Back for its fifth year, today comes the first in a 10-12 volume look at the various feature releases hitting cinemas in 2013. Organised in alphabetical order, each volume explores many of the films set to screen at the big multiplexes, the boutique art house theaters, and on premium V.O.D. over the next twelve months. The remaining volumes in this series will go online every few days between now and mid-January.
I've confined my list to films that have either set a 2013 release date or have begun/completed production with the intention of a release next year. Even then, however, the system has undergone a slight change this year to handle the sheer number of films on the way. Nearly 400 films are covered in this guide, and I'm pretty sure I'm missing a few that I can't quite think of at the moment.
The new system means each volume will now operate on a two-tier system. Rather than 28-30 films per volume undergoing full analysis, each volume will consist of around 20-23 films getting that treatment while a further 12-15 or so will undergo a shorter examination. Not that the latter films are any less important, it is often because there is simply not enough information available to give them a proper analysis.
2 Guns
Opens: August 16th 2013
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Denzel Washington, James Marsden, Paula Patton, Bill Paxton
Director: Baltasar Kormákur
Analysis: Coming off acclaim for his survival drama "The Deep," Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur is re-teaming with his "Contraband" star Mark Wahlberg on this adaptation of Steven Grant's graphic novel series. "Brotherhood" creator Blake Masters penned the script for what Kormákur calls a pulpy comic adaptation with a sensibility akin to 1980s buddy action comedies like "48 Hrs" and "Lethal Weapon".
The plot sounds like a spin on "Infernal Affairs"/"The Departed" with Wahlberg as a DEA agent and Denzel Washington as a Naval Intelligence officer. Having spent months reluctantly working together as members of a narcotics syndicate, each is unaware that the other one is an undercover federal agent. A failed attempt to nab millions from the cartels sees the duo suddenly disavowed by their superiors and on the run.
James Marsden, Paula Patton, Bill Paxton, Fred Ward and Edward James Olmos also star in the film which Kormákur is currently editing and is said to clock in at just over two hours. According to his contract, the filmmaker has to deliver an R-rated movie to the studio. However, it could reportedly end up being less than that because coarse language seems to be the only issue at present - and he's not averse to cutting it.
The tone is said to be surprisingly comic, and yet not a satire. In an interview during promotion for "Flight," Washington says he's not sure how it's going to turn out. He adds: "It's either going to be a little funny or a real tragedy … I don't know what it is, all I know is we were acting stupid." Shot in Louisiana and New Mexico last summer, it is scheduled to close out next summer with hopefully a few laughs.
33 dias
Opens: 2013
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Gwyneth Paltro, Oscar Jaenada, Barbara Goenaga
Director: Carlos Saura
Analysis: Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura ("Salomé," "Tango," "I, Don Govanni") has recently been shooting this $10.4 million Spanish-language biopic in France and Spain. The story looks at the emotional turmoil painter Pablo Picasso's suffered whilst creating the famed mural "Guernica" over a 33 day period. Said mural showcases the destruction of the Basque town of the same name during the Spanish Civil War.
Antonio Banderas has reportedly been offered the role of Picasso in numerous projects over the years, and he's turned it down each and every time so far. He finally picked this one in which to portray the man, saying in interviews that he has huge respect for the artist who was born only a few blocks away from where he was.
This also explores the complicated relationship between Picasso and French artist Dora Maar, played by Gwyneth Paltrow who funnily enough speaks Spanish fluently. Vittorio Storaro ("Apocalypse Now") is also onboard as cinematographer. No word on a date yet, but it's likely this will make a festival debut sometime in the second half of the year.
42
Opens: April 12th 2013
Cast: Harrison Ford, Chadwick Boseman, Alan Tudyk, Christopher Meloni, Lucas Black
Director: Brian Helgeland
Analysis: "L.A. Confidential" scribe and "A Knight's Tale" director Brian Helgeland takes on the color divide in baseball with this biopic of Jackie Robinson and his history-making signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson, played by Chadwick Boseman, was the first African-American to ever play in Major League Baseball. The film also follows the Dodger’s general manager Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) who first signed Robinson to the minors and then helped bring him to the big leagues.
