Telluride Buzz: Mark Romanek's 'Never Let Me Go' Met With Glowing, But Mixed Praise

Telluride 2010 is in full swing and the first major film has screened. It's Mark Romanek's highly anticipated (at least from us) third feature-length drama, "Never Let Me Go" starring Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley and the soon-to-be new "Spider-Man" Andrew Garfield (the kid can truly act and you'll all see soon enough). The picture takes place in a boarding school and tracks the lives and friendships of three students (mentioned above) who eventually learn a dark secret about their existence. Reviews so far seem to be fairly positive with some critics waxing breathlessly about the picture's actors, tone and mood, but there are a few who seem to think it's too distant. Frankly, considering how good Mulligan and Garfield are, we're not surprised and we're glad to hear Romanek has seemed to capture such nuance and texture after the rather overt and obvious, "One Hour Photo."

The first big salvo in the Telluride reviews has come from MCN's David Poland who calls Romanek's film a "masterpiece." And adds glowingly, "[it's] a film we’ll be discussing, frame by frame, in schools, 20 years from now. I can only hope that this doesn’t mean it will be underappreciated now. This film feels like the product of Kubrick and Malick’s bastard son."

Variety is in the tank for the picture as well. "“Never Let Me Go is that rare find, a fragile little four-leaf clover of a movie that’s emotionally devastating, yet all too easily trampled by cynics. his gift for texture and tone shines through. Once again, the helmer seems drawn to the melancholy side of his material, directing the cast, especially Mulligan, to play everything as if teetering on the brink of a complete emotional breakdown."

Anne Thompson says: Romanek has "created a believably off-kilter ‘what-if’ world that is vaguely familiar but not exactly what once was,” praising the trio of actors as a “heartbreaking love triangle,” cautions audiences that she "cried buckets at this film" and adds" get out your handkerchiefs."

THR has mixed thoughts calling it, "a very engaging, if somber, story that has a surfeit of elegant elements that didn't quite add up to a great film as a whole. Mulligan, who trekked to Telluride for the first time last year with "An Education," is equally magnetic in a role that asks her to be silent and/or sad much of the time. Despite the restrained nature of her performance, she shows once again that she is a uniquely expressive and radiant film presence. Garfield, who is about to make a big shift into the mainstream "Spider-Man" universe for Sony, is also very good in playing an odd, somewhat dim but still heartbreaking character."

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Rachel Weisz To Board Alfonso Cuarón's 'Gravity'?

We're not sure how this is being reported as an "exclusive" as it still seems more or less like a rumor (or some common sense speculation), but Latino Review reports that the producers behind Alfonso Cuarón's sci-fi thriller "Gravity" are "interest[ed] in meeting [Rachel] Weisz for the role very soon."

As was reported yesterday, Angelina Jolie has turned down the lead role twice and Warner Bros. has been looking at pretty much every actress for the part -- testing or talking to Sandra Bullock, Natalie Portman, Naomi Watts, Marion Cotillard, Carey Mulligan, Sienna Miller, Abbie Cornish, Rebecca Hall, Olivia Wilde, Scarlett Johansson and Blake Lively -- trying to find the right person who can carry an $80 million sci-fi flick. So are the producers behind "Gravity" interested in meeting with Rachel Weisz? Yeah, it would make sense but it's also likely she's just one name on list of actresses who are all going to be getting phone calls; the net -- as the names above already suggest -- is being cast very wide. Ideally they are looking for someone who can not only play the role, but get at least into the same ballpark of international appeal as Jolie (because, let's face it, no other actress carries her kind of clout).

As it stands the project is budgeted at $80 million and is slated for an early 2011 shoot once Robert Downey Jr., who will star in the film in a supporting role, wraps work on "Sherlock Holmes 2." However, expect that budget figure to shrink slightly depending on who eventually gets the role because, as we much as we love her, someone like Rebecca Hall isn't getting an $80 million film greenlit.

Pixar Unleashes Slew of 'Newt' Artwork (And Admits The Film Is Dead)

Back in February, reports surfaced of an insider scuttlebutt at Pixar that found production being canceled on "Newt," a romantic comedy about a pair of endangered amphibians, that was to have been the directorial debut of sound whiz Gary Rydstrom ("Terminator 2," "Minority Report").

Rydstrom had previously directed the charming Pixar short "Lifted" (about the alien abduction driver's ed), which was nominated for an Academy Award and while the plot of "Newt" sounded like it might have borrowed a little too heavily from Pixar's own "WALL*E," we're sure it would have ended up a unique and special experience.

Since February various sources have admitted to the shuttling of "Newt." Disney scheduled its feminist Viking fairy tale "Brave" (formerly "The Bear and the Bow") in the release calendar slot that "Newt" was to occupy, and announced another film ("Monsters, Inc. 2") for later that year. Dave Smith, Disney's chief archivist (who recently retired), admitted to a Disney fansite that it was kaput. But Disney/Pixar remained silent. Until yesterday, when they took to Facebook. And if there's one way you want an announcement to be totally under-reported, you do it on a Friday afternoon before a long weekend, after the week's news cycle has petered out, and you do it on Facebook, a place that is mostly used to check to see how fat your former classmates have become.

"As most of you already know," the post read, "'Newt' is no longer in development at Pixar. However, that doesn't mean we can't share some of the Pixar's amazing artwork with our Facebook fans!"

