With dozens of fantastic films coming out in the next four months, I thought I'd walk you through my list. I put a list like this together every fall and I always find it interesting in December to go back over it and see which ones were critical disasters, which ones surpassed my already high expectations, and which ones I was stupid enough to leave off the list.
So without further adieu, I give you the list. And if my silly little homemade descriptions don't spark your interest, feel free to click on the movie titles for something a tad more visually stimulating.
SEPTEMBER 7TH
3:10 to Yuma
The Western is finally making a comeback on the big screen and being a huge fan of the genre, I've very excited. This one stars Russell Crowe and Christian Bale (stop there, right?) and is directed by the enormously talented James Mangold who gave us Walk the Line
Shoot 'Em Up
Okay so Shoot 'Em Up seems a bit like those blockbuster action pics I was referring to earlier when I was insulting summer movie fare. But this one's got Clive Owen running from a gun-crazy Paul Giamatti all while protecting a newborn baby! Whenever you can put "gun-crazy" and "newborn baby" in the same sentence while describing a film, it's worth checking out.
SEPTEMBER 14TH
The Brave One
I love Jodie Foster. I especially love Jodie Foster as the strong yet totally fucked up and misunderstood anti-hero. Here she plays a woman who is nearly beaten to death in Central Park and consequently begins to gun down all the bad guys who cross her path. Terrence Howard co-stars as the detective on her case. Terrence Howard could co-star in anything and I'd be first in line at the theater.
December Boys
Daniel Radcliffe loses his onscreen virginity. Nuff said.
In the Valley of Elah
In the Valley of Elah, directed by the amazing Paul Haggis, is about a soldier who disappears after returning from a tour in Iraq. Tommy Lee Jones and Susan Sarandon play the soldier's parents and Charlize Theron plays the police detective investigating the case. If this film is even half as moving and thought-provoking as Haggis' Crash, I'm sure I will enjoy it immensely.
SEPTEMBER 21ST
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Okay I've been waiting for this movie FOREVER. It's a Western, it's about one of my ancestors, and it's got Sam Rockwell in it. Now I've just gotta hope the Brad Pitt who did Twelve Monkeys and Babel shows up and not the Brad Pitt from Se7en and The Mexican.
The Jane Austen Book Club
So apparently Becoming Jane was a bit of a letdown among the critics which might indicate that people are growing tired of all things Jane Austen. But I'm pretty sure there are no waltzes or horse-drawn carriage in this one. It follows six people in modern-day Sacramento who start a club to discuss the works of Jane Austen, and soon find their relationships starting to resemble 21st century versions of her novels.
SEPTEMBER 28TH
Lust, Caution
Ang Lee's first Chinese language film in six years, Lust, Caution is a story about an affair between a young woman and a powerful political figure set in Japanese-occupied Shanghai during World War II. Judging from the trailer, the cinematography of this film looks absolutely breathtaking, and judging from Ang Lee's track record, I suspect it will be a strong contender come Oscar time.
The Darjeeling Limited (ltd. release)
A Wes Anderson film starring Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, and Adrien Brody is as good as it gets, people. And if you're one of those unfortunate souls who doesn't "get" Wes Anderson, well, go anyway. You don't want to miss out on what will probably be another fantastic performance by Adrien Brody.
OCTOBER 5TH
Grace is Gone
John Cusack is without a doubt one of my favorite actors ever. And while I love his wit-soaked, dialogue-heavy performances, I'm really looking forward to Grace is Gone as it is one of the few times Cusack is understated and restrained. He plays a father of two who struggles with telling his two daughters that their mother has died in Iraq. Even though I have yet to see the film, I hope that it calls some serious attention to John Cusack who's been under the radar for a long time.
Michael Clayton
So what is Michael Clayton about? I have absolutely no idea. It's a political thriller starring George Clooney. That's really all I need to know. But I decided to do a little more research about it and in doing so discovered that the film also happens to be written and directed by Tony Gilroy, one of the writers of the three Bourne screenplays. Now if that's not a recipe for one kick-ass movie, I don't know what is.
OCTOBER 12TH
Dan in Real Life
Never in a million years would I have imagined Steve Carell, Dane Cook, and Juliette Binoche in the same film. But I watched the trailer and I'm very intrigued. I'm hoping that Steve Carell gives a similar performance to the absolutely stellar one he gave in Little Miss Sunshine and it'd be awesome if Dane Cook could take it down a notch. The film's got a great writer and director, I just hope it doesn't turn out to be The Family Stone: Part II.
We Own the Night
Gangsters? 1980s New York? A club owner torn between the mafia and his brother and father who both happen to be cops? Okay this would have to have the worst script of all time for me NOT to enjoy it. And did I mention the brothers are played by Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg?
OCTOBER 19TH
Gone Baby Gone
When I heard this was Ben Affleck's directorial debut, I was definitely skeptical. But the more I've seen/read about it, the more interested I become. The guy did win an Oscar for screenwriting...maybe he's got director's chops as well? Maybe, just maybe the guy belongs behind the screen. Well this one stars his bro, Casey Affleck, as a private investigator searching for a 4-year old girl who's been kidnapped.
