 |
| Universal Pictures |
#5: Unbroken
Angelina
Jolie’s much-anticipated biopic of Olympic runner and World War II POW, Louis
Zamperini (Jack O’Connell) tells the incredible true story of his harrowing
ordeal. Already facing a somewhat ambivalent awards reaction so far, “Unbroken” now
faces the embrace of audiences. The subject matter is grim, and as was seen
earlier this year with “The Railway Man,” viewers may not be up to see the
horrors of war.
One curious thing to watch for is the casting of Jack O’Connell as Zamperini. Having mostly played a cache of villains, it is hard to imagine O’Connell playing a heroic role. He left an indelible impression with his terrifyingly evil portrayals of despicable youths in “Eden Lake” and “Harry Brown.” So much so that watching him as a hero, will require quite a disappearing act for O’Connell and a staggering range of characterization.
On a related note, when it comes to measuring up “Unbroken,” it faces its toughest comparative competition from Werner Herzog’s underseen
POW opus, “Rescue Dawn” starring Christian Bale and Steve Zhan.
Release Date: Dec 25
 |
| Paramount Pictures |
#4: The Gambler
Mark Wahlberg stars in this remake of the 1974 film of the same name. The plot
centers on Axel (Wahlberg), a literary professor from a wealthy family,
whose secret life as an obsessive gambler has led him into owing a massive debt to a
gangster. When he partakes in a risky romance with one of his students (Brie Larson), it only complicates matters further.
The highly regarded original was written by James Toback and James Caan won a Golden Globe for his performance in it. Paramount is hoping some of that award’s luck will rub off on this long-developing retread. What, if anything new, this version has to offer is unclear.
James Caan is an impossible
act to follow, and seeing how Wahlberg stacks up should be interesting. An immense talent to look for in this is Brie Larson. She’s been building a steady resume
of impressive performances, most notably with her heart-rending turn in “Short
Term 12.” She is a talent to watch and worth watching “The Gambler” for.
Release Date: Dec 25
 |
| The Weinstein Company |
#3: Big Eyes
Tim
Burton takes a step back from his oft zany works to deliver a more restrained
rendering for this biopic of renowned artist Margaret Keene (Amy Adams) -- the
real artist of the popular Big Eyes paintings. Hence, the movie tells Keene's story as she struggles to come clean and claim the work that had gotten credited to her
husband (Christoph Waltz). “Big Eyes” is in a prime position for major awards
love, and Adams, a perennial nominee, should be a shoo-in for further
recognition.
Whether this is the role that finally nabs her that much deserved Oscar remains to be seen. The film itself is a bit of a dark horse, and Adams will have to compete against some tough competition from Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon (“Wild") and the also long overdue, Julianne Moore (“Still Alice”).
No matter
the awards banter, “Big Eyes” is worth watching just to see how Tim Burton handles
the material and to see Amy Adams take on a role that is hopefully far meatier
than her part in last year's dreadful “American Hustle.”
Release
Date: Dec 25
While the ensemble is impressive, director Rob Marshall may just prove to be its most alluring draw. Marshall’s an eclectic director,
having served up his share of musicals (“Chicago” and “Nine), gripping drama
(the criminally underrated “Memoirs of a Geisha”) and swashbuckling adventure
(“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”).
 |
| Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
#2: Into the Woods
An adaptation of the Broadway musical “Into the Woods” interweaves the stories
of famous fairy tale characters with that of a baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily
Blunt). Desperate in their desire for a child, the couple sets out to procure
various items for a witch (Meryl Streep), so she will break the curse that’s made them unable to have children. The movie is packed to the gills with
an all-star cast that includes the aforementioned, Johnny Depp, Anna Kendrick, and more.
He knows how to balance high
style production labyrinths with the essentials of character development, an
ideal candidate to take on the enchanting world of James Lapine and Stephen
Sondheim’s stage musical. I watched it! Read the review here.
Release Date:
Dec 25
 |
| A24 |
#1: A Most Violent Year
Director J.C. Chandor’s first two feature films have been anything
other than stagnating in what they have attempted to explore. Breaking out with his
buzzy and loquacious debut, the Wall Street drama “Margin Call,” Chandor
followed that up with last year’s critically championed sea drama “All Is
Lost” starring Robert Redford in a dialogue-free, one-man show.
He returns a year later with “A Most Violent Year,” a gritty crime drama set during 1981, the most violent year in New York City's history. The story centers on a young family struggling to carve out their piece of the American dream.
Oscar Isaac stars as the family patriarch, an ambitious man struggling to keep a hold of his business and protect his family amidst the increasing scrutiny of a police investigation led by a determined detective (David Oyelowo). Jessica Chastain stars as Isaac’s cunning wife. While both Chastain and Isaac have been a part of the awards conversation, Chastain has been leading the charge, securing a critical Golden Globe nomination for her performance.
Comments
Post a Comment