The Friday night box office #'s are in and the wall-to-wall publicity push for "Sex and the City" appears to have paid off BIG TIME. The year's first event picture aimed at women sold $26.9 million worth of tickets Friday, putting it on pace for Mr. Big-sized $75 million debut weekend and knocking 'Indy 4' from the top spot. That's close to double the most optimistic forecast for the film. We'll update the full weekend B.O. figures tomorrow.

Jeffrey and Alison have made up their minds on what are the "go to" and the "stay away" from films this weekend... so click on the individual posters and watch their reviews so you can decide which one will be your "go to" film this week!

It's been some week here at RT. We've had Kristin Davis, Sarah Jessica Parker and Julianne Moore drop by for interviews. The quadruple Oscar-nominated Moore talked to Jeffrey about her searing turn in "Savage Grace," the latest in a long line of great performances by her. You can watch the full review on RT this weekend. Here, the enchanting actress explains to Jeffrey why it takes her awhile to figure out if she did a good job (as if she could ever NOT do a good job!):

One of the many things Sarah Jessica Parker talked about with Jeffrey during their interview (highlights of which will be on this week's RT) was the influence "Sex and the City" had on the television landscape. Her answer to his question about the crossover appeal of the show proves how savvy she is about the industry.

Watch the entire Kristin Davis interview right here!

The title Love Doctor gets a new meaning in 'The Accidental Husband' starring Uma Thurman, Colin Firth and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Check out the trailer! It will be making its way to theaters on August 22nd.

After being sent over to Pakistan in 1986 to train Afghanistan rebels, a U.S. special agent played by Don Cheadle, gets tossed into a cat-and-mouse game when he becomes the main suspect of a CIA manhunt.

"Traitor" comes to theaters August 29.

There's a new DVD set that was just released this past Tuesday, which will probably make more men laugh than women (just a hunch.) It's "The Three Stooges Collection,” volume 2, 1937-39.

That was the height of their popularity and certainly when their funniest films were made. There are 24 short films, arranged chronologically by release dates and digitally re-mastered and includes films like "Dizzy Doctors," "Saved by the Belle" and "Calling All Curs."

(To watch some of these clips keep reading!)

They hit their stride during their years at Columbia Pictures from 1934-57, but the 116 shots with Curly Howard, from 1933-47 are the best. Born Jerome Lester Horowitz from Brooklyn, his nickname was "babe," and he stood only 5'5" he succeeded his brother "Shemp" but after a series of strokes ended his career, Shemp returned.

He was also the younger brother of "Mo", the leader of the Stooges. Shemp wasn't nearly as funny as Curly, nor was the subsequent stooge "Curly Joe" Besser. Curly accidentally shot himself in the foot as a boy, but his fear of doctors led him to refuse treatment and he had a permanent limp. It was disguised in the movies by his trademark quirky walk. Wearing a suit a few sizes too small, with a shaved head he hated, Curly has become a cult figure for generations of fans. These DVD’s are among the best the group ever made. Just don't let your kids poke each other after watching them!

And as a matter of fact here are a few clips of the quirky trio from their DVD collection as well as clips from their first and second years on air.

It's a great time to be a fan of the 'Terminator' franchise. Not only is the criminally-underwatched TV show "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" returning to Fox next season (first season out on DVD Aug. 19) but the next chapter in the film series has begun production. "Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins" is up and running in New Mexico, which is fast becoming Hollywood's favorite film location. Read the full press release here

There is lots to be excited about with the relaunch of one of the cornerstone franchises of science fiction. Not only is Christian Bale (AKA 'The best actor working today') starring as a grown up John Connor, but the film is set in the apocalyptic future battleground of 2018.

So instead of those tantalizing teases we've had in the first 3 Terminator movies .. we're getting a full serving of machines vs. human battles -- and from the preliminary artwork that's on the movie's official website it looks like we'll finally get a glimpse of Los Angeles after the machines take over.

As far as plot points go, it seems the future, as Sarah Connor, saw it has been changed and a character named Marcus (played by Sam Worthington) may be the reason why. The reasons for the destruction of mankind are also not as clear-cut as we've come to believe from watching the first three films - does that mean it wasn't just the machines achieving consciousness that led to Judgement Day? Did something -- or someone -- else help that come to pass? Don't know, but I know I'm interested in seeing how the story plays out. Film suppose to debut May 22, 2009.

Who do you call when you can't call the police? That's the question Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington try to answer in their new film 'Lakeview Terrace.'

This upcoming thriller stars Samuel L. Jackson as the inconvenient neighbor and police officer who makes it his mission to see that this bi-racial couple moves out of his neighborhood, and he will do whatever it takes.

Being a part of a show as iconic as "Sex and the City" can be a double-edged sword. No matter what you do, some people will always see you as the character you played on the show. So it's nice to see someone have a refreshing perspective like Kristin Davis does. The beautiful actress told Jeffrey in an interview this week in our studio that she has no problem if 'Charlotte' turns out to be her most memorable role. We'll post the full interview here on the site later this week.

Steve, Miranda's loveable boyfriend, is just too cute to get fired! Producer John Melfi talks about how he tried to get David Eigenberg fired from playing the "Steve" character. No wonder he gets nervous when the "boss" is around.

Chris Noth tells his audience to watch out, because they are going to be SOOOO angry with Mr. Big!

Cosmo's were flowing, crowds were screaming, and the sparkiling pink carpet had Jimmy Choo's and Manolo Blahnik's gliding all over it! It was the 'Sex and the City' movie premiere!

Finally after visiting Berlin and London, the foursome finally made their way to NYC where 'Sex and the City' all started.

To watch what Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda had to say then check it out after the jump.

Our Mixtape is back and with all the hoop-la, and excitement surrounding the new “Sex and the City” movie, how could we not talk about fashion?

What was it about Audrey Hepburn from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” or Alicia Silverstone from “Clueless,” or about the evolution of Anne Hathaway’s character in “The Devil Wears Prada" that makes these characters so unforgettable?Think about your favorite film... who was YOUR favorite character?

Clothing and costumes are always built to match a personality. Eventhough the characters in “Sex and the City,” appear to just throw their clothes on without a second thought, there is a careful and strategic planning behind it.

Bottom line is: Costumes help tell a story in a film, so would you like to get a behind-the-scenes look at “Sex and the City: The Movie?" Check out Fab Sugar! Not to mention, here are more Sex-and-the-City-esque tips.

