Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road) and Catherine Keener (Where the Wild Things Are) have signed on to star in Frank or Francis.

Winslet and Keener will star opposite Steve Carell (Dan in Real Life), Jack Black (Be Kind Rewind), Nicolas Cage (Kick-Ass) and Kevin Kline (French Kiss) what’s being described as a “very meta musical comedy”.

Frank or Francis centers on a director (Carell) who becomes obsessed with the message board commenter (Black) critisising his films on a Hollywood website.

Charlie Kaufman (Synecdoche, New York), who has worked with both Winslet and Keener before, will direct his own screenplay.

Production is expected to begin later this year for a 2013 release.

Source: Vulture

On 14th April 1865, John Wilkes Booth walked up behind Abraham Lincoln in his box at Ford’s Theatre and shot him. As this film’s tagline testifies however, although one man shot Lincoln, more than one man killed him. Booth and his accomplices were pursued and for the most part found and arrested, though Booth himself was shot rather than being brought in to stand trial. Booth and many of his co-conspirators met on occasion before the assassination at a guest house owned and run by Mary Surratt (Robin Wright). Her son John is nowhere to be found and so she is tried by a military court as a conspirator in the assassination. Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy), a lawyer and soldier who fought for the Union in the US Civil War is assigned to Mary’s defence and despite his initial reluctance to defend her, eventually comes to see the unconstitutional manner in which the trial is being conducted and resolves to defend Mary to the best of his ability.

*****

Despite the seemingly hint-laden title, this film is not really about conspiracies or outlandish conspiracy theories at all. There are none of the JFK-style attempts to peel back the layers of corruption and complicity, rather a fairly straight telling of an altogether compelling story about justice, the rule of law and the US constitution, with a clear and no doubt utterly intentional resonance with recent events in relation to terror-suspects, Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. As the conflicted defence attorney, James McAvoy does an excellent job of transitioning through the gears from disgust and indifference, through vehemence and indignation to desperation and even heroism. He quickly realises that whatever Mary Surratt might or might not be guilty of, she deserves but is patently not receiving a fair trial. His antipathy towards her grows convincingly into staunch advocacy for her rights, picking holes in contradictory and unconvincing prosecution evidence, despite his objections and best efforts being thwarted at every turn by the ridiculously biased (but no doubt historically accurate) David Hunter, who presided over the trial of a civilian in full military regalia.

At one point, driven incandescent with frustration at the injustice of the proceedings, Aiken bellows at the court, “it’s not enough is it?” Every witness has been cajoled, threatened and intimidated, every objection by him dismissed, every objection by the prosecutor upheld. It is to McAvoy’s credit that it does not feel like an explosion out of nothing, rather a simmering fury that builds to the point of eruption.

Kevin Kline and Tom Wilkinson make welcome appearances as Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and US Senator Reverdy Johnson respectively, butting heads constantly over the importance of a fair trial versus the crucial point of maintaining the peace and the fragile integrity of the only-just United States. As Stanton says (and with particular post-9/11 resonance), “the world has changed”, to which Johnson retorts, “but the Constitution must not be sacrificed”. Director Robert Redford subtly, but deftly draws attention to the manifold ways in which civil liberties and constitutional principles have been sacrificed on the altar of the “war on terror” and how our desperation to preserve our way of life can cause us to cast aside some of our hitherto most cherished principles. Stanton is not cast as the villain of the piece by any means – the film wisely portrays its various characters in realistic shades of grey – showing him instead to be a desperate and driven man, but not a malevolent one, merely as conflicted and flawed as any of us.

As the many excellent features show, a lot of care and thought has gone into recreating the era of the trial, with lighting, street scenes, clothing and cityscapes all thoroughly up to scratch. Redford was clearly operating on a modest budget, but the film never looks or feels cheap or half-baked. Instead, something fascinating, informative, intellectually stimulating and politically relevant and resonant has been crafted and it is a considerable shame that the film found less of an audience ($11.5m in the US to date against a $25m budget) and received less of a warm critical reception when it first hit the screens (at least here in the UK) that it seems to have deserved.

Despite the grand, sweeping themes, the running time is relatively tight, coming in at just under two hours (though a few more minutes off that would have helped the film feel a little brisker) and as alluded to earlier, the parallels drawn within James D Solomon and Gregory Bernstein’s script between the events portrayed and those of the past decade are tactfully handled rather than being hammered home.

