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Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin on the red carpet.

The traffic came to a halt while thousands of fans waited for hours in the rain in central Sydney. The enthralled crowd cheered after a long wait while Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman walked the red carpet for the world premiere of “Australia”.

The 3,000 invited guests walked down the carpet  while George Street in Sydney’s CBD was closed for the premiere of one of the most predicted local films ever.  Nicole was seen strolling gracefully with her co-stars like Hugh Jackman, Bryan Brown, David Wenham, 13-year-old Brandon Walters, Jack Thompson, director Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin.

Kidman mention in a candid conversation that Australia may be her final film as she would now like to concentrates on motherhood. “I’m in a place in my life where I have had some great opportunities. I may just choose to have some more children”, Kidman said.

Tags: Baz Luhrmann, Brandon Walters, Bryan Brown, Catherine Martin, David Wenham, Hugh Jackman, Jack Thompson, Nicole Kidman
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Quantum of Solace

The latest James Bond film “Quantum of Solace” made another whopping five million pounds ($7.52 million) over its third weekend in Britain as it maintained its top spot on the British box office.

Daniel Craig’s second  007 affair and the 22nd official Bond film has now earned 40.2 million pounds in its British run, according to Screen International on Tuesday. Craig along with the films fame has acquired huge fan following and a massive sense of stardom.

It belittled the 1 million pounds taken by the No. 2 film on its debut weekend, “Max Payne,” a video game spin-off with Mark Wahlberg as a lone avenger in New York. “Quantum of Solace” finally gets solace in Britain with the massive third week grossing.

“High School Musical 3: Senior Year,” with Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale was down one place at three while comedy “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” came in at four with its tale of two friends going triple-XXX to pay their rent.

Ricky Gervais was down two at five as the cantankerous dentist in “Ghost Town” while Bollywood movie “Dostana” was new at six.

“Burn After Reading” with Brad Pitt and George Clooney was down by two at seven and “Easy Virtue” stayed at eight with its reworking of Noel Coward’s play set among the inter-war British aristocracy.

The animated evil scientists of “Igor” were stuck at nine while horror movie “Saw V” was the week’s biggest failure, down six places at 10.

Tags: Daniel Craig, James Bond, Quantum of Solace
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Twilight

“Twilight” saw a grand opening With teenagers shouting at the top of their voices to get a glimpse of the author. It sure sounds a massive affair. Like never before, Stephenie Meyer, the author of the Twilight series of books, draws screams and lunging teenagers as she signs autographs and takes pictures before walking into the theater. Twilight’s World Premiere rocked Los Angeles with thousands of fans in every corner of the Westwood Village. Surely they were loud.

For a vampire love story tickets are literally selling like hot cakes. The upcoming midnight shows are being sold and at a random pace.Summit Entertainment film has already sold out hundreds of performances four days before its Friday opening in about 3,400 locations. Movie Ticket sellouts were definitely more than 400  of various show times.

Going by the ticketers the movie has more than 85% of pre-sales. With industry hearsay suggesting an overdose of spice is already ringing with spectacular advance ticket sales.

Several marketing heads of the industry are simply awestruck at the tremendous effect and with the film itself. Until now Summit Entertainment was just another name with no such movie to go by. With dim and modest success streak with its martial arts film “Never Back Down,” the teen comedy “Sex Drive,” Summit Entertainment had nothing to fall back on. BUt this time around Summit Entertainment has an amazing ace up its sleeve - “Twilight.”

Robert Pattinson Kristen Stewart

“Twilight” is the first in a series of enormously popular vampire love stories written by Stephenie Meyer. They now rest in peace before the final show stealing and probably one of the hottest Hollywood literary franchises since “Harry Potter.” The film, directed by Catherine Hardwicke stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, Oscar winner Jamie Foxx and the band Paramore, who have a song on the soundtrack. The young actors,Stewart and Pattinson are treated with The Beatles style mania by fans. Last week, 10,000 kids literally mobbed them in a Dallas mall. They’ve been on the cover of Entertainment Weekly and several teen tabloids as well as all over MTV. Before the film actually hits the masses the stars are a real hit.

Industry speak suggests that half of Hollywood’s biggies missed “Twilight” and just let it go. The project was stalled for over a year. Twilight” was originally at Paramount’s MTV Films. Paramount reportedly wasted two years in developing before actually letting it all go. Paramountallowing the film slip through its hands brought it good times for the film. Former Paramount benefactors helped the film to develop. Karen Rosenfelt, a longtime Paramount production executive, and a veteran became attached with “Twilight” as a producer in fall 2006. There were several others like Summit Chief Executive Friedman, who’d been a top Paramount executive for years who came together. And the rest of “Twilight” remains to be seen if a history is in the making.

