May 2004 Movie News
On Movies
- Apparently action/revenge stories are popular today. Kill Bill - Volume 2 and The Punisher are doing well at the box, with $25.1 million and $13.8 million earnings, respectfully.
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl picked up 6 nominations for the MTV Movie Awards, including best movie and best on-screen team for co-stars Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. That's a lot of yo ho hos! and bottles of rum.
- Apparently people can get a first look at the Darth Vader costume from Episode III of the new Star Wars trilogy (1-3), coming out in 2005, in the upcoming DVD collection of the original trilogy (4-6).
- Is Mel Gibson the present day de Mille? Maybe! A number of Franciscan friars in New York have petitioned for him to follow-up his The Passion of The Christ with a biography of the order's founder, Saint Francis of Assisi.
- Steven Spielberg has decides to take on another tragic moment in history as his next project, the 1972 Munich Olympics. He won his first Oscar for the Holocaust-themed Schindler's List.
On People
- Jackie Chan will be travelling to Cambodia next week to promote the work of various AIDS agencies and the United Nations. This man, like Angelina Jolie and her work promoting peace and unity around the world, is a true gem and a decent human being.
- Disney Co. head Michael Eisner seems to be in trouble. An overwhelming number of shareholders voted against the chief executive at the company's annual meeting. The rumble of dissent has gathered steam... I think he better shake hands with Mickey and be prepared to clear his office soon.
- Carrie-Anne Moss, co-star in the three Matrix movies, has signed on to play in Mission Impossible 3, with a possible August start date. No word yet on if she will dress in a black body-suit.
- In a cross-promo bit of news reported by Variety, it appears that Pink (real name Alecia Moore), will be playing Janis Joplin in an indie biopic slated for a summer start date.
On The Industry
- Blockbuster Inc., the global video-rental chain, posted a 40% profit increase in their first-quarter statement. This was due, in part, to a one-time tax benefit.
- There will be plenty of Hollywood stars at next month's Cannes Film Festival, but hopefully the spotlight will be on many of the young and less well-known filmmakers, both mainstream and indie.
