“Wood will play Celeste’s business partner, a metrosexual who tries to be her ‘saucy gay friend’.”

9 photosPeep 'My Idiot Brother' with Four Hot Chicks

A word from Emma: “I think there are a lot of people out there who say the really low blow of “She’s just in the business because of her family”. I do it because I love to do it.”

Scream 4 is typical of a sequel that comes long after the previous franchise in an attempt to bring it back. It’s got all the hallmarks of the series we love to see again and we get to catch up with all the characters, but it feels forced and uninspired.

The next generation of Woodsboro catches up with Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) on the anniversary of the original murders. Kids have erected Ghostfaces all over the city street lamps. Killings start again, but it’s the young generation that interprets the rules now.

I totally realize that I’m too old for this movie. Scream 4 is for the internet generation, and I’ve kept up as best I could, but I am simply not the person a movie about webcam and found footage is for. That’s for them. So maybe this is the Scream 1 for a new generation.

I still think the statement is too on the nose. It’s not a satire of the web generation, and they barely address what it means to the Scream formula when everybody has their own personal cell phone. The film simply identifies their habits, but that’s not a commentary. Plus, webcam boys Robbie (Erik Knudsen) and Charlie (Rory Culkin) are no Randy.

The opening sequence manages to surprise the audience and go meta. It’s not organic to any kind of storytelling, but it’s adjusting the formula to a generation built on texting and apps so it’s fun. When they talk about torture porn and Saw movies, I definitely feel like they don’t actually understand that genre like the screenwriter understood slasher movies. They just mention the talking points. Hard to know whether that’s Kevin Williamson or Ehren Kruger. And having the girls watch Shaun of the Dead? No. Just no.

It’s still a mystery, which is a strength of sorts to keep telling stories and guessing games. They’ve got 7 Saws to compete with now though. A scene in the car introducing Jill (Emma Roberts), Kirby (Hayden Panettiere) and Olivia (Marielle Jaffe) is just blatant exposition, no matter how many references they drop in the dialogue. We do get to find out who directed Stab so that’s funny.

There is an unintended meta effect about Gale (Courteney Cox) and Dewey (David Arquette). When Gale and Dewey have relationship conflict, it becomes really uncomfortable to watch. They can’t help that, but it’s a powerful unintentional comment on how the media affects our viewing.

It’s weird, thinking about Scream 4 intellectually, it feels like everything is right and it should work. I just know I wasn’t connecting. I actually liked Scream 3. I liked the meta of setting it on the movie set where they’re making the movie version of the story we’re watching, and Jay and Silent Bob go on the studio tour. I also like in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back where Wes Craven is directing Scream 4 and the killer turns out to be the monkey.

I think Detention ruined me for Scream 4. That’s the new meta self-referential masterpiece, but no one else has seen it yet. Maybe I’ll appreciate Scream 4 some day, in a cultural vacuum or historical context. It took me 13 years to finally appreciate Scream 2. Next time I watch them all back to back, it may fall into place, so there’s hope.

Who will date the dead people-seeing, short-order cook played by Anton Yelchin now? Rumors say it’ll be Addison Timlin from “Californication,” who would beat out the likes of Emma Roberts, Portia Doubleday, and Kat Dennings. See, flashing your boobs on Showtime can only lead to great things.

Stephen Sommers is directing his own script. (Variety)

Director: Wes Craven

Cast: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere

Synopsis: Ten years have passed, and Sidney Prescott, who has put herself back together thanks in part to her writing, is visited by the Ghostface Killer.

Release Date: April 15, 2011

The role of Stormy Llewellyn, which sounds like a dragon porn star‘s name, has been offered to Lily Collins (The Blind Side). She beat out a bunch of other young ladies, like Emma Roberts, Portia Doubleday, and Kat Dennings, for the opportunity to play Anton Yelchin‘s girlfriend. That’s something worth Yelchin about. We’ll see if she accepts the part.

Directed by Stephen Sommers, the plot concerns California desert townie Thomas, “a short-order cook with clairvoyant abilities who encounters a mysterious man with a link to dark, threatening forces.” Sounds like Odd lives up to his name. Production will start May 2, provided ghosts don’t screw up the filming. As long as they stay in their special trailer, like they’re supposed to, everything will be fine. (Variety)

“They’re not reshoots. We had a couple test screenings and we saw two scenes where they had moments you could add to and we just saw a spectacular opportunity. Bob [Weinstein] just said to me basically, ‘You go to your dark side and I’ll give you the money!’ [Laughs] The two scenes were really good, but we saw how they could be spectacular, so we thought, let’s just go for it. They were key moments of the script, so we just decided to go back and go for the grand slam on them.”

I can’t help but be equal parts excited and nervous about this sequel. Mainly because Scream 3 was such a letdown. That was due to Ehren Kruger’s mishandling of Kevin Williamson‘s groundwork, and with Kruger stepping in to replace a departing Williamson on round four doesn’t give me a lot of hope. But the trailer has piqued my interest. There isn’t anything outwardly goofy in it. Except of course for that headset thing and the Culkin kid’s hair. (EW)

I’m happy for Homework that it got picked up for distribution and people seem to like it. There’s nothing offensive about it, I just found it completely unmoving. Maybe it was Sundance fatigue, or maybe because I’d just seen Like Crazy which is the ultimate powerful romance.

George (Freddie Highmore) doesn’t do his homework because he thinks there are more important things to think about in life. He’s right, but failin high school won’t help him make a difference. He makes friends with Sally (Emma Roberts), a popular rich girl. It’s not about whether George can make Sally love him. He doesn’t even know if he’s in love.

