UK Releases

The Fighter (Releasing on 2nd Feb)

Studios – Closest To The Hole Productions (Debut), Fighter (Debut), Mandeville Films (Debut),

The Weinstein Company (Previous Film: Piranha)

Director - David O. Russell (Previous Film: I Heart Huckabees)

In a nutshell....

The Fighter is based on the real life story of a boxer, Micky Ward, who journeys on an unlikely road to the world light welterweight title. His half brother Dicky, an ex-boxer, trains him to fight the odds just like he fights against his own involvement in drugs and crime.

This film has done superbly in the US and the other nations where it has released. Fabulous, marvellous and such other adjectives have been used to describe the performance of Christian Bale who's already won the Golden Globe for the Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Besides, Melissa Leo's also won the Golden Globe for the Best Actress in a Supporting Role. With 7 nominations for this year's Academy Awards, this film has to be the pick of the month.

Runtime - 115 mins

Genre - Biography/Drama/Sport

Rated - 15

Principal Cast

Mark Wahlberg – Micky Ward (Last seen in: The Other Guys)

Christian Bale – Dicky Eklund (Last seen in: Public Enemies)
Amy Adams – Charlene Fleming (Last seen in: Leap Year)

Melissa Leo - Alice Ward (Last seen in: Conviction)

Principal Crew

Scott Silver, Eric Johnson, Keith Dorrington, Paul Tamasy - Writers

Hoyte Van Hoytema - Director of Photography
Pamela Martin - Editor
Michael Brook - Music Director

Film’s USP

Bale's performance + 7 nominations for this year's Oscars

Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPlWLnR-es4

Anticipation Rating - 4.5/5

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Sanctum

Studios – Relativity Media, Universal Pictures, Sanctum Australia

(Previous Release: Season Of The Witch, Biutiful, Debut)

Director - Alister Grierson (UK Debut)

In a nutshell....

Frank, with his team of underwater cave divers which include his 17 year old son, Josh, and financier, Carl, goes on a treacherous expedition to the largest, least accessible and the most beautiful cave system on earth. The exit of the South Pacific caves is cut off because of flash floods. Now, this team has to navigate an underwater labyrinth to exit the caves but they must fight raging water and deadly terrains to see themselves safe, but they have limited supplies. So, would they survive or succumb?

There's a lot of hype around this film considering the big name of James Cameron attached to it. He said it was decided to shoot this film in 3D to make the viewers feel closer to the experiences of the diving team; and there seems to be a decent dose of adventure in this one. But what puts me in doubt is the team of the debutant director and writers. No doubt Cameron knows exactly what he does but this time around I think he'll falter, and I give this credit of possible failure to him because they're promoting the film using only his name. Some of the sequences from the trailer reminded me of Brazil (the movie). So I just hope this one doesn't turn out to be a damp squib.

Runtime - 109 mins

Genre - Adventure/Drama/Action

Rated - 15

Principal Cast

Rhys Wakefield – Josh (UK Debut)

Allison Cratchley – Judes (UK Debut)
Richard Roxburgh – Frank (Last seen in: Like Minds)

Alice Parkinson - Victoria (Last seen in: Where The Wild Things Are)

Ioan Gruffud - Carl (Last seen in: The Kid)

Principal Crew

John Garvin, Andrew Wight - Writers

Jules O'Laughlin - Director of Photography
Mark Warner - Editor
David Hirschfelder - Music Director

Film’s USP

Underwater adventure in 3D

Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sPMSiyLRDk

Anticipation Rating - 3/5

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Rabbit Hole

Studios – Odd Lot Entertainment, Blossom Films (Debut), Olympus Pictures (Previous Film: The Spirit, Adam)

Director - John Cameron Mitchell (Previous Film: Shortbus)

In a nutshell....

Becca and Howie lose their young son, Danny, by a car accident. Becca tries to find solace in a surreal world of a perfect family and friends. Her quest leads her into mysterious relationship with a young comic book artist, Jason, who was actually the driver of the car that killed Danny. On the other hand, trying forget his son's death, Howie seeks refuge in outsiders who provide him things that Becca can't. The loss of their son takes the husband and wife away from each other.

This film's an adaptation of a Pulitzer winning play, and does seem to be touching and moving. The performances especially seem to be the most important thing about Rabbit Hole, which explores various shades of the husband and wife who are trying to come out of a shock. I am looking forward to Nicole Kidman's act as she seems brilliant from the trailers. This film, I believe, should do well.

Runtime - 91 mins

Genre - Drama

Rated - 12A

Principal Cast

Nicole Kidman – Becca (Last seen in: Nine)

Aaron Eckhart – Howie (Last seen in: Love Happens)
Dianne Wiest – Nat (Last seen in: Passengers)

Principal Crew

David Lindsay-Abaire - Writer

Frank G. DeMarko - Director of Photography
Joe Klotz - Editor
Anton Sanko - Music Director

Film’s USP

Explores a different situation of husband-wife relationship

Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLrzt71dfAI

Anticipation Rating - 3.5/5

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A Little Bit Of Heaven

Studios – Davis Entertainment, The Film Department(Previous Film: Gulliver's Travels, Law Abiding Citizen)

Director - Nicole Kassell (Previous Film: The Woodsman)

In a nutshell....

A Little Bit Of Heaven is about Marley who finds out she's got cancer and starts bonding with her family and friends. She starts falling in love with her doctor and soon realises that now falling in love would be scarier than death.

With a nice story and comic situations, especially Whoopi Goldberg playing God, this film seems interesting. It's certainly a sad situation to be in and this film just rightly seems to explore the feelings of such a person. I think it doesn't have a great chance in terms of box office collections but it sure will make a few smile. I just hope it doesn't end up becoming a silly chic flick.

Runtime - 106 mins

Genre - Comedy/Drama/Romance

Rated - 12A

Principal Cast

Kathy Bates – Beverly Corbett (Last seen in: Valentine's Day)

Kate Hudson – Marley Corbett (Last seen in: The Killer Inside Me)
Gael Garcia Bernal – Julian Goldstein (Last seen in: Letters To Juliet)

Whoopi Goldberg - God (Last seen in: For Colored Girls)

Principal Crew

Gren Wells - Writer

Russell Carpenter - Director of Photography
Stephen A. Rotter - Editor
Heitor Pereira - Music Director

Film’s USP

Comedy in tragedy

Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPq5P5Pb5iE

Anticipation Rating - 3/5