The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Director: Peter Jackson; Cast: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis

The Hobbit is one of my favourite books of all time, and The Lord of the Rings is without a doubt my favourite movie trilogy. Though I would have loved to have seen Guillermo Del Torro’s vision of Middle Earth, I’m tremendously happy that Peter Jackson is back in the directors seat. Adapting arguably Tolkien’s best book, with a phenomenal cast comprised of LOTR veterans and some talented new blood, I can’t wait to see what Peter Jackson and company have in store! It simply isn’t Christmas without hobbits, dwarves, wizards and one bloody epic-battle…

Release Date: December 2012

Skyfall

Director: Sam Mendes; Cast: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Naomie Harris, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw

It’s felt like an eternity since we last saw Bond on the silver screen in Quantum of Solace (2008). Now that the MGM’s financial troubles are finally behind them, the world’s favourite secret agent is set to return with a vengeance in Skyfall – a brand new adventure, not directly tied to the events of Casino or Quantum. With Javier Bardem as the main villain, Ben Whishaw as the new Q, and Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition) taking over directing duties, Skyfall promises to be a whole new class of Bond film – with a capital B. Which begs the question, greatest Bond movie ever?

Release Date: October 2012

Much Ado About Nothing

Director: Joss Whedon; Cast: Alexis Denisof, Amy Acker, Nathan Fillion, Clark Gregg, Reed Diamond, Fran Kranz

Okay, the first curveball on the list. An adaption of Shakespeare’s immortal play, Much Ado About Nothing is a film written and directed by Joss Whedon – yes, the Joss Whedon: the creative mind behind Buffy, Angel, Firefly & Serenity, Dollhouse and Dr Horrible’s Sing-a-long Blog, and director of this summers tent-pole blockbuster The Avengers.  With a cast made up almost exclusively of alumnus from Whedon’s past shows, the film was shot in just 12 days on location in Whedon’s Santa Monica home during a break from filming The Avengers. Once completed the film is headed for the festival circuit “because”, and I quote, “it is fancy.” Hopefully, it will be picked-up by a distributor and we’ll get the opportunity to watch it later in the year.

Men In Black 3

Director: Barry Sonnenfield; Cast: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin

With a great story and a strong chemistry between its two leads, the original Men In Black was one of the most enjoyable films of the late 90s. The third instalment in the series see’s Agent J (Smith) travelling back in time to the 1960’s to stop the assassination of his partner Agent K (Lee Jones) – which he must do with the help of a younger Agent K (Brolin). The film also stars Emma Thompson, as the new head of the MIB, Alice Eve as her younger 1960s counterpart, and the hilarious Bill Hader as Andy Warhol. The new trailer looks like a promising return to form for the series. At the very least, MIB 3 will give us the opportunity to watch Josh Brolin’s do an eerily spot on Tommy Lee Jones impression! Seriously, it’s really quite good…

Release Date: May 2012

The Dark Knight Rises

Director: Christopher Nolan; Cast: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway

After the phenomenal critical and commercial success of The Dark Knight, writer and director Christopher Nolan returns to Gotham to give the Dark Knight his final swansong. Set eight years after the last film, Gotham has been experiencing a new golden age of tranquillity whilst Batman (Bale) has gone into hiding, having taken down the Joker and taken the fall for Harvey Dents murderous rampage. However, the arrival of the mysterious Selina Kyle (Hathaway) and the villainous masked man Bane (Hardy) force the Dark Knight to rise up, one last time…

Arguably the most eagerly anticipated film of 2012, I’m pretty sure I don’t need to convince anyone to get excited about this film. I urge those of you who haven’t seen it yet to watch the six-minute prologue attached to IMAX screenings of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, hopefully, this will tide you over until July…or make you even more excited and make the wait all the more unbearable!

