London Calling!!! Jeremy Northan on stage! Donmar Warehouse Box Office: 0870 060 6624 (No booking fee) Genre: Play Subgenre: Drama Age suitability: General In an isolated country house a husband and wife are visited by her friend who she hasn't seen for 20 years. During the course of the evening they reminisce about their earlier lives in London, but each remembers the events differently. In this darkly erotic drama, set around a triangular power-struggle, the past becomes present. Author: Harold Pinter; Director: Roger Michell; Designer: William Dudley; Lighting Designer: Rick Fisher; Cast includes: Helen McCrory, Gina McKee, Jeremy Northam Previews from: 1 July 2004 Opening night: 7 July 2004 Closing: 4 September 2004

Thanks Moon . .oh and Gina McKee too . . wish I could get over there to see it;)

Is this topic 43 now? Maybe I need my eyes checked. ;-)

Yeah, sure...what a difference a year makes...last year I had Ari...this year, whatshisface!!LOL Stop complaining--Last year you had dead people;-) Hope you had a fantastic birthday.

Yeah, sure...what a difference a year makes...last year I had Ari...this year, whatshisface!!LOL Stop complaining--Last year you had dead people;-) LOL! Ohhhh, I forgot all about the dead people! Loved the dead people! Must be my age;-)) Things seem to be looking up and it must portend a very good year for our (*we* won't work will *our* fly?) most beloved Evelyn whose wry and dry and brief remarks are always a treat to read and give me a LOL on some of my most down days. For these and many other traits I thank you Ev!

Oh no, Evelyn, I think you missed my earlier message to you for a happy birthday. I feel terrible that you didn't receive it. I'm sure it was a one off, something to do with having "Dubya" at your party ;-) - note the formation of my hands ;). So, I'm just popping by to make sure you and your friends are having a great party and that you are having a very happy un-birthday! And I see you are having a happy day after all!

Sorry I'm so late getting back to your party? Is the bar closed? Only crumbs left? I would've been here sooner, but I was waiting for the guest I promised you to finish making your present. At the last minute, Jeremy decided to tag along, but we were late, too, as he's been at the Elton John concert with me. He was feeling insecure about the serenade he planned for you after hearing Elton, so we had to stop so he could practice a few numbers at the Rainbow Room. "Everybody loves somebody...." Happiest of birthdays to you, Evelyn!!! XOXO BTW, I have the receipt for the candles if you need to return the ones that won't fit on your nightstand because of all those books. ;-)

Dearest, lovliest Evelyn, You've been there for me personally through all of my triumphs, and tragedies (so sorry about the dodgy cinema, too). And yet I've been so busy "studying" for WTTL I completely missed your bithday; Crikey, that walk to Oklahoma from London took longer than expected. I've just only crossed the Mississippi...

Awhile ago, a certain someone who shall remain nameless asked me not to list her birthday...which I did...or didn't,whichever;-). At the time, I did mention that others would remember (Heh),which they did. And y'all notice that I didn't say a word about it yesterday... But today is Wednesday and it's no longer her birthday.... So I figure it's okay to celebrate her UN-birthday today. please notice there's no blue suit in sight;-D Have a great UN-birthday today, nameless one! thanks to Firthissimo

I give up....I can't have a Stealth Birthday!! All those Dead People ...how can I forget. And this year...poor Marlon Brando joined the club;-) Lora...I did get the previous greeting, but Dubya is always welcomed at my party (But hold Whoopi;-)! Shoshana...What? No cake? Only that wet dude who is too cheap to fly from London and has to take the shoe-string express;-) Thanks Dorine for Rafe...I'll take even the looney Spider! Ada, you wuz a good girl. Kept my b'day under wraps. Thanks for Un-Birthday greetings. But you know it's also Bastille Day...Ug.The French (French Droolies excepted) Dear Annette, you're the lady in the bunch."Evelyn Rose"...I'm honored. But glad Earnest didn't bring the urn to the party....baaaad omen. Moon...did you send me a ticket to London and the Donmar to see my Mr. Knightley? Nooooo. Only a crappy announcement. And on the wrong topic, already;-) Thank you all..Gracias, Mahalo (where's Marcia? I want my lei!) Takes time to do all that HTML stuff. Lots of laughs; I loved them. You're kind to put with my irreverence. May we share many more years together on Drool. Roll On November!!

Moon...did you send me a ticket to London and the Donmar to see my Mr. Knightley? Nooooo. Only a crappy announcement. And on the wrong topic, already;-) ROTF! That's me always in a hurry and I forgot the tickets!

I taped Bravo's broadcast of the UK Queer Eye last night and haven't watched it yet. From THR: Taffners mastering art of Transatlantic Transfer By Steve Brennan It's safe to say that the Taffners -- Don Sr. and his son Don Jr. -- know a thing or two about the international TV trade that some are now calling The Transatlantic Transfer. TTT refers to the seemingly endless number of format deals bringing successful British sitcoms and other program genres to the States. The zany "Fr. Ted," NBC's pending version of "The Office," the failed "Coupling," "The Grimleys" and "The Royale Family" number among the more visible British comedy formats to have been picked up here. DLT Entertainment, headed by the Taffners, was one of the first international companies to bring U.K. comedy formats to U.S. networks in the 1970s. "Three's Company" ("Man About the House"), "Robin's Nest" ("Three's a Crowd") and "Too Close for Comfort" ("Keep It in the Family") counted among the early format transfers overseen by DLT. Don Taffner Jr., vp worldwide sales and development and heir apparent at DLT, says that the company is now looking to move the process to a new level: to bring leading American showrunners to Britain in order to develop scripted comedies there. The ultimate aim, he says, is to make successful sitcoms in the United Kingdom that will also be suitable for international and U.S. formatting. DLT has already had one major success in this regard with the BBC hit sitcom "My Family," created by Fred Barron ("Seinfeld," "The Larry Sanders Show"). Barron, who now works at the BBC, introduced the U.S.' studio table writing system there -- a collaborative effort among a group of writers (HR 4/13). Previously, team writing had not been utilized by the pubcaster. Taffner says that DLT and Barron are discussing how best the hit BBC show format (currently on BBC America) can be served up to the U.S. networks. But additionally, using "My Family" as a model, DLT is talking with other American sitcom showrunners with a view to tempting them to develop "ideas that they are passionate about" for British TV, he says. "The money in the U.K. does not compare to the money in the U.S., so in most cases it's a matter of the writer simply having a great passion and desire for a particular project. ... Writers in Britain typically have a much stronger voice in the process," Taffner says. "Identifying (U.K.) formats that are suitable for U.S. audiences remains very much a part of our business, but equally as important now is bringing ideas to the U.K. and to do them there first and then bring them back to the U.S.," he adds. "We are talking now to a number of people about duplicating what we did with 'My Family.' " Taffner believes that "some people are just getting caught up in the success of shows in the United Kingdom and mistakenly think that it's easy to translate what works there to the United States. It's just not that easy," he insists. "A lot of comedies are just great shows in their own right and can actually lose in adaptation while others are perfect for adaptation," he observes. "People are grabbing up rights willy-nilly. I think some companies are saying, 'Better for us to have (the format) than somebody else,' regardless of whether it really might have a chance." The trick, he insists, is in being able to figure out what formats can travel. "That requires a combination of instinct and the ability to attach the most appropriate creative talent who have the experience to make it work," he says.

