedition? is written, directed and performed explicitly to dangerously deconstruct theatrical conventions. The three actors in the unusual performance are slaves to their scripts and ? interestingly ? Marrakesh, Rebecca Pyles and Stephanie Schnorbus (who go by their real first names) clearly know it and often admit it. They ask ? in fact, warn and even attempt to scare ? audiences to heed a strong warning through statements, rituals and revelations geared to shock, mislead and disturb. ?Bird Dog Sedition?.Photo credit: Chuck Przybyl ?Bird Dog Sedition? ? which has transformed ROOMS Gallery on Chicago?s south side into a white world of deep-thinking quotations from some of society?s most brilliant minds ? attacks normalcy and warns us not to live life thoughtlessly according to the status quo. Though it?s short (40 minutes), cheap (only 10 bucks) and som...
More About: Hollywood , Theater , Play , Content

Katie Holmes, Tom Cruise, Diane Keaton Walk ?Mad Money? Red Carpet
2008-01-11 03:42:00
CHICAGO ? ?Mad Money ? rolled out a glitzy red carpet in Los Angeles on Wednesday and we have the photos to show it. We selected the best 14 and created a new image gallery for the film premiere, which marks the first film release by Katie Holmes since her marriage to Tom Cruise . Cruise, who?s not in the film, was there at the Overture Pictures shindig along with co-stars Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Ted Danson. A few Getty Images photos from the event can be seen below and the rest are in our new ?Mad Money? gallery. The film, which centers around three female Federal Reserve employees who plot to steal money that?s about to be destroyed, opens on Jan. 18. ?Mad Money? is directed by Callie Khouri who can be remembered for the appalling 2002 film ?Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood?. Click here to view the entire ?Mad Money? red-carpet gallery! By ADAM FENDELMANEditor-in-ChiefHollywoodChicago. comadam@hollywoodchicago.com
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Saving Snowball @ Gorilla Tango Theatre
2008-01-10 17:37:00
Start: Feb 15 2008 - 10:00am End: Feb 15 2008 - 11:00am Timezone: Etc/GMT-6 In the sleepy Midwest town of Grossman Falls, Illinois, the annual Snowball dance has long been a rite of passage. Now the school is threatening to cancel the dance citing filthy music and filthier dancing. Students must now fight for their right to hold each other close and walk in slow, awkward circles. A local news crew captures the thrilling (and hilarious!) story from end to end in a multi-media experience called Saving Snowball. Playing Friday February 1, 8, 15 @ 10pm. Gorilla Tango Theatre 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL 60647 773-598-4549 http://www.savingsnowball.com http://www.gorillatango.com

Saving Snowball @ Gorilla Tango Theatre
2008-01-10 17:35:00
Start: Feb 8 2008 - 10:00am End: Feb 8 2008 - 11:00am Timezone: Etc/GMT-6 In the sleepy Midwest town of Grossman Falls, Illinois, the annual Snowball dance has long been a rite of passage. Now the school is threatening to cancel the dance citing filthy music and filthier dancing. Students must now fight for their right to hold each other close and walk in slow, awkward circles. A local news crew captures the thrilling (and hilarious!) story from end to end in a multi-media experience called Saving Snowball. Playing Friday February 1, 8, 15 @ 10pm. Gorilla Tango Theatre 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL 60647 773-598-4549 http://www.savingsnowball.com http://www.gorillatango.com

Saving Snowball @ Gorilla Tango Theatre
2008-01-10 17:33:00
Start: Feb 1 2008 - 10:00am End: Feb 1 2008 - 11:00am Timezone: Etc/GMT-6 In the sleepy Midwest town of Grossman Falls, Illinois, the annual Snowball dance has long been a rite of passage. Now the school is threatening to cancel the dance citing filthy music and filthier dancing. Students must now fight for their right to hold each other close and walk in slow, awkward circles. A local news crew captures the thrilling (and hilarious!) story from end to end in a multi-media experience called Saving Snowball. Playing Friday February 1, 8, 15 @ 10pm. Gorilla Tango Theatre 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL 60647 773-598-4549 www.savingsnowball.com www.gorillatango.com