Fashion-focused movies:

Check out these three hit movies with a bit of a fine-tuned fashion sense. “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” is a definite when talking about fashion-focused films. Audrey Hepburn epitomized glamour in the 1960s. Her waif-like stature became her signature as designers scrambled to create her perfect dress. Here is a bit of inspiration from Audrey, her perfect little black dress was knee-length, boat neck (since that was Audrey's preferred neckline), paired with elbow-length black gloves, and decked with pearls. Not to forget the trademark pineapple up-do. The costume designer for her gowns was Hubert de Givenchy himself! Click Here!

Now let’s fast forward from the 60s to the 90s. Remember the teen fashion queen who was blonde and the most popular girl in her school? Cher Horowitz of Beverly Hills has outrageous ensembles in “Clueless” that you like so totally wanted! Her outfits squeal “Valley-girl” with her plaids, knee-high tights and baby doll dresses. And of course – Cher’s pleated too-short-for-school schoolgirl skirts set a trend among young girls. In the end, Cher was hardly "Clueless"… about her fashion!

“The Devil Wears Prada” is a recent movie released in 2006. It has taken a lot of criticism for the portrayal of the fashion industry, because the true fashion gurus say the representations are inaccurate. Even though the seemingly never-ending list of Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Givenchy, and, of course, Prada make their way into the spotlight these names are actually scant to those in the actual field. In fact, the costume designer for this movie is SATC’s fashion genius Patricia Field, whose intention was not to represent reality, but entertainment. You can read the article here!

Places to Shop:

Check out this site on how to get this Sex and the City Look for Less!

SoHo is the area south of Houston Street in New York City, where affordable shopping prevails, that is, until you go through the doors of the “designer” name stores. There is an assortment of boutiques that cater to all fashion palettes. Vintage clothing of the 40s, 50s, and 60s are always classy for the everyday woman. A great tip is to mix a little bit of the old with the new of the latest trends, which you can also find in a SoHo boutique. Don’t forget to be open-minded to the occasional European and Asian influence to make you the worldly fashionista from the crowd! Check out the full listing for New York's SoHo shopping here!

And you can read up on this helpful guide for the trends of summer 2008.

Darker and much more realistically violent than the second and third chapters in the series, "Rambo" finds Sylvester Stallone taking his war-weary hero back to his "First Blood" roots. Alone and living a quiet life in Thailand as a snake wrangler, John Rambo is drawn into the battleground that is Burma to help save a group of missionaries.

This film is shockingly violent but to be honest, I think getting away from the cartoonish violence of "Rambo: First Blood Part II" and "First Blood III" was the best thing Stallone could have done. Rambo's a killing machine. When he lands in a war zone, I expect a good supply of body bags to be used. And in his latest adventure, he fills a lot of body bags with bad guys.

"Rambo" is out on DVD & Blu-ray today. Check out a few clips from the movie where Rambo steps in to save the day, after the jump!

Today's a big day for fan of John Rambo. Not only does his most recent outing, the efficiently titled "Rambo", arrive on DVD & Blu-ray today, but so does "Rambo: The Complete Collector's Set." The six-disc set contains all four Rambo movies in a limited edition metal tin case. You get more than 20 bonus features in this set, including featurettes and theatrical trailers for each movie. The trailers provide a nice example on how movie promotion has changed from the days of 1982 when "First Blood" premiered.

You also get an alternate ending to "First Blood", commentary from Sylvester Stallone and deleted scenes. Check out some of the clips right here.

Best part is, we have a few of these great Rambo sets (thanks to the folks at Lionsgate Home Ent. for providing them) and we want to give them away.

Here's how we'll do it...

E-mail us at ReeltalkTV@ReeltalkTV.com and tell us in 100 words or less which Rambo movie is your favorite and why. Our five favorite entries will get their very own copy of "Rambo: The Complete Collector's Set." Deadline to submit your entry is Friday, 10am.

If you were asked to name the biggest movie star of the past decade, you might say George Clooney, or Brad Pitt or Tom Hanks, right? Good choices, but wrong.
It's Will Smith, whose movies have made more money on a consistent level than anyone else's. He's returning in early July in "Hancock"(click here what his co-star in the film, Charlize Theron had to say about the movie.) as a homeless man with superhero powers he continually misuses.

Smith's movies open during the big movie times of the year, either summer or Christmas; last year it was "I Am Legend,"for example, which grossed $256 million. Before that there was "The Pursuit of Happyness,” which grossed $162 million. No, not among his biggest grossers, but it did get him a Best Actor Oscar nomination. And it wasn't a huge special effects blockbuster, but a tender true story; typical of Smith's penchant for exploring all sorts of genres.

For example, before that there was the romantic comedy, "Hitch", which brought in $177 million. Looking down the list, there was a sci-fi thriller, "I, Robot" grossing $144 million domestically. And don't forget his sci-fi buddy blockbusters, "Men In Black" and its sequel that grossed, respectively, $250 million, and $190 million. And don't forget the $306 million earned from "Independence Day" 12 years ago, which helped earn Smith the nickname "Mr. Fourth of July." He seeks to reaffirm that title with "Hancock" which debuts July 2nd. With a tip of the hat, therefore, to the aforementioned Clooney, Pitt, Hanks, Ford and others, Will Smith gets my vote for the biggest movie star of our time.

We learned some terrible news today. Oscar-winning director/producer/actor Sydney Pollack died Monday at his LA home, after a bout with cancer. He was 73 years old, and he is survived by his wife and two daughters. Already, the tributes are pouring in from the Hollywood community.

A filmmaker who knew how to balance art with the commercial demands of the industry, Pollack started out as an actor before cutting his directing teeth on the set of 60s TV shows like "The Fugitive." He quickly moved on to feature films, and he made some of the most memorable movies of the past 30 years. Look at his resume -- "Three Days of the Condor," "Absence of Malice," "Tootsie" (a film that proved an actor and his director don't have to get along to make movie magic), "The Way We Were," "The Firm" and of course, "Out of Africa," the movie that earned him Best Director and Best Picture honors in 1985.

Pollack was a director the A-listers wanted to work with. Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Harrison Ford, Sean Penn, Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise ... they all worked with him. Some stars shared screen time with him, like George Clooney in last year's "Michael Clayton."

We'll have more on the death of Sydney Pollack in the coming days here on Reel Talk.

To no one's surprise, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" dominated the box office this holiday weekend (check out the chart on the right side of this web page). But the level of Indy-mania that gripped the moviegoing public the past week was startling.

