Movies Spotlight – Underrated and Under Seen in 2010 – February 2011

Film: Let Me In

Director: Matt Reeves

Stars: Chloe Grace Moretz, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Richard Jenkins, Elias Koteas

Plot Summary: It is a horror/romance film about a young boy who is bullied at school and has no friends. One day he meets a girl in the playground of his apartment complex, but she has a dark secret. She is a vampire. They develop a deep and twisted friendship that is threatened when a police detective hunts for her after a series of murders.

Why You Need to See It: The film had a lot of initial bad buzz because it is a remake of the revered Swedish film Let the Right One In. However upon its release, critics and fans soon realized that the film is just as good, if not better than the original and has something different to offer. It has fantastic performances from its young cast (including one of my favorite leading performances of the year) and a wonderful score from Michael Giacchino (also one of my favorites of the year). If you are a horror or vampire fan, you need to see this film because it was the best of its genre hands down. Check out the trailer.

Available On: Blu-ray, DVD and to Rent

Film: Never Let Me Go

Director: Mark Romanek

Stars: Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Keira Knightley, Charlotte Rampling, and Sally Hawkins

Plot Summary: The drama is about three children who grow up at a boarding school in England. They are restricted to the grounds. Once they become teens, they move out into the world and find love. However, their purpose in the world is to be harvested for their organs. Now, they are faced with their duty, ingrained in them since birth, impeding their lives and love for one and other.

Why You Need to See It: The film is the most aesthetically brilliant of the year with outstanding directing, cinematography and a haunting but hopeful score from Rachel Portman. Of all the new films I saw in 2010 (something around 150), Never Let Me Go affected me the most emotionally and left me in thought for days. It is both a beautiful and hopefully story yet utterly tragic and heartbreaking. It is too bad that the film, which is far more nuanced than most of the acclaimed films of the year, was overlooked completely, aside from the few who actually saw it. Check out the trailer.

Available On: Blu-ray, DVD and to Rent

Film: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Director: Edgar Wright

Stars: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ellen Wong, Kieran Culkin, and Jason Schwartzman.

Plot Summary: The action adventure comedy follows the journey of Scott Pilgrim, a shy bass player who must battle the seven evil exes to be with the girl he believes to be the love of his life.

Why You Need to See It: If you are a video game fan or grew up with them (you have probably already seen this), this is a film made just for you. It is hysterically funny with great running gags, has awesome music from composer Nigel Godrich and Beck and features amazing editing from Jonathan Amos and Paul Machliss. Plus, the cast is very good, especially Ellen Wong and Kieran Culkin. Yes it is based on a comic book, but it is not a super hero film. It plays a bit like High Fidelity (for a younger generation) mixed with a Kung-Fu movie. If you liked Wright’s other films (Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz), you are going to like this one too. Check out the trailer.

Available On: Blu-ray, DVD and to Rent

LeapBackBlog 2010 Film Awards – Part 5: Films

Film in 2010 was fantastic, full of great performances, great directing and great work behind the camera (or in post-production). More so than the last few years, 2010 had a greater number of excellent films, which made choosing the best films, performances, directors, and technical achievements very difficult. The LeapBackBlog Film Awards are comprised of what I think were the best and most interesting films, the strongest performances (taking into consideration who the actor is and what else they have done, and 2010 features a lot of amazing breakthrough performances), the narrative style that drew me in (best directing), and exquisite craftsmanship (best technical achievements). But really, these are lists of my favorites from the year.

Part 1: Technical Achievements

Part 2: Supporting Performances

Part 3: Directors

Part 4: Leading Performances 

Films:

127 Hours

Unflinching, 127 Hours is an intense film, the audience feeling each moment of panic, dread, elation, and euphoria.  The story centers on outdoorsman Aron Ralston and his incredible true story of survival against all odds. Danny Boyle directs the film to be a manic barrage of images and sounds, each conjuring emotions that create the journey. The film is a thrill ride, juxtaposing extreme emotions – a difficult task as it primarily takes place in a claustrophobic canyon. But what else would you expect from Boyle and his fantastic cast and crew?

Black Swan

A beautifully shot film about Nina’s rise to ballerina in her company’s new production of Swan Lake, Black Swan turns dark once director Darren Aronofsky warps it to be a psychological thriller. It is a scary film with jolting moments. But as it plays with the psyche of Nina struggling with the pressure to be perfect, the narrative is often unreliable, making for an interesting journey deeper into the darker recesses of Nina’s mind. The acting and technical work are aesthetically wonderful, leaving the film to be all the more alluring.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

The first half of the finale in the Harry Potter series, Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is the perfect set up to what should be an action packed Part 2. But the film does not just merely play as a prologue. It is a very sad film at heart with characters being pushed closer to their breaking point and feeling the sheer anguish of their situation. However, director David Yates is very good at inserting humor into even the darkest films, and this is no different with many fun moments. And like many of the other films in the series, the aesthetics are amazing.

Inception

A heist film taking place on many levels within the target’s dream, Inception is simply an amazingly grandiose film. How writer-director Christopher Nolan every put it together is mind boggling. The acting and aesthetics are fantastic, but it is the characters and story (and astounding visuals) that make this (probably) the best film of the year. More than any other film during 2010, Inception was the cinema experience. But again, it is not all just spectacle. The story and characters are just as dense and rich. It is truly a masterful piece of filmmaking.

