Blockbusters...who needs them in 2013.
1. The Spectacular Now
I love a good high school drama that doesn't try to be funny and doesn't attempt to fit into the same conventional archetypal high school film.
A film focusing on real teenagers in real life situations is something anyone older or younger can relate to. It's been done before with The Breakfast Club, Perks of Being a Wallflower, and possibly though not directly 10 Things I hate About You and now The Spectacular Now. Starring Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller, relative newcomers with a back catalogue of decent dramas, this is their chance to shine, with past roles as George Clooney's daughter in The Descendants and the criminal son in Rabbit Hole to name their incredible debuts into Hollywood.
This high school film focuses on adolescence in the 21st century, discovering who they are, who they could be and what they want to be. Through love, life, family, relationships. It looks like an unconventional story about two high school seniors who shouldn't even be thought of as friends or a couple. The popular "life of the party" boy and the "good grades" girl.
There isn't a release date for the UK yet, but around August time hopefully fingers crossed.
2. The Fifth Estate
Benedict Cumberbatch can do and be anybody . He has proved it in several roles and he will definitely be up there with the greats after playing Julian Assange the Australian journalist who created Wikileaks and managed to uncover thousands of classified military documents from whistleblowers that changed the world of journalism forever.
This film looks to be the most intriguing film of the year for me personally, because I studied the story of Wikileaks from the beginning to the present in 2011 for my journalism dissertation at university.
The trailer sets the film up to be a serious propaganda type film, possibly showing everything about the creation and eventual success of the biggest "not-for-profit media organisation."
Whilst focusing on Julian Assange, through the creating and maintaining of journalistic integrity with protecting sources to the biggest leaks of classified documents.
"If you want the truth you should seek it out for yourself, that's what they're afraid of....you." An intriguing quote from Cumberbatch as Assange, who does a wicked Australian accent.
The film will be released in October. But whether people will be as interested in this film about computer techno geniuses as it was with Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg is a different kettle of fish.
The man with great power, Wikileaks, reminds me quite a bit of Woodward and Bernstein with their uncovering of the Nixon debacle of the 1970s.
"You can't change the world without crashing the system."
3. Frances Ha
Greta Gerwig stars as the titular heroine Frances in director Noah Baumbach's film about a woman who dreams of being a modern dancer, but doesn't really get what she wants as she struggles in this comedy drama.
The film is shot in black and white, which harks back to the Woody Allen film Manhattan. It has that feel of being different to normal films about struggling dancers or 20-somethings trying to make it in the big apple.
The trailer is eccentric, funny and amusing. As Frances hasn't exactly grown up even though she's in her mid twenties; she's still play fighting with her best friend, having tantrums over losing board games and generally being hopelessly hopeful with her career as a modern dancer that never really takes off.
What sold this film for me was the use of David Bowie's Modern Love to accompany the trailer. A brilliant track about never giving into the conventional life. Greta Gerwig co-wrote the film along with boyfriend director Baumbach so this seems like a very personal film.
I love a film about unconventional people trying to find their way in their own complicated lives, through love, relationships and funny social events. (Something very unconventionally improper about being proper in society in this day and age.)
It should be released on July 26th so not long to wait for this one.
4. 12 Years A Slave
Steve McQueen is a one of a kind critically acclaimed British director. He's created some of the most uncompromising, intelligent films about unconventional subject matters in the past decade.
His debut film Hunger is about Irish republican Bobby Sands played by Michael Fassbender, who leads inmates in a hunger strike in a Northern Irish prison in the 1980s; thus leading to his eventual death.
His second film Shame was critically acclaimed and featured lead actor Michael Fassbender in their second collaboration. Focusing on Fassbender's characters personal struggles with sex addiction, the film was r rated and earned many awards recognition, with nods for both actor and director at the awards ceremonies.
This years topic focuses upon slavery, with last year's Lincoln centering on Abraham Lincoln abolishing slavery, this years film is from the viewpoint of a real life slave; Solomon Northup a free man who is deceived, kidnapped and sold into slavery in pre-civil war America.
Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Solomon who in this momentous first trailer for the dramatic but extraordinary true story, remains hopeful in the face of despair for 12 years of his life spent as a slave.
"I will survive...I will keep myself hardy until freedom is opportune." Combining this powerful quote with a score by Hans Zimmer and acting talent to boot will surely see this as a strong contender for the Oscars and other award accolades in 2014.
With little else besides the exposition about Solomon's character and his hardship, we see little snippets of minor characters in his story; with only screen shots of Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti and a short conversation with Brad Pitt's character in the first few seconds of the trailer.
The film boasts some serious acting talent, with the likes of Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti as well as Michael Fassbender and Chiwetel Ejiofor. The film looks set to be released in time for awards season some time around January 2014 in the UK.
5. Austenland
Austenland is a refreshingly upbeat romantic comedy set within modern times of a woman obsessed with the world of Austen and Pride and Prejudice, especially with the ever popular BBC adaptation with Colin Firth.
Starring Keri Russell, J.J Feild who played Mr Tilney in ITV1's adaptation of Northanger Abbey, Bret McKenzie from Flight of the Conchords and Jennifer Coolidge from the American Pie films; the film is based on the book by Shannon Hale of the same title.
Jane Hayes obsessed with Pride and Prejudice decides to travel to Britain to a Jane Austen theme park in a search for her perfect gentleman like in Austen's books. She doesn't seem the perfect heroine, as portrayed in Austen's novels, but manages to spark attention in her unconventional ways.
Now I love, love, a good period drama, but this mixed with a romantic comedy, is an even better concept. I plan on seeing this film when it arrives on our shores on 27th September.
