Films I'm looking forward to

The 2012 Cannes Film Festival list was recently released, and along with it films that got me excited and thinking about films coming out by the end of the year. Yes, I’ll admit, these are mainly Hollywood produced films. 

I’m sure I’m missing more, but this is the list I’ve compiled so far.

For a full list of films in competition and showcasing this year at Cannes. I hope one day to go to the South of France.

http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/article/58878.html

Many of the films on the list are period films. I love period films and elaborate costumes, Russian Revolution, 1920’s Jazz age, French Revolution, the Wild West and more....bring it!

It is also not a coincidence that most of these films are being released in the fall/winter. Prime time for Oscar consideration.

Cosmopolis 

(Director: David Cronenberg. Stars: Robert Pattinson, Juliet Binoche, Sara Gadon, Paul Giamatti)  No North American release date yet, but premiering at Cannes in May.

Billionaire Eric Packer has lost all his money in the stock market, yet all he wants is a haircut and travels around New York City to get one. Strange things get in his way. Based on the novel by Don DeLilo.

David Cronenberg takes on the current economic crises as only he can, and brings Pattinson along for the ride. To quote/paraphrase  Eric Packer "Show us something we haven't seen before." 

Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS9jc3BnLRc

Prometheus 

(Director: Ridley Scott. Stars: Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Noomi Rapace) June 8, 2012.

A prequel to Aliens? Yes...no...maybe so. Scott’s back in the sci-fi /thriller genre with a stellar cast. A group of explores attempt to discover the origins of mankind. Some things are best left unknown.

Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1byZkbNB3Jw

The Dark Night Rises 

(Director: Christopher Nolan. Stars: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Hathaway) July 20, 2012

The final of what is known as “Nolan’s Batman trilogy” takes place eight years after The Dark Night. Gotham city is once again under attack and only Batman seems to be able to stop it.  Not much is known about The Dark Night Rises and there are many rumours swirling around. The latest trailer released yesterday reveals a little more while creating more questions.

P.S. I’m still skeptical about Anne Hathaway as Catwoman. I’m partial to Michelle Pfeiffer. I’m sure those older than me will say that they are partial to Ertha Kitt or Julie Newmar.

Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=g8evyE9TuYk

Lincoln 

(Director Steven Spielberg. Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Fields, Joseph Gordon Levitt.) December 2012

No doubt the moment director Steven Spielberg announced he would be a directing a film on the final days of the iconic American president, early etchings on Oscars were done with his name on it. Once it was revealed that method actor extraordinaire Daniel Day-Lewis was set to play Abraham Lincoln; any actor gave up hope on winning Best Lead Actor for Oscar 2013. 

Les Misérables 

(Director: Tom Hooper. Stars: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Eddie Redmayne, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Helena Bonham Carter, Shacha Baron Cohen) December 14, 2012.

How do you top winning an Oscar for best director for The Kings Speech? If you’re Tom Hooper, you direct a film adaptation of the Victor Hugo classic, and hope to show you are not a one hit wonder.  I’m looking forward to the Hugh Jackman/Russell Crowe dynamic. These two will be playing adversaries Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert...so it’s going to be Wolverine vs. Gladiator singing their butts off.  

Oh... and the costumes!!!

Anna Karenina 

(Director: Joe Wright. Stars: Keria Knightly, Jude Law and Aaron Johnson) November 9, 2012.

There are many adaptations of the classic Tolstoy novel and many actresses have played the coveted Anna Karenina, including Greta Garbo.  This round we see Keria Knightly team up with Joe Wright for a third time. He previously worked with Knightly on Pride and Prejudice (2005) and Atonement (2007) so there is some sort of working relationship there. The problem with a massive book like this is condensing it to a 2-2 ½ hour long film. There is so much going on this book, yet the focus is always on the love story and affair between Anna and Count Vronsky. No doubt the affair is important and a large part of the story, but in the end this is a tragic story about Anna Karenina with the pressures Russian high society before the revolution as a backdrop.