While not a record-breaking debut, 'Indy 4' ($126 million Thur-Sun) earned more than "Iron Man" did over the 3-day weekend and appears in good shape to take over the top spot in the summer box office race.
Second place goes to "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" with $23M ($91M overall), which looks to be mildly disappointing for Disney despite good reviews. The Narnia sequel will be lucky to reach $150M at this rate, which would barely be half of the first film's domestic total.

"Iron Man" lands in third with another $20M ($252M overall), on its way to a $300M finish. Any day now we'll get the announcement that Robert Downey Jr. and director Jon Favreau have inked new deals for a couple Iron sequels.

The surprisingly sturdy comedy "What Happens in Vegas" banked another $9M ($54M total), while "Speed Racer" sputtered into fifth place with $4M for a $36M total. Those anguished cries you hear are the sounds of Warner Bros. execs cursing the heavens for letting the Wachowski Brothers turn in a 135 min. kids movie.

Oh, and in its seventh week of release, "The Visitor" starring Richard Jenkins lands the final spot in the Top 10. This great little gem of a movie is slowly being expanded across the country and it's a perfect change-of-pace from the loud, special FX-filled spectacles crowding the multiplexes right now.

Getting back to Indy...it's been 19 years since "Last Crusade." What other franchise -- OK, I'll give you 'Star Wars' -- could resume after nearly two decades and still be the talk of the town? When handing out credit for this success, I think it's important to acknowledge that no one in Hollywood has ever had the pulse of the audience as well as Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, and that no actor has ever, EVER, been as perfectly cast as Harrison Ford is as Indiana Jones. These three working together is magic, pure and simple. Let's hope they have enough inspiration for a fifth film.

Check out our interview with Harrison Ford in the clips below!

I consider myself an authority on Harrison Ford's career. He's been my favorite actor since I was six years old and was seeing "Star Wars" in the theater over and over and over. I'm such a big fan that I'll stop and watch "Hanover Street" or "The Frisco Kid" whenever I come across it on cable while channel surfing.

And I know he's turned down a ton of big movies over the years for various reasons ("Traffic", "The Patriot", "The Perfect Storm" among others) but until he came in to talk with Jeffrey last week, I never knew he turned down the lead in Martin Scorsese's remake of "Cape Fear." Harrison Ford, Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese working together?!? Egads, my geek sensors are on overload imagining the potentially unbelievable awesomeness of that. Too bad it didn't happen, but listen to Ford explain why.

Harrison Ford makes new friends in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." When he dropped by to talk with Jeffrey for this weekend's RT,

he talked about working with Shia LaBeouf and Ray Winstone in the 4th Indy movie.

Any true-blue, fedora owning, can quote Raiders of the Lost Ark dialogue word-for-word fan knows there is only woman who's truly gotten Indiana Jones, and that's Marion Ravenwood, or specifically, actress Karen Allen. One of the many reasons why "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is so much fun is because Marion's back in the picture. Harrison Ford told Jeffrey that bringing back Allen (who looks great in the film, BTW) was a stroke of genius.

Every few weeks, I like to peruse the list in trade paper Variety of the top 55 movies in release. In particular, I check the ones which have made the least amount. Some are hidden gems, others deserve to be ignored. The movie with the lowest box office gross nowadays is something called "Jannat" which never screened for critics. "Reprise" has pulled in a paltry $49,000, which is no surprise.

It's a tedious story from Norway with two young authors taking disparate paths in their careers. "The Fall" from Roadside Attractions is next with $181,864 dollars; about a minute's worth of income "Iron Man" gained and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" has pulled in just this weekend. It's a shame because "The Fall" is actually a wonderful movie about an injured stunt man in 1920 who spins a wonderful adventure to a wide-eyed little girl. It took four years to make and if you miss it in theaters, catch up with it on Netflix "Roman de Gare" from director Claude Lelouch is a well-made story about a suspected serial killer who may be a ghost writer for a famous author.

So some of the small movies are worth seeing in this season full of blockbusters.

Back in 1981, way before REEL TALK, and back in the prehistoric days before the Internet, cell phones and even Sega Genesis (Intellivision was the hot video game system at the time), a little movie called "Raiders of the Lost Ark" came out and changed movies forever. It was action adventure like nothing that had come before and cemented Harrison Ford's place in the Fanboy Pantheon. Even the critics went nuts for it.

Don't believe me? Well, Indiana Jones isn't the only one who can dig up lost treasures. Here's Jeffrey Lyons' review of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" from '81. Dig the hair!

Just like the "Star Wars" prequels and to a lesser extent, the "Lord of the Rings" films, this weekend's big debut "Indiana Jones and the "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is throwback to the pre-Internet days of film fandom. It's the kind of movie where fans young and old want to celebrate it in some way that involves more than just buying a ticket at the cineplex. Whether that means buying the toys or games tied in to the film or picking up some of the graphic novels, it doesn't matter.

So being a massive Indy geek, I've gathered up some links to Indy items that you may be interested in checking out, either before or after you see 'INDY 4' :

The two best sites for Indy Info are Indiana Jones.com, the official Lucasfilm website, and The Raider.Net, hands down the best Indy fansite and a true portal to anything you want to know about our favorite archeologist. There's tons of great fan art, interviews with everyone associated with the movies and links to help collectors find all sorts of Indy products. And don't skip the articles in the Features section that dissect everything from the character's growth through the four films to examinations of the influence Allen Quartermaine and the serial adventure flicks of the 1940s had on the Indiana Jones saga.

Collectors may want to check out ThrowMeTheIdol.Com and RaidersOfTheLostToys.Com to help you track down that Marion Ravenwood 1983 Kenner action figure you need to complete your collection .. or even a "Temple of Doom" old-school metal lunchbox (Full Disclosure: I have one in my closet, and no, its not for sale!)

DVDs:

Indy's first 3 adventures are on DVD now in "The Adventure Collection" or available individually. Cheapest price I've seen is on amazon.com.

I also highly recommend you give "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones" a try. The short-lived series that aired in the early 90s has been restored in a fabulous 3-volume DVD set featuring every episode of the series (which features cameos from future stars like Catherine Zeta-Jones and Daniel Craig). George Lucas meant for this show to be as much education as entertainment, so to that end, the DVD sets feature a slew of documentaries on some of the true-life figures Indy runs into on the TV show.

