LiC 2008 Fall Forecast: September
George Clooney and Frances McDormand in Burn After Reading
You can almost hear the air being let out of the summer movie season. Overall it was a pretty decent four months of movies, but I for one am glad to see it coming to an end. Now it’s time to look forward to the last third of the year when most of the best movies are traditionally released. As always, all dates are subject to change. LiC’s picks for the season are starred.
September 12
*Burn After Reading. The Brothers Coen follow up their Oscar winning No Country For Old Men with this darkly comic spy story starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton and Richard Jenkins. LiC is in full blackout mode for this one so we can’t tell you anything more than that, but yeah, we’re excited. Trailer
Righteous Kill. Al Pacino teams up once more with Jon Avnet, director of the almost universally reviled 88 Minutes and this time he’s splitting the paycheck with Robert De Niro. They play two New York detectives tracking a serial killer. You know, there was a time not too long ago when a movie starring De Niro and Pacino would be cause for excitement… Trailer
Towelhead. Writer Alan (American Beauty) Ball’s directorial debut, this controversial dark comedy is based on Alicia Erian’s novel about the sexual awakening of a 13-year-old Lebanese girl in a Houston suburb. It’s become fashionable in recent years to tear down the Oscar winning American Beauty. I haven’t seen it for years, but I still have fond memories of it. I also enjoyed Ball’s Six Feet Under so I’m looking forward to this one. Trailer
The Women. This is Diane English’s remake of George Cukor’s 1939 classic based on the Clare Booth Luce play about a bunch of upper class women whose social circle is sent into upheaval when the husband of one of their number has an affair with a perfume counter girl. In order for me to go out of my way to see a remake, it’s got to give me a reason, Here, instead of Rosalind Russell, Norma Shearer and Joan Crawford, we get Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Debra Messing, Jada Pinket Smith, Candice Bergen and Eva Mendes. It looks like it’s aimed at an audience that doesn’t even know the original exists. Trailer
September 19
*Appaloosa (NY, LA, Toronto. Wide 10/3). Hollywood keeps trying to bring back the western but with limited success. Here’s another crack starring Viggo Mortensen and Ed Harris as a couple of hired guns trying to establish law and order in a New Mexican town controlled by evil rancher Jeremy Irons. Renée Zellweger is the beauty who threatens to come between them. Ed Harris also directs. I admit it. I’m a sucker for a good western. Here’s hoping this is one of them. Trailer
The Duchess (Limited). Keira Knightley stars as the 18th century Duchess of Devonshire, Georgiana Spencer (direct relative of Princess Diana) who had a taste for society, fashion, politics and gambling. It turns out Oscar has a taste for pretty English costume dramas so you can see where producers hope this one is headed. Ralph Fiennes also stars as The Duke. Trailer
Ghost Town. Ricky Gervais (UK TV’s The Office, Extras) stars in David Koepp’s comedy as a misanthropic dentist whose near death experience leaves him with the ability to see and communicate with dead people. As a man who doesn’t like the living or the dead, he’s an unlikely and unwilling bridge between the two worlds. Greg Kinnear stars as a dead guy and Téa Leoni stars as the living love interest. Koepp last tackled comedy with the screenplay for Death Becomes Her, but he’s probably better known for writing several Spielberg films including Jurassic Park, War of the Worlds and the latest Indiana Jones movie. I don’t know about this one. High concept comedies kind of give me a rash and, much as I like him in small doses, I’m not sure I can stomach Gervais’ persona for more than 30 minutes at a time. Trailer
Igor. In this computer-animated story from MGM, John Cusack lends his voice to an aspiring scientist who is doomed to always be an assistant, an Igor, because of the hump on his back. Given a chance to prove himself in the yearly Evil Science Fair, he creates a hideous monster. Unfortunately his creation not only has no concept of evil, she’d also rather be an actress. John Cleese, Molly Shannon, Steve Buscemi, Eddie Izzard and Sean Hayes round out the voice cast. Trailer
Lakeview Terrace. Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men) dips his toe into the tired “Middle Class Couple Imperiled” genre. Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington move into their dream home only to be harassed by neighbor Samuel L. Jackson who doesn’t approve of their interracial marriage. They can’t turn to the police because he’s LAPD. Be afraid, suburbanites. Be very afraid.
