To mark the release of Adam Resurrected on DVD 30th January, Trinity Film have given us three copies of the movie to give away. Adam Resurrected is directed by Paul Schrader and stars Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe, Derek Jacobi and Ayelet Zurer.

Discover the fearless story of a Holocaust survivor, as the powerful World War II drama ADAM RESURRECTED comes to DVD on 30 January 2012, courtesy of Trinity Films.

This extraordinary tale is masterfully adapted from prize winning author Yoram Kanuik’s 1968 novel and is brought to life by director Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, American Gigolo) with captivating performances from an impressive cast including Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park, Independence Day), Willem Dafoe (Spider-man, The English Patient), Derek Jacobi (Gladiator, The King’s Speech) and Ayelet Zurer (Angels and Demons, Vantage Point).

Adam Stein (Goldblum). The funniest man in Germany. And a Jew. Taken to a Nazi concentration camp upon Hitler’s rise to power, Adam faces near-certain death in the gas chamber. Until he is spotted by the camp Commandant who recognises Adam as a performer and for his own sadistic pleasure, offers him a chance of staying alive…by becoming the Commandant’s pet ‘dog’. But as Adam is to discover, this ‘survival’ will come at a terrible price.

Adam Resurrected in released on DVD on 30th January, courtesy of Trinity Films.

To enter the competition, simply click next to be taken to the question and entry form…

Are you the type of person who likes watching the stimulating highlights over the real thing? Do you always want to get straight into the filthy action without any of the messing around? Do you like people going on and on about Charles Dicken’s no matter how incompetently?

Well Ultra Culture has recently solved your Christmas wishes with some red hot footage of Derek Jacobi’s exploits in one of the worst documentaries ever made; Charles Dickens’ England. And since it’s Christmas I think it’s high time you discovered it.

Throughout his ponderous whistle-stop and then stop some more tour of Charles Dickens’ life (featuring visits to London and numerous country idylls) our man Derek often comes off about as bumbling and inarticulate as Boris Johnson in a blender. Spending most of the running time wandering around with the forlorn bewilderment of a man who has recently misplaced his nipples one has to wonder how the hell this film ever got made, let alone released. You also have to wonder if Jacobi was having some sort of prolonged seizure throughout, that or a grievous miscarriage of judgement.

Watch as he watches things. Look as he looks at things. Laugh as he laughs. Gasp as he gasps. Gawp as he gawps. Read a biography of Dickens instead of watching this pile of self indulgent arse. It’s like watching Jacobi taking a nice warm soak in Dickens’ reflected glory whilst covered in the bubblebath of late career insanity. So the question is; why is it so funny?

If anyone was in any doubt as to why Charles Dicken’s England is often considered one of the worst films of the last few years here is the evidence. It’s plodding, it’s awkward, it’s self-satisfied, it’s quite frankly terrible, but d’you know what? It’s hilarious. And I wouldn’t have it any other way:

To be or not to be, that is certainly the subjective question of whether director Roland Emmerich’s new film will excite or disgust. Indeed, with the covering of one of our greatest playwright’s names in his hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon in protest of Anonymous, William Shakespeare might be thrilled at the reignited interest in him.

In writer John Orloff and Emmerich’s version of Elizabethan events, the playwright (played by Rafe Spall) is actually an illiterate fool, a scheming charlatan who grabs the opportunity for easy fame – and to make money (it could be argued, like a former-day version of a reality TV contestant) – by laying claim to a series of plays written by Anonymous that delight the crowds at the local theatre. Unbeknown to all, these were actually penned by Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford (Rhys Ifans), to silence ‘the voices’ in his head. But as a member of the Royal Court, he is unable to be open about his creativity, or face disgrace. Meanwhile, the English throne, headed by theatre-loving Elizabeth I (played by both Joely Richardson and her real-life mother Vanessa Redgrave), is being manipulated by the Cecil Family of father William (David Thewlis) and later, by his son, Robert (Edward Hogg), so that a Scottish successor can take over.

Depending on how much you hold the bard dear to your heart, what must not be forgotten is this is an entertaining piece of imaginary work in itself – as suggested by the opening prologue by Derek Jacobi. The fact that there has always been speculation about the origins of Shakespeare’s works only goes to fuel how fitting the mystery is for cinematic purposes. Everyone likes to question history’s great mysteries when there is an ounce of doubt, from who shot JFK to the death of Princess Diana. So, without sounding flippant, the emphasis here is on ‘imaginary work’, and the film-makers certainly grab our attention.

