Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
bonaroo 2011
* Eminem * Arcade Fire * Widespread Panic * The Black Keys * Buffalo Springfield feat Richie Furay, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Rick Rosas, Joe Vitale * My Morning Jacket * Lil Wayne * String Cheese Incident * Robert Plant & Band of Joy * Mumford & Sons * The Strokes * The Decemberists * Ray Lamontagne * Bassnectar * Iron & Wine * Girl Talk * Primus * Dr. John and The Original Meters performing Desitively Bonnaroo * Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas * Pretty Lights * Florence & the Machine * Superjam ft. Dan Auerbach and Dr. John * Explosions in the Sky * STS9 * Gogol Bordello * Beirut * Big Boi * Scissor Sisters * Gregg Allman * Ratatat * Global Gypsy Punk Revue curated by Eugene Hütz * Robyn * Warren Haynes Band * Deerhunter * Opeth * Atmosphere * Old Crow Medicine Show * Bootsy Collins & the Funk University * Wiz Khalifa * Matt & Kim * Grace Potter & the Nocturnals * The Del McCoury Band and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band * Mavis Staples * Béla Fleck & the Flecktones * Chiddy Bang * Jovanotti * Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers * Loretta Lynn * Cold War Kids * The Walkmen * Devotchka * Wanda Jackson * Neon Trees * Portugal. The Man * Sleigh Bells * Amos Lee * Best Coast * Dãm-Funk * The Sword * The Drums * The Black Angels * School of Seven Bells * J. Cole * Nicole Atkins & the Black Sea * Wavves * !!! * Junip * Freelance Whales * Justin Townes Earle * Ryan Bingham * Deer Tick * Band of Skulls * Sharon Van Etten * Abigail Washburn * Omar Souleyman * Twin Shadow * Kylesa * Man Man * The Low Anthem * Alberta Cross * Railroad Earth * Jessica Lea Mayfield * Smith Westerns * The Head and the Heart * Karen Elson * Beats Antique * 22-20s * Phosphorescent * Clare MaGuire * Hayes Carll
Monday, February 14, 2011
2011 films
popcorn
part 5
The last and final installment of 2011 movies:
1. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked
Who: (voiced by) Amy Poehler, Jesse McCartney, Andy Buckley and Tucker Albrizzi (all voices); directed by Mike Mitchell
What: Part three of chipmunks singing.
Why: The last two Alvin films made over 800 million worldwide, combined; plus it’s in 3D this time around, so it’s guaranteed to rake in the cash again no matter what. (You love the title. Admit it.)
When: December 16
2. Captain America: The First Avenger
Who: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci, Sebastian Stan, Hayley Atwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Toby Jones, Dominic Cooper, Neal McDonough and Richard Armitage; directed by Joe Johnson
What: A frail boy enlists in World War II, but isn’t strong enough for the army. Aided by a special serum, he becomes a true hero, and battles Nazi villain, The Red Skull.
Why: This is the fourth and final pre-Advengers Marvel movie. Everything so far has seemed a little off about this project, and this new images and teaser trailer just released this past weekend are not doing much to allay those fears. There will be a big publicity push for this one, so I expect it to still rake in the cash. How it does in comparison to those other superhero films (Thor and Green Lantern) hitting screens this year will be its true test.
When: July 22
3. Cars 2
Who: (voiced by) Owen Wilson, Emily Mortimer, Michael Caine and Michael Keaton; directed by Brad Lewis
What: Lightening McQueen and Mater team up for a global adventure when they are mistaken for spy cars.
Why: The original Cars is considered to be the weakest Pixar offering by many people, and while it’s more than obvious that Cars 2 is vastly different from recent offerings - most notably Up and Toy Story 3 (meaning, it’s no Best Picture future nominee) – the fact remains that kids love them some Cars. In the first year following its release Cars was responsible for billions of dollars in merchandise sales. Not millions. Billions. There is no way that the newest version is going to be one of the biggest money makers of the summer.
When: June 24
4. Cowboys & Aliens
Who: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Noah Ringer, Paul Dano, Ana de la Reguera, Clancy Brown and Keith Carradine; directed by Jon Favreau
What: A spaceship arrives in Arizona, 1873, to take over the Earth, starting with the Wild West region. A posse of cowboys are all the stand in their way.
Why: This marks Jon Favreau’s return to the big screen after Iron Man 2, and many months before its release has plenty of buzz and good will going for it.
When: July 29
5. The Greatest Muppet Movie Ever Made
Who: Amy Adams, Jason Segel, Chris Cooper, Ricky Gervais, Emily Blunt, Dave Grohl, Rashida Jones and Zach Galifanakis; directed by James Bobin
What: Kermit the Frog and his muppet pals put on a show to save their old theater.
Why: If the though of seeing Kermit and the gang back to the big screen isn’t enough to entice you, then maybe the prospect of seeing one of your favorite actors will do it? Writers Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller (the team behind Forgetting Sarah Marshall) have gathered up an insane amount of friends to join them.
When: November 23
6. Green Lantern
Who: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, and Mark Strong; directed by Martin Campbell
What: A test pilot (Reynolds) is granted a mystical green ring that bestows him with other worldly powers, as well as membership into an intergalactic squadron tasked with keeping peace within the universe.
Why: Warner Bros. has anointed Green Lantern as their next big hero. There is a massive budget (rumored to be in the $200 million range), a big enough star as its lead (Reynolds), and a major franchise director in Martin Campbell. Is that enough to make up for a movie that is going to rely on an awful lot of hazy special effects and Blake Lively? I guess we’ll find out in a few months. In the mean time get ready to see a green suited guy that looks a lot like People’s Sexiest Man alive everywhere.
When: June 17
7. Happy Feet 2
Who: (voiced by) Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Pink, Elizabeth Daily, Sofia Vergara, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Hank Azaria; directed by George Miller
What: The son of original lovebirds Mumble and Gloria struggles to find his personal talents amidst the new dangers in the Emperor Penguin world.
Why: The first one made over $384 million worldwide and went on to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature over, yep, Pixar’s Cars. Will 2011 be a repeat performance?
When: November 18
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Who: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint; directed by David Yates
What: The conclusion to The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and more significantly, the conclusion to the Potter franchise.
Why: This movie is going to do gang busters at the box office this summer. For the last decade there has always been a new Potter to look forward to. After this summer it’s all over.
When: July 15
9. I Am Number Four
Who: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Dianna Agron and Teressa Palmer; directed by D.J. Caruso
What: John (Pettyfer) is an extraordinary teen, masking his true identity and passing as a typical high school student to elude a deadly enemy seeking to destroy him. Three like him have already been killed – he is number four.
Why: This movie has a change to be a blockbuster, but it’s also very possible for it to miss the mark completely. DreamWorks is praying for a crossover from the Twilight audience.
When: February 18
10. Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom
Who: (voiced by) Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Jean-Blaude van Damme,Lucy Liu, David Cross, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman and Seth Rogen; directed by Jennifer Yuh
What: Having attained his dream of becoming the dragon Warrior, panda Po and legendary buds The Furious Five now must journey across China to defeat an enemy harnessing a new weapon that may make Kung Fu obsolete.
Why: The original was an unexpected hit for DreamWorks plus made some serious cash in associated toys and straight-to-video offshoots. The studio is hoping lightening strikes twice.
When: May 26
11. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Who: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Josh Holloway,Anil Kapoor, Léa Seydoux and Michael Nygvist; directed by Brad Bird
What: Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is back with some new recruits, in this, the fourth installment.
Why: J.J. Abrams is back, but this time, in addition to writing, is producing, and leaving the directing to animation guru Brad Bird (The Incredibles) who makes his live-action debut in this.
When: December 16
12. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Who: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane, Geoffrey Rush, Judi Dench, Gemma Ward, Stephen Graham, Richard Griffiths, Keith Richards and Sam Flafin; directed by Rob Marshall
What: Jack Sparrow (Depp) and Barbossa (Rush) embark on a quest to find the elusive fountain of youth, only to discover that Blackbeard (McShane) and his daughter are after it too.
Why: There is no question about it, this, this fourth entry in the franchise, will be successful. The latest installment comes in 3D (of course) with a lot of the big names returning and a few new ones.
When: May 20
13. Rango
Who: (voiced by) Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Timothy Olyphant, Abigail Breslin, Bill Nighy, Alfred Molina, Ned Beatty, Harry Dean Stanton, Ray Winstone and Stephen Root; directed by Gore Verbinski
What: A ped chameleon is stranded in the desert, and end up as the sheriff in a western town.
