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thevoid99's Most Anticipated Films of 2006Dec 20 '05 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Here are 25 and many more films to look forward and to avoid for 2006. With 2005 coming to a close, it has been somewhat a very uninspiring year despite some amazing films that came out. Yet there was too much competition as well as stars who overshadowed their own films with their personalities. Still, audiences do need to be careful about what to watch and what they want from films. For the art-house fans, they still got enough films though very few really stood out this year that crossed over into the mainstream. The only rare thing that came out of 2005 was two great cinematic masters releasing what might be their final films, Ingmar Bergman finally comes out with Saraband in the U.S. to great reviews while the often reclusive Terrence Malick came out with The New World that audiences have yet to see. Still, there are plenty of movies to watch and avoid for 2006. Hopefully, I plan to see many as I could in that year while embarking on my own career as a writer/director. Yet, I am a fan of cinema first and foremost. For now, I present to you the movies to see for that year as well as the Top 25 Most Anticipated Films of 2006. The 25 Most Anticipated Films of 2006: 1. Marie-Antoinette Written for the Screen & Directed by Sofia Coppola. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Rip Torn, Asia Argento, Steve Coogan, Rose Byrne, Molly Shannon, Aurore Clement, Judy Davis, Shirley Henderson, and Marianne Faithfull. If 2003's Lost in Translation established her as a unique visionary that stood out among her other female peers. The idea of following-up something as intimate and sparse as Lost in Translation must be challenging. Still, Sofia's themes of alienation and dealing with reality is in the forefront once again for her 2006 biopic on the infamous young queen of France who would spark the outrage in the French Revolution of the late 18th Century with her own comments on her citizens. Taking Antonia Fraser's novel on Marie Antoinette, Coppola aims for a study on a young girl whose life had been nothing but living in high court unaware of the world outside her which speaks true now to what is going on since young people are either unaware or don't care about realities and they disconnect themselves through lavishness. Playing the role of Marie Antoinette is Kirsten Dunst who starred in Coppola's 1999 directorial feature debut The Virgin Suicides while Coppola's cousin Jason Schwartzman plays the role of Louis XVII with Rip Torn (replacing French film legend Alain Delon) as Louis XVI. With her father Francis Ford Coppola serving as executive producer once again, Sofia also brought in the same film team she had from Lost in Translation like cinematographer Lance Acord, editor Sarah Flack, production designer K.K. Barrett, producer Ross Katz, and brother Roman Coppola as her second unit director while borrowing her father's costume designer, the legendary Milena Canonero. Shot entirely on location in France with permission to use the Versailles palace, there is more rumors that Sofia Coppola might bring the French pop band Air to score the film like they did with her previous work while a teaser trailer had New Order's Age Of Consent playing in the background. Whatever the result will be, it's sure to be one of the most exciting films of the year. 2. Flags of Our Fathers Directed by Clint Eastwood Adapted Screenplay by Paul Haggis Starring Ryan Philippe, Adam Beach, Jesse Bradford, Paul Walker, Jamie Bell, and Barry Pepper. Riding high on the success of 2004's Oscar-winning Million Dollar Baby, Clint Eastwood is on a roll and had achieved his legendary status as now, a great director. The icon once known as "The Man With No Name" and "Dirty Harry" is now embarking on not one but two ambitious projects with Baby screenwriter Paul Haggis on a war movie based on the battle of Iwo Jima. With an American version of the film that includes several young actors like Ryan Philippe, Adam Beach, Jesse Bradford, Paul Walker, Barry Pepper, Jamie Bell, and many more. Eastwood is also planning to make a second version of Flags of Our Fathers from the perspective of the Japanese. While it's been done before to modest success, with Eastwood’s experience and ability for actors to be more improvisational, it's destined to be not just another war classic but another of Eastwood's long achievements. 