Countless year-end articles blamed 2005’s supposed “box-office slump” on an apparent lack of quality in American filmmaking. While that may be debatable, looking ahead at this year’s cinematic slate suggests Hollywood is more than ready to make up for it. While hundreds of flicks will come and go from our beloved multiplexes in the months to come, there are a number that look particularly promising.
- Zodiac (David Fincher)
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey, Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Chloe Sevigny
[October]
David Fincher returns to the serial killer subject matter he first visited in Seven. But instead of Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman in Seven , Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey, Jr., and Mark Ruffalo are the men terrorized by a seemingly unsolvable series of murders in San Francisco. Based on true events, this film should likely prove wrong those who wrote off Fincher after Panic Room. And I’m all for another Robert Downey Jr. comeback (who is starring in a whopping six films this year, including two on this list).
- Inland Empire (David Lynch).
Starring: Laura Dern, Jeremy Irons, Justin Theroux
[May]
While a digital shoot seems to go against his style, David Lynch’s mastery of experimentation works in Inland Empire’s favour. Reteaming with old favourite Laura Dern, Empire’s plotline is appropriately vague, dealing with a mysterious conflict in Dern’s character’s life. This suggests Empire will be more Mulholland Drive than The Straight Story, which is not necessarily good or bad, but certainly exciting. Lynch-ites, mark your calendars.
- A Scanner Darkly
(Richard Linklater)
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Robert Downey, Jr., Woody Harrelson
[July]
Richard Linklater’s Waking Life-style digitally animated adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s novel will finally arrive this July after many delays. Linklater intentionally cast actors with histories of drug abuse for this futuristic tale of drug addiction and psychological disorders. It also marks the end of a long screen absence for actress Winona Ryder, who can hopefully make up for not only her infamous shoplifting arrest, but also the excerable Mr. Deeds and Autumn in New York.
- For Your Consideration (Christopher Guest)
Starring: Ricky Gervais, Parker Posey, Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Christopher Guest
[September]
It’s easy to understand why so much is riding on Christopher Guest’s fifth mockumentary-it’s got to live up to the hilarity of its predecessors. It seems Guest has found a secret weapon in this regard: The Office’s Ricky Gervais. Heading a cast of typical Guestians (Catherine O’Hara, Fred Willard, Eugene Levy), Gervais and co. play actors that are in the running for the Oscars. The largely improvised script follows their quest to be nominated (and the wonderful Parker Posey is said to have one of the larger roles!).
1.The Fountain (Darren Aronofsky)
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz, Ellen Burstyn
[Fall]
Though its placement at the top of this list suggests otherwise, Darren Aronofsky’s long-awaited The Fountain is probably one of the films that I am most skeptical about. It’s difficult to judge the talent of a director on one single film (though Requiem For A Dream is pretty suggestive of greatness), and it’s also problematic when their follow-up faces massive delays and overhauls supposedly due to the director’s control-freak tendencies. But for anyone who has seen the trailer for this epic tale of love, death, and the meaning of existence that spans one thousand years and tells three parallel stories, The Fountain’s potential is arguably greater than that of any other upcoming release.