Kick-Ass

Probably the most fun of all these films, Kick-Ass is about a normal kid who tries to be a superhero. Director Matthew Vaughn’s realistic(ish) approach to the material pays off resulting in great action scenes, hilarity and genuine emotion. The cast is phenomenal and really elevate the film. Vaughn made this for fans of the genre who were tired of the predominantly sappy and lame adaptations coming out of Hollywood (though, of course there are a few great ones too, Spider-Man 2 and The Dark Knight for example), and we loved it.

The King’s Speech

The true story of King George VI’s friendship with his speech therapist, overcoming a debilitating stammer to lead his country during WWII, The King’s Speech is at its heart a buddy film (only surrounded with grave stakes and real consequences), which is very well crafted and structured hitting all the right emotional notes. Director Tom Hooper is also able to find humor in the serious subject matter and the cast is superb. It makes for a great companion piece to Hugh Whitemore’s Winston Churchill films.

Never Let Me Go

Aesthetically brilliant, Never Let Me Go is tragic but hopeful tale of three children who grow up to be harvested for their organs. It is the most beautiful film of the year with wonderful cinematography, music and performances. Yet, the subject matter is difficult, as the dystopian film is haunting and ultimately heartbreaking. Director Mark Romanek and screenwriter Alex Garland structure the story to focus primarily on the three children and their emotional journeys.

The Social Network

Probably the favorite to win the 2011 Oscar for Best Picture, The Social Network is the story of the founding of Facebook – lies, deceit, betrayal, and other fun stuff. It features excellent performances, music and a genius script by Aaron Sorkin. Director David Fincher does masterful work turning scenes of programming into exciting espionage. But what really makes it a great film is the character work, as the audience follows an antagonistic Mark Zuckerberg as if he were the hero of the story.

Temple Grandin

While this may just be a made for TV movie (though HBO’s homegrown movies are generally quite good), Temple Grandin is nonetheless one of the year’s best. It is a biopic about Temple Grandin an autistic woman who grows up to be a top scientist in the field of animal husbandry. Director Mick Jackson does good work visually expressing the perception that Temple has on her world, while also allowing the wonderful performance by Claire Danes to play as the center of the piece. It is a heart-lifting and inspirational treat of a film.

True Grit

A classic western in style, True Grit features some of the year’s best performances, cinematography, music, and dialog. It is a hoot. Writer-directors Joel and Ethan Coen tell the tale of Mattie Ross who hires a U.S. Marshall to help her track down her father’s killer. The film has a perfect mix of humor, violence and drama to both entertain and enthrall its viewers. For those that love westerns (as I do), this is probably the must see of the year.

LeapBackBlog 2010 Film Awards – Part 3: Directors

Film in 2010 was fantastic, full of great performances, great directing and great work behind the camera (or in post-production). More so than the last few years, 2010 had a greater number of excellent films, which made choosing the best films, performances, directors, and technical achievements very difficult. The LeapBackBlog Film Awards are comprised of what I think were the best and most interesting films, the strongest performances (taking into consideration who the actor is and what else they have done, and 2010 features a lot of amazing breakthrough performances), the narrative style that drew me in (best directing), and exquisite craftsmanship (best technical achievements). But really, these are lists of my favorites from the year.

Part 1: Technical Achievements

Part 2: Supporting Performances
Part 4: Leading Performances
Part 5: Films

Directors:

  

Darren Aronofsky – Black Swan

With Black Swan, Aronofsky has created a film that seduces its audience, luring them in and then scaring them half to death with thrills. His work, his style, his vision produce such an interesting visual world in which the camera floats dancing as if another character in the narrative, while the narrative lies and is completely dishonest yet enthralls and garners authentic emotion. It is a very compelling and difficult achievement.

Danny Boyle – 127 Hours

Coming off is Oscar victories for Slumdog Millionaire, Boyle had a tall task living up to the expectations of his next project. He chose the cinematically difficult story of Aron Ralston – an outdoorsman whose arm gets trapped under a rock in the middle of nowhere, having to go to extreme measures to survive. Most of 127 Hours takes place in a tiny confined space, yet the brilliance of Boyle’s energy and kinetic, even manic style makes the film seem larger in scope than it is. This is a film few directors could make (let alone make well), and to do so with such flare and narrative style only solidifies Boyle as the auteur his fans know and love.

David Fincher – The Social Network

The Social Network every easily could have been a terrible film, boring and riddled with shallow unlikable characters, but it is not. Why? Fincher is a master of unlikeable protagonists and scene structure. The opening scene in the film featuring Jesse Eisenberg and Rooney Mara is pure genius (my favorite individual scene of the year). It plays a bit like a prologue for the rest of the film both setting up the character of Zuckerberg and his journey. In this scene alone, Fincher exhibits his gift for storytelling in the visual medium of film.

