I like Sean Hayes, but I was looking forward to the possible trio of Sean Penn (as Larry), Jim Carrey (as Curly) and Benicio Del Toro (as Moe!) in the Farrelly Brother's "Three Stooges" biopic.

But alas, the three stars appear to have moved on, and the filmmakers are looking for new faces.

Hayes has now been confirmed as Larry. I'm a big fan of Larry, so I don't know how I feel about this one.

Here's more from EW:

"Two stooges down, Moe to go: Actor Sean Hayes will take on the wild-haired Larry in Peter and Bobby Farrelly’s long-in-the-works feature film version of The Three Stooges. He joins Will Sasso ($#*! My Dad Says), who was cast late last month as Curly.

"While the Emmy-winning Hayes isn’t nearly the physical match for Larry that Sasso is for Curly, he is certainly familiar with old-school slapstick, from his time on Will & Grace to his performance as Jerry Lewis in the 2002 CBS TV movie Martin and Lewis.

"The Farrelly brothers are reportedly gunning for a mid-April start for the project, which would mean that a casting decision on the pivotal role of Moe may be close at hand."
 

Russell Brand is becoming a very big star, seemingly, in two weeks.

Though he's enjoyed a steady rise to fame in the last few years, now, with both "Hop" (which was number one over the weekend) and the greatly anticipated/dreaded by some remake of "Arthur" (opening next week), Brand's mug has been seen all over the place -- enough to make your grandmother pick up a copy of "My Booky Wook." (Don't, grandma.)

And now, he's up for another major role, as the Huffington Post reports: 

"As has long been speculated, Brand is in talks to join the big screen adaptation of the Broadway hit 'Rock of Ages.' The play -- and now film -- is about a rock bar in late 80's Los Angeles, run by a washed up rocker. He puts on a concert with current star Stacee Jax, while navigating a relationship with a new girl in town.

"The Wrap doesn't specify Brand's role, but back in January, rumors swirled that he'd play Lonny, the narrator and rock club operator.

"He'd join what is already a superstar cast: Tom Cruise has signed on to play megastar Stacee Jaxx, while Alec Baldwin will play Dennis Dupree, the washed up rocker and club owner.

"Julianne Hough will take on the leading lady role, the aspiring singer new to LA, while Mary J. Blige will also be in the film. Amy Adams is in talks, as of two weeks ago, to play a journalist who falls for Jaxx."

 

Huh? Reese Witherspoon played June Carter Cash six freaking years ago. She also just got married. So ... why are she and Robert Pattinson presenting at the Country Music Awards? I know, I know: promotion for their new movie "Water for Elephants," which has very little to do with country music, but, you know, that's the business. Well, enough. Go on your honeymoon already.



 

Oh my goodness. M. Night Shyamalan is making a new movie.

Yes, like his own movie, this is really happening. (I honestly like that great Mark Wahlberg comedy "The Happening" by the way.)

This time around, he's got not one, but two Smith's in the picture.

Here's the details from Hitfix:

"Will Smith and son Jaden Smith will co-star in an untitled sci-fi adventure movie to be directed by M. Night Shyamalan ('The Sixth Sense,' 'Unbreakable') for Sony Pictures. The script was co-written by Shyamalan and Gary Whitta ('The Book of Eli'). It takes place 1,000 years in the future, where a boy (Jaden Smith) and his father (Will Smith) travel across a desolate, post-apocalyptic Earth looking for hope after their ship crash-landed there. Shyamalan and Will Smith will produce with James Lassiter, Jada Pinkett Smith and Ken Stovitz, Smith’s partners at Overbrook Entertainment."
 

"Hop" is a hit.  Some bunny loves "Hop." "Hop" is hip. "Hop" has legs.

You get the picture. According to Box Office Mojo and the legions of film-goers wanting something different at the movies, Russell Brand's "Hop" "laid a golden egg" at the box office.

Here's more:

"Topping the weekend, 'Hop' hatched an estimated $38.1 million on approximately 4,700 screens at 3,579 locations, narrowly edging out 'Rango' to claim the highest-grossing opening weekend of 2011 so far (if the estimate holds). In second, 'Source Code' generated an estimated $15.1 million on close to 3,400 screens at 2,961 locations. That was ho-hum compared to the starts for its fellow sci-fi thrillers currently in theaters, 'Limitless' and 'The Adjustment Bureau.'

"'Insidious' debuted in third with an estimated $13.5 million at 2,408 locations, which may be a solid showing for the inaugural release of distributor FilmDistrict but was below par for a supernatural horror movie."
 

If it's a great work of art, it's a great work of art, even if for American Express, AT&T or Apple.

Empire addresses this point with a list of 15 great television ads directed by 15 great filmmakers. The list includes Sofia Coppola, David Lynch, David Fincher, Ridley Scott and more.

Here's one that made their list -- one of my favorites:

"Wes Anderson's 'My Life My Card'

Director:Wes Anderson
Brand: American Express
Star: Wes Anderson, Jason Schwartzman

"Wes has done three notable pieces of advertising. This one on the left, which stars himself and Jason Schwartzman, is the most stereotypically Andersonian – what with it paying homage to François Truffaut’s Day for Night and parodying his own work. Then there’s the Hollyorkazonasoutham​eriland AT&T adverts, which are ever-so-slightly genius, and the truly nuts Brad Pitt-starring Japanese mobile phone adverts.

"Which is best? Well, how about you decide, then tell us in the comment box below. Once that’s done, we’ll type out a letter telling Wes what’s what, give it to the nearest passing hot air balloonist, and tell him to deliver our message to Wes’s floating castle in the sky, where he lives with Bill Murray and the Wilson brothers.

See also: Brad Pitt for Japan’s Softbank, the 'Hollyorkazonasoutha​meriland'AT&T ad, his most recent advert, for Stella Artois."

Watch:
 

This is really, one of the greatest things ever. That's all I need to say. Watch:



 

Duncan Jones second feature, his follow-up to his powerful, emotional, creepy and artful "Moon" (if you missed that one, rent it immediately) is "Source Code," starring Jake Gyllenhaal and opening today.

The movie has gotten considerably more hype and trailer time than "Moon," and those who fell in love with the first film (like me) are excited for this one.

As expected, the reviews are split.

A rave from The San Francisco Chronicle's Mick LaSalle:

"Director Duncan Jones achieves a strange and winning amalgam, a gripping action film that also works as poetry."

And here's a pan from Movieline's Elvis Mitchell:

"Somewhere under all that bloat is the greatest short subject of all time."