My Movie Season Is Finally Beginning....
Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2005
10. Jarhead (Sam Mendes)
Sam Mendes' (American Beauty [1999], Road to Perdition [2002]) next project starring Jake Gylanhaal, Jamie Foxx and Peter Sarsgaard set in the Middle East before and during Desert Storm. I'm sure, if nothing else, this will be beautifully photographed (Roger Deakins takes over for the late Mendes favorite Conrad Hall).
Possible Problems: Jake Gyllenhaal's usual angsty-brat persona has a tendency to bug me.
9. Corpse Bride (Tim Burton, Mike Johnson)
Burton's return to stylistic animation since producing 1993's The Nightmare Before Christmas. The trailer looks like it could be just as good. Lots of stylish visuals and all kinds of interesting actors providing the vocals.
Possible Problems: It could be really dumb.
8. Idiocracy (Mike Judge)
A satire about an "average American" going into a dumbed down future and being the most intelligent person around. Mike has a great sense of comedic timing and character comedy...this could easily be the funniest/cleverest film of the year.
Possible Problems: Despite being hilarious at the beginning, I have always felt that Office Space fell apart in the last half of the film. This will prove whether Judge can do something longer than a 25-minute sitcom.
7. Last Days (Gus Van Sant)
The lead singer of a Seattle grunge band struggles with fame, drugs and life in general (and probably commits suicide). Gus Vant Sant gives another poetic reimagining of a historical happening (ala, 2003's Elephant and the Columbine High School shooting). This could be poignant and daring filmmaking.
Possible Problems: Michael Pitt.
6. Saraband (Ingmar Bergman)
Not so much a sequel as a continuation of Bergman's Scenes From a Marriage (1973), following the same characters from that film as they have grown older and examining their problems and lives with Bergman's honesty, subtlety and existential subtext.
Possible Problems: It was shot in a digital format.
5. A History of Violence (David Cronenberg)
A man commits a seemingly self-defensive murder and has to deal with it (or something like that. This blew people away at Cannes (not that it takes a whole lot to make a splash at Cannes, but it's a good sign) and Viggo Mortensen has won raves for his portrayal. Cronenberg has always worked well within the confines of specific genres (namely, horror and psychological thriller), so this "thriller" could be one of the better ones.
Possible Problems: Genre confines can sometimes limit the scope and power of some pieces.
4. 2046 (Wong Kar-Wai)
A film romance from acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai (Chungking Express [1994], In the Mood For Love [2000]). This will likely be wonderfully photographed film (thanks to Christopher Doyle).
Possible Problems: This is supposed to be partially a Sci-Fi. It could be a strange combination of elements.
3. Broken Flowers (Jim Jarmusch)
Bill Murray plays an aged womanizer who takes a trip to re-examine his life. This also was well-hyped at Cannes.
Possible Problems: Not being nearly as poignant, touching or funny as the hype promises.
2. The New World (Terrence Malick)
John Smith and early British settlers clash with Native Americans in an untouched American landscape. This guy, Terrence Malick, has made 3 feature films in the past 32 years and they're each considered brilliant (Badlands [1973], Days of Heaven [1978], The Thin Red Line [1998]). This film will probably be quieter than the trailer makes you think (The Thin Red Line was).
Possible Problems: You know what they say about your fourth film...
1. Grizzly Man (Werner Herzog)
A documentary by the brilliant German director of Fitzcarraldo and Aguirre: The Wrath of God about an American naturalist and his girlfriend who live among the grizzly bears in Alaska and are eventually eaten by them. Knowing Herzog's thoughts on the obscenity and ferociousness of nature (as opposed to the New Age Disneyization of nature), this should be a startling and thought-provoking piece.
Possible Problems: Considering this is a documentary and real people were killed, let's hope Herzog isn't nearly as calloused to that fact as he could be in favor of an ideological victory.
