On the Horizon: Movies in 2011

Foreboding weather again for movie fans?

Although I've yet to finalize my best films of 2010, mostly because I'm still slowly catching up to all that I've missed, it's already well into 2011 and thus time to take a look at what's ahead.

People have defended 2010 as a solid year in film, but I'm afraid I just haven't seen (at least not yet) much to write home about, or write here about, as it were. Compared to the upcoming year, however, 2010 may end up being considered a golden year to be remember. I'm not going to break down specific titles by month as I have in past years; rather, I'm going to lift from Mark Harris' instantly classic article in the February issue of GQ (which I now realize has been lauded all over the place for weeks, but which I only discovered in the hard copy of the magazine that I stole borrowed from the YMCA).

I think this is all that needs to be said, and I think that aside from MSPIFF 2011 this spring, I probably shouldn't worry about the many new movies that I'm likely to miss this year as well:

"...let's look ahead to what's on the menu for this year: four adaptations of comic books. One prequel to an adaptation of a comic book. One sequel to a sequel to a movie based on a toy. One sequel to a sequel to a sequel to a movie based on an amusement-park ride. One prequel to a remake. Two sequels to cartoons. One sequel to a comedy. An adaptation of a children's book. An adaptation of a Saturday-morning cartoon. One sequel with a 4 in the title. Two sequels with a 5 in the title. One sequel that, if it were inclined to use numbers, would have to have a 7 1/2 in the title.

...Right now, we can argue that any system that allows David Fincher to plumb the invention of Facebook and the Coen brothers to visit the old West, that lets us spend the holidays gorging on new work by Darren Aronofsky and David O. Russell, has got to mean that American filmmaking is in reasonably good health. But the truth is that we'll be back to summer—which seems to come sooner every year—in a heartbeat. And it's hard to hold out much hope when you hear the words that one studio executive, who could have been speaking for all her kin, is ready to chisel onto Hollywood's tombstone: "We don't tell stories anymore."

On the Horizon: Movies in 2010 (Pt. 3: TBA & Documentaries)

Continued from On the Horizon: Movies in 2010 (Pt. 1: January - June) &
 (Pt. 2: July - December)

Wow, well I don't know about you, but even for somebody who's willing to see some bad movies, 2010 looks like a good year to concentrate on some other hobbies (or, in my case, such projects like my own wedding). There are still some movies I'm excited to see, but nearly all of them are outside of the mass-marketed wide releases I listed in Part 1 and Part 2. Thanks to Garth Franklin's list I mentioned in Part 1 (you really have to check out all eleven parts), I've got my eyes on the following award-likely titles, hoping they will be bright spots in the year ahead - if they are indeed released in the next 12 months:

On the Horizon: Movies in 2010 (Pt. 2: July - December)

Continued from On the Horizon: Movies in 2010 (Pt. 1: January - June)

JULY: Star-studded tent poles and Shyamalan's return

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse: I haven't read any of the books or seen either of the first two movies. So... 

Knight & Day: I've admitted my soft spot for Tom Cruise before, so it should come as no surprise that this doesn't look or sound nearly as bad to me as it does to most people. It's also worth mentioning that James Mangold (3:10 to Yuma, Walk the Line) is not your typical summer blockbuster director, so maybe, just maybe, this will be more than meets the eye.

The Last Airbender: M. Night Shyamalan's next movie. Also, the worst movie of 2010.

Inception: I have yet to see any 2010 movie forecast that does not list Inception as the #1 most anticipated movie of the year. Obviously much of this has to do with Christopher Nolan's last film, The Dark Knight (and Batman Begins before it, all three films are IMAX spectacles), but personally I'm hoping it's more along the lines of Memento and The Prestige. The short of it is that Christopher Nolan was probably the best director of the last decade, but I'm excited for this movie for different reasons than most people. 

Predators: Sequel. 1980's movie. Are you getting the picture yet? 

Salt: Ah, Angelina Jolie, peaceful ambassador off screen, half-naked ruthless assassin on screen, and always passing wise a good two decades beyond her years (all 34 of them). No, I don't have any respect for this woman and I don't feel badly about it. Expect her to save the world again and look perfectly put together doing it.

Dinner for Schmucks: If I have this correct, Jay Roach will be directing a Fockers sequel (below) as well as this remake of the 1998 French comedy, and both will be released in July? Whatever the timing, this will earn a lot of hype due to its cast alone: Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and Zach Galifianakis. 

Little Fockers: I loved Meet the Parents and I absolutely loathed Meet the Fockers, so this one is a bit of a rubber match film. From what I know it will involve pregnancy and or infant care, so potty humor will likely be the foundation. Maybe I'll see Inception again instead.

On the Horizon: Movies in 2010 (January - June)

I don't know about you, but I had many more disappointments than pleasant surprises at the movie theater in 2009. Instead of looking back on all that could and should have been, I'll look ahead at all that could and should be. If last decade went out with a fizzle, let's hope this decade starts out with a bang. Then again, by the looks of things this year's movies include about a dozen 1980's remakes, so it's really one step forward, two steps back.

These are some notable wide releases for 2010 (not documentaries, foreign, or independent) that I've culled together from IMDb and ComingSoon.net. In other words, these are the movies that everyone will see that will overshadow all of the movies that everyone really should see. 