The film's trailer looks fairly solid and contains some impressively shot compositions. However, the overbearing sepia tone, the Jay-Z music (trailer only though, it's NOT in the film), and some awkward line deliveries - it all seems to be a bit too earnest. Even for someone like me who has zero interest in baseball, the story is interesting and potent enough to stand on its own two feet. I worry that this overly stylised filmmaking could take away from proceedings rather than enhance the story.
47 Ronin
Opens: December 25th 2013
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Kou Shibasaki, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi
Director: Carl Erik Rinsch
Analysis: This 3D fantasy-adventure marks the first full feature from acclaimed commercials and short helmer Carl Erik Rinsch. "47 Ronin" fuses the familiar true story of the title with Japanese-influenced magical elements including giants and witches. The result has drawn comparisons to both "Gladiator" and "The Lord of the Rings."
Filmed throughout much of 2011, the story follows a group of outcast samurai who seek vengeance upon the treacherous warlord who slaughtered their master. Keanu Reeves, playing a half-Brit/half-Japanese man, leads a Japanese cast that was picked for authenticity rather than box-office appeal. All the scenes were reportedly shot in both Japanese and English.
Right off the bat the project seemed like a very costly $170 million gamble for Universal Pictures, especially considering the way "Sucker Punch" and "Immortals" fizzled at the box-office that year. Throughout filming came reports of a very difficult working environment on set, Rinsch's lack of feature film experience apparently causing some friction.
Then came the delays. Originally slated for November this year, the project got pushed back all the way to Christmas 2013. Reshoots to bolster Reeves' role have resulted in the budget creeping to at least $200 million (others say higher), and then came reports of Rinsch's removal from the editing room - reports that were later shot down.
Universal has certainly stepped in to take a more hands on approach to the movie than they had originally intended. The question is if all these issues during the production process will have any effect on the final film? Despite the troubles, Rinsch is said to have delivered something fairly eye-popping. For Universal's sake, let's hope it turns out to be the next "300" rather than the next "John Carter."
300: Rise of an Empire
Opens: August 2nd 2013
Cast: Eva Green, Rodrigo Santoro, Sullivan Stapleton, Jack O'Connell, Callan Mulvey
Director: Noam Munro
Analysis: A prequel and 'side-quel' to 2007's major international hit "300," this follow-up will cover some of the back story of Persian ruler Xerxes as well as various key battles between the Greek and the Persian armies. One of those skirmishes, and likely the film's key set piece, will be The Battle of Artemisium. The massive naval engagement took place concurrent with the battle at Thermopylae and visually could prove even more impressive.
While film critics were not fans at all, Zack Snyder's highly stylised comic book adaptation "300" remains a very popular action movie with the populace. Everyone was impressed with it raking in nearly half a billion dollars in box-office and costing only a fairly economical $65 million. Despite it being a wild fantasy take on a famous event, in subsequent years it has come under heavy criticism for its highly xenophobic, homophobic and pro-militarism sensibilities.
Although much of that can be blamed on the hardcore right-wing viewpoints of the comic's creator Frank Miller, one wonders if it gave the studio pause before moving forward with this. Snyder was initially slated to come back, but opted to helm "Man of Steel" instead. Unexpectedly taking his place is Noam Murro, known mostly for helming the little seen comedy "Smart People."
The cast is dominated by three leads - "Strike Back" star and Aussie actor Sullivan Stapleton as Greek leader Themistocles, "Casino Royale" actress Eva Green as Artemisia of Caria, and a returning Rodrigo Santoro as Xerxes. Shot in Bulgaria over the past few months, it is expected to have a very similar filmmaking style to the first. It will also screen in both IMAX and 3D when it opens early August.
7500
Opens: 2013
Cast: Ryan Kwanten, Amy Smart, Leslie Bibb, Jamie Chung, Jonathan Schaech
Director: Takashi Shimizu
Analysis: As a genre it seems ghost thrillers have been done to death (no pun intended), yet "The Grudge" director Takashi Shimizu has come up with a fun angle. Here, the action is set onboard a trans-Pacific red-eye flight where the passengers are terrorised by a ghostly force. Yes, it's a spin on one of those early episodes of "Supernatural," but it's still a good one.
