In Hollywood, like the National Basketball Association, it’s the
fourth quarter that matters. Hollywood holds back its best (as in most
likely to snag the attention of Academy Award voters ) for last. So
welcome to the annual fall film preview. That doesn’t mean the
following films will be any good. We’ve only seen a handful of
them, and we trust the buzz less this year than any in recent memory.
Most will be opening on or around the dates listed here. You might
want to take appropriate measures. This list is not comprehensive: At
this writing there’s no release date for Steven
Soderbergh’s Guerrilla — the first half of his five-hour
Che Guevara bio-pic — more specific than 2008. Gomorrah, which
won the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film Festival, has no U. S.
release date set for 2008. And it’s likely we missed some movies
that will escape the vaults over the next few months. With that in
mind, the following is presented for entertainment purposes only. No
gambling please.
FRIDAY An American Carol. Kelsey Grammer as George S. Patton in a
satire of Michael Moorestyle agitprop documentaries. With Trace
Adkins, Jon Voight; directed by David Zucker. Appaloosa. It’s
Lonesome Dove meets High Noon in this enjoyable, traditional Western
with canny performances from Viggo Mortensen and Ed Harris as peace-
keeping partners, Jeremy Irons as the villain and Renee Zellweger as
the girl. Directed by Harris. It’ll probably arrive in Arkansas
later in the month.
Beverly Hills Chihuahua. The progenitor of the most obnoxious trailer
in movie history has a Lady and the Tramp-style plot involving two
Chihuahuas: upscale Chloe (voice of Drew Barrymore ) and streetwise
Papi (voice of George Lopez ) in a south-of-the-border romantic
adventure. With Piper Perabo, Jamie Lee Curtis, Placido Domingo;
directed by Raja Gosnell.
Blindness. While it was widely panned at Cannes, the word at the
Toronto International Film Festival was that Fernando Meirelles’
film of the Jose Saramago novel isn’t bad. Guess we’ll
see. With Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo and Gael Garcia Bernal.
The Duchess. Georgiana Spencer, the Duchess of Devonshire, leads the
life of a troubled celebrity in late-1700 s England. The filmmakers
wanted to emphasize the parallels between the lives of G. and her
descendant Princess Diana, but current events may have audiences
thinking Sarah Palin. With Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes; directed by
Saul Dibb.
Flash of Genius. A torn-from-the-headlines story of a college
professor whose invention ends up in every car in the world but,
thanks to the auto industry, provides him with little benefit. With
Greg Kinnear, Lauren Graham, Dermot Mulroney; directed by Marc
Abraham.
How to Lose Friends & Alienate People. A British journalist, hired by
a trendy New York magazine, manages to offend just about everyone he
encounters on his high-society beat. With Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst,
Gillian Anderson; directed by Robert B. Weide.
Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. While it’s more Valley
Girl than Juno, the chemistry of stars Michael Cera and Kat Dennings
redeems this story of romantic discovery between a broken-hearted bass
player and a girl searching for a secret show by an obscure band.
Directed by Peter Sollett. Rachel Getting Married. A recently
rehabilitated ex-model comes home for the wedding of her sister. Some
who saw it in Toronto were disappointed, while others thought it tough
and funny. It likely won’t make it to Arkansas for a few weeks.
With Anne Hathaway, Debra Winger; directed by Jonathan Demme.
OCT. 10 Body of Lies. The film version of Washington Post columnist
David Ignatius’ 2007 novel about a CIA operative who discovers
information about a terrorist leader supposedly operating out of
Jordan. With Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe; directed by Ridley
Scott.
City of Ember. The lights that illuminate a city are fading, and
it’s up to two teenagers to help the residents escape before
they disappear forever. With Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Saoirse Ronan,
Mary Kay Place; directed by Gil Kenan.
The Express. The story of Ernie Davis, the first black football player
to win the Heisman Trophy. With Dennis Quaid, Rob Brown; directed by
Gary Fleder.
Happy-Go-Lucky. A cheery schoolteacher, when her bike is stolen, takes
up driving with lessons from a morose and cynical instructor. With
Sally Hawkins, Alexis Zegerman; directed by Mike Leigh. Quarantine. A
TV reporter and cameraman are trapped in an apartment building where
an unidentified illness forces a sudden quarantine. With Jennifer
Carpenter, Dania Ramirez, Jay Hernandez; directed by John Erick Dowdle
and Drew Dowdle.