Release months are probably only 90% accurate, but this is what we have to go on at this time. Also, Garth Franklin at Dark Horizons has an insanely well researched forecast as well. Probably the best movies of the year will be from his bunch (I can only hope based on what I see below), but in the interest of time you can scan through my list instead, and then spend the rest of the year over there - it's so extensive it might take you that long.

Here's Part 1 - the first half of the year:

JANUARY: Big stars, big movies, little interest

The Book of Eli: Denzel Washington and The Hughes Brothers (From Hell, Dead Presidents) team up for a post-apocalyptic tale about some mysterious book. The trailers remind me of a particular section of Terminator Salvation, and anything that reminds me of Terminator Salvation already has a major strike against it. 

Edge of Darkness: I enjoyed Mel Gibson in Ransom, but I think I only need to see him as a vengeful father once. Director Martin Cambell has been awesome (GoldenEye, Casino Royale) and awful (Beyond Borders), so who knows what to expect. The real question will be whether anyone can stand Gibson's Boston accent for 30 seconds, let alone 108 minutes.

FEBRUARY: Dumping grounds for the pushed back releases

The Wolfman: Benicio del Toro in the remake of the 1941 classic horror film. I haven't seen that and I have yet to find a reason to need to see this. Universal knows this and they've delayed the release already once, but they're going to have to do some hard work to get me on board in time. 

Valentine's Day: Possibly the worst title of the year, this ensemble romantic comedy is, obviously about the big love day. About a million people star, most of whom I have little tolerance for (Julia Roberts, Ashton Kutcher, Anne Hathaway, Bradley Cooper, Topher Grace). Still interested? How about Taylor Lautner and Joe Jonas? Turn in your tween girl card, please.

On the Horizon: Beyond the Chair

Like most active bloggers, I get a steady stream of emails requesting me to post particular movie news, review particular films, or link to particular websites or blogs. Some of them I follow up on, most of them I do not, either out of lack of time or lack of interest. I was ready to delete an email I received from one Dusty Duprel this week before I realized it wasn't spam and I took a closer look at what he was asking me to do: 

My name is Dusty Duprel, and what I am doing is explained in the letter attached.  As you will soon read, a close friend of mine has a lot depending on spreading this letter. What's not written are the details of how rapidly his health is fading. The reason for leaving out the heart breaking details is that we don't want pity, only to celebrate what he has accomplished. I am writing you in hopes that you will post this on your website or blog for him. 

I read Dusty's letter and was touched both by how genuinely it was written and how strange it was that I, a complete stranger, could in some way help him achieve his goal. Such are the wonders of technology in the 21st century. Of course, this isn't actually about Dusty or blogging, which is why I'm just going to copy the letter directly here for you to read:

On the Horizon: In the Heights

For no good reason at all, Minnesota has a raging inferiority complex. The state is puffed up with pride about the most bizarre things (electing Jesse Venture and Al Franken to office?), and any national or global story that has a local connection becomes front-page news, just so we feel like we're important, too. I'm not a Minnesota native but even I have found myself spouting off boastful trivia to people when I'm out of state, such as the fact that the Twin Cities has a thriving drama culture and more theater seats per capita than any U.S. city outside of New York City. Why your average person would care about such a thing I have no idea, but that doesn't matter, you'll be told this information just so that you know Minnesota should be known for something.

Despite my sarcastic attitude about this state's insecurity, there are times when the boasts are backed up, and when something like the local theater culture really does create some unforgettable experiences ahead of the rest of the country. A few months ago it was announced that the inaugural national tour of the Tony Award winning-musical "In the Heights" would be making an early stop in Minneapolis, and considering how much I love "Rent", it was a no-brainer that I had to see this. The occasion arrived this weekend, and I am pleased to declare that it was shockingly fantastic. I'm no drama geek but I love a good Broadway musical, so take my opinion for it's worth considering your own interest in such things. In any event I was not prepared for a show - written by someone my age - with this much cultural diversity, humor, musicality, dance, and emotion. In a word (or two), it was life-affirming.

Because I love the film adaptation of "Rent", and because "In the Heights" is so vivid, vivacious, and vibrantly alive (think "Rent"+"Grease"+"West Side Story"+2009), during the show I found myself wondering how Lin-Manuel Miranda's vision would translate to the silver screen. Turns out I wasn't the only one: after opening on Broadway in March of 2008, racking up 13 Tony nominations in May of 2008, and winning 4 Tony Awards (including Best Musical) in June of 2008, "In the Heights" was almost immediately picked up by Universal Pictures for a film adaptation due out in 2010. If it does end up being released on time (I can't tell how far along production is), it will automatically be my most anticipated movie of next year.

On the Horizon: A Serious Man

This is the first "On the Horizon" movie I haven't actually seen, but it's worthy of a preview if for no other reason than the fact that so far all anyone's heard has been crickets. As a Minnesota resident and amateur biographer of Joel and Ethan Coen, I therefore consider it my duty to get some buzz going, despite the negligible fact that a trailer, poster, and stills haven't been released (other than these on-location shots that I drummed up from www.coenbrothers.net).

The lack of excitement around A Serious Man, at least among the blogs and newswires I follow with any regularity, is baffling. Since Oscar night a few months back there's been about a million posts on "Movies to Watch" in 2009, and almost none of them mention A Serious Man. Even outside of the current marketing assaults for all of these summer blockbusters, it seems like most of the excitement for the end of the year is reserved for Cannes attention getters (The White Ribbon, Bright Star, Antichrist) or heavy hitters like Nine, 9, District 9, Inglourious Basterds, Taking Woodstock, Sherlock Holmes, The Lovely Bones, Invictus, The Hurt Locker, The Road, Shutter Island, Amelia, and so on.

