We have a boatload of new images from Asger Leth's Man on a Ledge starring Sam Worthington. Summit really wants us to see this thing. While I still say that this bears a great deal of resemblance to F. Gary Gray's under-rated, The Negotiator, (some have compared it to Joel Schumacher’s Phone Booth, but I don’t see it) complete with Elizabeth Banks (in the Kevin Spacey role) being asked to believe in Worthington's innocence, my motto is “there’s nothing new under the sun. It’s all in the delivery”. So I think this could be a lot fun. Of course, whatever's going on with Jamie Bell and his crew is the real hook. It looks like a solid B-movie to munch popcorn to and that’s pretty good for a January release, imho.

Synopsis: An ex-cop (Worthington) and now wanted fugitive stands on the ledge of a high-rise building while a hard-living New York Police Department negotiator (Banks) tries to talk him down. The longer they are on the ledge, the more she realizes that he might have an ulterior objective.

Man on a Ledge is director Leth's feature debut and stars Worthington, Banks and Bell along with Anthony Mackie, Edward Burns (who does this stuff to finance his own fantastic films), William Sadler, Kyra Sedgwick​ and Ed Harris​ (looking particularly creepy). It opens in theaters January 27 in the US and the UK.

A couple of weeks ago we showed you the new UK poster and trailer and today we have nine terrific new images from Asger Leth’s Man on a Ledge for you. There would seem to be something for everyone including women in spandex or dangling handcuffs, to the cop who most definitely moonlights as a drag queen in the pic with Ed Burns, and of course Sam Worthington on a ledge.

 “Nick Cassidy (Worthington) was an honest cop. Now he’s in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Desperate, he seizes the first chance to escape. Hours later, he is freshly shaven in an expensive suit, standing on a window ledge high above New York City. As a crowd gathers below, police cordon off the area and agree to Nick’s request to speak with pretty police negotiator Lydia Anderson (Banks). But Lydia doesn’t know that she is part of his grand plan, a plan that could give them both a second chance.

Speaking quietly into a lapel microphone, Nick coordinates the high-tech theft of a $30 million diamond—the same diamond he was convicted of stealing. It’s the only way he can prove his innocence, but he needs Lydia’s help—and he’s running out of time. When his identity is exposed, a SWAT team positions itself on the roof, read to take him out.  Lydia isn’t sure he’s telling the truth, but if he really was set up for the diamond heist, it had to be an inside job, which means at least one of the cops on the scene wants Nick dead. With SWAT about to move, cops destroying the evidence that could save him and nowhere to go but down, Nick’s chances of survival are getting slimmer by the minute.”

The film also stars Jamie Bell, the very likeable Elizabeth Banks, Anthony Mackie, Ed Harris, the aforementioned Ed Burns, Kyra Sedgwick, William Sadler and Genesis Rodriguez.

Man on a Ledge jumps onto US screens January 27 while the UK have to wait until 3^rd February (although these dates have been very fluid. We’ll see.)

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.

U2′s Bono and Adam Clayton were at the New York premiere of The Lazarus Effect, an HBO documentary about the AIDS/HIV crisis in Africa and the impact of the antiretroviral (Arv) drugs used to fight AIDS/HIV.

Nike teamed up at the premiere with their Lace Up, Save Lives campaign in which if you purchase RED laces from Nike, 100% of the proceeds go to various funds. According to Nike’s site:

You purchase (NIKE)RED laces.

Nike is contributing 100% of its profits from the sale to the Global Fund and to football-based programs that help fight AIDS in Africa.

Funds are received by programs like Grassroots Soccer, which uses football as a framework to teach youths how to avoid contracting HIV/AIDS.

Funds are also contributed to The Global Fund to fund HIV/AIDS programs that support the purchase of lifesaving Antiretroviral (ARV) medication, training of medical staff, HIV testing and treatment to help prevent the transmission of the virus from pregnant mothers to their babies.

Life-saving knowledge is received by the next generation in Africa.

Since its inception, (RED)™ partners and events have generated over £80 million to the Global Fund and the number keeps growing.

Also attending the premiere:  Iman, Alek Wek, Ed Burns, Gabourey Sidibe, and Hayden Christensen.

Pictures after the break

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The stars came out to honour Tom Hanks for his body of work over the years and included such celebs as: 

• Sally Field
• Glenn Close
• Charlize Theron
• Adrien Brody
• Steven Spielberg
• Ron Howard
• Julia Roberts
• Lorne Michaels
• Jeremy Irons
• Christy Turlington
• Ed Burns

Julia Roberts’ speech was especially memorable given all the F-bombs she dropped:

“Alright well, it’s late and I’m paying my babysitter overtime and I have to pee,” she began. “So Tom, everybody f—–g likes you. All my bits are gone. Listen, I had lunch today with Rita [Wilson, Hanks' wife], and her t–s were here [motioned high] and her waist was here [motioned small] and her a– was like that [motioned high], so what can I tell you that’s new? Tom Hanks, what the f–k?”

I love how she’s concerned about paying a babysitter.  She makes millions per film.  Like that’s an issue.

in 2004′s Ladykillers], I didn’t even know what the f–k that movie was about!” Of 2004′s The Terminal, she cracked, “You in the airport with the accent? It was a pass for me. Airport? Were you just an immigrant lost? I didn’t know. I love you, and I didn’t know what to do, really. God, I’m wearing the same f—–g dress tonight as your publicist!”

She concluded her ‘speech’ without any F-bombs:

“Listen, I’ve got to get home. But this much we know … I will say this: Tom Hanks, I love you.”  “It’s so dark out there, I feel like I’m in space,” she said as an audience member held up their cell phone. “Thank you, whoever just made it light. [Lost creator] J.J. Abrams, are you here?”

More photos after the break

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