Friday, August 21

• Can Brad Pitt Save A-List Stars' Paychecks?

  It's been a cruel summer — and spring — at the box office for Hollywood's biggest stars. The less-than-stellar success for A-Listers has many in Hollywood worried, according to The New York Times.

  A-list movie stars have long been measured by their ability to fill theaters on opening weekend. But never have so many failed to deliver, resulting in some rare soul-searching by motion picture studios about why the old formula isn’t working — and a great deal of anxiety among stars (and agents) about the potential vaporization of their $20 million paychecks.

  The under-delivering stars cited include Denzel Washington, Julia Roberts, Eddie Murphy, John Travolta, Russell Crowe, Tom Hanks, Adam Sandler, and Will Ferrell. At best their films had weak returns. Others close in on the bomb category. Even Johnny Depp's turn in Public Enemies didn't bring the hoped for audience.

  The trend is especially clear when you look at the movies that have topped the box office this summer and their leading stars — Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Shia LaBoeuf), Up (Ed Asner), and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Daniel Radcliffe). Will Brad Pitt "stop the bleeding" with this weekend's Inglourious Basterds?

  Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Company built the marketing campaign for the film almost entirely around Mr. Pitt.

  And the actor may pull it off — kind of. Mr. Weinstein contends that Mr. Pitt’s drawing power is not remotely in question. "Brad Pitt is a super-superstar at the apex of his popularity, and he's a large part of why people want to see this movie," he said.

  However, box-office predictions for Inglourious Basterds this weekend range from $25 to $30 million — solid for a Tarantino movie but only midling for Pitt.

  What or who is to blame? The instant peer feedback available from social networking, says Peter Guber, the former chairman of Sony Pictures.

  You look around the theater and can see the glow, not on people’s faces from watching the movie, but on their chins — from the BlackBerrys and iPhones. They are immediately telling their friends whether it's worth their time. And the answer to that, more often than not, seems to be no.

  To which we say, keep the reviews coming, movie lovers!

  
  

  Posted 08/21/2009 by reelz

  Related: Adam Sandler | Brad Pitt | Denzel Washington | Eddie Murphy | Harvey Weinstein | John Travolta | Johnny Depp | Julia Roberts | Tom Hanks | Will Ferrell | Russell Crowe | Inglourious Basterds

Monday, June 29

• The Boys of Summer: 11 Movie All-Stars

  Nothing says summer like blockbuster movies and baseball. We've taken the natural next step of combining them into one. Looking at the biggest names of the 2009 Summer Movies, we put together our roster of The Boys of Summer: 11 Movie All-Stars.

  Like all Dream Teams, there was a limited number of slots on ours. If your favorite didn't make the roster, he may still be playing AAA (minor league) or have been put on the DL (Disabled List) for the season. Perhaps he'll make the team next year.

  
  

  Posted 06/29/2009 by reelz

  Related: Brad Pitt | Christian Bale | Daniel Radcliffe | Denzel Washington | Hugh Jackman | Johnny Depp | Matthew McConaughey | Tom Hanks | Eric Bana | Gerard Butler | Ryan Reynolds

Friday, May 15

• Angels & Demons Star Blasts Dan Brown's Writing

  

  Angels & Demons, director Ron Howard's highly anticipated and controversial sequel to The Da Vinci Code, opens today across the country. Based on the novel by Dan Brown, the film's plot revolves around a conspiracy to murder Catholic Cardinals and use anti-matter stolen from the European particle physics laboratory CERN to destroy St. Peter's Basilica.

  Though both books by Brown are wildly successful -- The Da Vinci Code is the bestselling hardcover novel for adults of all time, with more than 80 million copies printed -- Brown's writing has often been criticized. The latest to dismiss Brown's skills as an author is one of the stars of Angels & Demons, Stellan Skarsgård. In a recent interview, Skarsgård (who plays Commander Rocher, head of the Pope's Swiss guard in the film) said:

  I think Dan Brown is a terribly bad writer, but he has cliffhangers after every chapter which makes you continue reading.

  It's like eating peanuts at a bar. You don't like them, but you keep on eating them anyway.

