Art-House Dramas:
Summary:
A brother and sister rob a tribal casino and murder a cop during their escape.
Taking refuge in a small town near the Canadian boarder in the dead of winter,
they plan their boarder crossing. However, things become complicated when the
sister falls for a local, as the cops close in. Filmmakers:
Austrian director Stefan Ruzowitzky had an international hit with his Holocaust
film The Counterfeiters
(which is very good). Deadfall makes his first American film. He is working
with composer Marco Beltrami
(Trouble
with the Curve), cinematographer Shane Hurlbut (Terminator Salvation) and
production designer Paul D.
Austerberry (The Three
Musketeers). Cast: Eric Bana, Olivia Wilde and Charlie Hunnam star, with Sissy Spacek, Kris Kristofferson, Kate Mara, and Treat Williams in support. Expectations: Deadfall looks like a fairly standard
thriller, but it has a good cast, which should make it (more) entertaining. The
film has played to mixed reviews on the festival circuit. But, again, the cast
and quality director probably make this worth a rental for fans of thrillers. Trailer: Here.
Summary:
A young writer Sal Paradise decides to take a cross-country trip with a recent
friend, the free-spirited Dean Moriarty, and his girl, Marylou. The journey is
filled with new experiences, raw emotions and eye opening realities for Sal. Filmmakers: Brazilian director Walter Salles is
acclaimed for his fantastic foreign-language films Central Station and The Motorcycle Diaries.
Returning to America for his new film On the Road, adapting Jack Kerouac’s classic novel, Salles’s
first American film Dark Water
is also his worst. He is working with composer Gustavo Santaolalla (Babel), cinematographer Eric Gautier and production
designer Carlos Conti
(Gautier and Conti are frequent collaborators with Salles). Cast: This has a phenomenal group of actors. Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund and Kristen Stewart star with
supporting work from Amy Adams,
Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen, Steve Buscemi, Elisabeth Moss, Terrence Howard, and Alice Braga. Expectations: Just like Dark Water, On the Road
(even though it is an indie film) continues Salles’s trend of making lesser
work in the States. The film has played to mixed reviews after a number of festival
screenings. Critics applaud the performances but call the overall film a mess
(though to Salles defense, the novel is touted to be very difficult to adapt).
Personally, I am still looking forward to renting it, as I like many of the
actors and think there will be numerous great moments, even if ultimately the
film does not work as a whole. Trailer: Here.
Summary:
A group of friends in 1960s New Jersey form a band with the dream of making it
big. Filmmakers: Writer-director David Chase
makes his feature debut with Not Fade Away. While he has worked on a few TV
projects, he is highly esteemed solely for creating The
Sopranos (one of TV’s greatest dramas). He is working with cinematographer Eigil Bryld (In Bruges) and production
designer Ford Wheeler (Let
Me In). Cast: The young cast is mostly
made up of unknown actors, however Jack
Huston (Boardwalk Empire),
John Magaro and Bella Heathcote (Dark
Shadows) are poised for breakthroughs in Hollywood. James Gandolfini, Brad Garrett, Christopher McDonald, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. feature in
support. Expectations: Not Fade Away (which
shares its name with the series finale of Angel,
completely irrelevant, but the Angel episode Not Fade Away is brilliant and
worth mentioning) has played to mixed reviews on the festival circuit, but many
critics are applauding the young actors. This is probably worth renting for
fans of David Chase and his musical tastes (showcased throughout The Sopranos).
Trailer: Here.
Summary:
George and Anne are retired music teachers in their eighties. Their daughter, a
musician, lives abroad. Their relationship is severely tested after Anne has a
stroke. Filmmakers: German auteur Michael
Haneke has had a string of critically acclaimed hits that have crossed over to
the States, including recent films Cache (Hidden) and The White Ribbon. He is working
with brilliant cinematographer Darius
Khondji (Midnight
in Paris) and production designer Jean-Vincent Puzos (Lord of War). Cast: Jean-Louis
Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva
and Isabelle Huppert star. Expectations: Amour won the top prize at 2012’s Cannes
Film Festival, and many are calling it Haneke’s best film (in a very
prestigious career). It also has a good chance of being nominated for a number
of Oscars, including Best Picture. This is a must for fans of strong
performances and good small dramas. Trailer: Here.
