Here is the Fall/Holiday Preview for Miramax Films. Blindness and Doubt may score big for Miramax.

BLINDNESS
September 26, 2008

CAST:Mark Ruffalo, Julianne Moore, Gael Garcia Bernal, Sandra Oh, Danny Glover
DIRECTOR: Fernando Meirelles

From Nobel Prize winning author Jose Saramago and acclaimed director Fernando Meirelles (“The Constant Gardener,” “City of God”) comes the compelling story of humanity in the grip of an epidemic of mysterious blindness. It is an unflinching exploration of human nature, both bad and good–people’s selfishness, opportunism,and indifference, but also their capacity for empathy, love and sheer perseverance.

It begins in a flash, as one man is instantaneously struck blind while driving home from work, his whole world suddenly turned to an eerie, milky haze. One by one, each person he encounters – his wife, his doctor, even the seemingly good samaritan who gives him a lift home – will in due course suffer the same unsettling fate. As the contagion spreads, and panic and paranoia set in across the city, the newly blind victims of the “White Sickness” are rounded up and quarantined within a crumbling, abandoned mental asylum, where all semblance of ordinary life begins to break down.

But inside the quarantined hospital, there is one secret eyewitness: one woman (four-time Academy Award® nominee Julianne Moore) who has not been affected but has pretended she is blind in order to stay beside her beloved husband (Mark Ruffalo). Armed with increasing courage and the will to survive, she will lead a makeshift family of seven people on a journey, through horror and love, depravity and beauty, warfare and wonder, to break out of the hospital and into the devastated city where they may be the only hope left.

HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
October 10, 2008

CAST: Sally Hawkins, Alexis Zegerman, Andrea Riseborough, Samuel Roukin, Sinead Matthews, Kate O’Flynn, Sarah Niles
DIRECTOR: Mike Leigh

Just how hard is it to be happy? In the effervescent new comedy from writer/director Mike Leigh (“Vera Drake,” “Secrets & Lies”), Sally Hawkins stars as Poppy, an irrepressibly free-spirited school teacher who brings an infectious laugh and an unsinkable sense of optimism to every situation she encounters, offering us a touching, truthful and deeply life-affirming exploration of one of the most mysterious and often the most elusive of all human qualities: happiness. Poppy’s ability to maintain her perspective is tested as the story begins and her commuter bike is stolen. However, she enthusiastically signs up for driving lessons with Scott (Eddie Marsan), who turns out to be her nemesis – a fuming, uptight cynic. As the tension of their weekly lessons builds, Poppy encounters even more challenges to her positive state of mind: a fiery flamenco instructor, her bitter pregnant sister, a troubled homeless man and a young bully in her class, not to mention that she has also thrown out her back. How this affects not only Poppy’s world view but also the outlook of those around her begs the question “glass half full or half empty”?

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS
November 7, 2008

CAST: Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend, David Hayman, Asa Butterfield, Jack Scalon
DIRECTOR: Mark Herman

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a fictional story that offers a unique perspective on how prejudice, hatred and violence affect innocent people, particularly children, during wartime.

Through the lens of an eight-year-old boy largely shielded from the reality of World War II,
we witness a forbidden friendship that forms between Bruno, the son of Nazi commandant, and Schmuel, a Jewish boy held captive in a concentration camp. Though the two are separated physically by a barbed wire fence, their lives become inescapably intertwined.

The imagined story of Bruno and Shmuel sheds light on the brutality, senselessness and devastating consequences of war from an unusual point of view. Together, their tragic journey helps recall the millions of innocent victims of the Holocaust.

DOUBT
December 12, 2008

CAST: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis
DIRECTOR:John Patrick

Set in the Bronx in 1964, Doubt explores the shifting, elusive nature of truth as reflected in a crime that may or may not have occurred. The stoic, hidebound Sister Aloysius (Streep), principal of a Catholic parochial school, is certain that one of her more popular teachers, Father Flynn (Hoffman), has been molesting a young male student. A novice, Sister James (Adams), unwillingly caught up in the intrigue, does not remain entirely convinced of Flynn’s guilty actions. Determined to arrive at the truth, Sister Aloysius decides she must confront the boy’s mother (Davis).

Here is the Fall/Holiday Preview for Walt Disney Pictures. A very strong lineup.

MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA
September 26, 2008

CAST: Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Laz Alonso, Omar Benson Miller,Pierfrancesco Favino, Valentina Cervi
DIRECTOR: Spike Lee

Directed by Spike Lee from a screenplay written by James McBride, the author of the acclaimed novel of the same name, the film chronicles the story of four African-American soldiers who are members of the U.S. Army as part of the all-black 92nd Buffalo Soldier Division stationed in Tuscany, Italy, during World War II. They experience the tragedy and triumph of the war as they find themselves trapped behind enemy lines and separated from their unit after one of them risks his life to save an Italian boy. MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA explores a deeply inspiring story that transcends national boundaries, race and class to touch the goodness within us all.

BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA
October 3, 2008

CAST: Piper Perabo, Manolo Cardona, Eugenio Derbez and Jamie Lee Curtis, with the voices of Andy Garcia, Plácido Domingo, George Lopez, Edward James Olmos, Paul Rodriguez, Cheech Marin, Luis Guzman, Eddie “Piolin” Sotelo, and Drew Barrymore as the voice of Chloe
DIRECTOR: Raja Gosnell

Chloe (voice of DREW BARRYMORE), a diamond-clad, bootie wearing Beverly Hills Chihuahua enjoys her luxurious lifestyle so much, she hardly notices Papi (voice of GEORGE LOPEZ), a hilarious Chihuahua who happens to be crazy for Chloe. But when the most pampered pooch gets lost in Mexico with only a street-wise German Shepherd (voice of ANDY GARCIA) to help her find her way home, Papi heads south of the border—joining forces with a motley crew: three dogs (voices of PLÁCIDO DOMINGO, LUIS GUZMAN and EDDIE “PIOLIN” SOTELO), two humans (PIPER PERABO, MANOLO CARDONA), a sly rat (voice of CHEECH MARIN) and a nervous iguana (voice of PAUL RODRIGUEZ)—to rescue his true love.

MORNING LIGHT
October 17, 2008

DIRECTOR: Mark Monroe

ifteen young sailors…six months of intense training…one chance at the brass ring. This exciting true-life documentary tells the inspiring story of a group of intrepid and determined young men and women, on the cusp of adulthood, as they embark on life’s first great adventure. Racing a high-performance 52-foot sloop in the Transpac, the most revered of open-ocean sailing competitions, the crew of MORNING LIGHT matches wits and skills in a dramatic 2,300-mile showdown against top professionals. From their earliest training sessions in Hawaii conducted by world-class teachers through their test of endurance on the high seas, they form an unbreakable bond in the process of becoming a singular team that is greater than the sum of its parts. Directed and edited by two of the key filmmakers responsible for the acclaimed 2004 surfing documentary, “Riding Giants,” and the recent rock documentary “Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who,” MORNING LIGHT will appeal to the sense of adventure in everyone.

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR
October 24, 2008

CAST: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, Bart Johnson, Alyson Reed, Olesya Rulin, Chris Warren, Jr., Ryne Sanborn, KayCee Stroh, Matt Prokop, Justin Martin, Jemma McKenzie-Brown
DIRECTOR: Kenny Ortega

Disney’s “High School Musical” phenomenon leaps onto the big screen in HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR, in which America’s favorite high school students (ZAC EFRON, VANESSA HUDGENS, ASHLEY TISDALE, LUCAS GRABEEL, CORBIN BLEU and MONIQUE COLEMAN) hit senior year. Amidst a basketball championship, prom and a big spring musical featuring all of the Wildcats, Troy and Gabriella vow to make every moment last as their lifelong college dreams put the future of their relationship in question. A crew of sophomore Wildcats (MATT PROKOP, JUSTIN MARTIN, JEMMA MCKENZIE-BROWN) joins in the fun as the film’s incredible new music and exciting dance numbers take maximum advantage of the big screen.

BOLT
November 26, 2008

VOICE CAST: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, Mark Walton
DIRECTORs: Chris Williams and Byron Howard

From Walt Disney Pictures comes an animated comedy adventure featuring a super-dog named BOLT (voice of JOHN TRAVOLTA), whose days are filled with danger and intrigue—at least until the cameras stop rolling. When the star of a hit TV show is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City, he begins his biggest adventure yet—a cross-country journey through the real world to get back to his owner and co-star, Penny (voice of MILEY CYRUS). Armed only with the delusions that all his amazing feats and powers are real, and the help of two unlikely traveling companions—a jaded, abandoned housecat named Mittens (voice of SUSIE ESSMAN) and a TV-obsessed hamster named Rhino (voice of MARK WALTON)—Bolt discovers he doesn’t need superpowers to be a hero.