Mixed Anticipation/Trepidation
Art School Confidential (Terry Zwigoff)
The Brothers Grimm (Terry Gilliam)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Andrew Adamson)
Elizabethtown (Cameron Crowe)
King Kong (Peter Jackson)
10. Jarhead (Sam Mendes)
Sam Mendes' (American Beauty [1999], Road to Perdition [2002]) next project starring Jake Gylanhaal, Jamie Foxx and Peter Sarsgaard set in the Middle East before and during Desert Storm. I'm sure, if nothing else, this will be beautifully photographed (Roger Deakins takes over for the late Mendes favorite Conrad Hall).
Possible Problems: Jake Gyllenhaal's usual angsty-brat persona has a tendency to bug me.
9. Corpse Bride (Tim Burton, Mike Johnson)
Burton's return to stylistic animation since producing 1993's The Nightmare Before Christmas. The trailer looks like it could be just as good. Lots of stylish visuals and all kinds of interesting actors providing the vocals.
Possible Problems: It could be really dumb.
8. Idiocracy (Mike Judge)
A satire about an "average American" going into a dumbed down future and being the most intelligent person around. Mike has a great sense of comedic timing and character comedy...this could easily be the funniest/cleverest film of the year.
Possible Problems: Despite being hilarious at the beginning, I have always felt that Office Space fell apart in the last half of the film. This will prove whether Judge can do something longer than a 25-minute sitcom.
7. Last Days (Gus Van Sant)
The lead singer of a Seattle grunge band struggles with fame, drugs and life in general (and probably commits suicide). Gus Vant Sant gives another poetic reimagining of a historical happening (ala, 2003's Elephant and the Columbine High School shooting). This could be poignant and daring filmmaking.
Possible Problems: Michael Pitt.
6. Saraband (Ingmar Bergman)
Not so much a sequel as a continuation of Bergman's Scenes From a Marriage (1973), following the same characters from that film as they have grown older and examining their problems and lives with Bergman's honesty, subtlety and existential subtext.
Possible Problems: It was shot in a digital format.
5. A History of Violence (David Cronenberg)
A man commits a seemingly self-defensive murder and has to deal with it (or something like that. This blew people away at Cannes (not that it takes a whole lot to make a splash at Cannes, but it's a good sign) and Viggo Mortensen has won raves for his portrayal. Cronenberg has always worked well within the confines of specific genres (namely, horror and psychological thriller), so this "thriller" could be one of the better ones.
Possible Problems: Genre confines can sometimes limit the scope and power of some pieces.
4. 2046 (Wong Kar-Wai)
A film romance from acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai (Chungking Express [1994], In the Mood For Love [2000]). This will likely be wonderfully photographed film (thanks to Christopher Doyle).
Possible Problems: This is supposed to be partially a Sci-Fi. It could be a strange combination of elements.
3. Broken Flowers (Jim Jarmusch)
Bill Murray plays an aged womanizer who takes a trip to re-examine his life. This also was well-hyped at Cannes.
Possible Problems: Not being nearly as poignant, touching or funny as the hype promises.
2. The New World (Terrence Malick)
John Smith and early British settlers clash with Native Americans in an untouched American landscape. This guy, Terrence Malick, has made 3 feature films in the past 32 years and they're each considered brilliant (Badlands [1973], Days of Heaven [1978], The Thin Red Line [1998]). This film will probably be quieter than the trailer makes you think (The Thin Red Line was).
Possible Problems: You know what they say about your fourth film...
1. Grizzly Man (Werner Herzog)
A documentary by the brilliant German director of Fitzcarraldo and Aguirre: The Wrath of God about an American naturalist and his girlfriend who live among the grizzly bears in Alaska and are eventually eaten by them. Knowing Herzog's thoughts on the obscenity and ferociousness of nature (as opposed to the New Age Disneyization of nature), this should be a startling and thought-provoking piece.
Possible Problems: Considering this is a documentary and real people were killed, let's hope Herzog isn't nearly as calloused to that fact as he could be in favor of an ideological victory.
Mixed Anticipation/Trepidation
Art School Confidential (Terry Zwigoff)
The Brothers Grimm (Terry Gilliam)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Andrew Adamson)
Elizabethtown (Cameron Crowe)
King Kong (Peter Jackson)