In this third volume I look at films that include a teaming of the three giant talents of Michael Fassbender, Ridley Scott & Cormac McCarthy; a "Dark Knight" star's directorial debut; true life stories about the West Memphis Three, Princess Diana, and a champion of alternative AIDS medicines; and numerous animated features about aliens, witches, minions, leaf men and cavemen.
There's also an Aussie surfing movie; an Icelandic sea survival story; a Thailand-set action tale; a Chile-set indie stoner drama; and sci-fi sagas set in an underwater fantasy world of mermaids, a space military academy for children, and an Earth physically divided by income inequality.
The Counselor
Opens: November 15th 2013
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem
Director: Ridley Scott
Analysis: A year ago Ridley Scott was considering a number of projects that he could potentially direct once he wrapped work on his sci-fi epic "Prometheus." A few weeks later came word that Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Cormac McCarthy had sold his first spec script to a trio of producers. Though there have been several film adaptations of McCarthy's novels like "The Road" and "No Country for Old Men," the author himself wasn't involved in them and had essentially stayed out of the film world. Until now.
All of a sudden Scott's lethargy over what project to do next vanished. Within three weeks he was set to direct the film and a fortnight after that had convinced his "Prometheus" star Michael Fassbender to join him. In fact, the film came together with astonishing haste, scoring a dream cast and getting in front of cameras by this past July.
The early synopses for the film sounded like a less legal-centric John Grisham 1990s thriller about a lawyer who finds himself in over his head when he gets involved in drug trafficking. Script reviews since then have revealed the film to be a more dialogue-driven, nihilistic "Traffic"-style look at the war on drugs and cartel violence.
There's also reportedly a lot of eroticism and sex in the film, with Cameron Diaz onboard as a slutty sociopath in one of the more memorable supporting roles in the project. Brad Pitt also has a small, but key role as a shadowy character named Westray. I'd expect a flashy Toronto premiere ahead of the film's general release in mid-November.
The Croods
Opens: March 22nd 2013
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Emma Stone, Clark Duke
Director: Kirk DeMicco, Chris Sanders
Analysis: The first film that DreamWorks Animation is pushing out through its new deal with 20th Century Fox, this 3D CG caveman comedy was originally going to be an Aardman Animations production. The venerable British studio ended up departing the project with "How to Train Your Dragon" director Chris Sanders coming onboard to take the helm.
The story? An earthquake forces a caveman to lead his family across a volatile world in search of a new home. Said caveman is scared of anything new in life, and so has kept his family sheltered over the years. Now he's forced to venture out into a dangerous world for the first time. Add to that a restless daughter eager to see more of what's out there, Ryan Reynolds voicing a hunky nomad who could serve as a love interest, and assorted jokes about a crusty mother-in-law and cavemen understanding technology.
With numerous delays and shifts of personnel on the project, one wonders how much of the behind-the-scenes problems have had an impact on the final film. DWA's films have seen an uptick in overall quality over the past 2-3 years with the aforementioned 'Dragon' and "Puss in Boots" being the best of the bunch. With the financial flop of "Rise of the Guardians" the other month though, the studio is in need of a hit and hopes this first of three DWA films scheduled to hit next year will find the audience that movie failed to reach.
Dallas Buyers Club
Opens: 2013
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto, Steve Zahn, Dallas Roberts
Director: Jean-Marc Vallee
Analysis: This long in-development $5 million indie drama finally went into production in New Orleans last month, and has already caused something of a stir due to the skeletal thinness of at least two of its stars. Originally set to be a Brad Pitt-led, Marc Forster-directed film, it then became a Ryan Gosling-led, Craig Gillespie-directed project. Finally, it has ended up being a Matthew McConaughey-led, Jean-Marc Vallee-directed film which McConaughey himself helped out with financing on.
The story is loosely based on the true-life tale of Ron Woodroof, a "drug taking, women loving, homophobic man" who was diagnosed with full-blown HIV in 1986 and given one month to live. The FDA-approved, AZT medication he was given for treatment brought him to the brink of death. Pushing it aside, he ended up becoming a smuggler of non-toxic, anti-viral medications from all over the world. Other AIDS patients soon sought out his medications and he started the titular club which gave paying members alternative treatments.
The FDA and pharmaceutical companies soon waged war on Ron who managed to stay alive for a further six years until his death in 1992. McConaughey lost 30-40 pounds (13-17 kg) in order to assume the role, and as a result has been photographed looking gaunt and virtually unrecognisable as compared to his usually muscular frame (yes that's him in the picture above).
Gael Garcia Bernal was previously cast in the key supporting role of a drag queen and AIDS patient named Rayon, but had to bow out. Instead, Jared Leto stepped in to replace him with this marking Leto's first on-screen role in four years. Like McConaughey, he's also lost weight for the role. It's a project that actors and filmmakers are obviously keen to do, but studios have generally balked at the idea because it's admittedly not a particularly commercial film. If the quality is good enough though, it's certainly a potential awards candidate.
Dark Blood
Opens: 2013
Cast: River Phoenix, Judy Davis, Jonathan Pryce
Director: George Sluizer
Analysis: Twenty years after filming came to an abrupt halt, "The Vanishing" director George Sluizer has found a way to complete the unfinished final feature of actor River Phoenix. Back when it was filming, the project was originally scheduled to have an eight week shoot - five on location in Utah and three for interior scenes to be shot in Los Angeles. Those interiors were never finished due to Phoenix's death from a drug overdose in October 1993. A few weeks later it was determined that the project had to be abandoned as several important scenes could not be completed.
