Nelson here...

I received this letter from crew members who've worked with Michael on Transformers. Below is their response to Megan Fox's recent comments in which she hurled insults at Michael Bay.

******

Nelson,

This is an open letter to all Michael Bay fans. We are three crew members that have worked with Michael for the past ten years. Last week we read the terrible article with inflammatory, truly trashing quotes by the Ms. Fox about Michael Bay. This letter is to set a few things straight.

Yes, Megan has great eyes, a tight stomach we spray with glycerin, and an awful silly Marilyn Monroe tattoo plastered on her arm that we cover up to keep the moms happy.

Michael found this shy, inexperienced girl, plucked her out of total obscurity thus giving her the biggest shot of any young actresses' life. He told everyone around to just trust him on his choice. He granted her the starring role in Transformers, a franchise that forever changed her life; she became one of the most googled and oogled women on earth. She was famous! She was the next Angelina Jolie, hooray! Wait a minute, two of us worked with Angelina - second thought - she's no Angelina. You see, Angelia is a professional.

We know this quite intimately because we've had the tedious experience of working with the dumb-as-a-rock Megan Fox on both Transformers movies. We've spent a total of 12 months on set making these two movies.

We are in different departments; we can't give our names because sadly doing so in Hollywood could lead to being banished from future Paramount work. One of us touches Megan's panties, the other has the often shitty job of pulling Ms. Sour pants out of her trailer, while another is near the Panaflex camera that helps to memorialize the valley girl on film.

Megan has the press fooled. When we read those magazines we wish we worked with that woman. Megan knows how to work her smile for the press. Those writers should try being on set for two movies, sadly she never smiles. The cast, crew and director make Transformers a really fun and energetic set. We've traveled around the world together, so we have never understood why Megan was always such - the grump of the set?

When facing the press, Megan is the queen of talking trailer trash and posing like a porn star. And yes we've had the unbearable time of watching her try to act on set, and yes, it's very cringe-able. So maybe, being a porn star in the future might be a good career option. But make-up beware, she has a paragraph tattooed to her backside (probably due her rotten childhood) easily another 45 minutes in the chair!

So when the three of us caught wind of Ms Fox, pontificating yet again in some publication (like she actually has something interesting to say) blabbing her trash mouth about a director whom we three have grown to really like. She compared working with Michael, to "working with Hitler". We actually don’t think she knows who Hitler is by the way. But we wondered how she doesn’t realize what a disgusting, fully uneducated comment this was? Well, here let's get some facts straight.

Say what you want about Michael - yes at times he can be hard, but he's also fun, and he challenges everyone for a reason - he simply wants people to bring their 'A' game. He comes very prepared, knows exactly what he wants, involves the crew and expects everyone to follow through with his or her best, and that includes the actors. He's one of the hardest working directors out there.

He gets the best from his crews, many of whom have worked with him for 15 years. And yes, he's loyal, one of the few directors we've encountered who lowered his fee by millions to keep Transformers in the United States and California, so he could work with his own crew.

Megan says that Transformers was an unsafe set? Come on Megan, we know it is a bit more strenuous then the playground at the trailer park, but you don't insult one of the very best stunt and physical effects teams in the business! Not one person got hurt!

And who is the real Megan Fox? She is very different than the academy nominee and winning actors we've all worked around. She's as about ungracious a person as you can ever fathom. She shows little interest in the crew members around her. We work to make her look good in every way, but she's absolutely never appreciative of anyone's hard work. Never a thank you. All the crewmembers have stopped saying hi to Ms. Princess because she never says hello back. It gets tiring. Many think she just really hates the process of being an actress.

Megan has been late to the sets many times. She goes through the motions that make her exude this sense of misery. We've heard the A.D's piped over the radio that Megan won't walk from her trailer until John Turturro walks first! John's done seventy-five movies and she's made two!

Never expect Megan to attend any of the 15 or so crew parties like all the other actors have. And then there's the classless night she blew off The Royal Prince of Jordan who made a special dinner for all the actors. She doesn't know that one of the grips daughters wanted to visit their daddy's work to meet Megan, but he wouldn't let them come because he told them "she is not nice."

The press certainly doesn’t know her most famous line. On our first day in Egypt, the Egyptian government wouldn't let us shoot because of a permit problem as the actors got ready in make up at the Four Seasons Hotel. Michael tried to make the best of it; he wanted to take the cast and crew on a private tour of the famous Giza pyramids. God hold us witness, Megan said, "I can't believe Michael is fucking forcing us to go to the fucking pyramids!" I guess this is the "Hitler guy" she is referring to.

So this is the Megan Fox you don't get to see. Maybe she will learn, but we figure if she can sling insults, then she can take them too. Megan really is a thankless, classless, graceless, and shall we say unfriendly bitch. It's sad how fame can twist people, and even sadder that young girls look up to her. If only they knew who they're really looking up to.

But 'Fame' is fleeting. We, being behind the scenes, seen em' come and go. Hopefully Michael will have Megatron squish her character in the first ten minutes of Transformers 3. We can tell you that will make the crew happy!

