Shutter Island
Martin Scorsese's latest thriller looks downright spectacular. The film is based on a novel by Dennis Lehane and Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a U.S. Marshall searching for an escaped mental patient on an island off the coast of Massachusetts. DiCaprio's character comes up against a dark conspiracy and he is haunted by the memory of his late wife who is played by Michelle Williams. And yes that's Jackie Earl Haley as one of the inmates (he plays crazy REALLY well). Watch for this one on October 2.

Old Dogs
OK, the bit where Seth Green is singing "I'm All Out of Love" to the gorilla is pretty funny, and the penguin attack got me to laugh but the plot seems ridiculously simplistic. Robin Williams plays a man whose former girlfriend returns after seven years to tell him that he has twin children. With the help of his buddy played by John Travolta, Williams's character must adapt to the idea of instant fatherhood at a relatively advanced age. Wackiness enuses. This is being billed as a family movie so much of the humor is aimed at kids. This one hits theaters on November 25.

Moon
The last time we saw Sam Rockwell in outer space he was playing the two headed President of the Galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He plays it a little closer to home this time as the lone employee of a mining company working an outpost on the moon. He works his three-year tour of duty with hope of returning to his wife and daughter when it's all done, but things go wrong when he discovers a downed space craft (at least I think that's what's going on) containing an injured man who is his exact duplicate. This looks like a science fiction thriller with a lot of potential and things get luney (for a limited release anyway) on June 12.

Public Enemies
Historical drama with a lot of flare starring Johnny Depp as notorious bank robber John Dillinger. Throw in Christian Bale as FBI agent Melvin Purvis and Billy Crudup (yes, the blue naked guy from Watchmen) as J. Edgar Hoover and you've got a gangster flick worth seeing. This second trailer brings to mind films like The Untouchables and Road to Perdition. Watch for this one on July 1.


Shorts
Robert Rodriguez has proven equally adept at making children's movies and flicks for grownups. This time he's plunging back into the kiddie pool with a story about a put upon kid who discovers a magic rock that makes all his wishes come true. I'm far from the target demo but the film looks cute and I got a few laughs out of the trailer. We'll be seeing this one on August 7.

Above: Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes

Warner Brothers has unveiled their 2009 preview, featuring a whole bunch of brand new photos mixed with some we've already seen. Check out the newer images in the galleries below, as well as each film's official synopsis and release date.

Sherlock Homes (director Guy Ritchie)
In a dynamic new portrayal of Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous characters, "Sherlock Holmes" sends Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson on their latest challenge. Revealing fighting skills as lethal as his legendary intellect, Holmes will battle as never before to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy the country. Release Date: November 20, 2009



Where the Wild Things Are (director Spike Jonze)
Maurice Sendak's classic book Where the Wild Things Are comes to the big screen in an adventure tale for every generation. Release Date: October 16, 2009



Shorts (director Robert Rodriguez)
"Shorts" is set in the suburb of Black Falls, where all the houses look the same and everyone works for BLACK BOX Unlimited Worldwide Industries Incorporated, whose Mr. Black's BLACK BOX is the ultimate communication and do-it-all gadget that's sweeping the nation. Other than keeping his parents employed, however, Mr. Black's BLACK BOX has done nothing for 11-year-old Toe Thompson, who just wants to make a few friends...until a mysterious rainbow-colored rock falls from the sky, hits him in the head and changes everything. The Rainbow Rock does Mr. Black's BLACK BOX one better: it grants wishes to anyone who holds it. Before long, wishes-gone-wrong have left the neighborhood swarming with tiny spaceships, crocodile armies, giant boogers...and outrageous magical mayhem around every corner. But it's not until the grown-ups get their hands on the Rock that the trouble really starts. Now Toe and his newfound friends must join forces to save their town from itself, discovering along the way that what you wish for is not always what you want. Release Date: August 7, 2009

After rumors bubbled up about a possible end to Robert Rodriguez and Rose McGowan, her rep told People: "the production of all three films is moving forward with Rose to star." I'd question that since all the double R seems to be doing lately is acquiring projects that don't seem to go anywhere. Yes, there's a chance that they might be on hold while he films Shorts, but that production is where the new hub-ub is coming from (via Defamer).

