Babes, Bombs, and Blockbusters Movie News Report 4.15.08

Posted by Mike Gorman on 04.15.2008

The Oscars concede the race to the Inauguration, Ledger’s Joker remains intact, and Daniel Radcliffe gives you another reason to not like him in Tuesday’s movie news. Cameron Diaz pops by in a bikini after her SNL cameo and you’ll learn a few DVDs to pick up if you need a rainy day fix. Join Mike Gorman as he toasts you with a new “Chelada” in this week’s 3B’s Movie News.



Welcome aboard my Tuesday co-horts as we look at this Tuesday's latest news and get some suggestions on how to chill out in a rainy day way if you're at all like me. Beerwatch even takes you back a few months as we revisit the beer combo that flipped many people's lids. This week's Hot Shot is Cameron Diaz fresh from her SNL cameo promoting her new film, What Happens in Vegas co-starring Ashton Kutcher. Who knew a commercial tag line could become a movie? I suppose that means it is finally time for me to dig out my long shelved script for an Egg Council based thriller, "Brown Eggs are Local Eggs… And Local Eggs are Fresh!"




The G Spot
The G Spot is your place for the day's movie news with the occasional cameo from the land of television.

Update your Blackberries now!
The dates of next year's Oscar nominations and awards telecast have been announced with a slight change due to something about a presidential inauguration. That's right, the traditional day for the Oscar nominations release coincides with the swearing in of our next president. So to show that our priorities as a nation are not completely off, the Academy has announced it will allow the inauguration the spotlight on their usual day and will wait two days later, Thursday, January 22, 2009, to make their nominations. The show will telecast about a month later on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

Ledger's Joker scenes remain intact.
After some concerns were raised about a scene in the upcoming Dark Knight where the Joker fakes dead in a body bag during a recent screening, Warner Brothers executives have decided to keep the film intact. I think this is great news and will honor the recently deceased actor's performance as it was intended without getting too sensitive about what is shown on film.



The third time's the bomb…er…charm?
After their recent turns as wacky couples in Fool's Gold and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson are on the look out for a third film to make their collaboration a trilogy. Are they the next centuries Tom Hanks and Med Ryan? I for one am not convinced and will not be until McConaughey puts more effort into his acting than he does in getting his shirt off once the temperature tops 70 degrees. Hudson definitely has the skills to break away from this pairing and continue her path to memorable stardom.

The man is a machine!
No, the "Governator " is not returning to the big screen. I refer instead to movie work horse Shia LeBeouf. Soon to be seen in the next Indiana Jones film and already hard at work on a segment of the film New York, I Love You; Shia is now attached to the thriller The Dark Fields. This new venture is based on a novel about a man who gets his hands on a "smart pill" and turns his life around until the consequences of his actions come home to roost. Since Transformers, LeBeouf has kept continually busy with no break inside. Seems he is taking the saying, "You're only as good as your last film" to heart!

Will they make it work on Lifetime?
Bravo staple "Project Runway" is on the move to the Lifetime network as the Weinstein produced hit reality show enters its fifth season. Screeching host Heidi Klum is on board for the move as are Tim Gunn and Michael Kors. The remaining permanent judge, Nina Garcia, is the only questionable cast member at the moment as there have been staffing changes at Elle Magazine where she works. Producers would like her to remain on the show but only time will tell. Also, they have announced a Runway spin-off that will follow the lives of the shows models. Ok, more models on tv might make it worth finally watching something on Lifetime… but don't tell anyone!




Things to add to your "not fair" list this week!
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has earned a massive $26 million in one year. Apparently this total does not include the $16 million he made for the most recent Harry Potter film. He's 18. 18! Talk about making you want to crawl back into bed and cover your head when you look at your own life!

Blockbuster wants Circuit City
Movie rental giant Blockbuster has reportedly made an offer of $6/share (around $1 billion) for the electronics chain Circuit City. In this time of seeming recession, this buyout offer is significantly larger than the current worth of CC stock, $3.90. Allegedly Blockbuster will be willing to go as high as $8/share to make this merger happen. The combination of these two chains would create a massive retail outlet at a prime time for the technological changes coming to our media viewing.