-Loyal Transformers Crew

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Bandslam Struggles in Opening Week



Bandslam starring Vanessa Hudgens flopped at the box office in a weekend lead by District 9. High School Musical comparisons may have doomed the movie says ITN. It must have been marketed incorrectly because the film could not get people in theatres despite positive reviews. Sadly, it is very difficult for a movie to recover after a weak opening. Bandslam star Alyson Michalka says Bandslam is a much more mature movie than High School Movie. She says it has a "lot of heart and a lot of substance."



Posted on August 17, 2009
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Director John Hughes is Dead at 59

John Hughes, the director of such 80s classics as 16 Candles and Ferris Bueller's Day Off has died suddenly at the age of 59. Hughes suffered a heart attack while on a walk in New York City, where he was visiting family.

Born on Feb. 18, 1950, in Michigan, Hughes began his career as an advertising copywriter in Chicago. He got his start in Hollywood with the screenplay for the 1983 Chevy Chase comedy National Lampoon's Vacation. He followed with Mr. Mom, which starred Michael Keaton. Hughes made his directorial debut in 1984 with Sixteen Candles, which starred Molly Ringwald as Samantha Baker, a young woman whose 16th birthday goes horribly wrong.

He re-teamed with Ringwald the following year for The Breakfast Club, which focused on five high school stereotypes who bond one day during detention, and again in Pretty in Pink, which he produced. Jon Cryer, who played Duckie in Pink, called Hughes' death "a horrible tragedy." "He was an amazing man to work for and with," Cryer said in a statement. "He respected young actors in a way that made you realize you had to step up your game because you were playing in the big leagues now. That's why he got such great performances out of his actors. My heart goes out to his wife Nancy and their children."

Matthew Broderick, who starred in Ferris Bueller's Day Off said in a statement that he was shocked and saddened by Hughes' death. "He was a wonderful, very talented guy and my heart goes out to his family," said Broderick. Our condolences to his family and friends.

Posted on August 6, 2009
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Video: Robert Pattinson and New Moon Cast at Comic-Con

Nicole Sperling of Entertainment Weekly talks to Chris Weitz, the director of New Moon, as well as stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, and Ashley Greene. The entire cast is at Comic-Con in San Diego. Robert Pattinson has described the process as "terrifying" but he seems pretty laid back to us...at least until he tries valiantly to seriously answer a question about his character and his co-stars just will not let him get serious or even finish a thought. It's pretty funny. Take a look:



Posted on July 24, 2009
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Jordan May Star in Baywatch Movie

The Sun reports that Jordan (aka Katie Price) is joining the cast of the Baywatch film.

Original star David Hasselhoff says he'd love the glamour girl, real name Katie Price, to slip into Pamela Anderson's racy red swimsuit for a new TV remake of his legendary 90s show.

The Hoff, 56, says her body and fiery attitude would be perfect to take on Pammi's lifeguard character CJ Parker.

He said: "I've been thinking about basing a new show over here. It would be called UK-Watch.

"And Jordan is certainly feisty and has curves in all the right places."

Katie Price hasn't said anything about Baywatch yet on her Twiter account. The film will be a comedy film based on the hit Baywatch tv show. Pamela Anderson is going to do a cameo role in the film.

Posted on July 15, 2009
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Bruno Marches Into UK Premiere

Sacha Baron Cohen marched into the UK premiere of his film, Bruno, in character. Bruno wouldn't kiss the ITN reporter because he doesn't kiss girls. Take a look:



Posted on June 17, 2009
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Zachary Quinto Talks to Letterman About Traveling to Promote Star Trek

Zachary Quinto, who plays Spock in the upcoming Star Trek film, talks about traveling to countries like New Zealand and Australia to promote the upcoming film. He also says they went to Kuwait and visited the troops. Zachary says he got to fly in a Blackhawk helicopter. Star Trek is in theatres May 8th. We can't wait!



Posted on April 28, 2009
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Sex and the City 2 Release Date is May 28, 2010

The next Sex and the City movie now has a release date: May 28, 2010. All the original cast will return.

"Sex 2" will bow in the same slot in which "Sex and the City" opened in 2008. The bigscreen adaptation of the hit HBO series was a box office hit, opening to $57 million on its way to cuming $152.6 million domestically. Pic made an even stronger showing overseas, grossing $260 million at the international box office for a worldwide total of $412.6 million.

Movie release dates are filling up fast for 2010, but right now that weekend only has an untitled romantic comedy starring Katherine Heigl and Ashton Kutcher. If they're wise, they'll move the rom com so they don't have to go up against Carrie and the girls.

Posted on April 2, 2009
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Gwyneth Paltrow Thinks Joaquin Phoenix is Faking It

Gwyneth Paltrow doesn't think Two Lovers will be the last film for Joaquin Phoenix. She thinks the actor's strange behavior and just acting and called his bizarre Letterman appearance a "brilliant performance." She also doesn't think he is a true hip-hop artist.



Posted on March 13, 2009
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Watchmen Stars at London Premiere

Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Akerman, Patrick Wilson and Billy Crudup hit the red carpet in London Monday night for the world premiere of their new movie, Watchmen. The film has comic book fans buzzing and has the potential to be a big blockbuster.



Posted on February 24, 2009
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Anika Noni Rose: First Black Disney Princess

Dreamgirls star Anika Noni Rose is the voice of Princess Tiana, Disney's first animated black princess. Disney also made a Princess Tiana doll created specifically for Ms. Rose in celebration of her role. Anika told People she's excited about her new role.

