Thursday afternoon, mellow
In case you missed it last night, I did post Cloverfield in Fifteen Minutes at m15m. I feel pretty good about the way it turned out, and then the dogs spent the day at the vet getting baths, so I had a whole day to do whatever I wanted wherever I wanted to do it (bonus!). Of course, I'm glad they'll be home again in about an hour.
Heath Ledger: NYPD: No drug residue found on $20 bill (which, given the crud attached to all our paper money, is pretty impressive); Police find no illegal drugs in home where Ledger died; Is Ledger's Olsen-Calling Masseuse A Felon?; Five Different Prescription Drugs Found in Heath's Apartment (you know, I shudder to think what people would conclude from the prescription drugs on my desk if something happened to me); Lost interview with Heath in which he looked "edgy and uncomfortable" (let it be noted, however, that several sources, including Ledger himself, have said that all interviews made him uncomfortable); Heath Ledger "obsessed" with Nick Drake's music? ("A representative for Drake's estate described the 'gorgeous" and "extremely moving' clip [Ledger directed] as a stark black-and-white composition").
More reaction: 10 Things I Loved About Heath Ledger (really lovely); Heath Ledger Remembered: You Can Learn A Lot In Ten Minutes; Heath Ledger, "A Real Gentleman"; 'It's not fair. It's not right' ("The shock felt by so many at the death of Heath Ledger shows how strongly we identify with great actors, says Joe Queenan," who is kind of an ass. Was it necessary to put down Jude Law? Do you really want Sean Penn up on your ass?); Jack Nicholson Weighs In On Heath Ledger's Death...Sort Of; Charlize Theron On Heath Ledger: ‘We Lost An Incredible Talent’; Bijou Phillips Mourns Heath Ledger And Brad Renfro ("It's got to stop").
Movie fallout: Dark Knight Producer Charles Roven's Statement on Heath Ledger; Warner Bros. Left With A Major 'Dark Knight' Marketing Problem; Heath Ledger's Chilling Final Bow In 'The Dark Knight'; Christian Bale harassed by photographers in LA; Ledger's death puts last films in a bind.
Awwwwwwww: Godfather Jake Gyllenhaal and godmother Busy Philipps to help Michelle Williams with daughter.
Ewwwwwwww: John Gibson Sews Up Heath Ledger Memorial Bad Taste Award. Aaaand this is why I hate that my family uses Fox News as our default news channel.
Hee!: How one group of college students previously dealt with a Westboro Baptist Church protest ("Free government for the colonies!").
Cloverfield: 'Cloverfield' backlash? (I would have prefaced that headline with "inevitable"); Scary movie making viewers sick; Cloverfield Production Notes; No Handycam Here! The Real Camera Behind Cloverfield; Cloverfield Monster Versus Vacuum Bomb (speculation); Cloverfield and Lost; Hud!! Nooooo!! Hud!!!1
(Semi-related: Marvel Comics Get 'Lost'; The Bad Robot Overlord's Favorite Robot Art.)
NARNIA DOLLS! I didn't expect them to be up so soon! (All I want is Queen Susan. I have this figured out. All I want is Queen Susan, and Pirate Elizabeth, and Winter Coat Lyra, and by the time I have robbed enough banks to pay for those, maybe they won't have put out too many White Witch dolls. I will, however, go ahead and rob an extra bank if they put out a Serafina Pekkala.) Also new: the Will Turner doll. I do not so much want him, although if they make his face less scary, I would consider getting him for Pirate Elizabeth.
(If they put out Lord of the Rings dolls, I will probably have to start kidnapping small children for ransom. Please, think of the children.)
More linkspam:
Cassie Edwards update: A Thank-You Note from Defenders of Wildlife.
Roger Ebert Back in Hospital for Surgery.
U.S. man guilty in 'vampire' bombings. "A California man who adopted the name of a fictional vampire..." Guess. No, guess.
Military: Texas UFO reports were F-16 training exercise. Honey, we all watched The X-Files for far too many years to believe that. Even if it's true. Especially if it's true.
Area 51 has a new name. Y'all just never stop trying, do you?
MPAA admits to lying about college downloading.
Celebrities were targeted by Scientologists. Yes, well, duh--I mean, of course they want... "To help them, dedicated Scientologists made clay models of the individuals, Michael Jackson for example, outlining incremental scenarios that would help their planning. By turning the idea into clay, the concept was somehow made 'real.'" Uh.
(Related: Jerry O'Connell Spoofs Tom Cruise!)
$7.1 Billion Fraud Uncovered at Société Générale. Uh.
Professor: Fractions should be scrapped.
Poet arrested over hidden message.
Ishmael Beah’s Memoir Facing Frey-like Scrutiny.
Gamers’ revenge is served cold on Amazon.
Are you an obnoxious patient?
The Fumes Made Me Write It!
Michael Swanwick's one-of-a-kind stories-in-bottles. "The owner of the bottle, whoever he or she is, can either read the story or else possess the object -- but cannot do both."
Artist throws herself at men. Literally.
