SMT Weekly Flick by Paul Krismanits
Things to Come
Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe star in an upcoming movie, Body of Lies.
First things first, I owe any and all fans of my column an apology for missing out on last week. The combination of fighting the worst illness I have encountered in years coupled with my sister’s wedding (and all the events surrounding it) overwhelmed me to the point of literally forgetting to even think about my article until it was already too late. Anyway, for those who may be curious, I am recuperating nicely and my sister is happily gallivanting with her new husband somewhere in this world (it was a secret honeymoon). With that said, it is good to be back!
Fortunately, my absence seems to have happened at a perfect time, as the selection of worthwhile films at the theater is quite low. Even this past week’s sleeper hit Eagle Eye, starring Shia Lebouf (Transformers, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) was less than impressive. September has proven once again to be the “lull” month, where the summer blockbusters are fading away and a slew of Oscar contenders are lying in wait for October and beyond. Therefore, instead of wasting everyone’s time with a review of a movie not worth seeing, this week proved to be the perfect opportunity for a Fall Preview which will give all you movie lovers a heads-up to what movies are absolutely unmissable in the months to come.
It all starts this Friday (Oct. 3rd) with the full release of Ed Harris’ Appaloosa. Starring Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellwegger and Jeremy Irons, Appaloosa is Hollywood’s latest western, and it is looking to be the first Oscar-winning one since Unforgiven. Harris and Mortensen play lawmen who believe in their own form of justice. With the all-star cast and an already growing list of rave reviews from the nation’s biggest critics, Appaloosa figures to be the jump starter to the fall movie season.
Not far behind Appaloosa is the new Ridley Scott film Body of Lies, starring perennial Oscar-contenders Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio. This is the fourth pairing of Scott and Crowe, and they have yet to disappoint as a team (the other films being Gladiator, American Gangster, and the very underrated A Good Year). There is no reason to think Lies will be any different as Crowe plays a CIA agent who uses DiCaprio to do his dirty work in the Middle East. That is, until DiCaprio decides he wants out, and finds it is trickier to do so than anticipated. Expect great action, acting, and an intricate plot. Who could ask for more?
Looking into November it is impossible to miss the imposing stance of James Bond in Quantum of Solace, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Casino Royale. Daniel Craig is returning as Bond, and for the first time ever in a Bond film, the storyline from the previous movie is being continued. It seems Bond is out for revenge for the death of his lover in Royale (the sultry Eva Green), and in the process plans to take out a massive crime ring. Anyone who saw Royale knows that it was far and away the best Bond film to date, and with the same team behind it Solace should leave none disappointed.
Also slated for November is the sixth chapter of Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Early glimpses give the feeling that the series is still continuing to get darker, and as a result will cater more to an older crowd. Fans of the series were mostly disappointed by last year’s Order of the Phoenix, and so it will be up to Prince to restore their faith. From early looks, it appears it will do just that.
Finally, there is Defiance and Valkyrie, two World War II epics which seem destined to be great in the pantheon of war films. Defiance stars Daniel Craig and is directed by the always excellent Edward Zwick (Blood Diamond, Legends of the Fall, Glory). The film is a true story about a community of Jews who create themselves a new home in a European forest during the war, and knowing Zwick it promises to appeal to both our eyes and our hearts. Valkyrie is also a true story, this time about a German officer who plots to assassinate Hitler. Starring Tom Cruise and directed by Bryan Singer (Superman Returns, X-Men, Usual Suspects), this film has been Cruise’s pet project for a couple of years now, and it is highly anticipated in its release to the big screen.
Enjoy your fall movie season!
I don’t know where you get your fan information from regarding Harry Potter, but it isn’t from Harry Potter fans! Most loved the last movie (Order of the Phoenix) and liked that it stayed true to the spirit and characters of the book (unlike its predcessor - Goblet of Fire). It has done exceptionally well at the box office - eclipsing all other HP’s worldwide except the first. In fact, it was so well received that the director, david Yates, has been signed up to direct the next (and last) three movies!
You are also incorrect about when this movie will be released. It is not fall of this year, but July 16, 2009.
Grading: T, for Troll. Might I suggest either a little more research, or a look into Professor Trelawney’s ball?
October 14th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Actually the original release date for this movie WAS in November, I would never simply make something like that up. However it has been a while since I double-checked, so I was unaware it had been pushed back. As for the last Potter movie, I’m sorry but it was, in my opinion, by far the weakest of the series. As you should know, box-office receipts mean absolutely NOTHING when it comes to the quality of a movie. There are many terrible movies which make a lot of money. Take my Top Two worst films of this year Hancock and 10,000 B.C. Both were god-awful and both made over $100 million (also look at the three newest Star Wars which were terrible, and they all made way more than Harry Potter). So please don’t use that as your basis for quality, all that proves is that most people have no idea what quality is. Of COURSE Harry Potter made a lot of money, there are plenty of fans out there who would see it no matter what just because of its name. Besides, I’m not concerned about how true it is to the book, just about the quality of the movie. And I’m sorry, but when it comes to the movies, Goblet of Fire was the best, and Phoenix the worst. Thanks for taking an interest!
October 21st, 2008 at 2:03 am
I think this review was unquestionably accurate. It is nearly impossible for any Harry Potter movie to be exceptionally well done, as nothing can compare to the novel series, and all too often, the films are compared to what they are in script, which has proven to be an unlikely feat. I think this is what Paul is referring to, the accuracy of the movie in comparison to what the book portrays is not impressive. Simply utilizing redundant themes of darkness and less than dynamic characters does not parallel with the highpowered mystery journey that the novels alone are capable of inducing.
Mr. Krismanits, I thoroughly enjoy your reviews
October 21st, 2008 at 2:04 am