Todd Solondz's HAPPINESS Quasi-Sequel Lands Strange Ensemble

It really has been too long since the last Todd Solondz picture, over 4 years by my count. The filmmaker paints awkward portraits of middleclass life without pulling any punches. While Palindromes was a bit of an art-experiment swapping actresses for the lead character ranging from a heavy black teenager to a young girl to Jennifer Jason Leigh, it seems Solondz is going back to familiar ground making a quasi-sequel to his masterpiece Happiness. Although there is not any casting overlap from the first film which starred Jane Adams, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Lara Flynn Boyle. With the new film, that still has no title, the casting is down right eclectic: ScreenAnarchy favourite Shirley Henderson, Paul "Pee Wee Herman" Reubens, prolific character Michael Lerner, screen icon Charlotte Rampling, Allison Janney, Ciaran Hinds and the kicker: Paris Hilton. Just about everything Ms. Hilton has participated in in has been a full blown train wreck, from The Cat in the Hat (possibly the most wretched film ever) to Repo! The Genetic Opera; yet Solondz's brand of loathing satire may be just the ticket to be able to stomach the publicity queen on screen. Yes, I'm really looking forward to this one.