Every mystery has a truth waiting to be revealed. Time for a diversion from the usual for something a bit unique. The official trailer for the digital 3D feature film The Mortician has debuted online via YouTube. Starring Method Man as "The Mortician", this indie drama is about a lonely man who gets caught up in some dirty deals with local gangsters. The cast also features Dash Mihok, Edward Furlong, Wendell Pierce, EJ Bonilla, Angelic Zambrana, Judy Marte, Dana Fuchs and Cruz Santiago. This looks like it might be cool to see, despite the odd editing in this trailer; I'd love to catch this at a film fest if I could. Take a look below. ...

Continue reading Watch: Method Man Stars in Gareth Roberts 'The Mortician' 3D Trailer on FirstShowing.net.

Hey Gleeks! Yes, for anyone who forgot, they announced a theatrical release of Glee: The 3D Concert Movie in theaters this summer, which means we get to mention it every so often. They've announced special "sneak" showings of the 3D concert movie just two days before it opens in theaters on August 12th. The special screenings will take place in 291 theaters around the US (and Canada) and will include huge gift packs as well. Tickets for the event go on sale here starting July 13th, which is today, so you can head over and buy some if you're a crazy Glee fan and want to be there with all the other Gleeks watching this together. ...

Continue reading 'Glee: The 3D Concert Movie' Gets Early Fan Screenings Nationwide on FirstShowing.net.

It's here and we're little late, I admit, but I thought with the Oscars this weekend it was perfect timing in the end. Back by popular demand is our fourth annual list of the 19 Best Movies That You Didn't See in 2010 (you can find our past few lists here: 2009, 2008, 2007). Featured below is a hand-picked selection of the best independent and mainstream films that were either quietly dumped by a distributor, ignored by audiences, or just not marketed well enough. So to give these films some extra time in the spotlight, and to support some of the best filmmakers out there, we've put together this final 2010 recap. Read on for the list!

I would like to encourage everyone to watch at least one of these that they haven't heard of (or didn't see) beforehand. If you spend the two hours or so that it will take to watch even one of these movies mentioned below, it would mean that much more to the filmmakers who put so much time and effort into making each of these movies. This isn't about getting kudos for mentioning certain films, this article is about pointing out movies that don't deserve to be forgotten and are begging to be watched. So pick one and watch it tonight!

Animal Kingdom
Opened on August 13, 2010
Directed by David Michôd (Interview)
Tells the story of seventeen year-old J as he navigates his survival amongst an explosive criminal family and the detective who thinks he can save him.
Why it's on here: This riveting Australian underground organized crime flick has stuck with me since first seeing it at Sundance more than a year ago. Not only did Jacki Weaver, the "mother" of this creepy, crazy group of Australian criminals, earn a well-deserved Oscar nomination this year, but the film includes incredible performances by breakout lead James Frecheville and co-stars Joel Edgerton and Ben Mendelsohn, who plays one of the most unsettling roles I've ever seen. If you haven't already already discovered this fantastic film, it best be added to the top of your list right away.

Buried
Opened on September 24, 2010
Directed by Rodrigo Cortés (Interview)

Paul is a U.S. contractor working in Iraq. After an attack by a group of Iraqis he wakes to find he is buried alive inside a coffin. With only a lighter and a cell phone it's a race against time to escape this claustrophobic death trap.
Why it's on here: Those who have seen Buried almost always agree with me - it's damn good! Yes, Ryan Reynolds stars for 90 minutes inside of a coffin and that's it - the camera doesn't go "outside", but director Rodrigo Cortés uses numerous crafty visual tricks like zooming up or away to add even more of a claustrophobic and distant feel to the film. My quote that's on the poster still stands for this film - your heart will be racing from the moment it begins until the moment it ends, that's guaranteed. And if more convincing is necessary, read Ethan's glowing review as well.

Catfish
Opened on September 17, 2010
Directed by Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman
Filmmakers Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost document a story involving Ariel's brother, Nev, a 24-year-old New York-based photographer, and Abby, from rural Michigan who contacts Nev via Facebook, asking for permission to make a painting from one of his photographs.
Why it's on here: Most probably heard the buzz about this last fall, but never bothered to actually see it. Despite the controversy over it's potentially deceptive storytelling (maybe you should watch this to find out exactly what that means) I think this is a damn good documentary. Catfish takes the audience on a roller-coaster-ride through a relationship between the filmmaker's goofy brother Nev and a mysterious girl from MySpace/Facebook. By the end, you'll realize this has a much greater connection to The Social Network than first thought and incites plenty of discussion that you're guaranteed to start upon finishing.

