Nordling here.
I've been reading an article today on GQ - "The Day The Movies Died" by Mark Harris - and I got a little depressed at it. Depressed because I mostly agree with what he's saying. I could rant about how there will be more sequels in 2011 than any year previously which is a depressing fact on its own (and that article doesn't even count prequels or remakes). I could rant about how Hollywood seems to be diving head first into the young adult market to adapt TWILIGHT-esque books in hopes of recapturing that lightning in a bottle, and if I AM NUMBER FOUR is any indication, I'd sooner break that bottle over my head in a bar fight than endure a movie like that again. There's movies I'm looking forward to this summer for sure, but the only original project that comes to mind is SUPER 8 and that's directly inspired from the Spielberg films of the 1980s. Even though all the comic book superhero films look fun, there's hundreds of comic book characters that haven't had their stories told in film yet, but eventually they all start to blend together. I think our interest in these kinds of heroes might be waning, but I could be wrong. We'll see when those box office numbers come in.
The fact is, and I hate to sound all curmudgeonly about this, but original films aren't the business of Hollywood these days. They're too much of a risk, money-wise. Sequels, prequels, adaptations (which I actually don't mind too much), films based on television shows... these are tried and true properties that already have fanbases and little risk. The one true exception last summer was INCEPTION, and I can't be sure, but I'd bet what the Mark Harris article described is exactly how it went down. WB executives biting their fingernails after opening weekend, and if they had paid attention to audiences they might have realized that there was little to worry about. If any of them had actually sat in a theater when those first INCEPTION trailers played and listened to the audience buzzing about them - something different! Something new! Something I haven't seen before! Something that I can't guess the plot to! - I don't think they would have worried so much. INCEPTION was a breath of fresh air in a very stale summer last year. I had practically written the summer off before it was released, with the exception of TOY STORY 3, and INCEPTION brought in, if not a wave, then at the very least a current of interesting films to become aware of after it came out.
But original content seems to still be anathema, or at least, not something that studios would risk a high amount of money on. Which brings me to March, and the movies opening in the next few weeks. March, for me, has a good chance of being the best month for films this year, and I'm already seeing some people write them off, which is a shame. There's a few adaptations to be sure, but it seems like it's the month, before summer starts ramping up, where studios seem to be putting out some of their more riskier material - at least, riskier in their outlook. Films that come out this March could well have been the highlights of summer in other years, but since we're buried up to our necks in sequels and prequels now, original films like these get squeezed out for more safe fare. I'm an eternal optimist, and I thought I'd highlight some of next month's releases and why we should give them our attention.
I've been reading an article today on GQ - "The Day The Movies Died" by Mark Harris - and I got a little depressed at it. Depressed because I mostly agree with what he's saying. I could rant about how there will be more sequels in 2011 than any year previously which is a depressing fact on its own (and that article doesn't even count prequels or remakes). I could rant about how Hollywood seems to be diving head first into the young adult market to adapt TWILIGHT-esque books in hopes of recapturing that lightning in a bottle, and if I AM NUMBER FOUR is any indication, I'd sooner break that bottle over my head in a bar fight than endure a movie like that again. There's movies I'm looking forward to this summer for sure, but the only original project that comes to mind is SUPER 8 and that's directly inspired from the Spielberg films of the 1980s. Even though all the comic book superhero films look fun, there's hundreds of comic book characters that haven't had their stories told in film yet, but eventually they all start to blend together. I think our interest in these kinds of heroes might be waning, but I could be wrong. We'll see when those box office numbers come in.
The fact is, and I hate to sound all curmudgeonly about this, but original films aren't the business of Hollywood these days. They're too much of a risk, money-wise. Sequels, prequels, adaptations (which I actually don't mind too much), films based on television shows... these are tried and true properties that already have fanbases and little risk. The one true exception last summer was INCEPTION, and I can't be sure, but I'd bet what the Mark Harris article described is exactly how it went down. WB executives biting their fingernails after opening weekend, and if they had paid attention to audiences they might have realized that there was little to worry about. If any of them had actually sat in a theater when those first INCEPTION trailers played and listened to the audience buzzing about them - something different! Something new! Something I haven't seen before! Something that I can't guess the plot to! - I don't think they would have worried so much. INCEPTION was a breath of fresh air in a very stale summer last year. I had practically written the summer off before it was released, with the exception of TOY STORY 3, and INCEPTION brought in, if not a wave, then at the very least a current of interesting films to become aware of after it came out.
