Under Seen in 2012 – Movies Spotlight – March 2013

Every year there are a number of great films that seem to be overlooked due to their small budgets, bad marketing, and/or limited theatrical releases. Here are a few of the best neglected films of 2012 (that you have probably not seen, but should).

Film: Dredd

Director: Pete Travis

Cast: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, and Lena Headey

Plot Summary: This action film takes place in a dystopian futuristic city overridden by crime in which police officers are judge, jury, and executioner. On a routine call to investigate a murder, a seasoned veteran Judge Dredd and his rookie trainee Anderson find themselves in the middle of tenement controlled by a vicious gang. They have no choice but to fight their way out (and for Dredd that means bring every criminal to justice).

Why You Need to See It: What is most incredible about this film is that the mere idea of a new Judge Dredd project is completely laughable (which is probably why no one saw this film), because the 1995 Sylvester Stallone Judge Dredd is so utterly terrible (and a huge disappointment to the fans of the 2000AD comics), and yet Pete Travis, writer Alex Garland, and company have made one of the year’s best action films.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Streaming

Film: Goon

Director: Michael Dowse

Cast: Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, Alison Pill, Marc-Andre Grondin, and Liev Schreiber

Plot Summary: This sports comedy is about Doug Glatt a club bouncer who finds that he has a real talent for fighting. Exploiting his toughness and team loyalty, he earns a place on a small town minor league hockey team as its enforcer.

Why You Need to See It: Goon is very funny – graphically violent and vulgar, but very funny. It is one of the best sports comedies in some time, and is most akin to genre favorite Slap Shot (as they both deal with minor league hockey goons). What also works fantastically well about the film is how it captures the spirit of playing and travelling as part of a team (the shenanigans and joking).

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Streaming

Film: The Innkeepers

Director: Ti West

Cast: Sara Paxton, Pat Healy, and Kelly McGillis

Plot Summary: The Yankee Pedlar Inn in New England is famous for being haunted, but it has fallen on hard times and is closing. During its last weekend open, two employees Claire and Luke are determined to find evidence of supernatural activity in the hotel.

Why You Need to See It: The Innkeepers is thrilling and scary, but this throwback horror film does not rely on cheap tricks to insight its moments of terror. Rather, it slowly builds tension and develops its characters (which gives the viewer more of a stake in the outcome) taking its time to optimize the impact of the third act. It feels like a classic ghost story.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Streaming

Film: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Director: Stephen Chbosky

Cast: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller

Plot Summary: This drama is about Charlie a high school freshman who is having a hard time. However, everything changes for him when he is taken under the wings of two seniors Sam and Patrick.

Why You Need to See It: On top of the excellent performances from the film’s three main actors, The Perks of Being a Wallflower succeeds because it earnestly addresses the high school experience through drama, comedy, romance, and its wonderful characters. It feels in many ways like a film made by John Hughes at his best.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Streaming

Film: Safety Not Guaranteed

Director: Colin Trevorrow

Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, and Jake Johnson

Plot Summary: This dramedy is about Darius a magazine intern who has felt lost since the death of her mother when she was a child. However, when she is dragged along with another intern by one of the magazine’s writers to work on a story about a man seeking a companion for time travel, she unexpectedly finds something that inspires her again.

Why You Need to See It: Safety Not Guaranteed is a time travel narrative that plays better than most of its big budget contemporaries. It has a wondrous genuine tone that draws the viewer in, to go along with its great characters. Also, it is quite funny.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Streaming

Film: Sound of My Voice

Director: Zal Batmanglij

Cast: Christopher Denham, Nicole Vicius, and Brit Marling

Plot Summary: This mystery drama is about Peter a journalist who is investigating a cult leader, Maggie, claiming to be from the future with the intension of exposing her as a fraud. To get a firsthand look at Maggie, Peter and his girlfriend go undercover and are initiated into the cult, only to be pulled in deeper.

Why You Need to See It: Sound of My Voice is a mystery built on very well-crafted suspense and a fantastic payoff (which leaves the viewer questioning all the details that the film has shown them). Despite its micro-budget (i.e. lacking big action set pieces or other such spectacles that populate Hollywood mysteries and thrillers), the film is thoroughly compelling on the strength of its script and performances.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Streaming

