Well, clearly, there are a lot of singles that I have missed out on, so I need to do some sleuthing. But no sleuthing is needed for Kanye. Because his music is awesome.
I listed in the intro that this would be a Top 5, but i'm dumb and forgot that it was actually a top 10. Only 5 off! Sheesh.
One more note: You may ask where *insert high profile video* is. It's not because I don't like it (I likely do, or haven't seen it), but I wanted to make this list of the ten videos that affected me personally. So no, you won't find Lady Gaga, even though she is singlehandedly keeping the mainstream music video business afloat. These are just my ten favorite videos that came out this year.
10. She & Him - In The Sun
Director: Peyton Reed
This is just a simple concept done well. A performance video with flair. It was directed by very talented director Peyton Reed (who has done such underrated movies like Bring It On and Down With Love), who hasn't done a music video in quite a while. He did music videos for groups like Superchunk (who are still to come), and i'm glad to see him do another music video. Peyton previously directed Zooey Deschanel in Yes Man, and you can tell that they are both comfortable with each other. Just a joy to watch.
09.Yeasayer - Madder Red
Director: Andreas Nilsson
I love this video. It really reminds me of some classic late '90s music videos, where you are taken by the concept and are transfixed until the end. Kristen Bell is very game, and reminds you how great she can be. It's a shame she is stuck doing ****** movies (ever since Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Bell seems to just continully pick stinkers).
08.LCD Soundsystem – Drunk Girls
Director: Spike Jonze, James Murphy
I'm so happy we got not one, but two Spike Jonze music videos this year. Both are really great, but "Drunk Girls" takes the silly side of Jonze's canon. It's reminiscent of the Jonze produced Jackass, and it's just a really funny video.
07.Weezer – Memories
Director: Jeff Tremaine
Speaking of Jackass!
I can't begin to say how much this video hits my sweet spot. I got into Weezer in 2000, which was right around when Jackass first premiered. I was (and still am) gigantic fans of both things, and to see, in 2010, both of my favorite things collide into one.... It really makes me happy. With Spike Jonze's connection to both Weezer and Jackass, I guess it was only a matter of time before this happened. I'm just glad the results are as amazing as they came out. Jeff Tremaine (Jackass director/creator) directs this video using a super 8 camera to further the nostalgia factor. Part skate video, part Weezer music video, part Jackass bit, it's just perfect.
06. Superchunk – Digging For Something
Director: Scott Jacobson
This is the first of two videos that pay tribute to the great Phil Morrison. Morrison was behind some of the funniest rock videos of the '90s (including Yo La Tengo's "Sugarcube", which features the Mr. Show cast), and also directed the wonderful movie Junebug starring Amy Adams. "Digging For Something" was directed by former Daily Show/TV Funhouse writer Scott Jacobson, and it's such a funny video. If you haven't seen it, I don't want to spoil all the funny bits that happen during it. Just that you should give it a watch. It's really the only video that could have been used for the first Superchunk video in nearly a decade.
05. The Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
Director: Spike Jonze
Now this is the side of Spike Jonze that does amazing stuff like Where The Wild Things Are. I just love this video. It's pretty self-explanatory why this video is as great as it is. In fact, yeah. It is self explanatory. If you don't like this video, you're a grade-A goon.
04. HEALTH – We Are Water
Director: Eric Wareheim
Eric Wareheim slowed down this year in making music videos. That may have to do with doing season Cinco of the Awesome Show, Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule, shorts for Funny Or Die Presents, a one hour Chrimbus special, and a cross-country tour. So yeah. He probably didn't have a lot of free time this year. Luckily, his one video is incredible. My mouth was agape watching this thing the first time, and it creeps under your skin. Up to this point, Eric's videos have been pretty silly, or really silly stuff played with a straight face. This is a full blown horror movie in 3 minutes, that has tinges of dark comedy. Eric Wareheim continues to do amazing work in the art of music videos, and I look forward to whenever he decides to make another one.
03. Built To Spill – Hindsight
Director: Bob Odenkirk
2010 will be known as the year where Bob Odenkirk showed a new side of himself. The godfather of alternative comedy, best known as the Bob in Mr. Show with Bob and David, acted on one of the best shows on TV in Breaking Bad (is it the best show on TV? Find out later on my TV list!) and did some really remarkable stuff on it. His lesser known work this year was a video for Built to Spill's beautiful song "Hindsight." It's an incredibly nice, and also beautiful video that you wouldn't expect coming from FF Woodycocks. A lot of the videos on my list this year are incredibly funny. Some are just really well done. Bob Odenkirk's video for "Hindsight", however, is the one video that made me tear up as I watched it this year. This video is reason #503729469464996 why Bob is one of the great people living currently.
02. Ted Leo and The Pharmacists – Bottled In Cork
Director: Tom Scharpling
While, I think my #1 video is better made and better orchestrated, "Bottled In Cork" was probably the video that gave me the most joy this year. Ted Leo and The Pharmacists collaborate with one of my idols in Tom Scharpling. Tom, host of The Best Show on WFMU, as well as a writer/exec producer on Monk, is really one of the great people living. Which is why i'm not surprised that his very first music video is as incredible as it is.
Featuring numerous great cameos including Paul F. Tompkins (at his very best), John Hodgman, Julie Klausner, as well as a crying Patrick Stickles (frontman of rock behemoth Titus Andronicus), it is just a collection of everyone awesome in one place. It's a great satire on the jukebox musical craze on Broadway (with the most pointed digs at Green Day's American Idiot musical), and it's just a wonderful video. This is the other video that pays tribute to Phil Morrison's music video days, which is made overt by the dialogue appearing on screen as the song plays, ala "Sugarcube." I think Phil would be proud by this video, as it succeeds in being incredibly funny, and also shining a light on an underappreciated song.
