Saved by the Bard?

Poor, spooky-faced Bryce Dallas Howard! As the dewey-eyed narf in M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water, she's been swept up in the tidal wave of critical consensus labelling this film a giant belly flop. (Now frankly, I saw it this weekend to quit from melting in my non-a.c.'d apartment and I rather liked the movie. I thought it was quirky and unique, if perhaps a bit self-indulgent at times. But maybe I was just thrilled to be anywhere that didn't feel sub-Saharan.) In anycase BDH has a chance to redeem herself in the eyes of those big, bad, movie reviewers by tackling Shakespeare — Kenneth Branagh-style, as Rosalind in As You Like It. The film, set for release sometime this fall, is set amidst the cherry blossoms of 19th century Japan -- Kyoto, to be precise. Romola Garai, Kevin Kline, Adrian Lester and Alfred Molina also star. (Branagh doesn't -- he's just directing this time.) Lots more pics and movie info here. -- Amy