2019 In Memoriam: May – June

Chris Reccardi (November 24, 1964 – May 2, 2019)

Growing up in the 80s was a wonderful time for Kids cartoons, something which carried over into the 90s as we marched towards teen years. Reccardi was a major contributing force towards the quality of these shows, directing, animating, writing, and scoring on a variety of classics including Ren And Stimpy, Tiny Toon Adventures, The Lego Batman Movie, The Simpsons, Spongebob Squarepants, and The Powerpuff Girls.

Freddie Starr ( 9 January 1943 – 9 May 2019)

Freddie Starr was for a while Britain’s most popular stand-up comedian with an energy and physical style unmatched in the early 70s. His career continued throughout the next couple of decades with highs and low, appearing on gameshows and his own TV shows. Like many performers of the period, allegations involving his personal life began to surface in his later life which seems to have resulted in a withdrawal to Spain and near bankruptcy. He will be remembered as an influence on many of Britain’s physical comedians and his virtuoso performances.

Peggy Lipton (August 30, 1946 – May 11, 2019)

Man, this one hurt. Peggy Lipton was one of the most beautiful people to ever grace our screens and lives, inside and out, and a terrific actress too. The extended Twin Peaks family has lost a few big names in the last couple of years so it seems all the more bittersweet that we got The Return at all. Her Norma Jennings was one of the most grounded characters in the show and someone who was always a pleasure to see, set against the darkness and weirdness elsewhere. Lipton also one a Golden Globe for another cult show – The Mod Squad, was married to Quincy Jones for almost twenty years, and her kids Kidada and Rashida are now popular actresses.

Machiko Kyo (March 25, 1924 – May 12, 2019)

Machiko Kyo was one of the last surviving performers from Japan’s Golden Age, most famous for her breakthrough lead in Rashomon. Elsewhere, she was nominated for a GOlden Globe working alongside Brando in The Teahouse Of The August Moon and also appeared in Floating Weeds and Bad Obsession. 

Doris Day (April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019)

From the Golden Age of Japan to the Golden Age of Hollywood, Doris Day was one of the biggest draws of radio and screen in the 50s and 60s, as well as being one of the most high profile animal rights activists of the 20th Century. She was only nominated for a single Oscar, but won 5 Golden Globes and four Grammys. She will be remembered for Que Sera Sera, Pillow Talk, Calamity Jane, and The Man Who Knew Too Much. 

Ashley Massaro (May 26, 1979 – May 16, 2019)

Beyond being a model, DJ, and TV host, Massaro will be most remembered for her time with the WWE. She was a winner of WWE’s Diva Search around the time I was winding down from watching it again – the Company was branching out into reality TV ventures which I only watched in passing. She feuded on and off with Mickie James and Vince’s Devils and later Melina before leaving to look after her daughter.

Niki Lauda (22 February 1949 – 20 May 2019)

As a bloke from Great Britain, at some point in your life you’re going to be exposed to Formula 1 – it’s like Nascar, but with skill. I watched on and off for a very short window when I was young before admitting to myself that it was boring and that the technology in the car was more important than the skill of the driver. While I was always much more of a motorcycle fan, there was no getting away from Niki Lauda, unquestionably one of the finest drivers the sport has scene and someone who was always mentioned even though I grew up after his heyday.

Judith Kerr OBE (14 June 1923 – 22 May 2019)

Again, you don’t grow up in GB without being exposed to Judith Kerr’s books. Fleeing Nazi Germany just as their power was rising, Kerr began writing when her children were young and kept going until close to her death, giving us numerous classics including The Tiger Who Came To Tea, and the delightful Mog series.

Mou Tun Fei ((May 3, 1941 – May 25, 2019)

An infamous Chinese Director known for some ‘extreme’ movies which are generally seen as a badge of honour for horror viewers and fans of Cinema which pushes the boundaries of decency. While he dabbled with other genres while working at Shaw Brothers, he remains most known for Men Behind The Sun.

