REVIEW: "THE DICTATOR"

Still from The Dictator

Anyone who watches Larry Charles' The Dictator should know well what they're getting into based on its Star Sacha Baron Cohen's prior Track Record. Having depended much on the entertaining shock value and the unscripted responses of his Alteregos's unsuspecting victims in Bruno and Borat, much this time around falls on his delivery as an Actor and the strength of his Script. And the results are brilliant … even if horribly wrong to laugh at.

Admiral General Aladeen (Cohen) is the Dictator of Wadiya, a Country he has oppressed for several years from Democracy. Times are changing however, and now no longer able to ignore the demands for change from his People, he flees to the United States working as a Grocery Store Clerk as a springboard to re-enter his Homeland of Wadiya.

Cohen's charm is undeniable in his dual role as the ruthless and endearing Aladeen and also his bullet-taking Decoy. Let's face it, The Dictator without him carrying a majority of the weight here and although deliciously crass, there never is a moment that we fail to see this as a Satire and a passionate statement about the World today. It is a witty acknowledgment of the ironies and hypocrisies of the World we live in, both sides of the continental divide.

Anna Faris is the perfect match to Cohen as his love interest Zoey, unaware yet fully aware of her place in all of this and in a rare moment. we get to see the intense Sir Ben Kingsley deliver the laughs here as Aladeen's plotting Uncle. At once we are delighted by a slew of surprise Cameos including the likes of John C. Reilly, Megan Fox, Jason Sudeikis, Nassim Pedrad and Bobby Lee - all in-on-the joke and loving it. Major laughs. Paramount Pictures releases The Dictator on May 16, 2012.

FIRST LOOK: "DJANGO UNCHAINED"

Still from Django Unchained

Here's your first look at Quentin Tarantino's much-talked-about Django Unchained, with its all-star Cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Sacha Baron Cohen, Kerry Washington, Kurt Russell, Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz and Don Johnson. The Film sees Django (Foxx) sold as a Slave to Dentist Dr. King Schultz (Waltz), only to wind-up at a Plantation, where his Wife Broomhilda (Washington) is, working under the ruthless Calvin Candie (DiCaprio).

Foxx tells Entertainment Weekly recently, "There’s a beautiful way (Tarantino) found for the characters to talk to each other. It’s mindblowing. You’ve never heard it this way. You’ve seen movies deal with slavery — or westerns that never dealt with slavery – do it the safe way. This way is like … wow.".  "All Django wants to do is get his wife,” Foxx says. "He’s not trying to cure or solve Slavery. He just wants to get his life back.". Click here to read more Teasers.

Cannot wait to see what the never-disappointing Tarantino has up his sadistic little sleeves for us. Django Unchained hits theatres Christmas Day 2012!

(Photo credit: The Weinstein Co.)

AMANDA SEYFRIED & TAYLOR SWIFT OFFERED ROLES IN TOM HOOPER'S "LES MISÉRABLES"

Taylor Swift in Toronto - July 2011

As if its Cast couldn't get any better, two more marquee names have been added to the Cast of Tom Hooper's (The King's Speech) Les Misérables, as reported by Twitch.

Amanda Seyfried who currently is in Los Angeles filming Lovelace - Pornstar Linda Lovelace's Biopic - has just been offered yet another Plum Role as Cosette in this Film Adaptation of the Victor Hugo Novel and internationally-acclaimed Stage Musical. Seyfried in addition to being a burgeoning star of Film, is a classically-trained Vocalist. It's hard to believe this is the same Girl who filmed Mean Girls in Toronto eight years ago. Her Agent truly deserves a raise.

If Seyfried's casting isn't enough to excite you, Les Misérables' Box Office fate has just been sealed by its offer to cast Country Pop Megastar Taylor Swift as a riches-to-rags Éponine, raised together with Cosette; both Girls long for Marius (Eddie Redmayne). Others up for the coveted Role of Éponine included: Lea Michele, Evan Rachel Wood and Scarlett Johansson. Although not quite the Actress as some of those others, it is understandable why Swift was chosen based on her arena-filling Fan Base.

To re-cap, these are the stellar Principal Cast members so far in Les Misérables:

WATCH THE TRAILER FOR "THE DICTATOR"

Sacha Baron Cohen as The Dictator

This looks like a hot mess. In a good way, that is. Sacha Baron Cohen does it again with BORAT-like flare in his next release from Paramount Pictures, The Dictator. If anything, he's even more ridiculous here as a Man who spares no cost to ensure his Homeland never gets tainted by the evils of Democracy.

