Movies to keep an eye on
Does 2011 seem like one of the worst movie years in recent memory? Yes, but no worries there are some gems on the horizon.
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- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleTom HardyAnne HathawayEight years after the Joker's reign of chaos, Batman is coerced out of exile with the assistance of the mysterious Selina Kyle in order to defend Gotham City from the vicious guerrilla terrorist Bane.Christopher Nolan's conclusion to the Batman Series. Whatever comes after this, it doesn't matter. Nobody will do the Cape Crusader justice like Nolan has. Christian Bale battles Tom Hardy and potentially Joseph Gordon Levitt in a sure fire classic. Anne Hathaway is the movie's variable. If this doesn't earn a best pick nom in 2013, I will be appalled.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsDaniel Day-LewisSally FieldDavid StrathairnAs the Civil War rages on, U.S President Abraham Lincoln struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on his decision to emancipate the slaves.Spielberg is in the process of making a classic. I'm already excited to see Daniel Day Lewis win his third Oscar in 2013. Too bad Liam Neeson passed; however Day Lewis is the best in the business and this one will be a triumph for cinema.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsLeonardo DiCaprioArmie HammerNaomi WattsJ. Edgar Hoover, powerful head of the F.B.I. for nearly fifty years, looks back on his professional and personal life.Clint hasn't exactly missed on his last two movies--Invictus and Hereafter--but neither was a best pic contender nor too memorable. J. Edgar may be one of his best as the famous star tackles the man who was the first president of the FBI. Could bring Leo home his first Oscar. Naomi Watts could be up there too.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsJamie FoxxChristoph WaltzLeonardo DiCaprioWith the help of a German bounty-hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal plantation owner in Mississippi.what a plot! too bad will smith passed. Tarentino is pretty perfect though, so not to be alarmed. the second of three upcoming leo movies on the list.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsMartin FreemanIan McKellenRichard ArmitageA reluctant Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, sets out to the Lonely Mountain with a spirited group of dwarves to reclaim their mountain home and the gold within it from the dragon Smaug.This has an amazing cast and nobody can doubt Peter Jackson after the LOTR series.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsIan McKellenMartin FreemanRichard ArmitageThe dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain, their homeland, from the dragon Smaug.the mariano rivera of the prequel-to-lord of the rings series should not disappoint.
- DirectorSam MendesStarsDaniel CraigJavier BardemNaomie HarrisJames Bond's loyalty to M is tested when her past comes back to haunt her. When MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.could be huge with javier bardem on board. i'd argue he's the best actor ever to appear in a bond movie, and he hasn't even appeared in one yet. now that's saying something.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsDaniel CraigRooney MaraChristopher PlummerJournalist Mikael Blomkvist is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for 40 years by young computer hacker Lisbeth Salander.could contend for best picture if the year is as weak as its been these first seven months. fincher is long deserved for best director.
- DirectorMartin McDonaghStarsColin FarrellWoody HarrelsonSam RockwellA struggling screenwriter inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends kidnap a gangster's beloved Shih Tzu.dark comedy from the genius director of "in bruges"
- DirectorBennett MillerStarsBrad PittRobin WrightJonah HillOakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to assemble a baseball team on a lean budget by employing computer-generated analysis to acquire new players.Michael Lewis's book hits the big screen this September with Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill starring. It will be up for best picture for sure.
- DirectorJohn HillcoatStarsTom HardyShia LaBeoufGuy PearceSet in Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, a trio of bootlegging brothers are threatened by a new special deputy and other authorities angling for a cut of their profits.should be a big hit. great cast, great story. looking forward to this one.
- DirectorGeorge ClooneyStarsPaul GiamattiGeorge ClooneyPhilip Seymour HoffmanAn idealistic staffer for a new presidential candidate gets a crash course on dirty politics during his stint on the campaign trail.speak of casting--gosling, clooney, hoffman, giamatti. 'nuff said. anyone who questions clooney as a director only needs to rewatch 2007's good night, good luck.
- DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsJoaquin PhoenixPhilip Seymour HoffmanAmy AdamsA Naval veteran arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future - until he is tantalized by the Cause and its charismatic leader.Plot description: A 1950s-set drama centered on the relationship between a charismatic intellectual known as "the Master" whose faith-based organization begins to catch on in America, and a young drifter who becomes his right-hand man. Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood). Stars: Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and.....drumroll....the return of Joaquin Phoenix. Should be awesome.
- DirectorJonathan LevineStarsJoseph Gordon-LevittSeth RogenAnna KendrickInspired by a true story, a comedy centered on a 27-year-old guy who learns of his cancer diagnosis and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease.Love the Gordon-Levitt/Rogen duo.
