BY SEAN O’CONNELL

Hollywood is a busy town. Movers bump into shakers on their way to the next power meeting. You have to move quickly if you want to keep up.

HollywoodNews.com is here to help. Our interview feature, “Hollywood In Five,” showcases the creative individuals responsible for the movies we love, and corners them for five quality minutes. Or, at least, as close to 5 minutes as we can manage!

Click here to listen to our interview with “The Crazies” director Breck Eisner.

Breck Eisner, son of Hollywood executive Michael Eisner, cut his teeth directing psychological thrillers (2003’s “Thoughtcrimes”) and big-budget, tentpole vehicles (“Sahara,” with Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz). This weekend, audiences will see a different side of the storyteller as he tackles a stripped-down, chilled-to-the-bone adaptation of George A. Romero’s 1973 horror fave, “The Crazies.”

The film follows the denizens of a quiet, Midwestern farm community who must fight for their survival once a toxin in the water turns townfolk into malicious zombies. Eisner spoke to HollywoodNews.com on his way to the airport on the day his movie hits theaters.

- Overture Lets Loose Crazy Comics, Games

- A night to remember for “The Crazies”

By SEAN O’CONNELL
Lost in the hoopla over “Avatar’s” staggering box office is the quiet success of Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes.” Based on weekend estimates posted by Box Office Mojo, the literary franchise reboot has taken in $204.3 million at the domestic box (on top of an additional $203 million overseas), making it one of only 10 films release in 2009 to cross the $.200 million mark.

For most of the talent involved, this shatters previous records. Ritchie’s highest grossing film before “Sherlock” was “Snatch.” It earned $30 million. Jude Law, who plays the esteemed Dr. Watson, was part of the $118-million-grossing “Lemony Snicket” … as the narrator. As for Holmes himself, Robert Downey Jr. has only one film that has outgrossed “Sherlock,” and that’s Jon Favreau’s “Iron Man.” Expect this summer’s “Iron” sequel to top both “Holmes” and the original “Iron” adventure.

Speaking of sequels, talk of a “Sherlock” second act has circulated. The Hollywood Reporter recently wrote that Brad Pitt – who worked with Ritchie on “Snatch,” has “had discussions” about playing Moriarty in the next film. But on the L.A. Times’ blog, “Holmes” producer Joel Silver was quoted as saying, “Well, I mean, we talked about that at one point, but you know as of right now we’re not sure what we’re going to do. We’ll see what happens.”
We certainly will.

BY SEAN O’CONNELL
Look! Up on the Warner Bros. lot! It’s … Christopher Nolan, swooping in to potentially save another DC Comics franchise that has lost its way.

Deadline Hollywood has reported that Nolan – fan-fave director or “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight” – has been approached by Warner to serve as a guiding “Godfather” on a planned “Superman” reboot. It’s unlikely Nolan would direct the picture, as the article also states that Nolan has “hatched an idea” for a third Batman movie and probably would move on to that project instead.

The story does it make it clear, however, that the new Superman movie would not be a sequel to Bryan Singer’s “Superman Returns,” which was well-received by critics and fans but considered a financial disappointment thanks, in part, to its lofty budget. This would be a complete reboot, a la Batman when Nolan first took over or the current reboot on Spider-Man, Daredevil and countless other superhero characters. It’s a good time to be in the comic-book business. More on the Superman story as it develops.

By SEAN O’CONNELL
HollywoodNews.com stays on top of the latest DVD and Blu-ray releases so you know which films are worth your time and money. This week, we recommend: Zombieland
With all due respect to George A. Romero, the zombie genre has been done to (un)death. So last year’s fresh, funny horror-comedy hybrid “Zombieland” – now on home video from Sony – ended up being an unexpected pleasure.

