Fall lineup contains some potential gems
Julien R. Fielding
With a dismal year of film already halfway behind us, many are praying that autumn and winter will bear better fruit.
Well, yes and no.
On a down curve, expect to tread familiar paths with remakes of not one, but TWO of Alexander Dumas' classic tales, "The Musketeer" and "The Count of Monte Cristo," as well as a new adaptation of H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine," by his grandson no less. Even Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" gets trotted out again for Martin Lawrence.
Director Steven Soderberg does Rat Pack revisited in "Ocean's 11;" director John McTiernan remakes the first-time-not-too-impressive "Rollerball" and visual effects man Steve Beck takes the director's chair for a new stab at William Castle's horror film "13 Ghosts."
Some actors, Billy Bob Thornton and Charlize Theron, will overburden us with their presence again. Thornton will star in three vehicles; only one of which looks any good - the Coen Brothers' "The Man Who Wasn't There," an exercise in existentialism.
And Theron will match his stamina, also with three. These overachievers even manage to collaborate on one of the projects - "Waking Up in Reno." Teen actress and Helen Hunt-look-alike, Leelee Sobieski, also has three films slated to come out, including two thrillers "Joy Ride" and "Glass House" and the comedy-drama "My First Mister."
Many stars will have us seeing double this season, including Robert Redford ("The Last Castle" and "Spy Game"); Tim Allen ("Joe Somebody" and "Big Trouble"), Brad Pitt ("Ocean's 11" and "Spy Game"), Gwyneth Paltrow ("The Royal Tenenbaums" and "Shallow Hal"), Anthony Hopkins ("Hearts in Atlantis" and "Bad Company") and Kevin Spacey ("The Shipping News" and "K-Pax").
Doesn't anyone take vacations anymore? It's no wonder marriages don't last in Tinseltown.
Finally, some less-than-spectacular singers will try their hands at acting. "NSYNC's second bananas Lance Bass and Joey Fatone, will attempt the cross over with "On The Line." Rapper Snoop Dogg has two in the can, "Bones" and "The Wash." And that's probably where they should remain.
Rappers Redman and Method Man mix college and dope in "How High." And Maria Carey makes her big screen debut in "Glitter," a project set to fare about as well all the others.
Although I hate to be too optimistic, there seems to be an upside to the upcoming releases, with some decent directors and actors serving up what looks like intriguing fare.
"Hearts in Atlantis" - Based on a novel by Stephen King and adapted by William Goldman ("Marathon Man"), this coming-of-age tale has the benefit of a sympathetic director, "Shine's" Scott Hicks, a phenomenal leading man in Anthony Hopkins and the always good character actor David Morse. As long as this doesn't descend into maudlin, we'll be OK. (Opens Sept. 28.)
"From Hell" - A film about Jack the Ripper, starring Johnny Depp, Ian Holm and Robbie Coltrane and directed by brothers Albert and Allen Hughes ("Menace II Society") has to be worth a look, especially when you factor in a script by novelist Rafael Yglesias ("Fearless") and Terry Hayes ("Road Warrior"). I'll be first in line. (Opens Oct. 19.)
"Riding in Cars with Boys" - Fans of Drew Barrymore get to see the actress age from 15 to mid-30s in this film directed by Penny Marshall and based on Beverly Donofrio?s memoirs. Also stars James Woods, Lorraine Bracco, Steve Zahn and Brittany Murphy. (Opens Oct. 19.)
"Life As a House" - Written by Mark Andrus ("As Good As it Gets"), this film about a dying architect who finally tries to put his life in order stars the typically triumphant Kevin Kline and Kristin Scott Thomas. Claims to be spiritually uplifting. (Opens Oct. 26.)
"K-Pax" - Directed by Iain Softley ("Hackers") and starring" Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges, this film takes its name from Gene Brewer's 1995 novel about a man who arrives in Grand Central Station and admits he's an extraterrestrial. Assumed to be insane, he's entrusted to a mental hospital. Sounds intriguing. Enhanced by the underrated Bridges. (Opens Oct. 26.)
"Monsters Inc." - Pixar's latest computer-animated project that shows what happens when a human child wanders into Monsteropolis. Features the voices of John Goodman, Billy Crystal, James Coburn, Steve Buscemi and Jennifer Tilly. (Opens Nov. 2.)
