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| As you can see, not much happens in Gravity. (Courtesy of Warner Bros.) |
We are officially in the doldrums that
exist between summer blockbusters and films hoping to win big during the fall
awards season. The last few months have seen several outstanding movies hitting
theaters, as long as viewers are willing to look beyond their local
multiplexes. But as we approach the end of the year (it’s almost here, if you
can believe it), there are even more promising films headed our way. Here are
just a handful of the dozens I’m looking forward to.
Rush – I’m hearing good things about
Ron Howard’s latest directorial effort, which depicts the real-life rivalry between
1970s Formula One drivers James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel
Bruhl). Even critics with absolutely no interest in racing are finding plenty
to love about the story. That makes me breathe easier considering I’d rather
watch paint dry than cars drive around in a circle. (Sept. 20)
Enough Said – In one of his final roles,
James Gandolfini fights against typecasting as the sweet, funny love interest
of a divorced single mom (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). The trailer for this romantic
comedy makes it look charming as heck, which will probably result in me being
even more bummed out about Gandolfini’s untimely death than I was before. (Sept.
20)
Gravity – I’ll talk more about
filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron’s new stunner in a couple of weeks, but go ahead and
put it on your must-see list. Sandra Bullock (in a career-best performance) and
George Clooney play astronauts trapped in space after a freak accident destroys
their shuttle. I highly recommend paying extra for 3D, considering it only
enhances the breathtaking visuals Cuaron uses to convey his panic-inducing
story. (Oct. 4)
Captain Phillips – Tom Hanks is back
in Oscar mode, playing the title role in a fact-based thriller from director
Paul Greengrass. When his cargo ship becomes the first American vessel in two
hundred years to be hijacked by pirates, Captain Richard Phillips is kidnapped
by several Somali men in an effort to extort ransom money. I hear that newcomer
Barkhad Abdi, as the pirates’ leader, nearly steals the movie out from under Hanks.
(Oct. 11)
12 Years a Slave – The buzz out of
recent film festivals hails this true story of a free black man (Chiwetel
Ejiofor) kidnapped and sold into slavery in the pre-Civil War era as brutal,
profound and staggeringly sad. The film boasts a stellar cast (in addition to
the immensely talented Ejiofor, there’s Michael Fassbender, Benedict
Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti, Brad Pitt and others) and a powerful screenplay by
John Ridley. Director Steve McQueen showed plenty of potential with his sex
addiction drama “Shame,” so I’m curious to see how he’s honed his craft over the
last couple of years. (Oct. 18)
Wolf of Wall Street – Martin Scorsese
applying his manic energy and wicked sense of humor to Wall Street’s rampant
corruption in the 1990s? And he’s bringing Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew
McConaughey, Jonah Hill and Kyle Chandler along for the ride? Shut up and take
my money. I was on board as soon as I saw the trailer, one of the year’s most
effective. (Nov. 15)
Dallas Buyers Club – Matthew
McConaughey’s recent renaissance continues with a film that’s already earning
him plenty of Oscar buzz. He plays Ron Woodroof, a Texas ladies’ man and party animal
who is diagnosed with HIV in the 1980s, a time when the disease was considered a
death sentence and mainstream society was less than accepting of those who
contracted it. The film chronicles his battle with the medical establishment
and pharmaceutical companies as he searches for alternative, life-extending
treatments. The strong supporting cast includes Jennifer Garner and Jared Leto.
(Dec. 6)
Inside Llewyn Davis – This is the
latest from the Coen brothers, which is all I need to know. Throw in the fact
that it stars Oscar Isaac (who was phenomenal in the little-seen “10 Years”)
and Justin Timberlake in a story about the 1960s Greenwich Village folk scene?
I’m even more intrigued. The trailer makes this look like a funny, poignant and
melancholy study of a singer who almost makes it big, but not quite. (Dec. 6)
Saving Mr. Banks – Look, it’s Tom
Hanks again. In another performance that’s generating Oscar talk for him (this
time in the Supporting Actor category), the beloved actor plays Walt Disney in
a story depicting the mogul’s efforts to sweet-talk author P.L. Travers (Emma
Thompson) into letting him turn her book “Mary Poppins” into a movie. Since
this is a Disney flick, I’m guessing it will probably sugar coat how rocky this
business relationship truly was, but it looks interesting nonetheless. And
whoever thought to cast Jason Schwartzman and B.J. Novak as the fantastic
Sherman brothers deserves an immediate raise. (Dec. 13)
Anchorman: The Legend Continues – One
of the most anticipated sequels in recent memory finally hits theaters nine
years after the original. The film, shot in Atlanta, reunites the entire cast
(Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner and Christina Applegate)
and adds a few new faces, including Harrison Ford as a veteran newsman and
James Marsden as Ron Burgundy’s fresh-faced competition. If you’re excited for
this one, stay away from IMDb.com. A ton of surprising cameos got ruined for me
while I was researching this column. (Dec. 20)
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