News

• Title: Slumdog Millionaire
• IMDB: link

If you haven’t heard of the film Slumdog Millionaire yet, you will soon.  The National Board of Review has chosen the film about an unlikely winner on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire their best film of 2008.  We’ll have our review for you on Friday, but for now you can enjoy this short interview with director Danny Boyle who discusses the role of destiny in the film.  Larger version available in the Full Diagnosis.  And if you’re in or around the Kansas City area our pals over at Scene-Stealers are giving away free passes for a screening on Thursday.  Don’t miss it!

• Title: Doubt
• IMDB: link

John Patrick Shanley adapts his own Broadway play about the principal (Meryl Streep) of a Brooklyn Catholic school who begins to suspect a priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) of inappropriate behavior with one of the students (Joseph Foster).  Amy Adams, Viola Davis, Llyod Clay Brown, and Bridget Megan Clark also star.  Check out the official site.  We’ve seen it and we’ll have the review when the film opens in limited release in select cities on Friday.  Larger trailer available in the Full Diagnosis.

• Title: Gran Torino
• IMDB: link

Clint Eastwood directs and stars as a grumpy old man who reluctantly connects with his neighbors when the young teen (Bee Vang) attempts to steal his 1972 Gran Torino.  Ahney Her, Christopher Carley, Brian Haley, Geraldine Hughes, Dreama Walker, and Brian Howe also star.  Check out the official site.  The film opens exclusively in New York and Los Angeles on Friday.  Larger trailer available in the Full Diagnosis.

• Title: The Day the Earth Stood Still
• IMDB: link

And in the unnecessary remake category… Keanu Reeves stars as an alien who lands on Earth with an important warning for the world’s population.  The 1951 original is considered one of the best sci-fi flicks ever, but this one has Keanu!  Sigh!  Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Kathy Bates, John Cleese, Jaden Smith, and Aaron Douglas also star.  Check out the official site.  The remake hits theaters everywhere on Friday.

• Title: The Reader
• IMDB: link

Based on the novel by Bernhard Schlink, Kate Winslet stars as a woman defending herslef in a war crime trial which reunites her with her former lover (Ralph Fiennes).  Jeanette Hain, Susanne Lothar, Alissa Wilms, and Florian Bartholomai also star.  Check out the official site.  The film opens exclusively in New York, Los Angeles, and San Fransisco on Wednesday.  Larger trailer available in the Full Diagnosis.