Two movies — one complete and one in the works — have underlined how technology is changing the way films are made.

Wes Anderson partly directed his animated “Fantastic Mr. Fox” using a computer, streaming images from multiple animation sets live on to a screen in front of him, allowing him to guide animators from another room, town, or, more often, country. That guidance often came in the form of emails, something which did not endear the film maker to some of the animators, according to a recent piece in the L.A. Times. George Clooney provided the voice of Mr. Fox, and London’s Three Mills Studios carried out the paintstaking, old-fashioned stop-motion animation.

Meanwhile, Peter Jackson used iChat to co-direct the upcoming, big-budget feature “The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn”. Actor Nick Frost, who plays Thomson in the film, said Jackson would be linked up live to the U.S. set from New Zealand, from where he would add to Steven Spielberg’s pearls of wisdom on set. “It was weird”, was his description of the experience. The blockbuster will feature motion capture technology, producing the kind of effect seen in “The Polar Express”.

According to Hollywood trade publications, while Spielberg was on set for just over 30 days, Jackson will have spent the best part of 18 months converting the data into an animation movie by the time it hits theatres some time in 2011. The balance has led some to question whether Jackson should be given the directorial credit rather than Spielberg. It also raises the possibility of more and more movie makers spending less and less time on set, particularly where animation is concerned.

A Hollywood studio probably could not ask for a better beginning to an Oscar campaign than Paramount Pictures currently is getting for director Jason Reitman’s “Up in the Air.”

All of you who’ve been reading Reuters and Fan Fare this past two weeks know that we are currently at the beginning of the film industry’s award season, and smack in the middle of the final of three festivals that launch Academy Award campaigns — at Telluride, Colorado, Venice, Italy, and here in Toronto, Canada.

Reitman and star George Clooney are back in the hunt for Oscar glory this year with comedy “Up In the Air.” No need to introduce Clooney, but maybe Reitman. He is the director of 2007 hit “Juno,” the quirky little indie movie about a pregnant teenager who decides to give up her baby for adoption, as well as the satirical movie “Thank You for Smoking.”

“Juno” earned Reitman an Oscar nomination for directing, along with others for writing (Diablo Cody, she won), actress (Ellen Page) and best motion picture. Paramount, which will release “Up In the Air” in November, wants to do better and it very well may. Still, there’s a long way to go and many movies to see.

“Up In the Air,” which looks at the life of a man (Clooney) whose job is to fire people in corporate restructurings and who claims not to need any family, friends or personal relationships, proved to be a darling of Telluride’s notoriously savvy festival crowds. Saturday’s Toronto premiere was both packed and star-studded (Oprah was in the house!). Reitman earned a standing ovation from a portion of the crowd. Although it was somewhat difficult to tell whether they were standing for him or just standing to watch Oprah exit.

Regardless of which way the celebrity gawkers were gazing (or gazers, gawking) “Up In the Air” will be a film to watch in this year’s Oscar race. We were at the premiere and below is the 10-minute Question and Answer session after it was over. If you haven’t been to a festival and seen the Q&A’s, it’s interesting. Pay attention to Clooney as he waves his bandaged hand. He shut it in a car door.

Fair warning on the video, though, it’s a long one, so give it some time to load.

Seeing reporters humiliate themselves in front of major Hollywood stars is nothing new at film festivals around the world. The appearance of an A-lister, male or female, tends to bring out the worst in journalists who variously express their undying love or ask for hands in marriage. Usually the star in question laughs off the comments, and tries to turn the conversation back to the film he or she is in town to promote.

Today’s press conference involving George Clooney and Ewan McGregor, who star together in the comedy “The Men Who Stare at Goats” was more embarrassing than usual, however. After tactfully avoiding a question about his sexuality, Clooney then looked on while a man, announcing he was gay, proceeded to take of his shirt and trousers while declaring his love for the actor and asking him for a kiss. To make matters worse, he had not even seen the film.

Clooney’s response? “There’s a little ambulance on its way.”

Hollywood is all about popularity, just like that other institution — high school. So, in the spirit of all things popular, movie ticket website Fandango.com has released its “Celebrity Yearbook Awards,” based on votes from fans about which stars they think are the most likely to succeed, and which ones already made their mark one way or another.

