Movies to keep an eye on
by stephencoulter | created - 28 Jul 2011 | updated - 28 Jul 2011 | PublicDoes 2011 seem like one of the worst movie years in recent memory? Yes, but no worries there are some gems on the horizon.
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1. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
PG-13 | 164 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
Eight years after the Joker's reign of chaos, Batman is coerced out of exile with the assistance of the mysterious Selina Kyle in order to defend Gotham City from the vicious guerrilla terrorist Bane.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman
Votes: 1,825,169 | Gross: $448.14M
Christopher Nolan's conclusion to the Batman Series. Whatever comes after this, it doesn't matter. Nobody will do the Cape Crusader justice like Nolan has. Christian Bale battles Tom Hardy and potentially Joseph Gordon Levitt in a sure fire classic. Anne Hathaway is the movie's variable. If this doesn't earn a best pick nom in 2013, I will be appalled.
2. Lincoln (2012)
PG-13 | 150 min | Biography, Drama, History
As the Civil War rages on, U.S President Abraham Lincoln struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on his decision to emancipate the slaves.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Votes: 272,447 | Gross: $182.21M
Spielberg is in the process of making a classic. I'm already excited to see Daniel Day Lewis win his third Oscar in 2013. Too bad Liam Neeson passed; however Day Lewis is the best in the business and this one will be a triumph for cinema.
3. J. Edgar (2011)
R | 137 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
J. Edgar Hoover, powerful head of the F.B.I. for nearly fifty years, looks back on his professional and personal life.
Director: Clint Eastwood | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Naomi Watts, Josh Hamilton
Votes: 133,567 | Gross: $37.31M
Clint hasn't exactly missed on his last two movies--Invictus and Hereafter--but neither was a best pic contender nor too memorable. J. Edgar may be one of his best as the famous star tackles the man who was the first president of the FBI. Could bring Leo home his first Oscar. Naomi Watts could be up there too.
4. Django Unchained (2012)
R | 165 min | Drama, Western
With the help of a German bounty-hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal plantation owner in Mississippi.
Director: Quentin Tarantino | Stars: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington
Votes: 1,692,187 | Gross: $162.81M
what a plot! too bad will smith passed. Tarentino is pretty perfect though, so not to be alarmed. the second of three upcoming leo movies on the list.
5. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
PG-13 | 169 min | Adventure, Fantasy
A reluctant Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, sets out to the Lonely Mountain with a spirited group of dwarves to reclaim their mountain home, and the gold within it from the dragon Smaug.
Director: Peter Jackson | Stars: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis
Votes: 872,293 | Gross: $303.00M
This has an amazing cast and nobody can doubt Peter Jackson after the LOTR series.
6. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
PG-13 | 161 min | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
The dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim Erebor, their homeland, from Smaug. Bilbo Baggins is in possession of a mysterious and magical ring.
Director: Peter Jackson | Stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott
Votes: 704,567 | Gross: $258.37M
the mariano rivera of the prequel-to-lord of the rings series should not disappoint.
7. Skyfall (2012)
PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond's loyalty to M is tested when her past comes back to haunt her. When MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.
Director: Sam Mendes | Stars: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Judi Dench
Votes: 730,633 | Gross: $304.36M
could be huge with javier bardem on board. i'd argue he's the best actor ever to appear in a bond movie, and he hasn't even appeared in one yet. now that's saying something.
8. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
R | 158 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for 40 years by young computer hacker Lisbeth Salander.
Director: David Fincher | Stars: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgård
Votes: 494,429 | Gross: $102.52M
could contend for best picture if the year is as weak as its been these first seven months. fincher is long deserved for best director.
9. Seven Psychopaths (2012)
R | 110 min | Comedy, Crime
A struggling screenwriter inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends kidnap a gangster's beloved Shih Tzu.
Director: Martin McDonagh | Stars: Colin Farrell, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken
Votes: 273,721 | Gross: $15.02M
dark comedy from the genius director of "in bruges"
10. Moneyball (2011)
PG-13 | 133 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to assemble a baseball team on a lean budget by employing computer-generated analysis to acquire new players.
Director: Bennett Miller | Stars: Brad Pitt, Robin Wright, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Votes: 464,019 | Gross: $75.61M
Michael Lewis's book hits the big screen this September with Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill starring. It will be up for best picture for sure.
11. Lawless (2012)
R | 116 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
Set in Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, a trio of bootlegging brothers are threatened by a new special deputy and other authorities angling for a cut of their profits.
Director: John Hillcoat | Stars: Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Guy Pearce, Jason Clarke
Votes: 253,308 | Gross: $37.40M
should be a big hit. great cast, great story. looking forward to this one.