Why: I have no idea what to think about this one. It looks visually stunning and the behind the scenes feature is great, but every trailer I’ve seen so far shows a wildly different film – all of them pretty weird. This will either be a total clusterfuck, or the most interesting, crazy mainstream animation to come out in some time. Take your pick.
When: March 4
14. Scream 4
Who: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere and Adam Brody; directed by Wes Craven
What: Ten years have passed, and Sidney Prescott (Campbell) is visited by the Ghostface Killer.
Why: For no other reason than that press tour should be amazing now that the Cox-Arquette’s have separated and the latter part has done a stent in rehab. The Weinstein Company needs cash, and so they will be systematically resurrecting every sequel franchise they own or find (hence the return of the Spy Kids).
When: April 15
15. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Who: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Stephen Fry and Jared Harris; directed by Guy Ritchie
What: Holmes (Downey Jr.) and Watson (Law) travel to Europe to take on the man who will become Holmes’ greatest adversary – Professor Moriarty.
Why: Downey Jr. and Law proved they have great chemistry together in the first installment, and thus many movie goers are looking forward to what they can bring to the screen again. This time they will be joined with break-out star Noomi Rapace taking over from Rachel McAdams in the love interest role.
When: December 16
16. Sucker Punch
Who: Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Scott Glen and Jon Hamm; directed by Zack Snyder
What: A teenage girl is committed to an insance asylum by her vicious stepfather, and, along with those institutionalized with her, flees into a fantasy world to plan an escape before she’s lobotomized.
Why: Directed Zack Snyder has described his film as “an Alice in Wonderland with machine guns.”
When: March 25
17. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1
Who: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
What:Rob and Kristen Edward and Bella are totally going to do it!
Why: I’m going to out myself – I am a Twilight fangirl. I’m aware that the books are so poorly written it’s embarrassing and the movies are cheesier than the block of cheddar in my fridge. I’m still a fan. It’s a good time at the cinema. I’m stoked for this, the beginning of the end. It’s going to make an obscene amount of money.
When: November 18
18. Thor
Who: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddlestan, Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings; directed by Kenneth Branagh
What: The powerful but arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard and sent to live amongst humans on Earth, where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.
Why: I have no idea. No really, a guy wielding a hammer? Whatever Marvel. Basically, just another set-up for 2012’s The Avengers. The dudes will line-up to see it though – super heroes AND Natalie Portman. They are already sold.
When: May 6
19. Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Who: Shia LeBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Hugo Weaving, Josh Duhamel, Patrick Dempsey, Frances McDormand and John Malkovich; directed by Michael Bay
What: The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the Moon, and race against the Decepticons to reach it and learn its secrets, which could turn the tide in the Transformers' final battle.
Why: I feel like this is one of those movies that you lower your expectations for to such a degree that it can’t help but seem better than you expected. There has been a good amount of controversy so far, as Bay originally came on strong against 3D (then caved) and then there was that whole brouhaha over the firing of Megan Fox and the subsequent hiring of Huntington-Whiteley (a rewrite that probably took two minutes). Bay claims this will be the last in the series, so hopefully everyone gets the memo and moves on. In the mean time, this thing will blow into cinemas across the country this summer and rake in the cash. I’ve got two guys in my household that are counting down the days.
When: July 1
20. X-Men First Class
Who: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon, January Jones, Nicholas Hoult, Lucas Till and Zoe Kravitz; directed by Matthew Vaughn
What: A prequel to the Marvel superhero franchise, this sees the first meeting of the mutants who would become know as Professor X and Magneto, as they team up in 1960s America to battle a dangerous foe.
Why: I’ve thought for a while that this would be the best of the superhero films from the bunch that are being released this year. But it seems like there might be some trouble brewing. First, an image (that shined a less than favorable light on the movie) was released showing all of the characters in full costume and makeup, which the studio later recalled when they released another image of the cast in normal dress. Then word came out that X-Men was going to do pickup shots. Okay, nothing unusual about that. Many, many films undergo pickups at some point because it isn’t until the director is in the editing suite that he realizes he has unusable footage, the movie needs a longer transition, dialog needs to be fixed and ADR won’t cut it etc. Usually that takes anywhere from 3-6 days. That’s the normal time frame. X-Men is doing “pickups” for 6 weeks. One can shoot an entire feature length film in that amount of time. In good news, the first trailer was just released this week and it actually looks good. Really good. So maybe there is hope?
When: June 3
1. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked
Who: (voiced by) Amy Poehler, Jesse McCartney, Andy Buckley and Tucker Albrizzi (all voices); directed by Mike Mitchell
What: Part three of chipmunks singing.
Why: The last two Alvin films made over 800 million worldwide, combined; plus it’s in 3D this time around, so it’s guaranteed to rake in the cash again no matter what. (You love the title. Admit it.)
When: December 16
2. Captain America: The First Avenger
Who: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci, Sebastian Stan, Hayley Atwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Toby Jones, Dominic Cooper, Neal McDonough and Richard Armitage; directed by Joe Johnson
What: A frail boy enlists in World War II, but isn’t strong enough for the army. Aided by a special serum, he becomes a true hero, and battles Nazi villain, The Red Skull.
Why: This is the fourth and final pre-Advengers Marvel movie. Everything so far has seemed a little off about this project, and this new images and teaser trailer just released this past weekend are not doing much to allay those fears. There will be a big publicity push for this one, so I expect it to still rake in the cash. How it does in comparison to those other superhero films (Thor and Green Lantern) hitting screens this year will be its true test.
When: July 22
3. Cars 2
Who: (voiced by) Owen Wilson, Emily Mortimer, Michael Caine and Michael Keaton; directed by Brad Lewis
What: Lightening McQueen and Mater team up for a global adventure when they are mistaken for spy cars.
Why: The original Cars is considered to be the weakest Pixar offering by many people, and while it’s more than obvious that Cars 2 is vastly different from recent offerings - most notably Up and Toy Story 3 (meaning, it’s no Best Picture future nominee) – the fact remains that kids love them some Cars. In the first year following its release Cars was responsible for billions of dollars in merchandise sales. Not millions. Billions. There is no way that the newest version is going to be one of the biggest money makers of the summer.
When: June 24
4. Cowboys & Aliens
Who: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Noah Ringer, Paul Dano, Ana de la Reguera, Clancy Brown and Keith Carradine; directed by Jon Favreau
What: A spaceship arrives in Arizona, 1873, to take over the Earth, starting with the Wild West region. A posse of cowboys are all the stand in their way.
Why: This marks Jon Favreau’s return to the big screen after Iron Man 2, and many months before its release has plenty of buzz and good will going for it.
When: July 29
5. The Greatest Muppet Movie Ever MadeWho: Amy Adams, Jason Segel, Chris Cooper, Ricky Gervais, Emily Blunt, Dave Grohl, Rashida Jones and Zach Galifanakis; directed by James Bobin
What: Kermit the Frog and his muppet pals put on a show to save their old theater.
Why: If the though of seeing Kermit and the gang back to the big screen isn’t enough to entice you, then maybe the prospect of seeing one of your favorite actors will do it? Writers Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller (the team behind Forgetting Sarah Marshall) have gathered up an insane amount of friends to join them.
When: November 23
6. Green Lantern
Who: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, and Mark Strong; directed by Martin Campbell
What: A test pilot (Reynolds) is granted a mystical green ring that bestows him with other worldly powers, as well as membership into an intergalactic squadron tasked with keeping peace within the universe.
Why: Warner Bros. has anointed Green Lantern as their next big hero. There is a massive budget (rumored to be in the $200 million range), a big enough star as its lead (Reynolds), and a major franchise director in Martin Campbell. Is that enough to make up for a movie that is going to rely on an awful lot of hazy special effects and Blake Lively? I guess we’ll find out in a few months. In the mean time get ready to see a green suited guy that looks a lot like People’s Sexiest Man alive everywhere.
When: June 17
7. Happy Feet 2
Who: (voiced by) Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Pink, Elizabeth Daily, Sofia Vergara, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Hank Azaria; directed by George Miller
What: The son of original lovebirds Mumble and Gloria struggles to find his personal talents amidst the new dangers in the Emperor Penguin world.
Why: The first one made over $384 million worldwide and went on to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature over, yep, Pixar’s Cars. Will 2011 be a repeat performance?
When: November 18
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2Who: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint; directed by David Yates
What: The conclusion to The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and more significantly, the conclusion to the Potter franchise.
Why: This movie is going to do gang busters at the box office this summer. For the last decade there has always been a new Potter to look forward to. After this summer it’s all over.