Christopher Nolan – Inception

Nolan is quickly becoming a household name and god to film fans. Since 2005 with Batman Begins, has there been a filmmaker with a better critical and commercial track record? With Inception, Nolan took the insanely high expectations following The Dark Knight into his latest film and still blew everyone’s mind. The sheer scope of the film is immense; the writing must have been daunting; and still Nolan delivers a fantastic narrative filled with great performances, action and drama. Nolan’s cinematic mastery for making great cinema that is wholly entertaining to a broader audience (i.e. not just appealing to film fans, but to more casual movie-goers too) is unmatched.

Mark Romanek – Never Let Me Go

Romanek’s work on Never Let Me Go, an aesthetically brilliant film, is top-notch. He tells the story of friendship and love dashed by tragedy and haunting heartbreak so subtly, that many viewers simply just disregarded the film. But for those willing to engage the film and let it take hold, it is a beautiful piece. Essentially, Romanek takes what has been called an “un-filmable” novel and produces a unique dystopian film that stays with its viewers reminding them of the fragility and importance of life and its moments.

Never Let Me Go (2010) – Review

Never Let Me Go is haunting, heartbreaking and seemingly against human instinct, and yet upon deeper reflection illuminates a truth about humanity – none of us has enough time, so we should make the best of it (which is much more poetically done in the film, versus the cliché I just wrote). While the film does have sci-fi overtones, director Mark Romanek and screenwriter Alex Garland do not try to warp their story into a sci-fi thriller (something that very easily could have been done, and something I suspect some audiences were hoping for), rather they are interested solely in their characters and their specific narrative, which benefits the film. Romanek made a very subtle film in that nothing is exaggerated or flamboyant – the look of the film and performances are restrained, the visuals are more and more dismal tonally as the film progresses as the characters come to terms with their stations in life. Though, despite the bleak tone that the film has, there is a beautiful quality to the visuals and the simplistic nature of the characters. They are to an extent completely innocent, though somewhat corrupted by the agenda of the outside world. They are raised in a utopian controlled society (though I would call it dystopian given the full narrative), groomed for a specific purpose only, one that is utterly horrific (the absolute disregard of the outside world for these people is best shown in Ruth’s last scene, they are considered soulless) and foreign to us, but they accept it and even take pride in it as noble work. A common reaction is why do they not try to escape, but they know nothing else. Sure, some very well may try to flee (as chaos is always evident even in the most controlled system), but that is a different story. We (and seemingly especially Americans) want to take charge and influence the outcome of our lives, rebel in a sense, which is why Kathy and Tommy’s acceptance is hard to swallow. But really, it is no different than what we do everyday. We make do with what we have. We often accept our circumstances. And in many cases, it is out of our hands, and even so we still find meaning and take pride in our work and lives. At its heart, this is a love story and about friendship. It is clear, even as children, that Kathy and Tommy should be together. But life gets in the way, as it often does for all of us. The little time they do get is a reminder to the viewer to take stock of what they have and what they want. Notwithstanding the sad tonality of the film, messages of love, friendship and redemption resonate deeper and have a lasting impact on the audience. The film is very powerful, as it stays with the viewer long after the credits role. Though as beautiful and engaging as the film is, it is not for everyone. Being more concerned with the characters’ emotions, thoughts and experiences, leaving the outside world to the imagination, the film does not have much action (leaving action seekers to feel bored). It is built on a structure of three times that these characters interacted. The audience sees the transition of the relationship of the characters, but again the film is not superficially over dramatic (as is the case in many Hollywood films), it is subtle, nothing is telegraphed, the viewer empathizes with the characters (especially Kathy) based on emotions the film evokes in the viewer organically (aka, the score does not exaggerate the drama, and the narrative does not explicitly pull on the audiences’ heartstrings for a artificial influenced reaction). Yet, the delicate approach that Garland and Romanek take can be lost on some viewers (specifically those not inclined for this type of film). Never Let Me Go may be a film full of sorrow, even shockingly grim, but underneath the narrative speaks to themes of love, loyalty, redemption, and the lasting message of seize the day, make the most out of your life and try to be happy.

Technical achievements: director Romanek and writer Garland have made an exceptional film based on what was commonly referred to as an un-filmable novel by Kazuo Ishiguro. The script and direction are sparse in that they only gives the viewer the essential pieces and do not linger – something that is quite difficult to do well. Romanek and Garland took the novel and adapted it to tell their particular story and did not try to recreate everything in the book or be overly ambitious with their narrative focus – things that often make for not so great film based on good novels. The film, while being a take on the novel, is its own entity, completely separate and should be viewed that way. Romanek also succeeded greatly in putting together his cast and crew as they are all phenomenal in their work. Production designer Mark Digby does a wonderful job of both portraying the coldness of the outside world (Kathy’s apartment is so barren and sad), but also capturing the warmth of the characters. Cinematographer Adam Kimmel does standout work on the film. His photography is a treat and stunning. The score by Rachel Portman is also exceedingly good. She is able to deliver music that captivates the audience. The cast of the film is first-rate. The adult actors have small roles in the film, as the narrative is almost completely exclusive to Tommy, Ruth and Kathy, but Charlotte Rampling, Sally Hawkins and Nathalie Richard are all quite good. The film also features child actors, who needed to be just as good as their older counterparts for the narrative to fully resonate. Romanek is able to get very good performances from his young actors with the standout being the work of Izzy Meikle-Small. She is able to do the heavy emotional lifting effortlessly. The film’s three main stars are fantastic. Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley are both very good, but Andrew Garfield is amazing. He is so hopeful and innocent that his seems to be the most tragic of the three.