Release Date: 20 July 2012

Looper

Director: Rian Johnson; Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt

In this intriguing time-travel thriller, Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a Looper, a killer who works for a crime syndicate based in the future. All is well until he realises that one of his next targets is his future self (Willis).  With Rian Johnson, the writer-director behind Brothers Bloom and phenomenal Brick, at the helm, count on things getting mighty complicated before the end credits role. Definitely, one to watch out for…

Release Date: 28 September 2012

The Avengers

Director: Joss Whedon; Cast: Samuel L Jackson, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlet Johansson, Jeremy Renner

Having spent years and multiple films laying the groundwork, the stage is finally set for Marvel’s Avengers to finally hit the big screen. When a new threat emerges that jeopardises the fate of the entire world, Nic Fury (Jackson), director on the international peace keeping organisation SHIELD, brings together the earth’s mightiest heroes to combat it. Marvel Studios has a phenomenal track record with comic book movies, and I think they’ve made an excellent decision giving directorial duties to Joss Whedon. I’m confident that he will be able to tell a great story and juggle this impressive, dysfunctional ensemble of super-heroes.

Release Date: 27 April 2012

Prometheus

Director: Ridley Scott; Cast: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron,  Idris Elba, Guy Pearce, Patrick Wilson

A team of explorers travel to the darkest corners of the universe to search for the origins of humanity. There, they must face a terrifying battle to save the human race. Whether this much-hyped film takes place in the same universe as the Aliens films or just a universe that’s Aliens-adjacent, isn’t clear yet – but who cares, it’s Ridley Scott back in space with an all-star cast. Be happy!

Release Date: 1 June 2012

The Bourne Legacy

Director: Tony Gilroy; Cast: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Wiez, Edward Norton, Joan Allen

Set within the same Bourne universe, Legacy is a brand new spin-off featuring a whole new cast of players. Jeremy Renner stars as Alex Cross, a CIA-trained spy, dealing with the ramifications of the previous films and a whole new conspiracy. Though I was initially apprehensive about a new Bourne films without either Matt Damon in the lead role or Paul Greengrass behind the lens, I’m getting more and more excited about the prospect of Legacy. I couldn’t think of a better choice to take on this lead than Jeremy Renner; he’s a fantastic actor and that has proven that he can do action well in Ghost Protocol. With an amazing supporting cast – including Rachel Wiez, Edward Norton and Joan Allen, returning to play Pamela Landy – and long-time series scribe Tony Gilroy taking on writing and directing duties, Bourne Legacy looks set to become a worthy addition to this spy brilliant series.

Release Date: 17 August 2012

The Amazing Spider-Man

Director: Marc Webb; Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen, Sally Fields

Full confession, I’m a huge Spider-man fan. I have been ever since I was a kid, when I would engorge myself on the comics and cartoons. So the prospect of a brand new Spider-man film puts a smile on my face (seriously, there is an earnest/disturbing grin plastered on my face right now, whilst I write this). Though I doubt the debate over whether it was necessary to re-boot the franchise will ever cease, these is no reason not be excited about The Amazing Spider-man. Andrew Garfield is an incredibly talented actor, and his heart-felt speech at comic-con, dressed in a cheap Halloween Spider-man costume, has endeared him to the comic book community. The uber-taleneted Emma Stone will play Peter Parker’s first love, Gwen Stacey, Welshmen Rhys Evans gets double duty as Dr Connors and The Lizard, whilst Martin Sheen will get to say that immortal line – “with great power comes great responsibility” – as Uncle Ben. Check out the official website, where you’ll get a better look at the cast and the costume.

Release Date: 4 July 2012

Special mentions

The Raven

In The Raven, Edgar Allan Poe spends the last days of his life working with the police to track down a serial killer whose crime scenes mimic those found in the writers stories. Staring John Cusack as Poe with James McTeigue, the director V For Vendetta, at the helm The Raven could be one of 2012 dark horses.

Release Date: 9 March 2012

The Cabin in the Woods

Joss Whedon has teamed up Drew Goddard, the writer of Cloverfield, to create Cabin in the Woods – a film that takes the old clichéd horror story of a mysterious cabin in the woods and flips it on its head. Starring Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and some Whedon alumnus, Cabin in the Woods is finally going to be released in 2012. Expect an intelligent plot and big scares from this.

Release Date: 13 April 2012

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter:

The title says it all…

Directed by Lone Scherfig, the award-winning director of An Education, One Day is the heartbreaking tale of love that is known to us all.

