Joeseph Kosinski‘s new Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman starrer Oblivion is the rarest of all things, a big budget scifi film aimed squarely at adults.  While the trailers might seem like they give away the whole movie, I assure you they only scratch the surface. Things get really weird and far more ambitious than the I Am Legend-style one sheet implies.

Last week, Collide sat down with Olga Kurylenko and Andrea Riseborough to discuss their surprising and twist-filled roles.  During the interview they talked about shooting in Iceland, wanting to switch parts, the massive and elaborate sets and much more.

When science fiction wants to present thoughtful subtext, it can’t go broad.  The freedom to construct a world has to come down to precise themes.  The world can be derivative (or “inspired by” if you want to be charitable), and the themes can be universal, but they have to be cohesive.  In casting a wide net for influences, Joseph Kosinski‘s Oblivion mashes-up the ideas from better movies, and doesn’t put them towards abstraction or ambiguity, but towards ambivalence.  The film is more concerned with its gorgeous visuals and rousing score while the emotions become lost in a shuffle of reveals and fragmented ideas.

Filming is underway on Alejandro González Iñárritu’s black comedy Birdman.  Fox Searchlight and New Regency announced today that principal photography has begun in New York City on Birdman, which centers on an actor who once played an iconic superhero, and now faces troubles with his ego and family as he prepares to mount a Broadway play in a bid to reclaim past glory.  Michael Keaton stars as the struggling actor, and he’s surrounded by a fantastic ensemble cast that includes Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis, Amy Ryan, and Andrea Riseborough.

Iñárritu co-wrote the original script alongside Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, and Armando Bo, and is also producing the film with John Lesher.  Hit the jump to read the full press release.

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

Modern technology has radically changed the way we interact socially. Go stand in a line, and I guarantee at least a few people will have whipped out their smartphones and are happily ignoring the world around them. We don’t call anymore; we text as if that were the same as a discussion. As author, psychologist, and MIT professor Sherry Turkle recently noted in a New York Times editorial this past April, “we have sacrificed conversation for mere connection.” Henry Alex Rubin‘s Disconnect ignores this contemporary issue, and sacrifices worthwhile social commentary for mere cautionary tales. Disconnect has all the dramatic weight of a driver’s education video, but then pads its thin plots with three loosely-connected narratives, two of which feature character actions so ludicrous that the movie becomes almost completely disconnected from reality.

We’ve got 27 new hi-res images from writer/director Joseph Kosinski’s sci-fi thriller Oblivion to share with you today.  You may have seen some of these visual treats in previous gallery articles, but now we have them in the highest of resolutions so that you might enjoy zooming in on each of Morgan Freeman’s freckles.  There are also some bonus behind-the-scenes shots from the set of Oblivion that features Kosinski looking rather pensive.

Starring Tom Cruise, Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, NIkolaj Coster-Waldau, Melissa Leo and Zoe Bell, Oblivion opens April 19th in IMAX and traditional screenings.  Hit the jump to partake of the new images.

With writer/director Joseph Kosinski’s Oblivion opening April 19th, we’ve been provided with four clips from the sci-fi film.  The story takes place on a dystopian Earth and stars Tom Cruise as a drone repairman who holds the future of mankind in his hands after discovering a crashed spaceship. Oblivion also stars Olga Kurylenko, Morgan Freeman, Andrea Riseborough, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Melissa Leo. 

Over the past few months we’ve seen tons of images, posters, images, and featurettes.  Based on what I’ve seen thus far, I’m counting down the days, especially since Kosinski told us that Oblivion will be presented “in IMAX will be full frame 1.9 through the whole thing.”  Needless to say, if you’re going to see the film, see it in IMAX!  Hit the jump to watch the clips and look for my video interviews with the cast week of release.

Check out the latest casting announcements below:

• Andrea Riseborough (Happy-Go-Lucky) has joined the increasingly impressive cast of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s dark comedy Birdman, which already stars Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis, Naomi Watts and Edward Norton.
• Bella Heathcote (Dark Shadows) will join Hugh Grant and Marisa Tomei in an untitled comedy by writer/director Marc Lawrence (Did You Hear About the Morgans?).
• Corey Stoll (The Bourne Legacy) boards This Is Where I Leave You, the Shawn Levy-directed adaptation of the Jonathan Tropper novel that stars Tina Fey and Jason Bateman.

Hit the jump for more on each casting announcement.

LD Entertainment has released the trailer and poster for the drama Disconnect.  The film follows three loosely connected stories: one relates to online bullying, another deals with identity theft, and the third is about a reporter trying to save a young man who does sex-cam shows.  I caught the film at TIFF, and thought it was a cheap PSA that wasted the opportunity to show the complexities of online connection in the 21st century.  If you’re still interested in the film, the trailer shows way too much, and takes you deep into the third act.

And if all of that doesn’t bother you, hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film stars Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, Frank Grillo, Michael Nyqvist, Paula Patton, Andrea Riseborough, Alexander Skarsgard, and Max Thieriot.  Disconnect opens in limited release on April 12th.