Never Let Me Go is an aesthetically magnificent film, full of great performances, but it is not a film for everyone, exploring the end message of live life to the fullest through a heartbreaking story of love and friendship. 9/10

Keira Knightley – Movies Spotlight – September 2010

Keira Knightley, best known for Pirates of the Caribbean, is both a super star A-lister and a very good dramatic actress. Her new film, Never Let Me Go, is this month’s must see, a dystopian story based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s book. It is directed by Mark Romanek, written by Alex Garland and has a fantastic cast with Carey Mulligan and Andrew Garfield. The film is being hailed as a potential Best Picture nod and Knightley for a supporting nod. She may be best known for her blockbusters, but it is her work in smaller more serious films that sets her apart as an elite young actress.

Early Career:

Knightley was essentially born and raised to be an actor. Her parents are award-winning playwright Sharman MacDonald and theatre and TV actor Will Knightley. As a young girl, her drama teacher was the gifted Ian McShane (Al Swearengen in HBO’s Deadwood). She got her start acting in local amateur productions, among them pieces written by her mother and McShane. She had her first talent agent at the age of six and appeared in a number of made-for-TV movies in the mid to late 90’s. Then, George Lucus cast her in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace as Pademe Amidala’s decoy due to her striking resemblance to Natalie Portman (when in full make up, even their mothers could not tell the different between them). With a blockbuster on her resume, even though she is barely in it, she next starred as Robin Hood’s daughter in Disney’s Princess of Thieves, only to follow it up with the almost anti-Disney thriller The Hole. She also appeared in a few TV miniseries – Coming Home (with Peter O’Toole), Oliver Twist and the TV adaptation of Doctor Zhivago. While Doctor Zhivago was critically mixed, the ratings where high elevating her status as an actress and star. But her big breakthrough role came in 2002’s Bend It Like Beckham, a soccer centered film in which she co-stars as a top youth player who befriends the protagonist and opens her eyes to a whole new world. The film did well in the UK but more importantly was exported and did decent numbers in US theaters. With a couple hits in her pocket, Knightley was just one film away from stardom.

International Stardom:

The success of Doctor Zhivago and Bend It Like Beckham made a name for Knightley as the UK’s next “it girl”. And the timing could not be better as casting was underway for Disney’s new flagship franchise – Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Having worked with Disney before and her recent rise in the UK gave her a foothold and she won the role as Elizabeth Swann. The film was a massive hit internationally, both among critics and at the box office and catapulted Knightley into worldwide fame. Suddenly she was on magazines and had the media all over her. Capitalizing on her fame and success she next made (the equivalent to a British blockbuster) Love Actually, written and directed by Richard Curtis. Though, she had one of the smaller major roles (if you can call it that) in the film. She also took a role in Jerry Bruckheimer’s (who also produced Pirates of the Caribbean) new blockbuster for Disney, King Arthur (the film is not great, but underrated and has a wonderful cast; the director’s cut is much better than the theatrical). While the film did ok at the box office and not too well critically, Knightley was able to beef up her horse-riding and sword fighting skills (a stunt woman working with Knightley commented that if she did not make it in acting, she certainly had a career in stunt work, as she was the best among all the actors on the Pirates films at sword fighting and stunt work). While she had attained fame and Hollywood recognition, critics denounced her as nothing more than a pretty face, a remark that was not helped by her next two films – The Jacket, a poorly received psychological thriller, and Domino, a biopic about a female bounty hunter (considered her biggest flop) – both of which were neither critical nor box office successes.

Serious Actress:

With 2005’s Pride & Prejudice, Knightley proved herself and (for the moment at least) silenced her critics, as she was astonishing as Elizabeth Bennet in Joe Wright’s film landing her an Academy Award nomination. She carried herself well, portraying the character as intelligent and strong, yet vulnerable (it is probably her best film and performance to date). She took the next two years to film the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s End, both of which were huge international successes. Knightley has since left blockbuster films behind, not appearing in the upcoming fourth film On Stranger Tides, in favor of better female roles and more serious work. In 2007, she reunited with Joe Wright to star in Atonement (winner of 2008’s BAFTA for Best Film), which garnered her a BAFTA nomination, many thinking she also deserved an Academy Award nod for the performance. Following Atonement, she starred in a number of small period pieces – the poorly received Silk, The Edge of Love (written by her mother) and The Duchess, a Victorian era biopic about the Duchess of Devonshire which was a modest hit for Paramount Vantage. Knightley decided to take a break from film acting, be it a short one as she has a whole slew of films upcoming, to try her hand on stage in London opposite Damian Lewis (obligatory you should watch Band of Brothers plug). Critics predicted failure for her as Jennifer (Celimene) in Moliere’s The Misanthrope, a supporting role, but she was quite good accumulating praise as well as a Laurence Olivier Award nomination, once again defying her detractors.

