Anticipated Movies of 2010

30.) The Social Network

Director: David Fincher

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Rashida Jones, Brenda Song, Rooney Mara, Joseph Mazzello, and Andrew Garfield

Release: August, fall 2010

Plot: A story about the founders of Facebook.

Buzz: A movie about Facebook is just what we need…Yeah, it really does not sound too terribly interesting to me either, but hey it is directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin so it has to be good right. Maybe? If not for Fincher and Sorkin this certainly would not make the list. Though on the other hand, who does not want to see a gripping drama about kids at Harvard creating a website, there is no way this is not going to be thrilling, think of all the coding and other cool stuff computer science majors do. But again…David Fincher, director of Seven, Fight Club, The Game, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button…It will probably turn out to be good, maybe.

29.) Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Director: Mike Newell

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, and Alfred Molina

Release: May 28

Plot: An adventurous prince who teams up with a rival princess to stop an evil ruler from creating a sandstorm that could destroy the world as they know it.

Buzz: The film is based on the popular series of video games (never a good sign, given past video game to movie releases). Newell did well with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, so this should be in his wheelhouse to put out a fun and entertaining film, but do not expect much more than summer-style fun (i.e., real quality, think Transformers not The Dark Knight). The cast is good here (well, minus Jake Gyllenhaal), as Molina has been quite good in recent projects (like An Education) and it is the second major role for Arterton (the first being in Quantum of Solace). All in all, this should be a fun but it is doubtful that Disney will have another franchise like Pirates of the Caribbean with Prince of Persia.

28.) The Tree of Life

Director: Terrence Malick

Starring: Brad Pitt and Sean Penn

Release: Fall 2010

Plot: A 1950s period piece, a tale of a Midwestern boy’s transformation from innocence as a boy to disillusionment as an adult and his quest to redeem himself by attaining again the meaning of life.

Buzz: Malick is a very visceral director, exploring emotion through the juxtaposition of images, so who better to be the D.P. than Emmanuel Lubezki (who worked with Malick on The New World). Alexandre Desplat is doing the score as well. And, with Penn and Pitt coming off of an Oscar win and nomination, respectively, on paper, this should be a best picture contender. For fans of what could be called serious thematic cinema, the name Terrence Malick incites excitement. Look for this in a limited release that could be expanded in 2011 if it should be nominated for best picture.

27.) Black Swan

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Starring: Natalie Portman, Winona Ryder, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, and Barbara Hershey

Release: Fall 2010

Plot: A thriller about two rival ballet dancers.

Buzz: Black Swan is another film with a super exciting (can you read the sarcasm?) sounding logline that makes the list due to the film’s director. No doubt, the film will be gritty and complex in its character study of the ballet dancers, and it does not hurt that Aronofsky cast Portman and Kunis (though, not really sure why Ryder is in this). Like many to follow, it is the potential for this film to be great. Locking down a place on the list (however, more interested to see his RoboCop than this).

26.) My Fair Lady

Director: John Madden

Starring: Keira Knightley

Release: Winter 2010 (could get pushed to summer or winter 2011)

Plot: A musical about snobby professor, Henry Higgins, taking a bet that he can turn a street urchin into a lady of society, but he gets a little more than he bargained for in the process.

Buzz: The 1964 film with Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn is wonderful, so why even remake it? Well, if the remake involves Keira Knightley (beating out Scarlet Johansson and Anne Hathaway) and either of rumored actors Daniel Craig or Daniel Day Lewis, remake or update (as Columbia Pictures calls it), this is going to be good. Not to mention that the script is being written by Emma Thompson! On the downside though, John Madden is set to direct. While many like Shakespeare in Love, Madden has not done good work since then, and that was 12 years ago. It is too bad that Danny Boyle and Joe Wright passed on this. (Also, the last Audrey Hepburn movie remake was The Truth About Charlie, which was fairly terrible.)

25.) Robin Hood

Director: Ridley Scott

Starring: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Kevin Durand, Matthew Macfadyen, Mark Strong, Danny Huston, William Hurt, Max von Sydow, and Scott Grimes

Release: May 14

Plot: Robin Hood, is there much more to write than that?

Buzz: Ridley Scott/Russell Crowe collaborations have been mostly good, though there was a bad patch in there. The good news about Robin Hood is Crowe is no longer playing both Robin and the Sheriff. The film boasts a pretty solid cast (anything is usually better with Mark Strong and Danny Huston). There is a rumor though that Robin may not be the hero of this story, but wait for the trailer to fully hedge your bets. The issue though is do we really need another Robin Hood story, especially with the very good BBC series?