Paramount Pictures Releases 25 New Production Stills For ?Cloverfield?
2008-01-10 10:23:00
CHICAGO ? ?Cloverfield ? continues on its tear not this time with more viral marketing but with a ?monster? amount of new production stills. In fact, there are so many we had to create an image gallery just to hold them all. There are 25 new images in total. The J.J. Abrams -produced film opens on Jan. 18. While we feature a few below, all 25 are in our new ?Cloverfield? image gallery. If you?re interested in some spoilage, you can download the ?Cloverfield? production notes here. Here?s the film?s plotline: On the eve of his departure for Japan, Rob (Michael Stahl-David) sees his going-away party as an opportunity to confess unresolved feelings and tie up loose ends. His agenda takes an unexpected turn when a jolt shakes the revelers. The crowd quiets down to watch news reports of an earthquake and then rushes to the roof to assess the damage. A fireball explodes on the distant horizon. A power failure follows. Confusion gives way to panic as the partygoers stumble through the bla...
More About: Pictures , Production , Paramount

Darker Director For Darkest ?Harry Potter?? Guillermo del Toro Hopes So
2008-01-09 06:07:00
CHICAGO ? So, Warner Bros.: Yes or no? Darker director Guillermo del Toro (?Pan?s Labyrinth?) wants to direct ?Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows? so badly he bought the final J.K. Rowling book for his daughter and latched onto it himself so she had to say: ?When are you going to give it to me?? He solidified his position of passion for the gig to MTV on Tuesday. Guillermo del Toro.Photo credit: mun2 ?I read it and I was very moved by the ending. It ends very much like a [Charles] Dickens novel.? ?I?m definitely interested [in directing the seventh ?Harry Potter? film],? he insisted, ?now that the movies have grown darker. They have a contrast between the gloomy existence of the kid and the world he?s exposed to. They have evolved into a really nice universe.? MTV can envision the fit, too: The ?deathstick?: a wand of destiny [that] makes its bearer unbeatable. A resurrection stone [that] enables the one who wields it to visit with the dead. A trip to the afterlife and a final...
More About: Hopes , Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , Del Toro

Golden Globe Telecast Canceled; Awards Become Highest-Profile Casualty of W
2008-01-08 05:11:00
CHICAGO ? The organizers of the 2008 Golden Globe Awards on Monday announced the cancellation of its telecast. The move earned the title of the highest-profile casualty of the writer?s strike. Following last week?s declaration to protest the event in defense of striking WGA writers, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) and NBC on Monday said the typically high-profile telecast will be substituted with a mere press conference. The HFPA on Monday issued the following statement in explanation: America Ferrara at the Golden Globe Awards.Photo credit: Hollywood Foreign Press Association The Hollywood Foreign Press Association [on Monday] announced that the recipients of Golden Globe Awards in 25 categories will be revealed during an hour-long HFPA press conference at the Beverly Hilton to be covered live by NBC News beginning at 6 pm PST on Jan. 13. The 65th-annual Golden Globe Awards NBC telecast and champagne dinner in the Beverly Hilton?s international ballroom is offici...
More About: Profile , Casualty

Jack Black Drops Biblical ?Year One? Bomb in ?Be Kind Rewind? Interview
2008-01-07 05:12:00
CHICAGO ? Though actors aren?t supposed to chat it up about their other films when they?re being interviewed specifically for one, every now and then they do and the focus of the interview changes entirely. When Collider.com on Saturday published an interview with Jack Black about his Feb. 22 film ?Be Kind Rewind ,? details willingly slipped about his upcoming film ?Year One?. Mos Def (left) and Jack Black in ?Be Kind Rewind?.Photo credit: IMDb Though the particulars of that project have been kept quietly sacred and despite the ongoing writer?s strike, we learn the following about ?Year One?: ?Year One? is a biblical comedy. It?s about the Old Testament. I?m just a dude wandering through biblical times. I?m not a famous character ? you would have heard of before. Me and Michael Cera are just sort of wandering through and you get to see all these old stories from the Torah told through agnostic ? sort of ? eyes. The talent in the film feels partially ?Superbad? as it features both...
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New Behind-the-Scenes Photos, Comic Book Cover Surface For ?Indiana Jones a
2008-01-03 01:26:00
Three new behind-the-scenes photos turned up on Wednesday for ?Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? in a comprehensive Vanity Fair article. In the third photo below, we see the first photo of Cate Blanchett as a Russian agent.The article and photos have been picked up by /Film, Hollywood Elsewhere and other film sites across the Web. Some Vanity Fair quotes from director Steven Spielberg follow:I?m in my second cut, which means I?ve put the movie together and I?ve seen it. I usually do about five cuts as a director.The best news is that ? when I saw the movie myself the first time ? there was nothing I wanted to go back and shoot, nothing I wanted to reshoot and nothing I wanted to add.I go for geography. I want the audience to know not only which side the good guy?s on and the bad guy?s on but which side of the screen they?re in.I want the audience to be able to edit as quickly as they want in a shot. [That has] been my style with all four of these ?Indiana Jones ? pi...
More About: Comic , Photos , Book