When: July 15
9. I Am Number Four
Who: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Dianna Agron and Teressa Palmer; directed by D.J. Caruso
What: John (Pettyfer) is an extraordinary teen, masking his true identity and passing as a typical high school student to elude a deadly enemy seeking to destroy him. Three like him have already been killed – he is number four.
Why: This movie has a change to be a blockbuster, but it’s also very possible for it to miss the mark completely. DreamWorks is praying for a crossover from the Twilight audience.
When: February 18
10. Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom
Who: (voiced by) Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Jean-Blaude van Damme,Lucy Liu, David Cross, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman and Seth Rogen; directed by Jennifer Yuh
What: Having attained his dream of becoming the dragon Warrior, panda Po and legendary buds The Furious Five now must journey across China to defeat an enemy harnessing a new weapon that may make Kung Fu obsolete.
Why: The original was an unexpected hit for DreamWorks plus made some serious cash in associated toys and straight-to-video offshoots. The studio is hoping lightening strikes twice.
When: May 26
11. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Who: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Josh Holloway,Anil Kapoor, Léa Seydoux and Michael Nygvist; directed by Brad Bird
What: Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is back with some new recruits, in this, the fourth installment.
Why: J.J. Abrams is back, but this time, in addition to writing, is producing, and leaving the directing to animation guru Brad Bird (The Incredibles) who makes his live-action debut in this.
When: December 16
12. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Who: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane, Geoffrey Rush, Judi Dench, Gemma Ward, Stephen Graham, Richard Griffiths, Keith Richards and Sam Flafin; directed by Rob Marshall
What: Jack Sparrow (Depp) and Barbossa (Rush) embark on a quest to find the elusive fountain of youth, only to discover that Blackbeard (McShane) and his daughter are after it too.
Why: There is no question about it, this, this fourth entry in the franchise, will be successful. The latest installment comes in 3D (of course) with a lot of the big names returning and a few new ones.
When: May 20
13. Rango
Who: (voiced by) Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Timothy Olyphant, Abigail Breslin, Bill Nighy, Alfred Molina, Ned Beatty, Harry Dean Stanton, Ray Winstone and Stephen Root; directed by Gore Verbinski
What: A ped chameleon is stranded in the desert, and end up as the sheriff in a western town.
Why: I have no idea what to think about this one. It looks visually stunning and the behind the scenes feature is great, but every trailer I’ve seen so far shows a wildly different film – all of them pretty weird. This will either be a total clusterfuck, or the most interesting, crazy mainstream animation to come out in some time. Take your pick.
When: March 4
14. Scream 4
Who: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere and Adam Brody; directed by Wes Craven
What: Ten years have passed, and Sidney Prescott (Campbell) is visited by the Ghostface Killer.
Why: For no other reason than that press tour should be amazing now that the Cox-Arquette’s have separated and the latter part has done a stent in rehab. The Weinstein Company needs cash, and so they will be systematically resurrecting every sequel franchise they own or find (hence the return of the Spy Kids).
When: April 15
15. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Who: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Stephen Fry and Jared Harris; directed by Guy Ritchie
What: Holmes (Downey Jr.) and Watson (Law) travel to Europe to take on the man who will become Holmes’ greatest adversary – Professor Moriarty.
Why: Downey Jr. and Law proved they have great chemistry together in the first installment, and thus many movie goers are looking forward to what they can bring to the screen again. This time they will be joined with break-out star Noomi Rapace taking over from Rachel McAdams in the love interest role.
When: December 16
16. Sucker Punch
Who: Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Scott Glen and Jon Hamm; directed by Zack Snyder
What: A teenage girl is committed to an insance asylum by her vicious stepfather, and, along with those institutionalized with her, flees into a fantasy world to plan an escape before she’s lobotomized.
Why: Directed Zack Snyder has described his film as “an Alice in Wonderland with machine guns.”
When: March 25
17. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1Who: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
What:
Why: I’m going to out myself – I am a Twilight fangirl. I’m aware that the books are so poorly written it’s embarrassing and the movies are cheesier than the block of cheddar in my fridge. I’m still a fan. It’s a good time at the cinema. I’m stoked for this, the beginning of the end. It’s going to make an obscene amount of money.
When: November 18
18. Thor
Who: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddlestan, Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings; directed by Kenneth Branagh
What: The powerful but arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard and sent to live amongst humans on Earth, where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.
Why: I have no idea. No really, a guy wielding a hammer? Whatever Marvel. Basically, just another set-up for 2012’s The Avengers. The dudes will line-up to see it though – super heroes AND Natalie Portman. They are already sold.
When: May 6
19. Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Who: Shia LeBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Hugo Weaving, Josh Duhamel, Patrick Dempsey, Frances McDormand and John Malkovich; directed by Michael Bay
What: The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the Moon, and race against the Decepticons to reach it and learn its secrets, which could turn the tide in the Transformers' final battle.
Why: I feel like this is one of those movies that you lower your expectations for to such a degree that it can’t help but seem better than you expected. There has been a good amount of controversy so far, as Bay originally came on strong against 3D (then caved) and then there was that whole brouhaha over the firing of Megan Fox and the subsequent hiring of Huntington-Whiteley (a rewrite that probably took two minutes). Bay claims this will be the last in the series, so hopefully everyone gets the memo and moves on. In the mean time, this thing will blow into cinemas across the country this summer and rake in the cash. I’ve got two guys in my household that are counting down the days.
When: July 1
20. X-Men First Class
Who: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon, January Jones, Nicholas Hoult, Lucas Till and Zoe Kravitz; directed by Matthew Vaughn
What: A prequel to the Marvel superhero franchise, this sees the first meeting of the mutants who would become know as Professor X and Magneto, as they team up in 1960s America to battle a dangerous foe.
Why: I’ve thought for a while that this would be the best of the superhero films from the bunch that are being released this year. But it seems like there might be some trouble brewing. First, an image (that shined a less than favorable light on the movie) was released showing all of the characters in full costume and makeup, which the studio later recalled when they released another image of the cast in normal dress. Then word came out that X-Men was going to do pickup shots. Okay, nothing unusual about that. Many, many films undergo pickups at some point because it isn’t until the director is in the editing suite that he realizes he has unusable footage, the movie needs a longer transition, dialog needs to be fixed and ADR won’t cut it etc. Usually that takes anywhere from 3-6 days. That’s the normal time frame. X-Men is doing “pickups” for 6 weeks. One can shoot an entire feature length film in that amount of time. In good news, the first trailer was just released this week and it actually looks good. Really good. So maybe there is hope?
When: June 3
Monday, January 31, 2011
2011 films
just for fun
part 4
The Just For Fun picks - my top 15 movies that should be a good time at the cinema this year. Be from edge-of-your-seat suspense or stomach grabbing laughter.
1. 30 Minutes or Less
Who: Jesse Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari, Danny McBride, Nick Swardson, Michael Peña and Fred Ward; directed by Ruben Fleischer
What: Two fledgling criminals kidnap a pizza delivery driver and force him to rob a bank within 30 minutes, or the homemade bomb strapped to his chest goes off.
Why: Directed by the guy behind the breakout hit Zombieland and a Black List script by Michael Diliberti and Matthew Sullivan. The screenplay is a sharp and very hilarious read, if all goes well this could be one of the major breakout hits of the summer.
When: August 12
2. The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Who: Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Toby Jones and Cary Elwes; directed by Steven Spieldberg
What: Ace boy reporter Tintin (Bell) and his friends discover directions to a sunken ship commanded by Catain Haddock (Serkis) and go off on an adventure involving pirates, treasure and Haddock’s ancestry.
Why: Based on the Hergé comic books and with Steven Spielberg directing, Peter Jackson producing and a script from a team of promising writers inducing Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) there are a lot of excited fans excited and waiting for this one.
When: December 23
3. Bridesmaids
Who: Kristen Wigg, Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, John Hamm, Diane Wiest, Michael Hitchcock, Matthew Lucas, Chris O’Dowd, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy and Wendy McLendon-Covery; directed by Paul Feig
What: A lonely, unlucky-in-love thirty-something (Wiig) has to do battle with the bridesmaid from hell (Byrne) to gain control of her best friend’s wedding (Rudolph).
Why: A stellar supporting cast, Judd Apatow producing, Kristen Wigg on the writing team and comparison to Knocked Up - this should be a fun spring comedy.
When: May 15
4. Crazy Stupid Love
Who: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Marisa Tomei and Kevin Bacon; directed by Glen Ficarra & John Requa
What: When a middle-aged married man’s (Carell) wife leaves him for another man, he teams up with a younger playboy type (Gosling), who teaches him how to re-enter the dating scene.
