Wes Craven Screams again

According to Internet Media:  The world in general, and the world of horror movies in particular, have changed a great deal in the past decade. Nonetheless, legendary horror filmmaker Wes Craven is back with Scream 4, which reunites him with David Arquette, Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox, the stars/survivors of the original Scream trilogy, launched in 1996, revived in 1997 and last heard from in 2000.

“One of the biggest changes is the rise of social networking,’’ Craven says. “Kids are communicating through texting, tweeting, e-mails and Facebook. It’s all about the Internet. That’s part of what’s happening in the world now that really wasn’t in full force yet when Scream 3 came out, and it’s something that Scream 4 addresses. Plus cell phones, of course. That extension of our culture is now very much a part of the film. YouTube is another example—any kid can make movies and put them on YouTube. And ... Justin Bieber.’’

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Movie review: 'The Elephant in the Living Room'

According to Internet Media:  Would you believe that there are more tigers in captivity in Texas than in the whole of Africa? Such declarations become completely credible as documentarian Michael Webber's "The Elephant in the Living Room" delves into the growing trend of Americans treating some of the most dangerous animals on Earth as household pets.

Webber anchors his film in the activities of Tim Harrison, a now-retired safety officer in Oakwood, Ohio, a leafy suburban community of stately homes on huge lots.

Harrison has captured and rescued hundreds of alligators, lions, tigers and the largest and most deadly snakes — all in the U.S.

News reports of a 500-plus-pound lion reported on an interstate highway bring Harrison in contact with the lion's owner, Terry Brumfield, who lives in nearby Pike County, where it is perfectly legal for him to keep the lion, Lambert, and his mate, Lacie, in a large caged area.

Still suffering from the effects of a serious truck accident, Brumfield has been soothed by his lions' presence and loves them like his own children. While fearing for the animals' ultimate fate, Harrison wins Brumfield's trust, and the unfolding of the men's friendship and the destiny of the lions form the trajectory of the film.

"The Elephant in the Living Room" reveals the folly, cruelty and danger of treating often lethal exotic animals as pets. This impeccably made film is chock-full of enlightening and sometimes bizarre moments: visits to an exotic animal expo and an auction at which a small boy is given a dangerous baby snake as a pet.

Webber is also fair-minded: he includes a Las Vegas exotic pets dealer, a trained zoologist who wisely states that unless owners of such creatures act responsibly, fear amid the public will cause increasing banning of the private ownership of such pets. "The Elephant in the Living Room" could scarcely be more engaging — or more consciousness-raising.

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Julia Stiles - Julia Stiles Celebrates 30Th Birthday

According to Internet Media:   Julia Stiles is celebrating her 30th birthday today (28th March 2011). Julia Stiles, the American actress and star of 'Mona Lisa Smile', turns 30-years-old today, reports the Los Angeles Times. The actress first rose to prominence after starring alongside the late Heath Ledger in '10 Things I Hate About You' and her film career has since included a number of commercial and critical successes, most notably 'Mona Lisa Smile' and 'Save the Last Dance'. In recent years, she has guest starred as 'Lumen Pierce' in the fifth season of 'Dexter', a role that earned her a Golden Globe award nomination. Stiles was scheduled to appear alongside the comedian Dane Cook in the Broadway play 'Fat Pig', but the show's producers have decided to postpone the spring opening. A spokesman for the production cited the "last minute fallout of a key investment" as the reason for the delay, adding, "This did not leave the producers enough time to reacquire the necessary capital and begin rehearsals on schedule to open prior to the Tony Awards cutoff date".

Julia Stiles recently completed work on a movie adaptation of Sylvia Plath's classic novel 'The Bell Jar'. The actress will star as 'Esther Greenwood', the book editor who is slowly taken over by mental illness.

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Amy Adams to Play Lois Lane in New Superman

According to Internet Media:  Superman finally has his Lois Lane. 

After a long search, Zack Snyder, director of Hollywood's upcoming Superman reboot, handed the part of Lois Lane to Amy Adams on Sunday, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The three-time Oscar nominee, 36, will star opposite Henry Cavill, 27, who plays the Man of Steel.

"There was a big, giant search for Lois," Snyder tells the paper. "We did a lot of auditioning, but we had this meeting with Amy Adams, and after that I just felt she was perfect for it."

