Art-House Dramas:
Summary:
Cheyenne is a quirky retired rock star living in Dublin. His father dies, and
he sets out on a journey back to America to find the man responsible for a
humiliation suffered by his father during WWII. Filmmakers:
Italian writer-director Paolo Sorrentino comes to the States for this film. His
most accomplished work of his Italian career is probably The Consequences of Love. He is
working with composers David Byrne
(of the Talking Heads) and Will
Oldham, cinematographer Luca
Bigazzi (a frequent collaborator) and production designer Stefania Cella. Cast: The film stars Sean Penn with Frances McDormand, Judd Hirsch, Kerry Condon, Harry Dean Stanton, David Byrne,
and Shea Whigham in support. Expectations: This Must Be the Place looks like a
good character piece, with what will likely be strong work from Penn. It was
well received at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Usually, this kind of
performance might garner some awards buzz, but I think this has a low shot at
an Oscar nomination though it could earn Penn an Independent Spirit Award nod.
This is worth renting for fans of Penn and quirky character pieces. Trailer: Here.
Summary:
A dramatization of the ‘behind the scenes’ making of Alfred
Hitchcock’s Psycho. Filmmakers: Director Sacha Gervais directs his
first feature film with Hitchcock, but his second overall. His first was the
wonderful documentary Anvil: The
Story of Anvil. He is working with a brilliant group, including composer Danny Elfman (Dick Tracy),
cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth
(The
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and production designer Judy Becker (Shame).
Cast: The cast is not too shabby either,
with Anthony Hopkins
starring, Helen Mirren
co-starring and Scarlett
Johansson, Jessica Biel, Michael Stuhlbarg (who is
fantastic in A
Serious Man and Boardwalk
Empire), James D’Arcy, Ralph Macchio (yup, that Ralph
Macchio), Danny Huston, and Toni Collette all in support. Expectations: Hitchcock has awards potential all
over it – from the excellent people behind the camera to the talented actors in
front of it, not to mention Hollywood’s love of film-nostalgia (2011 was the
year of film-nostalgia, how does The
Artist win Best Picture). I am a bit weary of the film, though, as
Hitchcock is my favorite director. Film’s like to jazz up the lives of their
subjects, often injecting drama that was never really there. I absolutely love Peter
Sellers. He is easily my favorite comedic actor (if not actor period) of
all-time. That said, I did not like The Life and Death of Peter Sellers,
which (accurate or not) took shots at the man (and Geoffrey Rush, who is a great
actor, just could not play Sellers’s characters). So, I am not too anxious to
see my favorite director taken to task as well (accurate or not), as filmgoers
who know no better will think of him that way going forward, instead of
remembering his masterful work. Hollywood is also a town where everything
seemingly comes in twos, and films about Hitchcock in 2012 are no different –
see HBO’s The Girl. This is,
however, worth checking out for fans of strong performances and films that may
factor into awards season. Trailer: Here.
Summary:
Ali’s life undergoes changes when he is put in charge of his young son.
He decides to leave Belgium and move in with his sister and her husband in
Antibes so, along with his son, they can live as one big family. Meanwhile, he
falls for Stephanie, a killer whale trainer who suffers a horrible accident. Filmmakers: Writer-director-producer Jacques
Audiard might be France’s best filmmaker working right now. His last two film
were both brilliant (The Beat
That My Heart Skipped and A
Prophet). He is working again with composer Alexandre
Desplat, cinematographer Stephane
Fontaine and production designer Michel Barthelemy, all of whom
are excellent in their fields. Cast: The
film stars Matthias Schoenaerts
and Marion Cotillard (who is
one of my favorite French actresses). Expectations:
If Audiard’s last two films are any indication, Rust and Bone should be
a wonderful film, both visually stunning and dramatically potent. It was
nominated for the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. For fans of
emotionally intense dramas, this is a must-see (as if might be one of the best
films of 2012). Trailer: Here. Review: Here.
Art-House Comedies:
Summary:
Jeff and Nealy live a normal life. But, when a family of raccoons digs
up their backyard discovering worms living underneath the sod, a chain reaction
of domestic tension, infidelity and murder is set into play. Filmmakers: Writer-director Jacob Aaron Estes was
thought to be an indie filmmakers with excellent potential after he released
his first feature Mean
Creek (which is fantastic), but that was way back in 2004. Eight years
later, his second feature is finally coming to cinemas. He is working again
with composer tomandandy and
cinematographer Sharone Meir,
while production designer Toby
Corbett (Running Scared)
is new to the team. Cast: The film stars Tobey Maguire, and also features
Elizabeth Banks, Kerry Washington, Ray Liotta, Laura Linney, Dennis Haysbert, and Sam Trammell. Expectations: The
Details premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and then disappeared until
The Weinstein Company released its trailer and set its theatrical release date.
The film played to mixed reviews at Sundance, and it is not clear if that cut
will be the same as the one theatergoers will see in November. That said, Jacob
Aaron Estes is still the talented writer-director who made Mean Creek, and thus
his new film The Details deserves the benefit of the doubt and is certainly
worth renting (or at the very least checking out the professional reviews
before renting or seeing). From the trailer, it looks to be a funny black
comedy with a strong cast. Trailer: Here.
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