While everyone else was at the SAGs on Sunday, Leonardo DiCaprio was at the Santa Barbara Film Festival saluting Christopher Nolan who received the Modern Master Award. Nolan gets no love from the Academy. Perhaps because his movies make so much money? Steven Spielberg had that problem too. The BAFTAs however are well in his favour. And Inception will have a presence there on February 13th.

Nolan meanwhile is expected to start shooting The Dark Knight Rises (I hate this title) in May. He’s also producing the upcoming Superman with its newly confirmed star Henry Cavill. While Nolan will not be involved in the everyday workings of that production, leaving that to director Zack Snyder, he did tell Hitfix.com that:

"I think Henry is going to be amazing."

Sarah noted yesterday that she was bored by the choice. While the vast majority of you vehemently disagree with her position that Daniel Radcliffe would have been more interesting, the point is that the CHARACTER isn’t interesting. And casting someone handsome, fit, strapping, and dimpled isn’t indicative of a new direction in interesting for a hero that, frankly, isn’t quite as compelling as some of the dark moody ones who’ve emerged as popular figures in recent memory. What’s the wisdom in resurrecting a man with no demons? Sure, they could give him some new ones, yeah. But when you’re starting off already with someone so lame, by today’s modern standards of hipness, it’s a long leap.

The argument could be made though that there’s something to be said of Nolan’s reputation. And this is true in the sense that if he’s attaching his name to a project, the project might not suck. Having said that, Nolan, arguably the leading craftsman right now, decided not to direct it himself. Scheduling? Or lack of inspiration? Here’s a guy who gets off on the creativity. If it was really that creative, I’m pretty sure no one would complain if he took the reins himself. That’s a clue too.

But I do like Henry Cavill. A lot. And I hope the film is good. I’m happy to eat it, very, very happy to eat it, if his Superman is good.

As for Leo – well, Baz Luhrmann is still taking his sweet time deciding whether or not he’ll actually go ahead with The Great Gatsby remake… in 3D. He’s expected to announce a decision this week. (Source) If they go ahead, apparently they’ll shoot this summer.


Photos from John M. Heller/Gettyimages.com