Indy Novels

After "The Last Crusade" most people probably think Indy was put on the shelf of classic characters, waiting to be dusted off once Lucas, Spielberg & Ford finally got their act together. But the truth is, Dr. Jones was involved in all sorts of new discoveries on the printed page. Starting in 1991, Bantam Books published a dozen Indy novels, many by Rob Macgregor and a couple written by Martin Caidin, who wrote "Cyborg," the novel that the "Six Million Dollar Man" TV series was based on. They also feature incredible covers by legendary artist Drew Struzan. The books harken back to those old 'Doc Savage' pulp novels from back in the day. Make it a point to check out "Indiana Jones and the Philosopher's Stone," which starts off with Indy searching for a Crystal Skull.

Indy Comics/Graphic Novels

Indiana Jones' first comic exposure happened with Marvel Comics' adaptation of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" in Marvel Super Special #18. Shortly after, Marvel started the ongoing series "The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones." which ran for 34 issues and featured some really off-the-wall stories from great comics creators like John Byrne, Terry Austin, Keith Pollard and the legendary Steve Ditko.The Indy Experience.com

But Indy hit his comics stride when Dark Horse Comics started releasing new Indiana Jones adventures in comic book form in 1991 with "Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis"
(The search for the Lost Continent was one of the many plot points considered for the new Indy movie). These stories were well researched, with great action scenes and IMHO, offered up great possibilities for Indy movies that unfortunately, we'll never see.

Recently, Dark Horse released the Indiana Jones Omnibus, a trade paperback collecting the classic Dark Horse comics. Volume One is already out (click the photo for the link,) Vol. Two comes out June 25. These are nice, compact AFFORDABLE ways to read some cool Indy comics.

One of the more underappreciated aspects of the Indiana Jones phenomenon is how it's sparked so much interest in various parts of history and geography. Sure, Lucas & Spielberg have taken creative liberties with the plots in their movies, but the crux of each of the film (including the crystal skulls at the heart of the new movie) is based on reality. And that has turned many people on to discovering key moments in our history. It's also probably done more to lure new blood into the archeology field than any recruiting drive EVER.

Indy Video Games

Here's a resource for gamers to learn get reviews and strategy tips for all the Indy video games out there, including the latest, the Indiana Jones Lego game. Alas, there is no info on the 1982 Atari video game for "Raiders of the Lost Ark," but its not like you need cheats to beat that game.

Indy Apparel

Think you can pull of the Indiana Jones look? You can find the entire outfit, from the fedora to the boots and yes, even the bullwhip!

Indy Debates

If you're interested in a more scholarly debate on the merits of Indiana Jones than you'll find in the Talkback section of Aintitcool.com, then check out these two essays debating the question, "Is Indiana Jones Bad for Archeology?"
The No Argument
The Yes argument
**Interesting points made on both sides.

In case your Memorial Day BBQ's don't get started until Sunday and you're looking for something to do till then... well then check out the trailers for the movies coming out this weekend and see what appeals to you most!

Remember 1994? I know not really a "memorable" year for any particular reason, but for the hip hop generation it was a time when Tupac and Biggie Smalls were still alive, hip hop and graffiti was at its peak, and in New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani was only in office for about a year busy implementing initiatives against crimes like noise pollution, graffiti and public drunkness.

Well, "The Wackness" starring Mary Kate Olsen, Sir Ben Kingsley, Olivia Thirlby (Juno), Famke Janssen, Josh Peck and Method Man will be bringing their audience back to a time when pagers (not cell phones) were in high demand. Check out the trailer below for "The Wackness" coming to theatres July 3rd!

She warmed up the crowd with her smash hit 3-D concert flick back in February, now Miley Cyrus is working on the main event -- the first full-length feature based on her wildly popular "Hannah Montana" tv show.

Production is underway on the Disney movie, which is set to be released Spring 2009. Read the full press release here

I happen to be a big Marilyn Monroe fan, the 1950's sex symbol, that pretty much changed the way America viewed and portrayed sexuality on the silver screen. I have and watched all of her movies like, "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," the infamous "The Seven Year Itch," that reportedly ignited the divorce between her and ex-husband Joe Dimaggio, and "How to Marry a Millionaire."

I know that this "Some Like it Hot" blonde was a fan of Marlon Brando and after watching the The Wild One clips Jeffrey has in his post about the Stanley Kramer DVD collection...I CAN SEE WHY!

The motorcycle, leather jacket and that nonchalant attitude, I can see why Brando was such a huge hit amongst the ladies and Hollywood's hottest back in his day.

These clips sparked my interest and now, I can't wait to see some more of his films. But not "The Godfather," the film he's best known for, but his pre-Don Corleone flicks like "A Street Car Named Desire," "On The Waterfront," and "Guys and Dolls." These are definitely going into my Netflix queue.

This got me thinking about how present-day Hollywood feels a little incomplete without a 'Brando' or 'Marilyn' type today. The bad boy look seems to have gone out of style since Travolta last took off his leather T-Bird jacket in "Grease" but maybe its time to bring it back. But who? Am I missing anyone who could possibly be the next Bad Boy or Girl of our day? (And no, Lindsey Lohan doesn't count!)
What do you think?

You just never know what the effect will be of that very next decision you make, and how it will impact the REST OF YOUR LIFE!
When William Shatner stopped by our studio last week to talk to Jeffrey about his new autobiography "Up Till Now" he served up an important example of how ANY minor decision you make could impact your tomorrow. Check out the entire interview!

Look who it is!
Mr. Indiana Jones, himself stopped by our studio today to talk to Jeffrey about his Indiana Jones sequel that will be released TOMORROW! Check out the entire interview right here!

I'm a big fan of film noir, that genre of films popular just after the war with dark tales of crime and betrayal. A new DVD series has just hit the market called "Forgotten Noir" and it'll have a prominent place in my video library. Consider "Scotland Yard Inspector" starring Cesar Romero, later to win a new generation of fans as TV's "The Joker" on the sixties campy "Batman" series.

Sometimes movies are known by other titles for one reason or another and if you look up "Scotland Yard Inspector” on lets say www.IMDB.com, you won't find it. That's because its official title is "Lady in the Fog," and the woman who costarred with Romero was Lois Maxwell. Yes, that Lois Maxwell, later known to a subsequent generation of fans as the original "Money penny" in the Sean Connery, James Bond movies. As a starlet in Hollywood in 1949, the British-born Canadian resident posed with other up-and-coming actresses for a promotion shot.

Another actress in the photo was Marilyn Monroe. In "Lady in the Fog"/"Scotland Yard Inspector," she asks an American inspector visiting London to help find her brother's killer. None of the other cast members had any career of note, but Director Sam Newfield, never an "A-lister,” did direct one really hokey movie I loved as a child. Also starring Cesar Romero, it was called "Lost Continent' in which Romero and veteran character actors John Hoyt and Sid Melton (trust me, look them up and if you know your "B" movies, you'll recognize them) land on an island inhabited by dinosaurs.