3. The Fountain Directed by Darren Aronofsky Written by Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel Starring Rachel Weisz, Hugh Jackman, Ellen Burstyn, Ethan Suplee, Donna Murphy, and Sean Patrick Thomas. Since debuting with 1998's low-budget, sci-fi film Pi and following up with 2000's Requiem for a Dream, Darren Aronofsky has been hailed as one of the best young directors around. Yet since Requiem, Aronofsky has been out of the spotlight while turning down several projects including Batman Begins. Now, the director returns once again with The Fountain. Far more ambitious than any of his previous features, this sci-fi drama starring Aronofsky's current fiancé Rachel Weisz plus Hugh Jackman & Requiem's Ellen Burstyn shows Aronosky's range as a writer though it's not entirely clear on what the film is about. Though the trailer shows it's very big, it's clear that Aronofsky has evolved into a filmmaker with huge ambitions. 4. Inland Empire Written & Directed by David Lynch Starring Laura Dern, Jeremy Irons, Justin Theroux, Harry Dean Stanton, and Julia Ormond. 2001's Mulholland Drive brought Lynch the most unlikely kind of critical and commercial success since his Twin Peaks days along with a Best Director Oscar nomination. Delving once again to the realm of mystery, Lynch has once again employed a few of his regulars like Laura Dern, Justin Theroux, and Harry Dean Stanton for another strange world but this time in a valley outside of Los Angeles. Though it's unclear on how Lynch will pull off the same twists and weirdness to his devoted cult but it's clear that whenever he has a film out, it's always exciting and worth watching to the end. 5. Goya's Ghosts Directed by Milos Forman Written by Milos Forman and Jean-Claude Carriere Starring Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman, Randy Quaid, Craig Stevenson, and Stellan Skarsgard. After a brief hiatus from films after 1999's underrated Andy Kaufman bio-pic Man on the Moon, Milos Forman returns once again for another ambitious, subtle bio-drama on Francisco Goya. This time, Forman focuses on Goya's work and his involvement in a scandal. Starring Javier Bardem as the legendary painter, the film also includes Natalie Portman as a muse who holds the key to helping him uncover the scandal. Forman's experience in period pieces like Amadeus and Valmont is definitely expected though with a master director like him, it's clear it's going to become an interesting film. 6. The Black Dahlia Directed by Brian de Palma Adapted Screenplay by Josh Friedman Starring Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Hilary Swank, Aaron Eckhart, Mia Kirshner, Rachel Miner, Fiona Shaw, Kevin Dunn, and Rose McGowan. Based on James Ellroy's novel on the murder of Elizabeth Short, this long-delayed film version which was supposed to be released last year had been a troubled production with Mark Wahlberg's departure in early 2005 and Brian de Palma's search for locations that took him nearly a year. Set in the 1940s, the story revolves around two cops, played by Josh Hartnett and Aaron Eckhart (filling in for Wahlberg) looking for the killer of Elizabeth Short (Mia Kirshner, filling in for Maggie Gyllenhaal and Eva Green) while interviewing potential suspects including two different women, played by Scarlett Johansson and Hilary Swank. While de Palma has had a brief comeback with 2002's Femme Fatale, this film might become a true return to form if he stays true to the novel while having a strong cast carrying the film. 7. Volver Written & Directed by Pedro Almodovar Starring Penelope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Duenas, and Blanca Portillo. No director is bigger in Spain than the prolific and flamboyant Pedro Almodovar. After 2004's mysterious drama La Mala Educacion (Bad Education), Almodovar returns to the comedic style of the early years but with the newfound maturity of his recent work. Using the road film as a plot-device, Almodovar reunites with Penelope Cruz and Carmen Maura for a story of three women traveling to Madrid from Southern Spain seeking a better life. Though it's unclear on what Almodovar will do but it's clear that he always leave many of his film fans and moviegoers with a lot to divulge while being entertained at the same time. 8. Southland Tales Written & Directed by Richard Kelly Starring Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Mandy Moore, Lou Taylor Pucci, Janeane Garafalo, Beth Grant, Miranda Richardson, Bai Ling, and Justin Timberlake. After 2001's cult-classic Donnie Darko, Richard Kelly has become a film director with a growing cult in his films about teen angst and the existential issue. His sophomore feature Southland Tales is another multi-genre mix that combines sci-fi, comedy, thriller, and it's a musical as well set in 2008 about a three-day heatwave that culminates in a huge 4th of July party in Los Angeles. With an all-star cast filled with many actors including music by Moby (who takes full duties after co-composer Trent Reznor departed the project), it's clear that Kelly is moving away from Donnie Darko though this film is crucial on whether he can have a long career like his idol and friend Kevin Smith. 