In my house the guys have been watching the Copa America soccer championship games and I was not able to see that QE. I did see the previews last week and those UK guys looked rather too out there, IMO. (A bit pervy too). I love our QE guys because apart from Jay and Carson, the other three don't look the part. Thanks, Karen!

You won't think Kyan looks the part? *eyebrows raised* The UK one will be repeat several times over the course of the week, until the new one airs.

Well Kyan a little but could go either way. My hair stylist is married with kids and he could go either way too. ;-) ANNOUNCEMENT: I have changed my email address here to a hotmail account. I apologize to anyone that had sent me emails in the past as I was not able to get through all that span on spring.net. My new address is now linked to my name. OK, now back to O&E. ;-)

(Evelyn)But you know it's also Bastille Day Yeah, I know cause it's also my son's birthday today;-). But glad Earnest didn't bring the urn to the party....baaaad omen. Heh...and I almost used that keep;-D

IMHO the UK Queer Eye is not really worth watching. Stick with the better version!

Hate to say that I agree. I watched it last night and found it lacking. However, the funniest thing was the subtitles Bravo added in for the American audience to either help with certain possibly unintelligible lines or to explain a British reference or slang, like chuffed or gobsmacked or Wallace & Grommitt and that Wurzil Grummidge (sp??) ref.

The Emmy noms were done this morning: Angels in America' Leads Emmy Nominations (AP) "Angels in America," the surreal HBO miniseries adapted from a Pulitzer Prize-winning play about New Yorkers affected by the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, received a leading 21 Emmy nominations Thursday. "The Sopranos" was the leading nominee among series, with 20. In a year that saw changes in Emmy rules intended to broaden the field beyond familiar nominees, newcomers included Fox's critically acclaimed sitcom "Arrested Development" and CBS' drama "Joan of Arcadia." TV Academy members gave a fond farewell to HBO's "Sex and the City" with a best comedy series nod for its final season, but didn't nominate two other departing series, "Friends" and "Frasier." Along with "The Sopranos," which has yet to win a best drama series award, and "Joan of Arcadia," other nominees in the best drama series category include "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "24," and last year's winner, "The West Wing." Joining "Arrested Development" and "Sex and the City" in the best comedy series category: "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Will & Grace" and last year's winner, "Everybody Loves Raymond." HBO received a dominant 124 nominations, nearly twice that of runner-up NBC with 65 bids. CBS received 44 nominations; ABC had 33, Fox 31 and PBS 27. John Ritter, the "8 Simple Rules" comedy star who died last year, received a posthumous nomination as best lead actor in a comedy series. Also nominated in the category are Larry David of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," Kelsey Grammer (news) of "Frasier," Matt LeBlanc of "Friends" and Tony Shalhoub of "Monk," who was last year's winner. Jennifer Aniston of "Friends" was nominated for best lead actress in a comedy series, along with Patricia Heaton of "Everybody Loves Raymond," Bonnie Hunt of "Life with Bonnie," Jane Kaczmarek of "Malcolm in the Middle" and Sarah Jessica Parker of "Sex and the City." In the acting category for dramas, nominated lead actresses include last year's winner Edie Falco of "The Sopranos," Jennifer Garner of "Alias," Mariska Hargitay of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," Allison Janney of "The West Wing" and Amber Tamblyn of "Joan of Arcadia." "It's far too nerve-racking at this hour of the morning," said Falco, who got up in the middle of the night as she also announced the nominees Thursday morning. James Gandolfini of "The Sopranos," who was named best lead actor in a drama series last year, was nominated again. He's joined by Anthony LaPaglia of "Without a Trace," Martin Sheen of "The West Wing," James Spader of "The Practice" and Kiefer Sutherland of "24." "The Reagans," which was bounced from CBS to cable's Showtime after some protested its portrayal of President Reagan, received seven nominations including outstanding made-for-TV movie. James Brolin and Judy Davis, who played Ronald and Nancy Reagan, received acting nods. Other nominees in the TV movie category: "And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself," "Something the Lord Made," "Ike: Countdown to D-Day" and "The Lion in Winter." "Angels in America," based on Tony Kushner's play which combines harsh reality and fantasy, was nominated as outstanding miniseries and earned acting nods for stars Emma Thompson, Al Pacino and Meryl Streep. Other nominated miniseries: "American Family: Journey of Dreams," "Horatio Hornblower," "Prime Suspect 6: The Last Witness" and "Traffic: The Miniseries." Nominees for the reality series category were Donald Trump's hit "The Apprentice," "The Amazing Race," "American Idol," "Last Comic Standing" and "Survivor." "I really didn't know" the show would get nominated, Trump told cable TV's E! in an interview from Lake Tahoe, Nev. "The show is just really good. The characters worked and 'Apprentice 2' is going to be equally amazing. It's something we all love very much � we worked hard on it and it hit a chord, it hit a note in the country." Nominees for best supporting actor in a comedy series include Jeffrey Tambor of "Arrested Development," Brad Garrett and Peter Boyle for "Everybody Loves Raymond," David Hyde Pierce for "Frasier" and Sean Hayes for "Will & Grace." The comedy series supporting actress bids went to three "Sex and the City" stars, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon, along with Doris Roberts of "Everybody Loves Raymond" and Megan Mullally of "Will & Grace." For supporting actress in a drama series, nominations went to Robin Weigert of "Deadwood," Tyne Daly of "Judging Amy," Drea de Matteo of "The Sopranos" and Janel Moloney and Stockard Channing (news) of "The West Wing." Drama series supporting actors who received nominations include Victor Garber of "Alias," Brad Dourif of "Deadwood," Michael Imperioli and Steve Buscemi of "The Sopranos" and John Spencer of "The West Wing."

