Like a successful spy, the quiet and grippingly brilliant Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy sits unobtrusively amidst the flashier year-end Oscar contenders—alternately heartwarming (We Bought a Zoo), Artistic with a capital “A” (Hugo, The Artist), tragic (War Horse, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close), scene-devouring and envelope-pushing (Shame), glossily true to life (Iron Lady, My Week with Marilyn) or purpose-built to sweep awards (The Descendants, Carnage).

Based on the classic spy novel, this film adaptation necessarily abridges Le Carré’s densely plotted story far more than did the famous 1979 six-episode BBC miniseries starring Alec Guinness (who, for generations of fans, is the quintessential George Smiley). And yet it feels in no way over-simplified or dumbed down. Quite the opposite.

A raft of the world’s finest actors (nearly all male—this is a man’s world)—Colin Firth, John Hurt, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ciarán Hinds, Toby Jones and Gary Oldman as protagonist George Smiley—play high-level operatives in the British Intelligence at the height of the Cold War. When a mole is detected, it’s up to Smiley to ferret out which of his colleagues is the double agent.

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The Holiday Season is a great time for films, but on the cusp of one of the more anticipate years in cinema history, it is the trailers for 2012 films that might be the highlight. One film that fans are eagerly awaiting is Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, sequel to the instant classic that took the world by storm in 2008.

The first long form trailer was released a few weeks ago, and now some adventurous do-gooders have taken upon themselves to recreate the magic in their own “sweded” version of the trailer. Complete with action figure action shots, and an ingenious football stadium collapse scene made with paper cut outs.

The sweded trailer is great, but we implore you to check out their youtube channel. There are more sweded trailers for your viewing pleasure and a really interesting side-by-side that plays the sweded trailer next to the original. It is extremely interesting to see it play with the original right next to it, showing how accurate these guys get with their shot construction and timing.

There are also a couple of funny little jabs at the original hidden within the sweded version of the trailer which is part of why these can be so charming. Particularly, the chanting of “que pasa,” golden stuff. You can check out the sweded Dark Knight Rises Trailer after the jump.

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Presented without much in the way of comment (well, just a little) is the first trailer for Christopher Nolan’s third, and presumably final, installment in the Batman franchise. This time around the new film is called The Dark Knight Rises and based on this new trailer it looks, in a word, awesome.

We know people use that word often and sometimes it tends to lose its meaning. However, in this case, it fits completely.

The movie looks awesome and like any good trailer you get a lot of info about the movie but don’t really know what’s going to happen in it. If only other trailers could do this, and be as good as this, and not give everything away.

Of course, you can be sure the folks responsible for this film know what they’ve got and know, with absolute certainty, the movie will do huge box office and people will flock to see it over and over again. So, they don’t really have to do that much to promote it. The movie pretty much sells itself.

July 20, 2012 can’t get here fast enough. Check out the trailer after the break.

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Two of the best filmmakers working today have giant blockbusters planned for 2012. Christopher Nolan and Ridley Scott are both bringing continuations of their star making franchises to the big screen. While Nolan is ending his run in the Batman universe with The Dark Knight Rises, Ridley Scott is breathing new life into the dormant Alien franchise with a prequel that may or may not have all that much to do with the previous films.

The Dark Knight Rises poster focuses on Bane walking away from a shattered Batman cowl. This really sells the concept of finality that this film brings. It is also nice to see the filmmakers not shying away from the fact that the character of Bane was created for one purpose, to break the bat.

Prometheus on the other hand is a far more intriguing one-sheet. The large head that dominates the poster raises more questions then can be answered. There are also a lot of small little design choices that echo the fact that this movie is set in the Alien universe. That posters sits rater nicely next to previous Alien films.

Check out both new posters in their full glory after the jump.

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There’s been some pics of The Dark Knight Rises circulating around the web of Batman and thugs fighting on the steps of what may be Gotham City Hall. We’ll assume you’ve seen them because you’re rabid fans of the franchise.

Now Warner Bros has released something pretty much every rabid fan of the franchise may have wanted to see even more than Batman and Bane: the first official photo of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman. The photo, which appeared on the official website, TheDarkKnightRises.com, is sadly not all that sexy.

It is, however, a pretty good look at what Nolan is going for with his Catwoman and keeps pretty much in line with his vision for the films. Of course, what did you expect? According to sources, Nolan’s vision for the Catwoman costume is more “tactical, like the comic book,” “less sexy than Halle Berry and Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman costumes”, and would feature goggles.

That seems to describe what we’re seeing here completely. Maybe there’s some other version of her outfit that appears later in the film? It would be a shame to have a woman as attractive as Hathaway and not utilize all her talents to the fullest.

Check out the full version of the photo after the jump. And, a couple others we found from around the Internets.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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Judging from the box office success of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, quite a few of you have already had the chance to see this brand new teaser trailer for The Dark Knight Rises. However, for those of you who haven’t, or want to watch it again and again, we’ve got it for you right here now.