The film has Phoenix playing an unstable young widower and desert dweller whose wife died of radiation-induced cancer. Some time later, a Hollywood couple (Judy Davis and Jonathan Pryce) travel to the desert on a second honeymoon in an attempt to save their marriage. When their car breaks down, they are rescued by Phoenix's character who holds them prisoner and lusts after the wife.
The insurer that owned the footage was all set to incinerate it back in 1999, but Sluizer managed to nab all 700kg of film stock and smuggle it back to the Netherlands. Sluizer is 80 and his health is deteriorating, so he decided to finish re-editing the material and make some adjustments to it so that a completed film could be released before he dies. The result uses a combination of stills and Sluizer's own narration to fill in the gaps for the missing interior scenes.
Screened at the Netherlands Film Festival in September, reviews were mixed/positive with at least one comparing it to a desert-set spin on Polanski's "Knife in the Water." The location photography and direction were widely praised, but the script is reportedly quite clunky. Descriptions of the narrative sound downright strange at times with the absurdity of the characters and story said to only be grounded by the committed performances.
A trailer released online does show the film's age, but also an impressive visual style that hearkens back to Sluizer's original "The Vanishing." Phoenix himself, with close cropped dark hair, looks quite different from what we are accustomed to. Yet, he still gives off the same fire and intensity that made him one of the most promising young actors of his generation. Due to a legal tussle over the rights to the original negative, a commercial release is unlikely. However, screenings at festivals over the coming year sounds like a real possibility so keep an eye out.
Dead Man Down
Opens: March 8th 2013
Cast: Colin Farrell, Noomi Rapace, Dominic Cooper, Terrence Howard, Isabelle Huppert
Director: Niels Arden Oplev
Analysis: Danish director Niels Arden Oplev made a name for himself back in 2009 with his Swedish-language adaptation of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." Shot for television on a budget of just $13 million, the footage was good enough that it was re-cut into a feature which went on to become an acclaimed international hit. Though David Fincher's costly $90 million English-language version was more technically proficient, the fact that Oplev's film is not only comparable, but even preferred in some circles, is a testament to his skill.
Here, in his first film since 'Tattoo', his leading lady Noomi Rapace returns to play a woman seeking retribution after she was left disfigured. Colin Farrell plays a professional killer and right-hand man to an underground crime lord (Terrence Howard) - the same crime lord responsible for Rapace's injury. She seduces and blackmails the killer into taking out his boss, and their intense relationship leads to a violent plan for revenge.
The story sounds fairly generic, but it boasts a script by long-time "Fringe" executive producer J.H. Wyman. The first trailer arrived a week ago and was quickly pulled in deference to the victims of the recent Newtown school massacre. Copies can still be found online if you look around though, and frankly it looks great. Oplev's skill at making a film seem much bigger than its modest budget, is in full effect. This has resulted in some impressive camerawork and shot compositions along with short bursts of large scale action.
Farrell, sporting a buzz cut and dark beard, continues his second career renaissance and makes a more compatible match for Rapace than any of her other Hollywood leading men so far. There is also got a great supporting cast including Dominic Cooper, Armand Assante, Franky G, the aforementioned Terrence Howard playing an utter badass, and even beloved French actress Isabelle Huppert. This could well be an early year surprise.
The Deep
Opens: 2013
Cast: Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Jóhann G. Jóhannsson, Þorbjörg Helga Þorgilsdóttir
Director: Baltasar Kormákur
Analysis: Filmed before he worked with Mark Wahlberg on "Contraband" and the upcoming "2 Guns," Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur helms this survival drama which has made the shortlist of nine films up for a Best Foreign Language Oscar nomination this year. Premiering in Toronto to a tremendous response and quick international sales all over the world, the film is poised to be a critical and commercial success when it opens across various international territories in early-mid 2013.
Inspired by true events, the story follows the crew of a small fishing boat which capsized outside the Westman Islands in the middle of winter in 1984. Only one man survived, an out-of-shape loner type who swam to safety after spending hours in the freezing cold sea. While others are quick to paint him as a national hero, and both journalists and scientists struggle to figure out how he pulled off this super-human feat, he must deal with the death of his friends and the consequences of his survival.
Reviews raved about the film's offshore scenes with all the action on the sea said to rival the best works of Hollywood filmmakers. It's especially impressive that none of the scenes involved the use of computer animation, including the actor swimming ashore onto sharp rocks and between pummelling waves. Full praise also came for the slick production values and performances, along with some daring directorial choices such as the way the Eldfell volcanic eruption of 1973 is worked into the narrative and character back story. Definitely one to catch.
Despicable Me 2
Opens: July 3rd 2013
Cast: Steve Carell, Russell Brand, Miranda Cosgrove, Al Pacino, Steve Coogan
Director: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud
Analysis: Universal and Illumination Entertainment shook up the CG animated feature world with 2010's "Despicable Me," a fairly economical $69 million film which scored solid reviews and ended up raking in over half a billion dollars worldwide at the box-office. It was the second highest-grossing animated film of 2010, behind only "Toy Story 3," and immediately turned Illumination into a serious rival to both Pixar and Dreamworks Animation.
The company's subsequent films "Hop" and "The Lorax," weren't as well-regarded or successful, so the green lighting of a sequel was inevitable. In fact, Universal thinks there's enough material here that they have already begun work on a spin-off film centring on the cute yellow Minions with the plans to get it into theaters by Christmas 2014. Back to the immediate sequel though, and the various key talent from the first film are back - including Kristen Wiig who takes on a new role in the sequel.
