The Most Anticipated Films of 2012 (Pt. 1)

Note:  The Following Films are based on international release dates for 2012.

With 2011 coming to a close and a new year coming, it’s clear that 2011 wasn’t a great year in terms of what the mainstream offered. Yet, there were some surprises that did give the film buffs and art-house film crowd something to cheer for. Still, there were a few mainstream films that did offer something though it seems that audiences have really gotten tired of the 3D trend and a lot of blockbusters in the summer season didn’t meet expectations. With a lot set to happen for 2012, it’s time to see what is ahead for the new year.

The Obligatory Terrence Malick Post

Though Terrence Malick did finally release The Tree of Life in 2011 to a polarizing reaction that isn’t surprising with any of his films. The reclusive filmmaker has got more surprises up his sleeve for the coming years. Along with an extended version of that film plus a companion IMAX documentary called The Voyage of Time. Malick has three other films in the works as he’s currently shooting two of them back to back as both Lawless and Knight of Cups will star Christian Bale. The former will also feature Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara, Haley Bennett, and Cate Blanchett while the latter will also star Blanchett plus Isabel Lucas.

Then there’s another project that is currently in post-production though it’s more likely to have a 2013 release is an untitled project that stars Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Javier Bardem, Olga Kurylenko, Rachel Weisz, and Barry Pepper. The project revolves around man going to Europe where he meets and marries a woman as upon his return home to the U.S., the marriage falls apart as he reconnects with an old childhood sweetheart. While it’s likely to be another personal project from Malick, some speculate that he’s also going to do something just as experimental as The Tree of Life. There is no word on when it will release though it’s a possibility that it will come out on 2012.

The 25 Most Anticipated Films of 2012

1. Django Unchained

Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Starring Jamie Foxx, Leonardo diCaprio, Kerry Washington, Christoph Waltz, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Kenneth Williams, and Kurt Russell.

2009’s Inglourious Basterds finally came out after a long period of work that Quentin Tarantino put in. While the World War II film received great reviews and did well in the box office, the project was unfortunately the last film he did with longtime editor Sally Menke who died in 2010 due to heat exhaustion during a hike. For this new film, Tarantino delves into another genre in the form of a Spaghetti Western though his new project is set in the 1850s before the American Civil War.

The film’s title references Sergio Corbucci’s 1966 Spaghetti Western Django as it will be about a slave who becomes a bounty hunter as he wants to free his wife from a plantation owner. The film is likely to be another ambitious project for Tarantino as he is also armed with a big ensemble cast as Jamie Foxx is to play Django with Leonardo diCaprio as the antagonist.

2. The Master

Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Joaquin Phoenix, Laura Dern, Ambyr Childers, Jesse Plemons, Kevin J. O’Connor, Lena Endre, and David Warshofsky.

2007’s There Will Be Blood gave P.T. Anderson not just some of the best reviews of his careers but also the stature of being considered one of the best filmmakers today. Returning after another five-year layoff between projects, Anderson’s next film revolves around an intellectual who creates a religious organization in the aftermath of World War II. While there’s rumors that the film is supposedly a satire on the controversial Scientology religion, the film will mark a reunion between Anderson and longtime cohort Philip Seymour Hoffman who last worked with each other in 2002’s Punch-Drunk Love.

3. Moonrise Kingdom

Directed by Wes Anderson. Written by Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola. Starring Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Bob Balaban, and Harvey Keitel.

2009’s animated film version of Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox was a huge success for Wes Anderson giving him the boost he needed following the lukewarm reaction towards 2004’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou as well as the well-received but modest 2007 film The Darjeeling Limited. His seventh feature film will revolve around two young lovers in the 1960s who run away as a group of adults go in the search for them. The film is likely to have Anderson’s quirky sense of humor as well as themes that he’s explored though there’s also a possibility that Anderson has some surprises for this project.

4. The Dark Knight Rises

Directed by Christopher Nolan. Screenplay by Christopher and Jonathan Nolan. Story by David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan. Based on Characters by Bob Kane. Starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Juno Temple, and Gary Oldman.

2008’s The Dark Knight raised the bar for what many expected for the comic-book superhero genre as it received huge box office receipts and rave reviews including an Oscar for the late Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker. For Christopher Nolan’s third and final Batman film, Batman will face new foes as Bruce Wayne ponders more about a life after Batman eight years after the events of the previous film. With the superhero genre experiencing a lot of burn-out as of late due to lackluster features that didn’t live up to the hype. Many hope Nolan will give his Batman story a proper farewell.

5. Gravity

Directed by Alfonso Cuaron. Screenplay by Alfonso Cuaron, Jonas Cuaron, and Rodrigo Garcia. Starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock.

2006’s Children of Men was an ambitious film for Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron that became a huge yet unlikely success. While the director has laid low in the years since producing various projects with fellow filmmakers Guillermo del Toro and Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu. Cuaron is set to return with a much more ambitious sci-fi film about two surviving astronauts trying to return home following a disaster in their space station. The film is definitely a big risk for the filmmaker as many hope he can deliver another big project that has been through development and casting issues for the past few years.

6. Cosmopolis

Written for the screen and directed by David Cronenberg. Based on the novel by Don DeLillo. Starring Robert Pattinson, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Durand, Sarah Gadon, Mathieu Almaric, Samantha Morton, Emily Hampshire, and Paul Giamatti.

2011’s A Dangerous Method was a change of pace for David Cronenberg as the period film about Sigmund Freud’s friendship with Carl Jung received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. For his twentieth film, Cronenberg returns to his role as a screenwriter for an adaptation about young millionaire’s journey around Manhattan as he gets himself into serious trouble. The film does return to Cronenberg’s fascination with the crime world while he taking on a challenge by proving to the world about Robert Pattinson’s acting abilities who has been known largely for the popular but critically-derided Twilight films.

