NAOMI WATTS CAST AS PRINCESS DIANA IN "CAUGHT IN FLIGHT"

Naomi Watts

Finally, they've found their Princess Diana!  Oscar-nominated Actress Naomi Watts has officially been cast in upcoming Diana Film, Caught in Flight.  Jessica Chastain prior had been attached to the role but had to pull-out due to scheduling.  The Film is said to focus on that Icon's life following her Divorce from Charles, centering on a passionate affair she had with Dr. Hasnat Khan, who is said to have been the true "love of her life".   

Oliver Hirschbiegel will be helming for Ecosse Films with a $15 million budget.  Production is set to take place between Pakistan, Angola, the South of France and Paris. 

Earlier there was talk of Kiera Knightley and Charlize Theron in-talks to play Diana also in separate projects, although those do not seem to have taken flight - pardon the pun.  I'm di-ing to see this.

(Photo credit: Blackbook Magazine)

"J. EDGAR" - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from J. Edgar

Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar gives us a glimpse at the little-known private life of a Public Figure who both was celebrated for his achievements in Law Enforcement and also despised for an ethically  questionable regime in his near-50 year reign as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States.

Leonardo DiCaprio steps-up to the challenge of playing a Man who is tough-as-nails in his all-consuming ambition to establish and protect his own Legacy in America. At the other end of the spectrum however, we see a Paradox. Eastwood portrays Hoover as an Man torn between his relentless drive to please his demanding Mother (Judi Dench), his secret relationship with second-in-line Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer) and his endless desire to be a Public Hero, which he will go at all lengths to become.  Does J. Edgar portray its Hero in a positive light?  No, not necessarily.  What we get here is an attempt to understand the psyche of an incredibly complex Hero who nobody really ever knew -  not his Lover, his trusted Secretary Helen (Naomi Watts) nor Himself for that matter.

We all know Dustin Lance Black's fantastic Screenwriting in 2008's Milk, but even he had his work cut-out for him with the challenge of covering the span of 50 years in the life of someone who in all honesty isn't that likable.   As is the case with any Biopic, everything traditionally culminates in a defining moment and despite hinting repeatedly at that to come, J. Edgar hangs anticlimactically. The frequent crisscrossing of time lines instead of punctuating important moments in Hoover's life, somewhat disrupts a natural flow. One moment we see a young, strapping Hoover as Hollywood Starlets are clawing to bed him; the next we doubt his mental well-being in his old age.  The most telling moment of all is when Hoover's world unravels late and I found myself feeling apathy versus sympathy and this is unfortunate.

"DREAM HOUSE" GETS 0% AT ROTTEN TOMATOES

Dream House rates 0% on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer

Although it's only a handful of Reviews that have come in, things are looking rather grim for Toronto-filmed Horror Dream House by Jim Sheridan.  It had the Pedigree: a great Director, an Oscar-calibre Cast of Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts and Rachel Weisz.  I was planning to see it, but likely now won't touch it with a ten-foot poll.

The Orlando Sentinel's Roger Moore says, "So much is just so...obvious.". The New York Daily News' Joel Neumaier notes, "More than likely, though, it will be recalled as one of the strangest movies the current James Bond (Craig) and the Oscar-winning actress have ever made.".  Variety unfortunately didn't have much better news, stating "Daniel Craig does everything to dispel comparisons to Stanley Kubrick's The Shining with a finely tuned performance, but the film flattens as it tries to explain his character's psychological state.". 

Reviews from many Key Players are still rolling-in, but this is pretty much the final blow for the troubled $60 million Film distributed in Canada by eOne Films which in the U.S. had gone through a hard-fought battle to get a PG-13 rating, but alas the MPAA upheld its decision to keep it Restricted. Also, the Horror has been pushed-back multiple times now after original plans to release it earlier in the year.  Re-shoots were ordered in Oakville (just west of Toronto) too this past Winter, accounting for some of those delays.  Terribly sad.

Will this be enough to deter you from seeing it?

"DREAM HOUSE" TRAILER SURFACES - IS DANIEL CRAIG THE VILLAIN?

Still from Dream House

"Everyone who lives in this house gets killed".

In what looks like a cross between The Others and Shutter Island, with elements from a litany of other Horror films, an official Trailer for Toronto-shot Dream House finally surfaces today.  And although originally it appeared to have been a Supernatural Thriller, it's looking more like a Psycho-Thriller, leaving us questioning whether Daniel Craig is the Hero or the Villain.  

There's much talk of Dream House returning to its Toronto roots for a TIFF Premiere in September and we'll soon see if this Rebirth will be taking place!