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) – Review

Review: Safety Not Guaranteed is a heartfelt and funny indie drama. The film is about Darius, a magazine intern who has sort of felt lost since her mom died when she was young. During her latest assignment, accompanying a writer and another intern for the magazine on a story about a guy Kenneth who thinks he can time travel, she for the first time finds something she cares about and can believe in. Director Colin Trevorrow has created a film that both encompasses all the generic and typical genre devices of a quirky indie dramedy and has a fresh and wonderfully genuine spark to it. Trevorrow seemingly checks off each expected narrative component that a viewer familiar with indie dramedies would anticipate being in the film: an overall oddness and ironic tone to the world and quirkiness to the characters, characters stifled by seemingly meaningless existences (and jobs), a low budget feel (hand held camera work, natural lighting and so on), and emotive stares saying more than words (among others). However, all that being true, and all that being seemingly done to death in almost every indie dramedy to date, Tervorrow still infuses the film with a gleeful optimism and infectious almost magical tone that something special might truly happen, which makes the film completely compelling. This is only built upon by Trevorrow’s great characters. While in a general sense, the film may seem generic on the surface; on a deeper level these characters are still vital and relatable to the audience because Trevorrow and his actors give them good character moments and depth. They feel real and fleshed out, connecting them to the audience (and thereby the audience cares what happens to them). What they have to say means something and is not just trivial or plot-driven. Trevorrow also does a good job keeping the film brisk and moving, when it easily could have been overlong and meandering (which would have greatly hurt its impact). There are three main characters and two principal supporting characters, and yet even with the film’s short runtime, each has a full narrative journey and meaningful experience. And, the ending is utterly satisfying. Much like Primer, Safety Not Guaranteed is a low budget indie that gives big budget time travel narratives a run for their money and is better than most (thanks to great characters).

Techincal, aesthetic & acting achievements: Colin Trevorrow, making his feature debut, has done well for himself creating a narrative that is structurally sound and characters that the audience can take stock in, while seemingly complying to the stylistic requirements of the current indie dramedy genre. I look forward to seeing what he does next. Composer Ryan Miller’s score is almost overly generic for the genre (though, it will probably be well received for fans not yet fully burnt out on the style – here is an example), but still works well with the material overall.  Cinematographer Benjamin Kasulke and production designer Ben Blankenship, much like Miller’s score, stylistically are aligned with what we typically expect from the genre. Though, at the same time, having the film visually exist completely in a real toned down space worked well juxtaposed to the narrative device of time travel. The cast is great throughout, and is what makes the film special. Kristen Bell is good in a small role, while Jenica Bergere and Karan Soni are great in their supporting roles. Jake M. Johnson brings a lot of raw energy to the film, playing magazine writer Jeff as someone cool and self-satisfied in a superficial way, but sad on a more personal level. Mark Duplass’s character Kenneth on paper seems to be hard to play – being weird and paranoid, yet endearing – but he plays him almost effortlessly. This is really Duplass’s acting breakthrough. Aubrey Plaza plays Darius somewhat along the same lines as her character in Parks and Recreation – being disengaged – but rather than it being motivated by “it is not cool to care” here Darius is troubled and depressed. She desperately wants to feel something, but life has just let her down so far. It is strong work by Plaza as well.

Summary & score: Safety Not Guaranteed may not be one of the great remembered indie dramas of the decade (or even year), but it is certainly compelling, different and interesting. 8/10

At the Movies – June 2012 – Part 1: Independent Films

Art-House Dramas:

Your Sister’s Sister (Lynn Shelton) – Dramedy – Jun 15 [limited]

Summary: After the death of his brother, Jack looks to getaway for a few days. His best friend Iris invites him to stay at her family’s island retreat. Jack startlingly encounters Iris’s sister Hannah at the remote cabin, and they engage in drunken romance, which is only made more complicated when Iris shows up to surprise Jack. Filmmakers: Mumblecore writer-director Lynn Shelton (known for her film Humpday) makes sort of her Hollywood-indie debut with Your Sister’s Sister, given that the cast is made up of better known actors than her normal fare. She is again working with her Humpday collaborators composer Vince Smith and cinematographer Benjamin Kasulke, as well as newcomer production designer John Lavin. Cast: The film stars Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt and Mark Duplass (one of the summer stars to watch). Expectations: The Duplass Brothers brought mumblecore to the indie-mainstream with Cyrus and Jeff, Who Lives at Home. Shelton will try to continue the genre’s movement to garner bigger audiences. The cast is fantastic, and the main reason I am looking forward to this. I do hope, however, that the aesthetic style of past mumblecore films (which sets out to cheapen the visual experience for no reason) is absent. I think this will be a good (not great) drama with some sad and funny moments. Trailer: Here. Review.

Beasts of the Southern Wild (Benh Zeitlin) – Drama – Jun 27 [limited]

Summary: Six-year-old Hushpuppy lives with her father in a Delta-community, but everything changes when environmental adjustments release prehistoric creatures making her community unsafe. She is also faced with her father’s faltering health. Hushpuppy decides to embark on a great adventure to find her mother. Filmmakers: This marks the feature debut for writer-director Benh Zeitlin and most of his crew, featuring: composer Dan Romer (who is co-composing with Zeitlin), cinematographer Ben Richardson and production designer Alex DiGerlando (he, however, has worked in the art department on The Darjeeling Limited and Across the Universe, among others). Cast: The film features a cast made up of unknown actors, however Quvenzhane Wallis and Dwight Henry, both making their debuts, star. Expectations: There is a ton of positive buzz for this film as it came out of Sundance winning the Grand Jury Prize. It looks to be a great fantastical journey, debuting wonderful new talent in director Zeitlin and star Wallis. Trailer: Here.

