Fall Movie Previews: Little Children, The Departed and Others
OCTOBER 6th
The Departed
The studios have already started to bombard television with ads for this one, the first “true” gangster film from Martin Scorsese since 1995’s Casino. The Departed also will mark the first time that Scorsese has worked with Jack Nicholas. Do I need to keep writing? I will see this movie when it comes out, perhaps even on opening night. Nobody makes a better gangster flick than Scorsese, nobody. Leo, Matt Damon and Marky Mark also star.
Little Children
I actually read this Tom Perrotta (Election) novel on a complete whim. I found it in the bargain section at Border’s. It was an immensely entertaining read, albeit slightly forced, a little trashy and totally contrived (in an American Beauty rip off/midlife crisis kind of way). With that said, I caught the trailer recently and it looked really good. The guy who directed In the Bedroom (Todd Field) made this movie and, at first glance anyway, he seems to have lent a subtle darkness to it that might make up for some of the problems I had with the book.
Employee of the Month
Is it just me, or what the hell is Dane Cook doing in this movie? A (seemingly) cheesy comedy that co-stars Jessica Simpson, Andy Dick and that guy from the first season of Punk’d? I’m a huge Dane Cook fan but I saw the trailer for this one and it looks like shoddy drivel and retarded slapstick. Maybe Cook is just trying to cash in, which is fine, but this is the kind of movie that could potentially ruin his career.
OCTOBER 11th
Running with Scissors
If you plan on seeing this and you haven’t read the memoir it is based on by Augusten Burroughs, DON’T. You must read this book first, it’s a law. Although the cast of this movie is ridiculous (Paltrow, Baldwin, Benning, Fiennes, just to name a few), the trailer looked down right bad; a total ruination by way of the Hollywood treatment. I’m not saying that Running with Scissors (the memoir) is a classic or anything like that. But it was a very good book; a harrowing and dark tale of a fucked up childhood. I also know you can’t let movie trailers sway you this much, so I digress. Read the book then see the movie and then we’ll talk.
OCTOBER 13th
Man of the Year
What if Jon Stewart ran for President and won? What if Robin Williams starred in the lead role of a movie based on that idea? Walla! Man of the Year. Barry Levinson (Wag the Dog) makes another movie about a fake president. However, Jeff Goldblum AND Christopher Walken are in this movie, so I’m going.
OCTOBER 20th
Marie Antoinette
This is Sophia Coppola’s long awaited follow-up to Lost in Translation. It’s being billed as a “non-traditional period piece.” Here’s what you need to know: It stars Jason Schwartzman, the very underrated actor from Rushmore and I (Heart) Huckabees; and Kirsten Dunst, the sometimes overrated actress from those Spider movies. Dunst was awesome in The Virgin Suicides (Coppola’s first and, in my opinion, best movie) and intrigue alone will get me to the theatres for this one.
Killshot
The guy who made Shakespeare in Love (John Madden, also love his announcing skills and video game) adapts an Elmore Leonard novel (Get Shorty) that stars Mickey Rourke, Johnny Knoxville, Rosario Dawson and the kid from “3rd Rock from the Sun.” Hmmm, interesting.
The Prestige
Now here is a movie that I can’t make up my mind about. It’s a flick about magicians with a great cast that includes Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett, Michael Caine and (wait for it) David Bowie! Christopher Nolan of Memento and Batman Begins fame is the director, but did I mention it’s about magicians.
Flags of Our Fathers
Oh, get ready for an epic. This is just part one of Clint Eastwood’s series about World War II (the second one, the dramatically titled “Red Sun, Black Sand” will be out in December). Flags of Our Fathers is centered around Iwo Jima and it will probably win 7-31 Oscars. No way I’m paying 10 bucks to see this one, but it’s worth noting this: How does Clint Eastwood do it? As he gets older, his movies seem to get more elaborate and award winning. It’s kind of strange. I’m starting to think that he’s a robot.
OCTOBER 27th
Lucky You
Just a little movie about poker starring Eric Bana and Drew Barrymore from the guy who made 8 mile and the writers of Munich, what? Exactly. This movie confused the shit out of me. I also saw the trailer for this one (I see a lot of movies) and I couldn’t decide if I wanted to picket its release or buy advanced tickets tomorrow. For some reason my girlfriend wants to see this, so I’ll probably end up going. Date night!
Babel
I normally have a problem with political/globalization movies (i.e., Syriana AKA worst movie ever?). I just have a problem giving up 9 bucks on a film when there’s a 65% chance that I won’t understand the plot. (NOTE: it’s okay if I don’t understand the plot of a so-called “mindfuck” movie like a David Lynch picture. In fact, I dig that. But these trendy political films are way out of line.) This seems like one of those movies. Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett are in it. Big deal. Pass.
Catch a Fire
Same deal as Babel only starring Tim Robbins = at least 50 million less in ticket sales.
