Leo. Scorcese. Haunting trailers. Hype and buildup heading into a potential late season release.  Everything was looking great for this movie…last year.  With a push back/delay on it’s release date ’til early this year, this strong picture put itself in the precarious position of being released two months too late for the ’09 Awards season (see my 2009 Film Rankings here), while at the same time being the first big event type film of the 2010 year, though it was not mentioned on this year’s Most Anticipated Films list due to the delay.  All of that mumbo-jumbo aside, Shutter Island lived up to its billing as must see entertainment for me but it will have people questioning whether they feel the same more so than many other movies released this year.

Leo's "Teddy" arrives at the gates of the prison.

Shutter Island is the name of the island US Marshals Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) see as the film opens to a haunting score with their ship approaching the island where the criminally insane are held in prison.  Mass murderers, rapists, criminals of the worst kind are held here for various reasons.  Once you get on the island, the only way out is by ferry.  Think San Francisco’s Alcatraz but more remote and intimidating.  And trust me, Alcatraz is intimidating, I’ve been there and don’t wish to go back.  When the Marshals dock, they give up their guns and thus begins a wicked unspooling of events where they are investigating a missing person.  This potentially dangerous escapee purportedly killed her children years ago and then as Ben Kingsley’s Dr. Cawley (the prison’s superintendent) advises, “it’s like she evaporated straight through the walls.”  Talk about mysterious, without the obvious giveaways found in the classic The Shawshank Redemption.

Throughout the film, Teddy gets deeper and deeper into his investigation and more clues are revealed which lead to more questions.  The entire prison – inmates, staff, cops, doctors – all seem to be involved in one way or another.  Teddy trusts no one, he even starts questioning his best friend Chuck, and is battling his own issues as well.  To tell too much more wouldn’t be prudent.  Various supporting turns are given by Michelle Williams as Teddy’s wife, Jackie Earle Haley (aka Freddy Krueger to be) as a crazy inmate (aren’t they all?), Patricia Clarkson (is she crazy or not?) and the eery Max von Sydow.

The film has various twists and turns but none more shocking than the ending one. This is sure to divide some audiences, but in my mind, if you like the Sixth Sense, then this will sit fine with you.  The film holds elements of David Fincher’s brilliant The Game and Scorcese’s own Cape Fear, along with the previously aforementioned ending.  It’s a cinematic entertainment that provides strong performances, good visuals, and thought provocation worthy of repeat viewings.  I’m eager to see this one again.

Just a regular inmate at "Shutter Island."

Shutter Island stayed with me for a few days after seeing it. That is not something that is easily done.  I do, however, think that the February release date change could hurt it’s awards season chances.  A few days is one thing but nearly a full calendar year is another.  Even having this release in late August would have been beneficial to this date.  But that doesn’t detract from the quality of this film.  If you like Leo, or Scorcese, or thriller films, or any combination thereof – this really is can’t miss entertainment for you.  Highly recommended.

A guy who is definitely everywhere nowadays has found his name in one more place. This time, it’s at the top of the list of potential actors to play villain Sinestro in the Ryan Reynolds-starring Green Lantern film.

Ain’t It Cool News broke the story, which was provided by an anonymous scooper who apparently works on the film. Nothing has been signed or announced as of yet, and according to a video interview with Haley, conducted by Collider, he has no knowledge of such things, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it won’t happen.

I can readily admit to knowing zero about Green Lantern, except that he wears a ring. That means I know even less about Sinestro, but here’s some information for you: “Sinestro wields a yellow power ring that has powers comparable to that of a Green Lantern’s ring (creation of yellow constructs, space flight, etc.). Built on Qward, it is powered by the emotional energy of fear, and its wielder must be an expert in inspiring and manipulating fear to use it.” What I do know is Jackie Earle Haley is awesome. He was absolutely deserving of a Best Supporting Actor Oscar as Ronnie in Little Children (which he lost to Alan Arkin for Little Miss Sunshine), his Rorschach stole the show in Watchmen, he’s part of a great cast in Shutter Island and he’s the only reason I want to see the A Nightmare on Elm Street remake. If he gets cast here, it’s safe to say I’ll be on board for this film, too. What do you think of Haley as Sinestro?

UPDATE: This film has been pushed back to February 19th, 2010.

Like Sergio Leone with westerns or Alfred Hitchcock with thrillers, Martin Scorsese has become synonymous with the crime genre. Such movies like Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Casino and The Departed have easily become the most movies of the genre.  However, it’s unfair to simply label Scorsese with crime movies when he has a proven track record of doing other things like dramas (The Aviator), documentaries (The Last Waltz) and historical epics (Gangs of New York). Easily his best non-crime movie would be Raging Bull, sometimes considered his best overall. I’m glad to see Scorsese change it up yet again, with a thriller called Shutter Island, his first thriller since the remake of Cape Fear in 1991. It actually even borders the horror genre, which would be a first for Scorsese. Shutter Island stars Leonardo DiCaprio making it the fourth time they’ve worked together (like DeNiro before), the others being, Gangs of New York, The Aviator and The Departed. Shutter Island was adapted from a book of the same name, written by Dennis Lehane in 2003.  Lehane’s other work includes the adapted Gone Baby Gone and Mystic River as well as having been a writer for HBOs great “The Wire.”