See the Trailer in full below:

FIRST OFFICIAL "DREAM HOUSE" POSTER

After being pushed-back due to Reshoots here in Toronto earlier this year, it appears that Dream House finally is ready for release.

This new Poster for the Jim Sheridan Horror starring Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz and Naomi Watts has just surfaced. They had that many big names and could only allocate that little bit of space to cram them all in?  Perhaps this Poster would be better fitted to a Film called Creeps on a Doorknob?

With over two months to go before its September 30, 2011 release, we have yet to even see a proper Trailer for the Film. This is beginning to scare me ...and not in a good way!

There is still some thought of it receiving a Premiere in September at TIFF, possibly as part of its Midnight Madness line-up? We'll soon know!

See the Poster below:

VALERIE PLAME'S FAIR GAME REVIEW

Still from Fair Game

Based on the Memoir Fair Game by disgraced CIA Agent Valerie Plame, Doug Liman's latest film of the same title recounts the story which shook the United States seven years ago.  Being one of America's most respected CIA Agents, Plame (Naomi Watts) completed many an important undercover mission prior to things going awry.    

Plame's husband, Journalist Joe Wilson (Sean Penn) had journeyed to Niger, investigating the validity in claims of Saddam Hussein ordering weapons of mass destruction allegedly produced there, to be used against the U.S.  After drawing the conclusion that no such deal had taken place, Wilson had refuted erroneous claims from President George W. Bush that the U.S. was in clear and imminent danger, referencing supposed evidence from the British Intelligence.  

Wilson then took poisonous pen to paper and wrote a piece published in the New York Times in 2003, outlining some of his own direct findings from his time in Niger.  Scooter Libby (David Andrews) who at the time was a part of the Bush Administration, held the title of Assistant to the Vice President for National Security.  He proceeded to go on an all-out attack, discrediting Wilson for having been tipped-off by his wife Plame.  This essentially sabotaged her career by unveiling her secret identity to the world.  As a result of this, we see Wilson and Plame's relationship begin to fall apart as Wilson is determined to uncover the truth, while Plame struggles to cope with the controversy and attention she received so suddenly.

VIDEO: FAIR GAME TRAILER

I've been going on about this movie forever, but the trailer has surfaced at long last.  Although it won't be doing the rounds on the festival circuit, namely in Venice and Toronto, Doug Liman's Fair Game looks to deliver every bit of promise it has shown on paper.  The film is based on the true story of CIA Agent Valerie Plame (Naomi Watts) whose identity was revealed after her husband Joseph C. Wilson (Sean Penn) wrote a piece in The New York Times discrediting the Bush Administration in justifying their invasion of Iraq.  The film will be released on November 5, 2010 through Summit Entertainment.

And I just may have a signed 8x10 of Watts, who is a front-runner in the race for Best Actress at the Oscars, to give away to my lovely readers.  But you'll just have to wait til a bit later in the year for that.  Oh yeah.

ANGELINA JOLIE AND GEORGE CLOONEY TO STAR IN MARILYN MONROE MOVIE

Yet another Marilyn Monroe movie is in the works, but this one appears to be the biggest one yet.  Angelina Jolie and George Clooney are said to be "definites" according to The Guardian in a film adaption of Andrew O'Hagan's novel The Life and Opinion of Maf The Dog, and of His Friend Marilyn Monroe. 

Why the name Maf, you ask?  It is the stuff of legends that Frank Sinatra (to be played by Clooney) bought Monroe (Jolie) the White French Poodle as a gift and her name was chosen because of Sinatra's ties to the Mafia.  The dog was under the care of Monroe for two years before she passed away, before Maf was given to Sinatra's secretary Gloria Lovell.

Count this as the third film to begin production about the iconic figure.  Michelle Williams, currently in Toronto, is tapped to star in My Week with Marilyn, while Naomi Watts is also set to begin work on Blonde, both listed now as being in Pre-Production.  Somebody better start investing some stock in Clairol and L'Oreal as we can expect the return of The Blonde very soon!

DIRECTOR DOUG LIMAN DEFENDS NAOMI WATTS

On Naomi Watts' performance in Fair Game, director Doug Liman responds to critics who feel her performance lacked warmth or dimension: "It would have been easy to create a fiction that Naomi’s Valerie is an emotional NOC. That she has this steely exterior but when she comes home and she’s something else. In fiction you can make up anything, but I actually spent time around the real Val and found her completely compelling as a person and she kept that façade no matter what she was doing and I wanted Naomi Watts’ character to follow suit." 

Watts is rumoured to have put on a career best performance as disgraced CIA agent Valerie Plame in Liman's film, screening in Cannes.  I personally think they should just FedEx me a copy of this Screener and I will decide for them!  STAT.