The confined and volatile nature of the environment makes for a solid setting, added to that a cast of young good lookers like Ryan Kwanten, Amy Smart, Leslie Bibb and Jamie Chung. The fun trailer, set to a slowed down cover of John Denver's "Leaving on a Jet Plane," is a winner. Who knew overhead compartments could also be a source of terror?
A delay from late summer this year doesn't bode well for its quality, but that was said to be due to competition from the likes of the Sam Raimi-produced "The Possession" and the Joel Silver-produced "The Apparition" which both opened in August to ordinary reviews. I don't expect the critics will be any more thrilled with this, but here's hoping it's a fun diversion.
The ABC's of Death
Opens: March 8th 2013
Cast: Too Many To Count
Director: Too Many To Count
Analysis: Anthology films, by their own nature, are deeply flawed because the whole is never greater than the sum of its parts. This problem increases exponentially the more short films are squeezed into each feature and the more disconnected each short is. From "Paris je'taime" to "V/H/S", the problem is that these mini-films are often of such differing style and quality that only the odd one or two are worth bothering with and make for a far more entertaining time than the other 90-95% of them.
This ultra-gory anthology film sports twenty-seven different directors, each given five minutes and $5000 to tell a story related to a letter of the alphabet. Screening in Toronto a few months ago, it's unsurprising that only four or five of the shorts have generally scored good notices. Even the often overly generous horror film sites have been awarding this scores of 5's and 6's out of 10. That hardly sounds like high praise. Certainly there's enough awful sounding entries on offer from Ti West's take on miscarriage, to one involving vaginal vegetable cannons.
The better notices went to Ben Wheatley's tale shot from a monster's P.O.V., Marcel Sarmiento's story of a hobo and a dog fight, Adam Wingard's meta short on filmmakers shooting a film for an omnibus, Jason Eisner's pedophile story done in a music video format, a stop motion entry by Lee Hardcastle about a killer toilet, and Xavier Gens' gory tale of an overweight woman with body dysmorphic disorder. It's interesting, but frankly it's the kind of film which seems best suited for VOD. Unsurprisingly, that is where it will premiere in late January.
About Time
Opens: May 10th 2013
Cast: Rachel McAdams, Domhnall Gleeson, Bill Nighy, Tom Hollander, Lindsay Duncan
Director: Richard Curtis
Analysis: After the success of "Love Actually" and failure of "The Boat That Rocked," long-admired British writer/producer/director Richard Curtis gives directing a third go and this time it's in a genre he hasn't really tackled on the big screen - science fiction. Curtis is certainly familiar with time travel, thanks to penning episodes of "Doctor Who" and "Blackadder," and here he tries his hand at a low-budget sci-fi dramedy feature which follows a man (Domnhall Gleeson) who comes from a family of time-travelers.
The catch? He can't change history, but he can change what happens and has happened in his own life. He meets the girl of his dreams (Rachel McAdams) and along the way uses his powers to save her and his friends from various awkward fates. He also learns that even with these gifts, he can't spare himself the emotional ups and downs that affect all families. Shot in the UK over the summer, and set for release in March in many international territories, it is kind of surprising we haven't seen a trailer at this point.
A.C.O.D.
Opens: 2013
Cast: Adam Scott, Richard Jenkins, Catherine O’Hara, Jane Lynch, Amy Poehler
Director: Stu Zicherman
Analysis: Set to debut at Sundance this year, this comedy sports an unusual pedigree including "The Daily Show" & "The Colbert Report" executive producer Ben Karlin as co-scribe, while "Elektra" scribe Stu Zicherman also co-wrote the script and is directing.
The always fun Adam Scott plays a thirty-something man who was forced at an early age to be the adult of his family when his parents split bitterly. Now, he discovers that he was unknowingly a former participant in a study about children of divorce.
Sought for a follow-up study several years later, the tension boils over with comedic results when his younger brother's unexpected marriage vows force him to bring his divorced parents back together - and so years of pent-up resentment boil over.
Scott is backed by an impressive raft of solid comedy talent including those listed above, along with the likes of Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jessica Alba, Clark Duke and Ken Howard. Shot earlier this year in Atlanta, this is one of the more commercially appealing and higher profile entries to unspool at Park City this year. Reviews from the festival will tell the tale of how big a release this will get in cinemas later in 2013.