Tags: Twilight
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Sir Paul McCartney

The Shrek 4 will cast Sir Paul McCartney and his 5 year old daughter. Beatrice will be singing in the upcoming Shrek movie.

The legendary musician is writing a song for the upcoming squeal the hit animated franchise and is also voicing a character. He has arranged for Beatrice to sing a couple of backing vocals on the track.

“Paul is really pleased to be part of the next Shrek film because it’s Beatrice’s favourite movie. He said she can’t stop talking about it. He wants to go one step further though and make sure she’s part of the film.  Paul’s writing a song for the film and wants Beatrice to sing some of the harmonies. She’s quite a musical kid. She’s very bright. It will be a dream come true for her”, a releable source mentioned.

The voice of McCartney will be heard along with voices of Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas in Shrek 4. McCartney has mentioned that Beatrice is a huge fan of the kindly green ogre. “I’m a huge fan of ‘Shrek’ as my little girl loves it. I can do a really good impression of him - I put on my best Scottish accent!”, he said.

Tags: antonio banderas, Cameron Diaz, McCartney And Daughter To Star In 'Shrek 4', Shrek, Sir Paul McCartney
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Nanette Burstein

All the major directors are getting ready for a busy 2009 film schedule. Despite shaky economic conditions the major ones are getting into production. There is absolutely no dearth of interest or enthusiasm for the coming year’s film activity in the film circuit. The flurry of signing ins and production madness are already turning out to be a dampener for the economic depression majorly in the US.

Among the directors signing projects that have been revealed this week goes like this:

Greg Mottola will direct the ET comedy “Paul” for Working Title and Universal Pictures. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the duo behind “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz,” will star.

Greg Mottola

Martin Campbell

Martin Campbell will helm “Nagasaki Deadline,” an action thriller that will be financed by Alcon Entertainment and co-produced with James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment and 8:38 Prods.

New Line Cinema has pulled in documentarian Nanette Burstein (”American Teen”) to direct the romantic comedy “Going the Distance,” with Adam Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot producing via their Offspring Entertainment shingle.

Inspite of the strikes carried out by SAG and the fact that Feature productions are slowing down there has been a serious attempt to fight against the strike. Studios are putting in and around 40 films into production in the spring and summer.

Motolla’s “Paul” will be filmed from mid-April in New Mexico. Story revolves around two British slackers who, after visiting Comic-Con, go on a road trip to Area 51, where they encounter a small alien named Paul, who enlists them to help him find his way home.
Campbell (”Casino Royale”) will return to work on “Nagasaki”. “Distance,” a romantic comedy under New Line production which will likely go into production early next year, re-teams Shankman and Gibgot with New Line after they produced the upcoming “17 Again.” It was a bold decision taken by New Line to tap a documentarian.

Despite a serious stoppage in feature film activity the above mentioned scenario is sure to lighten the mood and joyously mark the return of filmic activity despite aborted circumstances.

Tags: 2009 films, 2009 productions
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Will Smith & His Son Jaden

Who haven’t enjoyed  the “Karate Kid” movies? You would hardly find any who would say ‘ I have not’. Karate Kid was released in 1984. And now there would be a remake of  Karate Kid and the director choose none other than the son of Will Smith himself, Jaden Smith, to star in the movie.

The news is circulating in the air  since September, but Variety has confirmed that the 10-years is all set to star as the next Karate Kid. The new movie will be produced by Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment, as well as Jerry Weintraub, who have also launched the first movies.

The remake of Karate Kid will start shooting in Beijing in China, as well as a host of other countriesfrom next year. It is being said that the plot will be similar to the original movie. It has not yet been decided who will play the role of Jaden’s eccentric mentor.

Tags: Jaden Smith, Will Smith, Will Smith’s Son Jaden To Star In Karate Kid Remake
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Fergie

The Black Eyed Peas singer, Fergie has put on 13lbs for her role in musical movie ‘Nine’. She stars alongside Nicole Kidman.  She had to be on calorific diets to get her perfect weight for her role as a prostitute Saraghina.

She said: “I have to give the bad food up now! So, yeah - I’m in that phase! Back to diet designs - my food delivery service!…”

33 year old singer found it hard to maintain her strict food regime. She said everything else seemed just fine except for the fact that she loved pumpkin pie.

She added to Usmagazine.com : “I like a good pumpkin pie - that’s my favourite - with homemade whipped cream. Whipped cream from scratch. I’ll eat it for breakfast, always.”

Fergie revealed her desperate attempt to lose weight before she weds fiance Josh Duhamel. She admitted she had to have several things that she never could have before. She ate all things fried like fish and chips.

Her mouth-wattering reminiscence of good food resounded in her words : “You can do creative things with food though. You know, turkey isn’t fattening - you can do that. A little bit of gravy. Or have a nice big salad!” She singer was sad for being able to indulge herself in good food/food of her choice.

