12-31-2002
Have a Happy New Year!

Mark & Co. are done in Italy, but if you're curious as to where they filmed during December, a report is here. And yes I found this after they had already left, so sorry to all you would be searchers. Monica did alright without it.  :) Also back in October, the Philadelphia Daily News reported a tidbit on set stuff: "They've contacted a couple of Philly tabloids to provide "dressing" for the set: The Philadelphia Public Record and the Philadelphia Gay News."

From yesterday's NY Daily News: "Mobbed-up nightclub impresario Chris Paciello still knows how to lure stars - even while he's in a witness-protection program. Mark Wahlberg and Benicio Del Toro have both shown interest in playing Paciello in a movie based on the life of the former New York club kingpin, sources tells us. Paciello's former partner Ingrid Casares has been been working with "Boys Don't Cry" director Kimberly Peirce on developing a movie about the handsome Staten Island thug, who pleaded guilty in 2000 to taking part in a bungled robbery that left housewife Judy Shemtov dead. Peirce is teamed with screenwriter David Benioff ("The 25th Hour") and has been negotiating to option "Mob Over Miami," Daily News reporter Michele McPhee's book about Paciello. Mind you, Paciello's lawyer, Ben Brafman, says that, contrary to earlier reports, his client "has absolutely no agreement to consult on a film. ... Chris has no intention of personally profiting from the tragic death of Judy Shemtov.""

12-27
According to the Boston Herald, Mark, Donnie & Joey (McIntyre) were at the Patriots-Jets game.

Also news that famed photographer Herb Ritts died yesterday at 50. Ritts was the photographer for the Calvin Klein campaign with Mark & Kate Moss in '92. Besides ad campaigns for major designers, Ritts also did numerous covers for a variety of  magazines, as well as working as a music video director in his own right. His work also have been showcased in major museums including Boston's Museum of Fine Arts. The image to the left is one of his later pics of Mark.

12-24
Have a Merry Christmas/Kwanzaa!

Charlie remains elusive as release dates move farther back. I expect them to continue to move about until Universal sees the returns in France next month. 

12-23
A report of the holiday party Mark & Jordan Furniture threw for some kids in the Mass. area.

12-20
News of TIJ not exactly being greeted with open arms in Venice. BUT fellow MB member Monica actually did make the trip to Venice and met Mark on the TIJ set! I'm sure she welcomed him much better than the ones in the article.

Mark's old employer Calvin Klein is being acquired by Phillips-Van Heusen (famous US button-shirt company),  for $430 Million. The business does not include Calvin Klein's well-known jeans and underwear brands, which are controlled by Warnaco Group Inc. 

12-16
E-Factor stopped by the boards yesterday & today to let us know both he and Mark are in Italy (where exactly -Venice, IT - Monica run don't walk! :) You have less than a week). MTV also reported today Mos Def & Mark are in Italy: Mos Def Shooting Heist Flick In Italy With Mark Wahlberg 

Like Michael Corleone and Tony Soprano before him, Mos Def has temporarily left his familiar stomping grounds to spend some time in the old country, where he's wrapping up what some are calling "The Italian Job."

Most involved are expecting the trip to result in a hit.

The rapper/actor/poet is in Italy wrapping up production on the film "The Italian Job," which also stars Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton, Charlize Theron and Seth Green, according to his publicist. Mos Def plays a character named Half Ear in the flick, about a gang that tries to mask a heist of gold bullion by creating the largest traffic jam Los Angeles has ever seen. F. Gary Gray ("The Negotiator," "Friday") is directing the movie, due next year.

12-13
Final prices on Mark's RS guitars: '70s Fender Strat - $355.00,  signed Fender Acoustic - $152.50,  Gibson guitar - $715.53 & autographed Fender bass - $152.50. Grand total of $1275.53 for VH-1's Save the Music Foundation. Interestingly enough it was the unsigned ones that pulled in the most.

Continuing his work for his foundation, the Boston Herald notes Mark is once again joining up with Jordan Furniture to have a Christmas gathering for some underprivileged kids just before Christmas.