While the artists are never identified, some of the artwork is really striking; we get characters (including a two-headed snake and some kind of lizard that looks a little like Sidney Greenstreet) and locations (like Newt gripping the hood ornament of a car) that suggest a much larger world than the movie's logline led us to believe (most plot descriptions had the newts confined to a scientist's terrarium.) Definitely check out the gallery, and speculate away on why the movie collapsed. Maybe one day we'll get a definitive account of the behind-the-scenes machinations, like in the recently released "Tale As Old As Time," which is a wonderful look at the making of Disney's "Beauty & the Beast." It's certainly interesting to speculate about Pixar, a company that is known to work like a well-oiled machine, having such a tantalizing project collapse so publicly. [via Empire]

Jesse Wigutow To Do Rewrite Of 'The Osterman Weekend,' Summit Still Looking To Land Robert Schwentke To Direct

In mid-July, it was reported that Robert Schwentke was eyeing an adaptation of Robert Ludlum's "The Osterman Weekend." While Summit still tries to woo the very in-demand director (he's been linked to "R.I.P.D.," "Shadow Divers" and "Wolverine 2") to the project, they've gone ahead and hired a writer to polish up the script.

Deadline reports that Jesse Wigutow ("It Runs In The Family") has been tapped to re-write the script by Simon Kinberg ("Sherlock Holmes," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith"). If you're not familiar with the story, it follows "a guy trapped in a conspiracy, running for his life. Just before he leaves on his annual weekend getaway with friends, John Tanner is visited by a reporter and told his pals aren't who he thinks they are. When the journalist ends up dead, Tanner struggles to stay alive long enough to figure out who he can trust."

The book has already been adapted into a 1983 film by Sam Peckinpah but the material is certainly ripe for a fresh take.

First Look At Duncan Jones' 'Source Code,' UK Release Date Of March 11, 2011 Revealed

Wet Dark And Wild have dug up the first image of Duncan Jones' "Source Code" from the October issue of Empire and posted it online. The film shows the film's star Jake Gyllenhaal demonstrating the difficulty in holding someone at gunpoint while trying to text message. Ok, we have no idea what's going in the scene but it's an early glimpse at the film that we're highly anticipating.

"Source Code" centers on a soldier, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who is part of an experimental government program investigating a terrorist incident. He finds himself in the body of an unknown commuter living and reliving a harrowing train bombing until he can find who is responsible for the attack. Co-starring will be the likes of Vera Farmiga, Michelle Monaghan, Jeffrey Wright and comedian Russell Peters.

Also revealed in the pages of Empire is a March 11, 2011 release date which is likely the UK date, but should be indicative of when the film will land stateside.

M. Night Shyamalan Says He Used 'Unbreakable 2' Plot For Night Chronicles Film; Daniel Stamm To Direct 'Twelve Strangers'?

Even though his name now draws laughter and/or boos from audiences, the bottom line is, M. Night Shyamalan still makes studios big cash ("The Last Airbender" has raked in $250 million worldwide and counting) and he doesn't need to fear about being unemployed any time soon. In fact, earlier this year, the director started his own production shingle a little while back called Night Chronicles which is akin to Sam Raimi's Ghost House and will allow the filmmaker to bring his ideas to the big screen.

The first project under that shingle if the forthcoming demon-in-an-elevator horror film "Devil," with "Twelve Strangers," a tale about a jury deliberating a supernatural case, in the pipeline (more on that in a second). But the one that will undoubtedly draw the most attention will be the third Night Chronicles movie which according to M. Night Shyamalan lifted a villain and the whole plot of "Unbreakable 2."

Speaking with MTV, Shyamalan revealed, "I cannibalized the idea for the sequel to 'Unbreakable' for one of the 'Night Chronicles.'"

He goes on to add that he took a villain originally in an early draft of "Unbreakable" and planned for "Unbreakable 2" and used it in the forthcoming untitled Night Chronicles film. "It was such a cool idea for a villain, and it was actually originally in the script for 'Unbreakable,' and it was too much. There were too many villains, so I pulled this villain out and was like, 'I'll make this the second flick.'"

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In Theaters: 'Machete,' 'The American,' 'Going the Distance'

The heat may be starting to die down, but the box office manages to pick up some much needed steam this weekend. Robert Rodriguez's long-anticipated "Machete" hopes to slash away the competition, attracting the action fans still hungry for blood after last month's "The Expendables." Drew Barrymore stars opposite real-life on/off beau Justin Long in "Going the Distance," though we still wish she'd find the time to team up with ex-husband Tom Green at some point (jk). Art-house fans across the country are given some love as Anton Corbijn's "The American" hits screens nationally. That's normally a given for a George Clooney project, but the pace and silence of the film may throw off more casual audiences. Getting limited releases, the Sam Rockwell sports-dramedy "The Winning Season," the Chinese "Blood Simple" remake "A Woman, A Gun and A Noodle Shop," and "Mesrine: Public Enemy #1" lead the pack.

In Wide Release: Robert Rodriguez transforms one of the great fake trailers from "Grindhouse" into a full-length action extravaganza with this week's "Machete." Longtime badass (and former jailbird) Danny Trejo reprises the title role, an ex-Federale out for revenge on his former boss. Rodriguez and co-director Ethan Maniquis have assembled a ridiculous supporting cast for the modestly budgeted picture, including Robert DeNiro, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal, and Lindsay Lohan. We posted our point/counterpoint review yesterday, with one of our writers defending the proud B-movie aspects of the film, while another found it lacking. RT: 71% Metacritic: 60.