Joining them for this entry is the likes of Al Pacino as the villain, and both Steve Coogan and Ken Jeong in key unspecified roles. Universal is keeping the plot specifics under tight wraps, with the various purpose-built trailers released so far not showcasing any real footage from the movie. Even so, they've been cute and funny little short films that work on their own. Set for the July 4th weekend, just two weeks after Pixar's "Monsters, Inc." prequel opens, it'll be interesting to see who comes out on top.
Devil’s Knot
Opens: 2013
Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Colin Firth, Dane DeHaan, Martin Henderson, Mirielle Enos
Director: Atom Egoyan
Analysis: While it has been in the news for two decades in the United States, the case of the West Memphis Three doesn't seem as well-known internationally. So a film like this, from acclaimed Canadian helmer Atom Egoyan and boasting a solid cast, has the potential to take the story to an audience who otherwise would have no interest in the already produced documentaries about the murders and subsequent miscarriages of justice.
For those unfamiliar with the case, the bodies of three eight-year-old boys were found bound and beaten in the small religious community of West Memphis, Arkansas in 1993. The cops believed it to be the work of a satanic cult and a month later arrested three teenagers for the crime. After twelve hours of interrogation, one of them (who was mentally handicapped) confesses under duress. Put on trial and convicted, despite no real evidence connecting them to the crimes, the trio claimed innocence and continued to do so from prison.
Further examination of the evidence by forensic experts lent credibility to their innocence and apparently suggested one of the boy's stepfathers, Terry Hobbs, did the murders. Celebrities and parents of the two other victims urged an appeal of the court's decision but it wasn't until a new judge and evidentiary hearing in 2010 that they were allowed to walk free. Now comes this narrative feature, based on the 2002 book by Mara Leveritt, that is expected to cover the entire case up until their release.
To help tell this tale, Egoyan has landed an astonishing cast led by three young unknowns as the WM3. Also onboard are Colin Firth as a private investigator, Bruce Greenwood as the original judge, Martin Henderson and Stephen Moyer as the prosecutors, Amy Ryan as Firth's wife, Dane DeHaan in an unspecified role, Alessandro Nivola as the ultimately suspected Terry Hobbs, and the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Mireille Enos, Kevin Durand and Elias Koteas in key roles as parents and town residents. A late 2013 release is expected, and this could prove an awards contender if it comes together right.
Diana
Opens: 2013
Cast: Naomi Watts, Naveen Andrews, Douglas Hodge, Geraldine James, Juliet Stevenson
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Analysis: Originally going under the name "Caught in Flight," Ecosse Films produces this biopic of Princess Diana Spencer focuses not on her death or her impact on the royal family. Instead, the film details the affair she shared with a man who was said to have been the love of her life - Dr. Hasnat Kahn (played by "Lost" star Naveen Andrews). The affair lasted from 1995 until a few months before her death in 1997.
"Downfall" director Oliver Hirschbiegel helms the project which boasts a script by Stephen Jeffreys ("The Libertine"). It is the casting of Aussie actress Naomi Watts as Diana though that has caused most of the commentary so far about the film. Watts is a solid actress, but bears little resemblance to the late princess - even with her hair done up in similar fashion. Watts replaced the originally cast Jessica Chastain who had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.
The actress is certainly aware of the pressure on her, telling the British tabloids: "Playing Princess Diana was the hardest thing I’ve done. Because of the pressure of everyone's beliefs about who she was, and the fact that it was just really hard to claim her as my own since everybody feels they know her." As a result she deliberately didn't try to mimic her appearance and physicality. Instead, she tried to "embody her and get the essence of her."
The film is also expected to deal with the emotional impact on Diana in the wake of the affair's end. The princess was reportedly devastated when the relationship was over, and her dating of Dodi Fayed was alleged to have been an attempt to make Dr. Kahn jealous. The project is already under so much pressure and scrutiny that, frankly, it has to deliver something powerful and daring or it simply won't work. If that happens, the backlash could be extreme.
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: His & Hers
Opens: 2013
Cast: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Ciaran Hinds, Viola Davis, William Hurt
Director: Ned Benson
Analysis: For his feature debut, filmmaker Ned Benson is certainly going for broke with this two-film project that deals with one story, albeit from the differing perspectives of the two key characters at the heart of it. Though both films can apparently be watched as stand alones, they are also interwoven and work as a whole as well.
The story follows a married New York City couple - a restaurateur named Conor (James McAvoy) and his wife Eleanor (Jessica Chastain) who makes the decision to go back to college. Eleanor suddenly scuttles off to her family home one day, avoiding all contact with Conor. The film will then explore how a close relationship like this broke down, and the emotional fallout that subsequently ensued.
At one point this was looking like a "Zero Dark Thirty" reunion with Joel Edgerton in the lead role, but he had to depart the project which allowed for the much hotter Scottish hunk James McAvoy to step in. With this being Chastain's first post-ZDT film, a lot of eyes will be upon it. Can the dual film experiment work?
Dom Hemingway
Opens: 2013
Cast: Jude Law, Richard E. Grant, Demian Bichir, Emilia Clarke, Kerry Condon
Director: Richard Shepard
Analysis: The latest wickedly dark comedy from the director of 2005's under seen "The Matador," a film which featured one of Pierce Brosnan's most fun turns as an aging, alcoholic, bisexual assassin. Here, the focus is on a mutton chop-sporting Jude Law who plays a profane, prone to anger and larger-than-life safecracker. Said crook has just finished a twelve year stint in prison for keeping his mouth shut, and now he is back out on the streets determined to collect what he is owed.