Michael Caine from Empire (UK): When asked about the new version of The Italian Job and the prospect of Mark Wahlberg zipping around L.A. instead of Turin in a souped up BMW-manufactured Mini, Caine was philosophical, "I don't mind," he said and commented about the urge to replicate his films, "I think it's a complement." 

First nominations for The Truth About Charlie: NAACP Image Awards were announced last Thursday. The awards are given on March 8 and will broadcast on March 13 on Fox. Thandie Newton for outstanding actress in a motion picture. Her competition include: Sanna Lathan for "Brown Sugar," Angela Basset for ''Sunshine State,'' Jennifer Lopez for ''Maid in Manhattan,'' and Vivica A. Fox for ''Juwanna Mann.''

12-06
Kazuko found on E-Bay, guitars being donated by Mark. 2 of which are autographed. Interestingly enough it's the unautographed ones that are pulling in the major $$$. As of 7pm: '70s Fender Strat $208.05,  signed Fender Acoustic $51.00, Gibson Les Paul Deluxe guitar $405.00 & autographed Fender Squier Precision Bass $76.69. Proceeds go to VH-1's Save the Music campaign. I'm sure you remember the cause as Mark donated some items last year as well. Auction ends Dec 12.

12-01
Mind my soapbox, but really it is Mark related as he's supported AIDS/HIV causes in the past. Live & Let Live. Sounds like a James Bond movie title, but in reality it is this year's theme for World AIDS Day. Over 42 million people are infected with HIV/AIDS and millions more are at risk - mostly because of ignorance. In the US alone 40,000 people will become infected each year. This morning HBO is airing And the Band Played on . . ., the acclaimed adaptation of Randy Shilts' book detailing the ignorance, arrogance and greed that ignored the epidemic for years before it was formally recognized. In that time til now, more than 20 million people have died. We may have drugs that have helped many live with AIDS/HIV, but we have to remember those without access to medical care, many who live in shame or in exile from their community.

Continuing on a thought provoking vein, check Solaris, George's (Clooney) new flick. Questions on fate and what memories are explored. Do NOT check your brain at the door. Great mood music thruout the film, as well as cinematography.

11-28
Happy Thanksgiving!

As I said below, this probably is NOT the project Mark is doing for Ritchie. BUT if you win the bid, you could probably find out information about it, since it would be after this one. Now what am I talking about exactly. It's called The 49th Gate and described as a story about people trapped between Heaven & Hell. The film is currently scheduled to be shot in LA in Spring 2003 (date and location subject to change.) This is the 3rd project (the others: Layer Cake & Knights of Malta) Ritchie has been said to be working on and there has been scant info on it except for a brief mention in the Sydney Morning Herald a few months back. Now comes word UK Youth is auctioning 2 (1 female & 1 Male) extra roles. [Update Winning Bids: Female £2,151.00 and Male £3,001.00!]

11-27
Kazuko reports rumours of Mark is being considered for the lead role in a Spielberg/Kennedy project based on the Belgium comic strip Tintin. I tracked the rumour to The Telegraph (UK paper). I'm calling it an unreliable rumour at this time because they are still in negotiations according to Friday's Variety: U and DreamWorks are currently negotiating the "Tintin" feature rights with Nick Rodwell of Moulinsart, the company that holds the "Tintin" properties created by late cartoonist Georges Remi under the pseudonym Herge.

"Tintin" is the story of an intrepid young reporter with a cowlicked coif who, with his dog Snowy, inevitably finds himself at the center of global adventures.

Tintin's friends and allies include his mentor, Captain Haddock, police officers Thomson and Thompson and Professor Cuthbert Calculus.

The "Tintin" comicstrip was first published in 1929 in Belgian newspaper Le Petit Vingtieme and was eventually translated into more than 50 languages. "Tintin" has already been the subject of several animated adaptations for motion pictures and television.

Scoop of sorts coming: I might have news on a possible opportunity to be in a Guy Ritchie film. I'm about 80% sure it's NOT the one Mark is set for, but it would give you a chance to at least ask Mr. Ritchie about it. Stay tuned as I dig for details and confirmation!

11-24
A few articles and George on Mark's turn in Charlie.

Mark is not on the list of People's Sexiest Man, but is in the issue, Pg 165 to be exact, as a pic from TIJ set.

