Vanity Fair's 2017 Hollywood cover

Photo: Annie Liebovitz/Vanity Fair

The annual Vanity Fair cover featuring the powerful, talented 'wonder women' of Hollywood was released last week and it is GORGEOUS! With recent Oscar nominees Emma Stone (La La Land), Natalie Portman (Jackie) and Ruth Negga (Loving), the cover showcases the current generation of actresses working in the business now. Some of them like sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning have grown up right in front of our eyes. Others like Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o, five-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams and Janelle Monae have given formidable performances in Queen of Katwe, Arrival and Hidden Figures respectively last year. Also part of the group are Aja Naomi King (The Birth of a Nation), Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey) and Greta Gerwig (20th Century Women).

New Trailer: Cameron Crowe's Aloha

Bradley Cooper seems hell bent on rescuing the rom-com genre. First with Silver Linings Playbook and now with writer-director Cameron Crowe's latest Aloha. With that smile, I say, let him!

Cooper is Brian Gilcrest, a military contractor who returns back to Hawaii after a failed mission.  Therein he meets his ex Tracy (Rachel McAdams) who knows he hasn't changed and a young airforce liaison (Emma Stone) very eager to learn from him. Bradley Cooper sure knows how to pick his scripts. With a great supporting cast (Alec Baldwin, Bill Murray, John Krasinski, Danny McBride) and what looks like great chemistry with Stone (but let's face it, she's great in everything), Aloha hopefully can bring a win back for romance.

As the trailer's tagline says, 'Sometimes you have to say goodbye, before you can say hello.'  Aww, Bradley, you really did have us at aloha! Crowe's first feature in four years, Aloha releases on May 29, 2015.  

2014 Golden Globe Award Winners

The 71st Golden Globe awards were held this past Sunday and as usual it did not disappoint.  The show was hosted for the second time in a row by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who in their inimitable style "crushed it", with their jokes (Gravity is "the story of how George Clooney would rather float away in space and die than spend any more time with a woman his own age.") or hijacking the stage as teenager "Randy" and his mom.

The presenters were just as lively with Robert Downey Jr. promising us that no matter what happened that night, he was leaving home a winner or my favorite Emma Thompson who appeared on stage with a martini in one hand and a pair of Louboutins in another.  The red on the shoes, she told us, was her blood.  And she chose the martini over the shoes when it came to presenting the award!

(Photo: Getty Images)

Emma Stone (who's currently working with Woody Allen on the upcoming Magic in the Moonlight) and Diane Keaton (who worked with Allen from Annie Hall to Interiors) presented the Cecil B. DeMille award to an absent Woody Allen, who usually never attends awards functions. 

(Photos: Just Jared/The Hollywood Reporter)

Now, onto the awards, American Hustle won the most with 3 including best comedy/musical, 12 Years a Slave won for best drama, Gravity had the best director and Her had the best screenplay.  The acting awards went out to Dallas Buyers Club, Blue Jasmine, The Wolf of Wall Street and American Hustle, while Frozen won the best animated feature.

(Photos: E! Online/Getty Images)

Here's the full list of the feature film winners:

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
“12 Years a Slave”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”

BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
“American Hustle”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Wolf of Wall Street”

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
Alfonso Cuaron, “Gravity”

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
“Frozen”

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

“The Great Beauty” (Italy)


BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
Spike Jonze, “Her”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Amy Adams, “American Hustle”

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
“Ordinary Love,” “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”
Music by: Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen, Jr., Brian Burton
Lyrics by: Bono

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
Alex Ebert, “All Is Lost”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Jennifer Lawrence “American Hustle”

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 trailer!

How time flies! Last year, the Spider-Man franchise got a reboot with a new director, new cast and a whole new world to play in.  While the film's success wasn't entirely earth-shattering, it did warrant a sequel which will release in theatres next May.  Today, the first teaser trailer was unveiled showing the next saga in the story of Peter Parker as played by Andrew Garfield.  This time around, he's up against villains Electro (Jamie Foxx) and Rhino (Paul Giamatti) while igniting the friendly rivalry with frenemy Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan).  And yes, Gwen Stacy as played by Garfield's real-life girlfriend is also back as Parker's love and confidante.  As the trailer shows, Peter starts to uncover some of his family's secrets as linked to Oscorp.  What does it all mean?  We'll find out soon enough in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.   

News Update: Gone Girl's Release Date, Woody Allen's Next and a Live Action Kiki's Delivery Service

(Photo: Los Angeles Times)

• A new still out from the next film from the hardest working man in show business, Woody Allen, starring Emma Stone, Colin Firth and Marcia Gay Harden.  The film titled Magic in the Midnight is set in the South of France possibly the 1930s and should be out in 2014.  Allen's previous film Blue Jasmine has been a critical and box office success and he won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for Midnight in Paris. All eyes will definitely be on Magic in the Midnight to see if they follow in those films' footsteps.
• Their last film together made me cry.  The wonderfully acted and written The Perks of Being a Wallflower was well appreciated last year and now writer-director Stephen Chbosky and actress Emma Watson are coming back together for film adaptation of Adena Halpern's 29.  The project will be named While We're Young and deals with a grandmother wishing she was 29 again to spend the day with her same aged granddaughter.  The screenwriters of (500) Days of Summer Michael H. Weber and Scott Neustader will write the screenplay. 

