Movies to Look out for in 2010

[Emperor]

 

Shutter Island

Opens: February 19th 2010

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams

Director: Martin Scorsese

 

Summary: In 1954, two U.S. marshals are summoned to a remote island off Massachusetts to investigate the disappearance of a patient from a fortress-like hospital for the criminally insane. Once inside, one begins to doubt everything - even his own sanity.

 

Analysis: Much like Paul Greengrass' "Green Zone", this was originally pegged as an Oscar contender before a delay to the Spring and a first trailer came out which showed it to be a twisted mainstream thriller. This isn't Scorsese doing yet another mob crime drama or some biopic desperate for awards, this is Scorsese just indulging himself in a populist pulpy thriller - something he hasn't really done since his great remake of "Cape Fear" in 1991 and something I've been keen to see him tackle again.

 

What will be interesting will be the critical response. Scorsese and DiCaprio together usually means awards, as does an adaptation of work by Lehane ("Mystic River," "Gone Baby Gone"). When it comes out it'll almost certainly disappoint a big swath of critics who want mobster tragedy Oscar bait and can't handle the idea of their cinematic god Scorsese slumming it with such generic thriller nonsense. Or it could surprise and actually be far more original and exciting than the trailers have let on.

 

Reviews out of a screening in Texas the other month painted a somewhat confusing picture with both the aforementioned disappointment and surprise popping up, often in the same critique. The overall response seemed to indicate that while the twists and mystery elements weren't as well handled as they should've been, the film has been crafted with a lot of care with certain elements like the atmosphere and the performances scoring high praise. Don't be surprised if it ends up making an appearance on a lot of critic's 'Honorable Mentions' lists at the end of 2010.

 

 

[Emperor]

 

Somewhere

Opens: 2010

Cast: Stephen Dorff, Benicio Del Toro, Elle Fanning, Chris Pontius

Director: Sofia Coppola

 

Summary: The story of Johnny Marco, a bad-boy actor stumbling through a life of excess at the Chateau Marmont. With an unexpected visit from his 11-year-old daughter, Johnny is forced to look at the questions we all must confront.

 

Analysis: No matter what you thought of her period spin on teen rebellion with 2006's "Marie Antoinette", director Sofia Coppola is always fascinating and she finally returns this year with this Sundance competition entry that many have been anticipating. The story itself sounds rather trite, but her directorial style can make the most mundane subject matter fascinating and certainly it feels like a harkening back to her 2003 modern masterpiece "Lost in Translation".

 

Focus Features, who released 'Lost', has big plans for this should the launch at Park City go as well as expected. The film could kick off a Mickey Rourke-like career resurgence for the talented but generally under-appreciated Stephen Dorff, while one potential surprise will be Jackass's Chris Pontius in a supporting role as Dorff's friend. LA's famed landmark Chateau Marmont hotel also will make for a compelling backdrop. Definitely a must-see.

 

 

[Emperor]

 

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Opens: July 16th 2010

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Teresa Palmer, Monica Bellucci

Director: Jon Turteltaub

 

Summary: A master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan recruits a seemingly average guy who demonstrates hidden potential, as his reluctant protégé. The sorcerer gives his unwilling accomplice a crash course so he can help defend the city from the sorcerer's arch-nemesis.

 

Analysis: Though said to be a "live action re-imagining" of the famous Mickey Mouse short sequence from "Fantasia", this Bruckheimer-produced fantasy family film resembles both it and its original Goethe-penned poem originator in name only it would seem. Otherwise it's a fairly familiar mentor/student film albeit the mentor looking like a bum who can shoot blue bolts from his hands.

 

Molina as the gentlemen wizard villain of the piece and Monica Bellucci as Cage's ex-flame are the only casting here to get excited about. "National Treasure" series helmer Jon Turtletaub in the director's chair means it'll be crowd-friendly enough, certainly the visual effects actually looked quite good at certain points in the trailer. Maybe it'll surprise.

 

 

[Emperor]

 

44 Inch Chest

Opens: January 15th 2010

Cast: John Hurt, Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, Tom Wilkinson, Joanne Whalley

Director: Malcolm Venville

 

Summary: Shattered by the bombshell of his wife’s infidelity with a young French waiter, Colin Diamond and his motley crew of friends kidnapp the loverboy and assemble a kangaroo court to take revenge out on him as the mighty Colin wrestles with his own demons.

