Newlyweds is the latest from writer/director Edward “Ed” Burns. A lot of people only know him as an actor, but I first came upon him with 1995’s The Brothers McMullen. True, he did star in the film, but it was also his first feature as writer/director.  I followed him to She’s the One (with Cameron Diaz (when she was still acting and doing little indies) and Jennifer Aniston (who only had 2 seasons of “Friends” under her belt at that point) the next year. I could go on. All of his films are lovely little slices of life; gems made with a limited budget usually starring his friends and very personal. Newlyweds would appear to be no exception. I follow Ed Burns on Twitter so I’ve been following the production of Newlyweds for some time. Burns shot the thing on the thinnest of shoestrings (seriously-$9000) and even enlisted his twitter followers for help with such things as choosing the poster and the naming of characters.

The official synopsis:

Buzzy (Edward Burns) and Katie (Caitlin Fitzgerald) are a newly married couple living a seemingly conflict-free life. But when Buzzy’s damaged and impulsive half-sister Linda (Kerry Bishe who starred in Burns’ last film, Nice Guy Johnny) arrives at their doorstep expecting to stay for an indefinite period in their Tribeca loft, her antics threaten to disrupt the couple’s commitment to an “easy” marriage. Meanwhile, with Katie’s sister Marsha projecting suspicions of her own husband’s infidelity onto Buzzy, will the couple’s formerly trusting and insulated life be able to withstand the dysfunctions of their respective siblings?

Completing the cast is Caitlin Fitzgerald as Burns’ wife Katie, Marsha Dietlein as Katie’s sister Marsha, and Max Baker as Marsha’s husband. Newlyweds opens December 26.

Simon Pegg, who as far as I’m concerned can do no wrong, stars as techno-geek Benji Dunn in Mission:Impossible – Ghost Protocol. We have a new featurette from the film that basically features Pegg talking about his character, the film and his experience making it.

I have to say, I’m with Pegg. Much like 007's theme, whenever I hear the theme for Mission:Impossible, in any of its incarnations (all variations on Lalo Schifrin's theme for the iconic television series), I know I'm in for a wild ride, and I admit, there are certain situations when it does run through my head as well.

Mission:Impossible-Ghost Protocol  looks like all kinds of badass cool. It starts with someone blowing up the Kremlin! Of course, Ethan and his team are implicated, causing the team to 'go rogue' (sorry that phrase has been ruined for me) to clear their organization's name. It may well end up being the best in the series. as well. As I’ve said before, Tom Cruise, crazy or not, is not only the benchmark that other actors of his generation should strive for in terms of aging gracefully, but for proving that you're never too old to kick some ass. The lengths he goes to for his films, especially for an actor with his status is astounding. You’ve seen the clip of him scaling the Burj Khalifa, right?

This time out the IMF team, includes Jeremy Renner as Brant, Paula Patton as Jane Carter, Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell as well as Simon Pegg’s Benji Dunn. Lea Seydoux, Josh Holloway, Tom Wilkinson, Michael Nyqvist, Anil Kapoor and Vladimir Mashkov round out the cast. MI4, which I’ve chosen to call the film, opens in IMAX on December 16 and comes to regular theaters on December 21. Don’t forget, attached to Mission:Impossible – Ghost Protocol will be the first six minutes of The Dark Knight Rises, so don’t skip the previews!

…and Chris Pine and Reese Witherspoon. I know, I know, I used that trick last week when we showed you the first official images. I can’t help it if he’s the main reason I’ll be seeing this movie. It’s HIS fault! (Him and that mouth.)  Speaking of that mouth, and I was, is it me or does this poster look like the three of them have been Photoshopped to within an inch of their lives? Now what is the point of that? These are beautiful people to begin with. Do they have to have all of the character airbrushed out of their faces too? And exactly who are Pine and Hardy pointing those guns at?

This Means War stars Hardy along with Chris Pine and Reese Witherspoon. Hardy and Pine play spies, actually CIA agents, who inadvertently fall for the same woman, Witherspoon. Here's the official synopsis: The world’s deadliest CIA operatives are inseparable partners and best friends until they fall for the same woman. Having once helped bring down entire enemy nations, they are now employing their incomparable skills and an endless array of high-tech gadgetry against their greatest nemesis ever – each other.