 

Jose Antonio Reyes (1 September 1983 – 1 June 2019)

For lack of a better word, it’s always strange… tragic, when someone the same age or younger than you dies. Dying under the age of forty now is still considered too young to go and while Reyes was nearing the end of a football career which saw him picking up the Premier League, the FA Cup, the Spanish League, and a record five Europa League titles, his enduring popularity in Spain and England likely meant a continuing career as a pundit, commentator, or manager.

Sylvia Miles (September 9, 1924 – June 12, 2019)

In a career spanning eight decades, Miles was a frequent figure on stage and screen often selecting challenging roles in a variety of genres and tackling material many of her peers would have sniffed at. A two time Academy Award nominee, she will be remembered for Midnight Cowboy, Funhouse, and the Wall Street series.

Franco Zeffirelli (12 February 1923 – 15 June 2019)

Say what you will about his politics – serving as a Senator for a right wing party and aligning himself with the Roman Catholic Church on a number of divisive issues, yet coming out as gay himself late in life, Zeffirelli was a producer and director on some of the most notable works of European film and opera of the 20th Century. He will  be remembered for Tea With Mussolini, Jesus Of Nazareth, and Romeo And Juliet. 

Billy Drago (November 30, 1945 – June 24, 2019)

Billy Drago was never quite as big as his performances shown he should have been. Usually cast, often brilliantly, as a villain, Drago’s trademark snarl and accent meant he had a tendency to steal scenes from much larger names. Never afraid to take on challenging roles across the world and in any genre, Drago featured in gangster epics, martial arts movies, horror series, Westerns, and more. For me, he’ll always be the dastardly hitman Frank Nitti in The Untouchables but he will also be remembered for Pale Rider, Charmed, Masters Of Horror, and the infamous China White.

Share your memories and thoughts on any of the people above in the comments.

2019 In Memoriam: Jan – Feb

As another year draws to a close we bid heartfelt farewells to those we have loved and lost. I, as you no doubt have too, have suffered some personal losses this year, but the purpose of this post is to remember and say goodbye to those from the world of Sport, of Show Business, or who spent some part of their life in a spotlight. Many of you reading this are likely reaching an age where the people you looked up to in your younger years, whether they be actors, musicians, writers, athletes, or experts in their discipline, are nearing the end or have drawn their last breath. It sucks, but never forget what they achieved and what they meant to you. This list is by no means complete and merely represents those who meant something to me and that I know have died in these past twelve months.

Michel Legrand (24 February 1932 – 26 January 2019)

Legrand was primarily a composer of movie and TV scores, but may be most readily remembered for some of his hit songs – including the Oscar winning Windows Of Your Mind. His songwriting work netted him five further Oscar nominations while his Musical Scores garnered an additional five Oscar nominations, including 2 more wins for Yentl and Summer Of ’42.

Gene Okerlund (December 19, 1942 – January 2, 2019)

‘Mean’ Gene Okerlund was every bit as iconic a part of the WWF throughout the 1980s as Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, and The Ultimate Warrior were. The straight man in the midst of the surrounding macho insanity, Gene always has a poker-faced quip in his pocket and continued that success in a mid-nineties stint with WCW. In recent years he became a WWE Hall Of Famer and worked behind the scenes on many of their Network programming.

Andrew G Vajna (1 August 1944 – 20 January 2019)

In terms of Producers, Vajna was an underrated heavyweight and his name also seemed to be attached to many of my most favourite movies growing up. Cynically left out of the Academy Memoriam, he helped create and release many classics including the Rambo series, Total Recall, Tombstone, The Changling, Die Hard With A Vengeance.

Dick Miller (December 25, 1928 – January 30, 2019)

Dick Miller was another one of those faces who consistently popped up in the movies and TV I adored in my youth. With a career starting in the mid 1950s, he has appeared in Gremlins, The Terminator, The Dirty Dozen, New York New York, The Howling, InnerSpace, Pulp Fiction, and over twenty Roger Corman movies.

