So we're more than seven months into the year, and I've seen 21 films. That's a little less than three per month — not a bad average, but off the pace of one-per-week that I like as a yearly average. But it is the fall and winter that generally deliver the must-see films, and lots of them, so I should be able to hit my target by Oscar time.
Before looking at the films to come, I'll mention some films from earlier this year that I have in my NetFlix queue and hope to see soon on DVD (in order of preference):
Once,
Away From Her,
Talk to Me,
Grindhouse,
Black Book,
Waitress,
La Vie en Rose,
The Ten,
The Hoax,
Diggers,
2 Days in Paris,
Disturbia,
Curse of the Golden Flower,
Bug,
Smokin' Aces. So many movies, so little time.
Now, on to the fall. I'm basing this write-up on the films profiled in the Entertainment Weekly Fall Preview issue (#949/950). It's possible some of these titles might move to next year or titles not listed here might emerge.
SEPTEMBER
Movie I most want to see: The Kingdom. I've been hearing great things about this for awhile now. I love the cast (Chris Cooper, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman) and I was really impressed with Peter Berg's work on
Friday Night Lights.
Most intriguing: Eastern Promises. David Cronenberg back in
A History of Violence territory with Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts starring. Yeah, I think I'm interested.
Also of interest: 3:10 to Yuma (Russell Crowe and Christian Bale in a brooding hunk-off);
The Brave One (didn't realize Neil Jordan helmed this Jodie Foster revenge flick);
Lust, Caution (hard to go wrong with Ang Lee);
Shoot 'Em Up (Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti slumming in a stylish, well, shoot 'em up).
Movies I'm wary of: Across the Universe (Julie Taymor certainly has a talent for visuals, but I get the feeling her Beatles-cover-album-on-film will be a big mess. On the other hand, it could be brilliant.);
In the Valley of Elah (Looks like Oscar bait, but I ain't taking it... once bitten by Paul Haggis, twice shy).
OCTOBER
Movie I most want to see: The Darjeeling Limited. The latest from Wes Anderson... need I say more? OK, I'll say a little more. I'm thrilled to see Jason Schwartzman back in a Wes movie — he was so good in
Rushmore. Bill Murray deserved his Oscar buzz for that film but Schwartzman should have been right there with him. I was very annoyed by the critical reaction to
The Life Aquatic, a beautiful, bizarre, touching film that was roundly trashed for being too "quirky" for its own good. I love Owen Wilson's quote about
Darjeeling: "Sometimes people focus on the eccentric stuff in Wes' films and the other stuff gets lost, that there's real emotion in his work. It's definitely there in this one." Well, I'm definitely there, too.
Most intriguing: Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Talk about the most unlikely sequel. But it makes a lot of sense, considering how rich a character this is. Love the trailer, and I'm happy to watch Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush and Clive Owen chew up the scenery.
Also of interest: The Heartbreak Kid (two words... Michelle Monaghan);
Gone Baby Gone (two words... Michelle Monaghan; plus, I like Ben Affleck and it would be nice to see his directorial debut work);
Michael Clayton (I love me some George Clooney, and I like the description of this as a throwback to the adult dramas of the 70s);
Grace is Gone (I'd like to see John Cusack get some credit for his underrated acting);
Things We Lost in the Fire (Halle Berry back in Oscar form with Benicio del Toro in tow).
Movies I'm wary of: Dan in Real Life (I love Carrell, but this looks like a bit of a
Little Miss Sunshine wannabe);
Lars and the Real Girl (Ryan Gosling in a comedy? About a man in love with a mannequin? Could be a disaster, or a classic);
Reservation Road (looks a lot like a rewrite of
21 Grams, but I do love Mark Ruffalo and Joaquin Phoenix).
NOVEMBER
Movie I most want to see: No Country For Old Men. Another film by one (two) of my "hotties," as Dana calls them. The Coen Brothers got rave reviews at Cannes for this dark adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel. Along with
Darjeeling, the movie I'm most looking forward to this year.
Most intriguing: American Gangster. I'm so there. Denzel Washington playing another charismatic bad guy, with Russell Crowe in pursuit. This looks really, really good.
Also of interest: Bee Movie (Seinfeld humor from the mouth of an insect... should be lots of fun);
Fred Claus (Vince Vaughn doing his Vince Vaughn thing... talk about hotties!);
Love in the Time of Cholera (wonderful book finally being adapted for the screen);
Lions For Lambs (Cruise and Streep going toe-to-toe);
Margot at the Wedding (Noah Baumbach's follow-up to the great
Squid and the Whale, which seems to mine similar territory);
The Kite Runner (everyone loves the book... maybe another
Namesake?);
Enchanted (looks like a ton of fun, and I think I'm on the verge of a major crush on Amy Adams).
Movies I'm wary of: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (I like the cast, but is it anything more than a Willy Wonka ripoff?);
I'm Not There (bunch of different people — including Cate Blanchett — playing Bob Dylan at various points in his life and career... just weird enough to work?).
DECEMBER
Movie I most want to see: There Will Be Blood. Another hottie, Paul Thomas Anderson, delivering his first film in 5 years, and teaming up with Daniel Day Lewis, who is always so frighteningly good. I don't know much at all about this, but Anderson is a marvelous talent.
Most intriguing: The Golden Compass. I absolutely adore these books, and the cast they've assembled is dead-on. I'm a little worried by Nicole Kidman's comment that the film isn't at all anti-Catholic, because the blasting of organized religion is one of the series' strongest themes. But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.
Also of interest: Atonement (Joe Wright and Keira Knightley hit one out of the park with
Pride and Prejudice — can they do it again with this great Ian McEwan book?);
Leatherheads (George Clooney and Jim Krazinski — say no more);
I Am Legend (Will Smith is always worth watching, and I'm intrigued by his comments about the dramatic elements of this movie);
National Treasure: Book of Secrets (fun);
Walk Hard (I laughed my ass off at the trailer... but probably a rental);
Charlie Wilson's War (tempted to put this in the 'wary' category because Sorkin and politics can be an icky mix, but I trust Mike Nichols — not to mention Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman — to keep it real);
The Great Debaters (could be the next
Akeelah and the Bee);
The Savages (trailer looked promising way back when) .
Movies I'm wary of: Sweeney Todd (Tim Burton might make a better art director than film director, but I'm curious to see Johnny Depp in a musical);
The Bucket List (if Rob Reiner can return to the form of his first 7-8 films, this could be wonderful; if he stays in the rut he's been in since, it could be horrible).
Date: August 22