We even see Megan Fox in-on-the-joke looking rather insulted after providing her "services" to The Dictator, asking him "What is this a Ruby? Is this a joke? What am I, a Kardashian?". That's gotta hurt.

Watch the Trailer for The Dictator in full below:

"HUGO 3-D" - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from Hugo 3-D

Magical, absolutely magical. Legendary Director Martin Scorcese's first foray into the Family genre - the $170-million opus that is Hugo 3-D - is an intricate and eye-popping Spectacle unlike anything you've ever seen. Set in a post-War-torn Paris, we see the World through the eyes of an orphaned Boy named Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) who lives day-to-day at a Train Station, escaping the watchful eye of a tyrannical Station Inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen). Before passing away, Hugo's Father (Jude Law) leaves behind a mysterious broken Automaton (a self-operating machine), which only can be unlocked by a heart-shaped key held by Isabelle (Chloë Grace Moretz). Her Guardian happens to be Georges Méliès (Sir Ben Kingsley).

Georges deems Hugo untrustworthy after having caught him stealing from his Toy Store at the Station, meaning Hugo and Isabelle are to bond secretly. As this Story develops, we learn that this Automaton holds a rich and storied Tale of whom Georges and his Wife Jeanne (Helen McCrory) once were before their Paris was affected by War.

Hugo 3-D, based upon Brian Selznick's Novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret, is hard not to like with a Story so multi-layered, it engages you right from the get-go and never relents. Together with this Boy, we try to unlock the mystery behind the Automaton, fearing genuinely for him every step of the way as he escapes being thrown into an Orphanage. 3-D Technology here is tasteful and elegant as only can be expected of Scorcese.

MARTIN SCORCESE'S "HUGO" TRAILER RELEASED

Still from Hugo

"Where are your parents, little man?" - Station Inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen)

Not quite what I was expecting, this new Trailer for Martin Scorcese's latest work Hugo has just surfaced. Adapted from the story The Invention of Hugo Cabret, its Hero is an orphaned Boy who finds himself in a journey to unlock the mystery surrounding his late Father. Starring young breakout star Asa Butterfield and Chloë Grace Moretz, this 3-D uplifting Action/Fantasy adventure will hit theatres on U.S. Thanksgiving (November 23, 2011).  Paramount Pictures will be distributing in North America, with Sacha Baron Cohen, Jude Law, Ben Kingsley and Emily Mortimer also starring.

Watch the Trailer in full below:

SACHA BARON COHEN TO STAR IN FILM BASED ON SADDAM HUSEIN NOVEL

Sacha Baron Cohen at TIFF 2006

He's bloody crazy!  Sacha Baron Cohen who is now at work on an upcoming Freddie Mercury Biopic slated for release later this year, has signed-on to star in an Adaptation of the Saddam Hussein Novel, Zabibah and The King.  

The Film will be called The Dictator and is being developed by Paramount Pictures.  Scott Rudin who had a hand in producing The Social Network and True Grit, both current Oscar candidates, is also attached to this one. IndieWire announced that the Film will be released some time in 2012. 

I'm assuming this is going to be a Satire of sorts as the Novel is about a Dictator who risked his life to ensure that Democracy never infected his Country.  Delicious.

SACHA BARON COHEN SIGNS ABOARD FREDDIE MERCURY BIOPIC

Sacha Baron Cohen at TIFF 2006

Long live The Queen. Chameleon Sacha Baron Cohen has signed on to star as Queen front man Freddie Mercury in a Biopic about the singer produced by GK Films. Peter Morgan who wrote the script for Frost/Nixon is also attached to the project. This news comes exactly four years after Cohen brought the epic BORAT to TIFF in 2006.

Absolutely brilliant. Cannot wait to hear more details about this!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

MORE NAMES ADDED TO CAST OF SCORCESE'S HUGO CABRET

More names have been added to Martin Scorcese's 3-D film, Hugo Cabret (formerly The Invention of Hugo Cabret). According to Collider, the film began production in London yesterday and so far, confirmed cast members include: Sir Ben Kingsley, Jude Law, Sacha Baron Cohen, Chloë Moretz and Asa Butterfield. Expect big things. Click here to read the official press release. (Thanks Awards Daily!).