  Skarsgård said Angels & Demons is better than the first film because:

  The story is more simple and straightforward but just as dramatic.

  Angels & Demons stars Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon, Ayelet Zurer as Vittoria Vetra, and Ewan McGregor as Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca.

  
  
  

  Angels & Demons - Trailer

  Tom Hanks Stars - Now In Theaters

  Posted 05/15/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Stellan Skarsgard | Tom Hanks | Ron Howard | The Da Vinci Code

Wednesday, May 13

• Hanks Tells Sensitive People to "'Stay Away" from Angels & Demons

  The Da Vinci Code sequel, Angels & Demons, hits theaters this week and, despite Vatican approval, star Tom Hanks is warning sensitive viewers to skip the film. Hanks told Parade.com:

  If anyone feels that the film is going to be offensive to them, don't see it. I'm here to say do not see the film. Stay away, please, please. I beg of you.

  Both films are adapted from the equally controversial novels by Dan Brown, though the books were published in reverse order, with Angels & Demons taking place prior to The Da Vinci Code. Hanks said of the controversy surrounding the films:

  Every movie is exploited by the marketing people, but it's not like they created the controversy. The first movie had an equal amount of controversy, but nothing was destroyed. The world didn't come to an end, and people still went to church on Sundays. I predict it will be the same after Angels and Demons comes out. People will still go to church and life will go on.

  Directed by Ron Howard, Angels & Demons also stars Ewan McGregor as Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca and Stellan Skarsgård as Commander Rocher.

  
  
  

  Angels & Demons - Trailer

  Tom Hanks Stars - Releasing May 15, 2009

  Posted 05/13/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Ewan McGregor | Tom Hanks | Ron Howard | The Da Vinci Code

Tuesday, May 12

• Scientists Using Angels & Demons to Spark Interest in Particle Physics

  Angels & Demons, the sequel to the The Da Vinci Code, debuts this week and early reviews describe the film as a lighter, quicker-paced film than its predecessor. Based on the novel by controversial author Dan Brown, the plot of the film centers around a plan to use anti-matter created at the Large Hadron Collider and stolen from the European particle physics laboratory CERN to destroy St. Peter's Basilica.

  Hoping to cash in on what is certain to be another blockbuster hit for director Ron Howard and star Tom Hanks, the scientific community is hosting a series of lectures around the country to coincide with the release of the film. Scientists hope to use dramatic elements of the movie to raise interest in, and awareness of, the real science of anti-matter, the Large Hadron Collider (where anti-matter is created in Angels & Demons and in real life), and particle physics research. Angels & Demons Lecture Nights are presented with the assistance of CERN, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, the Department of Energy, and the National Science Foundation. CERN, headquartered in Geneva, is the world's leading laboratory for particle physics research.

  Hanks plays Robert Langdon, a Harvard University symbologist who is called on to help stop the attack on St. Peter's. He's assisted by Italian scientist Vittoria Vetra, played by Ayelet Zurer. The two travel the world searching for ancient symbols that may contain the key to saving the Vatican from destruction.

  Angels & Demons also stars Ewan McGregor as Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca and Stellan Skarsgård as Commander Rocher.

  
  
  Next Showing: Angels & Demons debuts May 15
  

  Angels & Demons - Trailer

  Tom Hanks Stars - Releasing May 15, 2009

  Posted 05/12/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Ewan McGregor | Tom Hanks | Ron Howard | The Da Vinci Code

Friday, May 8

• Tom Hanks Has High Praise for Angels & Demons Co-Star

  You would think it'd be hard to impress an actor such as Tom Hanks, who has won back-to-back Oscars and whose domestic box office totals exceed $3.3 billion. However, in a recent interview with the online German news magazine Bild.com, Hanks spoke very highly of his Angels & Demons German co-star, Armin Mueller-Stahl (Eastern Promises), who plays Cardinal Strauss in the film:

  I am in total awe of him. I can learn so much from him. He is one of the greatest actors of our time.