BEDTIME STORIES
December 25, 2008

CAST: Adam Sandler, Guy Pearce, Keri Russell, Richard Griffiths, Courteney Cox, Lucy Lawless, Teresa Palmer, Russell Brand, Aisha Tyler, Jonathan Pryce
DIRECTOR: Adam Shankman

An adventure comedy starring ADAM SANDLER as Skeeter Bronson, a hotel handyman whose life is changed forever when the bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to mysteriously come true. He attempts to take advantage of the phenomenon, incorporating his own aspirations into one outlandish tale after another, but it’s the kids’ unexpected contributions that turn Skeeter’s life upside down. From Director Adam Shankman (“Hairspray,” “The Wedding Planner”), BEDTIME STORIES features an all-star cast, including ADAM SANDLER, GUY PEARCE, KERI RUSSELL, COURTENEY COX and RUSSELL BRAND.

Here is the lineup that Overture Films have in plans for us this Fall/Holiday season. It is very strange to see RIGHTEOUS KILL opening on September

TRAITOR
Release: August 27, 2008

Directed by: Jeffrey Nachmanoff
Cast: Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Said Taghmaoui, Neal McDonough, Jeff Daniels

When straight arrow FBI agent Roy Clayton (Guy Pearce) heads up the investigation into a dangerous international conspiracy, all clues seem to lead back to former U.S. Special Operations officer, Samir Horn (Don Cheadle). A mysterious figure with a web of connections to terrorist organizations, Horn has a knack for emerging on the scene just as a major operation goes down. The inter-agency task force looking into the case meets with Carter (Jeff Daniels), a veteran CIA contractor who seemingly has his own agenda and Max Archer (Neal McDonough), a fellow FBI agent. The task force links Horn to a prison break in Yemen, a bombing in Nice and a raid in London, but a tangle of contradictory evidence emerges, forcing Clayton to question whether his quarry is a disaffected former military operative—or something far more complicated. Obsessed with discovering the truth, Clayton tracks Horn across the globe as the elusive exsoldier burrows deeper and deeper into a world of shadows and intrigue.

RIGHTEOUS KILL
September 12, 2008

Directed by: Jon Avnet
Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Curtis Jackson, Carla Gugino, Donnie Wahlberg, Trilby Glover, Brian Dennehy, John Leguizamo

After 30 years as partners in the pressure cooker environment of the NYPD, highly decorated Detectives David Fisk and Thomas Cowan should be ready for retirement, but aren’t. Before they can hang up their badges, they are called in to investigate the murder of a notorious pimp, which appears to have ties to a case they solved years before.
Like the original murder, the victim is a suspected criminal whose body is found accompanied by a four line poem justifying the killing. When additional crimes take place, it becomes clear the detectives are looking for a serial killer, one who targets criminals that have fallen through the cracks of the judicial system. His mission is to do what the cops can’t do on their own—take the culprits off the streets for good. The similarities between the recent killings and their earlier case raise a nagging question: Did they put the wrong man behind bars?

Nothing Like the Holidays
November 26, 2008





Directed by: Alfredo de Villa
Cast: Freddy Rodriguez, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Alfred Molina, Jay Hernandez, Melonie Diaz, Vanessa Ferlito, Luis Guzman, Elizabeth Peña

If there’s one thing everyone can agree on, it’s that family time isn’t always a walk in the park. In Nothing Like the Holidays, two of today’s most talented actors, John Leguizamo (The Happening, The Take) and Freddy Rodriguez (“Six Feet Under,” Bobby), join Debra Messing (“Will & Grace,” “The Starter Wife”), Alfred Molina (The Da Vinci Code, Spider-Man 2), and director Alfredo de Villa (the award-winning Washington Heights) to tell the humorous and heartwarming story of one unforgettable family holiday.
It’s Christmastime and the far-flung members of the Rodriguez family are converging at their parents’ home in Chicago to celebrate the season and rejoice in their youngest brother’s safe return from combat overseas. For Jesse (Freddy Rodriguez), coming home has rekindled feelings for an old flame, although she can’t seem to forgive him for leaving. His older sister Roxanna, a struggling actress, has been chasing her Hollywood dreams for years with little to show for it. And much to the dismay of their mother Anna (Elizabeth Peña), eldest brother Mauricio (John Leguizamo) brings home a high-powered executive wife (Debra Messing) who would rather raise capital than a child.
In the course of one eventful week, traditions will be celebrated, secrets revealed and major life decisions made. It all begins when Anna announces to her children she is divorcing their father Eduardo (Alfred Molina). The shock waves from this familial upheaval prompt Roxanna, Mauricio and Jesse, each in their own way, to reevaluate the past and rethink the future. But when the Rodriguezes learn that one of their own is facing a true crisis, they instinctively pull together: Old resentments are forgotten, familial bonds are re-affirmed and the healing power of laughter works its magic as the family discovers they are much stronger than they ever realized.