This film is equally about the Royal Court power struggles, as it is the Shakespeare parts, and it is the former that is the film’s true momentum – not whether aristocrat de Vere will be found out. Hence, if period-based deception, temptation and pure decadence appeal, Emmerich’s rich ‘Old Masters’-style cinematography and sumptuous settings – some of which scream CGI at times – are a delight to behold.

Nevertheless, any upset at the ‘raw deal’ Shakespeare is getting in this, is not the question mark over the plays’ true author, but how the film-makers portray our great bard as an utter clown. Spall is certainly amusing, raising sniggers and having a ball in the role – if only employed to make Ifans look wise and credible as De Vere. But some might feel a little perturbed in the scene when Shakespeare asks De Vere whether ‘published’ means ‘in a book’? That said comedy makes a fool out of anyone, and this scene is little more ‘offensive’ than a TV comedy sketch, in all honesty, with Spall as Shakespeare as a parody of one of his own literary fools that provide the comical aspect in often a turbulent time.

These moments are also counterbalanced by the film’s celebration of the works in general, and there are some magical re-enactments of The Rose and The Globe theatres that make you yearn for a good Shakespearean evening out. The other delight is watching fine British acting at play, and the added surprise of Ifans in a serious role as De Vere that makes for a rousing spectacle, not too deft as to be unfitting for the whole gay affair, but with just enough deadpan theatrics to yet again remind you that you are watching a well-directed and staged interpretation of the reality.

Without going down the long, arduous road of comparing historical facts to add to the scholarly and fan-based denouncement of Anonymous, there are some extraordinary claims made that don’t add up after researching the characters. However, as we are prompted in the film’s lines to place our trust in the power of the words – these being merely another opinion to add to the rest of history’s sceptics, the overall sentiment after watching this is one of awe of the work in question, and that can only be a good thing.

***~~ (3/5)

Two days ago we were treated to a couple of images and a trailer for Simon Curtis’ film My Week with Marilyn and two things were immediately clear.

Firstly that the period detail is spot on and secondly that Michelle Williams is certainly up to the challenge of embodying one of the most beautiful and alluring actresses cinema has ever seen.

The new images show off some of the impeccable cast with Williams looking perfect as Monroe and Kenneth Branagh as Laurence Olivier along with Eddie Redmayne as Colin Clark (Olivier’s assistant) and Emma Watson. Dominic Cooper, Julia Ormond, Toby Jones, Judi Dench, Dougray Scott, Zoë Wanamaker and Derek Jacobi round off the cast do you know there’ll be something impressive up on screen.

Here is the UK we have a release date of the 18th of October and while the casting looks spot on, and these pictures compound the belief that the film will look the business, the success of the film necessarily rests on the performance of Michelle Williams and so far it’s looking very promising.

Here’s the gallery, click to make small things big.

Moviefone had these, The Playlist showed us the way.

My week with Marilyn is one of two biopics being told about Marilyn Monroe. In this version, Michelle Williams takes up the leading role alongside a stellar cast which includes Emma Watson, Dominic Cooper, Kenneth Branagh, Julia Ormond, Toby Jones, Judi Dench, Dougray Scott, Zoë Wanamaker and Derek Jacobi. The film is directed by Simon Curtis and it’s set for release in the UK 18th November.

This new trailer comes from Yahoo and the images below from The Daily Mail. It was shot at Pinewood Studios here in London and now after watching the movie, It’s completely different to the sort of film that was expecting. Have a watch of it below and let me know what you think in the comments section.

Colin Clark met Marilyn Monroe while working as a young assistant on Laurence Olivier’s “The Prince and the Showgirl.” When Marilyn experienced emotional difficulties during shooting, the 23-year-old third assistant director came to her aid and romance developed. But one week of honesty and fun was not enough to save the doomed star from self-destruction.

Billed as a political thriller in tights Roland Emmerich is taking a step back from blowing up worlds to blowing our minds as he sets out the premise that Shakespeare not only never wrote any of the plays credited to him, but also never existed. Blimey.