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Sam Mendes, David Slade & Gary Ross Contenders To Direct First Film In Lionsgate's New Trilogy 'Hunger Games'

With the cash cow that that is Summit's 'Twilight' franchise making execs across Hollywood green with envy, it's no surprise that a new trilogy, aimed squarely at the same demographic, is in the works.

Deadline reports that Sam Mendes, David Slade & Gary Ross ("Pleasantville," "Seabiscuit") are contenders to direct the first installment of "The Hunger Games" trilogy based on the novels by Suzanne Collins. With a fresh re-write done by Billy Ray ("Shattered Glass," "Breach") the story follows "Katniss Everdeen, an enterprising 16-year old from a poor territory that was once Appalachia, who becomes a teen gladiator in a reality show event that is a battle to the death against other teens from the 12 districts that make up what is left of the USA, which is run by a cruel totalitarian government." So basically "The Running Man" for teens?

The choice of directors is interesting. Slade is a bit of hot ticket right now coming off the mega-success of "Twilight: Eclipse" and most recently has been named as the favorite to direct "X-Men Origins: Wolverine 2." As for Mendes, this isn't the first time his name has been attached to tentpole fare having been previously linked to the comic adaptation "Preacher" and "Oz The Great And Powerful." But if he does sign on, what does it mean for the gestating "On Chesil Beach"? The only wildcard here is Ross, whose only two completed films makes him seem like a completely wrong match for the material though he'll probably come in cheaper than the the other two. Deadline also reports that Andrew Adamson ("Shrek," "The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe") was also in the mix at one point but appears to have dropped out.

The books have been a mega-success with the last installment "Mockingjay" selling over 450,000 units since it hit stores on August 24th. No word yet on casting but unknowns are expected to fill the roles.

Elements Of 'Tree Of Life' Compared To '2001: A Space Odyssey' In Early Screening; Picture Could Still Be 3 Hours

Are you sick of hearing about Terrence Malick's long-gestating "Tree Of Life" in that you just want to stop reading about it and you just want to see the damn thing already?

Join the crowd. But every time we swear up and down that we're not going to write about the picture anymore, something pops up that piques our interest once more. But we'll keep it brief. An early screening of the film recently took place... somewhere, we assume Austin since that's where Malick lays his hat and one of the people in attendance has posted on the HomeTheater web forum. Don't worry there's not too many spoilers if you're a die-hard and have been reading every little thing about this film, however, if you're not one of those people, buyer beware. The key take aways: the "creation" section of the film (remember it's partly about the creation of the universe and briefly features dinosaurs) reminds this viewer of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey" (the thought of this gives us a huge cinema boner), it's 3 hours long (at least in this version, though that could change) and this guy thinks the film will come out in October. We're guessing last minute December ala, "The New World" which was released down to the wire so it would at least qualify for Oscar (and of course, Malick kept tooling with it afterwards and shaved down the running time for the wide January theatrical release). Will Brad Pitt garner an Oscar for his work in the film? Read more below.

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Olivia Thirlby Joins Karl Urban In 'Judge Dredd'

Why didn't Olivia Thrilby break out in 2008 and 2009 when she should have? Probably because she doesn't have Amber Heard conventional looks (ironically the girl who replaced her in "Pineapple Express"), but whatever, she's infinitely more interesting (not to mention a helluva better actress).

After a slogging it out in the indie circuit for a few years (excellent turns in "The Wackness," "Snow Angels" and "Solitary Man" to name a few), perhaps she's taking a shot at primetime? The actress has already joined Emile Hirsch in the alien invasion picture, "The Darkest Hour" (which is back up and running, btw after a recent shut-down due to wildfires in Russia) and now she's joined another non-indie picture, the reboot of "Judge Dredd" (which starred Sly Stallone in the mid '90s).

According to Variety, she’s been cast as Cassandra Anderson, “a telepathic rookie who shadows Dredd.” New Zealand-born actor Karl Urban (Dr. McCoy in the J.J. Abrams “Star Trek” reboot” and also known for key appearances in "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" and "The Bourne Supremacy") has already been cast as Dredd. Alex Garland wrote the script and he's known for writing Danny Boyle's "Sunshine," "28 Days Later," and "The Beach" plus Mark Romanek's upcoming drama, "Never Let Me Go" -- a seriously impressive slate of films.

A script review we ran revealed that the screenplay was very dark and gritty with comparisons being drawn to "Die Hard" and "Blade Runner." Evidently the producers are going for a Hard-R rating and the film shoots in South Africa later this year with a modest $45 million dollar budget.

Newmarket Films To Distribute Peter Weir's 'The Way Back,' January 21st Release Confirmed

Small time shingle Newmarket Films have been unveiled as the distributors of Peter Weir's prison-escape-epic "The Way Back" with its previously revealed January 21st wide release now officially confirmed.

It's not an altogether surprising move considering the film's inability to find a home and the fact that Newmarket is owned by the Exclusive Media Group, who actually financed the picture under its Exclusive Films umbrella.

Does the move say anything about the film's prospects though? In recent times, the company has acquired big name flops like "Agora" and "Creation," and also picked up underwhelming Sundance film "Hesher" earlier this year -- certainly a far cry from its work last decade with "Memento," "The Prestige" and "The Passion Of The Christ." That said, this year has already seen smaller shingles like Roadside Attractions step up with the acquisition of "Winter's Bone" and "Biutiful."