- DirectorBaz LuhrmannStarsLeonardo DiCaprioCarey MulliganJoel EdgertonA writer and wall street trader, Nick Carraway, finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his mysterious millionaire neighbor, Jay Gatsby, amid the riotous parties of the Jazz Age.With Leo on board, this one can't miss.
- DirectorBaltasar KormákurStarsMark WahlbergGiovanni RibisiKate BeckinsaleTo protect his brother-in-law from a drug lord, a former smuggler heads to Panama to score millions of dollars in counterfeit bills.A security guard with financial troubles considers a return to his smuggling ways when an associate offers a potentially lucrative opportunity. With Wahlberg.
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsMichael FassbenderKeira KnightleyViggo MortensenA look at how the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gives birth to psychoanalysis.A movie about clashing psychologists--Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortenson) and Karl Jung (Michael Fassbender). Although I'm not a fan of David Croenenberg, this one should be a surefire Oscar contender.
- DirectorRuben FleischerStarsJesse EisenbergDanny McBrideNick SwardsonTwo fledgling criminals kidnap a pizza delivery guy, strap a bomb to his chest, and inform him that he has mere hours to rob a bank or else...Could easily be the funniest movie of the year we'll see in two weeks.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsNoomi RapaceLogan Marshall-GreenMichael FassbenderFollowing clues to the origin of mankind, a team finds a structure on a distant moon, but they soon realize they are not alone.Nobody can doubt Ridley Scott's greatness.
- DirectorMichael HoffmanStarsColin FirthCameron DiazAlan RickmanAn art curator decides to seek revenge on his abusive boss by conning him into buying a fake Monet, but his plan requires the help of an eccentric and unpredictable Texas rodeo queen.The Coen brothers are writing. Odd cast, but Firth is on fire and Alan Rickman lights up the Harry Potter movies with his dark and omenous composure.
- DirectorMatt PiedmontStarsWill FerrellGael García BernalDiego LunaScheming to save their father's ranch, the Alvarez brothers find themselves in a war with Mexico's most feared drug lord.Will Ferrell acts alongside the best young Latino actors out there. Should be a suprise comedy hit.
- DirectorZack SnyderStarsHenry CavillAmy AdamsMichael ShannonAn alien child is evacuated from his dying world and sent to Earth to live among humans. His peace is threatened when other survivors of his home planet invade Earth.I love the supporting cast they are putting around Henry Cavill (Superman)--Amy Adams, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Michael Shannon. It's unfortunate Russell Crowe is no longer in but with David S. Goyer (Batman Begins) writing everything should be ok.
- DirectorRuben FleischerStarsSean PennRyan GoslingEmma StoneIt's 1949 Los Angeles, the city is run by gangsters and a malicious mobster, Mickey Cohen. Determined to end the corruption, John O'Mara assembles a team of cops, ready to take down the ruthless leader and restore peace to the city.Plot: A chronicle of the LAPD's fight to keep East Coast Mafia types out of Los Angeles in the 1940s and 50s. Cast: Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin, Anthony Mackie, etc.
- DirectorTomas AlfredsonStarsGary OldmanColin FirthTom HardyIn the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet Agent within MI6.Looking forward to this one. Could be Gary Oldman's bid for his first Oscar nod.
- DirectorTony GilroyStarsJeremy RennerRachel WeiszEdward NortonAn expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum's novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the events of the previous three films.I have a big question mark next to this one. Could be a huge hit, could be a disaster.
- DirectorBruce RobinsonStarsJohnny DeppGiovanni RibisiAaron EckhartAmerican journalist Paul Kemp takes on a freelance job in Puerto Rico for a local newspaper during the 1960s and struggles to find a balance between island culture and the expatriates who live there.Johnny Depp heads to the Caribean to star in another Hunter S. Thompson book, the first being Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsJodie FosterKate WinsletChristoph WaltzTwo pairs of parents hold a cordial meeting after their sons are involved in a fight, though as their time together progresses, increasingly childish behavior throws the discussion into chaos.Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet and Chrisopher Waltz star in this Roman Polanski comedy-drama that should stand out later this year.
- DirectorWalter SallesStarsSam RileyGarrett HedlundKristen StewartYoung writer Sal Paradise has his life shaken by the arrival of free-spirited Dean Moriarty and his girl, Marylou. As they travel across the country, they encounter a mix of people who each impact their journey indelibly.One of my favorite all time books probably won't make the greatest movie, but I will for sure see it before it's out of theaters.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsAsa ButterfieldChloë Grace MoretzChristopher LeeIn 1931 Paris, an orphan living in the walls of a train station gets wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.Martin Scorsese's 2011 movie is more than just a kid flick. It should be spellbinding, wouldn't be suprised if it was a dark horse in the best picture race.
