Movies
"Grown Ups" first look
Seems like "Grown Ups" just finished filming and already the trailer is online. The movie, which filmed this summer in and around Gloucester, stars Adam Sandler and his buddies Chris Rock, Kevin James, David Spade, Rob Schneider, Salma Hayek, and Maria Bello. Anyway, here it is. See what you think.
Say, aren't you Derek Jeter?

World Series winner Derek Jeter this week donned a fright wig for a cameo in "The Other Guys," a cop caper co-starring Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell. The Yankees captain plays himself in the film, but far in the future, when he's done winning titles and is down on his luck. Jeter previously had a small role in the Jack Nicholson flick "Anger Management" and appeared on "Seinfeld." The film, which is shooting now in New York, is due to be released next summer.
Caption: Yankee Derek Jeter and Mark Wahlberg on location on "The Other Guys" November 12, 2009 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage)
Ladies love Kellan Lutz

A flock of young women with fangs on the brain gathered at the Natick Collection last night to glimpse Kellan Lutz, who plays Emmett Cullen in the much-adored "Twilight" series. Touring suburban malls to promote "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," the actor chatted with fans at a VIP event at Nordstrom and then faced the masses at Hot Topic, the mecca for all things Twilight. Lutz talked to us before facing his "Twilight" groupies and insisted he doesn't mind the vampire-loving mob that follows him around. He's thankful for the attention, though he wishes he had more time during junkets and fan conventions to actually see the cities he's visiting. "I have no time," he said. "Half them time I never leave the hotel." (That said, he was making a special effort to see On the Surface, the Boston-bred band featuring the adorable Heather Fogarty, tonight at the Middle East) Lutz said that he and his vampire co-stars -- including Robert Pattinson and Ashley Greene -- have become close over the course of three movies. (The cast recently finished shooting the third "Twilight" film, "Eclipse.") He said he knows the vampires better than the werewolves because the two actors don't mingle much. Why? The groups of actors are on set at different times. "We all stick to our pack or coven," he joked, adding that in real life, all of the young actors who play werewolves follow their wolf leader, Taylor Lautner, like little puppies. Natick Collection security estimated that about 500 people came out for the Lutz event. Gabby Arnold drove up with her mom from Hamden, CT. The 15-year-old girl, who slept on the floor of the mall a few weeks ago just to get a bracelet to attend yesterday's event, was thrilled when Lutz signed her poster. "I'm going to hang this on my wall next to my, like, 500 other pictures," said Arnold.
Caption: Kellan Lutz, in town to promote "Twlight: New Moon." JOSH REYNOLDS FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE
Krasinski comes home

It looks like John Krasinski is on “The Office” to stay. "I would never leave,” said the actor who plays Jim Halpert on the NBC show. The Newton native is town to promote his latest film, “Brief Interviews With Hideous Men,” and yesterday he stopped by the Globe to chat with Boston.com readers. Krasinski wrote, directed, and stars in the film, which began as a staged reading when he was a student at Brown. (The movie is based on the David Foster Wallace book of the same name.) Though his "Office" co-stars couldn’t make it to last night's screening at the Kendall Square Cinema - “I’ll forgive them just this once” - his parents, brothers, and assorted Brown buddies were. Krasinski told us fame is both good and bad. On the one hand, he's happy his film might entice people to read Wallace, who committed suicide last year. On the other, there's way too much attention paid to, say, his recent engagement to actress Emily Blunt. “It's not only strange but completely and totally surreal," he said. "It feels like you're in a weird dream -- or a nightmare.” Krasinski will talk about Wallace tonight at Brookline Booksmith and the film screens again at the Kendall. (The transcript of his chat is at www.boston.com/ae.)
Cruise's "Knight & Day" auditions wedding bands

