With "True Grit" nominated for Best Picture, Turner Classic Movies presents a podcast of how westerns have been woefully underlooked come Oscar time.

As TCM writes:

"Where's the Western Love? TCM's Scott McGee and Sean Cameron argue whether the Western genre is often overlooked during the award season. See all the pistol-packing action this month, including Best Picture winner 'Cimarron,' 1931."
 

Hey, I went to "The Roommate" opening night too. (Sorry, I had no other plans that night).

I wonder if Minka Kelly and her father were there?

She talked to Chelsea Handler about it, and first, I thought she didn't want to attend the premiere with her dad because of the content but no, dad wanted to make sure the industry wasn't just kissing her butt. He wanted the real audience response.

I guess that's good parenting. I think I'd just skip the whole movie with my father in the first place. Actually, I should have skipped the movie myself.

Here's the details from WENN:

"Actress Minka Kelly says she sneaked into the opening-night screening of her hit movie 'The Roommate' because her dad refused to watch the film with industry insiders at the premiere.

Kelly's scary new thriller went straight to the top of the box-office chart when it was released last week, and the star revealed on 'Chelsea Lately' that she helped boost ticket sales after attending a regular screening with her father, who wanted to gauge real film fans' reactions.

The actress said she was terrified the movie would flop with the paying audience, and said she was taken aback when her performance received a round of applause.

"She told Chelsea Handler, 'I had to go and see it with him on opening night because he refused to come to (the) premiere. He just thought that it'd be better to see it with a real audience, as opposed to going to the premiere where everyone will be polite and react the way they were supposed to react, and he just wanted to go and get a real experience.'"

 

Rosalind Russell fans, clutch your hearts. A new version of "Gypsy" may be in town, and it has nothing to do with Stevie Nicks.

This time it's ... Barbra. You know who that is ... Streisand.

On second thought, Russell fans, hold your hearts. She's perfect for Mama Rose.

Now, who for the ingenue to play young Gypsy? Who can replace beautiful Natalie Wood? And no, not Christina Aguilera.

Here's more from MSN:

"Barbra Streisand has confirmed reports she's returning to the big screen to star in the film adaptation of musical "Gypsy" -- about stripper Gypsy Rose Lee.

"The singer/actress admits the news leaked 'a little early' but she is onboard.

She tells the Los Angeles Times, 'I am not sure about directing it. It may just be too much. I know I will be playing the part.'

"Arthur Laurents, who wrote 'The Way We Were' for Streisand, let slip about the new movie project, telling the New York Post last month Streisand was in 'deep in negotiations to direct, produce and star in a movie version of 'Gypsy.''

"He insisted the diva was perfect for the role, stating, 'She had a mother who she always thought was Mama Rose. I don't want to get into the details, but the point is she knows. She's got it in her. She's going to be much more than people expect.'"

 

Entertainment Weekly shows the newest trailer for "Hop" -- 24 days before Easter -- the  live-action movie starring Russell Brand as the Easter Bunny. (Above is a newly released photo as well. Thanks to Rope of Silicon).

Here's more from EW. I don't know ... Volvo? Pooping jelly beans? Did I just write that last sentence.

"So he goes to Hollywood, where James Marsden hits him with his Volvo, lets him move into a massive mansion, and then tries to ditch him in the Hollywood Hills. That’s when E.B. poops jelly beans on the hood of his car. One of which 'The Big Bang Theory's" Kaley Cuoco eventually eats — but don’t worry, it tastes like watermelon."

Check out the trailer:

 

Though this new controversy involving Oscar nominee Melissa Leo and her more glamorous side reminds me a bit of Bette Davis's botched screen test at the end of "The Star" (Davis insists on playing her beaten-down cleaning woman as sexy), I don't know if it matters so much.

Yeah, maybe it seems obnoxious or desperate as some have called it but, in the end, who the hell cares?