My Best Friend’s Girl. Howard Deutch peaked with his directorial debut as a stand-in for John Hughes on Pretty in Pink and it’s been downhill ever since. Grumpier Old Men anyone? That’s strike one. Strike two is that it’s yet another romantic comedy named after a song. Strikes three, four and five are Dane Cook, Kate Hudson and Jason Biggs - the death of comedy, the death of romance and the guy whose gravestone will read “pie humper.” For research purposes only I watched the trailer and it was 100% laugh free. And yes, they played the song by The Cars. Even the concept is stupid: Dane Cook plays a man who is paid by ex-boyfriends to be such a bad date, the women will be driven back to their former loves. When he’s hired by his best friend Biggs to help him win back Hudson, he falls for her.
September 26
*Blindness [Limited release cancelled. Opens wide October 3]
Choke (Limited). Sam Rockwell is Victor, a sex addict who attends meetings to pick up women, a man who scams potential good Samaritans by choking in restaurants and possibly the next coming of Jesus Christ. Rude, foul and pretty funny, Choke is based on Chuck (Fight Club) Palahniuk’s novel and it follows Rockwell as he seeks to find out who his real father is. The film succeeds almost entirely on Rockwell’s performance. He makes the lowest of human beings trapped in a downward spiral almost likeable. Anjelica Huston, Kelly Macdonald and Bijou Phillips also star. Not a home run, but a nice change from the ordinary. Trailer
Eagle Eye. Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan play two innocent strangers who are blackmailed into participating in a terrorist plot. Can they discover the identity of their tormentors, stop the plot and save their own lives while avoiding the clutches of the FBI? Naturally. LaBeouf reunites with his Disturbia director DJ Caruso. I like LaBeouf and Monaghan, but I don’t have a good feeling about this one. Trailer
*Miracle at St. Anna. Spike Lee is back with this WWII drama based on the novel by James McBride. The story follows four African-American GIs who are trapped behind enemy lines in Tuscany, Italy. Trailer
Nights in Rodanthe. Richard Gere and Diane Lane are two strangers at different crossroads in their lives who meet at an inn on the beach in North Carolina. A romance blossoms as a storm blows in. Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks. Trailer
Up next: October
Filed under: Previews
Tags: Al Pacino, Alan Ball, Anjelica Huston, Annette Bening, Appaloosa, Bijou Phillips, Blindness, Brad Pitt, Burn After Reading, Candice Bergen, Choke, Chuck Palahniuk, Coen Brothers, Dane Cook, David Koepp, Debra Messing, Diane English, Diane Lane, Eagle Eye, Ed Harris, Eddie Izzard, Ethan Coen, Eva Mendes, Fernando Meirelles, Frances McDormand, George Clooney, Ghost Town, Greg Kinnear, Howard Deutch, Igor, Jada Pinket Smith, Jason Biggs, Jeremy Irons, Joel Coen, John Cleese, John Cusack, John Malkovich, Jon Avnet, Julianne Moore, Kate Hudson, Keira Knightley, Kelly Macdonald, Kerry Washington, Lakeview Terrace, Mark Ruffalo, Meg Ryan, Michelle Monaghan, Miracle at St. Anna, Molly Shannon, My Best Friend's Girl, Neil LaBute, Nicholas Sparks, Nights in Rodanthe, Patrick Wilson, Ralph Fiennes, Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere, Richard Jenkins, Ricky Gervais, Righteous Kill, Robert De Niro, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Sean Hayes, Shia LaBeouf, Spike Lee, Steve Buscemi, Tea Leoni, The Duchess, The Women, Tilda Swinton, Towelhead, Viggo Mortensen
Related Posts: - LiC 2008 Fall Forecast: October
- ‘Burn After Reading’ Featurettes
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Yes, yes, yes… I’ve been waiting for this with such anticipation and here it finally is! And best of all, you’re going more in-depth than ever, dishing out one month at a time. I love it, Craig.
Fashionable to tear down American Beauty? Haha, I guess it is; at least I’m fashionably correct in this case. The trailer to Towelhead, which I saw ahead of Boy A a couple days back, seems to peddle some more smug self-satisfaction but I’ll stay open-minded nevertheless.
Burn After Reading, my ticket’s been punched since, um, last fall?
Appaloosa: Like you, and every good, red-blooded male, I’m a sucker for a solid Western, too. It’s such a rich genre, and 3:10 to Yuma’s modest success demonstrably illustrates that many people will respond, even today, under the right circumstances.
Lakeview Terrace looks awful.
So true about the Pacino-DeNiro teaming, Craig. So horribly true.
