[IMG:L]Good thing we waited to release our fall movie preview or we would have had the same issue as Entertainment Weekly: It would have been all about Harry. While we are lamenting the fact we have to wait until next summer for the next Harry Potter installment, here are the fall releases still on the slate we are most looking forward to.
Burn After Reading
When: Sept. 12
Who: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, John Malkovich; directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
What: Two not-so-sharp gym employees (Pitt, McDormand) try and extort a former CIA agent (Malkovich) after he leaves a disc containing his memoirs in a bathroom locker.
Brian Says: There’s never any extra incentive necessary to get excited for a Coen brothers movie, but it doesn’t hurt to have the world’s two biggest movie stars (Pitt and Clooney, neither of whom, lest we forget, is a stranger to indies) appear in your follow-up to last year’s Best Picture (No Country for Old Men). And Burn, an offbeat crime-com, is right up the Coens’ alley–perhaps even more so than No Country was.
Photo(s) by Focus Features- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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Righteous Kill
When: Sept. 12
Who: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, 50 Cent; directed by Jon Avnet
What: De Niro and Pacino play NYPD detectives who have been partners for 30 years and are nearing retirement. But before they can hang up their badges, they are called in to investigate one more murder–this time of a notorious pimp (50 Cent), who appears to have ties to a case they solved years before. Ah, one of those “one last case” cop scenarios–gets you every time.
Kit Says: As cliché as this sounds, Righteous Kill is all about one thing: Seeing De Niro and Pacino go head-to-head onscreen for the first time, for like, more than a few minutes. Damn the fact 88 Minutes director Jon Avnet is helming the proceedings and 50 Cent is co-starring. Getting these two titans together in a movie is a monumental achievement.
Photo(s) by Overture Films- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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Ghost Town
When: Sept. 19
Who: Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, Tea Leoni; directed by David Koepp
What: Bertram Pincus (Gervais) is a dentist who has very limited people skills. But when he dies and is miraculously revived seven minutes later, he comes back with the ability to see dead people–especially Frank (Kinnear), who wants Bertram to break up the impending marriage of his widow Gwen (Leoni).
Kit Says: Yeah, no M. Night Shyamalan scary ghost kids throwing up in this one. Ghost Town is purely for the laughs, with our favorite droll Brit TV star Gervais trying his hand as leading man in the romantic comedy department. Does he have the chops to pull it off? I’m betting he does. Plus, he has a lot of support from veteran rom-comers Kinnear and Leoni.
Photo(s) by DreamWorks- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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Miracle at St. Anna
When: Sept. 26
Who: Derek Luke, Laz Alonso, Omar Benson, Michael Ealy; directed by Spike Lee
What: Four black American soldiers (Luke, Alonso, Benson, Ealy) become separated from their comrades in World War II Italy, where they must survive and help others do the same.
Brian Says: Lee went a bit overboard earlier this year with his unprovoked and ill-timed public feud with screen legend Clint Eastwood over Eastwood ’s failure to focus on black soldiers in his WWII movies Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. But there’s a good chance that, as is often the case with the outspoken director, Lee ’s passion will shine through in his movie and make us further appreciate the fire that he possesses–and ignites. This is a story that needed to be told.
Photo(s) by Walt Disney Pictures- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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Eagle Eye
When: Sept. 26
Who: Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Rosario Dawson, Billy Bob Thornton; directed by D.J. Caruso
What: Jerry Shaw (LaBeouf) and Rachel Holloman (Monaghan) are two strangers thrown together by a mysterious phone call from a woman who keeps telling them if they don’t do what she says, they and their families will die. Nice way to start a day. Now on the run, these two must work together to discover what is really happening–and more importantly, why.
Kit Says: Despite his recent run in with the law, LaBeouf’s star is very much on the rise, as is Monaghan’s (Gone Baby Gone), so throwing these two together is a good idea. Caruso and LaBeouf also hit it right on the money with their sleeper hit thriller Disturbia, so it makes sense they re-team for another one. But mostly, I, too, want to know why these two pretty people are being terrorized in such a way. Let’s just hope the payoff is a good one.
