Irish films to join Canadian club

News is creeping out about the Irish features that will premiere at the looming Toronto Film Festival. It has been confirmed that Neil Jordan's Ondine, starring Colin Farrell as a fellow who befriends a mermaid, and Cracks, an Anglo-Irish co-production directed by Jordan Scott (daughter of Ridley), will be unveiled on the shores of Lake Ontario.

The festival, one of the cinema world’s most significant, runs from September 10th until September 19th.

Vampire in Thom Yorke’s future?

The most savage war currently being fought on the internet is that between Harry Potterfanatics and Twilightapologists. "Harry Potter is so lame because it's about dumb magicians! LOL!" "Twilight like sucks and is for girls! Go Gryffindor!" You know the sort of thing.

Reel News tends towards the Twilightcamp, so we were happy to hear that Radiohead – not the sort of band you'd associate with either franchise – may be well disposed to their music appearing in the next film based on Stephenie Meyer's vampire series.

"I am surprised at some of the bands that have said they're interested," Chris Weitz, director of The Twilight Saga: New Moon, pondered. "It's kind of great. The criterion will still always be what's right for the movie at that given moment. But Thom Yorke is interested."

Mr Yorke, lead singer of the band, has not actually commented, so the rumours may all be so much waffle.

Tolkien suit may hobble Hobbit

When not preparing JRR Tolkien's laundry lists, post-it notes and cheque- stubs for publication, the late writer's family keep a very close eye on any supposed encroachment on their valuable copyright. The clan has now taken action that may jeopardise the production of Guillermo del Toro's two-part version of The Hobbit.

The case focuses on Tolkien’s decision to sell the film rights in 1969 for a fee of £250,000 (€288,000) and a rumoured 7.5 per cent share of future profits. The family claim that they have yet to receive any money from New Line Films. The studio argues that the terms of the original contract are ambiguous.

"Should the case go all the way to trial, we are confident that New Line will lose its rights to The Hobbit," a lawyer for Christopher Tolkien, the author's son, boldly claimed. With this much money at stake, we reckon they'll come to a settlement.

I’m with the Bandslam

Fans of Vanessa Hudgens, queen of High School Musical, will be pleased to hear that her new film, Bandslam, is surprisingly bearable. This Sunday, Dundrum Town Centre will host an afternoon devoted to the promotion of the picture. Attendees can compete in a special Guitar Hero competition, meet Alyson Michalka, who plays the blonde alpha-female, and, if they're lucky, win tickets to the flick. Just turn up to (it says here) "enjoy the fun".

Say it ain’t so, Jacko

Do we disbelieve this story that a feature culled from rehearsal footage for Michael Jackson's aborted concerts in London will arrive in cinemas before Christmas? Maybe so. Then again, maybe we're just tellingourselves it's not true. A grim prospect.

dclarke@irishtimes.com