Movie Notes

First it was Julie Andrews, then it was Audrey Hepburn and now it's Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan's turn to star in My Fair Lady. Two-time Oscar winner Emma Thompson, who's writing the remake of the Lerner-Lowe musical, has confirmed Mulligan, who can be seen in An Education when it is released on DVD this Tuesday, will play Eliza Doolittle in the remake. Thompson has also said she would love to have Hugh Grant portray Prof. Henry Higgins, but that the actor hasn't given any indication he would be interested in the part. It should also be noted that he hasn't given any indication he wouldn't be interested either.

Critic Roger Eberts calls 3-D "a distracting, annoying anti-realitisc, juvenile abomination to use an excuse for higher prices." Speaking of the great Chicago Sun-Times film critic, he and his wife will be producing a new At the Movies television program featuring his and the late Gerne Siskel's famous thumbs-up/thumbs-down recommendations. Ebert won't appear on the program, atlhough me may do some voice-over narrations of Great Movies segments or "Reporting from Cannes or Some Other Film Festival" segment. Ebert says he has chosen the two hosts for the program, but is not ready to announce who they are. The show will also be available on the Internet, cell phone applications, Facebook, Twitter and iPad.

Reading about Al Pacino starring in a biopic about Jack Kevorkian, which is supposed to open next month, got me to wondering: If he treats you, can you sue for malpractice if you live?

HBO is set to premiere a, as-of-now untitled, series about horseracing in January co-created by director Michael Mann (who will direct the pilot) and starring Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte.

Robin Hood, Ridley Scott's remake of his own Gladiator, will open the Cannes Film Festival May 12, screening out of competition. The film stars Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett and opens around the rest of the civilized world May 14.

Major Academy Award dates for next year are:
Dec. 27: Nomination ballots mailed
Jan. 14: Deadline for returning nominating ballots
Jan. 25 (7:30 a.m.): Nominations announced
Feb. 2: Final ballots mailed
Feb. 22: Deadline for returning final ballots
Feb. 27: Academy Awards presentation