Jolie-Pitt Love

Official Wanted Trailer

2007-11-03T10:18:00.000-07:00

Enjoy!

Chicago leaves mark on Brangelina

2007-08-23T13:53:00.000-07:00

Not only did they make a mark on Our Town -- Chicago kind of made a permanent mark on them as well.

Seems longtime tattoo devotee Jolie and Pitt treated themselves to more tattoos while the actress was here filming ''Wanted.''

According to a good source, an artist for the Chicago Tattooing Co. on West Belmont slipped up to the 18th floor of the Peninsula Hotel and spent the better part of a day needling not only Angelina and Brad, but also some members of their staff and security team.

The couple's children were left out as they are below the legal age for tattooing in Illinois.

When I called Chicago Tattooing owner Nick Colella to confirm all this -- and hopefully learn details about the couple's new tattoos -- he politely, but very firmly, refused to comment on the ''Brangelina'' inking story.

''I can't say anything,'' said the tattoo titan.

But, just as we were hanging up, Colella did ask, ''Who called you about this?''

Well I can't wait to see their new tattoos. Especially Brad's.

SOURCE

Eve admits to lesbian Jolie crush

2007-08-23T13:50:00.000-07:00

Hip hop star Eve has admitted to having various celebrity lesbian crushes.

The 'Let Me Blow Ya Mind' singer told HX: "My girl-crush is Angelina Jolie. That's an everybody girl-crush -that's my dog's crush!"

The rapper added that she also has a soft spot for Marilyn Manson's former lover Dita Von Teese. She commented: "I want a Dita Von Teese doll and I'll be happy. She's just bananas!"

Talking about her gay fans she said: "Gay women are way more aggressive than men - I will definitely say that.

"But it doesn't bother me. I've never been disrespected in any way. If I'm like, 'Yo, I get it, but I don't swing that way,' then it's all love."

SOURCE

Chasing Angelina

2007-08-23T13:44:00.000-07:00

Paparazzi frame up Angelina Jolie as she makes her way to the CTA platform near the Harold Washington Library. (Tribune photo by E. Jason Wambsgans / August 17, 2007)

Tires screeching, we wheeled around the corner of Rush and Chicago, barely missing a pack of pedestrians. "Sorry folks -- watch it!" the photographer yelled as he pounded the accelerator of his SUV and sped east on Chicago.

He was on the hunt, chasing a black Ford Expedition belonging to the Angelina Jolie-Brad Pitt entourage, and it had just departed the Peninsula Hotel. I'd been interviewing the photographer in his SUV, and when the chase began I went along for the wild ride.

He and the dozen other paparazzi tailing the Expedition had no clue who was inside. At the moment, though, the vehicle's human cargo was beside the point. Thanks to the caprices of a traffic control aide, eight taxis, a Ford F-150 and an OfficeMax truck, the photographer -- with me, slightly nervous, in the passenger seat -- was trailing his quarry by several blocks.

Then word from a fellow photographer and friend came in over the two-way radio, announcing that the Expedition was nearly at Lake Shore Drive. Cursing, my driver floored it, using the turn lane to bypass traffic. As he reached the Drive, his cell phone rang. Another photographer was right on the Expedition's tail, and he was willing to give directions.

The SUV's speedometer quickly reached 80, well over the Drive's 45 m.p.h. limit. Per instructions, he exited at Wilson and headed west, using the wrong side of the street as a passing lane and narrowly avoiding several head-on collisions as he snaked in and out of traffic. Finally, sweating and out of breath, he pulled up behind a line of paparazzi at a stoplight.

Then, for the first time that day, he reached into the camera bag at my feet, pulled out a camera and slung it around his neck. We weren't done yet.

Our chase began at the Peninsula, the luxury hotel where Pitt, Jolie and their ever-expanding brood stayed while Jolie was in Chicago shooting the movie "Wanted." When I arrived there that morning, I saw no signs that a dozen or so paparazzi were staking out the hotel.

I later found out that most remained in their cars, hiding behind their tinted windows and making the most of the air conditioning. Several said they paid the valet at Rosebud on Rush $40 a day to secure parking spots with a view of the Peninsula and its loading dock, where Jolie and Pitt loaded up their SUVs before attempting to venture outward. A paparazzo might have left his car for the occasional cigarette break or to run to the Giordano's across from the Peninsula for a slice of pizza, but the ones who knew what they were doing stayed out of sight, watching, until their quarry presented itself.

The paparazzi are a secretive lot. Some are tight-lipped because they want to safeguard their turf and tipsters. Others worry about the negative publicity that accompanies their work. The paparazzo I was with asked that we not use his name because he was concerned it would upset some of his clients, acknowledging the hypocrisy of invading others' privacy while protecting his own.

"People do a lot of things in this business that they aren't happy about, that they don't tell everybody else about," he said. "People know who I am. It's just a little different when you make the paper and you're the poster child for an organization."

While some photographers work full time as paparazzi, many alternate chasing stars with more conventional gigs.

"Sometimes, the people who do this work for the local newspaper and are just [photographing celebrities] on the side to make some money," said Francois Navarre, founder and president of X17, which is one of the largest paparazzi agencies in Los Angeles.

The paparazzi are aware of the negative implications associated with their job. Critics say that their pursuit of their targets borders on stalking, and that the high-speed chases they instigate endanger celebrities and innocent motorists. But most paparazzi are quick to say that they're just another part of our celebrity-driven culture, that the stars are perfectly aware when they're being photographed and that many don't exactly mind when they see their faces in People magazine.

"We aren't trespassing; we're just trying to get a story," said Raul Rodriguez, a paparazzo from L.A. who came to Chicago in pursuit of Jolie. "I haven't seen any pictures from when she's been here where she looks upset. She's smiling, enjoying her work, enjoying being with her kids and Brad.

"It's part of the game," he added. "We're basically contributing to their publicity."

Rodriguez said that in the eight years he's been photographing celebrities, he's never been involved in a car accident. But he acknowledged that sometimes things can get out of hand when the paparazzi are chasing a target.

"In L.A., it's really tense," he said. "There are people who don't have the skills to drive. They're nervous. They want to get the photos."

Driving in Chicago has been more sedate, he said, although the city's numerous one-way streets and the abundance of pedestrians on the Magnificent Mile, near the Peninsula, have caused occasional snags.

It might seem odd that Jolie and Pitt's brief jaunt to Chicago has drawn Rodriguez and other paparazzi away from the star-laden streets of New York and Los Angeles. But Jolie and Pitt are at the top of the celebrity A-list not necessarily in terms of talent, but in terms of their ability to draw readers to celebrity magazines.

"It changes every week, but they're always in the top 10," Navarre said. "Right now, No. 1 is Britney [Spears], then Katie Holmes, then Angelina."

CONTINUE READING

Brangelina Tidbits

2007-08-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the lack of updates. Sometimes real life takes up a lot of time, lol. anyway I'll make it up to you now with these little tidbits

Brad is expected to make an appearance at the Toronto Film Festival-Globandmail.com
Brad and Angelina will attend a fundraiser in Springfield, MO-SBJ
Brad will produce a transsexual drama for FX-Hollywood Reporter

Trailer for TAOJJ!

2007-08-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

Finally! It's looking pretty good!

Brad Pitt Helping to Rebuild New Orleans

2007-08-23T13:23:00.000-07:00

Long time no see... on to some updates

Brad Pitt shares hopes, dreams for New Orleans
Hollywood star lends his time, celebrity to rebuilding Ninth Ward

Brad Pitt doesn't pretend that the 18 apartments and five homes rising in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward are anything more than a start toward the massive job of rebuilding from the devastation inflicted by Hurricane Katrina. But the Hollywood star believes the project he's putting his time and celebrity behind is an important step toward shaping what the area could become.

“It doesn't feel like much of a victory when you look at the overall problem here,” he told TODAY’s Ann Curry during a tour of the construction site one week before the second anniversary of the killer storm. “Katrina was a manmade disaster. The misconception is that it was nature. But this is manmade — decades and decades of erroneous engineering moves and really, really bad, bad irresponsible moves that I believe government has a responsibility to make right.”

Pitt and his wife, Angelina Jolie, have adopted New Orleans. In January, they bought an early-19th-century mansion in the French Quarter. Not long afterward, Pitt teamed with Global Green USA to sponsor a competition to design environmentally friendly and energy-efficient housing for the Ninth Ward.

“I care very much for the area,” he said. “I met a 60-year-old man when I first arrived here to look into this. He said, ‘I did everything right. I got a job. I bought a home. I raised my kids in that home. They did the same. Now, one kid's in Atlanta, another one's in Houston. We're all split apart and we've been wiped out. What do I do?’

“He’s right,” Pitt said. “That’s unacceptable.”

CONTINUE READING AND SEE THE INTERVIEW

The Changeling is Confirmed

2007-06-19T03:04:00.000-07:00

Ever since the project was first announced, there has been much speculation about Angelina's involvement in this Clint Eastwood directed film. Now for the first time Jolie goes on the record regarding her role in The Changeling:

“I’m looking forward to a film I get to do with Clint Eastwood. It’s so cool. And it’s a great script,”

About working with Eastwood Jolie had this to say:

“An amazing chance to work with an amazing man, a hero of mine.”

When asked about the Oscar winning director's approach to shooting, she replied:

“I’ve heard it’s great. I’ve heard it’s very quick. You’ve got to get your stuff together and get ready because he doesn’t linger…which I think is wonderful. He expects people to come prepared and get on with their work.”

“The Changeling” will mark Eastwood’s first return to the director’s chair since his one-two punch in 2006 of “Flags of Our Fathers” and “Letters From Iwo Jima.” No word yet on whether Eastwood will appear in the film.

The Changeling is set to begin in Los Angeles in October. (SOURCE)

Newsweek Article

2007-06-18T18:14:00.000-07:00

Angelina Wants to Save the World
'A Mighty Heart' is the story of Mariane Pearl's unquenchable spirit. It's not a bad description of the actress who plays her, either.

June 25, 2007 issue - Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to dress actors in Pakistani police uniforms, hand them AK-47s and stand them in the dirt courtyard of a Muslim school in India while children were in class. Still, that gaffe would have been fast forgotten if the film being shot on campus, "A Mighty Heart," weren't about the murder of Jewish American journalist Daniel Pearl by Muslim extremists—and weren't starring Angelina Jolie. When parents showed up that Nov. 16 afternoon to pick up their kids, the gates were closed to keep out the paparazzi who had surrounded the school, their telephoto lenses aimed like rifle scopes. The parents became anxious, so the school opened the gates, and the paparazzi flooded in with them. The film's security guards tried to hold back the crowd. A scuffle ensued. No one was injured. But the following morning, two of Jolie's bodyguards were arrested for intimidation. Unnamed sources in local newspapers claimed that the white British guards had shoved parents and kids and called them "bloody Indians" and "bloody Muslims." "People advised me that this movie was politically dangerous," Jolie says. "I thought maybe I shouldn't touch this. Maybe it would do more harm than good." Just like that—in a perfect storm of post-9/11 tensions and celebrity-obsessed media culture—a minor event had escalated into an international incident, and Jolie had gone from being the most famous star in India to its most famous racist.

The next morning, her bodyguards in jail, Jolie is in a 21st-floor hotel suite on the western edge of Mumbai, where she's set to shoot her final scene of "Heart" as Pearl's widow, Mariane. It will not happen. Jolie, wearing a wig of dark curls and brown contact lenses, sits cross-legged on the floor with four of her fellow actors. Her body is still, but there's anger in her voice. "We've become so eager to accuse people of being racist, but I would rather they make up almost any other story—about me sleeping with someone, anything—but that," she says. "It's not only a crazy accusation, but it's the most insulting thing you could say about me, that I would employ someone who would be disrespectful to someone's race or would harm a child. They take care of my kids." On the other side of the city, Brad Pitt, one of the film's producers, has gone to the police station to try to get the men released. Plans are in the works for him to be interviewed that evening by Barkha Dutt, a.k.a. "the Indian Oprah," to de-escalate the situation (Hollywood's version of fighting fire with fire). Jolie sighs. "People can just hate back and forth, and I understand my own country's irresponsibility with our foreign policy sometimes, but can't we please try to be open-minded, and see that there are some of us who are trying?" Within an hour, the hotel management will shut the film down. Protesters have threatened to surround the building. Jolie's square-shouldered security guard appears by her side and tells her, under his breath, "We need to move you now." Calmly she gathers her belongings, and then turns to a NEWSWEEK reporter. "OK," she says with a smile. "Let's run!"

CONTINUE READING

ANGELINA JOLIE BOCHIC JEWELRY AUCTIONED FOR WORLD REFUGEE DAY

2007-06-13T20:24:00.000-07:00

As a way of thanking Angelina Jolie for the tremendous exposure they received after she wore Bochic jewelry to this years Golden Globe Awards, Bochic will be donating the jewelry she wore to USA for UNHCR in support of World Refugee Day, recognized each year on June 20th. In addition to her work in film, Angelina has become well known as a humanitarian, particularly in her role as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

"To have one of the most beautiful women in the world wear Bochic jewelry to the Golden Globes, was of course very special for our company. For a long time we have admired Angelina's commitment to charitable causes, and we are very happy to be able to support her work by donating the jewelry she wore - especially to an organization like USA for UNHCR,” explains David Joseph, Bochic's President and Co-Founder.

The pieces will be auctioned by charityfolks.com, a leader in online auctions benefiting charitable organizations, with all proceeds going to UNHCR programs in Chad for refugees from the Darfur region.

The Bochic necklace and earrings worn by Angelina to the Golden Globe Awards is a vintage-style suite of rose cut diamonds set in 22K gold.(SOURCE)

Brad Pitt discusses his role as producer for 'A Mighty Heart'

2007-06-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

When "A Mighty Heart" opens on June 22nd, it will mark Brad Pitt's sixth credit as a producer on a feature-length film. Based on Mariane Pearl's account of the brutal Pakistan murder of her husband, Wall Street Journal reporter/bureau chief Daniel Pearl, the much-anticipated drama stars Pitt's wife Anjelina Jolie and Dan Futterman as the two married journalists.

