Robert Pattinson is about to enter a new kind of Twilight Zone, courtesy of David Cronenberg. It was announced today that the Canadian filmmaker has cast the vampire heartthrob as a bloodsucker of a different coloura multi-billionaire hedge fund manager in Manhattan who squanders his fortune betting against the survival of the world economy. The movie is Cosmopolis, a Canada-France coproduction based on the 2003 nouvella of the same name by award-winning American writer Don Delillo. Pattinson is set to co-star with Paul Giamatti (Barneys Version), Juliette Binoche (The English Patient), and Matheu Amalric (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly).
Cronenberg appears to be on a roll. After the success of The History of Violence (2005) and Eastern Promises (2007), two Oscar-nominated hits, he has been creeping ever closer to mainstream acceptance, without compromising his singular vision. He recently completed A Dangerous Method, a German co-production about Freud and Jung, starring (in his third role with director) Viggo Mortensenit will likely open next fall after a festival premiere in Cannes, Venice or TIFF. Its always a good sign when a filmmaker has another movie on the go before his last one has hit the screen.
Landing a Cronenberg role is a savvy move for Pattinson, who needs to make the leap from the matinee idol ghetto of Twilight to more mature roles. His is not unlike the dilemma faced by an aging child star. In his previous non-vampire outing, the romance Remember Me, Pattinson showed the promise of a serious actor, but the film was a dud. Cronenberg is always a class act, and (despite his image as a horrormeister) hes very much an actors director. Colin Farrell had originally been tapped for the Pattinson role, until he opted to star in a remake of Total Recall. And earlier candidates attached to the role of the female lead included Marion Cotillard and Keira Knightley, who stars in A Dangerous Method.
Cronenberg wrote the script for Cosmopolis, which is described as a thriller. In the directors previous adaptations of fictionnotably Naked Lunch, Dead Ringers and Crashhe has played fast and loose with the source material, bending it to his own vision, so dont expect Delillos work to be transposed too literally. I havent read the book. But it appears to have some classic Cronenberg elements, including some glimmers of Crash. Heres how Wikipedia summarizes the plot:
Cosmopolis is the story of Eric Packer, a 28 year old multi-billionaire asset manager who makes anodyssey across midtown Manhattan in order to get a haircut. The stretch limo which adorns the cover of the book is richly described as highly technical and very luxurious, filled with television screens and computer monitors, bulletproofed and floored with Carrara marble. It is also cork lined to eliminate (though unsuccessfully, as Packer notes) the intrusion of street noise.
Like James Joyces Ulysses, Cosmopolis covers roughly one day of time and includes highly sexed women and the theme of father-son separation. Packers voyage is obstructed by various traffic jams caused by a presidential visit to the city, a funeral procession for a Sufi rap star and a full-fledged riot. Along the way, the hero has several chance meetings with his wife, seeing her in a taxi, a bookstore, and lying naked in the street, taking part in a movie as an extra. Meanwhile, Packer is stalked by two men, a comical pastry assassin and an unstable credible threat. Through the course of the day, the protagonist loses incredible amounts of money for his clients by betting against the rise of the yen, a loss that parallels his own fall. Packer seems to relish being unburdened by the loss of so much money, even stopping to make sure he loses his wifes fortune as well, to ensure his ruin is inevitable.
Miley Cyrus To Move To Indonesia To Do charity Work?
Miley Cyrus To Move To Indonesia To Do charity Work?
The star reportedly wants to take a break from her busy schedule to help others...
Photo: Splash News
Having been criticised for her wild lifestyle at such a young age recently, could Miley Cyrus be about to prove us wrong?
According to the Daily Star, the teen who was recently caught smoking bong at a party has reportedly revealed an interest in going to do charity work in Indonesia.
Admitting that she "looses sleep" worrying about globa poverty, the singer and actress said that she wants to help build wells to impove access to clean water in the third world country.
"Honestly, I cannot sleep at night because I get so excited about doing good things for the world, changing the world."
However with plans for a tour and a return to the charts, we're wondering when Miley will find time to help change the world...
Miley Cyrus is furious that her country singin' daddy, Billy Ray, sat down with GQ to bash the Disney show that made them mega-rich, as well as for his comments saying he's "scared" for his daughter's well-being. Now, I'm hearing that the 'Hannah Montana' star has signaled that she wants him to clam up and stop acting like another infamous stage dad.
"To say Miley is angry is an understatement," a friend of the Disney star tells me. "She's furious that her own flesh and blood would make a private matter so public. Who does he think he is, Michael Lohan?"
While Miley hasn't commented publicly about the article, friends tell me the actress-singer is mystified, saying it's "unforgivable" that Billy Ray would randomly start biting the hand that fed him, as well as gab about his kid's personal life.