Photo(s) by Paramount Pictures- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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Religulous
When: Oct. 3
Who: Bill Maher; directed by Larry Charles
What: Talk-show host/proud atheist Maher explores the role of religion in today’s troubled world. At least that’s the non-incendiary version of this documentary’s concept.
Brian Says: The title is as much a warning as it is a hilarious play on words: Religion–and the Big Guy Upstairs–will be questioned, attacked, jeered and dragged through the mud, so proceed only if you’re cool with no-holds-barred blasphemy as a means of comedy! Of course, those who dare enter Maher’s sermon of secularism are probably already members of the choir to which he is preaching. To those people, Religulous won’t be shocking but rather riotous. Along for the ride is director Larry Charles (Seinfeld, Entourage), no stranger to hot-button docs, having helmed 2006’s Borat.
Photo(s) by Lionsgate- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist
When: Oct. 3
Who: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings; directed by Peter Sollett
What: Two recently heartbroken high schoolers (Cera, Dennings) find and fall for each other over the course of one Manhattan night–all while searching for their favorite indie band’s secret concert.
Brian Says: Between Arrested Development, Superbad and Juno, Michael Cera has arguably the most immaculate–albeit limited–track record of any working actor, while Dennings’ (40 Year-Old Virgin, Charlie Bartlett) abilities and future are equally bright. Together they form our dream on-screen young couple and will be the reason this movie bears the implied subtitle “Not Another Teen Comedy.”
Photo(s) by Sony Pictures Entertainment- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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Body of Lies
When: Oct. 10
Who: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Carice van Houten; directed by Ridley Scott
What: CIA operative Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) uncovers a lead on a major terrorist leader, operating in Jordan, and wants to infiltrate his network. But first, Ferris must elicit the help of cunning CIA veteran Ed Hoffman (Crowe) and trust the man without putting his entire operation–and his life–on the line.
Kit Says: DiCaprio and Crowe playing spy games under the watchful eye of director Scott? Count us in.
Photo(s) by Warner Bros.- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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The City of Ember
When: Oct. 10
Who: Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau; directed by Gil Kenan
What: For generations, the people of the underground City of Ember have flourished in an amazing world of glittering lights. But the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker, and the elders don’t know what to do. Enter two teenagers, who go on a quest to uncover the city’s mysterious origins and solve the problem before it goes dark forever.
Kit Says: Based on yet another popular children’s book, Ember might just have to be our family fantasy fix for the fall, filling the void left by the rescheduled sixth Harry Potter. And in the hands of Monster House director Gil Kenan, you get the feeling it’s going to be a visually stunning ride from start to finish. And then there’s Murray in a kid film; that has to count for something.
Photo(s) by 20th Century Fox- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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High School Musical 3: Senior Year
When: Oct. 24
Who: Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale and all the rest of those singin’ and dancin’ Wildcats; directed by Kenny Ortega
What: High school sweethearts Troy and Gabriella are facing the prospect of being separated from one another as they head off in different directions to college (gasp, no!). So what do they do? Why, they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about their future, that’s what!
Kit Says: The phenomenon that IS High School Musical hits the big screen in all its tween-ish glory–and it’s about bloody time. It’s the Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney, let’s-put-a-show-on-in-the-barn entertainment for the 21st century and boy, is it ever just as popular. But now that the kids are leaving high school, are the next installments going to be called “College Musical?” Doesn’t work as well, does it?
Photo(s) by Walt Disney Pictures- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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W.
When: Oct. 17
Who: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, Richard Dreyfuss, Thandie Newton; directed by Oliver Stone
What: Brolin plays President George W. Bush–with Banks as the First Lady and Dreyfuss as Vice President–in a biopic that probably won’t be playing at the White House until January 2009 at the earliest.
Brian Says: Phew, where to begin. How ‘bout the [insert male anatomical synonym for ‘guts’] on Oliver Stone? Of course, he’s always gravitated toward controversy and cinematic risk, but a biopic that by all indications doubles as a biting satire of the still-in-office president? Just…wow. The always-provocative director, who rushed the low-budget production of W. so it could be released in time for November’s election, hinted earlier this year that the movie would be a fair, objective look at the prez–which is almost as funny as the trailer.