Anonymous has an exceptional cast in Rhys Ifans, Xavier Samuel, Jamie Campbell Bower, Joely Richardson, David Thewlis, Vanessa Redgrave, Derek Jacobi and Rafe Spall, and is set for release on the 28th of October, at the close of the London Film Festival where eager London bound film fans will be able to see the film a little early.

The clip below, lovingly laid at our feet by the Duke of Yahoo, was one we saw recently at the Big Screen event and it didn’t blow our codpiece off I have to say. The period detail certainly evokes the spirit of the age but the film had a very po-faced tone, something that I’m fairly confident will be balanced out in the final film.

Here’s the clip,

The Weinstein Company have unveiled the first official poster for My Week with Marilyn.

Directed by Simon Curtis (Cranford), My Week with Marilyn stars Michelle Williams, Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Dominic Cooper, Emma Watson, Eddie Redmayne, Julia Ormond, Toby Jones, Derek Jacobi and Dougray Scott.

Colin Clark (Redmayne), an employee of Sir Laurence Olivier’s, documents the tense interaction between Olivier (Branagh) and Marilyn Monroe (Williams) during production of The Prince and the Showgirl.

My Week with Marilyn is scheduled for release in the U.K. on November 18.

Check out the poster below:

Source: Moviefone

I’ve got some good and bad news for you people. The sort of good news is that if you’re a fan of Rhys Ifans or maybe director Roland Emmerich, we have a new trailer for you for their new movie, Anonymous. The bad news is that we got to see two new clips from the movie at Big Screen over the weekend and it looked completely dull and boring. Jon, Craig and myself sat through 15 minutes of the movie and couldn’t wait for it to end, in fact I cheered when it did! The other bit of good news is that the movie did look visually amazing. If you’re a fan of costume or set design then this is very much going to be a movie that you’re going to live, if however you want a thrilling story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, then this probably isn’t it*! You can see our live blog from the Sony panel where we saw the clips here. Sorry if we didn’t complete it, Jon (who was typing it up) may well have nodded off!

Anonymous stars Rhys Ifans​​, Xavier Samuel​​, Jamie Campbell Bower​​, Joely Richardson​​, David Thewlis, Vanessa Redgrave​​, Derek Jacobi​​, Rafe Spall​​ and Edward Hogg.

Synopsis: Set in the political snake-pit of Elizabethan England​​, Anonymous speculates on an issue that has for centuries intrigued academics and brilliant minds ranging from Mark Twain​​ and Charles Dickens to Henry James and Sigmund Freud​​, namely: who was the author of the plays credited to William Shakespeare​​ ? Experts have debated, books have been written, and scholars have devoted their lives to protecting or debunking theories surrounding the authorship of the most renowned works in English literature. Anonymous poses one possible answer, focusing on a time when cloak-and-dagger political intrigue, illicit romances in the Royal Court, and the schemes of greedy nobles hungry for the power of the throne were exposed in the most unlikely of places: the London stage.

This new trailer is pretty much the same as the second US version but in a slightly different order. It does however contain a bit of new footage. Check it out below and try to stay awake!

Anonymous is out in the UK 28th October.

*I might be wrong!

Source: Sky Movies

Here’s the second trailer for Roland Emmerich’s new movie, Anonymous which we’ll get here in the UK 28th October.
Anonymous stars Rhys Ifans​, Xavier Samuel​, Jamie Campbell Bower​, Joely Richardson​, David Thewlis, Vanessa Redgrave​, Derek Jacobi​, Rafe Spall​, Edward Hogg and is set for release 30th September in the US and we assume around then too in the UK.

Anonymous is helmed by CGI disaster movie legend, Roland Emmerich and this time it would appear that he’s taken to period dramas?! The man famed for directing movies like Independence Day, Star Gate, The Day After Tomorrow​ and 2012 has gone all old school on us but it’s surely going to contain mountain loads of computer processing power somewhere isn’t it?!

Synopsis: Set in the political snake-pit of Elizabethan England​, Anonymous speculates on an issue that has for centuries intrigued academics and brilliant minds ranging from Mark Twain​ and Charles Dickens to Henry James and Sigmund Freud​, namely: who was the author of the plays credited to William Shakespeare​? Experts have debated, books have been written, and scholars have devoted their lives to protecting or debunking theories surrounding the authorship of the most renowned works in English literature. Anonymous poses one possible answer, focusing on a time when cloak-and-dagger political intrigue, illicit romances in the Royal Court, and the schemes of greedy nobles hungry for the power of the throne were exposed in the most unlikely of places: the London stage.