  Hanks reprises the role of Robert Langdon, Harvard University symbologist, in this sequel to The Da Vinci Code. In Angels & Demons, Langdon discovers evidence that the ancient brotherhood known as the Illuminati has plans to use anti-matter to kill several Roman Catholic cardinals and destroy St. Peter's Basilica. Langdon and a beautiful Italian scientist, Vittoria Vetra, played by Ayelet Zurer, travel the world, following a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols in an effort to save the Vatican.

  Angels & Demons is directed by Ron Howard and also stars Ewan McGregor as Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca and Stellan Skarsgård as Commander Rocher.

  
  
  

  Angels & Demons - Trailer

  Tom Hanks Stars - Releasing May 15, 2009

  Posted 05/08/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Tom Hanks | Armin Mueller-Stahl | The Da Vinci Code | Angels & Demons

Thursday, May 7

• The Vatican Okays Angels & Demons

  Angels & Demons, the sequel to the 2006 blockbuster The Da Vinci Code, received the thumbs-up from the Vatican, according to a recent AP story. Both of movies are adaptations of best-selling -- and controversial -- novels by Dan Brown, though Brown's novels were published in reverse order, with Angels & Demons taking place prior to The Da Vinci Code.

  Director Ron Howard claimed that the Vatican worked against his production by denying him access to certain sites, but the Vatican said that Howard's comments were made solely to drum up publicity. There were rumors that the Vatican would condemn the movie, as they did The Da Vinci Code; however, yesterday's edition of the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, ran a review and an editorial calling the film:

  ...two hours of harmless entertainment, which hardly affects the genius and mystery of Christianity.

  The reviewer criticized the movie's "stereotyped characters," but praised Howard's "dynamic direction."

  Angels & Demons stars Tom Hanks, who reprises the role of Robert Langdon, a Harvard University symbologist.

  
  
  

  Reelz Clip

  Tom Hanks Stars - Releasing May 15, 2009

  Posted 05/07/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Tom Hanks | Ron Howard | The Da Vinci Code | Angels & Demons

Sunday, February 1

• Super Bowl Trailer for Angels & Demons

  Tom Hanks is back with a much better hair-doo in Dan Brown's Angels & Demons -- a story written prior to The DaVinci Code. The trailer was a bit confusing. You couldn't tell much about the storyline other than the fact that the Catholic Church is again the bad guy. So, here's a bit of a description from the back of the book...

  In the new movie Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is shocked to find proof that the legendary secret society, the Illuminati--dedicated since the time of Galileo to promoting the interests of science and condemning the blind faith of Catholicism--is alive, well, and murderously active. Brilliant physicist Leonardo Vetra has been murdered, his eyes plucked out, and the society's ancient symbol branded upon his chest. His final discovery, antimatter, the most powerful and dangerous energy source known to man, has disappeared--only to be hidden somewhere beneath Vatican City on the eve of the election of a new pope. Langdon and Vittoria, Vetra's daughter and colleague, embark on a frantic hunt through the streets, churches, and catacombs of Rome, following a 400-year-old trail to the lair of the Illuminati, to prevent the incineration of civilization.

  
  

  Posted 02/01/2009 by Jim

  Related: Tom Hanks | Angels & Demons

Monday, December 15

• Stars Want to Hold Off on Strike for Now

  A group of Hollywood's top stars have participated in the writing of a letter coming out against SAG's plans for an actors strike.

  Citing issues such as the "weakening economy," stars such as George Clooney, Tom Hanks, and Alec Baldwin signed the letter stating that they do not believe "now is the time to be putting people out of work" and that they should focus their efforts towards fighting for a better deal in three years.

  Source: Variety

  
  

  Posted 12/15/2008 by reelz

  Related: George Clooney | Tom Hanks

Friday, November 7

• What Does It Take To Be Influential in Hollywood?