Take This Waltz (Sarah Polley) – Drama – Jun 29 [limited]

Summary: Margot is happily married to Lou, but then she meets Daniel, an artist who lives across the street, and falls in love with him. Filmmakers: Actress-turned-writer-director Sarah Polley’s first feature Away from Her was very well received (garnering two Oscar nominations – acting and writing). Take This Waltz is her second feature. She is working again with composer Jonathan Goldsmith and cinematographer Luc Montpellier, new to the mix is production designer Matthew Davies (Fugitive Pieces). Cast: The film stars Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen and Luke Kirby, with Sarah Silverman in support. Expectations: Michelle Williams starring and Polley coming off the critical success of her last film combine to immediately put this on most critics’ watchlist. Seth Rogen was also good in 2011’s dramedy 50/50. It is not often that Canadian productions see wider distribution in the States (and this can thank Williams and Rogen for its distribution), but this has played to positive buzz on the festival circuit and mostly good reviews. It looks to be a good drama that is part funny (Rogen and Silverman are in it after all) and part tragic (as Williams’s character Margot is going to come a crossroads of sorts). It is one of the smaller films I am looking forward to this month. Trailer: Here. Review.

Art-House Comedies:

Lola Versus (Daryl Wein) – Comedy – Jun 8 [limited]

Summary: Lola is approaching 30, and being recently dumped a mere three weeks before her wedding, she is doing so a single woman (quelle tragique!). Thus, she sets off on a series of adventures to give herself perspective. Filmmakers: This writer-director Daryl Wein’s second feature (and first to see wider distribution). He is working with composer Fall On Your Sword (Another Earth), cinematographer Jakob Ihre and production designer Teresa Mastropierro (30 Rock). Cast: It stars Greta Gerwig and features supporting work from Joel Kinnaman, Bill Pullman, Debra Winger, Zoe Lister Jones, and Jay Pharoah. Expectations: Lola Versus has played to mixed reviews during its festival run, but star Greta Gerwig, a somewhat beloved actress among indie fans, probably makes this worth checking out (and Bill Pullman is generally great in small supporting roles). I will rent this one. Trailer: Here.

Safety Not Guaranteed (Colin Trevorrow) – Dramedy – Jun 8 [limited]

Summary: Kenneth places a classified ad seeking a companion for time travel. Magazine employees, Darius and Jeff, come across the ad and are intrigued. They set out to interview Kenneth, but Darius gets pulled into more than she ever expected. Filmmakers: Director Colin Trevorrow makes his feature debut, working with composer Ryan Miller, cinematographer Benjamin Kasulke (also shooting this month’s Your Sister’s Sister) and production designer Ben Blankenship. The Duplass Brothers (Mark and Jay) serve as executive producers. Cast: It stars Aubrey Plaza and Mark Duplass (both summer stars to watch), while Mary Lynn Rajskub, Jake Johnson, Jeff Garlin, and Kristen Bell feature in support. Expectations: Safety Not Guaranteed sounds like one of the most original and interesting films of the summer, and is certainly the indie film I am most looking forward to in June. This could be the first real breakout hit for the Mumblecore genre (if you want to count it as part of the genre). The cast is great with Plaza, Duplass and Johnson, and it played to great buzz at Sundance, winning a screenwriting award and being nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. Trailer: Here. Review.

To Rome with Love (Woody Allen) – Comedy – Jun 22 [limited]

Summary: An ensemble comedy about people in the Italian capital Rome – some residents, some visitors – and the day-to-day adventures they have. Filmmakers: Writer-director Woody Allen is coming off arguably six good films out of his last seven, notably his last Midnight in Paris won him a Best Original Screenplay Oscar and was nominated for Best Picture. He is working again with wonderful cinematographer Darius Khondji (Se7en) and production designer Anne Seibel. Cast: The great ensemble cast features Woody Allen, Ellen Page, Penelope Cruz, Jesse Eisenberg, Alec Baldwin, Alison Pill, Greta Gerwig, Roberto Benigni, and Judy Davis. Expectations: Going into 2012, this was one of the films I was most anticipating, however it has played at a few festivals and has been received with mixed reviews, limiting my current expectations. Woody Allen has been a little hit-or-miss in the last decade plus. Personally, I love his Scarlett Johansson trilogy and Midnight in Paris, and enjoyed Whatever Works and Cassandra’s Dream, but starting with the year 2000 he has made six movies (of twelve) that I did not think were very good at all. In summary, I am hesitant about this at present, but still want to see it. The cast is fantastic and Allen usually has great dialog. Trailer: Here.

