The Other Woman - Written and Directed by Don Roos
Natalie Portman has had one of the most impressive careers in recent history. I will always give her films a shot. However. Do we really need another brooding drama about a couple losing a child? I understand the film is about Portman’s relationship with her stepson, but as Phoebe…I mean Lisa Kudrow…says in the trailer: “That’s nothing. That’s less than nothing.” Roos directed Bounce and Happy Endings, which average out to moderate failure. My prediction: Portman will be great, but no one will give a shit.
Natalie Portman, Lisa Kudrow, Lauren Ambrose, Charlie Tahan
February 4

Sanctum - Directed by Alister Grierson, Written by John Garvin and Andrew Wight
It appears James Cameron has finally found his unobtainium (I still can’t get over this). Apparently, the groundbreaking 3D technology (this will be Breaking My Fucking Heart soon…) used in Avatar is now being handed out to anyone with a camcorder. This is basically an Australian film (Aussie director, writer, cast, cinematographer, etc.) about spelunking gone horribly awry. If Cameron wanted to remake Aliens of the Deep, he shoulda just fucking said so. Now we have Titanic meets The Descent, only with no nudity or kick-ass monsters. If anyone winds up on a floating door, I’m gonna be pissed.
Ioan Grufudd, Richard Roxburgh, Rhys Wakefield, Alice Parkinson
February 4

Carbon Nation - Directed by Peter Byck
Do I believe in global warming as explained by Al Gore? Fuck no. Do I believe in climate change as a scientifically practical theory? I don’t know. But as the tagline for this film claims, these filmmakers don’t care if you believe in it or not. Real people from all walks of life discuss the economic, scientific, financial, and humanitarian aspects of “clmate shift” technology, and its impact on America. I’m no birkenstock-wearing tree-hugger, but I’m sort of open minded. Sometimes. Especially when the documentary is about exploring solutions, not bitching about problems.
February 11

The Eagle - Directed by Kevin Macdonald, Written by Jeremy Brock
This movie is already driving me crazy. So the writer, director, cinematographer (Danny Boyle’s homie, Anthony Dod Mantle), and editor (Justine Wright) of The Last King of Scotland (great film) are sending Billy Elliot and GI Joe (or Tyler Gage if you have a vagina) into the Roman/Britain era wilderness in search of a golden eagle, accompanied only by Atli Orvarsson’s (composer, Season of the Witch, Babylon AD) less than impressive skill set? And it’s a Focus Feature? I’m stumped. But I’m always down for Gladiator part 47, so we’ll see.
Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Mark Strong, Donald Sutherland
February 11

The Sunset Limited - Directed by Tommy Lee Jones, Written by Cormac McCarthy
There are few people I would enjoy seeing locked in a room for two hours. Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson are definitely on the list, though. Jones’ loud, intense whispering, and Jackson’s loud, intense…everything…will probably achieve cable television milestone status next Saturday. This will depend heavily, however, on Jones’ usually intelligent directing and McCarthy’s brilliant but sometimes boring dramatic prose. Blookah blookah that shit.
Tommy Lee Jones, Samuel L. Jackson
February 12 (HBO)

I am Number Four - Directed by DJ Caruso, Written by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Marti Noxon
DJ Caruso making a film without Shia LaBeouf? Has that happened before? Oh yeah, it was called The Salton Sea. Granted, this looks nothing like that movie. But it also looks nothing like Eagle Eye or Disturbia. What it looks like is The Covenant, which was surprisingly a decent, entertaining film. Plus, Gough and Millar were writers for Spiderman 2, and Noxon is an EP on Mad Men. So I’m really hopeful for this one.
Ultimate Twist: the bad guy turns out to be Number 9, played by Ryan Reynolds. I should get paid for ideas like that.
Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer, Kevin Durand
February 18

Unknown - Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, Written by Oliver Butcher and Stephen Cornwell
I guess Liam Neeson really wants to be taken seriously as an action star. Which is why he’s brought us Taken 2: Takener. The idea of a guy waking up and having his identity taken or changed is not a new thing. But it is generally entertaining and good for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Neeson just needs to be careful, cause he’s one film away from taking the “I want my family back” reins away from Harrison Ford.
Liam Neeson, January Jones, Diane Kruger, Aidan Quinn, Frank Langella
February 18

Drive Angry - Directed by Patrick Lussier, Written by Patrick Lussier and Todd Farmer
I’ve been seeing previews for this monstrosity for six months now. Here’s what I know: I hate, hate, hate, hate Nicolas Cage and his euro-mullet. Amber Heard is hot. William Fichtner is wasting his talent, but will be awesome as a minion of darkness. I hate, hate, hate, hate movies with “3D” in the title. I hate that I am a victim of marketing, and will most likely see this movie at some point. This movie will ruin muscle cars and large guns for all of us.
Nicolas Cage, Amber Heard, William Fichtner, Billy Burke, David Morse, Pruitt Taylor Vince
February 25

Hall Pass - Directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly, Written by Peter and Bobby Farrelly, Pete Jones, and Kevin Barnett
It’s true, the Farrelly Brothers have been in a slump since Me, Myself, and Irene. It’s also highly unlikely that they will redeem themselves with Owen Wilson and his band of misfits. But the premise of two guys getting a free, do-whatever-without-repercussions-from-the-wife week has potential, and Richard Jenkins is now the freaking Where’s Waldo of cinema, so it should be good for a laugh or three…once it’s on Netflix.
Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Christina Applegate, Jenna Fischer, Richard Jenkins
February 25

Shelter - Directed by Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein, Written by Michael Cooney
I saw posters for this movie when I was in Ireland back in March. Those lucky micks got it in April. I’ve had a copy for six months, and totally forgot about it until now. Two of the best actors working right now taking on a screenplay about multiple personalities that all happen to be murder victims by the same guy who wrote Identity. Sounds bloody good to me. Not sure why this project was dropped in Swedish hands, or why it’s not getting more hype, but I’m stoked.
Julianne Moore, Jonathan Rhys Meyers
February 25

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Carancho - Directed by Pablo Trapero, Written by Alejandro Fadel, Martin Mauregui, and Santiago Mitre
Argentinian cinema has been on a steady rise the last decade. The Secret in Their Eyes won the Foreign Language Oscar last year, so Ricardo Darin’s already on everyone’s radar. Trapero, all the writers, and Gusman are just coming off 2008’s Lion’s Den (gritty, but strange). This film is about an EMT and an ambulance-chasing insurance agent falling in love amidst the organized crime and corruption surrounding Argentina’s 8000 vehicular fatalities a year. Not sure if I’d agree with the “noir” label being attached to it, but the trailer is dope, and it looks intense. As long as I can find subtitles, I’m goin’ for it.
Ricardo Darin, Martina Gusman
February 11 (LImited)

I Am You - Written and Directed by Simone North
The last couple years, I have found a new appreciation for Australian film. Especially after last year’s Animal Kingdom and 2008’s The Horseman. It’s the true story of a 15 year old who went missing in Australia. If you’re not from down-under, maybe stay away from IMDB, as it kinda spoils things. But the performances look great, and newcomer North’s direction appears solid. No official US release date yet, but keep checking the blogosphere.
Guy Pearce, Miranda Otto, Sam Neill, Ruth Bradley
February 11 (Rumored)

The Burma Conspiracy - Directed by Jerome Salle, Written by Julien Rappeneau
The latest film based on the popular French graphic novel series by Philippe Francq and Jean Van Hamme, the film is centered on Largo Winch (Sisley), the heir to a multi-billion dollar company who is accused of crimes against the Burmese people in a complex comspiracy. I’m usually intrigued by conspiracy stories, and we’ve tolerated Sharon Stone for 18 years hoping to catch another glimpse of her vajayjay. I’m also pretty forgiving of things based on graphic novels. C’mon interwebs, leak already.
Tomer Sisley, Sharone Stone, Ulrich Tukur, Napakpapha Nakprasitte
February 16 (France)

Of Gods and Men - Directed by Xavier Beauvois, Written by Xavier Beauvois and Etienne Comar
This French film about a group of monks’ refusal to vacate their home in the face of terrorist occupation has been getting a lot of love overseas and from festivals, including Cannes. If the murmurings are true, it’s a very quiet, patient, and powerful film about faith and love. I’m sure I’ll have to find it online, but if you get the chance to see it at a theater near you, take it.
Lambert Wilson, Michael Lonsdale, Olivier Rabourdin, Philippe Laudenbach
February 25 (Limited)

I know that I’ve been slacking on my pimping as far as movies go. I’ve been super busy with other projects and, honestly, August wasn’t a great month for film. However, September is jam packed with interesting and anticipated releases, and I couldn’t bring myself to skip it.

The American - Directed by Anton Corbijn, Written by Rowan Joffe
Corbijn may not have any films to speak of outside music videos. And Joffe’s only big one was 28 Weeks Later, but even the poster for this film - reminiscent of Peckinpah’s marketing - gets me excited. Clooney is an assassin doing his last job in Italy. The plot is really simple, but this is oldschool cinema at it’s best. I’m just hoping the cinematic maturity doesn’t hide a weak script. Looking forward to it.
George Clooney, Irina Bjorklund
September 1

My Dog Tulip - Written and Directed by Paul and Sandra Fierlinger
I’ve become a big fan of foreign animation over the years. This simple story of an old man finding a spirited canine companion, and the understated artwork seem like a cross between The Triplets of Belleville and Marley and Me, but with British sensibilities. And I’m willing to bet Rossellini does the voice of Tulip. Hey, it’s better than sex with insects
Christopher Plummer, Lynn Redgrave, Isabella Rossellini
September 1

Machete - Directed by Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis, Written by Robert and Alvaro Rodriguez
I told you! If I put it in the last Coming Soon, it would get here faster. Finally, the wait is over for the craziest film to ever be based on a fake preview. Robert Rodriguez is a disturbingly cool individual and, though his producer presence wasn’t enough to salvage Predators, this is going to kick ass.
Danny Trejo, Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Steven Seagal, Jeff Fahey, Cheech Marin, Don Johnson, Lindsay Lohan
September 3

The Winning Season - Written and Directed by James C. Strouse
Ok, so a movie about high school girls’ basketball doesn’t sound cool. But what if Sam Rockwell is the coach? and Rob Corddry is the principal? Even if this got a wide release, I probably wouldn’t shell out ten bucks for it. But those two actors are enough for me to catch it on OnDemand (or the internets, whichever comes first). My only hesitation is a guy who’s been a sex addict, a con man, and been alone on the moon probably shouldn’t be let near a high school. Just saying.
Sam Rockwell, Emma Roberts, Rob Corddry
September 3

The Afterlight - Written and Directed by Alexei Kaleina and Craig Macneill
Most of you will pass on this film, especially if you watch the preview. It could either be a super mature film (which is what the critics are saying) that builds slowly and pays off at the end. Or it will be a pretentious artsy film that tries to say things with its silence and fails completely. The themes involve letting go of the past, starting over, and human connection. If the critics are right, it’s a surprisingly mature film for rookie directors. Who listens to critics though? Wait…
Michael Kelly, Jicky Schnee, Ana Asensio, Rip Torn
September 10

I’m Still Here - Directed by Casey Affleck
I’m only including this one because I think everyone should be aware of it. Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck decided to make a documentary out of Phoenix’s attempt to shrug off what must have been a sad, deeply unfulfilling (successful) film career and become a rapper. The younger Affleck hasn’t even proved himself a consistent actor, and he’s directing things now? That and the title is ironically apt, since I’m kinda getting irritated that Phoenix just won’t FUCKING LEAVE. I’ll download it to watch him make an ass of himself, but please for the love of god, don’t give him your money; it’ll only encourage him.
Joaquin Phoenix
September 10

Lovely, Still - Written and Directed by Nicholas Fackler
Fackler’s first endeavor seems to fall somewhere between The Notebook and Away From Her. I will be the first to admit that those are both damn good films, but when you’re watching a movie about old people dating for the first time in decades, you kinda know how it’s going to end. That aside, this looks pretty heartfelt and young at heart. Awww. They’re old.
Martin Landau, Ellen Burstyn, Adam Scott, Elizabeth Banks
September 10

Resident Evil: Afterlife - Written and Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson
I know that all the Resident Evil video game fans are pissed that this franchise isn’t the spooky, dark horror gore-fest they were expecting. But the first two films were pretty damn cool. Third one, not so much. Unfortunately, this one looks one step above Ultraviolet (worst movie ever), but in the midst of the misguided gimmick that is Hollywood 3D, the handful that are actually intended to be 3D will always have my attention. Because whatever you tell other people, you know Avatar’s 3D was the shit, and everyone secretly wants to see Piranha 3D.
Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Kim Coates, Shawn Roberts, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Spencer Locke
September 10

The Romantics - Written and Directed by Galt Niederhoffer
I really thought this was gonna be another dumb chick flick (no offense, chicks). But after reading about it and watching the trailer, I think there’s something there. Niederhoffer wrote the novel, and she’s produced some off-the-radar goodness (Trucker, Dedication, Grace is Gone), so we know she has her indie integrity and character insight intact. The cast definitely makes me wonder, but separately most of them have one or two solid projects under their belts. Still not an Akerman fan, though. I dunno.
Katie Holmes, Anna Paquin, Josh Duhamel, Malin Akerman, Adam Brody, Elijah Wood, Jeremy Strong, Candice Bergen
September 10