After Earth
Opens: June 7th 2013
Cast: Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Isabelle Fuhrman, David Denman, Sophie Okonedo
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Analysis: If 2012 was the year of the duelling "Snow White" movies, 2013 is the year of the warring scorched Earth films and this time the differentiation isn't so clear cut. In March there's "Tron: Legacy" director Joseph Kosinski's mystery-laden and mythology-heavy "Oblivion" starring Tom Cruise. In August comes "District 9" director Neill Blomkamp's political and ambitious class warfare tale "Elysium" with Matt Damon.
Sandwiched between those is this survival-oriented tale featuring Will Smith and his son Jaden. Set a millennium after humanity abandoned Earth, a legendary General is returning home from an extended tour of duty to his estranged family. His 13-year-old son is onboard as well when an asteroid storm damages his craft, forcing them down on a now unfamiliar and dangerous Earth. With the dad incapacitated and slowly dying in the cockpit, the young teen must trek across the hostile terrain to recover their rescue beacon.
Shot primarily in Costa Rica earlier this year, Will Smith's name will certainly sell the film in international markets. However, Sony has two issues to deal with. On the one hand the story essentially puts Will in a supporting role with his son Jaden the main star. That's hardly a deal breaker though considering how well "The Karate Kid" remake performed around the world.
The real concern is that it's M. Night Shyamalan at the helm. Following a string of critical and commercial flops, Shyamalan's name is no longer a selling point - if anything it's a potential hindrance. Unlike most of his earlier films, Shyamalan isn't the sole writer on this project with both Stephen Gaghan and Gary Whitta performing re-writes. While the other two scorched Earth films have already got their publicity campaigns under way, this one has fallen behind somewhat and needs to get going soon if it is to stay in the game.
Aftershock
Opens: 2013
Cast: Eli Roth, Andrea Osvart, Ariel Levy, Nicolas Martinez
Director: Nicolas Lopez
Analysis: Premiering at the Toronto Film Festival a few months ago to so-so reviews, the $10 million-budget "Aftershock" attempts to merge two different genres - disaster movie and horror. Filmed on-location in Chile, the project marks new territory for Lopez who had directed mostly cheaply shot, locally filmed romantic comedies before this.
"Hostel" director Eli Roth steps in front of the camera to play an American in Santiago. Having fun at an underground nightclub when an earthquake hits, he and his new friends have to find a way out of the collapsed building. Getting to the surface is only the start of the ensuing chaos and terror that they become engulfed in. Before the night is over, there will be horrific encounters with escaped convicts, looters, and the dreaded tween sensation Selena Gomez.
Roth says much of the film was inspired by real events that took place in February 2010 after an 8.8 earthquake shook the country for several minutes during party season. Almost everything in the film is done practically, including many of the dangerous stunts which couldn't be achieved filming in America due to strict union rules and occupational safety standards.
All Is Lost
Opens: 2013
Cast: Robert Redford
Director: J.C. Chandor
Analysis: Nominated for multiple awards including an Oscar, and one of the most profitable VOD films to ever get a simultaneous theatrical release, J.C. Chandor impressed many with 2011's GFC-themed "Margin Call." He returns with this open water thriller which swaps Margin's large ensemble for a completely different approach - a one man show.
75 year-old Robert Redford spent an intense two months shooting this project, often soaked to the bone in the story of a man lost at sea who must battle against the elements to stay alive. Much like Alfonso Cuaron's upcoming "Gravity," the lead star spends practically the entire film alone in a highly volatile and dangerous environment. Should it all come together, it could also sport potential awards-worthy work from Redford.
Chandor claims he wrote the film specifically with the actor in mind after he met him at Sundance. Filmed at that giant water tank in Mexico which has been employed on the likes of "Titanic" and "Pearl Harbor," Universal will likely release 'Lost' sometime in the Fall.
Anchorman: The Legend Continues
Opens: October 19th 2013
Cast: Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, Christina Applegate, Luke Wilson
Director: Adam McKay
Analysis: Despite a teaser trailer being released a few months ago and an October release date set, actual filming on an "Anchorman" sequel doesn't begin until February. Nevertheless, everything is in place for production to begin on this much anticipated comedy follow-up starring everyone's favorite San Diego news team.
