I’ve documented upcoming animated, horror, comedy, superhero and sci-fi films but now it’s time for something a little more serious. The following films are categorized predominantly as ‘dramas’, however they all cross over into different genres. In this short list, we have upcoming movies from the likes of Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, Tom Hanks and the Coen Bros.
Which ones will you be looking out for?
THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES
RELEASE DATE: 12th April
STARRING: Bradley Cooper, Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes, Rose Byrne
FIRST THOUGHTS: My immediate thoughts are – what a beautiful cast! Cooper and Gosling are hot property at the moment, both on and off screen, and to get them together is exciting stuff indeed. So what’s it about? The Place Beyond the Pines place’s Gosling as a motorcycle stunt driver who’s decision to rob a bank in order to provide for his young family alerts the attention of corrupt Detective Avery Cross (Cooper). You may be reminded of Drive whilst reading the synopsis but the similarities stop at stunt driving and heists. It’s directed by Blue Valentine‘s Derek Cianfrance and just like in that film, Cianfrance tells the story over the span of a decade as we watch Gosling and Cooper’s lives intertwine. With a 140 minute run-time, we just hope this is a story worth telling.
VERDICT: MUST SEE IN THE CINEMA (for the cast alone!)
RELEASE DATE: 17th May
STARRING: Leonardo Di Caprio, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Tobey Maguire, Isla Fisher
FIRST THOUGHTS: Originally planned for a December 2012 release, we unfortunately have to wait another five months until we see The Great Gatsby. This of course a film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous novel about an affluent society led by Jay Gatsby (Di Caprio) during the roaring twenties. Gatsby’s seemingly-idyllic lifestyle proves to be fraught however, with tragedy and sadness. The cast is suitably eclectic with Di Caprio co-starring alongside Carey Mulligan, Isla Fisher and Spiderman himself, Tobey Maguire. The truly exciting part of the project is its director/writer/producer – Baz Luhrmann who is responsible for previous theatrical adaptations Romeo and Juliet and Moulin Rouge! You can guarantee that the sets and costumes will all look lavish. The small problem for Luhrmann and co is its pre-summer release date, which coincides with Iron Man 3 and other mega-movies.
VERDICT: POSSIBLY SEE IN THE CINEMA
WORLD WAR Z
RELEASE DATE: 21st June
STARRING: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Matthew Fox
FIRST THOUGHTS: Trailers for World War Z have been doing the rounds for a while now and the overwhelming response is, why are the zombies so badly CGI’ed? Brad Pitt’s upcoming end-of-the-world movie is an adaptation of a book by the same name which pitt’s (gettit?) him and his family against a zombie pandemic that’s sweeping Earth. Pitt’s character is a UN worker, so we’re expecting the film to be fairly dramatic, along the lines of 2011’s Contagion. The book itself is split into individual accounts by various characters caught up in the disaster and it’s extremely detailed. The film looks to have taken a more linear approach, which whilst the easier chose, may not sit well with fans of the book. If director, Marc Forster (Stranger Than Fiction, Quantum of Solace) gets this wrong, he’ll have a pandemic of his own to deal with!
VERDICT: POSSIBLY SEE IN THE CINEMA
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
RELEASE DATE: 11th October
STARRING: Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener
FIRST THOUGHTS: If there’s one thing I’ve come to learn from watching films, it’s that Tom Hanks rarely makes a dud. His casting alone, has me interested in Captain Phillips, a biography/drama based on the 2009 hijacking of an American cargo ship by Somali pirates. The movie is still in post-production, so there’s no trailer or teaser to go by yet. However, it’s directed by Paul Greengrass, the man behind the last two Bourne films and the 9/11 true-story drama, United 93. Hopefully it’s more United 93 than Bourne. Not that they’re bad films, it’s just their shaky, handheld camera style wouldn’t fit a story like this. Either way, if you’re a Hanks fan, I suggest you keep tabs on this film’s developments.
VERDICT: WAIT FOR A TRAILER
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
RELEASE DATE: TBA
STARRING: Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, John Goodman
FIRST THOUGHTS: The first thing you need to know is that this is a Coen Bros production. Now, some of you will be excited by this prospect and others will be not so enthused. Lately, the Coen’s have been rather hit or miss. I tend to like their comedic offerings more than their dramatic. Inside Llewyn Davis fits into the latter as it navigates through the 60’s New York folk scene. The cast is full of fresh-faced up-and-comers, namely lead Oscar Isaac who plays the title character(Drive, Sucker Punch), Garrett Hedlund (On The Road, Tron), Carey Mulligan and err… Justin Timberlake. There’s also room for John Goodman, a Coen Bros stalwart. This seems to be a smaller, more niche Coen Bros film, not something with a broad appeal like Burn After Reading or No Country For Old Men, so it may not be for everyone. A trailer is available on Youtube for you to decide for yourself.
VERDICT: POSSIBLY SEE IN THE CINEMA (if you’re a big Coen Bros fan)