Universal Pictures has released a new trailer for director Joseph Kosinski’s upcoming sci-fi film Oblivion. The story takes place on a dystopian Earth and stars Tom Cruise as a drone repairman who holds the future of mankind in his hands after discovering a crashed spaceship.  While the film’s first trailer was a tad underwhelming, this is undoubtedly the best trailer yet.  It does an excellent job of setting up the film’s plot while also teasing some absolutely gorgeous visuals and exciting tech.  We also get a good look at the character played by Melissa Leo, who appears to have some mysterious motives.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film also stars Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, and Morgan Freeman.  Oblivion opens on April 12th exclusively in IMAX theaters, and expands nationwide on April 19th. [Update: Universal has also unveiled a batch of high-resolution images and posters, which are now included after the jump.]

A new trailer and poster have been released for Joseph Kosinski‘s sci-fi action film, Oblivion.  The story takes place on a dystopian Earth, and stars Tom Cruise as a drone repairman who holds the future of mankind in his hands after discovering a crashed spaceship.  The first trailer didn’t do much for me, but this new trailer does a much better job of laying out the plot, the conflict, and the larger world.  Now I’m intrigued, and I hope that Kosinski can deliver on the premise.

Hit the jump to check out the new trailer as well as Spanish poster.  The film also stars Olga Kurylenko, Morgan Freeman, Andrea Riseborough, and Melissa Leo.  Oblivion opens April 19th.

The first trailer for the British crime thriller Welcome to the Punch has landed online.  Directed by Eran Creevy (Shifty), the film stars James McAvoy as a cop whose nemesis, played by Mark Strong, suddenly reappears after having eluded capture years earlier.  The trailer plays like a mash-up between Heat and Snatch, with less comedy and 1000% more bullets and explosions.  I’m not exactly sure how everything comes together plotwise, but I’m sufficiently intrigued by the talented ensemble and Creevy’s impressive visuals.  This is a British thriller through and through, which is something we’ve seen far too little of lately.  Fans of The Walking Dead will also be happy to spot one David Morrissey in the cast, who plays The Governor on the AMC series.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film also stars Andrea Riseborough, Daniel Mays, Elyes Gabel, and Peter Mullan.  Welcome to the Punch opens on March 15, 2013.

The first trailer for director Joseph Kosinski’s (TRON: Legacy) sci-fi film Oblivion has been released.  At first blush, it’s not exactly what I was expecting and I think that bodes well for the picture. Rather than a straight shoot-em-up actioner or a generic survival story, Oblivion looks to have elements of mystery and betrayal all tied into Tom Cruise’s character, Jack Harper.  Olga Kurylenko looks beautiful even dressed-down and Morgan Freeman channels his own version of Laurence Fishburne’s Morpheus. The all-white aesthetic looks sharp and clean against a backdrop of chaos and destruction and the overall design definitely has some nods to TRON. There are also elements of The Fifth Element, Minority Report and The Matrix presented in this introductory trailer, but Oblivion looks to be something all its own. (But what is up with that creature that looks like Darth Vader and sounds like a Tusken raider?)

The film also stars Andrea Riseborough, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and Melissa Leo.  Oblivion opens on April 19, 2013.  Hit the jump to watch.

Modern technology has radically changed the way we interact socially.  Go stand in a line, and I guarantee at least a few people will have whipped out their smartphones and are happily ignoring the world around them.  We don’t call anymore; we text as if that were the same as a discussion.  As author, psychologist, and MIT professor Sherry Turkle recently noted in a New York Times editorial this past April, “we have sacrificed conversation for mere connection.”  Henry Alex Rubin‘s Disconnect ignores this contemporary issue, and sacrifices worthwhile social commentary for mere cautionary tales.  Disconnect has all the dramatic weight of a driver’s education video, but then pads its thin plots with three loosely-connected narratives, two of which feature character actions so ludicrous that the movie becomes almost completely disconnected from reality.

The first set photos of Tom Cruise in costume for Oblivion have gone online.  We previously brought you these rather generic-looking set photos of Cruise and co-star Olga Kurylenko filming in New York.  This time, Cruise was to be found in June Lake, California sporting a futuristic military uniform with a gun slung over his shoulder.  As is usually the case in set photos, these images are out of context and have no sense of dramatic lighting but, hey, cool jacket, right?  Oblivion, also starring Morgan Freeman, Andrea Riseborough, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Melissa Leo, hits theaters July 19th, 2013.  Hit the jump to see the new set photos.

The first official synopsis for TRON: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski’s sci-fi pic Oblivion has landed online.  The film is described as “an original and groundbreaking cinematic event,” and Tom Cruise stars as one of the last remaining drone repairman stationed on a future Earth.  He works as part of a mission to extract vital resources from the ground following a decades-long war with a threat known as the Scavs, which lead to humans moving civilization to the skies thousands of feet above.  When Cruise’s character rescues a beautiful stranger (Andrea Riseborough) from a downed spacecraft, events are set in motion that force him to “question everything he knows and puts the fate of humanity in his hands.”

It’s an ambitious follow-up to the (visually) spectacular TRON: Legacy, and having Cruise onboard as the lead is a major plus.  The synopsis release also notes that Kosinski is shooting Oblivion in digital 4K resolution in the U.S. and Iceland.  The supporting cast includes Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Olga Kurylenko, Melissa Leo, and Morgan Freeman.  Oblivion hits theaters on April 26th, 2013.  Hit the jump to read the full synopsis.