Variety are reporting that Ethan Hawke is set to play one of the leads in A Late Quartet.

Co-written and directed by Yaron Zilberman, Hawke will play the second violinist of a long-running quartet whose lives are altered with one member retires due to illness.

The actor is no stranger to straddling the line between independent features and studio product and it’s nice to see him taking on a role like this after doing the big vampire action flick Daybreakers, earlier this year.

He’s also just finished work on a New York-based feature called Tonight at Noon for director Michael Almereyda, whom he played Hamlet for in a modern day retelling in 2000.

Get the full low-down on Variety.

With the throng of vampire movies and franchises invading our screens and mindsets, the most notable being Twilight, you can often overlook unique and compelling thrillers such as Daybreakers; in spite of the fact it is yet another vampire film.

Being a film that was made on Australia’s Gold Coast, written and directed by Australian brothers Michael and Peter Spierig and stars Claudia Karvan and Michael Dorman… you guessed it, Australians, I managed to sit down and have a chat about the film ahead of its release on Blu-Ray and DVD.

We managed to look at the making of the film, the story behind it and what it was like working with other notable actors, including Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe.

Sink your fangs into it. I apologise- I just had to include one vampire related pun.

Happy New Year to one and all.  It’s the beginning of a new month, new year and a new decade.  With the close of 2009, we’ve seen best of lists, worst of lists, and everything in between.  Now that we’re starting fresh with 2010, it’s time to look forward. 

In this post, I’ll be highlighting a handful of films that will be released in January.  Not every single film slated to be released will be mentioned, but I’ll try to hit upon the major titles.

So without further ado….let’s talk January! (I am located in the US so all dates are US release dates unless noted)

January 8th
This date brings 3 wide releases as well as several limited releases. First on the list:

Daybreakers (UK release Jan. 6th)
The newest entry into the vampire genre.  This one stars Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill and Willem Dafoe.  In the not so distant future a virus has turned most of the world’s population into vampires facing a shortage of human blood.  The vamps look for a way to survive while a researcher tries to find a way to save the human race. 

This film had me at “vampire” and Willem Dafoe. That’s a combo that for me, is definitely worth the time.

Leap Year (UK release Feb. 26th)
Starring Amy Adams, Matthew Goode, Adam Scott and John Lithgow.  Anna (Adams) thinks her boyfriend (Scott) is going to propose but he doesn’t.  She then takes matters into her own hands and travels to Ireland determined to follow a tradition where a woman can propose to a man on Leap Day.  She meets up with a local (Goode) and hilarity and chaos ensue.

This film looks to be as formulaic as it can get.  From the looks of the trailer it  follows all of the typical romantic comedy shticks there are.  You know how the story will progress and you know how it’s going to end.  But, it looks cute and possibly good for a laugh, and I like Amy Adams so perhaps it’ll be worth it. 

Youth in Revolt (UK release Feb. 5th)
Oh Michael Cera.  How you make me laugh.  Joined by Portia Doubleday, Jean Smart, Zack Galifianakis (yes, I had to double check the spelling as I typed that out), Steve Buscemi (I know that one by heart), Justin Long, Fred Willard and, well, the list goes on.  Awkward teenager deals with dysfunctional parents and wants to hook up with the girl of his dreams so he creates an alter ego to help him through it all.

Ok, so I know there’s more to it than just that.  But really, with that cast, that’s all I need to know.  I like Michael Cera and he plays awkward very well.  With Cera and Galifianakis I’m hoping for some serious laughs.  This one looks to be a bit darker with the alter ego, but I’m really looking forward to this one.

Limited Releases: Bitch Slap, Crazy on the Outside, In Search of Memory, Pyaar Impossible, Waiting for Armageddon, Wonderful World

January 15th
The 15th is a bit of a snoozer.  We have two wide releases and just a few limited.  I’m only going to mention one here and that is:

The Book of Eli
Starring Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, and Mila Kunis.  Set in a post- apocalyptic future, Denzel Washington is Eli, a lone man on a mission to protect a book that holds the secrets to saving humanity.

Denzel + Oldman = unmeasurable awesomeness.  The first trailer sold me.  I love me some post apocalyptic chaos and with both of those actors, it can’t go wrong.  Well, at least I really hope it doesn’t.

Limited Releases: 44 Inch Chest, Fish Tank, The Last Station

January 22nd
The 22nd bring us three more wide releases. 

Extraordinary Measures (UK release Feb. 26th)
This one stars Brenden Fraser and Harrison Ford.  Fraser is a father whose children suffer from a rare genetic disorder.  Ford is the doctor who might hold the key to their survival.

I got excited when I saw Harrison Ford was returning to the screen, but then felt a little let down when I saw Brenden Fraser attached to it.  However, after seeing the trailer, I may go see this one.  It looks heartfelt and like a bit of a tear jerker, but it also looks like it has a good story. 

Legion (UK release Mar. 5th)
Starring Paul Bettany, Dennis Quaid and Tyrese Gibson, among others.  Bettany plays the Archangel Michael.  When God decides He doesn’t like the way things are going down here on Earth, He sends His legion of angels to clean things up.  Only the strangers trapped in a middle-of-nowhere diner with Michael can end the reign of destruction about to be brought down.

My first thought was oh, interesting concept.  Paul Bettany has surprised me in the past so I won’t pass judgment just yet.  The trailer looks interesting and really this film could either be good, or a complete waste of time.

Tooth Fairy (UK release May 28th)
Dwayne Johnson continues his assault on family movies with his latest Disney entry.  Johnson plays a minor league hockey player whose sentence for a bad deed is to act as a Tooth Fairy for one week.