Woody Harrelson and Jamie Eisenberg lead audiences through a desolate, postapocalyptic America where 99 percent of the population has succumbed to a sophisticated version of Mad Cow Disease, turning them into brain-craving, flesh-ripping lightning-fast zombies. “Zombieland” is gory, for sure. Blood and guts flow in earnest. But first-time director Ruben Fleischer wisely lightens the overall mood with twisted jokes that contribute to the film’s carnival atmosphere. And the best laugh, no longer secret, involves a famous comedian making a beyond-the-grave cameo. Enjoy!

Grab the DVD for deleted scenes, an audio commentary track, two behind-the-scenes featurettes, visual effects clips and theatrical promo trailers.
The movie – *** out of 4
The DVD – *** out of 4

Adam
Max Mayer’s tender, sweet “Adam” flew under the radar last year but deserves a second look for its patient approach to young love between flawed individuals their first steps out of the proverbial “nest” and into the real world.

One of them, Adam (Hugh Dancy), happens to have Asperger’s syndrome, which prompts him to see the rodl through a very literal scope. Instead of exploiting the infliction, however, “Adam” lets the relationship between Beth (Rose Byrne) and the boy in her new apartment building unfold organically. Adam’s disorder is but one piece of a relationship puzzle that’s nurtured out of its shell by the performers. “Adam” is a movie about growing up. I think it will grow on people over time.

Supplements on the “Adam” DVD from Fox Home Entertainment include a commentary track, deleted scenes (including an alternate ending), a “Creating Adam” piece and the FOX Movie Channel segment on “Life After Film School with Rose Byrne.”

The movie – *** out of 4
The DVD – *** out of 4

BY SEAN O’CONNELL
“Josh and I don’t get along at all, really. For most of our scenes, I had them put a bag over his head because I can’t stand looking at him.”

So says Kristen Bell of her supposedly handsome “When In Rome” co-star Josh Duhamel. Now, Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie likely would disagree with Bell about Duhamel’s looks – she clearly finds something attractive in the “Transformers” star.

But Bell was merely cracking wise as she promoted the romantic comedy, playfully explaining how chemistry isn’t something actors can put their fingers on while they are filming.

“Honest to God, it’s such a gamble,” she said. “You have no idea. You could get along like best friends (with a co-star) and it could read horrible on camera. Or we could be at each other’s throats and then it could read great.”

Positive reviews given to “Rome” indicate that Bell and Duhamel clicked as a harried museum curator and the sports reporter who falls under her spell. Duhamel, meanwhile, is quick to credit his director, who cut his teeth on a pair of not-very-funny superhero films, “Daredevil” and “Ghost Rider.”

“Our director, Mark Steven Johnson, is a genuinely good dude and a very funny man,” said Duhamel. “This movie, more than anything than I have done, made me feel very free to sort of go for (the joke), and if it didn’t work, my co-stars weren’t afraid to tell me.”

“And I think (it helped) having so many genuinely funny people around us,” Bell said. “Everybody had their own ideas. Although it did, at points, seem like we had too many ideas, but that’s not a bad thing.”

Will Arnett, Danny DeVito and Dax Shepard are just a few of those funny colleagues. All three were cast as potential suitors for Bell’s lonely curator. They follow Bell back to New York City when she picks their coins out of a Roman fountain. And while Shepard credits the comedy in the script, he spent most of his time deviating from the screenplay just to make Arnett laugh.

“I just think he’s the funniest guy on the planet,” Shepard said of the “Arrested Development” star. “And so anytime I can get him rolling, I feel like I’ve done my job.”
When asked what makes Arnett chuckle, Shepard explains, “Anything that is the opposite of him. He’s kind of aristocratic and refined, and I’m more of a hillbilly. So I think anytime I shock him with my blue-collar senses, that’s how I get him.”

And that humor tends to work quite well on Bell and Duhamel.

“We like very silly movies,” Duhamel said.

Bell elaborates, “There are certain types of people who are obsessed with ‘Ace Ventura’ and ‘Dumb and Dumber,’ and those kinds of people are me and Josh.”