Boston bands have a history of making their way onto the big screen. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones performed in the Alicia Silverstone classic ‘‘Clueless.’’ Kay Hanley’s Letters to Cleo had a cameo in the Heath Ledger/Julia Stiles teen flick ‘‘10 Things I Hate About You.’’ And today a lucky Boston wedding band will shoot a scene in the Tom Cruise/Cameron Diaz movie ‘‘Knight & Day,’’ which has been filming all over Massachusetts these past few weeks. More than 200 local music acts applied to play the wedding band in the movie, and Boston Casting chose five finalists — including wedding bands Boston Common and Groove Authority, and the local rock band Cassavettes (of which Boston.com producer Glenn Yoder is a member). During the auditions, held Tuesday, each band lip-synched Grand Funk’s version of ‘‘Some Kind of Wonderful.’’ Cassavettes, the only non-wedding band among the finalists, got word yesterday that it did not get the gig. And as of yesterday afternoon, Boston Common leader/drummer Jonathan Wiegratz hadn’t heard back. But when we reached Paul Fudin of Groove Authority, he refused to talk about the audition and told us to contact the casting company with any questions. We’re pretty sure that means he got the job. Congrats if that’s true, Paul. For the record, Groove Authority covers everyone from Justin Timberlake to Roy Orbison. Wiegratz said the bands were told that filming would be today and that they’d be performing the Grand Funk tune on camera. He said he and his Boston Common bandmates would be bummed if they weren’t chosen to share the screen with Cruise, but joked that they would survive. ‘‘It would have been a cool thing to do, obviously,’’ he said, ‘‘but we normally have a full calendar anyway.
Early look at Mel Gibson's "Edge of Darkness"
The trailer for the made-in-Massachusetts movie "Edge of Darkness" has hit the 'Net. This is the movie, you'll recall, starring Mel Gibson and Robert DeNiro...Oh, wait, DeNiro dropped out soon after filming began. Anyway, here 'tis.
Barrios in a smackdown with Rourke

Ex-Bay State lawmaker Jarrett Barrios doesn't back down from a fight - even with "The Wrestler." Barrios, who's now the president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, is condemning Mickey Rourke for his use of an anti-gay slur. "Rourke is showing himself to be painfully ignorant of how this vulgar, abusive slur feeds a climate of anti-gay hatred, intolerance and violence," said Barrios. Rourke used the word most recently in an exchange with a paparazzo.
Caption: Jarrett Barrios, president of Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) speaks before a panel discussion titled “Out In Hollywood III: The Rise of the LGBT Actor” at Screen Actors Guild national headquarters in Los Angeles October 7, 2009.
Mary-Louise and "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"

Mary-Louise Parker is our all-time screen crush, so it doesn't take much for us to post a pic of the talented actress. This morning, the "Weeds" star joined children's author and former western Mass resident Eric Carle on the "Today" show as part of Jumpstart’s annual National Read for the Record Day.
Caption: Mary-Louise Parker and Eric Carle (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Luke, Laura, and...James Franco?

Harvard's 2009 Hasty Pudding Man o' the Year James Franco will guest star on ABC's "General Hospital" for a lengthy story arc this fall. The AP reports that the "Pineapple Express" and "Spider-Man" actor will play a mystery person who comes to the soap opera's town of Port Charles. The recurring role will begin Nov. 20 -- to coincide with November sweeps -- and will last about two months. Executive producer Jill Farren Phelps says it's "an honor that an actor of Franco's caliber would choose to spend some of his valuable time in Port Charles." The 31-year-old Franco will star as Allen Ginsberg next year in the film "Howl."
Caption: James Franco, the Hasty Pudding 2009 Man of the Year, receives the traditional pudding pot. Evan Richman/Globe Staff
The many faces of Matt

Someone's ranked the best roles of Matt Damon's career. In the words of Fred Durst, we're mostly in agreeance. See the list here.
Caption: Matt Damon at the 34th Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto. (AP Photo/Carlo Allegri)
About this blog
Mark Shanahan joined The Boston Globe in
2003, having worked previously at the Portland Press Herald, where he
covered City Hall, and the Lewiston Sun-Journal, where he was the
education reporter. A Northampton native and graduate of Bates College,
Shanahan enjoys the usual - books, music, movies, etc. - as well as the
unusual. shanahan@globe.com
Meredith Goldstein has worked for the Globe since 2003, covering
everything from nightlife to New Kids. She keeps her eyes peeled for
celebrity juice, and also writes Love Letters, a Boston.com blog for
hopeful (and hopeless) romantics. Meredith chats about love problems
every Wednesday at 1 p.m. If you see Justin Timberlake or someone like
him at a local eatery, please e-mail her immediately. mgoldstein@globe.com
- Steve Greenlee is living editor for The Boston Globe
- Hayley Kaufman is a senior assistant living arts editor
- Additional contributors include the Boston.com sports and A&E staff
Recent Blog Posts
- "Grown Ups" first look - 11.17
- Say, aren't you Derek Jeter? - 11.13
- Ladies love Kellan Lutz - 11.12
- Krasinski comes home - 11.06
- Cruise's "Knight & Day" auditions wedding bands - 10.21