In it we get our first glimpses of the upcoming final, epic battle between Bruce Wayne’s Batman and Tom Hardy’s Bane. Plus, the teaser sets this up clearly as the third and final chapter of a trilogy that will set Batman on his eventual course to become the true Caped Crusader and Dark Knight.

I don’t have to tell you we’re all pretty excited around here for this movie to come out. Of course, as with endings of this type, it will be bittersweet. Still, can’t wait.

Check out the trailer after the jump. The Dark Knight Rises is directed by Christopher Nolan and features Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It hits theaters on July 20th, 2012.

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As we get ever closer to the release date of Christopher Nolan’s alleged final film in his Batman franchise, we’re getting more and more of a glimpse into this world once again before it comes to a close.

Rumor has it that the first teaser trailer for the film is attached to prints for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which means we may get some goodies in the coming days. But before we even get that far, the very first “teaser” poster for the film has hit the web, and we’re nothing but excited.

In the poster we can see that Gotham seems to be falling to pieces, which is what we expect to be the setting for the film, as Christian Bale’s Batman makes his public turn into the hero he’s meant to become.

No sign of the film’s full cast, but you may see more of Tom Hardy’s Bane, Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, or Marion Cotillard in the film’s upcoming teaser trailer later this week.

In the meantime, you can check out the poster in gigantic-size right after the jump, and keep it here for more news as it develops of The Dark Knight Rises.

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It’s kinda funny. I was just watching Rodney Dangerfield and Keith Gordon in Back to School only days ago and now, some Keith Gordon news pops up. Internets, you’re got my number.

And what interesting news it is. It seems Christopher Nolan, who’s only done this one other time with Zack Snyder’s upcoming Superman reboot Man of Steel, has decided to shepherd a project and produce a film for another director. That director? None other than keith Gordon. I know, right?

Nolan’s company, Syncopy, has reportedly set up a supernatural thriller at Warner Bros and hired Gordon to write and direct it. Nolan’s former assistant Jordan Goldberg is apparently the guy responsible for bringing the project to Nolan so he can produce with partner Emma Thomas.

The project is reportedly based on a novel who’s title has yet to be revealed. However, knowing the movies Gordon likes to do (Including A Midnight Clear and Mother Night) I would expect it to be something cool and a little weird. As a fan of Gordon’s work, I’ll be following this one closely.

First we get the “official” word the the movie is indeed filming. And now, presented without comment, is this first picture of Tom Hardy as Bane from Christopher Nolan’s upcoming third Batman film The Dark Knight Rises. Okay, can’t help it, one comment. It looks pretty great.

Okay, two comments. Can’t wait for this movie. A year is too long.

What do you guys think?

Late yesterday Warner Bros decided to let everyone know “officially” what most of us knew already: The Dark Knight Rises has begun filming. Even though this isn’t really news, it still set off a flurry of discussion around The Flickcast offices about how we’re all really looking forward to this movie.

If you’re in the same boat as we are, this press release from the studio should at least, for a few moments, distract you a little until you again realize that even though the movie has started filming, we won’t actually see the finished product until July 20th, 2012.

Yes, that’s over a year away. Bummer.

Check out the full press release right here:

BURBANK, CA, May 19, 2011 – Principal photography has begun on Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ The Dark Knight Rises, the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy.

Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar® winner Christian Bale (The Fighter) again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman.
The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake.

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This week on The Flickcast Chris and Matt are again joined by Joe Dilworth of Pop Culture Zoo to discuss all manner of new and recurring topics. This goes far better than expected.

This week those include HBO’s Game of Thrones, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Avengers, Batman: The Dark Night Rises casting and more. In addition, they talked about  the next Superman movie, Superman Returns, Captain America and the Nazis, triumphant trio and the tragic passing of Sarah-Jane herself, Doctor Who actress Elisabeth Sladen.

Of course, your hosts also made some picks this week including Matt’s pick of the movie Fortress, Joe’s pick of the upcoming new season of Doctor Who and Chris’ pick of the classic 70′s film Dirty Harry, starring Clint Eastwood.

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.

The Social Network was a wonderful film all around, but one of the truly amazing parts of the movie was the dual role played by Armie Hammer. Since Hammer is just one man, another actor had to play opposite him and that faceless hero was Josh Pence. Now, Pence is going to get a chance to stand out on his own because he’s just been cast as Young Ra’s Al Ghul in The Dark Knight Rises according to THR.

In the comics Ra’s Al Ghul is basically immortal, with access to Lazarus Pits around the world, so he always comes backs to torment the good detective. Batman Begins used the character well, but with the added realism Nolan brought to his Gotham, many people assumed we have seen the last of Ra’s in this series.

Lately rumors have been swirling that The Dark Knight Rises would deal with Ra’s daughter Talia (potentially played by Marion Cotillard) who is a long standing love interest of Batman. Casting a young version of Ra’s seems to add credence to this theory.

Based on the character’s history there is still hope that Liam Neeson can return, but this casting suggests that flashbacks are going to be used to flush out the relationship between Talia and her father. That is, of course, speculation. But one thing is certain, Nolan is throwing a lot into his highly anticipated Bat-climax.