12. The Ides of March (2011)
R | 101 min | Drama, Thriller
An idealistic staffer for a new presidential candidate gets a crash course on dirty politics during his stint on the campaign trail.
Director: George Clooney | Stars: Paul Giamatti, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ryan Gosling
Votes: 230,596 | Gross: $40.96M
speak of casting--gosling, clooney, hoffman, giamatti. 'nuff said. anyone who questions clooney as a director only needs to rewatch 2007's good night, good luck.
13. The Master (2012)
R | 138 min | Drama, History
A Naval veteran arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future - until he is tantalized by the Cause and its charismatic leader.
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson | Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Jesse Plemons
Votes: 186,047 | Gross: $16.38M
Plot description: A 1950s-set drama centered on the relationship between a charismatic intellectual known as "the Master" whose faith-based organization begins to catch on in America, and a young drifter who becomes his right-hand man. Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood). Stars: Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and.....drumroll....the return of Joaquin Phoenix. Should be awesome.
14. 50/50 (2011)
R | 100 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Inspired by a true story, a comedy centered on a 27-year-old guy who learns of his cancer diagnosis and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease.
Director: Jonathan Levine | Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard
Votes: 342,776 | Gross: $35.01M
Love the Gordon-Levitt/Rogen duo.
15. The Great Gatsby (2013)
PG-13 | 143 min | Drama, Romance
A writer and wall street trader, Nick Carraway, finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his mysterious millionaire neighbor, Jay Gatsby, amid the riotous parties of the Jazz Age.
Director: Baz Luhrmann | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Tobey Maguire
Votes: 596,172 | Gross: $144.84M
With Leo on board, this one can't miss.
16. Contraband (2012)
R | 109 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
To protect his brother-in-law from a drug lord, a former smuggler heads to Panama to score millions of dollars in counterfeit bills.
Director: Baltasar Kormákur | Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Giovanni Ribisi, Kate Beckinsale, Robert Wahlberg
Votes: 126,290 | Gross: $66.53M
A security guard with financial troubles considers a return to his smuggling ways when an associate offers a potentially lucrative opportunity. With Wahlberg.
17. A Dangerous Method (2011)
R | 99 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
A look at how the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gives birth to psychoanalysis.
Director: David Cronenberg | Stars: Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen, Vincent Cassel
Votes: 108,277 | Gross: $5.70M
A movie about clashing psychologists--Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortenson) and Karl Jung (Michael Fassbender). Although I'm not a fan of David Croenenberg, this one should be a surefire Oscar contender.
18. 30 Minutes or Less (2011)
R | 83 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Two fledgling criminals kidnap a pizza delivery guy, strap a bomb to his chest, and inform him that he has mere hours to rob a bank or else...
Director: Ruben Fleischer | Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Nick Swardson, Aziz Ansari
Votes: 106,589 | Gross: $37.05M
Could easily be the funniest movie of the year we'll see in two weeks.
19. Prometheus (I) (2012)
R | 124 min | Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Following clues to the origin of mankind, a team finds a structure on a distant moon, but they soon realize they are not alone.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron
Votes: 643,621 | Gross: $126.48M
Nobody can doubt Ridley Scott's greatness.
20. Gambit (I) (2012)
PG-13 | 89 min | Comedy, Crime
An art curator decides to seek revenge on his abusive boss by conning him into buying a fake Monet, but his plan requires the help of an eccentric and unpredictable Texas rodeo queen.
Director: Michael Hoffman | Stars: Colin Firth, Cameron Diaz, Alan Rickman, Stanley Tucci
Votes: 25,931
The Coen brothers are writing. Odd cast, but Firth is on fire and Alan Rickman lights up the Harry Potter movies with his dark and omenous composure.
21. Casa de mi Padre (2012)
R | 84 min | Comedy, Western
Scheming to save their father's ranch, the Alvarez brothers find themselves in a war with Mexico's most feared drug lord.
Director: Matt Piedmont | Stars: Will Ferrell, Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, Nick Offerman
Votes: 21,610 | Gross: $5.90M
Will Ferrell acts alongside the best young Latino actors out there. Should be a suprise comedy hit.
22. Man of Steel (2013)
PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
An alien child is evacuated from his dying world and sent to Earth to live among humans. His peace is threatened when other survivors of his home planet invade Earth.
Director: Zack Snyder | Stars: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane
Votes: 811,255 | Gross: $291.05M
I love the supporting cast they are putting around Henry Cavill (Superman)--Amy Adams, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Michael Shannon. It's unfortunate Russell Crowe is no longer in but with David S. Goyer (Batman Begins) writing everything should be ok.