The Trunk



I love a good rainy day. There's nothing more relaxing to me than cracking open a window so you can feel the power of the wind and catch an occasional splash of rain on your face as you spread yourself out on the couch and pop in a dvd or two. There's something about the dark clouds and mood of a rainy day that can cut you off from the rest of the world and take you to a place of peace and isolation. Sadly it seems like these opportunities for rainy relaxation come few and far between so we have to look to other sources to experience our wild weather. Sure there's always the classics like Singing in the Rain which feature some great moments but the rain is too fake to bring me in and there's also movies like Dirty Dancing that feature some hot and steamy rain scenes, but you are forced to watch the entire movie to get to them. So where does a weather starved fan turn? Why not rent one of these storm filled DVDs? They always get me in a rainy day mood!

(5) Twister
There is a lot more to this film than just flying cows! The tornado chasers feel real passion about this wild weather and I can relate to that. It is the perfect storm of an impending tornado and Helen Hunt that show Bill Paxton that he needs more in his life than the boring path paved with Jami Gertz's whining. The weather effects in this one are outstanding and if viewed in surround sound you can almost feel the twister approaching as you cling tight to the arms of your recliner.

(4) The Perfect Storm
So, speaking of the perfect storm, this tale of bravery and human spirit in the face of nature's destructive forces holds a special place in my heart a New Englander who remembers when the true story happened. This is by no means a pretty or slick film but it accurately portrays the guts of the deep sea fishermen who risk their lives still to bring home the bacon… er, fish. If the effects in Twister are great, the ocean storms in this one are indescribable. The isolation and helplessness of the boat draw you in as a viewer and hold your attention until the very end.

(3) The Storm of the Century
Stephen King's written for television story of a small Maine island during one massive winter whiteout is as much about the weather as it is about the evil that lurked within it. This claustrophobic mini-series makes you wonder what you would give up to ensure prosperity and features some wicked snow driven scenes. King acknowledges the horror that is out of control weather and tells one of his typical tales of human nature at its worst. Longer than your average DVD, this is a good one to pop in when you have someone joining you on that couch.

(2) The Day After Tomorrow
The premise is agreeably heavy handed in its political message of global warming and the end is one of the cheesiest on record, but damn if you don't hold your breath as the wave chases the survivors into the NYC Public Library. I am often known to yell at the screen, "Leave the bitch's purse behind and run stupid!" You can't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the whole situation when the Russian freighter floats down the street and stops near the library. So rent this one for a good laugh or two but be sure to watch out for those cool weather moments when nature's massive power is revealed.

And lastly,

(1) The Wizard of Oz
C'mon! Who didn't every so often hope as a kid that a massive tornado would whip down your street and take you away from the boredom of your everyday life? I know I did and it is the weather phenomena that always draws me back to this classic. Can something as simple as a tornado turn your black and white rainy day into a Technicolor adventure to kill the evil witch? Probably not but it is always fun to go back to a childhood favorite when you have no where else to go!



Beerwatch
This week's Beerwatch is actually an update from a few months ago. If you remember I brought to light the phenomena of the Red Eye, aka Beer and tomato juice. I mentioned at that time that a commercial product was coming down the pipeline from Budwiser. So it is with great trepidation I introduce you to:



Chelada! Budwiser's new combo of their best brewed beer and Clamato juice. That's right, Clamato juice, which is a combination of tomato juice, spices and clam juice. The new brew is 2/3 beer and 1/3 Clamato. Reviews seem to be polarized in a real love-hate way. I guess it just goes to show that if you make it there someone out there who will drink it!





Tuesday Hot Shot
If you haven't yet had your fill of Cameron Diaz goodness be sure to check her out when What Happens in Vegas premieres on May 9, 2008. One last look at her for you includes the strip tease scene from Charlie's Angles Full Throttle also featuring Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu.





Watch out next week for a look at the greatest horror film you'll never see!

(All information and gossip gathered from Aintitcoolnews.com, Hollywoodreporter.com, Hollywood.com, Reuters.com, Dirtyjokesinc.com, Variety.com, TMZ.com)