This week in DVD and Blu-ray releases, we’re seeing some of the Fall’s biggest missteps starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller. The good news is one of the year’s best films hit the streets, while there’s also classics by Otto Preminger, John Ford and Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Check out our new release roundup…

New:

• Martha Marcy May Marlene: Elizabeth Olsen made a name for herself outside of her more famous sisters with this stunning portrait of a woman who’s left a cult, only to return to a world that she feels disconnected from. It made our list of the best of the year, and is definitely the best of the new stuff.
• J. Edgar: Clint Eastwood‘s Wikipedia page of a biopic made our worst of the year list, but if you’ve ever wanted to see Leonardo DiCaprio wrestle with his inner transvestite, or roll around with Armie Hammer, there are some things to enjoy about the film. But it might help to be a masochist.
• Tower Heist: Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller? What could go wrong? Brett Ratner perhaps. This modestly charming heist film wasn’t the blockbuster that was hoped for, but on home video it should play that much stronger.
• Puss in Boots: Dreamworks spin-off from Shrek focuses on the Puss character (voiced by Antonio Banderas), and manages to be better than the last couple Shrek sequels. That is not hard (note: this hits stores Friday).
• London Boulevard: William Monahan is an Oscar winning writer (for The Departed), and his directorial debut was barely released theatrically. That doesn’t speak well of the film, but Colin Ferrell and Keira Knightley star, so it should have some charms.
• Honey 2: oooh, a direct to video sequel to the Jessica Alba film! (note: the Jessica Alba film is also being released on Blu-ray)

Classics:

• Anatomy of a Murder: Otto Preminger’s classic starring James Stewart gets the Criterion treatment. Watch it to recognize the greatness of Ben Gazarra in one of his earliest meaty roles. The film is one of the best courtroom movies, and Preminger mines the abiguity of innocent until proven guilty for all it’s worth.
• Fort Apache: John Wayne plays against Herny Fonda in the first of John Ford’s Calvary trilogy. Though not one of Ford’s high points, that’s mostly because Ford was one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema. This is a must-see.
• Unforgiven: Though the film has been on Blu-ray since the format’s inception, Warner Brothers has now put it in their book style packaging. There seems to be no reason to upgrade, but if you like your films to look like small books for children, have at.
• World on a Wire: Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s film was originally done for television as a two-parter. It’s a science fiction film that was recently revived for theatrical screenings, and with that revival it’s now seen as one of Fassbinder’s best. A distopian future done as a noir, this is appears to be the missing link between Jean-Luc Godard’s Alphaville, and Ridley Scott‘s Blade Runner.

What are you going to buy this week?

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Back in June 2009, we reported that Colin Farrell would join Keira Knightley in a new drama called London Boulevard. Shortly after the announcement we didn’t hear much more about it but today we’ve found a sign of life! The first trailer for the film has appeared online to the shocking but pleasant surprise of all of us. Check it out…

The movie is based on Ken Bruen’s novel of the same name, and centers on a London criminal newly released from prison who becomes involved with a reclusive young actress. As you can see from the trailer, Farrell stars as the guy from the wrong side of the tracks and Knightley is the haughty star who he gets involved with.

On an interesting side note, the film is written and directed by William Monahan. The Oscar winning scribe behind 2006′s The Departed. Besides Farrell and Knightley the usual UK actors make appearances in the movie  including Ray Winstone, Stephen Graham, Anna Friel, David Thewlis, and even Jamie Campbell Bower gets in on the action.

London Boulevard is scheduled to hit UK theaters on November 26th but no release date has been set for the U.S.

What do you think of the trailer for London Boulevard?

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The movie is based on Ken Bruen’s novel of the same name, and centers on a London criminal newly released from prison who becomes involved with a reclusive young actress. Although they haven’t announced who will be playing what, it sounds like Farrell will be the young criminal and Knightley will be the young actress, which are roles that the two actors fit into quite comfortably.
Producer Graham King, will be teaming to with Monaham once again. Both King and Monaham won an Oscar for their participation in Martin Scorsese‘s film The Departed. The two seem to know how to put together a great film, and although this is a slightly different dynamic, I’m sure we can expect good things from them.

The film will begin starting shooting in London this week and is due out in 2010.

What do you think of the Knight and Farrell joining Boulevard?

Source: THR

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The British drama London Boulevard just got infused with some more European flare. The film is the directorial debut of Oscar winning screenwriter William Monahan, and currently stars Keira Knightley and Colin Farrell. According to RopeofSilicon three more British actors have just been added to the cast in the form of Ray Winstone (above), Anna Friel, and David Thewlis.

Monahan also wrote the film’s screenplay, which focuses on the budding relationship between a young actress and her handy man. Farrell will star as a crook who tries to go straight after getting released from prison by becoming a domestic worker for a reclusive starlet. Winstone will play a “former crime boss”, Friel will star as Farrell’s sister, and Thewlis will portray Knightley’s business manager. Filming for London Boulevard will being this summer in the U.K..

Is it just me or is Anna Friel is on the move? She’s not letting the mistreatment of her former show Pushing Daisies get her down. The actress will be featured in this summer’s Land of the Lost alongside Will Ferrell and Danny McBride. As of late I keep seeing her in comedies so I’m excited to see her in something with a darker slant to it.

Do you think first time director William Monahan has what it takes to pull this one off?

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Colin Farrell has landed another job! When I last reported on the Irish actor, he’d just signed on to star in The Way Back, with Academy Award nominated actress Saoirse Ronan. He must really like the movie Atonement, because in his next project he”ll work with Ronan’s former co-star Keira Knightley.  According to Variety, both Farrell and Knightley have signed on to star in the crime drama, London Boulevard.

Farrell will play a South London criminal who, after release from prison, tries to give up the gangster life by becoming a handyman for a reclusive young actress.

London Boulevard will mark the directorial debut for William Monahan. Monahan is best known for penning the Oscar winning script for 2006′s The Departed. The writer turned director adapted the script for London Boulevard, which is based off of the Ken Bruen novel of the same name. Boulevard is scheduled to begin shooting in, and around London this summer. The film is produced by Graham King, Quintin Curtis, and Monahan.

What do you think? Sound amazing or just silly?

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