24.) Get Him to the Greek

Director: Nicholas Stroller

Starring: Russell Brand, Jonah Hill, Kali Hawk, Elisabeth Moss, Rose Byrne, Aziz Ansari, and Colm Meaney (plus a bunch of musician cameos)

Release: June 11

Plot: A comedy about a record company intern that must do whatever it takes to get a down and out rock star to his comeback tour’s first gig at the LA Greek Theater

Buzz: Stroller and Jason Segel produced the best comedy of 2008 in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, so it only makes sense that Stroller would return to the material, but this time Aldous Snow (Brand) is the focus. The film is produced by Judd Apatow (surprise) and thus should feature his brand of adult comedy with a heart. Hopefully, the loss of screenwriter/star Segel will not leave this spin-off tired and washed-up. The June release implies that Universal has high hopes.

23.) A Couple of Dicks

Director: Kevin Smith

Starring: Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Michelle Trachtenberg, Sean William Scott, Jason Lee, and Adam Brody

Release: February 26

Plot: A comedy about two cops as they protect and serve: solving the case of the missing baseball card, rescuing a woman and thwarting gangsters.

Buzz: Kevin Smith makes his feature directorial debut (having directed the pilot of Reaper) on material not written by him (though it is likely he tinkered with the script upon signing on). With Zack and Miri Make a Porno not living up to his expectations, Smith decided it was time to move on as a filmmaker and try working on something not penned by him, the result…(we shall see). Needless to say, fans of Smith will likely see anything he makes and thus,  this has a built-in box office, but will it finally be his first breakout hit since Clerks – can Bruce Willis push him over the top, can Smith’s famously strict style with actors clash with Willis’ star power (inquiring minds want to know)? By the way, who isn’t excited to see Jason Lee in this? On the studio front, there is a rumor that Warner Bros. does not like the title.

 22.) Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Director: Edgar Wright

Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Brandon Routh, Alison Pill, and Jason Schwartzman

Release: Summer 2010

Plot: An action adventure fantasy comedy about Scott Pilgrim, who must defeat his new girlfriend’s villainous ex-boyfriends to win her heart.

Buzz: Based on the graphic novels by Bryan Lee O’Malley, this is Edgar Wright’s first feature away from Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (side note: if you like them, check out Spaced). If anything, this film is going to have good looking action, as Wright has hired Bill Pope (Matrix and Spider-Man movies, 2&3) to shoot the film. The premise (having not read the comics myself) sounds like it will produce an entertaining story, which in Wright’s hands (he did Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz) will more than likely turn out to be a fun film. The cast is also packed with young talent (though, who else is a little sick of Michael Cera and his one note comedy), which also includes Mark Webber and up-and-coming Aubrey Plaza.

21.) The Expendables

Director: Sylvester Stallone

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Randy Couture, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny Trejo, Brittany Murphy, and Charisma Carpenter

Release: August 20

Plot: An action film about a group of mercenaries that head to South America to deal with a dictator.

Buzz: First off, YES!!! Second, who else wishes Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal were in this too, oh and of course Kurt Russell (who was asked by Stallone, but Kurt Russell does not star in movies unless Kurt Russell is the star). This is the movie that every 80s/90s action movie fan has been waiting for! On a side note, Terry Crews needs to continue to sing/lip-sync to cheesy songs, it is genius. Will any women actually see this? If there ever were a MANFLICK, this is it.

20.) Alice in Wonderland

Director: Tim Burton

Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Michael Sheen, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Crispin Glover, Christopher Lee, Stephen Fry, and Timothy Spall

Release: March 5

Plot: A fantasy film in which, a now 19-year-old, Alice returns to the magical world of her childhood adventure.

Buzz: The cast is pretty awesome. The production design is pretty strange. But, it is Tim Burton after all. What seems like a big enough film to be in the summer is slated for March, which is odd, does Disney know something we do not, or do they not want to crowd their flagship release Toy Story 3? Burton (often vastly overrated) seemingly continues to produce audience alienating fare. Hopefully for him, and us, Alice in Wonderland will be his return to form.

19.) Iron Man 2

Director: Jon Favreau

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Jon Favreau, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Leslie Bibb, Mickey Rourke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany (voice), Kate Mara, and Don Cheadle

Release: May 7

Plot: Iron Man returns to do Iron Manny things.

Buzz: Most are thinking right now, “Iron Man 2, only 19th, it should be way higher,” maybe, but there is a sneaking suspicion that the overall goodness of Iron Man (1) was a fluke: the film had an awful third act, why in the world is Jon Favreau directing these and Robert Downey Jr. is probably the real only reason it is good (well and the cool special effects). And, Mickey Rourke as the villain is a little suspect, did anyone see him in Double Team, yeah, do not need that again. However, the additions of Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell are great, and Don Cheadle filling in for Terrence Howard is about a wash. Will the film all come together for another hit (box office is pretty much a sure thing, but critically, and something that holds up well to the three kings of comic book movies, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and Spider-Man 2, is less than assured).