Upcoming Projects:

Along with this month’s Never Let Me Go, Knightley has two other films that could potentially make it into theaters this year, but certainly next – Last Night and London Boulevard. Last Night, directed by Massy Tadjedin, is about marriage, love and temptation as both spouses are tested, apart for a night – the husband by an attractive co-worker and the wife by an old flame. The film co-stars Sam Worthington, Eva Mendes and Guillaume Canet. London Boulevard is the directorial debut for acclaimed Oscar-winning writer William Monahan. It is about a criminal who falls in love with a reclusive young movie star, finding himself in a duel with a vicious gangster. It co-stars Colin Farrell. Also upcoming (2011 and beyond), Knightley has a role opposite Michael Fassbender and Viggo Mortensen in David Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method, a film about Sabina Spielrein, a psychoanalyst who works with Sigmund Freud and predominately Carl Jung. In 2012, she has two films scheduled. First, Seeking a Friend at the End of the World about a man who takes a road trip to find his high school sweetheart as a asteroid approaches Earth. It stars Steve Carell; Knightley plays a neighbor that accompanies him, putting a wrench in his plans. Second, she stars in Joe Wright's adaptation of Anne Karenina. Other projects in development include The Emperor’s Children which she co-stars with Eric Bana, Michelle Williams and Richard Gere. It is directed by Noah Baumbach’s and is a comedy about three upper-crust ivy-league educated people who are expected to do great things who are about to turn thirty and are still struggling to live up to the expectations that envelop them. It is set in NYC in the three months surrounding September 11, 2001. Finally, she is slated to be in Tender Is the Night, a film about a husband and wife who lead a glamorous life on the French Riviera hiding the darkness that shrouds their relationship. The film has no director attached, but is to co-star Matt Damon. Suffice to say, she has a lot of really interesting stuff on the way, working with great directors.

Keira Knightley Selected Career Highlights:

1.)          Bend It Like Beckham (2002) – supporting [DVD]

2.)          PotC: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) – lead [Blu-ray/DVD]*

3.)          Love Actually (2003) – supporting [Blu-ray/DVD]

4.)          King Arthur (2004) – supporting [Blu-ray/DVD]

5.)          Pride & Prejudice (2005) – lead [Blu-ray/DVD]*

6.)          PotC: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) – lead [Blu-ray/DVD]*

7.)          PotC: At World’s End (2007) – lead [Blu-ray/DVD]

8.)          Atonement (2008) – lead [Blu-ray/DVD]*

9.)          The Duchess (2009) – lead [Blu-ray/DVD]

10.)   Never Let Me Go (2010) – supporting [Blu-ray/DVD]*

At the Movies – September 2010

Must See in Theatres:

Never Let Me Go (Mark Romanek) – Drama/Thriller – Sep 15 [limited]

The film is about three friends – Ruth, Kathy and Tommy. As children, they grew up in an almost utopian environment at an English boarding school. However, as they grow into adulthood they find themselves not only discovering new emerging feelings but also the harrowing truth that awaits them. It is based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel. Music video director Mark Romanek finally returns to feature films (his last being 2001’s One Hour Photo) after being attached to many projects that just never happened. This material is seemingly a perfect fit for the style of Romanek; and with a script from Alex Garland (wrote 28 Days Later… and Sunshine), this film is set to be a very good drama-thriller. Romanek has also assembled a good crew, one that augments both Romanek’s style and the tone of the piece, featuring production designer Mark Digby, composer Rachel Portman and cinematographer Adam Kimmel. The film also features a fantastic young cast with academy award nominees Cary Mulligan and Keira Knightley (whose work in this is being touted as worthy of a nod for the 2011 Oscars) and Andrew Garfield (the new Spider-Man, and 2010 breakout actor). Charlotte Rampling and Sally Hawkins co-star in supporting roles. Never Let Me Go has all the ingredients to be an amazing film – check out the trailer.

Worth Checking Out (if not in theatres then at home):

The American (Anton Corbijn) – Drama – Sep 1

The film is about a seasoned assassin, Jack, who heads to Italy to escape his life and hide in the shadows – but budding relationships in his hideaway may leave him too exposed. Very talented director Anton Corbijn, also from a music video background, looks to have another critical success with this film, coming off of the highly praised Control. Corbijn has a good crew with him on the film with a screenplay based on Martin Booth’s novel by Rowan Joffe, a score from famous German rocker Herbert Gronemeyer, cinematography by Martin Ruhe (who also shot Control), and production design from Mark Digby (who got himself on two of the potential top three films, critically, this month). The main selling point for the film for audience members not familiar with Corbijn or Control is star and producer George Clooney, as the rest of the cast is unknown to US viewers. The American should blend action and drama well and have a thriller feel to it producing what will likely be a very good film – check out the trailer.

