Figures it would take David O. Russell to come up with one of my favorite rom-coms of 2012. I’m not ashamed to admit that rom-coms are maybe my favorite movie genre, even though the genre is, as a rule, a pitiful one. Good rom-coms come along once in a blue moon and the bad ones are not only plentiful but painful. In fact, the last really good one I remember is last year’s Bridesmaids, which wasn’t even technically a rom-com, but did have as one of its many virtues a very believable and sweet love story between the Kristen Wiig character and the nice Irish cop.

Russell’s genre is family wackadoodle, which (with the notable of Three Kings) he’s explored in every major film project he’s written/directed: Spanking the Monkey, Flirting with Disaster, I Heart Huckabees, and now the new Silver Linings Playbook. The wacky family in Playbook are the Solitanos of Philadelphia: Pat, Sr. (Robert De Niro), an extremely superstitious and OCD Philadelphia Eagles fan who’s been barred from Eagles stadium for life for brawling with supporters of opposing teams.

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As we draw closer to the 2012 award season, you can expect so see more and more films that folks like to refer to as “Oscar bait” which are considered films that actors use purely for the sake of an Academy Award Nomination.

One big one this year will surely be Meryll Streep’s performance of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. The second film? Clearly Robert De Niro’s role in the upcoming Paul Weitz film Being Flynn. Here’s the premise.

Based on a true story, BEING FLYNN follows Nick Flynn (Paul Dano) who is shocked to have his eccentric and long-absent father, Jonathan (De Niro) reach out to him unexpectedly. Still feeling the loss of his mother (Julianne Moore) in the midst of starting a new relationship with Denise (JUNO’s Olivia Thirlby), the last person Nick wants to see is his father. But you can’t outrun fate and slowly Nick comes to realize he has been given the chance to make a real future not only for himself, but for his struggling father too.

Prepare to have your heartstrings sufficiently tugged in the trailer after the jump, and catch Being Flynn in theaters next Spring.

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Once upon a time, the state of cinemas was a gritty, hilarious, violent place filled with guns, big boobs, and every kind of animal wanting to kill and/or eat your flesh. These days, everything is dumbed down to the least common denominator, but with an homage to some of those classic film genres.

Now, you can get to see exactly what that world was like with a brand new documentary delving into the eclectic mind of cinematic legend Roger Corman in Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel. Here’s the premise.

CORMAN’S WORLD: EXPLOITS OF A HOLLYWOOD REBEL is a tantalizing and star-studded tribute to Roger Corman, Hollywood’s most prolific writer-director producer, and seminal influencing force in modern moviemaking over the last 60 years. Featuring interviews with Hollywood icons and cinematic luminaries, some who launched their careers within Corman’s unforgettable world of filmmaking, including Paul W.S. Anderson, Peter Bogdanovich, Robert De Niro, Peter Fonda, Pam Grier, Ron Howard, Eli Roth, Martin Scorsese, William Shatner and Jack Nicholson, along with many others, this documentary chronicles how Corman created his cult film empire, one low-budget success at a time, capitalizing on undiscovered talent, and pushing the boundaries of independent filmmaking.

The film is set to hit select theaters on December 16th, but you can check out the very first trailer for it after the jump.

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As good as the movie was, 2003′s Love Actually had no idea what it was starting in the form of romantic comedies featuring a super ensemble cast. It was brought to the (more) public eye last year with Garry Marshall’s Valentine’s Day and now the ante is only getting upped with New Year’s Eve.

The film’s premise is relatively straightforward, but its the cast that really sells it.

“New Year’s Eve” celebrates love, hope, forgiveness, second chances and fresh starts, in intertwining stories told amidst the pulse and promise of New York City on the most dazzling night of the year.

Are you ready for a cast list to be reckoned with? Take a breath, because you’re looking at seeing Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Jon Bon Jovi, Abigail Breslin, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel, Zac Efron, Hector Elizondo, Katherine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher, Seth Meyers, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Til Schweiger, Hilary Swank, and Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara join the cast of New Year’s Eve.

How the film isn’t going to be 12 hours long, we have no idea. Instead, you can check out the brand new trailer for the film after the jump. New Year’s Eve is set to hit theaters on December 9th.

