I'm in Dallas for the second AFI Dallas Film Festival, and having a great time so far. The fest has worked through some of those first-year kinks and things seem to be sailing along smoothly, though I know there's probably lots of finagling going on behind the scenes that makes whatever glitches do come up invisible to most of us here. Shuttle service for passholders this year is making it much easier to navigate the fest quickly and efficiently between venues. The festival lounge is great this year -- the space is nicely decorated, there are always yummy snacks on hand, the drinks flow all night long, and Guitar Hero battles happen nightly.

I kicked things off here on Tuesday moderating a panel on women filmmakers for a private event held for a group of high-powered corporate women. Filmmakers SJ Main (Luck of the Draw) and Robin Bliley (Circus Rosaire) made my job super easy; both had many insights to share about being independent filmmakers and women working in the business, and the women (and their husbands) in attendance had many thought-provoking questions that kept the tone conversational and interesting.

It's a good thing Child Protective Services never saw Nim (Abigail Breslin) in action or there wouldn't be any movie. Nim would be quietly toiling away in school, perhaps going to the mall and texting her friends. But in the new PG-rated family film Nim's Island, she climbs trees (and volcanoes), swings through the jungle, cooks dinner using mealworms as a main ingredient, reads adventure stories and talks to animals. Nim's father, Jack (Gerard Butler), is a marine biologist who has set up residence on a remote, South Pacific island to study microorganisms. It's just the two of them, so when Jack goes off on a two-day expedition to find new samples, Nim insists on staying behind. But after a huge storm, Jack is left stranded in the middle of the ocean. And when "pirates" (really tourists) invade the island, and her father fails to return on schedule, Nim gets scared.

One of the films I've been itching to see, which can't even seem to get itself in front of the camera, is Jodie Foster's Flora Plum. For at least the last ten years, there has been buzz about this film, which was originally going to star Claire Danes, out of My So-Called Life and into Yale, and Russell Crowe. But just like bad luck has loomed in Terry Gilliam's world of filmmaking, Foster just can't seem to get it made.

Crowe injured himself and production stopped. He never returned to the project and later in 2002, there was word that Ewan McGregor was taking over. Again, it stopped. Yet Foster is still determined to get the film made. She talked with MTV, and is still very invested in getting it made. However, she's being wary about how much she says, for fear that she'll jinx herself. "My new superstition is to never mention it, because every time I do, my film falls apart." From there, she talks about finally jumping behind the camera again, over a decade since her last directorial effort, Home for the Holidays.

Gerard Butler. I always knew that some day you'd come walking back through my door. I never doubted that. Something made it inevitable.

Gerard Butler's "officially unofficial" fansite is hosting a bunch of high-resolution stills of Butler and Jodie Foster from the upcoming Nim's Island. I was going to post a bigger version of Butler and his bullwhip here, but my computer is protesting, so it's better if you head on over there to view them. (I cannot find where they originated from -- and the site is mum, so if I am slighting someone, I apologize.)

I have to say, Butler looks less than thrilled in most of these. I guess he has more poise than I do, and wasn't running around yelling "You betrayed Shiva!" the entire shoot. Or maybe he was, and just wore himself out. I dig the costume though, especially the boots.

In other Island news, the film is reaching out to children with the Nim's Island: Our World, A Reel Thinking Event. Hosted by Jeff Corwin, the special will be aired on Animal Planet on April 2nd at 10am PST/EST, as well as in schools across the country. It will go behind the scenes of the film, while educating about environmental issues, and encouraging students to come up with solutions. Animal Planet and Walden Media are also sponsoring a contest to implement one classroom's best earth-saving idea.

I really love that this film is avoiding the McDonalds and merchandising route, and is instead educating children on coral reefs and living green. What a lovely idea! I hope a similar marketing scheme accompanies Wall*E.

Pictured: Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr. re-create a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's To Catch a Thief (click on the image for a larger version).

There's been lots of talk surrounding Vanity Fair's 2008 Hollywood Portfolio edition (March issue), which features several notable celebrities re-creating memorable scenes from Alfred Hitchcock films. VF loves to do stuff like this, but I have to say this one is my favorite so far. Among the celebs who took part are Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert Downey Jr. (seen above), Jodie Foster, Seth Rogen, Naomi Watts, Keira Knightley, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Marion Cotillard, James McAvoy, Emile Hirsch, Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem, Charlize Theron and many more. You can scope out Johansson and Bardem re-creating a scene from Rear Window (one of my personal Hitchcock favs) below, then head after the jump to see more (and click on all photos for larger versions).

[via Oh No They Didn't, Slashfilm]

Best Actress (Drama)

Nominees:

Cate Blanchett -- Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Julie Christie -- Away from Her

Jodie Foster -- The Brave One

Angelina Jolie -- A Mighty Heart

Keira Knightley -- Atonement

Predicted Winner: Keira Knightley

The sexy beanpole tomboy has blossomed into a full-fledged heavyweight as a dramatic actress, gracefully inhabiting the soul of an edgy, stylish flapper turned tragic, pining romantic heroine. The Cinematical writers are sold: Keira's time has come.

Now it's your turn to vote ...