Cemetery Junction
Straight to DVD on August 17, 2010
Directed by Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant

A 1970s-set coming-of-age comedy centered on three young working class friends (Christian Cooke, Tom Hughes, Jack Doolan) in a dreary suburb of Reading.
Why it's on here: It's quite uncanny that comedians Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant can get together to write and direct a film that isn't a hilarious comedy. Instead the two talented Brits come together and deliver a coming-of-age drama that's essentially American Graffiti for the United Kingdom. Keep the kids with an uncertain future ahead of them but replace the car culture with the dreary suburban setting of Reading, and you've got a spectacularly underrated film chock full of great performances and phenomenal writing. (Written by Ethan Anderton)

The Disappearance of Alice Creed
Opened on August 6, 2010
Directed by J Blakeson
Two men fortify a nondescript British apartment so it can serve as a prison, and then kidnap a woman and tie her to a bed. Before there's even time to react, we're plunged into a very nasty situation, but not a simple one.
Why it's on here: This taut, riveting thriller thoroughly impressed me when I first saw it at the Toronto Film Festival back in late '09, but its always been on my mind, as I was impressed by the sleek direction of J Blakeson, despite making his feature debut with this. If you need more blatant convincing to check out this gripping crime thriller, it's the one you've probably heard about that has Gemma Arterton nude it in for half the film. But it actually works as part of the story and damn is it an interesting story to follow - plenty of twists. Watch the opening five minutes for a hell of a tease.

Flipped
Opened on August 6, 2010
Directed by Rob Reiner (Interview)

Two eighth graders start to have feelings for each other despite being total opposites. Based on the novel "Flipped" by Wendelin Van Draanen.
Why it's on here: I really love this film. It's such a charming coming-of-age slice of life, courtesy of one of the masters of directing kid actors - Rob Reiner (who I had the honor of interviewing). His two lead actors, Callan McAuliffe and Madeline Carroll, give performances way above their age in a delightfully entertaining story of young romance. It has a unique narrative that flip-flops storytelling between the two off-and-on and really takes advantage of that Flipped concept, but it works and the result is totally adorable to watch.

Four Lions
Opened on November 5, 2010
Directed by Christopher Morris
Four Lions tells the story of a group of British jihadists who push their abstract dreams of glory to the breaking point. As the wheels fly off, and their competing ideologies clash, what emerges is an emotionally engaging (and entirely plausible) farce.
Why it's on here: This "terrorist comedy" from the UK has had copious amounts of buzz since premiering at Sundance a few years ago, then made its way through 2010 at numerous festivals and eventually getting released by Alamo Drafthouse's newly formed Drafthouse Films. But alas, many still haven't seen this hilarious flick about a group of British jihadists who push their abstract dreams of glory to the breaking point. Even if it sounds awkward, it's damn funny and you'll get over it laughing, so give it a shot and check it out.

Greenberg
Opened on March 26, 2010
Directed by Noah Baumbach

A New Yorker moves to Los Angeles in order to figure out his life while he housesits for his brother, and he soon sparks with his brother's assistant.
Why it's on here: With Ben Stiller taking part in Little Fockers towards the end of 2010, it's good to know that earlier in the year he teamed up with director Noah Baumbach (of The Squid and the Whale, Margot at the Wedding) for one of the best performances of his career. Since the film was sadly overlooked this awards season, we're eager to show some love to this somewhat depressing, but thoroughly satisfying film that continues to showcase breakout mumblecore star Greta Gerwig and all her charm and genuine talent. (Written by Ethan Anderton)

The Illusionist
Opened on December 25, 2010
Directed by Sylvain Chomet
A French illusionist finds himself out of work and travels to Scotland, where he meets a young woman. Their ensuing adventure changes both their lives forever.
Why it's on here: If you saw The Triplets of Belleville in '03, then you should already be interested in The Illusionist, the next film from Sylvain Chomet, the same director of Belleville. Anyone who watches this will be astonished at how emotional and entertaining of a story Chomet can tell without using any dialogue, only hand-drawn animation and some minor "noises" for emphasis. It's a brilliant and more-than-ever heartwarming film with a great story based on a screenplay by French legend Jacques Tati. I suggest reading my Telluride review for more inspiration.