Stars to Watch: Part 9 – Movies Spotlight – May 2012

Cinema constantly has new talent each and every year, making great films and opening audiences’ eyes to new characters, stories and worlds. 2012’s summer offers new films from these four talented new actors.

Dane DeHaan

What He’s Been In:

Dane DeHaan, 25, got his start on Broadway as the understudy to Haley Joel Osment in American Buffalo. He made his TV debut in an episode of Law & Order: SVU and his feature debut in John Sayles’s Philippine-American War film Amigo. On TV, he is best known for his work on the HBO series In Treatment, playing Jesse in season three, and he also appeared in season four of True Blood.

Breakthrough:

Earlier this year, DeHaan had a breakout performance in the mini-action film Chronicle. Directed by Josh Trank, written by Max Landis (both of whom have become sought-after talents as well) and co-starring Michael B. Jordan and Alex Russell, the film is about three high school students who gain telekinetic powers after discovering a mysterious energy source. DeHaan plays one of the teens, whose troubled life leads him down a dark path once he has honed his newfound abilities. The film is a great debut for Trank and Landis, and should be one of the small gems of 2012 – a year that will likely be remembered for its fantastic blockbusters.

Summer Film(s):

In August, DeHaan has a supporting role in Lawless, a new film directed by John Hillcoat and written by Nick Cave (the team behind The Proposition). It has a brilliant cast with Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Guy Pierce, Gary Oldman, Shia LaBeouf, Mia Wasikowska, Noah Taylor, and Jason Clarke. It is about a bootlegging gang in Depression-era Virginia that is threatened by the authorities who want a piece of their profits. DeHaan plays Cricket Pate, a friend to the bootleggers. It looks like a potentially phenomenal gangster film. Trailer: Here. DeHaan also has a supporting role in the strange romance Jack and Diane, which is about two teenage girls who meet in NYC and become destructively infatuated with each other. It stars Juno Temple and Riley Keough, and is written and directed by Bradley Rust Gray. It could see release over the summer or later in 2012 (no trailer yet).

Upcoming:

DeHaan has supporting roles in two upcoming films, one scheduled for September 2012, the other 2013. First, he is featured in The Place Beyond the Pines, directed by Derek Cianfrance. It is about a motorcycle stunt rider who must turn to crime to support his family, making him an enemy of a cop-turned-politician. It stars Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper and Rose Byrne. His other film is Kill Your Darlings, about a murder that brings together the great poets of the beat generation. It has a good cast with Daniel Radcliffe, Ben Foster, Elizabeth Olson, Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Jack Huston. It is directed by John Krokidas.

Career Highlights:

1)      In Treatment (2010) – supporting (DVD, Streaming)

2)      True Blood (2011)* – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD)

3)      Chronicle (2012)* – lead (Blu-ray, DVD)

*Editor’s picks

Mark Duplass

What He’s Been In:

Mark Duplass, 35, got his start making short films with his brother Jay. Their feature debut came in 2005 with The Puffy Chair (one of the first film in the genre that many call mumblecore), which Duplass co-wrote, co-directed, produced, and starred in. Katie Aselton co-stars. He then starred in another mumblecore film Hannah Takes the Stairs with Greta Gerwig (both another member of the mumblecore genre group and a writer on the film). For their second feature, the Duplass Brothers made a thriller comedy with Baghead; Duplass again working with Gerwig (though, this time as a writer-director-producer). Continuing to star in and make films in the mumblecore genre (really, I am just trying to see how many times I can use the word mumblecore in this paragraph), he next starred in Humpday, by another of the genre’s prominent directors Lynn Shelton. In 2010, he got his first more mainstream break taking a small role in Noah Baumbach’s Greenberg, which stars Ben Stiller (and also features Gerwig in her breakthrough performance). Later that year, he and his brother had their third feature Cyrus receive wider distribution, having attracted stars John C. Reilly, Marisa Tomei and Jonah Hill to the project.

Breakthrough:

In 2009, Duplass got his TV breakthrough when he was cast in the FX fantasy football comedy The League, which also stars Nick Kroll, Jonathan Lajoie, Stephen Rannazzisi, Paul Scheer, and Katie Aselton (Duplass’s real life wife, and co-star from his first film). The show is fantastic and hilarious (and in my opinion, one of the best comedies on TV right now). While he has yet to have a breakthrough performance in a feature (though June 2012 should surely provide one), earlier this year he co-wrote and directed Jeff, Who Lives at Home with his brother. Starring Ed Helms, Jason Segel, Susan Sarandon, and Judy Greer, it is about a slacker who discovers his destiny while helping his brother spy on his brother’s wife (who they suspect of infidelity). The film is the best so far from the Duplass Brothers, and has continued to bring mumblecore more into the mainstream.

