Be the first to see Fifty Dead Men Walking at an exclusive preview screening in London’s Leicester Square on Tuesday 31^st March, 9 days before its national release.

Inspired by Martin McGartland’s incredible autobiography, Fifty Dead Men Walking is the stunning new action thriller by Kari Skogland about a secret agent working undercover for British security services in Northern Ireland in the late eighties. Over the course of four years, until his betrayal and subsequent discovery, it was estimated that McGartland was responsible for saving the lives of up to fifty men. Fifty Dead Men Walking stars Sir Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess, Rose McGowan, Natalie Press and Kevin Zegers.

To be in with a chance to win one of three tickets all you have to do is send an email to fifty@metrodomegroup.com

Fifty Dead Men Walking is released in cinemas on the 10th April. To watch the trailer visit www.fiftydeadmenwalkingmovie.com

The first song Bono plays on the Maserati’s more-than-adequate sound system is called “Boy Falls From the Sky,” with Across the Universe star Jim Sturgess singing as Peter Parker. It sounds a lot like a U2 hit, especially when Bono sings along in the car with the line “I used to use a single thread to cross the sky.” “Killer!” he shouts as the song wraps up, and then he plays a choral, operatic segue. When Bono’s assistant calls on his cell, he cuts the conversation short: “We’re in the middle of an opera here!”

Furthermore,  Q Viva Marc Anthony Variety recently reported that the musical has confirmed the show’s February 2010 opening at Broadway’s Hilton Theater.

Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins sequel - which won two Oscars last weekend - has four nominations for the film magazine’s awards, sponsored by Jameson.

The best newcomer award, meanwhile, will be contested between Twilight star Robert Pattinson, St Trinian’s actress Gemma Arterton, Across the Universe’s Jim Sturgess, RocknRolla actor Toby Kebbell and Brideshead Revisited cast member Hayley Attwell.

“These nominations, unlike those of other awards shows, truly reflect the power and diversity of cinema,” said Empire editor Mark Dinning.

Source: In The News

GALLERY LINKS:
Across the Universe: DVD Captures

The surprising success of Crash seems to have encouraged other filmmakers who yearn to make socially conscious ensemble movies. Whereas Crash wove together stories that focused on racial tensions in Los Angeles, Crossing Over brings the same kaleidoscopic technique to the hot-button issue of immigration.

Characters include immigration officers (Harrison Ford and Cliff Curtis) and a medley of immigrants from Iran, Korea, Mexico and Bangladesh. Writer-director Wayne Kramer, who attracted attention with The Cooler a few years ago, came to this country from South Africa, so his interest in the subject is genuine. But the film plays like a garish melodrama that reproduces the most ham-fisted, polemical aspects of Crash. Lightning seems unlikely to strike twice; box-office prospects for the drama, which the Weinstein Co. releases Friday (February 27), are limited.

Rather than taking the low-key, realistic approach that Tom McCarthy brought to The Visitor, Kramer has opted for an overheated style that veers toward soap opera. For example, when Ford’s Max Brogan leads a raid of a dress factory, he arrests a woman who pleads with him to look after her helpless young son. A teenager from Bangladesh arouses the suspicion of the authorities when she presents a school paper defending the 9/11 hijackers. And in one of the loopier episodes, an Australian actress (Alice Eve) desperate for her green card happens to ram her car into a bureaucrat (Ray Liotta) responsible for processing applications; he offers to expedite her papers in exchange for sexual favors, and she joins him for soulless trysts at a seedy motel.

The film is rife with coincidences, and it frequently strains credulity. Kramer contrives the unlikely encounters in order to tug at the audience’s heartstrings, and sometimes he succeeds in forcing a tear or two, but the emotions aren’t honestly earned.

Still, within this hash of lurid confrontations, there are a few effective scenes and strong performances. Ford plays his world-weary role with dignity and compassion, and there’s an uncharacteristically understated — and well-written — scene when he meets the shrewd young sister of his Iranian partner, and sparks fly. Curtis, who has given a series of exceptional performances in such films as Once Were Warriors and Whale Rider, captures the anguish of a man caught between professional and familial loyalty. Summer Bishil, star of Alan Ball’s Towelhead, is affecting as the Muslim girl whose rash actions tear her family apart.

Ashley Judd fares less well as an earnest immigration attorney who happens to be married to the lecherous Liotta. And it’s hard to know what to make of the bizarre comic subplot that features Jim Sturgess (from Across the Universe and 21) as a secular Jewish immigrant trying to pass himself off as an Orthodox rabbinical student.

The film makes good use of some unfamiliar Los Angeles locations, and the editing by Arthur Coburn keeps the interludes flowing briskly. But the slick craftsmanship can’t hide the fact that most of these mini-melodramas are unadulterated hokum.