OCT. 17 Max Payne. Based on the video game, this stars Mark Wahlberg
as an obsessive Drug Enforcement Administration agent looking to
avenge the murders of his family and partner. With Christopher
“Ludacris” Bridges, Mila Kunis; directed by John Moore.
Morning Light. A documentary about 15 young sailors who race a 52-foot
sloop in a 2, 300-mile ocean sailing competition. Directed by Mark
Monroe.
The Secret Life of Bees. Big budgeted, well-intentioned and lacking in
nuance, this is the story of a 14-year-old girl who, in 1964 South
Carolina, is rescued from a lonely motherless home by three beekeeping
sisters. Based on Sue Monk Kidd’s best-selling novel. With Queen
Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Alicia Keyes, Jennifer Hudson; directed by
Gina Prince-Bythewood. Sex Drive. An 18-year-old hits the road to lose
his virginity before he goes to college. With Josh Zuckerman, James
Marsden, Clark Duke; directed by Sean Anders. W. Oliver Stone’s
take on the life of George W. Bush. With Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks,
Thandie Newton, Scott Glenn and KATV, Channel 7, reporter Anne Pressly
(as Anne Coulter ).
OCT. 24 Changeling. A woman in 1920 s Los Angeles is relieved when her
kidnapped son returns, but soon realizes it’s not her child.
With Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich; directed by Clint Eastwood. High
School Musical 3: Senior Year. The singing and dancing high school
students make their way to the silver screen. Zac Efron, Vanessa
Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Blue, Monique Coleman; directed by
Kenny Ortega. Pride and Glory. A family of New York policemen gets
stuck between loyalty to each other and devotion to their work. With
Edward Norton, Colin Farrell, Jon Voight; directed by Gavin
O’Connor. Saw V. The fifth film in the Saw series carries on
Jigsaw’s legacy. With Tobin Bell, Meagan Good; directed by David
Hackl. Synecdoche, New York. Writer Charlie Kaufman makes his
directorial debut with this typically metafictional tale of a theater
director whose art begins to imitate life a little too closely. With
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Michelle Williams.
OCT. 31 Rocknrolla. A thickly accented sex, thugs and rock
’n’ roll return to form for British director Guy Ritchie.
A Russian mobster’s “lucky painting” is the Mc-
Guffin in this good-naturedly violent film about Russian billionaires
and London real estate values. With Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton, Tom
Wilkinson. Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Two debt-ridden pals round up
their friends to put together a pornographic movie that results in
unexpected emotional expenses. With Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks;
directed by Kevin Smith.
NOV. 7 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (conventional theaters and IMAX ).
A reunion with Alex the lion, Marty the zebra and the other New York
zoo critters, still marooned in Madagascar. Animated with voices of
Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Cedric the Entertainer; directed by Eric
Darnell and Tom McGrath. Role Models. A couple of salesmen who abuse a
company truck discover that a courtordered mentorship program might be
tougher on them than jail time. With Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd,
Elizabeth Banks; directed by David Wain. Soul Men. Two backup singers
who’ve had no contact for 20 years travel across the country
together to perform at a concert honoring their former bandleader.
With Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac, Isaac Hayes; directed by Malcolm
Lee.
NOV. 14 Quantum of Solace. The second James Bond movie with Daniel
Craig as 007. With Jeffrey Wright; directed by Marc Forster.
NOV. 19 Slumdog Millionaire. An impoverished Indian teen wins big on
the Hindi version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire ? A favorite at the
Toronto International Film Festival. Directed by Danny Boyle.
NOV. 21 Bolt. (conventional and 3-D ). A canine TV superhero
doesn’t realize he’s playing a role until he’s
forced off his soundstage into the real world. Animated with voices of
John Travolta, Miley Cyrus; directed by Chris Williams and Byron
Howard. The Soloist. A drama based on the true story of Nathaniel
Ayers, who, after developing schizophrenia in his second year at
Juilliard, plays violin and cello while homeless in downtown Los
Angeles. Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr.; directed by Joe Wright.
Twilight. A vampire and a human find love in the modern world. With
Kristen Stewart, Nikki Reed; directed by Catherine Hardwicke.