Also looks like Charlie has been pulled out from theatres this past weekend. It may pop up at a 2nd run theatres (aka dollar theatres). As the French say - That's Life.

11-21
Charlie's boxoffice continues to slide as it loses 20% of its theatres pulling in $85,085 this week for a total of $5,293,525 in 3 weeks of release.

11-17
Not Mark stuff, but related as in his BN connections. First off some more articles about remakes, homages or whatever they want to call them, with one focusing on Far From Heaven (starring BN co-star Julianne Moore) - which I highly recommend.

Also from PTAnderson.com, found interesting comments from Roger Ebert's column about film distribution (in regard to Punch Drunk Love - PT's latest, which I also recommend you go see - if you can that is) :

Q. I've been waiting all year for "Punch-Drunk Love" to open. Now it has, and I'm frustrated by the fact that The Powers That Be have not deemed me worthy of viewing it. It is not playing in any of the more than a dozen theaters within reasonable driving distance of my home (in southern New Hampshire). I'm not so naive as to think that a letter of complaint will have any constructive effect, but I want to do it anyway. My question is, who is responsible for the decision not to let me see this film and others like it? If I'm going to write a pointless letter, at least I want it to be thrown away by the right person's secretary. Ron Spiegelhalter, Merrimack, N.H.

A. I would contact the home office of the chains operating theaters in your area. They obviously believe that while southern New Hampshire is ripe for moronic Adam Sandler movies, it is not ready for a good Adam Sandler movie. A kind of red-lining goes on, in which "art films" are booked in the cities but denied to less populated areas. Woody Allen once claimed that none of his films has ever played south of the Mason-Dixon Line. An exaggeration, but with a grain of truth.

Q. Sadly, all my suspicions came true when I went to see "Punch-Drunk Love" this past weekend. Oh, not about the movie, which was beautifully done and surprisingly touching. No, as I feared, I found myself in a theater full of "Billy Madison" and "Happy Gilmore" worshippers who were programmed to laugh when Sandler cried, and look confused in between bodily-harm jokes. In your experience, can we expect Sandler to make more movies like PDL, or is the following of his first audience going to force him to continue SNL vehicles forever? Ryan Cooke, Denton, Texas 

A. Sandler has been bitten by the hands that feed him. "Punch-Drunk Love" has not appealed to his traditional audiences, and there is a big disconnect between critics and fans. According to the Tomatometer, 85 percent of major critics praised the film, and yet Cinemascore.com shows that exiting moviegoers rated it between C-plus and F. 

Matt Fields, who operates the Athena Theater in Athens, Ohio, (home of Ohio University's 20,000 students) writes me: "There are actually people out there who think that 'Punch-Drunk' is Sandler's worst movie. Sony has just expanded 'Punch-Drunk' to 1,200 theatres (still not very wide) and as they have expanded it, the per screen average has tumbled. It just isn't playing to crowds outside of large metro areas. I just think that the moviegoing public isn't very sophisticated. I am always surprised how many college students don't know anything about art films at all. It seems that an earlier generation grew up on Godard while today's is growing up on 'Jackass.' "

11-13
You better run and see Charlie now! 3rd week figures are $502,005/$5,042,630 Total.

From UPI: "Not 4 Sale," the 15th solo album of his career, finds [Sammy] Hagar at the absolute top of his game. Once again backed by The Waboritas (Victor Johnson, Jesse Harms, Mona and David Lauser), the album's 10 tracks rock with a big beat.

[...] The album opens with "Stand Up," which was originally written for the Mark Wahlberg movie "Rock Star."

11-09
I managed to find confirmation and dates for Charlie from Universal. Australia gets the jump on the UK and France leads the Int'l releases as rumoured. 

Finally got a hold of the US weekly issues. Nov 4th has a pic of Mark & Donnie at the Premiere, while the 11th issue has a pic of Mark & Mom and a short interview (pg 32) with questions/answers identical to several articles I've posted weeks ago.

A bit more on Demme and his thought process on picking his stars and some marketing comments.

11-06
Charlie didn't do well its 2nd week, adding just $1.26 million this past week :(

11-01
If you're curious about what Demme had to say about choosing Mark on Charlie Rose, check this link to hear it.