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Maybe I’ve been watching too many episodes of “The X-Files” lately, but I’m starting to keep an eye out for reports on crop circles. M. Night Shyamalan’s “Signs,” starring Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, was one of the most chilling movies I’ve seen – ever. Maybe the heebie-jeebies come from the understated nature of the film. When I saw the trailer for the film, I didn’t know what it was about. Well, I knew it had to do with crop circles. Big deal. Mulder doesn’t even believe in crop circles. I thought the movie might be lame, but I kept hearing good things. I guess what makes the movie so good is the panic factor. You see Mel and family freak . . . a lot. You get apprehensive watching the anxiety the family goes through. By playing the movie as Shyamalan did, he effectively created a vortex of fear that made us worry for the characters and terrified of their attackers.

Joaquin Phoenix during the St. Patricks Day parade as he marched alongside the Baltimore City Firefighters in Baltimore. You can see the pictures HERE (the three pictures on the top of the page) & more pictures HERE

US Magazine reports that Joaquin was so shy about going to a gym that Touchstone pictures spent thousands of dollars on exercise equipment for his hotel room in Baltimore.

Fare fit for firefighters
Table Talk

By Sloane Brown
Special To The Sun
Originally published March 20, 2003

In last week's column, we mentioned some great celebrity-spotting at
New York City restaurants. Today, we get to say that Baltimore is
having plenty of sightings of its own. That's thanks to the new
Disney flick Ladder 49, which is being filmed in town right now.

We have word that actors Joaquin Phoenix, Robert Patrick and
Balthazar Getty like to drop by Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine
Bar, 720 Aliceanna St., after a hard day's shooting. Our source says
Phoenix mainly hangs out at the bar. Patrick often orders Pellegrino
sparkling water, filet mignon and a side of veggies. And Getty likes
the filet and lobster-tail combo.

Little Italy's Germano's Trattoria, 300 S. High St., is a favorite
hangout of the movie's director, Jay Russell, as well as various
other behind-the-camera folks and some of the actors. In fact,
Russell and the film's producers threw a "Welcome to Baltimore"
dinner at Germano's for star John Travolta and several other actors
on March 2.

Owner Germano Fabiani says the group of 12 enjoyed a classic Tuscan
eight-course meal that included a seafood salad, crespelle (Italian
savory crepes), fried calamari, carpaccio, beef tongue, linguine allo
scoglio (linguine with seafood), rack of lamb and grilled swordfish.

"They were all very nice," Fabiani says. "And John Travolta was very
accommodating."

Baltimore will burn this spring — Hollywood style — as the cast and crew of the firefighter drama "Ladder 49" bring their pyrotechnics, and a shot of money, to the city starting March 24. "There will be plenty of fires in the city," joked star John Travolta on Thursday, wearing a Baltimore Fire Department uniform and sitting in a run-down firehouse that producers planned to refurbish. "In fact, anyone who has a building they want to burn should let us know." The film, which is scheduled to come out early next year, will bring about 300 direct jobs and more than 1,000 indirect jobs to the city, producer Casey Silver says. Mr. Silver would not discuss how much money the film will likely generate, but the head of the Maryland Film Festival, Jed Dietz, says the impact on Baltimore will be "huge." "This is the biggest film that's ever been made here, from a production standpoint," Mr. Dietz says. Baltimore was chosen over several other cities, including Toronto and Philadelphia, to be the primary location for the thriller. The film's director, Jay Russell, already has directed one film in the area, "Tuck Everlasting," which was partially shot in Harford County. Mayor Martin O'Malley, who helped campaign to win the movie, says the cast and crew will be working, and spending, in Baltimore through July. "This is an economic shot in the arm for the city of Baltimore," Mr. O'Malley says. Movies injected more than $48 million into Baltimore's economy last year, says Jack Gerbes, director of the Maryland Film Office, which helped lure the production to Baltimore. "When a film like this comes to a city, there are hotels booked, car rentals, restaurant reservations," Mr. Gerbes says, "but it's also a once-in-a-lifetim experience for people here. Next year, we can go to theaters and see Baltimore on the silver screen." The movie also stars Joaquin Phoenix, who has been in Baltimore for more than a month researching his role with firefighters. Mr. Phoenix plays a veteran firefighter trapped in a blaze he thinks might kill him. While he waits to see if his company, Ladder 49, can save him, he looks back over his career and family life. Mr. Travolta plays Mr. Phoenix's fire chief and mentor. Mr. Travolta said he and Mr. Phoenix trained with firefighters by climbing ladders, navigating smoky mazes in full gear, rappelling from buildings and battling fires — or "slaying the dragon" in firefighter slang. "Joaquin slew his dragon," Mr. Travolta says. "I just got lost a lot."