There’s an inherent lack of dramatic thrust here. If George can’t even admit he’s in love, I’m not going to wait around for him to figure it out. Yes, it’s relatable and we’ve all been young before. Some of us were even as thoughtful and articulate as George and Emma, but relatable does not equal dramatic.

The characters and performances are great. George gives his highbrow explanations for skipping schoolwork to teachers and his mother (Rita Wilson). He has the confidence to stick to his guns, and the adults pretty much accept that he’s too smart to force him to tow the line.

Principal Martinson can force George to be liaison for career day visitor Dustin (Michael Angarano), a working artist who really doesn’t have much career advice. He does take George and Emma into his grown-up world. He’s got sparks for Emma too (she’s 18, don’t worry), but not in a Hollywood D-bag way. Remember George refuses to make a move.

Emma is smart enough to know what both characters need to grow into adults. That promises a more independent minded resolution to the romance, but Homework is actually as predictable as a Hollywood movie. Even George’s final assignment is pretty much what you’d imagine he’d have to do to turn things around.

Yes, Homework is the story of people trying to find their inspiration. I don’t feel like they actually do anything to get there though. George goes to Louis Malle films when he cuts school. Emma’s friend Zoe (Sasha Spielberg) takes them to a club and George doesn’t like it. Dustin pushes George to interpret modern art. Does that mean something to you? Again, the movie is just average but I wouldn’t have any reason to see it if I weren’t interviewing the cast.

I hope you’re all well-rested because the casting search for Spider-man’s girlfriend has finally kicked off. We’re going to track this thing over the next few months until director Marc Webb and Sony cut through all the bullsh*t and send out an official press release. Oh you better believe there are going to be rumors galore that we’ll report on until you beg for mercy. But even then we won’t quit because this is Spider-man damnit! You NEED to know every. Single. Little. Detail about every decision made and every actress cast aside. So let’s get the hell on with it then. I’M PUMPED!

The first batch of frontrunners to possibly share an on-screen kiss with Spider-man are Teresa Palmer, Imogen Poots, Emma Roberts, Ophelia Lovibond, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Lily Collins. Haven’t heard of half of them? Yeah, well you hadn’t heard of Andrew Garfield either but he’s Spider-man now, isn’t he? My vote is for Lily Collins simply because she’s the spawn of Phil Collins. Maybe she can get her dad to write an original song for the film. Eeeeeeeeeee!!! (Vulture)

Focus Features has released the trailer for It’s Kind of a Funny Story. In perfect casting, Zach Galifiankis plays a mental patient who helps a clinically depressed teenager (Keir Gilchrist) get a fresh start after checking into a psychiatric ward. Basically it’s the self-committal version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Emma Roberts, Lauren Graham, and Viola Davis also star.

The film is directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, the team behind the utterly depressing (in a powerful way) Half Nelson. It’s nice to see they’re taking on lighter material, like people with mental disorders instead of heroin addictions. Galifianakis could portray both afflications equally well.

It’s Kind of a Funny Story checks into theaters Septembe 24, 2010.

Check out the trailer after the jump…

It’s Kind of a Funny Story – Watch more Movie Trailers

Director: Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden

Cast: Zach Galifianakis, Emma Roberts, Keir Gilchrist, Viola Davis, Jim Gaffigan, and Lauren Graham

Synopsis: A clinically depressed teenager gets a new start after he checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward. Based on the young-adult novel by Ned Vizzini.

Release Date: Septembe 24, 2010

^{An early concept.}

Everyone is on Twitter these days. Celebrities, fake celebrities, movie humor sites, and even the manufacturer of the mask used in the Scream films. It’s only a matter of time before our younger cousins teach our grandparents how to tweet. But back to RJ Torbert of FunWorld, the creator of Scream‘s Ghostface. He recently leaked some information about the sequel on his Twitter page, and it looks like Neve Campbell isn’t the only one sporting a new look:

I expect there to be 2 diff masks, however I will say this, things changing very often – difficult to say without giving it away.

Sent out additional GHOSTFACE to the SET today, a very interesting opening scene.

Lets just say the town of Woodsboro, has an obsession. There is your hint.

Hmmm, okay let me guess. Obsession sounds liks Obsessed. Ali Larter starred in Obsessed and "Heroes" alongside Scream 4 star Hayden Panettiere. Hayden Panettiere was a child actor who turned out hot. Oh my God. I know who the killer is. Or killers are, I should say. It’s Alyssa Milano and Christine Lakin. It’s so obvious. Why didn’t I see this before?!! **smokes pipe backwards** (ShockTillYouDrop)

^{Watch out, Emma Roberts! A chubby, masked killer is in that photography studio with you!!}

Uh-oh. Looks like Scream 4 won’t be that much fun to look at afterall. Somehow or another Ashley Greene won’t be taking the lead. That role will instead go to Emma Roberts. EW has the penis-deflating news. **Slide whistle**:

Young upstart Emma Roberts is set to join the ensemble team of Courteney Cox, David Arquette, and Neve Campbell. And while the script from Kevin Williamson is being kept under wraps, sources tell EW.com that Roberts is expected to play Jill, one of the film’s primary heroines.

Details for this project are really murky right now, so it may be possible that Greene is joining up. If so, that information is being guarded right now. All in all, I can be happy with this casting news. Sadly, it’s probably the closest we’ll ever come to seeing Julia Roberts chased with a knife.