Why: This script garnered a huge spec sale and looks to have the potential to be a sleeper hit. Recent test screenings went so well that Warner Bros. moved if from an April date to the heart of summer.
When: July 29
5. The Hangover Part II
Who: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Liam Neeson, Mike Tyson and Bill Clinton; directed by Todd Phillips
What: The gang travels to Bangkok for Stu’s wedding.
Why: All eyes are going to be on Phillips come opening weekend to see if he can pull off another gargantuan hit. It’s going to be hard to top the original and after the disappointing Due Date this past summer, the pressure is higher than ever. The original cast is back together and if anyone can pull off another $400 million dollars on an R-rated comedy it would be them.
When: May 26
6. Hanna
Who: Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana, Olivia Williams and Tom Hollander; directed by Joe Wright
What: A 14-year-girl (Ronan) who was raised by her father to be a cold-hearted killing machine in a CIA prison camp must fight her way to a free life.
Why: Touted as a mix between La Femme Nikita and The Bourne Identity, only with a teenage girl, there is a lot of interest in this project.
When: April 8
7. Haywire
Who: Gina Carano, Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton, Mathieu Kassovitz; directed by Steven Soderbergh
What: A black ops super soldier seeks payback after she is betrayed and set up during a mission.
Why: A good spy revenge thriller to kick off the big-budget movie season plus real-life mixed martial arts champion (and first-time actress) Fina Carano stars, so at least the stunts should look good.
When: April 22
8. Horrible Bosses
Who: Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, Julie Bowen, and P.J. Byrne; directed by Seth Gordon
What: Three friends conspire to murder their awful bosses when they realize they are standing in the way of their happiness.
Why: It’s got a solid cast for a comedy smartly following The Hangover’s model for success – three-well liked comic actors in a leading role (Batemna, Day, Sudeikis) and then giving them big names to play off of (Spacey, Aniston, Farrell). Plus a script, co-written by Freaks and Geeks lead John Francis Daley that has great buzz.
When: TBA (Summer 2011)
9. Larry Crowne
Who: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Bryan Cranston, Nia Vardalos, Rita Wilson, Taraji P. Henson, George Takei, Peter Scolari, Wilmer Valderrama and Pam Grier; directed by Tom Hanks
What: After losing his job, a middle-aged man reinvents himself by going back to college.
Why: Hanks co-wrote Larry Crowne with Nia Vardalos, plus he's directing and starring as the title character. With the combined star power of Hanks & Roberts it could be a blockbuster comedy this summer.
When: July 1
10. Paul
Who: Seth Rogan, Jane Lynch, Kristin Wiig, Simon Pegg, Jason Bateman, Sigourney Weaver, Bill Hader, Blythe Danner and Nick Frost; directed by Greg Mattola
What: Two British comic-book geeks (Pegg & Frost) traveling across the U.S. encounter an alien outside Area 51.
Why: Greg Mattola is back in the directors chair with a sci-fi comedy with what some are calling traces of E.T. and Back to the Future (!!!).
When: March 18
11. Source Code
Who: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright; directed by Duncan Jones
What: A soldier (Gyllenhaal) wakes up in the body of an unknown man to discover that he is part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.
Why: With a great script that reads somewhat like a mash-up of The Matrix, The Bourne films and Groundhog Day, a great cast and a director who proved his mettle with 2009s Moon, this has all the parts needed to be a hit.
When: April 1 (Opening the 2011 SXSW Film Festival March 11)
12. Super 8
Who: Elle Fanning, Noah Emmerich, Amanda Michalka, Kyle Chandler, Ron Eldard and Zach Mills; directed by J.J. Abrams
What: A sci-fi tale rumored to follow three siblings who catch a glimpse of a creature in some film footage.
Why: Not much is known exactly about this movie, which is part of what makes it so intriguing. But it’s J.J. Abrams, I will pretty much follow him anywhere. Last May the buzz began with a mysterious teaser trailer which features some sort of creature breaking out from the wreck of a train crash. With Steven Spielberg as producer in collaboration with Bad Robot Productions and Paramount this movie is going to be huge this summer.
When: June 10
13. The Sitter
Who: Jonah Hill, Sam Rockwell, Max Records, Ari Graynor, Miriam McDonald, Erin Daniels and Method Man; directed by David Gordon Green
What: A college student (Hill) on suspension is coaxed into babysitting the kids next door, though he is fully unprepared for the wild night ahead of him.
Why: The Sitter promises to be a filthy, entertaining and rather hilarious R-rated comedy based on the 2009 Black List script. From the director behind the hilarious Pineapple Express and Eastbound & Down, if executed well, it could be the breakout comedy of the summer.
When: August 5
14. Tower Heist
Who: Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Casey Affleck, Matthew Broderick, Judd Hirsch, Tèa Leoni, Gabourey Sidibe, Alan Alda and Michael Peña; directed by Bretty Ratner
What: When a group of hard working guys find out they've fallen victim to a wealthy business man's Ponzi scheme, they conspire to rob his high-rise residence.
Why: If everyone in the cast brings their A-game this should be a nice fall comedy hit. It has all the makings of a new heist classic.
When: November 4
15. Your Highness
Who: Natalie Portman, James Franco, Danny McBride, Zooey Deschanel and Justin Theoroux; directed by David Gordon Green
What: A slovenly knight (McBride) must try to save his father’s kingdom and his princess bride (Deschanel) while also kicking a pot smoking habit. Luckily he has a brother (Franco) and a warrior princess (Portman) to help him in his quest.
Why: The trailer looks awesomely funny. If the extremely talented cast can stretch that into a 1.5 hour long comedy they will have a massive hit on their hands.
When: April 8
the hilarious red band trailer - NSFW
work friendly trailer
1. 30 Minutes or Less Who: Jesse Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari, Danny McBride, Nick Swardson, Michael Peña and Fred Ward; directed by Ruben Fleischer
What: Two fledgling criminals kidnap a pizza delivery driver and force him to rob a bank within 30 minutes, or the homemade bomb strapped to his chest goes off.
Why: Directed by the guy behind the breakout hit Zombieland and a Black List script by Michael Diliberti and Matthew Sullivan. The screenplay is a sharp and very hilarious read, if all goes well this could be one of the major breakout hits of the summer.
When: August 12
2. The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the UnicornWho: Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Toby Jones and Cary Elwes; directed by Steven Spieldberg
What: Ace boy reporter Tintin (Bell) and his friends discover directions to a sunken ship commanded by Catain Haddock (Serkis) and go off on an adventure involving pirates, treasure and Haddock’s ancestry.
Why: Based on the Hergé comic books and with Steven Spielberg directing, Peter Jackson producing and a script from a team of promising writers inducing Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) there are a lot of excited fans excited and waiting for this one.
When: December 23
3. Bridesmaids
Who: Kristen Wigg, Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, John Hamm, Diane Wiest, Michael Hitchcock, Matthew Lucas, Chris O’Dowd, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy and Wendy McLendon-Covery; directed by Paul Feig
What: A lonely, unlucky-in-love thirty-something (Wiig) has to do battle with the bridesmaid from hell (Byrne) to gain control of her best friend’s wedding (Rudolph).
Why: A stellar supporting cast, Judd Apatow producing, Kristen Wigg on the writing team and comparison to Knocked Up - this should be a fun spring comedy.
When: May 15
4. Crazy Stupid LoveWho: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Marisa Tomei and Kevin Bacon; directed by Glen Ficarra & John Requa
What: When a middle-aged married man’s (Carell) wife leaves him for another man, he teams up with a younger playboy type (Gosling), who teaches him how to re-enter the dating scene.
Why: This script garnered a huge spec sale and looks to have the potential to be a sleeper hit. Recent test screenings went so well that Warner Bros. moved if from an April date to the heart of summer.
When: July 29
5. The Hangover Part IIWho: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Liam Neeson, Mike Tyson and Bill Clinton; directed by Todd Phillips
What: The gang travels to Bangkok for Stu’s wedding.
Why: All eyes are going to be on Phillips come opening weekend to see if he can pull off another gargantuan hit. It’s going to be hard to top the original and after the disappointing Due Date this past summer, the pressure is higher than ever. The original cast is back together and if anyone can pull off another $400 million dollars on an R-rated comedy it would be them.
When: May 26
6. Hanna
Who: Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana, Olivia Williams and Tom Hollander; directed by Joe Wright
What: A 14-year-girl (Ronan) who was raised by her father to be a cold-hearted killing machine in a CIA prison camp must fight her way to a free life.