It has actually taken a good few years to get the movie going. Will Ferrell and director Adam McKay developed the sequel initially as a stage musical which would then segue into a film at Paramount. The studio balked at the idea and opted out of the project in 2010. After campaigning and months of back-and-forth negotiations, the studio finally signed off on going forward with this follow-up in March this year.
Part of the issue was bringing the cast back together considering that pretty much all of them have achieved big success in the eight years since the initial film's release. They are more expensive and difficult to book, while one fact many forget is that the first film was far from a box-office smash. Though it earned a decent $85 million domestically, the overseas take was a woeful $5 million.
Nevertheless there's plenty of material for McKay, Ferrell and the rest to work with - including at least one major musical number. While the script is currently undergoing re-writes, McKay confirmed last month that the big issue dealt with in the sequel is the rise of new media and the 24 hour news cycle. McKay also aims to fill even the smallest bit parts with familiar and widely liked comic talent.
The Angriest Man In Brooklyn
Opens: 2013
Cast: Robin Williams, Mila Kunis, Peter Dinklage, Melissa Leo and James Earl Jones
Director: Phil Alden Robinson
Analysis: "Sneakers" and "Field Of Dreams" director Phil Alden Robinson helms this simple premise comedy about an obnoxious ageing lawyer (Robin Williams) who is wrongly diagnosed by a stand-in doctor (Mila Kunis) as having 90 minutes left to live due to an aggressive form of cancer. When she realises her error, she has to find him. Trouble is he's out to fix all the wrongs in his life in what little time he thinks he has left.
It's the kind of premise that seems designed to unfold in real-time, and one that will heavily depend upon how off the wall Robin Williams is truly allowed to be. Certainly William's onscreen comedies are more miss than hit, but here the film boasts a screenplay based on Assi Dayan's decently-regarded 1997 Israeli film "Mar Baum." A strong supporting cast like Peter Dinklage, Melissa Leo and James Earl Jones also bodes well for its chances.
As I Lay Dying
Opens: 2013
Cast: James Franco, Logan Marshall-Green, Tim Blake Nelson, Danny McBride
Director: James Franco
Analysis: Having indulged in mostly experimental indies so far, James Franco's desire to direct gets ambitious with this adaptation of William Faulkner’s beloved 1930 novel. An extremely difficult book to translate due to Faulkner's prose, and the action being told from fifteen different perspectives, Franco has long been determined to make this. Several years ago he reportedly shot a rough version of what he had in mind to prove he could do it.
Filmed in Mississippi over the past few months with faithful recreations of the 1920s, the story showcases how various different characters cope with loss. The main thrust follows a family's attempts to fulfil the dying wishes of their mother who wants to be buried in the nearby town of Jefferson. The last time someone tried to adapt Faulkner was Martin Ritt's 1959 film "The Sound and the Fury," and so many people are wondering how this will turn out.
At Any Price
Opens: 2013
Cast: Zac Efron, Dennis Quaid, Heather Graham, Clancy Brown, Kim Dickens
Director: Ramin Bahrani
Analysis: Iranian-American filmmaker Ramin Bahrani is considered one of the real rising stars of the indie filmmaking scene with his first three films - 2005's "Man Push Cart," 2007's "Chop Shop" and 2008's "Goodbye Solo" - widely regarded as a hat trick of impressive and affecting features. So when this project was announced, it's not unfair to say it generated a bit of a shock amongst some film news writers out there.
On a much bigger scale than those previous films, this swaps out a focus on the experience of immigrants coming to the United States for the complete opposite - a look at multiple-generation farming business families in heartland Iowa. Dennis Quaid plays an ambitious farmer who wants to expand his empire, but becomes caught up in the genetically modified foods debate with a rival company. Zac Efron stars as his rebellious son who is much more keen on becoming a race car driver and escaping this small town life.
Playing the Fall film festival run of Venice, Telluride and Toronto a few months back, reviews were quite strong with Quaid and Efron's performances, the layered characters, and the various moral complexities explored within the script scoring a lot of praise. The melancholic undertone and slightly heavy-handed old-fashioned approach met a more mixed response. More than a few have compared it to a 1950s melodrama which some will appreciate and others won't.
