From director Danny Boyle, 127 Hours stars James Franco, a mountain climber who is trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone in Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive. The movie is based on the true story of Aron Ralston who had to cut off his own forearm to free himself. We get to see that in a very graphic scene, that one critic described as the most realistic arm amputation ever filmed. Three audience members fainted at the Toronto Film Festival after watching the scene.
Hilary Swank has a new movie coming out, called Conviction. It's based on the true story of a woman who puts herself through law school in an effort to represent her brother, who has been wrongfully convicted of murder. It's being released as I'm typing this, so click here for trailer if you want to know what to expect. Swank's previous movie (Amelia) flopped, so this one better be good.
It's Kind of a Funny Story is a little quirky movie that looks promising. It stars Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover) and Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls). The main character is played by Keir Gilchrist who is Craig, a depressed teenager checking himself into an adult psychiatric ward. It's already out in the US in limited distribution. It sounds like the little movie that can....and I'm really hoping it will. Trailer here.
Since I just mentioned Zach Galifianakis, he also stars in Due Date alongside Robert Downey Jr. This movie is coming out at the beginning of November in the US and it's basically a road trip during which we expect both actors to be hilarious and do no wrong, yes? You can watch the trailer here.
I like both Rachel McAdams and Diane Keaton, so I'm looking forward to Morning Glory which will be released in the US on November,12. Adams plays a television producer trying to revive a morning show program, despite the constant feuding of its high-profile anchors (Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford). While the storyline doesn't sound extremely promising, I'm hoping that good acting will save this movie. Click here for trailer.
The Oscar buzz is on. Natalie Portman's performance in the movie Black Swan, in which she portrays a ballerina consumed by a twisted friendship with another dancer played by Mila Kunis, might end up on the nominations list. The trailer looks intriguing and it's worth mentioning that the movie is directed by Darren Aronofsky. Black Swan comes out in the US on December 3rd and it should turn out to be more than just the movie in which Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis kissed.
I've never really been a fan of Jake Gyllenhaal (now, his sister Maggie is another story), but I'm going to mention the following movie, as it also stars Anne Hathaway and she's done great in movies like Rachel Getting Married and The Devil Wears Prada. Jake and Anne have also appeared together in Brokeback Mountain, remember that one? Now they've teamed up again for Love and Other Drugs in which Anne plays an independent, free spirited woman who won't let anything tie her down...until she meets Jamie (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) a salesman who works in pharmaceuticals. Until it comes out (US release date : November, 24), the trailer will have to do for now.
I love Denzel Washington (who doesn't?). He's amazingly talented and one of the finest actors of the last decades. Now...please excuse me for a moment, while I ask him the following question :"What the heck are you doing?" His new movie, Unstoppable, seems like one of those movies we've already seen before...one too many times maybe. Yes, it's about a freight train carrying combustible liquids and poisonous gas and it needs to be stopped from wiping out a city. But...but...he already did the train movie last year with The Taking Of Pelham 123. Seriously, he needs to ease up on the train movies.
Unstoppable is from director and producer Tony Scott who also directed Denzel Washington in Crimson Tide, Man on Fire, Deja Vu and The Taking of Pelham 123. I'd like to give Unstoppable a decent review when it comes out, simply because I love Denzel Washington and well...Tony Scott isn't too bad either, but I'm not sure about how this will turn out. Check here for the trailer.
We're keeping it in the family for the next movie, directed by Jake Scott, son of director Ridley Scott and nephew of the above-mentioned director Tony Scott. Welcome to the Rileys has the following storyline : "On a business trip to New Orleans, a damaged man seeks salvation by caring for a wayward young woman". The cast includes Kristen Stewart (don't frown), James Gandolfini and Melissa Leo. It's an indie movie which will be out in limited distribution on November, 10. Here's your trailer.
Clint Eastwood is at it, yet again. He directs Hereafter, a drama centered on three people, a blue-collar American, a French journalist and a London school boy, who are all touched by death in different ways. The movie stars Matt Damon, it comes out in the US on October, 22 and it's rumored as a possible Oscar contender. Trailer here.
Secretariat is already out in the US and tells the story of the 1973 race horse winner who set an unbeaten record for winning the Triple Crown. The movie stars the lovely Diane Lane, alongside John Malkovich and might earn Diane Lane a second Oscar nomination. Click here to watch the trailer.
And for the end of Part One of this preview, I'm taking a look at The King's Speech starring Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce and Geoffrey Rush. The movie tells the story of the man who became King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II. It's got a great cast and I'm sure the acting is superb. This is the kind of movie that gets Oscar nominations, so expect to see several nods for this movie. Click here for trailer.
Part Two coming soon...