I’ll just watch the old The Women again on the release date of the new one.
The Duchess has The Fiennes, so I’m intrigued by that alone.
I thought Miracle at St. Anna was October. It’s been bumped up? Cool.
Is there really nothing coming out the first weekend?
A friend saw Ghost Town a little while back and he generally liked it. So there’s one positive notice, at least.
EDIT: The benighted have Entertainment Weekly, we visitors at LiC have the LiC seasonal previews. No contest, of course.
I’m not too worried about Gervais being unable to carry a feature length production. He did fine with the Extras finale. Although I’m much more looking forward to This Side of the Truth than Ghost Town.
Don’t take that as a thinly veiled personal assault on your recent take down of Beauty, Alexander. It’s something I’ve noticed over the last couple of years. I also meant it somewhat defensively because I know a lot of people agree with you.
I’m sure Gervais can carry the picture, I find I can only take his persona for so long though…same with Larry David. Love their stuff, but only in bursts.
ok curious about towelhead. i know whay whenever a.d.’s immortal ryan refed this as possibley being ‘happiness’ meets ‘crash’ (the oscar winner) and i’ve been interested….
the review ot bop mentions minutes/minues have been trimmed from the version that hit whatever festival. and that doesn’t make me smile…makes me think things have been tamed down…. :(
craig you don’t watch a trailer and seldom read reviews b efore going to a film. how do you decide what to see or do sort of go see evrything.
i never watch trailers.well not really i don’t even have pc speakers.so it really doesn’t matter.
craig…. you avoid trailers in the theatres too ????
I only avoid trailers for movies I’m already really interested in, and yes if those play in theaters I close my eyes and plug my ears like a dork.
How do I decide? I go by who made it and who’s in it and a little bit on what it’s about. Beyond that, I try to see as much as I can.
Craig, this is not a dig on you. You know I adore you and that I always will.
But, aside from a change, I don’t know WHY anyone is excited about this fall’s lineup.
I think it looks rather….LAME?
I’ll end up seeing a bunch of these if they’re potential awards contenders. But I can’t say ANY of them are must sees for me and I don’t find any of them particularly compelling.
I had never heard about NIGHTS IN RODANTHE until I saw the trailer just now. Now I understand why. DIANE LANE and RICHARD GERE are always fantastic together. They were electric in an interesting very flawed film like THE COTTON CLUB and they added a litle bit of intrigue to a complete flame out like UNFAITHFUL.
But NIR looks like your classic cliched love story (gorgeous beaches and awesome cinematography aside - from the author of THE NOTEBOOK - oh there’s a tip off if I ever saw one) and a highly typical shallow wallow.
God, DIANE LANE is SO beautiful. Why doesn’t her character have a better hair cut? I think I’ll pass.
I’m NOT a COEN BROTHERS fan (and I’m sure everyone around here is aware of that fact by now) but I’ve seen the trailer for BURN AFTER READING often enough that it’s becoming a point of interest. Haven’t viewed a trailer that hysterical in some time…and that cast will be wild.
RIGHTEOUS KILL MAY be good. But it could be a disaster of unqualified proportions. Mr. De Niro and Mr. Pacino (ESPECIALLY) are not anywhere past their due date. But I couldn’t even begin to speculate at this time. It coud easily go either way.
I will PROBABLY see TOWELHEAD for sure unless it gets horrific reviews. I own the entire five seasons of SIX FEET UNDER on DVD and I saw AMERICAN BEAUTY ten times in the theatre. I’ve got that at home as well. Let’s just say that I really dig ALAN BALL’S sensibility.
Though I found AB REVELATORY in 1999 (it spoke to me on levels that I can’t easily describe in words) I don’t think it’s aged particularly well. But it’s still a brilliant satire of suburban angst and desire - and the things that it says about life and love are splendidly poetic regardless.
Period costume dramas are usually a whole lot of BS. I end up seeing more of them than I would like simply because a lot of them are generally nominated for a lot of important awards. THE DUCHESS may not be much more than elegant nonsense. But the fact that it has KEIRA KNIGHTLEY and RALPH FIENNES does give me hope. Not a tremendous amount. But still….
CHOKE may be an interesting surprise. Trailer is crudely amusing in the right way for me.
I may get roped into MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA by virtue of the fact that it’s likely to be an awards contender. But we shall see.
So…
As always I’m a fly by the seat of my pants kinda girl. There isn’t ONE MUST SEE in this group for me, though there may conceivably be some very fine motion pictures here.
