We've reached the final month of the year and of this 2012 Fall Movie Preview and still have 17 movies to profile and they are some of the biggest and most anticipated projects of the year.
December brings the first installment in Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy, a new film from Quentin Tarantino, Hurt Locker duo director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwrtier Mark Boal have teamed again on Zero Dark Thirty, the Oscar winning director of The King's Speech delivers Les Miserables and Pixar's Monsters Inc arrives in 3D. And there's more where that came from.
This is the final month for studios to unleash their Oscar bait and you better believe the Internet will be buzzing. Let's have a look and try and figure out where most of the attention will be drawn.
DECEMBER 7
The month starts off a little slow with only a couple of movies, one of which looks like a wholly generic rom-com starring Gerard Butler and Jessica Biel with the likes of Catherine Zeta-Jones, Dennis Quaid and Uma Thurman lending their time and padding their bank accounts. The film is Playing for Keeps and in a way it almost has the exact same plotline as The Silver Linings Playbook in which Butler plays a retired soccer pro who, according to the plot synopsis, is burnt out on his playboy lifestyle and bankrupted by a string of bad investments and decides to move back to Virginia to reconnect with his estranged ex-wife (Biel) and neglected son (Noah Lomax). Of course, this one-time playboy can't keep his eyes of the soccer moms, which is sure to cause confusion and miscommunications until he finally learns what love truly is in the final reel.
Things get better with the weekend's second choice, a limited release of Hyde Park on Hudson from director Roger Michell (Notting Hill). It has already earned its share of Oscar buzz, all aimed at Bill Murray playing President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The film is set in 1939 and takes place over the course of a weekend at the Roosevelt home at Hyde Park on Hudson, in upstate New York. The President and his wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams) are hosting the King and Queen of England (Samuel West and Olivia Colman). It's the first-ever visit of a reigning English monarch to America. With Britain facing imminent war with Germany, the Royals are desperately looking to FDR for support.
The December 7 release of Hyde Park on Hudson is a limited one and it will likely have a slow roll-out throughout the month and into the new year. Check out the trailer below and browse some pictures from the film here.
'Inside Llewyn Davis' (2013) Movie Review - Cannes Film Festival
Cannes 2013: Weinsteins Unveil Footage of 'Grace of Monaco', 'Salinger' and 'Mandela'
'The Past' (2013) Movie Review - Cannes Film Festival
'Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues' Official Teaser Trailer
'Jimmy P.' (2013) Movie Review - Cannes Film Festival
'The Congress' (2013) Movie Review - Cannes Film Festival
First 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom' Poster, Starring Idris Elba
Cannes 2013: 'Jimmy P.' Movie Trailer, Starring Benicio Del Toro and Mathieu Amalric
Watch: Full 'Europa Report' Trailer
'Jeune et Jolie' (2013) Movie Review - Cannes Film Festival
Let's see:
December 7 - Even though it will probably get more critical praise, I'm more interested in Playing For Keeps than Hyde Park on Hudson at this point. Sure Bill Murray's performance may look good, but nothing about this plot seems remotely interesting to me.
December 14 - I'm not familiar with the Les Miserables story, but will probably check it out if it starts getting Oscar buzz. While I'm not the largest LOTR fan (did really love the Return of the King), I will for sure by checking out The Hobbit, hopefully in 48fps.
December 19 - Zero Dark Thirty for sure. Based on your review of Amour, no chance in hell I want to be depressed around the holidays.
December 21 - Jack Reacher's trailer didn't get me too excited, but may check it out if have some free time. Much more likely to see This is 40.
December 25 - Django "The D's Silent" Unchained - not much else to say
December 28 - Not all that exciting to me. I'd probably rather rewatch holiday classics.
Gollum kinda reminds me of Marion Cotillard in that picture.
Unless there have been some serious (and I mean serious) re-edits since I saw an early cut of it this summer, you definitely don't just hear Herzog's voice in Jack Reacher.
