News and DVD Dates

+In case you haven't heard, Mission: Impossible 3 is off for next year and The War of the Worlds is on. Cruise has dropped M:I-3 for the Steven Spielberg helmed updating of the classic science fiction epic. It begins filming in November. Mr. Cruise has nabbed his leading lady today: Dakota Fanning. The young thespian-soon to be coke addict will play Cruise's daughter. Just as Tom grabbed Dakota for War, he lost all his co-stars for Mission. Carrie-Anne Moss, Kenneth Branaugh and Scarlett Johansson were all set to star in the action sequel, but because of the delay in production, none of them will now be involved. Quite an ensemble to lose, I must say. J.J Abrams (Alias) will direct M:I-3, which now won't begin filming till late 2005. Why don't they just call if off altogether?

+Rosario Dawson was arrested for protesting in NYC on the eve of the Republican National Convention...kind of. Reuters is reporting the actress was filming a scene from a movie and using the on-going protests as a backdrop. The curvy actress will next be seen in Oliver Stone's Alexander. Check out my blog later this week for more of celebrities and politics.

+Peter Jackson's $200 million King Kong remake begins lensing next month in New Zealand. The actors, led by Jack Black, Adrien Brody and Naomi Watts, have arrived on location to begin touring the sets and rehearsing. One of New Zealand's big newspaper's has a shot of the cast and director together as well as more information on filming.

+Upcoming DVD's That Will Be Worth Your Hard-Earned Money:
Sept. 7 - Alias: Season 3
Sept. 7 - Dawn of the Dead (1978) 4-disc special edition
Sept. 7 - Night of the Living Dead (1968) Colored Version
Sept.14 - Angels In America
Sept.21 - Mean Girls
Sept.28 - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Oct. 19 - Arrested Development: Season 1
Nov. 9 - Before Sunset
Nov. 9 - The Stepford Wives (2004)
Nov. 16 - Elf
Nov. 16 - Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 7
Nov. 23 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Nov. 30 - Spider-Man 2 Gift-Set
Dec. 7 - The Bourne Supremacy
Dec. 7 - Maria Full of Grace
Dec. 7 - Gilmore Girls: Season 2

+Another DVD that has peaked my interest is a movie called The Hole. (Resist pun!) The movie stars Thora Birch, Keira Knightley, Embeth Davidtz and Desmond Harrington. From Arrow of JoBlo infamy, Knightley shows off her breasts. It was released in the UK in 2001, but will be available to rent or own on October 19. The movie follows a group of teens who find an old bomb shelter and decide to use it to have a party. Hours later, only one of them (Birch) comes out alive. :-)