The Awakening
DIRECTOR: Nick Murphy
WRITERS: Stephen Volk, Nick Murphy
STARRING: Rebecca Hall, Dominic West, Imelda Staunton, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Cal Macaninch, Shaun Dooley
BBC Films
RELEASE DATE: August 17, 2012 (limited)

As a lover of all types of horror movies, and especially of a good ghost story, I was excited to check out The Awakening, the new thriller from director Nick Murphy, who’s making his feature debut.

The movie follows Florence Cathcart (Rebecca Hall), a paranormal hoaxes author and true skeptic in a devastated post World War I England who’s firmly set on revealing the real cause of paranormal occurrences, whether they be scientific or man made trickery. Clearly battling some of her own demons, Florence is one day visited by Robert Mallory (Dominic West), who claims that there have been many sightings of a child ghost at the boarding school he teaches at. At first she shrugs him off, offering a simple explanation for his problem, but when he rebukes them all and clarifies that this isn’t about finding a ghost but calming the fears of the boys who attend the school, she decides to help.

Upon arriving Florence investigates around a bit and sets up her many complex tests, which leads to what appears to be a resolution. But when strange things continue to happen and she sees things she cannot explain, everything Florence has so strongly believed in will be tested.

After weeks of non-stop casting announcements and analysis of its possible plot, the Walt Disney Pictures and Marvel Studios film Iron Man 3 has commenced principal photography in Wilmington, NC. We have the first behind-the-scenes image from the production. You can check it out here below.

The film’s plot is reportedly based on “Extremis,” a six-issue story arc from Marvel Comics’ The Invincible Iron Man written by Warren Ellis and drawn by Adi Granov, which would introduce nanotechnology into the character’s ongoing adventures. Shane Black is directing Iron Man 3 from a screenplay he co-wrote with Drew Pearce. Returning to the cast are Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, and Jon Favreau (a good indication that not much bad blood exists between Favreau, who directed the first two Iron Man films and had originally planned to direct the third and complete his trilogy, and Marvel Studios). New to the cast are Rebecca Hall (Frost/Nixon) and Andy Lau (Infernal Affairs), and playing the heavies of Iron Man 3 are Guy Pearce, Ben Kingsley, James Badge Dale, and Ashley Hamilton.

Earlier today it was reported that Jessica Chastain had opted not to take on the “sexy scientist” role she was said to be up for in Iron Man 3. Not wasting any time, it looks like director Shane Black and company had another actress on stand by.

According to sources, Rebecca Hall is now in negotiations to play the character Chastain was lined up for. Apart from the brief description indicating that the character would be an attractive scientist type who’s just as smart as Robert Downey Jr.‘s Tony Stark character, all that’s known is that this will be a supporting role. Gwyneth Paltrow‘s Pepper Potts character is the movie’s female lead.

The Town
Directed by Ben Affleck
Starring Ben Affleck, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, Rebecca Hall
Warner Bros.
Release Date: September 17, 2010

Whatever your thoughts are of Ben Affleck, there is no denying that the guy has an eye for directing. Even before Gone Baby Gone hit the theaters, there was already a considerable buzz surrounding his directorial debut and for good reason. The movie was a taut and gripping drama and showed a side of Affleck few knew even existed. While few can deny that that movie was well received, many wondered if Affleck would fair just as well, if not better, with his follow-up project, The Town.

The Town, based on the book Prince of Thieves, is a crime heist movie in the name of Michael Mann’s Heat with the heart and soul of Good Will Hunting. The film focuses on a gang of bank robbers in Charlestown, Massachusetts. After a recent bank heist, the group discovers that the bank teller they took hostage (Rebecca Hall) lives in their neighborhood. Fearing they will be recognized, Doug, their de-facto leader volunteers to check her out. In the process, he gets to know the woman and falls for her. Now Doug must choose between the life he can have with the woman he loves or the loyalty of his friends.