If you're as big a Batman (or Abba) enthusiast as I am, it probably feels like all of your energy has been put into anticipating this one week. You've probably been hyped up on Batman (or Abba) for quite some time now... maybe years.
But there's a half-year full of movies left. So my question to you is, now that your system is drained of Batman (or Abba), what's the next movie you just can't wait to see?
There's still plenty of summer left and it will be giving us another hit of X-Files, the buzzed-up Tropic Thunder, the strange Apatow/Gordon Green mash-up Pineapple Express as well as Vicky Christina Barcelona, Woody Allen's tale of incredibly beautiful people doing... I dunno, something.September gives us a few dips into awards season with the Coen comedy Burn After Reading, the Cannes troubled Blindness, a remake of The Women, another Pacino/DeNiro pairing with Righteous Kill and Miracle at St. Anna, Spike Lee's freshest joint.
If you're a fan of Kevin Smith or adult cinema October brings Zack and Miri make a Porno. If you prefer your comedies even more indie there's Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. Mike Leigh makes us not cry for a change with Happy-Go-Lucky, Clint Eastwood shows off Changeling and Oliver Stone gets all nostalgic for the past 7 years with W.November sees the return of 0o7, Baz Luhrman, Harry Potter and Cormac McCarthy with (respectively) Quantum of Solace, Australia, The Half-Blood Prince and The Road. And if that's not enough, Joe Wright is back with another movie (The Soloist) and Gus Van Sant teams up with Sean Penn for the awards-darling-to-be? Milk.
As usual December is pretty empty when it comes to prestige pictures. There's only the double playbill of Frost/Nixon and Doubt. Ed Zwick tries to at least be a bridesmaid with Defiance. Those Titanic kids reteam in Revolutionary Road and David Fincher takes on F. Scott Fitzgerald with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Finally if you're in the mood for the virginal romances of the undead (and Pushing Daisies has been cancelled) you can check out Twilight.And not to forget that there are still some pictures without distribution plans like Che/Guerilla/The Argentine and Synecdoche, NY as well as about a hundred movies I haven't listed here.
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24 comments:
hmmmm - good question. Probably the x-files movie.
John Briner, Los Angeles
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince". I'm a sucker for the book and movie franchise. After that, "Doubt", just because I have such enormous expectations for it.
Australia, by far. Also Doubt, Young Victoria (does that have a release date yet?) and Hamlet 2.
Here's my query that I'm sure would make a great long-form post, Nat. With all this talk about TDK having the biggest opening weekend ever, the biggest one day total ever, etc., beating Spider Man 3, why are all of the highest grossing films these big comic book action films? You've got Star Wars, Indiana Jones (which I love, btw), Spider Man, Batman, Superman, Hulk, etc. etc. etc. Where is the hype, the underground marketing, the viral campaign, for Australia? For The Reader? I think I know the obvious reasons (not everyone--i.e. straight men--likes romance, epics, actual DIALOGUE, while these action films pretty much appeal to everyone, even the cynical ones), but what about Gone With the Wind? Cleopatra? Titanic? These are talky, epic films, that were once the highest grossing ever. For that matter, they had strong female parts. Find me a female icon in any of those movies that isn't the sidekick or much much younger than her male co-star, the latest Indy notwithstanding. Is it too much to ask for a second coming of Liz Taylor? It's hard to imagine now, but looking back, she was a sex symbol turned serious actress...is Kiera Knightly the best we can do (I love Kiera)?
So my historical, philosophical, and sociological points forgone, what about tackling it from a marketing angle. Isn't there some advertising firm that could make an epic romance, an intelligent film (I realize as I type that that it sounds as if I am belittling action films, and to a certain extent, I am, but I realize that many tell great stories despite the number of explosions contained therein) seem like a must-see for children, teenagers, 20-somethings, married people, straight guys, lesbians, etc.? Any objection to kids/teens being exposed to romance and/or sex should be immediately quieted by noting the fact that kids are exposed to extreme and unrealistic violence on a daily basis and have been for all time. I'm not saying they have to be exposed to graphic sex, clearly, but would a naked breast kill them?
God I sound like a blathering bleeding heart liberal, but where is my damn movie???
Oh yeah, they all come out in December and disappear in a week because no one sees them. Gotcha. I do of course recognize the fact that summer has always been the time for big male-dominated action films, and the biggest money-makers, but I join Nathaniel in lamenting the lack of serious films from February-September.
Baz, please save us.
it will be a very sad year from now on... :(
I'm not exactly sure what's going on in that picture of Vicky Christina Barcelona, but I do know that it just got bumped up on my anticipated list a few spots.
I've been satiated by Batman AND Abba ...
The only other film that I remotely anticipate as much as those two would probably be Milk. Maybe Grey Gardens ... we'll see after the first trailer.