Pitt, the 43-year-old star of this week's number one grosser, "Ocean's Thirteen," has already racked up a fairly impressive producer's score card, with the Oscar-winning "The Departed" and Sundance Grand Jury prize-winning doc "God Grew Tired of Us" under his belt. Pitt also had a hand in "Running with Scissors," which overcame dim notices to notch an Oscar nomination for Annette Bening, and Mike White's quirky indie dramedy, "Year of the Dog," which opened in April to generally favorable reviews.

"What I appreciate the most is getting to be part of a project that normally we wouldn't be right for," said Pitt before a gathering of press at last month's Cannes Film Festival, where the Michael Winterbottom film premiered to acclaim. "I was very taken with Mariane's story the moment it first appeared on CNN. Through the producting conduit, get to take part in these kind of films, see them to the end, find the right people, make sure things stay on the rails. It's a really interesting side to filmmaking itself. You don't have to be in front of the camera."

Pitt was emphatic in his choice of Winterbottom to helm the film. The eclectic British director is perhaps best known for "Welcome to Sarajevo," "24 Hour Party People" and "Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story." But it was "The Road to Guantanamo," his dramatization of a trio of British Muslims who were held in Guantanamo Bay prison for two years and then released without charged, that sealed the deal for "A Mighty Heart."

"We felt he was the best storyteller for 'A Mighty Heart.' He's a citizen of the world, he's focused on these issues. It was really going to achieve some kind of love story: it's done in flashbacks. To achieve that its got to be successfully created in whiffs and smells and instances.

"The moments that he did that in 'Guantanamo' that really spoke to me was when he focused on the boys in their normal habitas, their normal lives at a pizza parlor. We were able to understand who they were at home, without ever having to play it out or make any kind of grand punctuation.

"Another thing I appreciate about Michael's films is, he follows a life. He doesn't create the life, or set the life. It's a really raw approach to filmmaking that really applied itself to the journalistic nature of this film."

In addition to "A Mighty Heart," the actor-slash-mogul has at least eight other producing projects currently in various stages of genesis, including "Dirty Tricks," a Nixon administration drama that features Jim Broadbent as President Nixon, Sharon Stone as Pat Nixon, Meryl Streep as Martha Mitchell and Pitt as White House Counsel John Dean.(SOURCE)

Here is a clip from the film which opens June 22:

Fun with George and Brad

2007-06-13T19:43:00.000-07:00

Being one of the most famous men on earth comes with its share of problems. You can't take your kids to the playground. There are no romantic sunset walks on the beach. And that backyard barbecue? Forget about it. The simple pleasures just evaporate. Like, say, sneaking a smoke while waiting for your buddy George Clooney in a villa outside Cannes. ''Sorry about this,'' Brad Pitt says, contorting his body into a mess of angles and elbows to hide behind a low wall and light up. ''Actually, I'm less worried about the paparazzi catching me than someone, ahem, who doesn't know I still smoke once in a while.'' (Sorry if we blew your cover, dude...but Angie's a forgiving woman, right?) Welcome to life on Planet Celebrity, which today finds its capital at the Hôtel du Cap in the hills near Cannes. The 1870s estate — cash only, absurdly opulent, and set high above the Mediterranean Sea, where dozens of paparazzi boats prowl —is the temporary home to more than a dozen stars during the 2007 Cannes film festival. But the Big Two, the ones who really matter, are the man currently huddled in the corner like a wet lemur and the guy running late to the interview. So what do two men who so completely embody the modern American male ideal have to say? For the next hour, over club sandwiches and gazpacho, they will talk about their new movie (Ocean's Thirteen, in every theater near you on June 8), their new lives (with family and without), the nature of stardom, and how to school youngsters in basketball. But for this one precious moment, Pitt just puffs away, extinguishing the cigarette only when Clooney —immaculate in a white linen shirt and khaki dress pants — dashes in, fuming at his friend.

GEORGE CLOONEY: [To Pitt] You bastard!
BRAD PITT: What?
CLOONEY: I did all these interviews right after you. And all the reporters told me, ''Brad said you did the movie for the money''!
PITT: [Laughs] I did. Believe I said it was all for the cash.
CLOONEY: Brutal! [Laughs] How ya doin'?

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Good, thanks. So I've heard that you guys call this movie Ocean's Thirteen: The One We Should Have Made Last Time.
PITT: Credit where credit is due. That was [director] Steven Soderbergh's line.
CLOONEY: Steven actually wanted to bill it that way, but I don't think the studio was so thrilled with that. It f---s up the boxed set.

But it does get to a legitimate point, which was that people weren't so fond of Ocean's Twelve. Other than for money, why make another one?
CLOONEY: You know, more than anything we wanted another crack. We wanted to go out on a stronger note — and we felt like we had a great way to do it, which was revenge.
PITT: I thought you're a pacifist, George.
CLOONEY: Well, the movie really is a cry for peace.

CONTINUE READING

Stalking Brangelina

2007-06-13T19:37:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. Real life calls! I know of at least five people who read this blog so I guess I'm apologizing to them:) anyway on to this Time Mag article:

The day after the young Czech paparazzo Dalibor Puchta was memorably arrested after trying to photograph Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie from a garage near the sleek villa the couple had rented in Prague, neighbors are out indulging their evening routines.

"We have never seen so many dogwalkers around here," quipped store manager Sabina Dankova, 35, sipping coffee and dragging on a cigarette outside her house. Proud of having Hollywood's most glamorous couple as temporary neighbors while Jolie was in town to film her next action flick, Dankova sounded a solemn note: "I hope [the paparazzi] do not bug them too much, so they do not move."

Contrary to her wishes, the Czech tabloids happily reported that Jolie flipped out after Czech shutterbugs found ways to photograph the family in the privacy of their temporary home. Such images would cause problems for any American gossip sheet silly enough to run them, but in the Czech Republic they are perfectly legal.

Random Pics: Mariane and Adam Pearl w/Maddox; Angelina and Pax

2007-05-25T12:03:00.000-07:00

Mariane, Adam and Maddox in France

Caption via The Grosby Group-No Portugal Antibes May 24, 2007 The actress takes a break from the glam at the Cannes Film Festival and enjoys some quality time with the kids

More Premiere Pics

2007-05-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

Ocean's Thirteen Premiere!

2007-05-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

Brad and Angelina graced the Red Carpet for the premiere of Ocean's Thirteen. They both look amazing. Brad's keeping up with is "Old Hollywood" look. Angie looks gorgeous. I love her whole sex kitten look. It's very Brigette Bardot. It's great to see her wearing some color. The color looks great on her.

Brad with co-star Ellen Barkin in the background.

Brad with the rest of cast.

This pic of George made lol :)

Ocean's Thirteen On GMA 05/23/07

2007-05-23T22:24:00.000-07:00

JoBlo Review

2007-05-23T22:00:00.000-07:00

A MIGHTY HEART
Directed by: Michael Winterbottom
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman, Archie Panjabi

PLOT: A film based on a book written by journalist Mariane Pearl, outlining her courageous search, struggle and life during the kidnapping and execution of during her journalist husband’s tragic disappearance and death.

CRITIQUE: Although the film is about the struggle of two honest journalists on a mission to uncover the truth behind the ‘shoe bomber’, I think Winterbottom doesn’t stray from capturing the essence of the film and the message Mariane intended on relaying. There are several reasons why I was truly touched by and enjoyed the film, the first being its pace. The story’s suspense and drama unfolded at a steady pace, giving us plenty of excitement and action to keep us guessing ‘til the end. Since this is based on an actual news story whose sad fate we are well aware of, I still found myself hoping and wishing that the story would someone take a magical detour to a different conclusion.

Another reason I liked the film was that it refrained from using unnecessary, grotesque violence to over glamorize and sensationalize the story. We are familiar with the types of torture and brutality bestowed upon innocent journalists imprisoned and kidnapped during a time of war but we need not be visually reminded of the stomach turning extremities. It’s bad enough that we’re constantly flashed with heartbreaking images of torture in prison camps by television news. Obviously, Mrs. Pearl had very different intentions with this educational and inspirational book.

Angelina Jolie’s portrayal of Mariane Pearl was very impressive. Despite the validity and clarity of her accent, I was moved by her performance and struggle to remain calm and rational during a time of calamity. Although it was apparent that terrorist groups kidnapped Danny Pearl played by Dan Futterman, Mariane’s maturity and impartiality in dealing with the tragedy was moving and inspiring. The film could very easily have turned into a political piece but its success was contingent upon her display of diplomacy and dedication to honor journalism, not sensationalism.

An incredibly tear jerking and striking moment was Mariane’s reaction in the scene where she received the fateful news. Jolie’s characterization was so powerful and resonant it continued to linger in my mind long after the film’s end. I’m sure boyfriend and producer Brad Pitt along with the real life Mrs. Pearl were as proud and afflicted as I was with her performance and honest depiction of the events. Rather than becoming consumed with hatred and bitterness, it was remarkable to see how a woman like Pearl survived and rose above a major paralyzing and devastating blow to her life. All in all, I believe Winterbottom did a fine job in directing an effective and significant film while providing drama, suspense and action. -- 7/10 (SOURCE)

Mariane Pearl on Charlie Rose 12/03/2003

2007-05-22T20:11:00.000-07:00

Emmanuel Levy Review

2007-05-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

Not quite sure who this guy is, but he boasts a quote on his site from The NY Times which reads "One of the best predictors of the Oscars". He had few negative things to say, but overall he gives the film a B, and he had this to say about Angelina's performance:

Produced by Plan B (Brad Pitt is credited as producer) and Revolution Films, "Mighty Heart" is anchored by a strong performance from Angelina Jolie, who, despite star status, blends into a cast of mostly unknown or no-name actors of various nationalities. Here's a particular collaboration that's mutually beneficially: Jolie elevates the profile of Winterbottom's work through her celeb status, and the Brit director coaxes a stronger more credible performance that she has given in a long time.

Indeed, "Mighty Heart" is a triumph for Jolie, who here looks deglamorized, sporting a convincingly sustained French accent, and behaving like an ordinary wife. This is no minor feat, considering the poor parts Jolie has been playing of late. Rendering her best work since the Oscar-winning turn in "Girl, Interrupted," Jolie impresses with her understated, non-actorish approach. Though it's too early to predict, with strong critical support and some luck, Jolie might be rewarded later this year with an Oscar nomination, this time in the lead category.(SOURCE)

Let's hope that NY Times quote is accurate. *fingers crossed*

Advocate Review

2007-05-22T20:01:00.000-07:00

"A Mighty" Impressive Performance From Jolie

CANNES -- May 21 late morning

Angelina Jolie won the Oscar of course. But she's made so many high profile flicks like Tomb Raider and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, not to mention a personal life that combines Brad Pitt with humanitarian work, that it's easy to forget she's a very good actress. No one's going to forget after A Mighty Heart, the Michael Winterbottom film based on the true story of Mariane Pearl and her husband Daniel, a Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped and brutally killed by Islamic terrorists.

Winterbottom's film is typically dispassionate and very smart and Jolie blends in beautifully with a large cast. She sports a tricky accent worthy of Meryl Streep, but this is not even remotely a showy role. But few will forget her anguished cry of pain when the terrible truth that Daniel had been beheaded was broadcast over the Internet to the entire world. Beautifully, that same cry of pain is echoed a few minutes later, when Mariane is seen giving birth.

Pitt was an executive producer on the film and they both appeared at the press conference, along with Mariane. And yes, it was a mad house. Now we know what it takes to out-draw Michael Moore at a Cannes press conference: the most beautiful couple in the world. By the way, if you haven't read Pearl's book A Mighty Heart, it's quite good. -- Michael Giltz (SOURCE)

TimesOnline Review

2007-05-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

Michael Winterbottom’s harrowing film about Danny Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped and decapitated in Karachi in 2002, is a raw account about the frantic efforts to get him back. It nails the ghastly moment when journalists became prized scalps for terror organisations. Angelina Jolie plays Pearl’s pregnant wife, Mariane – on whose memoir the film is based – with a rigour and passion that surprised even the most jaded sceptics in Cannes.

The film begins on the day Danny (Dan Futterman) fails to turn up for supper. He is working on a story about the shoe bomber, Richard Reid, and has arranged a meeting with an organisation who have background knowledge. A missed supper becomes a crisis within 24 hours. The film charts the hollow weeks Danny is missing mostly through Mariane’s eyes. The house of a close colleague becomes headquarters during the desperate search for motives and information.

There is a confusion of investigators treading on each other toes, and contradictory information about who might have snatched Pearl. Leaks and rash speculation in the press add to the vertiginous panic. At times it’s difficult to know who exactly is in charge. A terrific cast of fixers and officials tease out clues from laptops, emails, and telephone numbers. An uneasy alliance is gradually forged between an American diplomatic security agent, Randall Bennett (Will Patton), various Wall Street Journal friends including the editor, John Bussey (Denis[correct] O’Hare), the head of the Pakistan’s brand new counter-terrorism unit, Captain (Irrfan Khan), the Citizens Police Liaison Committee, and the FBI.

At the still centre of this increasingly tense investigation is Jolie’s defiant Mariane. The film shuttles manically between meetings, endless telephone calls, the growing media frenzy, and the streets of Karachi with terrific confidence. What the kidnapping means to each character is etched on their faces. The power of this giant documentary-style jigsaw lies between the rumours, the false leads, and the hard details. Winterbottom captures brilliantly the chaos of daily life in Pakistan, and the febrile atmosphere as Pearl is first denounced as a CIA spy, and then – when his Jewish roots are fatally exposed – an agent for Mossad.