Why: Touted as a mix between La Femme Nikita and The Bourne Identity, only with a teenage girl, there is a lot of interest in this project.
When: April 8
7. Haywire
Who: Gina Carano, Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton, Mathieu Kassovitz; directed by Steven Soderbergh
What: A black ops super soldier seeks payback after she is betrayed and set up during a mission.
Why: A good spy revenge thriller to kick off the big-budget movie season plus real-life mixed martial arts champion (and first-time actress) Fina Carano stars, so at least the stunts should look good.
When: April 22
8. Horrible BossesWho: Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, Julie Bowen, and P.J. Byrne; directed by Seth Gordon
What: Three friends conspire to murder their awful bosses when they realize they are standing in the way of their happiness.
Why: It’s got a solid cast for a comedy smartly following The Hangover’s model for success – three-well liked comic actors in a leading role (Batemna, Day, Sudeikis) and then giving them big names to play off of (Spacey, Aniston, Farrell). Plus a script, co-written by Freaks and Geeks lead John Francis Daley that has great buzz.
When: TBA (Summer 2011)
9. Larry CrowneWho: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Bryan Cranston, Nia Vardalos, Rita Wilson, Taraji P. Henson, George Takei, Peter Scolari, Wilmer Valderrama and Pam Grier; directed by Tom Hanks
What: After losing his job, a middle-aged man reinvents himself by going back to college.
Why: Hanks co-wrote Larry Crowne with Nia Vardalos, plus he's directing and starring as the title character. With the combined star power of Hanks & Roberts it could be a blockbuster comedy this summer.
When: July 1
10. Paul
Who: Seth Rogan, Jane Lynch, Kristin Wiig, Simon Pegg, Jason Bateman, Sigourney Weaver, Bill Hader, Blythe Danner and Nick Frost; directed by Greg Mattola
What: Two British comic-book geeks (Pegg & Frost) traveling across the U.S. encounter an alien outside Area 51.
Why: Greg Mattola is back in the directors chair with a sci-fi comedy with what some are calling traces of E.T. and Back to the Future (!!!).
When: March 18
11. Source Code
Who: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright; directed by Duncan Jones
What: A soldier (Gyllenhaal) wakes up in the body of an unknown man to discover that he is part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.
Why: With a great script that reads somewhat like a mash-up of The Matrix, The Bourne films and Groundhog Day, a great cast and a director who proved his mettle with 2009s Moon, this has all the parts needed to be a hit.
When: April 1 (Opening the 2011 SXSW Film Festival March 11)
12. Super 8
Who: Elle Fanning, Noah Emmerich, Amanda Michalka, Kyle Chandler, Ron Eldard and Zach Mills; directed by J.J. Abrams
What: A sci-fi tale rumored to follow three siblings who catch a glimpse of a creature in some film footage.
Why: Not much is known exactly about this movie, which is part of what makes it so intriguing. But it’s J.J. Abrams, I will pretty much follow him anywhere. Last May the buzz began with a mysterious teaser trailer which features some sort of creature breaking out from the wreck of a train crash. With Steven Spielberg as producer in collaboration with Bad Robot Productions and Paramount this movie is going to be huge this summer.
When: June 10
13. The Sitter
Who: Jonah Hill, Sam Rockwell, Max Records, Ari Graynor, Miriam McDonald, Erin Daniels and Method Man; directed by David Gordon Green
What: A college student (Hill) on suspension is coaxed into babysitting the kids next door, though he is fully unprepared for the wild night ahead of him.
Why: The Sitter promises to be a filthy, entertaining and rather hilarious R-rated comedy based on the 2009 Black List script. From the director behind the hilarious Pineapple Express and Eastbound & Down, if executed well, it could be the breakout comedy of the summer.
When: August 5
14. Tower HeistWho: Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Casey Affleck, Matthew Broderick, Judd Hirsch, Tèa Leoni, Gabourey Sidibe, Alan Alda and Michael Peña; directed by Bretty Ratner
What: When a group of hard working guys find out they've fallen victim to a wealthy business man's Ponzi scheme, they conspire to rob his high-rise residence.
Why: If everyone in the cast brings their A-game this should be a nice fall comedy hit. It has all the makings of a new heist classic.
When: November 4
15. Your Highness
Who: Natalie Portman, James Franco, Danny McBride, Zooey Deschanel and Justin Theoroux; directed by David Gordon Green
What: A slovenly knight (McBride) must try to save his father’s kingdom and his princess bride (Deschanel) while also kicking a pot smoking habit. Luckily he has a brother (Franco) and a warrior princess (Portman) to help him in his quest.
Why: The trailer looks awesomely funny. If the extremely talented cast can stretch that into a 1.5 hour long comedy they will have a massive hit on their hands.
When: April 8
the hilarious red band trailer - NSFW
work friendly trailer
Monday, January 24, 2011
interlude
Allow me a quick moment of celebration before moving onto the rest of the films in my 2011 list:
The buzz coming out of Sundance this year is overwhelmingly positive, with many critics and festival goers swooning over a good number of films and buyers opening up their wallets. In the mist of all that praise there seems to be one film that stands out so far: Like Crazy - which I had listed on the Honorable Mentions list only because it didn’t have a distributor at the time. Well, that is no longer an issue; in the early hours of Sunday morning came news that Like Crazy had been purchased by Paramount Pictures for a reported $4 million. Paramount Pictures is a huge company and typically doesn’t show up for acquisitions at Sundance. (The last time they did it was for Hustle and Flow in 2005.) So, while finding out Paramount is going to be the distributor is certainly surprising, its is excellent news for the film as it is sure to get a nice prints and advertising (P&A) budget making for a good release.
The reviews out this past weekend are extraordinary. I was excited to see the film before, now I can’t wait. Here are just a few:
Gegory Ellwood @ Hitfix
Anthony Breznican @ EW
Sharon Waxman @ The Wrap
Laremy Legel @ Film.com
The buzz coming out of Sundance this year is overwhelmingly positive, with many critics and festival goers swooning over a good number of films and buyers opening up their wallets. In the mist of all that praise there seems to be one film that stands out so far: Like Crazy - which I had listed on the Honorable Mentions list only because it didn’t have a distributor at the time. Well, that is no longer an issue; in the early hours of Sunday morning came news that Like Crazy had been purchased by Paramount Pictures for a reported $4 million. Paramount Pictures is a huge company and typically doesn’t show up for acquisitions at Sundance. (The last time they did it was for Hustle and Flow in 2005.) So, while finding out Paramount is going to be the distributor is certainly surprising, its is excellent news for the film as it is sure to get a nice prints and advertising (P&A) budget making for a good release.
The reviews out this past weekend are extraordinary. I was excited to see the film before, now I can’t wait. Here are just a few:
Gegory Ellwood @ Hitfix
Anthony Breznican @ EW
Sharon Waxman @ The Wrap
Laremy Legel @ Film.com
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
2011 films
honorable mention / time frame issues
part 3
So, I lied. There is going to be 5 parts. I would be remiss if I left the next couple of movie off the list.
I have 2 honorable mentions: one of which would have absolutely been at the top of the prestige list if it didn't star Mel Gibson, but since it does, it is a huge risk, even with the fantastic buzz surrounding the script; and the other one is a tiny little indie that currently has no distributor, however it is screening at Sundance, so that could change.
Then, there are the time frame issues; 5 films that are sure to be great, but more than likely won't be ready for a 2011 opening. They are are either currently shooting or will be in the next few weeks, so it is not impossible that post will be finished in time for a release this year.
Honorable Mention
1. The Beaver
Who: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Jennifer Lawrence and Anton Yelchin; directed by Jodie Foster
What: A depressed family man find solace in wearing a beaver hand-puppet which he uses as his sole means of communicating.
Why: Before Mel Gibson’s racist-anti-Semitic-batshit-crazy breakdown, this film was one of the hottest scripts in Hollywood (top of the Black List in 2008) and a rumored Oscar contender.
When: April 8 (Instead of shelving the film for a bit until Gibson’s antics aren’t so fresh in the minds of the public, Summit Entertainment has decided to world premiere The Beaver at SXSW (on March 16) and let the film speak for itself, and hope that those who see the film send good buzz into the blogosphere.)
2. Like Crazy
Who: Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlie Bewley and Alex Kingston; directed by Drake Doremus
What: An American boy and a British girl fall in love in college, but are forced into a long distance relationship when she overstays her visa.
Why: It’s a bit of an unknown until it makes it debut appearance this weekend at Sundance, but with that cast it is absolutely the one I am most interested in and am expecting for it to sell for a nice chunk of change after its screening.
