FIRST LOOK: DANIEL DAY-LEWIS IN "LINCOLN"

Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln

Finally, he's back. The legendary Daniel Day-Lewis stars as Abraham Lincoln in surely what is to be another Oscar-worthy turn in LINCOLN.  This marks his first Film since 2009 Musical NINE. Disney just released this First Look at the phenomenal Actor in the role of the beloved U.S. President.

Disney issued a Press Release giving us some more clues to what we can expect here. The Drama focuses on the last four months of the President's life and the political strategizing he undertook at the close of the Civil War to ensure that slavery would be forever outlawed.

Steven Spielberg, who directed last year's Best Picture Contender for Disney, War Horse, says “Our Movie is really about a working leader who must make tough decisions and get things done in the face of overwhelming opposition.".

In addition to Day-Lewis, the Film sports an incredible Cast which includes Sally Field, John Hawkes, Lee Pace, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jackie Earle Haley, David Strathairn, Jared Harris and James Spader. WOW.  The Starpower is immense.

Disney releases Lincoln on November 16, 2012, with a limited release on November 9, 2012 in select cities.

Like LINCOLN: The Movie on Facebook here.

(Photo credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada)

DVD REVIEW: NINE

Just shy of five months since its theatrical release, Rob Marshall's NINE finally surfaces on DVD. The musical, nominated for five Golden Globes and four Oscars, unjustly was panned overall by critics and above this was released on a very competitive Christmas Day which saw the monster known as Sherlock Holmes steal just about everyone's thunder. Unfortunately, it performed well under its $80 million budget domestically earning $19 million only. Overseas it has fared much better, bringing its worldwide gross to $52 million. That's still a loss of over $30 million for its backers, The Weinstein Co. And this is hopefully where it will recoup more of its losses. I hope my one DVD sale helps.  Read my original review of the film here.

For fans of the film, the DVD offers a very generous helping of Special Features. In addition to a Commentary by Marshall and his romantic partner/Producer John DeLuca, there are a total eight Featurettes. You can learn about the recording of some of the film's key musical numbers and the filming of the scenes they are associated with, plus all about the Costumes and Choreography too. You also learn about the casting of the film's seven female stars and apparently during the casting stages of the film, Marshall saw just about every leading actress in Hollywood - actresses who normally don't have to audition.  He made his choices based on who he felt he would be able to work best with after getting to know them personally. The chosen actresses all attended eachother's rehearsals during filming, offering moral support to one another and became like a family.   They would work together, eat together and party together.  To this day, Sophia Loren claims they all exchanged numbers and still keep in touch with one another.

REVIEW: NINE

After having received a number of requests to review this one as soon as possible, I am fitting this review in after a very, very satiating Christmas dinner. Ignore what some critics say about Rob Marshall's NINE, they are idiots and probably don't appreciate musicals to begin with.  This film is just perfect.

Right from the moment the film opens with Daniel Day-Lewis as Guido Contini in the midst of a press conference, I was drawn in to what would turn out to be a nonstop glam-fest.  Day-Lewis is pitch-perfect as Contini, based on a character created by Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini from his masterpiece 8½.  Some critics are insisting that NINE unjustly pays tribute such a great director's work and his own creative struggle, but quite simply, this is not a Fellini biopic.  Contini is Contini and quite frankly 8½ is available out on DVD if people are that adamant about authenticity and honouring Fellini.

Throughout the film we learn about Contini's character through the women who have played a pivotal role to his identity and success in life.  I'm not saying he is likable though - he in fact is egotistical, self-centered, uncommitted and dishonest.  The magic of Day-Lewis' performance under Marshall's direction, is that despite all of these negative qualities, we are still drawn to him.

Inasmuch as I'd like to say that Day-Lewis truly is the star of this film, the attention often diverts to Oscar winner Penélope Cruz, who once again is getting a lot of buzz here for her performance as Carla, Contini's mistress. And who ever would have guessed that Cruz had the ability to nail complex Burlesque choreography and sing decently, as she does performing A Call From The Vatican?  She is captivating as a seductress and there are few actresses in Hollywood today who can do "emotionally unstable" with the level of control that Cruz does.  Although I was never much of a fan of hers before Volver, I think I am finally completely sold now. 

REVIEW: NINE - THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK

While we await its theatrical release with baited breath, Universal Music Canada sent me the best early Christmas gift - an advanced copy of the soundtrack for Nine. The film, based on the play of the same name, is inspired by the story of legendary Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini and takes place around the time Fellini underwent a creative drought making his acclaimed masterpiece, 8½. Replace Fellini with the character Guido Contini plus a very sexy female cast of award-winning entertainers as his lovers, and there you have the most eagerly anticipated movie musical in quite some time.

Just looking through the album’s track listing, I could not help but be filled with curiosity how Pénelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Dame Judi Dench, Sophia Loren, Kate Hudson and the film’s main star Daniel Day-Lewis, would fare as singers. Nicole Kidman, many of us already know is an adequate vocalist as seen in one of her career best roles in Moulin Rouge. And well, Grammy winner Fergie needs no introduction. 

Rob Marshall and John DeLuca arranged for the cast to record the film’s tracks in London late September 2008, about a month before shooting began. The results though are mixed, but there are some incredible surprises to be found. For one, Music Director Paul Bogaev does an excellent job setting the musical landscape of Italy in the ‘60s, when the story takes place. Day-Lewis is first introduced to us on Guido’s Song and although he is not blessed with an amazing voice, he still does a very credible job tapping into the psyche of a man in a midlife crisis. With the abundance of cast members the material is dispersed, meaning at most, the cast members are responsible only for one or two numbers each. 
Producers