I'm not saying A Serious Man should necessarily be considered Best Picture-worthy at this point, or even that it's going to be good. It could be categorically awful. I have no idea, but either way I'm shocked at the lack of curious anticipation for what amounts to an autobiographical film written and directed by arguably the best filmmaking team in Hollywood and filmed in their childhood home of St. Louis Park, MN (and costumed by Mary Zophres and designed by Jess Gonchor and, oh yeah, also shot by Roger Deakins and scored by Carter Burwell).

What am I missing? Are the Coens - just two years removed from a near Oscar sweep - not as highly respected as I thought? Did Burn After Reading ruin their reputation or something?

Maybe it's the lack of a big name star. The Coens dug deep into the local Jewish community here for supporting parts and extras, but even their leads - Richard Kind and Michael Stuhlbarg - are mostly recognizable by face alone. Or maybe it's the fact that nobody has seen even a rough cut of A Serious Man, and it's hard to get excited for a movie if you haven't seen a trailer (you know, similar to the lack of comments about a movie that's not even in pre-production yet).

Nah, neither of those reasons really explain it, especially when you consider the similarities with the other end-of-year movies I listed. Puzzling...

Closer to home, perhaps the reason nobody wants to talk about this movie is because the last time the brothers filmed in their home state the result arrived with a warning label. For many people the memories of Fargo still stings, and it stands to reason that the Coens will be applying their always-sharp analytical scalpel to the cultural quirks of Minnesota once again in A Serious Man, albeit Jewish-Minnesotan culture in 1967.

Whatever the reason for the blaring silence, only a fool could argue that A Serious Man will arrive so quietly in just 120 days. Opening weekend (Oct. 2) here in Uptown and St. Louis Park will be an absolute zoo, and away from home I'd comfortably bet on at least Best Original Screenplay consideration, if not also a shot at a Best Picture nom in a newly-expanded field.

But I haven't seen it and maybe I'm way off. Maybe it's an impossible movie to market and nobody is excited or cares about it because they think it sounds really boring, even if it hits closer to home - both literally and figuratively - than any film the Coens have made to this point. Maybe all those people who complained about No Country for Old Men winning Best Picture were right when they said that "nobody saw it", and thus the Coens, celebrating their 25th year making movies, actually have to prove their writing and directing talent again before anybody can get excited.

It just doesn't seem possible, but...could it be true?

On the Horizon: Moon

I have to preview this film here if for no other reason than the novelty of the post title, but it really is an intriguing little sci-fi thriller. The first feature by Duncan Jones (son of David Bowie), Moon stars his buddy Sam Rockwell as Sam Bell, a lone helium miner finishing a three year contract on the lunar surface. As he prepares to return to earth he suffers an accident in a lunar rover that reveals something rather odd about his situation in relation to the others who have come before him. The mystery isn't as hidden as I'm making it out to be, but know that eventually there are two Sam Bells living in the lunar base and that it's an untenable situation.

Moon had a single showing at MSPIFF last night and Duncan Jones charmingly answered questions afterward (except for dodging one about his age - he's 37 going on 21). Highlights included his explanation of how he was able to direct one actor in two roles and how he used lots of miniatures for the lunar surface instead of exclusively using CGI. The result looks great - Rockwell delivers an amazing performance when you consider that he's the only actor on screen, and the visual effects are terrific for the tiny budget Jones had at his disposal (he boasted that at $5 million, it was only a tenth of Danny Boyle's budget for Sunshine, which I found flawed but ultimately a better film). Really my biggest complaint is the dialogue, which was not written by Jones and was half-improvised by Rockwell, for whom Jones specifically designed the story. Kevin Spacey plays what Jones joked is a "benign Hal" character, but even that device isn't used effectively. For the meaty potential this story I'd have hoped for some deeper meanings or more interesting monologues.

In any event, I still recommend sci-fi fans check out Moon when it opens this June. Check out the trailer and hear the instantly classic original score by Clint Mansell, composer for Darren Aronofsky's films (memorably Requiem for Dream and The Fountain).

Come back for more thoughts and join the conversation when Moon opens in Minneapolis on June 26th. It will hopefully stir some interesting debates (Jim Brunzell wasn't high on it after seeing it at Sundance but Erik McClanahan enjoyed it a bit more) about the sci-fi genre, especially in the shadow of the upcoming monster that is Star Trek.

On the Horizon: Food, Inc.

Did you know there are only 13 slaughterhouses in the United States, down from thousands that operated several decades ago? Meat consumption hasn't decreased at that rate, so what gives - and what does that mean about the meat we're all eating? Hmm...

Food, Inc. attempts to answer such questions by pulling the veil back on America's food industry to expose food corporations as monopolies that control our mind, body, and soul (at least that's what I gathered when the word "evil" flashed on the screen). It's not a "do you know where your food comes from?" scolding, but a "here's why it matters" explanation.

Equal parts Fast Food Nation, The Corporation, Super Size Me, and Enron: The Smartest Guys In the Room, Robert Kenner's Food, Inc. is perhaps most similar to a certain Oscar-winning, action-stirring documentary starring Al Gore. Think of it as An Inconvenient Food, healthy living recommendations before the end credits included.