23. Gangster Squad (2013)
R | 113 min | Action, Crime, Drama
It's 1949 Los Angeles, the city is run by gangsters and a malicious mobster, Mickey Cohen. Determined to end the corruption, John O'Mara assembles a team of cops, ready to take down the ruthless leader and restore peace to the city.
Director: Ruben Fleischer | Stars: Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Giovanni Ribisi
Votes: 222,645 | Gross: $46.00M
Plot: A chronicle of the LAPD's fight to keep East Coast Mafia types out of Los Angeles in the 1940s and 50s. Cast: Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin, Anthony Mackie, etc.
24. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
R | 127 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
In the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet Agent within MI6.
Director: Tomas Alfredson | Stars: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong
Votes: 212,334 | Gross: $24.15M
Looking forward to this one. Could be Gary Oldman's bid for his first Oscar nod.
25. The Bourne Legacy (2012)
PG-13 | 135 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
An expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum's novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the events of the previous three films.
Director: Tony Gilroy | Stars: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Scott Glenn
Votes: 315,434 | Gross: $113.20M
I have a big question mark next to this one. Could be a huge hit, could be a disaster.
26. The Rum Diary (2011)
R | 119 min | Comedy, Drama
American journalist Paul Kemp takes on a freelance job in Puerto Rico for a local newspaper during the 1960s and struggles to find a balance between island culture and the expatriates who live there.
Director: Bruce Robinson | Stars: Johnny Depp, Giovanni Ribisi, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Rispoli
Votes: 107,986 | Gross: $13.10M
Johnny Depp heads to the Caribean to star in another Hunter S. Thompson book, the first being Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
27. Carnage (2011)
R | 80 min | Comedy, Drama
Two pairs of parents hold a cordial meeting after their sons are involved in a fight, though as their time together progresses, increasingly childish behavior throws the discussion into chaos.
Director: Roman Polanski | Stars: Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly
Votes: 132,945 | Gross: $2.55M
Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet and Chrisopher Waltz star in this Roman Polanski comedy-drama that should stand out later this year.
28. On the Road (2012)
R | 124 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance
Young writer Sal Paradise has his life shaken by the arrival of free-spirited Dean Moriarty and his girl, Marylou. As they travel across the country, they encounter a mix of people who each impact their journey indelibly.
Director: Walter Salles | Stars: Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Amy Adams
Votes: 43,281 | Gross: $0.72M
One of my favorite all time books probably won't make the greatest movie, but I will for sure see it before it's out of theaters.
29. Hugo (2011)
PG | 126 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
In 1931 Paris, an orphan living in the walls of a train station gets wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Asa Butterfield, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Lee, Ben Kingsley
Votes: 336,651 | Gross: $73.86M
Martin Scorsese's 2011 movie is more than just a kid flick. It should be spellbinding, wouldn't be suprised if it was a dark horse in the best picture race.
30. My Week with Marilyn (2011)
R | 99 min | Biography, Drama
Colin Clark, an employee of Sir Laurence Olivier, documents the tense interaction between Olivier and Marilyn Monroe during the production of The Prince and the Showgirl (1957).
Director: Simon Curtis | Stars: Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne, Kenneth Branagh, Julia Ormond
Votes: 89,573 | Gross: $14.60M
1 of 2 movies that will contend for best actress award this year. Michelle Williams will deliver a marquee performance in this film.
31. The Iron Lady (2011)
PG-13 | 105 min | Biography, Drama
An elderly Margaret Thatcher talks to the imagined presence of her recently deceased husband as she struggles to come to terms with his death while scenes from her past life, from girlhood to British prime minister, intervene.
Director: Phyllida Lloyd | Stars: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Richard E. Grant, Susan Brown
Votes: 113,569 | Gross: $30.02M
Meryl Streep will be Williams' contender this year for best actress as she dons the garbs as Queen of Great Britain.
32. The Hunger Games (2012)
PG-13 | 142 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Katniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister's place in the Hunger Games: a televised competition in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to fight to the death.
Director: Gary Ross | Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Stanley Tucci
Votes: 1,002,669 | Gross: $408.01M
Jennifer Lawrence is bound for greatness. This will be her series and it will remembered, mark my words.
33. Trance (I) (2013)
R | 101 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
An art auctioneer becomes mixed up with a group of criminals partners with a hypnotherapist in order to recover a lost painting.
Director: Danny Boyle | Stars: James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson, Vincent Cassel, Danny Sapani
Votes: 117,669 | Gross: $2.32M
Danny Boyle's upcoming thriller is in pre-production, but he's proven himself throughout his career as one of Hollywood's best.