9. Youth Without Youth Written for the Screen & Directed by Francis Ford Coppola Starring Tim Roth, Bruno Ganz, and Marcel Iures. It's been nearly 10 years since the legendary Francis Ford Coppola has directed a picture. Since then, the director of The Godfather trilogy and The Conversation discovered the DVD market as he not only released a new director's cut of his 1979 classic Apocalypse Now entitled Apocalypse Now Redux. He also re-released a few of his early 80s features like a director's cut version of The Outsiders and Rumble Fish while getting some re-evaluation from critics in a re-release for 1982's One from the Heart. While also being a producer for other filmmakers including his children Sofia and Roman, Francis is now ready to return with an adaptation of Mircea Eliade's novella about a professor who becomes a fugitive in pre-World War II. Though it's unclear on what Coppola will do, his return to making a new film as a director has brought enough excitement to fans who are waiting for his comeback. 10. Across the Universe Directed by Julie Taymor Written by Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais Starring Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, Eddie Izzard, Bono, and Salma Hayek. Julie Taymor's theatrical background in directing Broadway productions made her into a unique director whose ambitions are sometimes bigger than the stories. Still, 1999's Titus and 2002's Frida were fascinating films that showed her big, unique vision. For her third feature, she goes for a romantic musical about a young Liverpool man who goes to Vietnam War-era America to find his father where he falls in love with a young woman named Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood). While the plot and the idea of Beatles song used as the music might get people thinking of the 1978 Robert Stigwood debacle Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Taymor's experience in production and musicals is likely to get this film away from those bad elements. Especially with the talents of Evan Rachel Wood and Eddie Izzard with cameos from Bono and Salma Hayek. 11. Fast Food Nation Directed by Richard Linklater Screenplay by Richard Linklater and Eric Schlosser Starring Catalina Sandino Moreno, Greg Kinnear, Bruce Willis, and Lou Taylor Pucci. 12. A Scanner Darkly Written for the Screen and Directed by Richard Linklater Starring Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson, and Robert Downey, Jr. Through the early 90s to now, no director defied the American independent spirit better than Richard Linklater. After scoring recent success with 2003's School of Rock, 2004's Before Sunset, and a modest success in a 2005 remake of Bad News Bears, Linklater is on a roll. For 2006, he has two film adaptations for release in two different mediums. First is a conventional yet stylized thriller on Eric Schlosser's novel Fast Food Nation which attacks the world of fast food corporations with Maria Full of Grace star Catalina Sandino Moreno in a leading role. The second is a return to the digital-animation style of Waking Life for an adaptation of Phillip K. Dick's sci-fi novel A Scanner Darkly. While Linklater has more projects in the works including a 12-year grade school project with Ethan Hawke and a possible Before Sunrise/Before Sunset sequel coming real soon with Hawke and Delpy, it's clear that Linklater has kept fans excited after all these years. 13. Zodiac Directed by David Fincher Adapted Screenplay by James Vanderbilt Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Bijou Phillips, Zach Grenier, Ione Skye, and Chloe Sevigny. 14. Che Directed by Steven Soderbergh Screenplay by Steven Soderbergh & Peter Buchman Starring Benicio del Toro, Ryan Gosling, Franka Potente, Javier Bardem, and Benjamin Bratt. Based on the writings of Robert Graysmith on the Zodiac killer, David Fincher returns after a brief hiatus to explore the real life of the Zodiac killer. With a strong cast and Fincher's visual style, it's likely that it's going to become another interesting film. Another film about a real-life individual is from Steven Soderbergh on another bio-pic on Che Guevara. With Benicio del Toro playing the role, the film chronicles the revolutionary though one part of his story was already told in 2004's The Motorcycle Diaries by Walter Salles with Gael Garcia Bernal in the role. Though Soderbergh has gotten some flack for not using an original script by Terrence Malick (who left to do The New World) but he's got a lot to live up to since The Motorcycle Diaries already revealed some important parts on Guevara's life. 15. The Departed Directed by Martin Scorsese Screenplay by William