Scharpling is currently putting the finishing touches on his next music video for The New ****ographers' "Moves." it will feature comedian Todd Barry, and many other people who will be a surprise. Judging from his video for "Bottled In Cork", Scharpling should keep doing music videos for as long as he wants.
01. Hot Chip – I Feel Better
Director: Peter Serafinowicz
Most people were introduced to brilliant British comedian Peter Serafinowicz this year, as he stole the show on the otherwise forgettable FOX sitcom Running Wilde. Prior to Wilde, he co-created with Robert Popper the amazing British comedy Look Around You, as well as acting in great things like Spaced and Shaun of the Dead. He's an incredible talent that should be bigger than anyone.
The video for Hot Chip's "I Feel Better" is his first music video, and it's just so great. His humor is seeping through every frame, and it's just such a bold and hysterical vision on display.You laugh, you say "what the ****???", and you replay it 3 times after first watching it. It's everything I want in a music video. I believe Serafinowicz is planning on doing more videos in the future, and I greatly look forward to what he has up next. Judging from "I Feel Better", it will certainly be memorable.
Next up will be my Movies of 2011 post. That's become one of my favorite things to post, since I first did it 2 years ago. Then, likely on Monday or Tuesday, I will finally post Part 1 of the Top 40 albums list.
Ever since I started doing this upcoming films list two years ago, it has become one of my very favorite things to do each year-end. It's a fun way to look to see what is coming up in the coming year. However, where it gets interesting, is looking at this list a year from now. I find out that many of the movies either 1) weren't very good, 2) didn't come out at all. In fact, quite a few movies on this top 35 are movies I have put on this list 2, and sometimes 3 times over the years. Hopefully everything comes out, and all 35 movies are great. I kinda doubt that, but here's to hoping!
What just missed (in no particular order):
Winnie The Pooh
Source Code
Captain America
The Hangover 2
Bad Teacher
Drive Angry
Kung Fu Panda 2
Horrible Bosses
My Idiot Brother
War Horse
We Bought A Zoo
Arthur Christmas
The Planet of the Apes movie with James Franco (which I think is the exact title)
35. Born To Be A Star
Release Date: April 22, 2011
Director: Tom Brady
Written by Adam Sandler, Allen Covert, Nick Swardson
Starring Nick Swardson, Christina Ricci, Stephen Dorff, Don Johnson
That still from above is not from Born To Be A Star. It is actually from Grandma's Boy, the movie that I hope Star is close to in tone. I love Grandma's Boy, and it has sort of become a cult classic since it bombed in theaters. Swardson is one of the funniest people there is, and I think this movie (which involves the **** industry) should be a fun, filthy comedy.
34. X-Men: First Class
Release Date: June 3, 2011
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Written by Jane Goldman, Ashley Miller, Zach Stentz, Jamie Moss. (story by Bryan Singer)
Starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, January Jones, Rose Byrne, Nicholas Hoult, Jennifer Lawrence, Oliver Platt, Zoe Kravitz, Caleb Landry Jones
On first look, why the hell would I be looking forward to an X-Men movie after they botched X-Men: The Last Stand, and Wolverine so badly? A few reasons:
1) Bryan Singer is actively involved as a producer for the first time since X2. He is also credited with coming up with the story of the film. He would have directed it, but he's busy developing Jack The Giant Killer. Which leads me to...
2) Matthew Vaughn is the director. Vaughn, who last dazzled everyone with the wonderful Kick-Ass, is a strong director and talent. He also did the underrated Neil Gaiman adaption of Stardust. He's the real deal, and i'm glad to see him get his shot. if X-Men: First Class does well, and is well received, Vaughn will then have his pick of any project in town. This is a good thing.
3) Vaughn brought in long-time collaborator Jane Goldman to co-write the script. Goldman has co-written everything Vaughn has done so far, so it's a nice way to show that Vaughn is bringing in his own people, and the studio isn't holding him back
4) A really great cast. Seriously, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone bad in that above cast. I'm especially excited to see such great talents like Micheal Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence get a big paycheck for their great work over the past couple years.
So yeah. I'm quite optimistic that we have a good movie coming up. But then, at the same time, I won't be surprised to hear that FOX sucked the soul out of Vaughn. Which kinda negates everything I typed, so don't mind that. Optimism!
33. Young Adult
Release Date: Fall 2011
Director: Jason Reitman
Written by Diablo Cody
Starring Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, Patton Oswalt
Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody reunite! They have been doing great work apart from each other (Reitman's Up In The Air, Cody's great TV series United States of Tara), but it's nice to see them work together. Young Adult is said to be a much more mature script from Cody, and the lead character (played by Charlize Theron) is supposed to be rather unlikable through a lot of it. That, and knowing that Patton Oswalt has a very high-billed part gets me incredibly excited for this.
32. A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas
Release Date: Fall 2011
Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson
Written by Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg
Starring John Cho, Kal Penn, Tom Lennon, Patton Oswalt, Danny Trejo, Elias Koteas, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Neil Patrick Harris
If they were ever going to do another Harold and Kumar movie, they may as well make it a Christmas movie. These movies are just such silly fun, and i'm glad that the gang has gotten back together. It's also great to see wonderful comedians Tom Lennon from The State/Reno 911, and Patton Oswalt (there he is again! Big year for Patton) appear in this. But of course, if there was no Neil Patrick Harris, there would be no movie. Luckily, he'll appear in it.
