07-31
The Italian Job game is reviewed by TechTV.

Specs on TIJ Region 1 DVD and a release date of October 21st from DVDTimes:
Either a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen  (best kind) or full screen/Pan & Scan
English DD5.1 Surround
French DD2.0 Surround
The Italian Job Cast & Crew Interviews
Writer's Featurette
Driving School
The Mighty Minis of The Italian Job
The Real Stunts of The Italian Job
6 Deleted Scenes
Gag Reel
Theatrical Trailer
Retail is $29.99 each

First pic (sorry no Mark about) from I  Huckabee's set courtesy of David O. Russell & Fox Searchlight. Clockwise from top left: Stephen Gilula, Stephanie Allen, Dustin Hoffman, Nancy Utley, Megan Colligan, Peter Rice, Josh Deighton, Jason Schwartzman,  and Claudia Lewis. Also word it is a 2004 release.

07-25
The Italian Job sequel? Oh yes, you know studios are obsessed with building franchises. Director F. Gary Gray spoke to BBCi: EXCLUSIVE! A sequel to "The Italian Job" is underway. No, not the Michael Caine 60s starrer, but F Gary Gray's surprisingly well-received remake.
 
Paramount has approached the director about making "The Brazilian Job", another heist flick, set - can you guess? - in Brazil.
 
He told BBCi Films, "I'd do it. Absolutely. I loved the first one. I love working with Mark Wahlberg. I love working with Charlize Theron and Seth Green. If we do another one, I'll be right there."
 
He also says he's hopeful the cast will return. "I think I'd get most of them back because they're all good friends and we had a really good time making the movie. I would be really instrumental in creating the second one. It would be fantastic."
 
"The Italian Job" remake is released in the UK on 12th September. 

A nice article about filming from a cinematographer POV (Wally Pfister) from Kodak.

07-22
Some more bits of unconfirmed news for Huckabee's: Mark's character's wife is named Irene: described as "age 30ish, female, beautiful and shapely, a natural knock-out, emotional, high strung, tempermental, fiery." Pretty sure she's not playing Irene, but Australian actress Isla Fisher  joins the cast (you may remember her from Scooby Doo as Mary Jane). And look for some sexy dance scenes. How these bits fit into the movie is anyone's guess!

07-20
Paramount has sent out pictures of  The Italian Job DVD (2003 & 1969) slipcases to DVDDebate.com. Not much difference between the Wide Screen (best type of DVD) and full screen (bad type of DVD - cuts off the sides of the actual scene in the movie) except the red/blue edition type. The '69 version appears to have the same extras as the Region 2 versions. Estimates of October 28th for Region  1.

Meanwhile, The Italian Job slips to #12 this past weekend, putting another $2 million in the til.  Variety also reports: After bombing last month in Japan, handled by indie Herald, "The Italian Job" showed a bit more zip in Italy, taking $419,000 on 172 -- good enough for top spot in a depressed market.

Check Kazuko's site as she has that video of  the Adoption special Donnie & Mark appeared on a local Boston broadcast in March.

07-12
TIJ is still on the US charts at #8, pulling in close to $90 mil from 1,584 screens. In other news, word is October is the planned month for the DVD to hit stores - along with the 1969 version that has already been released successfully in Region 2. Exact dates and specs to be determined.

In somewhat related OT: Rob Halford has rejoined Judas Priest. If you recall Rock Star was based loosely on the life of Tim 'Ripper' Owens who replaced Halford. The changing of the lead singer seems to be a bit less dramatic than the movie however. It was said Owens and the band "have parted amicably by mutual agreement."

06-30
Straight from the studio: Production Begins on I HEART HUCKABEES
 
      Ensemble Cast Includes Dustin Hoffman, Isabelle Huppert, Jude Law,
          Jason Schwartzman, Lily Tomlin, Mark Wahlberg, Naomi Watts
 
    HOLLYWOOD, Calif., June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Principal photography has begun in Los Angeles on the existential comedy I HEART HUCKABEES (pronounced I HEART HUCKABEES) featuring an ensemble cast that includes two-time Academy Award(R)- winner Dustin Hoffman (RAIN MAN, KRAMER VS. KRAMER), Isabelle Huppert (LA DENTELLIERE, 8 FEMMES), Oscar(R) nominee Jude Law (THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, ROAD TO PERDITION), Jason Schwartzman (RUSHMORE, SPUN), Oscar nominee Lily Tomlin (NASHVILLE, SHORT CUTS), Mark Wahlberg (THE ITALIAN JOB, THREE KINGS) and Naomi Watts (THE RING, MULHOLLAND DRIVE).

