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.

"WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN" - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from We Need to Talk About Kevin

We Need to Talk About Kevin, based on the Novel of the same title by Lionel Shriver, is about a Woman named Eva (Tilda Swinton) whose free-spirited dreams of traveling the World are thwarted prematurely when she meets successful Businessman Franklin (John C. Reilly).  Soon she becomes pregnant and is forced to settle down. As time passes, we realize that something isn't quite right with her Son Kevin (played earlier by Jasper Newell and later by Ezra Miller), learning at young age to rebel and manipulate his Parents. Kevin ultimately goes on to massacre students at his High School, leaving Eva tormented psychologically by the aftermath of his actions.

Easily one of her finest performances yet, Swinton sadly was omitted from this year's list of Oscar nominees for her work in We Need to Talk About Kevin. Miller's breakthrough portrayal of a Sociopath also is resonant and authentic.  The bone-chilling Thriller is the rare type of Film that haunts you months after seeing it and ultimately, you find yourself obsessing over action and consequence. Is there anything that could have been done to prevent the dire outcome of this sordid tale of Mother and Son, or was their fate sealed from the start, we wonder?

Director Lynne Ramsay skilfully manages to keep much of the gore out of sight, instead opting for a more cerebral experience using images of tomato soup, splattered red paint, crushed lychees which just as effectively tell the story for us.  Easily, one of the more moving and memorable Films to surface in the past while.  eOne Films releases We Need to Talk About Kevin on February 10, 2012.

See Photos of Swinton and Miller in Toronto last Fall for TIFF:

• Tilda Swinton at TIFF 2011 for We Need to Talk About Kevin
• Ezra Miller at TIFF 2011 for We Need to Talk About Kevin 

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:

FIRST OFFICIAL TRAILER & POSTER FOR "CARNAGE"

Official French Poster for Carnage

Although it sadly won’t be premiering at TIFF 2011, Roman Polanski’s eagerly-awaited new Film Carnage with its impeccable Cast of Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly and Christoph Waltz, just surfaced today... and it actually looks funnier than imagined. Nothing like seeing a bunch of Adults acting like Kids – Oscar-winning/nominated Adults above that!

December 16, 2011 has been pegged as the Limited Release date in select cities. Cannot wait!

Click here to watch the Trailer in full. 

(Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics)

NEW STILLS FROM ROMAN POLANSKI'S "CARNAGE"

Still from Carnage

You could cut the tension with a Butter Knife. Check out some of these new stills from Roman Polanski's adaptation of the play God of Carnage, simply titled Carnage. Sony Pictures Classics releases the Drama about two Couples who decide to sit down and have a rational discussion after their Children have a fight at school.  Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly and Christoph Waltz star in quite possibly the most perfect Ensemble Cast ever assembled.

There's some TIFF buzz on this one - crossing fingers we'll see this one in Toronto this September! I'll be first to line-up to get tickets!  A release date is still to be confirmed.

  See more below:

CEDAR RAPIDS - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from Cedar Springs

Miguel Arteta, the Director who has brought us genius in titles like Chuck & Buck, The Good Girl and Youth in Revolt, consistently brings out the best in his Actors and truly Cedar Rapids is no exception to his track record. 

Tim (Ed Helms) is a tightly-wound and goofy Insurance Salesman who is sent to represent his company, BrownStar Insurance, at an annual Awards Convention held in Cedar Springs, Iowa.  His employer has won the prestifious Double Diamond Award three years consecutively.  Under the gun from his Boss Bill (Stephen Root) to nab the Award again, Tim is on a mission to persuade Association President Olgen (Kurtwood Smith) that his company is deserving of the win.

Paired with some veteran Insurance Salesmen in his Hotel Room as Roommates, potty-mouthed Dean (John C. Reilly) and Straight Man Ronald (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), we soon find Tim breaking out of his shell, while befriending the flirtatious Joan (Anne Heche).  Together, the four of them venture on some wild times, but will Tim's unleashed antics cost his company the coveted Double Diamond Award? 

CYRUS REVIEW

Although the story line of jealous Child versus Step-parent is nothing new, Fox Searchlight's Cyrus kicks things up a notch with some superb acting which never for a moment stops convincing us that these characters are real people with real drama.  Cyrus is full of laughs at the expense of unflattering moments and it appears that  Screenwriting/Directing brothers Jay and Mark Duplass have a Sleeper Hit on their hands.

John C. Reilly plays vulnerable John, who has never quite recovered from his divorce from ex-wife Jamie (Catherine Keener) seven years prior, even though he still remains friends with her despite her finding a new lover.  At her urging, John goes to a party to become acclimated once again with the world of Dating.  Despite lacking confidence, he does meet beautiful Molly (Marisa Tomei), with whom the sparks go a-flying.  Little does he know though that Molly has a full-grown son, Cyrus (Jonah Hill) with a dangerous Oedipus Complex, trying to sabotage her relationship with John.