I Can Has Cheezburger Book Explains The Cultural Significance of Lolcats. Okay, after seeing the "Halp" entry, I really want this book.
This is why we can't have nice people.
Producers reveal title of new James Bond. 'Quantum of Solace'? Quantum of Solace? I don't even know what that MEANS. Okay, yes, I did read what it means, but--can you imagine going to the theater and asking for "two for Quantum of Solace "? (Well, we'd probably just ask for "the Bond movie," who am I fooling?) What kind of flashy title sequence can you do for that? It's not that I don't like the title--it's actually pretty cool. For an indie movie about angsty relationships. Meanwhile: 'Quantum of Solace' - The Press Conference, with photos of the cast.
Star portraits from Sundance; Woody Harrelson Gets Heckled By Batman At Sundance; The Breakout Star Of Sundance 2008 Is ... Steve Coogan?
John Noble Cast In Abrams' 'Fringe'; New Secrets Of J.J. Abrams' X-Files Revamp.
‘Juno’ Star Ellen Page Reacts To Oscar Noms; Greenwood & Vedder's Scores Ineligible for Oscar; 17 Oscar snubs that stung; Christian Bale and other lingering celebrity crushes, or, He Still Didn't Get a Nomination?
Day-Lewis Pays Oscar Tribute to Paul Thomas Anderson; Paul Thomas Anderson's Next Movie Will Be Horror?; Will PTA Make Genre Horror Pretentious?
International Get Smart Trailer & Posters; 'Get Smart' Gets Kinda Dumb; 'Get Smart' Trailer Missed It By That Much.
Ed Norton Wants Hulk Franchise; Edward Norton on 'The Incredible Hulk.' Apparently, he says, there's no connection between this movie and the 2003 Hulk ? Snap.
Must Watch: Wong Kar Wai's My Blueberry Nights Trailer; Another Poster for Wong Kar Wai's 'My Blueberry Nights.'
'The Oxford Murders' Trailer Debut ("Elijah Wood and John Hurt star in The Oxford Murders, a movie about a professor and a grad student that work together to try and stop a potential series of murders seemingly linked by mathematical symbols. It seems like some sort of odd combination of The Da Vinci Code and a horror movie").
6 '10,000 B.C.' TV Spots Online.
Meirelles, Gosling in Talks for Next Jack Ryan Pic.
Alba on Sin City 2 and Fantastic Four 3.
Thornton, Wilkinson Join 'Duplicity.'
Tyler Bates ('300') to Score 'Watchmen' and 'Earth Stood Still.'
‘Where In The World Is Osama Bin Laden?’: A Sundance Review; Sundance Interview: 'Where in the World Is Osama bin Laden?' Director Morgan Spurlock.
Heath Ledger: NYPD: No drug residue found on $20 bill (which, given the crud attached to all our paper money, is pretty impressive); Police find no illegal drugs in home where Ledger died; Is Ledger's Olsen-Calling Masseuse A Felon?; Five Different Prescription Drugs Found in Heath's Apartment (you know, I shudder to think what people would conclude from the prescription drugs on my desk if something happened to me); Lost interview with Heath in which he looked "edgy and uncomfortable" (let it be noted, however, that several sources, including Ledger himself, have said that all interviews made him uncomfortable); Heath Ledger "obsessed" with Nick Drake's music? ("A representative for Drake's estate described the 'gorgeous" and "extremely moving' clip [Ledger directed] as a stark black-and-white composition").
More reaction: 10 Things I Loved About Heath Ledger (really lovely); Heath Ledger Remembered: You Can Learn A Lot In Ten Minutes; Heath Ledger, "A Real Gentleman"; 'It's not fair. It's not right' ("The shock felt by so many at the death of Heath Ledger shows how strongly we identify with great actors, says Joe Queenan," who is kind of an ass. Was it necessary to put down Jude Law? Do you really want Sean Penn up on your ass?); Jack Nicholson Weighs In On Heath Ledger's Death...Sort Of; Charlize Theron On Heath Ledger: ‘We Lost An Incredible Talent’; Bijou Phillips Mourns Heath Ledger And Brad Renfro ("It's got to stop").
Movie fallout: Dark Knight Producer Charles Roven's Statement on Heath Ledger; Warner Bros. Left With A Major 'Dark Knight' Marketing Problem; Heath Ledger's Chilling Final Bow In 'The Dark Knight'; Christian Bale harassed by photographers in LA; Ledger's death puts last films in a bind.
Awwwwwwww: Godfather Jake Gyllenhaal and godmother Busy Philipps to help Michelle Williams with daughter.
Ewwwwwwww: John Gibson Sews Up Heath Ledger Memorial Bad Taste Award. Aaaand this is why I hate that my family uses Fox News as our default news channel.
Hee!: How one group of college students previously dealt with a Westboro Baptist Church protest ("Free government for the colonies!").