This is well worth a watch and perhaps is better suited to and will find more of a home on the small(er) screen. You can buy it on DVD or Bluray here.

****~ (4/5)

Extras:

• Short featurettes by the American Film Society titled “Witness History” on everything from production design, to the defendant’s Catholic beliefs, costume design, props, military trials and a couple of the main characters from the story. Informative.
• Making Of Documentary with contributions from Robert Redford. Brief but interesting
• Director’s Commentary. At times Redford has much to say about the quality of the cast, the apparent ease with which British actors find US accents and the challenges of creating an authentic period feel for the film. At other times he falls silent for minutes at a time when it would be nice to hear a bit more from him. Perhaps a two- or three-hander would have helped fill that empty space a little?
• Photo Gallery

**½~~ (2.5/5)

Additional Bluray Extras (not available for review)

• Picture-in-Picture commentary
• Plot to kill Lincoln documentary
• Theatrical Trailer

Robert Redford’s Lincoln assassination drama The Conspirator is out on DVD and Blu-ray on the 24th of October and we’ve been given a clip from the film to share with you.

Redford has assembled an excellent cast for the film, which had a decent, if a little short lived, theatrical release earlier in the year and the extras on the home entertainment formats include a commentary from the director as well as some historical accompaniaments to give you a little of the back story to the film.

James McAvoy​ and Robin Wright lead the cast, telling a story of the fallout of the assassinatin of Abraham Lincoln. Justin Long​, Evan Rachel Wood , Tom Wilkinson , Alexis Bledel , Johnny Simmons, Toby Kebbell , Kevin Kline and Danny Huston​ are in support.

Here’s a synopsis to further advise,

In the wake of Abraham Lincoln ’s assassination, seven men and one woman are arrested and charged with conspiring to kill the President, Vice-President, and Secretary of State. The lone woman charged, Mary Surratt (Wright), 42, owns a boarding house where John Wilkes Booth and others met and planned the simultaneous attacks. Against the ominous back-drop of post-Civil War Washington, newly-minted lawyer, Frederick Aiken (McAvoy), a 28-year-old Union war-hero, reluctantly agrees to defend Surratt before a military tribunal. Aiken realizes his client may be innocent and that she is being used as bait and hostage in order to capture the only conspirator to have escaped a massive manhunt: her own son, John (Simmons).

Here’s the clip, check back tomorrow for our review of the film.

To mark the release of The Conspirator on DVD and Blu-ray 24th October, Universal Studios have given us five copies of the movie to give away on DVD. The ovie stars James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Kevin Kline, Tom Wilkinson, Justin Long, Danny Huston, Evan Rachel Wood and is directed by Robert Redford.

Esteemed British actor and Golden Globe® nominee* James McAvoy (X-Men: First Class) leads a stellar cast including Kevin Kline (Wild Wild West) Robin Wright (Unbreakable) and Tom Wilkinson (Shakespeare in Love)in Robert Redford’s compelling drama. Based on the true story and dramatic real life trial of those accused of the assassination of US President Abraham Lincoln, audiences will be gripped by this fascinating and tragic period in American history.

Stunning cinematography and a haunting score are amplified by state-of-the-art Blu-ray^™ and DVD technology which evoke the steely atmosphere of the American courtroom in 1865 perfectly.

McAvoy stars as Fred Aiken, an eager, newly qualified Yankee lawyer in this dramatic film, set within the ominous backdrop of post Civil War Washington. Aiken is convinced by his mentor Reverdy Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) to act as defense lawyer for Mary Surratt (Robin Wright), the only female accused of being involved in Lincoln’s assassination, and the focus of a tense struggle between justice and duty.

The Conspirator features incredible bonus content which will transport you back to 1865 America, including an audio commentary from Robert Redford himself, a behind-the-scenes making-of feature and a series of specially created ‘Witness History’ featurettes, which give an in-depth insight into this fascinating story – from both in front of and behind the cameras. The Blu-ray^™ also features an absorbing 66 minute featurette on the plot to kill President Abraham Lincoln.

Capturing the tone and mood of the era wonderfully, The Conspirator will provoke you to consider the fragility of human rights in desperate circumstances.

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

Who directed the movie, The Conspirator?

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

The small print:

• Open to UK residents only
• Only one entry per household will be counted
• The competition will close 24th October at 23.59 GMT
• The winner will be picked at random from entries received
• No cash alternative is available

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

Film ©2010 Universal Studios.  All Rights Reserved.