NAOMI WATTS AS MARILYN MONROE

I've told you time and again that Sydney-cum-New York native Naomi Watts is well on her way to becoming Hollywood's hottest actress and it's happening right before our eyes.  She has just signed on to star in Blonde, based on a novel which imagines the life of iconic Marilyn Monroe.  Filming is set to begin January 2011 and the project will be directed by Andrew Dominik who brought us The Assassination of Jesse James (no, not Sandra Bullock's shamed ex!) by the Coward Robert Ford.  Another amazing actress Michelle Williams, is also tapped to play the iconic Blonde this September when production begins on My Week With Marilyn from The Weinstein Co.

Watts does drama beautifully with her understated elegance and has the emotional depth to pay tribute to such a complex figure. Monroe lived a glamorous yet very tortured life and Watts is right at home in these types of roles.  Who wouldn't want to see this juicy goodness?

So let's do a quick tally: Watts has an early Oscar contender in Fair Game (opposite Sean Penn), You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (Woody Allen), Toronto-shot Dream House (opposite Daniel Craig) and now this plum role lined up to keep her in the spotlight for the next while.  She owes her Agent a raise as she's sure come a long way since having to borrow money from Nicole Kidman to pay her rent.  Well done.  (Photo credit: Black Book Magazine)

NAOMI WATTS ON PEREZ HILTON AND HER FIRST NUDE SCENE

“I’ve never done full-frontal nudity before,” she says. “It was so hard for me to do that. I had just had a baby, so my body was completely different. But I thought that if I was going to play this ballsy woman, I needed to go for it. Someone in the crew tipped off the paparazzi and now there are photos of me on that website—what’s it called—Perez Hilton. Isn’t that awful?” - Naomi Watts on this month's issue of Black Book magazine.  Check out Nick Haramis' fantastic interview and some gorgeous photos by Ruven Afanador. Haramis confirmed with me that this interview actually took place in Toronto a few weeks back over lunch! And also learn why it is that she is quickly becoming Hollywood's new leading actress. 

Naomi, I love you!  I stare at this every day on my way out of my flat.  This is going to be your year at the Oscars.

THANK YOU, NAOMI WATTS.

The latest induction to the The Mr. Will-W. Museum of Signed Arts.  Thank you Naomi Watts.  I love you too!

xW

CANNES FILM FESTIVAL TITLES ANNOUNCED

Director Doug Liman's Fair Game will be among many future Oscar-contending films at this year's 63rd Cannes Film Festival  to be held May 12-23, 2010.  The film stars Sean Penn and Naomi Watts, who will be appearing together yet again after garnering critical success in The Assasination of Richard Nixon and 21 Grams previously.  The political drama is about CIA agent Valerie Plame, who is exposed by White House Officials after he wrote a New York Times piece with incriminating evidence against the Bush administration and its decision to invade Iraq.  Heavy stuff. 

The story inspired 2008's Nothing But The Truth starring Vera Farmiga and Kate Beckinsale, but Liman's film is the actual real deal.  Watts has a second film, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, which also is the latest film from legendary Woody Allen.  It also stars Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, Freida Pinto and Josh Brolin.  Hmm, gee... I wonder who will be cast as the Tall Dark Stranger in this one?  Could it be sexy MANtonio?

AN EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEAK AT DANIEL CRAIG'S NEW FILM "DREAM HOUSE"

Filming for director Jim Sheridan's (My Left Foot, Get Rich or Die Tryin') latest project Dream House began in and around Toronto in February, moving from the downtown core to Guelph, Newmarket and Oakville.  The thriller stars hunky thespian-turned-James Bond actor Daniel Craig, alongside Oscar winner Rachel Weisz and Oscar nominee Naomi Watts.  The story centers around a man (Craig), his wife (Weisz) and two daughters who relocate from New York to Connecticut.  After believing that they have found their ideal home, things start going horribly wrong after they discover through their neighbour (Watts), that a horrific occurrences had taken place prior in the home.  Looks juicy.

Although there is no set release date for Dream House, it will likely be in theatres early-mid 2011 via Universal Pictures.  Production is only at the half-way mark, with filming in Oakville to end March 31, 2010.  Scenes were being filmed today at scenic Gairloch Gardens where the production crew built a demo home to model one of the lavish homes on garden grounds.   The demo home will be featured in outdoor shots, while the indoor scenes are filmed in the actual home itself.   Snow and fog machines are being used to create a wintry effect.  It was reported that the demo home will be burned down during the wee hours of the final shooting night in Oakville.