The Town (Ben Affleck) – Crime – Sep 17

The film is about a bank robber, Doug MacRay, who on an earlier heist took a hostage, a bank manager named Claire, but something different happened on that job. MacRay fell in love with his hostage, though she never saw his face. Now, he has a problem – he wants to court her despite the misgivings of his partner Jem and the fact that the FBI is after him and questioning this girl, his hostage. He must find a way to plan his next robbery, evade the FBI and address his feelings for Claire. Director Ben Affleck has a new challenge for his second feature – he is directing, producing and starring (and for those who see the name Ban Affleck and immediately think of his less than stellar films he has starred in or did not know he directs, rent Gone Baby Gone, his first directorial effort, and suddenly you will be excited to see this film too), and he co-wrote the screenplay based on Chuck Hogan’s novel with writing partner Aaron Stockard (the two also co-wrote Gone Baby Gone). Affleck has brought back Gone Baby Gone production designer Sharon Seymour and composer Harry Gregson-Williams to work on the film, while adding master cinematographer Robert Elswit to shoot it and composer David Buckley to also contribute to the score. The film boasts an excellent supporting cast with Jeremy Renner (hot off The Hurt Locker), Rebecca Hall, Chris Cooper, Blake Lively, Pete Postlethwaite, Titus Welliver, and Jon Hamm (from the wonderful show Mad Men). The Town is a crime-drama at heart, but mixes in some romance and thriller aspects as well. It will surely be a very entertaining and engaging film – check out the trailer.

Good for Dates:

Heartbreaker (Pascal Chaumeil) – Romantic Comedy – Sep 10 [LA/NY]

The French film is about the talents of Alex Lippi. He and his sister run a business designed to break-up and destroy relationships, and Alex is the best. They are hired by a rich man to stop his daughter from getting married. The problem is that they only have a week, so Alex must work fast and pull out all the stops. TV director Pascal Chaumeil makes his feature debut with this film. He started on TV doing crime dramas but his last two shows were comedies, so he has experience in the genre. Joining him are composer Klaus Badelt (probably best known for scoring the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie), superb cinematographer Thierry Arbogast (a frequent collaborator of Luc Besson, it will be interesting to see his work on this and how it varies from his usual sci-fi or action thriller genre work) and relative newcomer production designer Herve Gallet. Romain Duris stars, making the film much more interesting as he usually does fabulous work (and is the reason this film is getting a US release). Vanessa Paradis and The Walking Dead’s star Andrew Lincoln co-star (among others). Heartbreaker should be a very funny film and Duris is perfect for the role of a man who destroys relationships by inserting himself – check out the trailer.

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (Woody Allen) – Romantic Comedy – Sep 22 [LA/NY]

The film is about a pair of married couples – Alfie and Helena and their daughter Sally and her husband Ron. Trouble starts when Alfie leaves Helena to pursue a younger woman under the guise of lost youth. Helena looses all rationality and starts to solely follow the advice of a questionable fortune teller. Sally develops a crush on a gallery owner, as uneasiness brews in her marriage, while her husband has a crush on a mysterious woman he sees through a nearby window. For the film, writer-director Woody Allen returns to England, where he made one of his best films of late – Match Point (and I also really liked Scoop; Cassandra’s Dream was decent too). Allen is working with cinematography legend Vilmos Zsigmond and production designer Jim Clay, both of whom have worked with Allen on previous films. The score, as usual, will be provided by found music selected by Allen. The film stars Anthony Hopkins, Gemma Jones, Naomi Watts, and Josh Brolin, while principal supporting characters are played by Antonio Banderas,  Freida Pinto, Lucy Punch, and Roger Ashton-Griffiths. You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger is being compared to Vicky Cristina Barcelona by critics, though without quite the same allure –check out the trailer.

Fun Movies:

Machete (Ethan Maniquis and Robert Rodriguez) – Action – Sep 3

The film is about an ex-Federale, simply known as Machete, who after being betrayed by the organization that hired him plots brutal revenge against his former boss (and why wouldn’t he – he is Machete). Writer-director Robert Rodriguez caters his film (the non-kids films at least) to his specific audience and this is certainly no different. Co-director Ethan Maniquis worked with Rodriguez as an editor in the past. The film is produced by Rodriguez and often partner in crime Quentin Tarantino. Known for shooting, cutting, directing and doing pretty much everything else himself, Rodriguez decided this time to hire action-movie composer John Debney, cinematographer Jimmy Lindsey (worked with Rodriguez many times in the past as a camera operator) and production designer Christopher Stull (who also worked with Rodriguez in the past in the art department; it is cool to see a director giving an opportunity for more responsibility to many of his frequent collaborators). The film stars Danny Trejo and as a great supporting cast including Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal, and Michelle Rodriguez. There are also a bunch of famous stars that pop-up here and there throughout. Machete is not a film for everyone, but fans of Rodriguez are very excited to see Trejo go on a rampage with Rodriguez’s highly stylized violence – check out the trailer.

Resident Evil: Afterlife (Paul W.S. Anderson) – Action – Sep 10

The film is about Alice and her continuous fight against both the Umbrella Corporation and legions of undead, victims of Umbrella Corp’s virus, as she tries to find a safe-haven for the dwindling number of uninfected survivors. Writer-director and producer Paul W.S. Anderson returns to the director’s chair in the series, having done the first, though he has had a creative say throughout, as he wrote and produced all four. Hopefully, Anderson directing can return the series to the caliber of the first film, as the last two were not very good at all. Composer tomandandy, cinematographer Glen MacPherson and Arvinder Grewal make up a decent action-movie crew (tomandandy in particular has been doing some really good work of late). However, it is the cast that makes this an interesting addition to the action genre. Lead by series star Milla Jovovich, the cast features female action stars Ali Larter, Spencer Locke and Sienna Guillory, as well as Kim Coates, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Boris Kodjoe, and Wentworth Miller. Resident Evil: Afterlife is the next in the ever pointless masquerade of 3-D films; however it was shot with the same cameras as James Cameron’s Avatar, so at least it will not just be terrible tacked-on 3-D. This action-horror film should be fun, but likely and ultimately just as unfulfilling as the last two in the series – check out the trailer.

