Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master is one the the most anticipated (by me) films of 2012. It’ll be his first since There Will Be Blood. It’s a 1950s-set drama centered on the relationship between a charismatic intellectual known as "the Master" whose faith-based organization (“The Cause”) begins to catch on in America, and a young drifter who becomes his right-hand man. The drifter is played by Joaquin Phoenix, the Master is Philip Seymour Hoffman. The drifter finds himself equally drawn to the Master's daughter (Amy Adams).  (In reality, there is only seven years difference between Hoffman and Adams.)

Several observers have noticed parallels between the story of the Master and his Cause, and the founding of Scientology by L. Ron Hubbard. Anderson and his people deny that this is some sort of Scientology allegory. It’s also not the first time Anderson has delved into the subject of charismatic pseudo religious leaders and the effects on their followers, after Magnolia, which ironically, reignited the career of one of the most famous Scientologists, Tom Cruise. So we’ll see.  

Photographer Jack Erling took these pics of extras during filming. The period detail is amazing. Coupled with the black and white photography, they not only capture the vintage feel of the film but look like they were found in an old hat box in your Aunt Esther’s attic.

Also starring Laura Dern, Jesse Plemons and Kevin J. O’Connor, The Master is set to be released by The Weinstein Company but no exact dates are known. My guess is, Harvey’s going to hold it back until at least fall, for awards contention and that we can expect to see it on the festival circuit. (Perhaps even in Cannes in May.)

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Muppets Muppets Muppets…two more days until The Muppets! That’s right, it’s finally here! The Muppets opens in theaters in the US and Canada on Wednesday November 23. (Big frowny face for the UK who doesn’t get it until 10 February.)

Written by Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller and directed by James Bobin  ("The Flight of the Conchords", "Da Ali G Show"), The Muppets is the first theatrical Muppet movie since 1999 and the first without Frank Oz, who retired from his "Muppet career" after Muppets in Space, to focus on his directorial efforts, although he still occasionally performs on Sesame Street. His characters have officially and seamlessly been taken over by Eric Jacobson. It stars Segel, Adams, Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones, Alan Arkin, Jack Black, Billy Crystal, Zach Galifianakis, Neil Patrick Harris, Ricky Gervais and Emily Blunt among many others.

The plot involves Gary (Segel), his Muppet roommate Walter,  and his friend from Smalltown, USA, Mary (Adams) who must help Kermit and company get back together, since they've all gone their separate ways (Fozzie now performs with a tribute band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at French Vogue, Animal is in a clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a wealthy plumbing magnate), in order to put on a show, actually “The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever”, to save their old studio, Muppet Theater, when it is scheduled to be destroyed by greedy oil tycoon, Tex Richman. (Chris Cooper)  

We have three new clips, courtesy of our friends at Movieweb. The first is called “Show Pitching”

The second is called “Cleaning the Theater”

The third is called “Dance Partner” (featuring Pepe the King Prawn, who cracks me the hell up)

It’s time for your daily does of Muppets! Last night at LA’s El Capitan Theatre, The Muppets had it’s gala ‘green’ carpet premiere. A lot of the cast was there, including Amy Adams and writer/producer/star Jason Segel, Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones, Neil Patrick Harris, Mickey Rooney, Kristin Schaal and Rico Rodgriguez, but as you can imagine, the night belonged to Her Porcine Majesty, Miss Piggy. La Porkette arrived in the back of a chauffer driven silver Mercedes amid a flurry of paparazzi flashbulbs and then off course the crowd went bananas when they spotted Kermit. New Muppet, Walter, who plays Jason Segel’s character Gary’s half brother, looked dashing in his new powder blue suit. Fozzie Bear and Rowlf looked like they’d had a bath for the occasion and even Animal was on his best behavior.

There were some humans who got a bit of attention, like Jennifer Morrison and Sir Anthony Hopkins. Some were just looking for it, like Lisa Rinna and Nancy Grace. (Am even I supposed to know who Bella Thorne is?)  Anyway, enjoy the pics! The Muppets opens November 23!

One last parody trailer for The Muppets before the film is released.  Haven't we heard that before? Oh yeah, that's what they said about the trailer they released a few weeks ago. For months now the makers of The Muppets have teased us with some really funny parody trailers. We've seen parodies of The Hangover 2, followed by Green Lantern and then The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. All hilarious. Then what we thought was the final Muppet parody trailer included references to Happy Feet 2, Puss in Boots, Paranormal Activity and Twilight: Breaking Dawn part 1. Well, apparently unable to let go of a good thing, we've got one more, this one a salute to Bollywood. It's short and sweet and it's Muppets!

Seriously? Who doesn't want more Muppets? (Other than the AMPAS apparently. Although I have to say, I don't think even I could handle a three hour live telecast hosted by these ambassadors of cute. By the end of the evening everyone would be wishing they'd hired Roseanne Barr. Unless they let Statler and Waldorf do the whole thing.)  I'll be kinda sad when The Muppets finally opens and we won't have all of this muppety goodness to look forward to. Oh well, all good things come to an end, including a brilliant marketing campaign. The Muppets opens November 23 in the US and Canada and 10 February in the UK.

Well, this warms the cockles of my jaded little heart on a chilly Monday morning! The stars of the upcoming film, The Muppets, attended a press conference in Beverly Hills over the weekend. This in itself is ordinarily not news, you probably can’t swing a dead cat in LA and its environs without hitting someone plugging something while cameras flash and microphones are shoved in faces. (I’m pretty sure there are paps who sleep on a cot in the back of every Starbucks from LA to Santa Barbara, but I digress.) This particular press conference is news because it’s…well…it’s THE MUPPETS!

Kermit, Miss Piggy and their new friend Walter (who all play themselves in the film) were accompanied by Jason Segel  and Amy Adams who play Gary and Mary, their human companions. I would have loved to have heard some of the questions asked of the felt-covered trio and especially to have heard their answers!  It looks like they were all having fun, in any case.

The Muppets opens in the US and Canada November 23 and 10 February in the UK

The Muppets will be here in less than three weeks and Disney is preparing the way by dropping little treats, like these two Piggy-centric clips, every few days.

In the first, Miss Piggy takes a meeting with “Muppet Man”. Short, sweeter than the donuts on Piggy’s desk, with a soft Muppet-y filling…

In the second clip, called “Showdown”, the inimitable Miss Piggy meets her “replacement”. I can only assume this is because she refused the offer made by “Muppet Man” in the first clip.

Of course the offer is to join, Walter, Kermit, Fozzie and the gang, along with humans Mary (Amy Adams) and Gary (Jason Segel), who are going to put on a show in order to save their old theater from billionaire oil tycoon, Tex Richman (Chris Cooper). Dun dun dun…

The Muppets opens November 23 in the US and Canada and 10 February in the UK.