Today's Fresh Blogs...

• TIFF Review: In the Valley of Elah

  Published: September 6, 2007, 5:02 am

  Tags: Cinematical, Crash, Fall Movies, In The Valley Of Elah, Inthevalleyofelah, Iraq, Movies, Paul Haggis, Paulhaggis, Review, Tiff, Tommy Lee Jones, Tommyleejones, Toronto International Film Festival

  of a ever-growing class of movies -- released in the last quarter of the year, festooned with talent, and ostensibly about something -- that desperately want to be seen as 'political' and 'important' modern moviemaking. My initial revulsion at the clumsy coincidences and cardboard characters and cheap tricks in Haggis's previous directorial

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• Ryan Phillippe to Star in Viking Epic

  Published: September 6, 2007, 8:02 am

  Tags: Abbie Cornish, Brad Pitt, Fall Movies, Last Battle Dreamer, Martian Child, Menno Meyjes, Ryan Phillippe, Ryanphillippe, Sean Bean, Viking

  with which our heroic Viking falls for. Monika suggested Brad Pitt for the role. Well, I guess they're both blondes. Phillippe and Cornish will also star alongside one another in the upcoming Stop Loss, while Meyjes (who's completing post production on his matador biopic Manolete) has the John Cusack flick Martian Child (a film in which

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• TIFF Review: The Jane Austen Book Club

  Published: September 6, 2007, 7:02 am

  Tags: Amy Brenneman, Amybrenneman, Cinematical, Emily Blunt, Emilyblunt, Fall Movies, Hugh Dancy, Hughdancy, Jane Austen Book Club, Janeaustenbookclub, Kthy Baker, Kthybaker, Maria Bello, Mariabello, The Jane Austen Book Club, Thejaneaustenbookclub

  Filed under: Comedy, Romance, Sony Classics, Theatrical Reviews, Festival Reports, Toronto International Film Festival, Cinematical IndieThey say life imitates art; what they never tell you is that you don't get to choose the art. So it is for a group of Sacramento residents in Robin Swicord's film The Jane Austen Book Club, adapted for the screen

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• TIFF Review: Michael Clayton

  Published: September 6, 2007, 9:02 am

  Tags: Fall Movies, Film, George Clooney, Georgeclooney, Michael Clayton, Michaelclayton, Movies, Review, Sydney Pollack, Tiff, Tilda Swinton, Tildaswinton, Tom Wilkinson, Toronto International Film Festival

  Filed under: Thrillers, New Releases, Warner Brothers, Theatrical Reviews, Festival Reports, George Clooney, Toronto International Film Festival, Cinematical IndieI walked out of Michael Clayton feeling something like 'let down,' although a brief examination of my expectations got to the root of the matter. Walking into Michael Clayton, I was

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• 'Brave One' Writer Sells Morality Tale to 'Departed' Producer

  Published: September 6, 2007, 8:32 am

  Tags: Cinematical, Cynthia Mort, Cynthiamort, Fall Movies, Fallmovies, Film, Graham King, Grahamking, Jodie Foster, Jodiefoster, Mary J Blige, Maryj Blige, Movie, Neil Jordan, Neiljordan, Nina Simone, Ninasimone, Tell Me You Love Me, Tellmeyouloveme, The Brave One, Thebraveone

  Filed under: Thrillers, Deals, Mystery & Suspense, Scripts & Screenwriting, NewsstandI'm not really connecting with the appeal of The Brave One, which looks like just another revenge film elevated slightly in prestige by the Oscar-winning talents of Jodie Foster and director Neil Jordan (as well as the Oscar-winning talents of Mary

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• TIFF Review: Sleuth

  Published: September 6, 2007, 11:02 am

  Tags: Anthony Shaffer, Anthonyshaffer, Cinematical, Fall Movies, Film, Harold Pinter, Haroldpinter, Jude Law, Judelaw, Kenneth Branagh, Kennethbranagh, Michael Caine, Michaelcaine, Movies, Review, Sleuth, Tiff, Toronto International Film Festival

  Filed under: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Sony Classics, Theatrical Reviews, Festival Reports, Remakes and Sequels, Toronto International Film Festival, Cinematical IndieIs there a statute of limitations for 'spoiling' a movie? Is there anyone of passing cultural literacy who does not already know that the great man's dying words spoke of his

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• TIFF Review: Margot at the Wedding

  Published: September 11, 2007, 4:02 pm

  Tags: Fall Movies, Fallmovies, Jack Black, Jackblack, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jenniferjasonleigh, John Turturro, Johnturturro, Margot At The Wedding, Margotatthewedding, Nicole Kidman, Nicolekidman, Noah Baumbach, Noahbaumbach, Tiff, Toronto International Film Festival

  Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Theatrical Reviews, Toronto International Film Festival, Cinematical Indie, Nicole Kidman, Paramount VantageMargot at the Wedding is a film torpedoed by its own self-indulgence. The film starts by offering us a thin premise -- a frosty, New England writer named Margot comes to town for the occasion of her