The Virginity Hit (Huck Botko and Andrew Gurland) – Comedy – Sep 10

The film is about four guys and their experience documenting one of their friend’s journey as he tries to lose his virginity, which leads them places they never expected and tests their friendship. Co-directors Huck Botko and Andrew Gurland shot the film as a pseudo documentary; similar to another film they wrote The Last Exorcism. Backing them up are comedy veterans Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, who are producing the film. The film’s cast is made up of relative unknowns keeping with the illusion, be its perceived, that the film is real. The Virginity Hit looks pretty funny and should make for a good Netflix rental, but it probably will struggle to generate too much box office business – check out the trailer.

Easy A (Will Gluck) – Comedy – Sep 17

The film is about Olive, a good student who never did anything wild, who decides that to increase both her social and financial standing she will pretend to sleep with nerdy guys from her school, only the plan does not go quite as well as she thought. Director Will Gluck’s first feature film, Fired Up!, was very funny and worked surprising well for its subject matter and intended audience, thus this should be no different (aka, though it is a teen comedy with no illusions of expected quality, it should be funny and stand out above the rest this year). TV composer Brad Segal, cinematographer Michael Grady and production designer Marcia Hinds make up the principal crew. Gluck is using Grady and Hinds again for his next film Friends with Benefits, so their work must have been good on this. The good young cast features lead Emma Stone, and supporting players Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Cam Gigandet, Alyson Michalka, and Dan Byrd. Gluck was also was able to bring together a great group of experienced actors to supplement the supporting cast, including – Thomas Haden Church, Patricia Clarkson, Lisa Kudrow, Malcolm McDowell, Stanley Tucci, and Fred Armisen. Easy A will be funny and should make for a good Netflix rental – check out the trailer.

Devil (Drew Dowdle and John Erick Dowdle) – Horror – Sep 17

The film is about a group of people trapped in an elevator that realize that one of them is the devil (but which one!!!). M. Night Shyamalan seems to only direct terrible films (considering the last few), so for his latest story he decided to produce and hire the brothers, Drew and John Erick Dowdle, behind Quarantine to direct.  He also hired cinematographer Tak Fujimoto to shoot the film, having worked with him on a number of past films. The cast, while not made up of the most known actors, is fairly good with Logan Marshall-Green, Bojana Novakovic, Geoffrey Arend, Bokeem Woodbine, and Jenny O’Hara starring, and supporting work from Chris Messina, Matt Craven, Jacob Vargas, and Caroline Dhavernas (shameless Wonderfalls plug, but hey it is a great show, oh and she stars in it). Devil is being touted as a return to form for Shyamalan, as it is a good horror film with twists that support the narrative and add to the enjoyment (funny that he is not directing to have an actual good film) – check out the trailer.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (Oliver Stone) – Drama – Sep 24

The film is about Gordon Gekko, a disgraced financial maestro who is finally getting out of prison, and Jacob Moore, a young trader engaged to Gekko’s daughter. Gekko returns to the financial world to find that things have changed – now it is encouraged to do the types of things that he went to jail for, he must decide if he wants to return to his devious ways or lead a better life. Meanwhile, Moore must decide if the life of a trader is what he really wants. Oliver Stone revisits Wall Street with this film to comment on the recent and on-going financial meltdown. It will be interesting it see how Gekko, a character obsessed by greed and wealth, will act in the environment that led to the huge financial/real estate bubble. Stone needs a hit, as his last really good film was made in the 90’s. He has enlisted composer Craig Armstrong, very good cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto and production designer Kristi Zea to aid in his vision for the world and tone of the film. Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen reprise their roles from the first film, while Stone has put together a great new group of actors – Shia LaBeouf (though, I think some of us are somewhat tired of him, Indy 4 was the killer for me), Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan, Susan Sarandon, Eli Wallach, and Frank Langella. That is one thing about Stone that is true whether the film is good or bad – he is always able to assemble an interesting group of actors. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps should be enjoyable, with some critics calling it even better than the original – check out the trailer.

You Again (Andy Fickman) – Comedy – Sep 24

The film is about a young woman, Marni, who realizes that her brother is about to marry her high school nemesis, Joanna, a girl that used to bully her. Now, Marni is on a mission to expose Joanna’s true colors and break-up the wedding. Director Andy Fickman does not have the best track record with his films – making really broad commercial uninteresting emotionally un-engaging family fair. And this looks to be no different. He has a good, not great principal crew with production designer Craig Stearns, cinematographer David Hennings and composer Nathan Wang. Star Kristen Bell’s involvement is both good and bad – she is awesome, but has an awful leading-role film-credit list (add another to the list with this, she was so good in Veronica Mars and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, it is just too bad she cannot get better leading roles in film). The supporting cast does make this a little more interesting though as it features Sigourney Weaver, Odette Yustman, Betty White (who seems to be the hottest comic property right now), Kristin Chenoweth, and Jamie Lee Curtis. The cast is good enough to almost make You Again seem like it might be good (sure it will be somewhat funny, the cast is too good for it not to be, but a good movie… no way) – check out the trailer (and you will see why).

