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Anthony Bourdain gonna sue somebody

David Mumpower: Is there any cause for optimism with No Reservations?

Dan Krovich: This obviously is very formulaic and the trailer seems to give away every plot point, but I think it looks cute. I like the German movie it is based on, and even though it's unoriginal it looks to be well done. It has a good cast (I think Eckhart is hugely underrated) and a good director. I also think it will go over well with audiences.

Shane Jenkins: I was more interested in seeing this until I actually viewed the trailer. Abigail Breslin frightens me a little, after those Ultimate Gift previews. I now always expect her to dispense sage words of spiritual wisdom to troubled souls, which cuts down on the enjoyment in seeing Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart trade culinary barbs. In just one year, she already has reached the Dakota Fanning status of "not believable as a real human child." Plus, the trailer makes this look "touching" rather than "funny," and my Sub-Zero heart prefers to stay unwarmed, thank you very much.

Dan Krovich: I'm not sure if Abigail has reached Dakota Fanning levels yet. I still believe that Abigail is a child and I don't get the feeling that at any time she might unhinge her jaw and swallow me whole.

David Mumpower: Catherine Zeta-Jones, on the other hand, uses exactly this methodology in order to keep up the pretense of being born in the 20th century.

I understand she was the inspiration for the Michelle Pfeiffer character in Stardust.

Kim Hollis: It will probably see a (very) low teens opening because it's going to appeal to 30+ women, a demographic that hasn't been particularly well served in some time. It really does look dreadful, though.

David Mumpower: Aaron Eckhart is an actor I seem to enjoy a great deal more than mainstream movie-goers do. He starred in a wonderful little project called Conversations with Other Women and BOP voted his performance in Thank You for Smoking as the fourth best of 2006. I think he does a wonderful job of walking the fine line between cynically smarmy and just the right kind of bad boy bravado.

Having said all of that, his career cleanly divides between daring indie film work and transparent paycheck movies within the studio system...including Paycheck. You don't have to be Stephen Hawking to figure out under which category No Reservations falls. Catherine Zeta-Jones and him make for a handsome couple, but my expectations for the financial success of this title are best described as non-existent. Frankly, I'll be a bit disappointed in consumers if it does succeed. There is nothing unique or special demonstrated in the commercials. It's just a low-grade romantic comedy with a couple of pretty faces.

Michael Bentley: It has wait-until-DVD written all over it.

Calvin Trager: I was working on a restaurant romantic comedy script (but more of a broad wedding crashers kind of comedy) a while back when I first saw this trailer. So I'm a little biased in not thinking it looks very good.

Here's my question: has anyone ever seen Aaron Eckhart and Thomas Jane in the same room at the same time?

What, exactly, would be the driving factor in casting one over the other? Do they have the same agent that just rotates the offers between them?

Dan Krovich: Eckhart is the better actor. Jane is hotter.

Shane Jenkins: I would argue this point.

Dan Krovich: You're welcome to do so. Please provide pictorial evidence of the shirtless variety.

David Mumpower: Are we back on the rumors of his being a male prostitute when he was discovered now?

Jennifer Turnock: Heh. I almost mentioned that. Technically, I only meant that I think Eckhart is not only a better actor, I think he's got more name recognition as well.





David Mumpower: I've been debating who is more famous since this was first mentioned.

Eckhart has been a featured player in the biggest movie, Erin Brockovich. I doubt anyone recognizes him from that, though. Otherwise, he's the guy from The Core, The Black Dahlia and Paycheck. Until The Dark Knight comes out, I'm not sold on his celebrity.

I feel Eckhart still has Jane beat, however. I don't see the mediocrity of The Punisher as carrying Jane into the public consciousness. For that matter, the fact that he's been replaced for the sequel tells me that Lionsgate doesn't think he's popular, either.

Kim Hollis: Jane quit the sequel (and shocked the studio, given that he's not, you know doing much else). It almost put the movie out of production, so it's not like he was invited to leave.

I guess he figures he's okay with Patricia Arquette bringing home the bacon.

Dan Krovich: Jane does have the lead in The Mist. Of course the last Stephen King movie he did was Dreamcatcher. Of course this Stephen King movie is directed by Frank Darabont. Of course it's also being released by The Weinstein Company, which doesn't seem to know how to release movies.

David Mumpower: Of course.

Jennifer Turnock: Granted, this is based only on a biased sample of one, but without going back and checking IMDb, the only Thomas Jane movie I can name off the top of my head is Deep Blue Sea. (Hi, Dano!)

Eckhart probably isn't a lot more famous, but I think more people would at least recognize his picture, even if they weren't exactly sure of his name or what movies they've seen him in.

Shane Jenkins: I think Thank You For Smoking was high profile enough to garner Eckhart some additional name recognition, even if it wasn't gangbusters at the B.O. Anyway, being in The Dark Knight next summer should elevate him to at least the Cillian Murphy level of fame, whatever that might be.

Jerry Simpson: Shame on all of you for not mentioning that Thomas Jane was in Arrested Development!

Sadly, that's the only thing I can remember him from.

Aaron has Thank You for Smoking and has a considerably higher quote. He's the much bigger star at this point. He's also much more talented, in my book.

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