In an interesting combination, Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington have agreed to appear in David Cronenberg’s next film, an adaptation of Robert Ludlum’s Matarese Circle. This is an interesting combination, mostly because of Cronenberg’s involvement. Matrarese Circle is a traditional spy thriller – something you don’t envision Cronenberg being part of.

Inglourious Basterds trailer is online. Can’t wait for all the misspellings of this film title.

Joaquin Phoenix is either doing his best Borat or he conducted one of the most stoned interviews ever last night on David Letterman. Check out the full clip.

The Dark Knight’s music score was declared ineligible for the Oscars because five people are listed as composers.

Joaquin Phoenix’s rap career was a big hoax. We figured, but you never know sometimes.

Neil Gaiman’s fantasy novel ‘The Graveyard Book’ won the Newbery Medal for young readers, plus Gaiman announced the screenwriter/director Neil Jordan will be involved in bringing the award-winning book to the screen.

A new Tomb Raider movie is reportedly headed for the big screen – sans Angelina Jolie. The first two were shite – let’s hope they actually write a story for this one.

Michael Jackson is being sued by Director John Landis regarding profits not delivered for classic 14-minute video and the clip’s “making of” documentary since at least 2005. Jackson just announced ‘Thriller’ would be headed to broadway.

The Green Hornet is reportedly still a go, despite recent rumors of its demise. In fact, word is out that Adam Sandler will take a ‘brief, but key role’ in the upcoming film.

Thank god. We figured it was something like this, but there was this sliver of doubt that maybe Joaquin had gone off the deep end.

In a shocking turn of events, the rumor mills are now buzzing that Joaquin Phoenix’s retirement from acting and newfound career as a rapper is all part of an elaborate hoax. You don’t say! Who saw that one coming? Entertainment Weekly claims that two people close to the Oscar-nominated actor, who made a much-hyped three-song debut as a rapper on Jan. 16 in Vegas, has created an Andy Kaufman-style hoax that is being documented by his brother-in-law Casey Affleck. – From Fox News

Surprise, surprise. Joaquin Phoenix may not be, well, serious about his new rap career. Sources close to the two-time Oscar nominee say the actor’s wacky move into music is one big joke. “He said, ‘It’s a put-on. I’m going to pretend to have a meltdown and change careers, and Casey is going to film it,’” reports one source to Entertainment Weekly, referring to Casey Affleck who is filming the “transition” for a documentary. – From NY Daily News

And now, it appears that the whole “Joaquin Phoenix is a rapper” thing might not be legit either. According to EW.com’s Hollywood Insider blog, a source told the site that Phoenix’s rap career is nothing more than an elaborate hoax perpetrated by brother-in-law Casey Affleck (who is reportedly filming the entire thing for a documentary) to poke fun at pompous actors and the media. – From EW.com

For a much better view, watch this via the Buzz Newsroom YouTube Channel: Two Lovers in HD.

Set in the insular world of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, TWO LOVERS is a classic romantic drama, with Joaquin Phoenix giving a raw and vulnerable performance as Leonard, a charismatic but troubled young man who moves back into his childhood home following a recent heartbreak. While recovering under the watchful eye of his parents (Isabella Rossellini and Moni Monoshov), Leonard meets two women in quick succession: Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), a mysterious and beautiful neighbor who is exotic and out-of-place in Leonards staid world, and Sandra, the lovely and caring daughter of a businessman who is buying out his familys dry-cleaning business. Leonard becomes deeply infatuated by Michelle, who seems poised to fall for him, but is having a self-destructive affair with a married man. At the same time, mounting pressure from his family pushes him towards committing to Sandra. Leonard is forced to make an impossible decision – between the impetuousness of desire and the comfort of love – or risk falling back into the darkness that nearly killed him.