A very interesting article from the Guardian. 12% *shaking head* Here's a few you missed... According to Prospect magazine, men still dominate Britain's intellectual elite. Laura Barton asks why women didn't cut it Friday July 2, 2004 As a fitting hoopla to mark its centennial issue, Prospect magazine has this month unveiled its list of Britain's Top 100 public intellectuals - a regal procession of Graylings and Hobsbawms and Stoppards; Starkeys and Steiners and Braggs. An accompanying essay by writer and television producer David Herman admits that there have been omissions, and that "we will all miss particular names, but the biggest surprises come from larger absences". He cites the new left, the new right, literary and cultural theorists, emigres, politicians, theologians, ethnic minorities and the young. The most glaring absence, however, is that of women. Indeed, of the 100 worthies, there are only 12 women: religious historian Karen Armstrong, critic, essayist and novelist AS Byatt, historian Linda Colley, pharmacologist and director of the Royal Institute Susan Greenfield, writer and academic Germaine Greer, historian Lisa Jardine, moral philosopher Mary Midgley, philosopher Onora O'Neill, author and columnist Melanie Phillips, biographer Gitta Sereny, philosopher and public ethicist Mary Warnock and novelist Jeanette Winterson. Pondering the list's absences, Herman wonders, "Is this the result of institutional ... sexism in the media and universtities? Or is it rather an acknowledgement that the big battles have been won, that sexism [is] no longer [one of the] key faultlines in our intellectual culture?" This rather supposes that we would only see a large number of women on such a list if women's rights were still contentious - if we were still entitled to a sympathy vote. And if the good fight is over, then we ought to get back to the kitchen. We asked David Goodhart, editor of Prospect,what happened to all the women. "We were just drawing up a list of the top British intellectuals," he says. "We weren't trying to produce an exact replica of the gender split in the country. But we certainly weren't deliberately leaving women out - if anything, slightly the opposite. I mean we weren't positively discriminating, but if all other factors were equal, we would choose a woman." Thank you Mr Goodhart, how very chivalrous. Men, Goodhart argues, still dominate our intellectual and cultural lives, and this is, therefore, what the list reflects. "Similarly, very few people on the list are under 45, and that's because in order to become a public intellectual you have to dominate your own field before starting a second career as a media commentator," he explains. "And that takes a long time." He assures us that we will see more women public intellectuals in the future, just as we shall also see more women in the cabinet. "Helena Kennedy almost made it," he says, consolingly. "But she's not really a public intellectual, she's a politician - she doesn't have a body of thought behind her. And Polly Toynbee. But she's a social reform journalist and we had a lot of people in that category. And she is just a journalist, unlike Will Hutton, who has a great body of work behind him, and Melanie Phillips, who wrote that big book about ... er, was it Rathbone? That early feminist?" He pauses. "She's written a lot of pamphlets on a lot of subjects," he says, bolstering the Phillips argument. "But she also represents an important strand of British culture, which embraced the 60s and then rejected it." Natasha Walter might make it in the future, he says, when she has graduated from journalism. Prospect has asked its readers to nominate by email those people they think should be on the list, but aren't. "So far," says Goodhart, "we've had 500-600 replies, and the only two women who've really cropped up have been Polly Toynbee and Marina Warner." And what of the prestigious 12? Jardine and Colley are both rather pleased to have made it, though quick to play down its significance. "We live in such a list-making culture - the Top 10 of the Year, the Top 10 Buildings - and all such lists are random and arbitrary," says Colley. For Jardine, "It's no better than The Big Read. It's a list of people in the public eye, the names they discuss at dinner tables, so it's a self-fulfilling prophecy." Colley thinks that her place on the list could be down to the fact that, in her writing, she ventures into male intellectual terrain. "I write history books about war and nationalism and empire. And on the whole, that's not what women write about." She ventures that had Prospect included more novelists, there would have been many more women on the list. Steve Fuller, professor of sociology at Warwick University and author of How to be an Intellectual, to be published later this year, thinks that male intellectuals tend to reinforce each other more than women do. The old boy network permeates the intelligentsia just as much as any other aspect of British society. "There needs," he says, "to be a critical mass of women intellectuals who will cite each other, refer to each other - that's what happens with men." One might also note that a female "public" intellectual is rarely regarded with the same deference as her male counterpart. She is subjected to far more intimate scrutiny, be it Susan Greenfield's mini skirts, or the personal life of Germaine Greer. "Women intellectuals certainly appear on enough pages," says Fuller, but often this can slightly devalue their intelligence in the public's perception. Men, by comparison, "don't get hurt by being around a lot". It seems that even in the intellectual world there are slags and there are studs. So, as a fitting riposte to Prospect's list, we have compiled our own: Britain's Top 101 Female Public Intellectuals. Omitted are the original 12 anointed and, to allay any suggestions of bias, our own illustrious Guardian columnists (Polly Toynbee, Jackie Ashley, Madeleine Bunting, Natasha Walter, Zoe Williams, we could go on). We stuck to the criteria set forth by Prospect, which called for "distinction in a field of intellectual or cultural endeavour coupled with an ability to communicate well to generalist audiences through written or spoken word", "originality of contribution" and "ability to articulate or represent an important strand of British cultural life". They "should have made their most significant impact" in Britain, but need not live here or be British citizens. Naturally, we had trouble restraining ourselves to a mere 101, but here's a start. 101 overlooked women intellectuals (in no particular order) 1 Vera Baird QC, MP 2 Rabbi Julia Neuberger, former chief executive of the King's Fund and broadcaster 3 Helena Kennedy QC, chair of the British Council and of human genetics commission 4 Zadie Smith, author and critic 5 Caryl Churchill, playwright 6 Harriet Harman MP, solicitor general 7 Elaine Showalter, literary critic 8 Gillian Slovo, author 9 Rachel Whiteread, artist 10 Jacqueline Rose, psychoanalyst 11 Antonia Fraser, biographer 12 Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty 13 Gillian Beer, academic 14 Vanessa Redgrave, actor and campaigner 15 Doris Lessing, author 16 Bridget Riley, artist 17 Susie Orbach, psychotherapist and author 18 Lisa Appignanesi, television producer, author, member of the ICA council 19 Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, first woman president of the family division of the high court 20 Margaret Drabble, author 21 Jenny Uglow, biographer 22 Juliet Mitchell, psychoanalyst and author 23 Katie Mitchell, theatre director 24 Bonnie Greer, broadcaster and author 25 Cherie Booth QC, founder of Matrix Chambers 26 Joan Bakewell, broadcaster and writer 27 Beeban Kidron, film-maker 28 Caroline Moorehead, biographer 29 Lady Amos, leader of the House of Lords 30 Lynne Segal, academic and critic 31 Nina Bawden, author 32 Vivienne Westwood, fashion designer 33 Molly Dineen, documentary-maker 34 AL Kennedy, author 35 PJ Harvey, singer 36 Eliza Manningham-Buller, director-general of MI5 37 Zaha Hadid, architect 38 Lola Young, academic 39 Hermione Lee, academic and critic 40 Jenni Murray, broadcaster 41 Andrea Levy, author 42 Lady Scotland, Home Office Minister 43 Mary Kay Wilmers, editor of the London Review of Books 44 Deborah Orr, columnist 45 Jackie Kay, author 46 Sarah Lucas, artist 47 Jude Kelly, theatre director 48 Sara Maitland, author and historian 49 Shirley Williams, Liberal Democrat peer 50 Carmen Callil, critic and founder of Virago 51 Diana Athill, author and editor 52 Noreena Hertz, economist 53 Linda Grant, author 54 Rosie Boycott, founder of Virago and journalist 55 Antonia Byatt, director of the Women's Library 56 Mich�le Roberts, author and critic 57 Elaine Storkey, theologian 58 Lynne Ramsay, filmmaker 59 Carol Ann Duffy, poet 60 Katharine Whitehorn, journalist 61 Ali Smith, author 62 Joan Smith, author 63 Rachel Lomax, deputy governor of the Bank of England 64 Anne Oakshott, academic 65 Suzanne Moore, columnist 66 Frances Cairncross, managing editor of The Economist 67 Lady Brenda Hale, first woman Law Lord 68 Mary Beard, academic 69 JK Rowling, author 70 Marilyn Butler, academic 71 Cornelia Parker, sculptor 72 Francine Stock, broadcaster and novelist 73 Sheila Lawlor, director of thinktank Politeia and author 74 Marina Warner, academic and critic 75 Dr Anne McLaren, embryologist 76 Eva Jiricna, architect 77 Ruth Lister, professor of social policy at Loughborough University 78 Fiona Shaw, actor 79 Suzi Leather, chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority 80 Kate Mosse, author and founder of the Orange prize 81 Azar Nafisi, author 82 Carol Black, president of the Royal College of Physicians 83 Ruth Deech, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University 84 Ahdaf Soueif, novelist 85 Jocelyn Bell-Burnell, president of the Royal Society of Astronomers 86 Edna O'Brien, novelist 87 Sheila Rowbotham, historian 88 Stella Tillyard, historian 89 Beryl Bainbridge, novelist 90 Janet Radcliffe Richards, academic and bioethicist 91 Sarah Hogg, economist and chairman of equite group the 3i Group 92 Ann Phoenix, professor of social and developmental psychology at the Open University 93 Claire Tomalin, biographer 94 Professor Frances Ashcroft, biochemist 95 Naomi Klein, author 96 Julia Higgins, material scientist 97 Jacqueline Wilson, children's author 98 Amanda Levete, architect 99 Shena Mackay, author 100 Alison Richard, vice chancellor of Cambridge University 101 Gillian Wearing, artist http://www.guardian.co.uk/gender/story/0,11812,1252410,00.html