This holiday season, kids will be introduced to Walt Disney Pictures' "BROTHER BEAR," an epic animated tale about the true meaning of brotherhood. Kids can cuddle with the endearing characters of "BROTHER BEAR" with Hasbro's adorable product line.

In a tiny village, when the Earth was young and ice still covered the land, a headstrong teenager, KENAI, has an issue with bears. And why not -- the bears compete for the same food and land, loot his village, and ruin his coming of age ceremony. When his oldest brother is lost in a perilous battle with a ferocious grizzly, KENAI ignores the village teachings of brotherhood, choosing instead to track down the bear and satisfy his thirst for vengeance.

KENAI, voiced by Joaquin Phoenix, is changed into a bear by the Great Spirits, forcing him to examine the world through the eyes of his enemy. In his quest to regain his human form, KENAI enlists the help of an adorable, talkative and sometimes-pesky bear cub named KODA. Their journey propels them across the northern territory, through glacial caverns, frosty tundra, a valley of fire and treacherous gorges. Over the course of the journey with KODA, KENAI is forced to question everything he knows and learns many important lessons about the true meaning of brotherhood. Ultimately, he realizes that his physical transformation from a man to a bear is insignificant compared to the change that has occurred within him.

Some things from the product line will be available this fall. Products are recommended for ages 3 and up, unless noted (more things on the site self, but these are the character that Joaquin is playing)

TRANSFORMING KENAI (Approximate retail price: $19.99) Kids will love that they can change KENAI from a human to a bear with a few simple moves. KENAI says various phrases as a human and growl when he is a bear.

PIGGYBACK KODA & KENAI (Approximate retail price: $19.99) KODA and KENAI develop a close relationship and KODA often rides on KENAI'S back. KENAI says fun phrases on his own, and when KODA is placed on KENAI'S back, they both speak.

ADVENTURE PACK (Approximate retail price: $9.99) Kids can play out memorable scenes from the movie with four-inch figures, including KENAI, KODA, DENAHI, SITKA, RUTT and TUKE.

BASIC PLUSH (Approximate retail price: $9.99) Plush versions of KODA and KENAI are soft and great for cuddling. KODA features fabric berries and comes with a rope around his ankle, just like in the movie. Recommended for ages 2 & up.

MINI PLUSH (Approximate retail price: $5.99) Kids will want to collect all three of these cute and collectable mini plush of KODA, KENAI, RUTT and TUKE. Recommended for ages 2 & up.

BALTIMORE -- Baltimore will burn this spring -- Hollywood style -- as the cast and crew of the firefighter drama Ladder 49 bring their pyrotechnics and a shot of money to the city.

"There will be plenty of fires in the city," the movie's star, John Travolta, joked while wearing a Baltimore Fire Department uniform. "In fact, anyone who has a building they want to burn should let us know."

Variety reports Baltimore was chosen over several other cities, including Toronto and Philadelphia, to be the primary location for the thriller.

Co-star Joaquin Phoenix has been in Baltimore for more than a month researching his role. Phoenix plays a veteran firefighter trapped in a blaze he thinks might kill him. While he waits to see if his company, Ladder 49, can save him, he looks back over his career and family life. Travolta plays his fire chief and mentor.

*Thanks to KIKI from Joaqrophenia for telling me & A BIG HUGE thanks to Paula from The Grove for finding this, from HERE, you can read the article & see more Joaq pictures HERE

RP:
LADDER 49 is about a fireman looking back on his life, as he lay injured in a burning building, played by Joaquin Phoenix. I play the part of Lenny Richter, a by the book kind of a guy, with a chip on his shoulder. He’s not very tactful, but he’s one guy you definitely want on your team when the chips are down. John Travolta plays our Captian.

