Well, Reverend Bob Larson believes the performance wasn’t all due to Ledger’s acting ability, but that a demon was possessing him at the time. “I would say…something overtook that man. There is a strong possibility that somehow, he just took on too much of the evil of this character. After all, whether it was psychological or spiritual, he could not draw that distinction anymore. That is not the first time I’ve had an actor tell that sort of thing to me. When they are called onto portray that role. With this movie here, though, I don’t see that happening,” he said. Larson does make a strong point. Anyone that knows me knows that I’m a huge fan of Ledger’s performance as The Joker, and he truly was terrifying in his performance. Ledger was able to pretty much capture the insanity of the character. And While it’s too late to really know if Ledger was possessed or not, it does make one think about the possibility of it.

Of course, there’s many out there that don’t believe in demonic possession, but after hearing a couple of stories from friends on the topic, it’s hard for me not to believe it. And this certainly wasn’t the first time for Reverend Larson either. “I have. There have been instances of that. Obviously, I deal with political figures, business people, as well as ordinary people…A lot of people in the entertainment industry. But I am sworn to secrecy on that. Clergy confidentiality doesn’t allow me to discuss anything about that. But…There is that danger. I wouldn’t say that it is a common danger. But it certainly is at work out there,” he said when asked if he’s experienced it before.

Whether or not Ledger was possessed or not remains to be seen or proven, but it does make one wonder about this sort of thing. Heck, even Jack Nicholson warned Ledger not to make the film because what the role will do to him. Perhaps the character of The Joker is just too insane for any person to mess with? But given the importance of the character in the Batman mythology you can bet that we’ll see the Clown Prince of Crime on the big screen again when the studio reboots the franchise after The Dark Knight Rises.

Source: Movieweb.

Showbiz Spy gets word from an insider source that not only will The Joker cameo in the film, but will once again be portrayed by Ledger.  “The idea is to use these fragments of cut scenes and use CGI to have The Joker appear one last time,” according to the source. While this may sound disrespectful to many, this same thing was done in Superman Returns when Singer used stock footage of Marlon Brando as Jor-El. While Nolan has already said he doesn’t want to re-cast the role, he may be doing this to keep continuity to the film. “Chris wants some continuity between movies and for the franchise to pay tribute to Heath and his portrayal of the Joker,” the source claims.

It’s also said this cameo would only very small, and that Ledger’s family has already approved. “It would only be a fleeting moment in the movie and would only be included with the full consent of Heath’s family,” according to the source. Re-casting the role would definitely upset many fans who felt that Ledger’s performance will never be topped, but the same thing was said about Nicholson’s portrayal, but this seems like it would upset fans even more so. Given the events in the last film, it would seem odd to just forget about The Joker. However, this should be taken with a pint of salt as Nolan is notorious for his secrecy on his projects. But there’s always that unlikely chance this could turn out to be true.

Update: Movie Hole is getting word these rumors are completely false.

Update 2: Nolan himself told Indie Wire the rumors are “all wrong”.

The Show:

10 Things I Hate About You is in this critic’s opinion, the best teen movie released in the ’90s. So it goes without saying that I wasn’t extremely excited when I heard a television series based on the flick was being released. I never watched a single episode on the tube, seeing it on DVD was my first introduction to the show. Waiting for the DVD release was my loss.

It was gratifying to see a show based on one of my favorite teen movies carry the torch in such a positive way. The series starts off with the Stratford sisters driving to a new school, where Bianca (Meaghan Jette Martin) wants to fit in and Kat (Lindsey Shaw) wants to make the grade and be herself. Instantly they are thrust into the difficult and troubling world that is high school. Along the way they meet up with a motley group of characters that grow and change with each episode.

It’s not often a television series based on a movie, or a movie based on a television series for that matter, hits its mark. Usually these types of shows fail miserably, tarnishing the source material’s good name. Thankfully, in the case of 10 Things I Hate About You this isn’t true. The series is smart, witty, and engaging. I enjoyed it so much that I’ve already set it to record the next season on my Tivo.

Why was it so good you ask? Well, it was a combination of solid acting and smart writing that won me over. Lindsey Shaw (Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide) is phenomenal as feminist in training Kat, and Ethan Peck steps into Patrick Verona’s shoes with skill that would make Heath Ledger proud. Also, Nicholas Braun is stellar as the love sick Cameron. I could go on forever because the entire cast is amazing, but all of them are trumped by scene stealer Larry Miller, who played the same part in the theatrical version.

If you are a fan of the show, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy this series as well because it is positively a killer series.

The DVD:

Audio/Video

The audio came in loud and clear and the video was impressive as well.

Special Features

Commentary: The commentary that accompanies some of the episodes is worth a listen, but gets a little boring after a while. The one on the show’s pilot is the superior and should be checked out even if commentaries aren’t your thing.

