I had a long list of top 5′s to choose from this week, but because I’m doing a little guest appearance on the radio today to talk about the fall movie season I thought I’d back it up with some written documentation. With the summer season quickly coming to a close with many disappointments, and a few glowing successes, it’s time to look at where the stuff that was clearly not good enough to handle blockbuster season wound up. Does that sound like I’m establishing a set of lower expectations? Well, I am. The kids are all back at school, grown ups are taking in the changing leaves, and people are just biding their time until the Christmas movie season comes along. Fear not though, I think I might have dug up a few diamonds in the rough that’ll tide you over until December’s new slough of hits.
5. Jackass 3D (Jeff Tremaine) October 15th
No high art here, but I can guarantee, GUARANTEE at least a few good laughs – and what other movie this season can make such a boast? Unofficially celebrating the 10th anniversary of the MTV amateur stunt & prank extravaganza that has spawned more lame spinoffs than Laguna Beach, the entire cast is on board, including a clean and sober Steve-O. And while the title promises the spectacle of 3D, apparently none of it was actually shot with 3D cameras – it was all done in post production a la Clash of the Titans.
4. RED (Robert Schwentke) October 15th
Contrary to what you might think, I didn’t pick RED because it’s based on a comic book – I’ve never actually read it before. Nope, I picked RED because it’s got Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Karl Urban and Bruce Willis as government assassins. RED stands for Retired, Extremely Dangerous and is about a group of retired CIA spooks who are being hunted by their old bosses. Frank Moses (Bruce “Cop Out never happened” Willis) looks up his old pals in order to to protect his new girlfriend (Mary Louise “I don’t get what people see in her” Parker) when the Feds appear to be gunning for him. This movie looks to be worth the price of admission for having John Malkovich running down a city street screaming bloody murder wearing a vest full of dynamite.
3. Let Me In (Matt Reeves) October 1st
The original Swedish version of this film, Let the Right One In, directed by Thomas Alfredson was a vampire masterpiece. The remake has a long way to fall, but with an incredible cast including Chloe “Skillz beyond her years” Moretz and Kodi Smit “Whining as an artform” McPhee there is plenty of reason for optimism. From what I gathered from the trailer, the American remake appears to mirror many shots from the original version, and that actually might be a good thing. The gist of the story is that a lonely boy, bullied unmercifully at school suddenly gets a new neighbour, and her favourite food is blood pudding, hold the pudding. Hard to say whether they can really capture the bizarre love story set against a backdrop of stark emptiness like the Swedes do so well, but it’ll be worth $10 to find out.
2. Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (David Yates) November 19th
At last. Three years after the most popular series of novels ended its run and left kids of all ages with a hole in their hearts that has yet to be adequately filled, the series of movies that tried its best to capture the same fever is finally wrapping up. Deathly Hallows is the 7th and penultimate movie in the Harry Potter saga and Warner Bros. will be pulling out all the stops to make sure that it goes out with a bang. As it is based on a book that just about everyone in the civilized world has read, a synopsis seems pointless, but suffice it to say this is the final battle waged between the forces of good and evil with a school for witchcraft and wizardry as the main battleground. I am pleased to say that despite the return of studio puppet David Yates to the director’s chair there’s some new blood behind the camera to be excited about, DOP Eduardo Serra who I was lauding in my Vault review of Unbreakable. The man knows how to compose a shot, and I’m sure we can expect far greater range of tone and texture than we’ve seen in the last two films.
1. Tron Legacy (Joesph Kosinski) December 17th
Hey, winter doesn’t start until December 22nd, so this is a fall flick. And what a flick! 28 years after the first one, a film that forever affected my life, Disney is finally ready to unleash a $150 million film that’s been in development since the 90′s. Featuring at least 2 different Jeff Bridges characters, one of them digitally young-ified, Tron Legacy takes us back into the computer world where Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), Kevin Flynn’s estranged son, is transported to for reasons that likely go beyond a simple family reunion. I’ve got a feeling in my bones that this movie just might accomplish all the things the Matrix sequels failed to, while cranking out a crazy new score by Daft Punk, and showing off some new-school light cycles and amped-up laser frisbee combat. There is too much to be excited about in this film, and I can’t think of a better cherry to put on top of a not-so-bad fall.
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Every year when September arrives, the movie geek part of me (which, let’s face facts, is growing exponentially every day) gets pretty psyched. I don’t know why most studios seem to keep they’re very best stuff for the end – don’t they know that “it’s all about balance”???
