Thursday, August 26, 2010

Fall Movie Preview (#12-9)

12.The Next Three Days (Nov. 19) - Trailer

Plot: Life seems perfect for John Brennan until his wife, Lara, is arrested for a gruesome murder she says she didn't commit. Three years into her sentence, John is struggling to hold his family together, raising their son and teaching at college while he pursues every means available to prove her innocence. With the rejection of their final appeal, Lara becomes suicidal and John decides there is only one possible, bearable solution: to break his wife out of prison. Refusing to be deterred by impossible odds or his own inexperience, John devises an elaborate escape plot and plunges into a dangerous and unfamiliar world, ultimately risking everything for the woman he loves.

Quick thoughts: I hope I'm not being led astray by this movie. If it focuses on the prison break aspect and remains a thriller, then this should be a a winner. If it gets too melodramatic and depressing, this film may feel like it is three days long. I really like the cast here, even if I don't necessarily buy that Elizabeth Banks would marry Russell Crowe. Having Liam Neeson as an ex-con, who successfully escaped the prison is a nice touch as well.


11.Hereafter (Oct. 22)

Plot: "Hereafter" tells the story of three people who are touched by death in different ways. George (Matt Damon) is a blue-collar American who has a special connection to the afterlife. On the other side of the world, Marie (Cecile De France), a French journalist, has a near-death experience that shakes her reality. And when Marcus, a London schoolboy, loses the person closest to him, he desperately needs answers. Each on a path in search of the truth, their lives will intersect, forever changed by what they believe might--or must--exist in the hereafter.

Quick thoughts: Thus far, there has been very little seen or heard about this movie, despite the fact that it comes out in less than two months. I hope this is not a case where I hear news in the next couple days that it has been pushed back. If I recall correctly, I think it's just a matter of Clint typically keeping his films close to the vest until it's near the release date. If that's the case, fine. Overall, I've been very impressed with Clint's work in recent years and am interested to see what he does with this subject matter.


10.Freakonomics (Oct. 1) - Trailer

Plot: "Freakonomics" is the highly anticipated film version of the phenomenally bestselling book about incentives-based thinking by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner. Like the book, the film examines human behavior with provocative and sometimes hilarious case studies, bringing together a dream team of filmmakers responsible for some of the most acclaimed and entertaining documentaries in recent years: Academy Award® winner Alex Gibney ("Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room," "Casino Jack and the United States of Money"), Academy Award® nominees Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing ("Jesus Camp"), Academy Award® nominee Morgan Spurlock ("Super Size Me"), Eugene Jarecki ("Why We Fight") and Seth Gordon ("The King of Kong").

Quick thoughts: It's a shame that I never read the book that this film is based on. It was a huge hit and certainly seems like it is something I would have enjoyed reading. I'm hoping to make up for that by catching this documentary when it comes out. As seen above, it has a lot of talented directors collaborating on it and I think the end result is going to be a provocative film for all. It may even prompt me to finally read the book after all.


9.Little Fockers (Dec. 22) - Trailer

Plot: It has taken 10 years, two little Fockers with wife Pam (Polo) and countless hurdles for Greg to finally get "in" with his tightly wound father-in-law, Jack. After the cash-strapped dad takes a job moonlighting for a drug company, however, Jack's suspicions about his favorite male nurse come roaring back. When Greg and Pam's entire clan -- including Pam's lovelorn ex, Kevin (Owen Wilson) -- descends for the twins' birthday party, Greg must prove to the skeptical Jack that he's fully capable as the man of the house. But with all the misunderstandings, spying and covert missions, will Greg pass Jack's final test and become the family's next patriarch... or will the circle of trust be broken for good?

Quick thoughts: I adored the original film, but was less than enamored with the sequel. I'm hoping that since they did not rush to do this third one that the extra time has helped them refocus and produce a better film. There's a lot of comedic talent in this cast, but let's hope that they each get enough time to shine and it's not a case of too many cooks spoiling the soup. Regardless of it's quality though, this is poised to be a big hit for the Christmas season.

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