Source: Latino Review

To celebrate the release of Ironclad on DVD and Blu-ray 11th July, Warner Home Video have given us three copies of the movie to give away on Blu-ray.

From the studio that brought you 300 and starring James Purefoy (ROME), Brian Cox (THE BOURNE SUPREMACY), Paul Giamatti (SIDEWAYS) and Kate Mara (127 HOURS),  IRONCLAD plunges us headlong into one of the most violent and pivotal moments in English medieval history – when a few good men fought against insurmountable odds to defend their country from a megalomaniac, blood-drunk king.  There will be blood.

The year is 1215 and following the signing of the Magna Carta, King John (Giamatti) rallies together a band of ruthless mercenaries to reclaim his powers over England and exert merciless revenge against those that betrayed him.  Standing in his way of victory are a group of rebel barons led by Baron Albany (Cox) and a formidable Templar Knight, Marshall (Purefoy), who take control of one of the most strategic and powerful fortresses in the land, the mighty Rochester Castle.  If they are to defend the rights of England against this power-crazed King, they must defend the Castle, but there are only 10 of them against a powerful army.  With the castle surrounded and food supplies running low it takes all their strength to remain true to the cause.  What ensues is an epic struggle of wit, determination and true daring in one of the longest and bloodiest sieges in English history.

To be in with a chance of winning the movie on Blu-ray, simply answer the following question using the form below:

Who plays the character King John in Ironclad?

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

The small print:

• Open to UK residents only
• Only one entry per household will be counted
• The competition will close 18th July 23.59 GMT
• The winner will be picked at random from entries received

The usual T&Cs can be found here. Good Luck!

Sony Pictures have released a couple of new images from the Roland Emmerich movie, Anonymous which I still find very odd seeing after his previous works!

Anonymous stars Rhys Ifans, Xavier Samuel, Jamie Campbell Bower, Joely Richardson, David Thewlis, Vanessa Redgrave, Derek Jacobi, Rafe Spall, Edward Hogg and is set for release 30th September in the US and UK.

Anonymous is helmed by CGI disaster movie legend, Roland Emmerich and this time it would appear that he’s taken to period dramas?! The man famed for directing movies like Independence Day, Star Gate, The Day After Tomorrow and 2012 has gone all old school on us but it’s surely going to contain mountain loads of computer processing power somewhere isn’t it?!

Synopsis: Set in the political snake-pit of Elizabethan England, Anonymous speculates on an issue that has for centuries intrigued academics and brilliant minds ranging from Mark Twain and Charles Dickens to Henry James and Sigmund Freud, namely: who was the author of the plays credited to William Shakespeare? Experts have debated, books have been written, and scholars have devoted their lives to protecting or debunking theories surrounding the authorship of the most renowned works in English literature. Anonymous poses one possible answer, focusing on a time when cloak-and-dagger political intrigue, illicit romances in the Royal Court, and the schemes of greedy nobles hungry for the power of the throne were exposed in the most unlikely of places: the London stage.

If you’ve not seen the trailer for the movie, you can view it here.

It’s easy to become blinded by the shine from its multiple awards but the Blu-ray and DVD release of The King’s Speech is an opportunity to enjoy Tom Hooper’s excellent film again, and it’s an opportunity well worth taking.

The film tells the story of the ascension of King George VI to the throne and the painful maturation of the man’s public persona and its key ingredient, the voice of a King. The central relationship between Firth’s King George and Geoffrey Rush’s unorthodox Australian speech leads the film from the 1925 closing speech of the British Empire Exhibition to the rousing speech to the nation on the outbreak of War. It is a rich tale, told with impeccable pacing, focus and is something of a triumph for a relatively low budget British independent film.

It may have been decried as Oscar bait on its release, a label as unfair as it was prophetic, but there is something undeniably classic about Hooper’s film with an affecting and rich central performance from Colin Firth. The choices Hooper made with the composition and layering of the speech therapy sessions do as much for the film’s momentum as the crippling moments of public speaking, and the use of silence is pitch perfect and Hooper has spoken about his collaboration with composer Alexandre Desplat which resulted in Firth’s vocal performance having the space to breathe, to be heard.