Source: Reuters

Jim Sturgess stars as a troubled young man struggling to cope with the mindless violence taking place on the city streets around him.

The film, currently in the final stages of post-production, will have its premiere at Cannes. Produced by Richard Raymond and Pippa Cross, it also stars Clemence Poesy, Noel Clarke and Timothy Spall.

GALLERY LINKS:
Public Events: 2009 Orange British Academy Film Awards

Based on the children’s book series by Kathryn Lasky, the film, which is shooting in Australia, follows a young barn owl and his friends as they join forces with the mythical Guardians of Ga’hoole, owl protectors, to save the owl kingdom from rogue elements.

Rush most recently appeared in Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Taylor, repped by Endeavor, has appeared in Transformers and Bottle Shock. Wenham, also repped by Endeavor, worked with Snyder in 300 and was seen in the recent Australia.

Village Roadshow and Warners are producing with Animal Logic, which also worked with Roadshow and Warners on the dancing penguin movie Happy Feet. Animal Logic CEO Zareh Nalbandian is producing, with Donald De Line, Deborah Snyder, Lionel Wigram, Bruce Berman and Dana Goldberg as exec producers.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Bafta commissioned a new British Talent photo-shoot for the official awards gala brochure. We present a preview here, revealing some of the faces that star in front of and behind the cameras in this 21st-century film and film-making renaissance.

Crossing Over is a multi-character canvas about immigrants of different nationalities struggling to achieve legal status in Los Angeles. The film deals with the border, document fraud, the asylum and green card process, work-site enforcement, naturalization, the office of counter terrorism and the clash of cultures.

GALLERY LINKS:
Crossing Over: Posters & Covers

GALLERY LINKS:
The Other Boleyn Girl: DVD Captures

Also be sure to check out a few more candids from the previous set, thanks once more to Sam!

GALLERY LINKS:
Across the Universe: DVD Captures - Photo Gallery
Across the Universe: DVD Captures - Creating the Universe
Across the Universe: DVD Captures - Stars of Tomorrow
Candids: Unknown Dates

The story of how a prodigal young writer’s best-selling novel ultimately destroys his life.

GALLERY LINKS:
Candids: Unknown Dates

Director Peter Weir will find The Way Back with Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess and Saoirse Ronan.

The thesps are in final negotiations to star for Weir in the fact-based story of a group of soldiers who engineered a grueling escape from a Siberian gulag in 1942.

Weir wrote the script, based on the memoir by Slavomir Rawicz. Farrell plays a tough, tattooed Russian; Harris an American; and Sturgess portrays a young Polish inmate. Ronan will play a Russian on the run who meets up with the fugitives.

The film will begin production in March in Bulgaria, financed by producer Spitfire Pictures through its Cyrte Investments-backed holding company HS Media. The film is the first Weir has directed since 2003’s Master and Commander.

Weir is producing with Joni Levin, Duncan Henderson, Spitfire’s Nigel Sinclair and Scott Rudin. Keith Clarke, John Ptak and Guy East are executive producers along with Simon Oakes and Jonathan Schwartz.

Farrell, who is Golden Globe-nominated for his performance in In Bruges, most recently completed the Neil Jordan-directed Ondine, the Terry Gilliam-directed The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and the Danis Tanovic-directed Triage. Harris, who directed and starred in Appaloosa, just starred in the Ash Adams-directed Once Fallen.

Best British Columbia Film
Edison and Leo
Stone of Destiny
Fifty Dead Men Walking

Best Performance by an Actor in a Canadian Film
Antoine L’Écuyer, C’est pas moi, je le jure!
Natar Ungalaaq, The Necessities of Life

Jim Sturgess, Fifty Dead Men Walking

Speaking of the film, IMDb states May 8, 2009 as the UK release date.

Source: AwardsDaily.com

Compiled by myself for Jim-Sturgess.com. Please feel free to post your own choices here. ;)

Best News: All the amazing press surrounding 21 in particular and it’s box office success. Also the rave reviews Jim got for Fifty Dead Men Walking and announcement of Heartless.

Worst News: The delays of Crossing Over

Favorite Event:

Jim looked to have a lot of fun at the Cannes photocall for Heartless and there were some great shots and cool angles!

Favorite Photoshoot:

Probably the most relaxed, adorable, sexy and fun images of him ever!

Favorite Photoshoot Pic (Excluding mentioned above):

A really amazing shot, I love the colors in it.

Favorite Still From 2008 Projects:

Favorite 2008 Project: 21. The movie is extremely entertaining! Jim also carried the film alone and did a wonderful job. I didn’t get to see Fifty Dead Men although I hear his performance is amazing so I still am waiting to see that one.

Most Anticipated 2009 Project: Heartless