Daily Loaf

A double-whammy of casting news for John Favreau’s follow-up to last year’s blockbuster Iron Man. First, Scarlett Johansson has signed up, replacing Emily Blunt as Black Widow. Per the story at /Film, Blunt had to drop out due to a scheduling conflict, opening the door for Scar-Jo. If this works out, expect to see the actress reprise the role in several Marvel flicks due over the next few years.

And in a long rumored move, current critical darling Mickey Rourke and Marvel finally came to terms for the actor to play Iron Man 2’s Russian villian. (The studio had been low-balling Rourke with a paltry $250,000 offer.) I’m sure Putin is going to love this.

Main man Robert Downey Jr. will also be back, along with a double-shot of Sams (Rockwell and L. Jackson), with Jackson under contract for as many as nine (!!!) Marvel flicks.

Iron Man 2 is set for release in 2010.

If Mickey Rourke wins Best Actor tonight, and if his acceptance speech is even half as funny (or a sixteenth as profane) as his Independent Spirit Awards speech yesterday, then we’ll have an Oscar moment to cherish right up there with the Jack Palance one-armed pushup. I’m rooting for Sean Penn myself, but I’d be happy to see Rourke win just to see what he will say.

The Wrestler also won Spirit awards (the indie-film Oscars) for best picture and best cinematography, and Oscar nominees Melissa Leo and Penelope Cruz won Spirits for best actress and best supporting actress — which may augur well for them tonight. (There’s buzz about a Leo upset.)

Note: If you haven’t done so already, make sure you enter our Oscar contest for a chance at free dinner and a movie from Creative Loafing. And don’t miss our live-blogging of the show itself, starting 7 p.m. on Sunday night, right here on The Daily Loaf.

Now, we continue our countdown to Oscar night with a look at a major award up for grabs on Sunday. (Yesterday was Best Supporting Actress.) Today, we break down:

BEST ACTOR
Nominees: Richard Jenkins, The Visitor; Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon; Sean Penn, Milk; Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Vegas odds: Rourke is even money, with Penn fractionally behind. Early fave Langella has fallen to 8-1, but even that far outpaces dark horses Pitt (20-1) and Jenkins (50-1).
Read the rest of this entry »

First, critical acclaim in The Wrestler, then a spot in Sly Stallone’s new action flick, now cradling his Chihuahua, Jaws, in PETA’s new ad, the actor tells folks to “have the cojones to fix your dog. When dogs get knocked up, puppies get put down because there aren’t enough homes for them.”

The wait is over. Joe and I return to the studio for our fourth Reel Projections podcast, 20 minutes of windbagging about the best films of the year (most of which we didn’t see), the biggest moneymakers and my utter lack of preparation for the show. Special Listener Bonus: another appearance by singer/songwriter Clint Eastwood.

Don’t call it a comeback: Tired of hearing about Mickey Rourke’s return to form in critics’ darling The Wrestler? Well, you’ve got company, ’cause apparently so is Mickey.

Read the rest of this entry »

Let’s dispense with the news (save that for Friday) and just recap some of the things we have to be thankful for in the world of cinema this year:

The career resurgence of Robert Downey Jr. (see Iron Man, Tropic Thunder and the currently filming Sherlock Holmes).

What looks to be a major comeback by Mickey Rourke:

The Dark Knight wasn’t just the best superhero film of the year (and possibly all time). It was a piece of magnificent filmmaking that transcended its genre.

The Man in the Hat was back. OK, not everybody thought the movie was so hot, but Harrison Ford in a fedora brings a tear to my eye.

That when I’m at work, I’m within a 10-minute drive of Tampa Theatre, and when I’m home, it’s just over 10 minutes to the Beach Theatre, the two movie-house jewels of the Bay area.

Speaking of Beach Theatre: Its screening of Blade Runner: The Final Cut.

Speaking of Tampa Theatre: Its screening of the sing-along The Little Mermaid.

That I get to come to work and blog about movies.

And one sappy, non-movie-related note of gratitude: That I got to hang out for eight months with Emily Reddy, frequent contributor to WMNF and the new associate producer for WPSU in State College, Pa. I’d say “Go Nittany Lions,” but I can’t.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.