* Yes, indeed, Sign of the Apocalypse – Paul Blart: Mall cop takes in $33.8 million (here)

* MTV is reporting that Spider-Man 4 will begin shooting next year (MTV)

* Scarlett Johansson is the new face of Dolce & Gabbana. (Glam)

* Who doesn’t want to see Joaquin Phoenix rapping and falling offstage? (here)

* Check out our new trailer for Wolverine (here), while Hugh Jackman clears up Wolverine reshoots (here)

* Cher and Johnny Knoxville are set to star in a new comedy. Wait, what?! (THR)

* Wow, poor Sandra Bullock. Here’s a trailer for some stinky new movie ‘All About Steve.’ (YouTube)

* Ron Moore explains the lame reasoning behind his Final Cylon (here)

* Catch the trailer for Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (YouTube)

* Because Sundance is no longer relevant, Hulk Hogan’s ex-wife and other D-listers causes chaos there. (M&C)

* Madonna is just looking old and desperate. (DailyMail)

* The Office’s John Krasinski talks about ‘Hideous Men.’ (LATimes)

* Wow, Veronica Mars The Movie?! (here)

* The official Watchmen site has launched. (here)

* You must catch Jamie Foxx impersonation of Obama:

* And Spidey also met Obama:

Is Joaquin Phoenix for real? The “Walk the Line” star made his first public performance as a rapper this weekend, awkwardly pacing onstage at Las Vegas club LAVO in front of a cheering crowd before … totally biting it. Phoenix, 34, walked right off the stage, falling flat on his rear following his unusual three song set. And brother-in-law Casey Affleck was there to capture it all. Affleck, who is married to Phoenix’s sister Summer, is filming a documentary to capture the actor’s transition to music. – From NY Daily News

You know how they always say, “Don’t quit your day job…”? Well, actor Joaquin Phoenix wasn’t listening. Because, as you probably know, the former actor already announced he was quitting the thespian game even before he took to the stage to try his hand at rapping Friday night at club Lavo in Vegas. Joke P, as we like to call him, was dressed up all homeless-chic slob-style, sporting a shabby doo-rag and unibomber beard. But instead of mad skillz, he brough sad skillz to the mic. Check him out above. And it gets worse. Just before taking the stage, he told People magazine, “This is me saying this is who I am. This is my story.” His story, at least this version of it, ends with a literal pratfall. See his humbling tumble on the jump. – From Eonline.com

Former actor Joaquin Phoenix made his onstage debut as a rapper on Friday, People reports. He took the stage of Las Vegas club LAVO and started what appears to be his new career. “After all the years of reading scripts and reading lines, this is my chance to do something straight from the heart and put it out there,” he told the magazine. Phoenix, who was nominated for an Academy Award in 2005 for portraying Johnny Cash in Walk the Line, had announced the end of his acting career in October. – From thecelebritycafe.com

Here’s your lunch entertainment buzz… Get your cup of coffee and… Oh wait, there’s really only ONE STORY — BSG IS FINALLY FRAKING BACK! Yes, the first Battlestar Galactica in over a year is here — as the road to the finale unfolds. Looking for a sneak preview? Click here!

Oh yeah, and then there’s this stuff…

* Looking for his next franchise, Keanu Reeves to star in anime fan fav Bebop. (Variety)

* As previously reported, Watchmen is set for March 6th, after a big pay day with F*cking Fox. (Buzz)

* You’re invited, right? Bono, Bruce, Beyonce to play Obama’s inaugural concert. (Reuters)

* File this under ‘vanity project,’ but Casey Affleck is directing a documentary tracking the musical career of Joaquin Phoenix. Right… (THR)

* Herbie the Love Bug Hack and Kinda Lesbian Lindsay Lohan envies Scarlett Johansson’s boobs career. (People)

* Boy George is going to jail. Again. For 15 months. I guess that’s what happens when you handcuff and kidnap gay prostitutes. (BBC)

* Everyone is talking WAY too much about ‘Notorious’ – the Biggie Smalls Story (AKA Notorious B.I.G.). I loved listening to NRP this morning, trying to act hip, reporting on the movie…

* A Non-James Bond movie with Daniel Craig, ‘Defiance’, directed by Edward Zwick, is getting fairly flat reviews. (RT)

* On the Buzz Newsroom YouTube channel, catch the HD Trailer for X-Men Origins: Wolverine. (YouTube)

* Not a surprise, as NBC is “the biggest loser” — but they decided to renew The Office and 30 Rock. Duh. (THR)

* Meanwhile, in Kansas, some dumbass kid had been watching too much ‘Christmas Story’ and decided to reenact sticking his tongue to a frozen pole:

Lastly, no one should go see Paul Blart: Mall Cop. Kevin James, your 15 minutes are official done.