Pop Culture Roundup Jan. 17, 2007

Gyneth Paltrow will star as Tony Stark's secretary Pepper Potts opposite Robert Downey Jr. in the new "Iron Man" film, Marvel Comics has announced.

Paltrow will portray billionaire industrialist and genius inventor Tony Stark's indispensable personal assistant, Virginia "Pepper" Potts. Pepper is an invaluable resource to Stark Industries, and one of the few people in Tony's life who can go toe-to-toe with him, occasionally acting as his conscience and working to keep his priorities straight as he secretly defends the world as the armored hero known as Iron Man. Below the surface, Tony and Pepper share a deep attraction for one another although neither is willing to admit it.

Paltrow joins a star-studded cast for Marvel Entertainment's first self-financed and produced feature film, which also includes Oscar(R) nominees Robert Downey Jr. in the title role and Terrence Howard as Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes, Stark's best friend. Jon Favreau is set to direct. This latest move reinforces the continued allure of Marvel's films among Hollywood's most celebrated talent.

The film is slated to hit theaters May 2, 2008.


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Live at Massey Hall is the second in a series of archival live concert recordings due out from Neil Young. Here's the press release:

On January 19, 1971, Neil Young performed at Massey Hall in Toronto, Canada. In many ways, this was a major homecoming event. He had left Canada in 1966, soon becoming a member of Buffalo Springfield in Los Angeles, then recording his self-titled debut solo album in 1968. That was followed by "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" with Crazy Horse, then Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's "Déjà vu" in 1970 and his best-selling album "After The Gold Rush." By the time Young came back to Canada for the Massey Hall concert, he had become one of the most exciting and successful singer-songwriters in rock.

Neil Young was performing solo that evening in Toronto, playing many of his well-known songs like "Down by the River," "Ohio" and "I Am a Child." But he also included several new originals that would be featured on his next new album, "Harvest," which had not been released yet, like "Old Man," "The Needle and the Damage Done" and "Heart of Gold." The audience had not heard any of these before, and the night was an historic and moving performance for all.

"This is the album that should have come out between 'After The Gold Rush' and 'Harvest,'" Young says now. "David Briggs, my producer, was adamant that this should be the record, but I was very excited about the takes we got on 'Harvest,' and wanted 'Harvest' out. David disagreed. As I listen to this today, I can see why."

"Live At Massey Hall," produced by Young and the late David Briggs, is the second Reprise Records release in the Neil Young Archives Performance Series, following last year's "Live At The Fillmore East" album. Both are in anticipation of the "Archives Volume I" collection, due this fall. That 8-CD, 2-DVD audiobiography will include Young's music from 1963 to 1972, and feature a treasure trove of previously unreleased recordings, both studio and live, along with concert footage and rare memorabilia from the first decade of Neil Young's long and unequaled career.


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The Bat-Blog presents some nifty foreign Batman comic book covers.

Best Batman Sites.

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Bob Dylan contributed a new song, "Huck's Tune," to the soundtrack of the gambling-themed move "Lucky You." A Kris Kristofferson original ("They Ain't Got 'Em All") and Bruce Springsteen's "The Fever" and "Lucky Town" also are featured.

"Lucky You" is due March 6 via Columbia and in theaters March 16. The soundtrack also features tracks from Ryan Adams, George Jones, Shawn Colvin, Bonnie Raitt and the film's co-star, Drew Barrymore, who plays an aspiring singer.

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From BoingBoing: A nice tribute to recently departed sci-fi author/philosopher Robert Anton Wilson, whose works were a big influence on the creators of "Lost."

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Sharity: James Dean on Conga Drums!

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"Lost" cast member Elizabeth Mitchell, who plays the mysterious Other Juliet, gets a flashback when the series comes back Feb. 7. Spoilers may apply.

Best "Lost" Sites.

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More on the Beatles/iTunes rumors from the Toronto Sun. The gist, rumor has it the entire Beatles catalog may be available on iTunes by June. Also, remastered CDs of the catalog also are planned, centering around the 40th anniversary of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in June. Pepper, itself, may be released in some sort of a special edition. We'll see. In the meantime, it'd probably be a good idea for me to start saving my money.

Best Beatles Sites.

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The great Charlton Comics writer Joe Gill has passed away. Mark Evanier has more.

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The early Doctor Who adventure "The Gunfighters" is being released in a CD adaptation Feb. 5. Audio from the original TV programs featuring first Doctor William Hartnell were used, along with new linking narration.

Best Doctor Who Sites.

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