Jumping from the stage to the world of animation, Tony Award-winning actress Anika Noni Rose takes on her most enchanting and monumental role yet: Princess Tiana, Disney's first animated black princess.

"This feels amazing," Rose, 36, told PEOPLE this week at the Manhattan unveiling of the toy line for The Princess and the Frog. "Not only is she the first black princess, she's the first American princess. So, the scope and the significance is larger than people even realize."

You can learn more about the upcoming Princess and the Frog movie here.

Posted on February 19, 2009
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Michelle Pfeiffer Talks Aging in Hollywood

Beautiful Michelle Pfeiffer talked about ageing gracefully at the world premiere of her new film Cheri at the Berlin Film Festival. She says the leading men seem to be getting younger the older she gets. She also said she feels the roles become more interesting as she gets older.



Posted on February 12, 2009
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Brad Pitt: It's Nice When Your Number Comes Up

Brad Pitt has been nominated for an Oscar and he was grateful to be nominated. Brad Pitt said "it's a fickle business but it's nice when your number comes up." For The Curious Case of Benjamin Button the lucky number 13 as the film cranked out 13 Oscar nominations. Brad Pitt still has his moustache - he must not have listened to the drunk lady.



Posted on January 22, 2009
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Jennifer Aniston Talks Marley and Nude GQ Cover

Jennifer Aniston talks about her role in the upcoming film Marley & Me with Harry Smith at CBS. She also said it was easy working with co-star Owen Wilson. In another part of the interview here Harry Smith and Jennifer Aniston talked about Jennifer's recent naked GQ cover.



Posted on December 20, 2008
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Robert Downey Jr. is Entertainer of the Year



Entertainment Weekly has named Robert Downey, Jr. as its Entertainer of the Year. With the Iron Man franchise on fire, Downey is at the center of a superhero goldmine. Tropic Thunder was hilarious and now Downey will be Sherlock Holmes in the film being directed by Guy Ritchie.

It's a testament to Iron Man's success that Holmes is not being played by somebody like Daniel Radcliffe or Shia LaBeouf or even Michael Cera (although Jonah Hill would have made a pretty good Watson). When director Guy Ritchie first came aboard, right after finishing RocknRolla, he was thinking of a much younger Holmes. "Guy wanted to do more of an origin story, which would have made me age-inappropriate," says Downey. But Iron Man's box office demonstrated with inescapable Holmesian logic that a middle-aged movie star could indeed fill theater seats. Well, this middle-aged one anyway.

Not that there won't be plenty of other reasons to see Sherlock Holmes when it opens in November 2009 -- Jude Law's turn as Dr. Watson, Rachel McAdams as Holmes' feisty love interest -- but Downey will undoubtedly be the main draw for most moviegoers. It's an even safer bet that they'll line up for Iron Man 2, which the actor starts shooting this March for an April 2010 release. After that, he'll play Stark again, this time in The Avengers, a synergistic superhero ensemble project Marvel Comics has in the pipeline for summer 2011. At one point, Downey was even thinking of squeezing in a memoir -- "I banged out a couple of things, which I found cathartic" -- but ultimately he decided not to go there, or anywhere else that might be deemed self-indulgent. "Beware the passion project," he says, talking about the peculiar movies stars often make when they get a little clout. "It's so predictable: 'Now that I have a hit, I can tell that story about the transsexual horse whisperer!'"

A transsexual horse whisperer? Heh. But even that would be a better movie than one starring Shia LaBoeuf as a young Sherlock Holmes. Perish the thought.

Posted on November 14, 2008
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Angelina Looks Great at Changeling Premiere

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt appeared at New York Film Festival to promote Angelina Jolie's new film Changeling. Angelina looked terrific and she is getting praise from the gossip blogs - see here, here, here, here and here. It's only been three months since the twins were born. Angelina also said they plan to have still more kids. The L.A. Times Dish Rag noted more ink on Angelina's arm.



Posted on October 5, 2008
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Beyonce Gained 20 Pounds for Etta James Role

US Magazine reports that Beyonce really enjoyed her assignment to gain twenty pounds for her role as Etta James in the upcoming film, Cadillac Records.

Gaining weight "was so much fun," she says in October's British Marie Claire But when she later landed a part in the psychological thriller Obsessed, "I had to lose it," she laments. "I was so angry with myself. I was like, 'D'oh! Why do you have to go through this?'"

How strict is her diet these days?

Before her Marie Claire shoot, she stipulated her catering needs: "No chips, no candy, no desserts, no junk food, no fried food."

Getting the weight back off is always the hard part and many actors have struggled to lose what they have gained. Us also has a photo of Beyonce as Etta James.

Posted on September 4, 2008
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Unseen Marilyn Monroe Footage to be Auctioned

Previously unseen footage of Marilyn Monroe on the set of Some Like It Hot will be auctioned off in Australia. The auction will happen on September 25th in Melbourne. The Guardian says this makes Marilyn the sexiest dead person on the planet which is true but a little morbid.



