As most of you know, this weekend was the press junket for “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” here in Los Angeles.  Since so many of the cast were in attendance, Summit Entertainment divided up the actors by who they played in the movie.  Since Michael Sheen (Aro), Jamie Campbell Bower (Caius), Dakota Fanning (Jane), and Cameron Bright (Alec) played the Volturi in “New Moon”, it made sense they would share a press conference.  So if you’d like to read or listen to what they had to say about their characters and being in “New Moon”, hit the jump.

As I said yesterday, while I never post studio provided interviews, when you’re dealing with a property like “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”, you make exceptions. Also, I know some of you “Twilight” fans and you want to see everything.

Here’s what you need to know: when actors are on set and filming a movie, at some point they do generic interviews for the eventual EPK (electronic press kit). Meaning some studio intern or production assistant asks the most basic questions and the actor answers them. They’re not exactly hard hitting interviews. But, like I said, you “Twilight” fans want to see everything and I aim to please. So after the jump you can watch on set video interviews with Stephenie Meyer, Michael Sheen, Dakota Fanning, Ashley Greene and Director Chris Weitz.

Three new movie posters have been released for “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” and they feature the Cullens, the Volturi, and the Wolf Pack. Since I haven’t read the books, I can’t say if the actors portraying the characters look the part, but I did recently see the trailer for “New Moon” and have to say…it looked a hell of a lot better than the first film. Who knows, maybe director Chris Weitz actually made the “Twilight” film the fans have been dreaming about. We will all know soon enough as “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” hits theaters November 20^th. Take a look at the new posters after the jump.

New photos of the latest entrants to “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” have surfaced online. They include Michael Sheen as Aro, Dakota Fanning as Jane, and Jamie Campbell Bower as Caius in full vampiric regalia. In this sequel to last November’s “Twilight,” Bella must leave the Cullens, who have become too ravenous for her blood, in favor of new company among werewolves. The three newcomers are members of an elite coven of vampires called the Volturi. See their new pics after the jump.

Just in time for the seventieth anniversary of MGM’s “The Wizard of Oz” comes news that a sequel is in the works… or rather, another sequel.  Producers have been trying for years to modernize the classic film, including a rumored 2002 version that would have starred Drew Barrymore.  So who’s on tap to try on those ruby slippers this time?  Young Dakota Fanning, who else?  Hit the jump for details.

Summit Entertainment has just released a featurette for “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” called ‘Meet Jacob Black’. If you’ve been waiting to see more footage of Taylor Lautner (Jacob) without his shirt on, you’ve come to the right place. The company that “Twilight” built has also released an updated synopsis for “New Moon” and that’s after the jump. While I still don’t understand the “Twilight” phenomenon, who am I to judge. I used to love “Star Wars”. Look where that got me.

We’re at a point where CGI, where computers in general are taking over cinema. It’s a quick fix for a lot of problems. Want to change the sky, want to have kites flying, want to have a hummingbird or flies do exactly what you want? Get a computer and add it that way. Alas, what happens is that the ability to invest in the story is somewhat compromised if the seams are visible in ways that weren’t as troubling when the seams were literally visible. Being able to deny the reality of what is presented makes everything palatable. There is no danger, no truth.

My review of Coraline after the jump.

Just Jared has landed some behind-the-scenes photos of Dakota Fanning as rocker Cherie Currie in the upcoming biopic “The Runaways”.  We previously saw Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett but she was still pretty recognizable as Stewart (not to slam the make-up or costume job; it’s just you know it’s Stewart just as you know it’s Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash).  Fanning is a different story.  While I can still tell it’s Fanning, she really has grown up fast and, more importantly, she’s growing up well.  I don’t mean that in the dirty old man sense but in that I think she’s serious about being the mature actor that never really suited her as a child when that attitude came off as irritatingly precocious (to the point where Amy Poehler and SNL could mock it mercilessly).  What’s more, she doesn’t need films like “Hounddog” to say “I’m a mature actress”.  She was one of the best parts of “Push” and I have high hopes for her performance in “The Runaways”.

Hit the jump to see a couple of set photos and head over to JustJared to see the full gallery.

I don’t like my casting news contradicted.  Hollywood, if you’re going to re-cast a role, I want a huge, messy blow-up transparently covered-up with the time-honored excuse of “creative differences”.  So when we reported on Rolling Stone’s reporting that “Caprica” actress Alessandra Torresani in the upcoming biopic about the all-girl rock band The Runaways (co-starring Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie), we thought that was the end of the story.  But today, Variety is reporting that the film has found its Lita Ford in “Halloween” actress Scout Taylor-Compton.  While I’m happy to pass the buck to Rolling Stone and take no blame for a previously false casting report, nothing can cover up my indifference towards who plays Ford in this biopic.  But I would like to know what happened with Torresani.

There is only one good thing that came out of “Revolutionary Road” and that was Michael Shannon.  His career has really taken off since his performance in that film and subsequent Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination.  He’ll be in the upcoming adaptation of “Jonah Hex” and I’m looking forward to seeing his performance in “The Missing Person” which premiered at Sundance earlier this year.

Now he’s going to be rocking out in the biopic “The Runaways” about Joan Jett and her all-girl rock band.  Kristen Stewart is playing Jett with Dakota Fanning on board as Cherie Currie.  Shannon is in negotiations to play someone yet to be identified but who was personally or professionally associated with the band.  However, he’s got some other offers as well and the timing is still being worked out for “Runaways”.  I say the more Shannon the better so hopefully he’ll be on board for this flick.