Art-House Dramas:
Plot
Summary: A look at the JFK assassination from the perspective of those
who were involved on the outside: the emergency room doctors, bystanders
looking on, police officers, FBI agents, and the family of Lee Harvey Oswald. Filmmakers: This is writer-director Peter
Landesman’s feature debut. He is working with composer James Newton Howard (Snow
White and the Huntsman), cinematographer Barry Ackroyd (Coriolanus),
and production designer Bruce
Curtis (Bernie).
Cast: The ensemble cast includes: Zac Efron, Tom Welling, James Badge Dale, Jackie Earle Haley, Mark Duplass, Paul Giamatti, Ron Livingston, Marcia Gay Harden, Colin Hanks, Billy Bob Thornton, Rory Cochrane, Paul Sparks, Jacki Weaver, and David Harbour. Expectations: Parkland is one of the seemingly
many JFK assassination films in the works (another one I can think of off the
top of my head is the TV movie Killing Kennedy). It has
not played to particularly positive reviews during its advanced screenings.
Most critics seemed to be mixed, but the trend is more on the negative side
(which is not surprising). The cast is a bit randomly assembled, but there is
some strong talent in there. This is probably only for those very interested in
the gritty details of what happened in Dallas on November 22, 1963. Trailer: Here.
Plot Summary:
This is yet another rendition of William Shakespeare’s romance tragedy: star-crossed
lovers from families that are mortal enemies who know the cost of their love
but do it anyway. Filmmakers: This is the
fourth feature from director Carlo Carlei, who has also directed multiple TV
movies. Though, he has never made anything of note. He is working with
screenwriter/producer Julian
Fellows (Downton
Abbey) composer Abel
Korzeniowski (A
Single Man), cinematographer David
Tattersall (The Green Mile),
and production designer Tonino
Zera (Miracle
at St. Anna). Cast: Hailee Steinfeld (who is looking
to have a big 2013 with Ender’s Game
and Can a Song
Save Your Life? also coming out) and Douglas Booth star, with Damian Lewis, Ed Westwick, Stellan Skarsgard, Paul Giamatti, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Natascha McElhone, and Christian Cooke featuring in
support. Expectations: Romeo and Juliet seems
like it is targeted at the same audience as Romeo + Juliet (back
in 1996): young girls who want something to swoon over. Yet, instead of making
it another modern adaptation, Carlo Carlei and Julian Fellows have decided to
keep the Bard and general time period (merely just adapting the other details
to fit the style of film they want to make). We really do not need another
Romeo and Juliet film adaptation, but by the same token we do not yet have a definitive
version either (though, this certainly does not look like it will be that). However,
I do have some guarded optimism. The cast is decent. Hailee Steinfeld was
fantastic in her breakthrough film True
Grit. Also, Fellows is a good writer and this seems to be right in his
wheelhouse. Maybe this is one to rent. Trailer:
Here.
Plot Summary:
A mysterious murder in 1944 involves some of the greatest poets of their
generation: Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and William Burroughs. Filmmakers: Writer-director John Krokidas makes
his feature debut. He is working with composer Nico Muhly (The Reader),
cinematographer Reed Morano (Frozen River),
and production designer Stephen
H. Carter. Cast: The ensemble features Elizabeth Olsen, Michael C. Hall, Daniel Radcliffe (who is the
lead), Dane DeHaan, Ben Foster, Jennifer Jason Leigh, David Cross, Jack Huston, and Kyra Sedgwick. Expectations: Kill Your Darlings played well at the
Sundance Film Festival with critics praising its strong cast for their work. It
looks to be a good character piece built on the talent of its cast and their
performances. It might also be a good companion piece to Howl and On the Road. This is probably
worth checking out for those that like indie character dramas. Trailer: Here.
Blue
Is the Warmest Color (Abdellatif Kechiche)
– Romance Drama – Oct 25
Plot
Summary: This is the story of Adele and Emma’s romance – the beginning,
middle, and probable end. Filmmakers: Blue
Is the Warmest Color is writer-director Abdellatif Kechiche’s fifth feature
film. He also found acclaim with The
Secret of the Grain. He is working again with cinematographer Sofian El Fani. Cast: The film stars Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux. Expectations: Blue Is the Warmest Color won this
year’s Cannes Film Festival Palme D’Or for the festival’s best film. While Lea
Seydoux is already one of French Cinema’s rising stars, Adele Exarchopoulos
announces herself as a great young talent with her performance in the film –
she is even garnering some awards season speculation. This is well worth
checking out for fans of intense and beautiful romance dramas. Trailer: Here.
Art-House Comedies:
Machete Kills
(Robert Rodriguez) –
Action/Crime – Oct 11
Plot Summary:
An arms dealer in the heart of Mexico has a dangerous weapon that he is
planning on launching in an attack against the White House. With seemingly
nowhere else to turn, the President of the United States enlists Machete to
stop this mad man. Filmmakers: Writer-director
Robert Rodriguez is again behind the camera for another Machete
adventure. He is also producing, shooting, cutting, and scoring the film.
Composer Carl Thiel and
production designer Steve Joyner
are working on the film as well. Cast: Danny Trejo returns as Machete,
as do Jessica Alba and Michelle Rodriguez. New to the
series are Amber Heard, Alexa Vega, Sofia Vergara, Vanessa Hudgens, Lady Gaga, Charlie Sheen, Mel Gibson, Antonio Banderas, Demian Bichir, Cuba Gooding Jr., and William Sadler. Expectations: Machete was hyper violent, campy,
and ridiculous, but in a funny entertaining way. Machete Kills looks to be very
much the same, and maybe even less polished. There is not really too much to
say. If you liked Machete, chances are you will probably like Machete Kills as
well (and the reverse). Trailer: Here.
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