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Not to be confused with the James Caan film of the mid-seventies called The Killer Elite, this film, which is just called Killer Elite, features Jason Statham and Clive Owen going toe to toe trying to see who the best killer is. Along for the ride are Robert De Niro as Statham’s mentor and master assassin in his own right and Chuck’s Yvonne Strahovski who’s also pretty killer in her own way.

Now, we’ve got some pics and a trailer for the film to share with you today. In the trailer we get a good idea of the rivalry that’s going to be the centerpiece of the film and also the requisite explosions, running, shooting and even a brief glimpse of Yvonne Strahovski in a bikini. Don’t worry, I’m sure she also manages to kick some ass in the film and not just show some.

The film is based on a true story and is “the action-packed account of an ex-special ops agent (Statham) who is lured out of retirement to rescue his mentor (De Niro). To make the rescue, he must complete a near-impossible mission of killing three tough-as-nails assassins with a cunning leader (Owen).”

Click through for the trailer and all the pics. Killer Elite hits theaters on September 23rd.

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Even with the proliferation of Film Festivals, some still stand above the others in terms of credibility and prestige. One of those is the Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place each year in the Tribeca section of new York.

Founded in 2001 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, the festival was created to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of the lower Manhattan district through an annual celebration of film, music and culture. The Festival’s mission is to help filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience, enable the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promote New York City as a major filmmaking center.

In that spirit, the festival announced the winners of this year’s awards. And, here they are:

WORLD NARRATIVE COMPETITION CATEGORIES:

The jurors for the 2011 World Narrative Competition were Souleymane Cissé, Scott Glenn, David Gordon Green, Rula Jebreal, Art Linson, Jason Sudeikis and Dianne Wiest.

• The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – She Monkeys (Apflickorna), directed by Lisa Aschan, written by Josefine Adolfsson and Lisa Aschan (Sweden). Winner receives $25,000 and the art award “Anna Christie Entering the Bar, 1965-1967” by Robert De Niro Sr. Sponsored by AKA Hotel Residences. The award was given by Jane Rosenthal and Robert De Niro and Larry Korman from AKA Residences.

• Best Actor in a Narrative Feature Film – Ramadhan “Shami” Bizimana as Yvan in Grey Matter (Matière Grise), directed and written by Kivu Ruhorahoza (Rwanda, Australia). Winner receives $2,500. The award was given by Rula Jebreal.

• Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film – Carice van Houten as Ingrid Jonker in Black Butterflies, directed by Paula van der Oest, written by Greg Latter (Germany, Netherlands, South Africa). Winner receives $2,500. The award was given by Rula Jebreal.

• Best Cinematography in a Narrative Feature Film – Luisa Tillinger, Artificial Paradises (Paraisos Artificiales) (Mexico). Winner receives $5,000 and $50,000 in post production services provided by Company 3. The award was given by Rula Jebreal.

• Best Screenplay for a Narrative Feature Film – Jannicke Systad Jabobsen, Turn Me On, Goddammit (Få meg på, for faen) (Norway). Winner receives $5,000. The award was given by Rula Jebreal.

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For a good amount of time, there was some worry that Robert De Niro was going the way of Dustin Hoffman where he stopped going after meaty or serious roles, only to focus on easy paychecks and “fun” projects.

With his recent return to the Fockers franchise, and his laughably bad performance in Machete, we were starting to worry if the once-amazing actor was lost forever. Now we see he may be coming towards the light once again, as he’s got second billing in Relativity Media’s upcoming sci-fi thriller Limitless.

In it, De Niro plays Carl Van Loon, a mysterious businessman who knows more than Bradley Cooper’s Eddie Morra about his own new abilities, all thanks to a pill that grants him limitless power.

In the clip we have for you, De Niro and Cooper face off in an intense battle of wits, and give each other their own trademarked dramatic stare. Check it out after the jump, and catch Limitless in theaters on March 18th.

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When the trailer for the upcoming sci-fi thriller Limitless starring Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro first hit, one of the first questions that came to mind when we learned of the plot was “sure, this pill allows him to get a haircut and learn Italian, but does it give him superpowers?” Sure enough, this clip has got the answer for us.