The Plot

The story follows the lives of Emma Morley (Anne Hathaway), a down-to-earth Yorkshire girl from a working-class background full of drive and ambition to do something meaningful with her life, and Dexter Mayhew (Jim Sturgess) a wealthy playboy who has it all, women, sex, drugs and rock and roll.

Having known each other in passing at university, their real meeting on graduation day, July 15^th 1988 is when they actually spend any time together.  Emma, who has always secretly liked Dexter, is so excited that something might develop between them that she drunkenly takes him back to her place to seduce him.  In the early hours of the morning, with a dodgy record playing for background noise, Dexter tries to leave, only to be hounded by Emma.  They come to the resolution to remain friends and spend the night together, but do not sleep with one another.

From then on, we visit them in snapshots over a span of twenty years on the anniversary of that day, July 15^th.  We see the time they spend together and the time they spend apart, and how their lives differ and clash, with careers, love, family and loss.

Following graduation, Dexter has landed himself a job on TV as the presenter of a show called Late Night Lock-In.  It doesn’t really involve any talent or interview skill, just a lot of shouting at the cameras and being at ease with having scantily dressed women dancing around him, (many of which are his girlfriends).  It’s his dream job.

Emma, meanwhile, is a waitress at a Mexican restaurant, staffed full of other graduates that haven’t quite found their path in life and other wannabes that are failing to live their creative dream, including admirer Ian (Rafe Spall) a would-be comedian, if only people could find him funny.

She dreams of being a writer but life keeps getting in the way and before long, she’s offered a management position at the restaurant.  Dexter drops by to convince her to leave or if she accepts the position, her life is officially over.

The years pass by and Dexter is a mess.  Fame and fortune has brought him nothing but trouble, he is taking illegal drugs, drinking heavily, going through copious amounts of women and falling out with his parents.  Throughout his troubles, the person he always turns to is Emma, the only person in the world who loves and accepts him completely, that is, until one day she decides she’s had enough of being ignored, used and walked all over and promptly tells him their friendship is over.

Years pass again and they do not see each other.  Dexter has matured, is planning to marry the woman he thinks he loves and even have a child with her, but all the time he still wonders about Emma.

Then when a mutual friend from university gets married, they finally meet again at the wedding and years of emotions come pouring back.  Their friendship is rekindled, but for how long?  And where will it lead?  Will they?  Won’t they?

After all, how long can happiness truly last?

The Thoughts

One Day was a thoroughly enjoyable rollercoaster ride of emotions and an equally watchable film.  It had substance and the plot of the story, falling in and out of love is familiar to us all and obviously relatable.  It may have men running for their lives from accompanying their female cohorts to see this film, because on a tear jerking scale of one to ten, this is a ten and easily on par with The Notebook.

Though I thought it had a shaky start, with the young jock Dexter being the most disagreeable and dislikeable character ever and the two leads not really seeming to gel, as Dexter’s character matured and became enlightened, so did the film.  It became much more complex and well rounded and far more enjoyable to watch, with funny moments as well as pocket tissue popping ones too.

Fans of the book will know how the story ends but for the rest of us who had not read the novel, it was a semi-surprising shock.  A shock in the sense that the end was saddening, but only semi-surprising because I could see it coming, after all, sad films can never end with happily ever after, can they?

As for the two lead actors, Jim Sturgess plays his finest character yet.  Loud and obnoxious to start with in his younger years with little regard for anyone but himself, he develops into a complex and troubled character, sensitive, longing, hurting, with the desire to understand why?

Anne Hathaway continues to surprise me in her skill and portrayal.  Gone are the days of The Princess Diaries, she has really stepped out and is determined to make a name for herself as a serious actress and already having been nominated for an academy award, she is not far off from doing so.

As for the accent: There has been much criticism over the accuracy of Hathaway’s Yorkshire accent.  In truth, it was not the best, she seemed to slip in and out of her native North American accent, into Yorkshire and then finally land on a generic English accent, with the occasional Yorkshire twang thrown in.  But in all honesty, this did not bother me at all.  In my opinion, as long as she had an ‘English’ accent, that is all it needed for the story to be convincing.  Yes, her character is supposed to be from Leeds and I suppose fans of the book will have wanted her accent to be more precise, but I really only noticed it, or the lack thereof when she slipped back into her American accent.

