'Selma' gets Shut Out of Surprising SAG Awards Nominations

The awards season is in full swing, and while much of the attention has surrounded Richard Linklater's Boyhood and the momentum it is building, there has been a growing buzz for Ava DuVernay's Martin Luther King Jr. biopic, Selma. Earning nominations at the Indie Spirits, Satellite Awards, and our own WAFCA Awards, the film seems like a sure-fire lock for the Oscars, if not for DuVernay than for star David Oyelowo. But one group apparently didn't take to it at all, as the Screen Actor's Guild completely snubbed it in their nominations announced today.

For the most part critics groups see the same movies. Selma was wrapped pretty late in the game and Paramount moved mountains to get screenings ready in time for most nominations. Maybe SAG couldn't gather enough folks to check it out on such short notice. Whatever the case, it's still a glaring omission for a film many see as a major Oscars favorite. The other nominees are pretty standard with a couple of notable exceptions. Jennifer Aniston entered the Best Actress race for her little-seen performance in Cake, in which she plays a woman scarred emotionally and physically. Jake Gyllenhaal was recognized for the nocturnal thriller, Nightcrawler, and so was Mark Ruffalo for Foxcatcher. Somehow, SAG decided Naomi Watts' performance in St. Vincent as a pregnant Russian stripper was Best Supporting Actress worthy. Selma no, pregnant Russian strippers yes.

The rest of the nominations are below.

Best Actor In A Motion Picture
Steve Carell - "Foxcatcher"
Benedict Cumberbatch - "The Imitation Game"
Jake Gyllenhaal - "Nightcrawler"
Michael Keaton - "Birdman"
Eddie Redmayne - "The Theory Of Everything"

Best Actress In A Motion Picture
Jennifer Aniston - "Cake"
Felicity Jones - "The Theory Of Everything"
Julianne Moore - "Still Alice"
Rosamund Pike - "Gone Girl"
Reese Witherspoon - "Wild"

Best Supporting Actor In A Motion Picture
Robert Duvall - "The Judge"
Ethan Hawke - "Boyhood"
Edward Norton - "Birdman"
Mark Ruffalo - "Foxcatcher" 
JK Simmons - "Whiplash"

Best Supporting Actress In A Motion Picture
Patricia Arquette - "Boyhood"
Keira Knightley - "The Imitation Game"
Meryl Streep - "Into The Woods"
Emma Stone - "Birdman"
Naomi Watts - "St. Vincent"

Best Cast In A Motion Picture
"Birdman"
"Boyhood"
"Grand Budapest Hotel"
"The Imitation Game"
"The Theory Of Everything"

Stunt Ensemble: Motion Picture
"Fury"
"Get On Up"
"The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies"
"Unbroken"
"X-Men: Days Of Future Past"

Television

Best Actor In A Drama
Steve Buscemi - "Boardwalk Empire"
Peter Dinklage - "Game Of Thrones"
Woody Harrelson - "True Detective"
Matthew McConaughey - "True Detective"
Kevin Spacey - "House Of Cards"

Best Actress In A Drama
Claire Danes - "Homeland"
Viola Davis - "How To Get Away With Murder"
Julianna Marguiles - "The Good Wife"
Tatiana Maslany - "Orphan Black"
Maggie Smith - "Downton Abbey"
Robin Wright - "House Of Cards"

Best Ensemble In A Drama
"Boardwalk Empire"
"Downton Abbey"
"Game Of Thrones"
"Homeland"
"House Of Cards"

Best Actor In A Comedy
Ty Burrell - "Modern Family"
Louis C.K. - "Louie"
William H. Macy - "Shameless"
Jim Parsons - "The Big Bang Theory"
Eric Stonestreet - "Modern Family"

Best Actress In A Comedy
Uzo Aduba - "Orange Is The New Black"
Julie Bowen - "Modern Family"
Edie Falco - "Nurse Jackie"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - "Veep"
Amy Poehler - "Parks & Recreation"