Art-House Comedies:
Summary:
The King and Queen of England made their first ever trip to America in 1939 to
urge the President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, for aid in their struggles with
Germany (in the early days on WWII). The meeting took place in upstate New York
at Hyde Park on Hudson. FDR also had a rumored love affair with his distant
cousin Margaret Stuckley during the weekend. Filmmakers:
British director Roger Michell is the English equivalent to a Hollywood
director in the States (just churns out decent work, but usually nothing
special). He has made a number of films, some broad comedies like Notting Hill and Morning Glory, a thriller Changing Lanes, and dramas Enduring Love and Venus (which is probably his
best). He is working with cinematographer Lol Crawley (Four Lions), composer Jeremy Sams (frequent
collaborator with Michell) and production designer Simon Bowles (Eden Lake). Cast: Bill
Murray and Laura Linney
star, with Olivia Williams, Olivia Colman and Samuel West in support. Expectations: Hyde Park on Hudson was initially
thought of as a potential Oscar contender, especially in the acting categories
(Bill Murray and Laura Linney). However, now that the film has played at a few
festivals to mixed reviews, it is no longer a factor for the Oscars (but may
get some acting nominations in the comedy section of the Golden Globes, maybe).
Really, if Bill Murray were not in this, I probably would just skip it
altogether. Maybe it is worth renting for those interested in the period (a
companion piece to The
King’s Speech, W.E., Battle of Britain, Mrs. Miniver, Hope and Glory, and The Gathering Storm, and
probably more). Trailer: Here.
Summary:
Beth is a Las Vegas cocktail waitress. However, things start to get better for
her when she finds a place with a local gambler Dink – and she is somewhat of a
gambling prodigy. But with all good things, she gets in over her head and
things spin out of control (based on a true story). Filmmakers:
British director Stephen Frears is somewhat of an enigma. He has made fantastic
films like Dangerous Liaisons,
The Grifters, High
Fidelity, Dirty Pretty
Things, and The Queen
(though, I am less enamored with it that most), but he also has made a lot of
bad films, especially recently. He is working with writer D.V. DeVincentis (who co-wrote Grosse
Pointe Blank and High Fidelity with Steve Pink and John Cusack), composer James Seymour Brett,
cinematographer Michael McDonough
(Winter’s Bone), and
production designer Dan Davis
(The Oranges). Cast: Rebecca
Hall stars, with co-stars Bruce
Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones
and Joshua Jackson. Vince Vaughn, Laura Prepon, Corbin Bernsen, Joel Murray, John Carroll Lynch, and Frank Grillo feature in support.
Expectations: While Lay the Favorite looks
funny and has a great cast (I particularly enjoy Rebecca Hall’s work – she is
playing something totally different to her normal characters in this), it has
been delayed a few times (not a good sign) and has not been met with positive
buzz from advanced screenings. In all likeliness, it is not good. But, maybe it
is worth renting for the actors (at least, that is my reason). Trailer: Here.
Summary:
Dolly is supposed to get married to Owen, but she has fallen for Joseph
and does not know what to do (yes, it is that kind of movie). Filmmakers: Writer-director Donald Rice makes his
feature debut. He is working with composer Michael Price (Sherlock), cinematographer John Lee and production designer
Anna Lavelle. Cast: The film stars Felicity Jones, who is still
looking to truly breakthrough (Like
Crazy certainly got her more indie work however) in the States (while she is
sort of a bigger star in her native Britain). It features Elizabeth McGovern, Mackenzie Crook and Luke Treadaway (who is a
potential rising star), among others, in support. Expectations:
Cheerful Weather for the Wedding looks like a decent romantic dramedy,
full of British wit and the brooding romance melodrama of today’s indie films.
Felicity Jones generally has enough charisma and talent to carry a film and
make it worth renting at least (particularly for fans of the genre). That said,
it also does not strike me as being anything new or noteworthy. Skipping it or
watching it probably does not matter in the scheme of 2012’s movie landscape. Trailer: Here.
Summary:
Sarah and Beth are sisters in different types of romantic relationships
who constantly argue about which one is right. However, Sarah may have found the
right guy, finally. Meanwhile, Beth is trying to plan her wedding (possibly the
worst plot summary I have ever written, and I am not even going to change it –
not bratty at all). Filmmakers: Writer-director
Michael Mohan is back with his second feature (but this time with actors people
have maybe heard of). His first feature (which no one saw, as it had not real
theatrical run) was One Too Many
Mornings. He is working with many of the same people as his first,
including composer Hrishikesh
Hirway, cinematographer Elisha
Christian and production designers Cindy Chao and Michele Yu (Christian, Chao and
Yu have also been working on Joss
Whedon’s upcoming indie projects: Much Ado About Nothing and In Your Eyes). Cast: The film stars Lizzy Caplan, and co-stars Alison Brie, Martin Starr, Mark Webber, and Geoffrey Arend. Expectations: Save the Date looks funny, and has
an awesome cast (what more can you ask for from a film like this really). As a
fan of comedies, particularly romantic comedies (of which, indie
rom-coms/romantic dramedies have been so much better lately than Hollywood’s
output in the genre), I am looking forward to seeing this a lot. Should you be
so inclined, you can stream it on Amazon now here
before its small theatrical run. Trailer: Here.
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