Three Upcoming Marriage Films: ?Married Life,? ?27 Dresses,? ?The Time Trav
2008-01-02 04:34:00
If 2007 was the year of the war films, at least a portion of 2008 is focusing on the eternal vows of matrimony.Without even researching others, three 2008 films on the topic of navigating the ups and downs and marriage have all proactively popped onto my film radar in the last 12 hours alone.First up we have the romantic drama ?The Time Traveler?s Wife? with the adorably talented Rachel McAdams (?The Notebook?) and Eric Bana (?Munich,? ?Troy?). Here?s the plot outline:?The Time Traveler?s Wife? is a romantic drama about a Chicago librarian (Eric Bana) with a gene that causes him to involuntarily time travel and the complications it creates for his marriage.First-look production stills have just surfaced for ?The Time Traveler?s Wife? on Filmz. I first learned about these from a Jan. 1 /Film post. ?The Time Traveler?s Wife? has an unknown 2008 open date.Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana in ?The Time Traveler?s Wife?.Photo credit: FilmzRachel McAdams and Eric Bana in ?The Time Traveler?s W...
More About: Life , Marriage , Films , Dresses

Report: ?Transformers 2? Moves From June 26, 2009 Open Date to ?Unslotted?
2008-01-01 22:24:00
The Hollywood Report er published a year-end film report on Dec. 28 with a bevy of standard box-office numbers. Buried on page two of the article, though, is the real news: the lack of a number for ?Transformers 2?. The sequel is again directed by Michael Bay.Megan Fox in ?Transformers? in 2007.Photo credit: IMDbSpecifically, the article downplays the first mention of the film moving from a confirmed release date of June 26, 2009 to no opening slot at all. The Hollywood Reporter article says:Some will suggest that DreamWorks? production operations will be upended if Steven Spielberg and David Geffen bolt [Paramount] when their personal contracts expire in November.The pair remain actively engaged in several ongoing projects including the as-yet-unslotted ?Transformers 2?.?Transformers? in 2007.Photo credit: IMDbSuperhero! Hype on Dec. 31 also picked up on the subtle mention and is speculating that the ongoing WGA strike could be a culprit. IMDb still lists the opening date for ?Trans...
More About: Open , Moves

Principal Photography For Untitled James Bond Film No. 22 to Begin on Jan.
2008-01-01 00:17:00
Principal photography for untitled James Bond film No. 22 will begin in the United Kingdom on Jan. 3, 2008 at Pinewood Studios, according to the comprehensive James Bond Web site MI6.Daniel Craig for the 22nd James Bond film.Photo credit: MI6In its Dec. 30 report, MI6 cites an interview with James Bond film No. 22 director Marc Forster as published with Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung. The Jan. 3 start date for the film is one day earlier than previously stated by star Daniel Craig.You don?t have to dig too far back through the HollywoodChicago.com archives to find a few local hits on this director. Forster?s 2007 film ?The Kite Runner? was a 2007 hit at the Chicago International Film Festival and we photographed him on Oct. 4, 2007.?The Kite Runner? director Marc Forster at theChicago International Film Festival on Oct. 4, 2007.Photo by Evan O?Donnell/HollywoodChicago.comThough an official title for the film hasn?t yet been announced, IMDb lists the film under the generic title ?Bo...
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?The Punisher: War Zone? Director Lexi Alexander Posts Detail-Packed Filmin
2007-12-31 02:53:00
?The Punisher : War Zone ? director Lexi Alexander has just posted an update about the film, which is slated to open on Sept. 12, 2008, on her official site. Though you can tell she?s a director rather than a writer, she does shed some interesting details. It?s below in full.From left to right: Lexi Alexander, Terence Jay,Deborah Del Prete and Linda McDonough.Photo credit: Lexi AlexanderAll right, people. It?s done ? well, except one exterior scene we couldn?t shoot because of the snowstorm, which we will have to shoot in the near future.I?m sorry I haven?t been blogging, but trust me when I tell you every spare minute I had outside work was used to catch as much sleep as possible.[We had] 40 nights of shooting in the freezing cold. I?m surprised my cast and crew showed up every single night. I was lucky. Everybody was great and really involved in the film.There were a few surreal incidents that happened during the shoot. One was that for the first week of shooting every time Ray Stev...
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New Viral Marketing Poster, TV Ads, Chalk Markings Spotted For ?Cloverfield
2007-12-29 22:14:00
On Friday night, Peter at /Film posted a new viral marketing poster for ?Cloverfield? he spotted in a theater near Boston. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on Jan. 18, 2008.A ?Cloverfield? poster spotted near Boston on Dec. 28, 2007.Photo credit: /FilmAlso, ProjectCloverfield.com has spotted two new television ads for ?Cloverfield? (here and here), which I?ve embedded below.Finally, SFist on Dec. 21 noticed ?Cloverfield? chalk messages on sidewalks around San Francisco.Chalk messages for ?Cloverfield? in San Francisco.Photo credit: SFist
More About: Marketing , Viral , Viral Marketing , Poster

