Our Video Vault column is normally devoted to those films that we love and that we’ve seen dozens and dozens of times.  I personally haven’t written one on what is considered to be a classic that I’ve only just watched for the first time recently.  Until now that is.

Recently it occurred to me that I needed to take two hours and visit the 1968 Steve McQueen classic, Bullitt.  Going into this film, my only knowledge of it, aside from it starring McQueen, was that it features one of the best car chase scene ever captured on film.  Well considering I’m all for a great car chase, that’s all the information I needed.  I had no prior knowledge of the plot, or the rest of the cast for that matter so when I sat down to finally watch it, it was all a surprise.

In what can be considered one of his most famous roles, McQueen stars as all-business San Francisco police detective Frank Bullitt.  Bullitt and his partner Delgetti are tasked with protecting a star witness for 48 hours and deliver him safely to the courthouse to testify against an underground crime lord.  However, while under their protection, the witness and Delgetti are gunned down.  Bullitt decides to investigate the case himself, much to the chagrin of Senator Chalmers (Robert Vaughn), who tries to shut down Bullitt’s investigation.

Directed by Peter Yates and released in 1968, this film does show its age, while still also remaining timeless.  This quality makes this film incredibly easy to watch without cringing at how different San Francisco was back then.  In an age where our films are visually busy with effects, lens-flares, explosions and the like, this film calls back to an age where none of those things were necessary.  Yates created a film where certain key scenes had no music, and little movement, yet those scenes were some of the most striking of the film.  His use of angles and the way he used lighting and framing all lend to the undercurrent of intensity that runs throughout its entirety.

That intensity also applies to McQueen.  He’s not so much playing a character as he is a presence.  I’m not well versed in the world of McQueen but it seems to me that this role might have been close to what he was like when he wasn’t in front of the camera.  On the surface he’s calm, cool and collected, but you can see a storm brewing just under the surface.

While there are some big names in this film, there is no doubt that this is McQueen’s film.  Robert Vaughn, as mentioned above, plays the Senator that original tasked Bullitt, then tried to shut him down.  We also get to see a young Norman Fell and Robert Duvall as well.  The one role that I could have done without however was that of Bullitt’s love interest, Cathy, played by Jacqueline Bisset.  It seems to me that this role was thrown in for that romantic aspect that wasn’t even necessary.  Perhaps it was an attempt to bring some warmth to the character of Bullitt, but I found her to be more of a distraction.

Shot on location in San Francisco, this film does a great job of shining a spot light on the iconic city.  With shots of the Golden Gate Bridge, the steep hilly streets and its personality at the time, San Francisco can also be considered a co-star of the film.  The one other thing the city ads with those hilly streets, is the formula for a classic car chase.

I spent a good portion of the film trying to figure out just where that car chases was going to pop up.  Finally about two-thirds of the way through, the wait paid off.  What I saw was nothing short of amazing.  To think that Yates was able to capture such an incredible chase scene like that in 1968 just boggled my mind.  Most chase scenes these days involve the foreign racing cars that you see in the Fast and Furious films.  Back in 1968, they used the hot rods of the time, a 1968 Dodge Charger and a 1968 Ford Mustang GT, both of which are good old-fashioned American muscle.  This was a time where CGI wasn’t an option.  This scene was filmed on a camera with the cars reaching speeds of up to 110 mph.  That’s unheard of on the streets of San Francisco.

McQueen originally planned on doing his own driving, however after one part where he overshot a turn and burned rubber while in reverse, a stunt driver took over.  That mistake however, remains in the film and lends itself to the fact that even though Bullitt’s a cop, he’s not an expert race car driver.  He’s just a guy trying to do his job.

The entire scene runs almost 10 minutes and is done without the use of any type of musical score.  There’s nothing more that engines revving, tires squealing and metal grinding as far as the soundtrack goes.  There isn’t even any dialogue between the two bad guys in the Charger.  To have a scene that contains so much, yet so little, be that entrancing is really something to behold.

