I am one of those people who feels that Tim Burton's artistic vision is directly in line with Lewis Carroll's novels, and he is one of few filmmakers who can get away with asserting that a likable movie adaptation has never been made of this story. It is, of course, interesting to hear this from the man who made Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ...

Entertainment writers are worked up about (1) Universal's box-office slump and (2) the studio's decision to move Green Zone out of the 2009 Oscar zone. To me, this is a sign that the movie actually might be entertaining and not some bore, a la most every other recent Iraq War picture aside from the most recent Best Picture winner. Meanwhile, we're wondering if Jason Bourne's fans will accept Matt Damon as a solider, especially since the proposed fourth Bourne adventure isn't a signed deal at this stage.

Someone please help me understand why DreamWorks/Paramount execs think that a romantic comedy with no known stars, a green director, and a screenplay from the guys behind Sex Drive is a money-making idea. (Note: We'd love to be surprised about this movie's quality and proved wrong about its chances for success.)

You know, RPattz's Little Ashes performed well given its subject matter and lack of major-studio muscle. It's quite possible a romantic story with a relatable premise (sorry, How to Be) from the studio that brought us Edward Cullen could lure plenty of the Twilight audience into theaters over this weekend and beyond. Good thing there was a seasoned cast and crew on what was widely reported as a difficult NYC shoot, given the thousands of fans who tracked R.P.'s every move. This is the first screenplay from Will Fetters, who currently is tinkering on A Star Is Born for Warner Bros. and director Nick Cassavetes (rumored to feature Russell Crowe and ... are you ready for this? ... Beyonce).

Strike through all those notions of awards-season glamor for this reunion of Marty and Leo, since reports of marketing-budget shortfalls and promotional challenges (aka DiCaprio's availability) shuttled the movie into the middle of winter. Don't think it'll hurt the thriller's box-office, though, since it's been testing through the roof. Nikki Finke digs out the scoop.