18.) Hereafter

Director: Clint Eastwood

Starring: Matt Damon, Cecile De France, Mylene Jampanoi, Marthe Keller, and Thierry Neuvic

Release: December 2010

Plot: Supernatural thriller about three people that survive near-death experiences.

Buzz: Not too much detail is out there about this film yet, but it is suppose to be like The Sixth Sense. Given Eastwoods streak of good films and the release date of this, it is likely yet other Oscar type film, though typically Oscar films are not supernatural thrillers. Eastwood must have liked working with Damon on Invictus as he returns. It is also nice to see De France get another role in an American film after her first was in the not so great Around the World in 80 Days, because she is quite good in a number of French films. The film is being produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, who produced The Sixth Sense as well (so maybe they have moved on from M. Night and hired an actual quality director to make a supernatural thriller). The script was written by Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/Nixon, The Damned United). It will be interesting to see how he handled a fictional story.

17.) Looper

Director: Rian Johnson

Starring: No one cast yet

Release: Fall/winter 2010 or maybe 2011

Plot: A sci-fi film set in present day dealing with hitmen that travel back in time to assassinate their intended victims.

Buzz: While the plot is still mostly unknown, the logline not telling the full story, and no cast, Looper is high on the list for two reasons, A) what is known is awesome (and sounds a bit like Terminator) and intriguing, and B) Johnson’s ability to combine genres makes him one of the most exciting directors working today.

16.) Somewhere

Director: Sophia Coppola

Starring: Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning, Michelle Monaghan, Benicio Del Toro, and Laura Ramsey

Release: Spring or fall 2010

Plot: A drama about a Hollywood bad-boy, on the decline, who takes a second look at his life when his 11-year-old daughter comes back into his life.

Buzz: “Stephen Dorff stars” is not usually the backbone of a hit, let alone a possibly good movie, and yet there is enough to like here, even despite the overused story of redemption at the discovery of a child. Why? First, the pattern of Sophia Coppola’s career, The Virgin Suicides (not that great), Lost in Translation (top 25 of the decade, film of the year, 2003), Marie Antoinette (again not that great), based on the pattern, this is going to be good (plus, it does not star Kristen Dunst). Second, Michelle Monaghan makes her return to acting after having a baby, one of the most promising talents (go see Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and she was great in Mission: Impossible III, Gone Baby Gone and Trucker). Third, the film is shot by Harris Savides, who did great work on Milk. And fourth, doesn’t Stephen Dorff as a hard-living washed-up Hollywood “star” hit the same tone as Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler?

15.) The Green Hornet

Director: Michel Gondry

Starring: Seth Rogen, Cameron Diaz, Christoph Waltz, Edward James Olmos, Edward Furlong, Tom Wilkinson, and Jay Chou

Release: December 22

Plot: Britt Reid, newspaper publisher by day, crime-fighter by night.

Buzz: What was once not even a consideration for this list, last summer, the film has now jumped to the 15th spot. How? Nicholas Cage is out as the villain and the superbly awesome Christoph Waltz is in. Plus, the randomly kind of cool casting of the Edwards, and Tom Wilkinson is always good. Now if only Cameron Diaz was recast…(oh well, not likely). The script is by Rogen and writing partner Evan Goldberg, a team that can do no wrong, or so it seems. And best yet, who on earth ever thought of Seth Rogen – action hero? Or even, Michel Gondry – action director? But one thing is for sure, whether it works or not, it sure should be an interesting experiment (on a side note, who else is glad Kevin Smith ended up not making this?).

14.) How Do You Know?

Director: James L. Brooks

Starring: Paul Rudd, Reese Witherspoon, Jack Nicholson, and Owen Wilson

Release: December 17

Plot: A comedic drama about an executive and baseball player chasing the same girl.

Buzz: This is the sixth film directed by Brooks, of the five previous, three were nominated for best picture (Terms of Endearment winning), and two are not good at all. On which side of the line will this be? Well, the film not being ready for the 2009 Oscar Season, Columbia could have dumped it in January-April, but they delayed it all the way until next year’s Oscar Season, a good sign that it will be good, and with the cast it has, pencil it in for a best picture nod in February 2011 (questioning the Oscar potential of something with Paul Rudd and Owen Wilson? See Rudd in Role Models and Wilson in The Darjeeling Limited. Still not convinced, well this does have Reese Witherspoon and umm Jack Nicholson, so…).