    I HEART HUCKABEES is directed and co-written by David O. Russell. Russell's first film, SPANKING THE MONKEY, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Sundance Audience Award in 1994.  It also was named Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay at the Independent Spirit Awards. His second film was the acclaimed comedy, FLIRTING WITH DISASTER.  THREE KINGS came out in 1999 and appeared in over 100 critic's top ten lists and won the Boston Film Critic's Association's Best Film of the Year. The film marks co-writer Jeff Baena's first feature film screenplay put into production.

    Producers on the film are Oscar-nominated Scott Rudin (THE HOURS, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS), Gregory Goodman (8 MILE, THREE KINGS) and David O. Russell, with Michael Kuhn (BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, WILD AT HEART) as executive producer. The director of photography is Peter Deming (MULHOLLAND DRIVE, FROM HELL) and the production designer is KK Barrett (LOST IN THE TRANSLATION, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH). The entire shoot will take place in Los Angeles and is set to wrap in early September.

    In I HEART HUCKABEES, a husband-and-wife team (Dustin Hoffman, Lily Tomlin) play detective, but not in the traditional sense.  Instead, the happy duo helps others solve their existential issues, the kind that keep you up at night, wondering what it all means...

Note that Catherine Deneuve is no longer listed as part of the cast. Other casting  news, The Hollywood Reporter has 2 notices of supporting cast - which gives a hint that Huckabee's is some kind of company (guess it wasn't the Arkansas governor!): Kevin Dunn ("Stir of Echoes") has joined the cast of Fox Searchlight's "I Love Huckabee's"  for director David O. Russell. He will play Marty, the general manager at the company Huckabee's and the boss to Jude Law's character. Dunn is repped by the Gersh Agency and  Lighthouse Entertainment.
 
Newcomer Jake Muxworthy has been added to the cast of Fox Searchlight's "I Love Huckabee's"  for director David O. Russell. He'll play Tim, a college student/environmentalist who is a  friend of Jason Schwartzman's character. The actor, repped by UTA and Mosaic Media Group's   Paul Nelson and Caryn Weingarten, next stars as a pro skater in the Warner Bros.   Pictures-distributed "Grind."

TIJ continues to hold strong, earning about $5.4 Million to a total of nearly $77 million.

Renaissance Man on DVD is set to be released tomorrow in the US/Canada.

OT: Katherine Hepburn passed away over the weekend. She was an amazing actress and one of my favorites (like you can't tell from my favorite movie list).  TCM (Turner Classic Movies) will play 11 of her movies on July 10th all day, if you haven't seen her work, here's a great  opportunity to see some of her work.

It's been a busy week of legal decisions and I must warn you if you hate my politics, to skip the paragraphs below, because I will just throw flames/hate monger emails into the fire.

One is from our neighbors to the north, The Ontario Court of Appeals ruled that discriminating against homosexual marriage was a violation of the province's constitution. Prime Minister Chretien has said "There is an evolution of society," he declared. "According to the interpretation of the courts, these unions should be legal in Canada. We will ensure that our legislation includes and legally recognizes the union of same- sex couples."  Thus in a few months, Canada will be the latest to equalize the right to marry (The Netherlands being the first and Belguim 2nd).

The US Supreme Court didn't go as far, but did finally throw out the Texas law that discriminated against homosexuals.  [Now they can do sodomy like heterosexuals!] "The law [banning sodomy in the state of Texas] demeans the lives of homosexual persons," Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote for the majority. "The men are entitled to respect for their private lives," Kennedy wrote. "The state cannot demean their existence or control their destiny by making their private sexual conduct a crime."  Even conservative Justice Clarence Thomas noted: "Punishing someone for expressing his sexual preference through noncommercial consensual conduct with another adult does not appear to be a worthy way to expend valuable law enforcement resources."

