Movie News and Views December 16, 2009

Hey everyone! It's the last Poster Edition of Movie News and Views for 2009! I thought about recapping the year but... it's not my style for this column. Here's the last tidbits of Hollywood info from me until next year,

- The "300" prequel ("299?") has been announced and its current title is "Xerxes." It's the battle of Marathon through the ink of Frank Miller.

- Kevin Smith's "A Couple of Dicks," will be renamed "Cop Out."

- As if there isn't enough emphasis on special effects, 15 movies are competing for Visual Effects Academy Award. The Oscars will be broadcast live on March 7, 2010 on ABC.

- For those who have converted (or are like me, recently converted) Frodo and Company will be on Blu-Ray on April 6, 2010 (you can pre-order on March 2). All three of the "LOTR" will be in one set, released in their Theatrical Versions. For those wanting the Extended Editions, you'll have to wait longer (dammit).

- The U.S. Congress is fighting unemployment by investing $30 million into fighting movie piracy. No word on combating ninjas...

- "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies." The eagerly-awaited mash-up of Jane Austen and the undead has attached director David O. Russell ("Three Kings"). The production has officially announced the involvement of Natalie Portman as not only a producer but the lead actress as well. This just keeps getting' better and better...

- Nic Cage is in the new "Kick-Ass" movie. That might cause it to lose the credibility it had...

- "The Runaways" is a film about the girl group formed in the 70s that featured Cherie Currie, Joan Jett, and Lita Ford. The film is loosely based on Currie's book, "Neon Angel: the Cherie Currie Story" and stars Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart as Currie and Jett, respectively.

- MTV is remaking "Teen Wolf" as a TV series.

- What do you get for the cinema aficionado who has every DVD? Why not a book? Specifically, "Stanley Kubrick's Napoleon: The Greatest Movie Never Made." At a spry 2874 pages and very Limited Edition, no movie nerd would be complete without it. For $700.00, it's a veritable steal! Hurry now! Supplies are limited! Check out the website at:

http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/film/all/03844/facts.stanley_kubricks_napoleon_the_greatest_movie_never_made.htm

- Good news for indie-makers: Paramount Pictures is allocating funds for movies that cost $100k and less. If you can sell a movie that would have a budget under that, you may get to see it on the silver screen. This is inspired by the performance of "Paranormal Activity" at the box office. Ah, the little $15,000 film that could...

- Following "Avatar," James Cameron is helming a 3-D remake of "Fantastic Voyage." Wonder what kind of love story exists on the microbial level...

- Future candidates for Remake Radar: "Romancing the Stone," "Overboard," "Amityville Horror," "The Howling"

- To further Nic Cage's money problems, his ex-wife is suing him for $13 million.

- The domestic Box Office is expected to break the $10 billion dollar mark. Those blockbusters are really adding up...

- Howard Stern was selected, at random, to be part of the Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations committee. That should be fun...

- According to Jeff Bridges, "Iron Man" had no script. I knew it!

- Feeling that he has not achieved what he set out to do as an actor, Alec Baldwin is quitting acting after his contract with "30 Rock" is up. I understand, man. I sat through "Mercury Rising."

- Universal Studios is introducing "flipper" technology: insert a dolphin... no, wait. Much like the unfortunate HD DVD, the technology has Blu-Ray on one side of a disc and standard DVD on the other. This is for those who have yet to by Blu-Ray, or maybe they already own a player and want the ability to flip it over for s&g. The first to go to this newfangled technology will be the "Bourne" trilogy of movies.

- "Shrek Forever After" will be the fourth, and final, of the CG animated green ogre series.

- Dirk Benedict has announced he will have a cameo in the new "A-Team" movie. That leaves Mr. T as the only living "team" member. I can't figure out how to fit "I pity the fool" in this...

- Apparently the WB is waiting out their legal disputes with the Siegel and Schuster estates before getting back into the "Superman" franchise.

- If you're a fan of the "Happy Gilmore Swing" (which requires a running start before whacking at the ball with the club), don't go to Canada. The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia has deemed it illegal.