While not jingoistic, the film is certainly one big patriotic slice of pure farmland Americana which could very much limit its appeal internationally. The Venice screening of the film became somewhat infamous as a small, but vocal group of detractors booed the movie. Subsequent reviews from international critics also haven't gushed over the film the way U.S. critics have, mostly because the film points out rather than criticises the ultimately destructive nature of the "expand or die" mentality of pure capitalism.
August: Osage County
Opens: 2013
Cast: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch
Director: John Wells
Analysis: This and "The Butler" are already being lined up to be Harvey Weinstein's big contenders for the awards circuit in early 2014. An adaptation of Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize-winning play, this surprisingly dark comedy focuses on an extended Oklahoma family that comes together when the patriarch goes missing and is found a few days later having committed suicide.
The cast couldn't be more impressive, and also includes Sam Shepard, Dermot Mulroney, Abigail Breslin, Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale, Misty Upham and Julianne Nicholson. One of TV's most acclaimed producers, John Wells, has directed the film - his second after 2010's well-received "The Company Men." George Clooney is also involved as producer.
Having literally just wrapped filming this weekend in Oklahoma and Los Angeles, a couple of key questions are now being asked. The original play ran three-and-a-half hours and Letts reportedly struggled to cut it down, despite Weinstein's insistence. This means we're looking at a likely 2.5-3 hour run time. With the cast and quality material at hand though, I don't think many will mind.
Beautiful Creatures
Opens: February 13th 2013
Cast: Alice Englert, Alden Ehrenreich, Jeremy Irons, Emma Thompson, Emmy Rossum
Director: Richard LaGravenese
Analysis: Attempting to fill the void left by the departing "Twilight" film series is this adaptation of the first book in Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl's Caster Chronicles series. In this scenario the boy is the human, the girl the one with a family of people with special powers. Instead of chaste and kind vampires, this features vindictive witches. The themes aren't so much about romance as they are determining one's fate.
Shot in Louisiana early last summer, the film employs a Deep South setting which has drawn comparisons to the much more interesting and off the hook "True Blood." Yet, oddly, two of the most English of classic actors - Jeremy Irons and Emma Thompson - have been hired to adopt fairly thick drawls in what are the mentor and antagonist roles respectively.
Trailers showcase Thompson chewing scenery like nobody's business, whereas Irons reigns it in to provide some gravitas. There's also a fun a bad girl routine by Emmy Rossum as the sister who "went dark." Chuck in some dodgy CGI and plenty of young lovers making out and you get a gooey Valentine's Day treat designed directly for young women who like their Gothic horror on the lighter side.
Before Midnight
Opens: 2013
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick, Ariane Labed
Director: Richard Linklater
Analysis: One of the more unique film series continues with this third feature following Ethan Hawke's Jesse and Julie Delpy's Celine who first appeared in 1995's acclaimed "Before Sunrise". Nine years later came "Before Sunset" which scored numerous awards and an Oscar nomination. Now, nine years on from that, comes what is said to be the conclusion of the story with both characters now in their early forties.
Shot in secret this past summer in Greece where the action will take place, Linklater is keeping story details under very tight wraps ahead of the world premiere next month at Sundance. The previous two films scored strong reviews and appeared on various critic Top Ten lists in their respective years. One hopes that will happen again here.
Belle
Opens: 2013
Cast: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Miranda Richardson, Tom Wilkinson, Sam Reid, Matthew Goode
Director: Amma Asante
Analysis: Following on from 2004's "A Way of Life," BAFTA Award winning filmmaker Amma Asante tackles this $10 million period biopic drama set in the 1780s. The story follows Dido Elizabeth Belle, a mixed-race woman raised as an aristocrat in 18th-century England. Despite facing class and color prejudice, Belle blossoms into an astute young woman who develops a relationship with a vicar's son who advocates slave emancipation.
One of the first projects awarded financing by the new management at the BFI Film Fund, the project was shot at Pinewood Studios and on the Isle of Man over the past few months. British costume dramas often tend to ignore the racial divide of the period, so it's nice to see a film tackling the issue head on. There's an impressive cast on offer here too including those listed above along with Emily Watson, Tom Felton, Penelope Wilton, Sarah Gadon and James Norton. With the film aiming to be completed by March, I'd expect an early Fall release.
