Steven Soderbergh does indeed appear to be retiring from directing for the time being, but he's going out with Behind the Candelabra, a slice of decadent drama based on the real life relationship between Liberace and Scott Thorson.

HBO Films has rolled out an official trailer showing off Michael Douglas and Matt Damon as Mr. Showmanship and his lover in the telemovie, set to air on HBO this May 26th at 9pm/8pm Central.

Abraham Lincoln has never been more popular! In just under a year there have been five different films released about our 16th President including the multi Oscar-nominated Lincoln; directed by Steven Spielberg, the horror/comedy Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, as well as its low-budget knockoff Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies, the National Geographic Channel movie Killing Lincoln; narrated by Tom Hanks and based on the best selling book by Bill O’Reilly, and now Saving Lincoln, which opened in theaters on February 15th. 

Saving Lincoln tells the true story of the former President (Tom Amandes) and his bodyguard, U.S. Marshall Ward Hill Lamon (Lea Coco). The film was directed and co-writen by Salvador Litvak (When Do We Eat?), and is unique in that it was shot on a green screen stage using a new technique called CineCollage, which superimposes actual Civil War era photographs as the movie’s backdrop. In addition to Amandes and Lamon, the film also stars Bruce Davidson (X-Men), and actress Penelope Ann Miller as Mary Todd Lincoln. 

Miller’s career spans over twenty-five years and not only did she appear in last year’s Academy Award-winning film The Artist, the actress has also been featured in such popular movies as Adventures in Babysitting, Biloxi Blues, Big Top Pee-wee, Dead Bang, Kindergarten Cop, Chaplin, The Shadow, The Relic, and Along Came a Spider. But her real claim to fame is that she truly holds a special place in cinematic history as the only actress to ever star opposite the three greatest American actors ever to grace the big screen: Marlon Brando (The Freshman), Robert De Niro (Awakenings), and Al Pacino (Carlito’s Way).

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Penelope Ann Miller about her work on Saving Lincoln, as well as her experiences acting opposite the trifecta of cinematic greats. The veteran actress discussed her new film, why Hollywood is fascinated with Lincoln, what we can learn from his presidency, researching Mary Todd Lincoln’s life, the CineCollage technique, performing on a green screen stage, and what she learned from working with Brando, De Niro, and Pacino. 

HBO has unveiled the first official image from Behind the Candelabra, showing stars Michael Douglas and Matt Damon in character as Liberace and Scott Thorson.

Currently playing in theaters is the new biopic Hitchcock from director Sacha Gervasi (Anvil! The Story of Anvil), which is already earning early Oscar-buzz. The film stars Academy Award-winner Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs) in the title role as legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock, and fellow Academy Award-winner Helen Mirren (The Queen) as his wife and secret collaborator Alma Reville. In addition, the excellent cast of actors portraying real-life people also includes Scarlett Johansson (The Avengers) as Janet Leigh, Jessica Biel (Total Recall) as Vera Miles, Toni Collette (Jesus Henry Christ) as Peggy Robertson, Danny Huston (Stolen) as Whitfield Cook, Michael Stuhibarg (Lincoln) as Lew Wasserman, Kurtwood Smith (Robocop) as Geoffrey Shurlock, Richard Portnow (Law Abiding Citizen) as Barney Balaban, Ralph Macchio (The Karate Kid) as Joseph Stefano, Michael Wincott (The Crow) as Ed Gein, and James D'Arcy (Cloud Atlas) as Anthony Perkins. 

IAR's Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had a chance to sit down with Sacha Gervasi to talk about his work on Hitchcock. The director discussed his new film, the challenges of shooting it, the truth behind the making of Psycho, the real relationship between Alfred and Alma, the biopic's unusual structure, why Anthony Hopkins wanted to play the iconic director, his incredible performance, how Jamie Lee Curtis helped Scarlett Johansson prepare to play her mother, and Hitchcock's true relationship with his leading ladies. 

When the appropriately titled Steve Jobs biopic jOBS was in production, the world saw no small amount of unofficial photos from the set showing Ashton Kutcher as the late Jobs.  Now, though, the first official image from jOBS has emerged online, providing an up close look at the erstwhile Kelso of That 70's Show in character as the lateco-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple.

Actor James Spader has been entertaining film and television audiences with his impressive and offbeat style of acting for almost thirty years!