Summer Film(s):

With two potentially great films out this summer and one that looks good (just not as good), Duplass will likely see his acting career take off. All three due in June, the first is Safety Not Guaranteed. It is about a guy who places an ad seeking a partner for time travel, and three magazine employees who set out to try and interview him. Duplass stars as Kenneth, the potentially crazy guy who places the ad. It looks like funny and interesting film, co-starring Aubrey Plaza and Jake Johnson. Trailer: Here. His second film is Your Sister’sSister written and directed by Lynn Shelton. It stars Duplass opposite Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt. The film is about Jack. Having just lost his brother, he is invited by his best friend Iris to stay at her family’s island getaway. Going up alone early, Jack encounters Iris’s sister Hannah, forming a connection that becomes complicated when Iris arrives. The film looks like a potentially excellent dramedy, and possibly the best entry of the mumblecore genre. Trailer: Here. Finally, Duplass has a small supporting role in People Like Us, written and directed by Alex Kurtzman (taking a break from action and sci-fi) and starring Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Olivia Wilde. It is about a man badly in debt who inherits $150,000 from his father, only to find out about a sister he never knew about who his father had intended the money for. Now he has to make a choice. Trailer: Here. Also due in June (though probably only in LA and NYC, if that), is the Duplass Brothers’ fifth feature The Do-Deca-Pentathlon. It stars unknown actors and is about two brother who compete against each other in their own 25-event Olympics (no trailer yet).

Upcoming:

In 2013, Duplass is set to co-star in the dark comedy The Skeleton Twins (though it is still seeking funding) with Anna Faris and Bill Hader. Directed and co-written by Craig Johnson (yet another mumblecore director), it is about two estranged twins who reunite after both cheating death on the same day.

Career Highlights:

1)      The Puffy Chair (2005) – writer, director, star (DVD)

2)      Greenberg (2010) – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

3)      Cyrus (2010) – writer, director (Blu-ray, DVD)

4)      Jeff, Who Lives at Home (2012) – writer, director (Blu-ray, DVD)

5)      The League (2009-present)* – lead (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

*Editor’s pick

Taylor Kitsch

What He’s Been In:

Taylor Kitsch, 31, got his start in 2002, moving from Canada to New York City to pursue modeling with IMG. He also studied acting and was for a time homeless, sleeping on subway cars. In 2004, he relocated his modeling to LA. In 2006, his career started to take off. Aside from getting his breakthrough role (see below), he booked small parts in John Tucker Must Die, Snakes on a Plane and The Covenant. His first big film role came as Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine in 2009. He also took a starring role in the drama The Bang Bang Club.

Breakthrough:

After having a sports drama hit with his feature Friday Night Lights, director Peter Berg decided to make it into a TV series, completely recasting it. Kitsch won the role of Tim Riggins, maybe the show’s most iconic character – a bad boy with a good heart. The series about high school football in Texas played for five seasons. Sometimes plagued by low ratings (as seemingly all the great network shows are), it is regarded among the greatest shows of the last decade. Kitsch very well may be the most successful young actor to emerge from the series. Film wise, Kitsch had his first big starring role in John Carter, Disney’s blockbuster from earlier this year. It should have been a huge breakthrough for him, as he plays the title character, but Disney mismanaged the marketing (or people just did not want to see the film) and it was a colossal failure – though a good film nonetheless.

Summer Film(s):

Kitsch has two films this summer. The first is another huge blockbuster with Battleship (yes, based on the game…no really, it is based on the game…I cannot make this stuff up) due in May. He stars as a naval officer who is thrust into leadership when an alien race threatens the world (and stuff explodes). It sees Kitsch reunite with director Peter Berg, and FNL co-star Jesse Plemons. Alexander Skarsgard, Liam Neeson, Brooklyn Decker, and Rihanna make up the rest of the bigger name cast members. The film looks to be all spectacle, low substance – which is fine for those looking for mindless summer entertainment. Trailer: Here. His second comes in July. Savages, directed by Oliver Stone (looking to finally return to form), is about two independent American pot growers who square off against a Mexican cartel after their girlfriend is kidnapped (by said cartel – after they refused to let the cartel in on their business). In addition to Kitsch, it stars Aaron Johnson, Blake Lively, Selma Hayek, Benicio Del Toro, and John Travolta. Trailer: Here. For me, Savages is the more interesting and likely better of the two.

Upcoming:

In 2013, Kitsch is again working with Peter Berg starring in his new action drama Lone Survivor. Also starring Mark Wahlberg and Ben Foster, the film is about Operation Red Wing – a four member SEAL Team is tasked with the mission of capturing or killing Taliban leader, Admad Shad (I guess movies about finding and/or killing America’s Middle Eastern enemies is all the rage now – there is this film, Zero Dark Thirty and Mission: Black List all coming out soon).