When: TBA (We should know more after this weekend.)
Time Frame Issues
1. Albert Nobbs
Who: Glenn Close, Aaron Johnson, Mia Wasikowska, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Michael Gambon, and Janet McTeer; directed by Rodrigo Garcia
What: A woman in 19th Century Ireland disguises herself as a man in order to survive.
Why: With the directed-producer of the HBO tv series In Treatment behind this film and such a great cast this project definitely has the ingredients of something notable. Add to that a script co-written by Close and Man Booker-prize winning author John Manville based on the short story by Irish author George Moore, which was also turned into a play that won Close critical acclaim during its off-Broadway run.
When: TBA (shooting starts this spring)
2. J Edgar
Who: Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Josh Lucas, Judi Dench and Ed Westwick; directed by Clint Eastwood
What: Biopic on FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, focusing on his scandalous career and controversial private life as a homosexual and rumored cross dresser.
Why: Clint Eastwood. Dustin Lance Black (the guy behind the genius screenplay for Milk). Leonardo DiCaprio. That’s three easy reasons why right there.
When: TBA (shooting starts February 5th)
3. Love
Who: Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva; directed by Michael Haneke
What: A married couple deals with the fallout after the wife suffers from a debilitating stroke.
Why: The script is rumored to be great and Haneke as a filmmaker is in a class of his own. It sounds like a difficult watch, but one that will be, hopefully, quite rewarding.
When: TBA (The film is scheduled to start a 40-day shoot in February, which could possibly mean a fall premiere at Venice or TIFF, or it may not be ready until 2012.)
4. Triple Frontier
Who: Tom Hanks is the only one signed on as of now and Johnny Deep is in talks; directed by Kathryn Bigelow
What: A political action thriller set in the border zone between Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil.
Why: It’s Kathryn Bigelow’s return to the big screen after her Oscar sweep and she is once again teeming with The Hurt Locker screenwriter Mark Boal.
When: TBA (Shooting mid-March/April. Probably not enough time to make it through post and be ready to screen late 2011, a release in 2012 is more likely.)
5. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Who: Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, John Goodman and Thomas Horn; directed by Stephen Daldry
What: Oskar (Horn), a nine-year-old amateur inventor, jewelry designer, astrophysicist, tambourine player and pacifist, searches New York for the lock that matches a mysterious key left by his father when he was killed in the September 11 attacks.
Why: This is as Oscar baity as they get: an adaptation by an A-list screenwriter (in this case, Forrest Gump writer Eric Roth), of a literary bestseller - the sophomore novel from Everything Is Illuminated writer Jonathan Safran Foer - plus it's got that cast. Extremely Loud is one of my all-time favorite books, so I can't wait to see this adaptation.
When: TBA (shooting just started, could very well be ready for a release this year, production still has a 2012 release date though.)
I have 2 honorable mentions: one of which would have absolutely been at the top of the prestige list if it didn't star Mel Gibson, but since it does, it is a huge risk, even with the fantastic buzz surrounding the script; and the other one is a tiny little indie that currently has no distributor, however it is screening at Sundance, so that could change.
Then, there are the time frame issues; 5 films that are sure to be great, but more than likely won't be ready for a 2011 opening. They are are either currently shooting or will be in the next few weeks, so it is not impossible that post will be finished in time for a release this year.
Honorable Mention
1. The Beaver
Who: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Jennifer Lawrence and Anton Yelchin; directed by Jodie Foster
What: A depressed family man find solace in wearing a beaver hand-puppet which he uses as his sole means of communicating.
Why: Before Mel Gibson’s racist-anti-Semitic-batshit-crazy breakdown, this film was one of the hottest scripts in Hollywood (top of the Black List in 2008) and a rumored Oscar contender.
When: April 8 (Instead of shelving the film for a bit until Gibson’s antics aren’t so fresh in the minds of the public, Summit Entertainment has decided to world premiere The Beaver at SXSW (on March 16) and let the film speak for itself, and hope that those who see the film send good buzz into the blogosphere.)
2. Like Crazy
Who: Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlie Bewley and Alex Kingston; directed by Drake Doremus
What: An American boy and a British girl fall in love in college, but are forced into a long distance relationship when she overstays her visa.
Why: It’s a bit of an unknown until it makes it debut appearance this weekend at Sundance, but with that cast it is absolutely the one I am most interested in and am expecting for it to sell for a nice chunk of change after its screening.
When: TBA (We should know more after this weekend.)
Time Frame Issues
1. Albert Nobbs
Who: Glenn Close, Aaron Johnson, Mia Wasikowska, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Michael Gambon, and Janet McTeer; directed by Rodrigo Garcia
What: A woman in 19th Century Ireland disguises herself as a man in order to survive.
Why: With the directed-producer of the HBO tv series In Treatment behind this film and such a great cast this project definitely has the ingredients of something notable. Add to that a script co-written by Close and Man Booker-prize winning author John Manville based on the short story by Irish author George Moore, which was also turned into a play that won Close critical acclaim during its off-Broadway run.
When: TBA (shooting starts this spring)
2. J Edgar
Who: Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Josh Lucas, Judi Dench and Ed Westwick; directed by Clint Eastwood
What: Biopic on FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, focusing on his scandalous career and controversial private life as a homosexual and rumored cross dresser.
Why: Clint Eastwood. Dustin Lance Black (the guy behind the genius screenplay for Milk). Leonardo DiCaprio. That’s three easy reasons why right there.
When: TBA (shooting starts February 5th)
3. Love
Who: Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva; directed by Michael Haneke
What: A married couple deals with the fallout after the wife suffers from a debilitating stroke.
Why: The script is rumored to be great and Haneke as a filmmaker is in a class of his own. It sounds like a difficult watch, but one that will be, hopefully, quite rewarding.
When: TBA (The film is scheduled to start a 40-day shoot in February, which could possibly mean a fall premiere at Venice or TIFF, or it may not be ready until 2012.)
4. Triple Frontier
Who: Tom Hanks is the only one signed on as of now and Johnny Deep is in talks; directed by Kathryn Bigelow
What: A political action thriller set in the border zone between Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil.
Why: It’s Kathryn Bigelow’s return to the big screen after her Oscar sweep and she is once again teeming with The Hurt Locker screenwriter Mark Boal.
When: TBA (Shooting mid-March/April. Probably not enough time to make it through post and be ready to screen late 2011, a release in 2012 is more likely.)
5. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Who: Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, John Goodman and Thomas Horn; directed by Stephen Daldry
What: Oskar (Horn), a nine-year-old amateur inventor, jewelry designer, astrophysicist, tambourine player and pacifist, searches New York for the lock that matches a mysterious key left by his father when he was killed in the September 11 attacks.
Why: This is as Oscar baity as they get: an adaptation by an A-list screenwriter (in this case, Forrest Gump writer Eric Roth), of a literary bestseller - the sophomore novel from Everything Is Illuminated writer Jonathan Safran Foer - plus it's got that cast. Extremely Loud is one of my all-time favorite books, so I can't wait to see this adaptation.
When: TBA (shooting just started, could very well be ready for a release this year, production still has a 2012 release date though.)
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
2011 films
prestige
part 2
Part two of the likely award contenders. Tomorrow it's on to the lighter stuff.
16. On The Road
Who: Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Amy Adams, Steve Buscemi, Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen, Terrence Howard, Tom Sturridge and Alice Bragga; directed by Walter Salles
What: An adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s iconic Beat Generation novel which chronicles Sal Paradise – Kerouac’s alter ego (Riley) and Dean Moriarty – Neal Cassady’s alter ego (Hedlund) as they roam the country in a quest for self-knowledge and experience.
Why: This project has spent years in production hell. The movie rights have been bouncing around Hollywood since the 1960s. Gus van Sant owned the right for many years and in 1980 Francis Ford Coppola bought them. In 2010 Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries) finally lensed the project. (Coppola and van Sant are producing.) With an all-star team and cast plus many, many years of anticipation On the Road will be much buzzed about this year.
When: TBA (Some critics/bloggers have proposed a Cannes debut, but just last week Salles gave an interview to a Brazilian newspaper whereupon being asked if he knew when the film would be released he responded “no, because we have only now begun to edit the film….I imagine it will be ready by year’s end or early 2012.” I can’t imagine the film doesn’t reach audiences in some fashion this year in time to qualify for awards season. Is a Toronto premier too much to ask for?)