New ?Indiana Jones? Lego Sets Reveal Key Scenes in ?Kingdom of the Crystal
2007-12-28 22:59:00
Images of new ?Indiana Jones? Lego sets have surfaced. Warning: This is spoiler information.Along with their revealing titles, it?s easy to see the key scenes being revealed from the upcoming film ?Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,? which is slated to hit theaters on May 22, 2008.The ?river chase? Lego set for ?Indiana Jones?.Image credit: BricksetThe ?jungle cutter? Lego set for ?Indiana Jones?.Image credit: BricksetThe ?Temple of the Crystal Skull? Lego set for ?Indiana Jones?.Image credit: BricksetI learned about these from here. That site first mentioned an information teaser about this on Nov. 12, 2007.
More About: Sets

Color-Pencil Animated Opening Credit Sequence For ?Juno? Surfaces Online
2007-12-28 22:24:00
The color-pencil animated opening credit sequence for ?Juno? has surfaced online thanks to its creator: Shadowplay Studio. I learned about this from a Dec. 27 post on /Film.Watch the ?Juno? opening sequence here!Ellen Page and Michael Cera for ?Juno? on Sept. 8, 2007.Photo credit: WireImage.comSince ?Juno? director Jason Reitman also directed ?Thank You For Smoking,? you wouldn?t be surprised to find out that Shadowplay is also responsible for creating that film?s opening titles, too.Diablo Cody (left) and Ellen Page for ?Juno? on Nov. 5, 2007.Photo credit: WireImage.comThere?s universal agreement (as much as there can be universal agreement) that ?Juno? is one of the best films of the year and perhaps the best of the independents.Jennifer Garner for ?Juno? on Sept. 8, 2007.Photo credit: WireImage.comEllen Page (left) in ?Juno?.Photo credit: IMDbReitman says the following about the sequence in a blog post from Aug. 2007:They were created by Shadowplay Studio, which is the same team ...
More About: Color , Credit , Opening , Online , Sequence

Universal Releases Two New High-Resolution Production Stills For ?The Incre
2007-12-28 04:35:00
Universal Pictures on Thursday released two new high-resolution production stills for ?The Incredible Hulk? as part of its 2008 preview.The film, which is slated to open on June 13, 2008, stars Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth and William Hurt. The new photos are below. You can click on them for high-resolution versions.Here?s the film?s official synopsis:?The Incredible Hulk? kicks off an all-new, explosive and action-packed epic of one of the most popular superheroes of all time.In this new beginning, scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) desperately hunts for a cure to the gamma radiation that poisoned his cells and unleashes the unbridled force of rage within him: The Hulk. Living in the shadows ? cut off from a life he knew and the woman he loves (Liv Tyler) ? he struggles to avoid the obsessive pursuit of his nemesis (William Hurt) and the military machinery that seeks to capture him and brutally exploit his power. As all three grapple with the secrets that led to The Hulk?...
More About: Production , High , Universal , High Resolution , Resolution

