10.01.08: One actor to rule them all, Jacks Black AND White, and more

TRAILERAMA

It can be argued that today's Hollywood has only one true movie star, a person whom audiences follow faithfully from film to film, across years and genres, who is beloved by young and old, critics and laymen, housewives and homies.  Tom Cruise, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio - none of them has the same combination of mass appeal, critical adoration, and box office power as the once-and-future Fresh Prince himself, Mr. Will Smith.  With that in mind we present a crappy YouTube quality version of the trailer for Seven Pounds, Smith's big Christmas release for 2008.  It concerns a guilt-ridden man who makes a list of seven people whose lives he decides to change for the better – yes, kind of a like a deadly serious version of My Name Is Earl.  The film is directed by Gabriel Muccino, with whom Smith last worked on Pursuit of Happyness.  So together with the trailer that should give you an idea of whether or not Seven Pounds is up your cinematic alley.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Madonna's feature directing debut, Filth And Wisdom. The trailer has hit the web in a number of formats, but we like Quicktime, so shazam. The movie - about a struggling musician who raises money for his band in all sorts of filthy ways, gaining wisdom along the way - has been getting so-so reviews on the festival circuit, and is not likely to make much of a dent in the box office.  But a certain audience, particularly fans of lead actor Eugene Hutz (Everything is Illuminated) and his real life gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello, should enjoy the show.  For those unfamiliar with Gogol Bordello's general awesomeness, may we suggest taking a gander at the miracles they worked on Madonna's La Isla Bonita?

JACK BLACK BACK IN ACTION

Jack Black will be doing a comedic take on the Bourne series in a new film that reunites him with the writers of Kung Fu Panda.  Like Bourne, Black's character has amnesia and believes he's a superspy.  Unlike Bourne, he's actually not.  Says co-writer Glenn Burger, ""If he did turn out to be a superspy, this wouldn't be a 'comedic Bourne Identity,' but just 'The Bourne Identity,' and apparently Universal has already made that movie, several times."  (THR)

ODDS AND ENDS

Nikki Fink has a discussion on the secret behind Bette Davis' awkward pose on a new U.S. postage stamp (it's all about the talkbacks on this one) • UGO broke the news that Brett Ratner plans to direct an adaptation of the video game God of War, which we're sure means something to some of you • Oh, the pressure of writing a Bond theme song must be enormous.  As was well publicized earlier in the year, Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson were supposed to team up to tackle the Quantum of Solace theme, but Amy's... issues prevented this happening.  So in stepped Jack White and Alicia Keyes, and the resulting Another Way To Die can be heard in a new music video (which is all over the place, but we found it first at CHUD) • Variety shares that a trio of misguided producers have teamed up to remake the Mickey Rourke/Lisa Bonet voodoo sex cult classic Angel Heart.  They could never get away with making a mainstream film this bizarre, and anything less would be pointless, so why bother? • The time when the phrase "story by George Lucas" was cause for delight has long since passed. But when someone other than Lucas handles the screenwriting and directing duties, prospects immediately improve. Red Tails, Lucas' long-in-gestation take on the Tuskegee Airmen, will finally take off under the direction of Anthony Hemingway (The Wire) with a script by John Ridley (U-Turn, Undercover Brother).  Fingers crossed for a successful flight. (Variety)

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