Hot Hollywood Movies for Fall 2006
I have been tremendously disappointed by the amount of substandard shlock the movie industry has passed out to the public. Most films have lacked originality, quality and artistry. For too long, we have been awash in a sea of films about beer-drinking, brain-drained teenagers with over-stimulated hormones, second rate remakes of older, better films, film versions of television shows and special-effects-to-cover
-up-the-fact-that-there-is-no-discernible-plot type of films.
Moviegoers are being asked to shell out a lot of their hard-earned bucks to be fed a steady diet of poorly crafted, sub-standard garbage. I had pretty much resigned myself to the sad conclusion that, since the public was not as aggressively demanding as they needed to be for better motion pictures, Hollywood was going to be content to just collect their money and keep putting out the same drivel.
Now, however, I am considerably more hopeful. Having seen previews of some upcoming 2006 films, I am positively giddy about the idea of going to the movies again..
There are some fascinating things about to come out of La-La Land that promise to offer their audiences films with superior casts, well-written scripts and exceptional creativity.
Let me tell you about four celluloid “jewels” I think will be well worth the over-inflated price of movie theater tickets.
Hollywoodland
Usually, I would not get this excited about a film starring Ben Affleck, as his performances in the past have not been the best. This, however, is the perfect vehicle for him and his stiff, macho manner is used well, as he plays the role of George Reeves, the actor who played television’s “Superman”.
The movie deals with Reeves’ mysterious death, supposedly a suicide, and how a private detective (Adrian Brody) hired by Reeves’ mother sets out to find if the t.v. superhero really did commit suicide or was murdered. The fine cast includes Diane Lane as Toni Mannix-one of Reeves’ lovers- and Bob Hoskins as her husband – MGM studio executive Eddie Mannix.
It’s a very dark film, with a lot of intriguing nuances, as we look in on the hidden, troubled life of a revered television/movie actor.
It opens on September 8th and is most definitely one to go see.
The Black Dahlia
If Brian De Palma is the director of a film, you may be assured that it is going to be, at least, interesting.
“The Black Dahlia” revolves around another real-life mystery, the brutal 1947 murder of Hollywood hopeful, Betty Ann Short. Short was given the moniker “The Black Dahlia” because she dressed all in black and wore a white flower in her hair, sort of her own special trademark, for the purposes of standing out.
Josh Hartnett and Aaron Eckhart play the roles of two cops investigating the murder case. The cast also includes Academy Award winning actress Hilary Swank and Scarlett Johansson, two of the best actresses in the industry today.
Again, another dark film. Be warned that, due to the nature of the murder, there will probably be some bloody, macabre scenes, but I think with a director and cast of this reputation, it is a film I am anxious to have a look at.
It opens on September 15th.
All the King’s Men
I customarily shudder at the idea of Hollywood remakes of classic films, since the remakes are hardly ever equal to the originals.
In the case of this one, “All the King’s Men”, I believe an exception can be made.
The original film, based on the novel by Robert Penn Warren, starred Broderick Crawford, John Ireland, Mercedes McCambridge and Joanna Dru, all giving outstanding performances. It earned the picture an Academy Award for 1949’s Best Picture, as well as Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress nods to Crawford and McCambridge.
The story covers the rise and fall of Willie Stark, an ambitious Louisiana politician and is a thinly disguised telling of the life of Huey P. Long.
There is every chance that this remake can stand head-to-head with the original, although I frankly don’t see why they felt the need to add the components of sexual content and nudity. Today’s filmmakers apparently think it is obligatory to include sex scenes, but anyone who has seen the original picture knows that it is strong enough to stand on its own, without all of the additional embellishing.
That objection aside, I think that any cast that includes Sean Penn, Jude Law, Anthony Hopkins, James Gandolfini, Patricia Clarkson and Kate Winslet is bound to be a potential Oscar contender.
It opens on September 22nd.
Bobby
Surprisingly, the screen writer of the film is actor Emilio Estevez. He also directs and stars in this story centering around the night in 1968, when Presidential candidate Bobby Kennedy was shot in the Ambassador Hotel and peeking in on the lives of individual characters staying in the hotel that night. We see how one event can dramatically affect the lives of others.
It’s an ambitious production, but, from the previews I have seen, comes across as a winner of high standards, quality writing and grand performances from some of the movie world’s best, including Anthony Hopkins, Martin Sheen, Sharon Stone, William H. Macy, Demi Moore, Helen Hunt, Lindsay Lohan, Laurence Fishburne, Elijah Wood, and Christian Slater, just to let you in on the caliber of actors associated with this.
Afraid you’ll have to wait a bit longer to see this one, as it will open nationwide on November 23rd.
Of course …
Okay, folks, I am still realistic. I know that the fact that these films are coming out doesn’t mean that Tinseltown won’t keep churning out the same crappola we have been used to. The difference is that Hollywood is finally presenting us with some alternatives to the awful stuff.
One can only hope that producing better movies to counter the lousy ones is not merely a temporary trend.
For the first time, though, in what seems eons, I am looking forward to going to the movies …and it’s a great feeling to have!