Their is a line through Hooper’s work in which a public figure and a private relationship play out, his Damned United and TV series Longford and John Adams both played with the notion of discovering a public voice and in The King’s Speech the theme finds its most accomplished execution. We feel emotionally charged and viscerally attuned to the savage expectation, both from commoner and King, of the importance of ‘the voice’ and there is a tangible sense of helplessness in Firth’s King and  Hooper’s skill is in relaying the human aspect of the pomp and circumstance; we all feel the same as our words hit the air.

The director’s commentary has Hooper his usual generous self, and the construction of character and his famous ‘triangle of man-love’ between him and Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush is not only great fun but illuminates the on-screen relationship. The real history behind the film is given its due and the DVD and Blu-ray is bolstered with these additions but the jewel here is the rarest of beasts: an Oscar-winner that is worthy of the hype surrounding it, and is even more satisfying on a second watch. Firth arguably did better work with Tom Ford’s A Single Man but here he has to lead us through a far wider world and the reason it works it because Hooper never lets us forget who the man is. In moments of crises Hooper kicks in with a very shallow depth of field and Firth seems increasingly lost in his own prison. To be the most public person in the country and still be completely alone is a hard trick to pull off as an actor and for a director, but Hooper and Firth manage it flawlessly.

The supporting cast is exceptional, Hooper shows his playful side by casting I Claudius actor Derek Jacobi and in Jennifer Ehle he reunites the Darcy and Lizzie of the BBC’s iconic Pride and Prejudice, and it’s churlish to suggest that this film is an automatic Oscar winner and the performances and direction are not worthy of the praise it’s received. Hooper allows the film’s central story to be peppered with small moments as the bedtime story with the Princesses and the embittered interplay between Firth’s George VI and Guy Pearce’s irascible Edward VIII, never drawing our eye away from the story, embellishing it and rewarding us with a solid and inspirational piece of work that will stand with the best of British film for years to come.

Film ****~ (4/5)

Disc ***~~ (3/5)

• Commentary with director Tom Hooper
• An inspirational story of an unlikely friendship – The making of The King’s Speech
• Filmed Interview with Mark Logue
• Speeches from the real King George VI
• Production sketches from Academy Award® nominated Production designer Eve Stewart
• Production stills and Behind the Scenes photo gallery

We’ve already seen the trailer for Roland Emmerich’s latest movie, Anonymous but now we get to see the first poster for the movie which was released by Columbia Pictures last night. It asks the question, ‘Was Shakespeare a Fraud?’.

Anonymous stars Rhys Ifans, Xavier Samuel, Jamie Campbell Bower, Joely Richardson, David Thewlis, Vanessa Redgrave, Derek Jacobi, Rafe Spall, Edward Hogg and is set for release 30th September in the US and we assume around then too in the UK.

Anonymous is helmed by CGI disaster movie legend, Roland Emmerich and this time it would appear that he’s taken to period dramas?! The man famed for directing movies like Independence Day, Star Gate, The Day After Tomorrow and 2012 has gone all old school on us but it’s surely going to contain mountain loads of computer processing power somewhere isn’t it?!

Synopsis: Set in the political snake-pit of Elizabethan England, Anonymous speculates on an issue that has for centuries intrigued academics and brilliant minds ranging from Mark Twain and Charles Dickens to Henry James and Sigmund Freud, namely: who was the author of the plays credited to William Shakespeare? Experts have debated, books have been written, and scholars have devoted their lives to protecting or debunking theories surrounding the authorship of the most renowned works in English literature. Anonymous poses one possible answer, focusing on a time when cloak-and-dagger political intrigue, illicit romances in the Royal Court, and the schemes of greedy nobles hungry for the power of the throne were exposed in the most unlikely of places: the London stage

Source: ComingSoon

To mark the release of The King’s Speech, available on DVD and Blu-ray 9 May, we have teamed up with Momentum to give three lucky readers the chance to get their hands on a Blu-ray copy of the award-winning film!