It seems so strange these days to see Jodie Foster doing slapstick comedy. She gets into lots of drama and action, but when was the last time she made you laugh? For me, it was those early days when she was involved in all things Disney, and when she had one Freaky Friday. (If you haven't yet, check out the retro trailer from Stars in Rewind.) Over 30 years later, she's jumping on the wacky wagon again, but this time for some more fantastical adventure.

You might remember that she's part of Nim's Island -- the Swiss Family Robinson sort of film that has her starring alongside Abigail Breslin (Nim) and Gerard Butler. The trailer, which has now popped up online over at Ace Showbiz, pretty much explains things -- her character is an agoraphobic adventure writer who has to face her fears when her biggest fan asks for her help. Nim and her dad (Butler) live on a remote island, and she's stranded when he gets lost at sea. Men then try to take over the island, so Nim asks Alex Rover for help -- the star of Foster's action books (who is played by Butler as well).

The trailer has Foster freaking out over the thought of leaving her house, which is compounded by the fact that her adventure won't take her just down the street for a coffee, but rather, across the world. An imagined Rover taunts her, getting her out of the house and into a number of adventures not only to reach Nim, but to help her save the island. It's complete family fare, with the cheesy trailer voice-over and everything, but I have to say -- it looks like the kind of film you could get lost in your goofy, youthful memories with. We'll find out soon enough. The film opens on April 4. Either way, it's nice to see Foster embrace her goofiness again.

Considering the fact that Jodie Foster has been acting since the '60s, it's pretty damned impressive that she just made this year's top ten highest-paid actresses list. But me, I'm a fan of the Foster before the big success, when she popped up on all the old-school television shows and even better -- when she had one hell of a freaky Friday. Since it just happens to be that same day, in honor of that great little film from 30+ years ago, not the La Lohan remake, I offer you Walt Disney's Freaky Friday.

Annabel and her mom aren't getting along, and both naively assume that the other has it easier. They wish that they could switch places, and poof! -- they do. This trailer just brings back memories -- I had completely forgotten about Foster's spastic faux waterskiing. But the kicker here -- the description of John Astin's character -- "a confused, male chauvinist." Gotta love chauvinism as a selling feature. Have a great weekend, folks!

There should be two lists: Which actress makes the most and which actress deserves the most. The Hollywood Reporter released their annual list of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood, and leading the pack is Reese Witherspoon, who commands a whopping $15 to $20 million per film. Since winning an Oscar for her performance in Walk the Line, Witherspoon has starred in Just Like Heaven, Penelope and Rendition -- all of which did poop at the box office (save for Penelope which never opened). Will she still be demanding this much next year? God, I hope not. Geez, friggin' Carrot Top entertains more people than this gal.

Number two on the list, of course, is Angelina Jolie (though she only earned $8 million for lending her voice and body to Beowulf). Next up are Cameron Diaz ($15 million per film), Nicole Kidman ($10-15 million), Renee Zellweger ($10-15 million), Sandra Bullock ($10-15 million) and Julia Roberts ($10-15 million). Drew Barrymore, Jodie Foster and Halle Berry round out the list with around $10 to $12 million each per film. Out of all those names, unfortunately, I believe Jolie was the only one to turn in a great performance this year in A Mighty Heart (we'll see if Kidman redeems herself in both Margot at the Wedding and The Golden Compass come awards time). The rest? Blah. So blah. Might as well take all their photos and slide them next to the word 'overrated' in the dictionary. So, in your opinion, who deserves the most? And feel free to list someone not mentioned here.

The 1990s had no shortage of dysfunctional family movies, but Jodie Foster's second (and still most recent) directorial effort Home for the Holidays (1995) sends them all packing by bringing the family together for Thanksgiving dinner. Most movies in this genre handle the wide tapestry of characters by assigning them one-dimensional, easily defined personality types, but Foster and her screenwriter, the great W.D. "Rick" Richter, fit in dozens of remarkable little moments that bring everyone into three-dimensional relief. It begins with Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter, at her pluckiest) happily at work, restoring old paintings. (The opening credit sequence is rich with information, such as using egg yolks as a base.) Unfortunately, she gets laid off, tries to make out with her boss and comes down with a cold. Her teenage daughter (Claire Danes) announces that she's spending the holiday with her boyfriend and will be having sex for the first time.

With failure and humiliation hung around her neck, she returns home for turkey day. To rub it in, Claudia loses her fancy, big city coat at the airport and must settle for wearing her mother's puffy, hideously out-of-date coat for the rest of the visit. On the plane, she calls her closest companion, her brother Tommy (Robert Downey Jr.) and begs him to come too. It's an awkward, babbling message, but touchingly honest. Tommy, a cackling, gay nutcase full of mischievous energy, does turn up and brings the sexy Leo Fish (Dylan McDermott). Claudia is single, and in a lesser movie -- Dan in Real Life, for example -- everyone in the family would pester her to find a man, as if they had no concerns of their own. And certainly the subject comes up, most heartbreakingly in a scene with the sad-sack David Strathairn as an old classmate -- a meeting arranged by Claudia's mom (Anne Bancroft).