Amazon.com Takes Creative Blogger?s Liberty on 2007 Entertainment Hall of F
2007-12-28 02:50:00
Did you know Amazon .com has a film and television blog called the Amazon Screening Room?I didn?t know either until just a moment ago when I accidentally stumbled upon it in hopes of a hopeless update on when I?ll receive a Kindle electronic reader. In any event, the blog?s Dec. 27 post is an interesting one to say the least.It?s a list of 2007 hall of fame and shame selections in movies and television. There?s no information about the writer (just an ?Ellen? byline) and she obviously took creative liberty with her award categories (i.e. ?Biggest Pillaging of Indie Cred? and ?You Told Everyone They Had to Watch it, Then it Started to Suck?).While her credentials as a film and television critic are mysterious, you can tell ?Ellen? has been paying attention this year. If for no other reason at all, it?s at least an entertaining read. Though I can?t say I agree with her choices, I?ve listed some of her selections below.Biggest Year of Their Careers (So Far) Josh Brolin (?No Country For ...
More About: Creative , Entertainment , Blogger , Liberty

Screenplay Surfaces Online For Oscar-Worthy ?There Will Be Blood? With Dani
2007-12-27 21:09:00
?There Will Be Blood ? is among the best films of 2007. Period. An Oscar -worthy performance by Daniel Day-Lewis helps to make this picture Oscar worthy in its own right.Daniel Day-Lewis in ?There Will Be Blood ?.Photo credit: IMDbA haunting supporting performance by Paul Dano (?Little Miss Sunshine,? ?The Girl Next Door?) isn?t one you?ll soon forget, too.Aside from his 2005 work in ?The Ballad of Jack and Rose,? we last saw Day-Lewis in film all the way back in 2002 for his gritty ?Gangs of New York? performance.?There Will Be Blood?.Photo credit: IMDb?There Will Be Blood? is as worthy as any for him to bring the familiar character out of hibernation.While you?d be remiss not to see this in theaters, you can read now why director Paul Thomas Anderson (who adapted the film?s screenplay from the Upton Sinclair novel ?Oil!?) deserves your attention.Paul Dano in ?There Will Be Blood?.Photo credit: IMDbAnderson also directed ?Punch-Drunk Love? and ?Magnolia?. The full screenplay is below....
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Teaser Airs For 2010 ?Knight Rider? Film; New KITT Voiced By Will Arnett
2007-12-26 18:32:00
It?s a long way away, sure, but it?s never too early to tease a teaser trailer. A 15-second teaser was just aired on NBC for the new ?Knight Rider? film. I?ve embedded the video below.Will Arnett (NBC?s ?30 Rock,? ?Blades of Glory?) will provide the new voice of KITT. Though there?s no information about the 2010 film on IMDb, the following is from the official statement on this film:?Knight Rider ? stars Justin Bruening (?Cold Case,? ?All My Children?), Deanna Russo (?NCIS,? ?The Young and the Restless?), Sydney Tamiia Poitier (?Veronica Mars,? ?Grindhouse?) and Bruce Davison (?Breach,? ?Close to Home?).David Hasselhoff (NBC?s ?America?s Got Talent?) ? who starred in the popular lead role as Michael Knight for four seasons during the original series ? returns as the same character in a special guest-star appearance.The new KITT car will have some ?Transformers?-like shape-shifting abilities. The story?s scientific explanation is ?nanotechnology?.The KITT (Knight Industries Three Thou...
More About: Film , Teaser

Interview: Denzel Washington?s Difference of Opinion With Harvey Weinstein
2007-12-24 21:31:00
I interviewed actor and director Denzel Washington on Dec. 6 on the topic of ?The Great Debaters,? which is the second film he has directed. ?The Great Debaters? opens on Christmas.We spoke about the difference between what he wants for his films and what the studio wants. Specifically, we discussed why Harvey Weinstein at the Weinstein Company required Washington to act in ?The Great Debaters? along with the other debate films of 2007.Denzel Washington in ?The Great Debaters?.Photo credit: IMDbAdam Fendelman: Some directors put themselves in their films as an actor and some don?t. I spoke to Alison Eastwood on ?Rails & Ties,? for example, and why she didn?t.So you?ve done two now (?The Great Debaters? in 2007 and ?Antwone Fisher? in 2002) where you?ve put yourself in the films. What?s your feeling on that in terms of just strictly directing or also putting yourself in it?Denzel Washington: It?s strictly business. I didn?t want to be in either film. It was strictly to get the money....
More About: Opinion , Interview , Difference

