2008 Woodie Awards
Fall movies show promise after mediocre summer
Allison Schein
Issue date: 9/5/06 Section: Arts
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After what seemed like an endless summer of shattered expectations and bad-to-mediocre movies, we head into the fall - and Oscar season - with a glimmer of hope that going to the movies might not elicit headache, nausea or loss of faith in humanity. There are so many films to look forward to that you might have trouble deciding which ones deserve your hard-earned cash. So, to help make up your mind and determine which are really worthy, here's a list of the most promising movies to check out over the next few weeks to help get you through the first half of the semester, and a couple you should try to catch before it's too late.
The Science of Sleep
(Sept. 22)
This is perhaps the most original and interesting-looking film to be released since Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (also directed by Michel Gondry), and if that's listed as one of your favorite movies on Facebook, this will soon join it. Similarly to Eternal Sunshine, which was co-written by Gondry and Charlie Kaufman, it's another visually eccentric take on dreams and consciousness that follows a man living in Paris (Gael García Bernal) in his search for love, reality and control of his life. Even if the movie itself ultimately turns out to be too confusing to understand, which is entirely possible, you'll at least be treated to some serious eye candy - the actors, the city and the innovative animation sequences, not to mention a creative, funny and sweet movie that doesn't necessarily adhere to a standard Hollywood plotline. The French have always displayed a certain talent for successfully bringing completely absurd, surreal images to life on screen, and this film will be no exception. With any luck, it will show up at the Academy of Music or Pleasant Street so you won't have to search too far to find it.
The Black Dahlia
(Sept. 15)
If you like a good period murder mystery, where each clue leads to another in a twisted web of vanity and jealousy, this is the movie for you. It is perhaps the most highly anticipated movie of the fall, along with The Departed, partially due to its A-list cast - Josh Hartnett stars opposite Scarlett Johansson, Hilary Swank and Aaron Eckhart - and one of the most original ad campaigns in recent movie history (a mock-1947 edition of the newspaper with all of the actual articles run about the real Los Angeles murder). Like Hollywoodland, The Black Dahlia is based on real-life events, and you can look forward to elaborate sets and gorgeous costumes that transport you directly to 1947. This adaptation of James Ellroy's novel about the gruesome murder of a wannabe Hollywood starlet pairs the captivating story with Brian De Palma's experienced directing and affinity for intelligent yet violent thrillers (Scarface, The Untouchables, Wise Guys), and promises to be anything but boring. But be warned: the film will earn its R rating with grisly images, intense flashbacks and fight sequences designed to make you squirm, so if you shy away from that, you might want to check out whatever CGI family-friendly flick is playing in the next theatre.
The Science of Sleep
(Sept. 22)
This is perhaps the most original and interesting-looking film to be released since Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (also directed by Michel Gondry), and if that's listed as one of your favorite movies on Facebook, this will soon join it. Similarly to Eternal Sunshine, which was co-written by Gondry and Charlie Kaufman, it's another visually eccentric take on dreams and consciousness that follows a man living in Paris (Gael García Bernal) in his search for love, reality and control of his life. Even if the movie itself ultimately turns out to be too confusing to understand, which is entirely possible, you'll at least be treated to some serious eye candy - the actors, the city and the innovative animation sequences, not to mention a creative, funny and sweet movie that doesn't necessarily adhere to a standard Hollywood plotline. The French have always displayed a certain talent for successfully bringing completely absurd, surreal images to life on screen, and this film will be no exception. With any luck, it will show up at the Academy of Music or Pleasant Street so you won't have to search too far to find it.
The Black Dahlia
(Sept. 15)
If you like a good period murder mystery, where each clue leads to another in a twisted web of vanity and jealousy, this is the movie for you. It is perhaps the most highly anticipated movie of the fall, along with The Departed, partially due to its A-list cast - Josh Hartnett stars opposite Scarlett Johansson, Hilary Swank and Aaron Eckhart - and one of the most original ad campaigns in recent movie history (a mock-1947 edition of the newspaper with all of the actual articles run about the real Los Angeles murder). Like Hollywoodland, The Black Dahlia is based on real-life events, and you can look forward to elaborate sets and gorgeous costumes that transport you directly to 1947. This adaptation of James Ellroy's novel about the gruesome murder of a wannabe Hollywood starlet pairs the captivating story with Brian De Palma's experienced directing and affinity for intelligent yet violent thrillers (Scarface, The Untouchables, Wise Guys), and promises to be anything but boring. But be warned: the film will earn its R rating with grisly images, intense flashbacks and fight sequences designed to make you squirm, so if you shy away from that, you might want to check out whatever CGI family-friendly flick is playing in the next theatre.
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