The answer, of course, is the book. It always comes first. Whether you read it before seeing the movie, however, is a different story.

When I saw that both "The Kite Runner" and "Atonement" were opening in the Treasure Valley this weekend, I went online to find the best list of books that were made into movies.

At least eight movie previews will be shown during Super Bowl XLII, scheduled to air Feb. 3 on FOX, and studios will pay a record $2.7-$3 million for each 30-second spot.

Paramount and Marvel's superhero film "Iron Man," Sony's "Hancock" (featuring Will Smith), the Adam Sandler comedy "Don't Mess With the Zohan" and New Line Cinema's "Semi-Pro" with Will Ferrell all have been confirmed by Variety Magazine.

Get ready to return to middle-earth.

Peter Jackson, the director of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, signed an agreement with New Line Cinema today to executive produce J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit."

The biggest new release of the weekend by far is "I Am Legend," a quasi-remake of the 1970s cult classic film "Omega Man." Look no further than "Men in Black," "Independence Day" or "The Pursuit of Happyness" to realize that pretty much anything Will Smith touches is gold.

Paramount Pictures is releasing "Jackass 2.5," a collection of outtakes and unreleased material from the feature film "Jackass: Number Two," online only next week through Internet movie service Movielink.

This is being billed as the first major studio-backed feature-length release in a Web-only format, and Paramount appears to be testing the waters as to whether or not this is a formula for online movie success.

You've got to admit it. From the moment you found out that Keith Richards was going to be in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," you were at least a little bit intrigued.

That cameo, however, was a little too expected, too staged.

Check out this L.A. Times roundup of the best, worst and weirdest cameos in 2007 films.

Something I always enjoy about award nominations, such as the Golden Globes, is the reaction from those nominated. It makes you realize that larger-than-life actors are just regular people.

For instance, here's Nikki Blonsky's reaction, according to the Associated Press, to being nominated for best actress for her role in "Hairspray:"

“I was screaming and crying. I actually threw a table. I was freaking out.”

I was confused the other day when I got an e-mail about Dewey Cox and the Hard Walkers' Cox Across America Tour. After all, Dewey Cox is just the lead character in "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" starring John C. Reilly, right?

Well ... yes and no.

"There Will Be Blood," a film about an early 20th century oil tycoon which has yet to be released, was chosen Sunday by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association as the best movie of 2007.

Today, the New York Film Critics Circle selected Joel and Ethan Coen's "No Country for Old Men" as their pick for best film of the year.

The L.A. and N.Y. critics are two of the key groups that honor films during the painfully long build-up to the Oscars. The Golden Globe nominations, however, which will be announced Thursday, are usually the best barometer for how the Oscar judges will vote.

I opened the paper this morning to find showtimes for "I'm Not There" — a movie that was scheduled to open this weekend — only to find ... it's not here.