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Friday, December 5, 2008
When will the Oscar contenders get here?
It happens all the time around the holidays - you see a trailer for a movie that looks like it might be really good, and it says the film is coming in December. Then December comes and goes and there’s no sign of the movie.
That’s because “December” in that context only applies to metropolises like New York or LA. Many Oscar contenders take a while to get to us out here in the heartland.
I have local release schedules that say when those movies will most likely open in the Miami Valley. So since this is a bad week for new movies, I give to you instead this little calendar of when the probable Oscar nominees will get to us. Out of state readers, your mileage may vary. And of course, release dates are subject to change.
Please note the list consists of films that might be above the line Oscar contenders. You will not find the likes of Bedtime Stories or The Day the Earth Stood Still here.
Dec. 12
Milk: Sean Penn has earned rave reviews for his performance as the martyred Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office in San Francisco. Gus Van Sant directs. (Dec. 19 in Dayton)
Slumdog Millionaire: Danny Boyle’s film about a young boy who makes it to the Hindi version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire is rapidly gaining momentum in the Oscar race.
Dec. 19
Seven Pounds: A man close to suicide for his role in an auto accident that claimed the lives of seven people finds a reason to live. Sounds sober, but Will Smith could sell steak to a vegan. From the director of The Pursuit of Happyness.
Dec. 25
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: David Fincher directs Brad Pitt in the tale of a man who ages backwards. Some say this is the film to beat at the Oscars.
Doubt: Meryl Streep leads a powerhouse cast including Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams in this adaptation of the Pulitzer-winning play about a priest who may or may not be wrongly accused of molesting a boy.
Frost/Nixon: Frank Langella and Michael Sheen reprise their roles from the stage play about the legendary interviews in the aftermath of Watergate. Ron Howard directs.
Valkyrie: Tom Cruise stars as a Nazi commander who leads an attempt to assassinate Hitler. It’s not seen as an Oscar contender so far, but neither was The Departed when it came out.
Jan. 9
The Reader: Law student Michael Burk is reunited with his former lover (Kate Winslet) as she defends herself in a war-crime trial. This is one of two shots the unjustly unrewarded Winslet has at an Oscar next year, the other being Revolutionary Road. The first reviews have been good, not great.
Jan. 16
Defiance: A group of Jewish brothers organize the largest armed rescue of Jews during the Holocaust. Daniel Craig leads the cast, but director Ed Zwick’s output, which includes Glory and Blood Diamond, is uneven. Early reviews are iffy.
Gran Torino: Clint Eastwood goes in front of and behind the camera, directing himself as a tough-bitten bigot and sparking even more Oscar talk, although word on the film is more than a little mixed.
Revolutionary Road: Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio reunite in a tale of 50s suburban angst, directed by Mr. Winslet, Sam Mendes. With that cast and director, hopes can be nothing but high. Reviews so far have been quite strong in some cases.
Jan. 23
The Wrestler: Praise abounds for Mickey Rourke’s performance as a retired wrestler who gets back in the ring. Directed by the always-daring Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream).
Which of these are you most/least anxious to see?
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