The actor first gained attention in the ‘80s for a string of roles in classic movies such as Pretty in Pink, Less Than Zero, and Wall Street, but it was his role in the groundbreaking Sex, Lies, and Videotape that made him a household name. Since then he has accumulated an impressive resume of film work that includes True Colors, Wolf, Stargate, Crash, 2 Days in the Valley, and Secretary, as well as winning an Emmy on TV for Boston Legal and a recent recurring role on The Office. During his illustrious career, Spader has worked with such legendary film directors as Oliver Stone, Steven Soderbergh, Mike Nichols, and David Cronenberg, but now the actor can add another iconic filmmaker to that impressive list … Steven Speilberg! After several years of working on television, Spader finally makes his triumphant return to the big screen in Lincoln, which opened in limited release on November 9th and opens wider on November 16th.

In the film, which is based on the novel Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by author Doris Kearns Goodwin, Spader plays Democratic Party operative William N. Bilboe who helped President Lincoln (brilliantly portrayed by Daniel Day Lewis) in abolishing slavery and saving the union. As the Civil War continues, Bilboe joins Secretary of State William Seward (David Strathaim), and fellow lobbyists Colonel Robert Latham (John Hawkes) and Richard Schell (Tim Blake Nelson) in assisting our 16th President to pass the Thirteenth Amendment. The movie is already a frontrunner in the Oscar race for Best Picture, as well as Best Director, and there has been talk of possible acting nominations for Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones … and even Spader himself.

I recently had the rare opportunity of sitting down with James Spader on the Disney lot to talk about his work on Lincoln. The eccentric actor discussed the new film, the correlation between the script and the novel it is based on, the research he did into the life of his character, discrepancies between the film and actual history, and what it was like working with Spielberg and Lewis on the epic project.

English actor James D’Arcy has been very busy recently with not one but two different movies currently in theaters and another high profile film opening before the end of the month. 

D’Arcy is probably best known to American audiences for his roles in such films as Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Exorcist: The Beginning, and W.E., which was directed by Madonna. Now, the actor can currently be seen playing four different roles in director Tom Tykwer and The Washowskis’ epic movie Cloud Atlas, as well as the new thriller In Their Skin, which also stars Selma Blair and opened in theaters on November 9th. Then, later this month, he can be seen portraying iconic Psycho actor Anthony Perkins in the highly anticipated biopic Hitchcock, which opens in theaters on November 23rd. 

In Their Skin marks Jeremy Power Regimbal’s directorial debut and stars Selma Blair and Joshua Close (who also wrote the screenplay) as Mary and Mark Hughes, a married couple dealing with the recent death of their young daughter. Along with their son they travel to a remote cottage for a brief vacation that is violently interrupted when a murderous family led by the homicidal Bobby (D’Arcy) and Jane (Rachel Miner) invade the house looking to steal the Hughes’ identity in search of the “perfect” life. 

I recently had a chance to speak with actor James D’Arcy about his work on In Their Skin, as well as Hitchcock. The talented actor discussed In Their Skin, its dark tone, preparing emotionally for the role, acting opposite the film’s screenwriter, working with a first time director, Hitchcock, Anthony Hopkins performance as the legendary director, and how D’Arcy prepared to play actor Anthony Perkins.

Though he's best known as the author who created mega-lothario and hyper-capable spy James Bond, the subject of the longest-running film franchise in history, Ian Fleming also lived quite a fascinating life.  The journalist and novelist whose most famous creation lives on in this year's Skyfall could ably support his own movie, particularly one involving his exploits during World War II.  And it seems the late Ian Fleming will finally be getting that movie, with a terrific director to boot.

Two years ago, an Aaron Sorkin won an Oscar for his The Social Network screenplay and the film that was initially and eye-rollingly dismissed by the majority of folks as "The Facebook Movie."  So in putting together a serious, classy film based on the life of the late Apple co-founder and Patron Saint of Personal Electronics Steve Jobs, Sony Pictures wisely sought to reunite with Sorkin. 

As an absurdly wealthy eighty-five year old man constantly flanked by generically gorgeous women less than a quarter of his age, Hugh Hefner is obviously the sort of American success story that deserves a biographical movie.  Not only can the guy rock a smoking jacket and a pipe anywhere without being mocked, but he's been a huge part of popular culture, publishing, and changing attitudes about sexuality.  All of those elements would no doubt be included in biopic Playboy, which may now be a bit closer to actually becoming a movie.  Also, lots of mammaries; you can't have a Hefner biopic without boobs.