Kudos to Kevin Smith. Following his appeal to the MPAA over the X-rating received by “Zack and Miri Make A Porno” the decision was made to lower the rating to “R”:

Motion Picture Association of America spokeswoman Elizabeth Kaltman said Tuesday the rating was revised after the group’s appeals board viewed the movie.

“We didn’t set out to make an NC-17 film. That’s just commercial suicide,” Smith told The Associated Press.

Considering the things that pass for PG-13 these days (ahem, The Dark Knight) I have to wonder if simply the subject matter alone is what pushed this one over the edge. Great news though that the MPAA “viewed the movie”. Perhaps they could have tried that the first time…

Zack and Miri make a movie theater appearance on October 31, 2008.

Source: Associated Press

Okay, Comic-Con was over a week ago, but this is funny, so you’re getting it anyway. Triumph the Insult Comic Dog stopped by San Diego to insult his audience, much to their delight. Most the profanity has been bleeped out, so it’s mostly work-safe, mostly.

Remember Nicolas Cage as the felon with a heart of gold in “Con Air”? Yeah, I love those movies where the folks running the prisons are the bad guys and the prisoners are just misunderstood. Anyway, John Carpenter has just hooked Cage to his project “Scared Straight” where he’ll play, you guessed it, a felon with a heart of gold.

Nicolas Cage is in final negotiations to star in John Carpenter’s Scared Straight, a prison thriller about a troubled youth who is sent to the Scared Straight crime-prevention program. But when a riot breaks out and the prisoners take him hostage, a lifer (played by Cage) is forced to help the young man out.

There have been a few changes along the way as the project shifted from the hands of Rob Cohen, proud director of this weekend’s likely flop “The Mummy 3”, to Carpenter. The script was also rewritten by “The Guardian’s” scribe, Ron Brinkerhoff.

Source: /film

Despite being attached to the critical flop of “Spider-Man 3”, Venom is being eyed by Sony for a new movie spin-off aimed at revitalizing the aging franchise. I was always into the character of Venom as I like my stories dark and dangerous and considering “The Dark Knight’s” box office domination I would guess that most of America isn’t opposed to that direction either. But it raises the issue, can a side character, especially a villain, carry his own movie? I’m not convinced it could.

Imagine a world with Heath Ledger still around and Warner Bros. toying with the idea of giving him his own franchise. What’s The Joker without Batman? Ledger was awesome with Joker, but his story wouldn’t be the same. Same with the news of Dr. Evil returning to feud with his son for Austin Powers 4. They’re not dropping Austin, just focusing on the Evil clan.

I’d be surprised to see Venom materialize into his own movie without Spider-man. Who would he fight that mainstream America would know if it wasn’t Spidey? Shrug.

If it does go forward don’t expect Topher Grace to reprise the role as Sony isn’t convinced he can carry the central role. Given to Venom’s nature of being a parasite, rather than depending on the same host, a change of actor could be easily explained.

Should Sony bite on Venom, who would you like to see don the black suit?

Say what you will about Tom Cruise these days, but back in 1986 he was the man as Maverick in “Top Gun”. Yet the news of Cruise desperately seeking a return to his glory days with a possible route through a “Gun” sequel does not give me the warm fuzzies.

WENN is reporting that the British tabloid, “The Sun”, is reporting that Cruise has been approached to come back, but this time he won’t be in the cockpit:

The actor has been asked to reprise his role as cocky fighter-pilot Maverick, 22 years after the first film. A source tells British newspaper The Sun, “The idea is Maverick is at the Top Gun school as an instructor – and this time it is he who has to deal with a cocky new female pilot.”

How damn formulaic can you get? Does it really have to be a female pilot? Oh the sexual tension! She’ll pull up on her motorcycle and then speed off on said bike after their passionate love making. Wait, that was the first one!

Please tell me this won’t happen. Look Tom, we know you want back into our circle of movie approvals, but this isn’t the way to get there. Don’t desecrate Goose’s body. Not like this, Mav. Not like this!

