Here begins a 4 part preview of most of the major studio films for the fall. I know it is already mid-September, but I’m not going to give up on the material just because I am slacking on my reviewing and posting duties. Besides which the bulk of the films come out in the last two weeks of the month, and those already out are still in the theaters. I hope that this brief overview help keep these films straight so that when the inevitable promo campaign onslaught begins there will be no surprises.
September 2nd
Underclassman -Miramax Films
This is another of those films where a fully qualified young adult gets their first big assignment which requires them to degrade themselves and go back to high school. This time it is a young cop played by Tre Stokes who returns to high school. I’d rather watch the sweet Never Been Kissed which has roughly the same plot but with a white female reporter not a black male cop.
Transporter 2 -20th century Fox
I liked the European small budget feel of the first movie so I’m not sure how this one will go. From the previews it looks like a bigger more polished film with more chases and explosions which generally accompanies an inversely proportional change in the quality of the characters, story, and dialogue. But as the last of the big fast paced summer explosion movies it might be one final summer hurrah. Just watch it before fall begins on September 22nd.
September 9th
An Unfinished Life (limited) -Miramax
Since this is in limited release it may or may not be in a theater near you. I don’t like it when they do a limited release on a film so it can qualify for awards season. But this film, finished in 2003 sounds like it could be a decent film. Put aside the J to the Lo crap and remember back to when Jennifer Lopez was an actress in Selena and Out of Sight. Pair her with Robert Redford and you might have an interesting movie.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose -Sony Pictures
This one looks mighty creepy but it sits in the shadow of one of the scariest pictures of all times. Plus it is hard to make a film about exorcism without thinking pea soup and spinning heads. But if they can pull off the cross between a courtroom drama and a horror story with emotion and atmosphere this film could keep roaring along until Halloween.
The Man -New Line Cinema
I love Eugene Levy and I think that Samuel L Jackson is the height of cool, but there is something about these previews and this tired mismatched pair premise that does not bode well. The Man looks like a one joke setup stretched out into a feature length film and that is not a good thing. On the other hand, these two character actors could make a half decent film out of this lame material but I wouldn’t count on it.
September 16th
Everything is Illuminated -Warner Brothers
I don’t know what to say about it except that it is a far cry from Frodo and it sounds interesting. Elijah Woods plays an American in the Ukraine looking for his family heritage. Newcomer Eugene Hutz plays his native guide and has gotten a lot of attention for the role. I’m intrigued. Plus it is Live Schreiber’s first big directing spot.
Lord of War -Lions Gate Films Inc
I generally like Nicholas Cage although he tends to take a schizophrenic approach to choosing films alternating between shallow mainstream fare and truly out there characterizations. I can’t decide which of his two new movies fall into which category. But Lords of War looks like it could be an interesting and darkly humorous trip into the underground world of arms dealing.
Venom -Miramax
After the Katrina flooding a film set in the Louisiana bayou seems a bit callous, but I admire the studio for going ahead with it anyway. Of course the current deal to get all of the Weinstein’s films off of the shelves before the studio changes gears probably has something to do with it. Now if only this film didn’t look like ever other slasher flick where a group of good looking kids gets picked off one by one.
Cry Wolf -Universal Pictures
See comments above for Venom. The only thing this has going for it is better lighting and Jon Bon Jovi.
The Thing About My Folks (limited) -Folks Inc
I’m interested to see where Paul Reiser’s work has gone since the end of Mad About You. An obviously talented man for writing intimate comedies takes on the family structure in this small independent film.
Just Like Heaven -DreamWorks
Reese Witherspoon is back with a vengeance with a number of widely varying films for this fall. The first is Just Like Heaven about a workaholic doctor who dies but refuses to leave her apartment, haunting, and I’m sure eventually falling in love with, the young man who moves in after her death. This film could be cute, it could be a good date movie, and I’m sure it has to do something interesting and unexpected to end up at a happy ending if one of its characters is already dead.
