Enough Potter for two movies

The clamour of desperate rationalisation emanating from Castle Potter has become deafening over the past week.

As readers may be aware, the evil geniuses behind the Harry Potter franchise have announced that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the last film in the cycle, is to be split into two sections, which will then be released several months apart.

"There have been compartmentalised subplots in the other books that have made them easier to cut," Daniel Radcliffe, the picture's star, told the Los Angeles Times. "The seventh book doesn't really have any subplots. It's one driving, pounding story from the word go."

Yeah, right. And the fact that the studio stands to make twice as much money this way had nothing to do with the decision.

Trend-setter for trendy Grazer

Stop the presses! It seems that Brian Grazer, producer of A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code and Liar Liar, is no longer able to locate the cutting edge. The frizzy- haired executive has advertised for a cultural proxy to keep him "abreast of everything that's going on in the world; politically, musically, culturally". You can imagine the memos. "The YouTube Generation agrees that Ron Howard is groovy, Dan Brown rocks and Jim Carrey is dope. Can I have my $100,000 now, please?"

Sarah Jessica cashes in

The imminent arrival of the Sex and the City movie has led many to surmise (or hope) that the ex-series' wageless stars had been reduced to panhandling on street corners. Sadly, this is not the case. Apparently Sarah Jessica Parker has made an absurd $25 million from endorsements since the show ended only four years ago. Yikes. Only Heather Mills has made more money for less effort in recent years.

Web footage of excitable Tom

Well-known sane person Tom Cruise received some flack recently when video footage that showed him praising Scientology with swivel-eyed ferocity escaped onto the internet.

Fans of that footage should be aware that another hilariously inappropriate Cruise video is now available on your computer. The film shows our Tommy a-hooting and a-hollering at a recent birthday bash. "This is the best birthday, ever ever ever ever ever!" he screeches. Most four-year- olds manage more restraint on receiving their first tricycle.

A movie deal you can't refuse

Access Cinema, that commendable regional exhibition body, has just announced the programme for its Viewing:Sessions 08 season, which takes place in Drogheda, Co Louth on April 4th-6th April.

For a very reasonable €250 (per person sharing), the cinema fan will receive accommodation in the posh D Hotel, full meals and entry to an imaginatively chosen series of films.

Details of the programme, which includes such delights as Mike Leigh's Happy-Go- Lucky and Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, can be found at www.access cinema. ie or by phoning 01-6794420.

A Rambo romcom?

Sylvester Stallone has announced that he is planning another Rambo film. Fans of this year's fantastically violent episode may, however, be in for a shock. "I would like to take Rambo to another genre," Stallone told a Swedish newspaper. "It would definitely not be another war movie. I can't go any further with that than what I've already done."

What genre is he intending? Musical? Western? Animation? Oh, oh, oh, do it on ice, Sly. That would rule!