Posted on September 3, 2008
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The Marley and Me Trailer is Here

Here's the new trailer for Marley and Me, starring Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson. It's subtle...and hilarious. The film opens Christmas Day. Take a look:



(Via Buzz Sugar.)

Posted on June 4, 2008
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Harry Potter Cast Member Killed in Bar Brawl

The Associated Press reports that 18-year-old Rob Knox - who plays Marcus Belby in the upcoming movie Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - was stabbed and killed in a bar brawl. Warner Bros. said they are shocked by the news of his death. What a sad story for this young man's family and for the Harry Potter cast.



Posted on May 25, 2008
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Indy Stars Hit the Red Carpet at Cannes

The AP video below shows the stars of the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull movie on the red carpet at the film's premiere in Cannes. It also contains a clip of Indy star Harrison Ford. Ford says he does "physical acting." He does "as much as he can possibly within the limits of what can be done safely" because if he goes down then the movie goes down.



Posted on May 19, 2008
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Pregnant Angelina Jolie at Cannes

The cast of Kung Fu Panda including Angelina Jolie, Jack Black and Dustin Hoffma make an appearance at the Cannes festival. Angelina Jolie confirmed that she is pregnant with twins. Jack Black joked that she is carrying triplets.



Posted on May 15, 2008
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Future High School Musical Stars?

These three young kids could be the next stars to come out of the High School Musical phenonmenon. They are Matt Prokop, Justin Martin and Jemma McKenzie-Brown. They have been casted to play sophomore "Wildcats" in Walt Disney Pictures' upcoming film, High School Musical 3: Senior Year.

Commenting on the announcement, Ortega said, "Peter Barsocchini's exciting script for High School Musical 3 called for the addition of three sophomore characters, so we set out on a massive casting search across North America and England to find just the right young actors to play the parts. We think these talented performers will bring lots of humor, new twists, and musical fun to the film. Jemma was one of the many young actresses that we met in London, and she impressed us with her singing and dancing, in addition to being very exciting and effervescent. Matt has a terrific personality, and a great sense of comedy and fun. And Justin had a great presence and charisma, besides being a wonderful comedic actor who could really dance. I am confident that the three new actors joining our original cast will help to bring great musical thrills, surprises and a lot of fun to Senior Year and the halls of East High."

Jemma McKenzie-Brown's previous television credits include a supporting role in the BBC production of "The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard." Matt Prokop has had featured film roles in "Marked," "Walking Miracles," "Somewhere Else" and "Four Square." His television credits include "The Office," "The O.C.," and Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana." Justin Martin's film credits include "Raisin in the Sun," "The Vineyard," and the upcoming "The Soloist." He has also appeared in the television shows "Cold Case," "Judging Amy," "Malcolm in the Middle," "The Bernie Mac Show," among others. For the Broadway stage, Martin appeared as Young Simba in "The Lion King."

"High School Musical 3: Senior Year" finds high school seniors Troy and Gabriella facing the prospect of being separated from one another as they head off in different directions to college. Joined by the rest of the Wildcats, they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about their future. With incredible new music and exciting dance numbers designed to take maximum advantage of the big screen, this motion picture extravaganza delivers plenty of high-energy entertainment from East High's talented ensemble. The feature film will be shot on location in Utah and set for release in theaters on October 24, 2008.

If they get to perform in any of the musicals then they are sure to become stars as teens replay the music videos over and over and over again on YouTube. It won't be long before they each have their own tube of High School Music hand cream.

Posted on March 24, 2008
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Ryan Gosling Was Fired

So, what's the real reason that Ryan Gosling left the film The Lovely Bones? According to Page Six, Ryan is a real diva and director Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings) couldn't stand him. So Peter fired Ryan two days into the shooting.

THOSE old "creative differences" are to blame for director Peter Jackson's firing of Ryan Gosling from "Lovely Bones." "Peter couldn't stand Ryan," said one source. Though Variety reported that Gosling had "stepped down" and was replaced by Mark Wahlberg, our source said, "Ryan cut his own hair, and was fighting with wardrobe. He was so demanding . . . Peter booted him two days before filming started." The flick is based on the best-selling novel by Alice Sebold. A rep for Gosling did not return calls.

After starring in the very odd Lars and the Real Girl, then breaking up with Rachel McAdams, Ryan is starting to get a reputation that's not great. But how bout Marky Mark taking the initiative and stepping into the role? We swear, he's the hardest working man in show business now. Hopefully, he and Peter Jackson will get along just fine.

Posted on October 23, 2007
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Writers Write, Inc. Launches Fantasy and Science Fiction Blog

Writers Write, Inc. has added a new blog to its blog network called FantasySFBlog.com. Fantasy/SF Blog is a daily blog covering what's new and interesting in the worlds of fantasy, SF, and horror, including books, movies, TV and gaming.

Recent posts include:

Lost: The Orchid Orientation Video

Is Peter Jackson Back on Board for The Hobbit?

Finalists Announced For British Fantasy Awards

Saw IV Coming in October

Will Tom Cruise Join the Star Trek Cast?

The Dresden Files Is Cancelled

ABC Offers Masters of Science Fiction

The Beowulf Trailer is Here

Johnny Depp Is Barnabas Collins

RSS subscription informaton for the Fantasy/SF Blog can be found here.