Career Highlights:

1)      Friday Night Lights (2006-2011)* – lead (DVD, Streaming)

2)      John Carter (2012)* – lead (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

*Editor’s picks

Benjamin Walker

What He’s Been In:

Benjamin Walker, 29, got his start learning his craft at the Juilliard School in New York City, graduating in 2004. From there, he got small roles in a few films including: Kinsey, The Notorious Bettie Page, Flags of Our Fathers, and his first starring role in the indie The War Boys. However, Walker is better known for his stage acting career. He has appeared in the Broadway revival of Inherit the Wind, Les Liaisons Dangereuses and many other productions.

Breakthrough:

Walker’s stage breakthrough came in 2007, taking the lead in the irreverent rock musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. Film wise, he is not well known at all. He was the first choice to play Beast in X-Men: First Class, but dropped out to star in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. His summer movie should serve as his breakthrough in Hollywood.

Summer Film(s):

In June, Walker stars in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (which certainly warrants a rental on title alone, no?). Directed by action specialist Timur Bekmambetov (who made Wanted), it co-stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Dominic Cooper, Rufus Sewell, and Anthony Mackie. While the title is self-explanatory, the film is about our nation’s 16^th President, and his mission to stop vampires from taking over the United States. Trailer: Here. Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly), this is one of the summer’s most anticipated films, and should it be successful Walker will see his film work greatly increase.

Upcoming:

Walker also has another film slated for release in 2012 – Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight. Directed by Steven Frears, it is about the U.S. Government going after Muhammad Ali after he refused to fight in the Vietnam War. It co-stars Christopher Plummer, Danny Glover, and Frank Langella in addition to Walker. If done well, this could have Academy Award implications as it has the right pedigree.

Career Highlights:

His career to date has been mostly on the stage.

Stars to Watch: Part 8 – Movies Spotlight – May 2012

Cinema constantly has new talent each and every year, making great films and opening audiences’ eyes to new characters, stories and worlds. 2012’s summer offers new films from these four budding new talented actresses.

Alice Eve

What She’s Been In:

Alice Eve, 30, got her start while at Oxford, appearing in student stage productions. In 2004, she got her first roles on BBC television with Hawking and The Rotter’s Club, as well as a small part in Stage Beauty. Her first break came when she booked a principal supporting role opposite James McAvoy and Rebecca Hall in 2006’s Starter for 10. She has since taken roles in the comedy crime thriller Big Nothing with Simon Pegg, the failed Crash wannabe Crossing Over, Sex and the City 2, the British rom-com The Decoy Bride, the poorly received horror film ATM, and as a reoccurring character (and love interest of Vincent Chase) in the final season of Entourage.

Breakthrough:

Eve’s breakthrough in her home country of England may have been Starter for 10, but in the States it came in the 2010 rom-com She’s Out of My League, playing opposite Jay Baruchel. The film is about a normal guy (Baruchel) with a normal job (TSA agent) who meets the ‘perfect’ woman (a 10). But his insecurity begins to chip away at their relationship, because he doubts that she really likes him (because, in his mind how could she). Eve plays Molly, the girl who is seemingly way out of the normal guy’s league. The film is funny, and Eve is good in it. In April of this year she also starred opposite John Cusack and Luke Evans in The Raven (her second big American film). It is about Edgar Allen Poe and a young Baltimore detective who team up to stop a madman who begins killing people in the manner described in Poe’s stories. Eve plays the love interest/damsel in distress (while not a weighty dramatic or comedy part, it will get her more exposure).

Summer Film(s):

In May, Eve has a principal supporting role in Barry Sonnenfeld’s Men in Black III, which sees the return of Will Smith (both to the series and to films) and Tommy Lee Jones. Along with Eve, Josh Brolin is new to the cast. The film is about the sudden disappearance from existence of Agent K. Now, Agent J must time travel back to the 1960s to stop Agent K’s assassination. Eve plays young Agent O, who is the head of the MIBs in the present. She is also playing a younger version of Emma Thompson. MI3 is certainly the biggest film of Eve’s career to date, and its success will play a role in her success, but she has already booked an even bigger project set from 2013 which will likely make her more of a household name. Trailer: Here.

Upcoming:

In addition to The Raven and MI3, Eve has a third film slated for 2012. She stars with Samantha Morton, Aaron Paul and Helen Hunt in the drama Decoding Annie Parker. It is about the mostly true story of Annie Parker and the almost discovery of a cure for cancer. In 2013, she stars in J.J. Abrams’s Star Trek Sequel. The whole principal cast is back, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Eve new to the cast. Her role in the narrative and character are still secret, but it will be a film that should see her in many more films to come.