Clive Swift (9 February 1936 – 1 February 2019)

Known most widely as Rrrrichad (Richard), the long suffering husband of Hyacinth Bucket in the ever so English sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, Swift had appeared on stage and screen since the 1960s he also appeared in successes including A Passage To India, Frenzy, and Excalibur.

Albert Finney (9 May 1936 – 7 February 2019)

One of the great English actors of stage and screen, Finney never picked up an Oscar despite receiving five nominations. His most notable performances include Tom Jones, Scrooge, Murder On The Orient Express, and Erin Brockovich as well as memorable appearances in Skyfall, Wolfen, Big Fish, and The Gathering Storm.

Gordon Banks (30 December 1937 – 12 February 2019)

Frequently named England’s finest goalkeeper, and one of the greatest of all time, Banks played over 70 times for England, winning the World Cup once. At League level he played mainly for Stoke and Leicester, becoming the six time winner of FIFA’s Goalkeeper Of The Year.

Carmen Argenziano (October 27, 1943 – February 10, 2019)

While never a household name, Carmen has featured in many notable movies and series, typically in a tough guy supporting role, but it wasn’t until his recurring performances in SG1 that he cemented his status as a respected cult performer. During his career he appeared in Melrose Place, The Godfather 2, Don Juan De Marco, and Angels & Demons.

Jan Michael Vincent (July 15, 1944 – February 10, 2019)

Sadly, there was to be no triumphant ending to another of Hollywood’s tragic tales. Vincent was frequently said to be the next big thing in his early days at the tail end of the 1960s but in spite of a string of hits both cult and legitimate, his reliance on alcohol saw a promising career fall to the wayside. Most loved for his portrayal of Stringfellow Hawk in Airwolf, Vincent also appeared in The Mechanic, Big Wednesday, The Winds Of War, and Going Home.

Bruno Ganz (22 March 1941 – 16 February 2019)

While he has certainly been immortalized in memes thanks to his wonderful turn as Adolf Hitler in Downfall, Ganz had been performing for more than fifty years on stage and screen as one of Europe’s most respected actors. He will be remembered for performances in films including Nosferatu The Vampyre, Wings Of Desire, and The House That Jack Built.

Stanley Donen (April 13, 1924 – February 21, 2019)

Donen may not be a household name but he has been responsible for many of Cinema’s most iconic moments. While I am in now way a fan of Musicals, Donen is one of a handful of figures to truly revolutionize the genre, making the movies more than mere stage adaptations. He is remembered for directing On The Town, Singin In The Rain, Funny Face, and Charade.

Andre Previn KBE (April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019)

Previn was one of the most successful composers in the early sound days of Hollywood, before embarking on both off screen and small screen adventures. He picked up four Academy Awards on his travels, along with ten Grammy Awards before receiving a Knighthood. Some of his most notable work includes My Fair Lady, Gigi, and Bad Day At Black Rock.

Aron Tager (June 30, 1934 – February 28, 2019)

Long time readers of everything I write will no doubt be familiar with Aron Tager – appearing as he did in Are You Afraid Of The Dark. It only seems fitting that we mention his passing. Tager was a renowned voice performer beyond his appearances in front of the camera and also carved his own career as an artist and poet. He will be remembered for Donkey Kong Country, Universal Soldier Series, and Richard Scarry.

Feel free to leave your thoughts and memories of any of the people mentioned above or anyone else who passed away Jan-Feb 2019.

 

2019 In Film – A Preview – July

Annabelle 3

The first one wasn’t great and I haven’t seen the second one. These must still be making money – not a surprise when they’re cheap to make, but this will almost certainly be more loud jump-scares and little else.

Spider-Man: Far From Home

I’ve seen the Raimi trilogy, but haven’t seen any since. Was there another trilogy before this latest series? Or just a couple of films? I’m sure I’ll get to them one day.

