Oscars' Best Foreign Film Shortlist Unleashed

 Golden Globe Awards winner "In a Better World" and Javier Bardem's "Biutiful" have been selected in the final Best Foreign Film Oscar shortlist before next week's nominations. The field has been narrowed down from 65 films to nine.

Algeria, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Japan, Mexico, Spain, South Africa and Sweden are represented on the list.

Films up for contention include "Simple Simon", "Hors la Loi (Outside the Law)", "Dogtooth" and "Tambien la Lluvia (Even the Rain)".

Japan's "Kokuhaku (Confessions)" is East Asia's only representative on the short-list. "We're really happy to be selected for the short-list, but now we have to hope we make the last five. It would be tough to miss out now," producer Genki Kawamura told The Hollywood Reporter. "It would be good to see at least one Asian film represented, and I definitely want to go to the Kodak Theater - I guess all we can do now is pray."

Original Green Hornet Was Wanted for Cameo in Movie

 Seth Rogen wanted original Green Hornet depicter Van Williams to make a cameo appearance in his new big screen blockbuster, but the 1960s TV star was scheduled for a medical procedure and unable to join the cast. The "Knocked Up" funnyman appears in the new film as Britt Reid, the playboy son of a wealthy media mogul who eventually transforms into a superhero - the character Williams played over 40 years ago in the small screen series of the same name.

The actor was keen to bring Williams on board, but when producers eventually tracked the 76 year old down, they discovered he was unavailable for the job because of ongoing medical treatment.

Rogen tells the New York Daily News, "We tried to get him (Williams) involved in the movie in some capacity, to do a cameo or something, and we were never able to get him. I think we finally tracked where he was, but I think he was having a medical operation."