Decades before today's sophisticated computer technology, primitive stop action techniques were used, so, as in the original "King Kong," the dinosaurs have a delightful herky-jerky motion about them. My favorite line in that movie is uttered by Melton: "...A Tyranna-who?" Meanwhile, we'll have reviews of some of the other entries in the latest "Forgotten Noir" DVD set in coming days. Nine movies in all, and they're available through VCI Entertainment and of course they have a web site. These movies deserve to be remembered!

There is a new DVD collection, which any film buff should enjoy. It's "The Stanley Kramer Film Collection" with five of his most memorable films: "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," "Ship of Fools," "The Member of the Wedding," "The Wild One," and "The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T."

If you would like to purchase this collection just click the photo or if you would like to see clips from this collection, keep reading.

"The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T" a 1953 musical fantasy starring Tommy Rettig(who later starred on TV's "Lassie") is really a forgotten film. But also in the collection is "The Wild One" from the same year, one of the first important roles starring Marlon Brando. His pose alongside his motorcycle became an iconic image of American cinema. "What're you rebelling against?" he's asked. "Whadda ya got?" was the classic reply.

"The Member of the Wedding" from 1952 is based on the Carson McCullers novel, stars Julie Harris ( "East of Eden") as an awkward adolescent tomboy and Ethel Waters who plays, her family’s cook and her only friend. Ms. Harris, better known as a stage actress got an Oscar nomination for her role. Brandon de Wilde, best known for his role as the boy in "Shane” and who was too young to die in an auto accident, costarred. So did the veteran character actor Arthur Franz.

1965's "Ship of Fools" is in the collection, a voyage across the ocean in the 1930's as war clouds were gathering. Lee Marvin, Oskar Werner, Michael Dunn and the great Simone Signoret starred in the film directed and produced by Stanley Kramer and written by the great Abby Mann, from Katherine Anne Porter's novel. Vivien Leigh and Jose Ferrer gave memorable performances.

And “Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" from 1967 is in the collection. It was Spencer Tracy's last film; he died soon after shooting ended. He and Katherine Hepburn play the parents of a young woman, played byHepburn's real-life niece Katherine Houghton. Sidney Poitier, a dark-skinned native from the Bahamas, is the young man to whom the title refers to in this movie, which was quite controversial in its day since it was during the height of the civil rights movement.

I do wish however, that Kramer’s "Judgment at Nuremberg"(1961) and "The Pride and the Passion" (1957) had been included. I was on the set of the later movie in Spain in 1957 when I was very young and met the stars, Cary Grant and Sofia Loren. Years later, when I introduced my wife Judy to Grant, he said, quoting the line every mimic uses when doing Grant: "You know, I never said 'Judy, Judy, Judy’." My wife couldn't speak. As for Sofia Loren, that is a story for another time.

The Cannes Film Festival is underway…and I’m not there. This is a double-edged sword as I could hardly stand to be away from my two young children for the requisite 10-day trip. But I do miss being on the Cote d’azur at this glorious time of year.
So it’s with some pleasure when I read that it has been damp and dreary for the last few days. Ha!
As I read about all the great films playing there…knowing that I won’t ever get to see them all…I think about Cannes past.

I’ve been there three times now…but strangely, the films are not foremost in my memory. Mostly, I remember the amazing food, the smell of France, the sea air, and the constant hubbub on the Croisette. There is a covered market situated behind the sea-front cafes and overpriced shops. Other tourists didn’t seem to know about it, as itrequired leaving the comfort of the main drag. I would go there and buy the freshest strawberries I’ve ever tasted, feeling like I was seeing the real France. Off the beaten track also, was an unassuming restaurant called “Le Festival Des Moules”…where one could eat mussels in various sauces…most involving wine, cream and garlic. I was in heaven. One day after the film festival, the main ‘place’ was filled with a flea market where I found hard-backed French language editions of “Les Aventures de Tin Tin”. I bought as many as I thought my suitcase could handle.
But as for the films…I stood along with the rest of the Palais for the standing ovation for “Fahrenheit 911.” I suffered through “Matrix Reloaded.” I laughed through “The Brown Bunny.” I stepped on Roger Ebert’s toe as I inelegantly tried to squeeze past him to gain my seat at “The Usual Suspects”. I dragged myself bleary-eyed to an 8am screening of “The Assassination of Richard Nixon” only because we had been granted an exclusive TV interview with Sean Penn the next day. I squeezed into the last seat…where it took me way too long to realize that I was actually re-watching “Fahrenheit 911.” Panicked, I exited and found the right screening room. Cannes is confusing, overwhelming and daunting. It’s also tiring. As a journalist, you cover miles of ground walking from one screening to the next…from your hotel to the press conferences, or to the swishy hotels where the celebs are deigning to talk to you. You stand in line for hours on a jetty, waiting to ask Angelina Jolie one question about being the voice of a fish in “Shark Tale”. And boy is she tiny.
But then…moments of utter joy as you climb the Palais steps…photographers snapping crazily…even if you are a no one, and the huge screen of the Palais, and the cast entering behind you as you watch on the big screen. And then the darkness…
We, the press, love to complain when we’re at film festivals. But really, what could possibly be unpleasant about spending hours in the dark, just knowing that the Riviera, and the leopard ladies are just outside. Cannes…c’est le pied!!

As I was watching “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” Sunday night, I found myself thinking some very impure thoughts.
Having railed against Hollywood’s pairing of older men with young starlets in the past…why was I flinching at Indy hooking up with his ex Marion Ravenwood? Why was I wishing for a sexier female to catch his eye? (Cate Blanchett didn’t count, because she looked like the offspring of Elsa Klensch and Rosa Klebb). Have I succumbed to the movie studios “theory” that a woman is only desirable in her twenties?

After all, Karen Allen is 58 to Harrison Ford’s 65, a perfect match no? It’s true that men are perceived to age better than women. Ford, with his grey hair, and slightly thicker body still looks desperately handsome and sexy. Allen still looks like Karen Allen only older. In “Raiders of the Lost Ark” they had great chemistry and I realized that the problem here isn’t how she looks or aged or hasn’t aged: the problem was the script, or the lack of a decent script when it came to their relationship. They had one good scene together when they argue about him leaving her 20 years ago. Then suddenly, all is resolved and they are a loving parental couple. Boring! What the film needed in this department was more sexual tension…and more of that feisty fire that Ravenwood displayed in the original. Then she would have been a worthy match for our Indy!