Photo(s) by Lionsgate- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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Zack and Miri Make a Porno
When: Oct. 31
Who: Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Jason Mewes; directed by Kevin Smith
What: The title characters (Rogen and Banks, respectively), well, do what the title says, because they’re flat broke. But making a porno, it turns out, can put a real strain on a lifelong friendship.
Brian Says: Here’s hoping Porno is as smutty and bawdy as its title implies, because writer/director clearly cannot succeed (or even exist) outside of obscenity. There’s reason for optimism: Rogen collaborating with Smith–one of his idols–is like a meeting of the filthy minds, which should yield plenty of gross-out hilarity. Still, expect more Chasing Amy than Superbad.
Photo(s) by The Weinstein Company- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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Quantum of Solace
When: Nov. 14
Who: Daniel Craig, Mathieu Amalric, Gemma Arterton, Judi Dench; directed by Marc Forster
What: Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal by uncovering the truth, which leads Bond to an organization more dangerous than anyone had imagined. Does that stop James? Heavens, no.
Kit Says: Craig is sure to deliver the goods once again, with Arterton as the new no-name Bond girl and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly‘s Amalric as the bad guy. The most curious part of Solace, however, is director Forster, who is more known for his smaller, personal dramas (Monster’s Ball, Finding Neverland) than he is a big-budgeted Bond flick. Maybe that’s exactly the point. Forster is sure to continue on the same theme Casino Royale set up–keeping 007 grounded in reality.
Photo(s) by Sony Pictures Entertainment- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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The Road
When: Nov. 14
Who: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce; directed by John Hillcoat
What: A caring father (Mortensen) does whatever he must to bring his son (Smit-McPhee) to safety in the post-apocalyptic barren wasteland that was once America.
Brian Says: Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men was tonally elusive as both a book and a movie: horrifying but certainly not of the horror genre. The Road, based on the Oprah-approved (and thus Oprah-sullied) author’s 2006 Pulitzer winner, will be equally grim and hard to pin down. It could also potentially follow in No Country’s Oscar footsteps, which would be quite a coup for dark movies!
Photo(s) by Dimension Films- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
When: Nov. 17
Who: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett-Smith, David Schwimmer, Alec Baldwin; directed by Eric Darnell, Tim McGrath
What: Still stuck on Madagascar, Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria and the others have hatched a plan so crazy it just might work. With military precision, the penguins have repaired an old crashed plane—sort of–and it’s off to New York. Or maybe the vast plains of Africa after they crash land there.
Kit Says: The gang’s all back and in Africa , this time, meeting others of their kind. I can’t imagine it being any less funny than the first, so long as they don’t try to pull a Shrek 2 and outdo themselves with the jokes.
Photo(s) by DreamWorks- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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Twilight
When: Nov. 21
Who: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson; directed by Catherine Hardwicke
What: A high school girl named Bella (Stewart) falls in love with a really hot guy (Pattinson)–who just also happens to be a vampire. Unfortunately, this somewhat unorthodox and forbidden love brings them nothing but trouble–from family interference to a rival vampire clan looking for some new blood.
Kit Says: Movies about vampires rarely go out of style. If you don’t count the pure horror of sucking blood (ike in the most recent 30 Days of Night), vampires are usually seductive, dangerous and deadly attractive. But Twilight, based on the widely popular novel by Stephenie Meyer, goes even a step further, adding in a Romeo and Juliet romance between two hot young leads–Stewart (Into the Wild) and Pattinson (Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). Under the guidance of director Hardwicke, who seems to truly understand teen angst having helmed Thirteen, Twilight could be a gold mine with the teen set, who will see this movie over and over and over again.
Photo(s) by Summit Entertainment- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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The Soloist
When: Nov. 21
Who: Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, Catherine Keener; directed by Joe Wright
What: A schizophrenic, homeless musical prodigy (Foxx) and a cynical newspaper columnist (Downey Jr.) become the unlikeliest of friends and wind up helping each other. Based on a true story.