Monahan Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, and Jack Nicholson. After scoring another successful collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio with 2004's The Aviator, the two decided to work again for the third time. This time on a film version of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs. The crime drama is now set in Boston for Scorsese's version about two different men from the opposite sides of the law investigating some newfound corruption in an enemy who could be working for both camps. Returning to the street-wise tone of earlier films, Scorsese is likely to score big while he's got a huge cast to back him up including a longtime dream collaboration for many film fans of seeing Jack Nicholson in a Scorsese film is sure to draw in some older audiences. 16. Babel Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Written by Guillermo Arriaga Starring Gael Garcia Bernal, Cate Blanchett, Brad Pitt, James McBride, and Mahima Chaudry. 17. The Children of Men Directed by Alfonso Cuaron Adapted Screenplay by David Arata, Alfonso Cuaron, & Timothy J. Sexton Starring Clive Owen, Michael Caine, Charlie Hunnam, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Danny Huston, and Julianne Moore. Two of Mexico's most brilliant directors return once again two different films that explore their range. Babel from the team of Amores Perros/21 Grams creators Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Guillermo Ariaga is three different stories in different locations with the opening story features a married couple struck by tragedy. Far more ambitious than their previous collaborations, it's clear that Inarritu and company are going to create an interesting epic. Fresh off from his stint at Hogwarts for 2004's Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban, Alfonso Cuaron returns with his long-awaited film adaptation of P.D. James' sci-fi novel The Children of Men about an activist who takes a pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea hoping for a re-birth of humanity in a world dominated by men. With this success of POA, it's likely that Cuaron can pull off something intelligent and profound as he hopes to achieve more success. 18. The Science of Sleep Written & Directed by Michel Gondry Starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Charlotte Gainsbourg. 19. Stranger Than Fiction Directed by Marc Forster Written by Zach Helm Starring Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Queen Latifah, Emma Thompson, and Dustin Hoffman. The success of his 2004 sophomore hit Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind revealed the brilliant quirks and visual style of famed video director Michel Gondry. Now he goes out on his own without the mind of Eternal scribe Charlie Kaufman for a strange, fantasy film about a man who is held captive by his own dreams only to try and wake himself up to take control of them. The premise is definitely inspired by Kaufman but it reveals the visual quirks of Michel Gondry. British director Marc Forster returns with another fantasy-inspired picture about an IRS auditor (Will Ferrell) who hears a strange narration in his head while falling in love with a radical protestor (Maggie Gyllenhaal). While Forster has manage to convey interesting choices to his films, he has become an important one since the success of 2004's Finding Neverland. 20. Goat Written for the Screen & Directed by David Gordon Green Starring Emile Hirsch. With only three features under his belt, David Gordon Green is considered by some in the independent film scene to be the most gifted director of his generation. With enormous praise from film critic Roger Ebert and the respect of other directors including hero Terrence Malick, Green had hopes to do a film adaptation of John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces with a script by Steven Soderbergh. Unfortunately, the project fell apart through development hell while Green lost his home in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Still, Green has several projects in the works including a film called The Secret Life of Bees with Dakota Fanning and another coming-of-age drama called Goat based on Brad Land's memoirs about a young man who reels from an attack while trying to pledge a fraternity. With independent producer Christine Vachon backing him up and a summer shooting schedule planned, it's clear that Green is going to make another interesting film that would put him in the forefront of American independent cinema. 21. Scoop Written & Directed by Woody Allen Starring Woody Allen, Scarlett Johansson, Hugh Jackman, Ian McShane, and James Nesbitt. 