Again... the costumes looks amazing!

The Great Gatsby 

(Director: Bass Luhrmann. Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire) December 25, 2012.

Another adaption of the classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald for the big screen, this time in 3D!!!  I won’t get into the argument about 3D technology and Hollywood’s love of remakes and adaptations. Not much is known how Luhrmann plans to incorporate 3D technology with this particular remake, but I am of fan of how big and flashy and pretty Lurhmann directs (see Moulin Rouge (2001) and Romeo & Juliet (1998). His flashy style seems to be a great fit with the lavish 1920’s Jazz age lifestyle of Jay Gatsby that Fitzgerald so famously wrote.

Sidenote: The flapper age is a personal favourite when it comes to costumes.

Django Unchained 

(Director: Quentin Tarantino. Stars: Leonardo Dicaprio, Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz) December 25, 2012. 

After rewriting the history of the Nazis, who else better to tackle slavery in the American South than Tarantino?  The story follows Django (Foxx) a former slave and now bounty hunter, who teams with Dr. King Schultz to save Django’s wife (Kerry Washington) from plantation owner Calvin Candie (DiCaprio).

Yup...DiCaprio is the baddy and not Waltz this time.  So if you don’t feel like watching Leo in The Great Gatsby on Christmas Day, than go into the next theatre for Django Unchained.

Also, Sacha Baron Cohen in this one as well....Borat meets Tarantino....COME ON!!

After the recent release of two images from the film...again...the pretty costumes!!

On the Road

(Director: Walter Selles. Stars: Garrett Hedlund, Sam Riley, Viggo Mortenson, Kristen Stewart, Tom Strurride, Amy Adams, Kirsten Dunst) Premiering at Cannes in May 2012. No release dates as of yet.

Based in the book by Jack Kerouac that is described as defining the beatnik generation, known as a precursor to the hippie generation in post World War II America.  The beatnik generation is also known for their influential literature and theories. The story follows Dean Moriarty and Sal Paradise as they travel across the United States. It is also my understanding that Sal and Dean are a thinly disguised Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady. The character of Carlo Marx (Sturridge) is Allen Ginsberg. 

This is not the easiest read, since the novel is essentially a long stream of consciousness written by Dean (Jack) about this time in his life. So I can imagine why it took years for this film to be made. Another interesting aspect is producer Francis Ford Coppola.

I’m a fan of Walter Selles, I enjoyed Central Station (1998) and love The Motorcycle Diaries (2004). I was weary at first, but the trailer looks promising and got my interest.

Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Iwd7ZXi3DM

                                   Looking far ahead to 2013

Man of Steel 

(Director: Zack Snyder. Stars: Henry Cavill, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Amy Adams) June 14, 2013.

Okay, so this is one is for my own personal and selfish reasons. To be fair, on top of the Cavill factor, I’m interested to see what Shannon does with playing General Zod.

There rumour mill, and hinted at by Warner Bros. themselves, is that a teaser trailer could be attached with The Dark Knight Rises in July and marking one year to the film’s release. This is something Warner Bros. did with a teaser for The Dark Night Rises as well.

Catching Fire 

(Director: TBA. Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth) November 22, 2013.

With the recent departure of The Hunger Games director, Gary Ross, things are a little shaky in the world of Panem.  Director Francis Lawrence (Water for Elephants (2011), I am Legend (2007)) has been offered to take over, but no word as of yet if he has accepted.

With an August start to filming, things better get going on the director and scrip front. Ross was also a fellow scriptwriter, along with author Suzanne Collins herself and Simon Beaufoy. It is unclear if the Catching Fire script was finished before Ross’ exit, or if they will have to start all over again without Ross.

There is also more casting to be done for all the new characters and 20^th Century Fox has allowed Jennifer Lawrence to train and film Catching Fire first, despite having the upper hand contract wise with Lawrence, and pushed back the filming for the X-Men First Class sequel to January 2013.

Still...I’m looking forward to the sequel.  

So mark your calendars! The end of 2012 will be a great time for films.