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Will and Jada See Their Kung Fu Kid in China

PopSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:00:00 -0700

Will and Jada Pinkett Smith visited the Beijing set of Kung Fu Kid earlier today to say hi to their son Jaden. Practically all the Smiths have projects lined up now, from Jaden's Karate Kid remake to Jada's new show HawthoRNe. Even Willow is getting in on the action, with an upcoming appearance on the Nickelodeon series True Jackson, VP. Will is one of the world's most successful actors, and now his whole family is taking over Hollywood.

To see more photos of Will, Jaden and Jada just read more.

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Charlize Helps Pay Tribute to Humanitarian Will Smith

PopSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:30:37 -0700

Will Smith brought his whole gorgeous family to the Simon Wiesenthal Center's National Tribute Dinner in LA last night. Charlize Theron had warm words for her Hancock costar as she presented him with the 2009 Humanitarian award. Will said the idea of service has been part of his life since he was young, and his family expressed how proud they were of him. Will may be best known for his box-office success, but getting honored for his charitable side seems to be equally rewarding for the A-list actor.

To see more photos including Rosario Dawson, Captain Sully, Tyrese, and others just read more.

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Images include: Charlize Theron, Will Smith, Trey Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jaden Smith, Willow Smith, Rosario Dawson, Tyrese Gibson, Chesley Sullenberger, Vivica A. Fox

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Remake News: Casting Mr. Miyagi and a Return to Eden

BuzzSugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:30:19 -0800

Two remake-related items making news today:

The makers of The Karate Kid remake have found their Mr. Miyagi in Jackie Chan.
The remake of East of Eden is really happening, as evidenced by the hiring of a director (Tom Hooper, who directed John Adams) and a screenwriter (Christopher Hampton, who wrote the Atonement screenplay).

Some thoughts:

My feelings about a remake of The Karate Kid starring Jaden Smith aside, Mr. Miyagi is many things Jackie Chan isn't: Calm, reasonable, wise, deliberate. Jackie Chan is an entertaining guy but let's face it, he's totally ~~spazzy~~ high energy. I mean, I might actually die of laughter if I find myself in a movie theater watching Jackie Chan seriously delivering the line, "Wax on. Wax off."
And East of Eden. I really like the book and I understand why a director would want to try his hand at bringing this tale to the big screen (again), but the original version, starring the beautiful James Dean, is pretty perfect. It's a little sad but totally expected from Hollywood at this point.

What do you think of this news? Disappointing? Exciting? A little of both?

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A Chat With My Boyfriend About the Day the Earth Stood Still

BuzzSugar — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:55:07 -0800

The last time I chatted with my boyfriend about movies here we discussed Brendan Fraser, mummies, and Yetis and it was a lot of fun. So, I recruited him again for The Day the Earth Stood Still, a remake of the 1951 sci-fi classic of the same name.

I had a feeling that despite a pretty neat-looking cast (Jennifer Connelly, Keanu Reeves, Kathy Bates, Will Smith's kid Jaden, Mad Men's Jon Hamm, and John Cleese - John Cleese!) this movie might not turn out to be all that great. My male companion was skeptical as well but we both agreed to keep an open mind going in. Now I'm here to report that we immediately came to the same conclusion upon exiting the theater: Lame.

To see our thoughts on the film, including a debate about seeing Brendan Fraser movies for the rest of your life versus Keanu Reeves movies, just read more.

Keanu Reeves plays the alien who comes to earth to warn humans to get it together or he'll blow them all up. He is cold and unfeeling. In other words, he is once again well cast. We talk about Reeves and more below, with the bold parts indicating my words and the regular type being his.

You've seen the original and liked it. Are you mad at the people who remade this movie?
Yeah, well the original was fresh and new at the time but this version is like beating a dead horse . . . just tired. It could have been great, but everything about it seems like a ripoff of other movies like Transformers, Matrix, etc. . . not to mention all the product placement. The save-the-planet message is kind of lost with all those corporate labels splashed around.

Does the original have such a hammy environmental message? Do people run around saying, "We can change! We're at the precipice!"
The original is all about the aliens being concerned about the destructive nuclear nature of mankind. It doesn't have any environmental message, just "stop blowing stuff up or we'll blow you up!" The current version seems more like Al Gore and Leo Dicaprio wrote the script.

OK, if you had to choose between only watching Keanu Reeves movies or only Brendan Fraser movies for the rest of your life, which would you pick?
Neither. I'd kill myself. Wait, if it was Point Break or School Ties over and over again, then maybe. Well, actually . . . no, I'd kill myself.

I'm tempted to lump this flick in with the likes of say, Independence Day, to give folks an idea of what they're in for, but honestly I don't think this movie is nearly as fun.
It is similar to Independence Day in that the supporting cast is pretty awesome, like Jon Hamm, James Fong, and John Cleese. But Independence Day is so much better because the main characters actually communicate with the audience, whereas Keanu is like Neo 2.0.