So I saw the fourth and highly anticipated Indiana Jones sequel yesterday and although I didn’t loooove it…I did like it a lot, and had a good time with it.

Here are my quibbles with it...

(read more after the jump!)

▪ It’s too long by about 10 minutes! Or at least there is about 10 minutes of chases that I could have happily seen cut out.
▪ There were too many secret chambers, hidden passageways, tipping floors, moving walls etc.
▪ There were too many similarities to other Indy films…the sidekick who inadvertently gets Indy in trouble, the lever to pull in a dark, cobwebby hole, the beastly bugs that crawl all over you.
▪ Too many Spielberg self-references. “ET” and “Close Encounters” leap to mind.
▪ Not enough build up to the reunion of Indy and ex-flame Marion Ravenwood.

Here’s what I would have preferred…that we had a bit more sexual tension and witty banter between Marion and Indy before they reunite. Replace a couple of action scenes with some good arguing (there was one classic scene in a truck) and the ending would have been more rewarding.
What I did like about it was Harrison Ford, who is still perfect for the role. They have never tried to make him a superhero and that’s why he’s so appealing. Also, the Cold War setting was a good choice and Cate Blanchett was a great baddie. Ray Winstone, who wisely sticks to being a brit here was also good casting. I liked Shia La Beouf, but not sure that I want to see him take over for Ford just yet. Overall, it may not have knocked my socks off, but it did leave me wondering about (and looking forward to) number five! As long as Ford signs on, I’m there!

Ladies and gentlemen, here’s a sad and unfortunate fact: William Shatner a.k.a. CAPTAIN KIRK will not be in J.J. Abrams' new Star Trek movie, scheduled for release May 2009! And we agree with Shatner in the disappointment in not getting the call to return to duty onboard the Enterprise. Regardless, we still have our fingers crossed for a cameo. Shatner dropped by recently to talk to Jeffrey about his new autobiography, "Up Till Now: The Autobiography." Here he addresses the Trek movie snub.

I made my second trip to the film forum in downtown New York City, yesterday to catch another film at the Godard retrospective. This time it was “La Chinoise” from 1967, and boy did I struggle to keep up.

Gone are the casual, airy plots and nouvelle vague devices of his early sixties films. No more sexy stories about wanting babies, and being in love. No more stunning Anna Karina in various states of undress. No more of Raoul Coutard’s beautiful Paris.

Instead…a Brecht Ian onslaught of political mumbo-jumbo and Marxist/Leninist dogma... a self-conscious, theatrical presentation of ideas complete with deadpan delivery, intertitles and aphorisms scrawled on walls. I would have walked out, but thought someone might recognize me and how would that look?

So I stuck it out hoping to make sense of it all by the end. I never did. I understand what Godard was trying to do (I think) but still found it to be a pointless exercise in cinematic masturbation.
However, I’m still looking forward to seeing “Masculine, Feminine” “Contempt” and “Band of Outsiders” in the coming weeks!

It's an indicator of how much money summer tentpoles cost nowadays and the expectations studios place in these films that "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" can earn $56.6 million in its debut weekend, and be considered a mild disappointment.

The Narnia sequel earned $9M less than "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" did in its debut in 2005. Guess the darker, more battle-oriented nature of this chapter did hurt it at the box office, despite mostly positive reviews.

Let's see how well 'Caspian' holds on to its audience next week, when "Indy 4" hits. Read the rest of the Top 5 box office after the jump.

It was still good enough to knock off the two-time defending champ "Iron Man," which nevertheless still earned $31M for a $220M total after just 3 weeks.

In third place was "What Happens in Vegas" with a strong $13.8M sophomore weekend ($40M total). The Ashton Kutcher/Cameron Diaz comedy lost only 31% of its audience which indicates word-of-mouth is strong (and it is pretty entertaining).

On the flipside, "Speed Racer" continues to spin off the track, earning just $7.6M its second weekend. Warner Bros.' $180 million spectacle has now earned a depressing $29.8M -- ouch.

In fifth place is the sturdy "Baby Mama" with $4.5M ($47M so far), showing female lead comedies can make money if a) you've got funny women like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in the cast; and b) you find the right release date.

Jeffrey and Alison will be sharing their thoughts on these movies this weekend! Click on the poster to find out what they thought about a movie you might be planning on seeing.

Or at least he will in an upcoming role.

Variety reports the Oscar winner has signed to star in "The Men Who Stare At Goats," based on Jon Ronson's bestseller. The book is about the U.S. Army's First Earth Battalion, a unit that was formed in 1979 to train soldiers in the use of paranormal powers.

And yes, it's based on real events. The title, in case you're wondering, refers to the notion that you can kill a goat by staring at it.

Clooney would star, and his producing/writing partner Grant Heslov (they co-wrote "Good Night and Good Luck")is set to direct. No start date for production is set yet, because financing still has to come together. For anyone but Clooney, I would say it would be a real challenge to get this project off the ground. But this sounds like the kind of movie he likes to make -- daring and off the wall.

BTW, you can Click here to check out Jeffrey's interview with Senor Clooney when he was here recently promoting "Leatherheads."

With a mega-franchise like 'Narnia' you can expect all sorts of tie-ins, including the obligatory action figures. Prince Caspian himself, Ben Barnes, tells Alison that he expects kids to abuse the action figure (don't call it a doll!) based on his own experience when he used to beat up his old He-Man and Transformer toys.

The 61st Cannes film festival opened last night with Fernando Meirelles’ “Blindness” starring Julianne Moore. It will close with Barry Levinson’s “What Just Happened” starring Robert Deniro. However, the big buzz is around “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” which will be having its world premiere there this Sunday.

So you might be fooled into thinking that Cannes has just become another venue for American movie stars to strut their stuff and show-off their product. Well it is all that…but there are many other great filmmakers who are showing their films this year.

The Belgian Dardenne brothers who did “Rosetta” and “The Child” have a new film in the competition “The Silence of Lorna.” A past winner from Turkey, Nuri Bilge Ceylan competes with “Three Monkeys”…and Atom Egoyan with “Adoration.” Wim Wenders has “Palermo Shooting.” Norwegian director Bent Hamer (“Kitchen Stories”) is in the “Un Certain Regard” category. It will be interesting to see which films get U.S. distribution. Certainly, winning the big prize, the Palme D’or has usually entailed a release stateside. But how many people saw last year’s “4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days?” Or Ken Loach’s “The Wind That Shakes The Barley?” You have to go back to 2004 and “Fahrenheit 9/11” to see a winner with that popular appeal.

