The Films to look for this Autumn/Winter 2010/11

 

After one of the worst summer seasons on record, it is a blessed relief that we move into the season which is typically dominated with high quality fare with only the occasional big budget turd being released. So if you are feeling disillusioned following the disappointments like Robin Hood, Prince of Persia and god help us Marmaduke then take heart because the rest of the year is looking good.The following are my picks for the ones to look out for this year. Sadly Terrence Malick’s Tree of Life fell off the release schedules after being bought by Fox searchlight, so probably won’t make this list now until next year. This is based on the online buzz,early reviews or just the fact that I may like the trailer. If there are any titles I have neglected to mention then please let me know. 

The Social Network

Directed by: David Fincher. Starring: Jesse Eisenberg,Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake.

A lot of people still seem to think that because this movie is about Facebook it will be two hours of people staring at screens playing Farmville. Consider this: The film is written by one Aaron Sorkin who is a master of fast paced dialogue, you may know his work from Charlie Wilsons War or The West Wing. The film is based on the founding of Facebook and the back-stabbing and accusations or plagiarism that surrounded that crazy time back in 2003. The director is David Fincher who brought us Fight Club and Zodiac and last brought us the Oscar nominated The Curious Case of Benjamin Button so it should look stunning. Plus it has a score by Nine Inch Nails main man Trent Reznor.  With the combination of top notch writer and director as well as a hungry young cast with everything to prove, this film could gain major awards buzz later in the year. Great trailer too.

Released: 15th October.

Let Me In

Directed by: Matt Reeves. Starring: Kodi Smitt-McPhee, Chloe Moretz and Richard Jenkins.

One of the newly revamped Hammer films first movies out the gate is fittingly a vampire tale. This is based on the acclaimed Swedish movie Let The Right One In which set the blogosphere a light a few years back. Let Me in moves the action to New Mexico and tells the tale of bullied awkward young man Owen (Smitt-McPhee) who crosses paths with mysterious young lady Abby (Moretz) who may not be all she appears. The bodies start piling up and Owen discovers a shocking secret about his new friend. The original is perhaps one of the most highly regarded (if a little overrated) films of the last few years and director Matt Reeves looks like he has made a shot for shot remake. This probably wont stray from the original too far and should bring the story to the masses in a more mainstream way. Whether or not they retain some of the more controversial aspects of the original remains to be seen. Showing at the London Film Festival in October prior to its release.

Released: 29th October.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows part one.

Directed by: David Yates. Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Ralph Fiennes.

The first part of the last part of a billion dollar franchise is nearly here. I have to admit I have been late to the party with the whole Harry Potter thing and missed all of them in cinemas. I’ve caught up with all of them on DVD now though and I will be going to see this on the big screen. Expect tears, deaths of major characters and lots of loud shouting whilst waving wands. Alas this is also post converted 3D so try and see it in 2D unless you want a headache. Its not like they need the extra money.

Released: November 19th.

Never Let Me Go

Directed by: Mark Romanek. Starring: Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan and Andrew Garfield.

Mark Romanek’s last movie was the creepy and stylish One Hour Photo back in 2002. Since then he has walked off The Wolfman over those pesky creative differences and now finally returns with an adaptation of the acclaimed novel Never Let Me Go. This film wasn’t really on my radar until very recently. I presumed it was another period piece along the lines of Atonement. Turns out its all about cloning! It presents an alternate history where cloning technology was perfected in the 50’s and now in the 70’s three clones bred purely for spare parts live out their lives in a private school which in reality is little more than a farm. With much love and great performances they uncover the truth about their existence. Advance word is great on this one and it could be a major awards contender. Showing at the London film festival in October, otherwise you have to wait until January.

Released: January 14th

Tron Legacy

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski. Starring: Jeff Bridges, Olivia Wilde, Michael Sheen and Garrett Hedlund.

Perhaps the most anticipated film of the season amongst the online community it seems like years since we saw the test footage that wowed the comic con audience and led to a greenlight for this project. Its hard to think who the audience for this movie is, is there anyone under 25 who knows what the hell Tron is? The original film remains a curiosity and to be honest these days its almost unwatchable. There are those who love it more as a nostalgia trip rather than a good movie. The concept of a world that exists in a computer is pure 80’s and it remains to be seen if modern audiences are going to go with it. Still it looks visually amazing and is in 3D so that should get bums in seats. The rumors of them going back for not one but two sets of re-shoots do not fill me with confidence. Without doubt this is the years biggest gamble.

Released: December 26th.

Black Swan

Directed by: Darren Aronofsky. Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassel.

Darren Aronofsky’s follow up to The Wrestler is a psychological thriller starring Natalie Portman as Nina, a ballerina at the top of her game who is starring in a new version of Swan Lake. Her position is threatened however in the shape of Mila Kunis rival ballerina Lily, who seems to have a little more of a devil may care attitude. Its not long before Nina's life starts to unravel with the production and her personal life bleeding into each other. This has gotten some great reviews following its debut at the Venice film festival recently and the trailer looks very David Lynch esque. Aronofsky makes movies that emotionally scar you whilst being incredibly visually stimulating and Black Swan is no different. Could be an Oscar in it for Portman too who is apparently phenomenal in the lead role. We have to wait until February to get a look though unless you want to catch it at the London film festival.

Released: February 11th.

Jackass 3D

Directed by: Jeff Tremaine. Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Wee-Man, Bam Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius.

