This week has really got something for everyone! J. Edgar, director Clint Eastwood’s biopic of the longtime head of the FBI, Tower Heist with Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller, much talked about indie Martha Marcy May Marlene and my person pick of the week, London Boulevard.

Let’s start there, shall we? London Boulevard is a British gangster flick, the idea of which right off the bat we know is gonna make my socks roll up and down. It’s also the directorial debut of screenwriter William Monahan (The Departed) and based on a novel by one of my favorite writers, Ken Bruen.  The best way to describe Bruen is to say he’s the Irish James Ellroy. (If that means nothing to you, chances are Bruen isn’t gonna be your cuppa anyway.) The tagline is “Not every criminal wants to be one.” To further illustrate the point, think of Al Pacino in Godfather III, “Every time I think I’m out…they pull me back in!”

The movie stars Colin Farrell, Keira Knightley and Anna Friel. While I was, at one time, skeptical about the fact that a couple of the characters had been combined and Knightley’s was much younger than she was in the book, I saw the thing and I liked it. A lot.  The supporting cast includes (the always excellent) Ray Winstone, Ben Chaplin, Eddie Marsan, Stephen Graham, Jamie Campbell-Bower and David Thewlis (I still can’t believe he and Friel aren’t together anymore. I guess there won’t be any more collaborations either). The music is by Kasabian’s Sergio Pizzone (he even used “Clubfoot” for what else, a club scene and “Green Fairy” is used as sort of Keira Knightley’s Charlotte’s theme.)

Here’s a look at a behind-the-scenes featurette from the dvd extras (courtesy of MovieWeb), actually it’s the only extra:

J. Edgar was supposed to finally earn Leonardo DiCaprio an Oscar. I’m pretty sure that’s why he made this movie. I have no idea what Clint Eastwood’s excuse is. A biopic, in my opinion, should shed some light on its subject, but there was so much of Hoover’s life that is unknowable to us now. Anyone who was there is gone and he left behind virtually nothing in terms of writings or papers that weren’t already a matter of public record. And it seems even that was subject to Hoover’s interpretation. DiCaprio does his best behind layers of prosthetic makeup and it is a valiant performance, but he’s been better. His Howard Hughs in The Aviator was a more gripping portrait of an infamous character and did actually illuminate the myth to a degree. (They both suffer from “It’s all Mommy’s fault” syndrome.) Armie Hammer was good enough as Clyde Tolson and there is a parade of well known actors impersonating well known figures from recent history.

It’s not a bad movie. There’s too much talent involved here for that to be entirely true. It’s worth a look on dvd or VOD…or you could wait for cable.

J. Edgar also stars Naomi Watts, Dame Judi Dench, Dermot Mulroney, Lea Thompson, Jeffrey Donovan, Stephen Root and Josh Lucas.  The Blu-ray/DVD Combo includes instant streaming of the film with UltraViolet Digital Copy

On the Blu-ray:

-Featurette:  “J Edgar: The Most Powerful Man in the World”, about the man and the film behind the man.

On the DVD:

-Featurette:  “J. Edgar- A Complicated Man”, more background of the controversial FBI director.

Martha Marcy May Marlene  is a powerful psychological drama with star-making performance by Elizabeth Olsen (younger sister of the ubiquitous twins) as Martha,  a young woman rapidly unraveling amidst her attempt to reclaim a normal life after fleeing from a cult and its charismatic leader (John Hawkes). Seeking help from her estranged older sister Lucy (Sarah Paulson) and brother-in-law (Hugh Dancy), Martha is unable and unwilling to reveal the truth about her disappearance. When her memories trigger a chilling paranoia that her former cult could still be pursuing her, the line between Martha’s reality and delusion begins to blur.

Martha Marcy May Marlene also stars Brady Corbet, Christopher Abbott and Maria Dizzia. The dvd/blu-ray special features include “Mary Last Seen,” the chilling short film by writer/director Sean Durkin that started it all.

