Paperjam

Upcoming decent films?

Film // Jim // 13th August 2006

Well it is Sunday evening and I'm bored. I'm thinking of going to the flicks to watch Miami Vice, but that is more of a last resort than a positive choice. Happily, over the next few months it looks as though there will be a slew of decent films vying for my attention, for example:

A Scanner Darkly - Thought this was going to be out sooner, hits the screens next week and looks to be well worth getting to. Aside from Blade Runner this is purported to be a rare Philip K Dick adaption that actually resembles the source material.

The Wicker Man - Seems a terrible prospect, but it is being re-made by laugh-a-decade Neil LaBute so I doubt it will be a formulaic, happy ending sort of debacle. No sign of naked pagan dancing in the trailer though.

The Prestige - 19th Century magicians compete to have the most comical London accents, while Michael Caine offers gruff support. Christian Bale is in fact English so I have no idea why he sounds like Dick Van Dyke. Includes Scarlet Johansson, seems very mysterious. Hooray.

The Black Dahlia - De Palma directs probably the most well known Ellroy Novel. Hopefully it will be as good as LA Confidential, the slightly worrying casting of Hartnett is offset by Eckhart and Johansson (again).

The Fountain - I'm really, really hoping that this is going to be good. Three parallel stories set in the distant past, the present and the far future dealing with Hugh Jackman trying to save his Mrs (Rachel Weisz) by discovering the key to immortality. Clint Mansell of PWEI is doing the music for Aronofsky again.

Borat - Looks like it could be uncomfortably racist while also being uncomfortably funny. Directed by one of the guys behind Curb Your Enthusiasm, which is highly uncomfortable.

Casino Royale - Could be good, could be a load of pants. Looks like they have upped the nastiness of the violence to make it appear a bit more serious. Can't be worse than the other recent Bond films and Daniel Craig is usually excellent.