As you may have guessed from part 1, I have not been terribly impressed with the films this year to this point. However, here are some movies I am hoping will turn that around. All the movie titles link to their IMDb page, so you can find more information on those films there.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - Directed by: Edgar Wright. Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, and Jason Schwartzman
This graphic novel interpretation looks, from the trailer, to be a very unique movie. While I could see this one being bad, I believe that Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) has the talent to make this one very entertaining, especially since it has a wonderful cast.
The American - Directed by: Anton Corbijn. Starring: George Clooney
This film seems to provide George Clooney another way to showcase his talent. He has given great performances these last few years, and an aging assassin sounds like another challenging role for him. However, the reason I am looking forward to this film is to see what's next for Anton Corbijn. His last film, Control, was fantastic, and hopefully this one is just as good.
The Town - Directed by: Ben Affleck. Starring: Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Hall, and Chris Cooper
I know what you're thinking; why is a movie directed by and starring Ben Affleck on your list of what to watch for? Keep in mind, Ben Affleck's directing debut, Gone Baby Gone, was quite a triumph, and this one appears to be just as promising. Although the trailer appears to give away too much of the film, the acting appears to be strong and the film intrigues me.
I'm Still Here: The Lost Year of Joaquin Phoenix - Directed by: Casey Affleck. Starring: Joaquin Phoenix
Everything surrounding this movie is fascinating. Everything from Phoenix's sudden retirement to acting, to his bizarre appearance on Letterman, to the sexual harrassment cases filed against Casey Affleck for instances during this film's production, to the film's bizarre marketing campaign. Whether the film will be quality or not is yet to be seen, but at least it might give us some insight as to whether or not this was all a hoax.
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Directed by: Woody Allen. Starring: Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Josh Brolin, Naomi Watts, and Freida Pinto
I have recently become a fan of Woody Allen's work (Annie Hall is one of my favorite films), and he has assembled a heck of a cast for his latest. While the trailer didn't quite impress me, I still feel like this is a film I will enjoy quite a bit.
Howl - Directed by: Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. Starring: James Franco, Jon Hamm, Mary-Louise Parker, Jeff Daniels, and David Strathairn
James Franco is said to have given a strong performance as the poet Allen Ginsberg in this courtroom drama following the obscenity case over the poem 'Howl'. Franco has really shown his talent recently, and I'm hoping this performance will put him in awards consideration.
It's Kind of a Funny Story - Directed by: Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden. Starring: Zach Galifianakis, Emma Roberts, and Lauren Graham
After seeing Half Nelson and Sugar, Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden are two directors I have kept my eye on. Their films tend to deal with relationships between very different people, and this one appears to follow that mold. It follows a kid who has been placed in a teen psychiatric ward after a series of panic attacks, but has to stay on the adult floor due to remodeling. I'm interested to see how Fleck and Boden use Galifianakis in particular, so this one should be interesting.
The Social Network - Directed by: David Fincher. Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Rashida Jones, and Justin Timberlake
This one could go either way in my opinion. While it does seem like it's too early to make a film covering the creation of facebook, and David Fincher's last film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, wasn't exactly loved by everyone, I still have hope in this film. I really like the past work of Jesse Eisenberg to this point, and I think this role can provide a showcase of his talent and versatility as an actor. I've heard great things about the script, and I am hoping this film is not a waste of time, because it seems so interesting.
The Fighter - Directed by: David O. Russell. Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Melissa Leo
This film has already received some Oscar buzz due to the cast and the subject matter, which all look very promising. The one problem is David O. Russell doesn't have the best track record (he did make I Heart Huckabees, after all...). That aside, I do have a lot of hope in this film, and it looks to be strong.
The Tree of Life - Directed by: Terrence Malick. Starring: Brad Pitt and Sean Penn
This film was supposed to be released last year, but it got pushed back, which is rarely a good sign. There seems to be a strong contingent out there that despice Terrence Malick, and the plot seems to be rather strange. However, the cast looks strong and I believe this film will be interesting, at least.
Conviction - Directed by: Tony Goldwyn. Starring: Hillary Swank, Sam Rockwell, Juliette Lewis, and Minnie Driver
The plot seems simple and overdone; a man is wrongly convicted of a murder and his sister goes to law school in order to learn how to overturn the case. However, Sam Rockwell seems to be very impressive in this film, and he has always been an actor to watch, especially after his performance in last year's Moon.
Black Swan - Directed by: Darren Aronofsky. Starring: Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, and Winona Ryder
Darren Aronofsky proved with The Wrestler that he is one of the best filmmakers working today. He has the ability to not only be very visual, but also the ability to create interesting and strong characters. This film seems like it will be the perfect combination of both. The cast seems very good, especially given that Cassel has already received rave reviews for his performance.
127 Hours - Directed by: Danny Boyle. Starring: James Franco, Lizzy Caplan, Kate Mara, and Amber Tamblyn
Many experts were expecting this film to be pushed back, especially since there haven't been any posters or trailers released yet. However, it has just been announced that this film will be released late this year. Danny Boyle is one of my favorite directors, and he is coming off a Best Director win for his work in Slumdog Millionaire. This should provide another excellent performance by Franco, and it is said that this film will feature and extended period without dialogue, which has the potential of being very interesting.
Blue Valentine - Directed by: Derek Cianfrance. Starring: Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams
This film received some great reviews when it premiered at Sundance, and it is believed to be a big player come awards season. With a cast of two great upcoming talents, this one should be very interesting.
Life During Wartime - Directed by: Todd Solondz. Starring: Allison Janney, Shirley Henderson, and Paul Ruebens
Todd Solondz has made a sequel of sorts to his 1998 film, Happiness, which was extremely disturbing but also fantastic. This film will likely not be for everyone, but it's one I will be watching for, and if you can handle some very heavy subject matter, this one will likely appeal to you as well.
So what movies are you looking forward to this year?
I'm really looking forward to "The Kids Are Alright" and "The Social Network." Those two seem rally interesting to me, although many others should be good too. However, I don't think this year is a very good year for film.
ReplyDeleteI didn't preview "The Kids are Alright" because a.) it's technically out in theaters already, and b.) I already previewed 15 other films. Those look promising, but it won't be anywhere near last year's quality.
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