Archive for February, 2009

Watchmen returns: The 20-year struggle to bring a cult classic to the big screen

Joel Silver is a powerful man. A Hollywood action movie producer with an explosive reputation, in 1987 he was busy counting around $220m in box-office takings from Predator and Lethal Weapon. Only for one of the world’s hottest film properties could such a bigshot be persuaded to buy lunch for a pair of unprepossessing British […]

Heath Ledger’s last film fails to find distributors

COMMENT ON THIS ! Your Views! ‘The Imaginarium of doctor Parnassus’, a experimental time travel movie starring Ledger alongside Johnny Depp, is facing a limited US release as bosses struggle to land a deal with major distributors, the Contactmusic reported.

Spring Fling to raise money for SMART boards

A tour of Wrigley Field, a new ATV and autographs from Miley Cyrus, The Jonas Brothers and Johnny Depp are some of the items to be auctioned at the annual Spring Fling hosted by the Lake Villa School District 41 PTO.

Afternoon Fix: Jennifer Aniston Not Big on Sharing (E! Online via Yahoo! News)

• John Mayer was OK sharing Jennifer Aniston with Jack Black and Brad Pitt’s misty, water-color memories, but apparently Jen was so not OK with her strummer boy posing for a pic with a few backstage beauties at Sunday night’s Oscars.

Film incentives lure Hollywood to Wisconsin

The Oscar statuette recognizes the highest level of achievement in moviemaking. Determined by nearly 6,000 voting motion picture artists and professionals, Sundays 81st annual Academy Awards honored talent displayed in 2008. Will next years gala recognize the Johnny Depp movie Public Enemies, set for release July 1

Movie Review: Fired Up

After the screening of “Fired Up,” one of my colleagues grimly observed that “Dead Man” was a better cheerleader movie. That was, you will recall, the 1995 Western starring Johnny Depp, Robert Mitchum, Billy Bob Thornton, and Iggy Pop. I would give almost anything to see them on a cheerleader squad.

"Feed the Fish" Incentives

One of the Governor’s cost saving measures is to eliminate tax credits for filmmakers shooting in Wisconsin. The one-year-old program, credited with helping to lure the Johnny Depp film “Public Enemies” to the Badger State last summer, is also the reason “Feed the Fish” is in production in Door County right now.

REVIEW: ‘Fired Up’ will leave you racing for exit

After the screening of “Fired Up,” one of my colleagues grimly observed that “Dead Man” was a better cheerleader movie. That was, you might recall, the 1995 Western starring Johnny Depp, Robert Mitchum, Billy Bob Thornton and Iggy Pop. I would give almost anything to see them on a cheerleader squad.

Friday: Hugh Jackman, Raw!

“Extra” is chatting with the Sexiest Oscar Host Alive — would Hugh Jackman ever consider doing “Dancing with the Stars”? Plus, Mickey Rourke partying with Johnny Depp, just as Rourke fell off of the radar in Hollywood. “Extra” has a flashback of the Oscar nom.

Governor proposes ending state’s film tax credits

Gov. Jim Doyle has proposed eliminating lucrative film tax credits that helped lure the Johnny Depp film “Public Enemies” to Wisconsin last year. The move drew a quick negative reaction from Doyle’s lieutenant governor, Barbara Lawton, a fellow Democrat who has helped lead the state’s fledgling film making industry.