Ok, so after getting so many comments on the post Alison made last year about the set design on the film "P.S. I Love You" (click on the photo if you would like to read it.) I've FINALLY got the answer to the question so many of you have been asking...

Just where did the set designer get that great duvet and set of linens from? Well after doing some research and tracking down set designer Alyssa Winter, I have got that answer for you...

Read her response after the jump!

Dear Reel Talk TV,

Thanks for sharing the responses on your site. Most of the bedding came from John Robshaw Textiles. They have a website and are sold in many high end linen stores. I doubt any of the same items are currently available as they are from past seasons but they always have very beautiful patterns. The bed is a vintage piece from Hobnail Antiques in Millbrook NY. They have a great stock of cast iron beds.

Hope this helps,

Alyssa Winter
Set Decorator

If you're a fan of Japanese anime, you may want to clear your calendar next week. The live-action anime film "Death Note" is getting a special two-night debut on May 20 & May 21st in more than 300 theaters across the country.

Read more about it after the jump.

Based on the supernatural anime tv show and manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, it focuses on Light Yagami, a student who finds the Death Note. The Death Note is a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies and now Light has decided to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil.

Got all that?

Besides the picture, the audience will get to see a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie and interviewers with the castmembers. These special theatrical events are becoming a specialty of National CineMedia’s (NCM) Fathom and VIZ Pictures, giving fans a chance to see import productions in a format other than DVD and also bringing back cult favorites such as "First Blood" back to theaters. And believe me, anime is a completely different experience when you see it in a theater with top-notch sound.

Click Here to find out if "Death Note" is playing in your area.

Everyone will be KUNG FU FIGHTING this Summer when "Kung Fu Panda" - with voice work by Jack Black and Angelina Jolie -- comes to theaters on June 6th!

Check out the trailer!

Looks like Mr. Michael Moore is going to follow up his indictment of the U.S. health care system "Sicko" with a follow-up to 2004's "Fahrenheit 9/11."

That film, a scathing critique of the Bush Administration, is the only documentary to ever earn more than $100 million at the box office. Moore's new project plans to examine America's standing in the world nearly seven years after Sept. 11., and with President Bush winding down his second and final term in the Oval Office.

According to Nick Meyer, president of Paramount Vantage, which is co-financing the pic with Overture Films, the film will not be about bashing anyone in particular. But does anyone really believe Michael Moore -- the guy behind "Roger and Me" and "Bowling For Columbine" -- will do a movie about the Iraq War and NOT take shots at the current Administration?

Expect the sequel to "Fahrenheit 9/11" in spring 2009, just after President Bush leaves office. Paramount Vantage and Overture will be marketing the movie to international buyers at Cannes this week.

In case you didn't get to see "Fahrenheit 9/11" or if you just need a little reminder as to the kind of documentary it is, here are some clips!

I had some spare time this week, so I took the opportunity to go downtown to my favorite New York City cinema: Film Forum. There is always something screening there that I want to see…either a documentary that I missed, or a new obscure work of art from an independent filmmaker and they often have great retrospectives.

This time, I went to catch a couple of Jean-Luc Godard’s works from the early 60s.

First was “Vivre Sa Vie” from 1962, which you can catch May 30th for a week. This stars Godard’s muse and wife Anna Karina as a record store clerk who descends into prostitution.
Then I saw “Une Femme Est Une Femme” (1961) also with Karina. Godard was one of the fathers of the french “Nouvelle Vague”…and it’s easy to understand how shocking and new his work must have seemed back in the sixties. To us in the year 2008…jump cuts, flashes forward and back, ellipses, voice over and words written on screen don’t seem very revolutionary. But it’s immensely enjoyable to watch Godard’s work and see the modern day filmmakers he has obviously inspired and influenced.

Would we ever have had “pulp fiction” without Godard? Surely Uma Thurman’s black bob owes a debt to Karina’s hair in “Vivre Sa Vie.” And when you watch the divinely sexy Karina dance around a pool table in a white shirt… again, I think of Thurman at Jack Rabbit Slims.

Sometimes I wish I could enjoy Godard’s work without being reminded of Tarantino!! But anyway you watch…Godard (who is still alive and working,) it is a must-see.

Before you go see "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" when it debuts (finally!) next week, you're probably going to get the urge to see the first 3 Indy flicks first. Most of the hardcore fans already have the set but for those who don't, Lucasfilm and Paramount have just released an updated version of the Indy dvd box set that was first issued a few years back.

The movies are still the same. Spielberg hasn't unearthed any 'lost' scenes -- and frankly, I don't think I'd want him altering any of the Indy films. They're classics AS IS. The main difference is in the extras. Each film comes with new intros by the principals, 'making of' documentaries, storyboards and interviews with the actors. Much of this stuff was found in the original box set but if you don't have that one, this is the one to get because it's in a space-saving slipcase with the all-time best Indy image ... from the 1982 re-release poster.

Oh, and if you're not a fan of "Temple of Doom" -- something I can't fathom, because I think it's a woefully under-appreciated movie -- for the first time, the first three Indiana Jones movies are available separately.

Tinkering with a beloved book series can be dangerous, but if done well, it can help make the translation from book to theater even better. It worked with the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy ... and so far, so good with "The Chronicles of Narnia" series. Ben Barnes, the new hero in "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" which opens in theaters this weekend...told Alison that some of the romantic tension in the new movie between his character and Susan (Anna Popplewell) -- which was not in C.S. Lewis' book -- was cut out of the final print. However, he hinted that we could see this storyline fleshed out in future films.

I'm starting to get a good feeling about "The Incredible Hulk." I think it's going to do justice to the Green Goliath in a way Ang Lee's 2003 film didn't. I'm not one of those guys who hated that film but it still wasn't the Hulk movie I wanted to see. This one, despite all the finger-pointing on the set and reported battles over final cut, THIS looks like the Hulk film that was supposed to hit theaters five years ago.

I think the filmmakers were right to wait until the last second possible to show anything from the film. The reaction they received at the NY Comic Con justified their delay. Check out the newest trailer and see what I mean. "The Incredible Hulk" opens June 13.

Get ready because Fraggle Rock will no longer be just an outdated, eighties, childrens sitcom!

It turns out the Weinstein Co. has just joined forces with Jim Henson productions and plans to turn Henson's puppet series, that ran from 1983 to 1987, into a musical on-screen production.