“Twilight” star Robert Pattinson and “Grey Gardens” actress Drew Barrymore were named “most popular” in the survey of about 1,000 movie fans.

Another actor from “Twilight,” rising star Taylor Lautner, was named “most likely to succeed,” along with Ellen Page from the 2007 film “Juno.”

But Page’s “Juno” co-star Michael Cera fared much worse, being named “most awkward.” As it happens, not all the “Twilight” stars came out on top, because the movie’s female lead, Kristen Stewart, was also named “most awkward.”

After being largely absent from film screens for the last couple years, Sandra Bullock made good this summer in romantic comedy “The Proposal,” which has made $235 million at worldwide box offices. Poll respondents  named her “best personality,” along with perennial Hollywood leading man George Clooney.

And of course, that key high school concern, namely how you look, was highlighted in the “worst hair” category of the poll, with Nicolas Cage and Renee Zellweger winning the honors.

If nothing else, the poll proves it’s good to be out of high school.

George Clooney finally did put his scrubs on again for ”ER” — but only faithful viewers of the hospital drama would have known because of a curious lack of promotion over what had been a long-hoped for return by the show’s biggest star.

Clooney’s turn as (Dr Doug Ross) — still happily married to Nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Marguiles) — brought struggling NBC a welcome ratings boost. 

But how many more millions would have tuned in had they known that George  was putting in an appearance that night?

Robert Seidman  on the TV by the Numbers Web site  speculated that Clooney may only have agreed to do the show again if NBC promised not to use him for promotional purposes.  But Clooney’s people denied that, while NBC were tight-lipped.

For those that did catch a glimpse of arguably the world’s most eligible movie star  bachelor (SPOILER: bare-chested in bed)  was Dr Ross still in touch with his bedside manner? Or did he disappoint?

And will he be back again before the show’s cast deal with their final emergency on April 2? 

We’ve asked, but no-one’s saying.

Michelle Pfeiffer said she felt like “an alien” before discovering a home in acting.

At another one of the Berlin Film Festival’s notoriously entertaining news conferences with all sorts of unusual questions and answers (who can forget George Clooney calling one journalist a jerk for criticising his film at one press conference a few years ago), the American actress also revealed she only bothers taking care of her appearance when she’s out of the house but otherwise doesn’t really care what she looks like.

“I once heard an actor give this bit of advice to young people: If there isn’t anything else in the world that you would be good at and want to do, then yes, go ahead and try to be an actor. But if there is any other choice you can make … For me, there was no other choice I could make. The first time I walked into an acting class, I felt at home. For the first time in my life I didn’t feel like an alien.”

Pfeiffer appeared to blush when asked by a young woman from a German television network managed to remain attractive at the age of 50: “What’s your secret?” the German reporter wanted to know.

“Um, when I’m working I take good care of myself. When I’m not working I stay out of sight and, like everyone else, I let myself go. I eat very well and exercise. The fact that I’m happy and enjoy my life really helps too. And I have good genes. I stopped smoking when I was 30 and that helped.”

Pfeiffer, who plays an ageing courtesan who falls in love with a far younger man in “Cheri”, said turning 50 last year was easy: “If you think hitting 40 is liberating, wait until you hit 50. I was surprised how liberating it was. The anticipation is always much worse than reality. There is the anticipating of turning over that big number, then you turn 50 and go ‘okay’. If anything, it makes you more grateful for what you’ve got.”

Have the producers of  hospital drama “ER” finally manged to entice George Clooney back for the closing episodes of the final season?

If celebrity Web site reports are true — and NBC is firmly declining to confirm them so far — Clooney’s heartthrob Dr. Doug Ross has been spotted filming scenes for “ER” in Los Angeles this week, and so has his old on-screen flame,  nurse Carol Hathaway, played by Juliana Margulies.

The reports follow months of denials from the Clooney camp that the actor, who launched his Oscar-winning career on the hospital soap 10 years ago, was prepared to put his scrubs on one more time.