Sony Pictures Classics have acquired the North American distribution rights to Werc Werk Works’ Darling Companion.

Directed by Lawrence Kasdan, Darling Companion stars Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline, Dianne Wiest, Richard Jenkins, Elisabeth Moss, Mark Duplass, Ayelet Zurer and Sam Shepherd.

Darling Companion will be released in early 2012.

Synopsis: Beth (Keaton) saves a bedraggled lost dog from the side of the freeway on a wintry day in Denver. Struggling with her distracted, self-involved husband Joseph (Kline) and an empty nest at home, Beth forms a special bond with the rescued animal. When Joseph loses the dog after a wedding at their vacation home in the Rockies, the distraught Beth enlists the help of the few remaining guests and a mysterious young woman (Zurer) in a frantic search. Each member of the search party is affected by the adventure, which takes them in unexpected directions – comic, harrowing, and sometimes deeply emotional.

Source: Deadline

Robert Redford’s Lincoln assassination drama The Conspirator is now out in the UK, although without a huge amount of fanfare so let’s get everyone in the mood with a new poster, shall we?

We’ve seen a few images and had ourselves a trailer and anything with James McAvoy will stir a certain section of the UK audience and there’s a decent cast with Robin Wright, Justin Long, Evan Rachel Wood , Tom Wilkinson , Alexis Bledel , Johnny Simmons, Toby Kebbell , Kevin Kline and Danny Huston alongside McAvoy.

In the wake of Abraham Lincoln ’s assassination, seven men and one woman are arrested and charged with conspiring to kill the President, Vice-President, and Secretary of State. The lone woman charged, Mary Surratt (Wright), 42, owns a boarding house where John Wilkes Booth and others met and planned the simultaneous attacks. Against the ominous back-drop of post-Civil War Washington, newly-minted lawyer, Frederick Aiken (McAvoy), a 28-year-old Union war-hero, reluctantly agrees to defend Surratt before a military tribunal. Aiken realizes his client may be innocent and that she is being used as bait and hostage in order to capture the only conspirator to have escaped a massive manhunt: her own son, John (Simmons).

Here’s your poster,

Start clapping like impressed sea-lions at the people from IMPA

Paramount’s latest rom-com is parading itself in UK cinemas as from tomorrow, and there’s no better time to sit down with the man Natalie Portman wants to get physical with in Ivan Reitman’s film.

Cary Elwes, Lake Bell, Kevin Kline, Olivia Thirlby and Greta Gerwig star alongside Kutcher and Portman, and you can read what we thought of the film here.

Synopsis: A guy (Kutcher) and girl (Portman) try to keep their relationship strictly physical, but it’s not long before they learn that they want something more.

James Kleinmann caught up with Kutcher to talk all things rom and all things com,

No matter the type of journey, rom-coms follow the same pattern: meet-cute, have fun together, disruption/problem occur, time passes, then they meet again,  realise they love each other and get together again.

No Strings Attached tries to deviate from usual rom-com routine but unfortunately the final conclusion still remains the same. Natalie Portman plays Emma, an emotionally unavailable woman who doesn’t understand the need to be in a relationship when you can just have fun and be happy. Ashton Kutcher’s character, Adam, is the opposite, but desperate to be with Emma he agrees to a no strings attached/friends with benefits/fun buddies/sex buddies/f**k buddies relationship. However as time goes by they find themselves falling in love with each other and Adam must convince Emma that a relationship is worth the risk.

No Strings Attached opens strong by showing us the first time Emma and Adam meet as teenagers at a summer camp, and shortly after we cut to a scene five years later when they finally meet again. After a series of random meets they exchange numbers, and on an alcoholic fuelled night out Adam drunk dials Emma and wakes up in on her sofa naked, only modestly covered by a tea towel. Adam, having recently got out of a relationship, and Emma who recently started working at the hospital, decide that relationships complicate things so agree to just be friends with benefits.

The problem is that even if it wasn’t a rom-com with preview screenings over Valentine’s Day, everyone sat in the cinema already knows the outcome. It simply isn’t possible to have a lasting friends with benefits relationship. It can work for a short amount of time, ie between relationships or whenever they’re in town. Even if you go into the relationship with no romantic feelings for the other person as time goes by you either realise that kind of person they are and terminate the relationship, or start to develop feelings for them.

In its defence the first half of the film is very good; great dialogue and supporting cast, Natalie Portman is fantastic and beautiful as ever, and it provided more than a few laughs. When Adam does eventually convince Emma to go on a date with him he brings her handful of carrots instead of flowers and hands her a date itinerary complete with a google map.