But original content seems to still be anathema, or at least, not something that studios would risk a high amount of money on. Which brings me to March, and the movies opening in the next few weeks. March, for me, has a good chance of being the best month for films this year, and I'm already seeing some people write them off, which is a shame. There's a few adaptations to be sure, but it seems like it's the month, before summer starts ramping up, where studios seem to be putting out some of their more riskier material - at least, riskier in their outlook. Films that come out this March could well have been the highlights of summer in other years, but since we're buried up to our necks in sequels and prequels now, original films like these get squeezed out for more safe fare. I'm an eternal optimist, and I thought I'd highlight some of next month's releases and why we should give them our attention.
RANGO - opens March 4th, 2011 - I've seen 8 minutes of this at BNAT last December, and what struck me the most about what I saw is that there was little to no gloss to what we were seeing. A dirt-filled world, with grit and rough edges that made the film not seem like standard children's fare. With Gore Verbinski directing, and Johnny Depp, Ray Winstone, Isla Fisher, Timothy Olyphant, and Harry Dean "AVENGE ME!" Stanton all turning in voice performances, this looks to be a whole lot of fun, and early reports have said that even though it's not exactly for younger kids, it's got a good heart and visual style to spare.
THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU - opens March 4th, 2011 - Philip K. Dick's work has been adapted many times but I'm not sure he's been done quite like this. My review for this film will be coming that Friday on release, so I'll just say that I was surprised by this film and the emotional depth this film went to. Matt Damon plays a politician who meets a woman (Emily Blunt) the night he loses his election to the US Senate, and the nature of that meeting, the subsequent events of Matt Damon's life, and his inner yearning to find her again seems to go against the very nature of his destiny and the plan that the mysterious Adjustment Bureau has for him. Also starring Anthony Mackie, John Slattery, and Terence "Tell him I'm fucking coming!" Stamp.
BATTLE: LOS ANGELES - opens March 11, 2011 - This is probably my most anticipated March release. Jonathan Liebesman's track record so far hasn't been too impressive, but this looks like the movie he's been working towards - a BLACK HAWK DOWN-style take of an alien invasion. The cast for this (Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Michael Peña, Bridget Moynahan) looks really good, and the film appears to to be huge in scale. I love the trailers, if for nothing else than for introducing me to the song "The Sun's Gone Dim And The Sky's Turned Black" by Johann Johannsson.
JANE EYRE - opens March 11, 2011 - Charlotte Brontë's novel has of course been adapted for the screen before, and the trailer for this latest iteration seems to play up the thriller aspects, but the cast is extraordinary, with Mia Wasikowska as Jane, Michael Fassbender as Edward Rochester, and Judi Dench as Mrs. Fairfax. Cary Fukunaga directed the amazing SIN NOMBRE, and so I expect this will be a film of quality. At this point I'll see Michael Fassbender in anything. He's a versatile actor and commanding of the screen.
RED RIDING HOOD - opens March 11, 2011 - Remember what I said about TWILIGHT? This movie might be the exception that proves the rule. Not quite sure what to make of Catherine Hardwicke's film here. Is it romance, horror, period-piece, all three... I do know that the trailer is selling the young romance angle quite hard, and what I can make out of this "reimagining" of the Red Riding Hood story is that there's a girl, two suitors, an Inquisitor, and a werewolf. Gary Oldman seems to be in "EEEVEERRRYYYOOOONNNNEEE!" mode here, which is always fun. Amanda Seyfried, Lukas Haas, and Julie Christie are also in the cast. Will RED RISING HOOD do for werewolves - or do to werewolves - what TWILIGHT did to vampires? We'll see. I do like the cinematography in this one, but I'm still unsure as to the quality. I put this on the list because I think this one has the potential to surprise us.