"This isn't what a father does," my source says. "He never said a bad world about 'Hannah Montana' all those years it made millions for the family, and now that Miley has turned 18 and is making her own decisions, he does this. Unforgivable."
There have also been rumblings that Miley and Billy Ray haven't actually spoken since December, before his interview for the GQ article. "Miley has told him that if he wants to talk with her he has her number," the friend reveals. "It's been the same number she always has had."
The eccentric actress, who's famous for her oddball outfits and one set of mismatched shoes, is one lady that celeb stylist June Ambrose (the woman behind Missy Elliott's famous puffy garbage bag outfit and some of Mariah Carey's most slimming looks) would like to help.
And since HBC herself promised her upcoming Oscar outfit will be "a catastrophe," maybe the star should take her up on the offer.
Ambrose told us under the Lincoln Center tents what she'd do...
"She wants to be edgy, she wants to be outrageous, that's fine," Ambrose said. "I'd put her in McQueen. I'd put her in something that would be very avant garde. And I would just stop her when she wants to take it somewhere else."
The stylist said she almost "can't wait" for the Oscars to see what the nominee turns up in at the ceremony. "She still gets press and she gets off on it," Ambrose said, adding that the mismatched shoes the actress wore to the Golden Globes had her going crazy.
"I'm done, just done with that," she laughed.
Ambrose said she knows what it's like to be quirky, but that there's a line between originality and ugly.
"That's where I can help her," she explained. "I'm the girl that creates icons. I'm the girl that put Missy in the blow-up suit and put P. Diddy in the shiny suit, so I know what it's like to create an iconic moment out of costume."
As for the best dressed in Hollywood, the stylist says her favorites are Brad Pittand Angelina Jolie.
"They still really rock me to the core. She's just like nice and even when he's scruffy he's still chic," she said. "After all those children she looks pretty amazing."
And her favorite star of Fashion Week? Julia Stiles.
"I sat next to her a few times. She looked lovely," the stylist told us.
Jersey Shore Recap: Smush Interrupted, Sloppopatumus Unclogged
Jersey Shore Recap: Smush Interrupted, Sloppopatumus Unclogged
In the aftermath of Sammi's exit from Jersey Shore last week, Ronnie was down in the dumps. The rest of the gang seemed focused more on absurd pranks.
Despite the title, "The Great Depression" was lighter fare than more recent installments, with fewer epic meltdowns and more bathroom humor - quite literally.
As always, THG has broken down some of the best Jersey Shore quotes and scenes from the episode in our trademark +/- recap below. Let's get to it:
THAT'S JUST WRONG: Pauly's discover was dirty even by JS standards.
Right off the bat for using the show to pitch Britney Spears' new music video. Videos, on MTV? What a concept! Plus 5 in hopes that this pattern continues.
Despite being enraged every second she's around, Ronnie mopes now that Sammi's gone, whining non-stop in an all-out effort to grow a vagina. Minus 19.
Seriously, Jenni could take Ronnie. You can see the disgust on her face. Plus 4.
Sammi breaks down at home. Minus 10 for not making this a Sammi-free week, 'cause she'll be back wearing her one white skirt/black top outfit in no time.
The Situation attempts to give Ron-Ron a pep talk. On relationships. Minus only 2, because it was nice of him to reach out, but talk about useless advice.
Deena slams cake in Vinny's face, then hides under a bed, only to struggle to get her ass, emblazoned with the words GO HARD on it, underneath. Plus 8.
The prank war gets a nasty when droppings from the dog end up in Deena's and Pauly's beds. Practical jokes are awesome, but ... fecal waste. Minus 10.
Vinny hijacks Snookis favorite stuffed animal, Crocodilly, dangling it from the deck in a stressful hostage situation. That's how to mess with a girl! Plus 7.
Is it just us or is Snooki resembling Snarf from Thundercats? Minus 6, because at least you never had to worry about Snarf getting naked every week.
JERSEY SHORE UNCLOGGED: Vinny attempts to navigate the brown river.
Ron totally is a girl. He's eating himself silly amid all this grief, when he's not crying of course. How else can one clog so many toilets? Minus 3, or one point per.
Which backed-up plumbing event was more unpleasant? The toilet, as pictured above, or what was going on inside Deena's body? Forget it, let's move on. Wash.
Minus 4 because I spit out my coffee as Snooki prescribed it to Deena, saying it will so help her issue by causing a rainstorm for the butthole. My mind is blown.
Pauly finds some ladies underwear in the can. How are you supposed to get fresh in the bathroom with these dirty-ass drawers? he muses. Seriously. Plus 9.
