I bet Steven Soderbergh had a HECK  of a weekend. It must be crazy nerve-wracking to have a studio balk at a movie project just days away from the start of filming.

That’s what happened with “Moneyball” a baseball drama being directed by Soderbergh and starring Brad Pitt (pictured, at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival in May 2009).

The cast and crew were prepped to start shooting this week, but Columbia pulled the plug; co-chair Amy Pascal says she wasn’t comfortable with the script, which has changed a lot since the project was greenlit.

You have to wonder just what major changes were made to the script that Columbia would shut it down. The screenplay, adapted from Michael Lewis’ nonfiction book, follows the Oakland Athletics and their general manager Billy Beane, who assembled a contending ballclub despite a payroll much lower than most teams.

Pitt and comedian Demetri Martin had been cast, with other roles going to actual baseball players David Justice, Darryl Strawberry, Lenny Dykstra and others. 

So what will happen now? Over the weekend, Soderbergh shopped the project to Warner Bros. and Paramount. If neither bites, it could go back to Columbia with some major overhauls.

Image: INF

Depending on which tabloid you’re reading, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are either pregnant, breaking up, living in separate houses, or locked in a bitter custody battle. This report says that Angie offered Brad $90 million for the kids. Believe it?

Does Angelina Jolie know how to make an entrance or what? Check out the up-to-here slit in that dress! She and Brad Pitt attended the red carpet premiere of "Inglourious Basterds" at Cannes on May 20, 2009.

Director Quentin Tarantino’s take on World War II stars Brad Pitt as a U.S. army lieutenant leading a group of soldiers operating behind Nazi lines. The movie arrives in theaters August 21, 2009. Check out the trailer here.

More after the jump…

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Well, it all makes sense to me now. When I heard that Quentin Tarantino was the guest mentor on "American Idol" this week, I went, what the…? But of course, it was all designed to publicize new footage from his upcoming film "Inglourious Basterds," in theaters Aug. 21, 2009. 

The clip shows some behind-the-scenes stuff, followed by a montage featuring Brad Pitt and our first look at Mike Myers in character. Pitt plays Lt. Aldo Raine, who’s in charge of eight Jewish-American soldiers tasked with invading France and killing Nazis occupying the area. I haven’t been that excited about this movie, but this clip looks pretty cool! 

For my shameless celebrity gossip story of the day, I’m putting the spotlight on mega-stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. It’s rumored that they’re fighting, sharing separate beds, and heading for splitsville. Or, depending on the source, they’re talking marriage and thinking about adopting another child.

One of my questions is, who’s the "inside source" that’s telling the separate bedrooms story? I’m convinced it must be Maddox tipping off the press. Anyway, what do you think? Think the rumors are true? And if so, which ones?!  

The trailer for "Inglourious Basterds" was just released, and it looks intense. At least with Quentin Tarantino on board as writer and director, it’s sure to be more intense than, I don’t know, Tom Cruise’s "Valkyrie." And much bloodier, too.

I’m not a huge fan of Brad Pitt’s acting, but let’s hope he does something besides just play himself like he usually does. He plays Lt. Aldo Raine, who’s in charge of eight Jewish-American soldiers tasked with invading France and killing Nazis occupying the area.

"The Basterds," as they’re known, have one job: screw up the German war machine. "Inglourious Basterds" hits theaters August 21, 2009.

After getting a pass from Paramount Pictures, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen with "Eat, Pray, Love," the movie adaptation from the best-selling memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Now Columbia Pictures is in negotiations to pick up the movie rights, with some major star-power attached to the project: Julia Roberts would play the author, a woman who divorces her husband and sets off to find herself in Italy (that’s the "eat" part), India ("pray"), and Indonesia ("love").

Ryan Murphy would write and direct, and Brad Pitt and Dede Gardner would produce via their Plan B shingle.

So it seems like Julia Roberts is making a comeback of sorts. She’s never really been away from the movie business, but has certainly picked her projects carefully in recent years. Now she has the spy-thriller "Duplicity" heading to theaters March 20, 2009, as well as nine other projects over the next two years which she’ll either star in or produce.

It’s a good thing. I like Julia Roberts and have missed seeing her on-screen while she’s been tending to her brood. And she’d be great in "Eat, Pray, Love." I listened to the book via audiobook last year, and can just picture her in that role. Are you happy about Julia’s "comeback"?

Image: Mona Lisa Smile, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2003

There are a few things that seem to be recession-proof, and CG-animated family movies are in that category, says DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeff Katzenberg.

He recently talked up his company’s resilience to the global recession and outlined its film slate through 2012, including new installments to the "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda" franchises. "Kung Fu Panda 2" is scheduled for a June 2011 release, and "Madagascar 3" for summer 2012.

It’s somehow comforting to think that family movies might not be swayed by a spiraling economy. You have to wonder why. Maybe it’s because family movies are usually a good way to spend time together. And they’re also a fun escape from any dire financial situations we might be facing.

I’ve often thought that people go to light-hearted movies more during hard times. It takes our mind off of things, offers a good escape from the world, and is just plain fun, no matter what’s going on outside the theater.

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Angelina Jolie always looks so serious now, like she’s got the weight of the world on her shoulders (well, with all those kids, it’s no wonder). But here’s a look back at the actress when she was 16 and carefree, talking swords and boxing.

I wasn’t all that crazy about "Burn After Reading." It was ok, but with the cast and filmmakers (Joel and Ethan Coen), I expected more. Still, just the cast alone – including Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Frances McDormand – is worth seeing. Read my review here.

Here’s a bonus clip on the DVD (released Dec. 21, 2008) that tells a little about how they made Brad Pitt look dorky. No small feat, I’m sure.