Last night The Sundance Film Festival hosted the world premiere screening of the new biopic The Runaways at the Eccles Center Theatre in Park City, UT. As I mentioned yesterday, actresses Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning were joined by director Floria Sigismondi at last night’s premiere. In attendance as well were original Runaways bandmembers Joan Jett and Cherie Currie. Here are a few pics from the red carpet arrivals along with a review of the film from Entertainment Weekly magazine:

The most entertaining thing about the movie is that its writer-director, music-video veteran Floria Sigismondi (making her feature debut), has a sixth sense for how the Runaways were an image first and a rock & roll band second. Early on, we see Stewart’s black-shag-haired Joan in an L.A. boutique, where she has to coerce the sales woman into selling her a man’s studded biker jacket, which she wears as if born to it. Stewart’s no-frills, casually likable performance begins with Jett’s distinctive tough-girl saunter — which is to say, the actress knows just how to walk like a skinny dude. At the same time, we meet Cherie Currie (first name pronounced Sher-ee), who chops her platinum-blonde mane into a David Bowie shag, paints on the facial lightning streak from his Aladdin Sane cover, and lip-syncs to him at a high school talent show, which results in her being pelted with wads of paper. These girls, it’s clear, have their underground fashion bona fides down. But it takes Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon), the noted record producer who becomes their psycho Svengali, to teach them how to rock out like boys. Fowley, who favors red-leather jackets and dog collars the size of tiaras, is a hyped-up hustler-manipulator who looks like a punk Frankenstein and shouts everything as if in mid-tantrum. He’s a ruthless creep, a kind of jadedly oversexed type-A head case, but he knows what sells. He finds Cherie in a nightclub, immediately placing her in the band as if he were casting a porno film. The fact that she’s only 15 is, to him, icing on the bad-girl cake.

The EW review continues after the jump …

Could the famed, insanely popular and beloved movie franchise Star Wars be getting a 3D redux that would put all 6 movies back in movie theaters is mind-blowing 3D?! According to a new report, George Lucas has been suggesting that due to the advancements made in 3D technology (as featured in the blockbuster hit film Avatar) the entire Star Wars franchise could be converted to 3D and shown in movie theaters again. I, for one, would LOVE to see Episodes I – VI in 3D on the big screen but I am not holding my breath just yet until we hear something more substantial from Lucas himself. Still, the prospect is very titillating … here is the report:

It is one of the most popular film franchises of all time. And now the original Star Wars films could be given a modern make-over and converted into 3D. Director George Lucas has hinted that the new advances in technology mean it is now a possibility to see all six films re-made. He said that he had initially thought of the idea after finishing the last Star Wars film, The Revenge of the Sith, in 2005. But he was convinced about the idea after watching blockbuster Avatar, which picked up two Golden Globes last week. Lucas said: ‘We’ve been looking for years to do this but the technology hasn’t been there. I think this will be a new impetus to make that happen.’ Avatar – which cost more than £300m to make – has shattered box-office records and is on the verge of taking £1billion at the box office since its release at Christmas. Lucas added: ‘I liked it. I make movies like that, so I can appreciate what James Cameron went through to do it. It worked well in 3D and I’m happy it’s so successful.’ Lucas, 65, is currently shooting his latest film, Red Tails but is planning to begin work on converting the Star Wars films when he finishes later this year. Since its release in 1977, the franchise has become a cult phenomenon, having grossed more than £2billion. It is the third most popular film franchise of all time, behind James Bond and Harry Potter. This isn’t the first time Lucas has re-worked the original trilogy. The first three films alone went on to generate £1billion after they were re-released in 1997. He spent more than £5 million on updating the films he shot in the 1970s and 80s and inserting scenes and characters with CGI technology.

If this report really is to be believed then I’m totally on board with Lucas‘s “plans” to redux the entire Star Wars franchise in 3D. For me, it would be another way to watch the films I love so much with the added bonus of enjoying them in 3D. I honestly don’t feel that “messing” with the films in this way ruins anything. Folks would still be able to watch the films in regular 2D and those of us interested in the 3D could enjoy the films in another way. But, as I said above, I’m not getting all excited just yet. This rumor could turn out to be nothing more than, well, a rumor. If we hear from George Lucas himself that this is his plan, I will happily jump on board! This sounds like a fun idea, I’m sold.

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Yesterday we learned that the cast of Jersey Shore were banding together Friends style (i.e. every castmember gets treated and paid exactly the same) in their negotiations with MTV to return for season 2 of the show. MTV made an offer that the cast felt was not good enough (and WELL below the fees paid to the stars of MTV‘s other show The Hills) and the cast, as a group, reportedly turned down that offer and demanded more money or they all walk. MTV has decided that they are not putting up with this bullshizz from the cast and have, again reportedly, issued an ultimatum … take it or leave it — and get the eff out of Jersey Shore:

Sources tell TMZ the network has told the cast if they don’t accept MTV’s deal by the end of business Monday, they will be replaced. And, MTV has told them it does not have to be a package deal — the cast members who accept the offer will stay … those who do not can have a nice life. As we first reported, MTV offered each cast member a $10,000 signing bonus and $5,000 per episode. We’re told the cast rejected the offer and made it clear they would all stand together and hold out for their price, though they didn’t say what it was. MTV made a new offer of $10,000 an episode — there are 12 episodes in the new season — but so far the cast hasn’t responded. We’re told MTV already has replacements if Snooki, Pauly D, The Situation and the others don’t accept the offer on Monday. But, we’re told, MTV is happy to mix and match if some of the cast accepts the offer and other don’t. As for who’s being the most hard-headed in the negotiations — The Situation and Pauly D.

Yeah, this sounds more like it. There is NO reason that MTV has to shell out insane amounts of money to these jokers. They were entertaining but they are nothing special at all. These characters are a nickle a dozen at the Jersey Shore … there are countless other Snookis and Situations out there just dying for their chance in the sun tanning bed. My guess is that they won’t all turn down the offer to return … the bright, shining star of fame is too much for these kids to turn down. You know Angelina, the idiot moron who left the show with her trash bag luggage after the second episode, would KILL to be back on the show. I’d be impressed, tho, if the entire cast did ban together and either take or leave the offer as a single unit. If MTV is serious about locking down the deal today we should know very soon the future state of MTV‘s Jersey Shore.

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Bummer news to pass along today. After suffering a brief ailment recently that rendered him hospitalized, child actor Gary Coleman (41) was arrested yesterday in Santaquin, UT on charges of misdemeanor domestic assault. Ugh. It has not been a great year thus far for the actor most famously known as Arnold Drummond on Diff’rent Strokes … here are some deets of this most recent arrest:

Gary Coleman was arrested Sunday for domestic violence, authorities said. The former child star was arrested in Santaquin, Utah on a domestic assault warrant and booked into the Utah County jail about 1:30 p.m., according to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office. He was wanted for one count of domestic assault – a misdemeanor – though it’s unclear when the incident occurred. Utah County Deputy Denton, who declined to give her first name, said the warrant stemmed from a missed court date. Coleman is working on posting bail of $1,725, Denton said, and the jail doesn’t have any record of who his alleged victim was.

Previously, Gary Coleman was arrested after he allegedly hit a man with his car in a Utah bowling alley parking lot. Just last Summer, Coleman‘s wife Shannon Price (23) locked him out of their home, threw many of his belongings onto the street and she herself was arrested after the police arrived on the scene. The couple, who met on the set of Church Ball a few years ago, almost divorced on a televised episode of Divorce Court in 2008. It sounds like these two have enjoyed a long run of unhappiness together. Perhaps it is time that they both move on from one another. So sad.

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