Plus 5 more for this line by Vinny, absolving himself of any possible tie to said dirty-ass drawers: "The girls I bring home wear no underwear." Like a true PSA.
Ronnie: "I'm glad I've got a penis." Dude ... no. Minus 3.
WHAT UP, GUYS! The gang raids the Smush Room to Snooki's chagrin.
Snook bags a "Mario Brother" named Jionni LaValle! Plus 8. But ...
Having been c*ck-blocked by none other than Jionni a few weeks back, Vinny sees an opportunity for revenge, excavating Snooki from the Smush Room. Plus 11.
Later, The Situation interrupts Vinny's late-night activities by feeding him a burger. You know one of these days, someone's going to try to pull The Rodeo. Plus 8.
Deena feels drunk and homesick after a night out at Karma. The Situation refers to her as a Sloppopatumus, which was funny but poorly-timed, so Plus only 4.
Ronnie somehow talks Deena down, and it's actually sweet. Plus 7.
How Crazy Will Prince William's Bachelor Party Get?
How Crazy Will Prince William's Bachelor Party Get?
Danny Martindale/WireImage
Bring on the 3 Bs: Brits, booze and bachelors! It's all you need to have a royal send-off bash for the wedding of the year!
Now that the parties have both been announced and the big day is just around the corner, it's time for the real fun. And we're not talking about a game of polo.
We're talking late night drunken partying, for which both Prince William and Prince Harry have been known to heavily indulge.
The question is, just how crazy is this bachelor party going to get?
Since best man Harry may be planning brother Wills' last single soirée, we suspect these two famed partiers will make sure there is plenty of fun to go around (remember, William was famous for wearing just a loin-cloth to his African-themed 21st birthday party, much to his family's shock, and he's been pretty tanked at several bashes since then).
How crazy can it get? Pretty damn crazy, if the party is left to Harry.
Which is exactly why Prince William has banned his brother from planning the bachelor bash.
Seems Harry's recent antics (he was seen last weekend stumbling out of a burlesque show at 3:30 am) are making Wills question baby bro's send-off planning capabilities.
Instead, William is said to have insisted upon a more private and mature weekend away.
But where could this idea have come from?
Certainly not from William himself, since the balding Brit used to school Harry in getting crazy, but, since he's been attempting to do the more concerned big-bro thing.
Also, perhaps the lovely Kate had a few mellow suggestions for her future hubby?
She did, after all, name her sister, Pippa, as maid of honor and official bachelorette planner. And knowing this humble gal, there will hardly be any kind of hard partying before she officially takes her tiara.
So if neither William nor Kate get to let loose before the big day, what will the couple do after the hoopla?
Royal wedding fanatics, pack your bags, because William and Kate will be just across the bordertaking a royal tour of Canada!
No time will be wasted before thrusting Kate into her new life, as the trip will take place just weeks after the wedding.
As for the rest of the details, all of us are still dying over knowing who the mysterious dress designer is.
Give us a hint Kate! Or you might see some Americans royally ticked off.
Irina Shayk: Club SI Swimsuit with Anne V. and Jessica Gomes!
Irina Shayk: Club SI Swimsuit with Anne V. and Jessica Gomes!
Irina Shayk joins fellow Sports Illustrated models Anne V. and Jessica Gomes during the Club SI Swimsuit paty held at Vanity Nightclub inside The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on Thursday (February 17).
The day before, the 25-year-old Russian model attended the launch party of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, on which she received the coveted cover spot!
I was so happy and thrilled when I found out, admitted Irina. Ive been doing interviews since morning - its been a busy busy busy day.
Johns latest target Sandra! exclaims the headline of an In Touch story, which tries to linkJohn Mayer to Sandra Bullock.
Yes, you read that correctly.
According to the tabloid, John is trying hard to get fixed up with Sandra.
But the mag says its only because he has an ulterior motive. He wants to repair his reputation, and he thinks that dating Americas Sweetheart will do the trick.
Uh huh
In Touch notes Bullock was flattered that Mayer wanted to go out with her, but ultimately turned him down because shes looking for a relationship and not just a booty call.
Got it.
Heres whats right: The spelling of their names.
Heres whats wrong: Everything else.
No such thing ever happened.
Mayer, says a source connected to the singer, did not target Bullock. Its bulls**t, adds the insider.
Canuck TV watchdog resists calls for Netflix Canada to be brought into its regulatory orbit.
OTTAWA - Canadas TV watchdog has come out against regulating Netflix as online broadcaster. Its not broadcasting, within the Broadcasting Act, Konrad von Finckenstein, chairman of the CRTC, said ahead of an industry summit Friday to deal with Netflix's Canadian expansion.