- DirectorSimon CurtisStarsMichelle WilliamsEddie RedmayneKenneth BranaghColin Clark, an employee of Sir Laurence Olivier, documents the tense interactions between Olivier and Marilyn Monroe during the production of The Prince and the Showgirl (1957).1 of 2 movies that will contend for best actress award this year. Michelle Williams will deliver a marquee performance in this film.
- DirectorPhyllida LloydStarsMeryl StreepJim BroadbentRichard E. GrantAn elderly Margaret Thatcher talks to the imagined presence of her recently deceased husband as she struggles to come to terms with his death while scenes from her past life, from girlhood to British prime minister, intervene.Meryl Streep will be Williams' contender this year for best actress as she dons the garbs as Queen of Great Britain.
- DirectorGary RossStarsJennifer LawrenceJosh HutchersonLiam HemsworthKatniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister's place in the Hunger Games: a televised competition in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to fight to the death.Jennifer Lawrence is bound for greatness. This will be her series and it will remembered, mark my words.
- DirectorDanny BoyleStarsJames McAvoyRosario DawsonVincent CasselAn art auctioneer mixed up with a group of criminals partners with a hypnotherapist in order to recover a lost painting.Danny Boyle's upcoming thriller is in pre-production, but he's proven himself throughout his career as one of Hollywood's best.
- DirectorAndrew DominikStarsBrad PittRay LiottaRichard JenkinsJackie Cogan is an enforcer hired to restore order after three dumb guys rob a Mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse.Cast: Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta, Richard Jenkins, James Gandolfini and Garret Dillahunt. Speaks for itself really.
- DirectorAndy GarciaStarsAndy GarciaWriter Ernest Hemingway befriends boat captain, Gregorio Fuentes, who inspires him to pen the famous tale "The Old Man and the Sea."An inside look at how Earnest Hemingway's classic novel "The Old Man and the Sea" came to be. Andy Garcia directs and Anthony Hopkins stars.
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsJames FrancoMichelle WilliamsRachel WeiszA small-time magician is swept away to an enchanted land and is forced into a power struggle between three witches.James Franco, Mila Kunis and Rachel Weisz star in this sure to be masterpiece of the prequel to the Wizard of Oz.
- CreatorDustin Lance BlackStarsAndrew GarfieldSam WorthingtonDaisy Edgar-JonesA devout detective's faith is tested as he investigates a brutal murder seemingly connected to an esteemed Utah family's spiral into LDS fundamentalism and their distrust in the government.Ron Howard has gotten on board to direct Jon Krakauer's (Into the Wild, Into Thin Air) novel about a double-murder in Mormon country. When it comes out it should be a gripping movie.
- DirectorOliver StoneStarsAaron Taylor-JohnsonTaylor KitschBlake LivelyPot growers Ben and Chon face off against the Mexican drug cartel who kidnapped their shared girlfriend.Having an Oliver Stone movie on the list is an alarming sign to those still scrolling, but this one is intriguing with Taylor Kirsch (Friday Night Lights) and Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild) as its anchors with veterans like John Travolta, Salma Hayek, Uma Thurman and Benico Del Toro.
- DirectorFernando MeirellesStarsRachel WeiszJude LawAnthony HopkinsA modern and stylish kaleidoscope of interconnected love and relationships linking characters from different cities and countries in a vivid, suspenseful and deeply moving tale of romantic life in the 21st century.Don't know much about it but it's got an amazing cast.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsJeremy IrvineEmily WatsonDavid ThewlisA young farm boy enlists to serve in World War I after his beloved horse is sold to the cavalry. His hopeful journey takes him out of England and onto the front lines as the war rages on.Spielberg epic tale about a girl and a horse, should be a classic.
- DirectorJason ReitmanStarsCharlize TheronPatrick WilsonPatton OswaltSoon after her divorce, a fiction writer returns to her home in small-town Minnesota, looking to rekindle a romance with her ex-boyfriend who is now happily married and has a newborn daughter.Jason Reitman has been on a tear recently. Same with writer Diablo Cody. With Charlize Theron as the lead actress, this should be a delight.
- DirectorRalph FiennesStarsRalph FiennesGerard ButlerBrian CoxA banished hero of Rome allies with a sworn enemy to take his revenge on the city.Ralph Fiennes could be going up for an Oscar alongside Leo, Gary Oldman and Brad Pitt. Tough company.
- DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsMatt DamonKate WinsletJude LawHealthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.The casting is nearly flawless and this plot sounds pretty ridiculous, definitely one to keep an eye on.
- DirectorRobbie PickeringStarsMatt O'LearyRachael HarrisJohn DiehlHaving discovered that her dying husband has an illegitimate child living in Florida, a devout Christian housewife leaves her sheltered world on a mission to reunite father and son.Has been building up buzz around the indie circuit. Could be a dark horse in the best picture race. You heard it here first.