17 Bridges

A cop thriller with a cat and mouse chase around Manhattan. They could go classy on this and make it like Sicario or more likely it could be like a TV movie or stretched TV episode. The cast is okay – only Keith David really stands out to me as someone to get me interested, and the director is mainly known for his TV work.

Stuber

Looks like a modern buddy movie – I don’t think many of these have worked recently and this will most likely go the same way. When these work they’re always entertaining, and it will be cool seeing Bautista and Iko Uwais going toe to toe. Director Michael Dowse has so far directed the sorts of comedies I actively avoid so I can’t see this being too hot.

The Lion King

Yet another Disney remake and yet another ‘why’. I’m not as precious about The Lion King as some people are, but beyond money there is no reason for this to exist. I’m sure it can’t possibly capture the magic of the original – like any of these remakes – but it’ll be pretty to look at.

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

The big one. Tarantino’s movies have been more on the average side for me recently, not since Inglorious Basterds. Django was okay, and The Hateful Eight was probably his weakest. This is the film he has wanted to make for years and it’s the one fans like me have wanted to see. I’d rather he made this in his early days than now, and I’d rather it wasn’t related to the Manson stuff as that seems needlessly exploitative and I’m more interested in Tarantino’s vision of 60s/70s Hollywood.

Wish Dragon

I don’t know what this is, other than it is an animation with voice work by Jackie Chan.

Is that it? Where did all the movies go? Which ones are you looking forward to?

2019 In Film – A Preview – May

The Kid

Another Indie flick directed by Vincent D’Onforio, this time it’s a Western about Billy The Kid and Pat Garrett. We’ve seen that story on screen countless times now, but it looks like here it’s viewed through the eyes of some random child. For an Indie film there are a couple of big names starring – Ethan Hawke and Chris Pratt.

UglyDolls

This sounds like it could be terrible – an animation by Troublemaker Studios with voice ‘talent’ including Pitbull, Kelly Clarkson, a Jonas etc, based on a toy fad from 20 years ago. The music in the trailer is atrocious…. and that’s about it. One for the kids.

The Hustle

A remake of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Well, I didn’t like that film and it’s being directed by a semi-popular English stand-up comedian that I’m not too interested in. He’s starred in TV shows over here too, but none I’ve seen. Looks like they’re going the Ghostbusters remake and making it about the ladies. That worked well last time. Why not just create an original story? The only reason the original was interesting was because it was about old guys. This time it’s about the young and pretty. I have no reason in the world to see this beyond saying I’ve seen it.

Detective Pikachu

This caused a bit of a ruckus though? Not sure why. I’ve never played a proper Pokemon game so I have no attachment. It’ll probably be bad, but they might go The Lego Movie route and get lucky.

My Son

French film about a man searching for his son, directed by Christian Carion. He starred in Tell No One which I liked, and he directed Joyeux Noel which I liked. Plus, Melanie Laurent is in it, along with Guillaume Canet. This is actually a 2017 film, getting a US release now.

Wild Rose

Scottish singer dreams of being a star in Nashville. No thanks. I like Sophie Okonedo, but everyone else and everything thing else about this screams ‘avoid at all costs’ for me.

The Third Wife

So, the poster is supposed to be a bleeding vagina, right? Set in 19th Century Vietnam, which is something new to me and it’s about a young girl about to be married. Don’t know anything else about anyone involved.

John Wick 3

I haven’t seen the second, I liked the first, and I’m usually up for anything Keanu wants to do. More guns, more bad guys getting blasted to pieces, what more do you need?

The Sun Is Also A Star

The synopsis simply reads ‘a teenager finds love at a difficult time in her family’s life’. Directed, written, and starring mostly women I’m not familiar with so possibly a unique perspective or possibly more of the same.

Ad Astra

This one has been talked about for a while – a sci-fi thriller with Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland heading a large extended cast. It’s James Gray’s follow up to The Lost City Of Z which I thoroughly enjoyed so I’m hoping for more adventure and soft philosophical ruminations.

