40. The Special Relationship
Directed By: Richard Loncraine.
Starring: Michael Sheen, Dennis Quaid, Hope David, Helen McCrory.
Why? Michael Sheen goes for his third go around playing Tony Blair, in a movie written by Peter Morgan (who was also supposed to direct). This time, the movie focuses on the relationship between Blair and Bill Clinton (Dennis Quaid). The first two films – The Deal and The Queen – were wonderful, so even if I would have rather seen a film about Blair and Bush Jr., I still look forward to this one.
39. The Town
Directed By: Ben Affleck.
Starring: Ben Affleck, Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Renner, Chris Cooper.
Why? Ben Affleck surprised everyone, including me, when he made his directorial debut, and it came out as the great crime drama Gone Baby Gone. He returns to the Boston set crime film for his follow-up directorial effort The Town, based on the novel Prince of Thieves by Chuck Hogan. Affleck has cast himself this time, but also Jon Hamm from Mad Men, Rebecca Hall, Chris Cooper and recent Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner. I hope that Gone Baby Gone was not just a one off fluke for him.
38. Get Low
Directed By: Aaron Schenider.
Starring: Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek, Lucas Black.
Why? I missed this movie at last year’s Toronto Film Festival, where it got terrific reviews, especially for the performances by Duvall and Murray. The distributor who picked it up there decided to hold it until this year, rather than jumping into the Oscar race with little time to prepare. Duvall and Murray are two of my favorite actors, and Spacek is always great, and Lucas Black is slowly becoming a really interesting actor. Am looking forward to this one.
37. The Adjustment Bureau
Directed By: George Nolfi.
Starring: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, John Slattery, Terence Stamp.
Why? Matt Damon has proven himself to be a solid actor in film after film – especially in action movies where he brings a credibility that most actors do not. Emily Blunt is gorgeous and talented in equal measure, and both John Slattery (from Mad Men) and Terence Stamp are excellent as bad guys. Based on a Philip K. Dick story, you know the basis for intelligent science fiction is here, although the track record for great adaptation of Dick’s stories is spotty at best. The real question mark is Nolfi, who is a screenwriter with an average track record. I hope he pulls this one off.
36. Brooklyn’s Finest
Directed By: Antoine Fuqua.
Starring: Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Don Cheadle, Wesley Snipes.
Why? Antoine Fuqua knows how to make a great drama about police corruption – he directed training day after all. Brooklyn’s Finest has already created some buzz, and any movie with Ethan Hawke and Don Cheadle in the cast automatically has my interest raised. The fact that Richard Gere is in it doesn’t bother me too much – he can be fine in the right role. And personally, I cannot wait to see Snipes in a real again after far too long. Probably won’t be a masterpiece, but I am hoping for a great entertainment.
35. The First Gun
Directed By: Zhang Yimou.
Starring: Sun Honglei, Ni Dahong, Xiaoshenyang, Yan Ni
Why? Zhang Yimou has been making some of the most visually stunning films of the last few years – Hero, and House of Flying Daggers to name but two. This time, he tackles a remake of the Coen brother’s debut film, Blood Simple. The combination of Yimou taking on the Coens has me more than a little curious.
34. The Beaver
Directed By: Jodie Foster.
Starring: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence.
Why? Mel Gibson may be a jerk in real life and as a director he likes overkill, but I have to admit I still find highly enjoyable as an actor. This movie, directed by Jodie Foster (who also costars, and who I love) is about an executive who starts going around with a beaver puppet on his hand. It remains to be seen whether this will be a one joke comedy stretched too far, or a genuine new classic – but I’m hoping for the later.
33. Micmacs
Directed By: Jean Pierre Jeunet
Starring: Dany Boon, Andre Dussollier, Nicolas Marie, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Yolande Moreau.
Why? Jean Pierre Jeunet always makes visually inventive films – from his work with Marc Caro (Delicatessen, City of Lost Children) to his more recent films on his own (Amelie, A Very Long Engagement), and even his installment of the Alien franchise. This one has got extremely mixed reviews everyway it’s played, and the preview let’s you know why. This is either going to a comic masterwork or a misfire of huge proportions. I can’t wait to find out which one.
32. Iron Man 2
Directed By: Jon Favreau.
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow.
Why? I usually do not look forward to sequels all that much – we know what’s coming after the original. But I cannot wait to see Downey do his thing again as Tony Stark. With Mickey Rourke as the bad guy, Don Cheadle taking over for Terence Howard and Gwyneth Paltrow once again on board, I hope that Jon Favreau can capture the magic that made the first film of the most entertaining films of that year.
31. Stone
Directed By: John Curran.
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Edward Norton, Milla Jovovich.
Why? DeNiro and Norton showed great chemistry together in Frank Oz’s underrated heist movie The Score. John Curran has made two intelligent dramas with We Don’t Live Here Anymore and The Painted Veil (which also starred Norton). This movie, about an arsonist trying to manipulate his parole officer, could easily be a great thriller. I am really hoping that DeNiro pushes himself a little more than he has onscreen in the last decade or so.