Having just wrapped filming a few weeks ago in London, the HanWay and BBC Films co-production has been in the tabloids due to Law's romance with wardrobe assistant Ellen Crawshaw. However, it's the film itself that's far more exciting, especially with "Withnail and I" and "Hudson Hawk" scene stealer Richard E. Grant co-starring. With Grant bringing his great and under-utilised comedic talents to bear, count me in.
Don Jon's Addiction
Opens: 2013
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Brie Larson, Tony Danza
Director: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Analysis: Rising star Joseph Gordon-Levitt can play a lot of things, but one of the last things you can probably picture him as is a bouncer. The "Inception" actor has taken to the challenge with gusto, bulking up and shaving down to star in, write and make his directorial debut on this indie comedy that is set to debut at both Sundance and Berlinale.
JGL plays a modern day Don Juan type and porn addict. After meeting a recently widowed older woman, he sets out to become less self-centered. Of course, casting Scarlett Johansson as his love interest is hardly selfish, but how many men out there wouldn't love to do the same if they were in the same position.
Unlike some other filmmakers, Gordon-Levitt has no concerns about keeping things too secret and has been regularly updating the status of the production over the past few months via his personal Tumblr account. Festival reviews will determine how large a release this will get, but everything is in place for a potential crossover hit.
The Double
Opens: 2013
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Mia Wasikowska, Wallace Shawn, Cathy Moriarty, Noah Taylor
Director: Richard Ayoade
Analysis: Still best known for his work as the nerdy Maurice Moss opposite Chris O'Dowd in the cult British sitcom "The IT Crowd," Richard Ayoade took an impressive step into the filmmaking world with 2010's award-winning coming-of-age comedy "Submarine." Now he's swapped adapting Joe Dunthorne’s sarcastic bit of teen angst for something even more challenging - a novella by classic Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Though ill-received at the time of release, the dramedy remains one of the great early 'high concept' works with a premise readily adaptable to various times and places. That setup? A meek man finds his life in tatters after what he believes to be an exact copy of himself has begun working in his office and attempts to ruin him. Said double also has a polar opposite personality - extroverted, confident, even aggressive.
With a script adapted by Ayoade and "Mister Lonely" scribe Avi Korine, the story is set in contemporary times in the United States with the lead character a Government clerk. Shot in London last summer, the project has attracted a solid cast including Jesse Eisenberg and Mia Wasikowska in the lead roles. The first stills and details about the project hint at a darker tone and more abstract feel than expected, with Ayoade calling the entire project a reflection on loneliness and our need to be loved.
Drift
Opens: 2013
Cast: Sam Worthington, Xavier Samuel, Myles Pollard, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Roby Malcolm
Director: Morgan O'Neill, Ben Nott
Analysis: Sam Worthington returned home in late 2011 for this $11 million surfing drama shot around the Margaret River region in Western Australia. The "Avatar" star plays a bohemian surf photographer and filmmaker who inspires the main characters. Think something akin to a less flashy version of Heath Ledger's "Lords of Dogtown" turn, albeit one with a whole lot more hair.
"Sea Patrol" actor Morgan O'Neill penned the script and co-directs the true story tale which follows Jimmy and Andy Kelly (Xavier Samuel, Myles Pollard), brothers who battled killer waves, conservative society and ruthless bikers to kick start an entire global industry and help create the laid-back surf attitude lifestyle that many live today.
Wrekin Hill and Hopscotch Films will distribute the film sometime early in 2013, a little later than expected as more than a few people were hoping to see it out around now. A recent trailer revealed a solid, if familiar looking comedic drama which mainly has the distinction of some stunning location photography, big surf action set pieces and various 1970s style quirks.
The East
Opens: 2013
Cast: Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgård, Ellen Page, Julia Ormond, Patricia Clarkson
Director: Zal Batmanglij
Analysis: Zal Batmanglij's debut film, 2011's "Sound of My Voice," finally opened in cinemas this year after more than a year of being a cult favorite on the film festival circuit. It was a real surprise, a micro-budget thinking person's sci-fi feature with career launching performances from Brit Marling ("Arbitrage") and Christopher Denham ("Argo"). Though rough and hardly flawless, it has an energy and promise that makes it a film that's worth checking out.
Two years on Batmanglij returns to Sundance, with Marling in tow, to premiere this thriller which Fox Searchlight has already picked up for distribution. This time Marling's character is the one going undercover to expose a dangerous group of devout followers. Gone is the sci-fi tones, here Marling plays a private intelligence firm operative who is assigned to infiltrate an anarchist collective known for executing covert attacks upon major corporations.
Infiltrating her way into this group of predominantly eco-terrorists, she begins to find herself unexpectedly torn as she starts to fall in love with the group's charismatic leader. Batmanglij and Marling reportedly co-wrote this before 'Voice', and filmed it before 'Voice' hit theaters. Along the way they pulled in an excellent cast like those listed above, as well as Toby Kebbell and Shiloh Fernandez. Along with the Park City premiere, the film will also screen next month in Ann Arbor, Michigan as part of the Sundance Film Festival USA initiative.
