Entertainment Today and Beyond Radio: Clint Eastwood: Gran Torino and other classics & The Worst of 2008!

Chuck and Michael talk Gran Torino and Clint Eastwood’s other must-see films – plus a review of 2008’s worst at the box-office LISTEN HERE and let us know what you want to hear about. email Chuck

Matthijs van Heijningen to direct The Thing prequel and Army of the Dead, X-Men Origins: Wolverine re-shoot

According to Bloody Disgusting, Dutch director Matthijs van Heijningen (The Black Meteor) is now set to helm Strike and Universal’s Prequel to the 1982 John Carpenter Horror movie, The Thing. Carpenter’s film, starring Kurt Russell, was not a box-office hit when it was released the same weekend as Steven Spielberg’s E.T. but, over the years, has built a strong fan base who regard the film as a classic in its genre. While it’s sort of a shame that they never made a sequel with Russell years ago, I hope this director stays focused on strong and interesting actors to star in his new film. The quality of his actors was one of the main reasons Carpenter’s version is so good, alongside its great visual effects. Director Heijningen is also attached to producer Zach Snyder’s epic Zombie film “Army of the Dead”, to be set in Las Vegas. It’s clear this guy must have some real talent to be attached to these two genre projects, as he has no real track record that fans can identify with.

With word coming out Friday that Fox’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie cast and crew are going back in January to film what is being called extensive re-shoots, one has to wonder exactly what that will mean for the final product. While Director, Gavin Hood, will be doing the re-shoots himself it’s been no secret that there had been creative disputes between him and Fox CEO, Tom Rothman, during the movies principal photography. While many blog site writers did cartwheels when the movie trailer was released last month, I had serious reservations. While I like Hugh Jackman, I think making a character with claws coming out of his hands the star of the show is not an easy thing for a writer and director to pull off unless it’s a Freddy Krueger film. It now appears that it needs some major tinkering, which in many instances means trouble for the movie as a whole. Not always, but more times than not.

Steve McQueen Bio picture, Ricardo Montelban remembered, Mickey Rourke’s Golden Globe, Nip Tuck’s new season

Paramount Pictures and producers Michael Cerenzie and Christine Peters have announced plans for a Bio-pic on STEVE MCQUEEN. The story will be based on the 1993 biography Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel and will follow his Hollywood life, his love of motorcycles and also deal with his off-screen antics, including drug experimentation. There’s NO doubt that McQueen was a true Icon and one of the very best screen personas the business has ever seen. To understand that just look at his performance in the 1974 disaster classic The Towering Inferno and see how much he elevated that film simply by his presence. Two other big McQueen favorites of mine were The Great Escape (simply sensational) and The Blob, his first starring role (his stature elevated this B-movie into a genre classic).

Ricardo Montelban– The world lost another DECENT human being on Wednesday when the 88 year old actor passed away. While many know him best for his classic television series, Fantasy Island, or as the great villain Khan in the Star Trek 2, I must admit I’m pretty partial to his ultra-likeable turn in a supporting role as the Zoo Keeper, Armando, in Escape from the Planet of the Apes. R.I.P. Mr. Montelban.

Mickey Rourke– It’s been fun watching Mickey do the talk show circuit after winning the Golden Globe best actor award for his terrific turn in The Wrestler. While watching him on Jay Leno a few days ago it was hard not to think of Rourke at this stage in his life as sort of a real life Rocky Balboa. He comes across as this big, somewhat lovable, lug who speaks his mind in a very honest and refreshing way. I remember sitting in a movie theater almost two decades ago watching “Johnny Handsome” and saying to myself that this guy really has it. You simply can’t watch The Wrestler and NOT see the character of Randy “The Ram” Robinson through the eyes of Rourke’s real life journey.

Nip Tuck– After watching the first two episodes of the newest season on the FX channel the show remains my favorite television guilty pleasure. No other program has that combination of pure entertainment mixed with moments that make you cringe. When watching it you simply never know what will happen next as the writers play by NO rules. I really believe actor Julian McMahon’s Christian Troy is as interesting and complex of a character as we’ve seen on TV in quite some time. He is great in the role.