Now that the Oscars are over, we can be thankful that, at least for the next year, we won’t have to see Joan Rivers. Unfortunately, 2011 is a year rife with sequels and unoriginal fodder, meaning a somewhat boring summer at the multiplex.
No, this year won’t likely bring any more movies like “Inception.” Instead, we’re stuck with leftovers, such as the fourth installment of “Pirates of the Caribbean.” But I’m not here to deliver a doomsday sermon. Instead, I offer hope: not only are there several promising movies forthcoming, but one of the most anticipated is set for release at the end of May. That will be the focus for my next column. For now, I’ll focus on other top-choice fare that deserves to be monitored:
“Tabloid” – Documentary filmmaker Errol Morris has had quite a career. From “Gates of Heaven” to “The Thin Blue Line” to his most recent “Standard Operating Procedure,” he has a knack for finding slightly eccentric subjects and making compelling character studies. “Vernon, Florida” features a turkey hunter, owner of a Gopher Tortoise, and a gentle elderly man amazed by the vast bodies of water present in the town. “Tabloid” focuses on Joyce McKinney, a former Miss Wyoming who was arrested for kidnapping a young Mormon missionary named Kirk Anderson. “Tabloid” is slated to come out this summer, after making the spring film festival rounds. It already received praise at the highly regarded Toronto International Film Festival. An official release date has yet to be set.
“Moneyball” – This film is based on the bestselling baseball book by journalist Michael Lewis, who seems to be on a sports movie roll with the recent success of “The Blind Side.” The story focuses on how an MLB GM built competitive teams with only a third of the payroll afforded top teams. Tentatively set for release on Sept. 23, the final draft of the script was written by recent Oscar winner Aaron Sorkin (“The Social Network”) and shot by another 2010 Oscar winner, cinematographer Wally Pfister (“Inception”). Add in the fact that it stars Brad Pitt as GM Billy Beane and Philip Seymour Hoffman as manager Art Howe, along with Bennett Miller (“Capote”) as director and there’s reason for anticipation.
“Ides of March” – No, this isn’t an epic period piece about Julius Ceasar. It’s the latest George Clooney project featuring his talents as a writer, director and actor. The last time Clooney was so involved, audiences were treated to “Good Night and Good Luck.” “Ides of March” is about a young, idealistic communications director who is awakened to the dirty world of politics while working for a fast-rising presidential candidate. The movie has a remarkable cast with Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Jeffrey Wright, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood. Anything with Ryan Gosling automatically makes my must-see list. A mediocre movie like “Lars and the Real Girl” had its moments because of Gosling. “Ides of March” is slated for a limited release on Oct. 14. Clooney also stars in Alexander Payne’s forthcoming “The Descendants,” tentatively due out before the end of 2011.
“Contagion” – Clooney’s business partner, friend and sometimes director Steven Soderbergh’s blockbuster film for 2011 is “Contagion.” It’s written by Scott Z. Burns (“The Informant!” and “The Bourne Ultimatum” and producer for “An Inconvenient Truth”) and reunites Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow for the first time since “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” “Contagion” is about a disease outbreak and the scientists charged with containing it. The movie also stars Oscar winners Kate Winslet and Marion Cotillard and has a tentative release date for Oct. 21.
