El mitote

Inez Russell | The New Mexican

3/1/2008 - 3/2/08

The made-in-New Mexico brand is shinier than ever, what with No Country for Old Men walking away with the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Director (los hermanos Coen, Ethan and Joel), Best Supporting Actor (Javier Bardem) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Also, los Coens). With the movie based on a novel by Santa Fe resident Cormac McCarthy, there's even more good news in last week's Oscar results for our region. Three other New Mexico movies (all or partially made here), 3:10 to Yuma, In the Valley of Elah and Transformers, also received Oscar nods.


Big movies keep on rolling in. Christian Bale, who co-starred in 3:10 to Yuma, will be returning to the state as the lead in Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins. Bale is the adult John Connor in the fourth installment of the popular series (and the first part of the second trilogy.) Connor will be leading the revolution against a sentient computer network that is plotting to eliminate humankind. Release date: May 22, 2009, with filming to last May through August in Santa Fe and other New Mexico locations. Bring on the revolution!


Bio-pic anyone? Nicole Kidman apparently is the choice to play Valerie Plame in an upcoming bio-pic. Plame, the outed CIA spy, is now just another best-selling author and Santa Fe mom. She and her husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson, have settled in to life in the City Different since leaving Washington, D.C., and its political intrigue behind. Kidman is the pick of director Doug Liman, whose current project, Jumper, opened No. 1 at the box office last month.


Actress and red carpet offender Bai Ling, most recently in the news for an embarrassing shoplifting arrest ($16 worth of batteries and celeb magazines at an airport shop), has joined the cast of Love Ranch, starring Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci as Grace and Charlie Botempo. Based on events at the real-life Mustang Ranch, the first legal house of prostitution in Nevada, the film reunites Mirren and her husband, director Taylor Hackford, in their first professional collaboration since 1985. (For trivia buffs, the movie was White Nights.) It's a love triangle in Reno, with New Mexico starring as Nevada.

Mirren, a presenter at last week's Oscars, had to fly back to the set to resume filming bright and early on Monday — the climactic scene, no less, at a boxing match. Loads of extras were sought, asked to wear their 1970s best and show up at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque by 7 a.m. The set of the actual brothel is by San Ysidro near Jemez Pueblo. Also in the cast are Gina Gershon (P.S. I Love You), Bryan Cranston (Little Miss Sunshine) and Scout Taylor-Compton (Halloween).


Cartoonist Bill Mauldin is the subject of a new biography, written by Todd DePastino. Mauldin, a longtime Santa Fe resident, rose to fame as the chronicler of the everyday soldier during World War II with his cartoons in Stars and Stripes. He was a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner whose Willie and Joe came to symbolize the average American G.I. He died in California in 2003.


College of Santa Fe senior Erin Fisher (Moving Images Department) had the honor of being a nominee at last month's Film Independent Spirit Awards for her work on the film, Quiet City. The film was up for the John Cassavetes Award, which goes to the best pic made for under $500,000. Fisher was a co-star and snagged a writing credit along with fellow co-star Cris Lankenau and director, editor and primary screenwriter Aaron Katz because of the collaborative nature of the film. In addition to the nomination, the movie was a New York Times Critics' Pick and was selected for six 2007 film festivals. The party over, Erin's back to finish her senior year and return to work at The Screen at CSF. She hopes to be a film editor after she graduates.


Keep the beer flowing: Willie Nelson has been confirmed to join Beer 4 My Horses, now filming in and around Santa Fe (a recent bar scene in Madrid was rocking). A few local faces are slated for the Toby Keith film, too. David Manzanares, musician, local and location scout, is playing Bad Guy/Henchman, as is stuntman and actor Tomas Sanchez. Rio Rancho Elementary School student, Ray Aguayo, (he plays 9-13 when not attending school) has been cast as Chico.

Got news? Please send star sightings to elmitote@sfnewmexican.com.