Entertainment Weekly asks who will be the next Julia Roberts. Kirsten Dunst? Reese Witherspoon? Rachel McAdams? Probably not, they conclude.

They also list possible new Tom Cruises (Tobey Maguire is the right height, they say), Meg Ryans, Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington.

I'm curious about what they think makes Denzel Denzel. Because race doesn't seem to be key -- one of his "but probably nots" is Matt Damon. I get what they're getting at with the other stars. Just not with Denzel. Matt Damon, Jamie Foxx, Mekhi Phifer?

No. Maybe the article is correct, and we're seeing another shift in what it means to be a movie star.

Poster for The Grudge starring SMG in the lobby - what do we know about this?

American remake of a very creepy, low budget Japanese horror movie, produced by Sam Raimi and directed by the same Japanese director, imported to America for the film.

I loved the Japanese version Ju-On, very creepy and effective, despite it's noticible lack of budget.

Huh. That's kinda cool that Raimi's giving some back, now that he's made it bigtime. And thanks! I will hit up my source for Japanese movies (despite the fact that my source calls them "flicks.")

Reese is cooler than Julia could ever hope to be.

Cool != movie star, otherwise I'd know a lot more of them, though.

Hand question: during The Manchurian Candidate, Denzel had what looked like a dislocated pinkie finger (left I think -- odd angle at the second joint). I've just trawled a bunch of photos, and it's not in any of them. Was this some strange thing for the character? Or just something that's happened since September 2003 and photos haven't caught up to it yet?

TiVo turns out to be exceptionally good at nabbing movies I've always wanted to see, but which always got bumped off the list when I'm standing in the video store.

Saw two classic noirs, which were so good, I was regretting I hadn't seen them earlier. Then again, I ganked them off TCM and the prints were pristine.

First, Criss Cross - which I only really knew from its poster and the ad line: "What do you get when you double cross a double crosser? Criss Cross!" Which - you know - didn't really entice me. But it's a tragic noir with Burt Lancaster and Yvonne Decarlo (aka, Lilly Munster). One of the very appealing things about it (for me) is that it was shot in sections of LA that I was very familiar with - the steep hills of Echo Park and Silverlake. Its one of those movies which is very close to the center of the noir canon because it hits on the classic noir elements so strongly (femme fatale, doom brought on my sexual obsession, fate). Also, Burt looks fantastic in this one. Side note for Sondheim fans - he wrote "I'm Still Here" after conversations with Decarlo about her long and odd career.

The other was Clash By Night with Barbara Stanwyck at her most bitter and complex (which is pretty damn bitter and complex) with the great Robert Ryan playing a super cynical, intelligent, weak and interesting character. They're so FUCKING DOOMED. In that noir way - but it's got a Clifford Odets script - so it's very intellient and subtle in many ways. Also has a very feisty young Marilyn Monroe in it.

I saw Maria Full of Grace last night. It was very intense and the camera never seemed to leave Maria's face--I felt everything Maria felt, and that hardly ever happens to me when I watch recent movies. I don't know if it's quite as good as some of the critics are saying, but I left the theater feeling like I had just spent a few days trying to smuggle drugs into the US from Colombia--so I think it's successful.

ita -- did you see the ad on the back cover? WTF is up with Lenny Kravitz' hair?

I'm trying to imagine what they were thinking about when they put Mat Damon in the Denzel box. Seriousness, yet with charisma? I don't know.

WTF is up with Lenny Kravitz' hair?

Fucked if I know. Don't they mock him in that issue? I've heard at least one standup have a go, too. It's horrible. Also sadmaking.

Seriousness, yet with charisma? I don't know.

None of them have the easy, sexy, knowing smile, the on-and-off charisma that Denzel excels at. If they were looking for the next big black pretty man, I can see the Mekhi and the Jamie. But Matt means that wasn't their angle -- I don't see why he's there, and I don't see why they're there. They're both a bit puckish and unsmooth. Matt has too much real boy charm.