Tags: Black Eyed Peas, Fergie
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Nicole Kidman And Charlize Theron

The hottest in in Hollywood these days is that the  first post-op transsexual of the world, Nicole Kidman, is married to Charlize Theron. Please don’t shock yourself to death now. Thats the latest movie where Nicole will be starring opposite to Charlize portraying a transsexual character.

Nicole Kidman, along with acting, with also produce this film, which has been named as “The  Danish Girl”. The plot is based on the true story of Danish artists Einar and Greta Wegener.  Einar (played by  Kidman), whose marriage takes a bitter turn after she meets the female model that Greta (played by Theron) whom  Einar was about to paint. After the portrait becomes popular in Copenhagen in 1920, Greta asks her husband to adopt Einar. Something that had began as a harmless game finally extended Einer to a transfiguration and landmark 1931 operation that shocked the world and threatened their love.

The film will be directed by Anand Tucker. Preproduction work has already begun.

Tags: Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Nicole Kidman To Play Transsexual, The Danish Girl
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Will Smith and Steven Spielberg

Authentic sources have reported that Steven Spielberg and Will Smith are teaming up to work together for their upcoming project. They are looking forward to remake Korean director Chan-Wook Park’s Oldboy. The remake rights are being processed by the DreamWorks, reported Variety.

Oldboy was released in 2003. The story speaks about a man who is kidnapped and held in a dirty hotel room for 15 years without explanation. Suddenly one day, he’s released with some money, a cell phone and clothes. He sets off to find out who ruined his life to take his revenge.

Spielberg was looking forward to work with Smith, who would play the title role, since a long time. Initially the film was set to be directed by the  Fast and Furious director Justin Lin. The original Oldboy won a blagged a number of international awards including the Cannes Grand Jury Prize.

Tags: Oldboy, Steven Spielberg, Time To Work Together For Spielberg & Smith, Will Smith
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Rooster in Noise Control

Rooster bags the Best Short Film Award at the Show Me Shorts Festival in Auckland. The film is a tragic comedy about a  friendly but condemned rooster. The award show was held on 7th November evening at  Auckland in New Zealand.

Noise Control, the winning entry is a film by  Phill Simmond, was funded by the New Zealand Film Commission. The film is about a rooster who bonded up with a group of local children and then had to pay the price for keeping neighbors awake. The story was narrated through animation and live action. It is also said that Noise Control is based on a true story.

Take 3, another short film funded by Roseanne Liang’s NZFC was awarded the prize for Atlab Best Technical Contribution. Take 3 is a comedy too, which is a story of three Asian actresses who go past professional rivalry in one jubilant act of solidarity.

Tags: Noise Control, Rooster Wins Best Short Film Award
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Sex and the City Stars

Sarah Jessica Parker has just denied speculations on a sequel of the movie based on the TV series. The denial has sparked off a reported row because co-star Kim Cattrall had confirmed the report on British TV. In an interview on The Paul O’Grady Show on Tuesday, Kim told Mel B, former Spice Girl about the former’s cast mates being available for the shoot scheduled to start sometime in 2009. She talked about the plans for the sequel to Sex and the City: The Movie.

But Parker has created a controversy by warning fans not to fall for the news so seriously. She suggests that the fans must not let their hopes fly very high since the production is yet to start and finalise and has not yet been given the green light.

Parker also insisted that a sequel was definitely a possibility and she said:  “I’m thrilled to know Kim is excited but all the deals are not yet done.”
She told she was confident that their first film which had grossed over $400 million at the BO would surely be a thing for sequel set up.
Lastly she just jummed up by saying : “We wanted to (do it) the first time, and now we’re hopefully doing it again for the second time.”

Tags: Kim Cattrall, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sex and the City
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Antonio Banderas

Antonio Banderas is reportedly talking out his plans to play the artist in Simon West’s indie biopic “Dali.” The film will be produced by Media 8 Entertainment (”Monster”) alongside Simon West. The film is needed to have more colours to bring in the Artistic effect. For this music will be mixed along with the CGI sequences so that the inventiveness and color of the painter is captured well in the film.

West will co-produce “Dali” with Jib Polhemus (”Lara Croft: Tomb Raider”). The worldwide sales is being handled by Media 8. Pre-sales will begin this week at the American Film Market. Shooting will begin in the first quarter of 2009 in Spain and England. The film is a classic example of an international co-production.

The film will focus not on Dali’s outrageous lifestyle but the focus will be more on his lifelong love affair with Gala, his wife, muse and manipulative manager.

