There’s a great profile in Variety today of feature film comedy director Dennis Dugan, who recently joined a very exclusive Tinseltown club: the one featuring directors, producers, writers and actors whose works have grossed more than $1 billion at the box office.

Dugan has worked closely for many years with Adam Sandler. Their latest collaboration, Grown Ups, is what pushed the D-man over the B-mark. But as writer Steve Heisler points out, it all began for Dugan when he tried out as an actor for a late 1980′s TV classic.

Read more

Later today, Atlanta-based mogul Tyler Perry will share what he describes as the most “in-depth and revelatory interview” he has ever done, providing details of early childhood sexual abuse at the hands of several men and one woman. But the setting for this tearful conversation is not the pages of Vanity Fair, the light bulb map backdrop of Larry King Live or the punchy paragraph scroll of TMZ.com.

Rather, it is today’s episode of Oprah, where host Oprah Winfrey, in her 25th and final season, continues to lead the way with substantive film and TV industry related coverage. Even a recent episode with Love Story co-stars Ali McGraw and Ryan O’Neal, their first on-camera reunion in 20 years, was more revelatory and satisfying than most of what passes for west coast breaking entertainment news. Especially intriguing were repeat examinations by the pair of the seminal 1970 movie’s signature line, ‘Love means never having to say you’re sorry.’ O’Neal, a regular target of the tabloids, also spoke movingly about his relationship with the late Farrah Fawcett.

Read more

Atonement Wows Venice Fest
A-list celebs and their filmmaker friends are causing a commotion in the canals right now at the Venice Film Festival, which kicked off its 75th anniversary yesterday with the premiere of Joe Wright’s war romancer Atonement. Variety gives complete coverage, calling the fest’s opening “an invigorating shot of youth.” The news story, by Nick Vivarelli and Ali Jaafar, says the pic received a positive reception, a rare occurrence in Venice. Reviewer Derek Elley agreed with the report in his own critical account of “Atonement,” writing “rarely has a book sprung to vividly to life” in a “smart, dazzling” film. He continues that its stars – Keira Knightley and James McAvoy – show “impressive star poise and physical elan.” Speaking of physical, the tabs are likely to have a field day with Knightley’s presence on the red carpet with early chatter criticizing on her gaunt appearance. Those starlets never seem to catch a break do they?

Easton Ellis Novel Headed to Big-Screen
Another Bret Easton Ellis novel is being prepped for the big-screen with the packaging of his The Informers almost fully formed thanks to the addition of cast-members Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger and Brandon Routh, THR reports. Ashley Olsen, Jon Foster, Austin Nichols and Lou Taylor Pucci are also in the mix for the adaptation to be directed by Gregor Jordan. The story centers on seven stories taking course during a week in the life of a movie exec, his wife, his mistress, a rock star, a vampire and a kidnapper. Oh my!

Innovative Agents Show Fortitude
That interesting lawsuit sitch at Innovative Artists – two agents sued the firm’s partner to get out of allegedly unfair employment contracts – continues to play itself out with Michael McConnell and Ben Press announcing in THR today that they’ve launched their own fully-financed agent. The duo has formed a new shingle, fortitude, bringing a client list that includes Chevy Chase, Gina Gershon, Lara Flynn Boyle and Cybill Shepherd, among others. Rosters aside, Innovative honcho Scott Harris says in the story that his former employees’ claims are “disappointing.”

Zellweger Headed to Miami
In casting news, Variety reports that Renee Zellweger will team up with Harry Connick Jr. in the fish-out-water comedy Chilled in Miami for Gold Circle Films. Pic will find the Oscar-winning actress starring as a Miami businesswoman who is transferred to Minnesota. Jonas Elmer is directing and funny enough, his last film was a Danish pic called Nynne which was often referred to as the Danish Bridget Jones.
- CHRIS GARDNER