When James Cameron developed the 3D Technology for ten years that would lead to Avatar, he was secretly hoping that someone would use it to show us a man bungeed from a bridge in a port a loo. The Jackass crew are back and this time in 3D, not post conversion but actually shot with the Cameron 3D cameras. Expect bodily fluids to come flying out the screen at you as well as stunts on skateboards,jetskis and bikes. All done by professionals kids. Possibly the guiltiest of guilty pleasures this year.

Released: November 5th.

True Grit

Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen. Starring: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Barry Pepper.

You would think that the Coen brothers would stay away from remakes after the disaster that was The Ladykillers. Here they are though with a remake of John Wayne’s acclaimed western from 1969. The story follows Marshall Rooster Cogburn (Bridges) who is enlisted by a young woman to track down her father’s killers. The Coen’s reunite with old hombres Jeff Bridges and Josh Brolin as well as new hands Matt Damon and Barry Pepper for a movie based more on the original novel rather than the classic film adaptation. Hopefully the Coen’s can bring something new to the western genre, it remains to be seen whether this will be one of their more quirky efforts or if they will go for the hard hitting edgy feel of recent films. Hard to believe that this is the brothers first out and out western, No Country for Old Men doesn’t count. There should be a trailer for this any day now…

Released: January.

Buried

Directed by: Rodrigo Cortes. Starring: Ryan Reynolds in a box.

Coming off of a lot of buzz from film festivals worldwide is Rodrigo Cortes thriller Buried. The film consists of Ryan Reynolds buried alive in a coffin for an hour and a half. Where it goes from here and how it gets so much mileage from a simple premise is anyone's guess. Reports indicate that this is one of the most claustrophobic,tense and scary films for many a moon. This was the film that replaced A Serbian Film at Frightfest recently and reportedly went down a storm. Great Hitchcock esque posters too.

Released: September 29th.

Due Date

Directed by: Todd Phillips. Starring: Robert Downey Jr and Zach Galifianakis.

Todd Phillips is a great comedy director. Up there with the Ivan Reitmans, Harold Ramis’s and John Landis’s of the world. After the success of The Hangover, Phillips has wisely decided to reunite with that films break out star, Zach Galifianakis as well as Robert Downey Jr. Downey Jr is no stranger to comedy, people forget he spent a season on Saturday Night Live before Chaplin and his drug meltdown. He is arguably currently the biggest star in the world so needs to vary it up with a comedy. Something you wouldn't catch Christian Bale doing. Due Date concerns a tightly wound man trying to get back home across the country for the birth of his child, he is thrust into sharing the journey with Galifianakis eccentric aspiring actor. Due Date is probably the comedy to beat this season as well as a welcome return to odd couple comedy ala Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Released: November 5th.

The Green Hornet

Directed by: Michel Gondry. Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz and Christoph Waltz.

We live in a strange world right now. A world where a box office disaster from 1982 gets a mega budget sequel and an old 60s TV series superhero is resurrected by the guy who made Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind starring everyone's favorite stoner in an action hero role. Its one of those projects that is either going to be an out and out disaster or turn out to be all shades of awesome. The Green Hornet revolves around millionaire playboy Britt Reid (Rogen) who turns his life into one of purpose with inventor Kato (Chou) and decides to fight crime. The trailer looks promising but the decision to post convert into 3D is never a good sign. Didn't work for The Last Airbender or Clash of The Titans. Could be that the studio didn't really know what it was in for when they greenlit this and then ended up with something they don’t understand, so they will convert it and of course everything will be okay.

Released: January

The Adjustment Bureau

Directed by: George Nolfi. Starring: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and Terrence Stamp.

This movie was due to debut in the late summer of this year but for some reason was removed from the schedules and will now debut next year instead. Not a good sign or maybe pushing for awards consideration?. The Adjustment bureau follows a politician (Damon) who meets a ballerina (Blunt) and falls in love. Mysterious men in black suits and hats turn up who claim to be agents of fate. They conspire to keep the two puzzled lovebirds apart should they ruin life grand design. Based on a Philip K Dick short story, this looks promising but must have been moved for a reason. Lets hope its more Minority Report than Impostor.

Released: January 7th

Faster

Directed by: George Tillman Jr. Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Carla Gugino and Tom Berenger.

Finally the Rock has come back to action films. Dwayne Johnson plays a getaway driver who once released from prison goes on a mission to exact revenge on the people who double crossed him and killed his brother. Billy Bob Thornton plays the cop on his trail. After a series of miserable kids films its great to see Johnson back doing what he was born to do, kicking ass and taking names. The trailer rocks and after the success of The Expendables the time is right for this kind of flick to come back with a vengeance. Will mainstream audiences smell what Johnson is cooking?

Released: December.

Drive Angry 3D

Directed by: Patrick Lussier. Starring: Nicolas Cage, Amber Heard, William Fichtner and David Morse.

I have a new theory about 3D, apart from being a bad sign if a movie is post converted before release, its great for mid to low budget exploitation fare. There is nothing better than seeing blood and nudity pop out the screen at you with a packed audience even if it is a post conversion job. Pirahna 3D proved this and so did director Patrick Lussier’s last film, the hugely fun My Bloody Valentine. Nicolas Cage continues his career resurgence here playing a father who returns from hell to avenge the death of his daughter. Expect much car based carnage as well as huge helpings of ultra violence and bad wigs. The short but sweet trailer for this whets the appetite just enough, should be a great piece of vehicular mayhem while we wait for the next Mad Max to ramp up.

Released: February.

By Chris Holt

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