I still say that this has real potential, as far as rom-coms go. (Although I’m hoping Hardy isn’t going to make a habit of them, it is a slippery slope after all, but it will be nice to see that side of him.) This Means War also stars Chelsea Handler, Abigail Spencer (currently filming Of Men and Mavericks with Gerard Butler-and yes, I will take every opportunity to say that), Angela Bassett, David Koechner, and Til Schweiger and opens February 17, 2012

Angelina Jolie wrote and directed In the Land of Blood & Honey, a story set during the Bosnian War that tore that region apart in the 1990’s, the aftershocks of which are still being felt, in which Danijel, a soldier fighting for the Serbs, re-encounters Ajla, a Bosnian who's now a captive in the camp he oversees. Their once promising connection has become ambiguous as their motives have changed. The Film District has just released the first poster, which is kind of a Rorschach test in blood, as well as three stills which feature Zana Marjanovic, who plays Ajla, and the director.

In the Land of Blood & Honey was given a December release date, prime awards season territory, way back in the spring. The film did, however, remain a mystery as to whether it was actually any good or the FilmDistrict had only picked it up because Jolie's name would invite the curious. It was was conspicuously absent from the festival circuit and there has been no promo material released, until about a month ago, when we got the first, powerful, trailer for the film.  

The trailer made it look like the real deal. It's definitely a love story set against the backdrop of war, but it speaks to some larger issues, specifically trust, as well. Jolie has been quoted as saying, "The film is specific to the Bosnian War, but it’s also universal. I wanted to tell a story of how human relationships and behavior are deeply affected by living inside a war." I'm anxious to see the rest of it, but the trailer gives the impression that Jolie knows what she's doing behind the camera as well as in front of it.

In the Land of Blood & Honey stars Marjanovic,  Rade Serbedzija, Nikola Djuricko, Branko Djuric, Goran Kostic, Goran Jevtic, Fedja Stukan, Dolya Gavanski and will open December 23 in Bosnia's native Bhs language with English subtitles. (A bold move by The Film District for which they need to be rewarded with our butts in the seats.)

GQ held yet another party in yet another city last night. The Australian GQ Man of the Year Awards was held on November 22 at the Sydney Opera House in (funnily enough) Sydney Australia . I think they should round up all of the “Men of the Year” from the various parts of the globe as well as their various designations, ie: Michael Fassbender was the mag’s “Breakout Man of the Year”, etc, and then have them compete pageant style for Ultimate GQ Man of the Year.  Just a thought.

You might well ask why I care about the Australian version of this boysy little ritual. The answer of course is the same for why I cared about the LA version or why I cared about the German version two years ago: Manly men all suited up and looking all “GQ”.  D’uh.  Anyway, one of the Australian honorees just happened to be one of our new ‘boyfriends’, Joel Edgerton. You remember Joel. He was one half of the battling brothers in Warrior, opposite Tom Hardy. He was recently the best thing about that The Thing remake and he’ll next be seen with Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan in fellow Aussie Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, now filming right there in Sydney.

The Great Gatsby accounts for Edgerton’s look at this shindig. The retro ‘tache is for the film, but damn if he doesn’t look like the epitome of old-school movie star glamour with his hair slicked back (and darker than usual) in that single breasted, notch collared, satin lapel tux.  (Wonder whose it is. – it's a thing- I'm guessing Armani.) Yowza!

Enjoy the pics. I’ve included pics of some of the other attendees, like Alex O'Loughlin (yum) and venerable Aussie actor Jack Thompson, but most of them are Australian actors that I wouldn’t know if I fell over them, but they’re kinda cute. Oh and Kellan Lutz, who needs to step away from the spray tan. Had to include him just so no one would get mad that I didn’t.

We have our first clear look at Michael Fassbender as the android, David, in Ridley Scott’s Alien prequel, Prometheus. Thanks to Entertainment Weekly, by way of Bloody Disgusting, we also have our first clear look at Noomi Rapace and Logan Marshall Green (doing his best Tom Hardy impression) as well as Charlize Theron and Idris Elba.  

Here’s what we know about Prometheus thus far:  “Visionary filmmaker Ridley Scott returns to the genre he helped define, creating an original science fiction epic set in the most dangerous corners of the universe. The film takes a team of scientists and explorers on a thrilling journey that will test their physical and mental limits and strand them on a distant world, where they will discover the answers to our most profound questions and to life’s ultimate mystery.”

I can’t wait until we get an actual trailer. Prometheus doesn’t open until June 8 so I’m sure there will be plenty more to come. I’m a huge fan of Sir Ridley’s Alien as well as James Cameron’s Aliens (I probably shouldn’t tell you this but I saw them both on the big screen. I distinctly remember having to travel to the other side of town to get to the one theater that was playing Alien.)  There’s no doubt in my mind that if Ridley Scott is returning to this world, he’s going to do it right and do it without repeating himself. Bring it on!

Okay, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, also for your Hump Day viewing pleasure we’ve got a few pics of the latest stop on the ‘Michael Fassbender Tour of Shame’.  Fassy took the sexy to Paris along with his director Steve McQueen and costar Nicole Beharie.   Enjoy all the pics!