Apologies for dipping into a fashion magazine for a "movie" image but I couldn't help myself with this one. I was partly inspired by a friend telling me Lara Stone wasn't sexy. Well, Nun-sense to that and, you know, "Nuns on the Run" (a funny movie -- so this ties in).

And more movie ideas: Quentin Tarantino, where are you? We need the younger generation's Brigitte Bardot, Lara Stone! Writ Large!
 

Oh, Hollywod. The land of dreams, the land of rejection, the land that can often make you want to return back home -- tail between the legs.

Not so with our ex Governor, a man who uses his star power, politics and gift for broken english to his advantage.

Here's more form EW:

"He’s been a famous body builder. He’s been a killer cyborg from the future. He’s been Governor of California. And now, in this week’s exclusive cover scoop, Arnold Schwarzenegger reveals his plans for the next phase of his extraordinary career: He’s going be a cartoon superhero, known as The Governator. 'When I ran for governor back in 2003 and I started hearing people talking about ‘the Governator,' I thought the word was so cool,' Schwarzenegger, 63, tells EW in his first press interview since leaving office last January. (Watch an EW-exclusive video of Schwarzenegger talking about the project.)

“'The word Governator combined two worlds: the world of politics and the movie world. And [this cartoon] brings everything together. It combines the governor, the Terminator, the bodybuilding world, the True Lies…'”
 

It's his birthday, so here's a look back at Warren Beatty's star-wattage. And he's still a star.
 

This is a big project. The Mickey Cohen story branches into so many different aspects of Los Angeles history.

Sean Peen seems perfect for the role. I don't know how I feel about the generic title -- "Gangster Squad" ("Monster Squad"?), but it does make sense.

Here's more from Huffington Post:

"Warner Bros is extending offers to Sean Penn and Ryan Gosling to co-star in their planned new crime and punishment drama called 'Gangster Squad,' Deadline reports.

"The film focuses on Mickey Cohen, a notorious Los Angeles gangster who grew to become one of the most violent, feared and famous mobsters in the nation. Jailed multiple times, including once at Alcatraz, Cohen laundered money, killed people and trafficked drugs -- and had the guts to make television appearances while doing it.

"Penn is formally being offered the role of Cohen, while Gosling is getting the offer to play a police officer that went after Cohen in the 1940s."

 

Perfect timing. Just as we're still mourning the loss of the iconic movie star Elizabeth Taylor and, like me, poring over photos of her many faces and roles (one of them being the infamous Cleopatra,) another movie star, albeit a new movie star, is set to star as the Queen of the Nile.

After much speculation and talks, Angelina Jolie has finally signed on to play Cleopatra.

People reports on the news and wonders who should play Marc Antony:

"It's official: Angelina Jolie has signed to star as Egypt's beloved Queen Cleopatra. So, the question is: Who will be her Marc Antony?

"Keep in mind that unlike the 1963 Elizabeth Taylor version, the forthcoming Scott Rudin production will focus less on Cleopatra's seductive powers in the bedroom and more on her shrewd appetite for business and politics.

"So who should fill Marc Antony's gladiator sandals? We've got a few good men in mind.

"For starters, there's Brad Pitt. The Troy actor and Jolie's real-life love is no stranger to period pieces or playing tough – think The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Inglourious Basterds and yes, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Plus, we already know Pitt looks great in a toga. And director David Fincher will never have to worry about a lack of chemistry on set.

"Then there's George Clooney, Jolie's off-screen friend and fellow humanitarian, who, through roles such as Thin Red Line, Three Kings and the brave captain of the "Andrea Gail" in The Perfect Storm, has won audiences' trust as a smart, reliable and calm-headed leader."
 

The "Black Swan" dance saga continues -- not the movie (though it comes out today on DVD) -- the controversy around the dancing.

For those who've been following the situation like it's Watergate, I've reported on it here more than once, which has then caused me to follow the thing like it's Watergate.

I don't think much else can be said about how just much dancing Portman performed on screen, unless we really break it down scene by scene (as Aronofsky has done). And I also don't think it much matters since she's, you know, acting. If she and the studio exaggerated how much dancing she really did, well, that's the movies folks. I do realize it upsets her dance double, but it certainly doesn't take away from Portman's powerful performance. The fact that she looks so impressive dancing, even when she's not a prima ballerina, is just more of a testament to her acting skills.

But her co-star Mila Kunis has weighed in, giving her two cents about dancer/double Sarah Lane's claims that Natalie did barely anything and that she (Lane) performed the bulk of the steps.

Here, from EW:

"'Black Swan' co-star Mila Kunis is speaking out in support of her friend and cast mate Natalie Portman amid accusations that the bulk of the dancing in Portman’s Oscar-winning role was actually performed by her dancing double, American Ballet Theatre soloist Sarah Lane.

“'Natalie danced her a– off,' says Kunis. 'I think it’s unfortunate that this is coming out and taking attention away from [the praise] Natalie deserved and got.'

"Kunis also says Portman has been honest about how much of the demanding footwork she was — and wasn’t — able to do. 'She’ll tell you [that], no, she was not on pointe when she did a fouetté [turn]. No one’s going to deny that. But she did do every ounce of every one of her dances,' she says. '[Lane] wasn’t used for everything. It was more like a safety net. If Nat wasn’t able to do something, you’d have a safety net. The same thing that I had — I had a double as a safety net. We all did. No one ever denied it.'"

 

Slow-motion "Matrix" style derry-doing? Heat seeking missile-like fireballs? A floating ship (or whatever the heck that is)?  This is some pretty high octane "Three Musketeers" business.

This trailer doesn't make me feel like my mother, but my great, great grandmother: "What the? Why are these actors talking? Where's Douglas Fairbanks? Not Junior, Senior?!"

Well, it had to happen. Whenever a classic has a three in its title, and especially an action packed Alexander Dumas classic, you can bet on the 3-D cinematic experience. Next! Edward Albee's "Three Tall Women" in eye popping 3-D! Watch three women talk and ... throw things at the camera!

O.K., enough.

This one, directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, boasts a great cast: Orlando Bloom, Logan Lerman, Chritoph Waltz and Milla Jovovich. And a better interpretation of Dumas' lyricism regarding stuff that flies in your face. Well, that's what the movie thinks anyway.

 

Here comes the Irwin Allen of Super-Hero movies -- "The Justice League."

Chock full of not, iconic stars (like Gene Hackman, Shelley Winters, Red Buttons and Ernest Borgnine of Irwin Allen-dom) but iconic characters, it looks like Warner Bros. is going to throw more DC Comic heroes at us --  in one movie.

At this point, I'm not exactly surprised or excited. I mean, it could be three things: Great, so-so or awful.

Now if Red Buttons and Shelley Winters were making an appearance, I'd be stoked ...

Here's more from The Huffington Post:

"This year, Green Lantern (starring Ryan Reynolds) is hitting the big screen. In 2012, both Batman and Superman will get their own feature films in which to play hero. A year later, they may all team up.

"In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Jeff Robinov, the new Warner Bros. motion picture group president, revealed that a big part of his strategy for the studio going forward is movies based on DC Comics heroes. So it only makes sense that he plans on putting them all together in one film, a big screen adaptation of The Justice League.

"Comprised of major heroes such as Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, The Flash and Wonder Woman, the Justice League is the ultimate crime fighting force, though Marvel's Avengers, which is already getting its own big screen adaptation, have a very legitimate case for disagreement.