But seriously, people who feel threatened by all this should, in my opinion, examine why they feel so threatened. I certainly don't. But women are usually more mature then men. As someone wrote, considering how  hetrosexuals have a divorce rate of over 50%, are we really all that great of an example? It seems we're our own worst enemy.  The scary thing is that many of the arguements against equality were the same arguments against civil rights, interracial marriage and sending people to internment camps. Anyway, June is Pride month and while SF, NYC and Toronto have had their parades the past weekend, it continues throughout the summer all over the world.  So end my little soapbox. Party on! :)

06-22
Filming of Huckabee's should be underway in LA (don't ask me where I don't know) and the Hollywood Reporter lists Naomi Watts as part of the cast - so I guess she signed on. There was a nice article in the newest Premiere Magazine (July/August) about her. But looks like she signed on after the article went to press, so no mentions of Huckabee's.

The pics from the Vegas Premiere are up on MarkWahlberg.com.

According to AICN, Mark was supposed to be at the Japan Premiere of TIJ (June 16th), but because of family obligations, only Charlize was there. Speaking of which The Italian Job opened this weekend in Japan! Variety reported an estimated $850,000 from 215 screens behind The Core.

Here in the US, TIJ jumped 2 spots (estimated $7.2 Million) for a grand total of nearly $68 million.

Interviews with Mark & co. continue to surface, Chicago's Daily Herald,  Manila Times, Sun News, Star Chat on tribute.ca & Macon Online.

Info on the new TIJ game (based on Mark's movie version) on Gameinfowire.  Details include the game having 3 modes – Story Mode, Circuit Racing and Stunt Driving. The Story Mode is based on the film's plot as you attempt to steal $28 million in gold bullion from under the nose of the man who betrayed you. The game features 15 different missions utilising a range of vehicles and gameplay styles. Create havoc on the streets of LA as you drive at break-neck speeds through environments based on locations in the film including the Hollywood Hills, Downtown LA and the city's Metro and storm drain system.

Features:

• Story Mode based on the film's plot featuring 15 missions with a variety of gameplay styles

• Circuit Racing for 1 or 2 players (split-screen) around tracks based on locations from the film

• Test your driving skills to the limit in the Stunt Driving offering you the chance to control a Mini Cooper over various obstacle courses

• Environments based on locations from the film including the Hollywood Hills, Downtown LA and the city's Metro and storm drain system

• Tear through the streets of LA in a variety of vehicles ranging from the new Mini Cooper and muscle car to an armoured truck and cable van

• Cutting edge graphics engine running at a constant 60 fps (frames-per-second) with highly detailed textures and spectacular graphical effects

• Exhilarating car handling and realistic damage model including body deformation and component removal

• The story unfolds through the use of cinematic cut-scenes and voice-overs

• Hidden extras including movie footage, interviews with the film's cast, film stills, concept art etc.
  

06/18
TIJ slipped 28% after losing 180 theaters, grossing an estimated $9.5 million to place seventh for a total of $55.4 mil.

More interviews from UGO & Film Stew. Also the Boston Herald reports Mark is on the in-flight magazine for American Airlines - talking about his favorite haunts while in Beantown. BH does skewer Mark on a few fubs on Bostonian facts. Read it for yourself at the mag's site and pick a copy up when you fly American Airlines.

06-12
TIJ finishes 4th this week, with a modest 32% drop off for a 2 week total of $40 Million.

Interviews in Vallejo News and Gwinnett Daily.

06-03
THE ITALIAN JOB OPENS!!! No delays or changing release dates. When was the last time that ever happened?

TIJ opens in 3rd place this past weekend- with about $19.5 Million behind Finding Nemo & Bruce Almighty.

Interview with Seattle University's The Spectator, MSN, Pittsburgh Post -Gazette and about 'playing nice' for Gray from the AP (vai Yahoo)

06-01
Interviews from the Courier Post, Washington Times,Sacramento Bee,  & video interviews from Hollywood.com and KATU Portland. Also an article about a heist the cast did on their own while filming!