(Disclaimer: I'll make no effort to hide the fact that I'm automatically in the tank for everything Participant Productions churns out. Founded by eBay magnate Jeff Skoll just about five years ago, Participant produces films with the implicit purpose to inspire social change (check out their TakePart blog in the "Do" section of my sidebar). Recent films include The Soloist, The Visitor, Standard Operating Procedure, and Charlie Wilson's War, but looking back a few years you'll find Fast Food Nation, An Inconvenient Truth, Murderball, North Country, Syriana, Chicago 10, The Kite Runner, Darfur Now, American Gun, and Good Night, and Good Luck.)

Make sense why I'm a big fan? Then check out the trailer for Food, Inc., or watch the first three minutes here:

Food, Inc. will be shown at MSPIFF this Friday, 4/24, and Sunday, 4/26. Because Minneapolis goes ga-ga for all things "green" and because the film is co-produced by Minneapolis-based (Bill Pohlad) River Road Entertainment, I will go ahead and guarantee a sellout for both shows. Get your tickets now.

Watch this space for my full review of Food, Inc. prior to its Minneapolis opening on June 19. In the meantime, visit TakePart's website for all kinds of good stuff related to the film, including a preview screening schedule and a laundry list of action items.

On the Horizon: Movies in 2009

Lots of movies out there on the horizon...

When I first started these "On the Horizon" posts last year, they were almost exclusively movies that I had seen at MSPIFF (the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival), months before their actual release (American Teen, Encounters at the End of the World, etc.). After that was over, I had to play the waiting game with everyone else, maybe seeing movies a week or two before their release, when it would have been worthless to take time for an "On the Horizon" post. So it was kind of a poorly planned idea to begin with.

In any case, the one holdover that has not yet been widely released, Nerakhoon (The Betrayal), is actually still on the horizon. It's on the Oscar shortlist and we'll find out next week if voters will make the right decision and award it a nomination for Best Documentary Feature (especially since they botched the short list selections in the first place). It arrives in Minneapolis in March and I highly recommend it.

In the meantime, here are the major studio releases for 2009 that for some reason grabbed my attention, even though I likely won't see all of them. Because this list is already too long to read, I'm not including documentaries and I'm not including many of the indies that will play at Sundance.


BOLDED are the movies that really I'm hoping won't disappoint. This is going to take a while to read - but it will be worth it if I can help you plan out your schedule in some way, and I'm going to link to it on my sidebar for the next month or so.

_______________________________

JANUARY:

Notorious (opening today): Starring Jamal Woolard, Derek Luke, and Angela Bassett, this biopic of Christopher Wallace better show off a bangin' soundtrack. And it better be good. Tupac's version, Tupac: Resurrection, was a documentary - deservedly nominated for Best Documentary Feature, don't forget. Early word is that Woolard is eerily believable as Biggie.

New in Town: (shudder) Yet another movie set in Minnesota but filmed elsewhere, this time in Winnipeg. Renee Zellweger plays a ditzy blonde who relocates from Miami to Minnesota; ridiculousness ensues. Considering my girlfriend recently moved here from Las Vegas and some of our friends are also transplants from livable locales, there's no way I'm not going to end up seeing this. Somebody help me find the silver lining...

FEBRUARY:

Fanboys: If I can be considered a fanboy of any franchise (and I really hope I can't), it would be Star Wars. It would be biting irony if Fanboys shot to the top of IMDb list due to rabid fanboy voting, as happened with The Dark Knight. Kristen Bell is slated to be in about a movie per month in 2009; this is the first.

The International: I've expressed my love for Tom Tykwer's early films on these pages. No idea what this one is really about but it deserves a spot if only because of Tykwer and Clive Owen. And the poster is intriguing.

New York, I Love You: I don't know if this should be called a spin-off or a sequel or something else in relation to Paris je t'aime, but I've always had a thing for New York. This has the potential to be enchanting or completely forgettable.

Crossing Over: I had this on my sidebar release schedule back in October. After the tenth time its release was delayed I removed it altogether. Let's see what happens. Maybe this should but thrown down with the TBA's. Anyway, I'm pretty clueless about the details but Harrison Ford + Sean Penn + immigration + Los Angeles = me go.

MARCH:

Watchmen: Never read the series and not a huge fan of the superhero trend, but this easily one of the most hyped movies of 2009. I'm not dying to see it, but I'll see it.

Sunshine Cleaning: Had some positive buzz coming out of Sundance last year but it's kind of faded since then. That it was dropped in the usually dead zone that is March might not be a good sign, but Amy Adams, Emily Blunt and Steve Zahn probably work well together.

Adventureland: From the director, but not writer, of Superbad, comes another predictably crass comedy about friends working at an amusement park in 1987. Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig should make this at least worth a few laughs. I also expect a nice soundtrack featuring hair bands.

Monsters vs. Aliens: Only showing up here because Dreamworks Animation really wowed me with Kung Fu Panda last year. This is the kind of movie that gets a huge push because it stars every popular actor and actress in the world right now. And you won't see any of them on screen for one second. Go figure.

APRIL:

Sugar: Next to Ballast this was by far my most anticipated movie out of Sundance last year. From the writing and directing pair of Half Nelson, I'm desperate to see this story about an aspiring baseball player from the Dominican Republic. Just in time for the start of the baseball season, to boot.

Observe and Report: I wasn't too hot about The Foot Fist Way last year, but I'll consider this a second shot for writer/director Jody Hill because it stars Seth Rogen. If people haven't seen Foot Fist, and the tone is anything like that one, I think they're going to be in for a surprise.

