Apple debuts what Warner Brothers is hoping is 2009’s Best Picture.
At the age of 79, there’s no rest for Clint Eastwood. He cranked out two pictures in 2006, another two in 2008, and now with Invictus (formerly titled The Human Factor), he has film that is likely to get Oscar consideration. Morgan Freeman stars as Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon (who can also be seen in the trailer for Paul Greengrass’ Green Zone) as rugby player Francois Pienaar. Hard to judge a film on the trailer alone, but considering that the Academy is high on actors portraying real people, Morgan Freeman should easily get a nomination, right? And the Academy just loves Clint as a director. Check out the Invictus trailer and judge for yourself.
Newly elected President Mandela knows his nation remains racially and economically divided in the wake of apartheid. Believing he can bring his people together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallies South Africa’s underdog rugby team as they make an unlikely run to the 1995 World Cup Championship match.
Invictus is directed by the venerable Clint Eastwood, who has a number of great films to his credit (Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby, Letters from Iwo Jima). The screenplay was written by Anthony Peckham (Sherlock Holmes) and is based on John Carlin’s book “Playing the Enemy”. Invictus arrives in theaters on December 11, 2009.