Rabbit Hole takes on one of the oldest artistic subjects – a family’s struggle to find some way of moving on from a devastating death. Yet, as adapted by David Lindsay-Abaire from his own Pulitzer Prize-winning play, the film avoids the overt sentimentalizing and easy stabs at the tear ducts –what one might deem “grief porn” – that have wrecked so many of its predecessors. Instead, director John Cameron Mitchell has assembled an affecting, well-acted portrait of a couple stuck in stasis, trying to reclaim normalcy where there is none to be had. The Hedwig and the Angry Inch creator demonstrates an eye for the intricacies of a strained relationship, the complex psychological burden of the lingering, pervasive specter of a terrible loss and the eerie quality of a home once occupied by a child, now hauntingly quieted.

There are a lot of explosions in this trailer. It seems like most of the movie is going to be viewed from behind the cloud of powered concrete where a highway pylon used to be. That’s a good thing. There’s a blending here of antique footage and a CGI update on Independence Day. It seems a little striking that there’s no dialog or acting moments in the marketing here, but it’s also difficult to think of Aaron Eckhart giving a bad performance. Thanks go out to the marketing team for Space Invaders: Battle: Los Angeles for warning us to get out of the city ahead of time. I’ve already done my part by leaving way back in 2007. The signs were all there, people. [Apple]

Looks pretty freaking badass doesn’t it? Like the best parts of Independence Day minus all the schmaltz.

The obvious next step for a man who directed the story of a dangerous mountain climbing competition is to get Aaron Eckhart, put him in the CIA, retire him from the CIA, and then let the adventure of people trying to kill him commence. The story for The Expatriate doesn’t sound particularly novel. It involves Eckhart’s character straining a relationship with a teenage daughter, and the pair of them running from organized people who definitely want to put a bullet in them. This, of course, all happens in Belgium. Generic nature aside, Eckhart is a solid talent, and if they cast a young up-and-comer who can steal a few scenes from him, we’re looking at a Taken-style flick with a bit more drama and a lot less duck-running. Director Philipp Stolzl has already proven his skills, so this could be one to watch out for. [Deadline Santa Monica]

It might be a good idea to pop some Zoloft before diving into the emotional trailer for Rabbit Hole. The film, starring Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart and the always incredible Dianne Wiest, caught some great reviews coming out of TIFF, and it will see a major release on December 17th (just in time for award consideration). It’s a rare thing that a trailer causes such a strong emotional response, although any story about a couple losing a young child to tragedy has the potential for it. Hopefully, the movie will live up to the hype, and this bit of marketing, and deliver something even stronger. What do you think? It might make you full on cry in HD.

Going into Comic-Con I knew very little about Battle: Los Angeles. That seemed to be the case for many last weekend in Hall H where they showed a brief amount of footage from the film. Apparently, it was well received. The idea of a war combat film with aliens thrown into the mix is going to get any nerd’s heart racing. Many have been drawing comparisons to District 9, but that’s not entirely fair or logical. District 9 didn’t really stick to its opening documentary style. Battle: Los Angeles may very well do just that. Also, when has there every been a straight, flat out war movie with Aliens involved? Unless I’m wrong, there hasn’t been. That’s why despite not having seen a lick of footage I’m excited for Battle: Los Angeles. It’s got a unique concept and director Jonathan Liebesman pitches it well. The idea of Aaron Eckhart leading a big-budgeted action film also makes me even more hopeful. It’s definitely got potential. Lets just hope it lives up to the wild range of possibilities. Here’s what director Jonathan Liebesman had to say about Battle: Los Angeles:

One of the many films that Oscar watchers have been talking about may not see the light of day until next year. Rum Diary for a while now has been pegged as a film with Oscar chances written all over it, but even if it lives up to what plenty are saying, don’t expect to see it during next year’s Oscar broadcast considering it might not be released until 2011. That’s what Aaron Eckhart told me and here’s one of the possible reasons why: Depp is off shooting Pirates 4 and that renders him unavailable to do press. Eckhart sounded pretty unsure about the release date, and he had this to say:

At the press conference for Battle: Los Angeles I had one goal in mind: to ask Aaron Eckhart, “When are we going to see In The Company of Men 2?” Yes, obviously it was a completely joking question. If you’ve seen In The Company of Men then you most likely know it’s not exactly something you’d think of having sequel potential. Eckhart and director Neil Labute disagree.

Studios have been afraid for too long. It’s time to put Palahniuk’s long, strange trip into the heart of American commercialism and religion on the big screen.

Shockingly, Love Happens is a cliche-ridden, tepid romantic comedy featuring not-at-all convincing characters.

The Fat Guys take a look at Jennifer’s Body even though Fox (that’d be the studio, not the actress) didn’t screen it for them. They also chew on Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, help Matt Damon squeal in The Informant! and avoid Love Happens like the plague.

When a self-help author arrives in Seattle to teach a sold-out seminar, he unexpectedly meets the one person who might finally be able to help him help himself.

Either that, or they might star together in a film where a married couple lose a young child. But would you seriously check out a headline like that?

Johnny Depp looks slick in this first image from the set of “The Rum Diary,” his return to the wild and wonderful world of Hunter S. Thompson.

Amber Heard confirms she’ll be appearing nude in The Rum Diary, and less than a week later, Aaron Eckhart and Richard Jenkins sign up. Coincidence?

We know it’s a bit better than unfounded Angelina rumors, but are we really still going this crazy? Really? We’re really doing this?

Media website Newsarama has asked their readership who they’d like to see play Captain America in the Joe Johnston film set for release in 2011. And while their choice is interesting, we’d like to see who you would pick…

Over the past few months the internet has been spinning ’round and ’round about what Christopher Nolan may or may not do with his next Batman film. Today, we get some news about one character that isn’t coming back.

With Comic-Con over and done, we want to take a moment to pause and look back, at the year so far. We do this in a format that we like to call “Ten Things We Liked, 5 Things We Didn’t.”

It appears that fans might be a little interested in seeing Christopher Nolan’s Batman franchise go further. At least, that is what we can assume. But in order to do that, they would need a villain, would they not. Take a spoiler-filled ride into a discussion about Two-Face’s prospects for a third film.