On Gear Live: Samsung S95C: The OLED TV You Can’t Afford (to Ignore!)

Casting Corner: Michael Douglas, Katherine Heigl, Sam Rockwell and More

Michael DouglasKatherine Heigl

Here’s a quick look at some of the casting announcements made recently:

Michael Douglas: Douglas - who hasn’t been in a hit in quite some time - has had his name attached to two different projects in the past few weeks. For Solitary Man, the Oscar-winner will return to a subject he is quite familiar with: infidelity. Michael is set to play a car magnate whose life is affected by business and marital problems. Production on Solitary begins in November. Meanwhile, Douglas is also planning to reteam with his Traffic director (Steven Soderbergh) for a biopic on Liberace. Michael will tackle the role of the flamboyant character while Matt Damon is in discussions to play Scott Thorson, a man who sued the pianist for palimony.

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The Hollywood Reporter


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Joel McHale: From The Soup to Soderbergh

Joel McHale, The SoupIt was bound to happen sooner or later.  Another host from E!‘s The Soup would start to get the attention he/she deserved

Back in 1991, actor kicked off what was then known as Talk Soup.  He is now probably better known for his Oscar-nominated work in As Good as It Gets.  Since then, other hosts have moved on from that weekly program to varying degrees of success.  (The most notable ones being Hal Sparks and Aisha Tyler.)  Could current frontman soon be outgrowing the recap roundup as well?

It has just been announced that the 36-year-old comedian will be branching out from the clip show to work on a much larger project.  Joel will soon be starring in The Informant, a new movie from director (Ocean’s Eleven).  McHale is slated to play an FBI agent who will work alongside Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap) and Matt Damon.

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Hollywood Reporter


Sequel News: Bourne Series, Transporter, Terminator

Put Description HereAlthough many critics had hoped would be seriously considered for a Best Film award, the thriller did walk away with three statues at Sunday’s Academy Awards.  (The movie won for Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound mixing.)  Now it appears the Bourne series could have a another chance at even more nominations.

According to Variety, Universal is already planning a fourth installment for the action franchise.  Better yet - director Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon will also be on board.  This news comes as surprise to many.  Even though the trilogy definitely had an audience and respect, it appeared that the story could have run its course.  In an interview with Entertainment Weekly back in August, Damon admitted that the long production was basically being written on the fly.

No projected release date has been announced yet.  Both Greengrass and Damon have other commitments to attend to first.

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Variety


This Week on HD DVD and Blu-ray: October 2, 2007

Evil Dead 2 posterThis Tuesday brings the release of some great titles, new and old.  As expected, the studios are rolling out some Halloween-inspired classics, filled with zombies, vampires and serial killers; though sadly, only Blu-ray supporters seem to be taking advantage of the upcoming holiday.

HD DVD studios chose instead to use this week to re-release a bunch of titles that were previously only available in those obnoxious HD DVD/DVD Combo discs.  You know, the $40 releases that were appealing to neither the HD owners nor the standard-definition owners?  Those of you who rightly refused to make such a silly purchase can now have some great HD titles for a lower price, thanks to Warner Home Video coming to its senses.  Any of the following films with an asterisk (*) in the title are the re-released versions.

Check out this Tuesday’s HD DVD and Blu-ray releases after the jump.

To see this week’s standard-definition DVD releases, click here.
To see this week’s TV-On-DVD releases, click here.

 

Click to continue reading This Week on HD DVD and Blu-ray: October 2, 2007


FilmCrunch 063: Ocean’s Thirteen, SiCKO, Live Free or Die Hard, Black Snake Moan

Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep are back with another episode of FilmCrunch - this time we review Michael Moore’s SiCKO, Live Free or Die Hard, Ocean’s Thirteen (in under a minute), and the DVD release of Black Snake Moan.

Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.


Box Office Breakdown:  Bourne Breaks Bank

Bourne

Matt Damon may still be vying for People magazine’s ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ title—but he has one thing that George Clooney and Brad Pitt don’t have:  the biggest debut for an August opening ever.