7. Nero Fiddled

Written and directed by Woody Allen. Starring Woody Allen, Penelope Cruz, Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, Alec Baldwin, Alison Pill, Greta Gerwig, Judy Davis, and Roberto Benigni.

2011’s Midnight in Paris was the unexpected surprise hit of the year as it gave Woody Allen not just some of the best reviews of his career but also his box office success to date. His next film will have Allen in Rome, Italy as he tells four different stories about events in the city including one where he and Judy Davis play a couple going to Rome for their daughter’s wedding. While Allen has been hit and miss for the past 20 years, the work in Midnight in Paris proves that Allen still has some magic left in him.

8. Untitled Bin Laden Project

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow. Written by Mark Boal. Starring Tom Hardy, Rooney Mara, Idris Elba, Jennifer Ehle, and Guy Pearce.

2008’s The Hurt Locker was released in 2009 to great acclaim as Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Director. With the recent death of Osama Bin Laden in the spring of 2011 and a project about him in the works for years. The project is now likely to happen as Bigelow re-teams with The Hurt Locker screenwriter Mark Boal for a project about a group of soldiers hunting for Bin Laden and his eventual death. If anyone is going to make a film about hunting Bin Laden exciting, Bigelow is definitely up for the job.

9. Only Gods Forgive

Written and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. Starring Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Yayaying.

2011’s Drive not only raised Nicolas Winding Refn’s profile to American audiences but also made him one of the exciting new voices in cinema. Re-teaming with Drive star Ryan Gosling, the film will have Gosling play a gangster who spars with a Bangkok police officer as they settle their differences in Thai-fighting boxing. While it’s a film that will have Refn go into the same exploration of violence of his previous work, it’s definitely going to be an intriguing one as Refn is hot from the buzz he received from Drive.

10. Skyfall

Directed by Sam Mendes. Screenplay by John Logan, Neal Purvis, and Robert Wade. Based on characters by Ian Fleming. Starring Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Berenice Marlohe, Ben Whishaw, Helen McCrory, Albert Finney, & Judi Dench.

After years of delay due to MGM studios’ financial trouble and finding a new studio to help distribute the James Bond franchise, James Bond will finally return in the 23rd film of the series. Instead of picking things up where the last film left off, Bond will be in a new adventure as he faces new challenges including Javier Bardem as a villain. The film will also return to some of the Bond elements of the old days as there will be a new Q in the form of Ben Whishaw as fans hope the film will improve upon the mixed reaction towards its last film in Quantum of Solace.

11. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Directed by Peter Jackson. Screenplay by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Guillermo del Toro. Based on the novel The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. Starring Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage, Graham McTavish, Benedict Cumberbatch, Andy Serkis, and Christopher Lee.

Another film project that was delayed due to MGM studios’ financial troubles, the two-part film was meant to directed by Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro with Peter Jackson as producer. With del Toro out due to those delays, Jackson is back on board as the director for this two-part story of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel that would be a prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy that Jackson had directed a decade ago. It’s a film that Jackson needs following the dismal reaction towards his 2009 adaptation of The Lovely Bones as the first part of The Hobbit will be about Bilbo Baggins’ quest to help the dwarves retrieve lost treasure and how he found the Ring.

12. The Hunger Games

Directed by Gary Ross. Written by Suzanne Collins based on her novel. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Isabelle Furhman, Donald Sutherland, and Stanley Tucci.

With the popularity for book-based franchises like Harry Potter and Twilight, another one is coming in the form of The Hunger Games about a young teenage girl who is forced to play a game where only one survives in an apocalyptic world. The film will be the first part in a trilogy of books as it will be helmed by Gary Ross who hadn’t directed a film since 2003’s Seabiscuit. With Steven Soderbergh providing second unit shots, some hope the film will be better than the maligned-Twilight series as it offers something more than just teenage romance and adventure.

13. The Avengers

Written for the screen and directed by Joss Whedon. Based on the comic by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Colbie Smolders, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, and Samuel L. Jackson.

2011 has been a lackluster year for the superhero film franchise as both Thor and Captain America did well commercially but not enough to get people excited as both films were tied to the upcoming Avengers film. With Joss Whedon at the helm along with characters such as Iron-Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye and the Incredible Hulk joining Thor and Captain America for this film. It is set to be the ultimate comic-book action hero as the team face against Thor’s stepbrother Loki and other villains for the ultimate battle. While Whedon is a filmmaker who understands the genre better than anyone, the big question can he deliver a film that will live up to the summer blockbuster hype?

14. Brave

Directed by Mark Andrews & Brenda Chapman. Written by Brenda Chapman and Irene Mecchi. Featuring the voices of Kelly MacDonald, Julie Walters, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane, and John Ratzenberger.

2011’s sequel to Cars gave Pixar its first critical dud while plans for sequels for other Pixar films of the past have some fans wondering if they’re out of ideas. Their new film will question whether Cars 2 was a rare dud as it tells the story of a princess trying to defy tradition as she is later cursed by an old woman as she tries to fight it off. The film will be the first of the studio to have a female protagonist as well as something that will be very different from the studio as it’s their chance to maintain their revered reputation.

15. Prometheus

Directed by Ridley Scott. Written by Damon Lindelof and Jon Spaihts. Starring Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Ben Foster, Kate Dickie, Logan Marshall-Green, and Idris Elba.

2010’s Robin Hood was a commercial and critical disappointment as rumors about Ridley Scott’s upcoming projects including a Blade Runner sequel/prequel/reboot hasn’t excited a lot of people. For his new film Prometheus, the film is largely rumored to be a prequel to Alien despite Scott’s denial about it. The film will revolve a group of people fighting aliens in space as many hope Scott will actually make something that is entertaining and ambitious.