While Weir's latest has been given a January release, producer Joni Levin has already noted that a limited Oscar-qualifying run in December is on the cards. The failure to mention anything about it in the announcement, however, seemingly suggests it'll premiere at this year's iteration of the Telluride Film Festival before any award season push will be confirmed. Many a film's award-season prospects have been tried and tested at the event with Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire" coming out of nowhere two years ago to sweep the Oscars and Jason Reitman's "Up In The Air" kicking off its campaign here last year.

Starring Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, Colin Farrell, Mark Strong and Saoirse Ronan, the epic follows group of seven prisoners who escape a Siberian labor camp in 1940 and attempt to trek thousands of miles across hostile terrain to India and their freedom. [ExclusiveMedia]

New International Trailer & Photos: 'Love & Other Drugs'

Missing Anne Hathaway's gorgeous locks that she recently lopped off for Lone Scherfig's new film? Well, you can reminisce with the new international trailer for her upcoming Ed Zwick-directed dramedy/ love story, "Love And Other Drugs" co-starring Jake Gyllenhaal.

Like most recent international trailers, it's not drastically different from what we've already seen, but it does feature Roxy Music's classic song, "Love Is The Drug" (it also features INXS' "Beautiful Girl") so that's a plus (coulda been in an old trailer too, haven't noticed them all meself). The film also co-stars Judy Greer, Hank Azaria, Oliver Platt, Jaimie Alexander and Gabriel Macht. It hits theaters November 24 via 20th Century Fox. [HeyYouGuys]

Venice First Impressions: 'Somewhere' Finds Sofia Coppola At Her Most Languid & Low-Key Yet

Making it's World Premiere at the Venice Film Festival, but curiously skipping any stateside festival appearances, "Somewhere," the latest from Sofia Coppola, will find critics and audiences determining if she's merely treading water with yet another tale of disaffection or if she has found new tones to explore within her familiar milieu. The film focuses on a hard-living Hollywood actor (Stephen Dorff) who re-examines his life after his 11-year-old daughter (Elle Fanning) surprises him with a visit. While populated with co-stars/cameo appearances by Michelle Monaghan, Benicio del Toro, Laura Ramsey, Robert Schwartzman, Chris Pontius and Caitlin Keats, the film is pretty much a two-character piece. Reviews are starting to come in from the Lido and not surprisingly, early thoughts are mixed (and we'll continue to update as the trades and other critics post their reviews throughout the day):

Guy Lodge at InContention notes that while the territory may not be new, "with the wry, shimmery and thoroughly beguiling “Somewhere,” Coppola has perhaps made exactly the film she needed to at this point in her career: one that calmly takes stock of her abilities and interests rather than pushing them too severely." Both Dorff and Fanning earn praise for their performances, and film finds "Coppola is at her most low-key in “Somewhere,” but there’s barely a note in this moving, finely wrought miniature that isn’t in key either."

Anne Thompson views the film as a "companion piece to 'Marie Antoinette,'" noting the performances as standouts saying, "This is the role Dorff has been waiting for; it’s a real breakthrough for both him and Fanning. Witty, spare and gorgeously framed, 'Somewhere' should play well for the young smart-house set."

Derek Malcolm at the London Evening Standard is less taken with the film's languid approach writing, "The film has no big dramatic moments, just a series of sequences gradually making the watcher aware of just why there’s a text on Johnny’s phone stating: 'Why are you such an arsehole?'....It’s an unexpected change of gear for Francis’s daughter, who says her childhood is mined in the film. It may last in the memory a little more than 'Marie Antoinette,' if not quite as long as 'Lost In Translation.'"

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Tom Hardy Replaces Michael Fassbender In Tomas Alfredsson's 'Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy'

One of 2010's biggest success stories has probably been British thespian Tom Hardy who stole the show from many of his talented counterparts in Christopher Nolan's "Inception." The actor will now excitingly back that up with Tomas Alfredsson's upcoming adaptation of John Le Carre's British Cold War spy thriller "Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy."

Hardy replaces Michael Fassbender -- who evidently left to star in Matthew Vaughn's currently in-production "X-Men: First Class" -- in the role of 'Tricky' Ricky Tarr, a British operative acquaintance of protagonist George Smiley, a "breathtakingly ordinary, anti-James Bond"-type character who will be played by Gary Oldman. While the loss of Fassbender is disappointing, we can't think of any replacement we'd want more than Hardy.

Adapted for the screen by the talented Peter Morgan ("The Queen," "Frost/Nixon"), Le Carre's novel follows the story of a British Intelligence operative whose task is to delve into the world of Cold War espionage and root out a Soviet mole in the Circus, the highest echelon in the British Intelligence Services.

The cast also boasts the previously revealed Colin Firth and Benedict Cumberbatch, as well as Ciaran Hinds and "Mad Men" star Jared Harris, who now join as fellow British operatives probably somehow entangled with the mess Smiley has to clean up. No mention, however, of Ralph Fiennes who was set to star in a leading role -- has he dropped out like Fassbender and been replaced by Hinds or Harris? Or has Bamigoye simply forgotten to mention him?