22. A Prairie Home Companion Directed by Robert Altman Written by Garrison Keillor Starring Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Woody Harrelson, Virginia Madsen, Tommy Lee Jones, Robin Williams, Maya Rudolph, Kevin Kline, and Lindsay Lohan. Two veteran filmmakers return with new features and new young stars at the helm of them. First is Woody Allen, who is riding another success with 2005's Match Point starring Scarlett Johansson as the two team up again for another London-based film where Johansson plays a student who has an affair with an aristocrat in a comedy with Allen as her father. Robert Altman meanwhile, does a film version of Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion based on his radio series about a final broadcast of a country radio show. While Altman has a great cast to back him up, some are wondering if teen film queen Lindsay Lohan can match up to Altman's brilliance and the rest of the cast or will end up being another Tara Reid. 23. Friends with Money Written and Directed by Nicole Holofcener Starring Catherine Keener, Jennifer Aniston, Frances McDormand, Joan Cusack, and Jason Issacs. 24. Untitled Sunshine Project Directed by Danny Boyle Written by Alex Garland Starring Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, Chris Evans, Troy Garity, and Michelle Yeoh. 25. Mister Lonely Directed by Harmony Korine Written by Avi Korine & Harmony Korine Three more directors return to the scene with different projects. First is Nicole Holofcener with a drama about a single woman living in a world with married friends in a life of loneliness in Friends with Money with longtime Holofcener collaborator Catherine Keener as it's sure to bring the same mix of comedy and drama of Walking & Talking and Lovely & Amazing. Danny Boyle is delving into another genre film with 28 Days Later star Cillian Murphy about a group of astronauts trying to save a part of the dying sun only to learn about the mystery about the previous crew in a similar mission. Finally, there's American enfant terrible Harmony Korine who returns with his first new feature since 1999's Julien-Donkey Boy for a film project about a lonely man in which Korine reportedly shot the film in parts of Iceland. Announced Films for the Time Being: There Will Be Blood Written & Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson Hail Caesar Written & Directed by Joel & Ethan Coen Borgia Directed by Neil Jordan The Fantastic Mr. Fox Directed by Wes Anderson Screenplay by Wes Anderson & Noah Baumbach There's three other films that are also worth anticipating but because of their unknown status couldn't make it to the top 25. Neil Jordan's film version about the Borgia family with Colin Farrell and Scarlett Johansson as siblings is still in the planning stages. Paul Thomas Anderson makes another return after 2002's Punch-Drunk Love for There Will Be Blood but casting information hasn't been revealed nor has the Coen Brothers' Hail Caesar where a lot of fans hope that many of the Coen Brothers regulars will return to churn out the duo's funny dialogue after the disappointments of 2003's Intolerable Cruelty and 2004's remake of The Ladykillers. Wes Anderson is also slated to return for an adaptation of Roald Dahl's The Fantastic Mr. Fox although no one has been casted yet while some fans are reeling from the disappointment of his last film, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Other Films Worth Mentioning to Check Out: With the year churning out more movies in different genres, there are so many to check out yet there’s so little time. For anyone who just want to be entertained or to have a good time. Here's a list of films that are to come out for the new year: American Dreamz Written & Directed by Paul Weitz Starring Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore, Willem Dafoe, Chris Klein, Judy Greer, Marcia Gay Harden, and John Cho. Art School Confidential Directed by Terry Zwigoff Written by Daniel Clowes Starring Max Minghella, Sophia Myles, John Malkovich, Anjelica Huston, Matt Keeslar, and Jim Broadbent. V for Vendetta Directed by James McTeigue Adapted Screenplay by Andy & Larry Wachowski Starring Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, John Hurt, Sinead Cusack, and Stephen Rea. Running With Scissors Written for the Screen & Directed by Ryan Murphy Starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Evan Rachel Wood, Jill Clayburgh, Annette Benning, Brian Cox, Alec Baldwin, Joseph Fiennes, and Vanessa Redgrave. Four Last Songs Written and Directed by Francesca Joseph Starring Stanley Tucci, Jena Malone, Rhys Ifans, Hugh Bonneville, and Emmanuele Seigner. The Go-Getter Written and Directed by Martin Hynes Starring Lou Taylor Pucci, Zooey Deschanel, Judy Greer, Maura Tierny and Jena Malone. Control Directed by Anton Corbijn Screenplay by Matt Greenhalgh Starring Samantha Morton. X-Men 3 Directed by Brett Ratner Screenplay by Zak Penn and Simon Kinberg Starring Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Kelsey Grammar, Ian McKellan, Patrick Stewart, James Marsden, Anna Paquin, Famke Janssen, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Ben Foster, Rebecca Romijn, and Shohreh Aghdashloo. Superman Returns Directed by Bryan Singer Screenplay by Dan Harris and Michael Dougherty Starring Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, James Marsden, Frank Langella, Parker Posey, Sam Huntington, Eva Marie Saint, Kal Penn, and Marlon Brando. Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest Directed by Gore Verbinski Screenplay by Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio Starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Stellan Skarsgard, Bill Nighy, Jonathan Pryce, and Geoffrey Rush. Inside Man Directed by Spike Lee Written by Russell Gewirtz Starring Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Clive Owen. Casino Royale Directed by Martin Campbell Screenplay by Paul Haggis Starring Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, and John Cleese. Paul Weitz returns with another comedy but this time, a satire on American pop culture for American Dreamz while Terry Zwigoff reunites with Ghost World collaborator Daniel Clowes for a romantic-comedy set in an art school. James Bond also returns for a new version of Casino Royale with Daniel Craig as the new Bond with Paul Haggis writing a new script that Bond fans hope will return Bond to form. The Wachowski brothers return for another action film with the comic-novel adaptation of V for Vendetta with Hugo Weaving as the hero and Natalie Portman as a bald-headed revolutionary. Spike Lee teams up with producer Brian Grazer for a thriller called Inside Man that marks a reunion between Lee and Denzel Washington. Several independent dramas and comedies are set for released like Ryan Murphy's adaptation of Augusten Burroughs' harrowing family drama Running with Scissors. Indie queen Jena Malone is set to return with several projects including the BBC-ensemble drama Four Last Songs as well as the road drama The Go-Getters with Lou Taylor Pucci in a leading role. One of the most anticipated debut features of 2006 to emerge is from respected video director Anton Corbijn with a bio-pic on Joy Division singer Ian Curtis for the film Control which is sure to bring in a lot of Joy Division fans. Action and comic-book fans will have something to be excited about with two sequels and a superhero reinvented for a new generation. While Bryan Singer left the X-Men franchise to helm the long-awaited film version of Superman with Brett Ratner taking over the X-Men series hoping to make a bigger, badder film while being true to the franchise. Gore Verbinski also returns with the first of two sequels for Pirates of the Caribbean where the trailer reveals more of Johnny Depp's kooky-inspiring performance. Foreign Releases & Other Films from 2005 to be Released: While there were a lot more films waiting to come out for 2005, some of the were either from other countries or had trouble getting distributed as they premiered in international festivals. Here are some of those films: Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story Directed by Michael Winterbottom Screenplay by Martin Hardy Starring Steve Coogan, Shirley Henderson, Gillian Anderson, Stephen Fry, Naomie Harris, Kelly McDonald, and Ian Hart. A Time to Leave Written & Directed Francois Ozon Starring Valeria Tedeschi Bruni, Melvil Poupaud, and Jeanne Moreau. Manderlay Written & Directed by Lars von Trier Starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Willem Dafoe, Danny Glover, Jeremy Davies, Chloe Sevigny, Jean-Marc Barr, Udo Kier, Lauren Bacall, and Isaach De Bankole. Tideland Directed by Terry Gilliam Screenplay by Terry Gilliam and Tony Grisoni Starring Jeff Bridges, Jennifer Tilly, Jodelle Ferland, and Janet McTier. The Child Written & Directed by the Dardenne Brothers Starring Jeremie Renier, Jeremie Segard, Deborah Francois, Fabrizio Rongione, and Olivier Gourmet. Mary Directed by Abel Ferrara Written by Abel Ferrara, Maria Isabella, & Simone Lageoles Starring Juliette Binoche, Forest Whitaker, Heather Graham, & Matthew Modine. Romance & Cigarettes Written & Directed by John Turturro Starring James Gandolfini, Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Aida Turturro, Mandy Moore, Kumar Pallana, Steve Buscemi, Christopher Walken, Mary-Louise Parker, Eddie Izzard, and Elaine Stritch. All the King's Men Written for the Screen & Directed by Steve Zailian Starring Sean Penn, Anthony Hopkins, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Kathy Baker, Patricia Clarkson, and Mark Ruffalo. Free Zone Directed by Amos Gitai Written by Amos Gitai and Marie-Jose Sanselme Starring Natalie Portman, Carmen Maura, and