16. Cloud Atlas

Written for the screen directed by Tom Tykwer & the Wachowskis. Based on the novel by David Mitchell. Starring Tom Hanks, Hugh Grant, Halle Berry, Jim Sturgess, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, James D’Arcy, Ben Whishaw, Susan Sarandon, Doona Bae, Zhou Xun, and Keith David.

A collaboration between Tom Tykwer and the Wachowskis on David Mitchell’s historical/sci-fi novel is a project that is definitely ambitious due to its multiple storylines and lots of characters. A film about human connections and the actions it occurs through all over the world, it is something that seems like something huge while will also range into various genres. While both Wachowskis and Tykwer are in need of a boost in their careers following some lackluster projects in the past few years. This could help them or ruin them depending on its outcome.

17. Les Miserables

Directed by Tom Hooper. Screenplay by Hugh Nicholson. Based on the novel by Victor Hugo and musical book by Alain Boubil and Claude-Michel Schonberg. Starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helen McCrory, and Eddie Redmayne.

2010’s The King’s Speech was a major hit that won numerous Oscars including one for its director Tom Hooper. For another adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel, Hooper will helm the project as its musical as Hugh Jackman will play Jean Valjean and Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert. While filming isn’t set to start until early 2012, it’s the kind of film that could be more than an Oscar-bait film if done right while casting at the time being is incomplete.

18. The Amazing Spider Man

Directed by Marc Webb. Screenplay by James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent, and Steve Kloves. Screen story by James Vanderbilt. Based on the comic by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen, Sally Field, Chris Zylka, Irrfan Khan, and Denis Leary.

2007’s Spider-Man 3 may have been a commercial success but disappointed many fans as the franchise took a break. Now the franchise is being rebooted once again as it will tell Peter Parker’s early life from the death of his parents to the time he was bitten by a spider and became Spider-Man as Andrew Garfield plays the role. While it will be more than a decade since the first film, the question is will Marc Webb bring something new to the story that audiences doesn’t already know?

19. Life of Pi

Directed by Ang Lee. Screenplay by David Magee. Based on the novel by Yann Martel. Starring Suraj Sharma, Shravanthi Sainath, Tabu, Adil Hussain, Irrfan Khan, Gerard Depardieu, and Tobey Maguire.

A best-selling novel that is being adapted into a film. The story about a shipwreck survivor who recalls his own life to an interviewer is a story that has sold lots of book. Ang Lee will helm the film into an ambitious tale spanning lots of years as Lee chose an unknown in Suraj Sharma to play the role of Pi with Tobey Maguire in a small role as the man who is interviewing him. After years of development and being handed through various filmmakers like Alfonso Cuaron, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, and M. Night Shyamalan. The film will finally arrive for December 2012.

20. Looper

Written and directed by Rian Johnson. Starring Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt, Noah Segan, Paul Dano, Qing Xu, Piper Perabo, Garrett Dillahunt, and Jeff Daniels.

Rian Johnson is among one of the new emerging filmmakers working today as his 2005 debut Brick is considered to be one of the best debut films of the past decade. While his 2008 follow-up The Brothers Bloom received mixed reviews, it did keep Johnson’s name buzzing for film buffs. For his third film, Johnson goes sci-fi as he reunites with his Brick star Joseph Gordon-Levitt as he plays a mob-hired killer who kills people in the future where he meets his future self, played by Bruce Willis. It’s a more ambitious project than anything Johnson has done yet with Gordon-Levitt being hot already, it looks like there’s a chance that it could be something great.

21. This is Forty

Written and directed by Judd Apatow. Starring Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Melissa McCarthy, Jason Segal, Megan Fox, Lena Dunham, John Lithgow, Charlyne Yi, Chris O’Dowd, and Albert Brooks.

The past few years has been tough on Judd Apatow where he was called the King of Comedy in 2007 as films such as Year One, Get Him to the Greek, and his own directorial feature Funny People didn’t meet expectations. For his fourth directorial feature, Apatow makes a spin-off to his 2007 film Knocked Up as it explores the married life of Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann’s characters Pete and Debbie as well as the world of the age of 40s. While some are hoping for a return to Apatow’s sense of humor as well as heartfelt approach to drama.

22. The Great Gatsby

Directed by Baz Luhrmann. Screenplay by Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce. Based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Starring Leonardo di Caprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Isla Fisher, Joel Edgerton, and Amitabh Bachchan.

2008’s Australia, for all of its ambition, failed to live up to expectations as Baz Luhrmann is set to go for another lavish period production but in a different setting by adapting the famed F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. With a great cast and Luhrmann’s eye for big ideas, the film marks a reunion between him and Leonardo di Caprio in their first collaboration together since 1996’s film version of Romeo & Juliet.

23. Rust & Bone

Directed by Jacques Audiard. Screenplay by Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain. Story by Craig Davidson. Starring Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts, and Bouli Lanners.

2009’s Un prophete gave French filmmaker Jacques Audiard his most acclaimed success to date for his portrayal of a young prisoner’s rise to power inside a prison. While there is no word on what his new film will be about. The film will feature Marion Cotillard as she returns to her native France for a big starring role. For fans of her French film period, it will give them a chance to see her act again in her native language after a successful period with American film projects.

24. Stoker

Directed by Chan-wook Park. Written by Wentworth Miller & Erin Cressida Wilson. Starring Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode, Jacki Weaver, Alden Ehrenreich, Lucas Till, and Dermont Mulroney.

Chan-wook Park is among one of the best filmmakers working today as his 2009 feature Thirst garnered excellent acclaim for the South Korean filmmaker. Now tackling his first English-based project, Park will tell the story of a girl being drawn to her enigmatic uncle following her father’s death. While the question will be how much control Park will have as a lot of foreign filmmakers have a hard time making a successful transition with Hollywood projects.  He at least has a strong ensemble cast and a fanbase eager to see a new film from him.