10 Things I Hate vs. 10 Things I Love: The shows cast and producer throw in their two cents about what they love and hate about their characters.

Backstage Pass: Lindsey Shaw and Meaghan Martin take you on a tour of the show’s set and give a short rundown on the show. It’s a solid feature that I enjoyed the most out  the features in this volume.

Make It or Break It (Pilot Episode): I didn’t care for this ABC family drama’s premise, which centers around the world of gymnastics. If it’s your thing, then by all means check it out, but I couldn’t get into it.

There are also a ton of trailers on here that I’m not going to take the time to list, but feel free to check them out for yourself when you buy or rent this solid volume.

The Show: Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The DVD: Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The Flick:

I have always been a sucker for teen movies. I even enjoy watching the bad direct-to-DVD flicks that are released under the teen movie mantra. While most films released in this genre don’t even come close to the John Hughes films we all know and love, 10 Things I Hate About You doesn’t just come close, it matches the magic of Hughes’ flicks.

Director Gil Junger created a classic teen movie that perfectly captures the heartbeat of the teen psyche. Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) is a frigid feminist that has sworn off dating boys. Her younger sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) however wants to date boys. Only the girls have a slightly over protective father (Larry Miller) who instituted a rule that prohibits Bianca from dating until her sister Kat starts dating (smart guy). So Bianca’s love interest, Joey (Andrew Keegan) hires bad boy Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger) to get Kat to fall for him, and date him, so that he can take Bianca to prom. In-between all of the confusion Cameron James (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) falls for Bianca as well and does everything he can to win her heart.

I know the plot doesn’t offer up anything new, but the character development, solid acting, and great script by writers Kristen Smith and Karen McClullah Lutz make 10 Things I Hate About You an unforgettable teen comedy. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and heath Ledger turn in some of their strongest most heartfelt performances and the supporting cast is stellar as well.

This is a classic teen movie that deserves to be in every fan’s collection. If you already own the DVD, do yourself a favor and drop the coin on the blu-ray, because it’s worth every penny to see this flick in 1080p. 10 Things I Hate About You is positively a killer film.

The Blu-ray

Audio/Video

The audio sounded good for a film like this. It was loud and clear, but was a little weak in spots with multiple cast members or extras, but for the most part it did what it was supposed to do. If it was an action flick I’d have been disappointed, but it works for a teen comedy. The video was stellar. The transfer boasted deep black, warm tones, and crisp colors.

Special Features

Commentary: Writers Kristen Smith and Karen McClullah Lutz and many of the flick’s actors discuss the film. I wasn’t particularly impressed with this commentary track, but it wasn’t a complete bust. Kristen and Karen were nice to listen to.

10 Things I Hate About You 10 Years Later: A solid documentary that hosts plenty of interviews and behind-the-scenes snippets to make it an enjoyable 36 minutes.

Overall this package’s supplemental materials were pretty slim for a 10th anniversary release, but in hindsight the flick looks great and that’s what really matters.

The Flick: Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Blu-ray: Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Everyone was stunned at the tragic death of Heath Ledger on January 22, 2008, which caused The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Gilliam’s first original project in many years, to grind to a halt. Terry fought to to keep everything going and reconfigure the story, and to not lose the impressive performance from a great actor who was taken from us so suddenly.

For centuries Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) has had a knack of making deals with Lucifer (Tom Waits) and always seems to get the short end of the stick. The devil has arrived to collect his prize, Parnassus’ gorgeous daughter Valentina (Lily Cole) on her sweet 16. Parnassus was given the gift of being able to bring the imaginations of people to life with a special mirror that is aboard his theatrical barge.

They befriend Tony (Heath ledger), who is literally hanging from a bridge and clinging to life. They bring him on board for the show and he immediately uses his charm and good looks to bring in more money and customers to the faltering sideshow. Valentina falls head over heels for him, but beware, there is always a snake in the Garden of Eden. Tony has a past he would like to forget, and as the skeletons in his closet come looking for him, he makes his way in and out of the grandeur of the mirror and propels the viewer into an amazing wonderland of sights and sounds.

One last bet is put on the table, one to save or doom Valentina – the first to collect five souls shall have her for eternity. What transpires is an extraordinary journey into the extravagant landscape and scope of your mind brought to life by the power of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.

I tip my hat to Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell for coming to the rescue and filling the void left by Ledger because they all play important parts as they become three different versions of Tony that materialize on the other side of the mirror. They are 100% believable as they seem like they were always part of the master plan. Kudos to Terry Gilliam for not giving up and pushing forward with his incredible vision. Christopher Plummer is outstanding as an old man who just wants to see happiness for his daughter and make amends for his selfish decisions – his best performance since Murder By Decree.