Bullitt went on to win the Oscar for Best Film Editing, while also being nominated for Best Sound.  It captured the performance that went on to define Steve McQueen and also set the bar for action packed car chase scenes.  Looking at this film through fresh eyes made me appreciate the talent that went into making it.  While I’m ashamed to admit that this was the first viewing for me, I’m also happy about that fact.  Had I seen this film when I was younger, I may not have appreciated it as much as I do now that I’m an adult.

If you haven’t seen this film, do yourself a favor and rent it tonight.  If this sounds like your cup of tea, I doubt you’ll be disappointed.  Any and all film fans should take the two hours and watch it.  I’m glad I can finally say “Why yes, I have seen Bullitt” and I foresee this film making its way into my collection very soon.

Be sure to visit me at ReelGoddess.com for my take on all things film and television! You can also  follow me in the social media sphere!

Twitter: @baddladd and @ReelGoddess or Facebook.com/ReelGoddess

To celebrate the release of Get Low today, 23rd May on DVD (order your copy here), Sony Pictures Home Entertainment have given us three copies of the movie to give away on DVD. Get Low is directed by Aaron Schneider and stars Academy Award® Winner Robert Duvall, Academy Award® Winner Sissy Spacek, Academy Award® Nominee Bill Murray and Lucas Black.

Synopsis: For years, townsfolk have been terrified of the backwoods recluse known as Felix Bush (Duvall). People say he’s done all sorts of unspeakable things — that he’s killed in cold blood; that he’s in league with the devil; that he has strange powers — and they avoid him like the plague. Then one day, Felix rides to town with a shotgun and a wad of cash, saying he wants to buy a funeral. It’s not your usual funeral for the dead that Felix wants. On the contrary, he wants a living funeral, in which anyone who ever has had a story about him will come to tell it, while he takes it all in.

Sensing an opportunity for a big payday, fast-talking funeral home owner Frank Quinn (Murray) enlists his gentlemanly young apprentice, Buddy Robinson (Black), to win Felix’s business. Buddy is no stranger to Felix’s dark reputation, but what he discovers is that behind Felix’s surreal plan lies a very real and long-held secret. As the funeral approaches, the mystery – involving the widow Mattie Darrow (Spacek), the only person in town who ever got close to Felix, and an Illinois preacher Charlie Jackson (Cobbs), who refuses to speak at his former friend’s funeral – only deepens. But when the big day comes, Felix is in no mood to listen to other people spinning made-up anecdotes about him. This time, he’s the one who is going to do the telling about why he has been hiding out in the woods.

DVD Bonus Features include:

• Commentary with Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Director Aaron Schneider & Producer Dean Zanuck
• Featurette: The Deep South: Buried Secrets
• Featurette: Getting Low: Getting into Character
• Featurette: A Screenwriter’s Point of View
• Cast and Crew Q&A
• On the Red Carpet

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

Who plays the character Felix Bush in Get Low?

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

The small print:

• Open to UK residents only
• Only one entry per household will be counted
• The competition will close 31st May at 23.59 GMT
• The winner will be picked at random from entries received

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

I wish I had the power to make this happen! Magazine powerhouse, Vanity Fair has released a new image and behind the scenes video from the photo-shoot which they hosted for their 17th version of the ‘Hollywood Issue’ this month.

The list of actors assembled includes:

Oscar presenters, Anne Hathaway and James Franco, then Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Jennifer Lawrence, Noomi Rapace, Anthony Mackie, Olivia Wilde, Mila Kunis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Andrew Garfield, Rashida Jones, Garrett Hedlund, and then veteran acting legend, Robert Duvall

According to the details, the cover was shot in both Los Angeles and New York by photographer, Norman Jean Roy and what a fantastic job he’s done with it too! The behind the scenes video (which i’ve also embedded) was hosted by Krista Smith who spoke to pretty much all the subjects.