The director’s rapid-fire and choppy editing gives you a genuine feel for the many different sides of Karachi, and the urgency of the investigation. Shots of street vendors and overloaded buses are slotted between armed raids and interrogations. You can almost smell the fear on suspects. And there’s a controversial flavour about the vested, sometimes murky, interests of assorted officials. Ultimately what makes the film such an affecting modern parable is the authenticity of the emotions. Jolie’s blasts of grief when Mariane hears the dreaded news that her husband has been beheaded pricks tears and raises the hairs on your neck. (SOURCE)

More Premiere Pics

2007-05-21T13:22:00.000-07:00

Hollywood Elsewhere Review

2007-05-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

The agreeably shocking thing about Michael Winterbottom's A Mighty Heart, which had its first-time-anywhere press screening this morning inside the Grand Palais, is that it's not a Michael Winterbottom film. Not, I mean to say, a film that has seemingly emerged from the palette and the sensibility of the director of The Road to Guantanamo, Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, 9 Songs, Code 46 and 24 Hour Party People...all but one of which I had problems with to varying degrees.

Instead, A Mighty Heart is a Michael Mann film -- a tight, absorbing, sharply assembled investigative procedural. It summons memories of the pacing, the underplayed performances and the sense of swiss-watch exactitude that have come to be associated with Mann's films. I can't recall another film in which a name-brand director has so totally abandoned a signature style (wait...does Winterbottom have one?) and just become, in a sense, "someone else."

A Mighty Heart is about the kidnapping and murder ofWall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl (Dan Futterman), as experienced by his distraught widow Mariane Pearl (Angelina Jolie). It's handsomely shot (especially surprising given the generally meh photography in Winterbottom's previous films), intricate and yet surprisingly easy to keep track of, and very deftly edited.

And in it, Jolie has given a completely satisfying and quite admirable performance which feels to me like the best thing she's ever done. More mature and less showy than her nutter turn in Girl Interrupted (for which she won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. The role of Mariane Pearl isn't exactly a showboat thing (although there's a very strong grief-venting scene in the third act that everyone will remember). It's not about histrionics as much as just getting it right and staying with the truth of it -- but Jolie's carefully measured emoting plus her aural and physical resemblances to the Real McCoy make this performance a fairly safe bet for a Best Actress Oscar campaign later this year.(SOURCE)

A Mighty Heart Premiere

2007-05-21T11:33:00.000-07:00

They both look AMAZING. I'm really loving Brad's old Hollywood look. He looks a bit like Clark Gable.

Mariane and Adam Pearl were also in attendance. Adam is so cute.

Everyone poses for a picture...

Adam is having a few issues with his coat...

He really is adorable ;0

With director Michael Winterbottom.

The Hollywood Reporter Review

2007-05-21T08:50:00.001-07:00

Bottom Line: Angelina Jolie shines in a suspenseful docudrama about a terrorist kidnapping.

CANNES -- Michael Winterbottom's expertly fashioned documentary-style drama "A Mighty Heart" relates the intense manhunt launched in Pakistan when jihadists kidnapped Wall Street Journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002. Angelina Jolie delivers a well-measured and moving performance as the reporter's wife, Mariane.

With the BBC's Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston now missing and believed kidnapped for 70 days and journalists in danger in hotspots around the world, a film version of Mariane Pearl's book about the search for her husband could not be more timely.

Set for release in the U.S. in June and the rest of the world in September, the film's even-handed approach to incendiary topics should generate substantial interest.

Jolie's voice-over sets the scene as the movie begins in Karachi, a vast, sprawling city where her husband went missing. He was on assignment to meet a man who could tell him more about Richard Reid, the captured shoe bomber. The events of Sept. 11 were not long past, and the situation was made difficult by the Wall Street Journal going public with the fact that it had turned over a suspicious computer to the CIA.

The film traces Pearl's movements on the night he was kidnapped, with him being warned several times to meet his contact only in public. His trail died when a taxi dropped him off at a restaurant. When he fails to return to the place where he and his wife, who is pregnant with their first child, are staying, she calls in the authorities. Senior people from the newspaper including John Bussey (Denis O'Hare) and Steve LeVine (Gary Wilmes) drop everything to help in the hunt headquartered at the home of the Pearl's friend, writer Asra (Archie Panjabi). U.S. diplomatic security specialist Randall Bennett (Will Patton) and representatives of assorted American agencies join the team that is led by the head of the Pakistani counter-terrorism unit who is known as Captain (Irrfan Khan).

The news breaks internationally, and various parties claim that Pearl is with the CIA or Mossad, which complicates things. One Pakistani government member dismisses it as a crime by India. Winterbottom shows the painstaking steps taken to link one mobile phone caller to the next and efforts to track down a single Internet provider that is used to send e-mails about the kidnapping. Marcel Zyskind's cinematography captures the frantic bustle of the over-populated city as agents swarm into tenements to arrest suspects.

The film alarmingly implies that torture works when one suspect reveals names under duress and watching the no-holds-barred approach of the Pakistani authorities on a raid, the American Bennett declares, "I love this town!"

For the most part, however, the film reflects the dispassionate view espoused by Mariane Pearl, who sees that it is misery that breeds terrorism. Jolie plays her with respect and a firm grasp on a difficult accent influenced by France and Cuba. She has a powerful scene in which she lets out a shriek of grief that will be recognized wherever people suffer from terror and loss.(SOURCE)

Premiere Mag Review

2007-05-21T08:33:00.000-07:00

Wow... the good reviews keep rolling in. Here is Premiere Mag's:

"A Mighty Heart"

Given her tabloid noteriety, is it possible for Angelina Jolie to even register a performance anymore? That is, when on screen, can she make you believe that you are not looking at Angelina Jolie? That's just one of the questions going through my mind before seeing A Mighty Heart, the much-bruited film adaptation of Mariane Pearl's memoir starring Jolie as Pearl, co-produced by Jolie's companion Brad Pitt, and directed by Michael Winterbottom. (Pearl was the wife of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan in early 2002. Mariane, also a journalist, was five months pregnant with their son at the time.)

The answer to the question is "kind of." Which is not to say that Jolie does not perform to the fullest of her capabilities, or that she is ineffective. But what makes her convincing here has as much to do with how she is shot as what she does.

The ever astute Winterbottom has cast the film as a procedural and an ensemble piece. Contrary to what many might have inferred from the production stills, official-and-non, that emerged during the making of the film, this is not a picture wherein a lone Mariane Pearl wanders wide-eyed through the streets of Karachi in a heroic search for her missing spouse. Mariane spends most of the time in the rented house of a friend and colleague (Archie Panjabi), surrounded by a partially ad hoc team—a Pakistani police captain, an American diplomat, a couple of Wall Street Journal staffers, etc.—trying to piece together the hows and whys of Pearl's abduction. (Pearl himself is played very well by Dan Futterman in his likable straight-shooter mode.)

Winterbottom appears to understand that no matter how much she is made up (here she is given a darker complexion and ringletted hair to better resemble the Afro-Cuban/Dutch Pearl; she looks pretty much just like herself regardless), there is no way an audience is going to look at her onscreen and NOT see Angelina Jolie. He employs a couple of strategies to tackle this. In the initial sequences of the film, he rarely puts her in the frame all by herself; she's always in part of some bustle, even if she's in the foreground. He also cuts very quickly; he doesn't give her any "moments." Thus, he makes her just a part of what he's weaving, much of which involves getting the viewer as deep as film possibly can get one into the feel of Karachi. Winterbottom's particularly good with environments, and he's also a deft, quick storyteller, and he juggles chronology in a way that gives us a quick, empathy-generating read of Daniel and Mariane's passionate involvement while moving the kidnap tale at almost full throttle.

Later, at moments when Mariane is most emotionally fraught, Winterbottom makes us not see Jolie by sort of not showing her to the viewer; he will shoot her from behind, or in silhouette. We don't get a full-on, well lit face-forward shot of Mariane screaming until she's giving birth to her and Daniel's son Adam. And by this point of the film, it works.

As does, I should say, the rest of the picture, which is involving and moving in the mode of another war-zone Winterbottom picture, Welcome to Sarajevo. Jolie and Pitt were very smart to get a director who doesn't do star turns to do Jolie's star turn. I dare say she's got at least an Oscar nomination locked.(SOURCE)

Variety Review

2007-05-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

The sad saga of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Danny Pearl has made it to the bigscreen with facts, figures and beating heart intact in "A Mighty Heart." In his first studio venture, Michael Winterbottom coaxes forth a staggering wealth of detail from this terse, methodical account of Pearl's kidnapping and murder in Pakistan, seen through the eyes of those who sought his return. Given audiences' resistance to films dealing with 9/11 and its aftermath, soberly restrained pic reps a mighty tough sell, though Angelina Jolie's performance as Pearl's widow should broaden prospects for the June 22 Stateside release.

Adapting Mariane Pearl's harrowing memoir, director Winterbottom, who previously ventured into Mideast politics with "In This World" and "The Road to Guantanamo," proves to be just the man for the task. Though the prolific British chameleon isn't one to make the same film twice, his gifts for docudrama storytelling -- an ability to shepherd complicated narratives, avoiding every opportunity for sensationalism in favor of a low-key mounting dread -- couldn't be better suited to the material.

Having covered the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan following the Sept. 11 attacks, the Pearls were working as journalists in Karachi, Pakistan, on Jan. 23, 2002 -- the day Danny ("Capote" scribe Dan Futterman), chasing a story about foiled shoe bomber Richard Reid, got into a cab and never returned. Sticking close to the very pregnant Mariane (Jolie), pic recounts the restless five-week search for the man's whereabouts and his kidnappers' identities, all accompanied by a hailstorm of media attention.

Screenplay crisply diagrams the labyrinth of false leads and fruitless interrogations with various middlemen Danny may have had contact with on the night of his disappearance. Suspicion ultimately comes to rest on the elusive Omar Saeed Sheikh (Alyy Khan), a known Islamic militant with a history of kidnapping foreigners.

Like his fellow suspects, Sheikh is seen only briefly, and in the most objective possible light. Working in the brisk, discursive style of a police procedural, Winterbottom scrupulously follows the rescue effort, step by agonizing step — ensuring that the audience is never given additional information despite its foreknowledge of the tragic outcome. Even larger political questions — the implications, say, of a scene in which a Pakistani suspect is strung up and interrogated, or the grim irony of a journalist couple facing intense media scrutiny — are subjugated to the flow of the storytelling.

Along the way, pic also manages to sketch vivid portraits of Mariane's key supporters and allies. These include Danny's tough-minded colleague, Asra Nomani (Archie Panjabi); a local cop (Irffhan Khan), known simply as Captain, determined not to let the case soil Pakistan's reputation; American diplomatic security agent Randall Bennett (Will Patton), who tends to see the silver lining in all bad news; and Wall Street Journal higher-up John Bussey (Denis O'Hare), who arrives in Pakistan after news of the ordeal, a comforting but resilient figure.

But this is ultimately -- and very intimately -- Mariane Pearl's story, and much of it rests on Jolie, who fits comfortably into the naturalistic mold that shapes the entire ensemble. Though Jolie sports a big belly, a high-coiffed hairstyle and a very challenging accent (raised in France, Mariane is of Afro-Cuban and Dutch descent), this isn't the sort of commanding star turn in which the performer vanishes behind a well-known celebrity mask, but rather a subdued, carefully considered portrait of a woman caught between premature grief and persistent hope.

Jolie plays Mariane as sharp and prickly, but also highly principled and completely devoted to her husband. Wisely, Winterbottom opts to shoot her more high-pitched outbursts from a distance or in near-darkness, as if refusing to milk more histrionics than necessary.

Occasional subdued flashbacks to happier days from Mariane and Danny's marriage, including a very brief love scene, add emotional texture even as they take something away from the film's otherwise unsentimental approach.

Pic negotiates its way around another potential landmine -- to show or not to show the widely circulated video of Pearl's murder -- re-creating a very brief, non-graphic snippet of the contentious footage and getting the facts across with the utmost restraint.

Shot on location in Pakistan, India and France, the film gains considerable authenticity and momentum from its handheld DV lensing by Winterbottom's regular d.p., Marcel Zyskind, and Peter Christelis' rapid editing, rarely allowing a shot to last more than a few seconds. (SOURCE)

A Mighty Heart Review

2007-05-21T06:17:00.000-07:00

Wow how can you not love technology. The film only had it's first screening a few hours ago and already it's received it's first review. This from FoxNews:

Jolie Film About Daniel Pearl Filmmaking of Highest Order

“A Mighty Heart,” Angelina Jolie’s film about the kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, had its first screening Monday morning at the Cannes Film Festival.

Simply put, the Michael Winterbottom film is an exceptional piece of work, deeply affecting and filmmaking of the highest order.

In purely Hollywood terms, the film is a certain Oscar nominee. Everyone involved in “A Mighty Heart” - from Winterbottom to Jolie as Pearl’s widow, Mariane, to Dan Futterman as Daniel Pearl - can be proud of a job very well done.

Based on the book by Mariane Pearl, the film follows the pregnant Mariane as searches for her husband following his disappearance in Karachi, Pakistan, in 2002. At the time, Daniel Pearl was writing a story about shoe bomber Richard Reid.

Winterbottom’s cinema verité-style only adds to the immediacy of the Pearl tragedy. This director has done a remarkable job. (SOURCE)

A Mighty Heart Photocall

2007-05-21T05:08:00.000-07:00

Well the day has finally arrived. Brad and Angelina graced the 60th Annual Film Festival on Monday for the official photocall for A Mighty Heart. They both look amazing. LOVE their glasses. On to the great pics :)

I think they look adorable. I love how they color-coordinated.

Brad posed solo:

I LOVE his face in this pic. He is too cute!

This by far is my fav pic. The man is a true star.

Angie's solo pics:

She is so beautiful.

Another beautiful smile ;)

I really love her hair in these pics. The style and the color are perfect for her.

So after posing solo Angie took some pics with the cast

Here she is with British actress Archie Panjabi.

The two then pose with Dan Futterman who plays Daniel Pearl in the film.

The three share a private joke:

With director Michael Winterbottom:

And finally with the whole cast

There should be more pics later on today :)

Angelina Jolie Life-Sized Doll An Armed Robber?

2007-05-21T00:51:00.000-07:00

Angelina Jolie, Lara Croft Doll Leads To Stick-Up - A life-size Angelina Jolie, Lara Croft doll got a man by the name of David Williams into a bit of a pickle recently - and it involved police holding a gun to his neck over Miss Croft!

