Must-See of the Month:
Transcendence –
Sci-Fi Thriller – Apr 17
Plot
Summary: Will is a terminally ill scientist. With huge, unyielding
ambitions still to be achieved, he decides to download his mind into a
computer; however, he soon becomes overcome by the unimaginable power that he
is now granted (basically, he becomes Skynet). Key
Filmmakers Involved: Director Wally Pfister,
executive producer Christopher
Nolan, composer Mychael Danna,
cinematographer Jess
Hall, and production designer Chris Seagers.
Actors Involved: Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall,
Kate Mara,
Paul Bettany,
Cillian Murphy,
and Morgan
Freeman. Potential: Transcendence is
among the films I am most anticipating in 2014 for two reasons. The first is
that the cast and crew are fantastic. Wally Pfister is an Oscar-winning
cinematographer who is making his directorial debut. For reference, he shot all
but one of Christopher Nolan’s films and is among the ten best cinematographers
working today (I do wonder if he will ever shoot anything again or just
concentrate fully on directing going forward). With Nolan backing him and a
very skilled crew and cast, I think it is very likely that he will do a
wonderful job directing this film. And the second is that the story idea has
the potential to be really cool. I have heard that things get very big and
weird (in the very best sci-fi types of ways). I think this film promises to be
a great, smart blockbuster thriller that may even have the potential to be
among the year’s very best films. Trailer: Here.
Worth Checking Out:
Captain American: The
Winter Soldier – Action/Adventure – Apr 4
Plot
Summary: In the wake of the events of Captain
America: The First Avenger, The
Avengers, Iron
Man 3, and Thor:
The Dark World, Steve Rodgers (Captain America for those playing along at
home) struggles to find his place in the modern world. He is conflicted. In the
past things seemed black and white. He knew who the bad guys were. Now,
everything is grey. He is called back into action, however, when a new threat
threatens S.H.I.E.L.D.: the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier, but this
threat also has a history with Rodgers. Key
Filmmakers Involved: Directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo,
composer Henry
Jackman, and cinematographer Trent Opaloch
(Joss
Whedon is directing one of the after-the-credits sequences too). Actors Involved: Chris Evans, Scarlett
Johansson, Sebastian
Stan, Anthony
Mackie, Samuel
L. Jackson, and Robert Redford.
Potential: Marvel’s Phase II films have been
really good so far. Both Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World are by far the
best of their sub-franchises, and the same is likely to be true for Captain
America: The Winter Soldier. It is already receiving rave reviews from its
early release screenings. The film is not going to be as much a special/visual
effects driven blockbuster (like say The Avengers or Thor) as it is going to be
a great spy thriller. Some are even calling it the best Marvel Studios’ film to
date. We shall see. Initially, I had some questions to why Anthony Russo and
Joe Russo were hired to direct (as they have mostly only directed comedy
sitcoms, though I do love their work on Community). But,
seemingly, they have done a fantastic job with Captain America and have already
been hired to direct the third film in the
franchise as well. This is a must-see for fans of blockbusters and Marvel’s
films. Trailer: Here.
Chinese Puzzle –
Romantic Comedy/ Drama – Apr 25
Plot
Summary: Concluding the story started in L’Auberge
Espagnole and continued in Russian
Dolls, we find Xavier, now forty, a father of two but still finding his
life very complicated. His ex-wife Wendy and his children have moved to New
York and he cannot imagine them growing up without him. Thus, he decides he too
must move to New York. And, we catch up with the other characters in the series
as well. Key Filmmakers Involved: Writer/director
Cedric Klapisch.
Actor Involved: Romain Duris,
Kelly Reilly,
Audrey Tautou,
Cecile De
France, and Sandrine
Holt. Potential: It is my guess that
most readers will probably never have heard of this series. It follows a recent
university graduate, Xavier, living in Paris looking for a job. He finds one,
but needs to do extra studies in economics and learn Spanish so he enrolls in a
graduate program in Barcelona and moves into a flat with an amalgamation of
European students (each with a different nationality). The story goes from
there and follows Xavier as he tries to find happiness, love, and purpose in
his life. It is among my favorite film trilogies since 2002 and I am anticipating
the final chapter Chinese Puzzle (it among the ten films that I am personally
most looking forward to seeing). I also really like the film’s cast and
writer-director Cedric Klapisch has a very cool, fantastical modern aesthetic
style. For those who have not seen any of this series, I highly recommend it –
especially for fans of romantic comedy/dramas. Trailer:
Here.
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