O'Horten: Highly regarded Norwegian dramedy about a fateful moment for a retiring train engineer. Sounds riveting I know, but this is one of those you just see on a lark.

The Soloist: True story about a homeless guy and a journalist in L.A., played by Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey, Jr., respectively. Although this was delayed from last November to this April, there is still some buzz about Oscar nominations next year. I'm going to keep my expectations moderate.

MAY:

Star Trek: I'm no Trekkie and I'm not a fan of J.J. Abrams. This marks the official opening of summer movie season, though, so I'll be there. Simon Pegg might ease the pain, but Eric Bana is sure to ruin a few scenes.

Bruno: Sacha Baron Cohen returns with another sure-to-offend movie about the fashion industry, which sure deserves to be offended.

Terminator Salvation: It's almost impossible to expect that director "McG" won't take James Cameron's brilliant, seminal franchise ten steps back, but I officially see anything starring Christian Bale. I just can't believe this guy calls himself "McG".

Up: Pixar. If you're wondering if there's anything else you need to know other than that, there's not.

JUNE:

Land of the Lost: Starring Will Ferrell and my up-and-coming favorite Danny McBride - "Three adults inadvertently stumble into a mysterious land populated by dinosaurs and other creatures, including the mysterious and dangerous race of Sleestak." Uh...

The Taking of Pelham 123: I really need to see the original before I see this remake starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta about a hijacked NYC subway train. Might be an early summer gem. Or a joke.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Though I really doubt it will tank, if if it does maybe Shia LaBeouf will get back to serious acting. Consider this also Megan Fox's official coming-out party.

JULY:

Public Enemies: Another early Oscar talk-about, this Michael Mann thriller about 1930's gangsters features a literal dream cast led by Christian Bale, Johnny Depp and Channing Tatum (who deserves a big break). I didn't like Mann's Miami Vice, but the cast alone should save this one from disaster.

2012: Roland Emmerich continues his time travel expedition, going from 10,000 B.C. (which I skipped) to three years from now, when a Mayan calendar predicts the apocalypse. I'm interested by the cast alone.

500 Days of Summer: Indie comedy starring the promising Joseph Gordon-Levitt. One of the co-writers is also the many behind this summer's Pink Panther sequel, so that's kind of a troubling sign.

Funny People: It seems like ages since a movie with Judd Apatow's name on it has come out, even though it's only been a few months. He must have caught wind about people tiring of his brand - what was that like a dozen movies in three years? This one stars Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Apatow's wife Leslie Mann, Jonah Hill, and oh great, Eric Bana. Front-runner for worst title of the year.

AUGUST:

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra: I spent hours on end playing with G.I. Joe action figures when I was younger, so I at least owe this one some consideration. No? Hmm, well it does star Channing Tatum and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but I'm guessing there isn't going to be as much acting as there is action.

Taking Woodstock: Ang Lee directs an adaptation of a novel about the fateful origins of the famous music festival. Starring Emile Hirsch in what I'm assuming is a starring role, this has to feature a great soundtrack at the very least.

Inglourious Basterds: Quentin Tarantino returns with a WWII action-adventure starring a typically bizarre cast, everyone from Brad Pitt to Mike Myers. It might not be as good as the hype, but there's hardly a chance that it will be boring. Possible Oscar sleeper.

SEPTEMBER:

The Informant: Steven Soderbergh follows up Che with a thriller about Big Agriculture. I think. Starring Matt Damon and, well that's good enough. Another possible Oscar contender.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs: Yep, they've adapted this great book into an animated movie featuring the voices of Bill Hader, Anna Faris, and James Caan. Maybe I'll just read the book again.

Jennifer's Body: Yet another movie set in Minnesota but filmed elsewhere, this time in Vancouver - just like Juno, which was also written by OSCAR WINNER "Diablo Cody". I'd have to try to be less interested in this, but I know myself well enough to know that buzz may motivate me to see it.

OCTOBER:

A Serious Man: Yet another movie set in Minnesota but filmed- hey! Wait a minute, this was actually filmed here! Only great things can be expected from the Coen brothers in their return to their home state. Tickets might as well go on sale for this next week; the lines are going to stretch for miles. I say just devote one day state-wide and show it on every available screen to prevent riots at the box office. Possible Best Picture nominee.

Where the Wild Things Are: Lots of reasons for this adaptation of the children's book to sound appealing, not the least of which are the involvement of Spike Jonze, Dave Eggers and Forest Whitaker. Plus, it's not animated. I just home Jonze keeps the CGI to a minimum.

Amelia: Hilary Swank throws down for her third Best Actress Oscar in this biopic of Amelia Earhart, also starring Ewan McGregor and directed by Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake).

NOVEMBER:

The Box: Richard Kelly sure made a splash with Donnie Darko, but I was pretty harsh on his last effort, Southland Tales. This one, starring James Marsden, Cameron Diaz, and Frank Langella, sounds typically trippy. As I said in the Southland review: "I'll see his next film only because he's proven he can make a great one, but I'm going to be reeaaly wary."

The Fantastic Mr. Fox: Wes Anderson directs this animated adaptation of the Roald Dahl novel. Hmm...featuring the voice of George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, and the rest of the Wes Anderson Players (Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, et. al.).