Everyone not just dropped from Columbia Picture’s spy thriller “Edwin A. Salt” step forward. Ah ah ah, Tom Cruise, not so fast. With his star power dying out, it appears that movie studios just aren’t willing to front Mr. Katie Holmes the kind of cash he used to earn. Snarkista shares the details:

Tom Cruise isn’t going to be playing the role of Edwin A. Salt, a fictional CIA officer who is outed as a spy. Fox 411 reports that the production, “Edwin A. Salt,” from Columbia Pictures, has been a huge, expensive headache.

Now Tom is out, and apparently it’s about the money. Tommy still thinks he’s a “Top Gun” in Hollywood. He used to be the highest-paid star, but he’s not commanding a $20 million salary like he did in the past.

I can’t say that I’m surprised. Tom fell off his pedestal years ago and he has little to blame other than himself. I’m still more than willing to see a movie with him in it, but he doesn’t really get attached to those “gotta see it opening night” kinda flicks these days.

Source: FOX News via Snark Food

Remember that hooker Ashley Dupré that had so much media attention she was practically celebrated like she was Julia Roberts in that long ago movie? Well she’s back and this time she wants her own reality show where she can search for true love, because that’s what whores do right? I’m pretty sure they’re out there each night on the corner looking for Mr. Right.

Dupre is selling the idea for her hooker recovery search for love show as a mix between “Cinderella” and “Pretty Woman”:

The show revolves around the idea that everyone has a skeleton in the closet, and will include Dupré working with a therapist to come to terms with her past and help her fall in love. Says a source close to the proposed series: “This is the story of a woman who is desperately seeking a second chance, and is willing to put her life under the microscope on national TV to try to redeem herself.”

Almost as upsetting as the idea of giving this prostitute another minute on the national stage is the fact that she’s promoting this idea with the help of the same production company that brings us The Office, Reveille. What the hell?

I’ve got an idea. Through this piece of trash onto Tila Tequila’s Shot At Love show and be done with her. Better yet, if she wants to be on a reality show then how about “COPS”? I’m pretty sure trading money for sex with someone is still illegal, isn’t it?

Source: EW

Sex and the City made the jump to the big screen. The X-Files is about to do it again. Hell, I even read disturbing news that Friends could end up doing the same. So why not The Sopranos? Oh yeah, David Chase still doesn’t want to do it, as Peter Bogdanovich, who played Dr. Elliot Kupferberg in the series, told Orlando Sentinel:

“I spoke to David Chase about it a month ago, and he said no,” Peter Bogdanovich said Tuesday. “He said he thought about it, and he can’t figure out a way to do it. So I don’t think it will ever happen. I don’t think you can ever say never, but my hunch is it won’t happen.”

I’d tend to agree that this one won’t come together which is a shame because it’d probably be pretty damn awesome. Then again, some things are better left sleeping with d’em fishes.

“Tropic Thunder” releases in theaters on August 15, 2008, but the makers of it would like you to know it was no easy road to get there. Check out the spoof video entitled “Rain of Madness” for lots of fun clips.

I think my favorite part was the line “after just 5 days of shooting the film was 2 months behind schedule.” It’s also interesting that they photoshopped babies over the panda faces in Stiller’s coat. Does PETA care more about pandas than people?

What ever happened to idea that you could jinx your movie by talking about a sequel before the first one ever hit the silver screen? I guess when it comes to Seth Rogen he can do just about anything these days.

Moviehole had the chance to talk with Rogen about his upcoming comedy, “Pineapple Express”, and so he asked him about the possibility of a sequel:

Rogen says they’re definitely considering a sequel. “They’re been wanting us to do a sequel to Superbad for so long – but we’ve held off. We eventually said No. But this one, it’s not a precious coming-of-age story like Superbad, it’s a weed action-movie and if it did well, and they gave us like $50 million dollars (as opposed to the $26M we got for this one) we could benefit from that.”

I’d love to see a “Superbad” sequel, and I think it’s something that they could easily do, with or without Rogen. I’m a huge fan of Rogen, but his character was anything but pivotal. Unfortunately, it was Rogen that co-wrote the fantastic story, so without him it’d probably be a mistake. Nuts.

$50 million to make a “weed action-movie”? Sure, why not? I’m anxiously awaiting the first in the possible series, but I’m already expecting it to do great. What about you? Ready to get on the Express?

Source: Moviehole via /film