Best Comedy Ensemble
"Big Bang Theory"
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine"
"Modern Family"
"Orange Is The New Black"
"Veep"

Best Actor In A TV Movie/Miniseries
Adrien Brody - "Houdini"
Benedict Cumberbatch - "Sherlock: His Last Vow"
Richard Jenkins - "Olive Kitteridge"
Mark Ruffalo - "The Normal Heart"
Billy Bob Thornton - "Fargo"

Best Actress In A TV Movie/Miniseries
Ellen Burstyn - "Flowers In The Attic"
Maggie Gyllenhaal - "The Honorable Woman"
Frances McDormand - "Olive Kitteridge"
Julia Roberts - "The Normal Heart"
Cicely Tyson - "The Trip To Bountiful"

Stunt Ensemble: Comedy & Drama Series
"24: LIve Another Day"
'Boardwalk Empire"
"game Of Thrones"
"Homeland"
"Sons Of Anarchy"
"The Walking Dead"

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First Trailer for Noah Baumbach's 'While We're Young' starring Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts

Noah Baumbach's last two films, Greenberg and Frances Ha, dealt with people at different stages of life crisis. One concerned an acerbic middle-aged man while the other was about a flighty, irresponsible girl nearing 30. One thing about Baumbach is that his characters are always flawed, sometimes downright unlikeable, but always "real". And that seems to again be the case with his latest film, While We're Young, which follows two couples from very different generations.

Starring Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Amanda Seyfried, and Adam Driver, the film centers on an older married couple, both documentary filmmakers, who are revitalized by the hipster lifestyle after meeting a younger duo. The trailer plays this as more of a comedy than some of the early reviews out of Toronto indicated, but Baumbach's trademark scathing wit is definitely in place.

While We're Young opens next year on March 27th.

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Rumor: Naomi Watts, Chris Evans, and Li Bingbing Sought for 'The Expendabelles'; Stallone and Willis Confirmed

 Maybe it was the leak that saw The Expendables 3 viewed by millions weeks before it hit theaters, but Sylvester Stallone's action bonanza (clearly the best of the franchise) tanked hard at the box office..domestically, anyway. Internationally it was a powerhouse, with more than $160M of its $204M total coming from overseas markets. And while there is still some buzz of a fourth film, what's likely to come first is the female-led spinoff, The Expendabelles, and some new names are being rumored for the cast.

Now take all of this with a shot of side eye because the story emerged at The Tracking Board, which says offers have been sent to Naomi Watts, Alan Rickman (?), Chris Evans (??), Marcia Gay Harden, and Li Bingbing. They also "confirm" that Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis will be reprising their Expendables roles, which sounds suspicious given the blow up between the two during The Expendables 3 filming. Remember how Willis walked out on production because of a salary dispute, only to have Stallone rewrite the script and trash his character for the entire movie? Yeah. And with Stallone producing Expendebelles it doesn't seem likely he'd be begging Willis to return.

Anyway, we'll see if any of this shakes out. These are just offers and any of them could (and probably will) refuse, just as Meryl Streep and Sigourney Weaver did. Robert Luketic (Killers) is directing from a script by the Legally Blonde duo of Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith.

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Michael Shannon and Kevin Spacey are 'Elvis & Nixon'; Naomi Watts is 'Shut In'

Cary Elwes' passion project Elvis & Nixon has undergone a number of different incarnations over the last couple of years, but now it seems to have settled in with Michael Shannon and Kevin Spacey starring in the incredible-but-true comedy. Shannon will play Elvis Presley with House of Cards' Spacey as President Nixon, with the story centering on their odd 1970 meeting in the White House when the rocker asked to be sworn in as a federal agent. Elwes wrote the script himself and considered making it his directorial debut for awhile, but instead the job has gone to Liza Johnson (Hateship Loveship).