31. Haywire
Release Date: April 22, 2011
Director: Steven Sodenbergh
Written by Lem Dobbs
Starring Gina Carnao, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum, Bill Paxton, Micheal Douglas, Micheal Fassbender, Antonio Banderas
Here's the thing with Steven Sodenbergh. Not every movie he makes is great. However, every single one of his movies is worth seeing. He has such command of his craft, and even his failures are more fascinating than most people's best work.
Which brings us to Haywire, an action movie starring a real-life MMA fighter, written by the guy who wrote The Limey. Yeah, i'll see that. Easily.
30. Drive
Release Date: TBA 2011
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Written by Hossein Amini
Starring Ryan Gosling, Ron Perlman, Carey Mulligan, Christina Hendricks, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks
Now this is an exciting movie! NWR (Nicolas Winding Refn) is a really great director, most notably of Bronson. Drive sounds really great, and the cast for it is just crazy. Look at that cast. You can't get better! Oh, it can. How about I tell you that Albert Brooks plays the main villain? Yeah, I thought so. You are already on Fandango trying to buy tickets.
29. Untitled Cancer Comedy
Release Date: TBA 2011
Director: Jonathan Levine
Written by Will Reiser
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Phillip Baker Hall, Anjelica Huston
Not the catchiest title of the world. This movie has had a lot of trouble finding a title. It was originally called I'm With Cancer, and then Live With It. It's now back to being Untitled, with surveys currently happening to try to find the right title.
All that said, this will be great. It is based on the true-life story of comedy writer Will Reiser (who worked on Da Ali G Show, where he met Seth Rogen), and then was diagnosed with cancer at a young age. Seeing as he wrote the screenplay for it, let me just say spoiler alert! He's OK!
Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Reiser, and Seth Rogen (who is exec producing this film, along with longtime Daily Show exec Ben Karlin) plays his closest buddy. It will be a funny comedy that has to deal with a serious subject. I look forward to seeing it.
28. Cedar Rapids
Release Date: Feburary 11, 2011
Director:Miguel Arteta
Written by Phil Johnston
Starring Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Kurtwood Smith, Stephen Root, Sigourney Weaver, Alia Shawkat, Rob Corddry
I had this placed last year, but it is actually coming out next year! It just got accepted into Sundance, where it will play out of competition. I can't wait to see it, as this just has an amazing cast. Not just the cast, but director Miguel Arteta (who did the underrated Youth in Revolt this year), and produced by the great Alexander Payne. This will be worth watching.
27. Win/Win
Release Date: World Premieres at Sundance
Directed and Written by Tom McCarthy
Starring Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Jeffrey Tambor
Tom McCarthy is a great director. He did The Station Agent, but my favorite work of his is The Visitor. A great movie, with amazing work from Richard Jenkins. This is his next movie*, and it features a great cast. it is about Giamatti being a high school wrestling coach, who meets the mom of the kid he is training (Amy Ryan). It world premieres at Sundance, and I really look forward to seeing it.
*But not the first thing he has done since The Visitor. He directed the pilot for the highly anticipated HBO series Game of Thrones (based on the A Song Of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin).
26. Hobo with a Shotgun
Release Date: Spring 2011 in Canada, TBA rest of the world
Director: Jason Eisener
Written by John Davies
Starring Rutger Hauer, Brian Downey, Gregory Smith, Molly Dunsworth, Robb Wells, Nick Bateman
Canada represent!
Hobo with a Shotgun first surfaced as the winner of the Grindhouse trailer contest, where people made trailers (in support of QT/RR's Grindhouse film) and the winner got its trailer attached to the movie. It only got attached to Canadian prints of the film (I saw it on the big screen!), so the majority of people saw it online. It caused a huge stir, and everyone loved it.
Now, finally, just as Machete has been released, Hobo with a Shotgun will be turned into a full-length feature. You can find the trailer online, and I highly recommend it. It looks so great, and Rutger Hauer is the best. As it is a Canadian production, funded by a Canadian film studio, it's unclear of when it will play in other parts of the world. I am sure we will soon find out, as Hobo with a Shotgun was tapped to play Midnight Madness at Sundance this year. If it's as great as the trailer, it should find a U.S./world distributor in no time.
25. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
Release Date: December 16, 2011
Director: Brad Bird
Written by Andre Nemec, Josh Appelbaum (story by J.J. Abrams)
Starring Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Josh Holloway, Jeremy Renner, Mikael Nyqvist, Anil Kapoor, Simon Pegg
Interest in another Mission: Impossible movie before the news of Brad Bird being hired as director: 0%
Interest in another Mission: Impossible movie after the news of Brad Bird being hired as director: 1000000000000000000000%
24. The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn
Release Date: December 23, 2011
Director: Steven Spielberg
Written by Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Steven Moffat
Starring Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Daniel Craig
First, before I get into it, look at the people who wrote that! Edgar Wright (one of the 5 best directors working today), British comedy writer Joe Cornish, and Doctor Who/Sherlock mastermind Steven Moffat. AS GOOD AS IT GETS! /jameslbrooks
Now, motion capturing kinda creeps me out. I think I still have permanent scarring after watching The Polar Express once. However, with Spielberg behind this (and Peter Jackson as a producer, and on board to direct the second one) and Avatar really advancing what you can do with motion capture, I am excited. Tintin is not big in the U.S., but is HUGE everywhere else. I remember as a kid watching the Tintin cartoon series, and loving it. I think it won't take much to get the U.S. behind Tintin, especially with all the talent doing it.
23. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Release Date: December 21, 2011
Director: David Fincher
Written by Steven Zaillian
Starring Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig, Robin Wright Penn, Stellan Skarsgard, Chrstopher Plummer, Joely Richardson
Have I read the books? No. Have I watched the foreign film trilogy? No. In fact, I hear they aren't very good movies. David Fincher doing it (with screenwriting pro Steven Zallian writing), however, gets me very interested. Fincher had great success this year with The Social Network (remember when some people thought that was a bad idea for a movie? What a bunch of goofs! You can look back at my Movies of 2010 list last year to find that I was very much behind it. Not to say "I told you so", but... I told you so), and i'm excited to see what he does with this material.
22. Larry Crowne
Release Date: July 1, 2011
Director: Tom Hanks
Written by Tom Hanks, Nia Vardalos
Starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Bryan Cranston, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Cedric The Entertainer, Cole Phillips, Taraji P. Henson, Nia Vardalos, Rami Malek, Jon Seda, Wilmer Valderrama, George Takei, Pam Grier, Rob Riggle, Maria Canals-Barrera, Dale Dye, Enuka Okuma
It's hard to believe, but this is only the second movie Tom Hanks has directed. His first, the delightful That Thing You Do!, has only grown better with age. Now his next movie, Larry Crowne, looks to be a great comedy. I remain uneased that Nia Vardalos is co-writing the script, as i'm not much of a fan, but everything else about this movie sounds great! Tom Hanks goes back to college, and Julia Roberts is his teacher. Bryan Cranston is married to Julia, but Julia and Tom start to have a thing for each other. Fireworks! Anyway, this should be a fun romp for the whole family. Who am I, Gene Shalit? Sheesh, that was a bad closer.
21. Rango
Release Date: March 4, 2011
Director: Gore Verbinski
Written by John Logan
Starring Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy, Harry Dean Stanton, Ray Winstone, Timothy Olyphant, Stephen Root, Ned Beatty
Here's a movie that wasn't on my radar, until I saw the trailer a few months ago. I love it! It has such a cool tone to it, and looks almost like an animated, kids version of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Gore Verbinski (who has been stuck doing The Diminishing Returns series, aka Pirates of the Caribbean) is a talented director, and i'm glad he's finally doing something different.
20. Jeff Who Lives At Home
Release Date: TBA 2011
Directed and Written by Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass
Starring Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Judy Greer, Susan Sarandon, Katie Aselton
The Duplass Brothers continue to get popular! They released the great Cyrus earlier this year, and here's yet another movie of theirs that has quite an all-star cast. I don't really know much about it, but just seeing The Duplass Brothers + Segel, Helms, Greer, Sarandon, Aselton sells me in an instant. Really looking forward to it.
19. Sucker Punch
Release Date: March 25, 2011
Director: Zack Snyder
Written by Zack Snyder, Steve Shibuya
Starring Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Oscar Isaac, Carla Gugino, Jon Hamm, Scott Glenn
Breaking news! Zack Snyder does an original property! I'm just kidding, but I love Snyder. He's an obviously very talented visual director, and the trailer for Sucker Punch makes it look BONKERS. BANANAS.
18. Cowboys & Aliens
Release Date: July 29, 2011
Director: Jon Favreau
Written by Damon Lindelof, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci
Starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Noah Ringer, Paul Dano, Clancy Brown, Keith Carradine, Adam Beach, Ana de la Reguera, Abigail Spencer, Walton Goggins
I love how Favs is doing this movie.The tone of the movie is of a western, until an alien ship shows up out of nowhere. So it's this great mashup of western movies and sci-fi movies, but all taken seriously. There was talk recently that once people saw the title they thought it was some sort of Men In Black/light comedy thing. I mean, really? Who the **** are these people? The title is great, it tells you exactly what it is. The people who criticize this title are ludicrous to me.
Beyond that title thing, I think everyone can agree that this is a stellar cast. Not just Craig and Ford, but the supporting cast is full of ringers like Sam Rockwell, Clancy Brown, Keith Carradine, and the GREAT Walton Goggins.
17. Super 8
Release Date: June 10, 2011
Directed and Written by J.J. Abrams
Starring Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Ron Eldard, Noah Emmerich, Amanda Michalka
Not much is known about this movie, and i'm fine with that. All we know is that this movie is basically J.J. Abrams' movielong homage to '70s Spielberg. Sign me up! I'm also excited to see Coach Taylor himself, Kyle Chandler, be the lead in this thing.
16. The Tree of Life
Release Date: May 27, 2011
Directed and Written by Terence Malick
Starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain
Third year in a row putting this movie on!
Luckily, it looks to be finally coming out. FOX Searchlight picked it up a few months back, and they are the best specialty studio around. They will promote this thing well, and try to get it in as many theaters as possible. FOX Searchlight wants to release it as a sort-of counter-programming tactic against the big summer blockbusters this year, and that's very smart. Without question, whether if it's great or bad, this is one of the movie events of 2011.
15. The Ides of March
Release Date: Fall 2011
Director: George Clooney
Written by George Clooney, Grant Heslov
Starring Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei
Clooney is back to directing! Hooray!
The Ides of March is based off the play Farragut North (note the picture), and it has a star-studded cast. Apparently it is based around the 2004 Democratic primary of Howard Dean, and that's something that instantly interests me. Clooney would be the perfect fit for this kind of material, and I am very excited to see what he does with it.