Posted on August 15, 2007
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Amid Controversy Tom Cruise Begins Filming Valkyrie

Despite extreme unhappiness from certain quarters in Germany, Cruise is going forward with filming his World War II movie, Valkyrie, in which he plays a Nazi who tried to assassinate Hitler.

Filming started Thursday on a movie starring Tom Cruise as the real-life mastermind behind a plot to kill Adolf Hitler, amid German grumbling about the high-profile Scientologist playing a national hero. A spokeswoman for Babelsberg Studios outside Berlin told AFP that director Bryan Singer ("The Usual Suspects") had begun shooting "Valkyrie" on location in the region surrounding the German capital. German officials have baulked at the choice of Cruise to play Count Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg, who was executed by firing squad in 1944 after the failed assassination attempt.

They cite the actor's ties to the Church of Scientology, which is viewed here as a "totalitarian" group that exploits vulnerable people, as making him unfit to play a German martyr. "I find that Stauffenberg stood for the most noble motives a person can have," Frank Henkel, the general secretary of the Berlin chapter of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, told rolling news channel NTV. "I consider Tom Cruise as a self-proclaimed ambassador of Scientology inappropriate for the role." The remarks came after sharp criticism from a number of politicians and even Stauffenberg's eldest son Berthold, 72, who has told the German press that Cruise "should keep his hands off my father."

*****

Although he was an ardent Nazi in the early years, he realised by 1944 that Germany was entrenched in a disastrous war that Hitler had no intention of ending. Stauffenberg and fellow conspirators planted a bomb under a table in Hitler's headquarters in East Prussia on July 20, 1944. But the Fuehrer escaped, though he was injured, because an officer had moved the briefcase containing the explosives behind a sturdy leg of the oak table. Stauffenberg and other officers were rounded up that same night and executed by firing squad. The filming of "Valkyrie," after the code name for the assassination plot, is scheduled to continue until October 31 with the movie due for release next year.

Cruise is flying home from the shoot to attend a welcome party for David and Victoria Beckham co-hosted by Will and Jada Smith. It's an A-list invitation list with studio heads and lots of stars, and no press will be allowed.

Posted on July 19, 2007
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Shirley MacLaine Lends Linsday a Helping Hand

After her DUI arrest Lindsay Lohan checked into Promises rehab facility, which led to speculation that her newest movie would be canceled. But Lindsay lucked out. According to People, the film's producers Rob Hickman and Shirley MacLaine are not firing her.

The producers of Lindsay Lohan's next film, Poor Things, plan to keep her on the cast and will juggle the shooting schedule to accommodate her rehabilitation stint, they told PEOPLE on Wednesday.

"We have been asked by Lindsay to comply with her wishes to continue working on Poor Things," producers Rob Hickman and Shirley MacLaine, who will also star in the dark comedy, say in a statement. "We are trying to rearrange the shooting schedule to facilitate her working at the end of the shoot to coincide with the completion of her rehabilitation. We wish her love and the blending of mind, body and spirit."

Filming was scheduled to begin Thursday in Los Angeles. The film is based on the true story of two women who murder homeless men and then cash in on their life insurance policies.

The statement from the Poor Things producers offered the first assurance that Lohan's career will remain on track despite her problems on and off movie sets. Lohan admitted herself on Memorial Day to what her rep called "an intensive medical rehabilitation facility" after she was cited for DUI.

If Shirley MacLaine wanted her off the film, Lindsay would be off the film. So that was a nice gesture. But Lindsay better not mess up this last chance.

Posted on May 30, 2007
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Matthew McConaughey is the Surfer Dude



Matthew McConaughey continues to shoot his new film, Surfer Dude, on a Los Angeles beach. In this shot, Matthew appears to be...ok, we have no idea what he's doing. Trying to light a fire with gasoline, perhaps? Other shots show him dancing around the ensuing fire, hurling palm fronds and cursing the heavens. We have no idea what this movie is about, but IMDB.com says it's a comedy that also stars Willie Nelson. Groovy.

(Image courtesy of Flynetonline.com.)

Posted on May 23, 2007
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Easter Horror at the Movies

Some families got a nasty surprise on Easter weekend. When they took their kids to see a screening of The Last Mimzy they instead were shown graphic scenes from The Hills Have Eyes 2, a horror film with lots of violence and mutants.

The story starts in Holtsville, New York, at the Island 16 theatre. According to National Amusements, the owner of the theater on Long Island, The Hills Have Eyes 2 was scheduled to be shown at 10:25pm in the same theater as The Last Mimzy, which was scheduled for 8pm. Someone jumped the gun and put The Hills Have Eyes 2 in early, causing havoc. If you haven't seen The Hills Have Eyes 2 (and consider yourself lucky), the film opens with a graphic birth of a mutant by a battered woman who is then killed. It's hideous and immediately disturbing - the kind of thing that many adults are unlikely to forget, much less their toddler children.

In a case of really bad timing, Frank Doll, a resident of Mastic, was in the audience with his 3 year-old son and pregnant wife. Doll told Newsday, "My wife is eight months pregnant and he's been asking, 'Is that what mommy's going to have?'" Doll said. 'We've been trying to explain that all day.'"