Naomi Watts, who can be seen right now in St. Vincent and Birdman, has agreed to headline the psychological thriller, Shut In. Farren Blackburn (The Fades) will direct from Christina Hodson's Black List screenplay, which is having its plot details kept under wraps for now. [THR]

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Review: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's 'Birdman' starring Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, and Edward Norton

Michael Keaton has had a lot of great roles in his stories career, but he'll always be remembered as the guy who starred as Batman, and is considered by many to be the best Batman ever. But after a couple of those movies he ducked out of the franchise game, and kind of floundered around looking for his niche until only recently things started to pick up. The more you know about Keaton and his career, the easier it will be to get sucked into Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's dizzying, meta, and oh-so sublime comedy Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), which features the perfect synthesis of technical acumen with an actor at the height of his powers.

It's a wild change of pace for Inarritu, known for directing emotionally-crippling dramas like 21 Grams, Amores Perros, and Babel, and it shows he can do pretty much anything he puts a mind to. Birdman is a trip right from the beginning; part savage takedown of media criticism, part mid-life crisis comedy, and part superhero origin story. Keaton plays Riggan Thomson, whose career has been defined by the $1B-grossing blockbusters he starred in as Birdman, a superhero literally (and comically) dressed up as a bird. Years later he's still haunted by those films, and in his desperate bid to be a true thespian worthy of respect, he's attempting an ambitious stage play of a Raymond Carver short story. The film even begins with this quote from Carver, which is inscribed on his tombstone...

And did you get what 
you wanted from this life, even so? 
I did. 
And what did you want? 
To call myself beloved, to feel myself 
beloved on the earth.

There's even meaning in the selection of Carver, who is regarded frequently in the film, as a sort of muse for Riggan and his arrogant superstar lead actor, Mike Shiner (Edward Norton). Carver was a playwright known for defying stereotypes and labels, and Birdman is a film that defies easy categorization. In fact, Riggan has a particular disdain for labels, as expressed during an angry tirade with a theater critic (Lindsay Duncan) holding a nasty grudge. It's clear Inarritu, who co-wrote the script, has a bone to pick with critics in general, and he throws some seriously sharp elbows getting his point across. For Riggan, who is in the midst of one heck of an existential crisis, they may be writing those words on his own tombstone if this play isn't a success. As his mental state begins to unravel (or does it?), we see him exhibiting the powers of Birdman, especially when he's deep in hallucinatory conversation with the gravelly-voiced hero. 

And yet Birdman isn't just some self-serving passion project, it carries real weight as Inarritu perceptively explores obsession and celebrity culture without losing any of the film's absurdist flourishes. Helping to keep one foot in reality and the other in bizarre fantasy is DP Emmanuelle Lubezki, whose camerawork dazzled us in Gravity last year. He's actually more impressive here, seamlessly presenting the film as one continuous shot stretched for the duration. While he uses a number of tricks to get there, and finding them may be another reason to see the film again, it's an added touch that is proves to be absolutely crucial to the story. In general, movies about the making of movies or Broadway plays are common, but there is nothing about Birdman that is common. In a way it feels like the surreal comedies of Charlie Kaufman if turned up to eleven.

The brilliance of the film extends to the performances, as well. This is basically a four-man show with Keaton at the center, but all are perfectly cast and bring a bit of real-world baggage to add context to their characters. Keaton brings a manic energy that gives the film much of its life. It's difficult to tell if the fury boiling beneath Riggan matches some of Keaton's own concerns about the industry and his career, which hit a lengthy barren stretch as he got older. The first half of the film is owned by Norton, though, whose performance as the method-acting Mike Shiner hilariously plays up his real life reputation for being hard to work with and volatile. It's good to see Norton loose and free-wheeling again; we haven't seen it nearly enough since Rounders and Fight Club. Doing some of the best work she's ever done is Emma Stone as Riggan's daughter, Sam, recently-released from rehab and now working as her father's assistant. She's one of a handful of outside observers keeping tabs on the chaotic production while struggling with her own issues, many of which burst forth in one incredibly blistering screed about her father's need for acceptance from a world that has forgotten him.  It's powerful stuff, and even if she doesn't get much else to do that scene is more than enough. Others make the most of smaller roles. Naomi Watts and Andrea Riseborough complete the foursome starring in Riggan's play, adding to the aura of crises surrounding the entire project. Zach Galifianakis, in rare straight-man role here, is solid as Riggan's best friend and manager, while Amy Ryan lends the film her usual brand of fire and heart as Riggan's caring ex-wife, perhaps the one person who truly gets him.