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang
This is another mismatched partners action comedy film like The Man but it looks like it might have more of an edge to it. Possibly because it was written by the writer of Lethal Weapon but more because of the unlikely pairing of Hollywood bad boys Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer. Both actors have shown that they have the chops to carry major films but both also seem to have a self destructive tendency that counteracts their talent. Perhaps in this film these two can cancel each other out and reach a state of calm professionalism but furious entertainment.
September 23rd
Roll Bounce -Fox Searchlight Pictures
Roller boogie, disco, dance offs, big 70s hair, race relations, Bow Wow, sorry I’m just not that interested. This one doesn’t seem that serious and it doesn’t seem like it is going to have much of an audience. Then again, Farrah Fawcett hair is back in.
Flightplan -Touchstone Pictures
This one has had a huge marketing blitz so far. I can’t wait for the film to come out just so the commercials will stop. Foster doesn’t work much anymore because she is kind of picky about scripts so this will probably be a pretty solid film. The character of a mother trying desperately to protect her daughter may be too reminiscent of Panic Room, but running around a big plane is more interesting than running around a house. Call it the Panic Room on Air Force One and hope it is a tightly knit thriller. At least it will likely offer better fleshed out female characters and a less conventional story than most summer action flicks.
Corpse Bride -Warner Brothers
As much as I loved A Nightmare Before Christmas I’m not sure this film looks as fun. Plus I felt manipulated by the previews with the music from Nightmare. Another film reminiscent of previous work, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride revisits the stop motion work and goth feel of the first film but this time Burton pairs with his favorite actor Johnny Depp to bring to life the tale of a nervous groom and the corpse bride (hence the title) that he accidentally marries. I hope this one will be as good as The Nightmare Before Christmas, but if not, Halloween is just around the corner and it is guaranteed to be on television.
September 30th
A big and crowded weekend for films.
Oliver Twist -Sony Pictures
I know Polansky had a big hit with his last film The Pianist, but haven’t we already seen this Dickensian tale too many times? Yes, people are in London, and they are poor, and the kids have to work, and the streets aren’t much better than the orphanage. Is there anything here still to learn?
A History of Violence -New Line Cinema
This one has garnered some great buzz. It stars Viggo Mortensen whose fame from Lord of the Rings tends to obscure that he had a significant film career beforehand playing interesting and unconventional characters with depth and interest. This film seems to remind me of the noir classic Out of the Past from the previews and I am interested to see how this man’s past ensnares him.
Capote (limited) -Sony Picture Classics
Philip Seymour Hoffman has been an underrated actor for years. Capote was a character in real life and should translate well to screen. Hoffman’s portrayal of strange author Truman Capote writing his best seller In Cold Blood has already garnered significant Oscar buzz. The film is not a true biopic because it only covers a portion of the writer’s life but it should be considered alongside Good Evening, and Good Luck and Walk the Line as a continuance of last year’s biopic fascination.
The Greatest Game Ever Played -Walt Disney Pictures
Like many of you I am tired of watching golf in the movies. Golf is interesting to play, but it looks incredibly boring on film. I think that all of the manicured lawns must appeal to directors and cinematographers, it is the only reason I can think of that they would keep making golf movies.
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio -DreamWorks
It’s the 1950s, things are bland in the Midwest, haven’t I seen this film before? Everyone wears brown and learns to do without. Of course a real life story of a housewife who keeps entering and winning jingle contests is a little different, but it just doesn’t sound interesting.
Proof -Miramax
Didn’t they already make an Academy Award winning film about mathematics and mental instability? Of course that one was good, and this one will probably be good too, but isn’t it a dry topic for anyone not interested in counting statuettes?
Into The Blue -Sony Pictures
If you want to see Jessica Alba in a bikini just freeze frame the trailer and be done with it.
Serenity -Universal Studios
Can’t wait, can’t wait, can’t wait. I still haven’t forgiven myself for missing out on the sneak previews on its original release date. Why this one got pushed back I don’t know but the wait is killing me. I’m glad to see that the studio has gone for an all out advertising campaign on what could have been a marginalized genre film. Early buzz may be mostly from diehards but the word is that this film is going to be good.
Related posts:
- Part III Fall Movie Preview - November
- Part IV Fall Movie Preview - December
- Part II Fall Movie Preview - October
Recent Comments