17. One Day
Who: Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturges, Patricia Clarkson, Jodie Whittaker and Georgia King; directed by Lone Scherfig
What: The story of Dex and Em who first meet graduation night from university in 1988 and proceed to reunite one day each year for the next 20 years.
Why: Adapted from the David Nicholls novel and directed by Lone Scherfig (who directed one of my ’09 favorites An Education), the film was originally intended for a spring release before Focus Features moved it back which may suggest they are feeling the awards buzz the film is getting. (By-the-by I can’t say I’m too excited about this one. The amount of loathing resentment I had for this book is unparalleled. At one point I literally threw it across the room.)
When: July 8
18. Restless
Who: Mia Wasikowska, Henry Hopper, Jane Adams, Schuyler Fisk and Chin Han; directed by Gus van Sant
What: The story of a terminally ill 16-year-old girl (Wasikowska) who falls in love with an off-beat boy (Hopper) who likes to attend funerals as a way to cope with the death of his family; and their encounters with the ghost of a Japanese Kamikaze pilot (Han) from WWII.
Why: I’ve read the script on this one and I really loved it – funny and sad and almost kind of all over the place. Gus van Sant is the perfect director to bring it to the big screen. I’m also excited to see the late, great Dennis Hooper’s son, Henry, in his first lead role.
When: TBA (Originally slatted to open at the end of January, Sony has since moved the date which may suggest that test audiences were reacting positively.)
19. Shame
Who: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan and James Badge Dale; directed by Steve McQueen
What: Brandon (Fassbender) is a thirty-something sex addict living in New York who falls in love with his co-worker. After his wayward sister (Mulligan) moves into this apartment Brandon’s world spirals out of control.
Why: The film hasn’t even started shooting yet (the start date is later this month in New York) but there is so much buzz around this script, and in conjunction with the cast, it really has Oscar pundits excited. Expect to see a debut at Venice and/or Toronto film festival.
When: TBA (fall 2011)
20. The Skin I Inhabit
Who: Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, Eduard Fernàndez, Jan Cornet and Josè Luis Gòmez; directed by Pedro Almadòvar
What: A plastic surgeon (Banderas) seeks revenge on the men who raped his daughter.
Why: Based on Thierry Jonquet’s crime novel Tarantula, this film reunites Almadòvar and Banderas 20 years after their first film together (Time Me Up! Time Me Down!). Almadòvar describes it as a horror film, and everything released about the project seems to suggest some very dark material. Pretty much a sure bet for a Cannes debut this spring.
When: November 18 (limited)
21. Take This Waltz
Who: Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman, Aaron Abrams and Luke Kirby; directed by Sarah Polley
What: A funny, bittersweet and heart-wrenching story about a woman (Williams) who tries to decide between her happy marriage and her flirtations with a man she just met.
Why: A 2009 black list script plus Williams and Rogen (in a decidedly dramatic lead role for a change) playing a married couple? Sign me up. A killer soundtrack is also promised.
When: TBA
22. This Must Be the Place
Who: Sean Penn, Frances McDormand, Harry Dean Stanton, Shea Whigham, Judd Hirsch and Kerry Condon; directed by Paolo Sorrentino
What: Cheyenne (Penn), a wealthy former rock star now bored and jaded in his retirement embarks on a quest to find the Nazi war-criminal who ordered his father’s execution in a concentration camp.
Why: Sean Penn has enough clout to get any project he wants greenlit and we know that when he does pick, it’s a good one.
When: TBA
23. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Who: Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Stephen Graham, Benedict Cumbercatch, Ciaran Hinds and Christian McKay; directed by Thomas Alfredson
What: Set in the aftermath of the Cold War, this thriller is the story of a spy hunt within the highest ranks of the British Secret Intelligence Service.
Why: Adapted from John Le Carre’s bestseller and from the acclaimed Let the Right One In director, this should be a great, intricate espionage thriller.
When: TBA (fall 2011)
24. Tree of Life
Who: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain, Joanna Going and Fiona Shaw; directed by Terrence Malick
What: The story of a Midwestern family in the 1950s. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack (played as an adult by Penn) through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father (Pitt).
Why: I'm not sure what else I can say about this film that I haven't already. I've been singing it's praises on this blog for months now. It is by far the most anticipated film for many this year.
When: May 27 (This date pretty much guarantees a debut at Cannes)
25. War Horse
Who: Jeremy Irvine, Tom Hiddleston, David Thewlis, Emily Watson, Peter Mullan, Benedict Cumberbatch and Toby Kebbel; directed by Steven Spielberg
What: The story a young man named Albert (Irvine) and his horse, Joey, and how their bond is broken when Joey is sold to the cavalry and sent to the trenches of World War I. Despite being too young to enlist, Albert heads to France to save his friend.
Why: Some are saying that this is the Oscar picture to beat in 2011. Steven Spielberg + War + a boy and his horse = a sure fire hit guaranteed to woo audiences and critics alike.
When: December 28
26. Water for Elephants
Who: Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz and Hal Holbrook; directed by Francis Lawrence
What: A veterinary student (Pattinson) abandons his studies after his parents are killed and joins a traveling circus as their vet.
Why: Adapted from Sara Gruen’s bestseller and with an all-star director/cast/team (between those three groups there are 15 Oscar nominations & 2 wins) I am beyond excited for this one.
When: April 22 (This date isn’t exactly promising of awards season, even though everything Fox has released would lead you to believe that is exactly what they are pushing for. Hopefully this isn’t a sign that it sucks.)
(new international trailer)
27. We Bought a Zoo
Who: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Elle Fanning, Patrick Fugit, Thomas Haden Church, Angus Macfadyen and Colin Ford; directed by Cameron Crowe
What: Based on the memoir by Benjamin Mee, We Bought a Zoo is the true account of how Mee used his life savings to buy a dilapidated zoo (to fulfill his wife’s wishes), including 200 exotic animals facing destruction, in the English countryside. Mee, along with his children, had to balance caring for his wife, who was dying of brain cancer while dealing with escaped tiger, raising endangered animals, working with an eclectic skeleton crew and readying the zoo for a reopening.
Why: Director Cameron Crown is back for the first time since 2005 with an all-star cast that is sure to bring in the big bucks with that holiday friendly release date.
When: December 23
28. We Need to Talk About Kevin
Who: Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ezra Miller and Siobhan Fallon; directed by Lynne Ramsay
What: Two days before Kevin’s (Miller) sixteen birthday he goes on a horrific high-school killing spree. In the wake of his actions, his mother (Swinton) tries to deals with her grief – and feelings of responsibility for her child’s actions – by writing to her estranged husband (Reilly).
Why: Based on Lionel Shriver’s novel this film has been quite a labor of love for the director as it has taken years for her to get it up and running. The film finally went before cameras last year and is expected to be one of the stand-out indies of 2011.
When: TBA (US) / September 2 (UK) (This seemed like a surefire bet to appear at Sundance, but that announcement never came. Maybe Cannes?)
29. Wuthering Heights
Who: James Howson, Kaya Scodelario, Nichola Burley, Oliver Milburn, Steve Evets and Amy Wren; directed by Andrea Arnold
What: The classic tortured love story between Cathy and Heathcliff
Why: Andrea Arnold’s 2009 Fish Tank won her much critical praise; but not much commercial success. She’s back with an Emily Brontë adaptation (that just so happens to be my first-favorite book) hoping to bring in the masses. (Interesting side note: In an effort to stay true to the book, Arnold cast newcomer James Howson as the first non-white Heathcliff.)
When: TBA (US) / September 30 (UK)
30. Young Adult
Who: Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser, Collette Wolfe and Patton Oswalt; directed by Jason Reitman
What: A dramedy that tells the story of a divorced writer (Theron) from the Midwest who returns to her hometown to reconnect with an old flame, who's now married with a family.
Why: Hoping to strike gold again, Jason Reitman is once again teeming up with screen writer Diablo Cody. (Their last project together was the Oscar winning Juno.) This is by far Reitman’s most mature work to date and it should garner major awards attention for Theron.
When: TBA
16. On The Road
Who: Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Amy Adams, Steve Buscemi, Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen, Terrence Howard, Tom Sturridge and Alice Bragga; directed by Walter Salles
What: An adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s iconic Beat Generation novel which chronicles Sal Paradise – Kerouac’s alter ego (Riley) and Dean Moriarty – Neal Cassady’s alter ego (Hedlund) as they roam the country in a quest for self-knowledge and experience.
Why: This project has spent years in production hell. The movie rights have been bouncing around Hollywood since the 1960s. Gus van Sant owned the right for many years and in 1980 Francis Ford Coppola bought them. In 2010 Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries) finally lensed the project. (Coppola and van Sant are producing.) With an all-star team and cast plus many, many years of anticipation On the Road will be much buzzed about this year.
