Cinematographer of many a short film, Óskar Thór Axelsson, is making his feature directing debut with a Stefán Máni novel. Black’s Game focuses on the evolution of the 1990s Reykjavik underworld from a tepid endeavor to a stirringly violent one. At the center is a gang (based on no gang in particular) of drug dealers who aggressively fight for control of the trade. From the look of the trailer, things are about to get ugly. Check it out for yourself (now with convenient English subtitles!):

Why Watch? Will you sink back and be safe or step forward and put yourself at risk? This thoughtful, difficult short is a cinematic litmus test that can’t help but produce questions. In it, a young man boards a subway train headed for Brooklyn late at night and faces some primal choices. Well-shot with a dangerous view, you’ll find yourself riding in the same seat. What does it cost? Just 6 minutes of your time. Check out Train for yourself:

Talk about non-traditional casting. According to Variety, Ray Liotta is going to play a corrupt cop in A Place Beyond the Pines. Can you even imagine it? Can you even wrap your mind tightly enough around the concept of Liotta being, not only a police officer, but one that’s not totally above board in order to envision how it might play out? Neither can I. Sarcasm aside, even if it is the most obvious kind of typecasting, Derek Cianfrance has got a ton of skill and a lot of talent lined up for his movie that sees Ryan Gosling as a motor cycle racer/bank robber being chased down by Bradley Cooper with a badge. Who better than Liotta to bring a sense of gravitas to a very necessary and particular role? At any rate, it proves the old saying about the corrupt cop character: If you build it, he will come.

Director Andrew Dominik proved with The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford that he could create an intensely beautiful film with an insanely long title. He also proved that he could handle a large cast of formidable talent. Fortunately for fans, he’ll get another chance to wrangle a murder of talent. Not only will Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck be starring in Dominik’s forthcoming Cogan’s Trade – a film about comedy and crime in Boston (the only city in the United States with crime) – but Sam Rockwell, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Zoe Saldana, Bill Murray, and Mark Ruffalo are also possible to come on board. If they do, Andrew Dominik will have single-handedly kept the great actors of Hollywood busy and unable to appear in anyone else’s films next year. Well played, sir. The film is set to shoot in Louisiana in March, and it creates another reason to be excited for 2012. [Cinema Blend]

I remain cautiously optimistic about Animal Kingdom, the blessed child of Cannes that’s gotten intensely high praise. It’s the story of a young man caught between a crime family and the long helpful arm of the law that’s intending to get him out before he’s pulled back in. Unfortunately for it, its premise, praise and promise of violent drama make it sound far too much like The Square which turned out to be more boring than riveting. Joel Edgerton’s involvement here doesn’t help the cause either.

With Neil at Sundance, I decide to take my own personal trip by remembering a Sundance film from a few years back that deserves more recognition.

Michael Mann’s latest is a worthy inductee into the gangster genre, combining a familiar story and great performances with a refreshingly new stylistic approach.

Kate Beckinsale is in a new movie, and the trailer would rather talk about how cold Antarctica is than show shots of her breathing or standing around looking sexy or anything like that. Because learning is fun! Oh, and there’s a murder!

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 is basically Deja Vu 2: Pelham 1 2 3, but that’s not such a bad thing.

Ernest Hemingway’s famous short story The Killers is a cynical prelude to an unavoidable murder and has inspired two feature films since its first publication. The 1946 old ass version was directed by Robert Siodmak in typical film-noir style and was Burt Lancaster’s film debut.

While everyone is busy lambasting Righteous Kill, head to your favorite video spot and rent Michael Mann’s amazing Heat this weekend. You won’t miss going to the theater if you do.

Every Sunday, Film School Rejects presents a film that was made before you were born and tells you why you should like it. This Week, Old Ass Movies Presents: Los Olvidados.

Things keep looking up for William Monahan. After exploding onto the scene with Kingdom of Heaven he followed it up by winning an Oscar with his The Departed script. Since then, he’s nabbed screenplay and writing credits for Ridley Scott’s Body of Lies, the upcoming Jurrasic Park IV, and now he’s set his sights on the director’s chair with his adaptation of the Ken Bruen novel “London Boulevard”.