Jack Goes Boating
Opened on September 17, 2010
Directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman

A limo driver's blind date sparks a tale of love, betrayal, friendship, and grace centered around two working-class New York City couples.
Why it's on here: Having mastered work in front of the camera, Philip Seymour Hoffman pulls double duty by starring and directing this quirky adaptation of the play of the same name. Amy Ryan shines as she attempts to connect with Hoffman's introverted main character Jack. Meanwhile John Ortiz does his best to help Jack in his romantic endeavors even if his own marriage is on the verge of falling apart. This certainly isn't a straightforward romance, but the performances and direction from Hoffman make this a hidden gem of 2010. (Written by Ethan Anderton)

Leaves of Grass
Opened on September 17, 2010
Directed by Tim Blake Nelson (Interview)
An Ivy League professor is lured back to his Oklahoma hometown, where his twin brother, a small-time pot grower, has concocted a scheme to take down a local drug lord.
Why it's on here: This should've been an easy sell because it stars Edward Norton twice, as his own brother in dual roles and it's very funny, too - but it got sc[…]

I'm surprised we haven't seen a trailer for Peter Jackson & Steven Spielberg's upcoming CG animated The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn yet, as it arrives in theaters exactly a year from now, but I'm sure they're waiting for the right time. Instead, we have three new very random stills from the movie which SlashFilm found on SpoilerTV. They are available in high res - so click on to delve into them further. Seen below (top down): Silk (Toby Jones) with the Thompson twins (Simon Pegg and Nick Frost), Tintin (Jamie Bell) pointing a gun at Barnaby (Joe Starr) and Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis) out in the desert.

As a recap, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn was directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by Peter Jackson with a script co-written by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish. The cast includes Jamie Bell as Tintin, Andy Serkis as Captain Haddock, Simon Pegg & Nick Frost as Thompson & Thompson, Daniel Craig as the villain Red Rackham, and Toby Jones as Silk. The animated movie, in the works at Weta Digital, will hit US theaters in glorious 3D starting on December 23rd, 2011. Back in early November, the first official set of photos from the film were revealed, including the iconic shot of Tintin. Looks great so far!

After taking a look at that recent video highlighting The Beauty of Pixar, I found myself reflecting on how Pixar has crafted plenty of animated films that fill audiences with the same emotions that comes from even the most powerful dramas with the aid of live-action performances. And while I'm still skeptical of the film's chances to win the big award, I truly believe that Toy Story 3 would be worthy of the Oscar for Best Picture should Pixar's touching sequel take home the statue. Therefore I'm pleased to present to you even more of the spectacular Oscar campaign ads. We've featured a few of these before but now we have 13 more of these brilliant ads to check out.

Here is the collection of new Oscar campaign ads for Toy Story 3 courtesy of Disney:

Once again, I think that a franchise sequel is going to have a tough time winning Best Picture, but since Return of the King accomplished the same feat back in 2004 (and won every Academy Award for which the film was nominated), it's certainly not impossible. And considering the general consensus is that Return of the King swept the Oscars as a way of being honored the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, perhaps Toy Story 3 will be seen in the same light. Perhaps the award could even stand for recognition of Pixar's contributions to animation over the years. What do you think?

The Alamo Drafthouse's t-shirt company Mondo Tees has been knocking it out of the park recently with amazing limited edition custom made posters, from Tron (old and new) to Star Wars to Guillermo del Toro. Of course, that's not all, as Mondo also has a new poster they've made for the Coen Brothers' True Grit, which as you hopefully haven't forgotten, hits theaters Wednesday this week! The poster, featuring a gnarly rattlesnake (it's a part of the movie for those who don't know) and some old-time lettering, was debuted on Yahoo and goes on sale this Wednesday. There are two alternate versions, both of which can be seen below.

The Coen Brothers' True Grit, which is apparently a more faithful take on the Portis novel, is about a young girl (Hailee Steinfeld) who's father is murdered. Determined to bring the killer to justice, Mattie enlists the help of a hard-drinking U.S. Marshal (Jeff Bridges) to track him down before a Texas Ranger (Matt Damon) does. I've seen True Grit and it's damn good, one of those incredible films that grows on me the more I think about it. It's definitely worth your money to see this week, so don't miss it! Paramount is bringing the Coen Bros' True Grit to theaters on December 22nd before Christmas this weekend. Watch the official trailer.

Since the project has been gestating for years now, it wasn't much of a surprise when we learned that Liam Neeson was no longer attached to Steven Spielberg's biopic of Abraham Lincoln, the iconic 16th President of the United States. Before his departure from the project was official though, Spielberg assured us that his take on the president's life was still on the way. Since then we've heard that the director would next tackle an adaptation of the forthcoming sci-fi book Robopocalypse, but a press release from DreamWorks pegs Spielberg as directing the biopic in the fall of 2011 and reveals that the stellar Daniel Day-Lewis will play Abraham Lincoln. Brilliant!

Today Spielberg announced the news himself with Stacey Snider, Co-Chairman and CEO of DreamWorks. The director said, “Daniel Day-Lewis would have always been counted as one of the greatest of actors, were he from the silent era, the golden age of film or even some time in cinema's distant future. I am grateful and inspired that our paths will finally cross with Lincoln." Snider followed by saying, "Throughout his career, he has been exceptionally selective in his choice of material which makes us feel even more fortunate that he has chosen to join with us for Lincoln." Now that they've snagged Daniel Day-Lewis, apparently they're planning to release the film late in 2012 (likely around awards season).

