First off, I realize this is horribly late considering there are less days left in the month of October than there are past. This article really needs to be posted within the first 3-4 days of the month and I'll try to get back to doing that in November.
Second, I've decided to break down the films I see that are of note into different categories in descending order of importance. Obviously "Must See - Theater" would be the highest all the way down to "Potential Never See - DVD." If there is a movie or two that I have left off that you feel warrants a placement here, let me know... maybe I just overlooked it.
Here goes --
MUST SEE - THEATER
Gone, Baby, Gone - My top spot goes to Ben Affleck's directorial debut. Honestly when I first heard about it I had my doubts (considerable doubts), but ever since seeing that Mystic River-ish preview, I've been sold. Comes out this weekend and I can't wait to see it.
Michael Clayton - Might seem like kind of a cheat to put it this high since I've already seen it, but there's a reason I went opening night... it was definitely high on my list. This is yet another one I haven't posted a reaction to. Doh.
POTENTIAL SEE - THEATER
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead – Honestly I know next to nothing about this except that Sidney Lumet directed it, it’s supposedly a return to form for him, plus it has Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke… and that’s enough to sell me on it.
We Own the Night – With Better reviews this would have been a “Must See.” As it is, it got bumped down and I might end up missing it in theaters (much as I’ve so far missed out on 3:10 to Yuma, In the Valley of Elah, Eastern Promises and The Kingdom).
Reservation Road - Another Joaquin film that’s getting mixed reviews and looked better before the critical reception came out. Plus it’s the director of Hotel Rwanda and the trailer had me intrigued. And Mark Ruffalo. Mark Ruffalo. Damn I wish it had gotten better marks.
Lars and the Real Girl – Now here’s one that’s gone the opposite way, jumping up the list as the reviews come in. Love Gosling, but the prospects of him dating a mannequin didn’t intrigue me all that much. Supposed to be a great feel good film though, so who knows? Maybe I’ll see it in theaters now?
Rendition – This probably would have been a “Must See – DVD” but since Kelly wants to see it, it goes up a bit and I’ll probably see it tomorrow night. The cast alone (Reese Witherspoon, Meryl Streep, Alan Arkin, Peter Sarsgaard, Jake Gylenhall) should have been enough to get me a spot in the theater but for some reason the trailer just never grabbed me. I wanted to see it, but I want to see it more now because of Kelly’s interest.
MUST SEE - DVD
Things We Lost in the Fire – Has Halle Berry finally returned to acting, after crapping all over her Oscar with Catwoman and Gothika (two films I can’t even bring myself to watch – although I did catch a truly horrendous Catwoman scene on TV the other night. Whoever programs AMC should be fired for allowing that film in the rotation, ugh). Plus, Benicio is getting Oscar buzz here.
Wristcutters: A Love Story – Indie film that has been jumping around the festival scene. It has Sam Rockwell. That’s usually enough for me to see it.
Funny Games – Naomi Watts. I know just about nothing else.
Control – From what I’ve seen, looks like an arty music film. And there seems to be a few of them coming out (Across the World, I’m Not There).
Sleuth – Jude Law and Michael Caine remaking the old Caine original? Kenneth Branagh directing. I’ll see it in spite of missing the first one… sort of the same way I saw Jude Law’s other previous-Michael-Caine-vehicle Alfie a few years back. Think Jude’s upset Sly already beat him to the Get Carter remake?
POTENTIAL SEE - DVD
Across the Universe – Rough reviews are keeping me from getting overly excited about this Beatles song lovefest. Nice concept though.
Elizabeth: The Golden Age – Still haven’t seen the first one, so I’d need to catch up with that one before even considering this one.
Lake of Fire – American History X director is back, finally, with a new film. This one’s a documentary… apparently so no actors will take away his final cut.
30 Days of Night – Josh Hartnett zombie film. I think Hollywood is overdoing this zombie fetish of recent years. Maybe a rental if there’s good reviews for it.
The Heartbreak Kid – Throwaway Farrelly brothers. I could take it or leave it. Ben Stiller hasn’t been winning me over with his recent work (Night at the Museum, Meet the Fockers, Madagascar).
Dan in Real Life – Sorry Ty, Evan Almighty was garbage. And this looks worse. If I see it, it’s only because I’m hoping Carell can somehow salvage it.
POTENTIALLY NEVER SEE - DVD
Bordertown – J.Lo film with absolutely no advertising. Looks like it’ll tank… probably for good reason.
Saw IV - I hate this franchise. Die already.
Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? – I’ll give Perry that his films make money… but they also tend to look like some of the worst crap in cinema history.
The Jane Austen Book Club – No buzz and sounds dull. Note to studioheads: Avoid putting ‘book club’ in your title… it’s not a selling point for a rousing theater experience.
The Martian Child – What is this?
3 comments:
Alrighty...let's see.
Gone, Baby, Gone: Double the 'ffleck, double my excitement. I've been a staunch supporter of Ben, despite the amazing amount of crap he's done, and am very excited for his directorial debut. As for Casey, seems to be his year. He's supposed to be damn good in both this and Jesse James. I've been singing his praises since Drowning Mona...that's right...you heard me.
Michael Clayton: I'm not going to post my review until I watch it again, and I ask Chachi to do the same. So, more on this at a later date.