Aladdin

Another Disney remake and more howling of ‘why’ at the sky. I don’t see how they can improve upon the original, but that’s not really the point is it. This is nothing more than Disney showing off how rich they are, how fancy they can make a world look, and how much more money they can make off us. No doubt it will be perfectly serviceable, but why they would give a Muslim love story of magic and wonder to Cockney hack Guy Ritchie, who hasn’t had a hit in ever, is anyone’s guess.

Booksmart

Olivia Wilde’s feature directing debut. Unfortunately the plot sounds terrible – two smart girls realize they spent their time in school studying instead of ‘having fun’ and decide to pile in all the fun in one night. In other words – I don’t care.

Bright Burn

So, I’m writing all these Preview posts on the same day and in one of the later or earlier months there’s an X-Men spin off where I mention how superhero and horror movies seem like the perfect – no, that’s not the right word – seem like the correct crossover. It looks like we’re getting a few of these this year, with Brightburn looking like another. If studios are all playing this game then of course it means it’s going to get saturated pretty quickly, but this will be one of the first. Lets hope it’s not cheapened and they go full horror. I’m not a huge fan of Elizabeth Banks and don’t have a definite opinion on the rest of the cast, but I’m hoping for something good with this.

Minecraft: The Movie

I’ve never played the game, but you’d have to have been living under a block (heh) to know exactly what it is. I’m surprised it’s taken till now to cash in with a movie, but I’m also fairly certain there’s already been a TV series/movie on it. Surely the only question here is how bad it can actually be?

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters

I need to go back and watch Godzilla and Kong Island again – I liked them at the time but can remember very little about them. A director I like, a cast I like, and the trailer makes it look huge. lets hope the story is good and not just an excuse for big beasties to knock lumps out of each other.

Rocketman

I never liked the original… it was boring, too nicey nice. Only joking, this is Elton John we’re talking about, not the superhero. I’m not an Elton fan either so I’ll pass. Is this going to be the next thing – bios of 70s pop rock stars – after that Queen one? How long until they get to someone I’m actually interested in, like Alice Cooper or Led Zep? Never? I’m fine with that, cheers.

The Rosie Project

This has a long history, which has become gradually less inspiring – originally Jennifer Lawrence was attached, dropped out, Linklater was due to direct, turned it down, and now it’s all people you’ve never heard of. It’s a romance based on a hit Australian novel about a scientist who is useless with women who decides to make a questionnaire to assess how suitable each woman he meets is for him. In other words, this should be a horror movie, not a romance. Then again, we already have Audition, so good luck topping that. Won’t be seeing this.

Let us know which of the above movies you’ll excited about seeing!

2019 In Film – A Preview – April

Shazam!

David Sandberg joins the comic world takeover….. I don’t really know what this is. Again I’ve heard bloggers and people on Facebook talk about it but I don’t know anything about the character. I thought he was meant to be some sort of joke? No idea, I’m sure I won’t see this for many a year.

Pet Sematary

King’s book is one of the most legitimately horrific books in history, utterly heartbreaking, bleak, and horrible. Everyone knows the original movie, with its great make-up and one-liners. I have a feeling this will be more tame, but you can be sure I’ll see it anyway. If it really goes for the throat, it could be a classic, but mainstream horror these days usually avoids going full dark, though there has been a turn in the tides somewhat. I’ve no idea who the directors are, so I don’t have high hopes.

Farmageddon

It’s Shaun The Sheep. These are usually funny and charming enough.

Hellboy

The Hellboy movies, and those comic book movies in general which don’t form part of some extended universe are always more interesting to me. There’s no concern about what’s going to happen next and no as much worry about pissing hardcore fans off. That being said, I don’t think this needs to be rebooted and even though it’s Neil Marshall directing and Milla Jovovich, I can’t get too excited. This should have been part three of the original trilogy with Perlman and Del Toro, but alas.

