Early Oscar buzz…

Righteous Kill

An Independent production filmed for $60 million, is Aiming for a Summer 2008 release. This Jon Avnet(Fried Green Tomatoes)Directed Crime/Drama is shaping up to be what looks on paper, a strong awards-season contender. Writen by Russell Gewirtz (Inside Man(2)) Righteous kill boasts an ALL STAR(`cept 50 Cent)CAST of Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese(Acting), Donnie Wahlberg, John Leguizamo, 50 Cent, Brian Dennehy, and MORE! After 8 collaborations, Martin Scorsese, and De Niro hadn’t worked together since Casino (1995). I wouldn’t have thought that their next project would have been in front of the camera. Pacino and De Niro are teaming again for the first time since “Heat”, and second time in history as Two Veteran New York City Detectives on the hunt for a poem-writing vigilante who may very-well be one of their own. Could this be a serious hopeful for a golden statue?

The Changeling

Hitting theaters Nov. 7th 2008 this Clint Eastwood (Million Dollar Baby, Mystic River)Mystery/Drama which was Writen by J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5, World War Z(Screenplay)), and stars Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone) and more. Jolie plays a woman whose son is abducted but retrieved; she suspects, however, that the returned child is not hers. The woman must then confront corruption in the LAPD.

“The film is based upon an infamous kidnapping and murder case that occurred in Los Angeles. Gordon Northcott kidnapped, molested, killed and dismembered a number of boys in 1928. He coerced his mother, Louisa Northcott, into killing Walter Collins. She admitted the murder of Walter Collins and was sentenced to life in prison. She was sent to San Quentin.

On In February, 1929, after the trial of 27 days, Northcott was found guilty of killing Lewis Winslow, 12, and his brother, Nelson Winslow, 10, and an unidentified Mexican boy. February, 1929, Judge Freeman sentenced Northcott to be hanged. The sentence was carried out 2 October 1930.

The Los Angeles police was also involved in a scandal as a result of this case. Arthur Hutchens, Jr., who was a runaway from Illinois, claimed he was the missing Walter Collins, so he could get a free trip to California. Los Angeles police considered the case closed and tried to convince Walters mother, Christine Collins that Arthur Hutchens, Jr. was her son. When she refused to believe this was her son, she was placed in an insane asylum. Only after Arthur Hutchens admitted he was not Christine Collins’ son was Christine released.” (From: Wikipedia)

Ron Howard was originally slated to direct before turning the helm over to Eastwood. Howard stayed aboard as a producer alongside Brian Grazer(The DaVinci Code). This movie should be a FAVORITE in the oscar race!