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• In China, Ang Lee's New Film Is '(Less) Lust, (More) Caution'

  Published: September 12, 2007, 9:32 am

  Tags: Ang Lee, Anglee, Fall Movies, Focus Features, Focusfeatures, Lust Caution, Lust Caution, Lust Caution, Lustcaution, Nc 17

  Filed under: Foreign Language, Distribution, Focus Features, Toronto International Film Festival, Cinematical Indie, Venice Film FestivalLast week Peter Martin told us about rumors that Ang Lee might be working on a less explicit version of his NC-17-rated Lust, Caution for release in China. Now The Hollywood Reporter confirms it's true:

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• Three New Posters for '30 Days of Night'

  Published: September 12, 2007, 3:02 pm

  Tags: 30 Days Of Night, 30daysofnight, Ben Foster, Benfoster, David Slade, Davidslade, Fall Movies, Fallmovies, Josh Hartnett, Joshhartnett, Poster, Vampire

  Filed under: Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Comic/Superhero/Geek, PostersIt was almost a year ago when Jette brought us a first look at some of the behind-the-scenes for the big-screen version of 30 Days of Night. Since then, there have been teaser posters, fancy websites, the promise of new short films, and the R rated trailer released in August (

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• Review: The Hunting Party

  Published: September 13, 2007, 5:02 am

  Tags: Bosnia, Cinematical, Fall Movies, Fallmovies, Film, James Brolin, Jesse Eisenberg, Movie, Richard Gere Terrene Howard, Richard Shepard, The Hunting Party, The Matador, War

  its share of war-themed movies, both direct and indirect, it's only natural that our era does the same, especially given that the Iraq War has gone on for several years now. A lot of movies over the past four or five years have dealt with the attacks in New York, soldiers in war, prisoners of war, and endless variations on these and other

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• The Brits Say 'Gone, Baby, Gone' to Ben Affleck's New Film

  Published: September 13, 2007, 10:32 am

  Tags: Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Cinematical, Ed Harris, Fall Movies, Fallmovies, Gone Baby Gone, Gone Baby Gone, Madeline Mccann, Morgan Freeman

  Filed under: Drama, Celebrities and Controversy, Distribution, NewsstandUnfortunately, those of you living in the UK and really looking forward to the much buzzed-about directorial debut of Ben Affleck, Gone, Baby, Gone, will have to wait some time before seeing the film. That's because Buena Vista International UK has suspended the release of the

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• TIFF Review: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

  Published: September 13, 2007, 4:02 pm

  Tags: Andrew Dominik, Andrewdominik, Brad Pitt, Bradpitt, Casey Affleck, Caseyaffleck, Fall Movies, The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, Theassassinationofjessejamesbythecowardrobertford

  Filed under: Warner Brothers, Theatrical Reviews, Festival Reports, Brad Pitt, Toronto International Film Festival, Cinematical Indie, WesternThe Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford starts with images, moments, visions -- all grounded in the dry, calm tone of the narrator explaining where we are, and who we're watching. We meet

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• Review: December Boys

  Published: September 14, 2007, 5:02 am

  Tags: Cinematical, Daniel Radcliffe, December Boys, Decemberboys, Fall Movies, Harry Potter, Harrypotter, Review

  Filed under: Drama, Romance, New Releases, Theatrical Reviews, Harry PotterA coming-of-age tale adapted from Michael Noonan's novel, December Boys is primarily notable for providing Daniel Radcliffe with his first big-screen opportunity to prove himself more than just Harry Potter. Otherwise, it's a cloying, unremarkable affair. Rife with

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• Monday Morning Poll: And Fall Buzzes In ...

  Published: September 17, 2007, 6:32 am

  Tags: Amercian Gangster, Atonement, Bee Movie, Beowulf, Cinematical, Eastern Promises, Fall Movies, Fred Claus, Gone Baby Gone, Juno, Lars The Real Girl, No Country For Old Men, The Golden Compass, There Will Be Blood

  the most highly-anticipated fall films that screened Toronto, and based on what I read I wasn't that impressed. Both Eastern Promises and Atonement seemed to score well, while Ang Lee has to hope the Academy introduces a new category this year: Best Ballsy Director, for the guy who went and followed up his Oscar darling with a foreign language,

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• Jerry Seinfeld Intros his 'Bee Movie'

  Published: September 28, 2007, 10:32 am

  Tags: Bee Movie, Beemovie, Fall Movies, Fallmovies, Jerry Seinfeld, Jerryseinfeld, Renee Zellweger, Reneezellweger

  Filed under: Animation, Exhibition, Family Films, Movie MarketingPersonally, I would've loved Jerry Seinfeld's Bee Movie to have been live action, in crazy costumes, like the spoof trailers we previously shared with you. There's nothing quite like Chris Rock and Seinfeld battling the elements on a fake windshield. That being said, I have to agree

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