The Best Offer
Opens: 2013
Cast: Geoffrey Rush, Donald Sutherland, Jim Sturgess, Sylvia Hoeks, Maximilian Dirr
Director: Giuseppe Tornatore
Analysis: A $21 million mood piece set in the luxurious world of Viennese art auctions? Sounds like the kind of material that will struggle to swim with audiences. Thankfully it features the return of "Cinema Paradiso," "Malèna" and "The Legend of 1900" director Giuseppe Tornatore who helms this combination English and Italian language drama that boasts a highly impressive international cast.
Geoffrey Rush plays a fastidious English genius and art expert, now living in Europe, who has avoided romance and emotion wherever he can. His life soon intersects with an astute young man (Jim Sturgess) and a mysterious female art assayer (Sylvia Hoeks) in relationships that will change it forever. While the various press releases for the film play up the romance angle, a recent trailer indicated more of a thriller vibe with a rundown villa full of secrets and potentially a fortune in old artwork playing a key role in the story.
The film was shot in Vienna, and the picturesque South Tyrol and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions of Italy which are showcased in Tornatore's signature widescreen compositions. The legendary Ennio Morricone is composing the score. It's very much an adult-targeted drama, one getting a European release early in the year ahead of a limited bow States-side closer to the summer.
ALSO OPENING:
21 and Over
"The Hangover" and "The Change-Up" scribes Jon Lucas and Scott Moore make their directorial debut on this $13 million teen comedy starring a bunch of unknowns. The story follows a promising student celebrating his 21st birthday with his two best friends on the night before his big medical school exam. Hopefully it'll be better than this year's god awful "Project X".
About Last Night
The original "About Last Night" was one of those forgettable 1980s romantic drama that nobody really discusses anymore, despite being Ed Zwick's first feature and based on a David Mamet play. Now, Screen Gems is attempting a contemporary remake of the film and substituting the blander-than-white Rob Lowe and Demi Moore with a mostly African-American cast led by Michael Ealy and Joy Bryant. Stepping in for Zwick is "Hot Tub Time Machine" director Steve Pink.
Admission
Opening in March, this college-set tale stars Tina Fey as a college admissions officer, Paul Rudd as an alternative school principal, and Nat Wolff as the possible son Fey's character gave up years before. A recent trailer proved oddly flat, showcasing something trying to hit that pathos-laden drama with odd dashes of comedy territory that James L. Brooks mastered so well. Weisz scored a hit in that genre with "About a Boy," but even with this strong cast it doesn't look like this is quite up to the job.
Adult World
Actor turned filmmaker Scott Coffey follows up his directorial debut "Ellie Parker" with this more promising and commercially appealing post-college comedy. Emma Roberts plays a young woman who has just completed a poetry degree. She is hit with reality hard when her quest to find a job ends up with her working at an adult bookstore. John Cusack and Evan Peters ("American Horror Story") also star in the film which will debut at this year's Sundance.
Afternoon Delight
Frequent TV producer and Emmy winner Jill Soloway ("Six Feet Under," "United States of Tara") makes her directorial debut on this self-described "sexy, dark comedy" which will premiere in the Sundance Dramatic Competition category. Kathryn Hahn plays an L.A. housewife who finds her idyllic hipster life in jeopardy when she tries to rescue a stripper (Juno Temple) by taking her in as a live-in nanny. Josh Radnor and Jane Lynch co-star in what sounds like one of those Park City films that could break out if reviews are strong enough.
Ain't Them Bodies Saints
One of the highest profile and most buzzed about entries at Sundance this year, David Lowery’s second feature is a drama-thriller starring Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara, Ben Foster, Nate Parker and Keith Carradine. Described as a modern day Bonnie and Clyde, Affleck plays an outlaw who escapes from prison and sets out across the Texas hills to reunite with his wife and the daughter he has never met. Developed at the Sundance Labs and shot in Louisiana, thus is another film awaiting the reaction at the festival next month to determine its fate.
Angry Little God
"The Last Exorcism" director Daniel Stamm is presently at work filming this remake of the 2006 Thai horror feature "13: Game of Death," a film with a solid premise let down by a highly divisive ending. Ron Perlman leads a cast of mostly TV actors in this English-language version that follows a young man desperate for money. He receives a mysterious phone call from a man promising increasingly large cash prizes in exchange for performing tasks for what is supposedly a hidden-camera game show. Each task becomes more and more extreme and ultimately life and death.