NOV. 26 Australia. A sweeping action adventure set Down Under just
before World War II. With Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackson; directed by Baz
Luhrmann.
Four Christmases. A San Francisco couple is forced to abandon romantic
holiday getaway plans and attend four family get-togethers. With Vince
Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Mary Steenburgen; directed
by Seth Gordon.
The Road. The film version of Cormac McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic
novel about a father and son struggling to survive in a badly damaged
world. With Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce, Kodi Smit-
McPhee; directed by John Hilcoat.
Milk. Sean Penn stars as openly gay San Francisco city supervisor
Harvey Milk. Penn’s being touted for a Best Actor Oscar for his
role. Directed by Gus Van Sant. Transporter 3. Jason Statham returns
as high-risk delivery expert Frank Martin. Directed by Olivier
Megaton.
DECEMBER Crossing Over. The lure of the American dream attracts
immigrants to Los Angeles. With Harrison Ford, Sean Penn, Ashley Judd;
directed by Wayne Kramer. Defiance. Three Jewish brothers join Soviet
partisans to fight Nazis in this film adaptation of the true story of
the Polish Bielski brothers. With Daniel Craig, Jamie Bell, Liev
Schreiber; directed by Edward Zwick. Extreme Movie. A comedy about the
ups and downs of teenage sex. With Ryan Pinkston, Michael Cera;
directed by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson.
Frost / Nixon. David Frost interviews Richard Nixon in 1977. From
Peter Morgan’s acclaimed play, with stars Frank Langella (Nixon
) and Michael Sheen (Frost ) reprising their roles. Directed by Ron
Howard.
Punisher: War Zone Vigilante Frank Castle returns to take on a vicious
mob boss. With Ray Stevenson, Julie Benz; directed by Lexi Alexander.
The Day the Earth Stood Still. A redo of the 1951 sci-fi classic with
Keanu Reeves as an alien whose arrival here causes a large uproar.
With Jennifer Connelly; directed by Scott Derrickson.
Nothing Like the Holidays. A family goes through upheavals during a
reunion in Chicago’s Humboldt Park. With Luis Guzman, Freddy
Rodriguez, Debra Messing; directed by Alfredo De Villa.
Seven Pounds. Will Smith reunites with the director and producers of
The Pursuit of Happyness to portray a man who affects the lives of
seven strangers. With Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson; directed by
Gabriele Muccino.
The Tale of Despereaux. An animated big-eared mouse intends to make
the most of living in the age of chivalry. With the voices of Matthew
Broderick, Frank Langella, Sigourney Weaver; directed by Sam Fell.
Yes Man. A mediocre existence improves mightily thanks to a self-help
program that encourages the use of the word “yes” whenever
“no” seems like a more reasonable response. With Jim
Carrey, Zooey Deschanel; directed by Peyton Reed.
Bedtime Stories. A hotel maintenance worker discovers that the stories
he tells to lull his young niece and nephew to sleep are coming true.
With Adam Sandler, Guy Pearce, Keri Russell; directed by Adam
Shankman.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. A man, born in his 80 s, ages
backward. From a story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. With Brad Pitt, Cate
Blanchett, Tilda Swinton; directed by David Fincher.
Doubt. A Catholic high school principal accuses a priest of being a
pedophile. With Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams;
directed by John Patrick Shanley.
Gran Torino. A Korean War veteran (Clint Eastwood ) sets out to reform
his teenage Chinese-American neighbor who attempts to steal the
vet’s vintage Ford. Directed by Eastwood.
Marley & Me. A neurotic dog changes the meaning of family for a
couple. With Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston; directed by David Frankel.
The Reader. A story of sexual obsession set in postwar Germany with
Kate Winslet as a former concentration camp guard on trial for crimes
committed during the Holocaust. With Ralph Fiennes. Directed by
Stephen Daldry.
Revolutionary Road. Sam Mendes directs Leonardo Di-Caprio and Kate
Winslet in this highly anticipated film version of Richard
Yates’ novel about young lovers who flee American conformity for
a bohemian existence in Paris in the 1950 s (this one won’t make
it to Arkansas until 2009 ).
The Spirit. Adapted from Will Eisner’s comic book series about a
rookie policeman who comes back from the dead. With Gabriel Macht,
Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes, Scarlett Johansson; directed by Frank
Miller.
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