News Roundup
December 20th, 2001
Back to our daily roundup of news. The Golden Globe nominations will be announced today. Needless to say, Ill be back with my worthless predictions.
First up --
Todd Phillips follow-up to ROAD TRIP, titled OLD SCHOOL, is turning into an actor fairyland. In addition to Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell and cool-cat Vince Vaughn, Leah Remini (who is outstanding on THE KING OF QUEENS) has just joined the cast.
Co-written with Phillips ROAD partner Scot Armstrong, the story is about three guys who, discontented with their current status, try to recapture the joy of their college days.
Ill be getting this script soon; Ill review it when it comes in.
*
Nick Nolte and Sam Elliott have joined the cast of Ang Lees THE HULK. The information for me that this movie had something going for it -- that it wasnt going to be flat like pseudo-blockbusters PLANET OF THE APES and X-MEN -- was when Jennifer Connelly signed on after her career-making role in A BEAUTIFUL MIND. Now two more great actors have come aboard. It makes one want to read that script (whose author is not set in stone, since no one ever mentions who wrote the damn thing).
Noltes casting reveals something of the plot: they say Nolte plays a scientist who unwittingly passes on a tragic legacy to his son (Bruce Banner).
*
Nic Cages directorial debut PONY RIDE (a.k.a. SONNY) adds two actors to its roster: Mena Suvari and Brenda Blethyn. They join James Franco in a story that is described thus: Franco plays Sonny, a male hustler who joins the Army in an attempt to get out of his familys gigolo lifestyle and get a real job. When hes discharged, Sonny visits his family in New Orleans to look for work, only to find his mother (Blethyn) determined to bring him back to the family business.
Its kind of ironic. That it would take Cage becoming a director for him to step back into the odd, dark material that made his name. Cage won his Oscar for LEAVING LAS VEGAS and shot immediately into big-money action films (much to the disappointment of his fans). Its good to see he still has a taste for the offbeat and the challenging.
On a side note: there have been so many announcements lately about actors directing movies that its hard to keep straight. I dont mind seeing Cage (an Oscar winner and a man who once ate a roach onscreen) or Denzel Washington (Oscar nominee and an extremely talented man) or George Clooney (who saved the film hes making) directing movies. They have earned their spot. The way it should be. The way Clint Eastwood had to use all the power he had accumulated to direct the low-budget PLAY MISTY FOR ME (which was remade into FATAL ATTRACTION). But then you hear about a youngster like Christina Ricci directing a film. What is Ricci -- all of twenty years old? And while I love screenwriters getting the chance to direct their own material -- its being thrown around too easily. They are letting Zak Penn direct a movie. The guy who brought you INSPECTOR GADGET! If that guy can do it -- if Ricci can do it for her string of bombs -- then they should never deny anyone. If Hollywood doesnt look out, directing is going to become the screenwriting of the new millennium: anyone can do it.
*
The Toronto Film Critics awarded Chris Nolans MEMENTO best film of the year. Nolan also picked up the screenplay award. David Lynch, receiving yet another statuette for his mantel, was named best director. Thora Birch was named best actress for her role in the fabulous GHOST WORLD.
*
And now to the most disturbing news...
TODAY show news host Katie Couric signed a mind-blowing, incomprehensible, stomach-churning SIXTY-FIVE MILLION DOLLAR contract! Let me repeat: Katie Couric is getting almost seventy million dollars to read off a TelePrompTer!
(I know this is a bit off-topic, but stick with me.)
I never again want to hear people go crazy when guys like A-Rod, Jeter or (just recently) Giambi sign huge deals. Couric is going to make a ridiculous fourteen million dollars a year. At least Giambi can hit home runs. What does Couric contribute to the world?
I have to give this following point to my buddy Jon Schlitt, because it was his first:
In our current state of affairs, with the country in war and our economy shaky to say the least, should news people really be signing sixty-five-million-dollar contracts? It all seems very effete and unrestrained and overindulgent. I mean, clearly the copious millions are a surfeit even in the eyes of the people who wrote the check, right? Maybe its just me, but it reeks of cupidity -- and thats almost mocking of those who have been roughed up by our current time. And I guess Im not saying someone should turn down money. If someone said: heres sixty-five million dollars to warm a seat and be a talking-head -- Id damn well take it. Maybe its the fact that this is announced -- now -- that ticks me off.
Who knows.
Couric is supposed to be very popular -- I simply dont get how these news people get popular -- so please rant and rave at...
darwinmayflower@yahoo.com
-- your loving buddy, Darwin Mayflower.