Before the Devil Knows Your Dead: Love Lumet. Love this title and poster. Love Hoffman. Need I say more.
Lake of Fire: Tony Kaye may be kind of a douche, but he's put almost 20 years worth of work into this. I love a good documentary, and this is supposed to be damn good.
Kurt Cobain- About a Son: Nirvana is my favorite band, and Kurt is more or less God. This is a documentary that uses audio interviews that have never been used before and rarely seen footage from the year or so before Kurt's suicide. I'm a sucker for anything Nirvana, so count me in.
We Own the Night: Looked damn good. Good cast. But, it definitely had a "Let's make this year's Departed" vibe to it. In the end, we've seen this before, and done so much better.
Lars and the Real Girl: The premise is strange, which intrigues me. I love Gosling. But the reviews have not been good. I'll see it, but not expecting too much.
Sleuth- Meh. Never seen the original. Not a huge Jude Law fan. But I'll see it on DVD.
Control: A flick about Joy Division's lead singer Ian Curtis. Joy Division is an awesome band, but was of course cut short of full awesomeness by Curtis' suicide. This is supposed to be damn good.
30 Days of Night: Looks like an over-stylized vampire flick, but it stars Ben Foster, Mark Boone Junior, and Danny Huston. I'm in for some gory fun.
Rendition: Good cast. But I haven't heard very good things. We'll see.
Things We Lost in the Fire: Never been a big Berry fan, but she lost what little cred she had with me after her oscar win. On the other hand, Del Toro is the fucking man. I'm intrigued but wary.
Reservation Road: Great cast, but again, mixed reviews. I have hopes, but nothing too high.
Nightmare Before Christmas 3D: How flippin awesome is this? Chachi saw it last night, said it looked damn pretty. I love this movie.
The Comebacks: When I heard David Koechner got a leading role, I was stoked. Then I saw the trailor. And I cried.
Wristcutters: Hadn't heard of this until today. Then I saw Tom Waits name on it. And I'm super excited. Christ....and Will Arnett...awesome. Just awesome.
Dan in Real Life: I love Steve Carell, but this might as well be called "Steve Carell is in a movie". Looks generic. But I'll watch anyway...he makes me giggle.
Saw 4: Why dear god why. Just end it please. I'm not a big fan of the series, but I will respect it for doing something original and not just remaking old, good horror flicks. But it just needs to stop while its ahead.
Left off The Comebacks which will most definitely be a "Potentially Never See" pick and Kurt Cobain - About a Son which I have some slight interest in... but really, I'm a little done with Cobain. I was not a rabit Nirvana fan, although I didn't dislike them... I'm just past the point of really getting interested in the subject. I did like Gus Van Sant's retelling of the Cobain suicide however in Last Days. But even that was a film that I felt benefitted from the fact that the entire audience knew what was coming at the end... which gave more gravity to the menial tasks that the Cobain character was doing leading up to the end of his life. Anyways, Kurt Cobain - About a Son is a "Potential See - DVD."
And I agree with Ted to a point in defending Affleck. But I defend him as a supporting actor mostly (Shakespeare in Love, Good Will Hunting, Dazed and Confused, Hollywoodland and not somebody who can really carry a movie... although he did fine with Changing Lanes and Chasing Amy almost everything else bombed or he was pretty awful in). I do have a feeling I'm going to like Gone, Baby, Gone quite a bit though... so hopefully this will go towards my defense of him. The reviews are already better than I would have ever guessed they'd be.
I'll post my comments on Gone Baby Gone and Michael Clayton later. For now lets keep it short.
Before the Devil Knows...-haven't seen much, but knowing it has the cast and the director it has, has got me all kinds of excited. Plus Maris Tomei gets naked. I don't care what anyone says, she's hot...and a good actress.
Lake of Fire- don't know much except that it is 20 yrs in the making. I do appreciate an ambitious project, but didn't it get a B- in EW.
Lars and the Real Girl- Gosling making out with a blow-up doll. Need I say more.
Control- want to see this. Sam Riley is supposed to make a stunning debut as Ian Curtis.
30 Days of Night- should see this tonight. Doesn't look that great, but I like the graphic novel and it is a cool concept. Plus David Slade directed it and he directed the most terrifying film ever...Hard Candy.
Rendition- I thought it looked good except for Witherspoon's awful scream at the end, but poor reviews are keeping me from running out to see it.
Reservation Road- cast and trailer had me hooked until the reviews came out. Even Roeper said it was terrible and he loved The Brave One. I'll try not to think about the reviews because it has Ruffalo and I loves me some Ruffalo.
Dan in Real Life- am I the only person who wants to see this. I thought it looked sweet in the trailer. Nothing spectacular, but enough to get me in the theater.
Saw IV- every year I complain that they made another one, and ever year I'm surprised at how good it actually is. If you don't like Torture Porn than naturally you won't care for these flicks, but they manage to fast track a flick in a year only to cash in on its successors success and they somehow make it better than it has any right to be. I thought the third one was the best yet. Do I own them, no, but for Halloween to come around I do forward ever so slighty to see what they can conjured up this time. I hear we won't have to put up with one next year though. V and VI are going to be back to back. That sound was Mulligan leaving the country.
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