Ashes, ashes, we all fall DOWN.

Set in 1954, DiCaprio plays Teddy Daniels, a U.S. marshal investigating the vanishing of a patient from a mental hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island, much like Alcatraz.  Joining him is his partner, U.S. marshal Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo, Zodiac). They are looking for an escaped patient named Rachel Soldano (Emily Mortimer, Match Point), who just disappeared a mere 24 hours after they got there.  Helping with the investigation is Dr. John Cawley, (Ben Kingsley, Sexy Beast) the hospital’s administrator and main physician. While searching for Rachel, they get suspicious of what Dr. Cawley is telling them and soon question his story. Before they can start a truthful investigation, the island is struck by a hurricane, which traps the marshals and a cell riot ensues. They now have to deal with their own sanity amongst the insane and find the real truth behind Shutter Island.

The movie will also co-star Michelle Williams (Synecdoche,  New York), Max Von Sydow (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen), Patricia Clarkson (Pieces of April), Elias Koteas (Shooter) and the Zodiac killer himself, John Carroll Lynch (Zodiac). Martin Scorsese (obviously) directs Shutter Island and works from the adapted screenplay written by Laeta Kalogridis (Pathfinder).

"The better to shoot inmates with, my dear."

This looks sweet and you can count on me seeing it. Scorsese is a legend and is still one the best directors going. I’ll probably enjoy this a little more than normal because it brings the horror element into it. Since his last movie, The Departed, was such a commercial success, I think this should do well having Scorsese’s name on it. Plus, the horror/thriller genre has always been popular with audiences. Lock me down, because I’m ready to visit Shutter Island.

Shutter Island opens October 2^nd.

It’s time for some of our good friends of the world of film news, rumor and innuendo, to join us this week. Concrete statements and absolute truths and few are far between today, so we thought we’d catch you up on the latest quasi-news for the past week. Some, you’ll undoubtely enjoy more than others, but we’re bringing them here to you in one sloppy mess. Lap it up.

Apparently a script is being written where two vastly different worlds would collide. That of Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand. The story is currently entitled Mother’s Curse and is a road-comedy of sorts. I assume we should think Harold & Kumar-esque. Sounds weird, but that’s the talk as of now. [Hit Fix]

Jessica Biel is rumored to be in talks to star in the upcoming Marvel Comics adapation of Thor, opposite Chris Hemsworth. There are a few possibilities as to which character she would play. One is Thor’s girlfriend (always a stretch), Sif, an Asgardian warrior, or The Enchantress, who assists Thor’s nemisis, Loki. [Nuke The Fridge]

Even though I told you it was rumor day, I hesitate to post such a preposterous story, but supposedly Heath Ledger tried to sabotage The Dark Knight by overacting. Absurd, I know. Don’t hate me. Hate along with me. The story claims to be taken from “Vanity Fair” and allegedly quotes Ledger’s agent. I call BS and so can you. I’m sure it was a matter of miscommunication as the “VF” article doesn’t actually quote the agent, but rather paraphrases him. [Worst Previews]

See Sam Jackson explain why his character, Nick Fury, doesn’t appear in Iron Man 2. Read my explanation of why I’m not in Iron Man 2 – I don’t act. [MTV Splashpage]

Jackie Earle Haley, awesome in anything he does, informed [Bloody Disgusting] that he’s signed on for three A Nightmare on Elm Street films as Freddy Krueger. That’s two more after the one that just finished shooting. Haley, combined with Patrick Wilson, Kate Winslet and Jennifer Connelly for Little Children made for an acting powerhouse.

Bill Nighy, awesome in the BBC miniseries “State of Play,” will have a role in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. After seeing the trailer for …and the Half-Blood Prince in IMAX last weekend, I was amazed, but still won’t see it. [The Leaky Cauldron]

The homeboy Leo Spitz, played by Ramon Rodriguez, such a worthless character I didn’t mention him in my review, from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen may have a bigger role in film number three. Would you have cared for him more or less if he was played by Jonah Hill as originally offered? [Hero Complex]

Disney’s return to 2-D animation after being resurrected by John Lassetter, The Princess and the Frog, has a few featurettes on the making of the film for your perusal. [Latino Review]

Finally, here’s nine seconds of video for you of Spike Jonze working on VFX for Where the Wild Things Are. Please note after viewing the video that I told you it was only nine seconds long. [Mark Romanke's Posterous]