The Associated Press spoke to Anthony Rasco, another man who was in the audience for The Last Mimzy and he said, "There were kids that were crying, there were people trying to cover the kids' eyes, they were caught off guard."

The theater apologized, but that's one Easter weekend that no one will soon forget.

Posted on April 12, 2007
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Vote For Your Favorite Star Wars Stamp



The post office has released the new Star Wars stamps. They include: Darth Sidious (The Emperor), Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Chewbacca and Han Solo, C-3P0, Princess Leia and R2-D2, Boba Fett, Yoda, Darth Maul, Stormtroopers, X-Wing Starfighter, Millennium Falcon, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Queen Amidala.

The post office is allowing you to vote on your favorite stamp: they don't do this voting thing often: remember the Thin Elvis or Fat Elvis Stamp Vote? So, it allows us to feel we have some control over our postal service and its upward spiral of rate hikes. Anyway, the winning stamp will get its own special sheet. The Queen Amidala and Princess Leia stamps look kind of fuzzy to us, but the Millennium Falcon, Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers look crisp -- and pretty cool, actually.

You can vote for your favorite Star Wars stamp here.

Posted on March 29, 2007
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Nicole Kidman in Car Crash

Nicole Kidman was escaping from zombie aliens on the set of her new film, when the car she was in had a nasty crash. US Weekly says that there were actors hanging off the hood during the action scene. Luckily, Nicole was not seriously injured and reportedly returned to the set the same day. Although reportedly some crew members were slightly injured.

Oscar-winning Australian actress Nicole Kidman and seven other people were injured when a high-speed film stunt went wrong in Los Angeles today. Kidman suffered minor injuries on the set of an alien thriller in Los Angeles when her car crashed into a light pole during filming, police said.

Kidman, who was behind the wheel of a Jaguar rigged for filming when it struck a pole at more than 70kmh, was taken to a local hospital, Los Angeles Police spokeswoman Karen Smith said. Smith said seven other people on the set of The Invasion went to local hospitals complaining of injuries but none were seriously hurt.

Warner Brothers Pictures, the studio behind The Invasion, confirmed that Kidman was taken to hospital but said only two other crew members were hurt. A Warner Brothers statement said Kidman was quickly released and would return to the set when filming resumed later today. "No other actors were involved in the scene at the time of the incident," Warner Bros. said. "Two additional crew members sustained minor injuries as a result of the collision.

"The production took the appropriate steps following the incident to ensure the safety of cast and crew." There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy in the number of injured listed by the police and the studio. Smith said the LAPD was likely to conduct a routine traffic accident investigation and that a state workplace safety agency might also be called in.

You can see the video of the crash here. It was a very nasty crash, no question. We're glad no one was seriously hurt, although it looked like Nicole was shaken up. And we're not sure how "minor" the crew's injuries really were.

Posted on January 26, 2007
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Outrage Over Angelina Jolie Playing Biracial Mariane Pearl

Angelina Jolie is in Pune, India filming A Mighty Heart, the screen adaptation of Mariane Pearl's book about her husband's death. Daniel Pearl was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal who was killed while investigating a terrorism story in Pakistan.

Some groups are furious that Jolie has been made up to look like Mariane Pearl, who is biracial. The groups say Jolie is acting in blackface and it is an affront to people of color.

The film, simply called "A Mighty Heart," will tell of Pearl's experience after her husband was abducted by Islamic extremists in Pakistan in early 2002. A month later, his captors released a video depicting his murder. Pearl, who is reportedly of Afro Cuban/Dutch heritage, was pregnant with their son Adam at the time.

Since the news came out a few weeks ago, message boards across the Internet have been on fire, expressing harsh criticism about Jolie playing the role of Pearl. On BET.com's own boards, user chantejoy calls the very idea a "new generation of Hollywood in blackface."

"With talent such as Halle Berry, Thandie Newton and Jennifer Beals available - just to mention a few - what is Hollywood's excuse for casting a white woman this time?" she asks. "Anyone who has seen a photo of Mariane Pearl can tell she is a woman of color."

But Mariane Pearl has repeatedly said how happy she is to have Jolie playing her. Mariane Pearl went through hell when her husband disappeared, was tortured and then killed. It's her story to tell: shouldn't she have the last word? If Mariane wants Angie in the role, it's her business and no one else's.

Posted on October 12, 2006
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Luke Wilson's Crucial Stunt Double

Luke Wilson discusses the onerous chore of choosing his own butt double for his love scene in his new film, My Super Ex-Girlfriend.

Luke Wilson was terrified when he found out he had a nude scene in his new film My Super Ex-Girlfriend and was thrilled when the producers eventually decided to call in a body double. The star had let himself go and was panicked at the thought of disrobing in front of the camera.

He explains, "I had a great year emotionally, but physically it was kind of a tough year. I thought it might be a good time to sit on the bench for that scene and let some other kind of more athletic guy take over there. What they do, and I know this sounds kind of strange, is they give you Polaroids of guy's backsides. They have guys come in and then they give you the Polaroids and have you pick one out.

"I found myself just kind of pouring over them saying, 'I like that one, but it doesn't have quite the pizzazz I want for this scene.' Or, 'This one's good, but it's too muscular.' I've got a little hail damage back there. As you get a little older, you tend to kind of get little dents and indentations. You want to kind of act cool about it when you eventually say, 'I like this guy's a**e...'"