Red-Band Trailer Surfaces For New Will Ferrell Comedy ?Semi-Pro?
2007-12-24 09:35:00
A red-band trailer has surfaced for the comedy ?Semi -Pro,? which stars Will Ferrell and Woody Harrelson. The film comes from first-time director Kent Alterman and ?Starsky & Hutch? writer Scot Armstrong. ?Semi-Pro? is scheduled to hit theaters on Feb. 29, 2008. Production stills for the film follow.Will Ferrell in ?Semi-Pro?.Photo credit: IMDbWill Ferrell (left) in ?Semi-Pro?.Photo credit: IMDbWill Ferrell (right) in ?Semi-Pro?.Photo credit: IMDbThe trailer for ?Semi-Pro? that?s showing now in theaters, which is different than the red-band trailer above, is embedded below.
More About: Comedy , Band , Trailer

Theater: ?Marrying Terry? a Comedic Chicago Musical Without Music
2007-12-24 08:43:00
CHICAGO ? It?s a musical without the music.Ana Sferruzza closes her eyes and recites poetry from John Keats whileDan Rodden listens in the Chicago production of ?Marrying Terry ?.Photo credit: Joanna KozekCoupling the common theatrical themes of love and humor with the uncommon counterparts of radiology and rare books, ?Marrying Terry? is not only performing now in Chicago but was also derived entirely from the city and its familiarities.The set is a miniature facsimile of the household Drake Hotel. References to the Chicago Transit Authority, its 151 bus, a frenzied Chicago street, Lincoln Park and Michigan Avenue allow the local production to shine a tongue-in-cheek ? albeit campy ? spotlight on what many Chicagoans hold dear.The story?s crux rests on endearing rare-books librarian Terry Adams (Ana Sferruzza) and the twist of fate that bestows her to another Terry Adams (Dan Rodden) while in what he thought was his bed.Brian Simmons and Debbie Laumand-Blanc sing ?Auld Lang Syne?in ...
More About: Music , Musical , Theater

?There Will Be Blood? to Sneak Into 14 Cities on Dec. 29 at Midnight
2007-12-24 06:38:00
Paul Thomas Anderson?s ?There Will Be Blood ? is hand?s down one of the best films of 2007. The film stars an Oscar-worthy performance by a ?Gangs of New York?-reminiscent Daniel Day-Lewis.Unfortunately, the film will only open in limited New York City and Los Angeles theaters on Dec. 26 and will expand in Jan. 2008. Fortunately, 14 cities are being treated to a midnight sneak screening on Dec. 29.The lucky ones are Austin, Boston (AMC Loews Boston Common 19), Chicago (AMC River East 21), Dallas, Denver, Miami, Minneapolis (Lagoon Cinema), Philadelphia, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle, Toronto and Washington, D.C.Tickets are already on sale for some of these cities. The director cut the following special video to announce the screenings, which I?ve uploaded to YouTube.
More About: Cities , There Will Be Blood , At Midnight , Midnight

Interview: Mary Lynn Rajskub ? Star of Hit TV Show ?24? ? Discovers She?s H
2007-12-22 19:59:00
CHICAGO ? On the other end of the phone, Mary Lynn Rajskub (best known to most Americans as Chloe O?Brian on the hit television show ?24?) tells me her Thanksgiving plans.Even though her voice is sweet and humble as we discuss the logistics and square footage needed to properly deep fry a turkey, something in my mind can?t separate her from the government agent she plays.I find myself fighting the urge to talk into the headset with a deep, raspy voice a la Kiefer Sutherland and demand she send me the schematics of an abandoned industrial complex.?I thought [deep frying a turkey] was a terrible idea, but apparently it?s pretty delicious,? she says completely unaware that in my mind a bomb is about to go off somewhere in the city unless she can get me the information I need.Mary Lynn Rajskub.Photo credit: GeekSugar.comRajskub has found playing a hit character on a fast-paced action show a high point in her career. Meanwhile, an oft-forgotten bit of information known only to fans of he...
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