Shooting will look to begin sometime in the next few weeks for what is shaping up as one of 2011's most anticipated releases, in our books anyway. [Baz Bamigoye]

Harmony Korine's New Short Film, 'Act Da Fool' Is Now Online; 'Trash Humpers' DVD Available September 21

"I like the way paper bags look. I like when a balloon gets aaaalll fucked up and pops and everyone gets scared," say the teenage African American protagonist with the heavy Southern drawl in Harmony Korine's new oddball short, "Act Da Fool," he made to help promote the fall campaign for fashion company Proenza Schouler. "I think the world is a ball of shit," she adds. "That's why the dinosaurs died out. And everyone going to die soon."

Uhhh, yeah. It's another bizarre headscratcher, but it is strangely entertaining; another lo-fi exploration of seeing the beauty in darker things. Trying to explain what the short is about is kind of a fool's errand, but do give it a shot, it's basically this teenager narrating about her neighborhood and her life, how she gets drunk and fucked up with her friends and how that tells us about god and life. Or something.

Anyhow, the whole short can now be seen on the Proenza Schouler website. It's no "Trash Humpers" (utterly brilliant), but it does have that found footage kind of scrappy aesthetic to it. Though it actually looks like it's shot in 8mm rather than cheap-ass VHS tape. There's also an interview with the designers Jack McCullough and Lazarao Hernandez who explain why they wanted Korine to make a film around their collection (they also loved "Kids") and they describe the short as girls, "searching for happiness. They've been beaten down and disenfranchised and yet they still find something to believe in." There's also an interview with Korine.

In his typical opaqueness, when asked where he shot the short film he responds, "The projects of Nashville. A school for the blind. A school for kleptomaniacs." In case you need more Korine in your life (you probably do), buy the "Trash Humpers" DVD when it's released on September 21 by Drag City. There's also an original soundtrack which includes the bizzarro songs and lullabies from the film that has been out since June.

Oh, btw, one last update. Got £7500 lying around? Korine is selling off 35mm prints of "Trash Humpers." Even though it was shot and edited on VHS... (and prolly about £7200 more than the actual budget of "Trash Humpers").

Uhh, are we sure Vincent Gallo didn't put him up to this?

Jonathan Rhys-Meyers To Star In French Love Story ‘Belle Du Seigneur’

"The Tudors" star Jonathan Rhy-Meyers will star opposite Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova in the French love story, "Belle Du Seigneur."

According to Deadline, it's the directorial debut of Glenio Bonder and it was written by James Dearden ("Fatal Attraction") and Vincenzo Cerami ("Life Is Beautiful") and was based on the bestselling 1968 French novel by Albert Cohen. Here's a synopsis which will basically tell you all you need to know about the upcoming picture that shoots this October in various Euro locales:

First published in Paris in 1968, Belle du Seigneur is considered the masterpiece of Albert Cohen, a Jew who served the Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann, who became Israel's first Prime Minister, and worked for the Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees after World War II. This tortuous love story revolves around an adulterous affair between Sola, the ostentatious son of the Chief Rabbi of Cephalonia and Ariane d'Auble, a beautiful, blonde, Protestant aristocrat. Threatened by impending war and the growing anti-Semitism of Europe in the mid-1930s, the two struggle to keep passion alive. While Ariane molds herself into the perfection of femininity, Sola takes on a bitter cruelty that translates into revenge against the ostracism of himself and his people.

Vodianova had a role in "Clash of The Titans" and musical icon Marianne Faithful will also co-star. Bonder is evidently known for directing commercials for clients like Calvin Klein and British Airways.

Poster: Paul Haggis' 'Next Three Days' Starring Russell Crowe

Lionsgate has revealed the poster for Paul Haggis' upcoming thriller, "The Next Three Days," starring Russell Crowe, Liam Neeson, Elizabeth Banks and Olivia Wilde.

You'd think they'd actually want to put international star Russell Crowe's face on it, but perhaps this is just the first iteration and we'll eventually see the non-arty version with just faces we all know. Either way, this version is pretty unremarkable even if it's attempting to be artistic.

In a recent issue of EW (doesn't appear to be online) Haggis said the film was skipping the film festival circuit because he wanted it to be viewed as a commercial thriller and not an arthouse film. Sure, whatever you like, Paul. Here's the synopsis.

Life seems perfect for John Brennan until his wife, Lara, is arrested for a gruesome murder she says she didn't commit. Three years into her sentence, John is struggling to hold his family together, raising their son and teaching at college while he pursues every means available to prove her innocence. With the rejection of their final appeal, Lara becomes suicidal and John decides there is only one possible, bearable solution: to break his wife out of prison. Refusing to be deterred by impossible odds or his own inexperience, John devises an elaborate escape plot and plunges into a dangerous and unfamiliar world, ultimately risking everything for the woman he loves.

Her's the trailer if you missed it. "The Next Three Days" hits theaters on November 19.

'Avatar' 3D BluRay To Arrive In December But Only If You Buy A 3D TV

The "Avatar" money train keeps rolling. After racking up $2 billion in worldwide box office receipts, becoming one of the best-selling home video titles when it was released on Earth Day this past April, and with a special edition version and more crappy merchandise coming this fall, James Cameron may need to rent out some locker space at Fort Knox. However, if you've been holding off on buying "Avatar" for your home theater, waiting to experience the film in all its three dimensional glory, you'll be pleased to know the 3D BluRay release is officially on the way. It just may drain your bank account.