25. Lincoln

Directed by Steven Spielberg. Screenplay by Tony Kusher based on the novel Team of Rivals by Dolores Kearns Goodwin. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sally Field, Jared Harris, Tommy Lee Jones, John Hawkes, David Strathairn, and Jackie Earle Haley.

Steven Spielberg returned in 2011 with two feature films in the adventurous The Adventures of Tin Tin and the epic war drama War Horse. Spielberg’s bio-pic on Abraham Lincoln is among the many projects he’s been developing for years as it’s finally going to happen with Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role. If anyone can make a typical yet solid bio-pic on Abraham Lincoln with lots of big ideas, it’s Spielberg.

5 Possible 2012 Releases

The Grandmasters

Written & directed by Wong Kar-Wai. Starring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen, Song Hye-kyo, Julian Cheung, Bruce Leung, Zhao Benshan, and Wang Qingxiang.

Wong Kar-Wai’s long-delayed film about Yip Man has been in the works for quite a long time though rumors claim that it’s set for a 2012 release. While Kar-Wai is often known for re-shooting or cutting his films to the last minute, he often delivers though his 2007 English-language based film My Blueberry Nights received mixed reviews. Many are hoping this film will restore some of the luster Kar-Wai lost with that film.

Inside Llewyn Davis

Written for the screen and directed by Joel & Ethan Coen. Based on the memoir The Mayor of MacDougal Street by Dave Van Ronk. Starring Justin Timberlake and Oscar Issac.

The Coen Brothers are definitely among one of the best group of filmmakers working today as the projects they’re working on are often in the works or set to go to into production with not much press coverage. The film will be an exploration into the 1960s Greenwich folk music scene where Justin Timberlake is set to play a folk musician.

Corpus Christi

Directed by Richard Kelly.

2001’s Donnie Darko has made Richard Kelly one of the new interesting filmmakers to emerge in the 2000s. Yet his follow-ups in 2006’s Southland Tales and 2009’s The Box have not garnered the same buzz as his feature film debut. While there isn’t any word about what Kelly will do with his fourth film, the project will be produced by Eli Roth and is to be set in Texas as it’s currently in development.

The Place Beyond the Pines

Directed by Derek Cianfrance. Written by Derek Cianfrance, Ben Coccio, and Darius Marder. Starring Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Rose Byrne, Bruce Greenwood, Ben Mendelsohn, and Ray Liotta.

2010’s Blue Valentine helped bring attention towards Derek Cianfrance as he teams up with again with its star Ryan Gosling for a different project. While it has a premise that is similar to Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive where Gosling will play a stunt motorcyclist who becomes a criminal to help his family. The film will be more intriguing due to the fact that he’s going head-to-head against a cop-turned politician.

The We & the I

Directed by Michel Gondry. Written by Michel Gondry, Jeffry Grimshaw, & Paul Proch. Starring Ellen Page, Joe Mele, Meghan Murphy, and Brandon Diaz.

Following the lukewarm reaction towards 2011’s The Green Hornet, Gondry is returning to more personal work. While there isn’t any clear idea what the film is going to be about nor what genre it’s in. Anything that Gondry does will be interesting as he remains one of the most imaginative filmmakers working today.

Part 2

© thevoid99 2011

Blog News 12/26/11: What's Ahead for 2012

With 2011 coming to an end as I'll be posting some of my last reviews for the year as well as my 2-part list of the Most Anticipated Films of 2012 this week as well as my Auteurs profile on Lynne Ramsay. It's time to reveal what will I be doing for the upcoming new year aside from continuous work on various screenplay projects that I'm doing.

Essays have become a new outlet for me as whenever I have a review in the work or trying to work on my screenplay ideas. It gives something to fill in when I'm not doing anything and I can have the time to work on these essays sporadically. I have no real deadline and I can pretty much do things I wasn't really able to do during my time at Epinions.com years ago. Since I decided to go blogging, writing essays wasn't even something I had in mind. Now that I've written five Auteurs pieces, three film essays, and an albums essay. I realize that I have a lot more to say that is outside of the confines of a review.

The Auteurs essays have become a big deal for me where I'm allowed to profile a filmmaker than I love and get a chance to dissect into their works and what makes them so revered. Yet, it wasn't an easy thing to do as I would wait for new projects from them to emerge which led to some problems as far as having them released. That is something as I've decided to do as some of the filmmakers I decide to profile for 2012 will have new releases. Instead of waiting to profile them in anticipation for their new film, I decide just to say something about their work while make brief mentions of what they have in store soon. For some of the choices I've made, there's filmmakers whose work I'm familiar with but either haven't seen their entire work or have seen everything they've done so far. Then there's those whose work I'm interested in and want to have the chance to see why they're so revered as it gives me the chance to make some discoveries. Here are the filmmakers I will explore for 2012:

January-Lars von Trier

February-Wes Anderson

March-The Coen Brothers

April-Guillermo del Toro

May-Alfonso Cuaron

June-Nicolas Winding Refn

July-Christopher Nolan

August-Andrei Tarkovsky

September-Paul Thomas Anderson

October-Sergio Leone

November-Quentin Tarantino

December-Stanley Kubrick

Then there's the Favorite Films essays that I started to really get into as it gives me the chance to say my piece on why I love these films and such. Some of the choices I made are films that have reached a certain anniversary while others are films that came out recently that I've grown to love. Here are the films I will write about:

January-Secretary

February-Chungking Express

March-Never Let Me Go

April-The Wrestler

May-Y Tu Mama Tambien

June-Morvern Callar

July/August-The Dollars Trilogy

September-Boogie Nights

October/November-Trois Couleurs Trilogy

December-A Clockwork Orange

I should note with any essay or project that they all are likely change depending on my mood and such or some form of interest as I'm still thinking about writing other essays or some variation of it into another subject relating to films that suck. I'm still not sure if I'll do it but it might pop up. Then there's marathons as I'm still doing an unofficial marathon of films of the 2000s in which I hope to create a list of the 250 most essential films of 2000-2009. Yet, I'm also going to still do my Cannes Film Festival marathon in May though selecting the films might be harder to do as I no longer have the Sundance Channel.

