Brad Pitt

The story of the Tower of Babel turns up in Hebrew and Muslim texts, as well as the Bible, but the basic gist is that men tried to build a stairway to heaven and God subverted them by giving them different languages. They could no longer understand each other, so the whole construction fell apart. It's a powerful myth because it carries so many ideas: that there are two worlds and we got the lesser one; that God is spiteful; that cultural differences are the root of all our woes since then; even that crossing a border without permission will get you in a whole world of trouble. Some scholars believe the tower was in southern Iraq, or in Babylon itself. The tragedy of modern Iraq is never mentioned in this superb new film but I'm sure that's one of the things on the minds of the filmmakers, the same Mexican writer and director team behind Amores Perros and 21 Grams . The story of the tower works so well for what the film is about, which is that the relationship between rich...

Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt Bitter, table for one! Gwyneth Paltrow, who was engaged to Brad Pitt over ten years ago, obviously wasn’t in the mood for ass-kissing when it came to her ex, who is expecting a child with rumored bride-to-be Angelina Jolie. Paltrow, at the L.A. premiere on Wednesday for her upcoming film "Iron Man," was asked if she had any well wishes for her former fiancé. Ok! magazine reports that the actress “twisted her mouth and pronounced, ‘No!’” Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt is a saint! He just got done donating $2 million alongside Angelina Jolie to help fight TB in Ethiopia, and now he’s helping fight an anti-gay marriage ballot initiative. Proposition 8 plans to ban the California ruling that allows same-sex couples to marry. He donated $100,000 to the cause, and so far, it’s the largest donation they’ve received. Brad Pitt said in a statement, “Because no one has the right to deny another their life even though they disagree with it, because everyone has the right to live the life they so desire if it doesn’t harm another and because discrimination has no place in America, my vote will be for equality and against Proposition 8.” A spokeswoman for the organization ProtectMarriage, which supports the passage of the proposition said of Brad, “We certainly respect his right in the political process, but we don’t believe he is the most exemplary figure on the issue of marriage.” Brad has said before that him and Angelina Jolie would consider getti...

Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt want to adopt a Chinese baby? Can you believe that the adoption rumors are already starting up again? Jeez, give the woman a break. Angelina Jolie just gave birth to twins Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline last month. Reportedly, she is so touched by footage of the recent earthquake in China, that she’s looking to adopt a Chinese orphan. A source says, “Angelina is devastated over the earthquake that occurred in China in May. She has been in constant touch with relief workers as part of her UN involvement, and even got her hands on photos of a few orphaned kids. She’s made overtures offering a home to one earthquake orphan, or even two if they are siblings.” I mean, Brad did say that they’d crap out like eight or nine kids before they’re done. They’ve got six now, so it’s not unconceivable to think that they’d adopt some more children. Hey Chinese kids, try to look really sad for your Brad and Angelina scholarship fund pictures. Also, it’ll help if your n...

Fight club Brad Pitt Fight Club Director: David Fincher Cast: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, Zach Grenier, Jared Leto, Meat Loaf (20th Century Fox) Fight Club's Utopian Dick by Jonathan L. Beller PopMatters Film Critic Does capitalism have you by the balls? If you're feeling a little limp lately, a little flaccid, emasculated, or impotent, then David Fincher's Fight Club may just have your number. This film kicks butt, and in doing so it also manages to suggest that your need for it and for other butt-kicking films is a late capitalist symptom of contemporary psychosis. In the universe of Fight Club, there are two options. Either you become an Ikea-Boy seeking your erotic gratification in the Horchow collection, or you seek out alternative male community. In this respect the film reminded me of Nicolas Ray's Rebel Without a Cause — its creation of intense relationships and of a hero critical of the social order depends upon its delimitation of homoeroti...