Latest P&P casting news from ScreenDaily: Dench, Sutherland round out Pride cast Judi Dench, Donald Sutherland, Brenda Blethyn, Tom Hollander and Penelope Wilton have joined the cast of Working Title Films� Pride And Prejudice. ~~~~~~~ Sutherland and Blethyn are Mr and Mrs Bennet and Penelope Wilton is Mrs Gardiner. Don't you think they're all rather old for those parts, given the youth. Think about Judi Dench being Lady Catherine. Would she have a daughter eligible to marry her nephew Fitzwilliam?

Don't you think they're all rather old for those parts, given the youth. Think about Judi Dench being Lady Catherine. Would she have a daughter eligible to marry her nephew Fitzwilliam? These are all wonderful actors but I think that you are sooo right. JD was just skirting reality being Lady B;-) Mrs. Bennett was in her late 40s. But I don't think that this film is being directed at the crowd that pays attention to matters such as these;-)

If the producers are interested in having a "more age appropriate" cast as evidenced in their statements regarding the ages of Matthew MacFayden and Keira Knightley relative to that of their characters. It would seem that their concern with age is only valid in regard to the younger characters. If they wanted the actual ages of the entire cast to be closer to the ages of the characters in "Pride and Predjudice", Kiefer Sutherland would have made a more logical choice, agewise, than his father. It appears that Working Title's intent is to produce a starring vehicle for Miss Knightley, which will (hopefully) appeal to a young female demographic. Perhaps they have great hopes in making a successful "date movie". Then again, I'm probably being being too harsh and unduly judgemental in my assessement of the upcoming version of P&P. It might turn out to be quite watchable.

I've been seeing the trailer for Vanity Fair quite a bit and even though Mira Nair has inserted from Indian extravaganza, it looks rather appealing to me. ;-)

Glad to see Alan Rickman and HBO's Something the Lord Made on the Emmy list. Great piece and it's true.

New Oscar Rules Ban Trash-Talking Ads Thu Jul 15, 8:50 PM ET LOS ANGELES - The Academy Awards (news - web sites) have some new rules, including a ban on ads by studios trashing the competition. In a decree released Thursday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences formally banned studios from referencing rivals in ads aimed at voters. The new rule "prohibits specific and disparaging references to other pictures or individuals competing in a given category in ads, mailings, Web sites or other forms of campaign communication," according to the Academy. It's an apparent response to DreamWorks' trade-newspaper ad last season that promoted best supporting actress contender Shoreh Aghdashloo from "House of Sand and Fog" in a way that was perceived as a slap at fellow nominee Renee Zellweger from "Cold Mountain." The ad included clips from newspaper and TV critics saying that Aghdashloo deserved to win the Oscar, but that Zellweger was more likely to get it. The Motion Picture Academy denounced it as an "attack ad." DreamWorks apologized and later bought a special ad congratulating Zellweger on her victory. Another new rule: some Oscar voters outside of Los Angeles and New York have complained that they have trouble seeing all the movies necessary for an informed ballot � so the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has authorized studios to send free coupons to them. The issue was part of last season's debate over whether studios should discontinue sending voters "screeners," which are free tapes and DVDs of current movies.

If only we could ban trash talk about the competitor in politics ;-)

(Karen)If only we could ban trash talk about the competitor in politics ;-) You've got that right!

And that would be Meredith's comment, not mine (though I agree).

(Cheryl)It might turn out to be quite watchable. Anything is possible, but 6 hours wasn't long enough. Two hours won't be enough to tempt me;-) (Karen)Don't you think they're all rather old for those parts, given the youth. Yeah, especially since T Bevan (I think) said he was tired of costume dramas with actors in their 30's playing young lovers, or something like that. (Karen)Think about Judi Dench being Lady Catherine. Would she have a daughter eligible to marry her nephew Fitzwilliam? LOL, no. Her biological clock must have takin a lickin and kept on tickin;-)

What a nice movie De-Lovely turned out to be. I could see it again. Kudos to Armani for the wardrobe. I suspect that Kevin Kline will get nominated. And speaking of nominations, Napoleon Dynamite!!! What a brilliant little film! It will take the IFC awards, I'm sure. The lead actor too. An incredible performance. Go see them both.

What do you mean, the birthday girl wants to give me a kiss? Come out, come out wherever you are, Emma! and have a Happy Birthday!!!

FELIZ ANIVERSARIO,EMMA

Ha ha! Thanks you two. Karen, if I had only gotten so close that day at the fountains! I was enjoying my GWAPE dvd extras yesterday, actually, and the Friday confirmation that I do have tickets for Trauma on the 22nd. Yippee!

