Making an entirely new planet, fit with indigenous life and creatures, is effing pricey! It's interesting, however, that we'd now be discussing the price of Avatar, as I remember a similar article that came out about a month before the release of Titanic that was blown away by the film's budget of $200 million. The movie had the last laugh, as it went on to make $1.8 billion at the worldwide box office. Hence why 20th Century Fox is risking $500 million on Avatar. Yes, $500 million, but the risk is not entirely theirs.

Avatar Budget Talk

A great article has surfaced at NY Times that discusses how 20th Century Fox has distributed the financial risk of Avatar. If the film is close to the expectations people have, then I feel there is no need to worry. But, just in case...

Despite the estimated half-billion dollars spent on its production and marketing, "Avatar" may carry surprisingly little financial risk for Fox's parent company, the News Corporation, even if it disappoints. That is because of shifting industry economics, reliance on outside investors and help from a network of allied companies and in-house business units.

Starz rolls out sexy movie clip fest

Expect a spicy clip assemblage when Starz recounts the sexiest, most sex-obsessed, sexually boundary-breaking and sexually shocking movies of all time.

From "Lolita" to "Caligula" to "American Beauty," the most memorable moments are all here. Changing public attitudes toward depictions of sex and sexuality are explored in sometimes thoughtful ways, charting America's trend toward liberation, but mostly it's about the racy clips.

The hottest, most emblematic moments from movies that had something to do with sex are on display in a Starz Original, "Sex and the Cinema," debuting at 8 tonight.

The documentary explores how the boundaries have changed, what the Production Code did for creative approaches to sex decades ago, why sex can be the source of elements for good drama and what audiences see when they look at on-screen sex.

Things used to be much simpler in Hollywood, various directors note. Now, nudity in PG-13 is acceptable as long as it's not sexually motivated. The lines are blurred.

Sex is "the strongest drive in biology," according to director Paul Verhoeven ("Basic Instinct"). He says it works better than dialogue in movies to explain characters' psychology and motivation.

The clip fest considers funny, disturbing, athletic and forbidden sex; merely suggested sex; kitchen-table "Postman"-style sex; underage sex; and various forms of illicit sex.

"Nudity is the smallest part of sex," says Ron Shelton, director of "Bull Durham."

The best sex scene in his movie "Waking the Dead," director Keith Gordon says, was the closeup of two faces during sex, relaying the experience.

Who gets credit for bringing sex to the screen in a new way? Humphrey Bogart, Barbara Stanwyck, Daniel Craig, George Clooney. Marilyn Monroe, of course. Bo Derek, Pamela Anderson, Halle Berry - all are sized up for their appeal. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are determined to be the "perfect storm of sexuality."

The usual high-minded, historic art references are thrown in to make the case that sexuality has been interesting for a long time. Cut from a closeup of a Grecian urn to examples of the earliest use of film (an Edison clip from "The Kiss"), onward to Rudolph Valentino, Mae West and the parade of naked people doing what they'll do, onscreen ever since.