KILL THE IRISHMAN - opens March 11, 2011 - This trailer looks like a lot of fun, and even though Jonathan Hensleigh directed the first, weaker PUNISHER movie, he got Ray Stevenson, from the utterly awesome, kickass PUNISHER: WAR ZONE movie to star in this film based on the true story of Danny Grenne, an enforcer who decides to break away from the Mafia. This film's got a veritable who's who of ass kickers in it - Vincent D'Onofrio, Val Kilmer, Christopher Walken, Paul Sorvino, Vinnie Jones - and the trailer makes the film look fun as hell. Can't wait.
LIMITLESS - opens March 18, 2011 - Neil Burger (THE ILLUSIONIST) brings us the story of Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) who with a new wonder drug sees his own true potential. But once you gain your full potential what would you do to keep it? This seems like a unique take on the superhero story - instead of leaping from building to building Cooper can read the stock market and make a ton of money writing, powers that I'd definitely put to use. But powers like that always come with a price, and it looks like Robert De Niro plays the guy Cooper must pay that price to.
PAUL - opens March 18, 2011 - I realize that this film's already opened overseas, and the reception so far has been positive. Unfortunately we here in the States have to wait until March 18 to see the reteaming of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, but I have the feeling it'll be worth the wait. I'm a big fan of Greg Mottola, especially ADVENTURELAND, and PAUL may play to a niche crowd, but who cares - I'm in that crowd and the film looks fun. Plus you can't go wrong wearing an EMPIRE STRIKES BACK shirt like that.
WIN WIN - opens March 18, 2011 - I adore Paul Giamatti, I suffered through LADY IN THE WATER for him, for Pete's sake. And this is the kind of film that I normally embrace, so I'm really excited to see this. Giamatti plays a wrestling coach who comes across a prodigy in the sport, but the kid (Kyle Timmons, making his acting debut) comes with a lot of baggage that Giamatti isn't prepared to handle. With Amy Ryan, Jeffrey Tambor, and Burt "Paulie" Young.
SUCKER PUNCH - opens March 25th, 2011 - This may well be Zack Snyder's crowning achievement. It's his women in prison, killer robots, giant dragon vs. bi-planes, fighting ninjas and mechasamurai with gatling guns, trench warfare with a bunch of machine guns, hot women in peril fetish movie, and I can't wait. I know many of you aren't fans, but I am, so, hey, more for me. Seriously, I imagine this film to be a kind of "wipe the palate clean" type of film before Snyder takes on his SUPERMAN duties. Sure, Snyder's signature moves abound in the trailer - speed ramping, CGI backgrounds, lots and lots of leather - but I'm good with that. Plus we get Scott Glenn as the wise old guru. Starring Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino - even Jon Hamm. Even if the film fails, it'll look amazing, and I have a funny feeling this one's going to impress more than distress.
There's other films opening in March as well - MARS NEEDS MOMS, THE LINCOLN LAWYER - but these ten films make March look a lot brighter to me this year. These are the films that studios are seemingly taking their chances on, and not one sequel or prequel among them. If you're wanting more original material out of the studios March is when we as moviegoers can show them all that's what were wanting to see, and I guarantee that at least one of these films, and maybe all of them, are worth your time. Sure, they can't all be INCEPTION. But the only way the studios will know is through the box office. I think these ten deserve that chance.
Nordling, out.
There's other films opening in March as well - MARS NEEDS MOMS, THE LINCOLN LAWYER - but these ten films make March look a lot brighter to me this year. These are the films that studios are seemingly taking their chances on, and not one sequel or prequel among them. If you're wanting more original material out of the studios March is when we as moviegoers can show them all that's what were wanting to see, and I guarantee that at least one of these films, and maybe all of them, are worth your time. Sure, they can't all be INCEPTION. But the only way the studios will know is through the box office. I think these ten deserve that chance.
Nordling, out.