The visual artistry on hand is making me believe that CG truly does a have a place in cinema. While I have balked at the idea for years because it comes off so cold and lifeless, I have to admit the last several movies I’ve seen are making me think otherwise. The visuals by effects supervisor Richard Bain and John Paul Docherty are nothing short of flawless. Having just seen Avatar, I can tell you the work here blows James Cameron’s national debt sized budgeted film out of the water. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a little insipid at the beginning, but from that point on it’s a fantastic looking film with a big heart. Best described as The Adventures of Baron Munchausen with 21st Century gadgets.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: Trailer Addict

King Rat

Source: Myspace

Some of the highlights: Johnny Depp appeared with Tim Burton to talk about Alice in Wonderland. Peter Jackson spoke about The Hobbit. James Cameron screened 25 minutes of footage from Avatar. Robert Downey Jr. doubled his pleasure by talking about two upcoming films: Sherlock Holmes and Iron Man 2, Clips were shown from Heath Ledger’s last film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. And, of course, stars from some of our favorite TV shows (Lost, Big Bang Theory, Dexter) stopped by to discuss the upcoming seasons.

But what drew the biggest crowd was the New Moon press conference and panel. Twilight fans camped outside for more than 24 hours to get a chance to be in the room as stars Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson, along with director Chris Weitz, answered questions and introduced clips. Or should I say, answered some questions. Summit, the studio behind the Twilight films, told reporters before the press conference that there were to be no questions regarding the actors’ personal lives. One reporter did slip one in, though, asking Stewart about her off-screen chemistry with Pattinson. Her reaction: “Are you kidding me?” Maybe it’s a good thing Lautner was sitting between the two of them. I mean, we wouldn’t want anyone getting the wrong idea, now would we?

Two new clips were shown, and Weitz talked about the song selections for the soundtrack. Unfortunately, Pattinson won’t be in this one. But my fingers are still crossed for an achingly beautiful and romantic track on the Remember Me soundtrack. So, for those of you who made it into Hall H at the San Diego Convention Center – are your ears still ringing from all the squealing?

Speaking of the Twilight cast, news broke this week that Nikki Reed is dating Paris Latsis, ex-fiancé of that other Paris. The couple reportedly met six months ago, and their families have met. Apparently she likes men with a European flair. Here’s hoping it works out for her.

And there were rumors that Jon Gosselin went from soon-to-be-ex-wife Kate to Star reporter Kate Major. Gosselin denies the claims, and Major has since left her job. Wonder what Hailey Glassman has to say about that?

To the general public, these two events would seem totally unrelated. LeAnn Rimes and her husband, Dean Sheremet, have separated. So have Eddie Cibrian and his wife, Brandi Glanville. But true gossip gurus know that there were big rumors of Cibrian and Rimes having an affair while filming a movie for Lifetime. Maybe it was more than acting …

Krista Richmond is a journalist and pop culture enthusiast. Have a question, suggestion or hot gossip tip? Send them to her at krista@killerfilm.com.

Among the piece the article states that the actor who had been suffering from insomnia had been taking sleep medication to combat the tiredness as well as learning techniques to stay awake after such lack of sleep.  A friend and vocal coach for Ledger even stated: “From my perspective, and knowing him as well as I did, and being around him as much as I was, it was a combination of exhaustion, sleeping medication … and perhaps the aftereffects of the flu. I guess his body just stopped breathing.”

Killer Film cannot wait to see The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. What about you?

Source: Hey You Guys!

It doesn’t appear so. His brother and David Goyer had a tough time getting him to do a The Dark Knight, so selling him on a third film might be even tougher. Some reasons are that the Joker was to be in the third film and Heath Ledger‘s death shook Nolan pretty hard. But they are working on ideas for a third film with Nolan.

I say let the man do his thing for Inception, which sounds amazing. Let some time pass, because I want a fresh, recharged Nolan tackling a third outing for the  Cape Crusader, instead of him rushing to do it, much like Sam Raimi on Spider-Man 3. Don’t expect much on Batman, regardless on what sites are saying until two things: 1) Nolan or WB confirms the news and 2) you see a trailer.

2013 is looking more like it for a third Bat film, but either way, we should allow him to do Inception, and be purely focused on that film.But on a side note, I won’t be mad if you Batman fans are quietly holding your breath!

Source: /film

Americas favorite ‘bad boy’ of white rap has been making the rounds with his new album Relapse, which comes out on May 19th in stores everywhere.   It is in one of his songs entitled My Mom where controversy is already stirring.  In the song Eminem raps : ”All right, Ma, you win / I don’t feel like arguin’ / I’ll do it, pop it, gobble it, and start bobblin’ / Stumble, hobble, tumble, slipped, fell in bed / with a bottle of meds / and a Heath Ledger bobblehead.”    Lyrics aside the man does have talent but can it be his attempt to intentionally cause controversy to sell albums since he has been gone from the public eye for so long?  Or is it all fair game and America is already ready for the Heath Ledger jabs?

Listen to the entire song below while it is still available on You Tube

Source: Vulture