RANDOM BITS

Last night I watched Martin Scorsese's masterwork THE AVIATOR (****) for probably the 10th time; that film is exceptional. I love it. Every second of it. My fiancee had never seen it, and we had just gotten back from the Hearst Castle (looks like Hughes made a few appearances up there), so we were in a California/nostalgic mood. She loved the film. I find it to be such a fascinating and entertaining movie that the long run time (close to three hours) never bothers me. Robert Richardson's cinematography is exquisite, the production design is phenomenal, and Leo Di Caprio was terrific as Howard Hughes. Great dialogue from John Logan as well.

Here's a link to the hysterical red-band (R-rated) trailer for Ben Stiller's upcoming action-comedy TROPIC THUNDER: http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/tropicthunder/ This film looks priceless...

INDY 4 screened at Cannes yesterday and all over the Paramount lot yesterday for critics/journalists and the early word is very positive...not that I expected anything less from Spielberg and Ford. I am so excited to see INDY 4 this weekend that it's bordering on a joke at this point...

It looks like writer/director Noah Baumbach (THE SQUID AND THE WHALE, MARGOT AT THE WEDDING) has enlisted the super-cute Amy Adams (ENCHANTED) and one of my favorite actors, Mark Ruffalo (ZODIAC, RESERVATION ROAD), in his latest comedy. It's being described as a "dysfunctional romantic comedy." I'd expect nothing less at this point from Baumbach. I loved, loved, loved THE SQUID AND THE WHALE but MARGOT AT THE WEDDING was a little disappointing. Hopefully he rebounds with a great new flick.

Here's a link to the first teaser for Baz Luhrman's mega-budget historical drama AUSTRALIA, which stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, and is set for release this November:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/australia/ I think it looks pretty awesome, with some stunning on-location cinematography.

Variety is reporting that producer Mark Gordon (10,000 BC) is mounting a new epic called OLYMPIA, which has been written by Robert Rodat (SAVING PRIVATE RYAN) and Gavin Hood (TSOTSI, RENDITION, X-MEN: WOLVERINE). The film is being described as: "set against the backdrop of the ancient Olympic Games in Greece as war waged between Athens and Sparta." Asger Leth (GHOSTS OF CITE SOLEIL) is attached to direct. Could be very cool...

Screenwriter David Franzoni (GLADIATOR) is working on a new Blackbeard/pirate epic for Dreamworks. No director is attached yet. Franzoni is a cool dude and an excellent historical writer. I met him when I was working for Jerry Bruckheimer Films and I'll always remember how nice he was to me every time I went up to his ridiculously beautiful Malibu mansion to pick up the latest drafts of KING ARTHUR, which was one of many Bruckheimer films he helped create, and was pretty underrated in my honest opinion. Love that battle on the cracking frozen lake.