After having a Summer to remember at the box office, with Iron Man and Indiana Jones 4 grossing more than $300 millions each. Paramount Pictures is getting ready to continue that success this upcoming Fall. Here is the lineup that Paramount Pictures have in plans for us this Fall/Holiday season. In my opinion this is a very strong line up, the only weak tittle is Ghost Town.

“Ghost Town”
September 19, 2008

Written by David Koepp & John Kamps
Directed by David Koepp

Cast: Ricky Gervais, Téa Leoni, Greg Kinnear, Billy Campbell, Kristen Wiig, Dana Ivey

Synopsis: In the comedy “Ghost Town,” Bertram Pincus (Ricky Gervais) is a man whose people skills leave much to be desired. When Pincus dies unexpectedly, but is miraculously revived after seven minutes, he wakes up to discover that he now has the annoying ability to see ghosts. Even worse, they all want something from him, particularly Frank Herlihy (Greg Kinnear), who pesters him into breaking up the impending marriage of his widow Gwen (Téa Leoni).

“Eagle Eye”
September 26, 2008

Story by Dan McDermott
Screenplay by John Glenn & Travis Adam Wright
and Hillary Seitz and Dan McDermott
Directed by D.J. Caruso

Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Rosario Dawson, Michael Chiklis, Anthony Mackie and Billy Bob Thornton

Synopsis: “Eagle Eye” is a race-against-time thriller starring Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Rosario Dawson, Anthony Mackie and Billy Bob Thornton. Jerry Shaw (LaBeouf) and Rachel Holloman (Monaghan) are two strangers thrown together by a mysterious phone call from a woman they have never met. Threatening their lives and family, she pushes Jerry and Rachel into a series of increasingly dangerous situations – using the technology of everyday life to track and control their every move. As the situation escalates, these two ordinary people become the country’s most wanted fugitives, who must work together to discover what is really happening – and more importantly, why.

“Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa”
November 7, 2008

Directed by Eric Darnell Tom McGrath

Cast: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric The Entertainer, Andy Richter, Bernie Mac, Sherri Shepherd, Alec Baldwin and Will.i.am

Synopsis: In the highly-anticipated sequel to “Madagascar,” Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria, King Julien, Maurice and the penguins and the chimps find themselves marooned on the distant shores of Madagascar. In the face of this obstacle, the New Yorkers have hatched a plan so crazy it just might work. With military precision, the penguins have repaired an old crashed plane — sort of. Once aloft, this unlikely crew stays airborne just long enough to make it to the wildest place of all — the vast plains of Africa, where the members of our zoo-raised crew encounter species of their own kind for the very first time. Africa seems like a great place…but is it better than their Central Park home?

“The Soloist”
November 21, 2008

Based on the Book by Steve Lopez
Screenplay by Susannah Grant
Directed by Joe Wright

Cast: Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener, Tom Hollander, LisaGay Hamilton

Synopsis: In “The Soloist,” an emotionally soaring drama about the redemptive power of music, journalist Steve Lopez (Oscar® nominee Robert Downey Jr.) discovers Nathaniel Anthony Ayers (Oscar® winner Jamie Foxx), a former classical music prodigy, playing his violin on the streets of L.A. As Lopez endeavors to help the homeless man find his way back, a unique friendship is formed, one that transforms both their lives. “The Soloist” is directed by Joe Wright (Golden Globe winner for Best Drama and Oscar® nominee for Best Picture “Atonement”).

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
December 25, 2008

Screenplay by Eric Roth
Directed by David Fincher

Cast: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, Julia Ormond, Jason Flemyng, Elias Koteas and Tilda Swinton

Synopsis: “I was born under unusual circumstances.” And so begins “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards: a man, like any of us, who is unable to stop time. We follow his story, set in New Orleans from the end of World War I in 1918, into the 21st century, following his journey that is as unusual as any man’s life can be. Directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett with Taraji P. Henson, Tilda Swinton, Jason Flemyng, Elias Koteas and Julia Ormond, “Benjamin Button,” is a grand tale of a not-so-ordinary man and the people and places he discovers along the way, the loves he finds, the joys of life and the sadness of death, and what lasts beyond time.