There are few people I love more than Jason Bateman. My love for him grew like a beautiful, delicate flower through the three years of Arrested Development, and my DVD collection of that show has sustained my love for Jason/Michael Bluth for years to come. Whenever I see him I give a little sigh of adoration. It’s not just his looks – though he is a cutie – but his dry, droll delivery and impeccable comedic timing. If I ever see that monstrous-looking Jennifer Aniston romantic-comedy The Baster, it will only be because of Jason Bateman.

Anyhoodle, Jason is the cover boy for the August issue of Details. Though Jason is normally my beautiful, delicate flower, he’s looking a little rough on the cover. Still pretty, but like he was rode hard and put away wet, as we say in the South. The interview is just as rough – Jason is talking about his early years in Hollywood (the era was Teen Wolf Too, I believe) when he was definitely a party boy. Jason is such a creature of the eighties that he references those years as “like Risky Business”. Or, as we say in the South, “like Risky Bidniss”:

In a new interview with Details, actor Jason Bateman reveals that his rampant drug and alcohol use almost cost him his marriage. Bateman, now 40, rose to fame as a child actor on Silver Spoons and The Hogan Family. Wild partying soon followed.

“It was like Risky Business for 10 years,” he says of the nineties. “My parents were out of town, they left me a bunch of money, the car, and the house, and I didn’t know when they were coming home. I’d worked so hard that by the time I was 20, I wanted to play hard. And I did that really well.”

“I was never at a place where rehab would have been appropriate,” he says of his drug use. “Booze was what would make me want to stay out all night and do some blow or smoke a joint or whatever, so shutting that off was key. It’s like ketchup and French fries—I don’t want one without the other.”

He went on to wed actress Amanda Anka, whom he’d known since he was 18. But his partying didn’t stop.

After coming home late one night, his wife finally gave him an ultimatum: Quit partying.
But he didn’t entirely stop. Things got so bad that she even took a planned holiday in Mexico without him. It was then, alone on a rainy Christmas morning, that he decided to go to an AA meeting.

Looking back, Bateman tells Details, “Do you want to continue being great at being in your twenties, or do you want to step up and graduate into adulthood?”

He and his wife welcomed their first daughter, Francesca, in October 2006.

Jennifer Aniston – Bateman’s costar in the upcoming comedy The Baster (out next spring) – met him 15 years ago on a group ski trip to Aspen. She said she is proud at how far he’s come.

“He should be here, he’s meant to be here, and for whatever reason, it’s taken until now,” she says. “There’s no bull**** with him. Even though he was pretty wild in those days, something about those dimples and that sweet face made you go, ‘Oh, it’s okay that you just drove up the street backwards in a Range Rover with the door wide open.’ I don’t know what was happening there. You feel instantly safe in his company.”

[From US Weekly]

Oh, get off his jock, Aniston. Coke habits are not cute. But still, I’m glad he cleaned up his act and his looks and career weren’t ravaged in the long haul. Speaking of the long haul, Arrested Development fans are going to have sit tight for a little while longer. According to reports from June, the script for the AD film isn’t even finished yet, and several of the major cast members haven’t even confirmed if they want to be a part of an AD film. Michael Cera finally sounds like he’s coming around, but now it looks like Jeffrey Tambor might be holding out! But what about Nellie?

Jason Bateman is shown with his daughter, Francesca, two and a half and wife of eight years, Amanda Anka, on 5/13/09 in New York. He is also shown with Amanda at the premiere of The Hangover on 6/2/09. Credit: WENN.com. Details cover via CoverAwards.

Jennifer Aniston was photographed on the set of her IVF romantic comedy The Baster smooching hot co-star Jason Bateman. Aniston stars as a 40-something single woman who opts for artificial insemination. Is The Baster going to end up with a semi-spoiled plot from all the paparazzi photos that are out? There were major plot details revealed for Sex and The City in some of the photos we saw on set, although it certainly didn’t seem to affect box office numbers at all.