Then there's a marathon that I have decided to do right up till November of 2012 in anticipation for the release of Skyfall which will be the James Bond marathon where I plan to do the entire James Bond series from in chronological order that will start off with the True Bond documentary and then go from the original 1954 Casino Royale TV program right up to the release of Skyfall in November when it comes out in the U.S. This will also include the 1967 Casino Royale spoof and the 1983 non-EON Bond film Never Say Never Again.

That's pretty much it in terms of what I'll be doing for Surrender to the Void for 2012 other than doing the usual film review, monthly LAMB actor's profile, and blogging around stuff. Then there's my music blog in The Void-Go-Round where there hasn't been a lot of activity as of late. It's my fault for being caught up on the Loveless essay where I veered off track from finishing up work on reviewing the entire body of work on My Bloody Valentine. I will get back to that in January hopefully as I'm also trying to find a way to balance both films and music.

There's a lot that I want to do in writing music reviews as I've felt I reached a peak in 2009 where I explored the works of acts and genres quite thoroughly where it put me on top at Epinions.com at the time though I now felt that the reason I succeeded was because I really had no competition nor anyone to be challenged by at the time. There's some music reviews here at Surrender to the Void that I plan to move to the Void-Go-Round while there's a slew of artists and acts that I want to explore. Here are some of those acts/artists whose discography I hope to divulge into: Kraftwerk, Spacemen 3, Spiritualized, Joy Division/New Order, Depeche Mode, the Happy Mondays, M83, the Magnetic Fields, the Clash, and many others.

That's pretty much all I can think of for now though I have gone back and forth about doing some hip-hop as a chance to get out more out of my comfort zone. Yet, I've come to the conclusion that I'm not really ready to do that though there are albums from that genre I do enjoy. Then there's my Favorite Albums series which I've finally gotten to do with Loveless which turned out to be a lot of fun. I decided that I'm going to do more of those so I can give these records a chance to reveal why they're so awesome. Here's the list of albums that I will profile:

January-David Bowie-Hunky Dory

February-Elvis Costello & the Attractions-Imperial Bedroom

March-Wilco-Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

April-Nine Inch Nails-Year Zero

May-Beck-Sea Change

June-The Stone Roses-S/T

July-Radiohead-OK Computer

August-Bob Dylan & the Band-The Basement Tapes

September-The Sex Pistols-Never Mind the Bollocks: Here Comes the Sex Pistols

October-U2-Achtung Baby

November-Iggy Pop-The Idiot

December-Pink Floyd-The Wall

Well, that's pretty much it for what will probably happen in 2012. Let's just hope it will be a very good year for all.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011 film)

Based on the novel by Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the story of a disgraced journalist who is hired by a billionaire to discover the disappearance of the man’s niece some 36 years ago. The journalist then teams up with an unconventional researcher where they uncover a bigger secret that revolves around the murder of women many years back. Directed by David Fincher and screenplay by Steve Zaillian, the U.S. version of the film shows a very different take on the popular Swedish novel. Starring Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Robin Wright, Steven Berkoff, Yorick van Wageningen, Joely Richardson, Goran Visijnic, and Stellan Skarsgard. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a thrilling yet mesmerizing film from David Fincher.

After losing a libel case against billionaire Hans-Erik Wennerstrom (Ulf Friedberg), journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is facing a prison sentence as well as the possible loss of Millennium magazine which he runs with editor/lover Erika Berger (Robin Wright). When an attorney named Dirch Frode (Steven Berkoff) contacts Blomkvist about coming to Hedeby Island in Hedestad, Blomkvist reluctantly goes to meet aging billionaire Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer). The ailing Vanger has just received another flower portrait as he is still haunted by the disappearance of his niece Harriet (Moa Garpendal) some 40 years ago where he asks Blomkvist to solve the mystery while offering him information on Wennerstrom that Blomkvist could use as he moves to a nearby cottage.

Meanwhile, a young researcher named Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) is dealing with the stroke of her state-sponsored guardian as her finances are handled by a sadistic lawyer named Nils Bjurman (Yorick van Wageningen). After some horrific sexual encounters with Bjurman, Salander fights back as she was able to get some money while still hacking into Blomkvist’s computer whom she was hired by Frode to look into. After a visit from his teenage daughter Pernilla (Josefin Asplund), Blomkvist makes a breakthrough in finding out Harriet’s disappearance which relates to the Vanger family association with the Nazis and the mysterious murders that had occurred in Sweden for many years. After Vanger falls ill and the family want Blomkvist out, Blomkvist still wants to continue as Frode suggests getting Salander to help out as the two meet.

With Salander and Blomkvist each delving into the mysteries of these murders as Salander travels around Sweden while Blomkvist talks to people in the family. Both realize that someone doesn’t want them to finish the investigation as they’re getting closer to solving the mystery. With Blomkvist also dealing with a possible prison sentence, Lisbeth helps him out with his own legal issues by making some moves on her own as the two would eventually uncover the mystery of Harriett Vanger’s disappearance.

The film is about a journalist and a researcher uncovering the disappearance of a young girl some 36 years ago who was possibly killed. Yet, it’s also about two very different people whose job is to find things as they come together in this mystery where it would lead to religious-driven yet ritualistic murders, a family’s Nazi past, and what happened to this young girl. Screenwriter Steve Zaillian creates a story that is faithful to the book and has a similar structure of sorts to the 2009 version of the film. The major difference is that smaller characters such as Erika Berger, Dirch Frode, security officer Dragan Armansky (Goran Visijnic), and Nils Bjurman are given more to do while there is also some ambiguity that concerns the character of Anita Vanger (Joely Richardson) whom had not contacted the family for years.