Some solid choices here, and while i do have my own fall five – you’ll just have to tune into Matineecast ep. 20 on Monday to find out which!
Way to tantalize, Hatter. Yeah, the stuff people aren’t interested in seeing has to land somewhere. I’d be curious to see which season traditionally gets the worst films. It would have to be spring or fall, I suppose.
Which season? Spring…the season of death…the stretch where films studios don’t know what to do with go to die. Think WOLFMAN…LEATHERHEADS…that sort of thing.
Every once in a while a gem slips through like THE MATRIX or ETERNAL SUNSHINE, by by and large, movie studios seem to believe that audiences only want to watch films from May to December.
Sounds like a self-fulfilling prophecy to me. I had thought I would go through my memory banks and remember when I had the most time on my hands and that would be the movie season of death. I can say for sure that the DVD season of death is summertime – it’s been a freakin’ drought this summer.
Well sure, because for dvd’s the summertime dvd’s are the theatrical releases from the winter and spring.
This of course begs the question of access to a deeper talent pool. I’m not sure what the scene is like in Victoria (though I would suspect it’s similar), but here in Hogtown there is always a good movie to be found. You might have to dig a bit deeper to find out about it, but between docs, foreign films and indies…there is almost always a great find out there to fill in those “off” weeks when the tentpole pictures just don’t cut it.
Well, I’m sure you’re very aware that the T-dot has the edge on pretty much every other city in Canada as far as access to movie. Victoria is a University town so there are a couple places you can go for “quality” entertainment, but I couldn’t say for sure what it’s like in the “dead season”. If I wanted to tonight, I could head out to The Roxy and check out The Kids Are Alright (but I’ll be honest, I don’t really want to) or I could head to the Cinecenta and see The Girl Who Played With Fire (which I’ve already seen). So yeah, it’s not a wasteland here, but it’s not a buffet either. This is the best argument I have for my collection – whenever there’s nothing out there to see, there’s always something on my shelf to curl up with.
And yes, circle of life is certainly manifesting in the DVD release calendar. We’re almost through the worst of it. We’ve got 3 titles to get through this weekend!
HOWEVER! As I’m checking the listings for Victoria, I’m seeing that Centurion, which I’ve been waiting patiently to see all summer and was on my list for most anticipated of the year, is not being shown anywhere out here even though it was supposed to get its Canadian wide-release today. Booooo!
Sorry man – I thought I saw that it’d be playing Toronto this week but I don’t see it listed here either. I wonder if it’s getting ditched to dvd.
You weren’t kidding about lack of options in Victoria man, I just breezed through Tribute.ca and was sorta surprised by how few indie options you have at your disposal.
(Note to self: Count yourself lucky Toronto has the options it does)
One thing I did notice though…what’s with the one Silvercity location showing classics like PSYCHO, MALTESE FALCON, and CASABLANCA?? It’d be kinda cool to see classics like those on a big screen, no?
Isn’t that great? Cineplex is doing this Classic Film Series thing happening during the month of September and October all over the country. Sadly the showtimes are happening when I’m either at work or on the radio, so I’ll have to miss out. We’ll be talking about it on the radio Sunday.
Check the link here.
Umm, not really looking forward to see any of these movies. I look forward to The Town in a couple weeks. Buried, Morning Glory, maybe Never Let Me Go and 127 Hours.
Buried and 127 Hours were both contenders, but I just don’t see myself seeing either in the theatre. Buried, for the fact that I get the impression its visuals would work just as well on the small screen. And 127 Hours because I can’t see myself sitting through the film in theatres given its subject matter. And The Town? The Hooffleck and I don’t see eye to eye. Non-starter. Oh, and Morning Glory? I work in a newsroom, and when I want a painful reminder of what that world is like, I can rest assured I’ll be back for more the next day.
Not even a little bit for Tron? Just a wee bit curious?
The Tron trailers have done absolutely nothing for me so far but maybe, we will see
All anyone can ask for is an open mind.
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I’m not over my head with Tron, but I admit I’m pretty excited. At least it seems like it’s going to wow us visually. Aside from that I have no expectations.
I’m not going to even remotely try and hide my anticipation for the new Harry Potter. Unlike others I really loved The Half Blood Prince even though a lot of key elements were left out, I felt like it captured the excitement and magic of the first few films. The relationships were evolved instead of just noting that the changes had occurred. Because most of us have read the books we can fill in the blanks, but for those that hadn’t I think HBP helped bring them up to speed and build even more anticipation for The Deathly Hallows. I’m geeked I’m geeked!