In the first one, is the main scientist a hot lady like Jennifer Connelly and does she have a little kid?
She lives in a boarding house and is a secretary or something, so it's an update to make her a scientist. And she's hot in the '50s pointy-boob way. Yes, she has a kid, and in that one, he blows it by telling the secretary's boyfriend (some government stooge) that he saw the alien go in the spaceship. In both the older version and this one, though, there's still that "my buddy, the alien" vibe.

Photos courtesy of 20th Century Fox

The Smiths, Jennifer and Keanu Stand Still on the Red Carpet

Molly — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 07:05:00 -0800

The Smith family all came out to support Jaden at the big premiere of his movie The Day the Earth Stood Still. He was joined by the movie's big name stars Jennifer Connelly and Keanu Reeves who looked like they were having a blast at the premiere...ha. Sexy Jon Hamm had his longtime girlfriend Jennifer Westfeldt on his arm, though methinks Mad Men fans might be disappointed to see he's not playing Don Draper this time. It's hard to match the enthusiasm of the Smith family when they get on a red carpet and it sounds like they should get used to cheering Jaden on considering he may be the next Will Smith.

To see more from the premiere just read more.

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Images include: Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith, Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Willow Smith, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Westfeldt, Kathy Bates

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Is Jaden the Next Will Smith?

PopSugar — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:00:35 -0800

Jaden Smith has been following in his father's Hollywood footsteps and is now rumored to be the new star of a Karate Kid remake. Will Smith's children have acted in films before, and Jaden costarred with Will in The Pursuit of Happyness, but this would put him in a lead role. So tell us - do you think Jaden is the next Will Smith?

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Jaden Smith = The Next Karate Kid?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:30:32 -0800

We all know that Hollywood is extremely remake-happy these days, so I'm not even going to resist the Karate Kid remake news because it was probably bound to happen, right? Now moving onto the casting: Jaden Smith is first in line to play the lead role, the Kid himself, in a new version of the 1984 pop culture staple. Variety has more info:

The script is being written by Chris Murphy, and the film will shoot next year in Beijing and other cities. While the new film will be set in that exotic locale, it will borrow elements of the original plot, wherein a bullied youth learns to stand up for himself with the help of an eccentric mentor.

The younger Smith, who next stars in The Day the Earth Stood Still, is a martial arts practitioner.

That little Jaden Smith is so adorable. Thoughts on the next Karate Kid? Are you annoyed this is being remade at all? If it has to happen, is Jaden a good fit?

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Will and Jada Escape to LA With Ben and Fergie

PopSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 08:30:55 -0700

Will Smith brought his kids Jaden and Willow to support their mom Jada at the LA premiere of her Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa yesterday. The happy foursome posed for photos while Ben Stiller and his wife Christine made it a date and left their kids at home. Fergie was also on hand to walk the green carpet, though her big smile may have more to do with her wedding than the movie. Her plans are moving along and supposedly she is now working with Karl Lagerfeld to design her dream gown. She and Josh Duhamel have been engaged for a year already but they don't seem in to rushing the big day anytime soon.

To see more photos, including David Schwimmer, Debi Mazar and Chris Rock just read more.

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Images include: Fergie, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, Jaden Smith, David Schwimmer, Chris Rock, Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Sherri Shepherd, Toni Braxton, Debi Mazar, Giulia Corcos, Malaak Compton, Lola Rock, Zahra Rock

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Will Has a Birthday Cheerleading Squad (Including Carlton!)

PopSugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 11:30:57 -0700

Will Smith celebrated his 40th birthday yesterday watching his son Trey play football in LA with his family and former costar on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Alfonso Ribeiro. Will was in his element playing with his kids and giving tips to Trey while his loved ones surprised him with a special gift. Another reason for his big grin is that he just signed on for a prequel to I am Legend about the final days in NYC when the virus started to spread, though rumors of him playing Captain America are false. Sounds like Will's got all the makings of a birthday to remember, even though you all were unsure about how you felt about a sequel to his box office hit.

To see more photos of Will, Jada, Jaden, Willow, and Alfonso just read more.

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Movie Preview: The Day the Earth Stood Still

BuzzSugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:15:10 -0700

The modern remake of the 1951 sci-fi film The Day the Earth Stood Still attempts to update the older version, shifting its themes from Cold War political tension and the threat of human violence to the imminence of environmental retaliation from an abused Earth. Keanu Reeves, who plays the protagonist in this new version, explains:

The first one was borne out of the cold war and nuclear détente. Klaatu came and was saying cease and desist with your violence. If you can’t do it yourselves we’re going to do it. That was the film of that day. The version I was just working on, instead of being man against man, it’s more about man against nature. My Klaatu says that if the Earth dies, you die. If you die, the earth survives. I’m a friend to the earth.

The movie joins a few other recent films with possibly green messages. This one, with its apocalyptic setting, also stars Jennifer Connolly, Will Smith's kid Jaden, and Mad Men's Jon Hamm. I love most of the cast (though not all of it), but I don't know how I feel about the trailer for this one; it's just not pulling me in. The Day the Earth Stood Still opens December 12. To check out the trailer, read more.

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