As for what I'm looking forward to checking out:
Monsters, Inc. 3D, because I love it.
Les Miserables, because its scale seems so vast.
The Hobbit, because everyone else will be seeing it.
The Impossible, because that trailer looked quite intriguing.
This Is 40, because I love Judd Apatow.
Zero Dark Thirty, because it is the most mysterious film of the bunch.
Django Unchained, because Tarantino has yet to disappoint.
Zero Dark Thirty and Django are my most anticipated, of the above.
I'll try to see a couple of the other films at some point, and might even try to catch Jack Reacher in its final version, but those seem the most interesting to me.
What didn't you like about Jack Reacher?
I wouldn't say I didn't like it, I just felt it was rather average; good and fun in some parts, slow and meandering in others. Who knows though, perhaps quite a bit will have been changed by the time December rolls around.
1) Django Unchained - Tarantino better deliver on this one, I don't know what I'll be able to do if he screwed up his first proper western.
2) The Hobbit - Hopefully as good as the LotR trilogy, but I'm going to try and go out of my way to check it out in 48 fps, if not maybe Imax.
3) This is 40 - It'll be interesting to see is Apatow manages to get that Oscar buzz he sought after with Funny People
4) Zero Dark Thirty - Seems intriguing enough, although I wasn't much of a fan of Bigalow's Hurt Locker, I'll wait for the reviews before solidifying my seat at the cinema.
5) Jack Reacher - Again, depending on reviews, but it seems like it could be a fun gritty blockbuster for the winter
6) The Impossible - This one really depends on how I'm feeling, but it seems like it could be good, shame they completely spoil the ending with the latest trailer
7) Amour - Probably won't come to a cinema near me, but it does look like a beautifully devastating film, I will check it out as soon as I can.
The Rest:
Hyde Park on Hudson - Seems like it'll be a mediocre film with a great lead performance.
Les Miserables - Musicals are rarely my thing, and I'm not seeing anything interesting from Tom Hooper's version of it.
On The Road - Depends how the newest cut effects the film.
I'll be seeing Django, Django and Django.
I can't wait for Django Unchained it's my most anticipated film of the year! Cannot f**king wait!
Ah December!...here's what I'm gonna be catching at the Theater
1) The Hobbit in IMAX(3D) or 3D & 48fps
2) The Hobbit in 48fps, assuming I couldnt the first time around (might involve some long distance driving)
3) The Hobbit in glorious 2D!
4) Django Unchained
5) Les Misrables
6) Jack Reacher
Thanks guys for finally menioning "The Guilt Trip". Expect this movie and "Les Miserables" to have the longest lineups for the holidays. The others are all worthwhile, but "Les Miserables" has a couple of generations of the show's fans expecting a great movie and with Tom Hooper's cred. "Guilt Trip" has been secretly screened by Paramount since the Spring. It was filmed last summer. And no these aren't even Streisand fans. They have nothing but raves about it.....and for the fans like myself, a great opportunity for her to work with Rogen, bring in his audience and her fans seeing her first lead role on film in 16 years. And even they say she owns this movie. The others I can't vouch for. I don't think "Hobbit" is going to do LOTR box office at all. Over the holidays.....GT is going to be racking up the grosses.......you can bet on it.
1) Les Miserables- Hope it's musical art at it's best
2) The Hobbit- Would like it to meet part of it's predecessor's success
3) Django Unchained
4) Hyde Park on Hudson
I'm looking forward to Les Mis, Django Unchained, Hyde Park On Hudson, Jack Reacher, and Zero Dark Thirty. I might also see The Hobbit just to check out the 48 fps.
thanks for the previews brad
I really wish we could be talking about Gravity.
I have various levels of interest in -
Hyde Park on The Hudson
Les Miserables
Hobbit
Jack Reacher
The Guilt Trip
Also Amour - but definitely AFTER Christmas. I've seen material before that takes a horrific look at the futures we'll all face and there ain't no place for that kind of 'kill me now' reality punch at the Holidays.
And The Impossible.