Last but not least is Tower Heist from beleaguered director Brett Ratner and starring Eddie Murphy, Ben Stiller and a terrific ensemble cast that includes Matthew Broderick, Casey Affleck, Michael Pena, Gabourey Sidibe, Tea Leoni and Alan Alda.

Josh Kovacs (Ben Stiller) manages a super-high-tech high-rise in the middle of Manhattan, catering to every need of the tower's residents, including financier Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda). When Shaw gets arrested by the FBI, Kovacs realizes that his staff's pensions, which he asked Shaw to invest, are lost, and when it looks like Shaw is going to get away with it, Kovacs pulls together a mismatched team (Broderick, Affleck, Peña, Sidibe, and Murphy) to steal the secret stash of cash that the FBI suspects Shaw must have. Tower Heist successfully tweaks all the character clichés just enough so that they are a smooth blend of the familiar and the unexpected. The plot zips along with purring efficiency, alternating predictable turns with surprising ones just enough to keep the pattern-seeking parts of the viewer's brain hooked. The cast–which also includes Téa Leoni as the lead FBI agent–charms without overdoing it. In essence, director Brett Ratner (X-Men: The Last Stand and the Rush Hour series) has honed all of his sloppier tendencies and crafted a skillful piece of mass entertainment. Afterward, the movie's plot holes and defiance of the laws of physics may irritate, but while it's unfolding, Tower Heist is a smooth ride.

This is also the film this week with the most special features. In fact, it’s loaded:

SPECIAL EDITION BLU-RAY™ FEATURES: PERFECT HI-DEF PICTURE, PERFECT HI-DEF SOUND

-Two Alternate Endings – not seen in theatres!

-Universal’s Second Screen An interactive viewing experience that lets you control, interact with and explore Tower Heist with your networked tablet or computer.

-Flick View: Interact with the movie; move content from the tablet to the TV screen; and compare storyboards, animatics and other executing content by “Flicking” them from on their tablet to their TV screen, simply by gesturing your fingers.

-Behind the Scenes w/Flick View: Get an all-access look at the making of the film featuring interviews with cast and crew.

-Storyboards w/Flick View: Take a closer look at the storyboards created for some of the amazing sequences in the film.

-The Music of Tower Heist: Songs from the Tower Heist soundtrack are highlighted with the option to add to a playlist and purchase. Hear a song you like? See information about the soundtrack, add songs to your playlist and even purchase them.

-Hilarious Deleted & Alternate Scenes

-Gag Reel

-Plotting Tower Heist — Director Brett Ratner, producer Brian Grazer and the entire cast bring this heist film to a whole new level. Learn how the project started, and meet the screenwriters and cast. This exclusive feature reveals the secrets of the set design, special effects and more, including what it took to create the iconic sequence involving Steve McQueen’s car!

-Feature Commentary with director Brett Ratner, editor Mark Helfrich and co-writers Ted Griffin & Jeff Nathanson

-Tower Heist Video Diary – Director Brett Ratner takes fans through the filmmaking process with these personal video production diaries from the set.

-Digital Copy of Tower Heist for a limited time only (download by 7/27/12)

-Includes UltraViolet (download/redeem by 7/27/2012). Download or stream instantly to tablets, smartphones, and computers.

pocketBLU™: Experience Blu-ray™ in an exciting new way with the pocket BLU™ app for iPad®, iPhone®, iPod® Touch, Android™, smartphones and tablets, PC and Mac®.

-Advanced Virtual Remote and Keyboard: Control Blu-ray™ features and communicate with ease.

-Video Timeline: Instantly access any point in the film.

-Mobile-To-Go: Transfer exclusive bonus features to your device to enjoy anytime, anywhere.

-Browse Titles: Access a library of available titles and previews.

-BD-Live™:  Access bonus content, trailers and more through an internet-connected player.