There are other “Dali” works (films) that are on their way. The most notable one being with Al Pacino who is to play the artist in “Dali & I: The Surreal Story,” with Andrew Niccol being on the director’s chair. Robert Pattinson stars as Dali in the upcoming “Little Ashes” which notes the love life of the younger painter and will also record filmmaker Luis Bunuel and writer Federico Garcia Lorca. Till then Antonio as last reported is in his final negotiations for his film.

Tags: antonio banderas
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James Gray Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow seems to set the red carpet straight. She dared to wear a see through black and white dress at the premiere of “Two Lovers” in Paris.

The dress was no where near subtle. Nothing more was left to imagine. revealing dresses are a part of tradition on the red carpet. But this time around Paltrow took it a bit far.

The 36-year-old was in loss of her usual pseudo-dignity. Her Pris premiere marks her return to work having two children Apple, four, and Moses, two with husband Chris Martin, frontman of Coldplay.

She seemed desparate to show off and was seen smiling and waving off to fans standing beside U.S. director James Gray. She arrived at the Publicis cinema in Paris seemingly in a do not care attitude.

She had once admiited to being apprenhisive to return to the “cut-throat world” of Hollywood. She said: “Hollywood is pretty cut-throat and everybody’s got a short memory and there’s always somebody younger or hotter … or prettier or whatever.” So her dress fits the bill.

Her revealing outfit at the premieres is suggestively publicising her role in the film where she shows off one of her breasts.

Tags: gwyneth paltrow
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Will Smith

Will Smith wants to make a Bollywood flick. He had earlier promised to star in one. He is determined to fulfill his promise.He is inspired and being advised by Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle, according to reports. Hollywood big-wig Will Smith has been planning his cross-over project that could star Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai and Will himself. He has shown a lot of interest in being a part of a South Asian project since 2006. But his earlier commitments and time crunch made the dream impossible to fulfill. But now is the time that Will has decided to go further on.

Smith had recently asked out Anil Kapoor for his project. Anil has confirmed the reports. Smith sought out Anil to discuss his latest project.
Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire was shot in Mumbai. It has convinced Smith so much that he is serious about trying his luck in a different genre of pictures. Smith has made several trips  in India and now his visits are going to pay him off.

“While we were filming there, Will Smith came over twice. There’s a massive coming together of Bollywood and Hollywood. It’ll only take one person to bring them together and it will be huge,” Boyle said.
“Yes, he came to visit us. He came to my residence. Very nice chap,” Anil Kapoor said. Anil sounds excited enough to be part of a Hollywood-Bollywood joint project which is most certainly a big affair. Annually Bollywood grosses billions  overseas. It will be a big affair for both the cultures and film making genres. The I Robots and Pursuit of Happyness star had earlier taken part in Indian events like launching new TV channel Pix and appearing on TV talent show INDIAN IDOL, a visit to the Taj Mahal, to eat an authentic chicken tikka masala, as well as meet Bollywood producers to discuss his Asian film debut.

Tags: bollywood, crossover cinema, Will Smith
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The last few months right before the Oscar are mainly of two things: prestige and pure fun. This is the festive season when families seek  a mental escape through  lighter films and this is also the season of contest when  serious cinema competes for Oscar gold.

The way to the Oscar this year is sort of going bonkers. The awards race have just begun and it has already traveled  more ups and downs than any in recent past. The viewers and movie lovers have already started anticipating on issues common like ‘Which movies will be worthy of competing for the Academy Award? ‘ along with things like ‘Which ones will really open in time to qualify?’

Oscar

Few, that would not only have qualified but would also have bagged a few awards, have quited, like the Robert Downey Jr.-Jamie Fox’s homeless musician drama “The Soloist” (rescheduled to release in next spring) and the Viggo Mortensen revelatory drama “The Road” (based on the novel by Cormac). Another major shift has been the “ Defiance”, which was re-scheduled to release on December 31st, the last day for qualifying for the Academy Awards. “The Reader” starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes, was supposed to release in the next year,  moved up to compete the Oscar this year instead of next.

David Poland of Movie CityNews.com said, “Basically, every studio is tight for money and making their bests bets for the Oscar in a much less general way”. He also added that “It costs so much money to be in the Oscar race that if they don’t have to be in it, they’re getting out. The result is a lot fewer movies vying for best picture”.

Poland says, “The illusion that this all happens because a movie is good is out the window. The reality is, there is a structure and a business to campaigning for an Oscar”. Predicting further shuffling he added, “I’m hearing that some films may be getting back into the season because there are so few movies in play”.

The prestige films that have high hopes of bagging a few titles this year, the two most popular ones are  Doubt starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman as a dueling nun and priest, and Frost/Nixon  starring Michael Sheen and Frank Langella as a dueling reporter and ex-president.

Tags: 2009 Oscar Predictions, Academy Awards, Oscar, Oscar 2009, The Blockbusters Make The Season Dramatic Few Months Before The Oscar
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