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Fall Movie Preview: December
And now, the final chapter of our fall movie preview, and I have to say, it doesn’t look a lot like Christmas to me. You can catch up with September, October and November as needed.
December 1
Bug: William Friedkin directs an insect thriller with Ashley Judd! Yay! It’s not being screened for critics! RAIIIIID??!!!?
The Nativity Story: This film tells the story of Mary up until Jesus’ birth, with Catherine Hardwicke (thirteen) directing and the extremely talented Keisha Castle-Hughes, age 16, of Whale Rider fame playing Mary. This promises to be edgier than your typical religious movie fare.
Turistas: A group of backpackers are trapped by a military group, and used to carry out their mysterious agenda. The director is John Stockwell, who made the underrated crazy/beautiful and the inexplicable Into the Blue, so how this will turn out is anyone’s guess.
Van Wilder Deux: The Rise of Taj: I defy anyone to see this as a double with The Nativity Story.
December 8
Apocalypto: Mel Gibson will have to come out of his post-DUI shame to promote this movie he directed about the decline and fall of the Mayans. It’s sad too, because Gibson is a savvy director, and I’m willing to bet a very good film will get lost in all the fuss.
The Holiday: Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jack Black and Jude Law criss-cross in this romantic comedy from the director of Something’s Gotta Give. Nancy Meyers may be one of the frothier directors around, but she sure knows how to put a cast together.
Unaccompanied Minors: Kids create their own makeshift holiday while snowed in at Chicago’s O’Hare international airport in what sounds like a young adults edition of The Terminal. If it works as well as that underrated Spielberg gem, this film could be a gem too.
December 15
The Blood Diamond: The fates of a mercenary (Leonardo DiCaprio), a fisherman (Djimon Hounsou), and an American journalist (Jennifer Connelly) are entwined in the hunt for a priceless diamond. It’s got a solid cast and a good director, but Ed Zwick (The Last Samurai, Glory) tends to be snakebit when it comes to Oscar-bait movies. The jury’s out on this one.
Eragon: No, it’s not about Viggo Mortensen’s Lord of the Rings character. Here, a farm boy discovers a dragon’s making him the one person who can defend his home against an evil king. Is it just me, or do you smell lust for Narnia money?
The Pursuit of Happyness: Will Smith stars with the terminally undervalued Thandie Newton in the story of a salesman who takes custody of his son. It’s more serious fare than usual for Smith, and I don’t doubt he can pull it off. Remember Ali? However, I wonder if his audience will take to it. Remember Ali?
December 22
Charlotte’s Web: The classic E.B. White story is one of my all-time favorites, and I love the idea of Dakota Fanning playing Vern and Julia Roberts playing Charlotte. But why, oh WHY do the cows have to pass gas???? Fie to the influence of Nickelodeon! (Dec. 20)
The Good Shepard: Robert De Niro directs Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie and himself in the story of the CIA. Sounds promising, but this had better be more than carbon-copy Scorsese, which De Niro’s A Bronx Tale was.
Night at the Museum: A dim-witted guy take a job at the Museum of Natural History as the nighttime security guard, only to find the humans and other animals on display come to life. Sounds like a great vehicle for Joe Johnston, who made Honey I Shrunk the Kids. Unfortunately, it’s a vehicle by Shawn Levy, who made the new Pink Panther.
Rocky Balboa: Maybe they didn’t call it Rocky VI because Rocky can’t count that high after all those punches? OK, that was mean. But a little birdie has told me Stallone delivers the goods.
We Are Marshall: After a plane crash kills the Marshall University football team and some of its fans, the new coach (Matthew McConaughey), his remaining players, and the school’s dean (David Strathairn) try to soldier on. I’d look forward to this, except that the director is McG, who last defecated the Charlie’s Angels sequel on the big screen. Flag on the play!
December 25
Black Christmas: Does the title mean that the people who gave us a cheapie horror movie for Christmas day want a lump of coal in return?
Children of Men: In the apocalyptic near future (is there any other kind?) Julianne Moore becomes pregnant, even though most women can’t procreate. Clive Owen escorts her to safety. Besides the premise, I’m intrigued by the director, Alfonso Cuaron, whose range extends from the best Harry Potter movie (Azkaban) to a sexually frank coming-of-age story (Y Tu Mama Tambien).
Dreamgirls: After making a big splash with the Oscar-winning Chicago, the movie musical faltered with the misfire of The Phantom of the Opera and the decent but flawed Rent and The Producers. If anyone can make the musical surge again, it’s director Bill Condon, who wrote Chicago’s screenplay. This story of sort of a pseudo-Supremes has generated Oscar for Eddie Murphy and American Idol vet Jennifer Hudson. Beyonce Knowles plays the Diana Ross type.
The Good German: Steven Soderbergh directs George Clooney in a black-and-white-thriller, with Cate Blanchett as his missing mistress. Cool.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Coming Attractions
Comments
By Allie D.
August 31, 2006 5:11 PM | Link to this
Some hits and likely misses for sure. The selection seems pretty darn drab for that time of year, though. Oscar season should be interesting…