13.) Your Highness

Director: David Gordon Green

Starring: Zooey Deschanel, Natalie Portman, James Franco, Danny McBride, Damian Lewis, Justin Theroux, Charles Dance, and Toby Jones

Release: October 1

Plot: A fantasy movie about a heroic strapping young price that must rescue his fair maiden and his father’s kingdom from the evil forces that would destroy it and her, only his loser brother has to come along too.

Buzz: Cast + director + logline = sold. The film is written by Danny McBride and his friend Ben Best, for those that like Eastbound & Down this is something to be excited about. The comedy gold months are usually March/April, August and October, so this seems to have a winning formula.

12.) The A-Team

Director: Joe Carnahan

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Liam Neeson, Sharlto Copley, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Patrick Wilson and Jessica Biel

Release: June 11

Plot: An action film about four Iraqi-conflict vets try to clear their name after being framed for a crime.

Buzz: This is another one that was on the “not anticipated” list for 2010 when it was first announced. Since then, a potentially cool director (at the very least he can make a good movie, see Narc, and yes there is also Smokin’ Aces which is not so good, but focus on the positive here) and a pretty awesome cast has been added (probably the best thing about the cast is the addition of Sharlto Copley). Missing from the details is who plays the villain. The film is currently shooting, so likely the villain has been cast, Jessica Biel (probably playing a love interest or something) and Patrick Wilson are the only other name actors, so it is probably one of them, sort of hope it is Biel just for the change of pace.

11.) Kick-Ass

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Starring: Aaron Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Mark Strong, Chole Moretz, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Release: April 16

Plot: An action comedy/drama about an unnoticed high school comic book fan that decides that he will become a super-hero, despite not having any powers or training.

Buzz: Based on the comic book series by Mark Miller, Kick-Ass looks to be a lot of fun. Matthew Vaughn’s last film (Stardust) was a great blend of action comedy drama and fantasy making him a perfect choice to handle the material. He also brings his D.P. Ben Davis with him and Stardust co-writer Jane Goldman (which is a good thing). Two potential bad points in the film’s credits are Nicholas Cage and composer Marius De Vries. Normally (with a few exceptions like Adaptation.), if you see the name Nick Cage, you know it is not going to be good, or it will be less good, or you can expect a strange and imprudent performance, but hopefully his antics and overall exaggeration will be beneficial to this (I really hope so, but I am not holding my breath). De Vries, on the other hand, is mostly a songwriter/producer who has worked with Baz Luhrmann (which can be taken either way, depending on whether you like Romeo+Juliet and Moulin Rouge!) and has done limited work scoring films (I was not too big a fan of his Easy Virtue score). Overall though, especially having seen the trailer, this looks to be pretty kick ass (oh come on, you knew that was coming).

10.) The Book of Eli

Director: The Hughes Bros.

Starring: Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, Gary Oldman, Michael Gambon, Malcolm McDowell, Jennifer Beals, Ray Stevenson, and Tom Waits

Release: January 15

Plot: An action film set in post-apocalyptic America, one man must fight to protect a sacred book that could save mankind.

Buzz: The logline, alone, is pretty tired sounding, but just look at the cast again, or think about how well the Hughes Bros. use their camera and have a flair for cool dark images. Plainly put, if there is only one reason to see this, it is Gary Oldman playing a villain (but really, anything with Oldman, Washington, Gambon, McDowell, and Rome’s Ray Stevenson is very likely to be awesome, or at the very least entertaining).

9.) Toy Story 3

Director: Lee Unkrich

Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Michael Keaton, Joan Cusack, John Ratzenberger, R. Lee Ermey, Bonnie Hunt, Whoopi Goldberg, Wallace Shawn, Laurie Metcalf, Timothy Dalton, Jeff Garlin, Kristin Schaal, Don Rickles, and Ned Beatty

Release: June 18         

Plot: Andy has grown up and is off to college, what is to be with all his toys? Day-care!

Buzz: The good news here is Lee Unkrich is returning, having directed Toy Story 2, and with a screenplay by Little Miss Sunshine scribe, Michael Arndt, Toy Story 3 has a better than good chance of being able to live up to its predecessors. And, the whole cast, practically, is back as well. Lastly, it is Pixar, who, in the last two years, has put out Up and WALL-E, nothing but blue skies.

8.) The Adventurer’s Handbook

Director: Akiva Schaffer

Starring: Jason Segel, Jason Schwartzman and Jonah Hill

Release: Fall/Winter 2010 (could get pushed back to early 2011)

Plot: A comedy about four friends who decide to ditch their mundane lives for global adventure!

Buzz: This film is either going to be really funny or be like Land of the Lost (Will Ferrell version). Watching Segel, Schwartzman and Hill survive the wilds like Man vs. Wild, adding in SNL and Hot Rod’s Akiva Schaffer to direct, just seems like so much awesome comic potential. Details are still short on this, the full cast is unknown and it has not even started filming, but Jason Segel is just so on his game right now that even with little info, excitement is in the air.