 

Analysis: Not a sequel but certainly fans of British black comedy/thriller "Sexy Beast" have been anticipating that film's scribes Louis Mellis and David Scinto re-teaming for this mostly single-room study of the male ego at breaking point. Featuring some of the best British acting veterans working today, festival reviews for 'Chest' were very complimentary, citing strong (if overly bombastic) performances all round and razor sharp dialogue.

 

However Malcolm Venville's inexperienced directing, the indecisive leading character and the general lack of plot did come under criticism. Still, 'Chest' is expected to become a cult film success on its own thanks to its poetic and obscene monologues combined with the presence of its "New Tricks"-style band of cranky ex-crim geezers. John Hurt as the obscenity spewing pro-violence hardliner, and Ian McShane as the sensible urbane gay gangster scored the most praise in early reviews.

 

 

[Haxorsist]

Haha, Nicolas Cage summoning a thunderbolt. That just looks awesomely bad.

[Emperor]

 

Your Highness

Opens: October 1st 2010

Cast: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux

Director: David Gordon Green

 

Summary: In a fantastical world of knights and dragons, the king sends the heroic prince Fabious and his slovenly brother Thadeous on a quest to rescue the prince's fiancee from an evil wizard. Along with an elusive female warrior, Thadeous must find his inner hero.

 

Analysis: "Pineapple Express" director David Gordon Green and co-stars James Franco and Danny McBride re-team for this fantasy comedy mixing stoner humor and dragon fighting with the standard familial black sheep theme. Period comedy is a tricky thing, the humor has to work for a contemporary audience despite the strange setting and costumes. In the right hands you get something like the brilliant "Blackadder" or "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" which both still work superbly. In the wrong hands though we get "Year One", a film that despite a few strong key talents just stank to high heaven.

 

Unlike some of his other contemporaries though, Green's track record is solid and has only improved so far - so the chances of this being at least good are high. Here he's kept the comedy essentially in-house using a script by Danny McBride and Ben Best, the trio having worked together on numerous episodes of HBO's "Eastbound & Down". Shot in the early Fall in Ireland and armed with a strong supporting cast, expect this to be one of the few shining lights in the otherwise usually pretty dull month of October.

 

 

[Emperor]

 

Toy Story 3

Opens: June 18th 2010

Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn

Director: Lee Unkrich

 

Summary: As Andy prepares to depart for college, Buzz, Woody and the rest of his loyal toys are troubled about their uncertain future which soon lands them in a room full of untamed tots who can't wait to get their sticky little fingers on these "new" toys.

 

Analysis: Hard to believe that at one time years ago, "Toy Story 2" was originally planned as a direct-to-video follow-up to the original 1995 hit. Early development was so good that they decided to go theatrical with it, the resulting sequel in 1999 is a film that many critics and filmgoers still consider the very best of Pixar's stellar work. Thus to say that anticipation for a third film is considerable would be among the biggest understatements of all time.

 

Originally developed at Disney alone, the Disney/Pixar deal caused the previous version of the script - in which the toys go to Taiwan to rescue a recalled Buzz Lightyear - to be scrapped. Instead the film was developed in-house as usual, starting with a script getting underway in late 2006 with contributions from Oscar-winning scribe Michael Arndt ("Little Miss Sunshine"). From there work began in earnest, and in an unusual move the voice actors were all shown a complete story reel of the entire movie using temp voices and music with everyone essentially signing on immediately after.

 

There's always the possibility that Pixar could disappoint? Ha ha ha, yeah didn't believe that one either. The question won't be if it's any good, but rather how good. If it can equal or dare say top the second film, expect to not only see this amongst the biggest box-office earners next year, but also extremely high up on many a film critic's Yearly Top Ten lists.

 

 

[Emperor]

 

Tron: Legacy

Opens: December 17th 2010

Cast: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, James Frain

Director: Joseph Kosinski

 

Summary: The son of Kevin Flynn looks into his father's disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs his father has been living in for 25 years. The pair embark on a perilous journey across a cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous.