  Forbes, which we like to think of as the Seventeen of financial magazines because of its incessant list-making, has another list: Hollywood's Influential Actors. To determine the top 10, Forbes relied on data gathered by E-Poll Market Research, a Los Angeles company that gathers information on 4500 celebrities. Apparently, 40% of those polled believe Denzel Washington is "influential," and that's good enough for the top of the list. The others, in declining order of influence, include Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Will Smith, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Robert De Niro, Harrison Ford, James Earl Jones, and "Julie" Roberts. Which just goes to show you, Hollywood stars don't have nearly as much influence as they're typically given credit for -- Roberts hasn't even been able to influence the creators of this list to get her first name right.

  Meanwhile, where are the outspoken Hollywood stars who genuinely make an effort to influence people -- Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn, Leo DeCaprio, Kelsey Grammer, Arnold Schwarzenegger? The best way to be influential in Hollywood, it seems, is to make mainstream movies that do well at the box office for a couple decades or so, project a vague sense of progressive gravitas at award shows without being overtly political, don't be a woman, and most especially of all, don't be a comedian!

  
  

  Posted 11/07/2008 by reelz

  Related: Denzel Washington | George Clooney | Julia Roberts | Morgan Freeman | Tom Hanks | Will Smith | Angelina Jolie | James Earl Jones

Saturday, March 29

• Tom Hanks drops out of Fahrenheit 451

  Director Frank Darabont (The Mist, The Shawshank Redemption) revealed today that star Tom Hanks has opted not to star in his long-plan adaptation of Fahrenheit 451. In an interview with MTV Movies, Darabont cited scheduling issues as the ultimate deal-breaker for the Oscar-winning actor, who had been set to play book-burning firefighter Guy Montag in the movie version of Ray Bradbury's seminal novel. Darabont declined to reveal his ideal choice for Hanks's replacement.

  Source: MTV Movies

  
  

  Posted 03/29/2008 by reelz

  Related: Frank Darabont | Tom Hanks | Fahrenheit 451

Saturday, November 17

• A glimpse of Christmas future

  With their 3-D dazzler Beowulf debuting in theaters this weekend, director Robert Zemeckis and his team of visual effects wizards are already at work on their next CGI "performance capture" flick, A Christmas Carol, with Jim Carrey set to star as history's most notorious miser, Ebenezer Scrooge.

  At the recent Beowulf press day, Zemeckis' producer Steve Starkey described the look of their take on Charles Dickens classic as "very much like (Joseph Mallord William) Turner's paintings from the middle of the 19th century. That's what London's gonna look like -- and it's really quite beautiful...we can rebuild London from historical references and actually create the exact London of the time that Scrooge is walking through."

  "Tom Hanks is not attached," Starkey replied when asked about the rumors that Hanks had been cast in the role of Bob Cratchit.

  
  
  Next Showing: A Christmas Carol opens November 6, 2007.

  Posted 11/17/2007 by reelz

  Related: Robert Zemeckis | Steve Starkey | Tom Hanks | Jim Carrey | Beowulf

Friday, November 16

• Tom Hanks to star in Fahrenheit 451?

  While director Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile) was talking with Dailies about his new movie opening next week, The Mist, he also gave up some juicy tidbits about an upcoming project.

  Darabont wants to remake the sci-fi dystopia, Fahrenheit 451, and he wants Hanks in the leading role of Guy Montag. Originally a story by Ray Bradbury, Farenheit 451 is about a future full of book burning and censorship. "I would love to work with Hanks again because he's the gold standard. Let's face it--I love him," said Darabont. "Hopefully it'll stay on track."

  Like much else in town these days, Fahrenheit 451's 'on-track-ness' is being affected by the writers' strike.

  
  
  

  The Mist trailer

  Frank Darabont's next movie to hit theaters

  Posted 11/16/2007 by reelz

  Related: Frank Darabont | Tom Hanks | Fahrenheit 451

Thursday, October 25

• Movie news: Caviezel, two Fannings, De Niro, Foxx and Howard!

  It's a busy deal day in Hollywood, with lots of ink hitting paper in an effort to get projects off the ground before the WGA strike deadline hits next week.

  First, Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ) has signed to star in a remake of the 1978 Australian suspense thriller, Long Weekend, about a young couple whose camping trip gets turned upside down when the animals--not appreciating being shot at--decide to strike back. Sounds kind of like a low-budget slasher flick to us, but Caviezel seems to take his work seriously, so who knows?