I love a good high school drama that doesn't try to be funny and doesn't attempt to fit into the same conventional archetypal high school film.
A film focusing on real teenagers in real life situations is something anyone older or younger can relate to. It's been done before with The Breakfast Club, Perks of Being a Wallflower, and possibly though not directly 10 Things I hate About You and now The Spectacular Now. Starring Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller, relative newcomers with a back catalogue of decent dramas, this is their chance to shine, with past roles as George Clooney's daughter in The Descendants and the criminal son in Rabbit Hole to name their incredible debuts into Hollywood.
This high school film focuses on adolescence in the 21st century, discovering who they are, who they could be and what they want to be. Through love, life, family, relationships. It looks like an unconventional story about two high school seniors who shouldn't even be thought of as friends or a couple. The popular "life of the party" boy and the "good grades" girl.
There isn't a release date for the UK yet, but around August time hopefully fingers crossed.
2. The Fifth Estate
Benedict Cumberbatch can do and be anybody . He has proved it in several roles and he will definitely be up there with the greats after playing Julian Assange the Australian journalist who created Wikileaks and managed to uncover thousands of classified military documents from whistleblowers that changed the world of journalism forever.
This film looks to be the most intriguing film of the year for me personally, because I studied the story of Wikileaks from the beginning to the present in 2011 for my journalism dissertation at university.
The trailer sets the film up to be a serious propaganda type film, possibly showing everything about the creation and eventual success of the biggest "not-for-profit media organisation."
Whilst focusing on Julian Assange, through the creating and maintaining of journalistic integrity with protecting sources to the biggest leaks of classified documents.
"If you want the truth you should seek it out for yourself, that's what they're afraid of....you." An intriguing quote from Cumberbatch as Assange, who does a wicked Australian accent.
The film will be released in October. But whether people will be as interested in this film about computer techno geniuses as it was with Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg is a different kettle of fish.
The man with great power, Wikileaks, reminds me quite a bit of Woodward and Bernstein with their uncovering of the Nixon debacle of the 1970s.
"You can't change the world without crashing the system."
3. Frances Ha
Greta Gerwig stars as the titular heroine Frances in director Noah Baumbach's film about a woman who dreams of being a modern dancer, but doesn't really get what she wants as she struggles in this comedy drama.
The film is shot in black and white, which harks back to the Woody Allen film Manhattan. It has that feel of being different to normal films about struggling dancers or 20-somethings trying to make it in the big apple.
The trailer is eccentric, funny and amusing. As Frances hasn't exactly grown up even though she's in her mid twenties; she's still play fighting with her best friend, having tantrums over losing board games and generally being hopelessly hopeful with her career as a modern dancer that never really takes off.
What sold this film for me was the use of David Bowie's Modern Love to accompany the trailer. A brilliant track about never giving into the conventional life. Greta Gerwig co-wrote the film along with boyfriend director Baumbach so this seems like a very personal film.
I love a film about unconventional people trying to find their way in their own complicated lives, through love, relationships and funny social events. (Something very unconventionally improper about being proper in society in this day and age.)
It should be released on July 26th so not long to wait for this one.
4. 12 Years A Slave
Steve McQueen is a one of a kind critically acclaimed British director. He's created some of the most uncompromising, intelligent films about unconventional subject matters in the past decade.
His debut film Hunger is about Irish republican Bobby Sands played by Michael Fassbender, who leads inmates in a hunger strike in a Northern Irish prison in the 1980s; thus leading to his eventual death.
His second film Shame was critically acclaimed and featured lead actor Michael Fassbender in their second collaboration. Focusing on Fassbender's characters personal struggles with sex addiction, the film was r rated and earned many awards recognition, with nods for both actor and director at the awards ceremonies.
This years topic focuses upon slavery, with last year's Lincoln centering on Abraham Lincoln abolishing slavery, this years film is from the viewpoint of a real life slave; Solomon Northup a free man who is deceived, kidnapped and sold into slavery in pre-civil war America.
Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Solomon who in this momentous first trailer for the dramatic but extraordinary true story, remains hopeful in the face of despair for 12 years of his life spent as a slave.
"I will survive...I will keep myself hardy until freedom is opportune." Combining this powerful quote with a score by Hans Zimmer and acting talent to boot will surely see this as a strong contender for the Oscars and other award accolades in 2014.
With little else besides the exposition about Solomon's character and his hardship, we see little snippets of minor characters in his story; with only screen shots of Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti and a short conversation with Brad Pitt's character in the first few seconds of the trailer.
The film boasts some serious acting talent, with the likes of Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti as well as Michael Fassbender and Chiwetel Ejiofor. The film looks set to be released in time for awards season some time around January 2014 in the UK.
5. Austenland
Austenland is a refreshingly upbeat romantic comedy set within modern times of a woman obsessed with the world of Austen and Pride and Prejudice, especially with the ever popular BBC adaptation with Colin Firth.
Starring Keri Russell, J.J Feild who played Mr Tilney in ITV1's adaptation of Northanger Abbey, Bret McKenzie from Flight of the Conchords and Jennifer Coolidge from the American Pie films; the film is based on the book by Shannon Hale of the same title.
Jane Hayes obsessed with Pride and Prejudice decides to travel to Britain to a Jane Austen theme park in a search for her perfect gentleman like in Austen's books. She doesn't seem the perfect heroine, as portrayed in Austen's novels, but manages to spark attention in her unconventional ways.
Now I love, love, a good period drama, but this mixed with a romantic comedy, is an even better concept. I plan on seeing this film when it arrives on our shores on 27th September.
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