Never Let Me Go - Directed by Mark Romanek, Written by Alex Garland
For those of you who don’t recognize the name, Alex Garland is a very talented screenwriter who teamed with Danny Boyle on The Beach, 28 Days Later…, and Sunshine. Granted, this coming of age story set at an English boarding school is a slight departure from zombies and space travel. And Romanek’s only film was One Hour Photo (Robin WIlliams’ continuing struggle to be taken seriously). But this could very well be this year’s Atonement, only with the welcome absence of Joe F-ing Wright.
Keira Knightley, Andrew Garfield, Carey Mulligan, Charlotte Rampling, Sally Hawkins
September 15

Devil - Directed by Drew and John Erick Dowdle, Written by M. Night Shyamalan and Brian Nelson
The Good News: screenwriter Brian Nelson wrote Hard Candy and did work on 30 Days of Night, so we know he’s talented. Also, Geoffrey Arend is just funny no matter what.
The Bad News: The Dowdle brothers gave us Quarantine, which was a bullshit remake. Also, there is a complete lack of star power here.
The Worst News: Shyamalan is a fuckhead, and the twist is that he’s the devil, and the plummeting elevator is a metaphor for his film career. Fool me once, Shyamalan, shame on you. Fool me seven times…
Geoffrey Arend, Chris Messina, Bokeem Woodbine, Bojana Novakovic, Matt Craven
September 17

Enter the Void - Directed by Gaspar Noe, Written by Lucile Hadzihalilovic and Gaspar Noe
In Irreversible, Noe showed us the brutal side of life. His follow up attempts to tackle the beautiful side of death. A brother and sister make a pact to never leave each other. When the brother is killed in a Tokyo nightclub, he returns as a ghost to protect his sister. His last film was dark and gritty, but Void looks bright, colorful, and mesmerizing. A lot of cinephiles are already on its nuts, and I think I’m one of them. It will probably blow your mind.
Nathaniel Brown, Paz de la Huerta
September 17

The Freebie - Written and Directed by Katie Aselton
Aselton could arguably contend with Greta Gerwig for the title of Mumblecore queen. Acting, directing, writing; she does it all. The Freebie definitely classifies as Mumblecore. A young couple, in the face of a dwindling sex life, agrees to allow each other one one-night-stand to save their relationship. Dax Shepard always struck me as the poor man’s Zach Braff, but he puts on his serious face in this one, and it appears to work. Most likely won’t be coming to a theatre near you, but I’ll see it the first chance I get.
Dax Shepard, Katie Aselton, Bellamy Young
September 17

The Town - Directed by Ben Affleck, Written by Peter Craig, Ben Affleck, and Aaron Stockard
Say what you will about Ben Affleck the actor, but Gone Baby Gone was an impressive piece of directing. When you make a movie about goofily-masked bank robbers, you will inevitably be compared to Point Break. But really, Hall and Lively are both damn attractive, Hamm is spreading his Mad Men wings, and Renner is officially a fucking ganster now. Editor Dylan Tichenor and cinematographer Robert Elswit both worked on There Will Be Blood and Magnolia, and they each have an amazing resume besides. This is going to be a fun action movie no matter what.
Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Blake Lively, Rebecca Hall, Chris Cooper, Pete Postlethwaite
September 17

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Written and Directed by Woody Allen
I’ve never been a huge fan of Woody Allen, but his last few attempts have been uncharacteristically subpar. This is his usual eclectic cast, interwoven stories and characters, quirky humor, and awkward moments. The cast is fantastic, and he seems to have returned to his usual tone. Unfortunately, that narration I’m not the least bit fond of is back in the trailer. I’m apprehensive.
Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Gemma Jones, Ewen Bremner
September 22

Jack Goes Boating - Directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, Written by Bob Glaudini
It wouldn’t be the beginning of autumn without Hoffman and his talented, artsy antics. It is understandable that, for his directorial debut, he chose Glaudini’s play about offbeat working-class relationships in NYC. Hoffman starring in the lead is of course a plus. This is definitely his wheelhouse, but we’ll see if he can pull it off behind the camera.
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Ryan, John Ortiz
September 23

Buried - Directed by Rodrigo Cortes, Written by Chris Sparling
It bothers me when an unknown writer and an unknown director put out a super low budget film and are immediately compared to Hitchcock. It’s almost blasphemous. As good as Ryan Reynolds is, there have been numerous thrillers in the last decade which take place in a figurative or literal “box” and are hyped up and compared to classics only to fail miserably. That being said, I can’t help but be intrigued by Van Wilder stuck in a box for 90 minutes. Maybe.
Ryan Reynolds, Samantha Mathis
September 24 (Limited)

Howl - Written and Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman
I feel like anytime you make a film about a compelling historical figure during a pivotal cultural period, James Franco needs to be involved. This feeling is apparently shared by newbies Epstein and Friedman (too easy). Franco plays Allen Ginsberg, the American poet who was put on trial for obscenity after publishing the poem “Howl”. This was a big hit on the festival circuit, and the supporting cast is near perfect. Can’t wait.
James Franco, Mary-Louise Parker, Jon Hamm, Jeff Daniels, Alessandro Nivola, David Strathairn, Treat Williams
September 24

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole - Directed by Zack Snyder, Written by John Orloff and Emil Stern
Animated features continue to surprise me these days. So it’s no surprise that they’ve upped the ante by placing the now-infamous Zack Snyder at the helm of this book adaptation featuring warrior owls. It reminds me of Watership Down and The Secret of Nimh, which is a good thing. The animation and 3D effects already look fantastic. Pixar has some competition this year.
Sam Neill, Geoffrey Rush, Helen Mirren, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, David Wenham, Abbie Cornish, Ryan Kwanten
September 24

Like Dandelion Dust - Directed by Jon Gunn, Written by Stephen J. Rivele and Michael Lachance
This story is a little Lifetime network for me. But the preview seems to hint at a more in-depth analysis of human nature, love, and family. Pepper’s character is thrown in jail, prompting his newly pregnant wife (Sorvino) to give the child up for adoption. When Pepper finally gets out, the couple begins a campaign to reclaim their son. But his new parents are, on the surface, a much more stable and privileged family. It’ll be on cable before you know it, but don’t dismiss it too quickly.
Mira Sorvino, Barry Pepper, Cole Hauser, Kate Levering
September 24

Waiting for “Superman” - Directed by Davis Guggenheim, Written by Davis Guggenheim and Billy Kimball
The director of An Inconvenient Truth is back to remind us that America is ruining the world with this bold and honest documentary about our education system. Most likely lacking in “new” or “groundbreaking” information, this will probably end up sweeping the nation much like its predecessor. The inclusion of Stock George Reeves Superman footage concerns me. But hey, it’s a step up from Futurama and Al Gore.
September 24

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps - Directed by Oliver Stone, Written by Allan Loeb and Stephen Schiff
As much as I dislike Oliver Stone, he’s not fucking around this time. Not only did he put a heavy hitting cast together (and Shia LeBeouf), but he got the scribes of Lolita and Things We Lost in the Fire to pen his script. The “new face” of Wall Street doesn’t really do it for me, and the mobile phone gag from the preview is a bit clumsy (Hey, remember Wall Street from the ‘80’s? I directed that! This movie is like that movie! Sequel!), but after being delayed for four months, I admit I’m eager to check it out.
Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Carey Mulligan, Josh Brolin, Susan Sarandon, Frank Langella, Eli Wallach, Charlie Sheen
September 24

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Mesrine
This two-part story has been getting unanimously rave reviews since its premiere in 2008. French criminal mastermind Jacques Mesrine (Cassel) runs rampant across the country, robbing, killing, and becoming infamous. This is actually a true story from the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. I finally found this online, and since it’s not coming to a theatre anywhere near me, I don’t feel bad watching it for free. There are plenty of American films like this, but the French have a way of making, uh, good films, while we make Public Enemies. If you get the chance to see either of these, take it.
Killer Instinct - Directed by Jean-Francois Richet, Written by Abdel Raouf Dafri
Starring: Vincent Cassel, Gerard Depardieu, Cecile De France, Elena Anaya
August 27 (Limited)
Public Enemy #1 - Directed by Jean-Francois Richet, Written by Abdel Raouf Dafri
Starring: Vincent Cassel, Ludivine Sagnier, Matthieu Amalric, Samuel Le Bihan
September 3 (Limited)

Suck - Written and Directed by Rob Stefaniuk
I am freaking sick of vampire movies, and I never want to watch another one. Unless it manages to get Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Moby, Malcolm McDowell, and the bassist from Rush on screen together. Good job, Rob Stefaniuk. This is artsy, ridiculous horror comedy at it’s best. Me and the half of Canada that isn’t starring in this film are going to love it. Screw everyone else.
Malcom McDowell, Dave Foley, Jessica Pare, Nicole de Boer, Henry Rollins, Iggy Pop, Alice Cooper, Moby, Alex Lifeson, Carole Pope
September 2 (Limited)

Tomorrow, When the War Began - Written and Directed by Stuart Beattie
Though response to this film has been lukewarm, I’m freaking excited about it. This may be Beattie’s directorial debut, but his writing credits (Collateral, Derailed, Pirates of the Caribbean, 30 Days of Night, Australia) speak for themselves. It is about a group of friends in Australia who return from a camping trip to find their country has been invaded by an anonymous foreign power. They must use every tool and weapon they can find to fight for their homeland. Possibly too serious for a fun teen movie, and too flashy for a serious adult film, this character study in friendship and patriotism might struggle to find an audience, but I’m hoping for the best.
Caitlin Stasey, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Lincoln Lewis, Deniz Akdeniz, Phoebe Tonkin
September 2 (Australia)

A Woman, a Gun, and a Noodle Shop - Directed by Yimou Zhang, Written by Jianquan Shi and Jing Shang
This is probably the film I’m most excited about this month. The director of Hero and House of Flying Daggers is remaking The Coen Brothers’ first film, Blood Simple. How fucking cool is that? It takes place in China in the late 1800’s, but the story is the same. This girl pays this guy to kill her husband, but this girl doesn’t know that this guy hired that guy to kill her and her husband, and nobody knows that the husband actually put a hit out on both of them. Admit it, it’s fucking cool.
Honglei Sun, Dahong Ni, Ni Yan, Xiao Shen-Yang, Xiaojuan Wang
September 3 (Limited)

Heartbreaker - Directed by Pascal Caumeil, Written by Laurent Zeitoun, Jeremy Doner, and Yohan Gromb
As romantic comedies go, I have to say I liked Hitch. So I am kind of curious to see this film about the anti-Hitch, a man who is payed to break couples up. He zeroes in on his target, only to fall in love over a shared obsession with Dirty Dancing. French people reenacting those famous scenes and singing ‘80’s music is amusing to me.
Romain Duris, Vanessa Paradis
September 10 (Limited)

The Hideaway (Le refuge) - Directed by Francois Ozon, Written by Francois Ozon and Matthieu Hippeau
The director of the sexy Focus Feature Swimming Pool is again stranding his characters in a summer house. After a woman and her husband overdose, the husband dies and the wife realizes she’s pregnant. Unwilling to comply with his family’s requests to abort the child, she heads to a cabin accompanied by her brother-in-law. The two must come to terms with the loss of their loved one, the presence of the baby, and their feelings for each other. Steamy.
Isabelle Carre, Louis-Ronan Choicy
September 10 (NY)
September 17 (LA)

The Kid - Directed by Nick Moran, Written by Kevin Lewis, Nick Moran, and Mark Thomas
This is the gritty true story of Kevin Lewis, who was constantly beaten by his mother, and then acted out violently against everyone who cared about him later in life. We all know Natascha McElhone as the hot, patience-of-a-saint ex from Californication. So seeing her as a frumpy, ugly, abusive mother is a bit of a stretch. But the stark realism and honestly are compelling.
Natascha McElhone, Ioan Gruffudd, Rupert Friend, David O’Hara
September 17 (UK)

The Last Airbender - Written and Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
I know it’s strange that I’d include a Shyamalan film in this, considering it’s no secret I hate him. He’s a horrible, horrible writer. But objectively I think he’s a very talented director, and I’m still holding out hope that his idiotic sense of unwarranted self-indulgence will be suppressed once and for all. I’ve heard nothing but bad press so far, but I’m a dreamer.
Noah Ringer, Dev Patel, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone, Cliff Curtis
July 1

Predators - Directed by Nimrod Antal, Written by Alex Litvak and Michael Finch
Antal (Armored, Vacancy) might not have the resume necessary to instill confidence in a Predator reboot, but under the talented, watchful eye of Robert Rodriguez this should be pretty badass. If the red band trailer hasn’t spoiled it for you already, this round is being fought on the Predators’ planet, meaning new, crazy Predators will be joining the hunt. I seriously can’t wait.
Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace, Danny Trejo, Walton Goggins, Alice Braga
July 9