Elysium
Opens: August 9th 2013
Cast: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Diego Luna, Alice Braga
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Analysis: The last of the three 'Scorched Earth' films to hit this year, "Elysium" boasts a grimier and grittier aesthetic compared with the high-tech gloss of "Oblivion" or the fauna-filled jungle settings of "After Earth." It also boasts the best cast and most promising director in the form of Neill Blomkamp. The first feature from the South African-born filmmaker was 2009's "District 9," an astonishing $30 million blend of sci-fi action and political satire that ended up scoring both a Best Picture Oscar nomination and $210 million in worldwide box-office.
This time out, Blomkamp has a budget four times the size he had on "District 9" to tell this story set on a ravaged Earth where the wealthy now live on a pristine, man-made, space wheel station. Onboard is a government official (Jodie Foster) who enforces strict anti-immigration laws to preserve the luxurious lifestyle of those onboard. Meanwhile, the majority of the world's population is stuck planet-side on a now barren and overpopulated Earth. Matt Damon plays an unlucky ex-con who agrees to go on a daunting mission to bring equality to these polarized worlds.
Like D9, this one is full of social commentary and subtext about class warfare, income disparity, economic divisions, immigration policy and exploitation of poorer countries. Blomkamp has said it is "exponentially greater than District 9, in terms of just how much stuff there is in the film." It certainly sounds like a more thematically rich project than the other two scorched Earth films which are more straightforward sci-fi action adventure stories. However, the film has taken a while to come together and underwent reshoots over a year after principal photography - indicating the studio may be a bit nervous about it. There's been a couple of promising photos of a bald Matt Damon, but still no footage as yet which makes me wonder what the final product will look like.
Emperor
Opens: March 8th 2013
Cast: Matthew Fox, Tommy Lee Jones, Eriko Hatsune, Toshiyuki Nishida, Masayoshi Haneda
Director: Peter Webber
Analysis: Roadside Attractions acquired "Girl with a Pearl Earring" and "Hannibal Rising" director Peter Webber's new historical drama shortly after its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September. Decent, but tepid reviews from the festival strongly praised Tommy Lee Jones' performance as General Douglas MacArthur. The same reviews dismissed the stiffness of the story, along with the blandness and clumsiness of the lead character played by Matthew Fox.
The story is set in the days immediately after the Japanese surrendered at the end of World War II. MacArthur was made the de facto ruler of Japan as Supreme Commander of the occupying forces. Fox plays General Bonner Fellers, a Japanese expert brought in to make a crucial decision - should Emperor Hirohito be tried and hanged as a war criminal? There's a third subplot as well aside from MacArthur's occupation and Fellers' investigation, and that is the search by Fellers for a Japanese friend lost amidst the post-war chaos.
The script by both Vera Blasi ("Woman on Top," "Tortilla Soup") and David Klass ("Kiss the Girls," "Walking Tall") is what has come under the most fire from critics. Complaints have been targeted at its concentration on both a generic love story and an under served investigation plot, even if both have key moments about how a culture can't be rebuilt until the victors first understand it. The same reviews, however, have praised the various production values of the film which was mostly shot in New Zealand. It may be a simple take on a complicated and rich story, but it should be interesting nonetheless.
Empire State
Opens: 2013
Cast: Liam Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, Emma Roberts, Nikki Reed, Michael Angarano
Director: Dito Montiel
Analysis: Showing a lot of promise with his debut feature "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints," filmmaker Dito Montiel couldn't match the quality with his second film "Fighting" which also did little at the box-office. More recently, his third film "The Son of No One" proved disastrous. Boasting a $15 million budget, the film was widely panned and grossed just $30,000 in a short-lived theatrical run in the United States before quickly heading to disc.
The blow hasn't fazed Montiel though, he's gotten up and is now tackling this true story heist thriller. Adam Mazer ("Breach," "You Don't Know Jack") penned the script which deals with the 1982 robbery of $11 million from the Sentry Armored Car Company - the biggest cash robbery in U.S. history at the time. It also turned out that a considerable amount of that stolen money had been embezzled in advance.
Dwayne Johnson plays an NYPD officer who stands in the way of two childhood friends who've planned the robbery of the armored car depository. Liam Hemsworth, Emma Roberts, Michael Angarano and Nikki Reed also star in the film which was shot in New Orleans this past summer. Roberts describes it as one of the darkest movies she's done so far, a film with far more commercial possibilities than Montiel's last two films. Here's hoping it works for him.
Empires of the Deep
Opens: 2013
Cast: Olga Kurylenko, Steve Polites, Maxx Maulion, Pierre Bourdaud, Jean-Michel Casanova
Director: Michael French
Analysis: Making waves a few months ago for all the wrong reasons, this independent 3D action-adventure fantasy feature has earned the title of the biggest US-Chinese co-production in history. Shot nearly three years ago, the project is the obsession of real estate magnate Jon Jiang. An in-depth New York Times piece back in 2010 on the film says the project is his attempt to create a lavish English-language spectacle to rival anything in Hollywood.
With a budget said to now clock in at around $130 million, it's easily the most costly Chinese movie ever. The story itself is an "Avatar"-esque tale set in the mystical world of mermaids and described by Jiang as a "serious love tragedy." Dig a little deeper though and things start to smell. Jiang is obsessed with Hollywood to the point of madness, blindly dismissing local filmmakers like Zhang Yimou as being "not qualified to make my movies."