7.) Green Zone

Director: Paul Greengrass

Starring: Matt Damon, Jason Isaacs, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, and Amy Ryan

Release: March 12

Plot: A thriller about a committed military officer that aids the CIA in search for WMDs in Iraq, pre-Iraqi War, and instead starts to unravel a conspiracy.

Buzz: Greengrass and Damon’s third collaboration (the first two were quite good, stands to reason that this should be no different, on the other hand…). Why do people cast Greg Kinnear? Aside from Kinnear, the rest of the cast is brilliant. This might be the next good Iraq War film after 2009’s The Hurt Locker. This was lower on the list before the trailer arrived, check it out.

6.) The Town

Director: Ben Affleck

Starring: Ben Affleck, Blake Lively, Chris Cooper, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, and Rebecca Hall

Release: September 10

Plot: A crime drama about a thief planning his next job, trying to both balance his feelings for a bank manager connected to a previous score and also deal with a FBI agent out to bring him and his crew down.

Buzz: Reasons to both see a Ben Affleck movie and also to why a Ben Affleck movie is this high on the list: A) Gone Baby Gone, Affleck can direct a solid film, B) the cast is great, C) cinematography by Oscar winner Robert Elswit, D) Affleck is due to star in a good movie after a decade of mediocrity to just plain bad. This has potential to be an Oscars sleeper.

5.) London Boulevard

Director: William Monahan

Starring: Keira Knightley, Colin Farrell, Anna Friel, Ray Winston, Jamie Campbell Bower, David Thewlis, Stephen Graham, Ben Chaplin, and Eddie Marsan

Release: Spring/Fall 2010

Plot: A crime romance drama about an ex-con who is befriended by a movie star, hiding from the world in a Holland Park mansion.

Buzz: William Monahan steps out for his directorial debut; he is also co-writing. Wondering why the name sounds familiar or why this is high on the list, Oscar winner Monahan is the writer behind Kingdom of Heaven (watch director’s cut), The Departed and Body of Lies (all good) and has another script to film coming out in January, Edge of Darkness (narrowly missing this list, Martin Campbell returns to direct Mel Gibson once again seeking revenge). The cast in the film also sparks interest, Keira Knightley is usually good, Colin Farrell has his moments of brilliance, Anna Friel (just watch Pushing Daisies), Ray Winston, David Thewlis and Eddie Marsan are always great, Stephen Graham coming off a fine performance in Public Enemies, and Jamie Campbell Bower (fairly unknown) was a bright spot in the otherwise not so great RocknRolla (he can also be seen in the Harry Potter finales). And for the icing on the cake, Chris Menges is shooting it.

4.) Shutter Island

Director: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer, Michelle Williams, Max von Sydow, Jackie Earle Haley, Elias Koteas, Patricia Clarkson, Ted Levine, and John Carroll Lynch

Release: February 19

Plot: A mystery thriller about a cop that goes to investigate a breakout/disappearance of an inmate at Shutter Island’s prison for the criminally insane.

Buzz: Red flag alert! Why on earth did this get pushed from Oscar season 2009 to the box office and Oscar graveyard of February, especially when it is testing so well? Paramount claims that they do not have the money to push the film for awards; maybe they feel The Lovely Bones and Up in the Air have better chances. Either way, and regardless of the reasons, Shutter Island looks like a fantastic psychological thriller; it is Martin Scorsese teaming up with DiCaprio again, strong track record there (Gangs of New York aside).

3.) Cemetery Junction

Director: Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Emily Watson, Matthew Goode, Ricky Gervais, and Stephen Merchant

Release: Fall 2010

Plot: A comedy set in the 70s about professionals working at an insurance company.

Buzz: Writer/directors of The Office and Extras return with their first feature film together (Gervais co-directing The Invention of Lying with Matthew Robinson). For fans of Gervais and Merchant, just the mere mention of their names is enough to make this a highly anticipated project. Throw in talent like Ralph Fiennes and Emily Watson and just start to wonder, “how great is this going to be!” Gervais has stated that he wants to do more drama, which can be seen in The Invention of Lying. Will Cemetery Junction cross into mostly drama with some comedy thrown in territory? Whatever form the film takes, just looking at who is involved is enough to have high expectations (teaser trailer!).

2.) Inception

Director: Christopher Nolan

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine, and Lukas Haas

Release: July 16

Plot: A sci-fi film about a CEO who is blackmailed set within the architecture of the mind.