TWICE reports (via BluRay.com) that the 3D iteration of "Avatar" will hit stores in December. The catch? It will only be available to people who buy a Panasonic 3D Viera plasma TV. The electronics manufacturer has stuck a deal with 20th Century Fox to be the exclusive launch partner for the disc with the BluRay expected to be available in variety of bundle packages with Panasonic 3D Viera televisions and BluRay players. But wait, do you already own a Panasonic 3D Viera TV? Well the company is going to be gracious enough to offer the disc to those early adopters as well. Full details on the promotion will be revealed later this year.

But if you already own a 3D TV by some other manufacturer (like, say, Samsung who got Cameron to pimp their line of televisions earlier this year) you might be waiting for a while. Though details on how long the exclusivity window will last are not yet known, The Digital Bits believe it could be "as long as a year or more."

So, how much do one these TVs cost? We took a quick look at some prices if you were to head out to your local electronics store today, a Panasonic Viera 50" TV would run about about $2500. Granted, there will probably be a fancy pants new line of televisions released in conjunction with the "Avatar" promotion, and perhaps prices will come down slightly, but this thing will still set you back a bit.

No details on if the "Avatar" 3D disc will boast any special features but if the current home video roll-out is anything to go by it will probably be bare bones and then followed by another even more special edition at some point in the future.

First Look: 'Easy Money' AKA The Buzzed-About Swedish Crime Drama, 'Snabba Cash'

Greed, ambition, good intentions gone wrong, family, paranoia and betrayal. These are some of the captions that could be used to describe "Snabba Cash" the arresting and buzzed-about Swedish crime drama that has caught Hollywood's attention like a hot blonde who walks into a room and makes it go silent with oohs and ahhs (and yes, there's already a U.S. remake in the works with Zac Efron in the lead).

Not released in the U.S. yet, the film was a hit in its native Sweden, and was quietly acquired by the Weinstein Company earlier this year for what we're told is a TBD 2010 release date. Titled, "Easy Money" for the U.S. (the Swedish translation we assume) and also unbeknownst to almost everyone we know, it's also playing the Toronto Intl. Film Festival (most people don't realize this because no one realizes the film is now going under the new title; btw, good luck with buying TIFF tickets today...).

So back to the buzz. Only Hollywood studio folks and insiders have seen the film (well, and us...), but the gripping and electric picture has put its director Daniel Espinosa on the Hollywood map with a bulls eye. Espinosa scored the coveted gig to direct "Safe House" with Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds (a picture that every male lead in Hollywood wanted). So impressed was Hollywood with "Snabba Cash," the film landed him in the pool of directors considered for "X-Men: First Class," "Wolverine 2," and Espinosa's name has also come up in connection with Aaron Guzikowski's heavily-buzzed script "Prisoners" with Leonardo DiCaprio attached (though Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, and Mark Wahlberg were interested at one point, it was that hot) as well as the Steven Soderbergh-produced "Making Jack Falcone" which has Benicio Del Toro attached to star. If this isn't enough proof that "Snabba Cash" turned heads and made Tinstletown notice, we don't know what is.
A three-pronged interwoven narrative starring Swedish actors Joel Kinnaman, (the buzz has done wonders for him too; he's starring in "The Darkest Hour" with Emile Hirsch and Olivia Thirlby) Matias Padin and Dragomir Mrsic, the taut and engaging "Snabba Cash" marks the fateful intersecting point of three men wanting more and looking to get out; a struggling economics student who dreams of wealth, an escaped convict on the run and a Serbian thug tasked with rubbing out the jailbird. It all builds to an intense confluence of drug deals, bullets and betrayals and it's simply a solid grade A film that you should watch when it finally hits U.S. shores later this year.
So if you're like us, you've been intensely curious about this picture all year. So for those that haven't seen it, which we're guessing is a majority of you, here's your first look at several pictures of the film, plus the Swedish-language trailer which is below the jump. This is a picture to keep an eye on as well as its director has clearly been noticed and is moving on to bigger and better things. You've been warned.

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Jamie Bell Joins Sam Worthington & Anthony Mackie In 'Man On A Ledge,' Amy Adams Circling?

On the one hand, "Man On A Ledge" stars Sam Worthington, an actor whose name is mostly synonymous with CGI. On the other, it also has the excellent Anthony Mackie and with the latest addition of Jamie Bell, we may be compelled to give this one a shot.

Set to be being directed by Asger Leth -- who earlier this year saw his gig helming "Cartel" with Josh Brolin get canned by Universal when they canceled the project -- the film follows "a cop (Worthington) thrown in jail for a crime he didn't commit. Let out for his father's funeral, he escapes and ends up on a hotel ledge threatening to kill himself. Bell plays his brother, who happens to be planning a heist of a jewelry store across the street while the cop threatens suicide. Mackie would play the disgraced cop's ex-partner." The other major role in the film still to be cast is that of the "female psychiatrist, who tries to talk the cop off the ledge and develops feelings for him." Deadline says Amy Adams is rumored to be interested in the part, though nothing has been nailed down just yet.

This is either going to be a great B-level thriller or just completely ludicrous. It's certainly an ambitious plot that could teeter either way depending on how the material is handled. The film was written by Pablo Fenjves and is currently being given another pass by "Red" scribes Erich and Jon Hoeber. The film goes in front of cameras in November in New York City.

Liam Neeson Replaces Bradley Cooper In Joe Carnahan's 'The Grey'

If rumors are to be believed, 20th Century Fox wants Joe Carnahan to direct the reboot of the lameduck "Fantastic Four" reboot led by producer/writer Akiva Goldsman (who's sort of known as Satan in some comic book circles, most recently for helping ruin "Jonah Hex"). Or at least he's on a wish list that includes several other directors.

