Archive for May 22nd, 2002

MTV Promotes “Jersey Girl”, Lopez Involvement…

May 22nd @ 10:04 pm | No Comments » | Scooped by Brad & Chris

  • The possible Jennifer Lopez casting in “Jersey Girl” continues to make the news around the web — MTV ran a very nice article on the film, Lopez, but mostly on Kevin’s career moves. Nothing new for the diehard fans, but a good piece for sure, and a lot of exposure from mtv.com:
Movie House: J.Lo In Talks To Star With Ben Affleck In Kevin Smith Film

Jennifer Lopez continues to plow forward with her booming film career. The pop diva is said to be in talks to star alongside Ben Affleck in writer/director Kevin Smith’s “Jersey Girl.”

A publicist for Lopez confirmed that the “Enough” star is definitely in negotiations for the film, which has long had Affleck attached. If she does in fact end up in the movie, “Jersey Girl” will be J. Lo’s second pairing with the “Changing Lanes” actor.

The two highly prolific stars’ first onscreen match-up, “Gigli,” just finished shooting a couple of months ago. Directed by Martin Brest (”Beverly Hills Cop”), “Gigli” is a dramatic comedy with Affleck in the title role as a hit man who involves Lopez in a kidnapping, believing her, perhaps mistakenly, to be in the same line of work as himself.

“Jersey Girl” is about a man whose life is turned upside down by a woman and her 6-year-old daughter. It will be the first movie from Kevin Smith set outside of the “View Askew Universe” established with 1994 indie cult hit “Clerks” and further expounded upon by “Mallrats,” “Chasing Amy,” “Dogma” and “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” — often (however erroneously) referred to as the “New Jersey Trilogy.”

Though the movie will take place outside of his previous films’ continuity, many Smith alumni are expected to appear, including George Carlin and possibly Jason “Jay” Mewes. “Jersey Girl” is thought to be at least loosely based on Smith’s own experiences as father of Harley Quinn Smith, who briefly appeared in 2001’s “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” and is named after a “Batman”-related character.

Smith — a huge comic book fan — has scripted comics starring Green Arrow, whose alter ego is named Ollie, which also happens to be the name of Ben Affleck’s character in “Jersey Girl.” The pop culture relationship between Smith and Affleck is as densely convoluted as any long-running comic book’s plot line.

Affleck has appeared in several of Smith’s films: as predatory Shannon in “Mallrats,” soul-searching Holden in “Chasing Amy,” conflicted angel Bartleby in “Dogma” — even as himself in “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” Smith, along with his View Askew production company associate, Scott Mosier (who is producing “Jersey Girl”), co-executive produced Affleck’s “Good Will Hunting,” which earned the actor an Oscar nod for screenwriting.

In 1998, Smith wrote several issues of Marvel’s “Daredevil” comic series, later collected into a trade paperback with an introduction penned by longtime Daredevil fan Ben Affleck. During a scene in “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” bumbling Bob (played by Smith) runs past a costumed Daredevil fighting ninjas on a studio lot. And now, of course, Affleck is playing Daredevil in a real-life movie, for which Smith recently shot a cameo.

In addition to “Jersey Girl,” Kevin Smith has acquired the rights to develop the series of “Fletch” novels used as source material for two Chevy Chase movies in the ’80s. Ben Affleck was at one time rumored to star, though Jason Lee, himself a player in four prior Smith films, has since been attached.

Nevertheless, Affleck has plenty else to keep him occupied. “Changing Lanes” is still in theaters, “The Sum of All Fears” is due soon, “Gigli” just wrapped and “Daredevil” is still moving along. When that’s finished, there’s “Jersey Girl” to do and a picture called “Surviving Christmas” with his name on it.

Jennifer Lopez is no stranger to an overflowing date book herself, with “The Chambermaid” now shooting in New York and her very own “Carmen” remake in development (see “Movie House: J. Lo Making Modern Version Of ‘Carmen’ “). You can see more of both J. Lo and Ben Affleck in upcoming episodes of MTV Movie House. Check the schedule for air times.

You can find the story at the MTV site as well.

New Auctions Askew Items Now Available!

May 22nd @ 10:04 pm | No Comments » | Scooped by Ming

  • Yet again, some amazingly cool items are up for the highest bidder at Auctions Askew. How’d you like to own the “If you Plan to Shoplift” sign from the Quick Stop in Jay & Bob? How about that hilarous Ben Affleck tabloid from the same scene? A signed Clerks cartoon pilot script? Walt Flanagan’s Mallrats cap? That and more are now available, in yet another exciting week of auctions at View Askew. As always, bid carefully, good luck, and may the person with the deepest pockets win.

View Askew NewsBites™

May 22nd @ 10:02 pm | No Comments » | Scooped by Homer Simpson, TV's Grady, Joey cheri popper, Joe

  • You can now find a blurb and cover shot of Kevin and Stan Lee on the cover of the new Monsters, Mutants and Marvels DVD at the official Spider-Man movie website, under the Daily Bugle section.
  • This coming Wednesday, May 22, the Discovery Channel will air a two-hour special called “Inside the CIA”, hosted by Ben Affleck.
  • If you missed Vanilla Sky in theaters, check out Jason Lee in this flick on DVD and VHS — It hit the rental shelves yesterday.
  • Congrats to the Drop Dead Roses cast and crew — Their flick took Honorable Mention at the UC Davis Film Festival.
  • The J&SBSB DVD was mentioned in an article on the DVD Creation website for its robustness in extra detail. Check that out HERE.