The Kids Are All Right - Directed by Lisa Cholodenko, Written by Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg
I have to admit, I really liked Laurel Canyon, and I’ve been waiting for Cholodenko to do something else. Looks like she finally found a project with this film about two teenage siblings who go against their lesbian mothers to search for their sperm-donor father. Might be cliche, but Cholodenko has a way of making awkward group dynamics just accessible enough to sympathize with. Annette Bening and Julianne Moore making out might have been sexy like 25 years ago, but nowadays…we’ll just have to see.
Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson
July 9

[Rec] 2 - Written and Directed by Juame Balaguero and Paco Plaza
Unlike 2008’s retarded Quarantine, 2007’s [Rec] (yup, that one only took a year.) was pretty awesome for a shaky cam horror film. If I’ve learned anything though, it’s that foreign horror sequels are nowhere near as superfluous or downright awful as American sequels. And with new generation Spanish horror veterans Gemma Fauria (art director), David Gallart (editor), and Pablo Rosso (cinematographer), I should’ve watched this one when I got my hands on it 3 months ago. Guess it’s time.
Manuela Velasco, Pablo Rosso, Ferran Terraza
Juy 9

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice - Directed by Jon Turteltaub, Written by Matt Lopez, Doug Miro, and Carlo Bernard
Monica Bellucci. Teresa Palmer. Jay Baruchel. These are the reasons I’m even mentioning this movie. As far as summer action films go, this Disney foray into the black arts probably won’t be anything spectacular. I’m not a fan of Nic Cage either, but the effects look well done, the premise is interesting, and I’m digging the dark tone. I figure if I can get through all the Harry Potter movies and Turteltaub’s weak-ass DaVinci Code wannabe I can get through this one. And have I mentioned I’m in love with Monica Bellucci?
Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Monica Bellucci, Teresa Palmer, Alfred Molina
July 14

Inception - Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan
I shouldn’t really have to say anything about this one. To me, this summer is all about Inception. Which is strange, considering this doesn’t feel like the usual mindless summer blockbuster. Nolan hasn’t made too many subpar films, and this one just looks ridiculous. People entering other peoples’ dreams, stealing information, changing the world like the Matrix. I really don’t understand it yet, but I can’t freaking wait. The cast is fantastic, special effects studio Double Negative has been a juggernaut the last few years, and Nolan has managed to maintain his crew behind the scenes. (Wally Pfister, Lee Smith) with some solid additions (production designer Guy Dyas). I’m going to see this on the biggest screen possible.
Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine, Lukas Haas, Ken Watanabe, Pete Postlethwaite
July 16

Salt - Directed by Philip Noyce, Written by Kurt Wimmer
Philip Noyce isn’t a name that immediately catches recognition in my mind, but looking at his filmography, we all know his work. He has a taste for intelligent, adult action films like Patriot Games, The Saint, and The Bone Collector. This gives me much more confidence that Salt could end up being one of those summer movies that you may not rave about later, but you definitely walk out of feeling satisfied spending the money for. Not many names involved, but I’m sure Jolie takes up most of the budget. My only concern is screenwriter Kurt Wimmer. His career started out great with titles like Equilibrium, The Thomas Crown Affair, and Sphere. But his last few have been pretty damn bad (Street Kings, Law Abiding Citizen, and Ultraviolet, possibly the worst film ever made). I think Noyce will handle his biznass though.
Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor
July 23

Life During Wartime - Written and Directed by Todd Solondz
I’ve never seen any of Solondz’s films, but Happiness has been sitting on my shelf for a while now, and I’ve heard good things. He seems to have that morbid, inappropriate sense of humor that’s been made popular in the last few years by directors who shall remain nameless. The subject matter isn’t funny. A woman is trying to maintain her family after her husband is jailed for pedophilia. Her new man seems nice, but her sister’s tendency to jump from lover to lover despite being married distracts her further from her sons. This doesn’t sound amusing, but I’ll bet it is in its own weird way. It’s like someone sarcastically said, “Sure we’ll make your movie. If you can get Allison Janney, Shirley Henderson, Ciaran Hinds, Paul Reubens, and…I dunno…Ally Sheedy to be in it”. What do you mean, “done”?
Allison Janney, Shirley Henderson, Ciaran Hinds, Paul Reubens, Ally Sheedy
July 23

Get Low - Directed by Aaron Schneider, Written by Chris Provenzano and C. Gaby Mitchell
Call me impressed that Schneider’s first film managed to get Bill Murray, Robert Duvall, and Sissy Spacek on screen together. Duvall plays Felix Bush, an eccentric mountain coot who wants to have his funeral while he’s still alive in order to see his friends and family, and tell them the story of why he’s cut off contact with virtually all of them. Sounds very similar to The Living Wake, but obviously the star power in this one is much stronger, and the mixture of character relationship study, introspective life examination, and mystery are intriguing to say the least.
Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek, Lucas Black
July 30

The Dry Land - Written and Directed by Ryan Piers Williams
Whoa, a film about the effects of the “War” on terror on a soldier after he returns to his native Texas? Everyone in America will love this film! Doubtful, but it was getting a lot of great press at SIFF earlier this month. With an interesting, eclectic cast it might have some substance to it. That and I haven’t seen Wilmer Valderrama since That ‘70’s Show. I hope George W. has a “party extra” scene. Outta Sight.
Ryan O’Nan, Melissa Leo, Wilmer Valderrama, America Ferrera, Jason Ritter, Ethan Suplee
July 30

The Extra Man - Written and Directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini
It looks like the directors of American Splendor and, um, The Nanny Diaries are aiming their third film in the middle ground between their previous projects. Enough indie cred with Paul Dano and Katie Holmes, but enough mainstream comedy cred with Kevin Kline and an almost unrecognizable John C. Reilly. Kline plays a male escort to New York’s rich widows who, despite his high class attitude, lives in a shitty apartment and drives a broke-ass POS. He takes Dano under his wing to teach him the ropes, and I’m sure along the way they discover things about themselves (such as sleeping with 80-year-old millionaires isn’t all it’s cracked up to be). It kind of seems like there’s two movies going on here, so I’m not sure what to think. I’m excited to see Kline return to a more comic fare, and Reilly is usually a great addition in small doses. But really, how many wings does Paul Dano need to be taken under before he’s a real boy? Wing whore.
Kevin Kline, Paul Dano, Katie Holmes, John C. Reilly
July 30

Twelve - Directed by Joel Schumacher, Written by Jordan Melamed
Damn it, Joel Schumacher. I told you you couldn’t get in here with them shoes. Seriously, The Number 23 wasn’t enough, this guy’s gotta throw out more numbers? This story of young people doing drugs and ruining their lives (and others) could actually be cool. But it just seems like Schumacher is trying to regain street cred that he never actually had by throwing some crazy drugs into the mix and making us watch 50-Cent bang the girl who played Nancy Drew. I’d rather see Zoe Kravitz make out with Ellen Barkin. It could have some good moments though. Especially since Rory Culkin’s in it, and Jack Bauer is narrating. “The following takes place many years after Batman and Robin. Audience groans occur in real time.”
Kiefer Sutherland, Rory Culkin, Chase Crawford, Emma Roberts, Ellen Barkin, 50-Cent, Zoe Kravitz
July 30

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Nightmares in Red, White, and Blue - Directed by Andrew Monument, Written by Joseph Maddrey
I saw this advertised a really long time ago, and totally forgot about it. The film just made an appearance at the Another Hole in the Head Festival in San Francisco, and now it’s heading to DVD. It’s a documentary that chronicles the evolution of American horror films. They talk to pretty much every big name in horror, from George A. Romero and John Carpenter to Darren Lynn Bousman and David Cronenberg. But they also look at the psychological and cultural context of every horror movement since cinema began. Should be really interesting.
July 1 (DVD)

The Girl Who Played With Fire - Directed by Daniel Alfredson, Written by Jonas Frykberg
This is the second film based on Stieg Larsson’s book trilogy. Many of you uncultured swine will no doubt wait for David Fincher’s english version which will probably not show up here until 2014. I still haven’t had a chance to watch The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (the first film), but everyone’s been talking these films up for a while now, I’m really hoping I can catch this one on the big screen soon.
Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist
July 9 (NY)

Valhalla Rising - Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, Written by Nicolas Winding Refn and Roy Jacobsen
Though Mads Mikkelsen has been busy in the last 15 years, most people only know him as the latest Bond villain. Refn did The Pusher Trilogy (I only saw the first one, not a huge fan), and the very well-received Bronson. His style is a bit more subtle, he doesn’t overplay dialog, but a little more may have helped Valhalla Rising. It’s already circulating on the web, and I’ve found numerous rumored release dates, but if you can find it, you should probably brush up on your Norse canons and religious history. Though the film is fairly boring with random intense scenes of violence, I felt that I was missing out on several of the obvious layers. If you’re a fan of Lars von Trier’s Antichrist, you’ll probably enjoy it, but be prepared to think and focus a hell of a lot more. Not for everyone.
Mads Mikkelsen, Jamie Sives
July 16 (Maybe?)

Death and Cremation - Directed by Justin Steele, Written by Justin Steele and Alecc Bracero
Brad Dourif shows up in some weird-ass places. His resume includes One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Child’s Play, LOTR: The Two Towers, and Rob Zombie’s Halloween. He’s the most recognizable secondary character I know, and I’m always interested in his projects. In this one, he plays a loner in a small town who offers cremation services out of his basement. Using this as a front, he goes through town murdering bullies and assholes and burning their bodies. When he comes across a disturbed orphan, he takes him under his wing for the legal side of his business. When the kid starts having trouble at school, Dourif thinks he’s found a protege for his crimes. I won’t pay to see it, but I’m sure I will see it.
Brad Dourif, Jeremy Sumpter, Daniel Baldwin
June 4

Ondine - Written and Directed by Neil Jordan
Neil Jordan (The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire) is probably the most prolific Irish director working today, with an impressively versatile filmography. In this project, he tackles Irish myth and fairytale with the story of a fisherman (Colin Farrell) who catches a woman in his net, and thinks she is a mermaid. If anyone but Jordan was directing, I probably wouldn’t be interested, but I’ve been a fan for a while, and I’m a fan of Irish folklore. I’ll be seeing this at SIFF next week, so look out for the review.
Colin Farrell, Alicja Bachleda, Stephen Rea
June 4

Gangster’s Paradise: Jerusalema - Written and Directed by Ralph Ziman
After the fantastic, gritty realism of City of God, I’m always down for a story like this. The story follows a small time criminal in post-apartheid Johannesburg as he rises through the ranks to become top dog. It looks a little more stylized and flashy than other films, but I feel safe saying it’ll probably be more realistic than Dangerous Ground (unfortunately, no sexy, dirty Elizabeth Hurley in this one).
Ronnie Nyakale, Rapulana Seiphemo, Daniel Buckland, Robert Hobbs
June 11

Winter’s Bone - Directed by Debra Granik, Written by Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini
A girl in the Ozarks must find her drug-dealing, bail-jumping father in order to keep her family home. It’s like someone took a film noir screenplay, tossed it out the window going over the mountains, and John Hawkes happened upon it. Granik directed Down to the Bone (she’s got a thing for bones..teehee), which was a raw, honest tale of drug addiction that brought Vera Farmiga new respect. This has been getting a lot of good press at all of the festivals, so definitely check it out.
Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes
June 11

Cyrus - Written and Directed by Mark and Jay Duplass
The Duplass brothers are finally going big time with their first mainstream film. By mainstream, of course, I mean an all-star cast and big name producers. The feel of this film is still in line with their Mumblecore origins, and it won’t get any “#1 Romantic Comedy in the World” promos, but it’s a really solid film that everyone should check out. About a lonely, depressed man who, in the wake of his ex-wife’s wedding announcement, meets a free spirited woman. Things are fine until he finds out she has a 21-year-old son who still lives at home and will stop at nothing to keep his mother to himself. For my full review, click here.
John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill, Marisa Tomei, Catherine Keener
June 18

Jonah Hex - Directed by Jimmy Hayward, Written by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor
Two questions:
1. Who the hell goes from directing their debut Horton Hears a Who! to a violent, obscure comic adaptation?
2. How the hell do Neveldine and Taylor (writers, Crank, Crank 2, Gamer) keep getting work?
The answers are “Jimmy Hayward”, and “I have no fucking idea”. Summer is already looking sparse for big budget blockbusters, but I was actually looking forward to this comic adaptation of a bounty hunter in the “Old West” who must stop a megalomaniac from destroying civilization. Then I saw who was involved behind the scenes. Cinematographer Mitchell Amundsen (Transporter 2, Transformers, G.I. Joe is actually good at what he does, but he gets stuck with shit projects. I’ll see it if I have nothing better to do, but I don’t think even the cast can save this one.
Josh Brolin, Megan Fox, John Malkovich, Michael Fassbender, Will Arnett, Michael Shannon, Aidan Quinn
June 18

The Killer Inside Me - Directed by Michael Winterbottom, Written by John Curran
I’ve been looking forward to this film for almost a year now, since I watched the red band trailer that ruins the entire film. sexy gypsy favorite Michael Winterbottom takes on Jim Thompson’s controversial novel about a serial killer hiding behind a badge (basically the original Dexter) in the midwest. Festival screenings of the film had people walking out, and Winterbottom was actually chastised by a female viewer at Sundance for his portrayal of violence against women. Despite the 3+ minute shot of Casey Affleck beating Jessica Alba’s beautiful face to a bloody pulp, there’s enough controversy, star power, and solid source material for me to want tickets opening night.
Casey Affleck, Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson, Ned Beatty, Elias Koteas, Bill Pullman, Simon Baker
June 18