Not all actors are brilliant at maintaining an accent which is not natural to them.  Hathaway may have disappointed on this level, but excelled in bringing Emma Morley to life on screen.  In essence, I was enraptured by the story enough to ignore the Yorkshire accent coming and going.   In contrast, it was wonderful to see Sturgess speaking with a posh playboy Southern accent, when he is in fact from Liverpool.

The direction by Lone Scherfig should also be praised.  Though uncomfortable at times, she has a way of bringing a scene to the consumer and engulfing you in it.  When Emma cries, you feel her pain, when young Dexter does something irritating, you feel angry and annoyed and when they are both happy, you do feel genuinely happy for them.  Her skill in directing One Day, most certainly carefully crafted through An Education, shines through completely and the way the story is compiled, jumping from year to year, might make some viewers feel nauseated with confusion if directed by someone else, but you don’t with Scherfig’s clear cut direction.  Though it is based on a novel, the story is convincing because the material is so relatable and this in itself, makes it a cinematic triumph.  Store it in your DVD collection when it is released, sandwiched between The Notebook and Blue Valentine.

The Film Buzz Review Rating: *******~~~ (7/10)

UK Release Date: 24^th August 2011

Director: Lone Scherfig

Writers: David Nicholls (screenplay and novel)

A film whose title is sure to disturb parents and elderly folk such as myself is the upcoming 2011 film Friends with Benefits. Starring Justin Timberlake and a personal favourite Family Guy’s Mila Kunis.

The story centres around two professionals who meet but are too busy to find a mate. They agree to have an intimate relationship with no strings attached. However things get complicated when the guy falls for the girl, who’s dating someone else.

A predictable plot? Most definitely. Let’s hope Kunis can lift this unfortunate plotline with the same humour and wit she is so well known for on the small screen.

Love and Other Drugs ( 2010)

The 29^th of December…not a particularly significant date I’ll grant you, still satiated from Christmas, the woollen jumper from grandma has already begun to unravel and New Years seem so close and yet so far… the perfect solution? Watch the latest Anne Hathaway romance of course!

Anne Hathaway is not a name that often finds a host of fans among cinema goers (apart from her ‘lifelong adoring fan base since the Princess Diaries’) but Love and Other Drugs (2010) is a film which will definitely see a growth in the actress and her ability to take on a dramatic but funny role. As well as this, the stunning and incredibly  talented Jake Gyllenhaal (Prince of Persia) plays the male lead Jamie Randall a Viagra salesman who ends up falling for Hathaways character Maggie, in what is an adaptation of the Jamie Reidy memoir Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman.

I sincerely recommend checking out the trailer to this film; whilst Hathaway ensures rom-com lightness to this release, the combination of the film’s script and Gyllenhaal’s brooding presence guarantee a perhaps unexpected depth.

The Fighter (2011)

A question I often ask myself on a daily basis is what Mark ‘Marky-Mark’ Wahlberg’s career is set to have him appear in next? Will he make a comeback to modelling, and bless us all a good peek at his abs of steel? To my dismay I was instead offered my piece of Wahlberg in the form of his latest release The Other Guys (2010) however there is still a glimmer of hope in his 2011 project The Fighter.

Due to be released on the 4^th of February 2011, this is definitely a cure to the Valentine frenzy which is sure to engulf every major city in England. Playing alongside a very skinny The Machinist-esque Christian Bale, Wahlberg takes on a role as a boxer whose Rocky-like rise was shepherded by half-brother Dicky (Christian Bale), a boxer-turned-trainer who rebounded in life after nearly being KO’d by drugs and crime.

The Fighter also stars Amy Adams in a role far apart from her outbreak film Enchanted (2007) this is a movie which is definitely set to rival the ultimate boxing film Rocky (1976).

The Tourist (2010/2011)

A slightly chubby, but still divine, Johnny Depp appeared on my computer screen recently in a movie trailer which sees this quirky heartthrob in a role which many of us have not seen him play…’the ordinary man’.  Playing opposite the formidable Angelina Jolie, Depp plays Frank, an American tourist visiting Italy to mend a broken heart. Elise (Jolie) is an extraordinary woman who deliberately crosses his path in order to mislead all those following her former lover.