The script has reportedly gone through over forty drafts with the help of ten screenwriters. TV documentary producer Michael French is the credited director, but he was the fourth to helm the project after the previous three left. The budget itself was originally only going to be about $50 million, and the only cast members of note are former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko and Taiwanese pop star Alec Su. Reports from the set indicate a mess of a production with sloppy shooting schedules, and allegations of unpaid wages and hazardous working conditions.
Originally slated for release mid-late 2011, there is still no locked down release date as yet. Two months ago a trailer leaked online which drew often hilarious derision from bloggers. The human elements of the final film looked more akin to a psychedelic Las Vegas stage show take on "The Little Mermaid." Those live action scenes are mixed in with awkwardly strobing and highly unconvincing digital effects which mostly showcased giant crabs and lobsters wrestling with each other. Already written off as "so bad it has to be good" in various circles, it should at least prove a laugh.
Ender's Game
Opens: November 1st 2013
Cast: Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, Moises Arias, Aramis Knight
Director: Gavin Hood
Analysis: Twenty-eight years after its publication, and seventeen years after he first put pen to paper on a screenplay adaptation, eccentric author Orson Scott Card's sci-fi tale "Ender's Game" is finally coming to the screen. First set up at Warners ten years ago with Wolfgang Petersen attached to direct, news on the project would seem to re-emerge and then disappear every few years as those involved would lose interest and move on.
It wasn't until about three years ago that the current incarnation started to come together at Odd Lot Entertainment. First, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" helmer Gavin Hood became attached to direct in late 2010, followed shortly by "Star Trek" and "Transformers" scribes Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman who came onboard to produce in early 2011. Summit Entertainment picked it up for distribution, and production finally got underway in February this year.
The story is set seven decades after a hostile alien race have attacked Earth. Preparing for the next attack, the highly esteemed Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford) and the International Military are training only the best young children in order to find a future prospect to lead the International Fleet. Enter Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a shy and strategically brilliant boy pulled out of his school to join the elite. Ender quickly and easily masters increasingly difficult war games, distinguishing himself as the military's next great hope in the epic battle that will determine the future of Earth.
While Card penned the earliest drafts of the film adaptation back in the late 1990s, Gavin Hood penned the script for this and Card has specifically stated that only a few scenes from the film actually appeared in the novel. That said, he's not that fussed about liberties being taken with the source material. When discussing his visit to the set back in April, he said: "My book was already alive in the mind of every reader. This is writer-director Gavin Hood's movie, so they were his words, and it was his scene." Card himself recorded a voice-only cameo as a pilot making an announcement to his passengers.
Orci says the book and film both explore modern warfare's reliance on video game-like aspects - how this new technology is desensitising people to the actual horror of warfare. It's an interesting issue and one certainly worth exploring, however Card's contentious public image in the wake of certain op-ed pieces about homosexuality and gay marriage could become a talking point in discussions about the film. That said, Card's political and religious beliefs aren't reflected in the novel, and any adaptation with a sizeable budget like this (said to be over $100 million) will likely play it safe at every turn.
Epic
Opens: May 24th 2013
Cast: Colin Farrell, Amanda Seyfried, Beyonce Knowles, Christoph Waltz, Josh Hutcherson
Director: Chris Wedge
Analysis: The latest work from "Rio" producers Blue Sky Studios is this CG animated loose adaptation of William Joyce's kids book "The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs". Joyce's other works will be familiar to audiences of this genre as they formed the basis for both Blue Sky's "Robots" and Dreamworks Animation's recent "Rise of the Guardians."
Here though you have a project that has been unkindly described as "Ferngully" meets "Honey I Shrunk The Kids" with a dash of "Avatar." "Ice Age" director Chris Wedge very nearly left his own studio and Fox because the latter didn't want to produce the project which Wedge had been pursuing for some time. They relented though, and now we finally get to see if this eco-friendly fantasy tale was worth the investment.
The story follows a teenager who finds herself transported to a deep forest setting, there she must band together with a rag-tag group characters in order to save both their world - and ours. Recent trailers have showed some surprisingly imaginative and fun use of the natural world to tell this tale of battles on a large scale. There seems to be more thought, emotion and consideration on offer here than one usually expects from Fox animated movies.
Errors of the Human Body
Opens: 2013
Cast: Michael Eklund, Karoline Herfurth, Tómas Lemarquis, Rik Mayall, Ulrich Meinecke
Director: Eron Sheean
Analysis: Eron Sheean helms this psychological thriller set in the world of genetic research, a film that has been playing the genre festival circuit over the past six months. Reaction has been mostly positive, with Michael Eklund's performance in particular scoring consistently good notices. The praise has been enough for IFC to take notice and acquire the low-budget feature for release through its 'IFC Midnight' label.
The story follows a brilliant genetics researcher invited to join a lab in Germany, only to slowly uncover the reason for why he was truly brought there - a nightmare that he's at least partly responsible for. The character is also dealing with the emotional scars of a personal tragedy - only adding to his guilt and despair. Along the way it showcases the different ways this field affects the personalities of those who work in it, and the effects on multiple levels of a breakdown of communication.
Sheean himself spent a good amount of time at the Max Planck Institute in Germany, so his research and attention to detail is said to be frighteningly accurate. On the flip side, it also has a definite out there feel to it as the character's mental state begins to break down. Comparisons to films like "Altered States" and early-era Cronenberg have come up in several reviews, comparisons which only make me more excited.