Great news, Emma! Glad you got the tickets! Please accept my belated birthday wishes. Enjoying the extra scenes were you?

Great news, Emma! Glad you got the tickets! Please accept my belated birthday wishes. Enjoying the extra scenes were you?

In you go, Hugh. Emma came to see me! ...a day late. Great news about your tickets!!!

I was eavesdropping and thought I heard it was Emma's (belated) Birthday! Emma, I'll just chase off this guy and meet you in the hot tub for a little private party!

�Crikey! I missed Emma�s Birthday!� Hope it was a happy one! ! (BTW � great score on the tickets!!)

Emma!!!! Missed your b'day, did I??? Betcha you don't know how that's been just weighing on my mind Perhaps a warm bath and a glass of wine shall make it all right?:) I hope you had a wonderful b'day!

Emma, I'm utterly Trauma-tised that I missed your birthday! Hope it was a happy one! How great about your ticket! Hurrah!

LOL, Kimberly, I didn't see your post before I did mine! Ooops. ;-)

Looks like SJ is going to be with yet another older man;-D Although, it might be a good vehicle for ODB.... Scarlett Johansson will star in Silent Star for director Kimberly Peirce and Columbia Pictures, reports Production Weekly. The film was written by Larry Gross. A former actor, [ed.note: William Desmond] Taylor became a director at Paramount, helming Mary Pickford in Johanna Enlists and the teenage beauty Mary Miles Minter in "Jenny Be Good." In 1917 he became president of the Motion Picture Directors Association; by 1922 Paramount had made him head of his own production unit. On the night of Feb. 2, 1922, Taylor was found dead in his mansion. Rumors flew about the killer's identity and motive -- most of the rumors centered on Taylor's lovers, including Minter and Mabel Normand. Neither were formal suspects but both allegedly saw Taylor shortly before his death. Eek! If I keep forgetting birthdays I'm going to get so fired;-). So very sorry Emma. Hope this makes up for it:-). Hope it was a happy day!

(Lisa)LOL, Kimberly, I didn't see your post before I did mine! Ooops. ;-) Snort . .Tress beat us both! . .Great minds think alike!

(Kimberly) Snort . .Tress beat us both! . .Great minds think alike! Jeez, I give up! ;-) Must be the Drool collective unconscious. Images have been loading slower than usual for me today, and I guess I paid the price. ;-)

Linda/Dorine: emails to both of you at AOL have come back to me (from my Yahoo account) as a failure delivery. :-(

Happy belated Birthday, Emma!! Congrats on your tickets for Aug. 22....(You lucky dog)

Thanks everyone - should have checked in again, missed the rest of the party!

Oops! i'm two days late - Hope you had a great Birthday Emma!!!! *big hug*

An interview with Gurinder Chadha, who has made the Bollywood P&P: http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,6737,1264310,00.html

Sorry, I am sooo late. Happy Birthday Emma!!!! See you on August 22nd !

Emma, happy belated birthday! Congrats on the Trauma tickets you got for August! You lucky girl! (Am LOL at how there are 3 of the same Trauma pics for your birthday - so many minds on the same wavelength for you, Emma!) [and a very belated birthday to you too, Lisa!]

Truly an odd and end . . but for any West coast people . . . BackStage West is having a free screening of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind w/ a Q&A following w/ Jim Carrey and Charlie Kaufman Tues, July 27th @ 7:30 PM Harmony Gold Screening Room 7655 Sunset Boulevard, just east of fairfax Admittance is free, but reservations are required: rsvp: 310-652-6563 I recall Backstage West had that Q&A w/ Colin , Scarlett & Peter Webber for GWAPE - thought this might be nice to share too;)

Now *that* would be interesting with Charlie Kaufman. Saw him on Charlie Rose and found him very interesting.

Can you imagine? 'Cholera' set to hit Village Dana Harris, STAFF Scott Steindorff's Stone Village Pictures has paid Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez more than $1 million for feature rights to his 1985 novel "Love in the Time of Cholera." With a production bonus, deal will net Garcia Marquez close to $3 million. It took Russell and Steindorff nearly two years to convince the Colombian author to license film rights to his epic love story. "I think we called ... every day for 18 months," Steindorff said. He told Daily Variety they closed the deal Wednesday morning, with the payment in an escrow account and en route to Garcia Marquez. Agencia Literaria Carmen Balcells in Barcelona represented the author in the deal. Steindorff will produce and package the project before submitting it to studios and financiers. Stone Village exec Dylan Russell brought the book to the company. He and Stone Village's Scott LaStaiti will serve as co-producers. Stone Village produced "The Human Stain" with Lakeshore and Miramax and "Empire Falls" with HBO, Paul Newman and Marc Platt. Other Stone Village projects include Warner Bros. Pictures' "The Risk Pool," with Lawrence Kasdan writing and directing and Tom Hanks (news) starring; the remake of Akira Kurosawa's "Ikiru," with Richard Price adapting and Hanks starring; and "Modoc," with Kevin Costner as director and star. Stone Village is out to directors on T.C. Boyle's "The Tortilla Curtain.

For UK Droolers . . Free tix to preview screening of Stepford Wives http://www.promotions.telegraph.co.uk/promotions/index.jhtml;sessionid=TNMSK5EEPJ0STQFIQMGSNAGAVCBQWJVC?pg=/ETHtml/content/promotions/2004/07/21/prmMoveMonthly.jhtml

"Scott Steindorff's Stone Village Pictures has paid Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez more than $1 million for feature rights to his 1985 novel "Love in the Time of Cholera." Wish they'd do 100 Years of Solitude which I liked more. Still, it's time he had some recognition in films. Thanks.He's a giant.

(Evelyn) Still, it's time he had some recognition in films. Recognition? Doesn't sound to me like Garcia Marquez wanted to sell the rights. I don't blame him.

(Evelyn) Still, it's time he had some recognition in films. (Karen)Recognition? Doesn't sound to me like Garcia Marquez wanted to sell the rights. I don't blame him. "It took Russell and Steindorff nearly two years to convince the Colombian author to license film rights to his epic love story. "I think we called ... every day for 18 months," Aw..like a good socialist, he was probably holding out for more money;-)

Pics of the new Elizabeth Bennet. Check out the cleavage: http://www.thezreview.co.uk/news3/prideandprejudice.htm They could've at least tried those chicken cutlets or Kleenex. ;-)

Oh! My! No need for a corset! Lucky her! Does anyone recognize the actor behind her? He's got quite the crease in his boots (needs to break those in)...and that Col. Fitzwilliam snugness about his costume:

(Karen)They could've at least tried those chicken cutlets or Kleenex. ;-) LOL!! Is that an Empire waist? Hard to tell. I am not impressed.