The Sun UK is reporting that police in Britain stormed into Williams' home after they had received complaints from him over some prank phone calls. Wait - it gets way better!

The cops entered Williams' house - where they saw the $2,000 silhouette of the Angelina Jolie/Lara Croft life-sized doll in the darkness! If you guessed that the cops thought Miss Croft was an armed robber and immediately reacted, you guessed right, but they also reportedly thought Williams was a crook!

The cops held Williams at gunpoint after wrestling him to the ground. According to Williams, "The back-up cops burst in through the back door and knocked me to the ground. One jabbed a gun in the back of my neck and said, 'All right - where's the gun?'"

"I said, 'I don't have one.' They weren't happy and searched the house."

"They took me in for questioning, and brought the mannequin with them. They must have soon realized what had happened because the PC who called for help was getting a lot of stick."

"I can't believe the police could be so stupid."

A spokesman for the police said: "An officer can never take things at face value." What a hoot! (SOURCE)

The Jolie-Pitts have Arrived!!!!

2007-05-20T23:28:00.000-07:00

So last week before their departure, Brad and Angelina treated their devoted long time security guard Mickey Brett to a birthday dinner. They dined Kampa Park "Prague's premiere fine dining establishment" See the video. Here's more from the official website:

A favorite of local and international celebrities, this upscale restaurant delivers sumptuous gourmet cuisine that includes world-class fish and meat delicacies paired with over 150 types of wines. Diners can choose between stylish dining rooms or the intimate riverside terrace overlooking Charles Bridge.

After dinner the Paps caught Brad and Angelina sharing an intimate kiss!

*~SWOON~*

I've managed to compose myself. Here are more pics.Angie has such a beautiful smile. Mickey looks very handsome. Brad sure loves that hat! Click to enlarge. Thanks once again to PITTIMPRESSIONS.

So Saturday the day after Mickey's birthday dinner the Jolie-Pitts boarded a plane to Cannes. Here is video of the WHOLE family:

If I'm not mistaken that is the first time the entire family has been photographed together. They are all so precious. Maddox is huge! I love his new haircut. They look like such a beautiful happy family. JustJared has pictures.

Here are pics of the family upon landing. Shiloh is adorable! She's a perfect mix of both her parents.

This guy made me lol :)

So Sunday after landing Angelina and Brad had dinner with Michael Winterbottom, the director of A Mighty Heart, and his girlfriend.

LOVE the way they look @ each other. Even though the kids are with them, I hope they find some time to enjoy Cannes. From all the pictures I've seen it looks like a romantic place.

So A Mighty Heart will premiere later today and Oceans Thirteen will debut on Thursday, so there should be lots of updates this week. I can't wait!

Brad's New Tattoo

2007-05-18T16:31:00.000-07:00

We have seen glimpses of Brad's tattoos over the past couple of years, but now we have info about his latest one. From Wiki:

Ötzi the Iceman (also spelled Oetzi), Frozen Fritz, and Similaun Man are modern nicknames of a well-preserved natural mummy of a man from about 3300 BC, found in 1991 in the Schnalstal glacier in the Ötztal Alps, near Hauslabjoch on the border between Austria and Italy. The nickname comes from Ötztal, the region in which he was discovered. He is Europe's oldest natural human mummy, and has offered an unprecedented view of Chalcolithic (Copper Age) Europeans.(more)

I wonder what the inspiration behind getting the tattoo was. I like it. It's quite different from anything I've ever seen, which for me is the point of getting tattoos. Read more about Otzi here.

Update on Burn After Reading

2007-05-18T04:37:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago it was first reported that Brad Pitt and George Clooney were going to re-team on the big screen for the umpteenth time in a Coen Brother's film called Burn after Reading. Well Chud.com has an update on the film:

The Production Company: Working Title Films (Focus Features will distribute in the U.S.)

The Director: Joel Coen

The Producer: Ethan Coen

The Writers: Joel & Ethan

The Actors: George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand.

The Premise: A hubristic, mid-level CIA flunkie hellbent on writing his memoirs to avenge a bureaucratic slight loses a disc filled with potentially sensitive files. When two gym employees find the disc and demand a ransom in exchange for its safe return, they set in motion the single-most inept cloak-and-dagger imbroglio in recorded history.

The Context: The Coen Brothers have been through it. Throughout their eleven-picture career (not counting the as-yet-unseen No Country for Old Men), they've been regarded as film school phenoms, smug showoffs, brilliant satirists, commercial sell-outs and flailing has-beens. In the early going, their films had a way of lagging just a year or two behind the national zeitgeist: it took Raising Arizona several years of relentless pay cable rotation to become an American classic, and even longer for Miller's Crossing to overcome a disastrously negative reception as the opening night selection of the 1990 New York Film Festival. It wasn't until they favored audiences with an undeniably good-hearted protagonist in Fargo's Marge Gunderson that the Coens were able to cast off their undeserved reputation as cold technicians (complaining that Miller's Crossing was chilly around the heart or "lacked romantic heat" exposed many prominent critics, like The New York Times' Vincent Canby and Movieline's Stephen Farber, as shockingly ignorant of Dashiell Hammett's The Glass Key and film noir in general). Four years later, they made their most popular movie to date, O Brother, Where Art Thou, and seemed on the verge of a commercial breakthrough.

For those of us who'd been slugging away in their defense since Blood Simple, this was an unsettling thought - which is why the droll, emotionally understated The Man Who Wasn't There came as such a relief. But the overwhelming box office failure of that picture began the Coens' first unabashed Hollywood movie, Intolerable Cruelty. It was a movie for no one, and was followed up by an even bigger waste of their creative energies, a southern transplant of the classic Ealing comedy, The Ladykillers (recently, and justifiably, referenced by Nick on the 50 Greatest Disappointments list).

Even when the Coens missed the mark a little (as I still feel they did with The Big Lebowski, which is half-classic/half-uninspired lunacy), they always bounced back with their subsequent film. But two stinkers in a row followed by a three-year hiatus? Had someone stolen their bag of "secret shit"?

The Script: Whatever that "secret shit" is, it's far more valuable than the information stored on CIA drone Osbourne Cox's computer disc, and, thankfully, it's now back in the Coens' possession. Burn After Reading is their most polished script since The Man Who Wasn't There and their funniest study in petty avarice since Fargo. (I'm tempted to say "funniest script period since Raising Arizona", but their dialogue is so dependent on well-timed delivery that it's probably best to wait and see what Clooney, Pitt, McDormand and the rest of the cast do with it.) It's also not so intricately plotted as to frustrate mainstream audiences; if they can keep up with Syriana or The Good Shepherd (or, at least, feel equal enough to the challenge to pay $11.00 to give 'em a shot), there's every reason to expect Burn After Reading will become the Coens' highest grossing movie to date (surpassing the $45 million racked up by O Brother, Where Art Thou?) provided it's competently marketed by Focus (and provided all of the Coens "secret shit" was returned, since the last two movies were also their least interesting visually).

The script begins with Osbourne Cox getting bumped off "the Balkans desk" for a banal assignment in State due to a drinking problem. After protesting to his superior that he's been wronged, in trademark Coen argot ("This is political! This is an assault! This is crucifixion!"), Cox quits his job and goes home to drown his outrage. Before he can unwind, however, his wife begins nagging him about picking up "the cheeses" for a cocktail party they're hosting. Later that evening, we get a fuller glimpse into Cox's mundane beltway hell, and realize that he's as big of a prick as the people he despises. We also learn that his wife, Katie, is having an affair with Harry Pfarrer, a federal marshal and first-class perv whose wife is the popular author of children's books (two sample titles: "Oliver the Cat Who Lives in the Rotunda" and "Point of Order, Oliver"). Harry is also unusually interested in kitchen floor tile.

After setting up Cox's intention to write a tell-all memoir about his days in the CIA (a notion Katie finds risible), and some other stuff I'll not reveal in the interest of avoiding spoilers, the Coens abruptly shift the action to a doctor's office where a middle-aged Linda Litzke is being marked up in anticipation of some extensive plastic surgery to nip and tuck the ravages of age. Her body image issues are exacerbated by her day job: Linda works at a gym called Hardbodies. She's also single, and experimenting with online dating, which, in one scenario, yields a depressing one-night stand with a wheezing, and married, asthmatic.

When Linda's employee insurance refuses to cover her elective medical procedures, she tailspins - i.e. until one of her co-workers, Chad, discovers a disc packed with random, seemingly ominous Sigint information. Upon tracing the disc back to Osbourne Cox (via the help of Chad's techie pal Ernie who "hooks up people's computers and programs their VCRs 'n shit"), Linda lobbies her fellow employee to join her in a bit of blackmail which she hopes will help pay for her surgery.

The first problem is that Osbourne has no intention of paying. The second problem begins when Linda decides to pay an impromptu visit to the Russian Embassy. That's when things really get out of control.

Revealing more would be wrong, but rest assured that the Coens keep all of their various tennis balls aloft and never once falter. Other spots of intrigue involve Harry erecting some kind of sinister contraption in his basement that requires a good deal of metal tubing, Katie's efforts to commence divorce proceedings, and a runaway box office smash starring Dermot Mulroney and Clair Danes. And you might also not be surprised to learn that the action gets a tad nasty as we near the third act.

Why It Should Be Good: Aside from the Coens phenomenal batting average, there's the fact that their whimsical misanthropy has found a worthy target in this group of Beltway bureaucrats and commercial gym employees. Every single one of the Coens' dramatis personae indulge in various facets of disgusting human behavior: there's lots of greed - economical and emotional - on display; everyone's on the lookout for their own interests regardless of who gets hurt or killed in the process. And the Washington D.C. setting allows the viewer to work out some longstanding frustration with an unrepentantly venal community that's been the cause of so many of our country's ills.

And then there's the cast. What's interesting about this is that, aside from Frances McDormand, I'm not sure who's playing whom. Clooney would work as either Osbourne or Harry, while Pitt would be a natural Chad. If Clooney takes the role of Harry, then I'd love to see J.K. Simmons raging against the world as the volatile Osbourne.

Why It Might Suck: This will be the Coens' first film without cinematographer Roger Deakins, who's been with the boys since Barton Fink. This means the Coens will just have to make do with that clod Emmanuel Lubezki (who's every bit as good as Deakins). There's been talk of Lubezki shooting this movie handheld, which would be a change of aesthetic for the typically measured Coens; personally, I don't see why you'd go in that direction from the script, but, even after Intolerable Cruelty and The Ladykillers, I'll trust that the Coens know what they're doing.

The Hollywood Reporter is also confirming that John Malkovich has joined the cast:

John Malkovich is in negotiations to star opposite George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand in the Coen brothers' "Burn After Reading" for Focus Features and Working Title Films.

The dark screwball comedy centers on Ozzie Cox (Malkovich), a former CIA agent who loses the disc of the memoir he is writing. McDormand will play Cox's philandering wife. Clooney is set to play an assassin. Because the screenplay is being kept under wraps, it is unclear what Pitt's character will be.

Shooting is scheduled to begin in August.

Random Pics: Ocean's Thirteen Edition

2007-05-18T04:27:00.001-07:00

Official Chicago Premiere Invite:

Soundtrack Cover:

New Still from the Film:

Is Graber a new friend of Brangelina?

2007-05-18T00:04:00.000-07:00

Celebrity blogs and news sites this week are flush with pictures of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in Prague, where Jolie is filming a movie.

One place they've been spotted with their four children is the grounds of the U.S. embassy in Prague, near the U.S. ambassador's home. Two of their children are reportedly attending a kindergarten housed within the embassy compound.

The U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic...that would be former Republican Party of Wisconsin chairman Rick Graber. Does this mean that Graber is rubbing elbows with the supercouple and their children?

The Hollyscoop blog noted, 'The U.S. Ambassador in Prague was even spotted in the crowd waiting for his chance to catch daddy Brad picking up Zahara and Pax Thien."(SOURCE)

Brad Denies He-Man Rumors

2007-05-17T23:54:00.000-07:00

Despite reports that he was set to take the role of He-Man, Brad's rep Cindy Guagenti has laughed off the rumors as 'completely untrue".

Aww too bad... I think I see a slight resemblance. ;)

Angelina Reader's Digest Interview

2007-05-17T23:38:00.000-07:00

Earlier I posted a snippet from Angelina's Reader's Digest interview. Here it is in full:

Angelina Jolie travels at warp speed. Since our last interview, nearly three years ago, she's tracked more than 100,000 air miles, traveling to places as far-flung as Thailand and Chad. She's partnered with Brad Pitt, who shares her drive to leave a mark on the world. She's adopted more children, had a baby, started a foundation and made nine movies. And there's no sign she's ready for a break.
This month, Jolie stars in A Mighty Heart, portraying freelance journalist Mariane Pearl, whose husband, Daniel, a Wall Street Journal reporter, was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan while reporting on Islamic militants. Produced by Pitt, the movie reflects Jolie's international interests, which took hold after she won the Oscar for Girl, Interrupted at age 24. A regular on "most beautiful" lists, the actress, a UN Goodwill Ambassador and now mother to four children, seems to have left the glamour life far behind. In addition to Maddox (Mad), a Cambodian boy she adopted in 2002, Jolie brought Zahara (Z) home from Ethiopia in 2005. She and Brad had baby daughter Shiloh (Shi) in May 2006. She adopted Pax from Vietnam this spring. Just nine days after bringing him home, Jolie, 31, took a rare break to talk with RD about her growing family and wanting to make a difference.

RD: When we last met, you were a single mom with one son. You now have Brad and four kids. What happened?
Jolie: I met this amazing person, and we realized we had very similar views on how we wanted to live our lives. It's happened quickly, with so many children. Yesterday, picking up the kids from school, Brad turned around in the car, and there were three of them. He couldn't stop laughing. We love them and are having a great time.

RD: Was your pregnancy with Shiloh intentional?
Jolie: It was. Before I met Brad, I always said I was happy never to have a child biologically. He told me he hadn't given up that thought. Then, a few months after Z came home, I saw Brad with her and Mad, and I realized how much he loved them, that a biological child would not in any way be a threat. So I said, "I want to try."

