The Oscars are finally, mercifully, over. We can all stop thinking about 2012, the movie year that was, and get pumped about what is going to happen next, now that everyone has moved on. I don't care to predict what I will want to see in October or anything. The movie year has seasons, too, so I want share five movies that I can't wait to see in the Post-Oscar/Pre-Summer Tentpole season. Arbitrary cut-off date: May 3. Summer movie season used to start Memorial Day Weekendendend. But they are releasing Iron Man III on May 3. Clearly, the summer silly season starts then.
One caveat, I didn't want to waste anyone's time with movies that are all going to see anyway. I don't need to tell you about Oz the Great and Powerful. It's Disney, they've been pounding on your door for a while. Also, horror movie fans and Sam Raimi fans already know about Evil Dead, no one needs me for that (or for anything really, I'm just thinking about it, it's what the internet is for: shouting into the void when it all gets too pent up inside). Anyway, I'm trying to look between the arthouse and the blockbuster here. Nothing too snobbish (I am a snob so some of it is going to be, you know . . .) and nothing too obvious.
Honorable Mentions: Pain and Gain (yay, trashy Michael Bay is back!), Place Beyond the Pines (Ryan Gosling is now required viewing.), From up on Poppy Hill (Studio Ghibli is back). Admission (because Tina Fey).
5. Like Someone in Love - Abbas Kiarostami was forced on me as part of World Film History course. Anyone who has been subjected to it, or it's bastard cousin, World Theatre, knows what a grind those experiences can be. But A Taste of Cherry is truly a classic, outstanding movie by an Iranian guy, which I never would have found on my own. Kiarostami is now working outside Iran (by some miracle). His latest takes place in Japan. I've heard it's beautiful and that no summary can possibly cover how intricate the film is. I'm in. Technically, it's available on demand already. I just hope an arthouse place picks it up so I can see it in the theater.
4. 42 - I'm a sports fan, a huge one, totally head over heels in love with baseball. Jackie Robinson's story is so epic, so important to the history of sport and society, that you really have to try to screw it up. It's just drama. It doesn't always make it to the screen, but I really want this movie to do justice Jackie Robinson and to one of the best sports stories in all of sports history. And Harrison Ford is in it. Not a guarantee of success or anything, but hey, Indy gets the benefit of the doubt.
3. Stoker - The English language debut of the outrageously good Chan-wook Park, the director of the insanely awesome (and by the end of it, just literally insane) Vengeance trilogy, capped off by the brilliant Oldboy. This one looks creepy and mindblowing. I'd watch because of Park, but it has the added benefit of Nicole Kidman and Mia Wasikowska (doing what looks like a Saorise Ronan impersonation. Poor Saorise, stuck making all that money in that terrible movie, The Host. #FreeSaorise).
2. John Dies at the End - I'm cheating on the release dates here. Technically John Dies at the End is already out, but you have to make a real effort to see it, so I'm going to let it stand. Basically, the gist of it is . . . Paul Giamatti's in it. And it was directed by Bubba Ho-tep's own Don Coscarelli (alright, there is a Phantasm or two in there). While we continue the wait for Bubba Nosferatu (along with the Arrested Development movie: both are JUST around the corner).
1. Before Midnight - The last film in the Before trilogy, Richard Linklater's fascinating character studies. Giving Linklater all the credit isn't right. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are incredibly important co-creators in these free form real time encounters between two people who only see each other every decade or so. Before Sunset is one of my favorite films of all time. It's so incredible, what essentially one long continuous shot (though if you don't want to, you don't have to notice how brilliant it is, much like Soderbergh's camera work) and one long meandering conversation can achieve. Really desperately looking forward to this one. Also, I cheated, this one is out in late May, well into silly season. I want to see that much, I broke my own temporary arbitrary rules to include it.