Directed By: Richard Loncraine.Starring: Michael Sheen, Dennis Quaid, Hope David, Helen McCrory.
Why? Michael Sheen goes for his third go around playing Tony Blair, in a movie written by Peter Morgan (who was also supposed to direct). This time, the movie focuses on the relationship between Blair and Bill Clinton (Dennis Quaid). The first two films – The Deal and The Queen – were wonderful, so even if I would have rather seen a film about Blair and Bush Jr., I still look forward to this one.
39. The Town
Directed By: Ben Affleck.Starring: Ben Affleck, Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Renner, Chris Cooper.
Why? Ben Affleck surprised everyone, including me, when he made his directorial debut, and it came out as the great crime drama Gone Baby Gone. He returns to the Boston set crime film for his follow-up directorial effort The Town, based on the novel Prince of Thieves by Chuck Hogan. Affleck has cast himself this time, but also Jon Hamm from Mad Men, Rebecca Hall, Chris Cooper and recent Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner. I hope that Gone Baby Gone was not just a one off fluke for him.
38. Get Low
Directed By: Aaron Schenider.Starring: Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek, Lucas Black.
Why? I missed this movie at last year’s Toronto Film Festival, where it got terrific reviews, especially for the performances by Duvall and Murray. The distributor who picked it up there decided to hold it until this year, rather than jumping into the Oscar race with little time to prepare. Duvall and Murray are two of my favorite actors, and Spacek is always great, and Lucas Black is slowly becoming a really interesting actor. Am looking forward to this one.
37. The Adjustment Bureau
Directed By: George Nolfi.Starring: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, John Slattery, Terence Stamp.
Why? Matt Damon has proven himself to be a solid actor in film after film – especially in action movies where he brings a credibility that most actors do not. Emily Blunt is gorgeous and talented in equal measure, and both John Slattery (from Mad Men) and Terence Stamp are excellent as bad guys. Based on a Philip K. Dick story, you know the basis for intelligent science fiction is here, although the track record for great adaptation of Dick’s stories is spotty at best. The real question mark is Nolfi, who is a screenwriter with an average track record. I hope he pulls this one off.
36. Brooklyn’s Finest
Directed By: Antoine Fuqua.Starring: Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Don Cheadle, Wesley Snipes.
Why? Antoine Fuqua knows how to make a great drama about police corruption – he directed training day after all. Brooklyn’s Finest has already created some buzz, and any movie with Ethan Hawke and Don Cheadle in the cast automatically has my interest raised. The fact that Richard Gere is in it doesn’t bother me too much – he can be fine in the right role. And personally, I cannot wait to see Snipes in a real again after far too long. Probably won’t be a masterpiece, but I am hoping for a great entertainment.
35. The First Gun
Directed By: Zhang Yimou.Starring: Sun Honglei, Ni Dahong, Xiaoshenyang, Yan Ni
Why? Zhang Yimou has been making some of the most visually stunning films of the last few years – Hero, and House of Flying Daggers to name but two. This time, he tackles a remake of the Coen brother’s debut film, Blood Simple. The combination of Yimou taking on the Coens has me more than a little curious.
34. The Beaver
Directed By: Jodie Foster.Starring: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence.
Why? Mel Gibson may be a jerk in real life and as a director he likes overkill, but I have to admit I still find highly enjoyable as an actor. This movie, directed by Jodie Foster (who also costars, and who I love) is about an executive who starts going around with a beaver puppet on his hand. It remains to be seen whether this will be a one joke comedy stretched too far, or a genuine new classic – but I’m hoping for the later.
33. Micmacs
Directed By: Jean Pierre JeunetStarring: Dany Boon, Andre Dussollier, Nicolas Marie, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Yolande Moreau.
Why? Jean Pierre Jeunet always makes visually inventive films – from his work with Marc Caro (Delicatessen, City of Lost Children) to his more recent films on his own (Amelie, A Very Long Engagement), and even his installment of the Alien franchise. This one has got extremely mixed reviews everyway it’s played, and the preview let’s you know why. This is either going to a comic masterwork or a misfire of huge proportions. I can’t wait to find out which one.
32. Iron Man 2
Directed By: Jon Favreau.Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow.
Why? I usually do not look forward to sequels all that much – we know what’s coming after the original. But I cannot wait to see Downey do his thing again as Tony Stark. With Mickey Rourke as the bad guy, Don Cheadle taking over for Terence Howard and Gwyneth Paltrow once again on board, I hope that Jon Favreau can capture the magic that made the first film of the most entertaining films of that year.
31. Stone
Directed By: John Curran.Starring: Robert DeNiro, Edward Norton, Milla Jovovich.
Why? DeNiro and Norton showed great chemistry together in Frank Oz’s underrated heist movie The Score. John Curran has made two intelligent dramas with We Don’t Live Here Anymore and The Painted Veil (which also starred Norton). This movie, about an arsonist trying to manipulate his parole officer, could easily be a great thriller. I am really hoping that DeNiro pushes himself a little more than he has onscreen in the last decade or so.
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