After looking at the credits for The Baster it’s hard to tell whether it will be a solid film or not. It’s based on a short story by Jeffrey Eugenides, the Pulitzer prize winning author of Middlesex and The Virgin Suicides. The Virgin Suicides was a haunting and unique movie although it’s hard to tell how Eugenides’ work might translate to a romcom. Middlesex was one of the most memorable and well written novels I’ve ever read, and this story might have a similar convention-defying plot that could work.

The directors, screenwriter and producers don’t have a lot of work listed in their bios. Both directors worked on Blades of Glory, a couple of films I haven’t heard of, and a TV show called “Cavemen.” The screenwriter worked on Things We Lost In The Fire, which received decent reviews but wasn’t that successful due an unfortunately timed release that coincided with the California wildfires. It might not matter if The Baster is a good film or not though, because comedies can attract crowds regardless of the critics’ opinions.

Jennifer Lopez is said to be livid that Aniston is also filming an IVF-type comedy due out at the same time as her film The Back-Up Plan, also about a single woman who opts for artificial insemination. The Back-Up Plan is in pre-production. We’ll see which one makes it to the box office first and if there’s room for the both of them.

Photo credits: INFphoto and Bauergriffinonline.

There have been rumors for some time that Michael Cera and/or Will Arnett are hesitant to get on board for an Arrested Development movie. Mitch Hurwitz, the creator of Arrested Development, may have revealed that Cera is the hold out by saying that Will Arnett is ready to go:

“I don’t want to talk about who is holding out right now because we might still work that out and I don’t want to pressure anyone through the press,” said Hurwitz. “Although I will say that Will Arnett is gung-ho, so there’s a big clue!”

[from Fancast]

So what you mean to say, Mitch, is that it’s Michael Cera’s fault.  Even if you sugared it up with that “I don’t want to pressure anyone” statement.  There is, of course, the off-chance that it’s someone else who’s refusing to sign, but it seems unlikely considering that Cera and Arnett are the only ones whose careers have taken off enough to be able to say “no.”  The movie wouldn’t even be a possibility without Jason Bateman, so he seems to be definitely in.

Another interesting part of Hurwitz’ interview with Fancast is his willingness to discuss the many options for the movie’s direction.  Unlike most producers and directors, who will just say “it’s in its development stage” (sorry for the bad pun), Hurwitz seems interested in sharing the process with his fans.  One possible avenue would be to do a “film within a film”:

There are, of course, other versions in mind. Although many episodes of the series famously ended with never-realized, “Next time on…” teasers, it’s possible that the film could become a “film within a film,” taking a cue from the epilogue of the finale, where Maebe Bluth pitches Ron Howard her life story, and Howard quips “I don’t see it as a series. Maybe a movie.”

“I’ve also been playing with the idea of doing a prequel for a while, which could be kind of interesting,” Hurwitz said.

[from Fancast]

Whatever he choses to do, and whether or not Michael Cera decides to do the film, it seems that the Bluths are coming to the big screen.  “It’s too much fun for us all,” says Hurwitz. “The fans have been so supportive and so sincere in their fondness for it. That’s really the big motivation to make the film.”

Photos from Bluthfamily.com

I love me some Will Smith. I also love me some Will Smith movies. (Well, except for Hitch. Okay, Hitch and The Legend of Bagger Vance. Okay, Hitch, The Legend of Bagger Vance and Wild Wild West. My point is, I still watch Fresh Prince, okay?!) Anyhoo I’m sort of gagging over his new film Hancock. I mean have you seen the trailers? Now THOSE are some special effects! But what isn’t having a special effect on me is the suit he wore to the Los Angeles premiere of the film. I mean did he keep that from the costume department of Bagger Vance? Where’s his caddy then? I don’t care what they say plaid is not rad. Especially full body plaid. Which leads me to Thomas Jane.