Buzz: A toss up between this and Death Hallows for the top spot, just consider them both number ones, if that helps. Is there a better working director today than Christopher Nolan? Since 2005 he has made Batman Begins, The Prestige and The Dark Knight. Can you name any director (maybe Clint Eastwood) that has made three movies released since 2005 with the same overall quality as those three (all of which were my film of the year in their respective years). It really does not even matter who is in this film, behind the camera is Nolan and Wally Pfister with music by Hans Zimmer, it could be stick figures and still be in the top 10 films of the year, so add the remarkable cast to the equation and you have a strong contender for another film of the year.

1.) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Director: David Yates

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Bonnie Wright, Tom Felton, Evanna Lynch, Clemence Poesy, Stanislav Ianevski, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Matthew Lewis, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy, Jamie Campbell Bower, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Rhys Ifans, Robbie Coltrane, Maggie Smith, Miranda Richardson, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson, Julie Walters, Warwick Davis, Ciaran Hinds, Helen McCrory, Timothy Spall, Rade Serbedzija, Imelda Staunton, David O’Hara, Natalia Tena, Richard Griffiths, Toby Jones (voice), Dave Legeno, Simon McBurney (voice), and Mark Williams

Release: November 19

Plot: Harry and company fight to stop Voldemort once and for good, the thrilling conclusion (part 1).

Buzz: For all that saw Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince, David Yates can make one heck of a good Potter film, and he says the audience has not seen anything yet! Just about everyone behind the camera is back, Yates, editor Mark Day, production designer Stuart Craig, and screenwriter Steven Kloves, new to the team is cinematographer Eduardo Serra (picking up from the absolute master job done on the last two by Slawomir Idziak and, especially, Bruno Delbonnel, respectively). His work is also very good (see Girl with a Pearl Earring for reference). The Potter films have also featured maybe the greatest cast of British actors ever assembled, and now the stupendous Bill Nighy joins the cast along with the also very good Ciaran Hinds (if only they could squeeze Peter O’Toole in there somehow). If there is only money and time enough for one movie to see this coming year (sneak into, and make time for, Inception too), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is it. For those who wonder, part 2 is scheduled for July 15, 2011.

Glee: Season 1, Episode 13 – Sectionals (2009)

Sectionals is the strongest episode of Glee to date; and contrary to the outward appearance of the show, it succeeds to a high degree due to its dramatic impact rather than its musical performances. The episode also features a number of solid directorial decisions. Structurally, the episode followed a tried and true narrative of the team (or an individual) being down, but putting aside issues and coming together, which is really a summary of the main thematic element of the show. This episode also featured potent emotional storylines coming to a head resulting in fine scenes (Finn having a few of his better scenes of the half season, and great work between Schuester and Emma). The musical performances, mostly played as straight performance were entertaining, but the final number playing as both performance with the indented subtext of what Schuester means to the kids and also as a storytelling devise conveying the subtext of what Emma really means to Schuester (which was delivered in a visually satisfying way) producted to most emotional impact. However, what makes this episode great is the directorial work of Brad Falchuk (also the writer of the episode). His work on Glee has improved over the course of the season. There is an early sequence involving the kids talking to one and other on the phone while walking through the halls, which Falchuk shows in a multiple split-screen shot, effectively taking something potentially arduous in nature and making it fresh. It is not often that a director can shoot exposition (be it dramatic exposition) and make it interesting. Falchuk is also able to garner compelling performances from the cast, elevating the drama and thus further drawing the viewer in and raising the personal stake each viewer has in the show. There is a thin line between giving the audience what they want and doing what is best for the narrative as a whole. Falchuk walks that line here with the relationship between Schuester and Emma. Likely, viewers want to see them together, as the narrative has set them up that way, but should it be so easy, now that a major obstacle has been removed (or so it seems)? The episode teases the result that viewers want but leaves the payoff for the finale shot, which again plays on Falchuk’s ability to capably tell an effective narrative. It will be interesting to see how the show returns next year in April. While Glee started off as a sort of cheesy one-note show (some people just watching for the music and fast-forwarding through the rest), it has established itself as both a fun show with comedy and great music and as a dramatically moving show with relevant thematic elements of (and for) today’s society (high school and adult), Sectionals being the mid-season culmination. 10/10

Glee can be seen on Wednesday nights on Fox or on Amazon.com

Dollhouse: Season 2, Episode 6 – The Left Hand (2009)