Toast of this year’s Academy and BAFTA Awards, The King’s Speech is the cinematic phenomenon of the year. Starring Colin Firth, Helena Bonham-Carter and Geoffrey Rush, the film is now set to become the must-have home entertainment release of 2011. Based on the true story of King George VI’s epic journey to overcome immense personal difficulties on his way to the throne, The King’s Speech deftly explores the touching and intricate personal relationship between a reluctant King and his unconventional speech therapist, Lionel Logue.

To be in with the chance of winning this fantastic prize, all you need to do is answer this simple question using the form below:

In the King’s Speech, King George VI is played by which actor?

1. Colin Firth
2. Brad Pitt
3. Hugh Grant

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

The small print:

• Open to UK residents only
• Only one entry per household will be counted
• The competition will close 9th May 23.59 GMT
• The winner will be picked at random from entries received

The usual T&Cs can be found here. Good Luck!

What feels like forever ago we put up the first image for Roland Emmerich’s new movie, Anonymous. Looking back, it was actually this year on January 6th to be precise. The film stars Rhys Ifans, Xavier Samuel, Jamie Campbell Bower, Joely Richardson, David Thewlis, Vanessa Redgrave, Derek Jacobi, Rafe Spall, Edward Hogg and is set for release 30th September in the US and we assume around then too in the UK.

Anonymous is helmed by CGI disaster movie legend, Roland Emmerich and this time it would appear that he’s taken to period dramas?! The man famed for directing movies like Independence Day, Star Gate, The Day After Tomorrow and 2012 has gone all old school on us but it’s surely going to contain mountain loads of computer processing power somewhere isn’t it?!

Synopsis: Set in the political snake-pit of Elizabethan England, Anonymous speculates on an issue that has for centuries intrigued academics and brilliant minds ranging from Mark Twain and Charles Dickens to Henry James and Sigmund Freud, namely: who was the author of the plays credited to William Shakespeare? Experts have debated, books have been written, and scholars have devoted their lives to protecting or debunking theories surrounding the authorship of the most renowned works in English literature. Anonymous poses one possible answer, focusing on a time when cloak-and-dagger political intrigue, illicit romances in the Royal Court, and the schemes of greedy nobles hungry for the power of the throne were exposed in the most unlikely of places: the London stage.

Check out the trailer below which comes via the fine folk at Yahoo.

Tom Hooper’s film has waltzed through awards season winning accolades for its stars, directors, screenwriters and the film itself, and in order to capitalise on this success the film has been re-edited in the States, taking out the more offensive language and gaining a new, box-office friendly PG-13 rating.

The debate will rage on and on, but this new poster, found by our friends at Best For Film, sets the new tone nicely.

Which immediately richochets off of the cultural consciousness and suggests this moment from a true family classic,

The moments which affected me most in Tom Hooper’s film were the bedtime story with the princesses, or the quiet beakdown before the storm – and it has a huge heart. I’m also extrememly pleased that more people will be enticed into seeing the film, but I can’t help but feel Tom Hooper and David Seilder’s film has been compromised in order to make money.

Offensive language and censorship is a big part of cinematic culture and we are seeing boundaries shift back and forward for social or economic reasons and new version of The King’s Speech will make even more money and prove that re-editing a film is a viable commerical option, even if it plays merry hell with artisitic integrity.

And if you’re really annoyed just make a slight adjustment to the poster when you see it.

Medieval action epic Ironclad is out in UK cinemas on the 4th of March and everything we’ve seen so far points to a brutal and brilliant film with an outstanding cast making the most of the rich vein of history Jonathan English has tapped into for his film.

We’ve got our hands on an exclusive clip for you, which offers a respite from the carnage to let Brian Cox set the scene for us, and of course, he’s brilliant. Also appearing in the film are Paul Giamatti,  James Purefoy, Jason Flemyng, Mackenzie Crook, Derek Jacobi, Charles Dance, Kate Mara  and newcomer Aneurin Barnard.

It looks great, we’ve spoken to James Purefoy who was a legend and we’re really looking forward to Ironclad hitting cinemas so you can enjoy it along with us.

The year is 1215. King John (Paul Giamatti) has been forced to sign the Magna Carta, a document that will ensure the freedom of men and form the basis of common law in England. Furious at having been forced to sign it, King John raises a vicious mercenary army and begins a rampage across the country to regain total power. But as the King’s army is on the brink of reaching London and taking back control of the country, one last castle stands between him and inevitable victory: Rochester.