14. Contagion
Release Date: October 21, 2011
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Written by Scott Z. Burns
Starring Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Marion Cotillard, Laurence Fishburne, Bryan Cranston, John Hawkes
Soderbergh's second movie of the year!
This one is written by Scott Z. Burns, who wrote the tremendous The Informant! for Soderbergh. This movie, Contagion, is a Traffic-sort of ensemble movie about a worldwide epidemic, based on the H1N1 scare. I don't know what else to say, beyond that I love everyone involved in it, and I expect great things.
13. The Sitter
Release Date: July 15, 2011
Director: David Gordon Green
Written by Brian Gatewood, Alessandro Tanaka
Starring Jonah Hill, Max Records, Miriam McDonald, Ari Graynor, Sam Rockwell, J.B. Smoove
Speaking of someone else with two movies! David Gordon Green also looks to have two movies out in 2011. This is his first one to chart, with the other one appearing in the top 10.
This movie just sounds great. it is a sort of modern day R-rated take on Adventures in Babysitting, with Jonah Hill playing the babysitter to kids (including Max Records, who played Max in Where The Wild Things Are). It's going to be one of those great sort of One Night movies, where things just build and build and get crazier and crazier. Which makes sense to cast Jonah Hill in the lead, since he did such a good job in another One Night movie, Superbad. Sam Rockwell, and J.B. Smoove (Leon from Curb Your Enthusiasm) play thugs who cause trouble. David Gordon Green is one of my very favorite directors. Not many are better than he is. I'd look forward to him shooting a movie with a leaf blowing in the wind for 90 minutes, let alone a Jonah Hill R-rated wacko comedy.
12. Thor
Release Date: May 6, 2011
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Written by Mark Protosevich, Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Don Payne
Starring Chris Hornsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Jaimie Alexander, Colm Feore, Joshua Dallas, Ray Stevenson, Idris Elba, Rene Russo, Kat Dennings
Now, maybe i'm crazy, but this is the summer tentpole i'm excited for the most. I just love the idea of very talented actor/pretty good director Kenneth Branagh doing the THOR movie. It's just so great, and ballsy.Hell, the idea of doing a Thor movie in general is ballsy. Maybe that's why I gravitate towards it, as opposed to Captain America (also out next year). Captain America is a very easy movie to nail. Thor, meanwhile, has a bit of danger towards it, but at the same time, if they nail Thor it will be the best Marvel movie to date.
I love the character of Thor (check out Matt Fraction's current run on Thor. It's amazing), so this isn't just a case of me being interested in a possible fiasco. No way. But I do know that IF the Thor movie isn't great, it will still likely be more interesting than a well-done Captain America movie.
11. Moneyball
Release Date: September 23, 2011
Director: Bennett Miller
Written by Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zallian
Starring Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt, Stephen Bishop, Kathryn Morris, Robin Wright Penn
Now, some folks here that may know me know that i'm not the biggest sports guy. Yet, in every iteration, i've always been incredibly interested and excited for Moneyball.
For some of you that may not know, Steven Soderbergh was all ready to shoot this in June of 2009, but just 3 days before production began Sony pulled the plug. They thought the movie Soderbergh was going to make was not the movie they signed up for. So this movie was put into limbo for a period.
In that period of time, I actually read the Moneyball book, and was incredibly interested and blown away by it. I can totally see where a great movie is from this book. So then, Bennett Miller, who last directed Capote, signed on to direct, and Aaron Sorkin (who Sony was very happy with after delivering the future-Oscar winning screenplay for The Social Network) took a pass at adapting it, and they loved his draft.
Another change from the Soderbergh version: The Paul DePodesta character (who would later be named Peter Brand in the script, as DePodesta was going to sue) was comedian Demetri Martin. They recast the character once Bennett Miller came on board, and Jonah Hill won out. Though, he may look different physically from Paul DePodesta, he beat out all of young Hollywood who were auditioning for the role (including Jason Schwartzman) because Jonah was the most focused for it. It should be a departure from his usual roles, so I really look forward to his take.
One thing that hasn't changed in either version: Brad Pitt as Billy Beane. He should be incredible in the role, as he often is.
I never would have thought a few years ago that one of my most anticipated movies would be for a movie whose sport I don't really care for. But, I guess that's what happens when a compelling true-life story is attached to it.
-----------------------------
Coming up tomorrow will be THE TOP 10 of the Movies of 2011 list. Then, likely on Tuesday, the namesake Top 40 Albums list will finally begin.
Haven't heard much of your singles list - and I'm one of the few folk, who regrettably, have not heard that Robyn track. Will make that a priority over the holidays.
But, I am ****ing thrilled you recognized the remix to "Power". Easily one of the most earth shattering singles to come around in a long time.
How did I not comment on the videos list? A bunch of great stuff there, especially "Memories" and "The Suburbs". And that Hot Chip video is a ****ing trip.
Anyway, movies time!
- Glad you saw what I see in First Class, and Bryan Singer returning is the key.
- Could Harold and Kumar be the next Christmas classic?
- Drive has an incredible cast.
- Tom and Julia working together can only bring good things.
- Rango looks ****ing AMAZING, and that is one of my top ten most anticipated for sure, if not top five.
- Cowboys and Aliens had people laughing at the trailer (and not in a good way) when it aired before HP7, but I have no doubt in my mind that it will kick ass.
- I just can't get behind Thor, as much as I try. Maybe it will surprise me, but it looks boring so far. But you're right about one thing: if they DO nail it, it'll be the best Marvel film since Spidey 2, and perhaps ever.