Restrepo - Directed by Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger
Sebastian Junger (author, A Perfect Storm) digs into the trenches of Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley with the Second Platoon of the 173rd Airborne brigade for this honest, non-partisan documentary. Following the same events depicted in his latest book, War, this unapologetic yet sympathetic project will most likely spark a lot of debate, if not controversy and divisiveness. But that’s the point of all the good ones, right?
June 25

Wild Grass - Directed by Alain Resnais, Written by Alex Reval and Laurent Herbiet
We all worry about losing our wallets or purses, mainly because all of our personal information is in them. So when a woman loses her wallet, and a man finds it, is it more likely that he’ll stalk her, or that they’ll meet and fall in love? That is the line this film appears to walk. The characters experience a curiosity, but nothing is black and white at first. With all the good press this film has been getting, I’m curious myself, I’m just hoping the limited release happens somewhere near me.
Andre Dussollier, Sabine Azema
June 25

Love Ranch - Directed by Taylor Hackford, Written by Mark Jacobson
Joe Pesci and Helen Mirren open Nevada’s first legal brothel in Taylor Hackford’s (Ray, The Devil’s Advocate, An Officer and a Gentleman) new film, written by the same guy who wrote The Believer and the article that spawned American Gangster. Need I say more?
Helen Mirren, Joe Pesci , Gina Gershon, Taryn Manning, Bryan Cranston, Ling Bai, Scout Taylor-Compton
June 30

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Long Pigs - Written and Directed by Nathan Hynes and Chris Power
Usually, I’m not a fan of the nausea-inducing cinema verite (The Blair Witch Project, Cloverfield). However, this really reminds me of Man Bites Dog, which for 1992 was way ahead of it’s time, and it’s now classic enough to have a spot in the Criterion Collection. The story of Long Pigs is very similar: two novice filmmakers are desperate for subject matter. They stumble upon a 33-year-old loner who turns out to be a cannibalistic serial killer, and he agrees to let them film his life and crimes. As they get to know their subject, they begin to identify with and understand him, but that doesn’t really sit well with the killer, especially when they start calling him out on his conflicting stories. This could either be really interesting fuel for discussion, or an awful abomination of cinema. Lucky for us it’s coming to DVD this month, so it’s probably already available for download.
Nathan Hynes, Chris Power, Anthony Alviano
June 8 (DVD)

Outrage - Written and Directed by Takeshi Kitano
The new film from the director of The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi, Autoreiji takes a look at competing yakuza families from the perspective of an old yakuza boss who has watched his family go from underground, violent, and loyal to a bunch of suits checking their stocks, drinking sake, and stabbing each other in the back to get ahead. Kitano is a great director, and usually does well acting in his own films. I’m a huge fan of yakuza films, as long as there’s substance to the story, and this looks like it fits the bill. Of course, if you can’t find this online yet, don’t expect to hear bout it again until it’s the “new film” coming out in 2016.
Takeshi Kitano, Ryo Kase, Renji Ishibashi
June 12 (Japan)

I Am Love - Written and Directed by Luca Guadagnino
There’s something passionate, beautiful, and sexy about the majority of Italian cinema. Especially in a relationship piece such as this. I’m not sure what Tilda Swinton is doing in a tale of complicated love in late ‘90’s Milan, but I’m intrigued. Add to that the fact that Pulitzer-Prize winning opera composer John Adams is making his first foray into feature films, and this has the potential to put Guadagnino on the map with a pantheon of epic Italian directors.
Tilda Swinton, Flavio Parenti, Edoardo Gabbriellini
June 18 (Limited)

Wild Target - Directed by Jonathan Lynn, Written by Lucinda Coxon
The only reason I’m including this film is because Killers and Knight and Day are both coming out this month (who’s bright fucking idea was that?) and this is a great example of how British cinema can be better than Hollywood without even trying. Emily Blunt plays a con artist who takes things a bit too far, and gets a hit put out on her. Luckily, the hitman’s (Bill Nighy) heart grew three sizes that day, and the two go on the run. Sure, it’ll be retarded, but nowhere near as bad as the stillborn cinema Hollywood starts cranking out in June. God, I hate summer.
Emily Blunt, Bill Nighy, Rupert Everett
June 18 (UK)

Dog Pound - Directed by Kim Chapiron, Written by Kim Chapiron and Jeremie Delon
This film confuses me. A French director, English dialog, and a French-Canadian cast. I dunno, but the preview looks crazy. It’s about three adolescent boys who are placed in a juvenile detention facility following their individual crimes. While inside, the experienced guards attempt to keep everything docile, and it works for a while. Sounds boring, lucky for us violence erupts and shit hits the proverbial fan. This film has been getting great reviews, and it looks raw and violent with an underlying social commentary. Can’t wait till it comes here.
Adam Butcher, Shane Kippel, Mateo Morales
June 23 (France)

Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll - Directed by Mat Whitecross, Written by Paul Viragh
The problem with good music biopics is they are hard to see on the big screen. I must admit, I still haven’t caught The Runaways yet. This one really intrigues me because, not only are most of the cast and crew unknown, but Ian Drury and The Blockheads aren’t exactly on everyone’s iTunes Genius bar. For those of you too lazy to click a link, Ian Drury, despite having polio most of his life, rose to become an icon of British punk-rock in the 1970’s. Whitecross has done mainly documentaries to date. But the coolest thing about this film? The dude who plays Drury (Serkis) is the same dude who played Gollum in LOTR. Odd.
Andy Serkis, Olivia Williams, Ray Winstone, Noel Clarke, Naomie Harris
May 5

The Trotsky - Written and Directed by Jacob Tierney
Unless you actually watched his 2003 Dickens adaptation Twist, you have no idea who Jacob Tierney is. But we all know who Jay Baruchel is (She’s Out of my League, Real Time, Undeclared), and I for one think it’ll be awesome to see him playing a teenager who believes he is the reincarnation of Leon Trotsky. Even in high school, Jay’s character seeks to mirror the Russian revolutionary’s life, including exile, marriage, and ultimately his assassination. Might end up being esoterically Red, but we’ll see.
Jay Baruchel, Emily Hampshire, Colm Feore
May 5

Happiness Runs - Written and Directed by Adam Sherman
Based on true events from the ‘70’s, this is Sherman’s (producer, Wristcutters: A Love Story) first big feature about a generation of children lost to the hedonism of utopian hippie communes. Forced polygamy, promiscuity, and drug use are amplified by a cinematography that apparently seeks to portray these communes as cultish. May be a bit over the top, but it’s all the proof I need that hippies are, in fact, ruining society.
Mark L. Young, Hanna Hall, Rutger Hauer, Andie MacDowell, Jesse Plemons
May 7

Iron Man 2 - Directed by Jon Favreau, Written by Justin Theroux
I usually don’t cover the big movies unless there’s a good reason. And I think there is here. With the collapse (reboot) of the Spider-man franchise, and the skepticism surrounding Thor and Green Lantern, a lot is riding on Iron Man 2 if Marvel has any hope of keeping fans interested enough to wait for The Avengers. Favreau killed it with Iron Man and, though the previews appear to showcase his original style, the studio may have tried to cram more side plots and characters into in than a two-dollar whore (or Spider-man 3, whichever). Guess there’s only one way to find out.
Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell, Don Cheadle
May 7

Mother and Child - Written and Directed by Rodrigo Garcia
There is a fine line between making a specific film that everyone can appreciate and sympathize with, and making a categorically ethnocentric film that will alienate anyone who can’t relate to the story. Rodrigo Garcia did a great job directing In Treatment, which shows me he can handle intimate settings and complex character interaction. However, this story about three women and their experiences with the adoption process will require much more exposition in a two hour block. I hope he can pull it off.
Annette Bening, Naomi Watts, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Carla Gallo
May 7

Multiple Sarcasms - Written and Directed by Brooks Branch
Timothy Hutton has had a strange career. He won an Oscar in 1981 for his role in Ordinary People. After that, I didn’t see him in anything good until City of Industry and Playing God, both in ‘97. Then nothing again, until 2008’s Lymelife, after which he burned through The Killing Room, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, Serious Moonlight, and The Ghost Writer. His recent comeback gives me hope for this character-driven drama about an unhappy man who quits his job to write a play about his life and the people in it.
Timothy Hutton, Dana Delany, Mira Sorvino, Stockard Channing, Mario Van Peebles, India Ennenga
May 7

The Living Wake - Directed by Sol Tryon, Written by Peter Kline and Mike O’Connell
Jesse Eisenberg has been a busy mofo the last couple years. Keeping up with his awkward second banana routine, he plays an aspiring poet and writer enlisted by his friend K. Binew to chronicle Binew’s last day on earth. Binew spends the day inviting everyone he meets to his “living wake”, where he plans to perform one more live act before dropping dead. The story doesn’t strike me as original, But Eisenberg is growing on me, and anything Jim Gaffigan is in is usually worth a laugh or three. Hot Pocket!!!!
Jesse Eisenberg, Mike O’Connell, Jim Gaffigan
May 14

Perrier’s Bounty - Directed by Ian Fitzgibbon, Written by Mark O’Rowe
I’ve been looking forward to this film for a while now. I almost stayed in Ireland an extra week just so I could see it over there first. Fitzgibbon and O’Rowe haven’t done much outside of Intermission, which wasn’t anything really special as far as Irish film goes. However, this one looks like it could be the Lock Stock of Irish cinema, which tends to flounder if it doesn’t have anti-British sentiment or the IRA to fall back on. Great cast, simple story, I still can’t wait.
Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson, Gabriel Byrne, Jim Broadbent
May 14

Holy Rollers - Directed by Kevin Asch, Written by Antonio Macia
Jews selling ecstasy to Israelis? How does that not sound like an awesome movie? Based on a true story, Jesse Eisenberg plays a young Hasidic man who gets mixed up with drug dealers in Brooklyn. Featuring a rookie writer and director, and a young, largely unknown cast, but c’mon … yarmulkes!
Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Bartha, Ari Graynor, Q-Tip
May 21

John Rabe - Written and Directed by Florian Gallenberger
Hurray Germans! Apparently, Schindler wasn’t the only one with a list. In this historical drama, John Rabe is a German businessman who stays in Nanking during the 1937 Japanese invasion and subsequent massacre of the Chinese in order to save as many people as he can. Looks like it could be a solid foreign flick. My only question: Does Steve Buscemi really think he can hide in obscure stuff? I can spot those eyes a mile away.
Ulrich Tukur, Daniel Bruhl, Steve Buscemi
May 21

Solitary Man - Directed by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, Written by Brian Koppelman
Yes, we’ve seen the story of an old guy sleeping with young women and trying to remember the “good ol’ days”. And yes, Susan Sarandon and Michael Douglas are still on quests to get some lo-fi street cred. But Koppelman and Levien directed Knockaround Guys (surprisingly good), and between them they’ve written Rounders, Runaway Jury, and The Girlfriend Experience. This one seems worth a look.
Michael Douglas, Susan Sarandon, Jenna Fischer, Mary-Louise Parker, Jesse Eisenberg, Olivia Thirlby, Danny DeVito
May 21

Survival of the Dead - Written and Directed by George A. Romero
I’m not sure that any other director can lay claim to the kind of cult following Romero has enjoyed just from one film franchise. Keeping a dismembered hand on the wheel, Romero has managed to keep his vision out of the reach of studios and direct every film from Night of the Living Dead in 1968 to this one. And even though the last installment (Diary of the Dead) was a godawful handheld nightmare right up there with Cloverfield and Quarantine, Romero - like his hoard of undead - cannot be stopped. I’m also very, very happy this one isn’t in 3-D. I almost spent $12 to watch it early…just now.
Alan Van Sprang, Kenneth Welsh, Kathleen Munroe
May 28

Micmacs - Written and Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet
This film has been getting a lot of good feedback from festivals all over the place. Jeunet has done a handful of good French films, and one subpar American film (Alien: Resurrection), but I do love the bandwagon. It’s about a store clerk who is shot in the head with a stray bullet, and years later gets a rag-tag bunch of quirky characters to go after two large ammunition companies. Damn surrender monkeys. Dany Boon, Andre Dussollier, Nicolas Marie, Jean-Pierre Marielle
May 28

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Agora - Directed by Alejandro Amenabar, Written by Alejandro Amenabar and Mateo Gil
This one’s been sitting on my computer (along with Abre los ojos) for quite some time. Amenabar has done really well on his native soil, but his only other “American” film was The Others, which I still think was a funny, funny joke. Rachel Weisz is always good in ancient world period pieces, and this one looks much more politically and philosophically driven, instead of the typical Gladiator-wannabes. I should probably get on this one.
Rachel Weisz, Max Minghella, Oscar Isaac
May 21 (Limited)

