BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
(FOUR) SOMEWHERE
(December 24th – Starring: Stephen Dorff & Elle Fanning – Director: Sophia Coppola)
I’m anticipating this more because of the director than the actual content. In fact, all four movies on this list could be described in that way. Sophia Coppola will always have an anticipation pass with me because of one reason. I love this movie because she gave us “Lost In Translation”, one of my favorite movies of all time. This is her first movie in four years and goes back to a similar well. The story is about a hard-living actor being stuck in a fancy hotel who gets a surprise when his 11 year old daughter shows up. The underappreciated Stephen Dorff plays the actor and Elle Fanning is the little girl. I like Dorff and I’m really curious as to what he’ll bring to the table. I have a good feeling about this one. I’ve not read any spoilers, heard any previews, or heard any of the buzz but I have a gut feeling that this movie will be well represented come award season. It’s true, the story seems a little personal. People are saying it’s inspired from Sophia’s relationship with her own father, but so what? Like they say, and by “they” I mean “I”, the best art is that of the heart.
(THREE) HOW DO YOU KNOW
(December 17st – Starring: Reece Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson – Director: James L. Brooks)
I know it’s not JUST a drama and also has a romantic comedy in there, but it’s too smart and has too much drama to be added to the “comedy” selections. It’s James L. Brooks! When he’s not producing “The Simpsons”, he’s making some of the best adult dramadys out there. The situation here isn’t reinventing the wheel. It’s a love triangle movie. Witherspoon finds herself in a love triangle with a corporate dude played by Paul Rudd and her current baseball playing love played by Owen Wilson. Some people are saying the story is like a younger version of “It’s Complicated”. I can see that, but I’m willing to bet that this movie is A LOT better than that one… and I liked “It’s Complicated”. Paul Rudd in a James L. Brooks movie is all you had to say.
(TWO) YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER
(September 22nd – Starring: Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Antonio Banderas, Frieda Pinto, Lucy Punch – Director: Woody Allen)
Like “How Do You Know”, this could be considered a comedy and I’m including it here for the same reasons. Woody Allen makes art. People can hate on his recent work, but I enjoy it and it’s still better than 99% of the crap that comes out every year. I really liked “Whatever Works” and his British movies were all pretty much great, including “Scoops”. Woody is getting up there in age and it’s only a matter of time before he hangs it up or is hung up. I want to enjoy every chance I get to be excited about his anticipated works. Twenty years from now, we’ll be looking back WISHING we could have this kind of feeling. Woody Allen making a new movie is like Ferrari making a new car. It’s going to get you where you need to go and you’ll look good for the ride, if not a little pretentious. The only thing that makes me a little uneasy is the cast. Brolin has proven himself to be an awesome action-packed actor, but I’m weary on him in a Woody flick. At least we get Hopkins and Watts. But in reality, Woody could cast my least favorite actors and I’d STILL want to check it out.
(ONE) THE SOCIAL NETWORK
(October 1st – Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake – Director: David Fincher)
What the hell? A movie about Facebook? A movie about Facebook directed by David Fincher? Yeah, I was a bit surprised too. I remember there were talks about a Tom Hanks movie about the guy who invented Starbucks or something and that shocked me. Then I hear about David Fincher directing a movie about the guy who created Facebook and I was not only shocked, but scared. I was scared that the director of such modern classics as “Fight Club” or “The Lost Highway” would direct a movie about the fall of human contact social networking. Then I saw the trailer. The chorus of children singing “Creep”, the drama, the glimpses of the direction Fincher uses, and all of that just works. I’m not big on Jesse Eisenberg. I’ve enjoyed movies he was in, but never because of his work. If anything him being in this is now more of a turn off than the actual content. But I’m going to hold back and see what happens. I was downright against a movie about Facebook but the trailer eased me in. If there’s anyone who can make Jesse Eisenberg interesting AND make a movie about Facebook that’s worth watching it’s David Fincher. In David Fincher We Trust.
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