-U-Control: Watch storyboard comparisons and more while the movie plays.

SPECIAL EDITION DVD BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE:

-Two Alternate Endings – not seen in theatres!

-Hilarious Deleted & Alternate Scenes

-Gag Reel

-Plotting Tower Heist — Following the structure of a classic caper movie in three acts, director Brett Ratner, producer Brian Grazer and the entire cast bring this heist film to a whole new level. -Learn how the project started, as well as meet the screenwriters and cast. This exclusive feature reveals the secrets of the set design, special effects and more, including what it took to create the iconic sequence involving Steve McQueen’s car!

-Feature Commentary with director Brett Ratner, editor Mark Helfrich and co-writers Ted Griffin & Jeff Nathanson

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The other day we showed you the first poster for Lorene Scafaria’s Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (another unwieldy title for which we all need to agree on a shortcut) with Steve Carell and Keira Knightley. Today we have the first trailer.  In the film, as an asteroid nears Earth, a man finds himself alone after his wife leaves in a panic. He decides to take a road trip to reunite with his high school sweetheart. Accompanying him is a neighbor who inadvertently puts a wrench in his plan.

Films about the end of days are not new, in fact we just had Lars von Trier’s critically well-received Melancholia this past year. Melancholia was certainly a beautifully crafted movie with a career-high performance from Kirsten Dunst (another Academy oversight in a year chock full of them), but boy was it a DOWNER! SAFFTEOTW (jeez, even the initials are cumbersome) would seem to strike a different note. While the characters in Seeking… (how’s that?) all appear to be dealing with the coming apocalypse in different ways, none of them seem to inert. Dunst’s character in Melancholia was numb and seemed to be moving underwater. Scafaria wants to mine the comic potential along with the tragedy and I think Carell’s hangdog look is perfect for the subject.

The cast also includes Patton Oswalt, Melanie Lynskey, Connie Britton and Adam Brody. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is slated for a June 22 release here in the US.

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New Posters! Gityer Red Hot Posters here!

First up, a colorful new poster for the new Whit Stillman film we told you about recently, Damsels in Distress. I like the poster. It emphasizes the fact that this is a comedy. The film follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at an East Coast College – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore).  They welcome transfer student Lily (Tipton) into their group which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good hygiene and musical dance numbers. The girls become romantically entangled with a series of men, including slick Charlie (Brody), dreamboat Xavier (Hugo Becker) and the mad frat pack of Frank (Ryan Metcalf) and Thor (Billy Magnussen)—who threaten the girls’ friendship and sanity.

Damsels in Distress opens in NY & LA on April 6 and 20^th April in the UK.

The Pirates: Band of Misfits wants you to “Laugh Your Booty Off”.  Having seen the trailers, especially on the big screen, that may be an exaggeration, but I do think you’ll have fun.

Pirate Captain (voice of Hugh Grant) sets out on a mission to defeat his rivals Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven)  and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayak) for the Pirate of the year Award. The quest takes Captain and his crew from the shores of Blood Island to the foggy streets of Victorian London.

The Pirates: Band of Misfits opens 28^th March in the UK and April 27 in the US.

Finally we have a first poster for a new movie that we haven’t talked about yet. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World stars Steve Carell and Keira Knightley in a film with an unwieldy title but a promising premise: As an asteroid nears Earth, a man finds himself alone after his wife leaves in a panic. He decides to take a road trip to reunite with his high school sweetheart. Accompanying him is a neighbor who inadvertently puts a wrench in his plan. It will be nice to see Keira Knightley in this type of a dramedy/romance.

“Set in a too-near future, a man searches for a meaningful connection as humanity’s last days are at hand. Can he find his greatest love at the worst possible time? As the respective journeys of Dodge and Penny converge, the two spark to each other and their outlooks – if not the world’s – brighten.”

