December 2nd
Before Tomorrow
NYT: What life was like in the Arctic wilderness of the mid-19th century, seen through the eyes of an Inuit boy and his grandmother. Marie-Hélène Cousineau and Madeline Piujuq Ivalu directed this Canadian feature, with music by Kate and Anna McGarrigle.
B&SS: This looks like a fascinating film but I think you will have to search for it if you want to see it on the Big Screen.
Film ist a Girl & a Gun
NYT: Austrian avant-garde filmmaker Gustav Deutsch presents his latest montage of found footage, culled from various archives and shaped into a dreamlike story.
B&SS: Avant-garde is right. I don't do well with movies that are 100% based in a 'dream reality' although David Lynch might be an exception to that rule. Check out a clip here to see what I mean.
December 4th
Armored
NYT: A group of veteran armored car guards (Matt Dillon, Jean Reno, Laurence Fishburne) enlist a rookie (Columbus Short) in a $42 million heist. Things go well until they don’t. Directed by Nimrod Antal, of the Hungarian thriller Kontroll. With Skeet Ulrich and Fred Ward.
B&SS: Oh man this looks terrible. I caught the trailer at the theater last week and had a hard time getting through it.
Brothers
NYT: Jake Gyllenhaal plays Tommy, an irresponsible drifter just out of jail. When he learns that his older brother (Tobey Maguire), a captain in the Marines and a staunch family man, has gone missing in Afghanistan, Tommy steps in and tries to care for his brother’s wife (Natalie Portman) and children. Jim Sheridan, no stranger to the Oscar race (My Left Foot, In America) directed from a screenplay by David Benioff (The Kite Runner). With Sam Shepard and Mare Winningham.
B&SS: From the trailer the movie looks like it could either be really good or really bad, I actually think it's going to be great. It's sure to play well in the Heartland but the names of Maguire, Gyllenhaal and Portman will ensure big box office elsewhere.
Everybody's Fine
NYT: An Americanized remake of Giuseppe Tornatore’s 1990 Stanno Tutti Bene, with Robert De Niro stepping into Marcello Mastroianni’s role as a widowed businessman who pays unannounced visits to each of his adult children. Kirk Jones wrote and directed; with Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell.
B&SS: De Niro can do non-violent (!?) family dramas with the best of them. As much as I love him when he is playing extreme characters in movies like Goodfellas I think he sometimes shines even brighter in low key roles.
The Last Station
NYT: The director Michael Hoffman (Restoration) adapts Rose Tremain’s historical novel about the last years of Leo Tolstoy (Christopher Plummer) and the struggle between his wife (Helen Mirren) and leading disciple (Paul Giamatti) over his legacy. With James McAvoy and Kerry Condon.
B&SS: Mirren, Giamatti, Plummer and McAvoy. On paper this film has Oscar-buzz written all over it, let's see if the story delivers.
Serious Moonlight
NYT: The actress Cheryl Hines directed this final screenplay by Adrienne Shelly, a comedy about a lawyer (Meg Ryan) who learns that her husband is leaving her for a younger woman and resorts to force to stop him. With Timothy Hutton, Kristen Bell and Justin Long.
B&SS: Read my review from the Scottsdale International Film Festival here.
Transylmania
NYT: A group of American exchange students are thrilled to discover that their new university is housed in an ancient castle in Transylvania. David and Scott Hillenbrand (National Lampoon Presents: Dorm Daze) directed.
B&SS: No thanks.
Up in the Air
NYT: George Clooney is a business consultant in pursuit of an elusive goal — his 10 millionth frequent flyer mile — in a comedy directed by Jason Reitman (Juno) from a novel by Walter Kirn. With Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick.
B&SS: Heard a lot of good things at Toronto about this movie - this will be one of my 'must sees'
Dec 10th
Sincerely Yours
NYT: Forced to leave their native countries, a young woman from Indonesia and a young man from Thailand fall in love while fighting to build new lives in Taiwan. Rich Lee directed.
B&SS: Good luck seeing this outside of NYC or L.A
Dec 11th
Hannah Free
NYT: A love affair spanning decades between an out lesbian and an unassuming housewife, described in a film directed by Wendy Jo Carlton and written by Claudia Allen. Sharon Gless stars.