RD: Tell us a little about Pax. Why did you decide to adopt a toddler?
Jolie: As kids get older, it's harder for them to be adopted. I wasn't prepared a few years ago, but I felt now our home was stable, and I could balance that.

RD: Is adopting a toddler different?
Jolie: Pax is almost three and a half and has never made a real decision for himself because everybody does everything in a group in the orphanage. There were all these things he'd never had. The first time I gave him a bath, he was suddenly laughing, out of his mind. He took five baths in one day. We'd be talking and he'd take his clothes off and run into the bathroom.

RD: How did he come to adjust to you?
Jolie: The first two days, he cried a lot. I hired a translator, and he would explain what was going on. The first night, I slept alone with him. I was expecting him to wake up and scream, but he woke and just stared at me. I handed him a stuffed animal, and we walked around the room pointing at things. By day three, he didn't want me to put him down. I think he got used to the reality that somebody loves you and that's what a mommy is.

RD: How do you introduce a new child into this family without sibling rivalry?
Jolie: We had a long talk with Mad about the fact that his brother is going to be scared and that Mommy is going to have to give him attention. And we've tried to figure out a lot of private time for each of them. When everybody goes to bed, we give Mad time. When everybody is at school, we give Shiloh time. In between, Z and Pax each get special time. And on Sundays we have a big family sleep, when the boys get in bed with us and we watch a movie. It started with Mad, then Pax, and now Z is desperate to move into the bed. We're talking about having to build a bigger bed!

RD: How has Brad been with this?
Jolie: He couldn't go with us to Vietnam to get Pax because he was working. But they got together very quickly. I think Pax, after seeing how much Zahara and Mad and Shi love Brad, understands that he's his daddy. Everybody seems to be safe in his arms. He makes everybody laugh. He helps everybody.

RD: Do you want more children?
Jolie: Yeah, yeah. More biological, more adopted.

RD: Is it true that you adopted Pax so Maddox would have a brother who looked like him?
Jolie: Something changed for me with Shiloh. We had Mad and Z, and neither looked like Mommy or Daddy. Then suddenly somebody in the house looked like Mommy and Daddy. It became clear to us that it might be important to have somebody around who is similar to the other children so they have a connection. Mad's been very excited that his brother is from Asia.

RD: Who's the disciplinarian?
Jolie: When it comes to the boys, it's Brad, and with the girls, it's me. It's not intentional, but Z can pretty much get anything she wants from her dad. Brad's like a strong father with the boys.

RD: You lost your mother a few months ago. How are you coping?
Jolie: I'm one of those people who walk around as if it's fine, and then suddenly I don't know why I'm crying over my breakfast. My mother was my best friend. I'm so grateful I had her as a mom. She had cancer for seven years, but she lived long enough to see my brother and I grow up to be quite happy. You almost get the feeling she held on until it was okay.

RD: You like to do risky things like flying planes and riding motorcycles. Do you think more about your safety now that you have four kids?
Jolie: I don't do drugs. I don't intentionally ride a motorcycle without a helmet. I will always be careful. But I live a bold life, and I'm a happy mother because of that. I think the bigger question is, Am I living the life that I want my kids to see? If something happened to me doing something I believed in, then I suppose that's the legacy I would leave as a mother.

RD: I just read A Mighty Heart, on which your new film is based. What drew you to make this film?
Jolie: We're living in a time when there's so much anger and a lack of faith in our ability to find solutions together. Mariane is a person who has every right to be full of hate, and yet she's completely the opposite. She wants to have dialogue with people; that's how Danny was, with his appreciation and interest in that side of the world. To shoot the film, people from Pakistan, India, Britain, America, Muslims, Christians came together. It's an example of what is possible.

RD: Mariane was six months pregnant when her husband was kidnapped, and I understand that you were pregnant during preproduction of the film. What effect did that have?
Jolie: When we worked on the script, I was six months pregnant. Mariane sat with me and held my hand and told me what was happening to her when she was six months pregnant. I thought, My God, I know what I'm feeling right now and I can't imagine handling that. It was so important for me to have my family and Brad with me at the time, and to understand it's that life -- Adam, Mariane's child -- that clearly pulled her through.

RD: The story is anguishing. Was it hard to re-create what happened?
Jolie: It was difficult thinking, What if Adam sees this one day? The pressure normally is wondering what the audience is going to take out of it. It's very different when you feel the story represents a family you want to honor.

RD: You seem equally committed to philanthropy. Do you truly donate a third of your income to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees?
Jolie: Not to the UNHCR. I was making a lot of money for something that is a pleasure and realizing how a third of that would end up doing a lot of good. I just don't need that much. It's a simple decision. And now Brad and I have started the Jolie-Pitt Foundation. The first thing we focused on was AIDS orphans around the world.

RD: There's a saying that it's not your job to fix the whole world; it's your job to do your part. What's your part?
Jolie: As my mom did, raise the kids with a lot of love and make sure they grow into the individuals they were born to be. Separate from that, I want to continue to educate myself. I'm trying to learn more about international law to understand why we don't have better solutions for conflict -- for dictators or aggressors that are hurting or raping children or using them as child soldiers. Why can't we have an international community handle these things in a swift, efficient manner?

RD: You've said that A Mighty Heart is also a love story. Did Danny and Mariane Pearl's partnership have parallels to yours with Brad?
Jolie: They are what we strive to be. They met with a common goal that was so noble. They dedicated their lives to studying other cultures and trying to make a better world through honest journalism. They clearly set each other on fire to do really wonderful things in the world.

RD: Is that true with you and Brad? It didn't seem he had the passion to do the humanitarian work before you.
Jolie: I discovered a man who's extremely thoughtful, intelligent and invested in many issues. He's just more quiet in his way. I think that's the reason I love him. If I'm curious about something, I put my boots on and I'll go tomorrow. I've been too outspoken. He's the person who methodically figures out what he believes in and how he's going to handle something, then does it seamlessly.

RD: Between your kids, your careers and your causes, how do you and Brad carve out quality time together?
Jolie: Right now, that's our problem! We hang out. We try to talk over the swing set. We'll have a date night once everybody is settled.

RD: How about a date weekend?
Jolie: No. Especially now with Pax; he still gets scared if I'm gone more than a few hours. But we'll get them occupied with a movie and popcorn and try to run off and lock the door for a bit.

RD: Do you and Brad ever have a conflict or a fight?
Jolie: Not really. We'll get into issues about global events or something that was just on the news.

RD: The gossip is unrelenting. You're fighting, you're jealous, he's going back to Jennifer. Does it get to you?
Jolie: Our first question is what paper is it in. The New York Times? If not, do we really need to worry?

RD: But at the Golden Globes, you seemed in a bad mood, and that was in The New York Times.
Jolie: Yeah. And that was when my mother was about to die. Others have said we were getting married. We are people who want a good newspaper and television report, so when it's lies about us, it makes us wonder what else are they not double-checking.

RD: So have you and Brad thought about getting married?
Jolie: There's no big conspiracy behind our decision not to. We've both been married before. Our focus when we got together was family, and we are legally bound to our children. That really seems to be the most important thing.

RD: You said you wanted a partner who would urge you to be better. Does Brad do that?
Jolie: He encourages the right things. If I've had a full day and just really been a hands-on mom, he'll make a point to let me know that's something he's proud of. If I'm writing an Op-Ed, he's the first person to want to read the drafts. I could be dressed up in the sexiest outfit for a photo shoot, and by his behavior, he'll let me know that's nice, but it's nothing as sexy as when I'm home surrounded by the kids or reading books, educating myself. He slows me down to kind of get it right, to relax into the strength of my family and the love.(SOURCE)

Brad picks up Zahara and Pax at School

2007-05-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

So adorable! As you can see Zahara has a beautiful smile. Brad was spotted a few days ago picking up the kids at school. Pax is a cutie! Big thanks to Pittimpressions for the pics. Click to enlarge.

Ocean's 13 Promo Pics

2007-05-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

So Ocean's Thirteen is set to debut in a few weeks at Cannes and we are starting more and more promo pics ere are the latest:

The boys are back!

Ralph Ueltzhoeffer Portraits

2007-05-16T18:38:00.000-07:00

German artist Ralph Ueltzhoeffer made a series of Text Portraits of celebrities using biographical information. Here are Brad and Angelina's. Click here to see more. Thanks to BC from Bradforums for the heads up. Click to enlarge.

Angelina in Reader's Digest

2007-05-09T20:16:00.000-07:00

Angelina recently sat down withe Reader's Digest for the June issue and revealed how she and Brad juggle parenting duties:

We've tried to figure out a lot of private time for each of them. When everybody goes to bed, we give Mad time. When everybody is at school, we give Shiloh time. In between, Z and Pax each get special time

She said on Sundays the whole family get into bed and watch a movie:

... On Sundays, we have a big family sleep...we're talking about having to build a bigger bed!

She also goes on to say that she planned her pregnancy with Shiloh:

I always said I was happy never to have a child biologically. (Brad) told me he hadn't given up that thought. Then … after Z came home (from Ethiopia), I saw Brad with her and Mad, and I realized how much he loved them, that a biological child would not in any way be a threat.

When asked if she adopted Pax so Maddox would have a brother who would resemble him she answered that after Shiloh's birth:

Somebody in the house looked like Mommy and Daddy. It became clear to us that it might be important to have somebody around who is similar to the other children so they have a connection.

Jolie also mentioned that her Marcheline Bertrand who passed away in January, lived long enough to see her "grow up to be quite happy." She goes on to say:

Yesterday, picking up the kids from school, Brad turned around in the car, and there were three of (their kids). He couldn't stop laughing. We love them and are having a great time(SOURCE)

Awww... that's sweet. :) Buy the issue when it hits stands in a few weeks.

Random Pics

2007-05-09T20:08:00.000-07:00

Angelina graces the cover of the first ever Single Mother (SM) Magazine:

International O13 Poster:

Another O13 Poster. My fave so far :):

A Mighty Heart Stills

2007-05-09T19:47:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more stills from A Mighty Heart. A BIG thanks once again to PITTIMPRESSIONS. Click here to see more. The film opens in June.

Brad Pitt pines for his old New Orleans home

2007-05-09T18:34:00.000-07:00

It has been less than a year since he bought a house in the French Quarter, but Brad Pitt already knows what it means to miss New Orleans.

Since leaving town to join Angelina Jolie on the Czechoslovakia set of her new movie, "Wanted," Pitt said that he has regrettably slid, once again, under the celebrity magnifying glass.

"Let me tell you, we're in this house in Prague right now and there's about 12 cars of paparazzi outside and some tourists with video cameras," Pitt said Wednesday in a phone interview. "I can't describe why were allowed to live a more normal life (in New Orleans)."

The thing he misses the most, he said, is bicycling through the streets of New Orleans at night.

"Living in the French Quarter is a thrill for us," he said. "We have some semblance of real family life. People have been very, very gracious with us. If we're on the front deck, people go by and say, 'Hi.' Then they go on their way, very friendly."

Pitt visited New Orleans in the early 1990s during the filming of "Interview with a Vampire" and took up semi-permanent residence early this year while filming "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

He said that he has been impressed with the city's never-say-die post-Katrina spirit, especially in the hardest hit areas.

"For me, first as a tourist, it's the most unique city that we have in the States," he said. "It has an energy like no other place. You guys shouldn't change a thing. I've got to get me some of it. I absolutely love it there. We moved our family there. We've got a place there and we're intermittently going back and forth. We're in Prague now because of work. We'll be back there soon."

"Button," which he described as "a love letter to New Orleans," likely won't be released until the second half of 2008. But Pitt promises, "It'll be worth the wait. I think it's got real merit as a film. It's a beautiful film -- and I am not one to sell a film. I'm not a salesman in any way. I am the most disgruntled viewer in cinematic history. But what I've seen is really special."(SOURCE)

Brangelina Tidbits

2007-05-08T21:39:00.000-07:00

Baller Status is reporting that rapper Common is joining the cast of Wanted.
Shakira bonds with Angelina Per TeenHollywood.
Angelina keps the faith with new charity-via FoxNews
Is Brad spreading cancer? Health 24 has a theory.
The Telegragh UK breaks down how you can get Brad Pitt.
According to Showbiz Spy Brad will not reveal his bottom.
Cinematical says Brad might play He-Man.

Ocean's Thirteen Tidbit

2007-05-08T21:29:00.000-07:00

Stella Foster of The Chicago Sun-Times had this bit of info regarding the Ocean's Thirteen premiere this summer in Chicago:

HOT! HOT! HOT! The ''Ocean's Thirteen'' hot ticket premiere and "Reel Relief" benefit -- which will raise funds for the new "Not On Our Watch" relief organization earmarking the funds for the poverty-stricken Darfur region of the Sudan -- is set for June 7 at the AMC River East 21. The private party that follows is at the new Room 21.•

Most of the stars of the movie, including George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac and Ellen Barkin are expected to walk the red carpet. Co-star Al Pacino can't make it, and Brad Pitt may or may not attend -- depending on family stuff.

The evening is sponsored by VF Big Picture Show, Jerry Weintraub, Vanity Fair, Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures. Sugar Rautbord Public Relations is handling this event.

Now, this is not a cheap evening: A single ticket is $2,000, which includes the premiere, after-party and gift bag. ... But for the big, big spenders, "The Blackjack Package" is $100,000 and includes 21 tickets to the premiere, after party with reserved seating, cast autographing, a mention by Weintraub from the stage and a pre-cocktail reception before the premiere. ... Then there is a "High Roller" package for $50,000 and the Lucky Seven package for $13,000. The International Rescue Committee also is involved. So get your pennies ready for an exciting evening.(SOURCE)

'Ocean's' premiere supports Darfur

2007-05-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

Stars to help raise funds for Not on Our Watch

Hoping to spin hunk power into relief aid, producer Jerry Weintraub and "Ocean's Thirteen" stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Don Cheadle will use the bow of the summer tentpole to support relief efforts in the Darfur region of western Sudan.

Cadre is launching a new humanitarian org named Not On Our Watch through which to focus their efforts.