For those who haven’t read about the full synopsis for the film, here it is.

Eddie Morra (Cooper) is an unemployed writer whose girlfriend Lindy (Abbey Cornish) breaks up with him. Eddie believes he has no future, but when a friend introduces him to the experimental drug NZT, Eddie becomes highly focused and highly confident. He is able to recall everything he has read, heard, or seen, and he uses the knowledge to become successful in the financial world. Business mogul Carl Van Loon (De Niro) sees Eddie as a potential tool to make money, but Eddie’s success also attracts hitmen who pursue him for the NZT. Eddie’s stash dwindles, causing him side effects, as he tries to escape being assassinated.

So when an experimental drug gives you heightened intelligence, creativity, and learning powers, doesn’t it make sense that you’d be great in a fist fight? Check out a new clip from the film after the jump and learn for yourself.

Limitless hits theaters on March 18th.

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Much like many fans, we were sorta disappointed when Bradley Cooper was passed over for the lead in Warner Bros’ Green Lantern flick. Sure, we may still get Cooper in a DC comics adaptation as he’s being courted to play the lead in David Goyer’s Flash. But in the meantime, we get a brand new film with Cooper showing off some more-than-normal abilities in Limitless.

Here’s the official breakdown:

Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro star in Limitless, a paranoia-fueled action thriller about an unpublished writer whose life is transformed by a top-secret smart drug that allows him to use 100% of his brain and become a perfect version of himself. His enhanced abilities soon attract shadowy forces that threaten his new life in this darkly comic and provocative film.

So not only does this have Bradley Cooper as the super genius protagonist, but De Niro, Pushing Daisies’ Anna Friel, and even A.J. from Empire Records! Be sure to check out the full trailer after the jump, and catch Limitless in theaters on March 18th.

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Say what you want about Ben Stiller or his talent, the man still manages to turn out some pretty entertaining and often successful films. Sure, his brand of humor may not be for everyone or his choice of films might not seem all that inspired, but he still keeps going and still often brings the funny.

This time around Still is back with another chapter in the “Fockers” family comedy series. This new one, called Little Fockers, takes the story of Greg the male nurse (Stiller) and his obsessive father-in-law Jack (Robert De Niro) to the next level: children. Of course, once that happens hilarity and the associated sight gags, misunderstandings and people getting hit in the eye with something ensues.

For more of an explanation of the story, here’s the official synopsis from Universal:

It has taken 10 years, two little Fockers with wife Pam (Polo) and countless hurdles for Greg to finally get “in” with his tightly wound father-in-law, Jack. After the cash-strapped dad takes a job moonlighting for a drug company, however, Jack’s suspicions about his favorite male nurse come roaring back.

When Greg and Pam’s entire clan-including Pam’s lovelorn ex, Kevin (Owen Wilson)-descends for the twins’ birthday party, Greg must prove to the skeptical Jack that he’s fully capable as the man of the house.

Check out all the hijinks in this new trailer after the jump, courtesy of our pals at Yahoo. Look for Little Fockers to invade a theater near you on December 22.

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Every year the Hollywood Foreign Press Association picks a recipient for the Cecille B. Demille Award, which is awarded during the televised Golden Globes award show. The award is given for lifetime achievement in film.

The Wrap is reporting that Robert De Niro will be this year’s recipient. Philip Berk, the president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, made the announcement earlier today.

De Niro has appeared in over 80 films thus far. His most iconic performance was arguably in Taxi Driver (1976.)  He played Travis Bickle, an unhinged taxi driver who becomes involved with trying to save a teenage prostitute played by Jodie Foster.

Other notable performances were in Good Fellas, Casino, The Deer Hunter, Raging Bull, and countless others. He is also one of the founders of the Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place every spring in lower Manhattan.

Past recipients of the award include Harrison Ford, John Wayne, Paul Newman, and Steven Spielberg. The award is named after Demille, a film producer who was responsible for bringing us The Ten Commandments, Cleopatra,The Greatest Show on Earth,  and over 80 other titles.

The Golden Globes ceremony will take place on Sunday, January 16, 2011.  Ricky Gervais will host.