"The Man Who Wasn't There" - The latest by Joel and Ethan Coen tells how a small-town barber gets in trouble when he attempts blackmail. Sounds a little like "Fargo" and "Blood Simple," doesn't it? Also stars James Gandolfini, Frances McDormand and Tony Shalhoub. Filmed in black and white. (Opens Nov. 2.)
"Amelie" - A romance from French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, starring Audrey Tautou. When released in France, the film scored both critical and commercial success. Jeunet's highly imaginative film style should make this one worth the subtitles. (Opens Nov. 2.)
"Fellowship of the Ring" - Director Peter Jackson and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie already have delivered sumptuously enticing trailers. The movie can be only that much grander. And the cast - with Ian McKellen, Sean Bean, Viggo Mortensen, Hugo Weaving and Elijah Wood - couldn't get much better. Jackson shares adaptation duties with Fran Walsh, his partner on "The Frighteners" and "Heavenly Creatures," and Philippa Boyens. (Opens Dec. 19.)
"Gosford Park" - Robert Altman directs this very British murder mystery that stars some of the country's finest, including Michael Gambon, Jeremy Northam, Emily Watson and Helen Mirren. (Opens Dec. 21.)
"A Beautiful Mind" - Russell Crowe, Ed Harris and Christopher Plummer star in this film about schizophrenic Nobel Prize winning mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr. With Ron Howard directing this story of triumph, this could spell Oscar. (Opens Dec. 25.)
"The Shipping News" - Some will see the film because it was based on Annie Proulx's Pulitzer-Prize winning novel. Others will go to see Kevin Spacey, Julianne Moore, Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett and Scott Glenn. I'll be there for another masterful dose of humanity from Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom. Anyway you consider it, it's gotta be good. (Opens Dec. 25.)
Because these films could go either way, several watch-and-wait mentions will be dispensed.
"Zoolander" - Ben Stiller and Drake Sather's comedy about a crime-solving male model, which was inspired by a skit he did at the 1996 VH1 Fashion Awards, has possibilities. Stiller's usually can be counted on for performances ranging from hilarious "Something About Mary" to mildly amusing "Mystery Men." Also give the film an added buoyancy for Owen Wilson's involvement but take away a point for the terribly uneven Will Ferrell. (Opens Sept. 28.)
"Don't Say a Word" - In this psychological thriller, a catatonic girl (Brittany Murphy) holds the secret in the kidnapping of a psychiatrist's daughter (Michael Douglas). The premise sounds intriguing, unfortunately, the director is responsible for ill conceived "Kiss the Girls" and screenwriter Patrick Smith Kelly is responsible for "A Perfect Murder." On the upside, writer Andrew Klaven did adapt the under-appreciated gem "A Shock to the System." Although Douglas' smugness can grate, he did redeem himself last year in "Traffic." So who knows. (Opens Sept. 28.)
"Mulholland Drive" - A David Lynch fan from "Elephant Man" (1980) onwards, I was too young to watch "Eraserhead" when it came out in 1977, I have stuck with him through good times and the bad. Since "The Straight Story" detour it's difficult to predict where he's headed, but here he focuses on the strange relationship between two women. At Cannes Film Festival, the project was scooped up by StudioCanal for $7 million. (Opens Oct. 12.)
"Novocaine" - When Steve Martin's good he's smokin." Unfortunately he's another one who can't be trusted. He's had just as many hits as failures, so I'm nervous about what to expect from this story about a dentist drawn into a bizarre murder plot. The supporting cast of Helena Bonham Carter, Laura Dern and Elias Koteas only can help. (Opens Oct. 19.)
"Oceans 11" - A cast most directors would kill to get, including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and Matt Damon; and a director, Soderberg, most would simply kill to be, Clooney himself said the original 1960 film this one is based on was a real stinker. (It starred Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr.) Everyone makes a bomb and these guys are due. But I'll try to be hopeful. (Opens Dec. 7.)
I just hope that some of these films prove worthwhile, otherwise the Motion Picture Academy might just have to take a year off.
Fall lineup contains some potential gems was originally published in The Daily Nonpareil on 6 September, 2001. © Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil LLC