However, just as we're always carping on about, the studio's wishes and reality aren't always in the same time zone. Just because the studio wants someone to direct their project, it doesn't mean that filmmaker is interested. Case in point, "Fantastic Four" probably wants to get its reboot's pre-production moving forward, but Carnahan is still laser-focused on his wilderness survival drama, "The Grey."

Last we heard Carnahan had nabbed "The Hangover" star Bradley Cooper for the role, but THR is now reporting that Liam Neeson has replaced him. No reason has been given, but Cooper was likely loosely attached and now that the project is moving forward, he's presumably busy with other gigs (this is an on-the-rise star who almost scored the coveted "Green Lantern" gig).

And no offense to Liam Neeson fans -- yes, we consider ourselves part of that group of people -- but the recasting move can certainly be seen as a downgrade, at least Hollywood heat-wise. Yes, Neeson has the fluke, "Taken" under his belt, but pundits need to recognize that for what it was: a nice random hit when audiences were starved for something, anything (look, the February season isn't the new money makers; please don't bring up Martin Scorsese's ' "Shutter Island" which would have made money in any season). Cooper is a hot casting commodity and is on the A-list short-list for every male lead project that comes up. Neeson does probably have more box-office recognition though, and your mom probably can at least recognize him in a crowd he's been around for so long.

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First Listen: Rachel Portman's 'Never Let Me Go' Score Released On iTunes Early

After releasing the first extended scene from Mark Romanek’s “Never Let Me Go” earlier this week, Fox Searchlight continues its slow, methodical promotional roll out for the film by unveiling Rachel Portman’s score for the movie. While the official soundtrack won’t be available in record stores until September 14, it's now available for download on iTunes.

As we previously mentioned, Portman’s score is quite lovely. Listening to the score in its entirety has only confirmed this. With song titles such as “Ruth’s Betrayal” and “The Worst Thing I Ever Did,” the lush and haunting score gives us a hint at darker tones of the film which have so far been absent from the romantic trailer and posters for the film. Portman’s compositions should work well with Adam Kimmel’s (“I’m Here,” “Capote”) cinematography as well as Romanek’s direction. After all, even the biggest detractors of Romanek’s previous only other film, “One Hour Photo,” have to admit that the film was exquisitely composed.

It has been a strange decade for Portman. After wrapping up the 1990s with Oscar nominations for her score for “The Cider House Rules” and “Chocolat” in 2000 to complement her Oscar win for 1996’s “Emma,” Portman spent the first half of the aughts providing the scores to big-name directors’ minor and largely forgettable work. It was during this time that Portman worked on a variety of projects, including Robert Redford’s “The Legend of Bagger Vance," Jonathan Demme’s “The Truth About Charlie" and “The Manchurian Candidate” and Roman Polanski’s “Oliver Twist.” The second half of the decade saw Portman’s work languish on mostly forgettable films like “Infamous” (the non-Philip Seymour Hoffman Truman Capote film), “The Lake House” and “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2.” It looks as if the composer will begin this decade better than she ended the last one. After her work on Romanek’s highly anticipated film, Portman is set to work on the score for the Robert Pattinson and Uma Thurman fronted Paris set period romance, “Bel Ami.”

Boasting a cast made up of a veritable who’s who of young British actors, including Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, Andrew Garfield and Sally Hawkins, supporting work by Charlotte Rampling, Nathalie Richard and Andrea Riseborough, plus a script from Alex Garland (Danny Boyle’s collaborator on the scripts for “The Beach,” “28 Days Later,” and “Sunshine”), “Never Let Me Go” will be making its North American debut this week at the Telluride Film Festival. A perfunctory plot summary is impossible without giving away any spoilers so it may be best to simply note that this was the film that made Spike Jonze cry. The film opens in select theaters on September 15th.- Tan Nguyen

Universal Wants James McAvoy For 'Mountains Of Madness' But Guillermo Del Toro Wants Tom Cruise

As Guillermo del Toro's "At The Mountains Of Madness" gears up to shoot next year, names of lead actors to front the expensive, James Cameron-produced 3D film are beginning to surface and they couldn't be more different.

Collider reports that Universal and del Toro are of different minds as to who should play the lead role of Dyer. Universal is apparently eying James McAvoy for the part while del Toro wants Tom Cruise. Del Toro's choice isn't as strange as it sounds. Earlier this year it was revealed that del Toro walked away from a gestating, Tom Cruise-produced "Van Helsing" movie to make "At The Mountains Of Madness" and it seems like the director isn't yet ready to leave the actor behind.

Obviously, the actors represent two hugely different visions on where the film and character should go. Do you lead the film with a lesser known, but very much up-and-coming actor for a younger take on the role of Dyer or do you go with an A-list star who can guarantee international box office (even if domestically his name is a bit more of question mark) and make the hero a little older? It will certainly be interesting to see how this plays out.

With the film eying a May 2011 start, both actors would tentatively be free and clear do the film both having come off big franchise films; McAvoy with "X-Men: First Class" and Cruise with "Mission: Impossible 4."

We're sure del Toro fanboys won't be happy to hear the director wants Cruise for the role, especially after an early review of the script reveals an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's book that is heavy on creatures and actions, but light on atmosphere. Cruise vs McAvoy: who would you pick?

