Here’s your look at the first trailer for Wes Anderson’s stop-motion animated Fantastic Mr. Fox, based on the Roald Dahl book (adapted by Anderson and Noah Baumbach).  Voice cast includes Meryl Streep, George Clooney, Anjelica Huston, and Bill Murray, who if you thought he was lovable as a human, is even more of a huggable snugglebottom as a badger in a suit.

A lot of the other movie sites out there are complaining about the animation looking “weird” or “flat”, but I like that it’s easy on the CGI and not 3D.  3D is particularly stupid.  I like to be free to look at any part of the frame without getting a GD headache, and the screen looking like a pop-up book isn’t a huge selling point for me.  And if I wanted to wear glasses I would’ve been born a nerd.  I don’t want 3D, I don’t want my chair shaking around, and I don’t need an “immersive experience.”  How bout you just make a good movie and let me sit here with my nachos and stay outta my sh*t, eh hotshot?

A couple weeks ago while writing up a Forgotten Classics post about 2001′s Most Vertical Primate, I accidentally happened upon THE BEST TWO-SECOND PERFORMANCE IN ALL OF CINEMA.  Through the magic of the internet, I was able to both identify and make contact with that performer, only hours later.  That performer is Canadian comedian Aubrey Tennant, and this is our interview.  We discuss monkeys’ distaste for blondes, dissing Anna Faris, and Aubrey’s motto: “No pain, no monkeys scoring goals.”  Enjoy:

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VINCE M.: Okay, so who are you? (And don’t be offended by this part, I mean, I know you played “Underwear Norseman” in Scary Movie but the ignorant lay person needs some background info).  How did you come to be involved with Most Vertical Primate?

AUBREY T.: I think this clip says everything about me. In 2000 I started working as an extra with some friends from high school. We were really into skateboarding and Tom Green and we wanted to cause as much trouble as we possibly could.  My first job was on the set of Scary Movie. We caused so much trouble, even mocking Keenan Ivory Wayans, that he asked me to do a speaking role as the Underwear Norseman.  Once I was given this endorsement there was no stopping me.

I did as much extra work as possible and stole as many scenes as I could. A few movies where I have other 2-second roles include; 40 Days and 40 Nights, starring me and Josh Hartnett, Stark Raving Mad starring me and Sean William Scott, Scary Movie starring me and Anna Faris, and Anti-Trust starring me and Ryan Philippe, just to name a few. The TV shows in which you can see me for two seconds include several episodes of Stargate SG-1, starring me and Macgyver, Higher Ground, starring me and Hayden Christiansen — my 2-second role in that is of a gay man touching the butt of another gay man — and Smallville, starring me and some no namers.

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Yeah so that’s the gayest headline I’ve ever written.  But it’s fitting because I’m covering the drama surrounding Rachelle Lefevre’s replacement in the third Twilight movie.  Now Summit has issued a response to Lefevre’s statement. Read it if you like, but the gist is “reer!“.  Via /Film:

Ms. Lefevre’s representatives were advised as early as April that THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE was expected to start shooting in early August.
- If Ms. Lefevre was, as she describes “passionate,” about being part of THE TWILIGHT SAGA, we feel that she and her representatives would have included us in her decision to work on another film that would conflict with the shooting schedule.
- It was not until July 20th that Summit was first informed of Ms. Lefevre’s commitment to BARNEY’S VERSION, a commitment we have since been advised she accepted in early June. Summit had acted in good faith that she would be available to fulfill her obligations both in terms of rehearsals and shooting availability for THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE. We feel that her choice to withhold her scheduling conflict information from us can be viewed as a lack of cooperative spirit which affected the entire production.
- Furthermore Ms. Lefevre took a role in the other film that places her in Europe during the required rehearsal time, and at least ten days of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE’s principal photography.
- Contrary to Ms. Lefevre’s statement, it is simply untrue that the Studio dismissed her over a ten day overlap. It is not about a ten day overlap, but instead about the fact that THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE is an ensemble production that has to accommodate the schedules of numerous actors while respecting the established creative vision of the filmmaker and most importantly the story.
The fact remains that Ms. Lefevre’s commitment to the other project – which she chose to withhold from Summit until the last possible moment – makes her unfortunately unavailable to perform the role of Victoria in THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE.

I can relate.  I dismissed my last girlfriend for a lack of cooperative spirit.  She walked in on me pleasuring myself and then wouldn’t even spot me. I listen when you talk about your day, you could at least take an interest.

Jennifer Aniston has signed on to star as an older woman who romances younger men in Pumas.  Maybe “cougar” was trademarked?  Lame.  They should just call it… Cat snatch fever, dudunta-duuhh…

Story centers on two thirtysomething women who make a habit of romancing younger men and take a French skiing vacation that challenges their romantic expectations. Wayne McClammy is attached to direct from Melissa Stack’s script.

McClammy, also attached to “Cool School” for Fox and “Le Car” for MGM, signed on to the gigs after directing and co-writing the buzzed-about comedy shorts “I’m F**king Matt Damon” and follow-up “I’m F**king Ben Affleck.”

Well, he’s proved he can point a camera at Sarah Silverman and write sex-related rhymes, so clearly he’s qualified to direct a movie or three. But with a name like Wayne McClammy I can’t help but wonder if he’d be better suited to another position: Hogwarts Professor of Molestation.
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When it was announced yesterday that sexy firecrotch Rachelle Lefevre was being replaced by more-famous firecrotch Bryce Dallas Howard as Victoria in Eclipse, the next Twilight movie, I was quick call BS on the studio’s official reason of “scheduling conflict”.  Given a choice, an up-and-comer like Lefevre would probably pick a big franchise like Twilight over an indie, right?  Which would lead one to believe she wasn’t given a choice, as she seems to confirm in her recently-released statement:

“I was stunned by Summit’s decision to recast the role. I was fully committed to the ‘Twilight’ saga. I turned down several other film opportunities and, in accordance with my contractual rights, accepted only roles that would involve very short shooting schedules. My commitment to ‘Barney’s Version’ is only ten days. Summit picked up my option for ‘Eclipse.’ Although the production schedule for ‘Eclipse’ is over three months long, Summit said they had a conflict during those ten days and would not accommodate me. Given the length of filming for ‘Eclipse,’ never did I fathom I would lose the role over a 10 day overlap. I was happy with my contract with Summit and was fully prepared to continue to honor it. Summit chose simply to recast the part. [via MTV Movies Blog]

Reached for comment, Terrence Howard offered, “Say, man, I know all about gettin’ replaced in a part, ya dig?  But when the world’s got you down and the glaciers cry, I try to remember that life is a go-kart race, not a song you sing with your grandma, man.  Here, check out this poem I wrote about how it feels to lose an acting job.  It doesn’t have words, only bongo drums. Here it go…”