(Photo: Twitch)

• I had no idea that a live action version of Kiki's Delivery Service is in the works and will be released next year.  How intriguing! Directed by Takashi Shimizu (The Grudge series) and based on the novels by Eiko Kadono, Kiki's Delivery Service is most well-known for it's animated adaptation by Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki.  The story follows a young witch, Kiki who must live a year on her own with her cat Jiji to prove herself.  I will be on the lookout for this next year.
• And finally mark your calendars for October 3, 2014, that's the release date for the film adaptation of Gillian Flynn's book Gone Girl.  David Fincher.  Ben Affleck.  Rosamund Pike.  It will be amazing.  Trust me!

New website: The Amazing Spiderman

For my 300th post (whoa, already!), I thought it would be interesting to take a look at next summer's big blockbuster, The Amazing Spider-man which has released its new website with has lots of new photos and information including more Spider-man movies.

The official summary on the website says:

The Story
Like most teenagers his age, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he to be the person he is today. In his journey to put the pieces of his past together he uncovers a secret that his father held... a secret that will ultimately shape his destiny as Spider-Man. This is the first in a series of movies that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story. On July 3rd, 2012, the untold story begins.

(Photos: The Amazing Spider-man website)

Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), camera in hand. A nod to his future career?

Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field)

Spiderman in action.

Talking with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) in the hallway.

New logo on back of the costume.

Gwen Stacy

Captain Stacy (Denis Leary), Gwen's father.

What is the photograph in the corner? I spy Dr. Connors (Rhys Ifans).  

Be sure to check out the official website at http://theamazingspiderman.com/ for more goodies and photographs and "like" it on Facebook!

Entertainment Weekly's First Look at the Amazing Spider-Man

The Harry Potter saga may just ended.  (My review's coming up soon!)  But another franchise is raring to go.  EW has just released exclusive first photographs of Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker and Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy.  The Amazing Spider-Man will open in theaters summer of 2012.

First look at the new Spider-Man costume

Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) with Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield)

Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Fields) with Peter

Rhys Ifans as Dr. Connors aka The Lizard

Gotta say this about this Peter Parker, at least he's tall!  And they do make a cute couple, Peter and Gwen.  Mary Jane who now?

News Roundup: Avatar 2 and The Wolverine!

• Jon Landau talks about Avatar 2.
• Easy A is leading to some easy answers, Emma Stone will reunite with her director from Easy A to recreate the magic.
• Angela Lansbury has signed on to play mother in Adaline, a story in which a young woman is struck by lighting and is stuck in her 20s.  What a horrible fate! Not!  Although there is no Adaline anymore, Katherine Heigl left the project as she was not ready to come to work from maternity leave.  The movie is being directed by Andy Tennant.
• Is it true? Will Bill Clinton be cameoing in Hangover 2?  What could he possibly be doing in Bangkok?
• The next movie about fan favorite X Men character Wolverine starring Hugh Jackman and directed by Darren Aronofsky is called The Wolverine.  How boring!
• In news that interests no one but me, William Monahan, Oscar-winning screenwriter of The Departed, will adapt and direct Jean Anouilh's play Becket.  Henry II is one of my favorite historical figures and if you haven't yet seen The Lion in Winter starring Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn, you're missing out.  This one has potential written all over it.

First Look: The Help starring Emma Stone

Here's a look behind-the-scenes and onscreen of DreamWorks new film, The Help, coming out next August starring Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sissy Spacek, Allison Janney, Cicely Tyson, Viola Davis and many many more.  The movie is based on Kathryn Stockett's novel set in 1960s about a young woman Skeeter who returns to her small town to write about the black women who take care of the homes of many Southern families and it turns out not everyone is happy about it.

Cicely Tyson

Emma Stone with director Tate Taylor

Emma Stone as Skeeter Phelan

Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis

Sissy Spacek

Emma has already proven that she can hold her own in a lead role in Easy A but can she sustain it?  

It's Official!

• Lord of the Rings fans rejoice! The Hobbit is back on.  And with Peter Jackson back at the helm as many of you may have wished.  Jackson will direct both the first and second films with release dates expected to be December 2012 and 2013.  Of course, the film will be shot in 3D.  The LotR 3D conversion isn't far behind by my estimate.
• Emma Stone did, in fact, land the role of the love interest in the Spiderman prequel.  But it wasn't of Mary Jane as I had been expecting.  She's going to play Gwen Stacy opposite Andrew Garfield's Peter Parker.  

Friday's Features

• Peepli Live will be India's entry into the Foreign Film race for 2011.  Many other countries have already started finalizing their choices, like Germany's When We Leave, France's Of Gods and Men and Thailand's Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives.  This will be Aamir Khan's third production that will be headed for Oscar submission.
• Chloe Moretz is having a great year.  The 13-year-old actress (Kick-Ass, Let Me In) is cast as the lead in yet another film, this time the comics to screen adaptation of Emily the Strange.  Great choice, she can do emo just fine.
• Out of the many many names (and there are plenty) being thrown around for the love interest for the Spiderman prequel, Emma Stone's name just went to the top of the pile after Easy A.  She's also being considered for the movie update of 21 Jump St.
• John Williams is coming back to compose the music for the final Harry Potter film.  He left after the fourth film to pursue other projects but will be back to complete the series.  As you may recall, he wrote the original Hedwig's Theme that is used in all of the movies so far.
• After the critical success of The Ghost Writer, Roman Polanski is back onto his next project.  Based on Yasmina Reza's Tony award-winning play God of Carnage, it will feature Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Matt Dillon and recent Oscar winner Christoph Waltz.  The movie will be filmed in Paris for obvious reasons.  Though I felt the story moved along slowly, The Ghost Writer is a much better film that I give it credit for.  The casting doesn't sound like it, but this is a comedy.  Thought you should know.