Did I mention how I hate fall? It’s just the seasonal thing. it’s depressing. Once I’m living in SoCal, I won’t give a damn.
*sigh*
Next…..
I always look forward to the fall Miranda, both weatherwise and moviewise. It’s how I roll.
Are you judging based on just September or have you looked at all the way to the end of the year and see nothing worth liking?
Haha, following up on Miranda’s enthusiasm - I want to see most of these! Doesn’t mean my expectations are very high for more than a couple, but still…
Hah hah. I’m happy for you, Danny. Genuinely. At least you’ve got a bunch of stuff that you want to see.
Craig, OF COURSE you look forward to the fall. You’re living in the Golden City, baby. Or maybe you looked forward to the fall EVEN WHEN you were living in Seattle?
Do you really miss all the god damn rain we get in the Pacific Northwest? Fairly mild temperatures, but still…
Frankly honey, I’m a little hazy about what comes out right up until the end of the year. But I did put up a Fall Preview thing on site within the last two weeks. I was talking to glim about it.
Oh yeah…
I’m looking forward to Bond and AUSTRALIA. THAT’S ALL.
I’ll be seeing SOME FILMS. I will go to the cinema regularly regardless.
But these flicks don’t make my hormones flow like honey. I’m not hot for any of them and I can’t say they interest me much.
However, EVERY SINGLE YEAR I am blown away by some motion pictures that hit me right out of left field while some highly anticipated movies seem to disappoint.
But there doesn’t seem to be much in 2008 that I’d pull my best lingerie out of the closet for.
Hmmm..
Maybe if someone does a little begging and brings me chocolates on bended knee….
Can’t hurt……
I don’t know what’s cooler. That George Clooney is still rowdy enough to play the popcorn trick, or that Frances McDormand still gets a kick out of it.
I’m okay with not being totally excited about upcoming films. That way, when they’re really great — like last year’s The Assassination of Jesse James . . . , Lars & the Real Girl, or I’m Not There — it’s more gratifying.
Miranda, I certainly agree that Nights in Rodanthe, from the looks of the trailer, seems like an overdose of Glade air freshener — and not the kind made from essential oils.
My hunch is that Miracle of St. Anna will be good and well-received critically, and I’m also guessing that Appaloosa has a lot going for it in terms of casting alone.
The trailer to Choke is more fun that the one for Burn After Reading, but this could easily shift upon viewing the films themselves.
Like others here, including glimmer, I’m curious about Towelhead.
And — for the record on American Beauty — timing had a lot to do with that film’s successes, but I still think it was a smart, incisive and uniquely rare take on contemporary life.
. . . and Ryan — about that popcorn trick you keep bringing up — I used to know someone who seasoned popcorn with curry powder. Maybe the two of you should get together . . . at the movies. . . .
Mmm, extra curry-seasoned butter, please.
I’m jazzed about the upcoming feast of movies. Too many massively talented people who’ve impressed my pants off too many times in the past for me to be pessimistic. There are easily 25-30 titles between now and New Years that are Must See for me.
Ryan, have to watch those popcorn boxes, my dear.
I hear they chafe.
“I certainly agree that NIGHTS IN RODANTHE, from the looks of the trailer, seems like a dose of Glade air freshener - and not the kind made from essential oils.”
Pierre, that’s WICKEDLY funny.
I disagree with you exceptionally rarely, Pierre. On the odd (VERY ODD) occasion that I do, you always have something eloquent, profound or fascinating to say.
So I always enjoy your POV immensely regardless.
I have seen “Choke” and “Lakeview Terrace” and I must admit that I thought Samuel L. Jackson was really good in the latter. Some critics I saw it with were whispering stuff about an Oscar nom, but I’m not so sure.
Other than that, nothing else on this list opens in SA anytime soon, but I’ll be here to listen to you all chatter about whats hot and whats not.
I’m with Ryan!
That is a pretty hilarious poke at Rodanthe, Pierre. But like you say, Miranda, those two generally work together (you know I loved Unfaithful). Who knows? I haven’t been to a decent romantic drama in years. My last attempt was a disaster. Not even Bardem could save it.
Plus, I missed “The Notebook” and every other person gushes over it.
All that being said, Rodanthe is still near the bottom of this list for me. Lakeview Terrace sounds like a true guilty pleasure. I have yet to see a trailer, but Nick’s word on it impresses me.
You had me at “The Brothers Coen.”