The character of Adam’s dad I spent the entire film trying to decide if I liked or not. He started off in an ‘American Pie Dad’ way of trying to be cool, smoking weed, and embarrassing his son by still trying to be young and sexy which instantly annoyed me. However there were parts of his character that worked very well; dating Adam’s ex girlfriend and the wonderful Birthday song scene. Lake Bell and Jake M. Johnson were fantastic supporting cast deserve a lot more credit than they’ll probably get and were as enjoyable to watch as Portman and Kutcher.

Overall No Strings Attached is certainly better than most might expect, although if you take a date to this film on Valentine’s Day be weary of what message you want to send. But at the end of the day if it looks like a rom-com and sounds like a rom-com, it’s a rom-com.

***~~ (3/5)

Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions, via Yahoo! Movies, have released the first official trailer for political thriller The Conspirator.

Directed by Robert Redford, The Conspirator stars Robin Wright, James McAvoy, Justin Long, Evan Rachel Wood, Tom Wilkinson, Alexis Bledel, Johnny Simmons, Toby Kebbell, Kevin Kline and Danny Huston.

In the wake of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, seven men and one woman are arrested and charged with conspiring to kill the President, Vice-President, and Secretary of State. The lone woman charged, Mary Surratt (Wright), 42, owns a boarding house where John Wilkes Booth and others met and planned the simultaneous attacks. Against the ominous back-drop of post-Civil War Washington, newly-minted lawyer, Frederick Aiken (McAvoy), a 28-year-old Union war-hero, reluctantly agrees to defend Surratt before a military tribunal. Aiken realizes his client may be innocent and that she is being used as bait and hostage in order to capture the only conspirator to have escaped a massive manhunt: her own son, John (Simmons).

The Conspirator will be released in the US in April. A UK release date is not yet known.

Bing have debuted a new clip from No Strings Attached which stars Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman and I think it has to be one of the strangest clips from a movie that I’ve ever seen! We get to see three women currently on their period looking uber depressed but it’s all OK as Ashton Kutcher has made them all a ‘Period Mix’ tape. How romantic indeed!

No Strings Attached is directed by Ivan Reitman and also stars Cary Elwes, Kevin Kline, Olivia Thirlby, Lake Bell, Ophelia Lovibond. It’ll be with us 25th February.

Our friends over at CinemaBlend have the red band trailer for Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher’s new movie, No String Attached with tells the story of a couple of friends who decided to start sleeping together with, you guess it, no strings attached!

The movie is directed by Ivan Reitman and also stars Cary Elwes, Kevin Kline, Olivia Thirlby, Lake Bell and Ophelia Lovibond. This is one of two movies coming out this year in which two friends decide to get together with quite probably the same outcome. The other movie stars Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis and is called Friends with Benefits. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if both are as predicable as they look. Then again, this one is directed by Reitman so I’m holding out hope!

No Strings Attached is released in the US 21st January and in the UK 25th February.

Natalie Portman seems to be in everything at the moment! We’ve been inundated with posters, trailer and clips from Black Swan, then of course she’s currently filming Thor and she has another movie coming out called No Strings Attached which had a trailer released a week or two ago.

Latino Review have got a new clip from the movie which is directed by Ivan Reitman and also stars Ashton Kutcher, Cary Elwes, Kevin Kline, Olivia Thirlby, Lake Bell and Ophelia Lovibond.

Synopsis: A guy (Kutcher) and girl (Portman) try to keep their relationship strictly physical, but it’s not long before they learn that they want something more.

Paramount have released the first poster for their upcoming romantic comedy No Strings Attached.

No Strings Attached is directed by Ivan Reitman and centers on a guy and girl who try to keep their relationship strictly physical, but it’s not long before they learn that they want something more.

The film stars Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher, Greta Gerwig, Mindy Kaling, Ludacris, Kevin Kline, Olivia Thirlby and Jake Johnson.

No Strings Attached will be released on January 21, 2011.

Check out the poster below, courtesy of ThePlaylist:

Paramount have unveiled the official trailer for the forthcoming romantic comedy No Strings Attached.

No Strings Attached is directed by Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters) and stars Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher, Cary Elwes, Lake Bell, Kevin Kline, Olivia Thirlby and Greta Gerwig.

