Countless thrillers chronicle the exploits of garden-variety New York scumbags participating in crimes both organized and disorganized, but Broken City paints a portrait of a megalopolis in which crime and corruption trickle down from the highest levels of power.

Arriving in theaters nationwide this Friday, January 17th, Broken City stars Mark Wahlberg (Ted, The Fighter) as Jimmy Taggart, an honest NYPD cop whose career ended in disgrace after a controversial shooting.  Now eking out an alcoholic existence as a private investigator, Taggart spends most of his time tracking down cheating spouses.  When Mayor Nicholas Hostetler, played by Russell Crowe (Les Miserables, Gladiator) hires him to spy on his wife Cathleen, portrayed by Catherine Zeta-Jones (Rock of Ages, Playing for Keeps), however, the private eye gradually finds himself on the trail of a criminal conspiracy that could change New York forever.

The film boasts a formidable supporting cast that includes Jeffrey Wright (The Ides of March, Casino Royale), Kyle Chandler (Argo, Zero Dark Thirty), Barry Pepper (True Grit, The 25th Hour), Natalie Martinez (End of Watch), James Ransone (HBO's Generation Kill), and Michael Beach (Red Dawn).

Broken City is directed by Allen Hughes, making his first solo directorial effort without his brother and longtime co-director Albert Hughes.  Together, the two had an ostentatious debut with Menace II Society, and their credits together include From Hell, American Pimp, and most recently, The Book of Eli.

At the Los Angles press day for Broken City, Allen Hughes sat down for a roundtable interview with a group of entertainment journalists, including IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick, to discuss his thematic fixations, his first time meeting the screenwriter, and working with his phenomenally talented cast, and directing without his brother

"One night only" isn't a phrase often associated with anything that happens at a movie theater.  On Thursday, January 17, 2013, Relativity Media and Fathom Events have teamed up for a one night only Safe Haven event providing VIP access to sneak preview scenes from the upcoming romance, as well as a Q&A with author Nicholas Sparks and stars Julianne Hough (Rock of Ages, Footloose) and Josh Duhamel (Transformers, New Year's Eve), along with producers Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey.

The first look at footage from Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive follow-up Only God Forgives is making the rounds online, and it gives the impression that Refn and leading man Ryan Gosling will once again be tersely going to some very dark, violent places.  This time, though, Kristin Scott Thomas is along for a strange trip through Thailand's criminal underworld.

Opening in New York and Los Angeles theaters on December 28th, and in wide release on January 4th is the new film Promised Land from director Gus Van Sant (Milk), which was written by Oscar-winner Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting) and John Krasinski (Nobody Walks), and was based on a story by Dave Eggers (Where the Wild Things Are). In addition to Damon and Krasinski, the film features an excellent cast of actors that includes Oscar-winner Frances McDormand (Fargo), Rosemarie DeWitt (Your Sister's Sister), Terry Kinney (Sleepers), Titus Welliver (Argo), Scoot McNairy (Killing Them Softly), Lucas Black (Get Low), and Hal Holbrook (All the President's Men). 

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had a chance to sit down with John Krasinski to talk about his work on Promised Land. The popular actor discussed his new film, it's origins, how he ended up co-writing the screenplay with Oscar-winner Matt Damon, joining the "Good Will Hunting-Team,'" and researching the subject of fracking. 

Opening in New York and Los Angeles theaters on December 28th, and in wide release on January 4th is the new film Promised Land from director Gus Van Sant (Milk), which was written by Oscar-winner Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting) and John Krasinski (Nobody Walks), and was based on a story by Dave Eggers (Where the Wild Things Are). In addition to Damon and Krasinski, the film features an excellent cast of actors that includes Oscar-winner Frances McDormand (Fargo), Rosemarie DeWitt (Your Sister's Sister), Terry Kinney (Sleepers), Titus Welliver (Argo), Scoot McNairy (Killing Them Softly), Lucas Black (Get Low), and Hal Holbrook (All the President's Men). 

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had a chance to sit down with Rosemarie DeWitt to talk about her work on Promised Land. The acclaimed actress discussed her new film, working on a Gus Van Sant set, the issue of fracking, what happens in small American communities, reuniting with her Nobody Walks co-star John Krasinski, and why Matt Damon is the nicest/hardest working person in Hollywood. 

