Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy was released on Blu-ray and DVD in the UK today. Luckily it’s still in theaters here in the US or I’d be upset, but then again they did get it nearly three months before we did here in the states.

I’ve seen it twice and I may see it again before it leaves theaters. The movie has not only the British cast that’s been culled together in quite some time, but best cast period, including Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch, John Hurt, Toby Jones, David Dencik, Ciaran Hinds, Stephen Graham, Kathy Burke and Svetlana Khodchenkova. I honestly cannot fathom how this was overlooked by the Screen Actors Guild.  So much is made about the fact that the guild’s awards are “actors honoring actors”, and yet they ignored this bunch completely? Frankly, it calls into question every other nomination they made this year.

Thanks to our friends at  HeyUGuys, we have this featurette which is on the UK blu-ray, I can only assume it will be on the Region 1 disc when it comes out. The clip centers on George Smiley (Gary Oldman), the anti-Bond without “any Astin Martins”, which is funny because as soon as Oldman says that they cut to a shot featuring a much cooler 70’s era Citroen. Listen to Smiley and then listen to Oldman and you get an idea of how good he is as an actor. Their voices are completely different.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is based on the book by John le Carré and directed by Tomas Alfredson. It’s in theaters in the US now, on dvd & blu-ray in the UK. (The dvd will be released on March 20 in the US)

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Continuing to improve their craft, the artisans at Madame Tussauds museum in London have unveiled their latest addition, Colin Firth. I have to admit it’s a pretty good likeness. They seem to have either hired some new blood or practice makes perfect. While it can still be very scary when they get it wrong, they’ve gotten quite a few right in recent years, like Russell Brand’s seen below. In some cases, they’ve even improved upon the original. Kate Moss has never looked so clear eyed.  And then there are the cases where not only does it not matter which one is which, but both are about as equally animated. (See Kim Kardashian below. Is it live or is it Memorex?)

Kate Winslet’s figure was revealed about a month and a half ago to almost universal acclaim. As far as these things go, hers was just about perfect. Firth’s is a close second, in my humble opinion. The £150,000 statue ($234,000) stands between fellow Oscar winner Winslet and David and Victoria Beckham. Woo hoo!

Since I’m still not happy that Focus Features failed to open Tomas Alfredson’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy in Boston this weekend*, I’m consoling myself with this cache of new pics that I’ve come across. We haven’t posted any of them before so regardless of how long they’ve been kicking around the internet, they’re new to us!

*I think the “select cities” decision was a last minute one. Fandango sent me a notice telling me tickets were available for Friday December 9. December 9 rolled around and suddenly it’s only playing in NY and LA. I think they wanted to build some momentum here in the US. While there are those of us who have been following the film’s progress and eagerly awaiting its release, it’s easy to forget we’re in the minority and that this is a ‘talkie’ little spy thriller.

Gary Oldman, Mark Strong and director Tomas Alfredson have been stumping for the film for over a week on both coasts. Interview after interview has been posted to movie blogs, uploaded to Youtube, gone over the airwaves to radio and television outlets as well as traditionally printed. It never ceases to amaze me how patient filmmakers are when they are continually asked the same questions, as long as it’s a product that they believe in. Some are definitely better at it than others, obviously.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy finally FINALLY opens in Boston, San Francisco and DC on Friday December 16 and continues to roll-out for the rest of the month across the country. Enjoy the pics!

Tuesday night December 6 across town from the goings on in Westwood, the cast of Tomas Alfredson’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy had a glam red carpet premiere at the Arclight Cinerama Dome in LA. Although I’m more than a little disappointed that Tom Hardy couldn’t make it due to reshoots on This Means War up in Vancouver, the tasty trio of Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Mark Strong will do. Oh yes. They’ll do nicely. (I'll actually be sad when the TTSS world tour is over. It's been going on since Venice and I'll miss this little triumverate. Say! Moscow will need a premiere, right? Maybe Japan? Maybe then Tom Hardy will be able to join them!)

From what I can gather, it was a pretty low-key affair, befitting a spy ring I guess, with mostly industry wheeler dealer types in attendance. Frankly Scarlett, since the above mentioned eye-candy was there, I don’t give a damn…

The after party was held at that famous den of Hollywood inequity, the Chateau Marmont. (Okay, the very name of that place makes me yearn for wilder days when at least one party animal near and dear to my heart would have made the schlep out from Malibu where I know he’s finishing a film, if only to say hello to his old pal Mark Strong. His initials are Gerard Butler. There I said it.)

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy FINALLY opens in the US on Friday December 9. *demented poodle dance* “I’ve got a golden tiiiicket…”

With its all star cast including Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch and Toby Jones, not to mention the well respected source material, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy has been one of the most hotly anticipated films of the year, everywhere. Reviews have been overwhelmingly positive and there is Oscar talk for Oldman and even rumblings about the film.  The UK has been enjoying it for months and it’s finally set to open here in less than two weeks. To that end, we have three new clips to share.

Remember the clip we showed you the other day with Gary Oldman as George Smiley coming in to his house to find Colin Firth’s Bill Hayden? Well apparently there was more to it and this part is really creepy!

We have no real idea why Benedict Cumberbatch’s Peter Guillam hauls off and punches Tom Hardy’s Ricki Tarr in the face, but we can definitely see that he’s pissed. Apparently Guillam doesn’t believe whatever Hardy’s been telling the others about his recent activities.

The last one is called “Break In” and it’s the most confusing of the three. Taken out of context it’s hard to tell what Guillam is up to or exactly who’s in on it. Even without that knowledge though, it’s another example of Alfredson’s ability to set the mood and ratchet up the suspense.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy opens in the US and Canada on December 9. I expect that means we have more little tidbits to look forward to in the next week or so.

Have I mentioned how fond I am of alliteration? Anyway, another sign of the big movie season is all of the filmmakers out making the rounds on press junkets, promoting their wares. In New York, in just the past two days, we had Gary Oldman and Colin Firth, as well as director Tomas Alfredson, from Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ben Kingsley and Asa Butterfield from Hugo and Mark Wahlburg from Contraband, all sitting for the press conferences and having their pictures taken. Yay for us!

I’m a little disappointed Mark Strong didn’t make it to New York for the press conference, but he is expected to participate in the Variety Screening Q & A for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy on December 7. I am thankful (on this the appropriate day for such things) that Colin Firth made the trip. I don’t need an excuse to look at pics of Mr. Firth. Is it my imagination or is Gary Oldman, the older he gets, losing the creepy and becoming oddly sexy?

I saw Hugo today and am completely in love with it, so I’m happy to have the opportunity to post pics of its three stars as well as director Martin Scorsese and mention it again. It’s a pure delight. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Marky Mark is already working hard to promote his new crime drama, Contraband. We’ve shown you a couple of trailers and some pics from thefilm which stars Wahlburg, Kate Beckinsale, Giovanni Ribisi and Ben Foster. The film opens in January.  Enjoy the pics!