On one hand, I have mixed feelings about the upcoming fall releases. We had a very strong summer when it came to female-centric films, between Bridesmaids and The Help. So it's a little disappointing to look at the fall offerings and wonder - where are the ladies?
That said, there are films with huge potential coming up, especially since Oscar-bait films have begun to roll out earlier in the last few years. Beginning with...
Drive - September 16
To say that Drive is "buzzy" is...so much of an understatement I can't think of a good metaphor. It's been compared to The Godfather, early reviews are glowy, and it found much film festival love at the Venice and TFF festivals.
It has cars that go fast, so it's kind of automatically in watch-list, but the critical acclaim and solid cast doesn't hurt, either.
Moneyball - September 23
Brad Pitt's role in Moneyball has been called Redford-esque, and my guess that it's the role just as much as the floppy hair. With the screenplay by Stephen Zaillian (Schindler's List, Searching for Bobby Fisher) and Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network, The American President) and a strong cast, the film should be good even if the A's have been tanking.
The Ides of March - October 7
Clooney! Gosling! Giamatti! Seymour-Hoffman! Tomei! Wood!
That's pretty much all I have to say.
The Three Musketeers - October 21
I want this to be campy costume fun, in the A Knight's Tale, Clash of the Titans, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl tradition, and since there are ninjas (in, um *cough* France) in the trailer, it looks like the camp as well as the costume are fully accounted for. Actually, the ninjas bring to mind Brotherhood of the Wolf, that well-made French Canadian genre mash-up that brought werewolves and ninjas to France...same ninjas? Difficult to say. But there's a coming apocalypse in the French court (I hate when that happens), so we'll see how goes. The cast features several of my favorite import actors - Mads Mikkelsen, Christoph Waltz, and Matthew MacFadyen, as well as Milla Jovovich having Fun With Wires and Swords. As a Summit release, this movie has been paid for by the Twilight foundation. We'll find out in October if Summit can find success with a film that doesn't involve Perpetually Shirtless Young Men.
The Descendants - November 18
The "other" Clooney film, this one helmed by Sideways guy Alexander Payne. Will probably pick up an Original Screenplay nomination come January. The trailer looks a little aimless, but when it comes to picking scripts, George makes good calls. And Judy Greer makes an appearance, though her moments of utter brilliance may be behind us.
Hugo - November 23
Heart keys, plucky children, funny dog cutaway shots, heartwarming adventure, brought to us by...Martin Scorcese? C'est vrai, and with its cineast references to French film and toymaker Georges Méliès, it really looks terrific.
The Muppets - November 23
Oh, Miss Piggy. It's been too long. I hope you and Amy Adams got along...
Quick Update: The Muppets camp just released this trailer spoof of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo trailer. It's awesome.
The Artist - November 23
Nostalgia is big business this year. After the uber-successful Midnight in Paris, we have another look back in time. This time it's the era of silent films, when screens (and the film stock) really were silver, toes tapped, and an actress could break hearts with the flutter of an eyelash. What I think has been discovered in the wake of Midnight is that, in our post-9/11 world, there is a market for well-made charm.
I have to say, The Artist is the film I'm most looking forward to. I grew up on the song-and-dance films of Hollywood's Golden Age, so The Artist takes me to a happy place. That said, I can't get over the scene in the trailer when the blond throws the newspaper at the dog. Seriously! The dog?
What are you looking forward to seeing this fall?
That said, there are films with huge potential coming up, especially since Oscar-bait films have begun to roll out earlier in the last few years. Beginning with...
Drive - September 16
To say that Drive is "buzzy" is...so much of an understatement I can't think of a good metaphor. It's been compared to The Godfather, early reviews are glowy, and it found much film festival love at the Venice and TFF festivals.
It has cars that go fast, so it's kind of automatically in watch-list, but the critical acclaim and solid cast doesn't hurt, either.
Moneyball - September 23
Brad Pitt's role in Moneyball has been called Redford-esque, and my guess that it's the role just as much as the floppy hair. With the screenplay by Stephen Zaillian (Schindler's List, Searching for Bobby Fisher) and Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network, The American President) and a strong cast, the film should be good even if the A's have been tanking.
The Ides of March - October 7
Clooney! Gosling! Giamatti! Seymour-Hoffman! Tomei! Wood!
That's pretty much all I have to say.
The Three Musketeers - October 21
I want this to be campy costume fun, in the A Knight's Tale, Clash of the Titans, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl tradition, and since there are ninjas (in, um *cough* France) in the trailer, it looks like the camp as well as the costume are fully accounted for. Actually, the ninjas bring to mind Brotherhood of the Wolf, that well-made French Canadian genre mash-up that brought werewolves and ninjas to France...same ninjas? Difficult to say. But there's a coming apocalypse in the French court (I hate when that happens), so we'll see how goes. The cast features several of my favorite import actors - Mads Mikkelsen, Christoph Waltz, and Matthew MacFadyen, as well as Milla Jovovich having Fun With Wires and Swords. As a Summit release, this movie has been paid for by the Twilight foundation. We'll find out in October if Summit can find success with a film that doesn't involve Perpetually Shirtless Young Men.
The Descendants - November 18
The "other" Clooney film, this one helmed by Sideways guy Alexander Payne. Will probably pick up an Original Screenplay nomination come January. The trailer looks a little aimless, but when it comes to picking scripts, George makes good calls. And Judy Greer makes an appearance, though her moments of utter brilliance may be behind us.
Hugo - November 23
Heart keys, plucky children, funny dog cutaway shots, heartwarming adventure, brought to us by...Martin Scorcese? C'est vrai, and with its cineast references to French film and toymaker Georges Méliès, it really looks terrific.
The Muppets - November 23
Oh, Miss Piggy. It's been too long. I hope you and Amy Adams got along...
Quick Update: The Muppets camp just released this trailer spoof of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo trailer. It's awesome.
The Artist - November 23
Nostalgia is big business this year. After the uber-successful Midnight in Paris, we have another look back in time. This time it's the era of silent films, when screens (and the film stock) really were silver, toes tapped, and an actress could break hearts with the flutter of an eyelash. What I think has been discovered in the wake of Midnight is that, in our post-9/11 world, there is a market for well-made charm.
I have to say, The Artist is the film I'm most looking forward to. I grew up on the song-and-dance films of Hollywood's Golden Age, so The Artist takes me to a happy place. That said, I can't get over the scene in the trailer when the blond throws the newspaper at the dog. Seriously! The dog?
What are you looking forward to seeing this fall?
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