Another Earth - Coming July 20, 2011

Director
Mike Cahill

Main Characters
Rhoda Williams - Brit Darling
John Burroughs - William Mapother

While this movie has already premiered to high praise at the Sundance Film Festival, it will open in the US at large on July 20.

When a duplicate earth is discovered, a young woman sees the possibility of a new start, after something terrible that she did.

Its kind of a succinct plot line, but this doesn't diminish my interest in this movie at all. It looks like its going to be a beautiful, emotional journey that explores the choices we make, how we deal with them, and the possibilities that could be if we really could wipe the slate completely clean and start over.

Colombiana - Coming September 2, 2011

Director - Olivier Megaton

Main Characters
Cataleya Restrepo - Zoe Saldana

Of course there are other characters in this movie besides Cataleya, but its pretty easy to see from watching the trailer that this story is all about her.

At 9 years of age, Cataleya Restrepo, the adult version of whom is played by Zoe Saldana, witnesses the murder of her parents, and grows up to be a 'stone-cold assassin.' The trailer doesn't tell you a whole ton about the plot, I suspect because, 1) its pretty easy to figure out, and 2) I think this movie is going to be all about the butt kicking action, and a lot less about plot. Seems to me, this broken young woman has a pretty obvious vendetta, revenge.

I first saw Saldana in Stomp the Yard which is one of my favourite movies, but to be honest, I've yet to see her in anything that I didn't thoroughly enjoy. We got to see a great comedic side of the 33 year old actresses side in Death at a Funeral. However, in looking at her more recent projects, it is very easy to see that Zoe Saldana really likes to play bad ass chicks. In Avatar, The Losers, and even her less physical role in Star Trek, she loves to play a strong woman, and good on her!

If the trailer is any indication, this movie is going to kick some serious butt, but I`m also looking forward to seeing Cataleya`s emotional journey, showing the softer, more veunerable side of Saldana`s acting chops.

Melancholia Update

Someone posted a comment on my original post for Melancholia that it was going to be released on May 26th. Now, according to imdb.com, this movie will, in fact be released in Denmark on May 26th, and in several other cities in Europe in the following weeks and months. However, I have not yet found any definitive date for the North American release of this end of the world drama.

One site I looked at did indeed say that Melancholia is scheduled for a limited US release on May 26th, but two other sites say that the release will not be until November 4th.

I'm personally skeptical that after acquiring the rights for Melancholia back in February, that Magnolia Pictures is going to be releasing the movie State side at the same time the it opens in its first city in Europe.

If the person that left the comment that it was going to be released May 26th in the US can confirm his or her source, that would be great. But for now, I don't have a definite answer for the North American release date for this movie.

The Conspirator - Coming April 15, 2011

Director - Robert Redford

Main Characters
Frederick Aiken - James McAvoy
Anna Surratt - Evan Rachel Wood
Sarah Weston - Alexis Bledel
Marry Surratt - Robin Wright
Reverdy Johnson - Tom Wilkinson

The Lincoln Assassination is one of those historic events that will always live in infamy, but like so many other events like this, most don't know the entire story. The Conspirator is a movie that will tell one such story.

After the assassination, seven men and one woman are arrested, charged with plotting to kill the President, Vice-President and the Secretary of State. 42 year-old Mary Surratt (Robin Wright), the only woman charged owns a boarding house where the John Wilkes Booth and the others met and planned the attacks. These events take place just after the US Civil War, an ominous time in US history. New lawyer, Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) a 28 year-old Civil War hero reluctantly becomes Surratt's lawyer at the military tribunal.

From the trailer, it seems pretty obvious that at the beginning, Aiken believes, whole-heartedly that his client is guilty, and deserves whatever is coming to her, but as the trial goes on, he begins to think that his client may just be innocent. And not only is she innocent, but the proscecution is using her as bait to try and catch the one conspirator who got away, Mary Surratt's own son John Surratt.

Other names to note in this movie are Evan Rachel Wood as Anna Surratt and Alexis Bledel as Sarah Weston, who appears might be Aiken's love interest. The cast of this movie leaves absolutely nothing to be desired, and I'm looking forward to some great performances.

It will be very interesting to see just where this story goes, especially since its true. I think its going to be a great court room drama, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing it.