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MOVIE FEVER E-MAIL NEWSLETTER
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January 24, 2001 Issue Number 105
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Publisher & Editor: Bob Messinger
Contributing Editor: Laurie L.
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IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Trivia Blitz
2. In The News - Movies & Entertainment
3. Online Celebrity Chat
4. In The News - Television
5. Movie Review - The Pledge
6. Celebrity Profile - Meg Ryan
7. Celebrity Birthdays
8. Trivia Answer

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Hi Movie Fans!

I was so excited about putting out our 100th issue that I totally
forgot that January 14th was our 1 year anniversary! Our very
first subscriber is still with us, so we must be doing something
right. Again, thanks so much for reading every week, we are
nothing without you!

- Bob

It's Showtime!

=======================
1. TRIVIA BLITZ
=======================

What was the name of the high school in "Grease"?
(fill in the blanks)

_ Y _ E L _

¤ Correct answer can be found at the bottom

================================================
2. IN THE NEWS - Movies & Entertainment
================================================

DUNCAN INJURED ON 'APES' SET
Michael Clarke Duncan has suffered a sprained ankle while filming
one of his parts in the coming "Planet of the Apes" remake in
which he plays a gorilla warrior. Duncan explained what happened
by saying, "I was trying to leap two steps like a gorilla. I did
it like 20 times, but on the last take I caught my heel and went
down like a five-ton elephant.

PRODUCTION STARTS ON NEXT 'GODZILLA'
Toho has officially announced the start of production on the next
Godzilla film. In addition, Shusuke Kaneko has been tapped to
helm the production. In case your wondering Kaneko helmed the
recent Gamera trilogy of films that jump started the series.

CAAN IN DILLONS 'BANYAN TREES'
James Caan is set to star in Matt Dillon's directorial debut,
"Beneath the Banyan Trees." The film also will star Dillon and
Natascha McElhone ("Love's Labour's Lost," "The Truman Show").
Based on a script written by Dillon and Barry Gifford, "Beneath
the Banyan Trees" tells the story of Jimmy (Dillon), who is
waiting for the heat to cool after a failed insurance scam. After
he hears rumors that his partner has surfaced in Cambodia, he
sets off to get his promised cut, where he finds a mysterious and
hostile environment.

MARSDEN'S TAKE ON 'X-MEN 2'
While talking to the Calgary Sun, Actor James Marsden talked
about reprising his role as Cyclops, and he doesn't sound all
that enthused. "X-Men made a dump-load of money so of course
there will be a sequel, but I'm a pretty low priority...These
first couple of movies belong to Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), so
things will be worked around him," stated Marsden, "Of course I'm
glad I was part of X-Men, but it wasn't a great acting
experience. It's all about special-effects."

WARREN JOINS 'DOWN AND UNDER'
Estella Warren has been signed to play the female lead in Castle
Rock Entertainment's action-comedy "Down and Under" for director
David McNally ("Coyote Ugly") and producer Jerry Bruckheimer. The
project is scheduled to begin shooting next month.

ARMITAGE EYES 'LARCENY'
George Armitage ("Grosse Pointe Blank") is near a deal to direct
Pierce Brosnan in the romantic comedy "Larceny for Lovers." The
Mandalay Entertainment project is about male and female con
artists who engage in a round of one-upmanship in the spirit of
"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." It is expected to begin shooting as
soon as the predicted actors' strike is either averted or settled
this summer.

SCHUMACHER JOINS 'LIFE'
Director Joel Schumacher has come aboard to direct the romantic
comedy "Life, or Something Like It" for New Regency Pictures.
Shooting is scheduled to start in early April. Written by John
Scott Shepherd, with a rewrite by Dana Stevens, "Life" is about a
female reporter whose life seems meaningless until she comes
across a homeless prophet who tells her that she has only one
week to live.

'DR. WHO' ON THE BIGSCREEN?
There have been numerous rumours that this might happen, but none
with any substance, until now. According to the UK's Telegraph,
David Thompson, head of BBC Films, has confirmed that something
is up with the franchise. The paper quotes Thompson as saying,
"We are talking to a famous American director and hope to
announce his name in the next few months. A British actor will
definitely play the Doctor but we have not decided who yet."

DUSHKU JOINS 'JAY & BOB'
According to E! Online, Eliza Dushku (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
has joined or will join the cast of Kevin Smith's "Jay and Silent
Bob Strike Back."

N SYNCER'S MOVIE BOUND
Lance Bass and Joey Fatone from the group 'N SYNC have signed on
to star in the Miramax romantic comedy "On the Line." According
to E! Online, the flick will focus on a dashing young man (Bass)
who meets the girl of his dreams on a train, but fails to get her
number. So he enlists his best bud (Fatone) to scour the city
looking for her. In the process, the two become local
celebrities.

