Must-See of the Month:
Plot
Summary: As youths, five friends tried but failed to complete their epic
pub crawl. Now twenty years later, the friends reunite to try again. Only one
problem – this time completing the pub crawl might actually be mankind’s only chance
for survival. Filmmakers: The World’s End is
the final chapter of writer-director Edgar Wright’s Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy
(Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz being the first two
films) with Simon
Pegg and Nick
Frost. He is working again with composer Steven Price (Attack the Block), production
designer Marcus Rowland (who
has worked on all Wright’s films) and fantastic cinematographer Bill Pope (Scott
Pilgrim vs the World). Cast: In addition
to Pegg and Frost, Martin Freeman,
Eddie Marsan, and Paddy Considine star. Rosamund Pike co-stars, and Bill Nighy, Pierce Brosnan, and David Bradley feature in
support. Expectations: The World’s End looks
like it is going to be brilliantly funny with entertaining sci-fi action.
Wright wonderfully mixes genre aspects in his films with comedy (the horror/zombie
genre with Shaun of the Dead and the Hollywood action genre with Hot Fuzz for
example). I am very excited to see his version of an alien invasion movie. August might be this summer's most prolific month for great films. Trailer: Here.
Worth Checking Out:
Plot
Summary: High school senior Sutter Keely thinks that there is nothing
better than spending his days partying and enjoying his youth, with no further
aspirations for the future, however that all changes when he meets sheepish
nice-girl Aimee Finicky. Filmmakers: Director
James Ponsoldt is back with his third feature, coming off the breakout success
of his great indie drama about alcoholism Smashed. He is working with
composer Rob Simonsen (Seeking
a Friend for the End of the World), cinematographer Jess Hall (Hot Fuzz), and production
designer Linda Sena (who also
worked on Smashed). Cast: The film stars Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley, and features Mary Elizabeth Winstead (also a
holdover from Smashed), Brie
Larson, Jennifer Jason Leigh,
Bob Odenkirk, Kyle Chandler, Kaitlyn Dever, and Andre Royo in support. Expectations: The Spectacular Now looks like a
fantastic indie dramedy/romance. It won this year’s Sundance Film Festival
Special Jury Prize for Dramatic Acting, going to its two leads. It was also
nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. In addition to having a wonderful
supporting group of actors, I am interested to see Shailene Woodley in her
follow up to The
Descendants (in which she gave my favorite supporting female performance of
2011) – especially working with James Ponsoldt who gets a lot out of his
actors. I think this is a must-see for fans of nostalgic high school romance
films (as this is probably 2013’s The
Perks of Being a Wallflower, a film I very much like). Trailer: Here.
Plot
Summary: Set in the year 2154, the population has been divided further
by wealth. The rich live in a beautiful space station orbiting Earth called
Elysium, free from disease and pollution, while the poor are left behind on the
dying, ravaged planet. Max De Costa is just an average inhabitant of Earth. He
goes about his day as a factory worker, as well as dabbling in car thievery.
One day, though, things change for Max. He is mortally wounded during an
accident at the factory, absorbing a fatal dose of radiation only having a few
days to live. His only hope is to get to Elysium for treatment, but to do that
he must break in guns blazing. Filmmakers: Finally,
writer-director Neill Blomkamp is back with a follow up to his great political
action sci-fi film District 9.
He is working again with cinematographer Trent Opaloch and production
designer Philip Ivey. New to
the team is first-time composer Ryan
Amon. Cast: The film stars Matt
Damon, with William Fichtner,
Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley (who starred in
District 9), Alice Braga, and
Diego Luna in support. Expectations: District 9 is beloved by many making
the anticipation and expectations for Elysium sky high (maybe too high). That said,
it looks to be another great mix of political awareness (especially given today’s
more public begrudging of the wealthy) and intense sci-fi action, which is just
what fans want. The film is visually ambitious, and if it all comes together
might be the summer’s best action film (given the overall weakness of this
summer – as it stands, Iron
Man 3 is probably my favorite blockbuster so far). This is one I have been
looking forward to for a long time. Trailer: Here.
Ain’t Them
Bodies Saints (David Lowery)
– Drama – Aug 16
Plot
Summary: Ruth Guthrie and Bob Muldoon find themselves surrounded by
cops, holed up in a remote cabin in Texas. They try to shoot their way out but
are captured. Bob takes the fall for his love and goes off to prison, while
Ruth returns to normal society to raise their daughter. Years pass. Bob breaks
out of prison to reunite with his family, but Ruth has moved on living with a
local sheriff Patrick Wheeler. Bob's return can only bring death and
destruction into her life now. Filmmakers: Ardent
fan of Terrence
Malick, writer-director David Lowery makes his first feature to receive major
theatrical distribution with Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (and fourth overall). He
also edited Shane
Carruth’s Upstream Color.
He is working with composer Daniel
Hart, cinematographer Bradford
Young, and production designer Jade
Healy (The
Innkeepers). Cast: The film stars Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, and Ben Foster. Rami Malek and Keith Carradine feature in support.
Expectations: Ain’t Them Bodies Saints won
this year’s Sundance Film Festival Cinematography Award and Indian Paintbrush
Producer’s Award, while also being nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. It looks
like a great artistic drama, very much in the style of Terrence Malick. Rooney
Mara, Casey Affleck, and Ben Foster are all brilliant character actors capable
of giving powerful performances. If nothing else, this will be extremely well
shot and acted. It is a must-see for fans of more artistically-minded cinema. Trailer: Here. Review: Here.
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