The new “Robin Hood” looks like no other “Robin Hood” that’s come before it. For one thing, you can see the Ridley Scott mojo working from the first second of the trailer. That sort of dark, gritty aura that permeates his movies.
And it’s got Russell Crowe. Despite his Gerard Butler/“300” yell in the trailer, it looks like it could be a great movie. Or it could be really cheesy. But it definitely looks like they’re going for an epic feel.
The story is familiar: Upon King Richard’s death, Robin Hood (Crowe) travels to Nottingham, a town suffering from the …read more

While in Pennsylvania shooting the film “The Next Three Days,” Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks were involved in a car accident.
According to ETonline, the two actors were in a parked van when a firetruck hit them. The truck was reportedly pulling out of the Deutschtown Fire Station earlier this afternoon when it hit the front end of the van.
Fortunately, no one was hurt, and both Crowe and Banks emerged from the vehicle just fine. A worker at a local bar said everyone was cheery about it, and that Crowe waved back at her when she waved at him.
I don’t know …read more

Ridley Scott’s “Robin Hood” is due in theaters May 14, 2010. Russell Crowe is already hard at work on “The Next Three Days” with Elizabeth Banks, but here’s a gorgeous little photo to get you psyched for “Robin Hood.”
The movie also stars Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian (of course, she’ll be perfect, even though at one time I thought they might be too old for the characters), Kevin Durand as Little John, William Hurt as William Marshall, and Matthew Macfadyen as the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Image: Bauer-Griffin

"17 Again" and "State of Play" are both great movies, for different reasons. And everyone else thought so, too, based on the box office numbers from this past weekend. Here’s the scoop from Box Office Mojo:

17 Again, $23.72M
State of Play, $14.07M
Hannah Montana: The Movie, $13.40M
Monsters vs. Aliens, $13.24M
Fast and Furious, $11.77M
Crank: High Voltage, $6.96M (Read my interview with Clifton Collins, Jr.)
Observe and Report, $4.17M
Knowing, $3.57M
I Love You, Man, $3.32M
The Haunting in Connecticut, $3.11M

Image Credit: © Universal Studios

Movie: State of Play * Trailer * Official Site
In Theaters: April 17, 2009

Runtime: 127 minutes
Directed by: Kevin Macdonald

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violence, language including sexual references, and brief drug content
Gecko Rating:

You know, it doesn’t really matter what the movie is. If it features Russell Crowe, I’ll go see it and probably love it. He’s such a good actor, so good that I have to remind myself that he’s playing a character and isn’t actually that person. He does that again with Cal McAffrey, the character he plays in "State of Play."
Cal’s a hardcore investigative journalist at …read more

Shining in theaters today are some hot, hot, hot movie stars – namely, Zac Efron, Russell Crowe, and Jason Statham. Oh, it’s a good time to be a movie lover. Here’s the rundown:
17 Again (PG-13). Mike O’Donnell (Matthew Perry) is feeling blue that he hasn’t made more of his life. So when he gets the chance to go back and do it again, he goes for it – and is suddenly 17 again in the form of Zac Efron. Sweet movie about what matters most in life. [Trailer] [Official Site] [Interview with Lorna Scott]
State of Play (PG-13). Russell …read more

Here’s a new TV spot for "State of Play," starring Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck. Looks like another intriguing mystery-thriller from writer Tony Gilroy (who penned and wrote "Duplicity") and director Kevin Macdonald. Read my preview and watch the first trailer here. "State of Play" arrives in theaters April 17, 2009.

Russell Crowe is one of those actors I can watch in just about anything. In fact, I was trying to think of a performance of his I haven’t liked, and I can’t think of any. He never rests on his laurels. He always brings it.
His character of Ben Wade in "3:10 to Yuma" was one of the best of 2007, and 2005’s "Cinderella Man" made me go out and buy the book – something I rarely do after seeing a movie.
So I’m looking forward to "State of Play," in which Crowe stars as D.C. reporter Cal McAffrey, …read more

Three more actors have joined the movie once known as "Nottingham," but now (maybe) titled "Robin Hood." I’ve already voiced my opinion on the "Robin Hood" name, so I hope the powers that be read Film Gecko and takes my advice. Hey, it could happen.
Russell Crowe is playing the title role, with Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian. Read my post here about whether these two are too old to play the legendary characters. Agree with me, or am I nuts?
The three newest players are Scott Grimes, cast in the role of Will Scarlet, Robin Hood’s nephew who’s also …read more

If Russell Crowe can play Robin Hood, then I guess Cate Blanchett can play Maid Marian. She’s just signed for the Ridley Scott-directed movie for Universal Pictures. Once called "Nottingham," the movie is currently undergoing a name change.
Ok, so why do I sound a little skeptical about these two? Because they both seem kind of old to play these roles. Russell Crowe is 44 (or so says his IMDB page), but seems a good 10 years older.
And even though Blanchett is listed as 39 on her IMDB page, I think she’s a good 8 or 10 years …read more