2007's Knocked Up extracted a lot of genuine comedy and emotion from the impending parenthood of a young couple played by Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl, finding the humor in their anxious, unconventional pregnancy.  That hit's secret weapon, however, was from further along the domestic spectrum.  As Pete and Debbie, Paul Rudd (Anchorman, Role Models) and Leslie Mann (The Change-Up, 17 Again) represented a possible future for the principal couple, one filled alternately with domestic strife and tumult.

Now, writer and director Judd Apatow (The 40 year Old Virgin, Funny People) has brought Pete and Debbie back for This Is 40, the "sort-of sequel" to Knocked Up hitting theaters nationwide this Friday, December 21st.  The film picks up five years later, as the parents both continue to struggle with raising their two daughters, tolerating one another, and owning their own businesses, all while facing the milestone birthday that is forty.  Though the characters undoubtedly love another, This Is 40 captures just how difficult it can be to spend a life with the person you love.

The central duo are joined once again by Apatow and Mann's real-life daughters, Maude Apatow and Iris Apatow, playing Pete and Debbie's kids, Sadie and Charlotte.  The film's packed ensemble cast also features a whole lot of notable actors such as Albert Brooks (Drive), John Lithgow (The Campaign), Megan Fox (Transformers), Jason Segel (The Muppets), Charlyne Yi (Paper Heart), Chris O'Dowd (The IT Crowd), Lena Dunham (HBO's Girls), Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids), Robert Smigel ("Triumph the Insult Comic Dog"), and Annie Mumolo (Bridesmaids).

At the Los Angeles press day for This Is 40, IAR was one of several entertainment outlets on hand to discuss the new movie with Judd Apatow, Paul Rudd, and Leslie Mann.  With abundant good humor, the director and stars of This Is 40 talked about the inspirations for the film, how they relate to  their characters, making it through comedic scenes without laughing, glazing ham, improvising, and getting older.

Thanks to Magnolia Pictures, the first trailer for Terrence Malick's To the Wonder is now available to view, meaning you can freely soak of almost two minutes of gorgeous imagery and profundity via voiceover.

Our mothers had the decency to painfully carry us around for nine months, then lovingly raise us into reasonably functional people, yet as we grow older, moms somehow become a source of embarrassment and frustration.  That contradiction is explored comedically this week in The Guilt Trip, a new movie that puts a mother and son on the road for eight days.

Hitting theaters Wednesday, December 19th, The Guilt Trip follows Seth Rogen (Knocked Up, 50/50) as Andy Brewster, a young inventor who, facing a dearth of investors for his latest innovation, sets out on a road trip to drum up interest in his work.  Before hitting the road, he visits his mother Joyce, played by Barbra Streisand (A Star is Born, Prince of Tides).  Seeing how lonely she's become since his father passed, Andy not only invites his mother on his trip and secretly plans for her to meet up with an old flame at the conclusion of their journey.  Hilarity and emotional growth ensues.

The comedy-drama is directed by Anne Fletcher (The Proposal, 27 Dresses) and written by Dan Fogelman (Crazy, Stupid, Love., Tangled).  Rogen and Streisand anchor the film, but it features a tremendous roster of comedic talents in small roles, including Yvonne Strahovski, Adam Scott, Danny Pudi, Dale Dickey, Colin Hanks, Kathy Najimy, Casey Wilson, Creed Bratton, Nora Dunn, and Amanda Walsh.

IAR Managing editor Jami Philbrick was one of the entertainment journalists lucky enough to be on hand at The Guilt Trip press day in Los Angeles.  During the press conference, both Rogen and Streisand happily discussed the film, playing mother and son, how each became involved, their insights on motherhood, and playing comedy early in the morning.

Remember this most ostentatious day, dear Rogues, for this day shall live on for all time as the day on which IAR proudly debuted the first look at the poster for the upcoming crime thriller Mafia.

Synopsis: Maria, Henry and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand, looking forward to a few days in tropical paradise. But on the morning of December 26th, as the family relaxes around the pool after their Christmas festivities the night before, a terrifying roar rises up from the center of the earth. An account of a family caught, with tens of thousands of strangers, in the mayhem of one of the worst natural catastrophes of our time. But the true-life terror is tempered by the unexpected displays of compassion, courage and simple kindness that Maria and her family encounter during the darkest hours of their lives.