And:

Robert Patrick (CHARLIE'S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE, THE X-FILES) will begin filming on LADDER 49 early next month in Baltimore, Maryland. The movie, directed by Jay Russell (MY DOG SKIP) and written by Lewis Colick (DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE, OCTOBER SKY), centers around a firefighter named Jack, played by Joaquin Phoenix (SIGNS, GLADIATOR). Jack's story is told through flashbacks, as he lay injured inside a burning building. Robert Patrick will play Lenny, one of Jack’s more abrasive fellow firefighters. Also set to star is John Travolta (PULP FICTION, SWORDFISH) as Fire Chief Kennedy. No specific release date has been set

*Baltimore to Host Travolta Movie Read HERE

*Updated My Rain & Summer Site

LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) --- Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon are teaming up to "Walk the Line," the Johnny Cash biopic to be directed by James Mangold, with Phoenix set to star as the country music legend and Witherspoon toplining as his wife and bandmate June Carter. The Fox 2000 project, for which deals are still being negotiated, is gearing up to start production in the fall with Mangold's wife, Columbia-based Cathy Konrad, producing along with James Keach. Co-written by Mangold and writing partner Gill Dennis, "Walk the Line" is described as a nontraditional biopic centering on a snapshot of Cash's life with a focus on his younger years shifting to Memphis when country started to heat up. The project details his life as he gets older with a look at Cash's drug addiction problem. According to sources close to the project, Mangold and the producers are collaborating with Cash and Carter and have obtained cooperation and access to the couple's life story and the rights to use Cash's original music in the film. The project is moving forward at a favorable time as Cash is currently making waves on the music scene with his hit single "Hurt." At Fox 2000, which picked up the project from Columbia Pictures, "Walk the Line" is being shepherded by Carla Hacken. Phoenix is repped by Endeavor, Iris Burton and attorney David Weber. He next stars in "Ladder 49" and "It's All About Love." Witherspoon is repped by WMA, Management 360 and attorney Steve Warren. She next stars in the sequel to her MGM hit "Legally Blonde," "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde." Mangold, who counts Cash as one of his favorite musical icons, is repped by WMA and Management 360. He most recently helmed the thriller "Identity," which is set for release April 25 from Columbia.

The video for Johnny Cash's barebones take on Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" is full of stirring images culled from his storied career, and now Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon are gearing up to provide a likeminded overview of Cash's life, only Hollywood-style.

Phoenix will play the Man in Black in "Walk the Line," with Witherspoon along as Cash's wife and bandmate, June Carter. James Mangold ("Girl, Interrupted"), who co-wrote the script and will direct, is reportedly working closely with Cash and Carter. Not unlike the "Hurt" video (see "Lens Recap: The Story Behind Johnny Cash's 'Hurt' "), "Walk the Line" will jump between various snapshots of Cash's life, including his youth and his battles with addiction.

A representative for Witherspoon said the "Legally Blonde" actress is currently awaiting a new version of the script and that production on "Walk the Line" won't begin until she completes a movie called "Vanity Fair." She recently wrapped shooting on "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde" (see "It's Witherspoon Versus Washington in 'Legally Blonde 2' "). Joaquin Phoenix — co-star of last year's "Signs" and brother of late actor River Phoenix — will next be seen in "Ladder 49" and "It's All About Love," while Mangold's "Identity" will be released in late April.

Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon are teaming up for new movie based on the life of Johnny Cash.

Phoenix will star in Walk the Line, with Witherspoon playing his wife and fellow singer-songwriter June Carter.

Filming on the Fox 2000 project, directed by James Mangols, is set to begin in autumn.

The movie, which is described as a non-traditional biopic, will focus on Cash's younger years, according to Hollywood Reporter

Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon are teaming up for "Walk the Line," a Johnny Cash biopic to be directed by James Mangold. Phoenix is set to star as the country music legend, while Witherspoon will portray his wife and bandmate June Carter.

The Fox 2000 project is gearing up to start production in the fall. Co-written by Mangold and writing partner Gill Dennis, "Walk the Line" is described as a nontraditional biopic centering on a snapshots of Cash's life. There will be a focus on his younger years, a shift to Memphis when country music started to heat up, and a look at Cash's drug addiction.

According to sources close to the project, Mangold and the producers are collaborating with Cash and Carter and have obtained cooperation and access to the couple's life story and the rights to use Cash's original music in the film. The project is moving forward at a favorable time as Cash is currently making waves with his cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt," which debuted last week at No. 34 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Phoenix next stars in "Ladder 49" and "It's All About Love." Witherspoon next stars in the MGM sequel "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde." Mangold, who counts Cash as one of his favorite musical icons, most recently helmed the thriller "Identity," which is set for release April 25 from Columbia.

After the rip-roaring success of Sweet Home Alabama, Reese Witherspoon is once more heading back to her southern roots and has persuaded Puerto Rico-born Joaquin Phoenix to join her.