I highly doubt there's any truth to the matter, but it's worth a glance into the rumor that Rodriguez is now canoodling his new young star, Kat Dennings. She's the girl who got her start on Sex and the City as the "f**king fabulous" rich girl having a bat mitzvah, and has since got a stepdad in a 40-year-old Virgin, and impressed audiences with her time with Charlie Bartlett.

It's been a long time since the Red Sonja remake was announced -- actually, it's not so much a remake as an all-new movie based on the character who originated in the pages of Marvel Comics (and who was based on two separate characters created by Robert E. Howard) -- but now we finally have some updates, courtesy of USA Today. First, filmmaker Robert Rodriguez (Desperado) will be producing. Second, Rodriguez' girlfriend, Rose McGowan (Grindhouse), is playing the lead. Third, Rodriguez protégé Douglas Aarniokoski (second unit on Once Upon a Time in Mexico) is directing. Fourth, shooting begins this October. Supposedly neither Rodriguez nor McGowan have seen Richard Fleischer's 1985 version, so we should attempt to wipe away all memories of that critical and commercial failure, if possible, and try to imagine something completely different. Something that will be good enough to kick off a franchise.

I'm actually not sure if I ever saw the old Red Sonja, either, but I can still only picture Brigitte Nielsen in the title role. It's just one of those iconic -- I don't want to say performances, because it's just the actress and costume I picture -- casting decisions. You know you can see her, too: that awesome red mullet; that scale armor skirt; the breast plate that hardly covers her breasts. OK, now try to imagine Rose McGowan in the same costume. I know, it's hot, but it still doesn't seem right. However, Rodriguez told USA Today exactly why she does seem right: "Rose is a pistol. She's whip-smart, has attitude to burn, is sexy, extremely strong, yet has a vulnerable side that would surprise her closest friends. That description also fits Red Sonja."

Back in March, Jessica shared a script review for Robert Rodriguez's next film -- not the still-suffering Barbarella, but rather Shorts -- a quirky family adventure movie. Now, finally, we've got the cast in place. The Hollywood Reporter posts that Jon Cryer and James Spader have jumped on board, joining William H. Macy, Leslie Mann, Jimmy Bennett, Kat Dennings, Trevor Gagnon, Leo Howard, Devon Gearhart, Jake Short, Jolie Vanier, and Rodriguez's super-cute offspring, Rebel Rodriguez.

The descriptions of the movie on THR and the script review are a little different, but the basic gist of the film is about a magic rock in a suburb where everyone works for the Black Box company. Kids find this rainbow-colored rock that grants wishes, and go a bit nuts with it before the adults get their hands on it and things get even crazier. Bennett plays the protagonist, Toe Jackson, Cryer and Mann play his parents, and Dennings plays his older sister. Spader, meanwhile, plays Mr. Black, and Macy plays "the father of a germphobic genius," which I imagine makes him Dr. Noseworthy. If Robert pulls this off with the same spark that Spy Kids held, this could be one fun flick.

Per usual, Rodriguez is involved in many aspects of the film -- he wrote it, is producing with ex Elizabeth Avellan, and will be director of photography, editor, and visual effects supervisor. According to Variety, production is just gearing up in Austin.

It's not easy reconciling the two sides of Robert Rodriguez. One likes to make pseudo-schlock flicks with machine-gun-leg chicks, and the other likes to make kids movies -- not exactly an expected transition is it? Latino Review has posted a script review for Rodriguez's latest kiddie romp, Shorts. So let's get right to the point, shall we? Review's scooper liked what he saw. Sure there were some complaints, and we'll get to those in a moment, but overall it's a solid thumbs up.

Shorts is the story of Toe Jackson, a young boy in a Texas subdivision who narrates four stories set in the heart of the suburban neighborhood. Now for the bad news. According to the review, the script is a little heavy on the "fart jokes" -- also, it may be a little too focused on the boys. This is a shame considering what a great young female character Rodriguez created in Spy Kids. Then again, he also managed to make a list of the most misogynistic flicks, but I digress. The reviewer also had some complaints about character names, because the script is loaded with cutesy ones like Loogie and Nose.