Snyder added that the Clark Kent-Superman character must have post-millennial appeal for the new franchise to work – and the same goes for the Lois Lane character.

"What's important to us is making him relevant and real and making him empathetic to today's audience so that we understand the decisions he makes," Snyder says. "That applies to Lois as well. She has to be in the same universe as him [in tone and substance]."

A number of A-list Hollywood actresses reportedly were angling for the part. Snyder delivered the good news to Adams – an Oscar nominee for Junebug, Doubt and The Fighter – by phone on Sunday from Paris, where he was promoting his new film Sucker Punch.

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Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane? Chemistry?

According to Internet Media:   Amy Adams and Henry Cavill will star in the new version of the Superman movie.  I have to say that Amy Adams as Lois Lane leaves me cold.

Director Zack Snyder announced on Sunday that Amy Adams has been cast to play Lois Lane opposite British actor Henry Cavill in the modern version of the Superman movie.

Adams, who is a three-time Oscar nominee, will star opposite Henry Cavill, who plays the Man of Steel.

Director Zack Snyder made a statement to the media about the latest casting decision:

“There was a big, giant search for Lois. For us it was a big thing and obviously a really important role. We did a lot of auditioning but we had this meeting with Amy Adams and after that I just felt she was perfect for it.

It goes back to what I’ve said about Superman and making him really understandable for today. What’s important to us is making him relevant and real and making him empathetic to today’s audience so that we understand the decisions he makes.  That applies to Lois as well. She has to be in the same universe as him [in tone and substance].”

What do you think of Amy Adams as Lois Lane?  I love this actress but I’m a little puzzled.  What are your thoughts?

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'Black Swan' Dance Double Discouraged By Lack Of Credit

According to Internet Media:   American Ballet Theatre soloist and Black Swan dancing double Sarah Lane may be deemed an 'extra' in the ending credits of the award winning movie Black Swan, but the dancer is claiming she got a lot more screen time than what's being reported.

Lane is speaking out and suggesting a facade was presented by the producers of Black Swan

Though Lane didn't throw out an estimated on-screen dance time for Portman, she did estimate the actresses' full-body dance shots to tally up to about only 5% throughout the entire film [and if you've seen the film, that means Lane had a lot more screen time than what is to be considered an extra].

While some fans are thinking the dancer is furious to have been left out of Natalie's acceptance speech recently while accepting an award for her role in the film, Lane is claiming that her reasoning for speaking out is all due to her massive respect for ballet.

"It is demeaning to the profession and not just to me. I've been doing this for 22 years...Can you become a concert pianist in a year and a half, even if you're a movie star?"

In defense of Portman, her lack of recognition towards dance double Lane in her acceptance speech could largely be due to the fact that she's only one person [juggling pregnancy, multiple movies, and a fiance]; she can't remember everyone and everything! Furthermore, the actress never claimed that she danced in every scene, and she even admitted to using a dance double for the complicated turn sequences before award season was underway.

Still, Lane discredits Portman's grace altogether as a ballet dancer [even through acting]: "I mean, from a professional dancer's standpoint, she doesn't look like a professional ballet dancer at all, and she can't dance in pointe shoes. And she can't move her body; she's very stiff."

One thing is clear, Lane is obviously disappointed for her lack of recognition for her work in this film. Should she have been listed within the main credits as Portman's dance double? And does it give her a right to discredit Portman's "ballet dancer portrayal" altogether within the film?

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'Black Swan' Dancer Slams Natalie Portman's Dancing

According to Internet Media:  Natalie Portman's dancing double for "Black Swan," Sarah Lane, told "Entertainment Weekly" that the public has been mislead about Portman's dancing in the film. "Of the full body shots, I would say 5 percent are Natalie... I mean, from a professional dancer's standpoint, she doesn't look like a professional ballet dancer at all and she can't dance in pointe shoes. And she can't move her body; she's very stiff."

Portman has said in interviews that she used a body double for scenes in the film, and her fiancé and "Black Swan" choreographer Benjamin Millepied told the L.A. Times that, "There are articles now talking about her dance double [Sarah Lane] that are making it sound like [Lane] did a lot of the work ... Honestly, 85 percent of that movie is Natalie."

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