- And come on, HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN! Best movie of the year? I think so.
Great list so far, and it's only going to get better with the top ten! We already know one film that will make the top ten (*hint*ithasNataliePortmaninathong*hint*), but I'm intrigued to find out about the rest of the top ten. Oh, and the Muppets movie BETTER be there. That's probably my most anticipated 2011 film behind only a certain wizard in his last film.
P.S.: If The Tree of Life doesn't come out in the next 12 months, I swear to god...
Sorry for the delay. My computer went haywire, and the keyboard stopped working, so I couldn't do it yesterday. But now here it is!
10. The Green Hornet
Release Date: January 14, 2011
Director: Michel Gondry
Written by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Starring Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz, Cameron Diaz, Edward James Olmos, Tom Wilkinson
The main reason why this is #10, as opposed to a higher position, is mainly due to the movie coming out very shortly. With the TV ads already starting, it feels like it's already here, unlike a lot of these movies that are out much later.
I'm still looking forward to it very much, and I can't wait to see what Michel Gondry and Seth Rogen/Evan Goldberg come up with together. Just that there's nothing much else to say that I didn't already say last year (when it placed at #2).
09. Take This Waltz
Release Date: TBA 2011
Directed and Written by Sarah Polley
Starring Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Luke Kirby, Sarah Silverman
As a Canadian, I look to many of my fellow country men and women as inspiration. From the late Tommy Douglas to Norm MacDonald, I am proud to be a Canadian. Which brings us to the lovely, and very talented Sarah Polley. She started her career as a child actor (acting in things such as Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen), but then became a huge force in the Canadian film and TV industry later in life. In the 2000's (aughts? whatever), she led quite the double-life, as she acted in great genre fare like Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead, and this year's Splice, as well as directing/writing her first feature (which got Oscar nominations, including for her screenplay) Away From Her. And what I love about her is she takes both the acting in genre fare, and writing/directing heartfelt stuff just as seriously. She didn't do Splice for the paycheck. She did it because she wanted to act in that thing and found the concept interesting.
With all of that long preamble established, that brings us to Take This Waltz (named after a Leonard Cohen song! If she didn't already make Canada proud), her second feature. And, gosh, what a cast. Casting Michelle Williams, someone who can do no wrong and likely walks on water, in the lead already sells me. But then, you have Seth Rogen, and i'm doubly sold. The movie will have comedic elements, but it will be more of a drama. So it will be a departure for Rogen, and I personally think he's a very talented actor (and writer), so he can handle it. And if that wasn't enough, Polley casts Sarah Silverman in a big supporting role. I'm a huge fan of Sarah. I know she's polarizing to people for some reason, but she's a very gifted, and hilarious talent. Her acting work has pigeon-holed her as the bitchy girlfriend (for example: School of Rock), and she is much better than that. This role will show off a new side of her, and hopefully convince people that her talent stretches far beyond poop jokes.
I was expecting this to play Sundance, but it didn't get announced on the schedule. I imagine it will play some festivial (Toronto is a given) before it is given a theatrical release. Just with all of the talent on tap, between Sarah Polley, Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman (i've never seen Luke Kirby act, but I imagine he's good too), this will be something important.
08. Bridesmaids
Release Date: May 13, 2011
Director: Paul Feig
Written by Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo
Starring Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy, Jon Hamm, Dianne Wiest, Matt Lucas, Jill Clayburgh, Chris O’Dowd, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Kali Hawk, Andy Buckley, Michael Hitchcock, Nancy Carell
This movie, while on the surface it looks like a fluffy comedy, is actually a big deal. I'll explain why:
- Paul Feig and Judd Apatow reunite for the first (substantial) time since Freaks and Geeks. While Feig directed an episode of Apatow's Undeclared, this is the first time they have spent a considerable amount of time working with each other since (for my money) one of the greatest TV shows ever went off the air.
- Judd Apatow's first female centered comedy. The constant complaint leveled at the work Judd has done, either directing or producing, has been that it has just been about guys and guy things. No longer! With Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Jonah Hill, etc, all working on their own now, Judd is working with new people and expanding his creative boundaries. It's not just Bridesmaids, but Apatow is currently exective producing a pilot for HBO, created by young upstart Lena Dunham, which is actually titled Girls.
- Kristen Wiig's first starring vehicle. Say what you will about Wiig on SNL, but no matter how many recurring characters of her's keep popping up, she is undeniably very talented and funny. She has also stolen the show in many comedy movies like Knocked Up, MacGruber, and Adventureland. Bridesmaids is finally Wiig's shot, and was actually co-written by her as well (following the Apatow blueprint, in which Rogen and Segel both co-wrote their own starring vehicles).
- Similar to point #2, but this is a great comedy cast. Just like Superbad, and Pineapple Express were filled with many great male comedians in roles, Bridesmaids has a really great female comedy cast. Maya Rudolph! Ellie "Erin from The Office" Kemper! Rose Byrne! Melissa "Currently Being Wasted on Mike & Molly, but is Very Talented" McCarthy! And so on. And the main male lead? Jon Hamm. Yeah, can't do better than that.