He did an excellent job of choosing his stand-in: Ted Casablanca quotes one viewer who was simply amazed by Wilson's posterior in the film. Alas, it appears that it wasn't really his.

Posted on July 25, 2006
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The Return of the Retrosexual

You've heard of the metrosexual man, the well-groomed, straight guy who always looks his best. But the retrosexual man is making a comeback -- he's the guy with a pot belly, messy hair and a heart of gold. Think Jack Black in Nacho Libre.

Well, it's certainly back, especially in Hollywood, where being a bit hairy and showing a little paunch isn't necessarily such a bad thing anymore. Behold, the era of the everything-old-is-new-again "retrosexual" is upon us. And the celebrity set is leading the charge.

You probably already know the "metrosexual," or at least you've maybe heard of him. It's that guy who, just when you are finally relaxing into your heated spa chair, shows up to get a pedicure all for himself. He dresses well, trims all unnecessary body hair, and spends more time in the gym than watching the game. By contrast, a "retrosexual" is a manly man, an alpha male who may have the physique of a Shar-Pei dog (a little wrinkly and flabby, yet endearing), the manners of a 5-year-old (the kind who makes armpit farting noises at the dinner table) and the ability to pull you in for a hot, sweaty kiss and then go right out and fix your darn car.

Bill Van Parys, Executive Editor of Details magazine, isn't exactly impressed with a celebrity who can't keep himself looking nice in public. "I honestly think some people are just looking to validate their sloppy appearance … there are certainly some actors who could show a little more effort at public events, instead of showing up at premieres in bowling shirts or what not," Van Parys told Access Hollywood.

If you want to see the celebrity retrosexual in his native habitat, just check out Will Ferrell running around in his 'tighty whiteys' in "Talladega Nights," or Jack Black in a too-tight pair of polyester pants in "Nacho Libre." Jennifer Aniston has her very own retrosexual. Her ex, Brad Pitt, is the ultimate metrosexual, no matter how many motorcycle rides he takes around Santa Monica. But with his puppy-dog eyes and everyman bod, Vince Vaughn is the retrosexual who has captured Jen's heart. Even Kid Rock — who could never be accused of unnecessary grooming — has found himself a pretty little lady to share a beer with (again) — Pamela Anderson! Ben Affleck has always been a closet retrosexual, which is why he fits right into the upcoming summer comedy, "Clerks II," which is inundated with the manly and the burpy.

We think Van Parys is right: this is just a sneaky way for men to look like slobs. Nice try, though.

Posted on July 24, 2006
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Tom Cruise Named Most Powerful Celebrity

Forbes magazine has named Tom Cruise as the most powerful celebrity in its annual list of the 100 most powerful Hollywood players.

Couch-jumping, cradle-robbing Tom Cruise soared to the No. 1 spot in Forbes' annual Celebrity 100 Power List. The "M:i: III" star trounced last year's Forbes topper Oprah Winfrey, who fell to third place. The celeb roster, which hits newsstands today, ranks big shots based on the size of their paychecks and the amount of attention they get.

Cruise got the top billing because he commands the biggest box office and pockets the most bucks in Hollywood, earning $67 million last year from his cut of "War of the Worlds." "Love him or hate him, Tom Cruise is Hollywood's most bankable star," Forbes Celebrity 100 editor Lea Goldman told the Daily News. But don't cry for Oprah - even though she had to witness Cruise's crazed couch dance on her show. She way outearned him, pulling in $225 million.

Also hitting high notes: aging rockers. The Rolling Stones got a bang from their $172 million "A Bigger Bang" tour, hitting No. 2. Global peacemaker Bono pushed U2 to No. 4. Tiger Woods rounded out the top 5 with $90 million in pay. King of all media Howard Stern was among the royalty on the Forbes list, coming in at No. 7 thanks to his $302 million Sirius payday. His earnings were second only to Steven Spielberg, whose sale of DreamWorks helped bring him $332 million.

Pouty-mouthed Angelina Jolie's Third World-saving put her at No. 35 on the list. She's tied with her squeeze Brad Pitt's ex-wife Jennifer Aniston. Making the scene for the first time were "American Idol"'s Simon Cowell at No. 29 and Ryan Seacrest at No. 88. Forbes' biggest loser of the year was "Passion of the Christ" crusader Mel Gibson, who went from No. 3 in 2005 to nowhere this year. Also looking like she's been through three days of rain is Julia Roberts, another Forbes no-show. "She hasn't been in a movie in two years and was critically panned" on Broadway, Goldman said.

So Tom Cruise is the most powerful celeb, eh? Then why can't he get little Suri a $5 million photo deal? Because we'd really like to see a picture of the little tyke.

Posted on June 16, 2006
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Writers Write, Inc Launches WatchersWatch.com

We love to watch! TV, Film and video, that is. We're happy to announce the launch of WatchersWatch.com, our new blog about what's hot in movies, television and videos.

What's hot this week at WatchersWatch? Why it's the Da Vinci Code, of course. Dan Brown's international bestseller opened in wide release Friday, May 19, 2006 and has already made $224 million worldwide in its first weekend, making it the second biggest opening weekend of all time.