Intrigued? Set to be released early December, this is definitely a film which will provide a bit of heat to our winter days.

For Colored Girls (2010/2011)

Tyler Perry is perhaps a name which is not so well known over her in the UK; however his new release For Colored Girls (2010) is most certainly set to put him in the spotlight.

The film is an adaptation of the play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf and deals with issues from divorce, to sex, rape and abortion to name but a few. Starring Janet Jackson, Loretta Devine and Whoopi Goldberg, this film is most definitely not short on talent; For Colored Girls(2010) is a film which is expected to break all codes and boundaries, featuring a cast of all black women dealing with such strong issues, November 2010 will be a month where audiences will absolutely take notice.

According to the publication studios saw an $81 return for every dollar they spent on the 24 year-old, making him the best value actor in Hollywood.

The huge success of Alice in Wonderland, which grossed over $1 billion, helped put Anne Hathaway into second place. The star offering a $64 return for every dollar she is paid.

Whilst, Daniel Radcliffe was the highest placing Brit on the list, coming in third, with a $61 return.

That bronze, silver and gold all went to young actors is hardly surprising. These young stars are all (relatively) low paid and therefore provide a better rate of return than their older, higher paid peers.

As they mature, and their successes continue, they will be able to increase their quota per film. This might place them out of the list unless they can continue to make successful (read: lucrative) films.

It may be hard, but it can be done. Johnny Depp continues to be one of Hollywood’s highest paid actors because his films do so well and he continues to offer a great return on investment ($18).

Although the list is a good indicator of star power, and will no doubt help each actor in negotiating their next fee, it is slightly misleading to assume direct causation between an actor and a film success.

LaBeouf tops the list primarily due to the inclusion of high grossing films like Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (which made an estimated $790 million in 2008) and Transformers 2 (which earned $833 million in 2009), however, the actor wasn’t the main reason these films were successful.

Indy 4 was the hugely anticipated continuation of the much adored Indiana Jones franchise, which already had huge Hollywood heavyweights behind it (George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford), whilst Transformers 2 had, well, giant robots fighting.

Forbes’ has yet to release their counterpart list “Hollywood’s Most Overpaid Actors”, which funny-man/perennial man-child Will Ferrell topped last year.

For full details visit Forbes’ website.

You’ve got a very important date.

The most hugely anticipated film of this year yet – Walt Disney Pictures and visionary director Tim Burton brings you the epic 3D fantasy adventure of one of  the most beloved stories of all time with a magical and imaginative twist.

With Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and Mia Wasikowska as 19 year-old Alice as she returns to the quirky, whimsical world she visited as a child to reunite with her old friends: The White Rabbit, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar and the Cheshire Cat. As the fantastical journey unfolds, Alice must find her true destiny and end the Red Queens reign of terror.

Cast includes: Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover, Matt Lucas and Stephen Fry.

You’d be mad as a hatter if you didn’t catch this film as soon as it’s released.

Certificate: PG

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy/Family

Release Date: 5 March 2010

Case 39 (2010)

Some cases should never be opened.

Case 39 starring Renée Zellweger as an idealistic social worker who tries to rescue an abused 10-year-old girl from her parents only to discover that the girl is not as innocent as she thinks…

Directed by Christian Alvart, this horror/thriller also stars Jodelle Ferland, Ian McShane and Kerry O’Malley.

See it if you liked: Orphan, The Haunting in Connecticut

Certificate: 15

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Release Date: 5 March 2010

Legion (2010)

When the last angel falls, the fight for mankind begins.

A super-natural action thriller with an apocalypse theme of epic proportions – when God loses faith in mankind, he sends a legion of angels to bring on the apocalypse. The survival of humanity lies in the hands of a group of strangers stranded in a desert diner and the Archangel Michael (Paul Bettany).

Directed by Scott Stewart and featuring a cast of Lucas Black, Tyrese Gibson, Adrianne Palicki and Charles S. Dutton.

Certificate: 15

Genre: Action/Thriller

Release Date: 5 March 2010