While a lot of the suspense, violent content, and subplots relating to Lisbeth’s own life and Blomkvist’s own legal issues are there. There are a few flaws in the script in Zaillian’s approach to the story such as an inclusion of a scene where Erika visits Blomkvist at Hedestad to make a deal with Vanger about the magazine which does help out the part in Blomkvist’s own legal and financial issues. It just doesn’t really seem to fit in with the film while some of the discovery of clues aren’t as drawn out though the scene where Blomkvist’s daughter talks about Bible quotes leading to Blomkvist finding out a clue is a nice creation of its own. Despite those drawbacks, Zaillian’s script is still quite engaging for its suspense as well as creating fantastic development for the film’s main characters.

David Fincher’s direction of the film is truly hypnotic from an extremely crazy opening credits sequence to the entrancing images of the Swedish location in its snowy scenes as well as some of the nighttime scenes. There is also an intensity to the way Fincher films Lisbeth’s motorcycle rides and a chase scene in the third act while he also keeps it simple for some conversation-driven and dramatic scenes. Still, Fincher’s mastery in suspense is quite energetic without being too fast while building momentum to allow the mystery to unfold. Overall, Fincher creates a very solid and exciting film that is gritty and also exotic in its imagery.

Cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth does a superb job with the film‘s stylish yet gorgeous cinematography from the snowy landscapes of the Hedeby Island to the low-colored yet eerie look of the nighttime exteriors of the highways and cities plus the interiors that are filled low-lights to play out some of the darker portions of the film. Editors Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall do a fantastic job with the editing in creating montages of Lisbeth and Blomkvist each doing their own investigation while utilizing jump-cuts and other stylistic-cuts to help maintain a slightly fast but leisured pace for the film.

Production designer Donald Graham Burt, along with set decorator K.C. Fox and art director Mikael Varhelyi, does an excellent job with the set pieces created such as the large home of Henrik Vanger to the small cottage that Blomkvist and Lisbeth lived in during the investigation. Costume designer Trish Summerville does a wonderful job with the costumes from the casual yet cold clothing for the entire cast to the more Gothic, punk-inspired look of Lisbeth. Visual effects supervisor Eric Barba does a fine job with the minimal visual effects used in the film to add a few touches for the film‘s visual look. Sound designer Ren Klyce does a phenomenal job with the sound work to help enhance some of the chilling suspense of the film as well as play up the cold location of the island that Vanger lives in.

The film’s music includes pieces ranging from electronic, metal, and pop that’s played on location including one of the most disturbing uses of Enya’s Orinoco Flow (Sail Away) for a very gruesome scene. Yet, the large portion of the film’s score and soundtrack is dominated by Nine Inch Nails’ mastermind Trent Reznor and longtime cohort Atticus Ross. The score by Reznor and Ross has an unsettling feel due to the electronic arrangements the band puts into the sound ranging from dark ambient to intense yet dissonant industrial-driven pieces. Reznor and Ross also contribute a couple of covers such as Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song, with Yeah Yeah Yeahs vocalist Karen O, and Bryan Ferry’s Is Your Love Strong Enough? performed by Reznor and Ross’ group How to Destroy Angels. The overall work is truly outstanding though it doesn’t top Reznor and Ross’ previous work in the soundtrack for The Social Network.

The casting by Laray Mayfield is terrific for the ensemble that is created which includes small yet notable performances from Julian Sands as a young Henry Vanger, Moa Garpendal as the missing girl Harriet, Josefin Asplund as Blomkvist’s daughter Pernilla, Embeth Davidtz as Blomkvist’s sister Annika, Elodie Yung as Lisbeth’s girlfriend Miriam, Donald Sumpter as local police investigator Morell, Goran Visijnic as security officer Armansky, Ulf Friedberg as Blomkvist’s billionaire target von Wennerstrom, Geraldine James as Harriet’s cousin Cecilia, Per Myrberg as Henrik’s Nazi-brother Harald, Jurgen Klein as Henrik’s other yet deceased brother Gottfried, and Tony Way as Lisbeth’s hacker friend Plague.

Other noteworthy supporting roles include Steven Berkoff as Vanger’s lawyer Dirch Frode and Joely Richardson in a wonderful performance as the mysterious Anita Vanger. Robin Wright is very good as Blomkvist’s lover/co-editor Erika Berger while Yorick van Wageningen is supremely awesome in a very evil role as Lisbeth’s new guardian Nils Bjurman. Stellan Skarsgard is excellent as the charming yet mysterious Martin Vanger, Harriet’s brother. Christopher Plummer is superb as the ailing Henri Vanger who asks Blomkvist to solve a murder while also to help him deal with his ruined reputation.

Daniel Craig is brilliant as disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist as Craig brings a quiet yet determined approach to the character as well as a complexity to a man that wants to redeem himself following a libel case. Finally, there’s Rooney Mara in a magnificent breakthrough performance as Lisbeth Salander. While Mara brings a more intense yet reserved performance in the role that was played by Noomi Rapace in the 2009 Swedish film. Mara does manage to make Salander into her own in the way she deals with abuse as well as being the one person who is smarter than Blomkvist. The chemistry that Craig and Mara has is fun to watch as they’re two different people who manage to find common ground in trying to solve the mystery as they really are the highlight of the film.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a remarkable film from David Fincher that features outstanding performances from Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig along with great technical work and a haunting score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. While it’s a very different from the 2009 Swedish film, Fincher is able to give the film his own take on Stieg Larsson’s novel by infusing his own visual style into the film. In the end, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a smart yet exciting thriller from David Fincher.