Synopsis: A guy (Kutcher) and girl (Portman) try to keep their relationship strictly physical, but it’s not long before they learn that they want something more.

Check out the trailer below, courtesy of Moviefone:

No Strings Attached will be released on January 21, 2011.

Collider have posted the first look still from No Strings Attached, ahead of the first trailer being released tomorrow.

No Strings Attached is directed by Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters) and stars Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher, Cary Elwes, Lake Bell, Kevin Kline, Olivia Thirlby and Greta Gerwig.

Synopsis: A guy (Kutcher) and girl (Portman) try to keep their relationship strictly physical, but it’s not long before they learn that they want something more.

Check out the first still below, and check back tomorrow for the official trailer:

No Strings Attached will be released on January 21, 2011.

Although I cannot profess to have been a follower of it, I am led to believe that the recently concluded Battlestar Galactica TV series was one of the best sci-fi series ever commited to our screens. It should be a source of encouragement to know therefore that Ron Moore, the writer-producer of the highly-acclaimed show is looking to reboot 60′s TV series The Wild Wild West.

Most of us tend now to associate that name with the feature adaptation starring Will Smith and Kevin Kline, a film most “celebrated” for the colossal amount of money it lost at the box office and the general mauling it received from critics on its release.

Ron Moore seems to be looking at a TV reworking, rather than a feature adaptation, although by all accounts the project is at such an early stage of development that it might be weeks or months before it is even pitched to TV companies, let alone start to be made. Presumably Moore will be considered a safe bet for shepherding the project to the screen and perhaps the most interesting thing to watch out for will be the tone of the series.

Battlestar had some very dark and serious story arcs and certainly Deadwood has demonstrated that the Old West can be shown in all of its violent, sweary, explicit “glory”. Whether Wild Wild West would go for a lighter tone (much like the Will Smith version) or play it meaner and grittier, it may be  a while before we find out.

Thanks to Entertainment Weekly for the story.

Lawrence Kasdan, back from the creative wilderness (Dreamcatcher anyone?), has started to assemble his cast for the upcoming drama-comedy Darling Companion, which he co-wrote with wife Meg Kasdan.

According to Variety, Kevin Kline, Richard Jenkins, Diane Keaton, and Mad Men’s Elisabeth Moss will star in the tale of a woman (Keaton) who loves her dog more than her husband. Hilarity ensues (presumably) when her spouse (Kline) loses the dog while they are staying at their vacation home in the Rockies, causing the two of them to hunt for a missing animal.

Nice to see Kasdan back (he co-wrote The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Return of the Jedi trivia fans!) and with a talented cast onboard with him.

I was having a discussion with a friend of mine recently about actors and how some of them have the greatest voices ever.  Certain actors could probably stop traffic with their booming baritones or instantly silence crying babies with their soothing speech.  It’s a true superhero power.

This then led to discussion on how I wish I could have certain actors read to me.  Yes, you read that right.  Like when you were a kid and your parents would read you a story before bed.  I have certain actors that I could just sit there and listen all day as they read me various stories.  So there we were comparing notes and this is what I came up with.

James Earl Jones

Qualities:
JEJ would definitely fall into the booming baritone category.  I have visions of my Dad storming down the hallway scolding me.  His voice, JEJ, not my dad, is distinctive and one is able to pick up on it the minute you hear it.  He will go down in history as having one of the most recognized voices ever.

Reading Material:
I would have JEJ read me the entire Harry Potter series.  His voice can be soft or commanding but mainly I would just want to hear him exclaim “Avada Kedavra!” in his deepest voice.  I would be spellbound to hear him say any of those spells as a matter of fact.

Hugo Weaving

Qualities:
Hugo has a knack for speech.  His cadence of speech as Agent Smith in the Matrix, Elrond in The Lord of the Rings trilogy or as V in V for Vendetta are similar yet…not.  It’s almost hypnotic.  His monologue in V for Vendetta is pure brilliance.  It would only make sense then to have him read…

Reading Material:
Dr. Suess.  His pattern of speech would lend itself quite nicely to There’s a Wocket in my Pocket or Fox in Sox or even Oh, The Places You’ll Go.  Doesn’t matter really.  Hugo Weaving + Dr. Suess = WIN

Sean Connery

Qualities:
Musht include Shir Sean Connery here.  The Scot who played a Brit…and a Russian…with that Shcottish accent.  His voice is another you just can’t miss. Sean Connery is one actor that never tried to alter his accent.  At least not that I know of.  It was never an issue either.  I would have special duties for Sean Connery.

