Random Movie News to Know – The Week of July 4 - 10 2011

Wait... Uhh... umm... what? Maybe not the best opening line for this post but most definitely the best example of my dumbfounded thought process after hearing that Spike Lee is reportedly in talks to helm the long rumored Hollywood remake of the South Korean cult hit "Oldboy." He may not be the most absurd choice to direct the project but it is by far not one fans would have seen coming. Then again most likely if you are a fan of the 2003 film you likely aren't too thrilled by the idea of a Hollywood remake of it to begin with.

Another pretty big film related piece of news that popped up this week involved film advertising in television shows. If you consume any form of media you are no stranger to the use of product placement in your favorite shows, movies, songs, and books but what some observant viewers are starting to notice are in fact digitally added advertisements for new films in reruns of television shows. For anyone who plays video games this is a pretty outdated concept as advertisements on billboards, signs, and magazines throughout many games have been using this process for years but this will mark one of the first times it has ever been noticed in television. Film advertisements for the new Kevin James film "Zoo Keeper" can be found in various scenes of the show "How I Met Your Mother" and tend to be rather obvious since they almost look as though they were tossed in by a prankster using minimal knowledge of Photoshop.

For any fan of Middle Earth book or film the addition of Peter Jackson's latest work on "The Hobbit" is no doubt a cause for excitement. This only having been amplified as he continues to offer up exclusive videos, photos from the set, and character shots through Facebook as the film progresses. This week we were treated to photos of five of the band of adventuring dwarves Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, and Gloin. I can't speak for other fans but these shots alone have me excited to see what Jackson has in store for There and Back Again.

Every week I try to highlight a new trailer release that showcases a promising or anticipated film. This week I am can't help but show something so horrifyingly awful looking that it leaves me clawing for an escape from just the short 2:30 trailer. Don't get me wrong, I stick wholeheartedly to my assertion that Adam Sandler is an amazingly talented actor no matter how wasted that talent may be but nothing screams "Just quit already!" more than dressing in drag to play multiple characters in your movie.