Keep your eyes peeled at your local newsagents for this issue in the coming days.

Thanks to @lpoolfilmclub for sending this our way. head over to the Vanity Fair website for the full lowdown.

By our very human nature we are fascinated by folklore, especially where wrongdoing or a supernatural element are involved. Our curiosity grows when there is an unresolved factor to the tale, and even a presence or being in the frame.

Debut feature maker Aaron Schneider’s Get Low is based on one such Southern yarn about a real-life loner Felix ‘Bush’ Breazeale from Kingston, Tennessee in the 1930s who had a reputation for being eccentric, wild and dangerous, fuelled by the fact that he chose to live alone with his beloved mule. Bush wanted to know what people would say about him after he was gone – and especially the preacher, so arranged a living funeral, which drew national interest on the offer of lottery tickets for his valuable land. He died a couple of years later, taking the secret of his one true love to the grave.

As a film concept, it is an exciting one, full of possibilities. Schneider is considerate to the legend by getting the casting of his Bush just right in the equally legendary Robert Duvall who fully fleshes out the tired and crusty Bush with little effort. Whether the truer, uglier aspects of the real-life character are missing from this and tamed down is hard to tell, but Duvall’s Bush merely seems like a harassed old man with a shady past and an exceptional beard, simply wanting to be left alone in his latter years. Our empathy with that is vitally important for Schneider’s film to work and is tactfully sown from the start, especially when some pesky youths come a snooping on Bush’s land.

Indeed, be prepared for a slow burner of realisation and redemption that in turn allows for its multitude of colourful characters to evolve in a touching and comical way. It is absolutely a character-driven film with a hint of western theme, so placing an experienced actor like Duvall in the lead to drive the mystery was a wise and necessary choice. To match Duvall’s guarded and, at times, muted delivery needs a wit-matching catalyst of talent. Bill Murray injects the humour with his own brand of thrilling deadpan and nonchalant precision as the local, money-grabbing funeral home owner, Frank Quinn.

It feels like an odd partnership at first as we expect Murray to lead us done the farcical comedy path, as Quinn runs ragged around town and the state trying to host the biggest party ever. These are some of the joyous and memorable scenes of the film, especially getting Bush’s picture taken. But Murray retains his serious composure, making salesman Quinn and his calculating ways far more amusing to watch, and bringing a whole new dimension to the character. Quinn gains a healthy bank balance, but also heart, a place in the local community (as an out-of-towner from the big city, Chicago), and a purpose in life that the liquor-swilling boss craves. It is an intriguing journey in itself. However, slightly disappointingly, the character is left woefully unexplored, with Schneider preferring to cut dead any development in that respect to focus the story on his lead protagonist. This results in Quinn never rising above his comedy caricature.

Bush’s manipulating ways are exposed by Quinn’s by-the-book protégée, Buddy Robinson, who sees life in the old dog Bush yet. Robinson is the film’s human barometer, the voice of reason and the new blood in the situation. The ever scornful-looking and brow-furrowed Lucas Black nicely takes on the role with an attentive and determined manner, becoming the surrogate family Bush never had. Both Robinson and Bush’s old flame, Mattie, refuse to allow Bush to fester in his lot and shy away from society, gently coaxing out his dormant humanity, emotion and generosity of spirit. Sissy Spacek as Mattie gives her usual solid and tormented performance as the victim of unrequited love. Opposite Duvall, their appearances and acute facial expressions are compelling to watch as the mystery of Bush’s hermitage unfolds.

Indeed, Mattie is a fictional character and not part of the real-life tale. She has been created to allow Schneider to take the easy option out by revealing the mystery with a heart-felt, beans-spilling and rather theatrical ending, rather than opting for the trickier one of retaining some of Bush’s enigma, and giving the film a nice little twist. Admittedly, Duvall is always captivating to watch, giving one of his momentous screen speeches that is spoiled with the visual flashbacks for the hard-of-thinking. Hence, the reveal seems a little deflating and unsatisfactory an explanation as to his choice of lifestyle. By withholding some of his true feelings and intentions, Schneider could have concluded the film on an unnerving edge, allowing for the imagination to run wild and keeping the folklore in tact. Still, we get to respect and warm to Bush in the end, and in turn, give him a hero’s send off.