Sherlock Holmes: Can Guy Ritchie adapt his trademark style to this detective story? Starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law as Holmes and Watson, respectively, this also might be in line for some Oscar nominations for acting and design/costumes.

A Christmas Carol: I'm not sure why The Polar Express is never mentioned as one of the great modern Christmas movies, but maybe the success of this one, which was also directed by Robert Zemeckis, will get it some attention. Heck, maybe it will get Zemeckis some attention at all. For a guy who has directed some classic movies (The Back to the Future trilogy, Forrest Gump, Contact), he's devoted himself to this 3-D animation deal for the last decade, only having made Express and Beowulf. This classic story has the best potential of them all: Jim Carrey, Robin Wright Penn, Colin Firth, and Gary Oldman.

Nine: Rob Marshall, whose Chicago took home Best Picture less than a decade ago, goes for it again with this adaptation of the Broadway musical. I know none of the songs to this show, but what does this cast do for you?: Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, and Nicole Kidman. Other than Kidman, can the rest of them sing? We'll find out. Certain to get multiple Oscar nominations, including one for Best Picture.

DECEMBER:

The Lovely Bones: If I were to make insanely early Oscar picks, which I don't, this would be the front runner for Best Picture. I haven't read the book and I have no desire to. At this point the same goes for the movie, but with Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz receiving direction from Peter Jackson (who, let's be honest, is going to be a lot more interested in how it looks), I won't be able to ignore the buzz.

Avatar: James Cameron, please blow my mind again. The brilliant visionary and the man behind Aliens, The Terminator (and T2, but not T3 or the aforementioned Salvation), The Abyss, and True Lies returns to the director's chair for his first major feature since Titanic. Visual effects have come a long way in the last decade so it will be interesting to see what he unveils this time around.

The Princess and the Frog: Disney goes retro with a hand-drawn animated film, and their first to star a black princess. How long did that take?

The Human Factor: While it's beginning to look less likely that Gran Torino will get a Best Picture nod next week, this Clint Eastwood-directed Nelson Mandela biopic starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon has to have a great shot at one next year. Please be good.

TBA:

There's a better than 50/50 chance that half of these won't see a theater screen in 2009, but some of them have major potential to be excellent. You have a life, so I'm going to make this quick.

Apples - Bobby Cannavale (if that doesn't mean anything to you, then forget it)

The Boat That Rocked - Richard Curtis, writer of Love Actually and Notting Hill

Brief Interviews With Hideous Men - indie adaptation of story by the late genius David Foster Wallace

Broken Embraces - new Pedro Almodovar movie, starring guess who, Penelope Cruz

Cold Souls - dramedy staring Paul Giamatti as a guy searching for his soul

Couples Retreat - comedy starring Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Jason Bateman, and...Jean Reno?

Endgame - drama about the fall of the apartheid regime in South Africa, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor

The Fighter - Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler), Mark Wahlberg, and maybe Brad Pitt

Green Zone - Paul Greengrass (United 93) and Matt Damon re-team for a non-Bourne movie

The Hurt Locker - Guy Pearce and Ralph Fiennes in an Iraq War movie. Early buzz is very positive

The Missing Person - Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road) and Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone) in a neo-noir mystery

Mr. Nobody - Jared Leto plays a guy who mysteriously lives well into his 100's; sounds like Benjamin Button

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh - Based on a Michael Chabon novel, starring Sienna Miller, Nick Nolte, and Peter Sarsgaard

The Poughkeepsie Tapes - Long anticipated horror movie made by Minnesotan brothers (and Coens brothers look-alikes) Drew and John Erick Dowdle

The Road - Another possible Best Picture nominee, this adaptation of the popular Cormac McCarthy novel stars Viggo Mortenson and Charlize Theron and has seen its release delayed at least once already

Rudo y Cursi - Soccer comedy that marks the reunion of members of the Y Tu Mama Tambien team: Screenwriter Carlos Cuaron and actors Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna

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That's enough, I think.

So are you looking forward to any of these?

On the Horizon: Liar Liar 2?

Look familiar?

This is the first "On the Horizon"-featured movie that I haven't actually seen, but it's a fun feature and this situation is a little weird, so I'm going with it. You might have seen the trailers for Yes Man start a full promotional campaign in theaters and on TV in recent weeks.

I know others have also noticed that Yes Man appears to be an alternate version of either Bruce Almighty or Liar Liar - witness:

Jim Carrey plays a self-absorbed jerk who receives his comeuppance after some kind of psychological switch turns his life upside down. All of his past decisions and habits are reversed; hilarity and hijinx ensue with a sex joke or embarrassing freak-out every keeping the pace every five minutes. The jerk learns his lesson and everybody goes home happy.

Which movie did I just describe?

Tough to say, but regardless, I'm not really complaining since I kind of like this Jim Carrey. You see, there are actually five Jim Carreys:

• the "funny straight guy" Yes Man/Liar Liar/Bruce Almighty Jim Carrey
• the "ultra dramatic" Eternal Sunshine/The Majestic/Simon Birch Jim Carrey
• the "creepy" Me, Myself and Irene/The Cable Guy/The Number 23 Jim Carrey
  
• the " wacky" In Loving Color/Ace Ventura/The Mask Jim Carrey
• the "costumed" Grinch/Lemony Snicket/Christmas Carol Jim Carrey

With few exceptions, I'm not a huge fan of the "costumed" or the "creepy" Jim Carreys, but I mostly enjoy the other three. In fact, I think his "wacky" performance in Dumb and Dumber deserves to be considered one of the most impressive roles of the 90's, and no, I'm not joking. Comedy is not as easy as it seems, and no one could have pulled off that role like Carrey did. Anyway, I think he's a great comedic talent who's had a few recent missteps (Fun With Dick and Jane, The Number 23), so if Yes Man is a return to one of his better personas, well that's fine with me.