B&SS: Sharon Gless (Cagney!) stars in this film about challenging gender boundries in small Midwestern town. Might be a good watch on DVD but I think I will pass at the movies.
Invictus
NYT: How Nelson Mandela (played by Morgan Freeman) tried to unite post-apartheid South Africa by rallying the country around the national rugby team during the 1995 World Cup championships. Matt Damon plays the team’s captain, Francois Pienaar; Clint Eastwood directed this adaptation of the book by John Carlin.
B&SS: I will certainly be at the movies for this one. Eastwood direction seems synonomous with Oscar nomination these days and I have to be there to see how Matt Damon gets on playing Rugby! As noted in a previous post, slightly worried about the accents .. we shall see.
The Lovely Bones
NYT: The director Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings) takes a break from special effects epics to film Alice Sebold’s novel about a girl (Saoirse Ronan) who is raped and murdered but watches from above as her killer (Stanley Tucci) prepares to strike again. With Rachel Weisz, Mark Wahlberg and Susan Sarandon.
B&SS: Normally this isn't a storyline that would draw me to a theater, but the direction of Jackson coupled with what looks like a very strong performance from Wahlberg gets this on my list for sure.
Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year
NYT: Ranbir Kapoor stars in a Bollywood comedy directed by Shimit Amin.
B&SS: I am no expert of Bollywood but i really enjoy the Indian cinema I have seen. From the trailer this is one film I will be making an effort to find.
A Single Man
NYT: The fashion designer Tom Ford turns to directing with the story of a gay college professor (Colin Firth) struggling to comprehend the death of his partner of 16 years. From
the novel by Christopher Isherwood; with Julianne Moore, Nicholas Hoult and Matthew Goode.
B&SS: Written and Directed by Tom Ford? My fear is that this could be a triumph of style over substance but it will be worth seeing if only for two of my favorite TV actors, Ginnifer Goodwin (Big Love) and Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies).
The Slammin' Salmon
NYT: The comedy troupe Broken Lizard (Super Troopers, Beerfest) returns in the tale of a former heavyweight champion (Michael Clarke Duncan) who takes desperate measures to motivate the staff of his Miami seafood restaurant. With Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Will Forte and Morgan Fairchild; Mr. Heffernan directed.
B&SS: This looks painfully un-funny. Michael Clarke Duncan what were you thinking?
Dec 16th
Ricky
NYT: In working-class France, a single mother (Alexandra Lamy) struggles to raise an infant with a spectacular special ability. François Ozon (Swimming Pool) directed; with Sergi López and André Wilms.
B&SS: This looks like it will make my must-see list from director Ozon whose Angel I enjoyed so much recently. This is certainly a departure from English period dramas and the teaser trailer is curiosity piquing to say the least!
NYT: Three plastic toys — a cowboy, an Indian and a horse — go on a surreal journey in a stop-motion animated film from Belgium. Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar directed.
B&SS: Creative, original, funny, if I can find it I will be watching it.
Dec 18th
Avatar
NYT: A much anticipated 3-D film from James Cameron (Titanic) set on a distant planet inhabited by 10-foot-tall humanoids with blue skin and tails. A severely wounded United States Marine (Sam Worthington) gets his chance to walk among them when he’s recruited as a
n “avatar,” mentally piloting an alien body as an advance agent of a human invasion. All goes well until he falls in love with a local (Zoë Saldaña). With Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi and CCH Pounder.
B&SS: I'm almost tempted to stay away from this movie until the hubub dies down. Of course it's going to be huge and box office numbers are guaranteed but I must say I am not as blown away by what I have seen so far as the rest of the world seems to be.
Did You Hear About The Morgans?
NYT: A pair of miserable, career-driven New Yorkers (Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker) get an unexpected chance to stop and smell the flowers when they witness a murder and the F.B.I. packs them off to a small town in Wyoming for their protection. With Sam Elliott, Mary Steenburgen, Elisabeth Moss, Michael Kelly and Wilford Brimley; the screenwriter Marc Lawrence (Miss Congeniality, Two Weeks Notice) directs this one, too.
B&SS: Watching Notting Hill the other day made me realize how much I had missed these light, easy-going Hugh Grant comedies. I am not a big fan of Jessica-Parker's choices usually but this looks like a great date movie.
