Synopsis: The Ides of March takes place during the frantic last days before a heavily contested Ohio presidential primary, when an up-and-coming campaign press secretary (Ryan Gosling) finds himself involved in a political scandal that threatens to upend his candidate's shot at the presidency.

Opening in theaters on October 7th is the new political drama from actor/director George Clooney (Good Night, and Good Luck) called The Ides of March. The Oscar winner also co-wrote the film with his producing partner, and director in his own right, Grant Heslov (The Men Who Stare At Goats). In addition to Clooney, the film stars an all-star cast that includes Ryan Gosling (Drive), Paul Giamatti (Sideways), Evan Rachel Wood (The Wrestler), Jeffrey Wright (Quantum of Solace), Max Minghella (The Social Network), as well as Academy Award winners Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny), and Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote). 

IAR's managing editor Jami Philbrick recently had a chance to sit down with the film's writer/producer Grant Heslov to discuss The Ides of March. Heslov spoke freely about the film; its intricate plot, his relationship with Clooney and their filmmaking process, politics, and Ryan Gosling's impressive performance. 

When future civilizations under the peaceful hegemony of estrogen-based rule survey the year that he have called 2011, they will view it not in the context of revolutionary upheaval or political strife.  They will instead refer to this year as The Year of Gosling.  He kicked it off with an amazing performance in the heartbreaking Blue Valentine, and stole the ensemble romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love. this summer.  In September, he holds it down as an action hero in Nicolas Winding Refn's excellent drive, and in October, he stars alongside director George Clooney in the political drama The Ides of March.

The very first clip from The Ides of March is now available, and it includes Gosling and Evan Rachel Wood engaging in some cute-but-smart dialogue.  It does a good job of introducing both young characters as a means of easing into the world of a presidential campaign from the perspective of someone other than the actual candidate, played by Clooney.

Just three films in, George Clooney has a fascinating resume as a director, starting with his wild take on Charlie Kaufman's Confessions of a Dangerous Mind up to Leatherheads, a period football comedy that never found its groove.  His best film so far, 2005's Good Night, and Good Luck, indicated that Clooney the director might be at his best when grappling with politically-inclined material.  The trailer for his latest, The Ides of March, seems to back that up.  Ryan Gosling stars as a charismatic campaign staffer for Clooney's character, a presidential candidate with whom some very Obama-like imagery is associated.  Check out the first trailer and poster for what looks to be a solid political allegory with an incredible cast, including Gosling, Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, Evan Rachel Wood, and Max Minghella.

Right now, actor, writer, producer, and handsome man George Clooney is hard at work on The Ides of March, his first directorial feature since 2008's Leatherheads.  In the film, which Clooney adapted with writing partner Grant Heslov from the play Farragut North by Beau Willimon, Clooney plays a presidential candidate who becomes accustomed to moral compromise and unsavory deals on the campaign trail.  If you're wondering whether or not the film will feature any on-the-nose allusions to real-world political figures, a picture from the set, courtesy of E! (via Slashfilm), answers that question in no uncertain terms.

Hey, history buffs, it’s a trailer for a Lincoln-centric film that doesn’t involve vampire-slaying or Daniel Day Lewis.  Actually, Lincoln mostly just gets assassinated in Robert Redford’s courtroom drama The Conspirator.  Robin Wright Penn plays Mary Surratt, who was arrested following Lincoln’s assassination for conspiracy, as John Wilkes Booth and his cohorts plotted in her boarding house, and one of the conspirators was her son.  James McAvoy plays Frederick Aiken, Surratt’s lawyer in the ensuing military tribunal, and he comes to believe Surratt innocence.

Last Week we posted a trailer for Gucci's new television commercial/short film directed by comic artist/creator turned director Frank Miller (Sin City, The Spirit0, starring Evan Rachel Wood and Chris Evans, and featuring the music of Friendly Fires. The television spot has now premiered online and can be watched below. What do you think about this short?

Synopsis: “A white sports car screeches across a dystopian cityscape - a beautiful blonde at the wheel. Her blazing tires screech to a halt, and she steps out to survey her hunting ground. Savoring the night air she remembers: a night, a man, her choice… a perfume.”