Watch: Clip From 'Let Me In' Continues To Turn Skepticism Into Optimism

After some impressive trailers, the tide has begun to turn from skepticism to anticipation for Matt Reeves' "Let Me In," a remake of Tomas Alfredson's excellent "Let The Right One In."

A new clip has arrived courtesy of the viral site Enter Under Penalty Of Death, and again, it points to a film that is heavy on atmosphere for scares rather than loud noises and shaky cams that marked Reeves' feature directorial debut, "Cloverfield." In the clip, we see Richard Jenkins as "The Father" of Abby (Chloe Moretz) bringing home dinner, in manner of speaking. Oh yeah, the song you hear is Blue Oyster Cult's "I'm Burning For You."

The film, which also stars Kodi Smit-McPhee, opens on October 1st and will play at TIFF in the next couple of weeks. [ONTD]

Oscar Isaac Joins Nicolas Winding Refn's 'Drive'

The cast for Nicolas Winding Refn's Hollywood debut, "Drive," just keeps getting better and better. Already starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston and Albert Brooks as the villain (seriously), the cast now adds one more with Oscar Isaac joining the film in a currently unspecified role.

"Drive" centers on a nameless Hollywood stuntman (Gosling) who moonlights as a freelance getaway driver during robberies. When a bank heist goes wrong, he ends up on the run with a contract on his head and an ex-con’s girlfriend in his car. Mulligan will play said girlfriend with Brooks playing Bernie Rose, a New York mobster, while Cranston is likely playing Gosling's mentor. No word yet on what role Isaac will fill out.

Isaac may not be as well known as the other names in the cast, but you would probably recognize his face if you watched "Robin Hood" earlier this summer. "Drive" starts shooting later this month in Los Angeles.

Zach Galifianakis' Brother Seth Interviews Sean Penn On 'Between Two Ferns'

Zach Galifianakis is a very busy guy, so we guess it's not fair to expect to him to keep churning out episodes of his talk show "Between Two Ferns" while he's off making movies and television shows. Luckily for us, his brother Seth has stepped in and interviews Sean Penn in the latest episode.

While Seth is definitely a bit nicer and less broiling with anger/nervousness than his brother, we hope Zach comes back soon.

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis: Sean Penn from Between Two Ferns

Horror Update: Emma Bell Joins '5nal Destination'; 'Shark Night 3D' Adds Three & 'Hellraiser' Remake Still On Hold

Yeah, yeah, we know it's not called "5nal Destination" anymore, but we're going to use it until New Line decides on an official title and also because it rules. Anyway, Emma Bell ("Frozen") has been cast as the female lead in the film, joining P.J. Byrne, Miles Fisher, Arlen Escarpeta, Nicholas D'Agosto, Ellen Wroe, Meghan Ory, David Koechner and Tony Todd. Filming starts this month with Steven Quale directing. The film hits theaters on August 26, 2011.

With production set to begin this month in Louisiana, the cast of "Shark Night 3D" is building quickly. Former "American Idol" also-ran Katharine McPhee, Sara Paxton ("The Last House On The Left") and Dustin Milligan ("Extract") have joined the recently announced Sinqua Walls, Chris Carmack ("The O.C."), Alyssa Diaz and Joel David Moore ("Avatar") in the film that will pretty much be like "Piranha 3D" in different clothing. New wave auteur David Ellis ("Snakes On A Plane," "The Final Destination") is directing.

The "Hellraiser" franchise is going strong, at least on home video, where yet another sequel is set to begin production this month with Victor Garcia ("Return To House On Haunted Hill") directing. The project, titled "Hellraiser: Revelations," is being fast-tracked mostly because Dimension needs to get something into production or risks losing the rights. But for the three of us hoping for Pinhead to return to the big screen, the remake continues stuck in development hell at the studio. Scripts and directors continue to come and go with execs not finding the right formula to allow them to pull the trigger. "It's a 'they know it when they see it' kind of thing," one executive said. "It's a small needle to hit, no pun intended."

Peter Weir's 'The Way Back,' 'Never Let Me Go,' '127 Hours,' 'Biutiful' & More Make Their Way To Telluride

The Telluride Film Festival, taking place over the upcoming Labor Day weekend, has unveiled their lineup and those lucky enough to make it out to the tiny ski resort town are in for a treat.

As previously hinted, Peter Weir's highly anticipated "The Way Back" will be making its world premiere at the festival. Starring Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, Colin Farrell, Mark Strong and Saoirse Ronan, the film centers on a group of seven prisoners who escape a Siberian labor camp in 1940 and attempt to trek thousands of miles across hostile terrain to India and their freedom.

Other notable titles making their North American debut following premieres at Cannes include Mike Leigh’s “Another Year,” Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Biutiful,” Olivier Assayas’ “Carlos,” Charles Ferguson’s “Inside Job,” Lee Chang-dong’s “Poetry,” Bertrand Tavernier’s “The Princess of Montpensier,” and Stephen Frears’ “Tamara Drewe.” All of these titles will also be appearing at the Toronto International Film Festival with the exception of Tavernier's film.

Other titles of note include Tom Hooper’s hotly tipped Oscar contender “The King’s Speech,” and two documentaries, Errol Morris' "Tabloid" and Ken Burns' "The Tenth Inning." Also appearing will be Mark Romanek's "Never Let Me Go," which is expected to be joined by Fox Searchlight's other two high profile fall films, Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan," which generated huge buzz following its recent premiere at Venice, and Danny Boyle's "127 Hours."

The Telluride Film Festival runs from September 3-6.