Grabbing the nearest guitar and getting all dolled up in trademark black, Phoenix is set to star as Johnny Cash in Walk The Line, a biopic of the legendary country music star. Witherspoon is lined up to play The Man in Black's bandmate and wife, June Carter. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cop Land director James Mangold is collaborating with Cash and Carter on the project and has already bagged the rights to use the crooner's original music in the flick.

Described as a non-traditional biopic, the movie will centre on a snapshot of Cash's life concentrating on his younger years when he moved to Memphis as country music started to heat up. And as befitting any flick about a music legend, drugs won't be absent either. Cash's crippling drug addition in the 60s will be traced with his eventual kicking of the habit no doubt included for inspiring effect.

From: Inside Baltimore
Firefighter Movie Starts Filming in Baltimore
Baltimore - Baltimore will burn this spring -- Hollywood style.

The firefighter drama "Ladder 49" -- starring John Travolta and
Joaquin Phoenix -- begins filming in the city March 25th.

Travolta donned a Baltimore Fire Department uniform and joked this
morning that anyone wanting a property burned should let him know.

Producer Casey Silver says the film will bring about 300 direct jobs
and more than 1,000 indirect jobs to the city.

He wouldn't discuss how much money the film will likely generate. But
Maryland Film Festival director Jed Dietz says the impact will
be "huge." Dietz also says it's the biggest movie ever to film in
Baltimore.

Mayor Martin O'Malley says movie projects injected more than $48
million into the city's economy last year.

More Entertainment

CNN: MAN IN BLACK BIOPIC A boy named Joaquin will soon be singing "A Boy Named Sue." That's right, music fans - Joaquin Phoenix is set to portray country legend Johnny Cash in the biopic "Walk the Line.'' Directed by James Mangold, who made "Girl, Interrupted,'' the movie will also star Reese Witherspoon as Cash's wife and bandmate, June Carter, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The stars are expected to start shooting the musician's life story this fall. The movie reportedly deals with Cash's early years in Arkansas and his move to Memphis in the 1950s during the rise of mainstream country music. Filmmakers have obtained authorized access to the couple's life story and the rights to use Cash's original music in the film. No word on how the casting is going over at Folsom Prison.

Director Mary Harron wants Joaquin to play Punk icon Iggy Pop.

I threatened to kill them, so they fired me," says Legs McNeil, co-
author of "Please Kill Me." That 1996 oral history of punk rock is nearly a
movie, albeit not one written by McNeil, once the "resident punk" of Punk magazine, the house organ of the not-very-musical genre that burst like a weed out of the Bowery in 1975. Director Mary Harron, a writer at Punk long before she directed "I Shot Andy Warhol" and "American Psycho," refused comment, but she's now trying to nail down her dream cast for a film that will center on the lives of three-chord wonders the Ramones as seen through the eyes of a character based on her co-scenarist Fran Pelzman, who met the band as an assistant at 16 magazine. If Harron's wishes come true, Pelzman will be played by Thora Birch. Ashton Kutcher has turned down the part of Dee Dee Ramone, but "Mulholland Drive" star Justin Theroux is eager to play punk grandpa Lou Reed. Harron also
hopes to hook **Joaquin Phoenix as Iggy Pop**, and Lili Taylor as
Patti Smith. She has also approached 'It' girl Chloe Sevigny to portray Dee Dee's Junkie gal-pal, who once stabbed him, leading Ramones manager Danny Fields (whose part is being offered to Robert Downey Jr.) to say, "Their relationship made Sid and Nancy look like Jack and Jill."

*FITS LIKE A GLOVER From HERE

Glover was not the original choice to play Willard. Glen Morgan, who
wrote the new screenplay and directed Willard, had Doug Hutchinson in
mind. "Doug is an actor I worked with on The X-Files and Millennium, but he was unavailable," recalls Morgan who wrote and directed more than 30
episodes of The X-Files. "I then went to Jeremy Davies, but he was preparing to shoot a film about Charles Manson and really looked like him, so I just couldn't visualize him as Willard. "New Line pictures suddenly got really excited about the film and started suggesting people like Mark Ruffalo and Joaquin Phoenix. "As soon as someone mentioned Crispin, we all realized he would make the perfect Willard." Morgan says he wanted to pay homage to the original film and to Bruce Davidson who originated the role. "We contacted Bruce and asked if we could use him as the picture of Willard's father, whose death sets all the tragic events into motion." Canadian actress Jackie Burroughs plays Willard's demanding invalid mother. "Jackie is such a wonderful, dedicated actress she even wanted to play the corpse of Willard's mom in the coffin, but we feared she
might twitch when the rats climbed in with her, so we used a
mannequin."