34. Killing Them Softly (2012)
R | 97 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Jackie Cogan is an enforcer hired to restore order after three dumb guys rob a Mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse.
Director: Andrew Dominik | Stars: Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta, Richard Jenkins, Scoot McNairy
Votes: 153,013 | Gross: $15.03M
Cast: Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta, Richard Jenkins, James Gandolfini and Garret Dillahunt. Speaks for itself really.
35. Hemingway & Fuentes
Biography, Drama | Announced
Writer Ernest Hemingway befriends boat captain, Gregorio Fuentes, who inspires him to pen the famous tale "The Old Man and the Sea."
Director: Andy Garcia | Star: Andy Garcia
An inside look at how Earnest Hemingway's classic novel "The Old Man and the Sea" came to be. Andy Garcia directs and Anthony Hopkins stars.
36. Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
PG | 130 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
A small-time magician is swept away to an enchanted land and is forced into a power struggle between three witches.
Director: Sam Raimi | Stars: James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz, Mila Kunis
Votes: 214,211 | Gross: $234.91M
James Franco, Mila Kunis and Rachel Weisz star in this sure to be masterpiece of the prequel to the Wizard of Oz.
37. Under the Banner of Heaven (2022)
TV-MA | 67 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A devout detective's faith is tested as he investigates a brutal murder seemingly connected to an esteemed Utah family's spiral into LDS fundamentalism and their distrust in the government.
Stars: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Denise Gough
Votes: 34,571
Ron Howard has gotten on board to direct Jon Krakauer's (Into the Wild, Into Thin Air) novel about a double-murder in Mormon country. When it comes out it should be a gripping movie.
38. Savages (I) (2012)
R | 131 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Pot growers Ben and Chon face off against the Mexican drug cartel who kidnapped their shared girlfriend.
Director: Oliver Stone | Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Benicio Del Toro
Votes: 134,453 | Gross: $47.38M
Having an Oliver Stone movie on the list is an alarming sign to those still scrolling, but this one is intriguing with Taylor Kirsch (Friday Night Lights) and Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild) as its anchors with veterans like John Travolta, Salma Hayek, Uma Thurman and Benico Del Toro.
39. 360 (2011)
R | 110 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A modern and stylish kaleidoscope of interconnected love and relationships linking characters from different cities and countries in a vivid, suspenseful and deeply moving tale of romantic life in the 21st century.
Director: Fernando Meirelles | Stars: Rachel Weisz, Jude Law, Anthony Hopkins, Ben Foster
Votes: 17,456 | Gross: $0.10M
Don't know much about it but it's got an amazing cast.
40. War Horse (2011)
PG-13 | 146 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A young farm boy enlists to serve in World War I after his beloved horse is sold to the cavalry. His hopeful journey takes him out of England and onto the front lines as the war rages on.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Benedict Cumberbatch
Votes: 165,496 | Gross: $79.88M
Spielberg epic tale about a girl and a horse, should be a classic.
41. Young Adult (2011)
R | 94 min | Comedy, Drama
Soon after her divorce, a fiction writer returns to her home in small-town Minnesota, looking to rekindle a romance with her ex-boyfriend who is now happily married and has a newborn daughter.
Director: Jason Reitman | Stars: Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, Patton Oswalt, Elizabeth Reaser
Votes: 87,870 | Gross: $16.31M
Jason Reitman has been on a tear recently. Same with writer Diablo Cody. With Charlize Theron as the lead actress, this should be a delight.
42. Coriolanus (2011)
R | 123 min | Drama, Thriller, War
A banished hero of Rome allies with a sworn enemy to take his revenge on the city.
Director: Ralph Fiennes | Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Gerard Butler, Brian Cox, Lubna Azabal
Votes: 33,503 | Gross: $0.76M
Ralph Fiennes could be going up for an Oscar alongside Leo, Gary Oldman and Brad Pitt. Tough company.
43. Contagion (2011)
PG-13 | 106 min | Drama, Thriller
Healthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.
Director: Steven Soderbergh | Stars: Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow
Votes: 315,723 | Gross: $75.66M
The casting is nearly flawless and this plot sounds pretty ridiculous, definitely one to keep an eye on.
44. Natural Selection (2011)
R | 90 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Having discovered that her dying husband has an illegitimate child living in Florida, a devout Christian housewife leaves her sheltered world on a mission to reunite father and son.
Director: Robbie Pickering | Stars: Matt O'Leary, Rachael Harris, John Diehl, Gayland Williams
Votes: 1,475 | Gross: $0.05M
Has been building up buzz around the indie circuit. Could be a dark horse in the best picture race. You heard it here first.
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