I knew NOTHING of RED and like you the cast alone is enough reason for me to get there.
I have reservations about Let Me In, but I still haven’t see Let The Right One In quite yet.
Heather, your enthusiasm is totally contagious! I love your completely considered approach to Harry Potter! It’s too easy to blow off a mega franchise like this as Hollywood pulp, so it’s great to read thoughtful criticism from someone who knows what they’re talking about. (By whom I mean you, not me
) I haven’t been the biggest fan of how things have gone since Goblet of Fire, but at least it looks like they’re trying to remain as loyal to the books as they can. Interesting idea about those who’ve read the books being able to fill in the blanks. Since just about everybody’s read the books (or so it would seem) it enriches the movie experience with really having to enrich the film itself.
I’m not sure what to say about not having seen Let The Right One In. It’s freakin’ fantastic, the best vampire movie this decade (and therefore this century) but perhaps you might enjoy the American remake more without seeing what it’s pretty much copying directly.
And Tron? Keep the faith, Heather! A feast for the eyes and ears – and Jeff Bridges in not one, but two roles. Double the Jeff Bridges, double the magnificence!
Hi Steve, I’m in agreement with you on #1 and 2. TRON wasn’t on my radar until my hubby raved about it, told me the story, showed me the original trailer, etc. Needless to say I’m hooked now, and like Heather said, at least it’d wow us visually. My post today talks about what other movies I look forward to also.
I’ve seen RED at an advanced screening and it was pretty entertaining. It’s not meant to be a ‘deep’ film but the cast was definitely worth watching. I have a massive crush on Karl Urban, the way they filmed him in this movie made him look like James Bond!
Tron will certainly have the visual spectacle to share – and it’s always nice to see Disney being Disney. For first installments (I know this is a sequel, but 28 years later? Come on!) they pull out all the stops and let their guys be creative – like Pirates of the Caribbean, for example – to woo in the fans. It’s further down the road that things implode on themselves.
Yeah, I’m not looking for a spy thriller from RED, there’s just something in the trailer that made me forget all about The Whole Nine Yards – and what more can a guy ask for? I’ll be dropping in on your list right now…
You are right — the summer has, for the most part, been lousy. Not feeling any of the 5 here though. Though you are dead on with Let the Right One In…loved it! My 5 would be: True Grit, Jack Goes Boating, Woody!!! (fingers crossed), Hereafter, and Black Swan…
Thanks for including Red…an eye-opener as I hadn’t seen much on it at all…
True Grit… Let me tell you something about the Coen brothers: I love those guys to death like they’re my wacky Jewish uncles, but I really have serious issues with their last 2 films (actually, 3 films if you include Ladykillers). Their “quest for no meaning” left me feeling hollow by the end of No Country and Serious Man, which might have been their intent, but it’s the opposite of the reason a I go see movies in the first place – so essentially their films were contrary to my whole philosophy on film. Hopefully they’ve got it out of their system and are ready to make movies meant to be enjoyed. Reuniting with Jeff Bridges is a good sign.
Yeah, RED was a sweet find. Worth some attention, apart from its roots as a comic book.
I thought A Serious Man was one of their strongest films. And though No Country was not deserving of a Best Pic award, it was surely a very good movie in its own right. Excellent adaptation, great performances. Ladykillers, I have no defense for.
Yeah, nothing against the movies as far as craftsmanship or anything like that. I’m talking about taking an approach that offers up a story that ultimately means nothing, no unifying message other than there wasn’t one. Characters dying for nothing off screen, non-sensical events amounting to nothing but actual happenstance – that’s not why I go to the movies. There’s enough meaninglessness in reality; for me, movies are an escape from all that.
I noticed your comment re Jackass 3D on rtm’s blog, so I thought I’d pay a visit to find out more! I can’t believe that I feel both nostalgia and intrigue about a film like this…but I do. I think it’s the idea of taking a break from heavy subject matter and going to the cinema for pure mindless entertainment.
I’d also like to add that the words “Christmas movie season” made my day. Anticipation galore.
I’m glad you dropped by! I don’t have much in the way of detail, but what more do you need than the trailer? Except, perhaps, the trailer in 3D? There’s a strong argument to be made for escapism from escapism – lighter fare involving dudes getting smacked in the face with fish or catapulting a loaded outhouse into the air with Steve-O inside it is exactly what the doctor ordered!
Only the cinema could leave me waiting for winter to arrive. Christmastime holds many gifts whether you’ve been naughty or nice.
Ahhh these all look epic – SO excited! Jackass 3D will be hilarious!!