David Fincher Films: Alien 3 - Se7en - The Game - Fight Club - Panic Room - Zodiac - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - The Social Network - Gone Girl

Related: null 2 - The 15 Essential Videos of David Fincher - The Auteurs #61: David Fincher

Millennium Trilogy (Swedish): The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - (The Girl Who Played with Fire) - (The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest)

© thevoid99 2011

Fanny & Alexander

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 4/23/07 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Written and directed by Ingmar Bergman, Fanny och Alexander tells the story of two kids dealing with the death of their father as well as their mother's marriage to a bishop. A complex story about family dynamics and the changes from the observation of children in the early 20th Century reveals Bergman's direction style at its peak. Featuring a huge cast that includes regulars Harriet Andersson, Erland Josephson, and Gunnar Bjornstrand in a cameo. Fanny och Alexander is a sprawling, haunting masterpiece from Ingmar Bergman.

At a small Swedish town in Christmas 1907 is the rich Edkdahl family led by a retired actress named Helena (Gunn Wallgren). With a large family that consists of three songs in the philandering Gustav Adolf (Jarl Kulle), failed professor Carl (Borje Ahlstedt), and the success theater owner/actor Oscar (Alland Edwall), they all live happily as another play is held that features Oscar's wife Emilie (Ewa Froling) as their kids in the 10-year old Alexander (Bertil Guve) and the 7-year old Fanny (Pernilla Allwin) look on for the Xmas holidays with their cousins and servants including the young maid Maj (Pernilla August). Helena also invites her late husband's Jewish friend Isak Jacobi (Erland Josephson) whom her grandchildren love as the Edkdahl's life seems perfect despite a few things. Then a few months later, Oscar falls ill as the family dynamic changes as the young Alexander is in shock as he watches his father on his deathbed during these final moments.

Following Oscar's passing, Emilie gains a new suitor in a handsome bishop named Edvard (Jan Malmsjo) who wants to give Emilie, Alexander, and Fanny a new life to the surprise of Helena and the rest of the family. Forced to leave the home they had loved along with the family that has cared for them, Emilie and the children move to Edvard's home near the sea that is filled with crosses little bits of furniture and paintings. With Edvard's strict sister Henrietta (Kerstin Tidelius), their immobile aunt Blenda (Marianne Aminoff), and a maid named Justina (Harriet Andersson), the lives of Emilie and the children take a dark turn with Edvard being very hard on Alexander. The Ekdahls go into a family crisis when Helena learns that Gustav had impregnated Maj while starts to see Oscar's ghost as well.

Trapped in Edvard's home and Emilie becoming pregnant, Emilie and the kids want to return to their old home as Helena's attempts to bribe Edvard failed. After learning about the abuse that Alexander has to suffer from Edvard, she reaches out to Helena again who decides to take some action with the help of Isak with the help of his nephew Aron (Mats Bergman). The ordeal would prove to be a trying moment for the Ekdahls as they yearn for a new beginning though it wouldn't be easy considering the events that impacted Fanny and Alexander.

A more personal work than some of the earlier films that Bergman made, the film is really about family, death, and faith in of complexities and spirit. Even the question of existence and how death changes the family dynamics in the most unexpected times into something that marks a transition for the Ekdahls. Bergman doesn't give answers into existentialism or anything but rather explore dynamics, relationships, and how spirituality works in mysterious ways. While the film might be slow to some audiences, even in the first hour. It's only to serve on what Bergman is trying to do which is to have the audience to get to know this unique family known as the Ekdahls. They're flawed, they don't always do the right things, and sometimes they're badly mistreated. Yet, it's a family that audiences can relate to for those flaws and how they love each other and spend time during this holiday where everyone comes together. It's in the first act where Bergman doesn't exactly tell the story but get people to relate to these fully-realized characters in all of their glory.

Then the mood of the film changes and the real story finally begins with the second act by an act of death and transition. The scene of Oscar in his deathbed surrounded by his wife, mother, and children is one of the most heartbreaking scenes to watch. Even to see Alexander's reaction in this and the funeral march as he's comforted by Fanny as he isn't sure how to respond. Even as they see the ghost of their father later on, they know that things are changing but don't know what's going to happen. When the bishop Edvard arrives into the story, Bergman is aware that the audiences will know something bad will happen. Bergman's script definitely sets a momentum of what is to come as once Emilie and the children arrive at Edvard's home. The mood and look of the film definitely changes. Even the Ekdahls home, full of life and color, feels amiss in something.

By the third act when Emilie and the children struggle for freedom, the aftermath is complex. After everything the family has gone through, not everyone will believe everything has gone back to normal. Even through the mind of Alexander during his encounter with Isak's nephew Ismael (Stina Ekblad) in a haunting scene. While Bergman's script reveals characters going through the changes in their life and how spirituality plays into their lives. It's in Bergman's eerie, observant, and atmospheric direction that really drives the film in its unique structure and storytelling. The look and feel of the film changes through each act to let the audience know where they at and how to respond. Even in some of the film's haunting moments, Bergman captures its dread and horror simply through its emotions. It's in the direction that Bergman really holds the film together in all of its entrancing and dramatic moments.

Longtime cinematographer Sven Nykvist helps Bergman in bringing a unique vision to each act of the film. In one of the rare Bergman films in color, Nykvist's enchanting photography really brings life to the film. From the lighting and colors in the first act, the camera work is amazing and wide open with its lenses and movements. In the second act, it's grayer and there's very little light from the windows as the mood is darker with more shadows and in the Ekdahls, the artificial look starts to show with the colors still being white but lifeless. In the scene of the Jacobi home, the look of the film is even more intimate to reveal the world Fanny and Alexander are living with its puppets and darker lighting to reveal this new sense of intimacy and shelter. If Bergman's direction is given any amount of magic, it's through the amazing work of his late cinematographer Sven Nykvist.