Rendition
This political drama about a pregnant Midwestern woman who discovers that her Egyptian husband is being secretly held by the U.S. government, may just prove that Reese Witherspoon is not just the next Julia Roberts...but maybe the next Nicole Kidman as well. I've always been a fan of hers and after her performance in Walk the Line, I knew she was destined for bigger and better things. And if you're of that camp who just can't get on board with Reese, the film also stars Jake Gylenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Meryl Streep and Alan Arkin. The cast alone is reason enough to check this one out.
NOVEMBER 2ND
American Gangster
I saw the trailer for this movie before The Bourne Ultimatum and I flipped the fuck out. I'm a sucker for gangster movies and this one's got Denzel and Russell. There's absolutely no way it can suck. Next to The Darjeeling Limited, it's the film I'm looking forward to the most.
NOVEMBER 9TH
No Country for Old Men
Joel and Ethan Coen are masters of the road movie and I have a feeling that their latest effort, No Country for Old Men, is no exception. It appears to be a throwback to the Coen brothers' earlier works which might please some old school fans but leave the rest disappointed. I'm personally intrigued by the unconventional casting of Javier Bardem as the killer. If the trailer is any indication, I think he's definitely got a shot at another Oscar nod.
NOVEMBER 16TH
Margot at the Wedding
I really enjoyed The Squid and the Whale and loved The Life Aquatic so I'm thinking this one, the latest from writer/director Noah Baumbach, will be right up my alley. Nicole Kidman plays Margot who, after hearing of her sister Pauline's engagement, goes to visit her. Pauline, played by Baumback's off screen wife, Jennifer Jason Leigh, is about to marry the somewhat questionable Malcolm, played by Jack Black, and Margot intends on convincing her otherwise. I love quirky family dramas and I think Nicole Kidman's best work has come from independent films so I have high hopes for this one.
NOVEMBER 30TH
Cassandra's Dream
It's good to see Woody Allen back in Match Point territory. I think he's got a real knack for showing the dark side of adult relationships. Cassandra's Dream stars Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell as two brothers who meet a woman who claims she can help them with their financial woes. When one of them falls for her, things begin to fall apart and a bitter rivalry begins to grow between them.
DECEMBER 7TH
Leatherheads
Okay I love any movie set in the 1920s. And I love any movie with George Clooney, John Krasinski, and Renee Zellweger. This one is also directed by Clooney whose filmmaking skills and vision I'm really becoming a fan of. I think he's got a great eye for capturing the period of his films as he clearly showcased with Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Good Night and Good Luck. I like that he also knows comedy and is able to infuse just the right amount at the right time despite the serious subject matter he often tackles. Leatherheads is his first attempt at a romantic dramedy and I think his talent as a director along with a fantastic cast behind him will make this one a great choice for the holiday season.
DECEMBER 14TH
I Am Legend
As a fan of The Twilight Zone, I'm ALL over this movie. Will Smith plays Robert Neville, the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and maybe the world after a mysterious plague takes out the human race. Somehow immune, Neville spends his time trying desperately to find any other survivors who might be out there while, unbeknownst to him, mutant victims of the plague lurk in the shadows. Sort of a Castaway meets 28 Days Later kinda thing. Let's hope Will Smith can carry a film like Tom Hanks because it looks like he'll probably have a lot of screen time.
DECEMBER 21ST
Sweeney Todd
I don't think it gets any weirder or more intriguing than a horror-musical directed by Tim Burton starring Johnny Deep and Sacha Baron Cohen. If you're not familiar with Sweeney Todd, the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, well prepare yourself because this is a far cry from Dreamgirls and Hairspray. Sweeney Todd is the story of Benjamin Barker aka "Sweeney Todd" who sets up a barber shop down in London and forms a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, a human-pie maker, Mrs. Lovett. I'm excited about this film on so many levels. A Tim Burton musical for adults? Sacha Baron Cohen NOT playing Borat? Johnny Depp doing, well, anything? Should be all kinds of fun.
DECEMBER 26TH
There Will Be Blood
Paul Thomas Anderson hasn't made a feature film in five years. Hard to believe, right? Well the hiatus seems to have affected him greatly because There Will Be Blood is quite a departure for PTA who gave us Boogie Nights and Magnolia. Based on a 1927 novel by Upton Sinclair, There Will Be Blood centers on Plainview, a silver miner turned oiler played by Daniel Day-Lewis. The film shows how the grueling business of gold-prospecting affects the relationship Plainview has with his young son. Daniel Day-Lewis can do no wrong in my book, and I'm expecting some killer cinematography as well.
Alrighty, kids, that about does 'er! I now must embark upon the arduous task of figuring out where to get the $150-$200 it's going to cost to see all these movies. If only I had a firstborn.
1 comment:
Wow, that's quite a synopsis. I feel ready for the fall season. if only I could get to even a quarter of the films. I'll just have to wait for reviews.
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