The Left Hand is a thrilling episode filled with good performances and more twists, paying off on the set up of The Public Eye. It is part espionage and part self discovery. The show is tackling a very interesting element, having the dolls being (or becoming) self-aware. Now awake, Echo is not sure if she even would want to go back to being the Caroline – it questions the notion of self and soul and what makes us ourselves. Is it the physical elements or the sum of our experiences, or both? Echo is both cognizant that she was Caroline and is now Echo, and that Caroline is her true self, and yet is still hesitant to go back. What does that say about human nature? Is self-preservation a higher order than the value of life? In terms of the episode’s structure, the action beats work well as well, making for a narrative that flows. Wendy Stanzler’s handheld camera also keeps the action and drama fresh. The Left Hand employs comedy too, supplanted into a mostly dramatic story, allowing for the viewer to fully enjoy the experience, both laughing and invested in the dramatic outcome. And in this, Tracy Bellomo wrote great dialog and a great script. Summer Glau is excellent in this episode; her scenes with Fran Kranz are played perfectly and are just plain fun to watch. The two have good chemistry and hopefully they will have more interaction in the future. Victor’s impersonation of Topher is also brilliant (watch out for Enver Gjokaj; he is good). Alexis Denisof turns in a good performance (at one point her plays an imprint as if he is auditioning for Terminator, minus the heavy breathing). Olivia Williams also has some fun showing her aptitude in her scenes with Ray Wise. The score for the episode was wonderful. It was playful in the Bennett-Topher scenes, and the little piece that closes the show (not the music over the credits, before that) worked really well to bring forth the wonder and emotion of Echo, fully aware and fresh to the world outside. The Left Hand is a great episode of television and together with The Public Eye shows that Dollhouse is one of the better shows on TV right now. It is too bad that this season will be its last. Come for the thrills, stay for the comedy and great characters and performances. 9/10

Dollhouse airs Friday nights on Fox or can also be seen on Amazon.com

Dollhouse: Seaons 2, Episode 5 – The Public Eye (2009)

The Public Eye is a fun, creepy at times, episode full of twists and turns. Thematically, the episode has pockets of identity crisis (which plays more in the next episode). Mainly though, the episode serves as more of a lead-in to the next more than a stand-alone piece, which hurts it a bit. The first act is bludgeoned with exposition, though unavoidable, it does slow down the storytelling, and drag. Director David Solomon does his best to liven it up though, employing an active camera. But ultimately, the first act does little more than inform. There is a rather good little scene between Olivia Williams and Keith Carradine squeezed in there though for good measure. In the second act, there is action, twists, suspense, emotion, and fun. However, much like almost all scenes involving Ballard doing dramatic work, the scene between November and Ballard at LAX is a bit flat, but there is a sense that it is suppose to be, in that he has failed utterly, and this is the lowest of the lows for him, the final failure that will lead to some sort of redemption (we shall see, this is Whedon after all, so Ballard probably will not get it). The theme of identity also harkens back to the future as seen in Epitaph One, which is a nice touch. With each step to help, the audience sees the step as just another leading to the fall. It is also interesting to see the steps that lead the LA Dollhouse to be sort of an epicenter of resistance, much like in Belonging, Dewitt again decides to try to take the moral high road, or so it seems. The third act plays the best, as the intrigue heightens (and the production design is such a contrast to the LA Dollhouse). Summer Glau is quirky and creepy and delightful to watch. Stacey Scowley also plays her role well, her character is just so off-putting, and it is supposed to be (I think). Alexis Denisof was good; he evokes the characteristics of his role well, but seems fake at times, as if he is too perfect (you’ll see). Elisha Dushku has one of her better episodes too, playing in her wheelhouse. Overall, the episode is fun. There is some drama, some action, some sexiness, some comedy. But most importantly, the episode (which really does feel like part one of a two-parter) sets up what is to come nicely. 8/10

Dollhouse can be seen Fridays on Fox or on Amazon.com

Movie of the Week - Who Framed Roger Rabbit

This week’s movie is Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).

Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a film-noir like detective story with a twist, the client is a cartoon rabbit. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis (maybe his best with Back to the Future) and produced by Steven Spielberg. The film creates a fun world, one in which there is another section of LA, Toontown, where Disney and Warner Bros. (Looney Tunes) animated characters all live in a wacky city. The film is great do to the silly yet sincere interaction of Roger Rabbit and Bob Hoskins’ detective Eddie Valiant. The film also works well as it uses the noir detective genre to structure the story and employs suspense, action and emotion quite well for a film that has live-action actors interacting with animated ones (in the 80’s no less). Seeing the toons interact both in their world and ours is also one of the treats of this film, highlighted in many fantastic scenes, good dialog and extravagate characters (love Christopher Lloyd’s Judge Doom). This is one for the whole family as all ages will find something to enjoy. The film stars: Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Cassidy and the voice work of Charles Fleischer and Kathleen Turner.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit [DVD]

Glee: Season 1, Episode 12 – Mattress (2009)

