Kidman tries to back out of roles
Nicole Kidman admitted at a press conference for the Toronto International Film Festival that she often tries to get out of a role once she's already said yes. "Sometimes I quit and end up not doing it. Other times, I've somehow managed to make it there and, from then on, I'm in it." She said she tried to get out of doing The Hours, the film for which she won a best actress Oscar® earlier this year. She also tried to get out of The Human Stain and Dogville, both of which are currently playing at the Film Festival, but ended up doing them after all. She did manage to get out of In The Cut, for which Meg Ryan took over, and Panic Room, which ended up starring Jodie Foster. In fact, Kidman confessed that she tries to bail on "Almost every role! Sometimes I'm allowed to quit, and other times I'm not."

Toymaker sues Dickie Roberts studio
Last weekend's top movie, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, features a scene in which Dickie tries to slide down a Slip 'N Slide. Not realizing he has to wait for water to go down the slide first, he ends up with red welts on his chest. WHAM-O, the makers of the slide, filed suit against Paramount claiming the waterslide was used without their permission. "Wham-O is concerned about the depicted misuse of its product in the film and its advertising, particularly the potential for injury to children and even adults who, after viewing the scene, might use the product in the same reckless manner," said Peter Sgromo, marketing director of Wham-O's toy division in a statement to Reuters. He says the movie "violates all safety guidelines that are clearly marked on the product and the packaging." Those guidelines limit the slide's use to children aged 5 to 12, weighing less than 110 pounds and under 5 feet tall. In addition, the product must be inflated, wet and connected to a hose before being used.

Disposable DVDs hit the market
This week, Walt Disney's Buena Vista Home Entertainment has begun supplying DVDs that become unreadable by DVD players after a 48-hour time period, once they're removed from the packaging. The DVDs will be available in convenience stores, drug stores, gas stations and toy stores. Manufactured by Flexplay, the DVDs are offered as an alternative to rentals, meaning they don't have to be returned, but the suggested selling price of US$6.99 is higher than the average rental charge. The DVDs are currently being sold in Austin, Texas; Peoria/Bloomington, Illinois; Charleston, South Carolina; and Kansas City, Missouri. If sales go well, the market will expand.