If you don't recall, the biopic will be adapted from the historian Doris Kearns Goodwin's book Team of Rivals, with Oscar nominated writer Tony Kushner (who wrote Munich for Spielberg) behind the script. The film is said to focus on he political collision of Lincoln and the powerful men of his cabinet on the road to abolition and the end of the Civil War. This is quite a historical time for the United States and this will be the first time such a massive film will focus solely on the life of Abraham Lincoln. Daniel Day-Lewis is inspired casting for the Honest Abe, so I'm hoping this project really does get off the ground next year. How about you?

Just yesterday we found out that Steven Soderbergh was being lined up to direct an adaptation of 60s TV series The Man from U.N.C.L.E., which followed the adventures of American and Russian members of a secret agency called the United Network Command for Law & Enforcement (U.N.C.L.E.). Now The Playlist has uncovered some more details on the adaptation including word that George Clooney, who has worked with Soderbergh on Solaris, The Good German, Out of Sight and all the Ocean's Eleven films, is already in talks to lead the project. However, it's not coming together immediately since development has only begun.

Good news comes from the fact that this won't be an adaptation that simply modernizes an old TV series, but rather will stay in the 1960's and go back to the roots of what made the original series great. Though this project has been in the works since the 90's, Warner Bros. is apparently starting from scratch and will likely not use any of the previous scripts from Max Borenstein or David Campbell Wilson. Remember, Scott Z. Burns (who wrote The Informant! for Soderbergh) is writing the new version of the script, and if we're looking at a combination of the period feel of The Limey, the star and action of Ocean's Eleven and the subtle, satirical humor of The Informant!, then I think we're in for quite a great flick.

A bit of a curveball comes along with this news though since The Playlist says The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is apparently being viewed as the last film Clooney and Soderbergh will make together. If that's the case, it sounds like Soderbergh might follow through on his talk of retirement in July of 2009. He's certainly been firing off a lot of different projects lately, so maybe he's just making one last marathon run of features before leaving the film industry. It'll be quite disappointing to see him go, but at least he still has Liberace and hopefully this new project with Clooney to keep him around for a few more years. We'll keep you posted as this project continues development. Interested in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. with George Clooney?

"I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees." So says the classic Dr. Seuss character from the environmentally conscientious children's book The Lorax. Following in the footsteps of the previous computer animated Horton Hears a Who, we've already heard the cautionary tale is heading to the big screen in 3D courtesy of Universal and producer Chris Meledandri (Despicable Me). Now USA Today reveals who will speak for the trees with Danny DeVito providing his vocal talent for the sad, mustached titular character. In addition, the newspaper has our first look at the computer animated version of The Lorax which you can see above.

If you never encountered The Lorax in your childhood, that's actually kind of sad. Anyway, in brief, a remorseful and saddened narrator speaks of the industrial, entrepreneurial endeavors of the Once-ler, who uses the tufts of the Truffula Trees to make the versatile product Thneeds (a thing everyone needs). But in his efforts to mass-market his best-selling product, the businessman begins to destroy the world around him, exhausting all the natural resources and polluting the environment. Suddenly, The Lorax speaks for the trees in an attempt to make him stop production and the destruction of the land and its animals. However, his efforts are ignored, thus ruining the once beautiful landscape and leaving the Once-ler with regret.

Ed Helms will provide the voice of the motivated Once-ler (who, unlike the book, will actually show his face), while Rob Riggle voices O'Hare, another industrialist character (not found in the book) who sells cans of fresh air to the polluted world the Once-ler creates. Zac Efron will voice the boy named Ted (after Seuss' real-life name Theodore Giesel) trying to find the cause of the devastated world before him and Betty White will play his grandmother who tells him about the once luscious and colorful surroundings. Another new character thrown into the mix is Audrey (named for Seuss' widow and currently with no voice talent cast yet), Ted's crush who dreams someday to see a real forest, not just the fake plastic trees that dot their devastated landscape.

Meledandri said of DeVito's talent: "Danny has this wonderful ability to be acerbic and grouchy but at the same time absolutely lovable. It's almost like Walter Matthau had. His comedic edge was very sharp, but he always maintained that warmth." Meanwhile, DeVito is adamant about the book's message hitting hard in today's green geared society, "Look, I don't want to be gruff about it, but we've got to wake up and smell the oil burning. I feel sometimes the only way to get things done is shake people up a little bit, and the Lorax is not a guy who pussyfoots around. He's not a guy who uses kid gloves. No, no, the Lorax means business." I hope so, as this was one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books, and I'm hoping it's given its due diligence on the big screen. Anyone else excited about this version of The Lorax?