Weintraub will throw a launch party for the new org on May 22 in Cannes, two days before the Warner Bros. sequel makes its world preem on the Croisette.

In early June, Weintraub and his gang will host benefit premieres for the Warner Bros. film in Las Vegas and Chicago, with the proceeds going to Not On Our Watch.

North American preem takes place June 5 in Los Angeles. Earlier in the day, Weintraub, Clooney, Pitt and Damon will have their handprints and footprints cemented in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater.

According to Warner, Weintraub is the first producer to have both his handprints and footprints taken.

"I'm really excited. I didn't think I would be. I've had my star on Hollywood Blvd. for many years," Weintraub said.

On June 6, Weintraub and many from the cast, which also includes Ellen Barkin, Al Pacino and Andy Garcia, head to Vegas, where "Ocean's Thirteen" -- set in Sin City -- will open the CineVegas Film Festival.

Weintraub and his entourage will head from Las Vegas to Chicago, where a benefit preem hosted by Vanity Fair will be held June 7.

Not on Our Watch supports existing relief efforts in war-torn Darfur and works to protect the people living in that region.(SOURCE)

Hayden Panettiere Wants To Follow In Angelina Jolie's Footsteps

2007-05-07T22:08:00.000-07:00

Angelina has been doing such amazing humanitarian work so it's no surprise that she influences so many people. We've heard from Anne Hathaway now Heroes star Hayden Panettiere has added her name to that list:

Actress Hayden Panettiere hopes to follow in the footsteps of Angelina Jolie by helping poor people in developing countries.

The Heroes star recently shot movie Racing Stripes in South Africa, and would like to return to the country to provide aid for deprived families.

She says, "I'll possibly be doing what Angelina Jolie does - go over there and bring food. It was eye-opening, seeing shanty towns.

It makes you thankful for what you have but at the same time you admire how simple life is in other places."(SOURCE)

A Mighty Heart Trailer

2007-05-07T22:02:00.000-07:00

Earlier I posted the official movie poster and the Glamour Magazine interview with Angelina and Mariane Pearl. I'm certainly no expert but Angelina's accent seems pretty spot on. Here is the trailer via The Today Show.

Brad and Angelina Go To Dinner

2007-05-07T20:51:00.000-07:00

Brad and Angelina spent some time away from the kiddies to enjoy a romantic dinner. Angie is GORGEOUS! I am glad to see their longtime bodyguard Mickey Brett rejoin the family after his troubles in India. The pair dined at Svata Klara. WENN posted images of the restaurant and menu. Click here to visit the restaurants official website. Thanks to PITTIMPRESSIONS once again for the great pics. Click to enlarge.

More Park Pics

2007-05-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

So earlier I posted pics of the family at the park. Here are two more pics:

Another shot of Brad and his boys:

Brad and Shiloh

2007-05-07T20:24:00.000-07:00

So precious! As you can see Baby Shiloh is already walking. She will be celebrating her first birthday later this month. These Pictures were taken at the villa where the family is staying while Angelina shoots Wanted. Apparently a photographer was arrested getting these private pics:

The Prague police arrested on Thursday a photographer of the Boulevard magazine Aha! that is published in Prague.

According to informations of the news agency CTK (Prague) the photographer ended in police custody because he tried to access the private villa in Prag-Bubenec, where the actors couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt with theirs children resides at the moment. The photographer dismisses the accusations made against him by the US American bodyguards of the Hollywood stars.

The incident should have taken place on Thursday shortly before 15 o'clock, as it was announced by the Prague radio station Frekvence 1. Allegedly, the photographer tried to get into the garden of the villa and take pictures of Brad Pitt with his daughter. "I can only confirm that policemen, shortly before 3 pm arrested a man, who was suspected of trespassing in the private grounds, said a speaker for the police.

The photographer was arrested for breaking and entering, which he dismissed as "nonsense". The photographer spent five hours in custody.(SOURCE)

So these are the shots from the infamous day. Thank you to BC @ Bradforums for the translation. Click to enlarge.

Prague Pics!

2007-05-03T04:39:00.000-07:00

The Jolie-Pitts have landed! After screening her documentary film A Place in Time at the Tribeca Film Festival, Angelina and family touched down in Prague where she is set to start shooting Wanted co-starring Morgan Freeman. According to ABC Prague the family will be there for four weeks. Pictured below: Brad and Pax, Brad in a van, and Angelina and Shiloh. Click to enlarge.

Upon arrival the family took some time to settle in. Brad and Angelina share an intimate dinner:

Brad and his boys have some fun in the park:

Angie and Z go for a walk:

Glamour Mag Scans

2007-05-03T04:29:00.000-07:00

Earlier I posted the snippet of Angelina Jolie and Mariane Pearl's sit down with Glamour Magazine. Here are the scans:

Thanx to Pittimpressions :)

Brad Pitt's 'Jesse James' comes under fire

2007-05-01T20:26:00.000-07:00

Early cuts of Brad Pitt's 'Jesse James' have tested poorly, but Warner Bros. is sticking to its guns.

Every great western has a duel, and there's a showdown at the center of Brad Pitt's new movie about gunslinger Jesse James. The struggle hinged on the film's tone and length — at one point its running time was more than three hours — according to several people close to the production.

But running time wasn't the main issue. The thornier challenge was to come up with a cut of "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" that satisfied audiences and Warner Bros., the studio making and distributing the film. At one point there were competing versions — one from writer-director Andrew Dominik and another from producer and star Pitt, according to a person familiar with the making of the movie. It's unclear which version of the film will be released.

Warner Bros. only recently announced a Sept. 21 release date for "Jesse James," about two years after it was filmed. (In the time since, Pitt has had daughter Shiloh Nouvel and completed two other movies, "Ocean's 13" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." "Ocean's" will be in theaters more than three months before "Jesse James.")

Adapted from the novel by Ron Hansen, the film follows the last heist committed by James (Pitt), and Ford's (Casey Affleck) devoted and then vengeful relationship with the legendary outlaw.

Dominik, a New Zealand filmmaker who rose to prominence with the 2000 crime drama "Chopper" starring Eric Bana, wanted to deliver a dark, contemplative examination of fame and infamy, in the spirit of director Terrence Malick ("The New World"), according to several people familiar with the production. The studio, on the other hand, wanted less contemplation and more action, closer to Clint Eastwood's filmmaking style, sources said. (Dominik, Pitt and Affleck declined interview requests.)

Various versions of the film were assembled and tested, with Pitt, producer Ridley Scott ("Gladiator") and editor Michael Kahn ("Saving Private Ryan") either overseeing new cuts of the film or suggesting revisions, according to people familiar with the process.

Early test scores were poor, but some who have seen the film say the performances by Pitt and especially Affleck are among the best in their careers.

One otherwise favorable review of a research screening posted on the website www.aint+itcoolnews.com said, "I see one serious problem with this film. A major studio made it. This film isn't for everyone. This isn't 'Tombstone,' it's not an action-packed Western."

In a statement last week, Warner Bros. said that the version being released this fall "is true to the source material and in keeping with the creative vision of its filmmakers. We do not comment on the internal creative process of bringing a picture to the screen, but the goal of both the studio and the filmmakers is to deliver the best film possible.... We are all very pleased with the picture we are bringing to theaters this fall."

Modestly budgeted at around $30 million, "Jesse James" is one of several Warner Bros. films facing problems in the editing room. Some half-dozen different cuts of the $50-million Bana-Drew Barrymore romantic comedy "Lucky You" have failed to wow preview audiences, and the studio is now cutting back on its marketing push for the film, which opens Friday opposite "Spider-Man 3," according to a person familiar with the production. The studio also has reshot approximately 50 pages for the Nicole Kidman movie "The Invasion," replacing original director Oliver Hirschbiegel with James McTeigue, with new screenplay pages written by Larry and Andy Wachowski ("The Matrix").

Yet as Warner Bros. knows, difficult productions do not always mean death at the box office. The studio (and some cast and crew) clashed with "Lake House" director Alejandro Agresti, but when it came out last summer, the $40-million film grossed more than $100 million worldwide.(SOURCE)

Angelina @ the Tribeca Film Festival

2007-04-30T23:10:00.000-07:00

Last Friday Angelina debuted her documentary A Place in Time (also known as A Moment in the World). In 2005 Angelina had this to say about the film:

"I kept going between Mad's country and refugee camps or war zones to Hollywood and all these odd places and then seeing the world at all these different times. Then it became this kind of crazy adventure of organising a lot of people and gathering over 30 crews of people and sending them across the world to all these places. On January 11th (05) we all opened up our cameras at the exact same time, coordinated across the world for three minutes"

Click Pics to enlarge. See more @ Pittimpressions :)

Here is AP video of Angelina @ the screening

A Mighty Heart Pics

2007-04-30T23:00:00.000-07:00

Official Movie Poster

A still from the film

See more Pics here.

New Ocean's Thirteen Poster

2007-04-30T18:25:00.000-07:00

June Glamour Mag Excerpt

2007-04-30T15:31:00.000-07:00

Angelina & Mariane’s Powerful Bond

Mariane Pearl, widow of murdered Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, and Angelina Jolie, who plays her in the new movie A Mighty Heart, sat down with Glamour editor-in-chief Cindi Leive for an exclusive interview at Angelina’s home. Read excerpts from their conversation here, then check out the June issue of Glamour to read the full interview with Angelina and Mariane about their families, their friendship, and their hopes for the future.

In January 23, 2002, Mariane Pearl became a reluctant global icon. That was the day her husband, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, was kidnapped by terrorists in Pakistan while investigating Islamic extremism. For weeks, millions around the world watched, astonished, as Mariane, then five months pregnant with the couple’s son, Adam, appeared calm and collected on TV to appeal for her husband’s release. (When asked what she would say to him if he were listening, she replied simply, “I love you.”) The unbearable news in February 2002 that Pearl had been beheaded by his captors triggered worldwide outrage, but Mariane refused to lash out. “Danny has not been defeated,” she went on CNN to say. “His pain and my pain will help…change the world.”

The same beautiful message resonates throughout A Mighty Heart, Mariane’s best-selling memoir about the kidnapping ordeal, the film version of which—starring Angelina Jolie and produced by her partner Brad Pitt’s production company—hits screens in June.

Today I am meeting both women at Angelina’s sleek, modern Los Angeles home to discuss the film and the genuine friendship that has sprung up between them. Less than five minutes into our conversation, it’s clear that the bond between these two women is warm, respectful and real. Listen in and you’ll know why their closeness runs much deeper than a Hollywood movie deal.
CINDI LEIVE: So Mariane, you started to tell me the story of how you guys initially met, which to my surprise had absolutely nothing to do with A Mighty Heart.

MARIANE PEARL: One day a few years ago, I was alone in New York with Adam, still having a rough time [after Danny’s death]. I read an interview with Angie in a magazine, about her and Maddox and her life as a single mom. And I thought, this woman could be my friend…. I’d never experienced anything like that before in my life. It was something in her tone, in the answers that she gave. I felt also that Maddox and Adam [then both about three] could be good friends. So I sent her a note saying, do you want to have a playdate?

ANGELINA JOLIE: And I, on the other side of it, had been aware of you through the time that everything went down. I remember being amazed by your courage and your grace…. And when I got the note, I was thrilled. Later I realized that Mariane and I are the two worst people to plan a playdate in the history of playdates.
CL: Why?

AJ: Because she hates the phone as much as I do. So it almost didn’t happen! But when it finally did, I remember being really nervous, thinking, she’s such an intelligent European woman—what are we going to do together? So we went to this serious, European, existential play—it seemed like the right thing [and it was supposed to be OK for kids]. But Adam and Mad got antsy, and finally halfway through, to each other’s relief, we were both like, do you want to get out of here? And we ran out and went back to Mariane’s place….

MP: We cooked pasta; it was actually good. And then we started talking about changing the world…

AJ: …and about all the things we were passionate about. Her instincts were right—we did have so much in common. And all the kids are great friends now. Zahara is madly in love with Adam.
CL: And was the movie a thought for either of you at that point?

MP: …I had met with Brad separately about the movie, [but] he wasn’t connected at all with Angie at that time. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to do a movie…. Everybody was using terrorism for their own political agenda at that time, and really, this is a story about Danny. But when I met Brad—well, out of all the studios, he was the only one who had actually read the book!

AJ: Really?

MP: Really…and I could see already that he wanted to have children, and to raise them in a world of tolerance…. I don’t think I would have done it if I didn’t feel a direct connection to Brad and, then, Angie.

AJ: We all had an understanding that it couldn’t be a traditional melodrama: You know, “Mariane starts to get upset and the camera gets really, really close.” Because the wonderful thing about Mariane, and the book, is that she’s not like that. You know, Mariane, you’re somebody who has every right to have a lot of anger. And the fact that you take a deep breath and stand up with a very clear voice of tolerance and dialogue—that’s why I wanted to do the film.

MP: Well, that kind of self-control…hasn’t been easy for me. I always go back to one moment: In Karachi, when Captain [the Pakistani officer who was leading the investigation into Danny’s kidnapping] came to the house and told me what happened, my reaction was that I grabbed an AK-47 from one of the guards. In that single moment, I knew how easy it would be to kill someone. If they had brought a person who was guilty [of Danny’s murder] to the house, I would have shot him. But then I would have destroyed everything Danny believed in, and everything we did as a couple—and I couldn’t do that. Putting that gun down was my biggest act of courage.
CL: So Angelina, here you are, knowing Mariane, being friends with her—and then you take on this role. That must add a layer that doesn’t usually exist for an actress.

AJ: Yeah, and it’s horrible. I was so nervous! I mean, it’s like you’re in a roomful of your closest friends and somebody says, “Why don’t you get up and imitate the friend to your left?” Nobody would want to do that, ever!…. Much more than how Mariane looks or acts, I wanted to express her essence. I’ve come to respect her so much as a hard-working person, a serious journalist, a great mom and an emotional, real woman, and I want the audience to connect with her the way I feel she deserves to be connected with. And that was hard, because I had to express the worst time in her life and [in the scene where Mariane is told of Danny’s death] the moment when she received the worst information of her life. It became the worst acting day of my life—and really, the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
CL: Mariane, how do you think Danny would’ve felt about the idea of this movie?