Brian Says: With Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride and Prejudice) directing, there’s no guarantee that the raw story won’t become too polished for its own good, but the on-screen pairing of Downey Jr. and Foxx will nonetheless leave moviegoers very grateful this Thanksgiving. TheThe Soloist caps off a hard-to-fathom comeback year for Downey Jr., who should’ve earned an Oscar nom the last time he played a journalist, in 2007’s disturbingly underappreciated Zodiac. And on the subject of Oscars, Foxx has a legit shot at earning his second statue with this gaudy role, which, like Ray, is a showcase for his musical abilities and based on a real person.
Photo(s) by DreamWorks- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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Milk
When: Nov. 26
Who: Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, James Franco, Josh Brolin; directed by Gus Van Sant
What: A biopic about Harvey Milk (Penn), the first openly gay elected official, who was assassinated in 1978 by San Francisco city supervisor Dan White (Brolin).
Brian Says: Did we mention that late November is the heart of Oscar season? Behold Exhibit A, Milk, a movie with the complete Oscar pedigree: a veteran director (Van Sant ) long overdue for his first Oscar; an actor (Penn) beloved by (most of) the Academy; and a nonfiction, very important story. But shameless, blind prognosticating aside, Van Sant, who’s awakening from art-house hibernation, was the perfect man for this job and likely took great pains to avoid anything resembling a run-of-the-mill biopic.
Photo(s) by Focus Features- © 2008- All Rights Reserved
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BEST OF THE REST…
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Brian:
1. Synecdoche, New York (10/24)
2. Towelhead (9/26)
3. Blindness (9/26)
4. Appaloosa (9/17)
5. Choke (9/26)
Kit:
1. Lakeview Terrace (9/19)
2. RocknRolla (10/3)
3. Crossing Over (10/24)
4. Changeling (10/24)
5. Australia (11/14)
6. Four Christmases (11/28)
MOST EXCITED FOR:
Brian:
1. The Road
2. W.
3. Burn After Reading
4. Religulous
5. (tie) Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Milk
Kit:
1. Twilight
2. Burn After Reading
3. Quantum of Solace
4. City of Ember
5. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist
BOX OFFICE PREDICTIONS:
Brian:
1. High School Musical 3: Senior Year
2. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
3. Quantum of Solace
4. Twilight
5. Body of Lies
Kit:
1. Quantum of Solace
2. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
3. Twilight
4. High School Musical 3: Senior Year
5. Four Christmases
OSCAR CRYSTAL BALL:
Best Picture: The Road
Best Actor: Sean Penn, Milk
Best Actress: Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Best Supporting Actor: Jamie Foxx, The Soloist
Best Supporting Actress: Elizabeth Banks, W.
Best Director: Gus Van Sant, Milk
MULTIPLE MOVIES, ONE SEASON:
Elizabeth Banks (W., Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Role Models)
Catherine Keener (The Soloist, What Just Happened, Synecdoche, New York)
Robert De Niro (Righteous Kill, What Just Happened)
Sean Penn (Milk, What Just Happened)
Anne Hathaway (Passengers, Rachel Getting Married)
Ludacris (RocknRolla, Max Payne)
Bernie Mac (Soul Men, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa)
Mark Ruffalo (Blindness, The Brothers Bloom)
James Franco (Nights in Rodanthe, Milk)
John Malkovich (Burn After Reading, Changeling)
Dakota Fanning (Hounddog, The Secret Life of Bees)
Greg Kinnear (Ghost Town, Flash of Genius)
MISC.:
Not Suitable for Kids: Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Not Suitable for Adults: High School Musical 3
Not Suitable for Dogs: Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Not Suitable for Men: The Women
Not Suitable for Vegans: Milk
Best Title Starting with the Letter ‘R’: Religulous
Worst Title Starting with the Letter ‘R’: RocknRolla
Titles We Can’t Quite Wrap Our Brains Around: Quantum of Solace, Appaloosa, Synecdoche, New York, Repo! The Genetic Opera
Places We’d Like to Visit: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, City of Ember, Australia, Synecdoche, New York, Humboldt County, Lake City
The Next Blair Witch Project: The Poughkeepsie Tapes
