The erotic clip apparently features Alex Pettyfer as billionaire Christian Grey, and an unknown actress playing the part of the reluctant, then horny, reporter.

Focus features has a history with Van Sant, and is currently working with Pettyfer in its remake of Endless Summer, so this doesn’t seem quite as random as it does at first blush. Either way, this movie is happening, and it’s probably going to be rated PG-13.

Because life is shitty that way, sometimes.

Of course, this a very subjective list, so feel free to leave your vitriol and death threats in the comments.

War of the Worlds – Steven Spielberg

A great example of what I discussed in the introduction. This film isn’t awful, but it’s very unmemorable. It bears very little of Spielberg’s flourishes, other than it’s a huge production that’s competently directed. Of course, the same thing could be said about a film like Roland Emmerich’s The Day After Tomorrow, or even 2012. There’s not much of a story to be told here, and instead of getting a moving relationship between Tom Cruise’s character and his children, we get sap and explosions.

Jack – Francis Ford Coppola

And here’s one that doesn’t need the context of expectations to disappoint. This is just a bad movie. Directing Robin Williams, especially in a film like this, can’t be fun. The man swallows all the attention around him, except in the most reserved roles. Watching a 40 year-old Williams play a 10 year-old boy who copes with his problems by getting drunk doesn’t play to sentimentality, and isn’t all that interesting of a story. The whole thing plays to the fact that Jack is going to die young, and that looming fate makes it hard to view the movie as anything but sad.

While I would rather see someone try and fail at a meaningful project than I would phone in some mindless action fare, it seems that Lautner has swung the pendulum WAY back to the other side, having been in talks to star in a whole slew of action films, including:

• The Stretch Armstrong film
• Northern Lights
• Goliath
• Max Steel
• Incarceron
• and some untitled Michael Bay project

The official line-up is getting announced on April 14, but it’s now known that the eagerly anticipated Brad Pitt/Sean Penn/dinosaur drama Tree of Life directed by Terrence Malick. He’s joining Lars von Trier and Gus Van Sant (or is it Lars Von Trier and Gus van Sant??), so this looks like it will be a Cannes to remember. I can’t wait to see you there! (via Variety)

The first one is called My Own Private River, and it “consists largely of shots of River Phoenix‘s character, Mike, woven into a compelling portrait.” The score is by REM’s Michael Stipe.

The second one is called Endless Idaho, and it seems to be living up to its title with a running time of 12 hours. It’s put together from behind-the-scenes footage and outtakes from My Own Private Idaho. If you do want to see these, you have to get to the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills between February 26th and April 9th. Since they’re so long, I’d recommend bringing a book, preferably one written by James Franco. (via The Playlist)

Columbia Pictures has dropped the new trailer for Gus Van Sant‘s Restless. It’s about a funeral crashing dropout (Henry Hooper) with an Asian ghost friend who falls for a girl (Mia Wasikowska). With a hook like that I don’t know how this project isn’t being considered a potential franchise. I also can’t seem to find Matthew McCoughnehey anywhere in the film. I’m pretty sure he has a clause in his contract with the Devil that states he must appear in all ghost love stories.

Restless floats into theaters January 28, 2011.

Check out the trailer after the jump…

(ThePlaylist)

Director: Gus Van Sant

Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Henry Hooper

Synopsis: Complex tale of a teenage boy and girl who share a preoccupation with mortality.

Release Date: January 28, 2011