07. Hugo Cabret
Release Date: December 9, 2011
Director: Martin Scorsese
Written by John Logan
Starring Asa Butterfield, Chloe Moretz, Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jude Law, Christopher Lee, Helen McCroy, Michael Stuhlbarg, Emily Mortimer, Ray Winstone
OK, OK, I know we are all over 3D now. If 2009 was the year in which we were excited by the possibilities of the format, 2010 was the year in which everyone complained and rallied against it. Why do I bring this up? Martin Scorsese is doing a 3D movie, and he's enthusastic about it. Now, do you say you know more about film than Scorsese? Probably not. Do you think Scorsese is doing this for the money? Of course not, as he is rich a millon times over. He has never done anything he didn't want to do or feel passionate about. So if Scorsese says that 3D will add to the experience of Hugo Cabret, i'll completely stand by him until I see it.
Now, what is Hugo Cabret? It's another first for Scorsese: A family movie. It's based on a book that I hear is very good. And that cast! Holy moly. And yes, those pictures are actual pictures of how both Sacha Baron Cohen and Ben Kingley will look like in the film. So great.
06. The Descendents
Release Date: Fall 2011
Director: Alexander Payne
Written by Jim Rash (Dean Pelton from Community!), Nat Faxon, Alexander Payne
Starring George Clooney, Judy Greer, Matthew Lilard, Shailene Woodley, Beau Bridges, Robert Forster
How do you follow a movie like Sideways, a movie in which many people consider to be your best work (I adore Sideways, but I think i'd pick About Schmidt), and was nominated for many awards, including Best Picture? By taking a long break.
In the time between Sideways and this movie, he directed the pilot episode of the pretty good HBO series Hung, and produced other people's work (Miguel Arteta's Cedar Rapids). Now finally, he is back behind the camera, and i'm so excited for this. The Descendents (which isn't a biopic on the '80s punk group) is based on a well-regarded novel, and stars George Clooney as a father trying to re-examine his life after his wife suffers a serious boating accident off of Waikiki.
I really love Alexander Payne's movies, and I feel he hasn't made a bad one yet. Heck, he hasn't even made a medicre one. Practically all of them (with the exception of his first movie, which is just good) are among my all-time favorites, and i'm glad to see him working again.
And yes, this can't be stated enough: Dean Pelton from Community himself, Jim Rash, co-wrote the screenplay. I know, right???
05. 30 Minutes or Less
Release Date: August 12, 2011
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Written by Michael Dilberti, Matthew Sullivan
Starring Aziz Ansari, Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Nick Swardson, Michael Pena, Fred Ward, Dilshad Vadsaria
This looks like the big, boisterous action comedy of the summer. This is Ruben Fleischer's second feature, following the great Zombieland. What made Zombieland work is that he nailed the comedy, and could direct the zombie stuff well. Not many people could do that.
30 Minutes or Less is another action comedy, which is about two criminals (the brilliant pairing of Danny McBride and Nick Swardson) kidnapping a pizza delivery boy (Jesse Eisenberg, in the logical progression after playing Mark Zuckerberg) and they strap a bomb to his chest, forcing him to rob a bank within 30 minutes. Aziz Ansari plays the Jesse Eisenberg character's friend, who has a falling out prior to Eisenberg getting kidnapped. Presumably, Aziz comes to Eisenberg's rescue, and all the fun that happens in between.
The casting is perfect, the concept is great, the director is great, I don't see how this movie can lose.
04. Wanderlust
Release Date: October 7, 2011
Director: David Wain
Written by David Wain, Ken Marino, Paul Rudd
Starring Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux, Malin Akerman, Lauren Ambrose, Joe Lo Truglio, Alan Alda, Ken Marino, Jordan Peele, Kathryn Hahn, Keri Kenney-Silver, Michaela Watkins, Ray Liotta, Todd Barry
There are many ways you can go to discuss the amazing career of David Wain. You can talk about his beginnings as a member of the sketch group/TV show The State. You can talk about him reuniting with two members of The State (Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter) and forming Stella. You can also talk about his most recent venture, in being an executive producer on the wonderful [adult swim] series Childrens Hospital. But even with all that greatness listed above, Wain’s best work has been his feature films.
Wet Hot American Summer is still one of the best comedies I have ever seen. I put it on at least a couple times each year, and I always enjoy it even more each time. It’s flawless in my opinion. His second feature, The Ten, was an anthology movie with 10 stories based on each of the 10 commandments. It was pretty good, and had a typically higher ratio of funny shorts than most anthology movies. His biggest commercial success was Role Models, a movie he was brought in by Paul Rudd (who starred in both Wet Hot and The Ten) when the original director left. Wain, Rudd, and The State member Ken Marino did extensive rewrites just weeks before production began, and they managed to come up with a real winner of a comedy. It was the first time Wain brought his absurdist sensibilities, and placed it within a story with heart. It’s one of the most rewarding comedies of the past 5 years.
And that brings us to David Wain’s fourth feature film, Wanderlust. He once again reunites with Paul Rudd (who also once again co-wrote the script), and he co-stars with indie movie starlet Jennifer Aniston. In all seriousness, there will be some people who look at this movie solely as a Jennifer Aniston movie, and watch to see it fail. I have 0 attachment to that whole tabloidly Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie/Jennifer Aniston soap opera that TMZ/Entertainment Tonight perpetuates. And seeing as Aniston hasn’t picked the greatest movies for a while, people love to see her fail. I only look at Wanderlust as a David Wain movie that has Paul Rudd and an actress who can be quite good if the material is there (I love her performance in The Good Girl).
Some other things worth noting: A great comedy cast, including the legendary Alan Alda, and the quite wonderful Malin Akerman. Akerman got a lot of undeserved **** after Watchmen, because some people thought her performance wasn’t great. Her career since Watchmen has sort have been a big middle finger to those people who said that. She hasn’t done a drama, but she has starred in things like the aforementioned Childrens Hospital, as well as Rob Huebel’s short “Hold Up” for HBO’s Funny or Die Presents. She is quite a gifted comic actress, and I think she’ll be great in Wanderlust as well.