Black Death - Directed by Christopher Smith, Written by Dario Poloni
Christopher Smith is a strange little British man. The three films he has under his belt include Creep, a cut-and-dry thriller, Severance, a tongue-in-cheek horror comedy, and Triangle, a mind-fuck with no KY. Now it appears he’s upping the anti again with this horror-mystery about a village bringing people back to life during the first black plague outbreak. I’m game.
Sean Bean, Carice van Houten, Kimberley Nixon, Eddie Redmayne
May 28 (UK)

Acts of Violence - Written and Directed by Il Kim
Revenge tales are always fun, whether the film is actually good or not. Watching your average joe go from distraught victim to harbinger of doom doesn’t usually need a great writer to pull it off. Which is good, considering this is Kim’s first attempt at…anything. He also stars as Flyn, a man who seeks vengeance on the men who raped his wife. But instead of a simple payback story, Flyn continues to rip people apart, keeping his violent secrets from his wife (Sobieski) and telling only his priest (Perlman). Can’t find more release info beyond “May 2010”, so look for it on DVD, or at the tiny cinema around the corner.
Il Kim, Leelee Sobieski, Ron Perlman
May-ish

The Human Centipede (First Sequence) - Written and Directed by Tom Six
I really don’t know how to feel about this one. It looks like it could be good for a few Hostile moments, and the tagline is “100% medically accurate”. However, the image of three people sewn together, ass to mouth, on their hands and knees, can’t be serious, can it? I guess it’s serious enough that IFC snatched this one up, and Tom Six is already working on the sequel, due out in 2011.
Dieter Laser, Ashley C. Williams, Ashlynn Yennie, Akihiro Kitamura
May-ish

Clash of the Titans - Directed by Louis Leterrier, Written by Travis Beacham and Phil Hay
Yes, Leterrier directed Transporter 2. And yes, Phil Hay wrote Aeon Flux. But I’m a huge fan of Greek Mythology, and the epic story of Perseus going up against a pantheon of Gods is perfect for the big screen. Even if Sam Worthington has to be in it. Percy Jackson can suck it.
Sam Worthington, Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson, Alexa Davalos, Danny Huston, Pete Postlethwaite, Vincent Regan
April 2

Don McKay - Written and Directed by Jake Goldberger
The poster for this film is a little laughable after you find out Church plays a high school janitor who returns to his hometown and gets seduced by a psycho. Normally I don’t get excited about random, low-budget “thrillers” like this, but the cast is a hodgepodge (I know, I’ve never used that word either…) of recognizable character actors. Plus, I’ve always assumed that Elisabeth Shue could go all Fatal Attraction at the drop of a hat. Women are evil.
Thomas Haden Church, Elisabeth Shue, Melissa Leo, Keith David, M. Emmet Walsh, James Rebhorn, Pruitt Taylor Vince
April 2

The Thorn in the Heart - Written and Directed by Michel Gondry
Usually, no one gives a rat’s ass about personal documentaries. However, I really like Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spottless Mind, The Science of Sleep), and this quirky looking chronicle of his family might be…dare I say…heartwarming.
Michel Gondry
April 2

The Warlords - Directed by Peter Chan, Written by Tim Nam Chun and Junli Guo
If you went up to a Chinese person and said, “Hey, have you seen the trailers for Jet Li’s new movie, The Warlords?”, they would first call you a racist. Second, they would laugh at you, because this movie was released in China in late 2007. I guess it’s just as well, since most things we get right away from Asia explode when you turn on the windshield wipers. I’ve missed the last couple epics from across the Pacific, but the battles in this one look sick. It’s already on OnDemand if you feel like paying $9.99. Which I don’t.
Jet Li, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jinglei Xu
April 2

After.Life - Directed by Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo, Written by Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo and Paul Vosloo
Ok, three things: 1. There’s a period in the title. W T Fuck? 2. This looks like a cross between The Sixth Sense and Boxing Helena. 3. The cast reads like this: The chick who played the girl in The Addams Family, the guy who’s in those Mac/PC commercials, that guy who was in that one thing, and Liam Neeson. The story is about a girl who “dies”, and is being prepped for the afterlife by a funeral director. Then, she starts to question if she’s really dead, or if this guy’s just nuts. If you can get past those first three things, it could be cool. IF.
Liam Neeson, Christina Ricci, Justin Long, Josh Charles
April 9

Date Night - Directed by Shawn Levy, Written by Josh Klausner
Seperately, the director and writer of this one have given us such screen gems as Night at the Museum and Shrek the Third. That being said, does anyone actually go to a Steve Carell movie to be mentally stimulated? Not so much. With all the star power behind this one, I’m expecting to be thoroughly entertained, and stockpile enough one-liners to last me the summer. I’ve been screaming “KILLSHOT!” for like a month already.
Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, Mark Ruffalo, James Franco, Mila Kunis, Kristen Wiig, Ray Liotta, Taraji P. Henson, Common
April 9

The Good, the Bad, and the Weird - Directed by Ji-woon Kim, Written by Ji-woon Kim and Min-suk Kim
This may look like a western set in the 1800’s, but it’s actually a western set in the 1940’s (Korea’s been a little behind). After Sukiyaki Western Django, though, I’m definitely willing to give it a try. About three bandits searching for a treasure map amidst gun fire and chases on horseback. Might be a little silly in places, but it’ll also be damn violent in others. Sweet. Don’t worry, if it doesn’t come to a theater near you, I’m sure it’ll be remade by the time I finish my next entry.
Kang-ho Song, Byung-hun Lee, Woo-sung Jung
April 9

Kick-Ass - Directed by Matthew Vaughn, Written by Jane Goldman
The Good: Matthew Vaughn directed Layer Cake. The Bad: Someone let Nicolas Cage in this one. The Weird: Christopher Mintz-Plasse is still riding his dwindling “McLovin” fame. If you really don’t know anything else about this film, you probably live under a rock, and thus aren’t even reading this. I’m surprised it’s coming out in April instead of the middle of July, but that may work in it’s favor. Looks fucking badass, and if the extremely positive reaction at SXSW is any indication, it’ll be worth your time and money.
Nicolas Cage, Mark Strong, Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Moretz
April 16

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Undead - Written and Directed by Jordan Galland
Probably the worst title ever, but it actually looks good. A stage play director is doing an adaptation of Hamlet. Then it turns out there are real vampires in the play, and Shakespeare was involved in a thousand-year-old conspiracy with the bloodsuckers. It might end up being too witty and esoteric to be enjoyed, but The Karate Kid is actually in it, and Pat freaking Morita is no where to be seen! Give it a chance.
Jake Hoffman, Devon Aoki, John Ventimiglia, Kris Lemche, Ralph Macchio, Jeremy Sisto
April 16

The Joneses - Written and Directed by Derrick Borte
I was really looking forward to this one. I’ve loved Californication so far, so Duchovny’s presence on the big screen is more than welcome. Demi Moore’s usually solid, Amber Heard is sexy, and the idea of an entire family being a prop to sell merchandising for the American Dream is interesting. However, in the past few days, I’ve read less than stellar reviews about the writing and the on-screen chemistry between characters, which surprises me. I don’t know what to believe now…Black is East, Up is White…I dunno.
David Duchovny, Demi Moore, Amber Heard, Ben Hollingsworth
April 16

The Losers - Directed by Sylvain White, Written by Peter Berg
Summer of 2010 will go down in history as “Kick Ass ‘80’s Throwback Summer”. Maybe not, but this comic adaptation about a group of dishonored mercenaries fighting the power already competed with The A-Team for an April release date. And they won.
Zoe Saldana, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Chris Evans, Idris Elba, Jason Patric
April 23

Boogie Woogie - Directed by Duncan Ward, Written by Danny Moynihan
Show of hands please. How many of you like movies with gratuitous sex and drugs? Ok, everyone, good. Now, how many of you would like to see Amanda Seyfried naked? Still a lot of hands. Now, how many of you would like to see Amamda Seyfried blowing Stellan Skarsgard while Gillian Anderson watches? No one? There is nothing inherently wrong with drugs, art, and sexual freedom being in the same room. Actually, I rather enjoy it. But the casting in this one is off the wall, and I’m not sure even Alan Cumming (that’s a pornstar name if ever I heard one) can save it.
Gillian Anderson, Alan Cumming, Heather Graham, Danny Huston, Jack Huston, Christopher Lee, Amanda Seyfried, Stellan Skarsgard
April 23

Please Give - Written and Directed by Nicole Holofcener
Casting Director strikes again. This story about an elderly woman who stirs things up between her grandchildren and her landlords doesn’t sound all that amazing. However, with talent like Keener and Platt at odds with Peet and Nicholas, I’d really like to get my hands on this one.
Catherine Keener, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Rebecca Hall, Thomas Ian Nicholas
April 30

A Nightmare on Elm Street - Directed by Samuel Bayer, Written by Wesley Strick and Eric Heisserer
Horror remakes are tricky. Especially when you’re trying to revamp a franchise with 10+ sequels under the belt already. Personally, I didn’t care for Michael Bay’s vision of Friday the 13th, but Rob Zombie’s Halloween was freaking awesome. Granted, Freddy Krueger is much harder to pull off, but Jackie Earle Haley has already proven he can act behind makeup, and he’s committed to laying Robert Englund’s iconic portrayal to rest in favor of his own brand of terror. 1, 2…Freddy’s coming for you….
Jackie Earle Haley, Rooney Mara
April 30

The Good Heart - Written and Directed by Dagur Kari
With recent work like The Escapist, Brian Cox is starting to flex his strange independent film muscles. Paul Dano (Gigantic, There Will Be Blood) has been doing the same for years. So I have to believe there’s something to this project. Cox plays an aging bartender with a heart condition who takes the homeless Dano under his wing. Kari’s first American film.
Brian Cox, Paul Dano
April 30

I Love You Phillip Morris - Written and Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa
It’s about damn time Carrey got back to his live-action comedy roots (fuck Joel Schumacher 23 times in the eye). I’m not a big fan of Ewan McGregor in comedic roles, so I’m not sure he’ll step up to the task of being Jim Carrey’s lover. However, after the European release, people are already saying they can’t wait to buy it on Blu-Ray. And we all know how much smarter Europe is than us…
Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro
April 30

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Breaking Upwards - Directed by Daryl Wein, Written by Peter Duchan, Zoe Lister Jones, and Daryl Wein
My love for everything indie, IFC, and mumblecore seem to be converging in this odd story about a couple attempting to orchestrate their own break up in order to save their relationship. Written and directed by the two lead actors, the witty-yet-comfortably-uncomfortable characters already have my interest piqued. Only in NY and LA this month, but it’s already on OnDemand.
Zoe Lister Jones, Daryl Wein, Julie White, Andrea Martin, Peter Friedman, Olivia Thirlby
April 2 (NY) April 9 (LA)

The Square - Directed by Nash Edgerton, Written by Joel Edgerton and Matthew Dabner
What happens when you have an affair in Australia? Same thing as here, except your life unravels clockwise (I had to go flush my toilet to get that joke right, so piss off). Austrailian cinema has been slowly but surely forming a foothold in the independent community, and this thriller about a man’s deranged mistress could go a long way towards legitimizing it further. Don’t expect this to show up at the AMC down the street, but it may be on DVD sooner than you think.
David Roberts, Claire van der Boom, Joel Edgerton, Anthony Hayes
April 9 (Limited)

Cemetery Junction - Written and Directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant
In their first teaming since the orgiinal Office, Gervais and Merchant have grown up a bit. So it’s only fitting this project is a coming-of-age tale about three young men in the UK. The Invention of Lying was surprisingly palatable, so I’ll give this one a chance.
Ricky Gervais, Ralph Fiennes, Emily Watson, Matthew Goode
April 14 (UK)

Machete - Written and Directed by Robert Rodriguez
I’m pretty sure this is the biggest hoax in cinema/internet history. I’ve been hearing about this project since the faux trailer showed up during Grindhouse. Multiple online sources say this month is finally the month. I don’t really believe it for a second, but maybe if I actually talk about it this month, it’ll really come out next month. Fingers crossed.
Danny Trejo, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Robert De Niro, Lindsay Lohan, Cheech Marin, Jeff Fahey, Steven Seagal, Don Johnson, Rose McGowan, Tom Savini
April 16 (Rumored)

Mercy - Directed by Patrick Hoelck, Written by Scott Caan
Scott Caan has been playing the cynical meathead for the better part of a decade and a half. This is why, even though he wrote this script, I’m not sure I can buy him on screen as a writer struggling with his source material: love.. That being said, I give him credit for not going down the Hank Moody route, opting instead for the loveless douchebag trying to be a real boy. This’ll probably stay under the radar, but expect to hear more about it in early May.
Scott Caan, James Caan, Wendy Glenn, Dylan McDermott, Erika Christensen, Troy Garity
April 30 (Limited)

Alice in Wonderland - Directed by Tim Burton, Written by Linda Woolverton
If Tim Burton spent the rest of his career warping Disney classics, I would still love the guy. There have been numerous remakes and interpretations, but Burton’s tale of Alice coming back to Wonderland when she’s 19 to stop the Red Queen could only be better if Depp, Carter, and Hathaway were in 3-D. Oh wait… Woolverton is no stranger to Disney (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Mulan) and cinematographer Dariusz Wolski (Sweeney Todd, Dark City, The Crow) is a great addition.
Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Mia Wasikowska, Crispin Glover, Anne Hathaway, Stephen Fry, Christopher Lee, Michael Sheen, Alan Rickman
March 5

