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)

JOHN HAWKES GETTING MAJOR BUZZ OUT OF SUNDANCE FOR "THE SURROGATE"

Still from The Surrogate

When a Film gets a standing ovation at the Sundance Film Festival, we take notice over here. Oscar-nominated John Hawkes has been on a long road to success and recognition and a couple of his latest works, Winter's Bone and Martha Marcy May Marlene have raised the 52-year-old Actor's profile significantly. The Surrogate has him starring as Mark O'Brien, a Poet and Journalist suffering severely as a result of a fight with Polio, who hires a Woman (Helen Hunt) to help him lose his Virginity, on his road to fully becoming a Man.  Hunt shockingly spends much of her screen time fully nude in this role.

It is said following a screening earlier this week, the audience gave Hawkes and the Film a standing ovation.  One of my favourite Critics, Peter Debruge at Variety Magazine Tweeted, "If it were running in this year's Oscar race, THE ARTIST would be toast.".  Big Fan of The Artist, so we'll have to see about that!

Fox Searchlight paid $6 million for U.S. distribution of The Surrogate, from Director/Writer Ben Lewin. The Deal is said to be the largest thus far at the Festival. Crossing fingers it'll surface this September at TIFF!

(Photo credit: Suchmuch Films/Rhino Films)

"MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE" - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from Martha Marcy May Marlene

It's rare that I see a Movie so riveting that I'm haunted for days after and that's how I feel about Martha Marcy May Marlene. The Pyscho-thriller from Director Sean Durkin centers on a young Woman named Martha (Elizabeth Olsen) who escapes a Cult, then trying to reconnect with her estranged older Sister Lucy (Sarah Paulson) and Brother-in-Law Ted (Hugh Dancy).

Seemingly safe in being three hours away from the Cult Camp to which she belonged under the watchful eye of manipulative Leader Patrick (John Hawkes), Martha struggles to open-up to and connect with Lucy about the mysterious two-year gap where neither had been in-touch.  Silently, Martha is tortured by the shocking memories of her past two years, which saw her being brainwashed under Cult mentality, transitioning into an Enabler and a Sexual Commodity.  

Tensions mount between Lucy, Ted and Martha as the latter fails to transition back into a normal life, causing much strain on Lucy and Ted's marriage.  We witness Martha's Paranoia getting the better of her as time lines are crisscrossed between current and past.  Will she be able to escape her secretive past or will it destroy her and her Family altogether?

I cannot praise enough Olsen's daring performance here as Martha, as she disappears completely into her role at a level reminiscent of Maggie Gyllenhaal and Scarlett Johansson when they first had exploded as Darlings of Cinema. She handles the wide range required of her role with skilled precision, going with ease from fearfully trembling, to being emotionally numb, to outright vicious and at times hysterical.