The News On Sunday.

Mike Nichols: Remembered (1931-2014)

Mike Nichols was a triumphant director who sadly passed away this week aged 83. His career has been celebrated throughout both Hollywood and on Broadway, and his death is sad news to anyone affiliated with the director who had captured a generation.

Nichols' work has spanned 41 years behind the camera in film, a healthy career that began with 1966's Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woof? a picture which earned Nichol's a Oscar nomination for best director, as well as claim 5 Oscar wins.

A year later Nichols directed The Graduate, a picture that would earn him his only Best Director Oscar win. This film is the one that has a special place in my heart, and my personal favourite Nichols lead project. In my first year of film studies The Graduate was the focus film of my course, and not only did this movie entertain me it also provided a great insight into the mind of many people just a few years older than me. And the most progressive aspect that Nichols provided, was that sheer ability to provide a snap shot of adolescent mentality capturing our fears, pressures and social mentality. Nichols with The Graduate crafted a brilliant example of a cult film that painted the perfect picture of what it means to progress into adult life.

We could talk all day about the wonderful movies that Nichols provided us, but rather than mourn his loss we should celebrate a illustrious career that has entertained us all. Mike Nichols was truly a man who captured the moment, and aided many people understand more about themselves through the medium of film.

Penelope Cruz Will Appear In Zoolander 2.

When many people think of Zoolander we think of the wacky fashion and over the top humour. What are minds do not wonder to is Academy Award winning, and highly credited Spanish Actress Penelope Cruz. However, as this is Hollywood, a land in which black and white might as well be purple and luminous green, these two polar opposites seem to be uniting for a sequel to the cult classic Zoolander.


This high billing casting announcement was broke this Friday, and many people felt that Cruz- Oscar winner for Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona- would bring a unique quality to the sequel, that now seems back on track 13 years after the original film was released.

Ben Stiller will naturally return to the directors chair and will portray a screenplay penned by Justin Theroux who is famed for his role in Tropic Thunder.  The story is set to see Own Wilson return as rival model Hansel, as well as co star Will Ferrell also return as fashion industry guru Mugatu. No news yet on the release date, but it does seem a bit coincidental that this story broke shortly after the opening weekend success of Dumber And Dumber To, which perhaps revealed to some studio executive that there is a market for this film.

Tom Cruise Linked To Highlander Reboot. 

Cruise is one of those actors that many people feel are related to vampires. I may have made that a little more negative that intended, but it is a safe observation than the star has not seemed to age in the past 20 years. And if you look at a list of his roles that hypothesis is somewhat justified. Cruise, who burst on our screen with such iconic pictures like Top Gun and Mission Impossible,  to date has not sacrificed his leading man mentality, playing roles that many believe would perhaps be better suited to someone half his age.

However, rumour has circulated that Cruise may be in the running to finally step back from his none ageing on screen persona and take up a role in the reboot for the iconic 1986 film Highlander. According to the Wrap, Cruise is being targeted for the mentor role which was originally portrayed by Sean Connery in the first two Highlander films.

This project has been developed by Summit Entertainment since the company gained the rights, six years ago. The film is set to be directed by Cerdic Nicolas-Troyan who handled the visual effects for films such as Snow White And The Huntsman and Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. Originally, it was hoped that Ryan Reynolds would be leading this feature however the actor dropped out last year.

Although Summit have not entered negotiations with Cruise, this picture does seem right up his street. As the actor, aged 52, has leaned toward Sci-Fi recently as shown by his recent roles in 'Edge Of Tomorrow' and 'Oblivion'.