Are We Officially Dating?
Currently filming in New York City, there's very little at the moment to distinguish this rom-com beyond a decent cast, and a script that apparently made the 2010 Black List. The story follows three friends (Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan) who make a pact to remain single just as they each start to fall in love. Tom Gormican, whose sole credit so far is as a co-producer on "Movie 43," helms and directs the film. There are two solid young actresses also onboard - "True Blood" scene-stealer Deborah Ann Woll, and "Fright Night" star Imogen Poots.
Ass Backwards
Set to debut at the Park City at Midnight line-up at Sundance, "Gay Dude" director Chris Nelson's new feature follows two best friends - played by the film's writer Casey Wilson and June Diane Raphael - who embark on a cross country trip back to their hometown to attempt to win a pageant that eluded them as children. They've scored some pretty decent names for supporting roles including Vincent D'Onofrio, Jon Cryer, Alicia Silverstone, Bob Odenkirk and Brian Geraghty.
Austenland
There's been numerous takes on crazed Jane Austen fans finding their own romance over the years, most memorably the 2008 mini-series "Lost in Austen." Now comes this less fantastical, but similar spin based on the book by Shannon Hale. The story follows a young New York woman (Keri Russell) obsessed with the 90's BBC mini-series adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice." She ends up on a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-obsessed women. The main draw here is the fun supporting cast including Bret McKenzie, Jennifer Coolidge, James Callis and Jane Seymour.
Backmask
"Texas Chainsaw Massacre" remake and "Pathfinder" director Marcus Nispel helms this supernatural slasher flick co-starring "Avatar" villain Stephen Lang. The story follows six small-town teenagers who unleash a seemingly malevolent spirit that wreaks havoc as it moves from one body to another. A recent press release seems to spoil the film as it says "the spirit in question is actually trying to convey a message ... and that the real source of horror isn't particularly paranormal." This usually means one of the six will turn out to be a serial killer and the ghost is one of his victims.
Baggage Claim
Movies seem to be one of the last places on Earth that tries to reinforce the antiquated belief that women are not only defined by the men they love, but by their marital status. Basically if you aren't married by 31, you may as well kill yourself they seem to say. Fox Searchlight is oddly onboard with this agenda, and are showcasing this tale of a 35-year-old flight attendant (the truly stunning Paula Patton) who sets out on a month-long quest to crisscross America in the search for a potential husband. It basically sounds like "What's Your Number?" with a mostly African-American cast and a couple of jokes about airline travel thrown in.
Bailout: The Age of Greed
Schlock-meister Uwe Boll ("Alone in the Dark," "House of the Dead") attempts to give us his take on the global financial crisis. Here, we get the "Falling Down"-esque story of a man ("Prison Break" star Dominic Purcell) who lost everything in the bailout and who strikes back at the system that took everything he had. The trailer looks godawful, a low-budget direct-to-disc feature with a tone that appears as if Boll thinks he has a potential awards-calibre film on his hands. At least his over-the-top crap seemed more inventive than this.
Battle of the Year: The Dream Team
Somewhere along the way street dancing movies became a thing, most likely after the awful "You Got Served" doubled its $8 million budget on opening weekend. Several years and "Step Up" sequels later comes this 3D film about an American basketball team that heads to France to compete at the Battle of the Year International Dancing Championships. Cue melodramatic subplots about working as a team, and a washed up coach ("Lost" actor Josh Holloway) who has to prove himself.
The Complete Notable Films of 2013 Guide
Volume One: 2 Guns, 21 and Over, 33 dias, 42, 47 Ronin, 300: Rise of An Empire, 7500, The ABC's of Death, About Last Night, About Time, Admission, A.C.O.D., Adult World, After Earth, Afternoon Delight, Aftershock, Ain't Them Bodies Saints, All Is Lost, Anchorman: The Legend Continues, The Angriest Man In Brooklyn, Angry Little God, Are We Officially Dating?, As I Lay Dying, Ass Backwards, At Any Price, August: Osage County, Austenland, Backmask, Baggage Claim, Bailout: The Age of Greed, Battle of the Year, Beautiful Creatures, Before Midnight, Belle, The Best Offer