Also, Judd Apatow produced this movie, which is nothing but a good thing. It will give Wain his most creative freedom to date, and a great sounding board for ideas/suggestions in Apatow.
03. The Muppets
Release Date: November 23, 2011
Director: James Bobin
Written by Jason Segel, Nick Stoller
Starring The Muppets (obviously), Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones
Jason Segel’s audition tape of sorts for getting the job of writing The Muppets was the ending of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, involving the Dracula musical. He passed with flying colors, and Disney gave him the gig. Segel, a lifelong Muppets fan, has said that this is his dream job. Co-writing the script, along with Forgetting Sarah Marshall/Get Him to the Greek director/writer Nick Stoller, shows that Disney is willing to give the franchise to really huge fans, as opposed to screeenwriting hacks looking for a paycheck.
Giving the directors chair to Flight of the Conchords director James Bobin is another stroke of genius. The way he balanced the comedy, as well as whimsical musical performances is really a great talent that will serve him well on The Muppets. I am just really excited for this movie. I know Segel and Stoller love The Muppets so much, and know what makes them special. This won’t be the “hip” modernization of the franchise; this will be everything that made the TV show, and the movies so important to generations of people. I’m fairly certain they will nail it, and it will be one of the most joyous moments of 2011.
02. Paul
Release Date: March 18, 2011
Director: Greg Mottola
Written by Simon Pegg, Nick Frost
Starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen (as the voice of Paul), Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Jane Lynch, Sigourney Weaver, Blythe Danner, Joe Lo Truglio, Jeffrey Tambor, David Koechner, Jesse Plemons, John Carroll Lynch
Just like The Tree of Life, my third year of putting this movie on!
They shot this movie in summer 2009, so you may ask what the hell is taking so long? Is the studio holding it? Not at all. The reason why it is taking so long is because the character itself of Paul (a CGI creation) is in the majority of the runtime. They could have cheapened out, and made a poor CGI version of Paul to get it out sooner, but they didn’t. They are making a creation that will be unique and about as believable as a talking alien on Earth can be.
The same things go with what i’ve said for 3 years: Pegg and Frost are the greatest, if Edgar Wright couldn’t direct Paul, Greg Mottola is certainly the best choice, and this has an incredible comedy cast. Though, as much as I would love Edgar directing Paul, I think how it worked out is for the best. Edgar got to experiment without Pegg and Frost and make his own creation, while Pegg and Frost get to work with an equally as talented director to make something different from The Blood & Ice Cream trilogy.
01. Your Highness
Release Date: April 8, 2011
Director: David Gordon Green
Written by Danny McBride, Ben Best
Starring Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux, Damian Lewis, Toby Jones, Charles Dance
For the second year in a row, this movie is #1.
Why didn’t it come out this year? A couple reasons: 1) all the effects weren’t entirely ready for the October release, 2) October would have been a bad date for it, anyway. October this year was very packed. I think it would have got lost in the shuffle if released on its intended release date. This new date, April 8, is a more high-profile release date, and shows that the studio believes in it.
It also works out beautifully, in that both James Franco and Natalie Portman, will be constantly in the spotlight from now until April. Franco, with his wonderful performance in 127 Hours, and his Oscar co-hosting gig, and Natalie Portman with her performance in Black Swan (which I will see this week, so I can’t comment on how good it is) where she has a chance to win the Oscar. It is nothing but a good thing for Your Highness, as you see those two in ads for the movie, and the public is like “hey! That’s the Oscar host! Or, the (potential) Oscar winner!”
Another good thing about moving it to April: The cult of Danny McBride continues to grow. I was in the Danny McBride fancamp (which is the official title) very early, back to when he blew me away in theaters in Hot Rod. Now, with the great success of Eastbound & Down, he continues to get more and more popular with people. It’s also hard to believe with Eastbound & Down running for two seasons, but Your Highness is Danny’s first starring role. Seeing as Eastbound’s two seasons have felt like two individual movies, it is shocking to think of that.
Of course, David Gordon Green is a huge selling point for me as well. He’s truly one of my favorite directors, and he works so well with Danny McBride. This will also be a reunion of sorts, as he gets to direct James Franco again (after Pineapple Express), and Zooey Deschanel (after All The Real Girls [which was Danny McBride’s first role]). This was my #1 movie before I saw any footage. After I saw the red-band trailer, it is now like #1 with 50 exclamation points. It is the one movie in which I would actually pay a large amount of money (large, meaning like, $30) to see it right this second. But I guess I have to wait until April.
----------------
Due to the bump in schedule because of my computer problems, I won't be able to do part 1 of the albums list today. Tomorrow? I will try! Unless the keyboard stops working again.
Seriously, that top three is THE BEST! THE BEST! THE BEST! THE BEST! If it wasn't for the last Harry Potter, I have no doubt in my mind that The Muppets would be my most anticipated film, mostly because there's no way that film could possibly be bad in any way. Even if it's not that good, for ****'s sake, IT'S THE MUPPETS! For ****ing nostalgia alone, it will be worth it.
And this is the first I've heard of 30 Minutes or Less, and holy **** that sounds amazing. Aziz, Danny, Eisenberg AND Swardson? In an action-comedy?! Um, sold.
2011 is shaping up to be a fun year at the movies, if I may say so myself. BRING IT ON!