Mattress was another strong episode of Glee, featuring fun musical performances and gripping emotional scenes. The episode did not get off to the best start as yet again the show runners used V.O. narration to tell the audience what characters were feeling. The show is so much better when it does it through song or visually; this is turning into a bad lazy habit that needs to be broken (there was even a song in the V.O.!). However, as the episode progressed it focused in on what Glee does best. The Mattress Man performance of Jump was fun and silly – and perfect. The emotional scene between Schuester and his wife in their kitchen was easily the best shot and acted scene so far on the show and director Elodie Keene did a fine job throughout. The episode also continued the theme of acceptance and being comfortable with self, highlighted by Quinn standing up for herself. The show does a good job of putting up obstacles for the characters; it is not easy for them to stand up, which makes it more meaningful and resonate when they do. Jane Lynch, who has been funny in the show to date, seems to have stepped up in this episode, while her character has been a little one note at times, her performance continues to be a highlight of the show, and she is just great in this episode. It was interesting to see Emma finally put her foot down with Schuester. Her relationship with Ken does not make that much sense, and it made it odd for her to seem to of completely bought into it. What will happen between them is one of the intriguing storylines that will be interesting to see how it progresses. And to that note, Glee has many storylines, that have nothing to do with music or the up-coming sectionals, involving the emotions of the characters, and these are what drive the show to be great. At this point, the audience is invested, the quality of the show has been strong for a good stretch of episodes and going into its mid-season break, it is one of the best on TV. While Mattress was not great all the way through, starting slow (which Glee sometimes seems to do), it really got going. Based on the early episodes of the show, it is impressive to see the dramatic range that the show now has, and Mattress had some of the best so far. 9/10

Glee can be seen Wednesdays on Fox or on Amazon.com

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) – Review

Fantastic Mr. Fox is a wondrous film, composed of adventure, artistic aesthetic sensibility and wry wit. The film is outwardly quirky and yet has a certain charm to it, much like the other works of director Wes Anderson. It is ambitious and tedious in its presentation, in that it spares no detail in its visual composite, every shot, every article of clothing, prop, gesture, camera movement, everything was meticulously designed and executed. Much like Hitchcock, Anderson uses his camera actively and knows exactly how the film will look and play before shooting even commences, and to this degree he is surely one of the prominent auteurs working today. So what does this mean for the film? Anderson and animation director Mark Gustafson have created an astounding piece of art. The film is completely analog with all animation done manually through stop-motion. It is something to behold on a purely aesthetic level. At first, the film seems completely surreal, the animation almost feels foreign, but that fades rapidly, helped along by the well-known voice work, leaving very real characters. The animation becomes warm and inviting and the style meshes quite well with the subject matter. This film is not like anything else seen in Hollywood in some time. As for the narrative structure of the film, it is put together much like the films of the silent era and classic animation, starting with a book opening to the first page and titles that track to progression of the story. The structure works well, but for a film that is just an hour and a half, there are still a few moments where the film does drag a bit. Thus, the storytelling is not as tight as it need be. Maybe that is due to the changing expectations of audiences, most films now have a high number of action beats versus past periods; but like many other aspects of this film, it feels like a classic and not a new release. The story takes its time. It allows for characters to have moments and is not caught up in action for action’s sake. Rather action plays as the story dictates. Anderson has also created a very referential film here. There are a number of allusions to past works and genres. The use of genre in the film is also remarkable. While having an overall feel of adventure and comedy, the film employs other genres to connect to its audience. For example, there is a scene in which the whole town, guns in hand, is waiting for the animals to emerge from their hole. Through shot selection and music cues this scene very much feels like it is straight out of a western, even though it takes place in England and is between townsfolk and anamorphic animals. The ability to use genres effectively by the filmmakers allows the film to bring the audience into the moment without much exposition. It is not often that a director can mesh multiple genres effectively, but Anderson has done so here. The film at its core is about being yourself, accepting who you are and loving and ultimately empowering yourself, as told through a number of diverse characters. Roald Dahl’s work holds up and comes to life, but the adaptation by Anderson and Noah Baumbach gets more to the heart of the story they wanted to tell, which can be seen in the addition of Ash and Kristofferson. Anderson and Baumbach also employ a fair amount of dry humor, possibly spotlighted in the argument between Mr. Fox and his lawyer, Badger. The humor adds another level of enjoyment that adult viewers will appreciate. The voice acting is perfect for the wit and dryness that Anderson wanted to achieve, highlighted by George Clooney, Meryl Streep and Jason Schwartzman work. Anderson’s brother Eric Chase Anderson is also very good voicing Kristofferson. Music selection is trademark of Anderson’s style, and here the selections are unexpected but work quite well. Alexandre Desplat, continuing his trend of late, provides a rich score that works well with the visuals of the film to create an overall atmosphere of adventure and playfulness, but the score is also able to capture the dramatic scenes. If the audience can buy into the animation, to the world of Fantastic Mr. Fox, they are in for a treat of a film. 9/10