On the Horizon: Quid Pro Quo

HDNet Films and Magnolia Pictures present Quid Pro Quo, a new drama by writer/director Carlos Brooks.

Of the few people to whom I've briefly described Quid Pro Quo, more than a few have looked at me like I have three heads. The premise is as bizarre as it sounds, but it's not really bizarre at all when you consider there are 6.5 billion people on this planet with about as many different personality quirks, and some are shared by only a few people. Like Fiona (Vera Farmiga) and a few other New Yorkers, who wish they were wheelchair-bound paraplegics or amputees. In fact, they don't just wish - they actually see it through, bribing doctors to cut off good legs or paying...uh...less educated practitioners to paralyze them in any squirm-inducing variety of ways. This disorder exists. Isaac Knott (Nick Stahl), an actual paraplegic since age 8, is a public radio reporter who's tasked with producing a story about this subculture.

At the screening I attended, producer Sarah Pillsbury (yes, of Dough Boy fame, they're a local royal family) spoke on behalf of first-time writer and director Carlos Brooks. She said Brooks' original idea for the film evolved after he became familiar with "body integrity identity disorder" and researched it on his own to see if it actually existed (it has since then been the subject of Whole, a documentary by Minnesotan Melody Gilbert that will be included on the Quid Pro Quo DVD). Vera Farmiga (The Departed, Breaking and Entering) blew away the audition field and Nick Stahl (Terminator 3, Bully) was brought on board when Jeremy Sisto became unavailable for the film.

Don't spend too long deciding whether to see Quid Pro Quo. Either ignore it completely or make the decision to go and just go. I recommend that you do, and I recommend that you enter full blackout mode beforehand. No trailer, no reviews, no synopsis. If you've already seen the trailer, well that's fine, it's actually completely misleading. Just don't go rooting around for more info. All you need to know (and more, actually) I've already told you. Yes, it's provocative and yes, some people could take offense, but it is not graphic or gruesome. Go watch Saw if you're into that kind of thing (clearly I'm not, so I don't even know if that happens in Saw, but anyway...).

Quid Pro Quo will be seeing a limited release on June 13th, but according to Pillsbury it's already On Demand in several hotel chains (weird, but it's distributed by HDNet Films, so it's Mark Cuban, so if you know anything about him, well there you go), so check it out if you're the travelin' type. Otherwise come back (after you've seen it) for my full review when Quid Pro Quo opens to a wider release, possibly at the end of the month.

On the Horizon: An adaptation of an adaptation

Twice in 2008 we've seen films about the childlike, playful, imaginative side of filmmaking. Be Kind Rewind and Son of Rambow moderately succeeded in reminding us of the dreamworlds you can bring to life with a simple camcorder, but when it comes to truly capturing the joy of film, neither comes close to Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation, made 20 years ago on a $5,000 "budget."

In 1981, Chris Strompolos, Eric Zala, and Jayson Lamb were preteen best friends living near Gulfport, Mississippi, so fascinated with Steven Spielberg's new film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, that they decided to make their own version. Every character, every shot, start to finish. The sets would be in their basements and backyards. Cute, right?

Over the next seven years, the boys amazingly finished the film and proudly showed it to the community at the PepsiCo Auditorium in Gulfport (hmm, reminiscent of those 2008 films I mentioned...). That was supposed to be the end of the story - until Hostel director Eli Roth resurrected their film almost 15 years later for a screening at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Austin, TX, which started the ball rolling that eventually landed the now-adult trio an audience with the man himself - Steven Spielberg. Buzz out of Austin and a 2004 Vanity Fair article ("Raiders of the Lost Backyard") began a flood of press that soon reached producer Scott Rudin (No Country for Old Men), who acquired the life rights of Chris, Eric, and Jayson for the purpose of creating the currently untitled feature length film about their story, to be written by Daniel Clowes (Ghost World). Until that happens, Chris and Eric continue to attend screenings of Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation while also working on their next project, What The River Takes.

I had the fortunate opportunity to attend a screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation that was introduced by Eric Zala, who was the "official" director but also played Belloq. The story of the making of the film sounds fantastic; the DVD commentary for this might eventually end up being the best commentary ever, provided the trio can remember everything that happened over two decades ago. In any case, what really sets their story apart from other amateurs is the simple fact that their film is actually really good.

Seriously, just take a look at this shot-by-shot comparison. Still not impressed? Think about the fact that DVD and even VHS were unavailable for the first few years of their production. So yes, they had to recreate it from memory - memory and the 602 storyboards hand drawn by Eric Zala (check out the rest of the incredible production information here). Sure the video and audio aren't great, and yes, the continuity of haircuts and pubescent voices isn't perfect, but come on - it took them seven years, and the end result is still an amusing but astonishingly accurate recreation of the original Raiders, complete with all the same stunts, silly lines, and stirring musical score by John Williams. The only part missing from their 100 minute film is the well known Nazi vs. plane propeller scene from Raiders, but it's not because it was too difficult or dangerous (you can laugh away that thought after seeing the first 10 minutes of the film). Rather, as Eric Zala told the audience afterwards, it was because they couldn't get their hands on an expendable airplane, and using a model would have looked too "fake." Seriously, these guys didn't mess around - even when they were messing around.