Brooklyn’s Finest - Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Written by Michael C. Martin
Even though Denzel Washington’s role in Training Day was over-hyped, it was a solid film. Now, Antoine Fuqua is returning with a story about dirty cops and gangsters. Really? That doesn’t sound familiar to anyone? Fuqua proved he isn’t a one trick pony with King Arthur, and the cast in this is impressive. But can Jay Z’s Run This Town really mask the dead horse being beaten?
Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Vincent D’Onofrio, Will Patton, Ellen Barkin
March 5

Green Zone - Directed by Paul Greengrass, Written by Brian Helgeland
The fact that Greengrass and Damon decided to go off the reservation and make their own “Bourne” type movie doesn’t bother me. Neither does the idea of Greg Kinnear as a bad guy. What does make me pause is writer Brian Helgeland. With titles like L.A. Confidential, Conspiracy Theory, and Man on Fire on his resume, I want to trust him. But with other titles like The Taking of Pelham 123, A Knight’s Tale, and The Postman, I’m a bit more skeptical. All in all, I’m still excited, though.
Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Jason Isaacs, Amy Ryan
March 12

Mother - Directed by Joon-ho Bong, Written by Joon-ho Bong and Eun-kyo Park
I’ve only recently been getting into Korean film. My usual rule was: “If you’re not Chan-wook Park, I don’t watch your movie.” Though a lot of them are subpar, the gems I’ve been able to find are really good. So I’m looking forward to this thriller about a middle-aged woman searching for the man who framed her son for murder. Part drama, part thriller, Asian cinema in general seems to be better at this mix than American cinema. Korea picked it for their Oscar submission, and I can’t afford to order the Blu-Ray from Korea. So I’m looking forward to this release.
Bin Won, Hye-ja Kim, Ku Jin
March 12

The Secret of Kells - Directed by Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey, Written by Tomm Moore and Fabrice Ziolkowski
As upset as I am that this under-marketed film replaced Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs at the Oscars (it should have replaced Coraline), the artwork is pretty cool. The entire movie is done like an old school Celtic sketch. The story is a little muddled and mythically esoteric, but it is a beautifully done movie. If you haven’t seen the leaked copy online yet, you should check this one out.
Brendan Gleeson
March 12

Stolen - Directed by Anders Anderson, Written by Glenn Taranto
It always amazes me when an indie film manages to have nobodies behind the camera, and a bunch of known actors (or at least recognizable faces) in front. Anderson and Taranto haven’t done anything of note; same for the cinematographer and editor. But when Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Josh Lucas (Glory Road) Rhona Mitra (Boston Legal) and James van Der Beek (Varsity Blues) sign on, it piques my interest. About a detective on the case of a murdered boy who is still coping with the disappearance of his own son years earlier.
Josh Lucas, Jon Hamm, Rhona Mitra, James Van Der Beek
March 12

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Directed by Niels Arden Oplev, Written by Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg
This Swedish film is the first in what looks to be an already-completed trilogy based on the books by Stieg Larsson. This one is about the violent and secretive past of a close knit clan, and a series of murders. Granted, it won’t be Nightwatch, but the preview looks cool enough.
Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Lena Endre
March 19

Repo Men - Directed by Miguel Sapochnik, Written by Eric Garcia and Garrett Lerner
For those of you who are still confused: This film has NOTHING to do with Emilio Estevez. At first I was angry about this film, because I thought it was just a remake (or ripoff) of Repo! The Genetic Opera. But apparently, it’s based on the book The Repossession Mambo by Eric Garcia (who also wrote Matchstick Men) which came out around late 2008/early 2009. The plot is pretty straightforward: in the future, technology allows us to buy new manufactured organs. But if someone misses a payment, Repo Men come and take the organ back. I’m still having trouble envisioning Forest Whitaker as an “action star” (Shut up, Ghost Dog does NOT count), but we’ll see. When asked about his thoughts on the the new film, Darren Lynn Bousman refused comment, claiming he wasn’t comfortable discussing it a-melodically.
Jude Law, Liev Schreiber, Forest Whitaker, Alice Braga, RZA
March 19

The Runaways - Written and Directed by Floria Sigismondi
A movie about teenage girl musicians? Britney Spears, Lindsey Lohan, Amanda Bynes, and Ashley Simpson aren’t in it at all? Holy shit, it’s a Christmas miracle! I have to believe the hardest part of making a biopic like this is the casting. Especially these days, when American Idol and High School Musicals 1-47 are making celebrities out of assholes. Sigismondi was a music video director back in the day. so this seems like her wheelhouse. Benoit Debie is also on board as cinematographer (Irreversible, Il cartaio, Day Night Day Night), and even if editor Richard Chew is a square peg (Star Wars, Waiting to Exhale, Shanghai Noon. Yeah, I’m confused too) he’s been around the block. And apparently, besides songs by The Runaways, Sex Pistols, and David Bowie, Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning are flexing the golden pipes for the soundtrack. I hope there’s a deleted scene where The Runaways beat the shit out of Josie and the Pussycats.
Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Alia Shawkat, Scout Taylor-Compton, Michael Shannon, Tatum O’Neal
March 19

Vincere - Written and Directed by Marco Bellocchio
Marco Bellocchio’s name might sound familiar, but that’s because it rhymes with “Pinocchio”. Racist. Seriously, though, his film career has been an interesting one. As an auteur and supporter of the Radical Italian Party, his tendency towards sexually charged dramas (Devil in the Flesh, The Conviction) and his affinity for religious/political films (Good Morning, Night, My Mother’s Smile) appear to have become entangled with his new project. It is about Benito Mussolini’s first wife/mistress, who fell in love with him and financed his first newspaper, only to find herself ignored and mistreated during his rise to Fascist power. Definitely look into this one.
Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Filippo Timi
March 19

Ca$h - Written and Directed by Stephen Milburn Anderson
Anderson’s only done three movies to date. One of them was South Central (OG Bobby Johnson!!!!). This one seems poorly written, right down to the character names. That being said, Hemsworth has had a good couple years, and any film Sean Bean signs on for (at least those concerning British criminals) is entertaining if nothing else. This leaked a few weeks ago, and I haven’t jumped on it yet, but consider me curious.
Sean Bean, Chris Hemsworth, Victoria Profeta
March 26

Chloe - Directed by Atom Egoyan, Written by Erin Cressida Wilson
If you’re going to remake an Anne Fontaine (Coco Before Chanel, The Girl From Monaco) film, who better to get involved with than Atom Egoyan? (Adoration, Where the Truth Lies) Moore, Neeson, and Seyfried might not be your fantasy threesome, but as far as acting talent and overall appeal, I gotta say it’s a respectable trio. Seyfried’s career has exploded in the last couple years, and she really looks creepy here. Remake of Nathalie, about a prostitute hired to seduce a husband, but then she goes all Glenn Close on everyone.
Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried
March 26

The Eclipse - Written and Directed by Conor McPherson
Conor McPherson’s resume is pretty short still. However, when you see the list of actors he’s worked with (Brendan Gleeson, Brian Cox, Michael Caine, Michael Gambon…) it’s interesting if not respectable. Now he can add Ciaran Hinds, who plays a widower falling for a horror novelist while dealing with the appearance of his dead wife’s ghost. More drama than horror here, but that’s usually a good thing.
Ciaran Hinds, Iben Hjejle, Aidan Quinn
March 26

Greenberg - Directed by Noah Baumbach, Written by Noah Baumbach and Jennifer Jason Leigh
Damn you Noah Baumbach. I had a good thing going: allowing myself to be entertained by Ben Stiller’s films, yet silently, passively loathing him for bullshit like Zoolander. And Dodgeball. And Starsky and Hutch. And The Heartbreak Kid. But now it looks like you’ve made a movie that’ll force me to recall his roles in Permanent Midnight, Zero Effect, and Reality Bites. Just because you made The Squid and the Whale, you think you can throw Stiller in with Mumblecore royalty like Mark Duplass (The Puffy Chair, Humpday) and Greta Gerwig (Baghead, Hannah Takes the Stairs) and I’ll watch it? You win again, Baumbach.
Ben Stiller, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rhys Ifans, Chris Messina, Mark Duplass, Greta Gerwig
March 26

Hot Tub Time Machine - Directed by Steve Pink, Written by Josh Heald and Sean Anders
I know, I know, this looks pretty cheesy. For one thing, you probably only recognize two names in the cast. John Cusack’s career has been a tad rocky in recent years, and I’m pretty sure Chevy Chase has joined Bob Saget in the “I suck dick for crack” section of Hollywood yesteryear. Most of you probably also missed Steve Pink’s last film Accepted (which was pretty damn funny). But if you watch the preview, you can’t tell me every one of these actors hasn’t made you laugh in one film or another. And really, who wouldn’t want to jump in a hot tub and travel back to the ‘80’s?? If for no other reason than to kill Lloyd Dobler for ruining all our lives.
John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Crispin Glover, Chevy Chase
March 26

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

The Horseman - Written and Directed by Steven Kastrissios
Foreign films are kind of like foreign orphans. sure, everyone wants to adopt one, but few of us really do. Brangelina has the monopoly on brown babies, and Quentin Tarantino has it on Asian film. Most foreign films are not so lucky, which is why this violent revenge tale about a grieving father wreaking havoc in the Australian outback is going straight to DVD tomorrow after wowing critics and audiences down under. I’m not asking you to send Mogwai to Oxford, dude. I’m just asking you to go to Blockbuster.
Peter Marshall, Caroline Marohasy, Brad McMurray
March 1 (DVD)

Father of My Children - Written and Directed by Mia Hansen-Love
More proof I have wasted my life. Mia Hansen-Love has only made three films, one of them a short. But she made her first one when she was 23-years-old. This is why I’m so surprised that, at age 29, she’s managed to craft a film so beyond her years both technically and emotionally. This film is about a French film producer who gets into financial trouble and becomes suicidal. Even the preview looks patient and poignant. I need to get on the ball.
Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Chiara Caselli
March 5 (UK)

City Island - Written and Directed by Raymond De Felitta
I’ve been seeing this film around the interwebs so long I thought it was already out. It is available, but if my facts are straight it’s finally getting released in select cities this month. Felitta hasn’t done much, but one look at the cast and I’m confident this comedy about deceitful family members is worth a look-see.
Andy Garcia, Alan Arkin, Juliana Margulies, Emily Mortimer, Dominik Garcia-Lorido
March 19 (New York and LA)

The Killing Jar - Written and Directed by Mark Young
Michael Madsen is a G. Seriously, go look at IMDB. The man has done 162 projects (including his own short-lived TV show) in less than 30 years. And he has 29 listed as “in production”. Sure, 21 of those are listed as having 2010 release dates, but that’s not the point. The man loves acting, and though he’s one of the most recognizable faces in cinema (second only perhaps to Danny Trejo) he chooses projects he enjoys, not the ones that’ll make him the most money. Sure this story about a madman holding a diner full of people hostage doesn’t sound original. And sure it’s going straight to DVD. But with Harold Perrineau (Lost, Felon), Trejo (every movie ever made) and Jake Busey (Starship Troopers), you can’t hate on it.
Michael Madsen, Harold Perrineau, Amber Benson, Danny Trejo, Jake Busey
March 19 (DVD)

The City of Your Final Destination - Directed by James Ivory, Written by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
If this one totally snuck by you, don’t feel bad. It almost got past me too. It’s about a college student who receives a grant to write a biography on a Spanish author. Might sound boring, but I refuse to believe that anything with Hopkins, Linney and Gainsbourg will be less than great. Also, director James Ivory is approaching his final destination (he’s seriously 82), and after a damn good list under his belt (Howard’s End, A Room with a View, The Remains of the Day) this should be another good addition. Limited March 30 release.
Anthony Hopkins, Laura Linney, Charlotte Gainsbourg
March 30 (Limited)

From Paris with Love - Directed by Pierre Morel, Written by Adi Hasak and Luc Besson
Swordfish. The Punisher. A Love Song for Bobby Long. Lonely Hearts. John Travolta has been in four good films in the last ten years. This is a fact. And the only reason I’m giving him another chance after The Taking of Pelham 123 is the company he’s keeping. If Jonathan Rhys Meyers isn’t enough for you, how about producer/writer Luc Besson (Director: La Femme Nikita, The Professional), director Pierre Morel (Taken), cinematographer Michel Abramowicz (Taken, L’empire del loupes) and editor Frederic Thoraval (Taken, District B-13). French people are badass.
John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Amber Rose Revah
February 5

Psych 9 - Directed by Andrew Shortell, Written by Lawrence Robinson
Newbie Director and Writer present a story about people working in a closed mental hospital and seeing weird shit. This seems like a blatant ripoff of Session 9 (which was cool), but the last indie horror movie that managed to star Cary Elwes was Saw. Makes you think, huh?
Sara Foster, Cary Elwes, Michael Biehn, Gabriel Mann
February 5