Really, Thomas Jane? Really? Were your overalls dirty so you decided to come to a Hollywood premiere dressed like a trucker? I get that it’s not your movie and I get that you don’t even have a cameo in it, but seriously is it too hard to tuck in a shirt and perhaps shave? I hope this lackadaisical attitude doesn’t rear it’s ugly head in his upcoming film Mutant Chronicles. (Which by the way BETTER be minimally enjoyable… unlike The Mist.) Speaking of mist, thank you Charlize Theron for finally laying off the spray tanning. You look lovely. I don’t get what black nail polish has to do with anything, but I’m gonna look beyond that because your make up looks fresh and appropriate and that necklace is perfect. I’m borderline on that gown, but I love the color and I get what you’re going for…unlike Valerie Bertinelli. This worries me. Valerie Bertinelli looks like Barbra Streisand’s Mini-Me. Why is she wearing a drape? I mean seriously! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: “Clothing should be draped, not drapes.” This tells me she does not believe in her Jenny Craig’d fabulous body which really breaks my heart, because she looks amazing. I’m just sayin’ I would think if she just lost 40 pounds and is a spokesperson for a weight loss program AND she’s back on red carpets that she would be showin’ it all off to get some new fabulous jobs… aw, well. Maybe she’s just taking it one day at a time…And that’s just what Lisa Raye should be doing. I love the new hair (I actually have that same hair in a box in my closet), but what is up with that hot tranny mess of an ensemble? (Minus the sandals of course: LOVING THEM!) It’s part bridesmaid, part summer teen and part tablecloth all in one!

As I look at it now it looks like this entire red carpet is a mess. Does Justine Bateman think she’s still on the set of Satisfaction? Has Kevin James gone Gangsta Rapper on us? Is Minnie Driver about to break into a routine from Flashdance? Did Queen Latifah just happen to be doing her cardio down Hollywood Boulevard and made a wrong turn and ended up on the red carpet? Does Amanda Peet not realize her makeup is that of a cracked out rocker on a 10 day binge? Has Virginia Madsen FINALLY proved to us once and for all what really IS black and white and red all over?

(Sigh, I am exhausted)`

Special thanks go out to Jason Bateman for being the real hero of the red carpet of a superhero movie. He looks like a true star at an actual premiere for one of the summer’s hottest films. Thank you Jason…and I miss Arrested Development more than you will ever know. (Is it true there’s rumored to be an A.D. movie in ’09? Please say yes, PLEASE!)

The stars were out for the premiere of the new terrorism-themed film The Kingdom in LA on Monday. Jennifer Garner looked stunning in a loose red dress with tiered layers. Jada Pinkett Smith’s outfit was a definite miss, though. She wore fuschia satin shorts paired with a matching jacket. She loves bright colors and looks great in simple dresses with shocking colors, but her look was just wrong. Her husband Will looked hot though in a quilted black leather jacket, shades and dark jeans.

I saw the trailer for this movie during one of my rare nights out when my husband and I went to see The Bourne Supremacy. It looks like a good intelligent thriller, and centers around FBI agents, played by Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman and Chris Cooper, trying to capture a lead terrorist after a civilian attack on the US. Watching the trailer gave me goosebumps and it hit too close to home for me as I lived right near NY when 9/11 happened. I’m not sure theater-goers are ready for that with the war still going on and touching so many people. (Not that there is any connection between the war and 9/11. It’s just that too many people have died recently through random acts of terrorism, and there’s a lot of that in this movie.) It looks like it provides the riveting story of the capture of a top terrorist, but I don’t think I would be able to watch it, even on DVD.

Here’s the trailer:

The Kingdom is getting decent reviews, and is said to be an action-packed film with a tight plot. It currently has a 60% aggregate critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Kingdom is out in US theaters on September 28.

Shown at the premiere are Jennifer Garner, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, a hot-looking pregnant Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, Jeremy Piven looking beat, Amanda Peet, Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, and Jason Bateman. Thanks to PRPhotos for these pictures.