Art director Susanne Lingheim and set decorator Anna Asp create some exquisite sets on the film's interior settings. Notably the rich colors of green, red, and earthy colors to convey the atmosphere of the Ekdahls that is contrasted to the grayish look of Edvard's home. Even the home of Jacobi is great with its array of glass objects and most of all, the puppets with help from special effects supervisor Bengt Lundgren. Costume designer Marik Vos-Lundh does some amazing work in bringing life to the costumes from the dresses filled with array of colors that would match the look of the homes the characters are in. The look of the clothes are breathtaking that complements the art direction as well as Nykvist's photography.

Editor Sylvia Ingemarsson does some great work in the film's cutting which is given an elliptical pace to build the momentum. The film also works on the perspective cuts as well as fade-outs to close each act or scene. The editing works to convey the emotions of the film. Sound mixers Bjorn Gunnarson, Lars Liljeholm, Bo Persson, and Owe Svensson also do great work in conveying the different atmospheres of the environment the characters live in. To the intimacy of the Ekdahl homes to the horror surrounding Edvard's home. Music composer Daniel Bell creates an amazingly rich score that captures each sequence of joy and sadness. Bell's orchestral arrangements reveal the sense of dread and tension that is surrounded in the second act while having wonderfully melodic textures to convey the richness in the first.

Finally, there's the film's large cast. Featuring small performances from then unknown actors like Lena Olin as one of the Ekdahl's maids and Peter Stormare as one of Jacobi's men. The film also includes other small but memorable performances from Kristina Adolphson, Majlis Granlund, and Svea Holst as the loyal Ekdahl maids, Anna Bergman and Bergman regular Gunnar Bjornstrand in small cameos as theater patrons, Marianne Aminoff as Edvard's sick aunt Blenda, and Maria Granlund as Gustav's daughter Petra. In the role of Ekdahl's nephews, Mats Bergman is great as the charming, puppet-loving Aron while actress Stina Ekbald gives a haunting performance as Aron's psychic brother Ismael. Kerstin Tidelius is great as the strict, intimidating Henrietta while Bergman regular Harriet Andersson is also amazing as Justina, Edvard's spy who is shady and complex in retrieving some information from Alexander.

Borje Ahlstedt is excellent as the frustrated Carl who doesn't seem to be loved as much as his other brothers while Christina Schollin is great as his wife who tries to be supportive despite the contempt she receives from his family. Jarl Kulle is great as the fun, loving, philandering Gustav Adolf who seems to love a lot of women including the maid Maj while trying to maintain the role as the man of the house after his brother Oscar died. Mona Malm is also good as Gustav's wife Alma who understands her husband's philandering but knows it will always get the best of him. Pernilla August, known to American filmgoers as Shmi Skywalker of the Star Wars prequels, is great as the maid Maj who loves Alexander and is given a chance to lead a life but has trouble seeking her own individualism without hurting anyone.

Bergman regular Erland Josephson is great as the elderly yet magical Isak Jacobi who brings companionship to the widowed Helena while using magic to help out the children in their escape. Gunn Wallgren is great as the family’s leading patriarch Helena who is essentially, the glue of the family who keeps everyone together and on-line while being the one to comfort them and knowing what value family has. Allan Edwall is great as Oscar, the loving father who had it all until his death when he's forced to see things go wrong after his death including a heartbreaking scene with his mother about what happened. Jan Malmsjo is also great as the disciplined bishop Edvard who may seem charming and loving but underneath is a man who has dark intentions in ways of breaking Alexander's spirit. Ewa Froling is also good as Emilie, the wife who lost the love of her life only to be desperate for a new love. Froling’s performance is excellent in its development from being a desperate woman to someone trying to gain freedom and ends up playing a new role.

In the respective title roles of Fanny and Alexander, Pernilla Allwin and Bertil Guve are great in the performances they give. While Allwin doesn't have a lot of scenes in the film, her character is importance as the observer of all and like her grandmother, carries a unique sense of strength and comfort to her older brother. Allwin's performance is subdued and entrancing for someone of that age as it's one of the great performances captured on film. Bertil Guve is amazing as Alexander with the way he surrounds himself in this life he knew. When he's forced to make new changes, Guve's natural performance reveals the pain of the changes and how he's nearly broken down by his stepfather. Even when he's forced to confront his own father’s death, he has trouble understanding things revealing his anger and dissolution towards God. It's these performances where the heart of the film lies.

While Fanny och Alexander isn't as plot-driven or heavy as other, earlier films, it's still one of Ingmar Bergman's masterpieces. Anyone who wants to see an intelligent yet enduring film about family will enjoy this. While it may be slow at first, it pays off right in the middle and towards the end. For anyone wanting to see a great film by Ingmar Bergman or a magical family film, Fanny och Alexander is the film to see.

Ingmar Bergman Films: (Crisis) - (It Rains on Our Love) - (A Ship to India) - (Music in Darkness) - (Port of Call) - (Prison) - (Thirst (1949 film)) - (To Joy) - (This Can't Happen Here) - (Summer Interlude) - Secrets of Women - Summer with Monika - Sawdust and Tinsel - A Lesson in Love - Dreams (1955 film) - Smiles of a Summer Night - The Seventh Seal - (Mr. Sleeman is Coming) - Wild Strawberries - (The Venitian) - (Brink of Life) - (Rabies) - The Magician - The Virgin Spring - The Devil's Eye - Through a Glass Darkly - Winter Light - The Silence - All These Women - Persona - (Stimulantia-Daniel) - Hour of the Wolf - (Shame (1968 film) - (The Rite) - The Passion of Anna - (The Touch) - Cries & Whispers - Scenes from a Marriage - (The Magic Flute) - (Face to Face) - (The Serpent's Egg) - Autumn Sonata - From the Life of the Marionettes - (After the Rehearsal) - (The Blessed Ones) - (In the Presence of a Clown) - (The Image Makers) - Saraband

© thevoid99 2011