Better Late Than Never: Sweet Films to See (Round 1)

Hey Everyone! Apologies on the super-lack of updating. My bad.

I had been planning on discussing some sure-to-be sweet films for this upcoming year. Yes it is 1/4 over, but 2010 still has many (if not almost all) of its (hopefully) great movies coming out.

I have decided to break this up into a few posts. I was hoping to cut it down to 10, but I couldn't, so you'll get to read about 11 films I think you should keep an eye out for.

In this edition of the Sweet Films to See series, I discuss The Killer Inside Me, Splice, Margaret and Last Night. Click after the jump to continue!




11) The Killer Inside Me

Directed by Michael Winterbottom, The Killer Inside Me tells the story about a small-town Texan sheriff that moonlights as a serial sadist/killer. The movie got really mixed reviews when it played at Sundance, mostly for its apparently shocking and realistic depictions of violence. The film stars Casey Affleck (who I have really liked recently in both Gone Baby Gone and The Assassination of Jesse James), Kate Hudson and Jessica Alba. Yes, Alba can’t act her way out of a paper bag, but I’d like to think Winterbottom is the director to push her to her limits.

I’m mostly excited about this film because I really admired how unapologetic Winterbottom has been with his films A Mighty Heart and The Road to Guantanamo. They both have tackled really difficult subject matter but weren’t afraid to dive into them head-on. Hopefully his take on violence will surpass the whole torture porn epidemic and translate into something worthwhile.

Opens in select cities June 18.

10) Splice

Really, any movie that stars Sarah Polley is already high up on my list. Even after the confusing, three-hour pretention that was Mr. Nobody (but in which she was spectacular). Anyways, Splice is something that is sure to be controversial. It tells of two scientists (Polley and Adrien Brody) who avoid the illegalities of human cloning by creating a hybrid between human and animal DNA. I'm assuming things go horribly wrong.

The movie got a ton of buzz out of Sundance and was picked up by Dark Castle (eeek). Yes that’s the same Dark Castle that released shit like Gothika and Ghost Ship.... I’m still hopeful. On the plus side it is rumoured that they are planning to release it on 3000+ theatres, which I think is a Sundance first.

Check out the trailer here:

Splice opens June 4.

9) Margaret

I had basically written this film off for several years due to the post-production hell and legal troubles that made it seem as though this film was never going to see the light of day (Its original release date was 2006!). Margaret stars Anna Paquin as a young woman who witnesses a bus accident. The film shows her struggle to cope with its aftermath and the effects it has on people. Matt Damon, Mark Ruffalo and Allison Janney also star.

What originally made me excited for Margaret was that it was Kenneth Lonergan’s formerly much anticipated follow-up to 2001’s You Can Count On Me- a film I absolutely adored and thought was completely brilliant. I am still very much looking forward to this film, but it really puts so much (slightly deserved) pressure on him as a filmmaker. Which also could be fun if the film crashes and burns.

8) Last Night

Now, before I get ahead of myself... this movie might take forever to come out. It was supposed to be release by Miramax...which is now closed. I haven’t found anything anywhere about this being picked up by another studio. However, in light of the success of Sam Worthington’s recent films, I wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes a hot ticket.

Last Night is a modern romance about a married couple who are apart due to the husband being away on business. He is with a co-worker that he finds attractive. She runs into her old flame. Keira Knightley plays the wife while Eva Mendes is typcast costars as the sexy co-worker.

I have really been wanting to see Keira Knightley in more contemporary films because I think she is a strong actress who is in danger of getting typecast in period pieces (wait til I backtrack with my blurb on Never Let Me Go). I also really just like these couples-in-trouble films. I’m hoping it’s slightly more It sure as shit better be more Closer than Couples Retreat though.

Stay tuned for the rest of the Top 11!! I promise it won't take as long!

-Brian.