If you’ve been following the marketing for Stone, you are no doubt poised to see a psychological thriller, of sorts. Unfortunately, Stone plays more like a  psychodrama than a psychological thriller.  The movie does a bang-up  job of establishing that something very, very  bad is going to happen.

Through music, imagery and a frightening  flashback we are conditioned to believe that there will be a showdown between good and evil.  I found myself on the edge of my seat, waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop, but it never does.

A strangely meandering story just sort of sputters out, and the film ends abruptly, prompting a “huh, you mean that was it?” It’s a pity, because there was a lot of potential in the movie.

Robert De Niro stars as Jack Mabry, a parole officer who works in a prison, reviewing cases to determine which inmates are qualified for a parole hearing.  He pores over the minutiae of each case, studies the files and conducts in-depth interviews with the potential parolees.  He is about to retire from his position when he is given one last case to review.

Edward Norton plays Gerald Creeson, who goes by the moniker “Stone.”  He is Jack’s last case. He has served ten years for arson, and he is starting to lose his mind within the confines of prison.  He is desperate to get out.  His sex-kitten wife Lucetta (Milla Jovovich) is also eager to have him back in her bed, and she is more than willing to use her sexuality to influence Jack’s decision.

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By Shannon Hood and Jane Almirall

Each day we will provide you with capsule reviews and impressions of the films we see at Fantastic Fest, along with any activities or interviews we attend.  Complete reviews and interviews can be found on the site in upcoming weeks.

Day one of fantastic fest we hit the ground running and went straight from the airport to pick up our press badges.  We managed to cram in three screenings for the day, starting at 4pm.  Not too shabby.

Screening: Stone. Directed by John Curran and starring Edward Norton, Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy, and Milla Jovovich.  Summary: A convicted arsonist (Norton) looks to manipulate a parole officer (De Niro) into a plan to secure his parole by placing his beautiful wife (Jovovich)  in the lawman’s path.

Jane’s thoughts:  This was an unusual experience for me.  I was half expecting this to play out like a thriller-but instead I watched a slow (but evenly paced) meditative, existential character study.

The performances were great, but I can’t say I enjoyed the film (to its credit,we discussed it a great deal afterwards.)

The characters in Stone never quite feel like actual people, rather they represent certain characteristics of humanity.  Their stories slowly unfold to reveal that in the end, we are back at the beginning and haven’t moved an inch.

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This week on The Flickcast Chris and Matt take on a whole bunch of new topics. Some of these include the box office success and relative merit of movies like The American, Machete and Takers as well as new trailers for films like Let Me In and Hobo with a Shotgun.

They also discussed more Expendables 2 and X-Men 4 rumors, casting news and all manner of other showbiz-related topics. Plus, the boys talked all-things Call of Duty: Black Ops.

Chris and Matt also made some pics this week including Matt’s pick of the game Dead Rising 2: Case Zero and Chris’ pick of the campy yet fun Machete.

As always, if you have comments, questions, critiques, offers of sponsorship or whatever, feel free to hit us up in the comments, on Twitter, at Facebook and MySpace or via email.

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Grindhouse is a term used to describe a movie theater that specialized in showing Exploitation movies, primarily in the 1970s.  That type of movie was often made on the cheap, and contained salicious subject matter like nudity, drugs, or taboo behavior.

In 2007, Director Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino brought us the Grindhouse double-feature, which consisted of Planet Terror and Death Proof.  The film itself was scratched up to replicate what a real grindhouse might have looked like.  The movie(s) were heavy on the gore, nudity, and camp, just like the old days.

The movie featured fake trailers for upcoming films, one of which was for a movie called Machete, featuring grizzled character actor Danny Trejo.  Rodriquez decided to flesh out the ideas behind the trailer and dusted off a script he wrote in 1993 to give the film the full feature treatment.

Machete (pronounced throughout the film as Ma-chet-ay) is the moniker given to an ex federale  from Mexico who witnessed horrible atrocities committed on his family and has become a vigilante of sorts, vowing to bring down the people responsible for killing his family.  No surprise that his weapon of choice is a newly sharpened machete, though he will use just about any implement in a pinch.

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