Career Highlights:

1)      Starter for 10 (2006) – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD)

2)      She’s Out of My League (2010) – lead (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

3)      Entourage (2011) – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD)

*Editor’s picks

Zoe Kazan

What She’s Been In:

Zoe Kazan, 28, got her start growing in up in the business. Both her parents are screenwriters and her grandfather is famed auteur director Elia Kazan. Her first role, while still in college at Yale, was in 2003’s Swordswallowers and Thin Men. From there, she took small roles in a number of films – notably The Savages, Fracture, In the Valley of Elah, Me and Orson Welles, Revolutionary Road(which was her first weighty dramatic film role, though still small),  The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, and It’s Complicated. She also began acting in stage plays. She made her Broadway debut in William Inge’s Come Back, Little Sheba. Next she took a role in another Broadway show – Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull. Being a playwright as well, her first play Absalom was performed at the 2009 Humana Festival of New American Plays. She got her first lead parts in the 2009 indie movies I Hate Valentine’s Day and The Exploding Girl. In 2010, she got a role as a reoccurring character on the HBO show Bored to Death (season two).

Breakthrough:

Kazan is known much more as an indie actress than for her work in Hollywood. A resident of Brooklyn, she mostly appears in plays and smaller films. Her breakthrough films in the indie world came with bigger parts in Happythankyoumoreplease and Meek’s Cutoff, both of which saw limited distribution in 2011. Happythankyoumoreplease is Josh Radnor’s dramedy romance following young people in relationships in New York City. Kazan plays one of these people, and the sister to Radnor’s lead. The film is sweet, funny and also a little sappy. Meek’s Cutoff, on the other hand, is a bleak western from Kelly Reichardt, starring Michelle Williams (and frequent Kazan collaborator Paul Dano). It is about settlers in 1845 on the Oregon Trail, having to deal with the bitter hardships of the journey. Kazan plays one of the settlers, in what is probably her most dramatically taxing performance to date.

Summer Film(s):

In July, Kazan co-stars with Paul Dano in the fantasy rom-com Ruby Sparks (which she also wrote – her first produced screenplay). It is about a struggling novelist with writer’s block. One day, to help himself begin his new book, he creates a new character Ruby Sparks (played by Kazan). Magically, she somehow comes into existence and he finds that he can control her by writing her character in his book (and yes, in different hands this could be very dark and depraved). Thus, he tries to write a girl he thinks will love him. The film is the second by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (the directors of Little Miss Sunshine). It looks light and fanciful, and serves as good counterprogramming to the blockbusters of summer, and hopefully sees Kazan getting bigger roles in the future. Trailer: Here.

Upcoming:

Kazan has a few movies upcoming. First, she stars with Nikki Reed and Steve Howey in the Joss Whedon scripted sci-fi romance In Your Eyes, directed by Brin Hill. Then, she has a supporting role in the Neil LaBute drama Some Girl(s), directed by Jennifer Getzinger (who has directed seven episodes of Mad Men among other TV) and starring Kristen Bell, Jennifer Morrison and Emily Watson. Finally, she stars opposite Jake Johnson in writer-director Jenee LaMarque’s debut The Pretty One, about a twin sister who assumes her sister’s identity after she dies.

Career Highlights:

1)      Revolutionary Road (2008)* – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

2)      Happythankyoumorepleae (2010) – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

3)      Meek’s Cutoff (2010) – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

4)      Bored to Death (2010) – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

*Editor’s picks

Anna Kendrick

What She’s Been In:

Anna Kendrick, 26, got her start at a young age. Her parents would let her brother and her take the bus down from Maine to New York City to take auditions. Her first acting role came on Broadway in High Society in 1998 (she played Dinah), a performance that would earn her a Tony Award nomination (she is the third youngest actor to be nominated). She appeared in a number of other stage productions before making her film debut in 2003’s Camp (for which she earned an Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance). She next took a supporting role in the indie dramedy Rocket Science. Her work in Rocket Science and Camp lead to her auditioning for and winning a small supporting role in Twilight (playing one of Bella’s high school friends). While her role is relatively small, set against the scale of the series, Kendrick did get her name a face out there to a much broader audience. She reprised her role in three of the sequels.

Breakthrough:

Kendrick’s breakthrough came with 2009’s Up in the Air. She was writer-director Jason Reitman’s first choice to play the role of Natalie Keener (a role that garnered her an Oscar nomination). She is brilliant in the film, holding her own in many scenes against George Clooney. But, I contend that Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and 50/50 also have served as breakthrough films for her (as her work across these three films have made her one of my favorite young actresses). In Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, directed by Edgar Wright, she has a small supporting role as Pilgrim’s sister. While infrequent, she is funny in her scenes (showing that she has a knack for comedy). 50/50 sees her co-starring opposite Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen in director Jonathan Levine’s cancer comedy. Kendrick, much like with Up in the Air, turns in a wonderful performance, playing both dramatic and comedic beats well. These three films (alright, maybe not Scott Pilgrim) have made her one of the most in-demand talents right now.