I'm mildly excited about Ben Button, new Charlie Kaufman and Happy-Go-Lucky.
My heart goes out to Billy D. What a passionate post. Don't give up hope! I've resigned myself to patient, nocturnal hope and placed it in a small dresser drawer in my bureau when it comes to the highly anticipated epic event picture featuring a strong female lead.
After reading that, I reserve the chance that I could be saved by Baz. Yes, Baz, please save us.
The only three movies I want to see this summer are all "stupid" comedies. I'm looking forward to:
Stepbrothers. Will Ferrell is in so much crap it's easy to forget that he was funny in Anchorman and Talladega Nights, both directed by Stepbrothers' Adam McKay, and the trailer has given me high hopes.
Even if Pineapple Express is not funny, it looks like it has a surprising amount of visual sense (I thought that even before I knew Gordon Green was on board).
But I'm really geared up for Tropic Thunder which looks just great, especially Downy Jr.
Any one of these could disappoint me, but they're all I'm really looking forward to this summer.
Then we get to movies I love, art house junk. Australia and The Changeling top my list (I've been anticipating both since they've been announced)I dislike Ron Howard as a filmmaker, but the subject matter sounds incredible for Frost/Nixon. I doubt that it will be good, but W will have a nice trainwreck quality to it, if Van Sant keeps his recent formal mastery even a little, Milk will be a must see (though we must make sure that it doesn't fall into "Finding Forrester" territory)Love Spike Lee and Fincher, so I'll watch them unless it's a total bust. And I think the Coens are the best filmmakers working today, even if it is completely trashed by critics and dumped by audiences, I will see Burn After Reading.
And that's just from the stuff you put up there. If any little film gets a lot of buzz, I'll be there.
Oh, and The Road and the new Bond could be very good. I need to stop writing now or I'll never stop.
As of August, Vicky Cristina Barcelona. The trailer makes Woody Allen's hopefully new charmer look like a fresh step forward into his career.
Hmm...I'm pretty excited about Pineapple Express, actually. Looks really funny, and James Franco is always a treat.
Benjamin Button and Burn After Reading have to be my most looked forward to. Oddly enough my two favorite films are the Big Lebowski and Fight Club, so you know I love both of these film making teams. Also Im a huge Brad Pitt fan so I'm really hoping this can be a big year for him. Perhaps with a good double he can score an oscar nod for either, (pray) and maybe a win...
also I lok forward to another viewing of the Dark Knight
soo excited for harry potter, not gonna lie
Benjamin Button, Australia and Reservation Road.
er, Wall-E, actually, because it hasn't been released here yet. Also, Australia, Milk and The Reader specifically.
Revolutionary Road, Brideshead Revisted, Harvey Milk, the new James Bond, lots of things at the Toromto Film Festival I haven't heard of yet.
I'm not going to be able to anticipate anything as much as I had been the Dark Knight. I was so hyped up for the film, and for once I was not disappointed in the least. A brilliant film, and one that I hope breaks into the Oscar race. My #8 of all time.
If I were to say what I wanted to see next however, I guess it would be The Road, just because it was a great book and Viggo is usually brilliant. But, I can definitely handle the wait.
AUSTRALIA - with out a doubt, definitely, by far, etc. etc.
And billy d - Baz will not disappoint. Titanic had poor numbers on its opening night - but look how that turned out. Plus, AUSTRALIA has the best marketing right now easily for the future Oscar contenders - the set to screen series podcasts (pure genius), a teaser trailer, coverage on CNN and ET, Hugh being compared to Clint.... I think you get my point. It's also already been screened in Minnesota - and it received very positive reviews (the reviewers hailed it as a classic movie and "you don't see them like this anymore").
Anyway, loved reading your post because I completely agree - and I think Baz will totally answer our call. =)
.... AUSTRALIA will be the epic romance we have been waiting for.
The one I'm looking forward to the most right now is a German fantasy film called "Krabat", starring (among others) Daniel Brühl. I love the book (which is considered a classic in Germany) to bits and there's some great talent involved. The titular character is being played by David Kross, who's also in "The Reader", which definitely is very high up on my list as well.
The third film I really want to see is "The Time Traveller's Wife". I think I've read the book about four times, I love it that much, which probably means I'm going to be hugely disappointed by the film...
I'm a loser who loves horrible adaptations of great books, so that'd be "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" and "Twilight" for me this year. Yea to movies for ruining books!
20 most eagerly awaited, D.K.A.D
curious case of benjamin button
burn after reading
the road
che
australia
brothers bloom
milk
vicki cristina barcelona
house of lies
the box
the changeling
quantum of solace
revolutionary road
harry potter and half-blood prince
doubt
the international
the escapist
pineapple express
tropic thunder
the time traveller's wife
phew...
Heather --LOL
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