• Tom Cruise is potentially re-teaming with Valkyrie screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie on up to three projects, including another WWII flick that would put Cruise in the pilot seat again, Flying Tigers. Cruise is likely happy with the initial reception of Valkyrie, though sticking with McQuarrie for so long may keep him from diverse roles. The other two projects include the espionage drama The Tourist and the adaptation of the 60s TV show The Champions, which deals with super-powered spies.
• Frank Miller is re-teaming with Odd Lot Entertainment for a dark Buck Rogers movie that he’ll write and direct. The announcement comes just in time, before an onslaught of bad reviews of The Spirit join Variety’s pan.
• Stephen Chow will no longer direct but will still co-star in The Green Hornet. Apparently his creative differences don’t extend to his onscreen role of Kato. Maybe this is co-scribe and star Seth Rogen’s chance to try directing?
• Clearly wise to how The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is beating Australia in the kudos department, Baz Luhrman is taking on his own F. Scott Fitzgerald adaptation: The Great Gatsby.
• Jim Carrey will beat Will Smith at the box office this weekend, simply because his film, Yes Man, is a comedy. In other theatrical release news, the four-hour version of Che has been so popular that IFC is keeping it in cinemas another two weekends before separating it into two films.

Eric Fensler created one of the first viral video sensations when he overdubbed the GI Joe PSAs. He’s a rare artist who, like Andy Kaufman, is hard to describe in a sentence or two. One thing is certain, he’d rather not be called, “The GI Joe PSA guy.”

Listeners respond with what their families watched on Thanksgiving, while Karina Longworth was transfixed by Australia and Indecent Proposal over the holiday weekend.

(See two of Eric Fensler videos after the jump.)

(Subscribe to FilmCouch–Spout’s weekly movie podcast–in the iTunes store or to our RSS feed and an episode will download each Friday)

0:00 - Intro, listener feedback

5:32 - Eric Fensler

29:41 - Karina on Indecent Proposal, Australia

42:21 - Listener voice mail: why movies are better than video games

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• Before getting to that supposed “disappointing” debut of Australia, let me first congratulate Milk for cracking the top 10 while opening on only 34 screens. The film’s five-day Thanksgiving Weekend total gross is $1.9 million, meaning its per-screen average was an unbelievable (and apparently record-breaking) $51,833. Meanwhile, fellow limited-release powerhouse Slumdog Millionaire was kept at bay at 11th place, though its per-screen average continues to amaze at more than $36,000.
• Now for Australia: the film placed fifth for the holiday stretch, taking in less than half as much as box office winner Four Christmases ($46.7 mill.). However, its $14.8 million three-day take is a million more than that of the wide opening for Baz Luhrman’s previous film, Moulin Rouge. Also, its older audience, which had other, more familial commitments last week, will likely show greater interest as the film is out longer, especially if there’s good word of mouth. Most importantly, though, Australia at least didn’t perform as badly as Transporter 3.
• Cheers couple Kelsey Grammer and Bebe Neuwirth will be reunited for MGM’s Fame remake. They’ll play employees of the performing arts high school alongside fellow TV vets Charles S. Dutton and Megan Mullaly, as well as original Fame student Debbie Allen.
• Steve Buscemi and Kelly Macdonald are to star in Martin Scorsese’s new HBO project, Boardwalk Empire, which will depict the origins of Atlantic City.
• And speaking of HBO series, Rome may conclude on the big screen.