(Karen) Pics of the new Elizabeth Bennet. Check out the cleavage: LOL. She looks positively dowdy. I guess she fits the description of a light figure as JA stated it. Maybe her "dress up" scenes will have her in the latest push-up.

(Carol)Maybe her "dress up" scenes will have her in the latest push-up. You still need something to put in the "push up";-) Drab, drab, and more drab--wrinkled and a v. bland shade of green, too;-)Just sums up how I feel about the whole thing, anyway.

When Darcy says, "not handsome enough to tempt me," you're going to believe it this time. ;-)

Thanks for the link . .I agree . .what a horrible shade of green . .she is a pretty girl though . .they could put her in something a leettle more flattering in shade and cut of the dress . .hmph my costume sensibilities are a bit miffed . . .we'll see . .we'll see . .

The Sun has 3 more pictures ... and Matthew MacFadyen is described as "hunky"?!? http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004340667,00.html

Oh dear, as I said on Darcy Drool Lizzie looks like Jane Eyre. Mac Fadyen should have stuck with MI-5. He looks too contemporary ; like Hg in Sense and Sensibility.

Ona brighter note....:-))))) London Theatre Guide reports: "Star of the super-series Sex And The City, Kim Cattrall will star in a new production of Brian Clark?s Whose Life Is It Anyway? to be directed by Sir Peter Hall at the Duke Of York?s next January. Although the actress trained at LAMDA, the production marks her British theatrical debut....." http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/news/display/cm/contentId/81305 Whew ! With Sir Peter Hall and Samantha, the Duke of York theatre will be pretty steamy;-)

and Matthew MacFadyen is described as "hunky"?!? He looks pretty different with that longer hair and a little like a much younger Alan Rickman. Not bad though...maybe a little too sensitive (read, effeminate). Not hard or chiseled enough for me.

If I hadn't been told that was him, I wouldn't have recognized him in a million years. And even though I knew who it was supposed to be, I still had to look at it for a good 30 mins straight to make sure The Z Review didn't have him ID'd wrong.

Just another O&E - I'm particularly interested in the adaptation of this novel to film . . they start filming this Sept. ZHANG LANDS SPIELBERG LEAD Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star Zhang Ziyi is set to star in Spielberg's adaptation of 'Memoirs of a Geisha'. http://www.worldmoviemag.com/index.php?request=News&key=394

Here's something to ponder and laugh about! ;-) Summer pics: A mettle detector for thesps Timothy M. Gray, STAFF GREGORY PECK ONCE SAID that actors do their best work with the worst material. That is why, ladies and gentlemen, we should applaud this summer's crop of films: They provide a master class in screen acting. Novices can study the work of terrific actors as they overcome dialogue that would make a lesser talent weep. Try saying the following lines out loud and making them convincing. Here they are: a salute to the summer movies. Keep 'em comin', Hollywood. OUR PLUCKY PROTAGONISTS "We Transylvanians always look on the brighter side of death." -- Kate Beckinsale ("Van Helsing") "I know now all the blood I've shed, all the lives I've taken, have led me to this moment." -- Clive Owen ("King Arthur") "Unpack the snowshoes! We're walking from here!" -- Dennis Quaid to colleagues after their snowmobile crashes in Philadelphia as they were heading toward Manhattan ("The Day After Tomorrow") OSCAR-WORTHY STRAIGHT LINES "Nano wires feed directly into my cerebellum!" -- Alfred Molina ("Spider-Man 2") "The Underverse will be reached only by those who have embraced the Necromonger faith!" -- Linus Roache ("The Chronicles of Riddick") "Mr. Filch, round up the ghosts and ask them to search every painting in the castle until they find the fat lady!" -- Michael Gambon ("Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban") IT'S EXCITING TO SPEAK EXCITING DIALOGUE "We should get out of here! Should we run?" -- Nicole Kidman ("The Stepford Wives") "Run!" -- Hugh Jackman ("Van Helsing") "Run!" -- Emma Watson ("Harry Potter") "Keep moving!" -- Vin Diesel ("Chronicles of Riddick") "We have to get out of here now!" -- Jake Gyllenhaal ("Day After Tomorrow") LOVE THAT TECH TALK "I think we've hit a critical desalination point!" -- Dennis Quaid ("Day After Tomorrow") "Are you sure you can stabilize the fusion reaction?" -- Tobey Maguire ("Spider-Man 2") "When does the perceptual schematic become consciousness?" -- James Cromwell ("I, Robot") DIALOGUE HELPS ESTABLISH TENSION "A vast, terrible enemy is coming this way! They will show no mercy, spare no one!" -- Clive Owen ("King Arthur") "Don't try me, Aereon! I could plow you under with the rest of Helion Prime!" -- Colm Feore ("Chronicles of Riddick") "I can't live with turning people into monsters! You've got to let me pull the plug!" -- Peter Wingfield ("Catwoman") SUMMING UP THE MOVIE'S MESSAGE "I believe there is a hero in all of us." -- Rosemary Harris ("Spider-Man 2") "Catwomen are not contained by the rules of society. ... By accepting who you are, all of who you are, you can be free. And freedom is power!" -- Frances Conroy ("Catwoman") "Alas, we are all but players in an ever-changing world!" -- Ivano Marescotti ("King Arthur") CONVEYING SO MUCH WITH A SINGLE WORD "Aaaaghhhhhhhh!" -- Emma Watson ("Harry Potter") "Hnnnnghhh!" -- Woad warrior ("King Arthur") "Aiiiieeeee!" -- Kirsten Dunst ("Spider-Man 2") "Nooooooooooo!" -- Thandie Newton, in slo-mo ("Chronicles of Riddick") BUT ACTING REQUIRES more than dialogue. An actor has to find the inner logic of the scene, to discover what his character wants. Here are questions actors might ask themselves: [Unfortunately, the rest of the article was not uploaded.]