Cloverfield: 'Cloverfield' backlash? (I would have prefaced that headline with "inevitable"); Scary movie making viewers sick; Cloverfield Production Notes; No Handycam Here! The Real Camera Behind Cloverfield; Cloverfield Monster Versus Vacuum Bomb (speculation); Cloverfield and Lost; Hud!! Nooooo!! Hud!!!1
(Semi-related: Marvel Comics Get 'Lost'; The Bad Robot Overlord's Favorite Robot Art.)
NARNIA DOLLS! I didn't expect them to be up so soon! (All I want is Queen Susan. I have this figured out. All I want is Queen Susan, and Pirate Elizabeth, and Winter Coat Lyra, and by the time I have robbed enough banks to pay for those, maybe they won't have put out too many White Witch dolls. I will, however, go ahead and rob an extra bank if they put out a Serafina Pekkala.) Also new: the Will Turner doll. I do not so much want him, although if they make his face less scary, I would consider getting him for Pirate Elizabeth.
(If they put out Lord of the Rings dolls, I will probably have to start kidnapping small children for ransom. Please, think of the children.)
More linkspam:
Cassie Edwards update: A Thank-You Note from Defenders of Wildlife.
Roger Ebert Back in Hospital for Surgery.
U.S. man guilty in 'vampire' bombings. "A California man who adopted the name of a fictional vampire..." Guess. No, guess.
Military: Texas UFO reports were F-16 training exercise. Honey, we all watched The X-Files for far too many years to believe that. Even if it's true. Especially if it's true.
Area 51 has a new name. Y'all just never stop trying, do you?
MPAA admits to lying about college downloading.
Celebrities were targeted by Scientologists. Yes, well, duh--I mean, of course they want... "To help them, dedicated Scientologists made clay models of the individuals, Michael Jackson for example, outlining incremental scenarios that would help their planning. By turning the idea into clay, the concept was somehow made 'real.'" Uh.
(Related: Jerry O'Connell Spoofs Tom Cruise!)
$7.1 Billion Fraud Uncovered at Société Générale. Uh.
Professor: Fractions should be scrapped.
Poet arrested over hidden message.
Ishmael Beah’s Memoir Facing Frey-like Scrutiny.
Gamers’ revenge is served cold on Amazon.
Are you an obnoxious patient?
The Fumes Made Me Write It!
Michael Swanwick's one-of-a-kind stories-in-bottles. "The owner of the bottle, whoever he or she is, can either read the story or else possess the object -- but cannot do both."
Artist throws herself at men. Literally.
I Can Has Cheezburger Book Explains The Cultural Significance of Lolcats. Okay, after seeing the "Halp" entry, I really want this book.
This is why we can't have nice people.
Producers reveal title of new James Bond. 'Quantum of Solace'? Quantum of Solace? I don't even know what that MEANS. Okay, yes, I did read what it means, but--can you imagine going to the theater and asking for "two for Quantum of Solace "? (Well, we'd probably just ask for "the Bond movie," who am I fooling?) What kind of flashy title sequence can you do for that? It's not that I don't like the title--it's actually pretty cool. For an indie movie about angsty relationships. Meanwhile: 'Quantum of Solace' - The Press Conference, with photos of the cast.
Star portraits from Sundance; Woody Harrelson Gets Heckled By Batman At Sundance; The Breakout Star Of Sundance 2008 Is ... Steve Coogan?
John Noble Cast In Abrams' 'Fringe'; New Secrets Of J.J. Abrams' X-Files Revamp.
‘Juno’ Star Ellen Page Reacts To Oscar Noms; Greenwood & Vedder's Scores Ineligible for Oscar; 17 Oscar snubs that stung; Christian Bale and other lingering celebrity crushes, or, He Still Didn't Get a Nomination?
Day-Lewis Pays Oscar Tribute to Paul Thomas Anderson; Paul Thomas Anderson's Next Movie Will Be Horror?; Will PTA Make Genre Horror Pretentious?
International Get Smart Trailer & Posters; 'Get Smart' Gets Kinda Dumb; 'Get Smart' Trailer Missed It By That Much.
Ed Norton Wants Hulk Franchise; Edward Norton on 'The Incredible Hulk.' Apparently, he says, there's no connection between this movie and the 2003 Hulk ? Snap.
Must Watch: Wong Kar Wai's My Blueberry Nights Trailer; Another Poster for Wong Kar Wai's 'My Blueberry Nights.'
'The Oxford Murders' Trailer Debut ("Elijah Wood and John Hurt star in The Oxford Murders, a movie about a professor and a grad student that work together to try and stop a potential series of murders seemingly linked by mathematical symbols. It seems like some sort of odd combination of The Da Vinci Code and a horror movie").
6 '10,000 B.C.' TV Spots Online.
Meirelles, Gosling in Talks for Next Jack Ryan Pic.
Alba on Sin City 2 and Fantastic Four 3.
Thornton, Wilkinson Join 'Duplicity.'
Tyler Bates ('300') to Score 'Watchmen' and 'Earth Stood Still.'
‘Where In The World Is Osama Bin Laden?’: A Sundance Review; Sundance Interview: 'Where in the World Is Osama bin Laden?' Director Morgan Spurlock.