Get Low is a quirky and touching tale of the power of storytelling that completely relies on its rich character strength to see it to fruition. Its appeal lies solely on Duvall as Bush, even though his intrigue that is so brilliantly built up in the first half, somewhat crumbles in the second half, when the mystery comes flooding out in a weepy confessional. If nothing else, Duvall makes Bush iconic in stature, prompting a genuine sigh at the old man’s passing and the tragedy of time lost. It is a safe bet in feature film-making for Schneider who should be credited alone for attracting a stellar cast, as well as an apt platform for reintroducing the exceptional acting veteran Duvall as a leading protagonist, after many years away from centre stage.

***~~ (3/5)

Sony Pictures Releasing have just sent us the brand new UK trailer for Bill Murray and Robert Duvall’s new movie, Get Low. The movie also stars Lucas Black, Gerald McRaney, Sissy Spacek, Bill Cobbs, Andrea Powell, Lori Beth Edgeman and is directed by Aaron Schneider.

Synopsis: For years, townsfolk have been terrified of the backwoods recluse known as Felix Bush. People say he’s done all manner of unspeakable things — that he’s killed in cold blood; that he’s in league with the Devil; that he has strange powers — and they avoid him like the plague. Then, one day, Felix rides to town with a shotgun and a wad of cash, saying he wants to buy a funeral. It’s not your usual funeral for the dead Felix wants. On the contrary, he wants a ‘living funeral,’ in which anyone who ever had heard a story about him will come to tell it, while he takes it all in. Sensing a big payday in the offing, fast-talking funeral home owner Frank Quinn enlists his gentlemanly young apprentice, Buddy Robinson to win over Felix’s business. Buddy is no stranger to Felix’s dark reputation, but what he discovers is that behind Felix’s surreal plan lies a very real and long-held secret that must get out. As the funeral approaches, the mystery – which involves the widow Maddie Darrow, the only person in town who ever got close to Felix, and the Illinois preacher Charlie Jackson who refuses to speak at his former friend’s funeral – only deepens. But on the big day, Felix is in no mood to listen to other people spinning made-up anecdotes about him. This time, he’s the one who is going to do the telling about why he has been hiding out in the woods.

Check out the new trailer along with some new images below. We can expect to see it in our cinemas 21st January.

Variety have just announced the news that Robert Duvall and Lucas Black have both signed up to appear in new indie golfing drama-comedy, ‘Seven Days in Utopia’. The cast also includes Deborah Ann Woll, Brian Geraghty and Melissa Leo. They also point out that Seven Days in Utopia will be the third time that Duvall and Black have worked together after previously appearing in Sling Blade and Get Low. Utopia will be directed by Matthew Dean Russell.

Plot: The story follows a talented young golfer set on making the pro tour. When his first big shot turns out to be a very public disaster, he escapes the pressures of the game and finds himself unexpectedly stranded in Utopia, Texas, home to an eccentric rancher who forces the golfer to question not only his past choices, but his direction for the future.

The production begins filming in Texas next week. Head over to Variety for the full lowdown.

Earlier today, I put up the new poster for Bill Murray and Robert Duvall’s new movie, Get Low. Seems Yahoo weren’t far behind with the new trailer from the movie which was released last night while I was sleeping.

Get Low stars Bill Murray, Robert Duvall, Lucas Black, Gerald McRaney, Sissy Spacek, Bill Cobbs, Andrea Powell, Lori Beth Edgeman and is directed by Aaron Schneider.

Synopsis: For years, townsfolk have been terrified of the backwoods recluse known as Felix Bush. People say he’s done all manner of unspeakable things — that he’s killed in cold blood; that he’s in league with the Devil; that he has strange powers — and they avoid him like the plague. Then, one day, Felix rides to town with a shotgun and a wad of cash, saying he wants to buy a funeral. It’s not your usual funeral for the dead Felix wants. On the contrary, he wants a ‘living funeral,’ in which anyone who ever had heard a story about him will come to tell it, while he takes it all in. Sensing a big payday in the offing, fast-talking funeral home owner Frank Quinn enlists his gentlemanly young apprentice, Buddy Robinson to win over Felix’s business. Buddy is no stranger to Felix’s dark reputation, but what he discovers is that behind Felix’s surreal plan lies a very real and long-held secret that must get out. As the funeral approaches, the mystery – which involves the widow Maddie Darrow, the only person in town who ever got close to Felix, and the Illinois preacher Charlie Jackson who refuses to speak at his former friend’s funeral – only deepens. But on the big day, Felix is in no mood to listen to other people spinning made-up anecdotes about him. This time, he’s the one who is going to do the telling about why he has been hiding out in the woods.

I love this poster so much. It’s vibrant, shows two of the greatest actors on the planet and I think I might have to buy a copy! The poster is for new movie called Get Low which stars Bill Murray, Robert Duvall, Lucas Black, Gerald McRaney, Sissy Spacek, Bill Cobbs, Andrea Powell, Lori Beth Edgeman and is directed by Aaron Schneider.

IMDb give us the short synopsis which seems rather intriguing!:

A movie spun out of equal parts folk tale, fable and real-life legend about the mysterious, 1930s Tennessee hermit who famously threw his own rollicking funeral party… while he was still alive.

Get Low is released in the US 30th July. As yet I haven’t found a UK release date but i’ll keep you posted.

Source: Collider.com

Day 10 – Friday
Friday has to be one of my favourite days at EIFF.

It began with Superhero Me at the Cameo – a.k.a. the comfiest cinema in the universe. Enveloped in its cozy red seats, we were swept away on a magical journey of cheap spandex, a novice superhero named SOS, and a network of eccentrics. Superhero Me is a documentary from Steve Sale, a first-time filmmaker who wondered – “Long before Kick-Ass!” -  what it would be like to become a superhero.

Quickly taking action, he shot his forays into real life comic book filmmaking on home video equipment, camera phones, and whatever else he could get his hands on. It’s an enjoyable romp, with a poignant message to be found in later scenes with an Orlando-based superhero named Master Legend. Unfortunately it was ill-projected, so we missed the subtitles while he spoke with an Italian vigilante and some other details. Not amazing, but certainly enjoyable.

After getting some work done(!) I met up with a friend from home and we returned to the Cameo for Mai Mai Miracle. Directed by Sunao Katabuchi, once assistant to Hayao Miyazaki, it’s an autobiographical anime with Studio Ghibli flavour. Beautifully drawn, it has some sweet characters but does not quite develop into anything more than a parochial childhood tale.

Late that evening I caught the UK premiere of Get Low. Starring Robert Duvall and Bill Murray, it’s the directorial debut of cinematographer Aaron Schneider. Equal parts real-life legend and folk tale, it’s the story of a Southern hermit who threw his own funeral party. Set in 1930s Tennessee, the film explores what might inspire a man to do such a thing. Duvall is excellent as the misunderstood and curmudgeonly Felix Bush. Bill Murray provides comic relief in a strong performance as Frank Quinn, while Lucas Black makes a great appearance as his young protégé. Beautifully shot with excellent performances, it’s a solid, enjoyable picture. Aaron Schnieder also appeared for a Q&A to discuss working with Duvall and Murray.

After a spot of bowling, some friends and I made our way to the Honeymooner party. Star of the film Gerard Kearns was in attendance – you’ll recognise him as Ian Gallagher from Shameless. It was an interesting night to say the least, and perhaps the less that is said, the better. Let’s just say the brandy cocktails were a bit of a knock-out.

Day 11 – Saturday
On Saturday morning, Tilda Swinton and Mark Cousins’ flash mob took place, where they danced to Laurel and Hardy’s Way Out West ditty. Shortly afterwards, their event and screening took place. The 8 1/2 Foundation was founded by Mark and Tilda as a project that encourages children to celebrate cinema by way of a new kind of birthday – their 8 1/2th. The event began with Mark, Tilda, and a group of friends dancing around Filmhouse 1 with signs, before waving a flag with “The State of Cinema” splashed across it while a spotlight raced around the room. Quite disorienting, but everyone involved had a blast.

It’s rather a cool venture. By inviting children to celebrate film, it also encourages an active involvement from schools and clubs to become members and discover all kinds of films to which children might never have been introduced. The event rounded off with a screening of Jafar Panahi’s The White Balloon.

It was a quiet evening, for which I was thankful, as it was soon time to make our way to the closing night party! It was a fantastic night at the Caves in Edinburgh, a maze of a venue. I spotted Brian Cox (cutting in line right in front of me, the cheek!) and Jonathan Ames, writer of The Extra Man. I also spoke briefly to Morag McKinnon, director of Donkeys, who said that she had been approached by a buyer, so keep an eye out!

A brilliant night was had all round.

Day 12 – Sunday

As predicted, Edinburgh was a ghost town on Sunday. The combination of the usual Sunday silence around the cinematic triangle (locals have a less PG name for the area) and the departure of delegates made the festival feel truly over.

The delegate centre was a sight to behold, and pretty much summed up how I felt after almost 2 weeks of hard festing. There were boxes of magazines all around, the lights were dimmed, and there were people strewn across couches, curled up on chairs, and falling asleep into their own cupped hands.

After lunch, I decided to catch one last film. The last day of EIFF is second-chance Sunday, when the picks for Best of the Fest are screened. I caught Hotel Atlantico, a Brazillian film by Suzana Amarel. If you’ve been reading about ‘Slow Cinema’ in Sight and Sound lately, you’ll know the type. It’s the story of a solitary alcoholic actor traveling through the south of Brazil. The meandering storyline involves all sorts of absurd situations and human relations. I was dozing off at the beginning, then it became somewhat more engaging through the middle and downright strange towards the end.

After an evening of packing and trying not to collapse in a heap, I rounded off my festival with a party at the delegate centre followed by a few hours at the Blue Blazer (the unofficial pub of the fest). It was a lovely way to finish up, and after some solemn goodbyes it was time to shuttle back home to Glasgow.

I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing about my EIFF adventures as much as I’ve enjoyed having them! As always, you can follow me on Twitter @robotnic, and more from me on my blog, and you can see all of my Edinburgh Film Festival coverage here.

If I don’t see you through the week I’ll see you through the window!

- Nicola

This makes me angry, and I’m usually so easy going.

Pajiba cooly announced to the world that Warner Bros and ‘Mr. Producer’ Joel Silver are developing a big screen version of Miguel Cervantes literary quagmire of a novel, Don Quixote, and they are doing so with words such as ‘swashbuckling’, ‘tentpole’ and ‘blockbuster’ firmly in mind.

They also claim that the intention is to make the world as seen through the eyes of Don Quixote the actual world of the film. In other words, they’ll rip the beating heart out of the book and serve it up on a CG platter with windmills morphing into giants, Angelina Jolie as Dulcinea and Chris Rock as the voice of Rocinante.

I was nicely surprised with what Silver and Warners did with Sherlock Holmes, though it faded from memory the second I walked out the screening,  it was diverting, and yet I can’t see how you’ll get anything other than the basest, superficial rendering of the mistaken chivalry and epic misguidance of Cervantes delusional then melancholic knight with this premise.

You may remember the struggle Terry Gilliam had in making his own take on the story, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, documented in Lost in La Mancha, the wonderful and depressing film of the erosion of Gilliam’s film as natural disasters and injured actors conspired to shut down the 2000 production. Now that production has begun again on Gilliam’s vision of Quixote, with an all new cast (including Robert Duvall and Ewan McGregor) what effect will Warner’s apparently populist production have?

Put it in context it’s as if George Lucas put out Indiana Jones and the Totalitarian Dystopia instead of Temple of Doom in ’84.

Gilliam’s take on Quixote will undoubtedly have far more to entertain than any generic take on the epic novel, but put up against the wall with a Pirates of the Caribbeanesque bombastic romp and you can guess which one will be run through with a lance first.

Whatever next? War and Peace as a romantic comedy?

Like I said. Angry.

Following the collapse of Terry Gilliam’s The Man Who Killed Don Quixote film in 2000 (documented in Lost in La Mancha) he has been working hard to get the project started again and things appear to be moving along.

Johnny Depp was originally on board for the 2000 version of The Man Who Killed Don Quixote but we have just learnt that his role has now been filled by Ewan McGregor. McGregor joins Robert Duvall in the cast and filming is set to begin in September.

Although I was looking forward to seeing Depp in the film McGregor is an interesting actor and will hopefully bring something new to the project. I just hope though that it’s not another dodgy accent (see the recent The Ghost and The Men Who Stare at Goats).

The budget for the film is $20 million ($15 million less than the original version) which hopefully Gilliam can stick to and still create the film he has envisioned. Gilliam has had so many difficulties getting his Don Quixote project made that I really hope he finally succeeds and I look forward to finally seeing his vision.

Source: EmpireOnline

The new trailer for Bill Murray’s latest movie, Get Low has been released over on Yahoo. The movie also stars Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Lucas Black, Gerald McRaney and is directed by Aaron Schneider.

Here’s the synopsis and check out the trailer below.

For years, townsfolk have been terrified of the backwoods recluse known as Felix Bush. People say he’s done all manner of unspeakable things — that he’s killed in cold blood; that he’s in league with the Devil; that he has strange powers — and they avoid him like the plague. Then, one day, Felix rides to town with a shotgun and a wad of cash, saying he wants to buy a funeral. It’s not your usual funeral for the dead Felix wants. On the contrary, he wants a ‘living funeral,’ in which anyone who ever had heard a story about him will come to tell it, while he takes it all in. Sensing a big payday in the offing, fast-talking funeral home owner Frank Quinn enlists his gentlemanly young apprentice, Buddy Robinson to win over Felix’s business.

Buddy is no stranger to Felix’s dark reputation, but what he discovers is that behind Felix’s surreal plan lies a very real and long-held secret that must get out. As the funeral approaches, the mystery – which involves the widow Maddie Darrow, the only person in town who ever got close to Felix, and the Illinois preacher Charlie Jackson who refuses to speak at his former friend’s funeral – only deepens. But on the big day, Felix is in no mood to listen to other people spinning made-up anecdotes about him. This time, he’s the one who is going to do the telling about why he has been hiding out in the woods.

Here’s the new, moving,  international trailer for Crazy Heart which won 2 Golden Globes over the weekend including Best Song in a Motion Picture for The Weary Kind and Best Actor for Jeff Bridges. As well as Bridges, The movie stars Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s and is directed by Scott Cooper. All signs are pointing to Bridges being nominated for an Oscar and we’ll find out pretty soon if those signs are right.

We’ve got both the new international trailer and the music video for The Weary Kind written and performed by Ryan Bingham (and written by both Bingham and T-Bone Burnett) which you can see embedded below. Crazy Heart is released in cinemas 19th February.

Synopsis: Bad Blake is a broken-down, hard-living country music singer who’s had way too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times. And yet, Bad can’t help but reach for salvation with the help of Jean, a journalist who discovers the real man behind the musician. Bad also becomes the mentor to a contemporary country star, Tommy Sweet (Colin Farrell), while simultaneously struggling in the rising young crooner’s shadow.