First up --
Todd Phillips follow-up to ROAD TRIP, titled OLD SCHOOL, is turning into an actor fairyland. In addition to Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell and cool-cat Vince Vaughn, Leah Remini (who is outstanding on THE KING OF QUEENS) has just joined the cast.
Co-written with Phillips ROAD partner Scot Armstrong, the story is about three guys who, discontented with their current status, try to recapture the joy of their college days.
Ill be getting this script soon; Ill review it when it comes in.
*
Nick Nolte and Sam Elliott have joined the cast of Ang Lees THE HULK. The information for me that this movie had something going for it -- that it wasnt going to be flat like pseudo-blockbusters PLANET OF THE APES and X-MEN -- was when Jennifer Connelly signed on after her career-making role in A BEAUTIFUL MIND. Now two more great actors have come aboard. It makes one want to read that script (whose author is not set in stone, since no one ever mentions who wrote the damn thing).
Noltes casting reveals something of the plot: they say Nolte plays a scientist who unwittingly passes on a tragic legacy to his son (Bruce Banner).
*
Nic Cages directorial debut PONY RIDE (a.k.a. SONNY) adds two actors to its roster: Mena Suvari and Brenda Blethyn. They join James Franco in a story that is described thus: Franco plays Sonny, a male hustler who joins the Army in an attempt to get out of his familys gigolo lifestyle and get a real job. When hes discharged, Sonny visits his family in New Orleans to look for work, only to find his mother (Blethyn) determined to bring him back to the family business.
Its kind of ironic. That it would take Cage becoming a director for him to step back into the odd, dark material that made his name. Cage won his Oscar for LEAVING LAS VEGAS and shot immediately into big-money action films (much to the disappointment of his fans). Its good to see he still has a taste for the offbeat and the challenging.
On a side note: there have been so many announcements lately about actors directing movies that its hard to keep straight. I dont mind seeing Cage (an Oscar winner and a man who once ate a roach onscreen) or Denzel Washington (Oscar nominee and an extremely talented man) or George Clooney (who saved the film hes making) directing movies. They have earned their spot. The way it should be. The way Clint Eastwood had to use all the power he had accumulated to direct the low-budget PLAY MISTY FOR ME (which was remade into FATAL ATTRACTION). But then you hear about a youngster like Christina Ricci directing a film. What is Ricci -- all of twenty years old? And while I love screenwriters getting the chance to direct their own material -- its being thrown around too easily. They are letting Zak Penn direct a movie. The guy who brought you INSPECTOR GADGET! If that guy can do it -- if Ricci can do it for her string of bombs -- then they should never deny anyone. If Hollywood doesnt look out, directing is going to become the screenwriting of the new millennium: anyone can do it.
*
The Toronto Film Critics awarded Chris Nolans MEMENTO best film of the year. Nolan also picked up the screenplay award. David Lynch, receiving yet another statuette for his mantel, was named best director. Thora Birch was named best actress for her role in the fabulous GHOST WORLD.
*
And now to the most disturbing news...
TODAY show news host Katie Couric signed a mind-blowing, incomprehensible, stomach-churning SIXTY-FIVE MILLION DOLLAR contract! Let me repeat: Katie Couric is getting almost seventy million dollars to read off a TelePrompTer!
(I know this is a bit off-topic, but stick with me.)
I never again want to hear people go crazy when guys like A-Rod, Jeter or (just recently) Giambi sign huge deals. Couric is going to make a ridiculous fourteen million dollars a year. At least Giambi can hit home runs. What does Couric contribute to the world?
I have to give this following point to my buddy Jon Schlitt, because it was his first:
In our current state of affairs, with the country in war and our economy shaky to say the least, should news people really be signing sixty-five-million-dollar contracts? It all seems very effete and unrestrained and overindulgent. I mean, clearly the copious millions are a surfeit even in the eyes of the people who wrote the check, right? Maybe its just me, but it reeks of cupidity -- and thats almost mocking of those who have been roughed up by our current time. And I guess Im not saying someone should turn down money. If someone said: heres sixty-five million dollars to warm a seat and be a talking-head -- Id damn well take it. Maybe its the fact that this is announced -- now -- that ticks me off.
Who knows.
Couric is supposed to be very popular -- I simply dont get how these news people get popular -- so please rant and rave at...
darwinmayflower@yahoo.com
-- your loving buddy, Darwin Mayflower.
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