As Lily Tomlin ‘s Ernestine once said, “There’s nothing like a Hoover when you’re dealing with dirt.” Clint Eastwood ‘s J. Edgar could use more dirt: This is a sensitive, sympathetic portrait of a scummy little man, an earnest attempt to map the contours and contradictions of a complicated son-of-a-bitch. But it’s all too earnest, to the point of serving, unwittingly or otherwise, as an apologia. Even Eastwood’s attempt at a poignant Hoover death scene fails to hit the mark: I for one would want to stick the guy with a pin to make sure he was really dead.
Set photos of an armored Kristen Stewart and the star’s own description of Snow White and the Huntsman ‘s bloody edge had me thinking this could be the more transgressive of the two Snow White projects in the works (the other being Tarsem’s newly titled Mirror, Mirror , starring Lily Collins and Armie Hammer). The first official SWATH banner art, however, suggests something a bit more kid-friendly, even Alice in Wonderland -esque. Or am I reading too much into the fantastical, Photoshopped flora and fauna swirling around Stewart, Chris Hemsworth , and the disembodied head of evil queen Charlize Theron ?
Where does appreciation end and exploitation begin? Gorgeous and disquieting, the documentary Bombay Beach wobbles between the two like a beginner gymnast on her first attempt on the balance beam. On one side, it’s a poetic, freeform examination of the lives of a few of the residents of the area of the title, located by the Salton Sea in the Southern California desert. On the other, it’s an uncomfortable fetishization of the community’s outsider status, dictated by poverty, by location and by an inability or unwillingness to exist elsewhere. Israeli-born director Alma Har’el, who comes from a background of music videos and commercials, doesn’t just bask in this abundance of scenic, decaying Americana, she shapes it into choreographed dance interludes with the subjects, who twirl outside their mobile homes and don carnival masks to cavort in an outdoor gazebo. It’s a bit of whimsy as pretty and problematic as the film as a whole.
Congrats are in order to Patty Jenkins, who was confirmed today as Marvel’s pick to helm their 2013 sequel, Thor 2 . Jenkins, who directed Charlize Theron to an Oscar in 2003’s Monster , her feature directorial debut, inherits the helm of the Thor comic book movie franchise from Kenneth Branagh. Full press release after the jump.
Gabrielle Union , Sanaa Lathan and Ciara were all on hand in L.A. yesterday to show support for Charlize Theron ‘s “Africa Outreach Project,” a youth HIV/AIDS organization. Philanthropy is always a good look, and these type of events tend to make even Ciara get her wardrobe life together. So who looked more bangin’? What if we throw Charlize in the mix?
This morning, we revisited Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen in Snow White and the Huntsman and this afternoon, we get to see the Academy Award-winning actress as a suburban ice princess who returns to her hometown in sweats to lie to Hampton Inn employees, blatantly flirt with her married high school sweetheart and drink around the clock. Click through to see the first trailer for Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody’s next joint venture, Young Adult .
The big releases on DVD and Blu-ray this week, Fast Five and Scream 4 , may be skinless (save for bikini babe Gal Gadot , but Mr. Skin has the skinny on which Blu-ray nudes will have your five wrapped around your stick shift- fast. First we’ve got criminally hot nudes from Bridget Fonda in Jackie Brown , then we’ve got something to Crowe about as Almost Famous , featuring Kate Hudson ‘s funbags, hits Blu-ray. Plus, Grandview, U.S.A. , starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Jennifer Jason Leigh as small-town dreamers, is nude on DVD for the first time ever. More after the jump!
Pics show Stewart filming battle scene on beach in Wales. By Jocelyn Vena Kristen Stewart as “Snow White” Photo: Universal Kristen Stewart looks like she’s ready for battle. Some photos of the “Twilight” star on the set of “Snow White and the Huntsman” have hit the Internet. In them, Stewart is wearing her previously teased armor as she films scenes at Marloes Sands Beach in Pembrokeshire Wales, U.K., this week. Photos on Screenrant.com show the actress riding a white horse alongside a group of extras dressed as medieval soldiers. They are riding through the water for what appears to be some sort of battle scene. In some on-set candids, the ponytail-sporting actress laughs and walks around the set of the Rupert Sanders-directed flick. Stewart recently debuted her longer locks for the film at London Fashion Week. No signs of co-stars Charlize Theron (the Evil Queen), Chris Hemsworth (the Huntsman) or Sam Claflin (Prince Charming) in the new photos. The film is expected to open June 1, 2012. “It’s not a little girl sitting by a well with little tweety birds telling her what to do and where to go,” Stewart told MTV News of her character. “[The costume] makes you feel kind of strong occasionally, sometimes, but I kind of feel tiny, my pinhead sticks out of these enormous things.” Her tough look has even been approved by that other “Snow White” movie director, Tarsem , who recently gushed over her battle-ready look. “She’s gorgeous,” he told MTV News. “She’s great.” The film centers around the struggle between Snow White and the Evil Queen, who, jealous of Snow White’s beauty, wants to destroy her. The catch is that Snow White has been training with the Huntsman, who has been ordered to kill her. And in true fairy-tale form, Prince Charming is enamored with Snow White. “This, as a fable, she sort of just starts off as a bad person, so it was important to understand [why she is the way she is],” Theron explained about her character. “A lot of her circumstances will kind of bleed into her actions. … She’s a serial killer; I’m pretty much preparing to play a serial killer.” Check out everything we’ve got on “Snow White and the Huntsman.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Photos The Evolution Of: Kristen Stewart
Bradley Cooper gets around … at least on celebrity news sites. Dude’s latest non-conquest is Jennifer Lopez! Good for him! After keeping company with Olivia Wilde in May and then Charlize Theron, The Hangover 2 star hung with another famous dinner companion this weekend. The Internet soon lit up with reports of a budding romance between Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lopez as they were spotted at the New York restaurant Per Se. But it was strictly business for Brad and J. Lo, who recently ended her marriage to Marc Anthony . A source says they’re “in discussions regarding a project.” Boo. Bet it’ll be a cool project though. [Photo: WENN.com]
Apparently the GQ Men Of The Year Awards were held last night in London and once again yours truly didn’t even get an honorable mention. It’s a conspiracy to keep me down, I know it. Anyhow, I’m not bitter because as usual a lot of hot women were there looking for rich husbands and I’ve got the shots for you. Here’s Charlize Theron looking gorgeous in her sweet low cut top and retard pants. I mean mentally challenged pants. Enjoy.
