From Judy: Cinemablend.com says that a "Robin Hood" trailer will be airing during the upcoming Superbowl
The Jarrow and Hebburn Gazette: Ridley's top seller of the decade -- SOUTH Shields-born director Ridley Scott's 2000 film Gladiator is one of the most bought flicks of the decade. - Thanks, Kris C
Futon Critic: "... In addition, PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS 2010 (Wednesday) will preview exclusive sneak peeks of the upcoming blockbusters "Clash of the Titans," starring Sam Worthington, Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson in the ultimate struggle for power between men and the gods, and the action adventure "Robin Hood," in which Oscar winners Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett join acclaimed director Ridley Scott and Oscar-winning producer Brian Grazer to tell the story behind the legend. The live show will also debut an exclusive sneak peek of the much- anticipated 20th edition of "Survivor" with a broadcast of the opening minutes of "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains," which premieres Thursday, Feb. 11 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. - Thanks, Cindy
Herald Sun 5 January 2010 -- Spencer Calls On Visconti's Magic - WHILE Russell Crowe has been busy on the set of his film The Next Three Days, wife Danielle Spencer has been occupied in the recording studio. Nine years after launching her 2001 debut, White Monkey, 39-year-old Spencer is on the verge of releasing her second studio album, Calling All Magicians. Spencer, the daughter of former Play School presenter Don Spencer, decided to take a break from her burgeoning career in 2003 to be a stay-at-home mum for sons Charles and Tennyson, but began planning a musical comeback in 2008. While her musical style has been compared with that of Kate Bush and Tori Amos, the new album is expected to take on a new feel because of the work of legendary record producer Tony Visconti. Visconti, widely revered for his groundbreaking work with David Bowie and T-Rex in the 1970s, reportedly jumped at the chance to work with Spencer after hearing stripped-back demo tracks of her work in 2008. Spencer released Wish I'd Been There, the first single off the album, in Britain in October to mixed reviews. While Calling All Magicians will be released in Britain on February 15, an Australian release date has not been set.
Related: Variety: Kathryn Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker" has won the National Society of Film Critics' awards for picture, director and actor for Jeremy Renner. The Iraq War thriller is the first film since 1997's "L.A. Confidential" to sweep top honors from the Los Angeles, New York and national critics' groups.
From Simone: There's a pic of Russell and Ridley in the February Empire magazine. Here's the text that goes with it: It's a little after midnight in Windsor Great Park and the Queen's back garden has been overrun by outlaws. Empire wonders if Her Majesty has been informed that Robin Hood's camping out beneath the ancient boughs just a stone's throw away from her favourite castle? "Not only has she been informed, but she's given us full permission to be here", says Russell Crowe, bringing our nation's favourite bandit to life in Ridley Scott's epic tale. "I think we're the first production ever to film here." Hood's returned from waging war in France to find a devastated 13th century England ruled by the vicious Prince John (Oscar Isaac). Tonight's scene sees Robin and co. - Kevin Durand as Little John, Scott Grimes as William Scarlet, Alan Doyle as Alan A'Dayle - attacked by a bunch of ragamuffins hiding out in the forest. It's 5 a.m. before Crowe's released, and he tramps happily along a muddy footpath back to his trailer. "How was that?" he asks. Well, from where Empire was standing, it was pretty damn good. The Queen's back garden is in pretty safe hands.
More from Simone: There's also a Helen Mirren interview in the same magazine. Asked about how it was to work with Russell, she said "I know he has a reputation, well earned. But he's so good. Rather a quaint movie star. It was fascinating to watch him work. And I found him very endearing. I like him a lot"
Cinemax will be showing Virtuosity in February - Thanks, Kris C
The Hollywood Reporter: Sight unseen first half of 2010 looks promising -- May - Universal has a brand-name action-adventure in "Robin Hood" (May 14). Directed by Ridley Scott ("Gladiator"), it stars Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett and may wind up in 3D. However: Do you still believe in Russell Crowe and in tights, no less? - Thanks, Kris C
Happy New Year - and new decade - to all Crowe fans - From The Writers Almanac - "The first time that New Year's Day was celebrated on January 1st was in 45 B.C., when Caesar redid the Roman calendar. He based it on the sun instead of the moon (like the Egyptians), added some days to the year, and declared every January 1st the start of the new year. But Caesar had subtly miscalculated the length of the solar year, and declared an extra day in February every four years, which turned out to be slightly too often, so that by the Middle Ages the calendar was about 10 days off. It wasn't until the 1570s that the calendar was finally refined with leap years in the correct places, and since then, January 1st has been celebrated as New Year's Day."
USA Today: The decade in movies: Focus fades from stars to spectacle -- "...It was the sixth-highest-grossing film of the year, behind (in descending order) How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Cast Away, Mission: Impossible II, Gladiator and What Women Want. Those films starred Jim Carrey, Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe and Mel Gibson— all reliable box-office draws at the start of the decade, most far less so now." - Thanks, Kris C
Related: At Slash Control (free movies), you can watch Robin and Marian, with Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn (and Richard Harris)
