This Fall Movie Season there is no shortage of highly anticipated films being released! To help you chose which films to rush to the theater for and which to skip altogether we thought we would give you a quick description of each of the major films being released through the end of the year in a three part Fall 2012 Movie Preview!
Playing for Keeps 12/7
Playing for Keeps stars Gerard Butler once again as a ladies man trying to grow up. This time, he’s a former professional soccer player who begins coaching his son’s soccer team in an attempt to rebuild their relationship and win back his ex-wife played by Jessica Biel. Coaching the team has unexpected results though, like desperate soccer moms who have no shame in their pursuit of the washed up soccer player. This is one of those movies where you know how it will end by the description and trailer alone and I have a hard time believing Gerard Butler as the irresistible hunk at this point, so I won’t be rushing to theaters for this one.
Deadfall 12/7
Deadfall stars Olivia Wilde and Eric Bana as siblings Addison and Liza who are on the run after a casino heist gone wrong. In an attempt to get away with the cash, they split up and head for the Canadian border. There’s just a few problems with their plan: the cops are on their tails, their on foot, and a blizzard is blowing through the already cold countryside. Liza almost freezes to death before being picked up troubled ex-boxer Jay, played by Charlie Hunnam. Charlie’s on his way home for Thanksgiving dinner with his parents after being released from prison and decides to bring Liza along. Did I mention his father is a retired sheriff? And the trailer reveals Addison decides he would like to show up just in time for dinner? This one looks like an exciting good time and I am very pleased to see the extremely underrated Charlie Hunnman on the big screen.
Dino Time 12/7
Dino Time tells the story of three kids who accidentally use an egg-shaped time machine to travel back 65 million years in the middle of a nest of dinosaur eggs. Yes, you read that right. The three children are taken in by T-Rex an have until the eggs in the next hatch to find their way back to present time. The premise for this one sounds a bit out there and the fact that it’s in 3D doesn’t give me much more hope for the storyline so I would hold off on this one till home release.
Hyde Park on Hudson 12/7
Hyde Park on Hudson takes place over the course of one weekend in 1939 at Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Hyde Park on Hudson home, while he hosts King and Queen of England, played by Samuel West and Olivia Colman respectively. Admist the important political agenda of the occasion, FDR, play by Bill Murray, also has to contend with the interference of his wife, mother, and mistress (who just so happens to be a distant cousin). The story is told from the point of view of next door neighbor Daisy, played by Laura Linney. The reviews for Hyde Park on Hudson are mixed at best, but I think I’ll still be giving it a shot once it’s available as a home release.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 12/14
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey may just be the most anticipated film of the year. After the magic Peter Jackson worked with Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, fans of the books and movies cannot wait to see what The Hobbit trilogy has to offer. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be the first of three films starring Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, the titular hobbit, whose adventures in Middle Earth are legendary. In this first installement, he’ll be helping to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the dragon Smaug, voiced by none other than Benedict Cumberbatch. I will be writing more about this film closer to the release so I do not want to give too much away, so I will just say if it’s worthy of it’s own article it is certainly a must see!
Zero Dark Thirty 12/19
Zero Dark Thirty is the story of the decade long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden and his eventual death at the hands of the Navy SEAL Team on May 6 , 2011. The movie is directed by Kathryn Bigelow of The Hurt Locker fame so expect a gritty no holds barred take on the real life events portrayed in the film. I have mixed feelings about 9/11 related movies so I personally don’t have interest in seeing this one, but if you are a fan of military films inspired by real life events this controversial film might be for you.
Amour 12/19
Amour is the kind of film that will both break your heart and strengthen your belief in love at once. It tells the tale of Georges, played by Jean-Louis Trintignant, and Anne, played by Emmanuelle Riva, a married couple in their eighties. The two retired music teachers live a happy and fulfilled life until Anne suffers from a series of strokes causing her physical and eventually mental deficiencies. Georges is determined to take care of Anne on her own and their story will no doubt bring you to tears. Bring the tissues for this one.