The series originally ran there first 3 seasons on HBO, and recently released those episodes onto DVD, resulting in successful sales numbers

Cory Edwards ("Hoodwinked!") will write and direct the screenplay. And it just wouldn't be "Fraggle Rock" without the main characters Gogo, Wembley, Mokey, Boober and Red, who will be embarking outside of their comfy cave to interact with humans, whom they think are aliens. Check out clips from their second season below!

Not too long ago Jason Segel stopped in with Judd Apatow and told "Reel Talk" about writing the new "Muppet Movie." Now, we are hearing about a new "Fraggle Rock" movie. It seems these puppeteers are not ready to surrender to the success of Pixar films, when it comes to kid-friendly films.

You can watch that entire interview by clicking right here!

To no one's surprise, "Speed Racer" has turned into the summer's first flop. In its opening week it raked in only $20.2 million , playing in 3,606 theaters. That’s a much lower than expected figure and nowhere near the $50.5 that "Iron Man" earned in its second week. Since the Wachowski Brothers spent a reported $180 million on the film, it's going down as a big disappointment.

I think one of the biggest problems it had is that while the PG-rated movie was obviously aimed at a young audience, the audience that grew up watching the 1960s Japanese cartoon is actually much older. Young kids had no connection to the source material. Parents taking kids of this generation probably went just to see
something, rather than in response to any request from their children.
And Emile Hirsch's superb breakout performance came in "Into the Wild," which wasn't in a family film, so kids aren't familiar with his work yet. That and the fact that the film was too long, had a flimsy story and relied too much of special effects.

Oddly, Oscar winner Susan Sarandon, who played the mother of the title
character, is competing with her longtime significant other, Tim Robbins's movie "Noise," an intriguing and funny black comedy, which also opened this
past week(albeit in limited release).

It'll be interesting to see how the new "Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" does in attracting families this coming weekend. The first film did nearly $1 billion worldwide and it has a new lead actor, Ben Barnes, who will be our guest on REEL TALK this weekend.

Yes, that headline is correct. Oscar-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone is set to release his movie about the 43rd President of the United States in just over five months. Sounds great, and timely, since that would mean it opens just before the Presidential elections. But, and it's HUGE and production hasn't started yet! I can't envison how Stone makes that release date without compromising the film in some way.

Keep in mind, the role of Vice-President Dick Cheney is still not cast. "Entertainment Weekly" put the First Couple on its cover this week (that's Josh Brolin & Elizabeth Banks) so the publicity machine at least, is up and running. This will be an interesting film set to keep an eye on.

If you're one of those on the fence about seeing "Speed Racer" when it debuts in theaters this weekend, here's something that might help you make up your mind: the first seven minutes of the movie are now up on Yahoo!

Check it out below. You can hear what Jeffrey/Alison think of the movie, and check out Jeffrey's interview with Emile Hirsch , this weekend on RT.

Most people know Famke Janssen from her role as Jean Grey in the “X-Men” trilogy but her resume includes a slew of diverse roles, from TV’s “Nip/Tuck” to the ensemble indie “The Ten” and now to her starring role as a pool hustler in “Turn the River” – which opens this weekend in limited release. Here’s a clip from her recent visit with Jeffrey, talking about how she learned how to do the tough trick shots you see in the movie.

Emile Hirsch is happy to be in a nice, big, brightly colored summer popcorn extravaganza, this weekend’s “Speed Racer.”

Coming off the brilliant but intense “Into the Wild”, Hirsch told Jeffrey he enjoyed playing in the family-friendly, green screen sandbox The Wachowski Brothers used to make the cartoon adaptation, even though it wasn’t the most eco-friendly production. Hear more from Emile this weekend on RT.

This week I saw the revival of the comedy "Boeing Boeing" on Broadway. I had seen it in London in the ‘sixties’ on stage in the west end and the movie version starring Tony Curtis. He played an American Bachelor living in Paris and "engaged" to three flight attendants. One from Lufthansa, another from TWA, and the third from Alitalia. He had a worldwide airline schedule and was able to juggle their stays in his apartment so none was the wiser. Jerry Lewis played Curtis' American friend who comes for a visit and who somehow has one of the flight attendants fall for him.

Someone named Mark Rylance has that role here and is clumsy and unappealing as is this dated, now-chauvinistic and often silly play."Christine Baranski plays his helpful maid in this onstage production, and The West Wing" alumnus Bradley Whitford has the old Curtis role. Gina Gershon does an Italian accent that sounds something like a female Bella Lugosi, and another "West Wing" alumna, Mary McCormack, gives a standard German accent. It worked on screen because back in the 'sixties,’ such humor was still in vogue. Now on stage it's shrill and unappealing. Rent the film instead.

So it seems to me, that not only are romantic comedies increasingly unoriginal and predictable (I’ve ranted about this before), but they seem to be ripping off old episodes of “Friends.”

“Made of Honor” had exactly the same premise as the episode where Rachel decides she really does love Ross. He’s in china on a business trip and she goes to the airport to meet him. Only he’s met and fallen in love with Julie, who becomes a fixture at central perk. Rachel is left smiling through gritted teeth.

And in “What Happens in Vegas,” Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz get drunk in Vegas and get married, much to their alarm the next morning. Ross and Rachel did the same thing when they were in Vegas.

Obviously I watch too many re-runs, maybe I should write a screenplay about a dorky paleontologist and his five best friends. That would be original!

Caught an early screening of "Noise" last night -- Tim Robbins' new film. It surprised me with its storyline and unpredictable arc. Henry Bean wrote and directed it, he did the forceful "The Believer" a few years back.

Basically, it's about a man who rebels against all the street noise of NYC and becomes a crusader for a quieter city. William Hurt costars as a pompous mayor with a bad dye job.

As someone who lives on a very loud block -- with a very low tolerance for car alarms and sirens and beeping trucks, I related to Robbins' character enormously. (Although I deny ever taking a hammer to a windshield.)

But what I most liked about the film was its originality. I really had no idea where the character or the plot were heading. And today, when films such as the formulaic "Made of Honor" are churned out and sold to us as escapist fantasy that's a real treat!

Jeffrey and I will review this film in detail next week on Reel Talk.

Jon Favreau, director of this weekend's big new movie "Iron Man" (and a knowledgeable comics fan himself), dropped by this week and talked to Jeffrey about tons of things, including how he juggled the film's incredible special effects and the quieter, character moments that really make the film stand out from most summer extravaganzas. Take our word for it, "Iron Man" will be HUGE and deservedly so. Take a listen this part of the interview, and remember to check out more of their conversation this weekend on RT.