When: TBA (Some critics/bloggers have proposed a Cannes debut, but just last week Salles gave an interview to a Brazilian newspaper whereupon being asked if he knew when the film would be released he responded “no, because we have only now begun to edit the film….I imagine it will be ready by year’s end or early 2012.” I can’t imagine the film doesn’t reach audiences in some fashion this year in time to qualify for awards season. Is a Toronto premier too much to ask for?)
17. One DayWho: Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturges, Patricia Clarkson, Jodie Whittaker and Georgia King; directed by Lone Scherfig
What: The story of Dex and Em who first meet graduation night from university in 1988 and proceed to reunite one day each year for the next 20 years.
Why: Adapted from the David Nicholls novel and directed by Lone Scherfig (who directed one of my ’09 favorites An Education), the film was originally intended for a spring release before Focus Features moved it back which may suggest they are feeling the awards buzz the film is getting. (By-the-by I can’t say I’m too excited about this one. The amount of loathing resentment I had for this book is unparalleled. At one point I literally threw it across the room.)
When: July 8
18. Restless
Who: Mia Wasikowska, Henry Hopper, Jane Adams, Schuyler Fisk and Chin Han; directed by Gus van Sant
What: The story of a terminally ill 16-year-old girl (Wasikowska) who falls in love with an off-beat boy (Hopper) who likes to attend funerals as a way to cope with the death of his family; and their encounters with the ghost of a Japanese Kamikaze pilot (Han) from WWII.
Why: I’ve read the script on this one and I really loved it – funny and sad and almost kind of all over the place. Gus van Sant is the perfect director to bring it to the big screen. I’m also excited to see the late, great Dennis Hooper’s son, Henry, in his first lead role.
When: TBA (Originally slatted to open at the end of January, Sony has since moved the date which may suggest that test audiences were reacting positively.)
19. Shame
Who: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan and James Badge Dale; directed by Steve McQueen
What: Brandon (Fassbender) is a thirty-something sex addict living in New York who falls in love with his co-worker. After his wayward sister (Mulligan) moves into this apartment Brandon’s world spirals out of control.
Why: The film hasn’t even started shooting yet (the start date is later this month in New York) but there is so much buzz around this script, and in conjunction with the cast, it really has Oscar pundits excited. Expect to see a debut at Venice and/or Toronto film festival.
When: TBA (fall 2011)
20. The Skin I InhabitWho: Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, Eduard Fernàndez, Jan Cornet and Josè Luis Gòmez; directed by Pedro Almadòvar
What: A plastic surgeon (Banderas) seeks revenge on the men who raped his daughter.
Why: Based on Thierry Jonquet’s crime novel Tarantula, this film reunites Almadòvar and Banderas 20 years after their first film together (Time Me Up! Time Me Down!). Almadòvar describes it as a horror film, and everything released about the project seems to suggest some very dark material. Pretty much a sure bet for a Cannes debut this spring.
When: November 18 (limited)
21. Take This WaltzWho: Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman, Aaron Abrams and Luke Kirby; directed by Sarah Polley
What: A funny, bittersweet and heart-wrenching story about a woman (Williams) who tries to decide between her happy marriage and her flirtations with a man she just met.
Why: A 2009 black list script plus Williams and Rogen (in a decidedly dramatic lead role for a change) playing a married couple? Sign me up. A killer soundtrack is also promised.
When: TBA
22. This Must Be the PlaceWho: Sean Penn, Frances McDormand, Harry Dean Stanton, Shea Whigham, Judd Hirsch and Kerry Condon; directed by Paolo Sorrentino
What: Cheyenne (Penn), a wealthy former rock star now bored and jaded in his retirement embarks on a quest to find the Nazi war-criminal who ordered his father’s execution in a concentration camp.
Why: Sean Penn has enough clout to get any project he wants greenlit and we know that when he does pick, it’s a good one.
When: TBA
23. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Who: Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Stephen Graham, Benedict Cumbercatch, Ciaran Hinds and Christian McKay; directed by Thomas Alfredson
What: Set in the aftermath of the Cold War, this thriller is the story of a spy hunt within the highest ranks of the British Secret Intelligence Service.
Why: Adapted from John Le Carre’s bestseller and from the acclaimed Let the Right One In director, this should be a great, intricate espionage thriller.
When: TBA (fall 2011)
24. Tree of Life
Who: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain, Joanna Going and Fiona Shaw; directed by Terrence Malick
What: The story of a Midwestern family in the 1950s. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack (played as an adult by Penn) through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father (Pitt).
Why: I'm not sure what else I can say about this film that I haven't already. I've been singing it's praises on this blog for months now. It is by far the most anticipated film for many this year.
When: May 27 (This date pretty much guarantees a debut at Cannes)
25. War Horse
Who: Jeremy Irvine, Tom Hiddleston, David Thewlis, Emily Watson, Peter Mullan, Benedict Cumberbatch and Toby Kebbel; directed by Steven Spielberg
What: The story a young man named Albert (Irvine) and his horse, Joey, and how their bond is broken when Joey is sold to the cavalry and sent to the trenches of World War I. Despite being too young to enlist, Albert heads to France to save his friend.
Why: Some are saying that this is the Oscar picture to beat in 2011. Steven Spielberg + War + a boy and his horse = a sure fire hit guaranteed to woo audiences and critics alike.
When: December 28
26. Water for Elephants
Who: Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz and Hal Holbrook; directed by Francis Lawrence
What: A veterinary student (Pattinson) abandons his studies after his parents are killed and joins a traveling circus as their vet.
Why: Adapted from Sara Gruen’s bestseller and with an all-star director/cast/team (between those three groups there are 15 Oscar nominations & 2 wins) I am beyond excited for this one.
When: April 22 (This date isn’t exactly promising of awards season, even though everything Fox has released would lead you to believe that is exactly what they are pushing for. Hopefully this isn’t a sign that it sucks.)
(new international trailer)
27. We Bought a Zoo
Who: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Elle Fanning, Patrick Fugit, Thomas Haden Church, Angus Macfadyen and Colin Ford; directed by Cameron Crowe
What: Based on the memoir by Benjamin Mee, We Bought a Zoo is the true account of how Mee used his life savings to buy a dilapidated zoo (to fulfill his wife’s wishes), including 200 exotic animals facing destruction, in the English countryside. Mee, along with his children, had to balance caring for his wife, who was dying of brain cancer while dealing with escaped tiger, raising endangered animals, working with an eclectic skeleton crew and readying the zoo for a reopening.
Why: Director Cameron Crown is back for the first time since 2005 with an all-star cast that is sure to bring in the big bucks with that holiday friendly release date.
When: December 23
28. We Need to Talk About Kevin
Who: Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ezra Miller and Siobhan Fallon; directed by Lynne Ramsay
What: Two days before Kevin’s (Miller) sixteen birthday he goes on a horrific high-school killing spree. In the wake of his actions, his mother (Swinton) tries to deals with her grief – and feelings of responsibility for her child’s actions – by writing to her estranged husband (Reilly).
Why: Based on Lionel Shriver’s novel this film has been quite a labor of love for the director as it has taken years for her to get it up and running. The film finally went before cameras last year and is expected to be one of the stand-out indies of 2011.
When: TBA (US) / September 2 (UK) (This seemed like a surefire bet to appear at Sundance, but that announcement never came. Maybe Cannes?)
29. Wuthering Heights
Who: James Howson, Kaya Scodelario, Nichola Burley, Oliver Milburn, Steve Evets and Amy Wren; directed by Andrea Arnold
What: The classic tortured love story between Cathy and Heathcliff
Why: Andrea Arnold’s 2009 Fish Tank won her much critical praise; but not much commercial success. She’s back with an Emily Brontë adaptation (that just so happens to be my first-favorite book) hoping to bring in the masses. (Interesting side note: In an effort to stay true to the book, Arnold cast newcomer James Howson as the first non-white Heathcliff.)
When: TBA (US) / September 30 (UK)
30. Young Adult
Who: Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser, Collette Wolfe and Patton Oswalt; directed by Jason Reitman
What: A dramedy that tells the story of a divorced writer (Theron) from the Midwest who returns to her hometown to reconnect with an old flame, who's now married with a family.
Why: Hoping to strike gold again, Jason Reitman is once again teeming up with screen writer Diablo Cody. (Their last project together was the Oscar winning Juno.) This is by far Reitman’s most mature work to date and it should garner major awards attention for Theron.
When: TBA
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