The film marks the directorial debut of scriptwriter Lorraine Scafaria, (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist).  It also stars Melanie Lynskey, Connie Britton, Patton Oswalt, TJ Miller, Derek Luke, Rob Corddry, William Petersen, Gillian Jacobs and the suddenly ubiquitous Adam Brody. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World opens June 22 in the US.

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Happy Thursday cats and kittens. For today’s daily Fassbender, we have some photographic images of our man Fassbender having fun, hanging out, goofing off, having a smoke, all while looking effortlessly cooler than you. I have to say, I like the fact that Fassbender doesn’t bother to hide the fact that he smokes. He’s a smoker, it’s his life. He has to do it on the street (although apparently he was asked to leave steakhouse 34 when he lit up inside. He does that) where the air is already clogged with the smog from a bazillion cars. ¾ of all of the actors you’ve ever seen smoke, but most of them either do it on the sly or hypocritically deny they do it at all. Fassy says, “Get over yourself.”

Another accolade has been heaped upon Fassbender as well. A pop culture website called Nerve has come out with the “Third Annual Nerve Awards for Love & Sex on Film”. Michael Fassbender and Keira Knightley in A Dangerous Method were chosen as having the “Sexiest Sex Scene of the Year”.  Fassbender, along with play pals DeeDee Luxe, and Calamity Chang also earned Runner-up status for their ménage-a-trois in Shame.  (It’s entirely possible the voting body at Nerve missed the point of that film, but oh well, there was sex on screen.)

Who needs the Oscars? {He} don’ need no stinkin’ Oscars!  Enjoy the pics!

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Happy Humpday Guys and Dolls. Here's your daily Fassbender Report:

Last night I mused about where the after party would take place for the London premiere of A Dangerous Method (and what exactly would take place there and in what permutations). The location was “steakhouse 34”, the assembled company was  gorgeous, since the party was also a celebration of Keira Knightley’s GQ UK March cover story. (If you'll recall, Fassy was the cover boy for the February issue.) As for what went on, well apparently Michael Fassbender did a lot of dancing…with Viggo Mortensen and GQ UK editor Dylan Jones.  I guess who was leading was up for grabs, but I’m going to go with Fassbender. There’s nothing submissive about him, if you get my drift.

Also included in the issue: GQ UK’s 50 Best Dressed Men List. Quite a few of our favorites made the cut (probably because quite a few or our favorites are Brits). Check out number 39.  Ohhhh yeaahhh…

The March issue of British GQ is on newsstands March 2.

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Another impossibly attractive trio celebrated the gala premiere of their movie in London tonight. This triumvirate however, Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley and Viggo Mortensen, has a tad more gravitas than the cast of This Means War. The three walked the red carpet in support of their film, David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method. The film opened in the US last fall and even had a gala screening at the BFI London Film Festival, but believe it or not is just opening in wide release in the UK. Hey, anything that gets Fassy in front of a camera, I’m all for it. He can go to the opening of an envelope and I won’t mind. Fassbender’s megawatt shark smile was on full display, as was the beginnings of his “vacation beard”.

Ya know…I might make fun of Keira Knightley because she’s built like a ten year old boy, but she can’t help that (and I’m just jealous) and the fact is, she is stunningly beautiful. (And a damn fine actress. Remember, it's all about 'the work'.)  I absolutely adore the photo where she’s looking over her shoulder at the camera with a cheeky grin because Viggo Mortensen’s got his hand on her ass. Let’s face it, this is a good looking group. Wonder where the after party was…Hmm? What?

Speaking of cheeky, Viggo Mortensen appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman in support of the film and he told an elaborate story about Michael Fassbender’s “preparation method”. (The Fassy story starts around 9:50)

Michael had his opportunity to set the record straight when he appeared on the show a few nights later

Mortensen is so deadpan that he’s easily mistaken for having no sense of humor, but it’s hilarious that he was able to tell that story with a straight face and get Letterman to believe it!

Enjoy the pics of the premiere!

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