Backed by a persistent, percussion-heavy score that adds urgency to a film that never slows down for a heartbeat; Birdman is consistently entertaining, thought-provoking, funny, and genuinely surreal. Birdman is a remarkable achievement on both sides of the camera, and it's going to be tough for any film to compete with it as the best of the year.

 Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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Review: 'St. Vincent' starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, and Naomi Watts

Stop me if you've heard this one: A hot-tempered misanthrope with personal demons a mile long who meets and befriends a precocious young boy in desperate need of fatherly guidance. Yeah, we've seen it a thousand times before and these films are always winners with audiences because they make us feel good. And that's what St. Vincent has going for it, basically, that despite hitting overload on the Cute Meter and going exactly where we know it will; by the end you're feeling good enough to give it a pass. Plus it has Bill Murray in full Rushmore-mode, which is always a good thing.

Murray slips easily into the role of liquor-breathed degenerate, Vincent, a man with no money, no friends, a mountain of gambling debts, and no tolerance for anybody. That is except for his pregnant Russian "girlfriend" Daka (Naomi Watts), who also happens to be a prostitute with a chip on her shoulder. Vincent hates people, people hate him, and that only makes the arrival of his new neighbors a bigger problem. The first time he meets single mother Maggie (Melissa McCarthy) and her young son Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher) it's a showcase of his awful attitude. Think Clint Eastwood's character in Gran Torino if he was meaner, drunker, and generally more "hey you kids get offa my lawn"!

With Maggie working long hours and Oliver attending an expensive Catholic School (with Chris O'Dowd hilarious as his teacher, we needed more of him), Vincent is called upon to be the kid's babysitter, despite ample evidence he'd be terrible at the job. And of course he turns out to be a bad influence in the way that somehow still makes him lovable. If you've seen Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, or this year's Bad Words, you'll see the montage of Vincent and Oliver hanging out coming ten miles away. It's still enjoyable to watch the old guy take Oliver gambling, to a bar, and to a strip club. The kid breaks down those emotional barriers Vincent has put up to escape a painful, and a little makeshift family begins to form.

Standard issue stuff, right? First-time writer/director Ted Melfi infuses a few personal details to a mostly clichéd story, and doesn't attempt to hide this is meant to be a rousing, crowd charmer. Because of that there isn't a ton of nuance to be found in many of these characters, but Melfi finds a way to make them all unique in their own way. Murray has played the irresponsible man child so many times in his career (stretching way back to Meatballs) that this feels like a natural fit for him. He elevates what could have been just another angry old man character, giving us a deeper look at Vincent as the story unfolds to reveal some dark truths. Is it the Oscar-contending performance many have pegged it to be? Maybe not, but it's not for lack of trying by either Murray or Melfi, who take every opportunity to tug at the heartstrings. Audiences are going to love Murray, though, and he's great when paired up with Lieberher. It's also good to see McCarthy in a role that doesn't require her to play, loud, abrasive, and clumsy. She doesn't get many laugh lines here at all and it's actually a refreshing change to see her get away from the usual bag of tricks. The same can't really be said for Watts, who puts on an atrocious Russian accent and waddles around like...well, like a woman in her third trimester. She just doesn't serve much of a purpose except as an incubator for an inevitable heart-warming moment.

St. Vincent often feels like a manufactured grab for awards recognition and maybe it was. That much is unavoidable, but so too is how good the film will make you feel, and sometimes sending the audience home with a smile is more than enough.