I admire that this former wrestler feels free to make these family oriented films.  I have no problem with that at all.  I’ve seen his movies.  I even liked The Game Plan…the first 85 times it aired.  But I really think he should be suited up with guns and knives and explosives.  We need another big ballsy action star and it could totally be him!  But alas, now is not the time.  Perhaps his next film??

Limited Releases: Creation, Drool, The Girl on the Train, The Paranoids, To Save a Life

January 29th

Edge of Darkness
Mel Gibson stars in this thriller about a police detective who investigates the death of his daughter and finds more than he bargained for.  The cast also includes Ray Winstone.

When I saw the trailer for this I had a bit of deja vu from Ransom.  It’s been a while since Mel has done anything so I’m hoping this is a good return to form for him.  He has the intensity to pull off this type of role so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.  Personally I miss the Martin Riggs Mel Gibson of old, but I’ll hold out hope for this one.

When in Rome (UK release Apr. 23)
Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamal star in this romantic comedy about Beth (Bell), a New Yorker who is unlucky in love.  After travelling to Rome for her sister’s wedding, she swipes some coins from a “love” fountain and finds herself inundated with men proclaiming their love for her.  How can she know for sure which man is the one for her?  All of this and more will be answered on January 29th.

Another romantic comedy.  I guess since we are approaching Valentine’s Day, tis the season.  Kirsten Bell really surprised me in Forgetting Sarah Marshall and as well as the bit part she had on a show called Party Down.  She seems to have comedic chops so we’ll see how she does headlining this one.  As for Josh Duhamal, I’ve only really seen him in the Transformers films so I don’t know much about him.  He looks like he can play the part and it looks like he gets to excercise his comedy muscle as well.

Limited Releases: North Face, Off and Running, Saint John of Las Vegas

That’s the story for January.  Which films do you plan on watching?  Let us know in the comments section.  A rundown for films coming out in February will be posted closer to the beginning of the month.  Until then, happy viewing!

Although it’s yet another vampire movie, Daybreakers which stars Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill, Isabel Lucas and Willem Dafoe has got me intrigued as it seems to approach the whole ‘vampire’ thing from a completely different angle. If you’ve not seen it, head over to our previous post to view the trailer.

This new poster has been released to promote the movie which is directed by Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig and is out 6th January. Click the poster to enlarge.

Synopsis: “Daybreakers” synopsis: Edward Dalton is a researcher in the year 2017, in which an unknown plague has transformed the world’s population into vampires. As the human population nears extinction, vampires
must capture and farm every remaining human, or find a blood substitute before time runs out. However, a covert group of vampires makes a remarkable discovery, one which has the power to save the human race.

Here’s the second trailer for Daybreakers which is directed by brothers Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig and stars Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Claudia Karvan, Michael Dorman, Vince Colosimo, Isabel Lucas and Sam Neill. There’s not UK release date as yet but we’ll keep you posted.

Synopsis: Lionsgate take vampires in a new direction with the futuristic sci-fi thriller, DAYBREAKERS. The year is 2019. A mysterious plague has swept over the earth, transforming the majority of the world’s population into vampires. Humans are now an endangered, second-class species ““ forced into hiding as they are hunted and farmed for vampire consumption to the brink of extinction. It’s all up to Edward Dalton, a vampire researcher who refuses to feed on human blood, to perfect a blood substitute that might sustain vampires and spare the few remaining humans. But time and hope are running out ““ until Ed meets Audrey, a human survivor who leads him to a startling medical breakthrough. Armed with knowledge that both humans and vampires will kill for, Ed must battle his own kind in a deadly struggle that will decide the fate of the human race.

In amongst all the Twilight Mania that is going on you’d be forgiven for missing another vampire centric movie in the mix, but this one looks like it’ll be worth your attention.

Ethan Hawke and Sam Neill take the lead in Daybreakers, which was completed a while ago and will finally see a release in January 2010 and Empire have the new poster, which you can see below.

While the fang clad undead may not be the most original theme in these days of True Blood and Twilight, Daybreakers has an interesting take. The world has suffered a plague which has turned everyone into a vampire, and the crux is that the blood is running out.

There’s an allegory about mankind’s pillaging of the Earth’s natural resources tucked in there for sure, and we’ll be able to see for ourselves when the film opens early next year.

Here’s the poster (click to enlarge) for Daybreakers that MTV released today. The trailer came out back in June but I don’t think we’ve posted it previously and it looks pretty cool so I thought I’d get it up here!It’s a vampire movie but don’t let that put you off as it looks like a completely new storyline that we’ve not seen the likes of before.

The movie is directed by brothers Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig and stars Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Claudia Karvan, Michael Dorman, Vince Colosimo, Isabel Lucas and Sam Neill.There’s not UK release date as yet but we’ll keep you posted.

Synopsis: Lionsgate take vampires in a new direction with the futuristic sci-fi thriller, DAYBREAKERS. The year is 2019. A mysterious plague has swept over the earth, transforming the majority of the world’s population into vampires. Humans are now an endangered, second-class species ““ forced into hiding as they are hunted and farmed for vampire consumption to the brink of extinction. It’s all up to Edward Dalton, a vampire researcher who refuses to feed on human blood, to perfect a blood substitute that might sustain vampires and spare the few remaining humans. But time and hope are running out ““ until Ed meets Audrey, a human survivor who leads him to a startling medical breakthrough. Armed with knowledge that both humans and vampires will kill for, Ed must battle his own kind in a deadly struggle that will decide the fate of the human race.