Skyfall
Dir: Sam Mendes - Planned release date: November 9
When the James Bond series was rebooted in 2006 with Casino Royale with new star Daniel Craig, one thing was made clear: playtime was over. The new, gritty Bond seemed to be a direct response to the CGI-saturated silliness of Die Another Day, and it could not have been more removed from the clowning around we saw in the Roger Moore era. Daniel Craig's Bond is the Bond for the 21st century, though after the brilliance of Casino Royale it was a bit disheartening to see the half-baked sophomore effort Quantum of Solace. Add that to the studio turmoil that put the series on hiatus for a couple years, and it seemed like the promise of Craig's Bond would not be fully realized. Casino Royale almost functioned as a superior pilot for a brand new series, but it wasn't long before everything hit a speed bump.
Once production on the 23rd film began, producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli made it quite clear that they wouldn't fall into the Quantum of Solace trap again. They hired an acclaimed director in Sam Mendes, they retained Craig as Bond, and Roger Deakins was brought on for the cinematography. Certain plot details were leaked--including one potentially huge spoiler, which sadly I stumbled across--and by all accounts Skyfall is going to be one of the most ambitious Bond films ever made. Only On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Licence to Kill and, yes, Casino Royale are likely to come close. This early teaser for Skyfall reveals a whole lot of nothing, but that's just the way I like it. Craig's signature brooding is still present, and beyond that all we know is that there will be running, explosions, and erotic shaving. If you're like me and Quantum of Solace left you hungry for more emotional heft, Skyfall certainly seems to be bringing this back to the series. I've been waiting six years for a worthy follow-up to Casino Royale, and now we just might have it.
P.S. - This is as good a place as any to remind you that last year I re-watched all the James Bond movies and wrote about them--to varying degrees of success. If you're interested, read here.
The Master
Dir: Paul Thomas Anderson - Planned release date: October 12
Allow me to count the reasons you should be excited for The Master: 1) It is Paul Thomas Anderson's first film since 2007's There Will Be Blood. His other films include Boogie Nights and Magnolia. So yeah, he's got a good track record. 2) This marks Joaquin Phoenix's return to acting, who since 2008's Two Lovers has done nothing but grow a beard and pretend to be crazy for Casey Affleck's ignored I'm Still Here. 3) Philip Seymour Hoffman stars as the leader of a cult known as "The Cause," which allegedly bears a strong resemblance to Scientology. As there is some overlap between Scientology and Hollywood, this has caused some controversy. 4) The above teaser (less a trailer than a clip) is awesome, and it sets up the central premise without even giving us a glimpse of the aforementioned Hoffman. 5) Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood returns to provide a profoundly unsettling score, and we get a taste of that here. So yeah, I'm kind of anticipating this movie. Just a bit.
Anchorman: The Legend Continues
Dir: Adam McKay - Planned release date: TBA
Ah, Anchorman. The comedy that everyone agreed was funny back when it came out but since then has grown to be one of the most widely-adored comedies of its decade. This early teaser for the quite belated sequel is nothing but an announcement of sorts--they haven't shot a single second of it, and it doesn't even seem like the script is done--but it's nice to see these guys back in the Channel 4 News saddle. The character dynamics are still very present, and Steve Carell's Brick Tamland is able to get in a glorious beat of stupidity. I'm very skeptical as to how good the film will be, but for now I can dream. At least this teaser proves that these characters are still quite funny.
The Great Gatsby
Dir: Baz Luhrmann - Planned release date: December 25
Everyone has known for a very long time that Baz Luhrmann was directing a 3-D version of The Great Gatsby, and for a long time no one was particularly thrilled about it. However, I don't think the full meaning of "Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby" really hit us until the trailer came out this week, and... oooh, boy. This does not click with me at all. First, there's the curious use of the Kanye West/Jay-Z song "No Church in the Wild"--it's a great song, but this is The Great Gatsby--and then it only gets more troubling from there. I'm sure the 3-D looks terrific, but I've watched this trailer three times and all three times I've done nothing but grimace while emitting a low, sustained groan. I, like many, really admire F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, and this is not the adaptation I was looking for. The cast is just about perfect, but I'm not sure the Moulin Rouge! treatment is the best direction to go.
The Campaign
Dir: Jay Roach - Planned release date: August 10
Let's face it: the premise of The Campaign seems like little more than a studio note to a screenwriter. ("Hey, it's an election year. Get two funny people to run against each other in a movie. Topical and humorous!") However, it certainly seems possible that director Jay Roach and comedy stars Will Ferrell (a rare Trailer Trash double dip!) and Zach Galifianakis have been able to turn it into gold. Some of the jokes are a bit on the easy side, but Galifianakis' voice alone may be worth the price of admission. I don't care at all for the trailer's use of "Takin' Care of Business"--we should declare a moratorium on that song along with that "How You Like Me Now?" ditty--but there enough moments of semi-inspired silliness to hook me in. It won't be anything transcendant, but it'll do.
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