Clooney,  we were assured, had  been there, done that, and was busy making movies.

Actors Anthony Edwards, whose character Dr Mark Greene died of brain cancer in 2002, has already appeared in flashback and Laura Innes (Dr. Weaver) , Noah Wyle (Dr. John Carter) and Paul McCrane (Dr. Romano) agreed to return months ago.

“ER” closes its doors for good on April 2 after 15 seasons, with a reunion and a two-hour final episode. 

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis)

Barack Obama won yet more celebrity endorsements at the Venice film festival this year, although whether he would welcome them or not is a different matter.

From the very first press conference, stars from Hollywood who came to the canal city to promote their movies voiced support for the Democratic presidential candidate, although in the case of George Clooney and Brad Pitt, they were careful not to steal too much of the political limelight from Obama.

Presumably they were aware that Obama has come under fire from Republican rival John McCain for being a “celebrity” candidate, in other words a man of style over substance.

Oscar-winning Jonathan Demme, who brought “Rachel Getting Married” to the Lido, said his multi-racial drama reflected the America he loved — one where Obama could be a presidential contender.

And Kathryn Bigelow, director of Iraq war feature “The Hurt Locker“, entered the fray towards the end of the 11-day festival, which winds up on Saturday.

“I hope and pray that that’s imminent,” she said, when asked if she supported the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. “I think with a change of administration it’s possible. But only one man is capable of doing that and that’s Mr. Barack Obama.”

When some reporters come face to face with A-list celebrities, their brains turn to mush.

Take this morning’s press conference at the Venice film festival. George Clooney and Brad Pitt were among the stars taking questions following the first screening of their latest movie “Burn After Reading”, directed by the Coen brothers.

Inevitably, the questions were personal as well as professional.

“I have a question, it’s very important,” said one male reporter from Brazil: “What do you think it’s (sic) better … to win an Oscar or to fall in love with a beautiful woman here in Venice?”

“Brad, don’t answer that,” Clooney said, trying to maintain a happy atmosphere despite the generally dire standard of questions.

Then came a female reporter from a Hong Kong TV channel: “I want to know how the twins are doing — are they looking more and more like you and Angie?” She was, of course, referring to Pitt’s newborn twins with Angelina Jolie.

Clooney again tried to come to the rescue: “The twins are fine.”

A British journalist enters the fray, asking Pitt: ”I’m just wondering whether you have plans for any more (children) and how many is enough?” and to Clooney: ”Any plans to settle down and have children yourself, if that’s not too personal a question?”

Clooney replied: “I am so surprised to hear that question. That is honestly the first time I’ve been asked that question. I am getting married and having children today. Brad?”

Pitt: ”And until then I’ll be sharing mine with him. I’ll have two more by next year.”

And finally, and it was really painful to watch, came a female reporter from Spain (and excuse the English):

“This is a question for Brad. Can I get closer? I am wearing like this because I want to sign up for your gym. What do I have to do to sign up for your gym like in the film, Brad? And if I sign up, would you be running after me? Both of you.”

Pitt: ”It’s a movie and I have no answer.”

Question: “If I sign up will you be running after me, George?”

Clooney: “I’m afraid, from the looks of it, we might be running from you.”

Hear, hear, George.

It’s rare that anyone gets a hometown parade in their honor and even more rare that a person gets a hometown movie premiere — unless that person is George Clooney.

Monday night Clooney was in Maysville, Kentucky where his family hails from — his great grandfather was the mayor – for a special screening of his new football movie, “Leatherheads,” and Clooney told Reuters on Tuesday that he had a great time. He even saw the gal he took to his sophomore prom.

“You know you do a (Hollywood) premiere and everybody’s real cool. But these guys were all dressed up  and they were so excited. It was a real old-fashioned premiere. Everybody was lit up and having fun. I got onstage and introduced my dad and everyone cheered.”

That’s his dad, Nick, in the picture at the left, straightening George’s crooked tie.

Clooney said that in 1978 he pulled the ropes to draw back the curtains for his sister’s stage play at the town’s old Washington Opera House, where the “Leatherheads” premiere was held. “There’s something really great and full-circle about it,” Clooney said.