Joan, Melissa Rivers Sidelined for Emmy Red Carpet By Steve Gorman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The stars of American television can breathe a little easier when they stroll down the red carpet at the Emmy Awards this fall. Fashion cops Joan and Melissa Rivers won't be there waiting to spring on them. Three weeks after the veteran comedian and her daughter announced they were leaving the E! Entertainment Television for a lot more money at the TV Guide Channel, it turns out E! still holds exclusive rights to red-carpet Emmy coverage under a contract with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. As a result, TV Guide acknowledged on Wednesday that it will have to sit out the first big event that Joan and Melissa were hired to host for the cable channel as part of a three-year deal that has been valued at between $6 million and $8 million. E! does not have exclusive pre-show coverage deals for other major entertainment awards, such as the Oscars or the Grammys. TV Guide and the Academy said they were trying to reach an accommodation for the doyennes of the red carpet, but E! was not involved in those talks, officials for all sides said. "Joan and Melissa have a great fan base -- they personify the red carpet, and their fans are not going to get to see them at the Emmys," said Chris Levesque, a spokeswoman for Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc., which owns the channel. "We'd absolutely like to be covering the Emmys, and we'll continue to explore all of our options." The situation left Hollywood wondering who, if anyone, might try filling the high heels of the mother-daughter team famed for their tart-tongued critiques of celebrity designer debacles on live cable TV. Comcast Corp.-controlled E!, which had been home to the Rivers duo for the past nine years, said it plans to hire fresh faces to anchor its Emmy arrivals coverage on Sept. 19 ahead of the ABC network telecast of the awards show itself. [Ed note: Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!] A TV Guide insider, speaking on condition of anonymity, insisted that E!'s exclusive Emmy contract, which runs through 2005, was not overlooked by the channel -- a gaffe that would have been the business equivalent of a major fashion faux pas. "We're TV guys. Our whole business is about promoting television and keeping viewers aware of television. So I think we were just optimistic that we could work something out," the source told Reuters. A spokesman for Joan Rivers said the comedian was away in Europe and not immediately available for comment. TV Guide, meanwhile, denied that this year's Emmy shutout had spoiled its plans for Joan and Melissa Rivers, whose deal was seen as a centerpiece of the channel's efforts to expand its original programing. "The Emmys are only one part of our overall programing plans for Joan and Melissa," Levesque said. "They're a huge brand, and we made a long-term relationship with them to develop a number of different programing offerings."

(Evelyn), Oh dear, as I said on Darcy Drool Lizzie looks like Jane Eyre. You are so right!!! And doesn't Dame Judi look as if she's had a face lift?

Note to the Toronto gang, maybe Colin will do similar... ;-) Kiefer joins strippers Kiefer Sutherland apparently "stunned" a group of small-town women with an impromptu strip routine at a nightclub in New Zealand. According to Digitalspy the 24 actor joined a bunch of strippers called 'Men of Steel' on stage in a small bar in Raetihi, North Island after spotting them from an adjoining bar. Sutherland slipped out of his socks and whipped off his shirt, waving it above his head to the tune of the Tom Jones hit 'You Can Leave Your Hat On', according to the New Zealand Herald. "Kiefer had a hell of a night," club President Danny Mills said. "He had an enjoyable evening and so did everyone that was here." Mills added that he would like to see Sutherland back at the club for a repeat performance in the future. Sutherland is currently in New Zealand filming River Queen, about an Irish immigrant during the 18th-century wars between indigenous Maori and colonial settlers.

(Karen)Note to the Toronto gang, maybe Colin will do similar... ;-) Woo hooo . .If so . .I am so there, with Candadian and US currency ready . . am thinking dollar bills, am thinking jolly hose . . .;)

Not that I think anyone here is racing out to see these, but I saw Catwoman and Bourne Supremacy this week. Catwoman- Take a pass. I only liked the soundtrack and Benjamin Bratt. An exercise in style. Plot holes the size of a barn. During fight scenes, she'd often jump up somewhere to get away....but her movements were a cross between a cat and Spiderman. Too unrealistic for a "catwoman." The can't run along walls. Very distracting. Sharon Stone wasn't campy enough for me, but good God, she must have *the* best plastic surgeon there is! Not a flaw on her face in extreme closeups. Some filtering used at times, but still.... Halle Berry a bit too heavy handed with the mousy persona and a bit too much with the Catwoman persona, too, IMO. Have to say, boys/men will enjoy her Catwoman persona (and the outfit). She was sex on a stick. ;-) Bourne Supremacy- I enjoyed it very much...much to my surprise, actually, despite some predictability throughout. Hated the camerawork in the fight scenes. Was really annoying during one very interesting fight in another spy's apt. Very much liked the score, too.....very good at ratcheting up tension. Overall, I found it compelling enough. There was a really good car chase scene near the end, too. It was long, but didn't bore me like the one in the 2nd Matrix film.

Thanks Dorine. Not that I'm gonna see Catwoman, but the word on the street is that it is "laughable." As to the Bourne Supremacy, I didn't see the first because (a) action movies like this give me headaches, (b) I don't like Matt Damon, and (c) Matt Damon can never be Jason Bourne to me. However, the reviews were good, making it sound like an intelligent thriller.

I meant to say I'd never seen most of the original either, though I do love a good action flick. Wasn't overly necessary to see the first, though some background may help for those who don't know the story at all from the books or other Bourne TV movies, etc. I kept thinking of Richard Chamberlin as Bourne at times while watching it. I'm not a real fan of Matt Damon (nor do I particularly dislike him...just apathetic about him), but thought he did very well here. No great range was required, but he was good for what he had to do.

""Joan and Melissa have a great fan base..." Me:-)))

No one else will have the nerve to tell Kevin Costner what a small diamond he gave his fiancee;-)

Catwoman - eh . .I'm w/ Dorine . .wasn't too impressed . .thought the fight squences to rapidly edited - very MTV video like . . which led me to believe the cutting of the scene was done to hide flaws in the fight choreography or flaws in the fight performances . .and it basically gave me a headache . . .

(Kimberly) . .thought the fight squences to rapidly edited - very MTV video like . . Probably done because I heard that HB had a stunt double in all the fight scenes. A Hawaiian guy who is a martial arts expert. Guess he was the right size. They were just talking about it on the radio here. They said all they had to do was slap some lipstick and the cat suit on him....but I'm hoping thats not all they had to do! LOL! I won't go see it, but it makes me laugh thinking about all the men who will think how hot HB looks during those fight scenes when it's actually a slim man with (I hope) fake boobs! ;-D

I liked the fist Bourne movie and liked the previews to this one. I also don't care for MD but this isn't exactly a rom com. ;-) I did like the actress that was in Run Lola Run, she was in the first one. Is she also in this one? I've only seen clips wth the other actress, Julia S. I hope E gets Carson from QE to do the red carpet. He was vvg and funny too at the FC awards. We got the MTV Music Awards in Miami in Sept. I can do the red carpet here. ;-D

That should read the IFC awards. :-)

Here's the end bit to the article Karen posted above . .Found the rest of it in today's Variety . .just typed it up ************************************* Continuation of - Summer pics: A mettle detector for thesps Timothy M. Gray, STAFF BUT ACTING REQUIRES more than dialogue. An actor has to find the inner logic of the scene, to discover what his character wants. Here are questions actors might ask themselves: - Even though her coworkers evacuate the area, doctor Sela Ward in �Day After Tomorrow� remains with a sick little boy, waiting for the ambulance to arrive. But where is the ambulance gonna take him, since she and the kid are already in a hospital? - When Hugh Jackman (�Van Helsing�) grows into an oversized werewolf, the transformation rips off all of his clothes �except his trousers. So does he buy his pants at the same place as the Hulk? - In �The Terminal�, Tom Hanks becomes a folk hero to the airport employees. But if they care so much about him, why doesn�t somebody put him in touch with an immigration attorney? - �King Arthur� is narrated by Lancelot. Then Lancelot dies. And he�s reincarnated as a horse. So was he reincarnated as a talking horse?