This is 40 12/21
If you have seen Knocked Up, you will recognize Pete and Debbie, played by Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann, the sidekick couple that pretty much stole the show. They officially get their turn in the spotlight in, This is 40, a look at their lives a few years after the events of Knocked Up. Debbie is having a hard time with fact they have turned forty and wants to improve their lives, family, and marriage before they get any older. This Judd Apatow written and directed film stars many of his recurring cast members (including wife Mann and his two daughters) and looks like a poignantly funny good time.
Jack Reacher 12/21
Jack Reacher, starring Tom Cruise, is a film adaptation of the 2005 novel One Shot by Lee Child. In the film, a man accused of committing a sniper shooting that leaves five dead claims to be innocent and wants Jack Reacher to investigate his case. Reacher sets out to prove the man guilty and begins to uncover there is more to the story than he first he thought. Although there has been much made of Cruise’s short stature in comparison to the giant Reacher of Child’s books, he’s gotten the stamp of approval from the writer himself and that should be enough to quite fans concerns. This film looks like the kind of action packed mystery you would normally find releasing in summer, but that could be what makes it stand out from the pack this movie season.
On the Road 12/21
On the Road, based on Kerouac’s famous beat generation novel, stars Sam Riley as Sal Paradise, a young writer whose life is forever changed once he meets the free-spirited Dean Moriarty, played by Garret Hedlund and sets off on epic road trip of self discovery and experimentation in late 1940′s America. Kristen Stewart also stars as Marylou, Moriarty’s sometimes girl. Although this film has received a lot of hype, it has gotten some pretty rough reviews with the only real praise going to Hedlund’s performance and the film’s look and feel. I recommend waiting till it’s available on home release.
Les Miserables 12/21
Les Miserables, one of the most famous musicals of all time is being brought to life once again, this time on the big screen by director Tom Hooper. The story, based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel, is set in 19th-century France and tells the tale of a paroled prisoner named Jean Valjean, played by Hugh Jackman, and his quest for redemption amidst the beginnings of the french revolution. The entire cast is a variable who’s who of hollywood’s greatest talent (Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, and Helena Bonham Carter among others) and from what I have seen the film appears to be a striking interpretation of the much beloved musical. I will definitely be heading to the theater for this one and I recommend you do the same.
The Impossible 12/21
The Impossible is a fictionalized account of one family’s survival of a real life disaster, the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts, star as parents Henry and Maria, who are vacationing in Thailand with their three sons when the tsunami hits. Seperated and injured the family struggles to survive and reunite as the disaster plays out. The film received an enthusiastic response at Toronto International Film Festival this year and is being praised as extremely intense and emotionally realistic. I think this one might turn out to be an unexpected must see.
Django Unchained 12/25
Quentin Tarantino’s latest film Django Unchained tells the story of Django, played by Jamie Foxx, a recently freed slave who teams with a German bounty hunter, played by Christoph Waltz, on a mission to save his wife Broomhilda, played by Kerry Washington, from a ruthless plantation owner. This controversial film also boasts boasts an impressive cast. In addition to Foxx, Waltz, and Washington, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, and Don Johnson. Fun fact: The film was originally written with Will Smith in mind for the lead, but he had to pass due to scheduling conflicts.
Promised Land 12/28
In Promised Land, Matt Damon plays natural gas company salesman, Steve Butler, trying to get farmers in rural town to sign over their land for fracking (the extraction of natural gas and oil). With the town in dire straights, Butler expects it to be an easy task, but the town is not about to just sell off their land. The film was written by Damon and John Krasinski, who also stars as a farmer in the town, and takes an emotionally charged look at the energy industry.
Related Articles
- Fall 2012 Movie Preview: Part One
- Fall 2012 Movie Preview: Part Two
- Poll: Which Fall Movie are you most excited to see?
Facebook
Pinterest
Sulia
Talk to Us
Tumblr
Twitter