MP: I think he would be really proud. You know, he’s the person I did it for. If it were just for me, I wouldn’t have done a movie at all. But without the book and movie, he would’ve been known more for the way he died than the way he lived. I couldn’t accept that.(SOURCE)

The issue comes out on May 8. You can read Mariane's global diary here.

Brad on Charlie Rose from 5/13/04

2007-04-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

Angelina At The National Press Club in Washington

2007-04-26T13:24:00.000-07:00

Actress Angelina Jolie participates in a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, Thursday, April 26,2007, to announce the launch of Global Action for Children (GAC), a nonpartisan advocacy organization focused on increasing funding of government programs that support orphans and vulnerable children.(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Entertainment Weekly Summer Movie Preview April 27/May 4

2007-04-25T23:11:00.000-07:00

A Mighty Heart

Ocean's Thirteen

Credit to Sammies

Pax is Almost a Pitt!!!!!!!!!!

2007-04-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

Angelina Jolie Files to Give Brad Pitt's Name to New Son

Angelina Jolie has formally asked a Santa Monica court to change her newly adopted son's name to Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt.

Her request to add partner Brad Pitt's surname came in an April 16 filing in Superior Court.

Pax, 3, was adopted from a Vietnamese orphanage in March, joining Pitt and Jolie's three other children, Maddox, 5, Zahara, 2, and Shiloh, 10 months.

Because Vietnamese law makes it difficult for unmarried couples to adopt, Jolie applied solo, and the boy's name became Pax Thien Jolie.

In January 2006, after Jolie made a similar request in the same court, her other adopted children, Maddox and Zahara, were officially named Jolie-Pitt. (SOURCE)

Biker Brad

2007-04-23T12:52:00.000-07:00

Despite reports that he was in New Orleans this past weekend, Papa Pitt was spotted on his bike in Los Angeles. Brad loves his bandanna's!

People.com Sighting

2007-04-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, enjoying dinner at the Dakota inside the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The couple, who will light up Cannes together next month, dined with a party of five. They "looked like they were having an amazing time and were very sweet with each other, a very happy couple," says an onlooker.(SOURCE)

Brad Pitt to star with Clooney in Coen brothers' movie

2007-04-23T12:37:00.000-07:00

Brad Pitt will reunite with "Ocean's 13" co-star George Clooney in the latest film from Joel and Ethan Coen, it was reported Friday.

Pitt has signed to star in black comedy "Burn After Reading," which tells the story of a CIA agent who loses the disc of a book he is writing, according to entertainment journal the Hollywood Reporter.

It was not clear what role Pitt would play in the film, the report said. Frances McDormand, who won a best actress Oscar in 1996 for her performance in the Coen brothers' "Fargo," will also star in the film.

Filming will get underway in August.

Pitt most recently starred in the multilingual drama "Babel" and will appear in "Ocean's 13," which will be screened at next month's Cannes Film Festival.(SOURCE)

The Jolie-Pitts Are Headed To Cannes!

2007-04-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

The lineup for The Cannes Film Festival were announced and it appears both Brad and Angelina will be in attendance:

In this year's Out of Competition category Brit Michael Winterbottom is the sole U.K. flagwaver, returning to Cannes for the sixth time with Paramount Vantage's Angelina Jolie starrer "A Mighty Heart."

Steven Soderbergh is back with his much-anticipated star-powered "Ocean's Thirteen" (Warner Bros.)

The festival runs from May 16-27

In Other News: VA Tech Massacre

2007-04-19T14:05:00.000-07:00

With everything that's been going on in the last few days I just haven't felt like updating. As sad as it seems it always takes a tragedy to put things in perspective. By now everyone has heard about the masacre at VA Tech. My thoughts and prayers are with all the families of the victims, And I hope through it all they can someday find peace in their hearts. Life is fragile to to be taken for granted.

Complete list of Victims-CNN & CBS

World Reaction

'I Saw Bullet Holes Coming Through the Door'

A Time To Mourn

Fox News Coverage

Cell Phone Footage

The President Speaks

Donate To The Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund

Angelina Jolie's 'Mighty Heart'

2007-04-19T13:46:00.000-07:00

Paparazzi showdowns, Pakistani secret police, and rumors of a fatwa -- all part of the behind-the-scenes tale of filming the Mariane Pearl story on location in south Asia

Even in Pune — one of the most ancient cities in India, settled on a remote edge of the Western Ghats mountain range in the Maharashtra state some eons ago — they gossip about Angelina Jolie. In fact, last fall, when the actress spent five weeks there shooting her latest movie, A Mighty Heart, Puneites talked of nothing else. The local papers were filled with headlines about the star's every move. There was the one about the terrorist group who purportedly declared a fatwa on Jolie (''There was never any serious threat,'' she says, although at one point she was told to keep her children's cribs ''away from windows''). There was another about Jolie supposedly getting spiritual guidance — and career advice — from one of the town's resident astrologers (''I've never been to an astrologer in my life,'' she corrects). And then there was that truly outrageous tale about one of her bodyguards trying to strangle a paparazzo who'd been harassing Jolie since she arrived in the country (okay, so maybe there's some truth to that one, but we'll get into it later).

Yet for all the media scrutiny, nobody seemed to notice the one truly newsworthy thing about Jolie's trip to Pune, the reason she was there in the first place: to tackle her most challenging role in her most serious film since winning that Oscar seven years ago for Girl, Interrupted. In A Mighty Heart, she stars as Mariane Pearl, widow of Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter whose 2002 kidnapping in Pakistan — and subsequent beheading, videotaped and uploaded to the Internet — still ranks as one of the most horrific and tragic episodes in the short, bloody history of modern-day terrorism. Dan Futterman (who got an Oscar nom for writing Capote) has a delicate part in the film as well, playing Daniel in flashbacks; Will Patton portrays the American security officer who teaches Mariane to detangle Pakistan red tape; London actress Archie Panjabi is the Pearls' closest friend in Karachi; and Bollywood star Irrfan Khan is ''Captain,'' the soft-spoken secret policeman who ends up Mariane's ally.

But, of course, it's Mariane's story, based on her 2003 best-seller about her husband's abduction. The hellish details she lays out in her book about those first few weeks in Karachi after the kidnapping — her frantic phone calls to the American consulate, her slogs through Middle Eastern bureaucracy, the slow piecing-together of what had happened to Daniel — will constitute the bulk of what's on the screen. ''The story unfolds like a mystery,'' Jolie says. ''You've got people collecting clues and trying to solve what happened. But it's also very real and personal. We didn't want it to be too melodramatic or too polished. We didn't want it to be a typical movie.''

Which is how Michael Winterbottom — the maverick Brit who built his career by thumbing his nose at Hollywood studios and stars — ended up directing the hottest film actress on the planet in a major summer movie that was bought and paid for by a little company called Paramount. Though he seems a counterintuitive choice, the truth is Winterbottom may be perfect for the job, given his familiarity with the geographic and political terrain (his last film, The Road to Guantánamo, shot in Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan, also dealt with victims in the war on terror) and experience with the vérité-style camera work needed to give the film that gritty look Jolie wanted. ''It just seemed too good an opportunity not to do it,'' the director says. ''I mean, it was Brad and Angelina asking. That's a very nice position to be in, you know?''

Unlike her director, Jolie earned her part in the film the old-fashioned way — she flirted with a producer. That would be Brad Pitt, of course, Jolie's sometime costar, all-the-time boyfriend, and the dad to her four children. Pitt read Mariane Pearl's book in manuscript form and liked it so much he snapped up the film rights before publication. Originally, he sold the idea of the adaptation to Warner Bros., in partnership with Plan B, his own production company. But Warner cooled on the concept and it languished in development for a year or two, until Pitt cut a new deal to bring the project to Paramount's revamped specialty arm, Paramount Vantage. The guy who had just been hired to head that division, as it happens, was a former agent named John Lesher. And one of Lesher's former clients, coincidentally, was a certain English director famous for his disdain for big American studios and stars.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is how movies get made in Hollywood. A Mighty Heart was immediately put on a fast track at Paramount Vantage. Also, rather unsurprisingly, they ran into problems just as quickly.

For starters, there were issues with the Pakistan secret police. In the spirit of realism, Winterbottom spent 10 days in Karachi in July shooting exteriors and a few outdoor scenes — footage of some of the very places where Daniel Pearl had stopped on the day of his kidnapping. ''We were filming the real locations, the real restaurant where he ate and the real hotel he went to,'' says Winterbottom. ''At first, I was a little nervous, but when you get there you see that they're just normal places, like anywhere else. Bad things may have happened there, but that doesn't make it a bad place.''

The production had been granted permission from the Pakistan government to film in Karachi, but the ISI — the secret police — apparently never got the memo. ''The ISI guys would follow us from our hotel every day,'' recalls Andrew Eaton, Winterbottom's longtime producing partner. ''And they would videotape us filming our movie. I'd love to get ahold of their footage. It'd be great for the DVD.'' At one point, the ISI actually tried to stop the crew from filming, having four extras dressed in cop costumes arrested on charges of impersonating an officer. ''It was total harassment,'' says Eaton. ''It was a pretty creepy experience.''

When Winterbottom and the rest of the crew gathered in India in October, they got a more enthusiastic reception — too enthusiastic, actually. The secret police were out of the picture, but photographers could be just as brutal, shouting insults at Jolie in hopes of grabbing her attention for a shot. Jolie's bodyguards took the abuse especially hard; one of them was videotaped literally wringing a paparazzo's neck. But the incident that caused the biggest PR headache happened while the cast and crew were shooting a scene inside a local Mumbai school. Jolie's guards were accused of physically blocking parents from picking up their kids, though they claimed they were merely trying to keep the paparazzi from swarming in. Three guards were arrested when the cops arrived, and the ensuing media frenzy got so out of hand Pitt himself had to plead for calm on Indian TV.

''I'll say this,'' Jolie offers. ''We were in a school we were legally allowed to be in. We had permits for exactly what we were doing. And the paparazzi tried to get into the school when we were at the gate, and the parents showed up to get their kids. And the paparazzi rushed through the gates and caused chaos. It was not the film production that caused chaos. We were only guilty of bringing the paparazzi.''

To be sure, things could have been even worse for Jolie. Most of the film was shot in one location, in a house in Pune standing in for the one in Karachi where Mariane held vigil during the the kidnapping. And even when Jolie did venture outside, she wasn't always immediately recognized; to play Mariane, who was five months pregnant when Daniel disappeared, she strapped on a prosthetic belly and wore a curly wig — to say nothing of the exotic French-Cuban accent she needed to learn to sound more like Mariane. (The studio says that initial reports that she darkened her skin with makeup for the role are false.) ''It would usually take about five minutes before people would figure out that it was Angelina,'' says Futterman. ''So we ended up shooting a lot of the exterior stuff in five-minute increments.''

Jolie, though, sometimes had a harder time staying inside. Winterbottom's inimitable shooting style is a little like the taping of a reality show: He uses handheld cameras and no studio lighting, encourages as much improvisation as the story line allows, and then simply follows his actors around wherever they go. ''The crew would have to find places to hide — behind curtains or in the bathroom — to stay out of the shots,'' Jolie says of the process. ''The great thing about it is if you felt like going somewhere else while doing a scene, you could. But it could get intense. Michael and I would have disagreements over wherehe could follow me. We came up with a system. If I closed the door, he couldn't follow. If I left it open, he could. I just needed to know that if things got too heavy, there'd be a place for me to cry by myself.''

That, by the way, was not something Jolie worried about on the set of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Or on Mr. & Mrs. Smith. And it's one of the things that make A Mighty Heart so potentially interesting. Since winning her Oscar, Jolie's onscreen persona has been transformed by a series of tentpole action roles, and her offscreen footprint has grown so huge (something to do with that boyfriend of hers) it threatens to eclipse all else in her life and career. But with A Mighty Heart, the actress has the chance to show why she got that little golden guy in the first place. She can remind people of something her new supersize celebrity status almost makes them forget.

That she can actually act.(SOURCE)

Brad Out And About In LA

2007-04-16T08:53:00.000-07:00

Brad was spotted yesterday visiting Brad Grey at Paramount Studios. Credit to Brilliant Brad Pitt. Click pics to enlarge.

Lol. I see Brad still loves his cigarettes.

UPDATE: Angelina was with him! Here's a pic of them together. They both look great.

Wonderful Article Regarding The NY Post and Angelina

2007-04-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

Okay so any fan of the Jolie-Pitts will know that for the past few months the NY Post seems to have had an agenda against Angelina Jolie and her numerous adopitions. They have written stories based on a woman named Tatiana Beams who calls herself and "International Adoptions Advocate". This article was written a few days ago by Sandra Hanks Benoiton:

NY Post's Adoption Agenda

After taking more than a little bit of my time to compose a response to a request for comment on Angelina Jolie's adoptions from a reporter from the New York Post, I was irked, but not surprised, to see what ended up in print. (Ed. Note: Click here to see the PageSix Item)

My comments came from both heart and head, were reasonable, fair and balanced. Not, apparently, what they were going for at the Post.The story, when it appeared, proved the paper had an obvious agenda in mind long before anyone asked what I thought. They must have been trawling in hopes of dredging up gunk and, of course, they managed to find someone thrilled to their boot tips to give them what they wanted.

Throwing in rumors of Angelina criticizing Madonna and trying to tie a comment she made regarding illegal adoptions to hinted sleaze tossed at her Cambodian adoption, the article decided to pick quotes that don't favor Ms. Jolie, like, "Angelina is not a hero in the adoption community," and, " ... said that after Jolie's adoption scandal, Cambodia closed its doors, and many families who were waiting to acquire children were left empty-handed."

As if she was responsible for the suspension!

This is an up-close and personal experience to illustrate how the media controls and manipulates a story. It's not pretty, and it's certainly not fair, but it is what it is.

What happens because of the way this works can be devastating. The fallout from adoption trashing often ends up with children trapped behind a mirror of distortion for their entire lives.

