I am one of those people who feels that Tim Burton's artistic vision is directly in line with Lewis Carroll's novels, and he is one of few filmmakers who can get away with asserting that a likable movie adaptation has never been made of this story. It is, of course, interesting to hear this from the man who made Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ...

Overture Films lost a bundle with Righteous Kill but the reunion of Ethan Hawke and his Training Day director Antoine Fuqua is pretty much a can't-miss shot at success, right? The trailer offers equal doses of machismo, stress, and style, though I paid the most attention when Don Cheadle shared the screen with Wesley Snipes, since their wedge of the story reads as though it has the most layers -- even though we've watched an infinite number of cops get way-too-undercover over the years. Also: Couldn't Mr. Fuqua direct a film like this in his sleep at this point in his career?

Strike through all those notions of awards-season glamor for this reunion of Marty and Leo, since reports of marketing-budget shortfalls and promotional challenges (aka DiCaprio's availability) shuttled the movie into the middle of winter. Don't think it'll hurt the thriller's box-office, though, since it's been testing through the roof. Nikki Finke digs out the scoop.

So this is first time Kevin Smith has directed someone else's screenplay; technically we could get behind this idea if co-writers Robb and Mark Cullen were a little less green (they're making the jump from ho-hum TV shows). We hear the script was blacklisted, but nothing we've seen on celluloid makes us believe this story is a precious resource. Considering the project originally was set to star Robin Williams -- back when it was known as A Couple of Dicks -- and that Kevin Smith has received more attention for being too girth-y for Southwest Airlines than for being a movie director, maybe Warner Bros. was right to bury this one in the snow.

James Cameron's response to upping the world of visual effects? He takes a new approach to 3D -- all the way down to creating his own cameras -- and augments the natural world by introducing new plant life and creatures to the aforementioned band of humans. It's the kind of anticipation that even makes President Roslin swoon. Meanwhile, Sam Worthington quietly has become new face of sci-fi. That makes us swoon.

As distributor Overture Films is about to be sold off by its corporate parent, direct Breck Eisner is preparing to remake both Flash Gordon and The Brood as his next projects -- further proof that Hollywood's water supply is full of insanity-inducing toxins.

Harry Potter is going out of business, and Hollywood still hasn't found his successor. The Lightning Thief is book one in Rick Riordan's series of five proper novels to date; can Philsopher's Stone director Chris Columbus put this franchise into motion? The young adult in all of us could use a new hero, and Columbus's career needs a renaissance as well.

Entertainment writers are worked up about (1) Universal's box-office slump and (2) the studio's decision to move Green Zone out of the 2009 Oscar zone. To me, this is a sign that the movie actually might be entertaining and not some bore, a la most every other recent Iraq War picture aside from the most recent Best Picture winner. Meanwhile, we're wondering if Jason Bourne's fans will accept Matt Damon as a solider, especially since the proposed fourth Bourne adventure isn't a signed deal at this stage.

You know, RPattz's Little Ashes performed well given its subject matter and lack of major-studio muscle. It's quite possible a romantic story with a relatable premise (sorry, How to Be) from the studio that brought us Edward Cullen could lure plenty of the Twilight audience into theaters over this weekend and beyond. Good thing there was a seasoned cast and crew on what was widely reported as a difficult NYC shoot, given the thousands of fans who tracked R.P.'s every move. This is the first screenplay from Will Fetters, who currently is tinkering on A Star Is Born for Warner Bros. and director Nick Cassavetes (rumored to feature Russell Crowe and ... are you ready for this? ... Beyonce).

Someone please help me understand why DreamWorks/Paramount execs think that a romantic comedy with no known stars, a green director, and a screenplay from the guys behind Sex Drive is a money-making idea. (Note: We'd love to be surprised about this movie's quality and proved wrong about its chances for success.)

Not to oversimplify things here, but it's surprising how long it has taken other studios (aside from Lionsgate) to reach the audience that Tyler Perry entertains once or twice a year. The relatable premise, combined with a cast of movie and TV stars and the savvy marketing of Fox Searchlight could yield a small-scale hit.

Bong Joon-ho's latest work has more in common with his Memories of Murder than his better-known effort, The Host, but, like all of his films, Mother has earned accolades for its mood, cinematography, and doses of slapstick humor. Magnolia is releasing the film in the wake of the Oscars, and it instantly ranked higher than my favorite nominated film (An Education). Bong Joon-ho brings together a murder mystery, a discomfiting parent/child morality tale, and East/West satire (loved the "CSI" jokes) while paying homage to "Twin Peaks" all the while. It also has the best first and final scenes of any movie in recent memory. Sorry, The Secret in Their Eyes -- this is the Best Foreign Film of last year/this year.