Terribly Happy - Directed by Henrik Ruben Genz, Written by Henrik Ruben Genz and Dunja Gry Jensen
Where I’m from, comparing some random Danish movie to David Lynch and The Coen Brothers will get you punched in the face. Unless it’s true. Which it may be. The preview conveys Lynch’s trademark sleep-deprived confusion and some strange, small town Coen antics. Looks pretty cool, but I don’t like admitting I’m wrong. So it’s still on…taeve.
Jakob Cedergren, Lene Maria Christensen, Kim Bodnia
February 5

The Wolfman - Directed by Joe Johnston, Written by Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self
If Joe Johnston’s name sounds familiar…it’s because you’re thinking of Jack Johnson. Now put down the blunt and pay attention. Johnston directed The Rocketeer in 1991 (I don’t care who you are, you loved that movie). After “wowing” audiences with The Pagemaster and Jumanji, he was given a chance to direct Jurassic Park 3. And he gobbled its balls. So what’s going to save this werewolf orgy? Sheer acting talent, Rick Baker’s amazing special effects, the writing genius of Andrew Kevin Walker (Se7en, 8MM, Sleepy Hollow) and the meddling ghost of Lon Chaney Jr..
Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving
February 10

The Ghost Writer - Directed by Roman Polanski, Written by Robert Harris
Roman Polanski is living proof that God loves a trier. You can charge him with rape. You can banish him. You can extradite and try him. You can put him on house arrest. And he will still make fucking movies. The last political thriller that held my attention was George W. Bush in “Trapped in a Chinese press room”, and only Polanski could get James Belushi, Tom Wilkinson, and Kim Cattrall in the same room on purpose. Good feelings.
Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Timothy Hutton, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams, Tom Wilkinson, James Belushi, Eli Wallach
February 19

Shutter Island - Directed by Martin Scorsese, Written by Laeta Kalogridis
Ok guys, this is a new year. A new movie. A new story. There’s no need for me to even mention how much The Departed sucked yak testicles. So I won’t. But I will say this: I am very excited about Scorsese trying his hand at the horror genre. I just wish he hadn’t picked one written by the same guy that did Alexander (shitty) and Pathfinder (even more shittier). I hope the ghost turns out to be Mark Wahlberg.
Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer, Michelle Williams, Max von Sydow, Patricia Clarkson, Jackie Earle Haley
February 19

Cop Out - Directed by Kevin Smith, Written by Robb and Mark Cullen
You’ve probably heard the stories about how Kevin Smith wanted to call it “The Two Dicks”, and the studio changed the name. Smith called that a “cop out” and they laughed and said, “let’s call it that!” Very cute, but you’re still a sissy-ass reed in the wind who can’t even name his own film. The first Smith film he didn’t also write, he apparently chose the project because his late father liked the genre. So for any Smith fans out there, let me paint you a picture. When the Coen Brothers lost their mother, they made The Ladykillers. Enough said.
Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Michelle Trachtenberg, Jason Lee, Rashida Jones, Seann William Scott, Adam Brody, Kevin Pollack
February 26

The Crazies - Directed by Breck Eisner, Written by Scatt Kosar and Ray Wright
As a film elitist, my first reaction to a nobody director remaking a George A. Romero film was, “Lame.” Then I remembered that the nobody who remade Dawn of the Dead grew up to be Zack Snyder, who directed 300 and Watchmen. This story isn’t quite as cool, but it could make for a fun cinematic adventure if they lay off the CGI.
Timothy Olyphant, Radha Mitchell
February 26

The Yellow Handkerchief - Directed by Udayan Prasad, Written by Erin Dignam
Three strangers end up in the same car traveling across Louisiana. They’re all lonely. Then they start reminiscing and find common ground. Then they aren’t lonely. This may not sound like a cool film, but neither did “homeless girl loses her dog, then finds it”, and that was a really good film. With nary a weak link to be found in the main cast, I would love to see this at a festival. I’ll have to settle for On Demand.
William Hurt, Maria Bello, Kristen Stewart, Eddie Redmayne
February 26

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

The Red Riding Trilogy
This serial killer trilogy out of Britain has been getting a lot of buzz lately. Critics are raving about the cinematography, direction, the connected story, etc. Now it’s finally getting a foothold in the U.S. IFC will begin showing it at their center in New York, hopefully spreading after that. Don’t worry though, if it doesn’t end up at a theatre near you, expect an On Demand/DVD release fairly soon.
Red Riding: 1974 - Directed by Julian Jarrold, Written by Tony Grisoni
Starring: Andrew Garfield, David Morrissey, John Henshaw, Anthony Flanagan
Red Riding: 1980 - Directed by James Marsh, Written by Tony Grisoni
Starring: Paddy Considine, David Morrissey, Eddie Marsan
Red Riding: 1983 - Directed by Anand Tucker, Written by Tony Grisoni
Starring: David Morrissey, Sean Bean, Mark Addy
February 5 (IFC Center, NY)

Blood Done Sign My Name - Written and Directed by Jeb Stuart
I gotta be honest, I’m not even sure this is a real thing yet. Tim Tyson, a professor at Duke University, wrote this book several years ago about a black Vietnam veteran murdered by a white businessman, who is later acquitted, throwing the social climate of the town into turmoil. Lots of recognizable faces, and a good story. We’ll see what happens.
Michael Rooker, Rick Schroder, Omar Benson Miller, Lee Norris, Nick Searcy
February 19 (Limited)

Blood Into Wine - Directed by Ryan Page and Christopher Pomerenke
I don’t usually do Documentaries here, but this one looks so delightful, I had to mention it. Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan hooks up with Napa Valley winemaker Eric Glomski in an attempt to kick start a wine industry…in Arizona. Half informative wine documentary, half celebrity mockumentary, it might take a certain kind of person to appreciate this one. Luckily, I am a certain kind of person.
Maynard James Keenan, Eric Glomski, Milla Jovovich, Fairuza Balk, Patton Oswalt, Bob Odenkirk
February 19 (Limited)

Heartless - Written and Directed by Philip Ridley
Jim Sturgess is not as bad as everyone says he is. Noel Clarke is not as cool as he thinks he is. Philip Ridley is…a guy. Wasn’t too excited about it, but then I realized it could be like a cross between Kidulthood and The Devil’s Advocate. That might be fucking cool.
Jim Sturgess, Eddie Marsan, Noel Clarke
February 26 (UK)

Toe to Toe - Written and Directed by Emily Abt
“I’m a black girl, you’re a white girl. Let’s play sports and sleep with dudes and break social boundaries to a catchy soundtrack.” I know what this looks like, but Toe to Toe has been getting a lot of buzz around the indie festivals, and it definitely looks more honest drama rather than…something with Terrence Howard or Lil Bow Wow. And they play Lacrosse…
Louisa Krause, Sonequa Martin
February 26 (Limited)

The Box – Written and Directed by Richard Kelly
The premise of this film sounds like a bad teenage horror story. A strange man gives a box to a couple having money problems. They will get money every time they push the button, but every time, someone they don’t know will die. Though it’s riding on Cameron Diaz’s acting skills (um…), if anyone can make it cool, writer/director Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko, Southland Tales) will have no problem.
Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella, James Rebhorn
November 6

Endgame – Directed by Pete Travis, Written by Paula Milne
Another slow, patient South African political film? Meh. I mean, I really like Hurt and Ejiofor, but Pete Travis directed Vantage Point, which sucked asshole. I really, really want it to be good, I’m just scared it’s going to be really, really bad.
William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Johnny Lee Miller, Mark Strong, Derek Jacobi
November 6

The Men Who Stare at Goats – Directed by Grant Heslov, Written by Peter Straughan
Actor Grant Heslov hasn’t done much directing. Same goes for Peter Straughan and writing. But if you look at this cast, you really can’t go wrong in a story about Telekenisis/Psychic programs in the army. Hell yes.
George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, Robert Patrick, Stephen Root
November 6

Precious – Directed by Lee Daniels, Written by Geoffrey Fletcher
I hate the fact that the full title of this film is “Precious: Based on a novel by Sapphire”. I also hate the fact that Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey are “presenting” this one. However, cliché and cheesy as it most likely is, I seriously almost cried watching the preview. This has the potential for two hours of raw emotion that leaves you speechless. Or two hours of horrible acting and bullshit storyline. I’ll wait for cable.
Gabourey Sidibe, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz
November 6

The Fantastic Mr. Fox – Written and Directed by Wes Anderson
I hate, I hate, I hate Wes Anderson. However, there are always a couple elements of his films that impress me, and his attempts at stop motion animation intrigue me. Will I like it? Probably not. Will I see it? Of course.
George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Michael Gambon
November 13

Pirate Radio – Written and Directed by Richard Curtis
When I saw the preview for this, I thought, “Hey, that looks exactly like that movie advertised last year called “The Boat that Rocked”. Wait… I have no idea why this film took so long to release, or why they changed the title, but after waiting so long, I’ve built it up to possible “Almost Famous” level in my head. I really hope I’m not disappointed.  About a boatful of radio DJ’s who broadcast banned music over British airwaves in the ‘60’s. Curtis directed Love Actually.
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, Nick Frost
November 13

The Messenger – Written and Directed by Oren Moverman
Foster and Harrelson play a very overlooked part of the military in this new drama about the officers who deliver the horrible news to KIA soldiers’ families. Foster starts to care too much…you see where this is going. Moverman’s first film, looks good.
Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton, Jena Malone
November 13

2012 – Directed by Roland Emmerich, Written by Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser
When I want to see an action packed explosion film with weak story, I’ll catch the new Michael Bay flick. When I want to see a really entertaining film with great special effects that will leave me dumber for having watched it, I’ll go see a Roland Emmerich film (Independence Day, Stargate, Godzilla, 10,000 BC). If you don’t know what this film is about, you should probably look into it, cause we’re kinda running out of time, dude…
John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Woody Harrelson, Danny Glover, Oliver Platt
November 13

That Evening Sun – Written and Directed by Scot Teems
I think Clint Eastwood had a scheduling conflict playing a grumpy old man in Gran Turino, so Holbrook stepped in. This is a perfect example of a cookie-cutter Midwest drama starring a senior citizen afraid of change that might not be very good, but will definitely get nominated for at least 2 Oscars. Don’t get me wrong, Hal is great, but the story has the potential to be full of holes.
Hal Holbrook, Ray McKinnon, Mia Wasikowska, Carrie Preston
November 13

Uncertainty – Written and Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel
At the risk of sounding like a douchebag, I am very uncertain about this movie. Part romantic comedy, part drama, part action thriller? So confused. McGehee and Siegel have written and directed three other films together, and I’ve never heard of any of them. But Gordon-Levitt hasn’t let me down so far, and Thirlby and Collins are sexy. I’ll flip a coin.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lynn Collins, Olivia Thirlby
November 13

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans – Directed by Werner Herzog, Written by William M. Finkelstein
Controverial old-school director Werner Herzog (Encounters at the End of the World, Grizzly Man) is remaking the 1992 drama (starring Harvey Keitel) about a gambling/drug addict cop, and he’s setting it in post-Katrina New Orleans. They say it’s Cage’s best performance since Leaving Las Vegas (not really hard), and Kilmer’s presence is reassuring. Looking forward to it.
Nicholas Cage, Val Kilmer, Eva Mendes, Michael Shannon, Fairuza Balk, Xzibit, Shawn Hatosy
November 20

Chi Bi (Red Cliff) – Directed by John Woo, Written by John Woo and Khan Chan
This is an epic film in the style of Hero and House of Flying Daggers. John Woo started out with some good films (A Better Tomorrow, Killer, Hard Boiled), he even had some good American movies (Hard Target, Face/Off), though there were bullshit ones too (Windtalkers, Paycheck). However, his dramas, like Last Hurrah for Chivalry, have gone largerly unnoticed by American audiences. And, of course, it’s been out in China for two years, and we’re just getting it now. Tarantino needs to step his game up.
Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Wei Zhao
November 20

Fix – Directed by Tao Ruspoli, Written by Charles Castaldi and Paul Duran
Documentary filmmaker Ruspoli blends styles in this fictional documentary about a convicted drug dealer and his friends, who are attempting to raise enough money to put him in rehab before 8pm so he can avoid jail time. I can already tell that Andrews’ over-the-top personality is going to steal the show, and Wilde is kinda cute. When’s it coming to Netflix?
Olivia Wilde, Tao Ruspoli, Dedee Pfeiffer, Shawn Andrews
November 20

The Missing Person – Written and Directed by Noah Buschel
Modern noir about a private detective (Shannon in a lead role…nice) searching for a missing person after 9/11. Elements of drama and comedy make it appear a little disjointed, but Shannon and Ryan are solid. Kinda surprised it didn’t go straight to DVD, but whatever.
Michael Shannon, Amy Ryan, Frank Wood
November 20

Me and Orson Welles – Directed by Richard Linklater, Written by Holly Gent Palmo
I can’t see Efron’s name on anything without thinking Highschool Musical, which makes me want to punch everyone under the age of 17 in the eye. However, this film is a little more dramatic, a lot less musical, and Christian McKay looks like the best Orson Welles since D’onofrio in Ed Wood. And if that still doesn’t convince you to see this period film about Welles directing stage plays, I have three words for you: Richard motherfucking Linklater (Scanner Darkly, Waking Life, Dazed and Confused). There you go.
Zac Efron, Claire Danes, Christian McKay, Ben Chaplin
November 25

