Mr. Smith Goes to Heaven

Devilish director Kevin Smith joins one of comedy’s higher powers to gab about God.

Having incited the religious right with his fallen-angels comedy “Dogma,” Smith sets the record straight about his own spiritual status. “Some people find it strange because I’ve made movies that trade on [subject matters] most don’t associate with Christian behavior,” says Smith, a self-professed churchgoer. “But I’m a big believer.” Smith (who does a killer Miller impression) also has faith that his visit with the snarky, cerebral host will be a blessed event. “He’s always been one of those comics I’ve dug,” says Smith. “Because he’s smart.” (Live)

Britney Spears will star in Ben Affleck’s new movie – as long as he directsone of her music videos. The pop sensation has revealed actor Ben, who wasalso behind Oscar-winning film Good Will hunting, wants her to appear inone of his up-and-coming flicks. Britney, 18, already worth around £18million, says actor Ben asked her during a cozy dinner meeting recently.She said “he was great and really down to earth, just a regular guy.” Butin return Britney wants Ben to be the man behind the camera for one of herpop videos.”

More recently, the company enjoyed substantial entertainment press by screening Dogma, a controversial take on Catholicism starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Lions Gate picked up the movie after pressure from the American Catholic League forced the original distributor — Walt Disney (DIS:NYSE – news – boards) subsidiary Miramax Films — to shy away from it. But the angry protests and boycotts directed against Dogma underscored the company’s willingness to embrace the full spectrum of cinema.

For its efforts, the company was duly rewarded. Last week, the company announced that revenue for its motion picture operations had increased by more than 150% — attributed in large part to Dogma’s success.