Here you have a scan of the upcoming issue of People Magazine in which some of Tom’s pals have come out to defend him after all the bad press that Tom has been having these past weeks{nl}People – February 4th 2008 (Thanks Myma){nl}{nl} {nl} 

LOS ANGELES - Tom Cruise is set to be a presenter at the Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony Sunday, joining a roster of A-listers appearing on the show. {nl}Cruise, a three-time Oscar and SAG Awards nominee, will help hand out the coveted Actor trophies at the Shrine Auditorium.{nl}Previously announced presenters include Steve Carell, Russell Crowe, Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey, Forest Whitaker and John Travolta.{nl}The SAG Awards will recognize performances in five film and eight television categories. Winners, chosen by nearly 100,000 members of the actors’ union, often become front-runners for the Academy Awards.{nl}Source: Yahoo News

In what marks the first deal to be made since signing an interim agreement with the WGA, United Artists has picked up the remake rights for the Spanish film “Los Cronocrimenes,” which will be produced by Steve Zaillian. Written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo, “Cronocrimenes” (Timecrimes) is a jigsaw-style thriller about a man who accidentally travels back in time one hour and finds himself facing multiple dangers, including his own doppelganger.The Spanish movie, slated to play at Sundance, is being distributed in North America by Magnolia. Sources said Zaillian wll likely would not write the adaptation but could pen the outline and oversee the writing. The deal put the new UA, which bills itself as filmmaker-friendly, in business with one of the most respected scribes in town. Oscar winner Zaillian’s most recent credit is “American Gangster.” He is repped by Endeavor. ICM, which reps Vigalondo, brokered the sale to UA for remake rights, along with Agnes Mentre, who will also be a producer on the English-language movie.{nl}Source: The Hollywood Reporter

To: Tom Cruise Forever.com, Kat For: Immediate Release to All Members From: United Artists Paula Wagner, CEO Date: January 18, 2008 {nl}I have known and worked with Tom for more than 25 years. He’s a rock-solid dependable partner, and I have the utmost respect and admiration for his talent, integrity, kindness, and dedication. Andrew Morton’s book is a disgraceful piece of gossip-mongering, filled with distortions and outright lies that no sensible person will take seriously. I am not a Scientologist, nor are most of the people Tom and I work with, but that doesn’t mean I can sit by silently while he is attacked for his religious beliefs. As a filmmaker and an American, I feel strongly that an individual’s religion should have no bearing on their professional life. I have always believed that Americans celebrated these differences, and to see the vitriol that has been directed towards my friend is truly discouraging. It’s easy to mock an out-of-context video, but that doesn’t change the fact that Tom Cruise is one of the hardest-working and nicest human beings I have ever known.

The Cruises are still in New York City and here you have some more pics.{nl}Leaving Carlyle Hotel (NYC) – January 14th 2008Leaving Sfoglia’s Restaurant (NYC) – January 15th 2007Leaving Carlyle Hotel (NYC) – January 15th 2008

Kate is NYC promoting her new movie “Mad Money” and of course, Tom and Suri have travelled with her. Kate’s gonna be in different TV talk shows today. She’s gonna be in Good Morning America, Live With Regis and Kelly, The Late Night With David Letterman and in BET, so don’t miss it.{nl}Here you have some pics of the family yesterday in The Big Apple.{nl}Arriving Carlyle Hotel – January 13th 2007Shopping At FAO Schwartz – January 13th 2007

They sure do grow up fast in Hollywood! Little Suri Cruise is not even 2 yet, but already mom Katie Holmes says, “She’s a very strong woman.” “I’m very proud of her,” the 29-year-old actress added to PEOPLE at Thursday’s Glamour magazine kickoff event for V-Day’s 10th Anniversary. “She’s actually teaching me a lot

Kate has just premiered her new movie, “Mad Money” next to Queen Latifah and Diane Keaton. Kate looked super gorgeous and so did Tom, who was there supporting his wife. Here you have the pics of the event{nl}Mad Money Premiere – January 9th 2008{nl}And here you have a video of the premiere{nl}After the premiere, Tom & Kate had dinner at Cut’s Restaurant{nl}Leaving Cut’s Restaurant – January 9th 2008{nl}And here you have a video leaving the building

The Writers Guild Of America and legendary United Artists Films have reached a mutually beneficial independent agreement. While the details are not being disclosed in this announcement, the comprehensive agreement addresses the issues important to writers, including New Media. As a result of this agreement, Writers Guild members will be able to work with United Artists while the strike against other companies continues. The agreement is unique to United Artists Films and does not involve Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM), a shareholder of United Artists Entertainment. “United Artists has lived up to its name. UA and the Writers Guild came together and negotiated seriously. The end result is that we have a deal that will put people back to work,” said Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America, West. “This agreement is important, unique, and makes good business sense for United Artists. In keeping with the philosophy of its original founders, artists who sought to create a studio in which artists and their creative visions could flourish, we are pleased to have reached an agreement with the WGA,” said UA co-owner and CEO Paula Wagner.

The deal United Artists Films options the “Ranger’s Apprentice” novels by John Flanagan, a young adult series pitched as “The Sword in the Stone” meets “The Lord of the Rings.” The players Flanagan is represented by Rick Raftos Management on literary rights and by Intellectual Property Group on film rights. United Artists began preliminary talks with Paul Haggis (“Crash” and “Million Dollar Baby”) to possibly adapt and direct, but those discussions are on hold because of the writers strike. The books are published in the United States by Philomel, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group. The back story Flanagan, an Australian ad copy writer and developer of TV sitcoms, had a concern familiar to millions of other parents: His teenage son had lost interest in reading, and rarely picked up books. So Flanagan took matters into his own hands and wrote a young adult novel that he thought his son would like, an action-packed fantasy about children in a medieval-like setting who join a group called the Rangers to defend their mythical kingdom. The young adult fantasy genre has become hugely competitive, amid the Harry Potter bonanza, but Flanagan’s formula succeeded. His three novels have sold in excess of 500,000 copies, according to his publisher. Naturally they began attracting Hollywood interest. Although three studios wanted to option the material, United Artists Films recently won the rights. Flanagan’s briskly written and concise novels (all under 300 pages) “lend themselves to screen adaptation, because they have broad appeal for children and adults,” said a studio spokesperson. “Family entertainment is very popular, and the success of films like ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks’ and ‘Enchanted’ show it’s the kind of material that draws all ages. That’s especially true if you’re talking about a literary series like this that has such a strong readership base, which you can build on.” Flanagan said he was thrilled by the deal, and conceded the challenge would be to keep his distance during the film adaptation process. “I don’t expect to peer over [the director's] shoulder saying ‘No, no! You can’t change that!’ ” the author said. “But if anyone decides that Halt, the bearded, grim-faced Ranger, should be played by Scarlett Johansson, you’ll hear me screaming all the way across the Pacific. Or not.” {nl}Source: Los Angeles Times