Missing Link

It’s stop motion animation so at least it might look different from the norm, and the cast is interesting enough, but how often are these none Disney/Dreamworks movies any use?

Breathrough

It seems to be another one of those religious movies which have been getting more popular recently. In other words – no chance I’m seeing this – not until they make a good one.

Little

Okay… ex Nascar driver directs a movie based on an idea by a fourteen year old child actress from a TV show I’ve never seen. Indeed.

The Curse Of La Llorona

I’ve kept tabs on this for a while – set in 70s LA with a primarily Latino cast, dealing with Mexican supernatural folklore – sounds right up my alley. Then again, these are rarely better than watchable… hopefully it goes for more than generic jumpscares and loud noises.

Under The Silver Lake

It’s A24, it’s David Robert Mitchell, and it concerns missing people and conspiracy theories – there’s no reason I shouldn’t like this.

After

Apparently New Adult Fiction is a thing. The purist in me is really struggling not to say something like ‘so it’s for people barely intelligent enough to graduate from YA and with the emotional maturity of a brick’ but every so often I read shite like this. If there’s zombies. This doesn’t have zombies, but it does have a story about ‘a good girl’s relationship with a bad boy’. People are idiots.

Avengers: Endgame

Haven’t seen anything past the first Avengers movie so don’t care about this, at least not until I catch up with the other four hundred Marvel movies I haven’t watched yet.

The Intruder

A couple buys their dream home, but the previous owner isn’t happy. You’ve seen it a million times, but here it’s brought to you by Dennis Quaid and Deon Taylor who always seems on the verge of making something good.

The Best Of Enemies

Normally a title like that would be enough to turn me off, but it stars Taraji P Henson and Sam Rockwell and it’s based around the relationship between a Ku Klux Clan guy and Civil Rights activist. Should be good, not sure when I’ll get to it. With North America in the state it’s in now (read – the state it’s always been but only owning up to it once again now) this should be a timely drama – lets see if it has the balls to go the distance.

Peterloo

 I’m not the biggest Mike Leigh fan, but at least he makes stuff that you don’t usually see. I’ll see it as long as it doesn’t go down the overly dry, stiff route because the cast is strong. Seems like another timely one as Britain is facing a shitstorm just as bad as whatever mess the US is in, though to be honest I know nothing of the history of this event.

Teen Spirit

On principle alone, being a huge Nirvana fan, I’m outright refusing to see this. Yes, I know it has nothing to do with Nirvana but you seriously think they didn’t pick that name by association? By all means use that title for an interesting film, but using it in what seems to be yet another story of a pop stars rise to fame? Fuck right off. Right now.

Girls Of The Sun

Yes. Sold. Mostly female cast with female director about the women fighters in Iraq? This should be on everyone’s list ahead of the latest Marvel attempt at action. Of course there’s every chance this could be terrible too, but at least it has a hook.

High Life

Claire Denis does sci-fi. Fair enough, I’ll give it a shot. Throw in Robert Pattinson and Juliette Binoche and I’m double sold.

Rafiki

A Kenyan movie about a lesbian relationship. Already banned in Kenya, because of course it is, this should hopefully give hope to anyone there who manages to see it. I don’t know anything else about it, but can’t say I’ll ever see it unless it does big business and gets a wider release.

Which films of April are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments!

2019 In Film – A Preview – January

Greetings, Glancers! 2018 was a year in which some movies were released. I can’t remember which, but that’s only because most of them were crap and I’m still drunk from Christmas. 2019 will see the release of even more films to be excited and bored by, and just like every other stinking blogger out there who craves the anonymous approval of people they’ll never meet, I’m here to finger the internet (look on Wikipedia) to see which upcoming movies might interest me. A lot of films won’t have been announced yet and my list most likely won’t include minor releases, straight to DVD or streaming, or foreign films (which tend to be the ones I’m most interested in). Today, it’s the first month of 2019 – Krocus (January)!

