Inevitability Part 2
16: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)
Trailer
Opening: 12/21
Concept: A parody of musical bio-pics
Notable Talent: Jake Kasdan, Judd Apatow, John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, and loads of cameos
Why I'm There: The funniest group of people in mainstream cinema today. Period.
Possible Worries: The trailer doesn't really drive home the funny.
17: Michael Clayton (2007)
Trailer
Opening: 12/12
Concept: A “fixer” for a law-firm is dragged into a case defending a corrupt company when the old lawyer goes mad
Notable Talent: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, and Tilda Swinton
Why I'm There: The response as various festivals and critic screenings has been inSANE. Also, Clooney.
Possible Worries: Nothing about the plot grabs my attention.
18: Into the Wild (2007)
Trailer
Opening: 9/21
Concept: A young man takes off and lives in the Alaskan wilderness by himself
Notable Talent: Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Vince Vaughn, and Eddie Vedder
Why I'm There: Sean Penn is an excellent director and this film has some of the best buzz of the season
Possible Worries: I hated Grizzly Man and this seems dangerously similar.
19: Darjeeling Limited, The (2007)
Trailer
Opening: 9/29
Concept: Three brothers take a spiritual journey across India
Notable Talent: Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, and Anjelica Huston
Why I'm There: Wes Anderson and the cast
Possible Worries: Am I the only one afraid that Anderson is just repeating himself, especially after Life Aquatic?
20: Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006)
Trailer
Opening: 10/19
Concept: A comedic road trip that takes place in purgatory
Notable Talent: Patrick Fugit, Tom Waits, Will Arnett, and Shannyn Sossamon
Why I'm There: Amazing idea and an extensive and successful festival run
Possible Worries: It's taken forever to actually get a theatrical run. Why?
21: Shoot 'Em Up (2007)
Trailer
Opening: Out Now
Concept: A live action, ultra-violent WB cartoon complete with carrots
Notable Talent: Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, and Monica Belluci
Why I'm There: Re-dunk-ulous trailers and an awesome cast
Possible Worries: Reviews have not generally been all that kind
22: Golden Compass, The (2007)
Trailer
Opening: 12/7
Concept: A child is taken into an alternate universe, a la Narnia
Notable Talent: Chris Weitz, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and Eva Green
Why I'm There: Wonderful creative team, well received source material, and decent early visuals
Possible Worries: This is a tough genre to really do well
23: Savages, The (2007)
Trailer
Opening: 12/26
Concept: Siblings have to take care of their ailing father
Notable Talent: Tamara Jenkins, Laura Linney, and Philip Seymour Hoffman
Why I'm There: Two of my favorite actors and some great laughs in the trailer
Possible Worries: Jenkins has never made good on the promise she showed with Slums of Beverly Hills
24: Reservation Road (2007)
Trailer
Opening: 10/19
Concept: A hit and run connects two families
Notable Talent: Terry George, Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Connelly, and Mira Sorvino
Why I'm There: Wow, what a cast. And loads of dramatic possibilities.
Possible Worries: I'm not yet sold on the director and I haven't seen enough footage yet to judge the execution.
25: Bee Movie (2007)
Trailer
Opening: 11/2
Concept: A bee decides to sue the human race for stealing bees' honey
Notable Talent: Jerry Seinfeld, Renee Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, and Chris Rock
Why I'm There: Seinfeld's return to writing and a decent cast
Possible Worries: I hate Dreamworks Animation's Shrek series, the animation here isn't great, and the trailers don't quite wow me.
26: The Mist (2007)
Trailer
Opening: 11/21
Concept: A strange mist with creatures hiding within envelops a store full of people
Notable Talent: Stephen King, Frank Darabont, Marcia Gay Harden, Alexa Davalos, William Sadler, and Andre Braugher
Why I'm There: King + Darabont = Shawshank Redemption and Green Mile
Possible Worries: It'll be interesting to see how Darabont handles a more horrific King story
27: I Am Legend (2007)
Trailer
Opening: 12/14
Concept: A single man survives the apocalypse and tries to stay alive in New York while fighting vampire-like enemies
Notable Talent: Akiva Goldsman and Will Smith
Why I'm There: Interesting idea and decent trailer
Possible Worries: The evil creatures have still not been revealed and the movie could be made or broken by them
28: Atonement (2007)
Trailer
Opening: 12/7
Concept: Set in 1935, a woman's younger sister accuses her lover of a crime he did not commit
Notable Talent: Keira Knightley and James McAvoy
Why I'm There: Hands down, the most well received film heading into the Fall
Possible Worries: If it wasn't for all the buzz, I'd have no idea this film even existed.
29: Orphanage, The (Orfanto, El) (2007)
Trailer
Opening: 12/28
Concept: A woman returns to her childhood home to make it an orphanage and her son meets a dangerous invisible friend
Notable Talent: Guillermo del Toro
Why I'm There: Guillermo produced it and it was adored at Cannes
Possible Worries: I know nothing about the actual writer or director of this film
30: Brave One, The (2007)
Trailer
Opening: Out Now
Concept: A victim of a savage beating becomes a vigilantly
Notable Talent: Neil Jordan, Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Nicky Katt, and Naveen Andrews
Why I'm There: I love Jordan and Foster is supposedly fantastic here
Possible Worries: Reviews suggest the film might not be as responsible in handling the complex subject as I'd hoped, especially in the ending
20 Other Films of Interest:
The Hunting Party, The Assassination of Jesse James by The Coward Robert Ford, Resident Evil: Extinction, Lust, Caution (Se jie), The Seeker: The Dark is Rising, Rendition, Gone, Baby, Gone, Run, Fat Boy, Run, Martian Child, The Kite Runner, American Gangster, Fred Claus, Lions for Lambs, Beowulf, August Rush, I’m Not There, Youth Without Youth, I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With, Eastern Promises, and Charlie Wilson’s War