Reading Material:
Owner’s manuals or assembly instructions.  This duty actually belonged to my friend Amy.  The one who I was having this very conversation with.  Any time I got a new piece of electronic equipment I’d crack open the box, toss her the book and she would read it then tell me all the bells and whistles as I was hooking it up.  Sir Sean would have that duty.  The only instructions he would not be helpful with would be anything from Ikea.  In which case he could help assemble.

Willem Dafoe

Qualities:
Willem Dafoe is a bit of a smooth criminal.  He’s got that quiet before the storm type of voice.  If you listen to long he might put you in a trance so you best watch out.  It’s smooth, yet with a hint of danger.  It’s like a bottle of top shelf booze.  Smooth and seemingly innocuous until you find the bottle is gone and you’re in trouble the next morning.  His voice sneaks up on you.

Reading Material:
My fellow HeyUGuys writer Emily and I had a discussion about Willem one day after she showed me a series of commercials where he voices a stuffed animal.  I think it’s a teddy bear.  I made the comment that it was a bit creepy yet, not.  Very strange.  Emily said that she would like him to read the Grimm fairy tales and I would have to agree.  He’s got that menacing tone, but it’s understated.  I think he would do the Brothers Grimm justice.

Ian McKellan

Qualities:
I love Ian McKellan.  His voice is like his eyes.  Sharp one minute, soothing and gentle the next.  Depending on his tone, he sounds like he could cut you down one minute, then wrap you in a warm wordy blanket the next.

Reading Material:
Actually Ian would be more of a narrator.  I would like him to narrate my life.  Just follow me around and comments on what I’m doing.  “As she sped down the street she gave the incompetent driver who cut her off a generous helping of the finger.” Yes….I could go for that.

My friend Amy was the one I was having this discussion with and she actually emailed me her choices.  She pretty much nailed those on the head because all of them I can hear in my head.

I’d like Morgan Freeman to read me fairy tales (Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess named Amy …), Pierce Bronson and Ewan McGregor to read me romance novels (they can take turns), Stanley Tucci can read me cookbooks and food blogs (I like the way he says things like “delectable” and “savory”), and Kevin Kline has a great voice for witty stories and sly humor.  I’m listing only men, but there are women who have great voices too.  Diane Lane and Julianne Moore come to mind.  I think either would do a great job with strong female-lead stories, smart sexy detectives or vampire huntresses.

If I could find someone who could do really excellent impressions I would have made some audio clips, but alas, I can’t do them and I don’t know anyone personally who can.

So there you have it folks.  Do you have a certain actor whose voice you could stand to hear read a story to you or narrate your life?  Let us know!

In the chaos and confusion of the blockbuster season it’s good to see a film which relies on a decent cast and a strong sense of identity and story.

Co-directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini worked with novelist Jonathan Ames to bring this story of a young playwright, played by Paul Dano, who meets an unlikely friend and mentor in the form of the eccentric Kevin Kline’s Henry Harrison.

From the short clip below it looks like a sweet idea played out by a great cast, which includes Katie Holmes, John C. Reilly (who appears to be auditioning for Robert Rodriguez’s Predators – see the pic below).

"I ain't got time to bleed."

Anyhoo – the film is out on Video On Demand all over the place (although this might be just for our US visitors) and will play in cinemas next month.

Be a decent chap or chapess and click on this link to ComingSoon, because they bagged the exclusive.

The Playlist have debuted the first couple of images from James McAvoy’s new movie, The Conspirator which I’ve placed below (click to enlarge).

The Scottish actor has hit the big time at the box office bringing us some awesome films including Atonement, The Last King of Scotland and Wanted with Angelina Jolie. Wanted was so successful that he’s been signed up for the sequel which is due for release some time in 2011 with both Jolie returning (somehow!) and Timur Bekmambetov directing. It goes to show that McAvoy is currently hot property in the land of Hollywood.

The Conspirator is directed by Robert Redford and co-stars Robin Wright-Penn. It’s currently being shot in Savannah, Georgia and some of the readers of The Playlist have sent some images of the cast which they’ve found out also includes Evan Rachel Wood, Tom Wilkinson, Kevin Kline and Toby Kebbell.

The picture is a period drama based on true events following the assassination of President Lincoln and centers on the story of Mary Surratt, an alleged accomplice and conspirator of Abraham Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth.

We can expect to see The Conspirator later on in 2010.