Straight from the home of James Bond comes the news that British director Sam Mendes will helm the 23rd Bond film, with Daniel Craig once again in the starring role.
That’s great news, since the Oscar winner has either directed and/or produced such films as “Revolutionary Road,” “The Kite Runner,” and “American Beauty.” It’s a given that any James Bond film will include plenty of action, but with Mendes on board, it will most likely be a thoughtful film, too.
Mendes, of course, is married to actress Kate Winslet (hmmm, could she score a starring role in the movie? …read more

Well, this is good news. Kate Winslet is often razzed for her curvy body and weight issues, but now who’s got the last laugh?
According to UK’s Daily Mail, Winslet’s figure tops the most desirable celeb bodies list, followed by Halle Berry and Kelly Brook. See a pattern here? They’re all not exactly stick-thin (thank goodness).
On the other hand, skinny-minny stars like Victoria Beckham and Kate Moss made the very bottom of the list.
The poll quizzed 2,000 women aged 18 or over, and Winslet scored 16 percent of the votes. Moss and Price came in dead last …read more

Movie: Revolutionary Road * Trailer * Official Site
In Theaters: Dec. 26, 2008; On  DVD: June 2, 2009

Runtime: 119 minutes
Directed by: Sam Mendes

MPAA Rating: R for language and some sexual content/nudity
Gecko Rating:

As a rule, I generally don’t like movies that revolve around couples arguing. But as you can see above, I gave "Revolutionary Road" 5 out of 5 Geckos, and the reason is simple: Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio.
As I was watching this movie, I kept thinking, here’s a couple who really work well together. It’s like they’re hardly acting, because they’re so natural with each other, their …read more

He’s Just Not That Into You (PG-13). An all-star cast including Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore, and Jennifer Connelly populate this romantic drama of love and angst. And yes, it’s more drama than comedy, despite the trailers. [Official Site]
Revolutionary Road (R). Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio team up again (remember “Titanic”?!) in this tale of repressed suburbia in the 1950s. Film Gecko Review [Official Site]
Defiance (R). Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, and Jamie Bell are three Jewish brothers who escape into the woods to escape the Nazis, and end up helping others in the process. Based on a true story. …read more

When the stars left the 2009 Oscars stage, they ventured backstage to talk to the press about how they felt about their big win. This is where you really get the scoop on what’s going down, because the stars have calmed down a bit and their breathing is back to normal (Kate Winslet!). 
Hollyscoop.com caught up with the 2009 Oscar winners in the press room at the Kodak Theatre. Watch and see what Kate Winslet, Sean Penn, Penelope Cruz, Danny Boyle and Heath Ledger’s family had to say:

I loved Kate Winslet’s acceptance speech after winning Best Actress for her role in "The Reader." She gave her dad a shout-out, asking him to whistle so she’d know where he was, which he immediately did!
I just felt like this was a really sweet, intimate moment between Kate and her dad that we got to be a part of. And I kept hoping Kate would just breathe for a second. I was so afraid she would pass out up there!
For more Film Gecko Oscar coverage: Live-Blog; Heath Ledger’s family accepts award; Ben Stiller does Joaquin Phoenix; Photos; Winners; Recap; …read more

Angelina Jolie, Kate Winslet, Jennifer Aniston, Anne Hathaway and the rest of the A-List Stars shown brightly at the 2009 Academy Awards.
My favorites included Winslet’s darkish-blue gown, Hathaway’s shimmery mermaid affair, and Penelope Cruz’s princess gown. What about you? Did you have a favorite dress this year?
For more Film Gecko Oscar coverage: Live-Blog, Winners, and Photos.

The 2009 Academy Awards is already fading, but there are plenty of pictures to keep us occupied for days!
We live-blogged the show right here on Film Gecko (and had a blast!). Read the transcript here, and check out the full list of winners here.
So did you watch the Oscars? What did you think? Any favorite moments? Voice your opinions in the comments below the photos!

Did you watch the Oscars last night? If so, you were one of 36.3 million viewers, according to this story in Variety. That’s 13% better than last year, which seems good.
I know a lot of people were pretty nonchalant about the awards ceremony, but I still think people tune in to check out the fashions, see who wins, see if there’s any awesome acceptance speeches, and just get out of their own world for a few hours.
If you missed our live-blog of the event, you can still replay it here, and read the full list of winners …read more

The Oscars are already a fading memory, and I’ve got all the winners below (and even got a lot of my predictions right, too!). The big surprise for me was Sean Penn winning Best Actor instead of Mickey Rourke. Other than that, I don’t know that there were any shockers. Check out all the winners:

Best Motion Picture of the Year:
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Actor in a Leading Role:
Sean Penn, Milk
Actress in a Leading Role:
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Achievement in Directing:
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE