Slumdog Millionaire Release Dates, Trailer + Free Screenings

After having seen this year's best film at Toronto Film Festival the trailer doesn't do enough justice. Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire is getting the same treatment from Fox Searchlight, as Juno and Little Miss Sunshine previously had, in hopes of a Best Picture nomination. They are having many free screenings in every major city. If your city hasn't been added yet keep checking because it will updated soon. After the trailer there is also a list of release dates in all major US cities. This film is absolutely a must-see, don't miss out.

FREE SCREENINGS: RSVP now for your chance to attend.

Trailer (Watch the trailer in High Definition on Yahoo.com):

Week #1: Wednesday, Nov. 12

1 Los Angeles
2 New York
3 Chicago
4 San Francisco
5 Washington D.C.
6 Toronto

Week #2: Friday, Nov. 21st

7 Boston
8 Dallas/Ft. Worth
9 Philadelphia
10 San Diego
11 Seattle
12 Denver
13 Baltimore
14 Minneapolis
15 Phoenix
16 Vancouver

More after the jump.

Week #3: Wednesday, Nov. 26th

No new markets

Week #4: Friday, Dec. 5th

17 Atlanta
18 Detroit
19 Indianapolis

Week #5: Friday, Dec. 12th

20 Sacramento
21 St. Louis
22 Austin
23 Milwaukee
24 Hartford/New Haven
25 Madison
26 Ann Arbor

Week #6: Friday, Dec. 19th

27 Houston
28 Miami/Ft. Lauderdale
29 Kansas City
30 Cleveland
31 Columbus
32 Orlando
33 Charlotte
34 New Orleans
35 Louisville
36 Portland
37 Rochester
38 Salt Lake/Boise
39 Honolulu
40 Albany
41 Albuquerque
42 Boca Raton/W. Palm Beach
43 Cincinnati
44 Dayton
45 Nashville
46 Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill
47 Asheville
48 Charlottesville
49 Lansing
50 Northampton/Springfield
51 Montreal

Week #7: Friday, Dec. 26th

52 Buffalo
53 Fresno
54 Las Vegas
55 Tampa/St. Pete
56 Champaign/Decatur/Springfield
57 El Paso
58 Harrisburg, PA
59 Memphis
60 Norfolk/Newport News
61 Oklahoma City
62 Omaha
63 Providence
64 Richmond
65 San Antonio
66 Spokane
67 Tulsa
68 Baton Rouge
69 Birmingham
70 Colorado Springs
71 Corpus Christi
72 Grand Rapids
73 Knoxville
74 Lexington
75 Pittsburgh
76 Reno
77 Sarasota
78 Syracuse
79 Tucson
80 Anchorage
81 Des Moines
82 Ft. Myers
83 Gainesville
84 Ithaca
85 Jacksonville
86 Portland, ME
87 Santa Fe
88 Tallahassee
89 Calgary
90 Edmonton
91 Halifax
92 Kitchener
93 Ottawa
94 St. John
95 Victoria
96 Winnipeg

Joaquin Phoenix To Retire From Acting Forever?

In a rather bizzare interview with E! Online actor Joaquin Phoenix exclaims he is done with acting to focus solely on making music. The interviewer laughs in his face which doesn't end well. Casey Affleck is there to back up Phoenix. Check out the video below.

I thoroughly enjoyed Phoenix's Oscar nominated perfomance in 2005's Walk The Line.

Are you sad to see Joaquin leave Hollywood?

Weinstein Co. Films Pushed to 2009 (The Road, Fanboys, Crossing Over + More)

According to an LA Times Article the Weinstein is pushing the rest of their '08 film releases to 2009. The only exclusions are Zach and Miri Make a Porno, Extreme Movie, and The Reader (maybe). Cinematical explains:

That includes some oft-delayed titles like Killshot and Fanboys, as well as higher-profile stuff like Crossing Over (with Harrison Ford and Sean Penn) and Shanghai (with John Cusack). Ah yes, and the highly-anticipated adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Cormac McCarthy novel The Road.

Despite the fact that The Weinstein Co. is losing employees by the fistful, Harvey W. insists that the reasons for the delays are legit: Killshot he wants to hold for Mickey Rourke's The Wrestler; Fanboys is waiting for a Comcast promotion in January; Crossing Over deserves to enter a non-crowded marketplace; and Shanghai isn't even finished yet. Regarding The Road ... hmph, it never came up.

Fanboys has gotten delayed over and over again. Does anyone still want to see this movie?

Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day Filming?

Believe it or not, this sequel is finally being filmed. Starring Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus (the original saints), director Troy Duffy has begun blogging on the set of the film, clearly excited that this movie has finally come to fruition. Duffy was the subject of the uber-interesting 2003 documentary Overnight, which chronicles the sharp rise and mammoth fall of the bartender-turned-filmmaker courtesy of the then Harvey Weinstein-run Miramax.

Link to the Duffy blog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UkK9izJMIU

Link to Overnight trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuhVMTE8adc

Oscar Predictions (Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress)

Best Picture
Slumdog Millionare
The Dark Knight
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Revolutionary Road
Milk



Best Director:
Danny Boyle - "Slumdog Millionare"
Christopher Nolan - "The Dark Knight"
David Fincher - "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Sam Mendes - "Revolutionary Road"
Gus Van Saint - "Milk"

I don't see this category differing from BP noms, except for maybe the inclusion of Ron Howard for "Frost/Nixon" or Darren Aronfosky for "The Wrestler"



Best Actor
Mickey Rourke - "The Wrestler"
Sean Penn - "Milk"
Brad Pitt - "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Josh Brolinin - "W."
Leonardo DiCaprio - "Revolutionary Road"

Rourke the clear leader here.



Best Actress
Kate Winslet - "Revolutionary Road"
Meryl Streep - "Doubt"
Anne Hathaway - "Rachel Getting Married"
Nicole Kidman - "Australia"
Sally Hawkins - "Happy-Go-Lucky"

Zach and Miri's Porno Keeps It Dirty and....Sentimental

Who knew a film about porn could be one of the most touching of the year? Don't worry, Kevin Smith's new comedy still raises the offensive bar in more than one way. Starring Seth Rogen (Pineapple Express, Knocked Up) and Elizabeth Banks (W, Definitely, Maybe) as Zach and Miri, childhood friends turned roommates. Strapped for cash with no where else to turn they decide to make a porn. Bringing the most laughs is Craig Robinson (Pineapple Express, "The Office") who plays Delaney, Zach's coffee shop co-worker and disgruntled husband. Brandon Routh, who brings more life to his cameo than he did in all of Superman Returns, is hilarious as Justin Long's (Dodgeball, Die Hard 4) gay porn co-star and lover. The two of them are the catalyst for getting the idea of a porn in Zach's head when the meet at a high school reunion.
The film hits its stride when Zach and Miri raise the question of sex getting in the way of their 20-year friendship. The laughs are heavy and constant, but the romantic dynamic between the two characters is what really keeps the film going. The movie still has its plentiful share of vulgar, even obscene dialogue. I was surprised at the mother and young teenage son sitting to the right of me during this preview screening, as this was easily the hardest R in terms of sexual content and dialogue I have seen. There isn't a sexual subject that goes unmentioned. We are hit with anal, blowjob, gay porn, and even a queef joke, as seen in the trailer.
Don't expect another Clerks, but this film sits proudly next to Chasing Amy as one of Smith's better works. Make sure you don't get up as the credits roll because there is an hilarious extended bonus scene. The film opens wide on Halloween.

8 out of 10

Samsung Announces Netflix Streaming on Select Blu-Ray Players

Samsung has announced that Netflix customers will now be able to instantly stream Watch Now movies on select Blu-ray disc players. The coolest thing about this announcement is that some customers can use their existing Samsung Blu-ray players. For no cost, both the BD-P2550 and BD-P2500 can be upgraded for the Netflix Watch Now functionality. The press release reads:

Instantly streaming movies and TV episodes from Netflix on the BD-P2550 and BD-P2500 is done through a wired broadband connection and a Netflix Queue-based user interface. Netflix members visit the Netflix Web site to add movies and TV episodes to their individual instant Queues. Those choices will automatically be displayed on members’ TVs and available to watch instantly through the Samsung players. Once selected, movies will begin playing in as little as 30 seconds. With the players’ accompanying remote control, Netflix members will be able to browse and make selections right on the TV screen and also have the ability to read synopses and rate movies. In addition, they will have the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding the video stream.

I've been looking forward to Netflix streaming since they started the Watch Instantly service. I can't say I will use this Blu-Ray streaming since I have an Xbox 360. Netflix streaming comes to the 360 on November 19th with the "New Xbox Experience" massive update. For those with a Blu-Ray player this will be a great addition.

Javier Bardem to Star in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s Biutiful

Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men) will star in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s (21 Grams, Babel) Biutiful, which begins shooting in Barcelona next week. Inarritu wrote the script himself, his first stand alone effort after much-publicized break-up with screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga.

According to Variety, Spanish-language film is about “a man embroiled in shady dealings who is confronted by a childhood friend, now a policeman.” Argentine actress Maricel Álvarez is also rumored to be involved with the project. Rodrigo Prieto will return as director of photography. Prieto was the cinematographer on all Inarritu’s films, Brokeback Mountain, 25th Hour, 8 Mile and Frida. The music will be composed by Gustavo Santaolalla, Academy Award Winner for Brokeback Mountain and Babel.

Although Inarritu's films have declined in quailty since the Mexican classic Amores Perros I'm still greatly looking forward to this film, especially with the addition of Bardem.

BEST PICTURE NOMINATION PREDICTIONS

Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight

Milk

Revolutionary Road

EARLY OSCAR WATCH: BROLIN'S PRESIDENTIAL PERFORMANCE

At the beginning of Oliver Stone's "W." most viewers will prepare themselves to groan, for surely a movie by the notoriously liberal-minded Stone about one the most conservative presidents' in our country's history could not be fair. And while it is certainly not 100 percent objective in its presentation, Stone's film is not propaganda and not a cinematic "Vote Obama" rallying cry, but rather the story of an All-American man who, not ever really knowing what he wanted to do with his life, more or less tricks himself, and, with the help of his far more "intelligent" advisers, into becoming the President of the United States.

In many ways, Stone is sympathetic to George Walker Bush (Josh Brolin), a young man "living in poppy's shadow" and the shadow of his younger brother Jeb (the current governor of Florida). Brolin puts him his best performance to date, establishing himself as an A-list actor and embodying our current Commander-in-Chief with a comfortable presence and full devotion to "George Bush, the person," rather than "George Bush, the cariciature."

At several points during the film Brolin is giving the option to go over-the-top with the performance, falling into SNL mockery. Yet he consistently refuses the choice, staying true to our president, confident, as Stone is, that George W. Bush has already given viewers plenty to laugh at.

And there is plenty to laugh at, or sigh at. Viewers will probably do both. Stone accepts that the man is an easy political target (perhaps the easiest) and decides to dig into the "why" of Bush rather than the "what." He shoots the movie digitally, over-using close-ups while making a masterful use of focus and depth of field, most notably during Bush's "Mistakes" speech towards the end of the film.