Here's more from the Gold Derby:

"Last week, Supporting Actress nominee Melissa Leo ('The Fighter') took out her own trade ads touting her more glamorous side. The character actress, who is the frontrunner at the Oscars, wanted to show the industry her versatility. Instead, she set off an on-going debate about the propriety of such self-promotion.

"Pete Hammond (Deadline) spoke to her last Thursday, as the campaign ran timed to coincide with ballots arriving for Oscar voters. Leo told Pete that, frustrated after failing to land talk show gigs and magazine covers, “I took matters into my own hands. I knew what I was doing and told my representation how earnest I was about this idea. I had never heard of any actor taking out an ad as themselves and I wanted to give it a shot."

There's been much back and forth on the matter. I think Jeff Wells, of Hollywood-Elsewhere, not known for being the gentlest of critics, was the most kind about the whole supposed debacle:

"Ads are always judged in terms of style, class and tone, and Leo's now-disappeared ads, I feel, got it right. They were fine. She looked great. No harm done. We've all been so trained to squint our eyes and arch our backs whenever an individual takes out an ad of any kind. Only corporations and major companies can do this!"

 

When I first read this headline: "Tom Hanks will join Oscar Show Roster," I thought, "Oh no ... a third wheel for Franco.

But as it turns out, Tom Hanks will merely present at the Oscars.

Here's more from TheWrap:

"In a video that played at Monday's Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon, Tom Hanks told the nominees to keep their speeches short and creative, and then added, 'See you at the Oscars.'

"Now the Academy has made it official that Hanks – a two-time winner and member of the AMPAS board of governors – will indeed be at the Kodak Theater on February 27, naming him as a presenter on the 83rd Academy Awards show.

"Hanks is the ninth presenter to be named. The lineup so far consists of Robert Downey Jr., Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Marisa Tomei and Oprah Winfrey, along with two of this year's nominees, Jeff Bridges and Annette Bening."

 

Dear God, Lindsay. Again, I've been on the record countless times, in your corner. But it's come to this? I don't think prison helps drug abusers, but one has to be careful when it come to grand theft -- even if you're confused.

From People:

"Lindsay Lohan's legal troubles just went from bad to worse.

"The actress will be charged Wednesday with one felony count of grand theft for allegedly stealing a $2,500 necklace from a Venice, Calif., jewelry store on Jan. 22, the Los Angeles District Attorney has announced.

"She is required to show up in person for an arraignment at an L.A. courthouse Wednesday afternoon. If convicted, Lohan, 24, potentially faces several years in state prison."

 

I'd heard rumors of this for some time and was excited by the prospects, but when filming started, I forgot about the project somewhat (maybe something to do with that king and his "Speech"), but here she is, in all her "Iron Lady" glory: Meryl Streep as famed British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

But, here's the weird thing: The filmmaker is Streep's "Mamma Mia" director. "Mamma Mia"? I love ABBA and, well, I know a director has to move in different directions so I'm always willing to give a filmmaker a chance. Unless there's a montage sequence set to "Money, Money, Money" or "Fernando." Actually, that would be pretty awesome. (*And, to be fair, the director is noted for stage work, as I have been sternly reminded by a reader. This is true. Let's see some impressive stage to screen work and obviously, an absence of ABBA).

Here's more from Deadline Hollywood. And the first-look picture is courtesy Deadline:


"Pathé UK has released the first shot of Meryl Streep as British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Streep is in the 2nd week of filming The Iron Lady here in London. It’s the first feature from director Phyllida since she directed Streep in Mamma Mia.

"Jim Broadbent plays Thatcher’s husband Dennis. Damian Jones is the producer. Fox will release here in Britain through its output deal with Pathé, which is handling international sales itself. Pathé will unveil footage at Cannes. North American rights are still unsold. 'I am trying to approach the role with as much zeal, fervour and attention to detail as the real Lady Thatcher possesses -- I can only hope my stamina will begin to approach her own,' says Streep."