This week on Blu-ray another Disney classic is released from the vault, an Oscar contender hits home video, and an in-depth look at the film vs. digital debate comes to HD.  Briefly:

• Alex Cross [Blu-ray + Digital Copy + UltraViolet] – $19.86 (50% off)
• Cabaret [Blu-ray] – $18.86 (33% off)
• Celeste and Jesse Forever [Blu-ray] – $19.99 (44% off)
• Deadfall [Blu-ray] – $24.99 (17% off)
• Flight (Two-Disc Combo: Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Copy + UltraViolet) – $19.99 (50% off)
• Here Comes the Boom (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) [Blu-ray] – $19.99 (44% off)
• House of Cards Trilogy: The Original UK Series Remastered [Blu-ray] – $44.86 (10% off)
• A Late Quartet [Blu-ray] – $20.86 (30% off)
• Peter Pan (Three-Disc Diamond Edition: Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy + Storybook App) – $27.99 (38% off)
• Side by Side [Blu-ray] – $19.99 (33% off)
• Star Is Born [Blu-ray] – $18.50 (34% off)

Hit the jump for special features details.

[This is a re-post of my review from the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.  A Late Quartet opens today in limited release.]

I love it when films help me to understand a new culture. Usually, I visit these new cultures through documentaries, but Yaron Zilberman‘s non-documentary feature A Late Quartet captivated me with an introduction to the world of orchestral music. More impressive, he uses a technical explanation as a gateway to the conflict between his central characters. Their instruments are thoughtful metaphors for their personalities, and we see how the pursuit of personal expression through a musician’s art can both divide and unite his or her group. The movie does hit a false note when it forces a conflict between two characters, but for the most part, the cast, the story, and the setting play together in perfect harmony.

Today, we’re pleased to bring you an exclusive clip from the upcoming film A Late Quartet.  The film stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Christopher Walken, and Mark Ivanir as members of a string quartet whose relationship is thrown into disarray when one of them is forced to retire.  In this clip, Imogen Poots, who plays the daughter of Hoffman and Keener’s characters, expresses her displeasure at having to take lessons from Ivanir’s exacting violinist.  This clip illustrates what I like best about the movie: it takes a relatable situation (a daughter sharing a problem with her father) and then infuses it with the unique world these characters inhabit (professional classical musicians).

Hit the jump to check out the clip, and click here for my full review from TIFF.  A Late Quartet opens tomorrow in limited release.

I love it when films help me to understand a new culture.  Usually, I visit these new cultures through documentaries, but Yaron Zilberman‘s non-documentary feature A Late Quartet captivated me with an introduction to the world of orchestral music.  More impressive, he uses a technical explanation as a gateway to the conflict between his central characters.  Their instruments are thoughtful metaphors for their personalities, and we see how the pursuit of personal expression through a musician’s art can both divide and unite his or her group.  The movie does hit a false note when it forces a conflict between two characters, but for the most part, the cast, the story, and the setting play together in perfect harmony.

The first trailer and poster for director Yaron Zilberman’s drama A Late Quartet have been released.  The film stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener and Mark Invanir as members of a world-renowned string quartet struggling to stay together “as they mark their 25th anniversary in the face of illness, competing egos, and insuppressible lust.”  The trailer gives the viewer the feeling of watching a really great play, and it appears that we’re in for a masterclass of acting with stellar performances from the whole cast.  Moreover, hearing Walken describe the intricacies of classical music in a way that only he can is pure bliss.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film also stars Imogen Poots and Liraz Charhi and will screen as part of the Toronto International Film Festival, which is currently in progress.

The line-up for the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival was announced this morning, and now we’re getting first images from some of the movies playing at the fest.  We now have the first looks at:

• Ariel Vromen‘s The Iceman starring Winona Ryder, Chris Evans, David Schwimmer, Michael Shannon, and Ray Liotta.
• Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman‘s Imogene starring Annette Bening, Matt Dillon, Darren Criss, and Kristen Wiig.
• Yaron Zilberman‘s A Late Quartet starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Mark Ivanir, Imogen Poots, Christopher Walken, and Catherine Keener.
• Josh Boone‘s Writers starring Liana Liberato, Jennifer Connelly, Greg Kinnear, Lily Collins, and Kristen Bell.

Hit the jump to check out the images along with a brief synopsis for each film.  The 2012 Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 – 16th.

The line-up for this year’s Toronto International Film Festival has been announced and it is a doozy.  The festival will play host to some of the year’s biggest world premieres including Rian Johnson‘s Looper (which will be the festival’s opening night film), The Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer‘s Cloud Atlas, Ben Affleck‘s Argo, David O. Russell‘s The Silver Linings Playbook, Derek Cianfrance‘s The Place Beyond the Pines, Joss Whedon‘s Much Ado About Nothing, Noah Baumbach‘s Frances Ha, and Neil Jordan‘s Byzantium.  Films making their International/North American debuts (which means that they’ll like show up at the Venice Film Festival first) include Terrence Malick‘s To the Wonder, Joe Wright‘s Anna Karenina, Robert Redford‘s The Company You Keep, and Billy Bob Thornton‘s Jayne Mansfield’s Car.

Hit the jump for the first wave of announced films.  The 2012 Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 – 16th.

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Jeremy Northam, and Christopher Walken will star in the indie drama A Late Quartet.  Last August, we reported that Ethan Hawke had joined the project, but it now appears that he has dropped out.  The Playlist previously reported that Hoffman and Keener were on board.  According to the press release, the four actors will play “a world-renowned string quartet struggling to stay together as they mark their 25th anniversary in the face of illness, competing egos and insuppressible lust.”  Imogen Poots (Centurion) and Liraz Charhi (Fair Game) will also star.  Filming is set to begin later this month in New York City.  Yaron Zilberman will make his feature film directing debut from his own script.

Hit the jump to check out the press release.

We have three pieces of casting news for you tonight.  First up is the exciting news that Emmy-winner Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) has joined Ryan Gosling in Nicholas Winding Refn’s Drive.  Per Film School Rejects, Drive is about “a stuntman by day who’s also a getaway driver by night. Many have labeled it as an action movie, but Refn says it’s going to be more of a love story that has action as well.”  I’ve recently become a Refn fan after seeing Bronson and The Pusher Trilogy so Drive was already on my radar.  But now with Cranston in the mix (in hopefully a significant role), I can’t wait to see this flick.

Hit the jump for casting news regarding Cillian Murphy in I’m.mortal and Ethan Hawke in the indie drama A Late Quartet.