 Rating: 3 out of 5

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New Trailer and Poster for Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's 'Birdman' Starring Michael Keaton

Tired of your typical tale of comic book-inspired superheroics? Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu may have the answer with his new film, Birdman, which has quickly risen to the top of many "Most Anticipated" lists. Based on what we saw in the initial footage, Inarritu is taking a dark look at fame and celebrity seen through the lens of today's glut of superhero movies. It's an intriguing, potentially complicated theme to tackle but in this latest trailer it appears he's found just the right tone.

With a cast led by Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis, Amy Ryan, and Andrea Riseborough, there's every reason to think Birdman will be on the Oscars radar very soon. Keaton plays an actor whose best days saw him playing an iconic superhero, but now as he tries to mount a Broadway comeback his mental state starts unraveling. Inarritu is going to some twisted meta territory here, and with cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki (Gravity) handling the visuals it looks absolutely stunning.

Birdman hits theaters on October 17th.


Birdman International Trailer (2014) Michael Keaton, Naomi Watts HD by Shachizonzon

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Naomi Watts Joins 'Demolition'; Amy Ryan Boards Steven Spielberg's Cold War Film

A pair of lovely and extremely talented actresses have joined the latest projects by two of today's top filmmakers.  First up, Naomi Watts has joined Jake Gyllenhaal in Demolition, from Dallas Buyers Club director Jean-Marc Vallee. Written by Brian Stipe, the film "follows a young investment banker (Gyllenhaal) struggling to understand his emotional disconnect following the tragic death of his wife in an auto accident. As he tears apart his life in a distraught effort to see where he went wrong, he becomes obsessed with destruction and develops a unique relationship with a pot-smoking single mother (Watts) who rescues him." Watts' character is in a relationship with her boss but begins to fall for Gyllenhaal after she learns of the pain and loss he's endured. [TheWrap]

Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks' untitled Cold War spy film is gathering a solid cast. Joining Hanks and the previously cast Mark Rylance are Amy Ryan (Win Win), Alan Alda, Billy Magnussen (Boardwalk Empire), and Eve Hewson. Penned by the Coen Brothers, the film tells the true story of CIA attorney James Donovan who is sent into Russia to negotiate the release of a captured U-2 spy plane pilot. The film is due to open next year on October 16th.

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First Trailer for 'St. Vincent' Starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, and Naomi Watts

Although his characters tend to be a little salty and rough around the edges, Bill Murray makes for one heck of a father figure. See one of his early notable films in Meatballs, and of course there's also Wes Anderson's Rushmore. And if you want to stretch the idea a little further, maybe in a slightly creepy way, there's also Lost in Translation where he was more than happy to look out for Scarlett Johansson. The point being, this is the type of character Murray gets called on to play often, and he's set to do so again this fall in the star-studded comedy, St. Vincent.

Written and directed by Ted Melfi and co-starring Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, and Chris O'Dowd, a cast that would make any other filmmaker jealous, the film centers on Murray as the title character who clearly is no saint. He's a curmudgeonly old retiree with a thing for liquor and gambling, and upon learning that his bank account is in the negative, he agrees to watch over 12-year-old Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher) for his neighbor (McCarthy), a single mother working long hours. Of course the male bonding over questionable afterschool activities ensues, like hitting the race track and the strip club. Van Nuys also introduces him to a pregnant stripper (Watts) while helping the boy to grow up and become a man because that's what these movies do. Watch out, things could get quite huggable and full of hopeful messages.

Some are eying this as a possible return to the Oscar race for Murray, his first since Lost in Translation and after getting snubbed for Hyde Park On Hudson. St. Vincent opens in theaters on October 24th.

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Michael Keaton Goes Crazy in Trailer for Alejandro Inarritu's 'Birdman'

Any time Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu reveals a new project it's a cause for celebration. It's also probably a good idea for Oscars prognosticators to take notice as the Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel, and Biutiful director has a pretty good track record on that front. But does his latest film, the rather absurd-sounding comedy Birdman, have the goods to take advantage of its prime fall release date? The first trailer would suggest that it absolutely does.

