Robert Zemeckis’ “A Christmas Carol” is reportedly set to debut at the Cannes Film Festival. The film stars Jim Carrey in multiple roles as well as Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Robin Wright Penn. The announcement comes tomorrow, so we’ll see. [Latino Review]
Rumors have linked Hugh Laurie and Kiefer Sutherland for lead roles in Alex de la Iglesia’s upcoming adaptation of Belgian comic “The Yellow Mark.” The film follows a captain and a science professor on their quest in 1950’s London to track down a criminal known as The Yellow Mark. Stranger things have happen – not often though. John Hurt and Mark Strong are allegedly also up for roles. [FirstShowing]
A bunch of new, appropriately creepy images from Park Chan-Wook’s upcoming vampire romance film “Thirst” has been unveiled. “Twilight” fans need not apply. [/Film]
Vanessa Hudgens is set to be joined by young British actor Alex Pettyfer in “Beastly,” a film about a handsome rich kid with a mean streak who is then cursed in love after ditching a date. Terrible. [ET]
Ron Perlman is just as clueless as us on whether Guillermo Del Toro has a role in mind for him in his adaptation of “The Hobbit”: “[Del Toro is] a guy who loves the surprise, the element of surprise. I didn’t realize the whole seven years he was fighting for me for “Hellboy” that he was doing it. He just did that all on his own on the side. He didn’t want to bring me into it. I wouldn’t be surprised either way.” [IGN, who basically has gone fishing in this piece].
An update on the whole corrosive and vile, ‘Father selling daughter” fiasco that plagued young “Slumdog Millionaire” star Rubina Ali that was brought on by the dubious British tabloid press (and no one seemed to treat it with much suspicion sadly). The Jai Ho Trust has released a statement informing us that Ali’s welfare and that of her family were being looked after securely. Investigations, meanwhile, are still taking place regarding her father’s alleged actions. [EW]
I challenge Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to spend those obscene reserves held by their ‘Jolie-Pitt’ Foundation on legitimate efficient ‘humanitarian’ work or turn the funds over to others who will. To date, they have taken in $22,000,000 on the sale of baby photos alone and spent or granted only a fraction of that on ‘humanitarian’ work or ‘good will’ of any kind. The rest so far, has been spent on PR campaigns, plane rides, and super-high end accomodations for Brad and Angie in exotic locations around the world. I also challenge them to meet the criteria of a legitimate charity, operate with a reasonable overhead, and get their ‘foundation’ worthy of a decent rating by ANY independent watchdog like Charitywatch.org. Otherwise, to stop using their ‘foundation’ as a travel/PR firm and stop seeking publicity for every donation made to their own ‘foundation’ shortly before or after the premier of their latest film or DVD release. I challenge Brad Pitt to do the same with his ‘Make it right’ Foundation. Which to date, has not met the criteria of a legitimate charity or been given a decent rating by ANY independent charity watchdog. Otherwise, to stop competing with ‘Habitat for Humanity’ for PR, credit, kudos, and funding. Who by the way have been building homes for the less fortunate in every major city including New Orleans for decades. ‘Habitat for Humanity’ has been ‘Top Rated’ for years by charitywatch.org and others. They operate with a low overhead, volunteer workforce, and donated materials. No similar effort can match their progress hour for hour or dollar for dollar. The homes built by ‘Habitat’ actually get lived in by the less fortunate. It works. In fact, hundreds of legitimate charities have been given good-excellent ratings by Charitywatch.org and other independent watchdog groups. By contrast, the vast, overwhelming majority of celebrity ‘foundations’ have been rated poorly, fair, or not rated at all. They usually don’t even meet the criteria of a legitimate charity. Still, they have the nerve to seek funding from a number of sources including ordinary people, compete with legitimate charities, and cash in on maximum PR for their ineficient ‘humanitarian’ efforts. Its not right.