(Evelyn)No one else will have the nerve to tell Kevin Costner what a small diamond he gave his fiancee;-) LOL, and it was tiny indeed! I'm in their fan base; I enjoy seeing them cut some of these people down to size and their post-awards Fashion Police shows are always fun. I hope they'll be sxquared away by the Oscars. Bourne Supremacy--I thought the first one was very good and Matt Damon was good in the role. A very smart, taut, spy thriller. New pic is getting rave reviews; I'll definitely see it.

(Evelyn)No one else will have the nerve to tell Kevin Costner what a small diamond he gave his fiancee;-) (Mari)LOL, and it was tiny indeed! If I remember correctly she said something like: "How sweet". Of course then she went on to tell other guests to make sure and look at KC's fiancee's sweet diamond ring.

Thanks, Kimberly, for typing up the rest. Actually, those are probably the best examples of idiocy ever. ;-) Instead of mindless mainstream, I cannot speak highly enough of Before Sunset. What a fantastic movie. Even better than the first, which you *do* have to see before this one; otherwise, it makes no sense. Yes, there are some flashbacks, but the first movie is critical. You can probably rent it somewhere. I'd give Julie Delpry an Oscar nom. This is an incredible performance, especially by her. She's a lifeforce. Plus she sings at the end, an absolutely perfect song, a waltz. I never stopped smiling throughout the film. It was perfection. I think I'm going to have to buy the two on DVD.

Thank, Karen. The Miami Herald gave it 4 stars, the max. I want to see it very much. Loved the first one. It's only playing in Miami Beach, debating for tonight.

And thank you, Kimberley for typing it up. Cute article.

(Karen) I cannot speak highly enough of Before Sunset. What a fantastic movie. I loved it too! Funny and poignant all at once, yet without taking itself too seriously. Both Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy were superb. (Karen) She's a lifeforce. Plus she sings at the end, an absolutely perfect song, a waltz. Plus she WROTE the song (as well as two others in the movie)!! (Karen) Instead of mindless mainstream But I like the mindless stuff too -- thought Spidey2 was great, and will definitely be going to see Bourne Supremacy. Guess I'm just indiscriminate... ;-)

(Dorine)If I hadn't been told that was him, I wouldn't have recognized him in a million years. I know! and I watched him faithfully in MI-5. (Moon)I hope E gets Carson from QE to do the red carpet. Agree, I think he can achieve the same level of, of whatever Joan achieved. I will miss Joan, though.

The Bourne Supremacy is good stuff....not all that mindless, IMO;-) Well constructed, edgy plot with twists and turns that races along at a frantic pace. Edge of seat throughout.Loved all the location shots in the capitals of Europe , plus Goa, India. Agree with Dorine that the score increased the tension.Good camera shots , ending!! The right and left hands worked together on this one. Bruce Cox turns in another excellent performance. And it might be Matt Damon's best.

(Evelyn) And it might be Matt Damon's best. I'm watching Dogma right now and I was thinking this was his best. I guess he really did very well in both. Very different types of characters. One of my favorite Ben Affleck roles, too, along with Chasing Amy (both Kevin Smith movies). I agree Bryan Cox did very well. Didn't recognize him for a minute. He was very interesting on C Rose a week or so ago. Great Scots accent. Glad you liked Before Sunset. I thought it better than the original, too. Can't wait for the DVD, though would like to see it before that again. Was watching the first just before I left to see the second, though I didn't pay attention to almost half of it.... so while I may have missed something, apparently it wasn't enough to inhibit my enjoyment of the second, hence my saying previously that I didn't think seeing the first was totally necessary. Just knowing they spent the night together talking, then promise to meet up again later was enough info for me. They said at the Q&A, when talking about her songs in it, that she has an album out in France, but no distribution in the US. I did find it at Amazon a while back as an import.... http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00009LI6V/qid=1090646243/sr=8-7/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i7_xgl15/104-2126842-2623965?v=glance&s=music&n=507846 Unfortunately no sound samples. Thanks, Kim and Karen for the article. Funny. I'm a Joan and Melissa watcher, too. I was bummed when they left. No more fashion roundups after award shows. I guess they will at the new channel, wherever it is on the dial.

(Moon) I did like the actress that was in Run Lola Run, she was in the first one. Is she also in this one? I've only seen clips wth the other actress, Julia S. Franke Potente was in just the first ~20 mins. I hope E gets Carson from QE to do the red carpet Yes! He'd be perfect. Can be as catty as Joan, though would recognize people better I bet.

(Moon) hope E gets Carson from QE to do the red carpet He would be perfect, but didn't the article say E! was looking for unknowns? Besides, Carson is attached to NBC-owned properties, like Bravo. He did the Red Carpet for Access Hollywood, which airs on NBC. Thanks for the link, Dorine. One of the CD reviewers has said it will be a trilogy. Wonder how long before the third is made...How the film was made intrigues me. Those huge chunks of dialogue. How on earth did they do it? It doesn't look edited together to me. Even when you look at the cafe scene at the beginning. The dialogue flows seamlessly. They had two cameras and the actors took off. Before Sunset: If you go to this Julie Delpy site: http://home.no.net/site/delpyweb/ not only can you read the raves about her and the film, but there's also a link to read the script for Before Sunrise: http://www.geocities.com/joeyhuang2001/b4sunrise01.html and a link to hear music samples: http://www.fnac.com/Shelf/article.asp?PRID=1430985&SID=053112a6-5686-ac6f-989e-3ee8e0f821c8&UID=02560510f-eab4-6956-1b48-636a5ddc5324&AID=&Origin=FnacAff&No=1&Mu=-13&Fr=3&Mn=1&Ra=-28&To=0 Definitely click to hear Waltz for a Night. Amazon has a soundtrack CD for the film, which has three tracks by her. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002C4JIA

(Karen) How the film was made intrigues me. Those huge chunks of dialogue. How on earth did they do it? It doesn't look edited together to me. Even when you look at the cafe scene at the beginning. The dialogue flows seamlessly. They had two cameras and the actors took off. At the Q&A, they all talked about doing heavy rehearsing and sticking to the script as written because many of the scenes would be filmed without editing...some scenes up to 10 mins. As I said before, I was amazed to hear this as some parts and movements seemed so natural and improvised. Parts of it were logistical issues with some of the narrow streets and passageways. They could only use so much equipment because of lack of space. They also had a very short shooting schedule and specific lighting requirements as their day progressed, so they had no time to waste with many takes from different angles. It was like filming a play at times. Thanks for the links, Karen.

On the soundtrack... Love that Dido and Encas Overture. Don't like that version of Waltz for a Night. Prefer the version in the movie with acoustic guitar. And it says in the summary that the Nina Simone song is on it, but it's not listed on the track list. :-(