Here’s the clip, which sits nicely alongside the trailers and images we’ve seen so far.

The King’s Speech is in cinemas nationwide and to celebrate this we’re giving you the chance to win a King’s Speech Notebook, Tote bag, Mug and a bookmark. We’ve been given three sets to give away so scroll down for more info.

THE KING’S SPEECH is based on the true story of Queen Elizabeth II’s father and his remarkable friendship with maverick speech therapist Lionel Logue.   Fascinating, moving and often humorous it charts the personal relationship that developed between England’s reluctant King George VI, plagued by a nervous stammer, and his irreverent Australian speech therapist.

As the second son of George V, Prince Albert “Bertie” was not expected to ascend to the throne, but when his brother Edward abdicates to marry American Wallis Simpson, Bertie, as his successor, is crowned King George VI.

George becomes King as radio is taking off as a mass medium and the Second World War looms.  Thrust into the international spotlight he must speak not only to the nation but to the people of the British Empire, across the world.  His wife, Queen Elizabeth – the future Queen Mother – is tireless in her belief in him.  Having tried all the traditional doctors she engages unorthodox outsider, Logue, to help him find a voice that can inspire a nation on the brink of war.

BAFTA winner Colin Firth (A Single Man, Mamma Mia!) stars as Prince Albert, alongside his Shakespeare in Love colleague, Oscar® winner Geoffrey Rush (Pirates of the Caribbean, Shine), as speech therapist Lionel Logue. The multi-award-winning cast includes Helena Bonham Carter (Harry Potter, Sweeney Todd) as Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother), with Guy Pearce (The Hurt Locker) as the abdicating King Edward VIII, Derek Jacobi (Gosford Park) as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Cosmo Lang, Timothy Spall (The Damned United) as Winston Churchill, Jennifer Ehle (Pride and Glory, Pride and Prejudice) as Logue’s wife Myrtle and Michael Gambon (Harry Potter) as King George V.

To be in with a chance of winning this great prize, all you have to do is answer the following question using the form below:

Who directed the movie, The King’s Speech?

The small print:

• Open to UK residents only
• Only one entry per household will be counted
• The competition will close 15th February 23.59 GMT
• The winner will be picked at random from entries received

The usual T&Cs can be found here. Good Luck!

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

I finally got to see The King’s Speech last night and I’m pleased to report that it’s every bit as good as everyone says it is. After the news that it has received 14 BAFTA nominations, The Weinstein Company have released this rather excellent behind the scenes featurette for the movie that is 23 minutes long!

If you liked the movie and want to go behind the scenes to find out just how the movie was created, grab a cup of tea and spend 23 glorious minutes watching the below.

The King’s Speech is directed by Tom Hooper and stars Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce, Colin Firth, Michael Gambon, Geoffrey Rush, Timothy Spall and Derek Jacobi.

Thanks to /Film for the heads up.

Columbia Pictures (via our friends at FirstShowing) have released the first image from their new movie, Anonymous which gives us our first looks at Rhys Ifans as Edward de Vere. Anonymous is helmed by CGI disaster movie legend, Roland Emmerich and this time it would appear that he’s taken to period dramas?! The man famed for directing movies like Independence Day, Star Gate, The Day After Tomorrow and 2012 has gone all old school on us but it’s surely going to contain mountain loads of computer processing power somewhere isn’t it?!

Synopsis: Set in the political snake-pit of Elizabethan England, Anonymous speculates on an issue that has for centuries intrigued academics and brilliant minds ranging from Mark Twain and Charles Dickens to Henry James and Sigmund Freud, namely: who was the author of the plays credited to William Shakespeare? Experts have debated, books have been written, and scholars have devoted their lives to protecting or debunking theories surrounding the authorship of the most renowned works in English literature. Anonymous poses one possible answer, focusing on a time when cloak-and-dagger political intrigue, illicit romances in the Royal Court, and the schemes of greedy nobles hungry for the power of the throne were exposed in the most unlikely of places: the London stage.

Anonymous also stars Xavier Samuel, Jamie Campbell Bower, Joely Richardson, David Thewlis, Vanessa Redgrave, Derek Jacobi, Rafe Spall, Edward Hogg and is set for release 30th September in the US and we assume around then too in the UK.

Click the image to enlarge.