Escape Room

We kick off the year with what will most likely be a forgotten horror movie – that’s fine with me as even the most forgettable horror is more interesting to me than most of the recent Oscar Bait. Escape Rooms are all the rage these days – cheap mobile phone games turning into fully fledged hen-do entertainment. Hell, even Belfast has a few of these. Not that I’ve been to any. it was only a matter of time before someone made a movie about this fad, even though similar ideas have been shown on screen before. Best hope for this is that it becomes a Saw/Cube knockoff. The cast doesn’t really contain anyone I’m overly interested in and the director hasn’t done anything I’ve loved – he wrote the worst Paranormal Activity entry and directed an Insidious movie which I haven’t seen yet, though I did enjoy The Taking of Deborah Logan. The trailer is fairly standard as far as modern horror trailers go – it basically shows the entire movie with no spoiler warning – and what’s with the use of all the shitty old timey songs? I assume it’s meant to be creepy, but it never is and just annoys me as the songs are invariably crap. I actually like the idea behind this – mazes and puzzles have always fascinated me, and movies concerning them I’ll always give a chance, but I can’t say I have high hopes. I’ve talked enough about this movie which I probably won’t see for a few years.

A Dog’s Way Home

I’ve always wondered how these types of films get made. I mean, does anyone go and see them? January is usually a dumping ground as no-one can be arsed freezing their arse off to go and watch something which doesn’t feature a Stan Lee cameo, but these sweet and harmless movies seem more suited to the small screen. It’s about a dog who gets separated from its owner and begins a journey home. I know you read about these things in the news from time to time, but in reality 90% of these end the same way – the dog being hit by a car, starving to death, or being picked up by a warden and then euthanized after a few days of starving. Why doesn’t anyone make a movie like that? Oh, right. Lets give it some credit – it stars the great Ashley Judd for some reason, and it’s directed by Charles Martin Smith who I’ve always enjoyed as an actor (and who of course directed the pilot episode of Buffy). I can’t imagine I’ll ever see this.

The Upside

Well, it’s a remake of the hit French film so we’re already on shaky ground, and it’s an idea we’ve already seen before in films like Scent Of A Woman. I can’t imagine anything new or interesting here – it’s like a buddy cop movie without the action. And with that cast, probably without the comedy. Plus, it has been delayed for a year already, so lets not pretend this is going to be anything but balls. I like Bryan Cranston, I like Nicole Kidman, but I can’t take Kevin Hart seriously as a lead actor, or a comedian, or a human…. I think I’ll pass.

Glass

Now we’re talking. Unbreakable is my favourite Shyamalan movie and he has been on an upswing recently. I enjoyed Split and although I’m apprehensive about how this will all work as the trailer made things look too action packed, I’m still fully on board. It’ll be good to see if Willis actually pulls his fist out of his ass and does something worthwhile too.

The Kid Who Would Be King

There has been a rejuvenation of all those 80s kids adventure movies recently, thanks to the success of Stranger Things – that’s not where it started, but that’s likely what has enabled so many to go into production. It’s exactly the sort of movie I would have loved growing up so I’m hoping for some nostalgic charm here rather than generic member-berry stuff. The story and cast seem so-so, but I have always like Cornish since the Adam and Joe days. Hopefully something good here, but again I don’t have high hopes. Andy Serkis’s son is the lead in his debut – I’m generally not a fan of such nepotism but it’s ridiculously prevalent in the business and always has been. Which reminds me, I must write a post about that.

Serenity

It’s not Joss Whedon, so I’m already depressed. This sounds like one of those cheap ‘sexy’ 90s thrillers where the only thing less shocking than another hackneyed double cross was the sight of an A-Lister in a thong. I like the cast though none of them are must sees for me, though Knight is generally a talented writer. I already know I’ll probably never see this unless it hits Showgirls levels of dirt but I’m sure someone out there will get something out of it (a quick fap).