Nine
NYT: The 1982 Broadway musical inspired by Federico Fellini’s 8 ½ as filmed by Rob Marshall, the director of the Oscar-winning “Chicago” (2002). Daniel Day-Lewis is Guido, the Italian filmmaker who fears he’s running out of inspiration; Marion Cotillard is his wife, Penélope Cruz his mistress and Nicole Kidman his star. With Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Stacy Ferguson and Sophia Loren.
B&SS: Basically Chicago set in Italy - No grazie.
The Young Victoria
NYT: Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) plays the girlish young Victoria, smitten with Prince Albert (Rupert Friend) and learning the ropes of running an empire. With Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent and Thomas Kretschmann.
B&SS: Another one I missed at TIFF and I think it looks great. Blunt is making very smart script choices (if you forgive her The Great Buck Howard) and anything with Richardson and Broadbent starring pretty much guarantees I will be there.
Dec 23rd
Police Adjective
NYT: A Romanian policeman (Dragos Bucur) struggles with a decision: whether to arrest a young man on charges of offering marijuana to his friends (and most likely destroy his life) or show compassion and look the other way. Corneliu Porumboiu (12:08 East of Bucharest) directed.
B&SS: Official selection at Cannes and screenings at the New York Film Festival have all given this film credibility. Likely to be a DVD simply due to lack of movie screenings here in AZ (surprise me Camelview 5!).
Dec 25th
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The SqueakQuel
NYT: The singing computer-generated rodents are back with the voices of Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney; this time, they discover the joys of female companionship in the form of a rival trio, the Chipettes (Anna Faris, Christina Applegate, Amy Poehler). With Jason Lee; Betty Thomas directed.
B&SS: As much as I like Jason Lee I am not 5 years old ... Next!
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
NYT: A traveling magician (Christopher Plummer) loses a bet with the Devil (Tom Waits) and must surrender his young daughter (Lily Cole). Terry Gilliam directed this fantasy, which proved to be the last film of Heath Ledger. With Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell (taking turns playing out Ledger’s unfilmed sequences).
B&SS: This is another must see for me. Gilliam's movies while largely well received by critics have never done a lot for me but from the looks of all the tease marketing this is going to be quite special.
It's Complicated
NYT: Meryl Streep faces an embarrassment of choices in a new comedy written and directed by Nancy Meyers: does she have an affair with her remarried ex-husband (Alec Baldwin) or succumb to the shy charms of her architect (Steve Martin)? With John Krasinski, Rita Wilson and Mary Kay Place.
B&SS: Basically it's Something's Gotta Give 2.
Sherlock Holmes
NYT: It’s still 1891, but Arthur Conan Doyle’s master detective seems to have been redesigned along the lines of a 21st-century action hero in this big-budget effort from the director Guy Ritchie (RocknRolla). Robert Downey Jr. plays a disheveled, bohemian Holmes who isn’t a
fraid to deploy his martial arts skills; Jude Law is a fun-loving Watson. With Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong and Eddie Marsan.
B&SS: My missus and I agree on this one. While I am a Guy Richie fan and loved his first two flicks this looks worryingly like it will be an empty experience. I hope I'm proved wrong.
December 30th
Loss of a Teardrop Diamond
NYT: An unfilmed screenplay by Tennessee Williams finally makes it to the screen, with Bryce Dallas Howard as a young woman who must convince her censorious aunt (Ann-Margret) that her dubious fiancé (Chris Evans) will make a fine addition to the family. And then an heirloom jewel disappears. With Ellen Burstyn and Will Patton. Jodie Markell directed.
B&SS: Nice to see Bryce Dallas Howard gettng the lead as she is either a very underrated actress or just very fussy with script choices. 50/50 whether or not this will get me to the movies but it's a certain DVD.
The White Ribbon
NYT: The Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke (Caché) discovers the roots of fascism in a German farming village before World War I, where the members of a children’s choir fall victim to bizarre, unaccountable accidents.
B&SS: Winner of this year's Palme D'or at Cannes this is about as must-see as it gets in the Foreign Film category.
2 comments:
Thanks for sharing this article in your blog.It was very nice.Looking for more..................
Thanks for sharing this article in your blog.It was very nice.Looking for more..................
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