Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The Ten Films I'm Most Excited About In 2011

Predictions are a difficult thing in the film world.  The big releases are mostly mapped out, but you never know what's going to be pushed back until next year (How many years has The Tree Of Life been on similar lists to this?).  The smaller films can come seemingly out of nowhere.  Who knows what little films premiering at Sundance are going to rocket their way into our hearts?

Best guesses being what they are, here's what's on the horizon that I'm salivating for.

10.  CONAN



Director: Marcus Nispel
Stars:  Jason Momoa, Ron Perlman, Stephen Lang, Rachel Nichols
Plot:  Conan is a barbarian warrior who hands wizards asses back to them. . . in pieces.

Hey;  I didn't say that these would all be "good" films.  The pedigree on this is not strong, with the best response I've had to a Nispel film being the slightly positive "Yeah, ok".  But dammit, it's Conan!  Love the mythology.  Love the books, comics, films. . .  The cast is respectable, too.  Lang and Perlman are consistently great, and Rachel Nichols is ludicrously attractive.  Count me in.

9. DAMSELS IN DISTRESS



Director:  Whit Stillman
Stars:  Adam Brody, Greta Gerwig
Plot:  A college girl is indoctrinated into a group of shallow harpies.  Pretentious hilarity ensues.

Stillman's first directorial effort since 1998's The Last Days Of Disco.  Indie dramadies about social groups were the house that he helped to build, so it'll be interesting to see if he's still seen as relevant by the critics in '11.

8.  THE RUM DIARY




Director:  Bruce Robinson
Stars:  Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, Aaron Eckhart
Plot:  Based on the novel by Hunter S. Thompson, Depp stars as an American journalist living in Puerto Rico.  There will be drinking and wackiness.

Director Robinson returns after an almost 20 year hiatus.  If you're wondering why I'm excited about this, check out his films How To Get Ahead In Advertising and Withnail & I.

7.  CASA DE MI PADRE




Director:  Matt Piedmont
Stars:  Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, Will Ferrell
Plot:  A parody of Spanish language Soap Operas.

After Rudo y Cursi and Y Tu Mama Tambien, I have complete faith in Luna and Bernal's co-film choices.  Ferrell in a Spanish language comedy will be muy interesante.

6.  X-MEN: FIRST CLASS



Director:  Matthew Vaughn
Stars:  Jame McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, January Jones, Kevin Bacon
Plot:  Prequel to the X-Men franchise explores the origins of the team, and the relationship between a young Xavier and Magneto.

Vaughn's follow-up to one of my favorite films of 2010, Kick-Ass, and in the same genre.  Fox Studios shoddy track record aside, I'm stoked for this.

5.  A DANGEROUS METHOD



Director:  David Cronenberg
Stars:  Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightly
Plot:  A love triangle between Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Sabina Spielrein.

Cronenberg is nothing if not compelling and engaging, so it'll be interesting to see his continued progression away from body-horror into the world of the psychological.

4.  TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY



Director:  Tomas Alfredson
Stars:  Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Colin Firth, Mark Strong
Plot:  George Smiley espionage thriller, based on the classic John LeCarre book.

From the director of Let The Right One In.  Would you like to know more?

3.  THE TREE OF LIFE



Director:  Terrence Malick
Stars:  Brad Pitt, Sean Penn
Plot:  Dunno.  Something about family drama and existentialism.  A minotaur may or may not be involved at some point.

It's Malick, aka Little Kubrick.  That means, if you can see this on the big screen, make it a point to do so.

2.  HUGO CABRET



Director:  Martin Scorsese
Stars:  Asa Butterfield, Chloe Moretz, Ben Kingsley

Scorsese plays in 3D in this adaptation of the childrens book The Invention Of Hugo Cabret.  Having read it, I completely understand why Scorsese would want to make this;  it's entirely a love-letter to the magic of cinema.

1.  THE MUPPETS



Director:  James Bobin
Stars:  Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Kermit
Plots:  It's Muppets, bitch.

Since I'm a living, breathing human with eyes and ears, I'm a huge fan of the Muppets.  So this one's a no brainer.  Bobin is a first time feature director, but has previous experience from Da Ali G Show and Flight Of The Conchords.  Script by Segel.


So. . .  a bunch of interesting stuff coming out.  Looking forward to it.

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