It's likely that most of Rodriguez's fans are focused squarely on the long awaited sequel to Sin City, not to mention those of you out there hankering for a full-length Machete feature, so Shorts probably won't be high on your list of priorities. If, however, you've got some rug rats at home, then you might want to get used to the idea of seeing this movie in theaters. Shorts is tentatively scheduled for release in 2009.

Courtesy of the folks over at Variety, there's news on three new flicks headed our way by the folks over at Warner Brothers. These puppies are coming our way for the company to "ensure not only that their unique visions will be fully realized, but also that the success of their work will be rewarded as stakeholders in their own films." That's a sweat deal, if these are successful, which is a decent possibility since they're all well-known. Here are the lucky films:

1. Richard Kelly's The Box -- News of the feature geared up a year ago, back when some still had hope for the mess that is Southland Tales. Since then, Cameron Diaz signed on, as did Frank Langella, and finally James Marsden. I wonder if any of them are nervous about the film now? I guess we'll all have to wait and see. The film is about "an unhappily married couple who receive a box from a stranger (Langella) who tells them that if they push a button on the box, they'll receive a hefty amount of cash -- and someone they don't know will die."

2. Ricky Gervais' This Side of Truth -- We first heard word of this sweet feature back in September, and since then, the lucky goat cast Jennifer Garner to be the object of his woo. The premise sounds pretty perfect for the Brit, who co-wrote the script with Matthew Robinson. It's about a man in a world where no one lies. Then he tells the first one and harnesses the all-mighty power of lying to nab women out of his league and find professional success -- a role obviously to be played by Ricky himself.

3. Robert Rodriguez's Shorts -- Written by the man himself, and to be directed by him as well of course, it's about... Well, you tell me. News surrounding the filmmaker has focused on him, Rose, and Barbarella. Searching for him and "shorts" doesn't get one very far, so if anyone has word on it, please comment below!

My introduction to Spike Lee came through the commercials he shot for Nike starting in the late 80s, featuring Michael Jordan and Lee himself as Mars Blackmon, his motormouth character from She's Gotta Have It. Eventually I caught up with his other work, and over the years I have always admired his ability to switch effectively from narrative features to documentaries to short filmmaking. He's made a flock of commercials for a variety of advertisers as well as numerous music videos, and short films for MTV and Saturday Night Live.

His short Jesus Children of America was one of seven that comprised All the Invisible Children, focusing on children struggling "in the face of violence, disease and poverty," according to UNICEF, which partially funded the project. The film played at Venice, Toronto and many other film festivals in the last couple of years, though it doesn't seem to have screened much, if at all, in the US. Earlier this year Lee struck a deal with online video startup Babelgum to show Jesus Children of America exclusively on the site. He will also serve as honorary judge of the new Babelgum Online Film Festival, as announced recently during a press conference at the Venice Film Festival.

The competition is open to short films screened at international festivals between January 2007 and February 2008. While there is no entrance fee to submit films, note that Babelgum will hold exclusive online rights to all accepted films from March 2008 to March 2009. The Hollywood Reporter notes that $27,500 will be awarded in each of six categories. The Babelgum site is still marked as "beta," but you can find out more information about their plans by clicking around a bit.

Delta Air Lines and Gen Art are coming together for the second year in a row to stage a short film competition, and I've got to say that I love the idea. It never occurred to me before, but screening short films on airplanes is brilliant -- what better way (aside from airing before big films) is there to get an audience for shorter fare? The people are strapped in, and they can't go anywhere! The contest, called "Delta's Fly-In Movies," will select five finalists who will get their shorts aired online as well as on the airline's domestic, transcontinental flights. Viewers will then vote on the films, and after all the finalists are flown out to Sundance, the winner will be announced. The big prize: $10,000 cash and a pair of round-trip tickets to any international destination Delta flies to. (But watch out, taxes, fees and restrictions still apply.)

Now, this is cool, but it could be so very much cooler. Five films will get screened on cross-country flights -- but man, they should look into showing the shorts on shorter flights too -- and not just their contest finalists. It would be much better than an old sitcom re-run or old news piece. And, it could extend into bigger-budget shorts as well -- a perfect opportunity to screen both great little-known films and buzzed-about celeb shorts. Hopefully that will come sooner or later, but for now, some lucky travelers will get to see the 5 finalists when they're screened in December and January.

Submission requirements are after the jump.