Jeffrey Wright plays Colin Powell as the noble warrior who watches an empire fall in the war room while he attempts to convince his fellow cronies that invading Iraq is a bad plan and rushed in its development. And the viewers sighs at the potential truth in this "behind the scenes" scene as they watch Dick Cheney (Richard Dreyfuss in a comeback role) smile and scowl simultaneously in the background. Thandie Newton bombs with her imitation of Condy Rice because, well, it's just an imitation of a person, and not a good one at that. The best performances in the film (those of Brolin, Wright and Dreyfuss) are achieved not by imitating their characters but by understanding their motives and psychology, at least within the context of Stone's film.

At film's end, nothing too controversial is outed that has not already been proven or at least hinted at by one media source or another. But then Stone was never going for controversy. It appears that he, like most Americans today, is trying to answer the question: "How did this guy get elected president?" As for the ending, or rather non-ending, of the film, it echoes Bush's personal opinion on what history will say about him. "In the history, we'll all be dead."

Body of Lies Review

Count me in the group that is sick of "Iraq" films. Directed by Ridley Scott (American Gangster, Black Hawk Down) I had little excitement for Body of Lies and my mediocre expectations were fulfilled. There are decent moments of suspense and the film was well shot and well acted, but much of the story waded in familiar territory. The problems I had with last years American Gangster carried over to this film. I have seen all of this before. It is undoubtedly done well, but the material has been retreaded to death. Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed, Blood Diamond) elevates the film with a terrific performance while Russell Crowe (3:10 to Yuma, American Gangster) literally doesn't do much the entire film. Mark Strong, last seen in this year's fun gangster romp RocknRolla, delivers a intense performance as Hani, Leo's go-to man in Jordan. Unfortunately the film stays wrapped up in boring back and forth double crosses with Leo, Crowe and Strong while never really going anywhere. Ultimately Body of Lies is a decent political thriller that will keep you entertained, but not deliver much to think about.

6 out of 10

Guillermo del Toro Explains "The Hobbit"

In a recent MTV interview filmmaker Guillermo del Toro explains that The Hobbit film is not two separate films, rather one continuous story told in two parts.

“The reality is that we stopped talking the first movie and second movie, and we just started taking about the movie - the two episodes, or two parts, as if they were a single piece of narrative." Guillermo del Toro goes on to say, "“We don’t even call it the bridge movie, we just call it ‘The Movie.’ And this is great. When we found what reverberated, and we found it in one of our virtual meetings - we understood. It’s a movie.”

In the interview he says the film will be one "continuous journey" leading right up to the beginning of The Fellowship of The Ring. He states, "You should see a movie that’s five pictures long."

The Hobbit has an expected release date of December 2011.

IN HONOR OF SPIKE LEE

For over 20 years this ambitious director has tackled the race issue using many different cinematic platforms: social communication ("Do the Right Thing"), music ("Mo' Better Blues"), family ("Crooklyn"), drugs ("Clockers"), and, most recently, war ("Miracle at St. Anna"). And while race has been the most apparent and analyzed subject throughout Lee's carrer, the director has offered a distinct style: applying surrealistic filmmaking to ultra-realistic subject matter. Always true to his goals and never short about his personal beliefs, Lee is an honest filmmaker who consistently goes for the throat, constantly searching for new avenues on which to operate. His most recent attempt, "Miracle at St. Anna," is the kind of epic failure only a great director can acheive (a Roger Ebert-ism I agree with). While the ambition's there in the direction, the war scenes look fake, the screenplay is cheesy (James McBride wrote it, he also wrote the book of the same name), and the score, by longtime Lee collaborator Terence Blanchard, is overbearing. But do NOT let that deter you.
Lee is one of the uncomprable artists of our time and
deserves the opportunity to fail at whatever genre he
chooses to tackle next. But, chances are, he will succeed.

ESSENTIAL SPIKE
-"Do the Right Thing" (1989)
-"Jungle Fever"(1991)
-"Malcolm X" (1992)
-"He Got Game" (1998)
-"25th Hour" (2002)

OVERRATED SPIKE
- "Inside Man" (2006)

UNDERRATED SPIKE
-"Bamboozled" (2000)