Well, there’s still an audience for movies like Rodanthe. And Gere and Lane — especially Lane — need to keep working and to please their base.
I knew exactly what you meant about American Beauty, Craig, haha.
Nick, that’s interesting about Sam Jackson in Lakeview Terrace. I try to not let trailers influence me too much but the ones for that movie have been so obnoxious that they have turned me off the movie, but if he’s as good as you say, it might be of interest nevertheless.
For September, the three films I’m most excited about, in order are, Burn After Reading, The Miracle at St. Anna and Appaloosa. Those are probably the three films I’ll see no matter what at this point, just because the Coens and Spike Lee made the first two, and the other has stirred my interest.
Well, as I’ve made clear, I’m psyched for Burn After Reading. And Appaloosa has the Viggo factor of course. :-)
I’m sad that DeNiro and Pacino have come to this. Maybe Righteous Kill will be better than we’re expecting. Seems unlikely but here’s hoping.
As for The Women: Damn, what a waste of talent like Annette Bening. That’s all I have to say.
Like Alexander I’m interested in The Duchess because of Ralph Fiennes. And I am routing for Keira Knightley. There’s so much hate for the poor woman.
On this list, besides what I’ve marked, I’m looking forward to The Duchess. The rest….not so much. Well, except Choke, but I’ve already seen it.
I don’t get the Keira hate either, Alison. People are weird
As for Lakeview Terrace, my beef is with the concept. There have been a million movies preying on the fears of middle class suburbanites. This one is maybe a little twist on it, but it just seems so…I don’t know.
I’ll allow that the trailer might just be trying too hard to make it seem familiar.
Some people are weird. So what if Keira needs to eat a sandwich? What does that have to do with anything? I’m in her corner right now and I do have an interest in The Duchess. As Miranda points out, it may be nothing more than elegant nonsense - but I’ve seen worse.
Well, I’ll take elegant nonsense over “crap blowing up” nonsense.
Did you like her in Pride and Prejudice?
I did. It’s not my favorite version of Pride and Prejudice (my favorite is Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth) but I thought she was really good.
I was expecting to hate that one…got dragged to it, but I liked it.
Danny, do people REALLY gush over THE NOTEBOOK?
It’s bad.
The acting is fantastic. JAMES GARNER and GENA ROWLANDS are wonderful. JOAN ALLEN (who plays RACHEL’S mom) is great. As always.
The chemistry between RYAN GOSLING and RACHEL McADAMS is absolutely electric.
The part that gets to me is that she was going to marry the perfect guy (JAMES MARSDEN) and she couldn’t let go of RYAN emotionally. He had just HAD her in a way that she couldn’t even explain.
It’s that first love thing. So he went off with this other woman but he pined for RACHEL just the same. It was killing him.
So finally they got back together and (if I’m not mistaken) they hit the sheets within about half an hour of that meeting. Maybe before.
RYAN had had a physical relationship with this other girlfriend. But RACHEL was pure and unsullied. (This was the 40s, after all.) So afterwards when they’re laying in bed together, she leans over and says to him, “Is that what I’ve been missing? I want to do it again and again AND AGAIN!!!’
I thought that was hysterical. But the flick itself is ponderous and a real downer. You’ll cry. But you’ll cry mainly because you’re angry that you’ve been manipulated into it.
I loved the characters but the movie is pure idiocy. And that twist is just horrible….
“Dane Cook plays a man who is paid by ex-boyfriends to be such a bad date, the women will be driven back to their former loves. When he’s hired by his best friend Biggs to help him win back Hudson, he falls for her.”
Bad film concept. Interesting entrepreneurial idea.
If Cook’s movies don’t get any better, he may soon be for hire.
It looks like September is where it’s at for potentially great films. You have the Coens, another badass Mortensen, Fernando Meirelles and a new Spike Lee joint. I’m still looking forward to Blindness, Cannes be damned.
Craig, you forgot Taken.
I know….what? That’s what I thought until I watched the trailer. Derivative? Yes. Am I going to be there with bells on? You betcha. A revenge flick with Liam Neeson? Heck yeah. Feels like a modern take on Rob Roy and I love Rob Roy.
Here’s a link to the trailer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sGGRS_UaPY
Craig, how could you foget about Bangkok Dangerous on September 5? It’s being advertised on your site, no less. :-)
heh heh. I plugged it for the Summer Forecast when it was originally supposed to come out in August. Clearly the studio is just dumping it now where no one will notice so I’m helping them out.