  Dakota AND Elle Fanning will be joining Cameron Diaz in My Sister's Keeper, about a girl (Elle) who tries to get emancipated from her parents when she finds out she was conceived as a genetic match to save her cancer-stricken sister (Dakota). It's the first time the sisters will play opposite each other in a movie.

  Jamie Foxx has added yet another movie to his plate with The Zebra Murders: A Season of Killing, Racial Madness, and Civil Rights. He will play a police detective that cracked racially-motivated serial murders in 1970s San Francisco and fought racism in his own department. It is based on the 2006 book of the same, very long, name.

  Michael Mann and Robert De Niro will try to recreate their fire from Heat with another book adapation for the screen. Mann will direct and De Niro will star in Frankie Machine, a drama based on Don Winslow's novel, The Winter of Frankie Machine. De Niro decided to break his mobster-role retirement to play Frank Machianno, aka 'Frankie Machine,' a retired mob hitman who gets sucked back in when he finds out there's a hit out on him. 

  And finally, Mann and De Niro aren't the only superstar movie reunion. Ron Howard and Tom Hanks will get the band back together to make Angels & Demons. Howard will direct and Hanks will reprise his role as Robert Langdon, the symbologist sleuth from The Da Vinci Code in this sequel--once again based on a Dan Brown novel.

  Source: Variety.

  
  

  Posted 10/25/2007 by reelz

  Related: Dakota Fanning | Elle Fanning | Jamie Foxx | Michael Mann | Tom Hanks | Jim Caviezel | The Zebra Murders: A Season of Killing, Racial Madness, and Civil Rights | Frankie Machine | Angels & Demons | Long Weekend | My Sister's Keeper

Wednesday, August 8

• Tom Hanks just as litigious as the rest of us

  Often billed as "the Jimmy Stewart of our time," superstar actor Tom Hanks has long cultivated a reputation as an affable, good-natured everyman who puts his pants on one leg at a time, just like the rest of us poor schlubs.

  And just like us, he wants his freakin' money. AP reports that Hanks, Rita Wilson and Nia Vardalos are suing producing partner Gold Circle Films for their share of the profits from My Big Fat Greek Wedding, a $5 million film that went on to gross over $370 million in 2003. Gold Circle claims the film made only $287 million.

  They picked the wrong guy to mess with. Shady accounting shenanigans may be old hat in Hollywood, but Americans simply will not stand for someone trying to pull one over on our boy Tom. I'd be surprised if this one even makes it to trial.

  
  

  Posted 08/08/2007 by reelz

  Related: Tom Hanks | My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Monday, May 7

• Josh Baskin Screwed By Future Self

  The beloved 80's comedy, Big, is approaching its 20th anniversary next year and to celebrate, 20th Century Fox is releasing a new Extended Edition with 25 minutes of new footage!

  We tracked down an exclusive interview with Josh Baskin, who recently reached the age of his future-self, which he briefly inhabited back in 1988. The interview revealed a much different Baskin than expected. Instead of an executive at MacMillan Toy Co., Baskin has spent much of the past19 years bouncing from job to job. He's worked as a Wendy's Fry cook, a toll booth attendant, a lab guinea big and taken the occasional odd job. He's twice attempted suicide unsuccessfully and served two brief prison sentences for possession. Baskin now lives on the street.

  "Real life isn't a Penny Marshall movie," says Baskin through a grizzled voice between facial twitches. We conducted the interview at a distance due to Baskin's extreme body odor.

  "After Zoltar turned me back into a kid, I figured I was set. I'd already seen my future and it all looked pretty sweet. I guess I still had to work hard for that or something, but how was I supposed to know that?!?"

  "I tell you what, if I ever find that Zoltar machine again, I'm gonna kick the crap out of it."

  The Big Extended Edition offers more than 20 minutes of new scenes and is now available on DVD.

  
  
  Next Showing: Big: Extended Edition Hits DVD Tuesday, May 8th

  Posted 05/07/2007 by reelz

  Related: Tom Hanks | Big