Summer Film(s):

In May, Kendrick stars in 2012’s celebrity spectacular (cramming as many famous people into one movie as possible – something that generally never turns out well, unless it is called A Bridge Too Far) What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Directed by Kirk Jones and also starring Elizabeth Banks, Brooklyn Decker, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Dennis Quaid (who stopped caring sometime around 2005, and blatantly just shows up for paychecks now), Chace Crawford, Rodrigo Santoro (and many others), the film is about multiple interweaving stories revolving around being pregnant. Kendrick plays one such pregnant person, after meeting Crawford, getting down and then oops/surprise. While in all likeliness, this will neither be good, nor will win any acclaim for Kendrick (if anyone is walking away from this in a positive light it is Chris Rock or Banks), it still is the biggest project Kendrick has been a part of and should continue to build her career momentum (as based on what comes out and what makes money, most cinemagoers do not care if movies are good or not). Trailer: Here.

Upcoming:

Kendrick has a whole slew of project upcoming. She has five slated for release in 2012. First the new animated film from the same studio (and style) as Coraline and Corpse Bride. ParaNorman, directed by Chris Butler and Sam Fell and starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, is the story of a misunderstood boy who can speak to the dead. When the dead begin to rise, he just might be the only one who can save his town (I just wonder why this is coming out in August and not October when it is clearly a Halloween movie). Kendrick has a supporting voice role. Next, she co-stars in the David Ayer cop drama (he seems to only make cop dramas) End of Watch with Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena. Then, she stars in the Jason Moore musical Pitch Perfect (finally getting to show off her Broadway singing voice in a film that more than ten people will see – yes that was a joke directed at Camp). And then, she stars in the religious apocalypse comedy Rapturepalooza, directed by Paul Middleditch. Finally in 2012, she has a supporting role in Robert Redford’s new thriller The Company You Keep starring Shia LaBeouf and Redford, about a former activist who goes on the run after a journalist discovers his identity. In 2013, she co-stars in the Dylan Kidd comedy Get a Job with Alison Brie and Bryan Cranston. While none of these projects immediately scream ‘I’m gonna be great!’, they all have promise, and Kendrick should find herself among the elite actresses of her generation (assuming things work out).

Career Highlights:

1)      Rocket Science (2007) – supporting (DVD)

2)      Up in the Air (2009)* – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

3)      Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)* – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD)

4)      50/50 (2011)* – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

*Editor’s picks

Aubrey Plaza

What She’s Been In:

Aubrey Plaza, 27, got her start taking on multiple internships, including being an NBC page (like Kenneth – she actually plays a page in a season one episode of 30 Rock). She is also a member of the improv and sketch comedy group the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (other notable members include: Aziz Ansari, Patton Oswalt, Jake Johnson, and Paul Scheer). Her first role came as a series regular on Mayne Street, a web comedy series based around ESPN personality Kenny Mayne. She has also appeared on the web series Troopers and TV series Portlandia. Film wise, she has been in three small indie films: Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You, The End of Love and Damsels in Distress (which by far the best of the three). But, outside of her breakthrough roles, she is probably best known as the snarky Julie Powers in the cult (classic) film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

Breakthrough:

Plaza’s breakthrough came in 2009’s Funny People, the Judd Apatow film starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen about a famous comedian who is diagnosed with a life threatening disease, which leads him to reevaluate his life. She plays an up and coming stand-up comedian and the love interest to Rogen’s character. However, an even bigger breakthrough came when she was cast as a series regular on Parks and Recreation. She plays April Ludgate, a city employ void of all ambition and drive. After struggling through its first season, it has become one of the better TV comedies (especially season two, which is phenomenal).

Summer Film(s):

In June, Plaza takes on her first starring role in the indie summer comedy/adventure Safety Not Guaranteed. Co-starring Jake Johnson and Mark Duplass, and directed by Colin Trevorrow, the film is about a guy, Kenneth, who places an ad in the classified section seeking a companion for time travel. Intrigued, three magazine employees head out to try and interview Kenneth. Plaza plays one of the magazine employees who then gets pulled in by Kenneth and begins to question whether or not he is for real. It looks to be a potentially wonderful comedy, and good counter programming to the blockbusters. Trailer: Here.

Upcoming:

Plaza has two projects upcoming, in addition to the continuation of Parks and Recreation. First, she has a supporting role in Roman Coppola’s new comedy about a graphic designer whose life goes downhill after his girlfriend breaks up with him. Entitled A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, it stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Charlie Sheen and Bill Murray. If CQ is any indication, it should be an interesting film. And second, she has a supporting role in the comedy The To-Do List. Directed by Maggie Carey and starring Rachel Bilson and Scott Porter (and a bunch of great comedians), it is about a high school grad who feels pressure to be more sexually experience before going to college. The first is tentatively scheduled for a 2012 release, the other 2013.

Career Highlights:

1)      Funny People (2009)* – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

2)      Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)* – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD)

3)      Parks and Recreation (2009-present)* – lead (DVD, Streaming)

*Editor’s picks