I can't really do justice to the original Vanity Fair article, so I'll stop here and point you back up to that. If you're a fan of the Indiana Jones trilogy or even just a former backyard filmmaker yourself, do yourself a favor and find your way to the next screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation. Eric Zala appeared confident that the Hollywood version of their story will happen soon, so keep an eye out. With the now confirmed box office success of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the timing might just be perfect for the adaptation of The Adaptation.

On the Horizon: The Wackness

Sony Pictures Classics presents The Wackness, a new comedy by writer/director Jonathan Levine.

The Wackness brings us all the way back to...1994, to a New York City undergoing an identity change with the arrival of street-sweeping mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Writer/Director Jonathan Levine, who graduated from high school that summer, frames his story around 18 year-old Luke Shapiro (Josh Peck), a dope-dealing dreamer whose closest confidant is a shrink, Dr. Squires (Ben Kingsley), who's not only Luke's most loyal customer, but also the father of Luke's crush, Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby). The film is a dark coming-of-age comedy with one of the hottest soundtracks we've heard in recent years, featuring A Tribe Called Quest, The Notorious B.I.G., Method Man, Raekwon, KRS-One, and more.

Writes Levine on the official website for The Wackness: "Rap music, like New York itself, was at a very different place in '94. For me, that's what is so interesting about setting the movie 13 short years ago assessing those similarities and differences. When we take stock of this recent past, we have a more fully-realized understanding of the present."

Uh...yeah, whatever. Maybe I missed the philosophical underpinnings of the film, but I nonetheless understand why The Wackness won the Audience Award at Sundance 2008 earlier this year.

Pictured here with Peck, Thirlby (Snow Angels, Juno) and Kingsley are Mary-Kate Olsen, Method Man, and Aaron Yoo (recently in 21). Yes, this is the film in which Olsen and Kingsley infamously make out, and yes, this is the same Josh Peck who used to play characters called "Fat Boy" earlier in his career.

Check back here for my full review of The Wackness when it opens July 3rd.

On the Horizon: Encounters at the End of the World

THINKFilm and Discovery Films present Encounters at the End of the World, a new documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Werner Herzog (Rescue Dawn, Grizzly Man).

Ever been to Antarctica? Me neither, believe it or not. I'd say we both have about the same chance of going to the moon as we do getting down to South Pole. Fortunately, people like Werner Herzog bring it to us with films like Encounters at the End of the World, a bizarre look at a bizarre place and the bizarre people and animals who inhabit it. No, not Eskimos - you're in the wrong hemisphere (and they're not bizarre). I'm talking about about a place where the sun's in the sky for five months. Straight. Where people on the fringes of society conduct science experiments that we'll never understand. Where the creatures from your nightmares live.

Werner Herzog shows us this world with equal parts humor and affection, both of which are accidental to his always funny monotone narration. The people he interviews are primarily scientists: scuba diving cell biologists, death-defying volcanologists, and a guy studying neutrinos with a massive helium balloon, just to name a few.

If listening to brainiacs talk about how much they love the end of the world doesn't do it for you, consider checking it out for the scenery. The deep sea is one of my greatest fears, and though this was fully reinforced by the film, there is one majestic tracking sequence underwater that I found incredibly beautiful. It was literally otherworldly, and it left me slack-jawed.


There's currently no trailer for Encounters at the End of the World, but I'll amend the post if and when one materializes. In the meantime you can check out the misleading stills on the official website. None of them show the many people we meet, nor do we really get sense that the film is actually about anything. But it is. It's about the end of the world, and there's no place like it.

Make the journey if you're so moved, and find my full review when Encounters at the End of the World opens on June 11th.

UPDATE (6/4/08): Trailer is up, check it out at The Documentary Blog.

On the Horizon: American Teen

Paramount/Vintage and A & E Indie Films present American Teen, a new documentary by Academy Award-nominated director Nanette Burnstein (The Kid Stays in the Picture).

In my opinion, the trailer does not do justice to either the hilarious comedy or the touching drama in American Teen, a phenomenal film that bursts with emotion. Burnstein impressively captures all the best and worst aspects of high school life as she follows four students (looks like five, but I say four) through their senior year at Warsaw (IN) Community High School. Not having seen the MTV shows to which American Teen has been compared, I can only say this was a lot better than I expected it could be.

Buzz about the film (and its Breafast Club-inspired poster) is picking up significantly as it travels the festival circuit, and I was fortunate to attend a screening followed by a Q & A with Nanette Burnstein (who won the 2008 Directing Award at Sundance for American Teen). She explained her decision to choose a film in the Midwest that was socioeconomically mixed, and especially one that existed as the only one in the area, thus serving as better "social pressure cooker" in which no one could "get lost." She went on to talk for about 15 minutes on everything from her filmmaking methods, to early criticism of the film (comparing it to "Laguna Beach"), to her own high school years in Buffalo, NY.

"I felt like I was back in high school," said Burnstein about her experience in Warsaw. Me too - and I actually liked it. I haven't laughed like that since The King of Kong, and...I'll admit that I almost became emotional at one point. Maybe it was the sugar from my snacks kicking in. Yeah, that must have been it.

Judge for yourself and find my full review when American Teen opens on July 25th.