<> <> <> ENTERTAINMENT NEWS <> <> <>

CINEMANOW SIGNS INTERNET FILMS DEAL
CinemaNow has inked a deal giving it access to feature films from
Lions Gate Entertainment to run on the Internet beginning with
each film's pay-per-view window, traditionally about 60 days
after home video release. The movies will be on-demand at the
CinemaNow site and will cost $2.99 for 48 hours of unlimited
viewing, including pause, rewind and fast-forward capabilities.

SPADE'S ASSISTANT PLEADS INNOCENT
David Spade's former personal assistant pleaded innocent Tuesday
to charges of attacking the Just Shoot Me actor with a stun-gun.
Still, David "Skippy" Malloy, who was allegedly trying to rob
Spade's Beverly Hills pad when the Nov. 29 incident occurred was
ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from his former boss and
undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

DOWNEY'S WIFE FILES FOR DIVORCE
The wife of Robert Downey Jr. filed for divorce from the troubled
actor six years after they separated, and sought custody of their
seven-year-old son. Deborah Falconer, a 35-year-old model and
actress who married Downey in 1992 and separated from him in
1996, cited irreconcilable differences in her Los Angeles
Superior Court petition and asked for custody of their son,
Indio.

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_____________________________________________________
3. Online Celebrity Chat
ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ
¤ Alexandra Holden - Chat with the star of "Sugar and Spice" on
Thursday, January 25 at 8pm ET.
http://chat.yahoo.com/c/events/info/2001/01/25/012501holden.html

¤ Bruce Greenwood - Chat with the star of "Thirteen Days" on
Thursday, January 25 at 9:30pm ET.
http://chat.yahoo.com/c/events/info/2001/01/25/012501greenwood.ht
ml

¤ Rachel Blanchard - Chat with the star of "Sugar and Spice" on
Friday, January 26 at 6pm ET.
http://chat.yahoo.com/c/events/info/2001/01/26/012601blanchard.ht
ml

^you may have to cut and paste entire link into browser

================================================
4. In The News - Television
================================================

SMALLVILLE GETS YOUNG KENT
The role of 15 year old Clark Kent in the coming Smallville TV
series has finally been cast. Newcomer Tom Welling will be taking
on the role of young Kent in his formative years prior to his
Superman indentity. 13 episodes have been ordered by WB TV, which
are set to start in fall 2001.

EDWARDS LEAVING 'ER'
Anthony Edwards, who has played ER's Dr. Mark Greene since the
show's 1994 premiere, will be leaving the show at the end of next
season when his contract expires. "I think that will be it," he
said. "It's been eight years of my family working around my
schedule. It's been a long time playing Dr. Greene."

MORE MILLER TIME
Variety reports that Dennis Miller will return for a second
season of ABC's Monday Night Football.

GELLAR OUT IF 'BUFFY' LEAVES WB
In a recent interview with E! Online, Sarah Michelle Gellar spoke
strongly on recent talk that the series might move to another
network. "I will stay on Buffy if, and only if, Buffy stays on
the WB. And you know what? Print that. My bosses are going to
kill me, but print that. I want them to know." Gellar spoke of
why she would like to see the series stay with the network by
saying, "The WB has been so supportive, such a great network over
the past four years. It feels like home. I don't want the show to
move, because I feel that we belong on the WB. It's where our
fans are. If Buffy leaves the WB, I'm out."

'JLA' ON CARTOON NETWORK
the Cartoon Network has officially announced their coming
"Justice League" animated TV series. 26 episodes that will
feature Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Green Lantern, The Flash,
Hawkgirl and Martian Manhunter have been ordered. Aquaman is
rumoured to appear in a guest capacity. The series will be
launched within the cabler's regular Toonami block of programming
starting in fall 2001, if not sooner.

REBA McENTIRE MOVES TO SERIES TELEVISION
Country star Reba McEntire will topline an as-yet-untitled
half-hour family comedy pilot for the WB Network from Acme Prods.
and 20th Century Fox Television. McEntire will star as a "junior
league" Southern mother of three whose life comes crashing down
around her when she finds out that her dentist husband has been
having an affair with his hygienist and got her pregnant. She's
also confronted by her 17-year-old cheerleader daughter, who says
she's pregnant by the captain of the football team and intends to
keep the baby.

================================================
5. MOVIE REVIEW(s)
================================================

The Pledge (Rated R)
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Robin Wright Penn, Benicio Del Toro
Release Date: January 19, 2001

Review by Susan Granger
SSG Syndicate
http://www.susangranger.com

In this dark psychological drama, Jack Nicholson delivers a
wrenching performance as a stressed-out Reno police detective
facing retirement. On his last day at work, there's a grisly
homicide. An eight year-old girl has been found slashed, raped
and mutilated in the Nevada snow. Her distraught mother (Patricia
Clarkson) forces him to promise to find the killer, intoning: "Do
you swear by your soul's salvation on this cross made by our
daughter?" Despite the "confession" of a retarded Native
American (Benicio Del Toro), coerced by another cop (Aaron
Eckhart), Nicholson is convinced that the child molester is not
only still free but will strike again. So he ploddingly goes
undercover, buying a local gas station and befriending a battered
single mom (Robin Wright Penn) with a trusting young daughter
(Pauline Roberts) he can use as bait.

