Coming Soon....... 20 Movies To Look Forward To

Today is the first of December, which most importantly means the start of 24 days worth of excuses for eating chocolate in the morning, however I also felt it was a suitable time to look into up-and-coming movies for the next few months. For no particular reason I decided 3 months would be an ideal length of time to look into. Perhaps it is because it allows me to take into account all movie released during awards season, The Oscars are on the 27th February this year, so mark it on your calender. Anyway, here I present to you a list of the 20 movies which I am most looking forward to seeing over December, January and February. Take note and enjoy.

Monsters

This year's District 9, 'Monsters' is an alien movie filmed on a very small budget. The movie picks up 6 years after Earth has suffered from an alien invasion, and a journalist agrees to escort a shaken American tourist through an infected zone in Mexico, to the safety of the US Border. This movie is set have the excitement of it's Sci-fi/Thriller elements, but at it's core is also a love story set within very difficult times.

Somewhere

Director Sofia Coppola's latest cinema outing follows a hard living Hollywood actor who has to have a serious look at his life after his 11-year-old daughter pays him a visit. Being a fan of Coppola's earlier films 'Lost In Translation' and 'The Virgin Suicides', I would hope this film lives up these these wonderful movies. With Stephen Dorff as the father and Elle Fanning (younger sister to Dakota Fanning) as the daughter, I'm quite sure these characters will bring the same charm to this film that was so engaging in 'Lost In Translation'.

Love and Other Drugs

Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal star in the romcom meets drama film about Maggie a free spirited woman who does not let anyone or anything tie her down in life, until she meets her match in Jamie, who's relentless charm serves him well with both the ladies and in the cutthroat world of pharmaceutical sales. The evolving relationship of these two characters takes them by surprise as they 'find themselves under the influence of the ultimate drug: love'. This movie is not set to be the typical romantic comedy as there is a greater deal of emotional wealth behind it (which is not made clear in the trailer) and is more adult in nature.

127 Hours

This is Danny Boyle's first Directorial outing since 2009's runaway success 'Slumdog Millionaire', however this movie is set to be very different. The movie stars James Franco as a mountaineer who becomes trapped under a boulder whilst canyoneering alone, and has to resort to desperate measures in order to survive. Franco's performance is said to be outstanding in this picture, an therefore there has been a lot of Oscar buzz around the movie. Go and watch the trailer, you will find yourself counting down the days til it's release.

The King's Speech

This movie stars Colin Firth as Kind Edward VI of Britain, during the time of his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist (Geoffrey Rush) who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it. This movie is currently considered the favourite to win Best Picture at the Oscars in 2011, with 'The Social Network' looking like it's main rival. However, it is probably more likely the Academy will opt for this, as they tend to favour period pieces over contemporary ones. I am also very excited to see this film, as it co-stars Helena Bonham Carter, whom I think is a simply fantastic actress, with one of the most versatile acting talents in the movie industry right now.

True Grit

Any movie directed by the Coen Brothers is going to be top notch in my books. So seeing them reunited with the incredible Jeff Bridges to remake the John Wayne classic 'True Grit' sounds unmissable to me, and the trailer emphasises this notion. Bridges plays the tough US marshal (previously played by Wayne in his only Oscar winning performance) who helps a stubborn young woman track down her father's murderer. With Josh Brolin and Matt Damon in the cast too, I'm quite positive this movie is going to be brilliant.

Black Swan

This dark tale takes a look at the relationship between a veteran ballet dancer and her rival when a space opens up in the company's new production of 'Swan Lake'. Natalie Portman who plays Nina the veteran dancer, gets a chance to explore her dark side for this role, as the character descends into madness. Portman is said to be a key contender for Best Actress at The Oscars, which is unsurprising given the critical praise that has been given to both her and the film itself. Check out the trailer for this one, it look incredible.

Morning Glory

I only heard about this film for the first time yesterday, and upon watching the trailer found something that looked both funny and touching. Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton and Patrick Wilson,  star in this movie, which altogether is a superb cast. McAdams plays the role of an upstart television producer who takes on the challenge of trying to revive a struggling morning show programme with warring co-hosts. Funnily enough the show is called 'Daybreak', which is the same as the crap GMTV replacement in the UK.

Conviction

Conviction is about a working mother who puts herself through law school in an effort to represent her brother, who has been wrongfully convicted of murder and has exhausted his chances to appeal his conviction through public defenders. Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell star in this drama/thriller. It seems as though this film will be full of solid performances from Swank, who has proven with two Oscar wins that she is more than capable of delivering a top notch dramatic performance, and Rockwell who is overdue for recognition as he is a superb talent.