Ninja Assassin – Directed by James McTeigue, Written by Matthew Sand and J. Michael Straczynski
The directors of The Matrix are producing this balls-to-the-wall violence-fest about…are you ready? A Ninja Assassin. Crazy right? Just think blades, bullets, blood, and nonstop special effects. I can’t freaking wait.
Sung Kang
November 25

The Road – Directed by John Hillcoat, Written by Joe Penhall
I must admit, I didn’t care for Cormac McCarthy’s award winning novel. The fact that writer and director are inexperienced worries me. Whether the acting, cinematography and effects can save it or not, the story makes me think no one will like this no matter what.
Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce, Garret Dillahunt
November 25

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Metropia – Directed by Tarik Saleh, Written by Fredrik Edin
Anything with Vincent Gallo attatched generally gets my attention (Buffalo 66 was fucking weird). In this animated social commentary, Gallo’s character goes nuts when he starts hearing voices in the expansive underground tunnels Europe was forced to build after gas prices went too high. The animation looks pretty damn cool, so we’ll see.
Vincent Gallo, Udo Kier, Juliette Lewis, Stellan Skarsgard, Alexander Skarsgard
November 6 (Sweden)

Harry Brown – Directed by Daniel Barber, Written by Gary Young
Michael Caine hasn’t really been a badass since Get Carter, but this one may change that. Granted, it’s another cranky old man pissed off at street hooligans, but they did kill his friend…and he is ex-military. Comes out in the UK this month, possible limited releases in US. Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Iain Glen
November 11 (UK)

Los abrazos rotos (Broken Embraces) – Written and Directed by Pedro Almodovar
Almodovar is huge in Spain, and the last time he teamed with Cruz was Volver, which was damn good. This film is about a writer/director telling a young man the story of why he changed his name after an accident took the life of his true love 14 years prior. Limited release this month, but expect it to be everywhere in time for the Oscars.
Penelope Cruz, Lluis Homar
November 20 (Limited)

Mammoth – Written and Directed by Lukas Moodysson
Husband and wife with a “perfect” life are put to the test when he takes a business trip to Thailand and decides to let loose a little. It looks very similar to parts of Babel, but more focused. Bernal and Williams have grown on me the last couple years, and Moodysson has done good work in Sweden.
Michelle Williams, Gael Garcia Bernal
November 20 (Limited)

A Serious Man - Written and Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
Set in 1967, this black comedy follows a Jewish professor as he attempts to stop his life from unraveling after his wife announces she wants a divorce. It would appear that the Coen dynasty is back in full swing after their three year hiatus between The Ladykillers (2004) and No Country for Old Men (2007). Though longtime Coen teammates Carter Burwell (composer) and Roger Deakins (cinematographer) are back again, the cast for this one is largely unknown. I can’t wait.
Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed
October 2

Whip It - Directed by Drew Barrymore, Written by Shauna Cross
Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut about a punk rock outcast (Ellen Page) living in small town Texas who rebels by joining an all girl roller derby league. I’m a fan of Page and Barrymore, and though it was filmed almost entirely in Michigan and features an esoteric chick-indie-punk soundtrack, Barrymore managed to get some good names on the roster. Not cast-wise, as Page and Marcia Gay Harden are the only recognizable ones, but she borrowed longtime Wes Anderson cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman, as well as editor Dylan Tichenor (Doubt, There Will Be Blood), and Art Director Kevin Kavanaugh (The Dark Knight, The Prestige). Call me impressed.
Ellen Page, Marcia Gay Harden
October 2

Zombieland - Directed by Ruben Fleischer, Written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick
Sure, the writers and director of this Americanized Shaun of the Dead are newbies. And yes, British humor often times prevails when put toe to toe (except the Office, Steve Carrell is a silly bitch). But after watching the previews, how can you not smile and say, “Yeah, I’ll see that eventually.”? If for no other reason that watching little miss sunshine kick some zombie ass would be sweet.
Woody Harrelson, Jessie Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin, Emma Stone, Amber Heard, Bill Murray
October 2

An Education - Directed by Lone Scherfig,Written by Nick Hornby
Wait…Peter Sarsgaard? In a low profile dramatic role you’ve never heard of until now? Yeah, that sounds about right. About a 17-year-old girl in 1960’s London who abandons her college plans for a wealthy socialite twice her age. You may not recognize any of the names behind the scenes, but Nick Hornby (author, High Fidelity) is enough for me.
Peter Sarsgaard, Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Emma Thompson, Rosamund Pike
October 9

Couples Retreat - Directed by Peter Billingsley, Written by Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn
Apparently, Ralphie from A Christmas Story is all grown up and wants to be a director. Starting with a screenplay by Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn will either be his ticket to greatness, or a nail in his mediocre comedy coffin. Still, Swingers and Made were great, and the cast in this one has me more than confident. If the plot isn’t obvious by the title, you should not see this movie, you might shoot your eye out (fuck you, you knew it was coming).
Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell, Malin Akerman, Kristin Davis, Ken Jeong, Jean Reno, Faizon Love, Tasha Smith, John Michael Higgins
October 9

Peter and Vandy - Written and Directed by Jay DiPietro
In the style of (500) Days of Summer, this relationship film set in New York City jumps back and forth through time telling the story of how Peter and Vandy went from friends to lovers, and how they ended up as a comfortable, yet manipulative couple. The chemistry between Ritter and Weixler looks good, and Sundance apparently loved it. My only worry is, in a non-linear feature film, editor Geoffrey Richman has been limited to documentaries. Ok, he did Murderball and God Grew Tired of Us, but still, a lot’s riding on this guy’s shoulders. DePietro’s first.
Jason Ritter, Jess Weixler
October 9

Trucker - Written and Directed by James Mottern
James Mottern’s first endeavor gives Monaghan an amazing role as a long distance truck driver who must care for the son she abandoned while his father is in the hospital. Interesting cast (I like Adams and Fillion), and behind the scenes, names like Mychael Danna (composer: (500) Days of Summer, Girl Interrupted) and Lawrence Sher (cinematographer: Garden State, The Chumscrubber) intrigue me. Assuming Monaghan’s role is as great as it appears in the preview, I will make a bold statement: If Melissa Leo can be nominated for Frozen Rivers, this might be Monaghan’s year.
Michelle Monaghan, Benjamin Bratt, Joey Lauren Adams, Nathan Fillion, Jimmy Bennett
October 9

Law Abiding Citizen - Directed by F. Gary Gray, Written by Kurt Wimmer
Gerard Butler’s wife and daughter are killed. The D.A. (Jamie Foxx) gives the murderers a plea bargain. Years later, Butler starts exacting his revenge on everyone involved…from the comfort of his jail cell. Wimmer wrote and directed Equilibrium (freaking awesome), but he also wrote and directed Ultraviolet (freaking garbage). Aside from editor Tariq Anwar (Revolutionary Road, American Beauty), everyone involved is a so-so list of random action film participants. So why would you see this one? Cause it’s Friday…you ain’t got no job…and you ain’t got shit to do.
Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Leslie Bibb, Colm Meaney, Bruce McGill, Viola Davis, Regina Hall
October 16

New York, I Love You - Directed by Faith Akin and Yvan Attal, Written by Emmanual Benbihy and Tristan Carne
I’m sure even the most skeptical among you can’t say you didn’t enjoy Paris, Je T’aime. It was a great cross-sectioning of different views and stories around the city, told by some great directors (The Coen Brothers and Gus van Sant among them). I gotta say, I’m a little disappointed about the young cast and director lineup (where the F are DeNiro and Scorcese?) But as an overall project, I’m really looking forward to this film. With segments directed by Allan Hughes, Shunji Iwai, Wen Jiang, Shekhar Kapur, Joshua Marston, Mira Nair, Natalie Portman, and Brett Ratner.
Bradley Cooper, Natalie Portman, Shia LaBeouf, Blake Lively, Robin Wright Penn, Orlando Bloom, Hayden Christensen, Christina Ricci, Rachel Bilson, Ethan Hawke, John Hurt, Justin Bartha, James Caan, Maggie Q, Anton Yelchin, Andy Garcia, Chris Cooper, Olivia Thirlby, Drea De Matteo, Julie Christie, Cloris Leachman, Eli Wallach
October 16

Where the Wild Things Are - Directed by Spike Jonze, Written by Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers
Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s story about a boy who invents an imaginary world populated with large creatures who name him King. Jonze hasn’t really done many films (Being John Malkovich and Adaptation), but he’s an accomplished music video director, and with an adaptation by Dave Eggers, he can’t really go wrong. Effects look good, voice casting is solid.
Max Records, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, James Gandolfini, Chris Cooper, Forest Whitaker, Catherine O’Hara, Paul Dano, Lauren Ambrose
October 16

Amelia - Directed by Mira Nair, Written by Ronald Bass and Anna Hamilton Phelan
From the director of The Namesake, this biopic of Amelia Earhart covers her romance with flight, and her rise to the level of cultural icon. Can’t say it looks like anything really spectacular, but Swank has won multiple Oscars, Phelan wrote Girl Interrupted, and The Aviator was warmly received. Look for this to show up on some Academy Award lists regardless.
Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Eccelston
October 23

Antichrist - Written and Directed by Lars von Trier
Danish director Lars von Trier has won numerous awards for his films. He has also shocked a lot of people not only by his style, but by his tendency to add super realism to his films by actually having the actors doing whatever the characters are supposed to (meaning if there’s a group sex scene, chances are those people are actually having sex on camera). Antichrist is the story of a couple trying to reconnect in a cabin after the death of their son. What happens next is ridiculously graphic, violent, and spiritually disturbing. While the wide theatrical release will no doubt be heavily edited, the uncut version is something you have to see to fully understand.
Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg
October 23

Saw VI - Directed by Kevin Greutert, Written by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton
Don’t think I really need to explain this one. Jigsaw’s dead, but we’re gonna try to fit at least four more storylines into the original script. Director is new, writers have worked on the last three Saw films. I’ll see it, but when an original horror franchise with an awesome theme song allows a Texas Chainsaw Massacre motif into their preview, it worries me.
Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Shawnee Smith, Betsy Russell
October 23

(Untitled) - Directed by Jonathan Parker, Written by Jonathan Parker and Catherine DiNapoli
Shelton plays an art gallery director who falls in love with a struggling artist/musician in New York. Should be good for a few laughs if you can’t stand newagepostmodernretroindieavantgardeabstracthipsterbullshit. Also, Vinnie Jones as an artist, and Adam Goldberg kicking a bucket on stage should be hilarious. Rookie writer/director.
Adam Goldberg, Marley Shelton, Vinnie Jones
October 23

Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day - Directed by Troy Duffy, Written by Troy and Taylor Duffy
We’ve had to wait ten bloody years for this film to actually see the light of day. Now it’s here. If you didn’t see the first one (what the hell is wrong with you??) it’s about two Irish brothers who are “called” by God to administer justice and vengeance to society’s scum. I’m actually impressed that after so long on the shelf, the writer/director of the first film is still on board. Can’t freaking wait.
Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Clifton Collins Jr., Julie Benz, Judd Nelson, Billy Connolly, Peter Fonda
October 30

How to Seduce Difficult Women - Written and Directed by Richard Temtchine
Although there are no recognizable names or faces attached to this one, imagine if someone combined Hitch and School for Scoundrels, and then made a GOOD film. The main character, Pierre, decides to teach the ways of French seduction to the floundering American men who have lost the art (stupid French guys with their…sexy accents…). Interspersed with NY street interviews about sex and seduction. Could be interesting.
Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Stephanie Szostak, Jackie Hoffman, Rachel Roberts
October 30

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

The Ministers - Written and Directed by Franc. Reyes
Kinda like Boondock Saints…except Latin. And they’re serial killers. And Leguizamo plays twins. And I’d bet money Keitel gets naked for no reason. Reyes is a weird cat, but he directed Empire and Illegal Tender, which weren’t bad. Leguizamo’s always good, so we’ll see. Rumored limited release date, nothing solid yet.
John Leguizamo, Harvey Keitel, Wanda De Jesus, Florencia Lozano
October 1 (Limited)

Aladin - Written and Directed by Sujoy Ghosh
Shut up and let me talk. Yes, it’s an Indian film. Yes, it appears there is a bit of singing involved. However, the story of Aladin is one of the most widely known and adaptable myths to come out of the area. And the preview actually gives me a Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle, Shaolin Soccer) kind of feel. Excuse the hell out of me for trying to broaden your minds. Only release date in India so far. Check it out.
Ritesh Deshmukh, Jaqueline Fernandes, Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt
October 23 (India)

Pope Joan - Directed by Sonke Wortmann, Written by Heinrich Hadding
Based on the German novel, this is the story of an English woman born in Germany, who disguises herself as a man and ascends to a seat of power in 9th century Vatican. A German film about gender disguise, and John Goodman’s in it, but Hilary Swank isn’t? That’s so confusing it has to be fattening. Limited release in Germany so far.
David Wenham, John Goodman, Ian Glen
October 22 (Germany)