Local film and TV execs looking to protect their industrys chin against the U.S. video streaming giant want the CRTC to deem Netflix Canada an online broadcaster that must support Canadian production. But von Finckenstein pointed to a 2010 Canadian appeals court decision as grounds to conclude Netflix just distributes content online and plays no active role in the content.
Thats a definition that satisfies Netflix, which argues its Canadian streaming video subscription service is an aggregator and a distributor of content, streaming films and TV shows over the Internet, according to spokesman Steve Swasey. He adds Netflix Canada already benefits the Canadian industry by providing an outstanding way for Canadian-produced content to reach a broader audience, including indie Canadian films.
The CRTCs von Finckenstein added legislative changes will be required before Netflix or other U.S. digital platforms spilling into the Canadian market could be considered online broadcasters.
The Canadian industry players gathered in Ottawa for an annual gathering of indie producers are hoping to convince the CRTC that, if Netflix isnt an online broadcaster, it points to a new model for video distribution that needs to be brought into the local regulatory framework.
Paris Hilton Visits Letterman, Celebrates 30th at LAVO
Paris Hilton Visits Letterman, Celebrates 30th at LAVO
Shes no stranger to the nightlife of the Big Apple, and last night (February 17) Paris Hilton did some more birthday celebrating at LAVO NYC.
The Simple Life hottie looked absolutely fabulous in a sparkly low-cut black dress teamed with a pair of matching heels.
Earlier in the night, Paris dropped by The Late Show with David Letterman where she wore two different dresses (one green swirly and one shiny gold) and even made out with boyfriend Cy Waits as she posed for the paparazzi.
Letterman asked Paris what she planned to do with her 30s, to which she replied, "Just continue doing my business and growing my empire and have kids. I think having kids is the meaning of life."
Enjoy the pictures of Paris Hilton partying at LAVO and visiting the Late Show (February 17).
UTV Motion Pictures Sells German Rights for 'Dhobi Ghat'
UTV Motion Pictures Sells German Rights for 'Dhobi Ghat'
The film stars and was co-produced by director Kiran Rao's superstar husband, Aamir Khan.
NEW DELHI -- UTV Motion Pictures announced the sale of German rights of Dhobi Ghat (Mumbai Diaries) to German distributor Rapid Eye Movies.
Directed by debut helmer Kiran Rao and co-produced with her husband Indian superstar Aamir Khan,Dhobi Ghat premiered at Toronto last year to critical acclaim. The deal includes theatrical distribution rights, home video rights and free TV rights with the film slated for theatrical release in Germany later this year.
Named after Mumbai's laundry district, Dhobi Ghat revolves around four characters from different social backgrounds whose worlds intersect and leave them forever altered. The film was released in India in January.
Dhobi Ghat is a special film and we are pleased to announce that the film will now be seen by German audiences. We are happy to join hands with Rapid Eye Movies who is the ideal partner for this film," UTV senior VP, international distribution and syndication Amrita Pandey said.
We are excited to work with Kiran Rao who has made a beautiful and touching film about life in Mumbai and we believe it will touch the hearts of German audiences," Rapid Eye Movies MD Stephan Holl added.
Rapid Eye is no stranger to distributing Indian films in Germany given its track record over the years with mainstream Bollywood blockbusters such as Veer Zaara starring Shah Rukh Khan who has a major fan following in Germany.
Britney Spears' Official "Hold It Against Me" Video: Watch & React Now!
Britney Spears' Official "Hold It Against Me" Video: Watch & React Now!
After weeks of hype, the "Hold It Against Me" video is here.
Britney Spears' latest masterpiece was unveiled last night at 9:56 p.m. before Jersey Shore, in a stunning case of MTV actually playing a music video.
The result? About what you'd expect after all the teaser clips out there, and if you're a fan of Britney Spears, you've likely seen at least some of them.
Basically, she can still dance, she can still look hot, and she can still pay producers a truckload of money for flashy graphics and elaborate sets:
2011 Autumn London Fashion Week: Paul Costelloe All eyes are on London today as it takes on the batton from New York and plays host to five days of Autumn shows. Paul Costelloe kicked everything off at Somerset House this morning with a fun, '60s inspired collection. All of the models had red frizzy bobs for the show which included super short skater skirts, boxy jackets, and ladylike coats. FabUK has more!
Summit Entertainment has announced a release date of September 30th for the film 50/50. The film originally titled I am with Cancer is described as a comedy and has a wonderful cast. Not only does the film feature Anna Kendrick and Bryce Dallas Howard but it also will star Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Angelica Huston and Phillip Baker Hall.
