It’s a Doubled "Tuesday Top Ten". I'm so ready for summer to be over. Let's just hop right into these lists... (I've included links to previous or related posts when applicable)Ten Fall Movies I Can’t Wait To See
10 The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (09/21)Naturally I should say I Could Never Be Your Woman since it stars Michelle Pfeiffer & Paul Rudd...but, even with a new release date (11/something), I still don't believe it'll coming out. I am intrigued by the cast of Rendition (10/19) but the trailer didn't do a lot for me. Then of course there's vampires (you know my feelings there) on the attack in 30 Days of Night (10/19) which I'm curious about given its graphic novel origins and the various clips I've already seen. But not top 10 curious...
I'm tired of hearing about the editing wars and troubled production. I just want to see the damn movie already, OK?! Still love the title no matter what people say. But then I am fond of that Cop Gives Waitress $2 Million Dollar Tip party game where you retitle a movie with a plotty headline and see if anybody can guess the film. Ever played that? [prev. post]
09 Michael Clayton (10/5) The trailer looks good. Tony Gilroy (the writer /director) is hot off contributions to the Bourne franchise and the cast is to die for: Clooney. Wilkinson. Swinton. Even though this movie is from the TV friendly legal thriller genre I don't object. I don't object at all. [more on Clooney or Swinton]
08 The Brave One (09/14) Similarly I don't normally care a whit about vigilante revenge dramas (usually get distracted by their upsetting politics) but the combination of Neil Jordan and Jodie Foster flipped some kind of switch inside me and I have to see it. [more on Jodie Foster]
07 The Savages (12/26) This movie takes place during the holidays but I still think it's a mistake to wait until the last holiday weekend of the year to open a small scrappy dramedy -- especially one with the Oscar potential --but alas I don't control the Fox Searchlight universe. If Laura Linney's whole performance is as expertly calibrated as her comic punches in the trailer, expect fans to go crazy demanding that overdue Oscar. [more on Linney]
06 Margot at the Wedding (11/16) Loved Squid & Whale. A worthy follow up? [prev post]
05 Eastern Promises (09/14) Loved A History of Violence. A worthy follow up?
04 Lust, Caution (09/28) Loved Brokeback Mountain. A worthy follow up? [prev post]
03 His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass (12/07) I can't wait to see what Nicole Kidman does with her tricky glamorous role. This novel is excellent but its wrap up is as unwrapped as the finale of the first installment of The Lord of the Rings. The movie is risking instant comparisons with that epic through its genre, its trilogy status and even its marketing campaign. That's an awfully high bar to have to clear as far as expectations go. [related posts]02 I’m Not There (11/21) Blanchett, Gere, Ledger, Bale and more as Bob Dylan. Finally a biopic with something more than event+event+event on its mind [related posts]
01 Atonement (12/7) That this adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel would be an Oscar smash was an early hunch that I still feel grand about. Now the trailers and buzz suggest it's a great movie too. That is infinitely more important news. [related posts]
Ten Additional Performances / Things I’m Curious About
10 Amy Adams & James Marsden in Enchanted (11/21) Did they use up the only good stuff in the trailer or does this movie hold gleeful silliness from two game actors? [more on Amy & James]09 Everyone in The Darjeeling Limited (9/29) We all know that director Wes Anderson favors widescreen compositions and excessively detailed production design. What's less commonly discussed is that his ensembles can be magical. How are Brody, Wilson, Schwartzman, and Huston in this?
08 The Critics and In the Valley of Elah (September) This movie from the over rewarded Oscar magnet Paul Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby) is already leading to some virtual critical tussles. What will the consensus be? Or will there be none?
07 Dakota Blue Richards (The Golden Compass) vs. Saoirse Ronan (Atonement and I Could Never Be Your Woman) Which young blonde actress will be gunning for Dakota Fanning's throne once reviews and box office response comes in?
06 Everyone in Lions for Lambs (11/09) Could Streep, Redford and Cruise all be as bad as they look in that trailer? Yikes.05 Kate Winslet in Romance and Cigarettes (09/07) Delayed for a very long time but we'll finally get a look at Kate's fiery singing performance that some people are gaga for. Or will we? I can't quite believe it's going to open [more Winslet]
04 The women of The Golden Age (10/12) According to the trailer, Cate Blanchett will be chewing every prop and costume on set in her new star vehicle, a sequel to her star making role in Elizabeth. The bitchy question that I know you're all asking --OK, well I'm asking it at least --is this: Can Samantha Morton or Abbie Cornish upstage her from the sidelines? [supp. actress Oscar race]
03 Woody Allen, still 02 Gerard Butler in P.S. I Love You (12/21) Can he convince people that he loves Hilary Swank? This Herculean acting feat has only ever been successfully completed by Chlöe Sevigny. She got an Oscar nomination for it. Stay tuned. Developing...
01 Helena Bonham-Carter as Mrs. Lovett and Johnny Depp as Sweeney Todd (12/21) *bites fingernails* [related posts]