Escape From Planet Earth
Opens: February 14th 2013
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Rob Corddry, Jessica Alba, Sarah Jessica Parker, James Gandolfini
Director: Callan Brunker
Analysis: Canadian animation and design company Rainmaker Entertainment is known for its various computer animated children's shows and direct-to-disc movies over the years like "ReBoot" and the various "Barbie" titles. Now they try their hand at theatrical feature filmmaking with "Escape from Planet Earth," a 3D animated family comedy that is built on the idea that the aliens of the story are us.
Specifically, the action follows admired astronaut Scorch Supernova - a blue alien who masters in daring rescues with the help of his nerdy, by-the-rules brother. When warned of a dangerous planet named Earth, he heads there to check out the danger - only to find himself caught in a trap set by a ruthless human General at Area 51. As a result, the weakling brother has to man up to save his brother, his family and his planet.
Announced over five years ago and long-delayed ever since, it marks a rare attempt by Harvey Weinstein to get into animation - and it has cost them. The film's former writer/director Tony Leech and producer Brian Inerfeld launched a $50 million lawsuit alleging Weinstein and his brother intentionally sabotaged the film through overspending, incompetence and "contempt for contractual obligations." TWC's attorneys fired back and called the claims "false, gratuitous, slanderous, preposterous." It's something of a dark cloud that hangs over the film with no one quite sure at the moment how accurately the final credits of the film reflect the actual work done. Expect to hear more details about this closer to the film's release.
ALSO OPENING:
The Coup
Owen Wilson's first action film since "Behind Enemy Lines," this Thailand-shot action thriller follows an American family who recently moved to South East Asia - only to find themselves caught in the middle of a coup. The family frantically looks for a safe escape route in an environment where foreigners are being executed on the spot. "Quarantine" and "Devil" director John Erick Dowdle helms the film which also stars Michelle Monaghan and Pierce Brosnan. Though it has already scouted locations and was supposed to begin shooting in October, I can't find any confirmation that any actual shooting has begun (the Thai Film Office strangely doesn't list films currently in production). It's still targeting a late 2013 release though.
Crystal Fairy
"The Maid" director Sebastian Silva helms this first of two projects that he and actor Michael Cera worked on together. Both projects, the other being "Magic Magic," are set in Chile and are scheduled to premiere at Sundance this year. This is the decidedly lower profile one, shot in under two weeks on a shoestring budget. The story has Cera's character inviting a stranger (Gaby Hoffman) to join him on a road trip. Her free and esoteric nature clashes with Jamie’s acidic, self-absorbed personality as they head into the desert for a Mescaline-fueled psychedelic trip. Cera himself calls it a "kind of a meandering movie, there's not really a thrust to it." It sounds unexciting, but we'll see.
Dark Skies
Not to be confused with that mid-90's TV series that tried to rip-off the success of "The X-Files," this low-budget supernatural thriller comes from "Legion" and "Priest" director Scott Stewart. The story deals with a couple trying to save their family from an apparent alien presence who prays on their children. The tone is very much akin to the likes of "Insidious" and "Sinister," albeit with the demons replaced by shadowy corporeal beings from another world. It's fairly generic material, but the trailer does have a decent atmosphere and the presence of Keri Russell immediately gives it more cred than it probably deserves.
Decoding Annie Parker
Breast cancer isn't a subject that has really been focused on in films outside the cable television realm. Yet, Steven Bernstein's dramedy about two women inexorably linked by this terrible disease has managed to attract a solid cast. Helen Hunt stars as geneticist Mary Claire King who famously discovered a gene linked to breast cancer in 1990, and Samantha Morton plays the title character of Annie Parker - a woman who resolves to fight her cancer diagnosis. Set over the course of a fifteen-year period, other cast members include the reunion of "West Wing" alumni Richard Schiff and Bradley Whitford along with Rashida Jones, Aaron Paul, Bob Gunton, Alice Eve and Maggie Grace.
Delivery Man
Quebec-born filmmaker Ken Scott remakes his own 2011 high-concept French-language comedy "Starbuck" for Dreamworks. Vince Vaughn steps into the lead role played by Patrick Huard in the original - a man with a perpetually adolescent personality. He soon learns that, as a sperm donor, he has fathered 530 children. Around 30% of the now grown-up kids are trying to force the fertility clinic to reveal his true identity. On top of that, his girlfriend is pregnant and does not feel that he is mature enough to be a father. Scott signed on for the remake to primarily reach a broader audience, whilst still making sure the key ingredients from the original were retained. Filming is currently under way in New York ahead of a release in October.
The Devil's Rapture
Previously known as "The Occult," this $10 million indie thriller from "The Roommate" helmer Christian E. Christian and "The Divide" scribe Karl Mueller was shot back in the Spring in North Carolina. While it sounds a little better than either of those aforementioned films, nothing revealed so far separates it from the various generic yet highly profitable faith-centric horror films of recent years (ala "The Exorcism of Emily Rose," "The Devil Inside"). The story here deals with young girls within said cult going missing, leading to a division within the ranks as the youngsters believe the elders are killing them off. Jennifer Carpenter ("Dexter"), Rufus Sewell ("Dark City") and Colm Meaney ("Hell on Wheels") star.
Disconnect
In his first non-documentary feature, "Murderball" helmer Henry Alex Rubin tackles this indie ensemble drama which boasts three interconnected stories about people affected by the Internet and other forms of modern communication - namely issues of cyber-bullying, identity theft and online prostitution. It also boasts a solid cast including Jason Bateman, Alexander Skarsgard, Max Thierot, Paula Patton, Hope Davis, Andrea Riseborough, Michael Nyqvist and Frank Grillo. Reviews out of Toronto last year were politely dismissive - calling it obvious, self-important and "self-consciously operatic" in one case. While the material sounds overly familiar, the compelling performances are said to lift the quality to higher levels.