 

Analysis: Though the big-budget and ground-breaking 1982 original was a famous box-office disappointment, it has retained cult status throughout the years even as your average home computer became able to produce superior effects for one-hundredth the cost and time. Rumors of a sequel have been flying ever since the late 90's, though it wasn't until 2005 that a script was commissioned.

 

Even then nobody considered the film anything more than a pipe dream until Comic Con in 2008 when a proof-of-concept visual effects test reel that was shown to the studio was aired to a surprised audience and stole the show that year. The project was greenlit soon after and began shooting last April. A few months later in San Diego the official title and first bit of footage was revealed.

 

Elements from the original are returning, most notably Jeff Bridges reprising his role as Kevin Flynn while Bruce Boxleitner will cameo as Alan Bradley and Tron. Familiar elements are coming back and will be updated including the light cycle, the Recogniser, and the Disc Wars game. There will also be spins on the old tech including a two-seater version of the light cycle called a 'light runner', and a second-generation light cycle designed by Flynn.

 

Michael Sheen will serve as the film's villain, a night club owner inside the Tron world rather than a new version of the MCP as previously rumoured. Shot for a Disney Digital 3-D and IMAX 3D release, Joseph Kosinski takes over directing duties while the original film's director Steven Lisberger will serve as producer. Legendary electronic music duo Daft Punk will be composing the film score and will cameo on screen.

 

Will it work though? The studio has set this as a tentpole film and there's a certain small part of the population that will definitely have an interest, but most people are still unaware of the first film and so as sequels go this one will essentially have to work as a stand alone. Can it be as revolutionary as the original? We'll see.

 

[Emperor]

 

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Opens: June 30th 2010

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Billy Burke

Director: David Slade

 

Summary: As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings, Bella is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob — knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf.

 

Analysis: Everyone subscribes to at least one kind of fandom - a show, film, genre or filmmaker where they really respond to and relish in the little details of the work presented. It's an interesting phenomenon because its entirely subjective, others will look at the same work and might even like it but simply don't share the same zealotry admiration that you may have. What seems exciting to you is tired or silly to them, it's not a matter of "not getting it" but rather a mix of taste, experience and often indefiniable qualities completely different to each individual.

 

Certain fandoms though pull in a large consensus of like minded people, usually of the same demographic. "Twilight" is one such case, fuelled almost entirely by a massive fanbase of women who have normally not associated themselves with vampire-related subject matter in the past and thus the work feels fresh to them. Men on the other hand are usually well-associated with vampire films/shows and, combined with the admittedly overcooked romance angle, find the whole craze tedious.

 

Critical dismissals are no surprise as it's a male-dominated occupation and the few females who do it full time tend to be older. Money however can't be dismissed and with the record-shattering opening of "New Moon", anyone who simply ignores this phenomenon does so at their own peril. An article on CHUD the other month which essentially cut and pasted the "Breaking Dawn" wikipedia synopsis and added a few snarky comments became an online sensation, which goes to show you the power that just the "Twilight" name itself has.

 

'Eclipse' in many ways marks the most interesting test for this franchise. It's the most action heavy of the four and from anecdotal reports and comments it seems to be the one voted the 'best' of the books by fans even if the first or fourth book are their personal favourites. Story wise it certainly sounds the strongest of the four, while the inclusion of the truly edgy and potent director David Slade ("30 Days of Night," "Hard Candy") actually has some outside of the franchise's fanbase at least somewhat curious.

 

The leak the other week of the script online means nothing, only fans will read it and the only thing spoiled are the changes made to the film from the book which no doubt someone will go into extensively on a blog somewhere. Nothing and no-one will stop this film from destroying records next year, with the "Iron Man" and "Harry Potter" sequels will prove its only serious challenges for box-office domination. Get ready for more Team Edward/Jacob merchandise everywhere and whinging guys bitching about how these books and films are the main cause for the decline of Western civilisation.

 

 

[Majsju]

Serge Gainsbourg, vie héroïque

 

After the very successful biographical movie about Edith Piaf, La môme (with Marion Cotillard as Piaf), it is now time for a movie about the great composer Gainsbourg, with Eric Elmosnino playing the composer/singer.

 

If it is anywhere near the quality of La möme, best musical movie of 2010 is a one-picture show.

 

I only hope that classic scene with Whitney Houston is featured ;D