Michael Keaton leads an all-star cast of Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Andrea Riseborough, Edward Norton, and Zach Galifianakis, playing an actor best known for playing an iconic superhero. When he tries to mount a comeback in a Broadway play he starts to go a little nutso. So we've got Keaton going meta here, and with a somewhat darker tone highlighted by an ominous version of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" this looks like nothing we've seen from Inarritu before. Even the poster is off-the-wall.

Birdman is set to take flight October 17th.

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Naomi Watts Joins 'Divergent' Sequels 'Insurgent' and 'Allegiant'

Naomi Watts has done blockbusters before; let's not forget she was the apple of King Kong's eye in Peter Jackon's hit film, and she's even scared up a franchise in The Ring. And while she's been in a little bit of a slump lately, a good way to bounce back is by taking one of the more complex roles in the next three Divergent sequels.

Watts has signed on to play Evelyn in the next three Divergent movies, Insurgent and the two-part finale, Allegiant. Robert Schwentke is directing with Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, and most of the previous cast returning. Evelyn is the leader of the Factionless, those who for various reasons didn't make the cut in their chosen factions or were abandoned by them. She's also the mother of Tobias "Four" Eaton (James) and a woman with her own desire for power.

Insurgent opens  March 20, 2015. [THR]

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Naomi Watts Joins Gus Van Sant's 'Sea of Trees' with Matthew McConaughey and Ken Watanabe

Naomi Watts may be hoping you'll forget about how terrible Diana turned out (you folks sadly ignored Sunlight Jr.) by lining up a slew of promising projects. She's got Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's comedy Birdman on the way, along with Noah Baumbach's While We're Young, and now she's joining Matthew McConaughey and Ken Watanabe in Sea of Trees.

Directed by Gus Van Sant with a script by Chris Sparling, the story "follows an American man (McConaughey) who takes a journey into the infamous “Suicide Forest” at the foothills of Mount Fuji with the intention of taking his own life. When he is interrupted by a Japanese man (Watanabe) who has had second thoughts about his own suicide, and is trying to find his way out of the forest, the two begin a journey of reflection and survival." Watts' role is unclear but does it really matter? McConaughey, Watanabe, Watts, and Van Sant? Yes please.

Filming is set to begin this summer. 

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Remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds' Finds a Director

The films of Alfred Hitchcock have been subject to many remakes over the years, and for the most part they've been bad ideas. That hasn't stopped them from happening, of course, and a few years ago we learned that Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes was prepping a remake of Hitchcock's classic horror, The Birds. Well now that film has just left the nest and is about to take off as a director has been found.

THR reports Dutch filmmaker Diederik Van Rooijenhas come aboard to direct a reimagining of The Birds, with the most recent version of the script coming from Jonathan Herman. Naomi Watts had been set for the role made famous by Tippi Hedren in the 1963 film, but she read the tea leaves and is no longer involved.

Van Rooijenhas doesn't have much of a profile here in America, but wrote and directed the Dutch TV series that would be remade here as the short-lived ABC drama, Red Widow. So this begs the question: Would you rather Michael Bay direct The Birds, or some guy you've never heard of? This movie is going to happen whether we like it or not.

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Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis, Naomi Watts, and Michael Keaton in for Aleajandro Gonzalez Inarritu's 'Birdman'

After a string of multi-facted, emotionally tough human dramas like Babel, Amores Perros, 21 Grams, and Biutiful, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu has decided to go for something lighter. Late last year we learned he was preparing to tackle comedy with Birdman, which he co-wrote with  Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, and Armando Bo. Always able to attract top notch talent, Inarritu has assembled a cast which will make this a film to keep an eye on.

THR reports that Naomi Watts, Emma Stone, Michael Keaton, and Zach Galifianakis have signed up for the lighthearted comedy about a once-great actor who played an iconic superhero, and now launches a Broadway play in an attempt to reclaim past glory. Keaton, who has been more prominent lately than in quite awhile, will take on the lead as the egotistical actor. Stone will play his daughter and assistant, fresh out of rehab. Watts is one of the play's actresses, while Galifianakis is a producer.