You can find our Da Vinci Code review roundup, the scoop on the new fall TV shows and much more at: http://www.watcherswatch.com

Posted on May 21, 2006
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Tom Cruise Causes Bomb Scare In L.A.

People magazine reports on Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible III marketing disaster:

A Mission: Impossible III marketing scheme went haywire--literally--Friday when a Los Angeles Times reader in Santa Clarita mistook his friendly neighborhood newspaper rack for a device on the verge of spontaneous combustion. In this day and age, you really can't blame the guy for being a bit concerned when he inserted his quarter, opened the lid and saw a small plastic box with a few wires poking out of it sitting on top of the papers.

He subsequently called the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department at 9:05 a.m., according to sheriff's office spokeswoman Deputy Dana Camarillo, and the Canyon Country division's arson and explosives team was dispatched to investigate, arriving on the scene about 20 minutes later. After spying the red plastic box, authorities proceeded to "render the device useless," Camarillo said. Or, to put it in more Mission: Impossible-friendly terms: They blew that sucker up!

As it turned out, that sinister-seeming object was one of approximately 4,500 digital music players placed in Times dispensers throughout the city programmed to play the Mission: Impossible theme when the rack's door was opened.

*****

Law enforcement officials received several other calls later in the day and the West Los Angeles federal police called in the sheriff's office bomb squad at one point, but by then the various departments had received word of Paramount Pictures' marketing campaign. "I think Paramount is pretty happy about it," Mark Kurtich, senior VP of operations for the Times, said, referring to the bonus publicity that inevitably accompanies an actual explosion.

And if a mere citizen had left a suspicious plastic box with wire sticking out of it in a newsrack? Why, they'd have been arrested, of course!

Posted on May 2, 2006
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J.J. Abrams To Direct New Star Trek Film

J.J. Abrams has agreed to direct a new Star Trek movie, which is nothing but good news as far as we're concerned.

"Mission: Impossible III" director J.J. Abrams is going from Cruise control to warp speed. A couple of weeks before the arrival of Tom Cruise and `M:I3,' Abrams has committed to produce the 11th "Star Trek" feature film and there are plans for him to direct as well, Paramount Pictures announced Friday. Abrams also will write the script with his "Mission Impossible III" co-writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, Paramount spokeswoman Nancy Kirkpatrick said.

The studio is hoping to release the new "Star Trek" film in 2008. No plot for the movie has been nailed down and no one has been cast for the film. The "Star Trek" franchise covers several centuries of a future in which humans make their way in a universe populated by a bewildering variety of aliens, from the ultra-logical Vulcans to the merciless, hive-like Borg. The starship Enterprise in various incarnations was the focus of the original series and many of the movies. Two "Star Trek" TV series followed the exploits aboard a space station called Deep Space Nine and a marooned spaceship, Voyager.

Abrams created the hit ABC series "Lost" and Paramount hopes that "Lost" producers Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk will produce the movie, Kirkpatrick said. William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy portrayed Kirk and Spock in the original "Star Trek" TV show in the 1960s and in numerous movies but "they have not yet been approached," Kirkpatrick said. Shatner, 75, currently stars in the hit series "Boston Legal" winning an Emmy for his role as an egotistical attorney.

So, let the casting ideas begin...

Posted on April 24, 2006
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A Failure to Launch?

Bucking the trend, Stephen Hunter of The Washington Post gives the new Matthew McConaughey/Sarah Jessica Parker film Failure to Launch an enthusiastically positive review:

The movie is expertly, professionally calibrated. I loved the way it played the main relationship between Tripp and Paula off against a minor one (Kit and Bartha's Ace), one for laughs with a little poignancy, the other for sheer laughs.

Every character has been given enough quirk to make the movie sublimely enjoyable, but not so much that it becomes precious. It's so relaxed and assured one is stunned to discover that Dey is directing for only the third time...

Sublimely enjoyable, eh? Meanwhile, most of the other critics were not so kind. Based on the trailer, we're thinking it's a rental.

Posted on March 10, 2006
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Daniel Craig Says He Never Wanted to be James Bond

Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse on the James Bond front, it does. Daniel Craig now says he never wanted to be Bond any way and that he's just doing the film for the money.

Daniel Craig never wanted to be James Bond. The 38-year-old made the admission after receiving hate mail from hardcore fans of the spy franchise. He revealed: "I never really wanted to do James Bond. "Don't get me wrong, I want to make big movies and I want to make as much money as I possibly can, but there's not a tremendous emotional challenge." The 'Layer Cake' star also revealed that he's worried about being blamed if 'Casino Royale' is a flop. He said: "It's a dodgy place to be walking. I don't really want to get the rap for destroying that franchise.

"I mean, that wouldn't be a good place to be." Craig also admits to being a fan of the least popular 007's - despite them being widely panned. The actor said: "Timothy Dalton was great in the part but I think the film makers tried to take the franchise in the wrong direction and he got the rap for that. "I think George Lazenby got the rap too. I think On Her Majety's Secret Service is one of the best movies."

George Lazenby??? He was awful as Bond. Someone at the production company better put some tape over Craig's mouth, pronto. Everytime he opens his mouth, another million comes off the box office take.

Posted on March 8, 2006
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