Hanna Laszlo. Bubble Directed by Steven Soderbergh Written by Coleman Hough Four of Europe's most distinguish directors will unleash their films to the U.S. in a variety of styles. Michael Winterbottom goes for comedy in an adaptation of Tristram Shandy with Steve Coogan in the leading role while France's Francois Ozon returns to his theme of death for Time to Leave about a young man dealing with his own death in his final days. Lars von Trier returns with the second part of his controversial American trilogy for Manderlay in the same theatrical set-up of Dogville where he focuses on slavery. The Dardenne Brothers of Belgium return to the U.S. for their 2005, Palme D'or-winning The Child in a story about a couple who use their child as a source for money. Israeli director Amos Gitai also returns with another film from the 2005 Cannes Film Festival for Free Zone, a road drama starring Natalie Portman, Carmen Maura, and Hanna Laszlo who won the Best Actress prize at the festival. After the disappointing 2005 feature The Brothers Grimm, Terry Gilliam unleashed another film he made called Tideland which has all the elements of a Gilliam film without the boundaries of a studio starring Jeff Bridges in another fantasy inspired picture from the eyes of a child. Steven Soderbergh returns with another film called Bubble that he made in 2005 with a cast of unknowns for a drama that he plans to release in the theaters, TV, and on DVD all simultaneously. John Turturro unleashes a huge musical for Romance & Cigarettes that features a few of his Coen Brothers buddies and an all-star cast where it's a great excuse to see the GREAT Christopher Walken sing and dance. The controversial Abel Ferrara's Mary with Juliette Binoche is a drama about a woman's obsession to be Mary Magdalene. Finally, there's the long-delayed All the King's Men by Steve Zailan which was supposed to come out in 2005 but Zailan wasn't finished editing in this political-inspired drama. Films to Avoid for 2006: There's going to be a lot of cinematic crap and I'm sure some people will no doubt will avoid them so here is a few of those films and what better way to start off with what might be one of the most bloated films of the year from one of the most egotistical, whacked-out stars of today. MI3: Mission Impossible 3 Directed by J.J. Abrams Screenplay by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci, and Alex Kurtzman. Starring Tom "Whacko" Cruise, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Ving Rhames, Laurence Fishburne, Michelle Monoghan, and Keri Russell. Ok, Phillip Seymour Hoffman as a bad guy seems like a cool idea and judging from the trailer, he might be the only good thing in the film. Still, we have Tom Cruise acting crazy, trying to be all bad*ss and stuff. Oh, we have explosions, romance, and a bunch of stuff. We know what’s going to happen so what’s the point of even seeing this? The Pink Panther Directed by Shawn Levy Screenplay by Lem Blum and Steve Martin. Starring Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, Jean Reno, Emily Mortimer, and Beyonce Knowles. Blake Edwards' comedy with the late Peter Sellers at their worst had their moments. The new Pink Panther movie was originally supposed to come out in 2005 but test screening and early reviews forced the film to go into extensive re-editing while the trailer doesn't look very promising. Especially with two very funny actors in Steve Martin and Kevin Kline doing something that seemed impossible, not being funny. Fans who loved the late Peter Sellers will no doubt stay away from this pointless film. Revolver Written and Directed by Guy Ritchie Starring Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Andre Benjamin, Vincent Pastore, and Francesca Annis. If Guy Ritchie fell hard with 2002's awful remake of Swept Away with wife Madonna in the starring role, then his new film Revolver that came out in 2005 in several film festivals confirmed that he's fallen down even more. Though it's a return to the violent attitude of earlier films, reviews for the film, especially in Britain have been horrendous where one paper said, “Revolver makes Swept Away look like Citizen Kane". It's likely that the film's poor reviews and negative reaction will never come out to the U.S. Well, that's pretty much it for the films of 2006. Yeah, there's more like M. Night Shylaman's Lady in the Water, Tom di Cillo's Delirious, Wolfgang Peterson's Poseidon, Mel Gibson's Apocalypto, and Ron Howard's film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code coming out as well as a slew of indies and other stuff. Yet we can't cover them all. Until then, let's make sure we have a chance to see a lot of good movies and hope that ticket prices get cheaper.  |
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