The Tree Of Life

I put this on the list with a degree of uncertainty, as there is so much secrecy swirling around this film that it just not seem like it will be ready in time for it's current January release date. However, this film sounds like it has the potential to be astonishing so I simply had to include it. Starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn under the direction of acclaimed filmmaker Terrence Malick. The only piece of plot information currently released about the film is that it centers around a family with three boys in the 1950s, where the eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence.

The Next Three Days

Oscar winning director Paul Haggis directs Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks in this thriller about a married couple whose life is turned upside down when the wife is wrongly accused of murder. I initially found the sound of this film fairly uninteresting, until I watched the trailer which plays out to make the movie appear like a truly gripping piece of cinema.

Hereafter

Clint Eastwood is a movie making machine, churning out at least one film a year, with this actually being his second for UK audiences in 2010.  'Hereafter' explores the theme of death and how it explores people in different ways. Starring Matt Damon, playing a medium, 'Herafter' looks both exciting and touching, exploring themes which are always thought provoking, such as the afterlife.

The Fighter

Another film with Oscar Buzz surrounding it's performances, 'The Fighter' stars Mark Wahlberg as boxer Micky Ward and his brother who helped him train before going professional in the mid 1980s. The central buzz on this film is on supporting performances from Melissa Leo and Christian Bale, who has gone under another severe physical transformation for this role. The movie seems to be filled with a great deal of heart and soul, thanks to the performances and is therefore bound to make for an inspirational piece of cinema.

Rabbit Hole

Based on a play by David Lindsay-Abaire, who has also written the screenplay, 'Rabbit Hole' tells the story of how a happy couple's life is turned upside down after the death of their son in an accident. 'Rabbit Hole' star Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart as the couple, who judging from the trailer and critical response deliver top notch performances. If executed correctly, this move is bound to be a tearjerker.

Brighton Rock

A remake of the 1947 movie of the same name, 'Brighton Rock' a film which charts the headlong fall of a razor-wielding disadvantaged teenager with a religious death wish. This movie falls into the crime/thriller genre but also includes a love story of sorts at it's core. Sam Riley stars in the lead role, and is supported by a strong cast including Helen Mirren. This movie looks like it could be one of Britain's strongest movies to come out within the next year.

Animal Kingdom

'Animal Kingdom' is an Australian movie which tells the story of seventeen year-old josh as he navigates his own survival amongst an explosive criminal family and the detective who think s he can save him. This movie has already gone down well in Australia, receiving numerous strong reviews for the picture itself and it's performances, some of which even rumoured to be entered for Oscar contention, particularly that of Jacki Weaver. This movie was the winner of the Grand Jury Prize at this years Sundance Film Festival, so is certainly one to look out for.

Blue Valentine

This movie has been given numerous strong reviews thanks to strong performances from Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, which are said to be 'heartbreaking'. The film follows a contemporary married couple, noting the changes that occur over a time span of a few years by cross-cutting between time periods. The trailer paints the picture of a nice love story sort of picture, but this is said to be the compete opposite.

Never Let Me Go

I have been excited about this film for almost a year now, and as the UK release keeps getting pushed back I have to wait longer and longer to see it. It stars Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield in the adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel. It tells the story of three children who spend their childhood at a seemingly idyllic English boarding school. As they grow into young adults, they find that they have to come to terms with the strength of the love they feel for each other, while preparing themselves for the haunting reality that awaits them. This film has been given a series of very strong reviews, and a release near to awards season could perhaps boost its chances of getting a nod or two.

Howl

Howl details the obscenity trials which poet Allen Ginsberg had to face after the publication of his masterpiece poem 'Howl'. Ginsberg is played by James Franco, in what looks like another fantastic turn from the actor who's work appears to be getting stronger and stronger. With a strong supporting cast consisting of the wonderful Mary-Louise Parker, Jon Hamm and Jeff Daniels, this movie seems like it will be a must watch.

The Way Back

Peter Weir directs 'The Way Back' which features a strong cast consisting of:  Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Saoirse Ronan and Colin Farrell in a fact based story centred on soldiers who escaped from a Siberian gulag in 1940. This movie has received reviews praising it  on the strength of it's performances and story. There is also a lot of talk of the movie being in with a shot at receiving a few nods during awards season. The movie looks like an intense and gripping watch.