BBC - Films -news article - High Noon

		Bringing Home The Bacon Still sizzling after his turn in Mystic River, Kevin Bacon has taken up directing duties on Loverboy, an adaptation of the Victoria Redel novel about an emotionally troubled mother who is overprotective of her young son. Sounds excruciatingly dull, but Bacon spins it like this: "It's about a mother and her emotions are very powerful." (So, our mistake then.) Seven-year-old Dominic Scott Kay (Minority Report) plays the tot in question, while Bacon's wife Kyra Sedgwick (Secondhand Lions) ties the apron strings. In a last ditch attempt to keep us all from slipping into a coma, Bacon adds: "I knew this was not just a sad and human story, but a mysterious one that would challenge me as a director. When you have young children entirely dependent on you and then one day they let go, you realise quickly that they're going to make their own way in the world." Bacon obviously called in favours from Matt Dillon, Oliver Platt (Hope Springs), Campbell Scott (Roger Dodger), and Marisa Tomei, who fill out the cast.

		The Matrix Mathematics If you thought The Matrix Revolutions was confusing, that's nothing compared to the convoluted mathematics behind its reported box office takings. Yesterday, the honchos at Warner Bros claimed to have surpassed The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers for the title of biggest worldwide opening over five days, with estimated takings of $204.1 million. Today Warner Bros has changed its story, saying that takings for Revolutions are probably closer to $201.4m. But wait... After initially estimating an opening figure of $190m for The Two Towers, New Line Cinema has gone through the paperwork and now calculates its opening weekend (in December 2002) actually amounted to... $201.8m. That would put the hobbits et al ahead of Neo and the gang by an elfish nose. Not to be outdone, Warner Bros moneymen say they haven't yet added up the tallies from China - only the most populated country on the planet! So, nah, nah, nah! (If only the Wachowski brothers showed as much inventiveness as their accountants.)

		Downey's Got The Passion Jailbait Robert Downey Jr says Mel Gibson's The Passion Of Christ is "ground-breaking". He adds that Gibson's film, about the last 12 hours in the life of JC, is "not even a movie. It's a total experience of how people react to something poignant, specific and controversial." On the furore that Gibbo has sparked among clerics, Downey adds: "It's his [Gibson's] decision to have a very specific religious point of view. They always say don't talk about drugs, religion or politics. But that didn't stop me discussing my drug abuse, or Mel about his views of Christianity and the passion of Christ." There's no doubt Gibbo, who stuck by his Singing Detective co-star through his well-publicised troubles, has a loyal friend in Downey. "I've got Mel's back. He's had to mount up an army of supporters for his film. I'll be right in the firestorm for him, because that's what he did for me in my world." Now let us turn to page 37 and sing Kumbaya.

		Snake Hips Saves Snail Old snake hips Salma Hayek is lending her dulcet tones to Hispanic tooner Sian Ka'an (ancient Mayan for 'Origin Of The Sky'), for which dialogue will be recorded in both English and Spanish. She joins bilingual thesps Alfred Molina (who recently teamed with her on Frida), as well as Michelle Rodriguez (Blue Crush), and tenor Placido Domingo. The story takes place in a nature reserve, where Hayek's character is charged with saving a special golden snail upon whose survival hangs the fate of all living species. Rodriguez will play the Secretary of the Prime Minister of Extinct Species, while Molina is cast as villain of the piece - High Noon suspects a hungry Frenchman.

		Affleck Sinks To New Lo Hollywood's most overrated actor, Ben Affleck, is not content with being granted the miracle of movie stardom. After the debacle that was Gigli and his publicly played-out relationship with J-Lo (and we do mean "played out"), the troubled star is taking a swing at supposed best buddy Matt Damon. Affleck whined to Entertainment Weekly that Miramax "used" their friendship as "a marketing hook" to promote Good Will Hunting, and following their Oscar success, it was Damon who reaped all the rewards. He moans: "Matt was more sought-after. When Good Will Hunting broke, it was all about Matt. I've always felt like I've been in a perpetual audition." Anyone else feel moved to, sniff, tears?

		Dakota Planning Is this the first time GoodFella Robert De Niro hasn't complained about someone "busting his balls"? The movie wiseguy is going under the knife after being diagnosed with prostate cancer last month. Whilst there's been no official word on his treatment, pint-sized pal Dakota Fanning (the spooky little girl in Spielberg series Taken) tells High Noon that De Niro is going into surgery very soon. Fanning, who's cast as De Niro's spooky little daughter in the upcoming thriller Hide And Seek, confirms: "Yes, I'm going to be doing Hide And Seek with Robert De Niro. He's going to get his surgery done and then we're going to go on in January." So there.