The Aspern Papers

I’ll admit I haven’t read the book yet, but it’s on my list. I like the idea, though the fact that it stars various socialites and members of the Redgrave clan has me on edge. Also, I’m not a big fan of costume stuff.

Sgt. Will Gardner

This looks interesting; again it’s an idea we’ve seen before – a military vet comes home only to find an internal war which affects his daily life and relationships. These films are always interesting to me though they rarely go beyond that to something more, and although it’s a subject often tackled in films it’s one that isn’t discussed enough in reality and leads to devastating multi-generational harm – something that is likely to get worse with the Warmonger-In-Chief. It also looks like a road movie, and I love me a good road movie. I do have a couple of concerns – first, that it will be too patriotic, something I can’t stand or understand (COuntry music shite in the trailer), and second that it looks like a passion project by Martini who writes, directs, and stars. Oh yeah – Martini almost always plays a soldier or military dude in movies – what’s that about? I do love the cast though – Robert Patrick, Gary Sinise, Lily Rabe, Dermot Mulroney, JoBeth Williams, Liz Rohm, are all performers I admire.

The Heiresses

At first glance I thought this was a costume drama, at least a foreign costume drama which usually trumps Hollywood’s stuff for me, but one second glance that’s not the case. It looks like a story about two wealthy friends suddenly rendered poor and how they cope. I’ll probably never see it.

An Acceptable Loss

See, the problem I have with films like this is that they feel that they could have been, and already have been covered in a single TV episode. Person Of Interest deals with stuff like this all the time. However, I’m all for keeping Jamie Lee Curtis busy as she is a vastly underrated and underused actress. Tika Sumpter I don’t know much about while director Joe Chappelle is known more for his TV work than his crappy horror movies. Actually, looking at his TV credits, that pretty much confirms my original point.

Adult Life Skills

See, the problem I have with quirky indie movies like this is that people like this don’t really exist in real life and when they do, they are seriously damaged individuals. Of course there are many people out there who like to claim they are quirky in this manner, but that’s emotional damage of another sort. I have no qualms admitting my own damage and the fact that I often hate myself for my quirks, but they I don’t go around making a show of them. That along with the fact that the humour in these films almost always doesn’t work for me is pretty much ensuring this will be a no no. The positive risk with this though is that when these films do work for me, I love them and they become an all time favourite. The fact that this was made in 2016 doesn’t bode well.

The Standoff At Sparrow Creek

Now, this is more like it. This has been getting rave reviews on the festival circuit, and it looks and sounds fantastic. It has a cast featuring non-A-Listers that I love including Patrick Fischler, Chris Mulkey, James Badge Dale, and it seems like a limited set seige thriller. That set-up is of course one of my favourites, with films like Assault On Precinct 13. Reservoir Dogs, and the original Dead Trilogy all winning examples. I have high hopes for this one, but I’m sure it won’t be anywhere near a Cinema near me.

King Of Thieves

Where siege movies are intriguing to me, heist movies usually don’t I admire the cinematic touches, but they too often follow tropes I don’t like and most annoyingly they glamourize the whole thing. Thieves are scumbags – I don’t care what the motivation is, I don’t care how stylish they make it look, or how nifty they (always) look in suits – they’re scumbags taking money from the rest of us and they don’t deserve our attention. You already know exactly what this will be like, ignoring the fact that it’s based on a true story and has the unique quality of featuring a bunch of old guys. It’s good the cast it still getting work, and most of them I like, but for me when I’ve seen one heist movie, I’ve seen them all.

The Wild Pear Tree

Another films receiving rave reviews since Cannes, this one I have no doubt will be good, but again it’s subject matter I can’t get overly invested in. It looks both gorgeous and dank, Ceylan certainly has a unique voice, and his stuff is different from the usual Hollywood fare. I just need to be in the right frame of mind for it.

Which January releases interest you? Let us know in the comments!