Impressive, to say the least. Fox Searchlight has it pegged to begin filming in April, so it should be in theaters fairly soon. Maybe early next year?

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Zach Galifianakis is back with 'Between Two Ferns' Oscar Buzz Edition

Zach Galifianakis' comedy talk show Between Two Ferns has been more miss than hit for me, but after a lengthy hiatus he's back on the low-budget set to deliver a real whopper. This episode is part one of a special Oscar Buzz Edition, and in it he faces down a drunken Anne Hathaway, calls Jennifer Lawrence ugly, insults Christoph Waltz, and gets Amy Adams to talk about farting. There's more than that crammed into this hilarious 6-minute bit, so check it out below. [FunnyOrDie]

Between Two Ferns: Oscar Buzz Edition Part 1 from Zach Galifianakis

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Batman admires Supergirl's crotch in new 'Movie 43' red band trailer

"My friend is bleeding out of her vagina!" If that line just disgusted or offended you then Movie 43 probably isn't going to be the film for you. The ensemble comedy features practically every actor you've ever heard of, far too many to list here, in a collection of the filthiest, nastiest, disturbing, and politically incorrect sketches on a range of topics, but mostly involving sex and body fluids.

While we just saw a full red band trailer for the film a few weeks ago, a brief new one has been released which is basically just a snapshot at some of the funniest bits, including Jason Sudeikis as Batman admiring Supergirl's(Kristen Bell) hairy crotch. Yep, that's the level of humor you can expect to find. Definitely not for the kiddies, but it looks absolutely perfect for me. 

Movie 43 opens on January 25th. Check out the trailer and synopsis below....

Warning: This movie is not for the weak-stomached, faint of heart, or easily offended.
In Movie 43, comedy is served steaming hot by director Peter Farrelly of The Farrelly Brothers (Something About Mary, Dumb & Dumber) in one of the most original comedies ever made. Starring Elizabeth Banks, Kristen Bell, Halle Berry, Leslie Bibb, Kate Bosworth, Gerard Butler, Bobby Cannavale, Kieran Culkin, Josh Duhamel, Anna Faris, Richard Gere, John Hodgman, Terrence Howard,  Hugh Jackman, Johnny Knoxville, Justin Long, Stephen Merchant, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloë Grace Moretz, Chris Pratt, Liev Schreiber, Seann William Scott, Emma Stone, Jason Sudeikis, Uma Thurman, Naomi Watts, and Kate Winslet, Movie 43 is jaw-dropping, uproarious, outrageous fun.

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Every actor ever stars in the screwed up red band trailer for 'Movie 43'

Ensemble sketch comedies have a fairly poor track record as feature films, but there have been some pretty good ones. A particular favorite of mine was David Zucker's The Kentucky Fried Movie, which has the classic A Fistful of Yen sketch that remains hilarious to this day. "Take him to Detroit" has been a part of my personal lexicon ever since. But for every good one there are a dozen terrible ones that think merely being raunchy and disgusting is enough(like The Underground Comedy Movie). Movie 43 is the latest sketch comedy on the way, and whether it's good or not probably matters less than the jam packed roster of celebrity actors and directors basking in all their R-rated glory.

Brett Ratner, Peter Farrelly, Elizabeth Banks, James Gunn, and many more direct the various risque segments that star top tier talent like (*deep breath*) Emma Stone, Halle Berry, Terrence Howard, Gerard Butler, Kristen Bell, Chloe Moretz, Josh Duhamel, Johnny Knoxville, Elizabeth Banks, Naomi Watts, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Richard Gere, Justin Long, Liev Schreiber, Uma Thurman, Seann William Scott, Kieran Culkin, Leslie Bibb, Jimmy Bennett, Kate Bosworth, Patrick Warburton, Tony Shalhoub, Chris Pratt, Jason Sudeikis, Jack McBrayer, Aasif Mandvi and Bobby Cannavale.