More than five years ago, the suspension on US adoptions in Cambodia was imposed. Only this week, the last US agencies doing adoptions in Russia lost their licenses, and heaven only knows how long it will be until kids there will be allowed to finds homes with American families.

Every parent of a child adopted internationally has a duty to understand the difference between hype and truth, to cling to that truth and distribute it so that it thrives rather than gets buried beneath the piles of trash.

When you see a story about adoption that has a negative cast, ask yourself where it comes from, what's the motivation for it, and where in it is actual fact and truth. Separate out the rumor and innuendo. Throw out the glitz. Get rid of any envy or uninformed judgement. Then, and only then, look carefully at what might be left.

Take what is left and form an opinion. If the residue is something that requires action, take it. If you see reforms are needed, work for them. If laws need changing, get involved in changing them. If you can grab the attention of the media, avoid the bandwagon and put forth thoughtful, well-considered information founded in truth, not knee-jerk reaction to misinformation.

No one exists in a vacuum, and especially not the media. What appears in your local shopping news could be around the world tomorrow, and even if it isn't someone is listening.(SOURCE)

Cosmo UK Mag Cover

2007-04-15T09:25:00.000-07:00

Old Candids

2007-04-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

News has been pretty slow for the family Jolie-Pitt, however thanks to Pittwatch (via Celebrity Moms) we have these wonderful undated candids. Brad and Z pick out some ice cream while Angelina waits in the car.

UPDATE: Apparntly these are new candids. Click here to see more.

Pic Of The Day

2007-04-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

Hot!!

Quote Of The Day

2007-04-13T12:45:00.000-07:00

After 50 years of talk, King maintains a relatively minor list of major misses. "I never got Prince Charles or Fidel Castro," he says. "Oddly enough I've never had Brad Pitt. Every time I see him, he says he's going to do it."

(SOURCE)

Brad Filming TCCOBB

2007-04-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

Brad was spotted in LA while filming the Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Brad stars as a man who is born eighty years old and then ages backwards.

Apparently those rumors that Shiloh appears in the film are true; she even has her own IMDB page.

Photo Credit ThisLondon

In Other News...

2007-04-12T12:32:00.000-07:00

Kate and Pete are Engaged-HELLO!
Daddy DiCaprio?-Mirror
Donald Trump is not Sexy-ONTD
Marc Anthony must remember to pay his taxes-TMZ
Madonna and Justin Timberlake make music together-Popsugar
Jordan thinks she's hotter than Posh-TMZ
RIP Roscoe Lee Brown-VIBE
Gwen Stefani is on a longtime diet-People
American Idol's Olivia Mojica has a sex tape-Egotastic
Playboy Honors Anna Nicole-Gawker
The Don Imus backlash continues-AOL
Justin and Jessica Biel?-Rush & Molloy

Women seek surgery 'to get Jolie's look'

2007-04-12T07:29:00.000-07:00

According to a leading Hollywood plastic surgeon, Angelina is the highest standard of beauty for women seeking cosmetic surgery.

Professor Ava Shamban a Los Angeles-based cosmetic dermatologist, says that Angelina has the most requested look among American women-exaggerated eyes, lips and cheeks:

"Angelina Jolie, with her exquisite looks, is the current gold standard of beauty in the states and in the West in general right now...And that's not about to change. The exotic look, like (actresses) Halle Berry and Penelope Cruz, is here to stay, and Angelina is the ultimate embodiment of that."

But she also warns that surgeons have a big responsibility:

"Features like Angelina's won't fit every face and we must take care with that"

Professer Shamban has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey show and Extreme Home Makeover.

Australian College of Cosmetic Surgery president Michael Zacharia said requests for Jolie's looks were becoming increasingly frequent:

"It's common to hear people say 'I want lips or cheekbones like Angelina Jolie's', and her association with Brad Pitt has just accentuated this"

Sydney born sexual health psychologist Professor Jane Ussher said the trend was dangerous because of Angelina's abnormal looks:

"She is arguably a human representation of a cartoon character, similar to those Bratz dolls, and virtually no-one looks like that...If you buy into the idea that that (look) is perfect then you'll never feel good about yourself because you'll never attain it."(SOURCE)

Angelina's Going to be on the Cover of Marie Claire

2007-04-12T07:17:00.000-07:00

In her column today Cindy Adams revealed that Angelina will soon be gracing the cover of Marie Claire (ignore the snark;):

She did a Marie Claire photo shoot in L.A. The crew, aware of Earth Mother Angelina's deep abiding concern for the good and healthy care and feeding of civilization and the upgrading of mankind, ordered top-of-the-line organic lunch for her. Angie, who'd seen a McDonald's across the street, sent her assistant for a Big Mac.

Well we already know that Angelina loves her McDonalds. A Mighty Heart opens in June so her interview should hit stands as soon as next month. We'll have to look out for it. Click here to see another Marie Claire cover pic.

"Wanted" Update

2007-04-11T05:35:00.000-07:00

So earlier it was confirmed that Angelina will next be seen onscreen in Wanted. Now Liz Crokin from The Chicago Tribune has an update regarding Angelina and the film:

She flew to the Windy City without Brad Pitt and the family Friday to do screen testing for her new flick "Wanted," according to a set source. The sexy actress is scheduled to shoot most of the scenes for the action movie in Prague within the next few weeks. However, the source said she is expected to film in the Windy City later this summer.

"She'll be filming a lot of action scenes in cars," the source told me. While she was here, Jolie test-drove some Dodge Vipers that will be used for the film. The Chicago Film Office could not be reached for comment on Sunday.

Wanted, directed by Timur Bekmambetov, also stars James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman. It is based on Mark Millar's graphic novel and opens March 28, 2008.(SOURCE)&(SOURCE)

Angelina Jolie's £70 million yacht?

2007-04-11T05:25:00.000-07:00

Divine.ca Canada's Online Women's Magazine is reporting that Brad and Angelina are set to spend £70 million on a 240ft-long three-deck yacht which they reportedly ordered from a Rome based company. the yacht comes with six bedrooms, and also boasts a swimming pool, helicopter pad and full gym. It's also decorated with marble and gold fittings.

Apparently Mario La Via, builder of the luxury yacht confirmed that he'd received an offer, yet declined to say whether Brad and Angelina were the potential buyers.

Brad in LA 4-10

2007-04-11T05:18:00.000-07:00

Caption via People:

'CASE' WORKER

After a few low-key weeks spent with his family, Brad Pitt gets back to filming The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Click here to see Brad leaving the studio.

Angelina Shoots New St. John Ads

2007-04-10T14:21:00.000-07:00

Click pics to enlarge. See More pics at JustJared. To see Angelina's earlier St. John ads click here.

LIfe & Style Mag Scans 4-09

2007-04-10T04:47:00.000-07:00

Credit to Sammies.

Brangelina Tidbits

2007-04-10T04:36:00.000-07:00

According to Philly.com, Jonny Lee Miller will always be known as Angelina's first husband.
Brad and Angelina have no sex life says The Bosh
According to EntertainmentWise, James Haven thinks Brad and Angelina have an "extrodinary bond"
And on the topic of Brother Jolie, Fametastic is reporting baby Shiloh was named after him.
The Orlando Sentinal compares Brad Pitt to bacteria.

Brad in LA 4-09

2007-04-10T04:25:00.000-07:00

Brad was spotted in LA yesterday riding in an SUV. Angie and the kids were nowhere to be seen. Hopefully we'll see the whole family toegether real soon. Click pics to enlarge. Credit to PittImpressions.

Ocean's Thirteen Set to Premiere in Chicago

2007-04-08T03:23:00.000-07:00

The Chicago Sun Times is reporting that even though none of the film was shot in the city, Ocean's Thirteen will have it's world debut in Chicago June 7. Vanity Fair magazine and editor Graydon Carter are hosting the event to raise money for the International Rescue Committee, which aids victims of global crises.

The premiere will be held at the AMC River East 21 multiplex, followed by the after party at the new Room 21 restaurant and nightclub. SOURCE & SOURCE

Marilyn Manson Portraits

2007-04-08T03:10:00.000-07:00

These are some portraits of Angelina done by shock rocker Marilyn Manson. Manson once asked both Brad and Angelina to paint a portrait of their family. The couple agreed to it once they finished their family.

I think he did a great job. See more of his artwork here.

Jolie tops poll of "Women Who Make You Sweat"

2007-04-04T22:27:00.000-07:00

Actress Angelina Jolie has topped the "Women Who Make You Sweat" poll conducted by deodorant brand Right Guard.

Mother of four was followed by actress Jessica Alba at the second spot, with 'Destiny's Child' singer Beyonce Knowles making it to the third place, reports Justjared.

Lost in Translation beauty Scarlett Johansson and Oscar winner Charlize Theron made it to the fourth and the fifth places respectively.

The Top five Women Who Make You Sweat' as per the poll are as follows:

Angelina Jolie 27%

Jessica Alba 17%

Beyonce Knowles 16 %

Scarlett Johansson 8%

Charlize Theron 7%

(SOURCE)

Sin City 2’s Big Star a Mystery

2007-04-04T22:11:00.000-07:00

Well rumors are still floating around about Angelina Jolie starring in Sin City 2. Slash Film is reporting that the stars of the film were given orders by director Robert Rodriguez to not discuss Angelina's possible involvement. Many insiders say the film was originally pushed back due to Angelina's pregnancy. Last year Rosario Dawson said this regarding Angelina and the sequel:

The film's been kind of postponed because Robert has been interested in Angelina Jolie for the lead. But she's very pregnant right now. So that's putting an understandable hold on the film.

Now it appears that Dawson is less talkative:

The lead actress is going to be absolutely fabulous; but I can’t tell you who it is...It’s going to be the prequel to my segment in the first one, so you’ll understand a little bit more what the argument was between Clive Owen and my character.

Earlier this year Rachel Weisz was mentioned as a candidate for the role, but nothing has been confirmed. Shooting starts in June.(SOURCE)

For previous Sin City 2 stories click here and here.

Photo credit BritFilms.

OK Mag Scans 4-02

2007-04-02T04:34:00.000-07:00

Credit to Sammies

The Good Shepherd Released on DVD

2007-04-02T04:22:00.000-07:00

The Synopsis (from the DVD cover)

"Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie and Robert De Niro star in this powerful thriller about the birth of the CIA. Edward Wilson (Damon) believes in America, and will sacrifice everything he loves to protect it. But as one of the covert founders of the CIA, Edward's youthful idealism is slowly eroded by his growing suspicion of the people around him. Everybody has secrets...but will Edward's destroy him? With an all-star cast including Alec Baldwin, Billy Crudup, William Hurt, Timothy Hutton and John Turturro, it's the gripping story David Ansen of Newsweek hails as "spellbinding.""(SOURCE)

Buy the DVD here.

Pax's Birth Mom Vows To Not Cause Trouble

2007-04-02T04:17:00.000-07:00

London, Apr 2 (ANI): The birth mother of Angelina Jolie’s new son Pax Thien has been tracked down.

Drug addict Pham Thu Dung, who left her two-day old son in a Vietnamese hospital however insists that she’s not about to pursue Jolie or her beau Brad Pitt for money.

And, she also won’t be asking for her son back, for she’s confident that Pax will have a better life with the star couple.

Dung, who admitted that she had not even recognized her now three-year old son’s picture in the newspapers, said that what she would like, is an opportunity to see her son, so that she can apologize to him for abandoning him, reports the News of the World.

Dung’s promise came just days after her father Chein revealed that he feared she would try to hound Brangelina for cash, or even try to take Pax away from them especially as they were the ones who signed the papers to give Jolie the child, and not Dung.

"Our daughter is a heroin addict and she is a bag of trouble. Her life has been ruled by drugs since she was 16,” Chien said.

"When she finds out that a rich movie star has adopted her baby, she will go after Angelina Jolie for money and make trouble for her. She may even try to take the child back," he added.

Chien, a former oil tanker skipper, had earlier revealed that his daughter became pregnant after an affair with a married man at the garment factory where she worked. (SOURCE)

Brad's Rep Denies Wedding

2007-03-31T16:57:00.000-07:00

There have rumors for weeks that Brad and Angelina were planning an Easter Wedding, Cindy Guagenti Brad's publicist has deinied that the pair were going to get married.

At least we have the Mr. and Mrs. Smith wedding :)

Angelina Has a New Publicist?

2007-03-31T16:47:00.000-07:00

For years Angelina was the only A-List star to not have a publicist but now The Huffington Post is reporting that Jolie does indeed have a publicist:

Jolie now finally has a publicist. Her new spokesman's philanthropic credentials are verified by his public relations work at such as the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. Trevor Nielson is a weighty asset. Trevor Nielson recently spoke to People Magazine for Jolie and was reverentially id'd as her "philanthropy and international affairs" adviser.(SOURCE)

Pic of the Day!

2007-03-31T16:44:00.000-07:00

Life & Style Mag Scans 3-26

2007-03-30T23:47:00.000-07:00

Credit to Sammies

Brad and Leo At Odds Again

2007-03-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

As I reported earlier Brad's Plan B lost the rights to The Wolf of Wall Street to Leo's Appian Way production company. Well today TMZ is reporting that the two megastars are set to duke it out again over a project. This time it's a documentary called Maxed Out, which was helmed by controversial director Morgan Spurlock, the brains behind the hit Supersize Me:

A well-placed TMZ source says that a Plan B rep contacted Scurlock's agent expressing how Pitt really enjoyed the docu's companion book, 'Maxed Out: Hard Times, Easy Credit and the Era of Predatory Lenders.'

TMZ has learned that shortly after Plan B's call, Scurlock's reps were contacted by DiCaprio's production shingle, Appian Way Productions, who revealed the same interest in the documentary. Hunky see, hunky do!

So far nothing's been finalized. However Dicaprio's rep denied the story:

"This story is bull. It sounds like someone is creating a bidding war to try and make a buck."

Brad's company had no comment. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Full Ocean's Thirteen Trailer

2007-03-30T18:27:00.000-07:00

View some stills from the film here.

Enjoy! :0)