*NY POST/LIZ SMITH...
--NOW COME the complainers who ask us about Vanity Fair's all-star
male VIPs on the cover for April? Where, they ask, are Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Keanu Reeves, Tobey Maguire, Mel Gibson, Pierce Brosnan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington, Jim Carrey, George Clooney, Antonio Banderas, Michael Douglas, Brendan Fraser, John Travolta, Joaquin Phoenix, Benicio Del Toro, Russell Crowe, Will Smith, Nicolas Cage, Kurt Russell???? Where, oh where? Well, look, some of these guys were unavailable, out of the country (like Mel Gibson) making movies. But we really don't know how Graydon Carter and his minions made their selections.
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(LOS ANGELES) - Jay Hernandez and Billy Burke have joined the cast of the Walt Disney Co.'s "Ladder 49," which stars John Travolta and Joaquin Phoenix.

(LOS ANGELES) - Jay Hernandez and Billy Burke have joined the cast of the Walt Disney Co.'s "Ladder 49," which stars John Travolta and Joaquin Phoenix. Being directed by Jay Russell from a script by Lewis Colick, "Ladder" is about a firefighter (Phoenix) who awaits rescue from a burning building. There, he reflects on his career, wife and family. Hernandez and Burke play firefighters in the film. Production is scheduled to begin next month in Baltimore. "Ladder" reunites Hernandez with Disney, for whom he most recently appeared in "The Rookie." His feature credits also include "Joy Ride," "crazy/beautiful" and the upcoming Warner Bros. Pictures actioner "Torque." Burke, best known for his roles on the popular television series "24" and "Gilmore Girls," also has appeared on the big screen in "Mafia!" and "Along Came a Spider."

According to Variety, Balthazar Getty has joined the cast of Disney's "Ladder 49", directed by Jay Russell.

Getty will star opposite John Travolta, Joaquin Phoenix and Robert Patrick in the pic about a firefighter (Phoenix) who's trapped in a blaze and looks back on his life. Getty will play a seasoned firefighter who is the best friend to the Phoenix character and risks his life to save him. Patrick plays a fireman who tries to save his comrade. Travolta will portray the fire chief who acts as a mentor to the Phoenix character.

*A final extras casting call will be taking place on Sunday, March 2nd for the John Travolta/Firefighter flick "Ladder 49."

They're looking for all men and women aged 18-70 to come in dressed casually. Attendence to the call will be arranged by the first letter of your last name:

IAAL COMPETITION You can win one of five official IAAL posters with Thomas Vinterberg's signature.

Fani also translated the text, the competition is probably only for people living in Finland

"The year 2010. A sense of the End of the world is all about: Men, women and children die at streets but nobody cares. People fly in Uganda, it snows and water freezes in the midlle of the summer. The unique movie of Danish director Thomas Vinterberg awestrikes with it's great atmosphere. Premiere will be March 21th.

Which was the previous Thomas Vinterberg movie seen in Finland at theatres?
((midlle one is correct, Juhlat, don't know English name...Party? Celebration?))

*Thanks to Emily Sacred Grove for typing out the article from Black Book you can read it HERE, as soon as I can get the Black Book over here I will put on the pictures :)

*Kelly Ripa from the Regis and Kelly show (You might remember her as the most annoying interview poor Joaquin went through for Signs. two words: Thumb War) It was announced the morning of 25th Feb that she had her 3rd child today, a son named Joaquin. Thanks to Kiki from Joaqrophenia.

24-02-Another picture from BLACK BOOK, still Black Book from Dec/jan in my magazine store, so I have to wait a bit till I can get it

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Robert Patrick is set to star with John Travolta and Joaquin Phoenix in the Jay Russell-directed firefighting drama "Ladder 49" at Disney.

Phoenix plays a firefighter who's trapped in a blaze and looks back on his life. Patrick's character, a fireman with a perpetual chip on his shoulder, tries to save his comrade. Travolta plays a fire chief who acts as a mentor to the Phoenix character.

It's Patrick's second straight studio film after wrapping the Fox series "The X-Files." He also recently wrapped work in "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" for Columbia Pictures.