There's a reason why Movie 43 was originally titled Red Band, and every moment of this trailer is an explanation for it. Anna Faris and her real life husband star in a skit where she reveals her fetish for being pooped on; Halle Berry picks on a blind kid during his birthday; and in what I think is the funniest and unquestionably racist bit of all, Terrence Howard convinces his all-black basketball team of their inherent superiority over their white opponents.  Little people, the mentally challenged, and many other touchy subjects get skewered mercilessly. If you ever wanted to hear Emma Stone talk about how she sucked off a hobo, this movie is for you.

Movie 43 opens on January 25th 2013. Will you be seeing it?

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Trailer Time: 'The Impossible', starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor

The third largest earthquake in record history occurred on December 26th 2004, leading to one of the most devastating natural disasters ever. The Indian Ocean tsunami the quake created ravaged over a dozen countries and killed well over 200,000 people. While the countries hit the hardest are still in the midst of recovering, of course the event has led to it being a reference point in Hollywood movies. Clint Eastwood's Hereafter(Zzzzz...) recreated the destruction rather impressively, but it's nothing compared to what Spanish director J.A. Bayona has in store for us with The Impossible.

We saw a teaser for the film a few months ago, which featured Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts as parents who take their three sons on a Christmas vacation to Thailand, only to literally be swept into the tidal wave of the horrific natural catastrophe. The latest trailer boasts some incredible visuals, specifically of the tsunami's incredible power, and while it's rather badly dubbed in Spanish the emotions at play are unmistakable. You expect Watts and McGregor to bring their A-game to the table, especially for a film as topical and impactful as this. The surprise is Bayona, who made a splash directing The Orphanage, veering away from the genre films to do something completely different.

The film will release in Spain on October 12th, and while Summit Entertainment has the U.S. distribution rights they haven't set a release date just yet. Check out the trailer for The Impossible below....[Twitch]

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Jesse Eisenberg and Naomi Watts in talks for Noah Baumbach's While We're Young

 Even though Roger Dodger remains Jesse Eisenberg's best role and film in my opinion, it was Noah Baumbach who truly introduced us to the actor by casting him in The Squid and the Whale.  And now there's a possibility the two could be working together again, as the LA Times notes that Eisenberg is in talks to join Baumbach's latest, While We're Young.  As if their reunion wasn't enough to whet a lot of people's appetites, the trade also reports that Naomi Watts is in talks as well.

The film would follow a young couple who inspire an older, more uptight couple to loosen up and have some fun. The older, childless couple is feeling a bit lost as the rest of their friends start having kids. There's been some acting shake-ups on the film already, with Greta Gerwig, Cate Blanchett, and James Franco having been attached in the past, but all having dropped out for various reasons.

The one constant has been Baumbach's Greenberg star, Ben Stiller, who I'm assuming will play part of the older couple. Which means Watts would likely play the other. Eisenberg and whoever his co-star turns out to be would be part of the younger. Sounds like an idea that's right up Baumbach's alley. I just hope he makes his characters likable for once.

This one is firmly in the rumor camp for now, but I hope it turns out to be true. 

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New images from the DC shoot of Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar Hoover biopic!

Clint Eastwood's Hoover biopic, J. Edgar, is shooting right around the corner from me here in DC. Have I been over there yet? No. Will I be there today? Yessir! The film features an all-star cast, with Leonardo Dicaprio as the former FBI Director; Armie Hammer as his best friend/rumored lover Clyde Tolson; Naomi Watts as Hoover's paper shredding assistant, Helen Gandy. Judy Dench, Damon Herriman, Josh Lucas, Stephen Root, Ed Westwick, and more also feature.

Fortunately somebody else was able to snag a few pics from the shoot, taking place...where else, over by the Hoover Building. There's a pretty good one featuring Eastwood himself, and a couple of the classic cars from the time period. Sadly, no Leo. You can check out those shots below, and bet that I'll be lurking around today hoping to score a one-on-one with Naomi Watts. Or maybe ask Dame Judi Dench if she'd like something from Potbelly. Thanks to Networked Blogs for these shots!

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