International Trailer

Music Video

The Road was one of the best movies that we saw last year and I’m now pleased to tell you that it’s now available to watch throughout the UK in your local cinema. Our friend James Kleinmann has been interviewing the celebs again and this time he has sent us audio interviews with the lead actor, Viggo Mortensen and the writer of the screenplay, fellow Brit, Joe Penhall. Both great interviews are below.

The Road is directed by John Hillcoat and also stars Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce and Kodi Smit-McPhee. You can read Jon’s review here. If you’ve seen the movie, tell us what you thought.

[gplayer href="http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/audio/the_road/mortensen_mono.mp3"] Interview with Viggo Mortensen: [/gplayer]

[gplayer href="http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/audio/the_road/penhall_mono.mp3"] Interview with Joe Penhall: [/gplayer]

Here’s a the brand new International trailer for Viggo Mortensen’s post apocalytic movie, The Road. Jon was lucky enough to see it at the London Film Festival and you can read his review here.

The Road is directed by John Hillcoat and also stars Kodi Smit McPhee, Guy pearce, Robert Duvall and Charlize Theron. It’s out 8th January so not too long to wait to see it.

Synopsis: From Cormac McCarthy, author of NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, comes the highly anticipated big screen adaptation of the beloved, best-selling and Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, THE ROAD.

Academy Award-nominee Viggo Mortensen leads an all-star cast featuring Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce and young newcomer Kodi Smit-McPhee in this epic post-apocalyptic tale of the survival of a father (Mortsensen) and his young son (Smit-McPhee) as they journey across a barren America that was destroyed by a mysterious cataclysm.

A masterpiece adventure, THE ROAD boldly imagines a future in which men are pushed to the worst and the best that they are capable of””a future in which a father and his son are sustained by love

Here’s the new poster and trailer for Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s latest movie, ‘Crazy Heart’. It’s directed by Scott Cooper and also stars Robert Duvall and Colin Farrell. All signs are pointing to Bridges being nominated for an Oscar. Check out the trailer below or click the poster to enlarge and let us know your thoughts in the comments below. You can view the trailer in HD on Apple.

Synopsis: Bad Blake is a broken-down, hard-living country music singer who’s had way too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times. And yet, Bad can’t help but reach for salvation with the help of Jean, a journalist who discovers the real man behind the musician. Bad also becomes the mentor to a contemporary country star, Tommy Sweet (Colin Farrell), while simultaneously struggling in the rising young crooner’s shadow.

The second trailer has been released for Viggo Mortensen’s latest movie, The Road. Jon was lucky enough to see this movie at the London Film Festival and as soon as it finished text me to say it’s the movie of the year. You can read his review here. The Road is based on the book by Cormack McCarthy, is directed by John Hillcoat and also stars Kodi Smit-McPhee, Molly Parker, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce and Robert Duvall.

Here’s the synopsis in a nutshell:

An epic post-apocalyptic tale of the survival of a father and his young son as they journey across a barren America that was destroyed by a mysterious cataclysm. It imagines a future in which men are pushed to the worst and the best that they are capable of — a future in which a father and his son are sustained by love.

The Road is out in the UK 8th January 2010 and I can’t wait to see it. Check out the trailer embedded below or head over to Yahoo to view in HD.

If you haven’t already checked it out, head over to Jon’s review of The Road which stars Viggo Mortensen, Robert Duvall, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce and Kodi Smit-McPhee. The Road is directed by John Hillcoat and is based on the novel written by Cormac McCarthy.

After Jon saw it, he rang me to tell me that it’s the best film of the year, then to go on to say that he cried from start to finish! I’m not sure I should be divulging these inside secrets of Jon’s weeping habits but the fact he loved it so much says a lot!

Anyway, here’s a new poster that The Weinstein Company has released for the movie. It’s out  8th January over here so still a while to wait but from Jon’s report, it is definitely one worth waiting for!

Click the image to enlarge.