Judging by Sean Penn's first two films ("The Indian Runner," "The
Crossing Guard") and this, his directing choices are as quirky as
his acting choices, beginning with extreme close-ups of Nicholson
ice fishing, armed with a bottle of Glenfiddich. The sequence
where Nicholson breaks the tragic news to the parents is set in
the barn of a turkey farm; it's a long shot with no dialogue.
That scene is profoundly moving, graceful and lyrical, as are
Nicholson's conversations with the child's grandmother (Vanessa
Redgrave) and a psychologist (Helen Mirren). But the story by
Frederick Durrenmatt ("The Visit"), adapted by Jerzy and Mary
Olson-Kromolowski, is flat and deliberate, almost lethargic,
framed by Nicholson's bizarre ramblings and ruminations,
resulting in an emotional detachment which is hard to overcome.

On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, "The Pledge" is a haunting
8, emerging as a subtle study of pathological obsession.

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ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ
================================================
6. CELEBRITY PROFILE
==========
MEG RYAN
================================================

Meg was born Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra in Fairfield,
Connecticut, on November 19, 1961. When Meg was 15 her mother who
at that time was a homemaker abandoned the family to become an
actress, thus leaving her father Harry, a high school math
teacher, to raise their four children. A popular, charismatic,
and academically successful student at Bethel High School, Meg
enrolled at the University of Connecticut to study journalism
following graduation. To earn extra money while working on her
degree, Meg went into acting using her new name Meg Ryan. In
1981, she had her big screen debut as Candice Bergen's daughter
in George Cukor's last film "Rich and Famous" (1981). Encouraged
by the experience, the then-20-year-old dropped out of school and
turned to the realm of television for acting jobs, first
appearing in an ABC Afterschool Special titled "Amy and the
Angel," and then in the recurring role of Betsy Montgomery on the
daytime drama "As the World Turns."

In 1984 Meg relocated to Los Angeles to film the short-lived
series "Wildside." Undismayed by the failure of the small-screen
effort, Ryan decided to stay on and make a bid for movie stardom.
An appearance in "Amityville III: The Demon" (1983) did little to
recommend her to the moviegoing public at large, but she gained
good notice for her next assignment, a solid supporting turn in
the jingoistic Tom Cruise actioner "Top Gun" (1986). This led Meg
to being cast in Steven Spielberg's movie "Innerspace" (1987)
where she co-starred with Dennis Quaid. She again co-starred with
Quaid in the remake of "D.O.A." (1988) and would eventually marry
on Valentine Day in 1991. In 1989, Meg appeared in another
blockbuster called "When Harry Met Sally" and the scene at the
restaurant would become famous. The Summer of 2000 had Meg and
Dennis announcing that they were divorcing, which took many by
surprise. As did tabloid rumors that one of the primary reasons
for the unraveling of their marriage was Ryan's alleged romantic
entanglement with her "Proof of Life" co-star, Russell Crowe.

After her starring role in the smash hit "When Harry Met Sally,"
Meg has gone on to appear in such films as, "The Doors," "When a
Man Loves a Woman," "Joe Versus the Volcano," "A Prelude to a
Kiss," "I.Q.," "French Kiss," "Restoration," "in Courage Under
Fire," "Addicted to Love," "Anastasia," "City of Angels," "Wings
of Desire," "You've Got Mail," "Hurlyburly," "The Women," and
most recently "Proof of Life," and "Hanging Up."
______________________________
Filmography - Most Recent
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Proof of Life (2000) .... Alice Bowman
Hanging Up (2000) .... Eve
You've Got Mail (1998) .... Kathleen Kelly
Hurlyburly (1998) .... Bonnie
City of Angels (1998) .... Maggie Rice
____________________
Upcoming Project(s)
ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ
Kate & Leopold (2001)

==========================================================
7. CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS - Week of Jan. 24th - Jan. 30th
==========================================================
<D>=Deceased

JANUARY 24
Tatyana Ali (22)
Mary Lou Retton (33)
John Belushi (52) <D>
Sharon Tate (58) <D>
Neil Diamond (60)

JANUARY 25


JANUARY 26
Ellen DeGeneres (43)
Edward Van Halen (46)
Bob Uecker (66)
Paul Newman (76)

JANUARY 27
Bridget Fonda (37)
Mimi Rogers (45)
Troy Donahue (65)

JANUARY 28
Elijah Wood (20)
Nick Carter (21)
Barbi Benton (51)
Alan Alda (65)

JANUARY 29
Heather Graham (31)
Nicholas Turturro (39)
Oprah Winfrey (47)
Tom Selleck (56)
John Forsythe (83)

JANUARY 30
Christian Bale (27)
Charles Dutton (50)
Phil Collins (50)
Vanessa Redgrave (64)
Gene Hackman (71)

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8. Answer to this weeks trivia is..

RYDELL
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