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (Zack Snyder) – Animation – Sep 24

The film is about Soren, a young barn owl, who is kidnapped by the evil owls of St. Aggie’s, where they brainwashed their captives to be soldiers. Soren and his friends are able to escape to the island Ga’Hoole. There, they decide to join the wise noble owls would fight to stop the fiendish owls of St. Aggie’s. This seems like an odd film for director Zach Snyder’s next project, as it is nothing like his previous three films, not mention that the format and source material do not lend themselves to Snyder’s style of filmmaking. Australian composer David Hirschfelder will provide the sonic emotional backbone to the film. Hugo Weaving, Helen Mirren, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish, Geoffrey Rush, Sam Neill, and David Wenham make up the talented voice cast. Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole looks well made, has a good voice cast and Zach Snyder has the capability to tell a good story (if he does not get too wrapped up in his own style) – and yet for some reason is completely uninteresting. Maybe it is having owls as the characters, but it is probably because it is just another of the same. While it is an original property, it seems completely overdone and tired as a film story – check out the trailer.

Buried (Rodrigo Cortes) – Thriller – Sep 24 [limited]

The film is about Paul, a US contractor working in Iraq. After an attack by a group of Iraqis, he finds himself buried in a coffin with only a cell phone and lighter (the tag line is: 170,000 SQ miles of desert. 90 minutes of Oxygen. No way out.). Spanish director Rodrigo Cortes makes is stateside feature debut with the film featuring work from countrymen composer Victor Reyes and cinematographer Eduard Grau. Ryan Reynolds stars in the film, a challenging role since he is in a coffin almost the whole time. Stephen Tobolowsky, Samantha Mathis and Erik Palladino co-star (Palladino is really good in Over There, check it out).  The film got a lot of buzz out of the San Diego Comic-Con and Sundance. The film is adored by critics who like thrillers. Buried is the must see thriller of the fall – check out the trailer.

Art-House Watch:

The Winning Season (James C. Strouse) – Comedy/Sports – Sep 3 [LA/NY]

The film is about a has-been coach, Bill, who is given a second chance to right his life when he is offered a chance to coach his local high school’s girls basketball team. Writer-director James C. Strouse’s first two scripts were a little too depressing and slow (he directed the second, Grace Is Gone). Hopefully, he can make a more engaging and entertaining comedy, as his dramas literally drain the viewer. Strouse’s aesthetic style looks really indy (the typical way a lot of independent films look, aka not glossy) and this looks no different as he has indy crew production designer Stephen Beatrice and cinematographer Frank G. DeMarco. The cast is really good with the very funny Sam Rockwell and Rob Corddry and young actresses ready to breakout Emma Roberts and Rooney Mara (who with roles in Fincher films The Social Network and a lead in the remake of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has already got her breakout roles). Knowing Strouse, The Winning Season with play more like a Dramady than a comedy, but either way it looks to be quite good – check out the trailer.

I’m Still Here (Casey Affleck) – Documentary – Sep 10 [limited]

The film is about Joaquin Phoenix freaking out, quitting movies and becoming a rapper – is it real or is it all one big performance art piece? First-time director Casey Affleck and cinematographer Magdalena Gorka document the transformation. Interestingly, Phoenix is a producer on the film, but he has no new film roles in the works – so the question remains – is this serious or not? Either way, the film should be very entertaining, if Phoenix’s interview on David Letterman is any indication (video here). The documentary will feature a number of Phoenix’s rap performances. I’m Still Here is going to be funny, maybe sad, maybe innovative, but certainly captivating – check out the trailer.  

Jack Goes Boating (Philip Seymour Hoffman) – Drama – Sep 17 [limited]

The film is about a limo driver, Jack, who goes on a blind date, provoking a tale of love, betrayal, friendship, and charm focusing on two NYC working-class couples. Philip Seymour Hoffman makes his directorial debut with this film, eliciting the help of indy cinematographer W. Mott Hupfel III. Hoffman has put together a good cast with himself, Amy Ryan, John Ortiz, and Daphne Rubin-Vega. Hoffman, as an actor, is known for his very good character work, so it is no surprise that his first feature as a director would be character centric rather than about a happening. The film has been a huge success among critics, but will have a harder time garnering support from average film-goers. Jack Goes Boating should be a good character piece with Oscar potential for its actors – check out the trailer.    

Waiting for ‘Superman’ (Davis Guggenheim) – Documentary – Sep 24

The film is about the crumbling public education system in America – leave no child behind is failing. It was once one of the best in the world, now it is a disgrace. Documentary and fiction filmmaker Davis Guggenheim tries to bring the issue to the masses with his new film, as he did with Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. Talented composer Christophe Beck scores the film. Waiting for ‘Superman’ addresses an issue that needs to be brought to light for the average American and hopefully the film can help a system that so desperately needs it – check out the trailer.