Rains DVD (Sept) / Pride and Glory (Oct)

Before the Rains

The Edinburgh International Film Festival ends today, but not before Rains is (interestingly) shown again at 2pm this afternoon. The picture of Mr Roache and Mr Sivan to your right is one of five taken on the red carpet on June 19.

The film festival rounds are not finished yet however. Cineasie report that Before the Rains will be appearing at the 29th Durban International Film Festival (another DIFF!) in South Africa, from July 29 to August 3.

HiDefDvd.com meanwhile are allowing pre-orders of the film on DVD which will be released September 16. Alternatively see Amazon (incidentally another place where you can download the aforementioned soundtrack).

Reviews-wise today:

It's three stars from Robert W. Butler of the Kansas City Star:

[...] [An] often compelling look at life in the waning days of the Raj. ... Before the Rains isn’t in the same league as Sivan’s earlier film, 1999’s “The Terrorist,” ... This time around the political subtext is far from subtle. But it’s well-acted and beautifully photographed while nicely capturing the extremes of life in a colonial atmosphere. [...]

A more disappointed Rob Thomas of The Capital Times gives a considered 2.5 whilst acknowledging the film's plus points:

[...] As we see them rolling around and groping in the "sacred grove," it all seems a little overwrought, possibly because the film starts when they're already well into their affair, rather than showing it build in intensity. [...]

But:

[...] The scenery is flat-out spectacular, and Sivan...is very skilled at giving the viewer the sense that this really is a world, not just a series of pretty postcards. The performances are also strong... [...]

For more thoughts see Bill Thompson of The Post and Courier.

Pride and Glory

It's excellent news on the Pride and Glory front - after previously being pushed back, the film has now been brought forward. As Jeffrey Wells from Hollywood Elsewhere explains:

[...] Gavin O'Connor's Pride and Glory is finally out of the distribution woods. Former New Line honcho Bob Shaye's decision early this year to bump this exceptional New York cop film into '09 is now null and void with Warner Bros. having just slotted a 10.24.08 release. [...]

He adds, 'it's an exceptional film ... and never should have been bumped in the first place.' See also the Hollywood Stock Exchange and Coming Soon. There is also substantiation from cast member Jon Voight (see Collider). The film's official site have yet to emblazon the new date in big numbers, as do IMDb.

Rosemary Harris

• An interview by PopSugar this week with Courteney Cox Arquette and her husband, included the following:

[...] On what's coming next: Courteney: "I just directed a short with Laura Dern and Rosemary Harris for Glamour magazine."David: "It's beautiful, it's incredible —" [...]

There are no clues yet as to what this might be, but we will of course let you know if we find out.

• Meanwhile, Mark Orton of the Otago Daily Times praises last year's Before the Devil Knows You're Dead:

[...] [The film] is pretty much as good as modern cinema gets. [It] is a dark brooding meditation on relationships, delivered to excellence by some heavyweight talent. Not quite perfect, but not far from it. [...]