Dorothy of Oz
The least interesting of the upcoming Oz-related films is this $60 million 3D computer-animated musical adaptation of the 1989 book by L. Frank Baum's grandson Roger. In this version, Dorothy and Toto return to the Land of Oz when it comes under attack by a Jester using the wand of the Wicked Witch of the West. Indie producer Summertime Entertainment is hoping to make a franchise out of this, and they've certainly cast up well with the likes of Lea Michele, Patrick Stewart, Oliver Platt, Dan Aykroyd, Hugh Dancy, Martin Short, Kelsey Grammar and Bernadette Peters all providing voice work. However, the trailer plays very flat and looks like a direct-to-video title. It's essentially 'Oz' for the pre-school crowd and no one else.
Drinking Buddies
A new rom-com from SXSW fave Joe Swanberg ("Uncle Kent") which has considerable commercial appeal. Anna Kendrick, Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson and Ron Livingston star in this story which follows two beer geeks, Luke and Kate, who are inseparable friends and work together at a Chicago brewery. Despite their obvious attraction to each other, he has a live-in girlfriend and she romances an older music-producer boyfriend. What ensues is a film exploring relationship politics in the age of texting, and it's all apparently improvised according to Kendrick. With Swanberg's past experience, not to mention "Beasts of the Southern Wild" cinematographer Ben Richardson doing the visuals, this should be good.
Driven
Best known for his TV work such as ITV's "Vera" and "Clapham Junction," UK actor David Leon has turned to directing in recent times and makes his feature debut with this semi-autobiographical crime thriller about Leon's own childhood experiences growing up in late eighties Newcastle. He's also snagged an impressive cast including Peter Capaldi ("The Thick of It"), Iwan Rheon ("Misfits"), Damian Lewis ("Homeland") and Jessica Brown-Findlay ("Downton Abbey"). Filming kicks off shortly for a late 2013 release.
Eden
Making a film about sex trafficking can be potentially exploitative if not handled with care. It seems "The Off Hours" writer/director Megan Griffiths has done it the right way with this drama winning two Audience Awards at film festivals (including SXSW) along with several other nods. Based on a true story, Jamie Chung plays a young Korean-American girl abducted and forced into prostitution by domestic human traffickers. She soon joins forces with her captors in a desperate plea to survive. Said to boast more believable characters than you'd expect in these kinds of films, it's this more grounded approach - and the work of Chung and co-star Matt O'Leary - that's the draw here.
Elsa and Fred
Currently filming in New Orleans and Rome, "Il Postino" and "The Merchant of Venice" director Michael Radford helms this $10 million rom-com remake of the 2005 Spanish/Argentine film "Elsa y Fred". Shirley Maclaine plays a retiree living in New Orleans who has always dreamed of living that fountain scene from Fellini's "La Dolce Vita" but with the love of her life whom she hasn't found. Christopher Plummer plays a straight-laced widower who moves into her apartment building. Their friendship soon blossoms - she teaches him how to live again, and he tries to make her dream come true before she succumbs to a terminal illness.
Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes
Set to premiere in competition at Sundance this year, "Tanner Hall" filmmaker Francesca Gregorini casts rising young actress Kaya Scodelario as a troubled girl who becomes preoccupied with her mysterious, new neighbor. The woman apparently bears a striking resemblance to her dead mother, and Emanuel offers to babysit her newborn - in the process she unwittingly enters a fragile, fictional world. Jessica Biel, Alfred Molina and Frances O'Connor also star. Right now it is awaiting the reviews out of Park City to tell the tale.
The English Teacher
"Weeds" and "The Larry Sanders Show" director/producer Craig Zisk shot this indie dramedy around this time last year. Sadly though, no new details have really emerged since then and still no word on a potential release. Julianne Moore plays a popular small town high school English teacher who brings a lot of energy to her teaching, but at the cost of a personal life. When a promising former pupil returns home after failing as a playwright in New York, she suggests her high school perform his unproduced play.
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
Volume Two: Better Living Through Chemistry, Beyond The Hills, Big Sur, The Big Wedding, Black Dog Red Dog, The Black Marks, Bling Ring, Blood Ties, The Brass Teapot, Breathe In, Broken City, Bullet to the Head, The Butler, Byzantium, Can a Song Save Your Life?, The Canyons, Captain Phillips, Carol, Carrie, A Case of You, Cavalry, CBGB, Chavez, Child of God, Chinese Zodiac, Closed Circuit, Closer to the Moon, Cloudy 2: Revenge of the Leftovers, C.O.G. , The Colony, Come Out and Play, The Company You Keep
Volume Three: The Counselor, The Coup, The Croods, Crystal Fairy, Dallas Buyers Club, Dark Blood, Dark Skies, Dead Man Down, Decoding Annie Parker, The Deep, Delivery Man, Despicable Me 2, Devil’s Knot, The Devil's Rapture, Diana, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: His & Hers, Disconnect, Dom Hemingway, Don Jon's Addiction, Dorothy of Oz, The Double, Drift, Drinking Buddies, Driven, The East, Eden, Elsa and Fred, Elysium, Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes, Emperor, Empire State, Empires of the Deep, Ender's Game, The English Teacher, Epic, Errors of the Human Body, Escape From Planet Earth