The Bourne Ultimatum‘s $70 million take improved upon the previous Bourne installments and gave Damon his largest weekend to date (and that’s including all three Ocean’s movies).

Meanwhile, Lindsay Lohan should be happy that she’s holed up in rehab again—though seeing her movie kicked out of the Top Ten would have probably sent her there anyway.  Apparently theatergoers can only handle one movie about Bratz at a time…

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown:  Bourne Breaks Bank


Box Office Breakdown:  Competition Schooled By Hogwarts

Harry Potter

Apparently Daniel Radcliffe can bring in the audiences without having to strip…unless that’s what the female theatergoers were secretly hoping for.

Whatever the reason, a record number of voyeurs helped the Hogwarts clan whip up the biggest 5-day total for a non-holiday release.  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’s $140 million beat out Shrek 2’s record set in 2004 ($128 million).  The film is now on track to be the largest Potter installment to date.

As for why the producers of Captivity chose to open amongst all the recent family-fare is beyond me.  And yes, I know that’s why they call it counter-programming.  Ironically, while I would have loved to watch Elisha Cuthbert’s character from 24 (the oh-so annoying Kim) be subjected to torture-porn, I really no desire to see her do anything these days.  Apparently I’m not alone….which is why the only other film widely-released this week opened in 12th place.  Now that’s torture.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown:  Competition Schooled By Hogwarts


Box Office Breakdown: Optimus Is In His Prime

Transformers

We knew that a Michael Bay/ Steven Spielberg venture would be a hit—so what really is there left to say?  Well, did you know that this is Bay’s biggest opening since 2001’s awful Pearl Harbor ($59.1 million)??  Did you know that Shia LeBeouf is the first leading man (he just turned 21, so is a leading man) to have two movies reach the top spot this year?

Moving on…how about that awful showing for License to Wed?  Not that I predicted much for the film—but ouch.  Question is:  which Office actor fared worse in this summer’s box office?  Steve Carell who starred in an obscenely expensive Evan Almighty—a movie that at least managed #1 berth?  Or John Krasinski whose movie clearly looked like a bomb from the get-go but came with low expectations?  That may be something for Dwight Schrute to sort out…

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Optimus Is In His Prime


Box Office Breakdown:  Yippee-Kay-Yay Ratatouille!

Ratatouille

Bruce Willis and Co. may have managed to steer clear of gigantic robots—but they somehow overlooked a group of pesky rats.  Live Free and Die Hard was conveniently positioned one week ahead of this summer’s most anticipated blockbuster…yet squarely in the path of a rodent’s bite.  Nevertheless, the aging John McClane still proved that he can get the job done and earn his keep.

Meanwhile, Ratatouille chewed up the competition with a $47 million dollar debut, although it surprisingly foraged less than most of its Pixar elders (only A Bug’s Life and Toy Story started off lower).  What it did manage to do was help boot Surf’s Up out of the Top 10 leaving room for another Shia LeBeouf feature to transform the landscape in just a matter of days…

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown:  Yippee-Kay-Yay Ratatouille!


Box Office Breakdown:  Almighty Only Does Alrighty

Evan Almighty

Question: When is being the #1 movie just not enough? (Hint:  You have three chances to answer this question correctly).

Answer(s):

  1. When the critics don’t really have anything good to say about you
  2. When you made less than 1/2 of what your predecessor did on opening weekend
  3. When it cost over $175 million just to create you

Apparently having God on your side doesn’t guarantee you heavenly box office numbers.  Evan Almighty, the follow-up to 2003’s Bruce Almighty, failed to bring in a large congregation this past weekend.  Although it did better than the rest of the flock, it’s $32 million take paled in comparison to Bruce’s $68 million opening.  And then there’s that glaring $175 million bill…

Of course, we shouldn’t feel so badly about Steve Carell’s career.  I have a feeling that God is providing for him in other ways.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown:  Almighty Only Does Alrighty


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