Films to see in 2012: September

September again, and you know what that means. Back to school, the fall festivals, and the full fledged kickoff of the Oscar film season. Today (August 29th) gets things moving in that third category with "Lawless", though it's become rather unlikely for that film to hold interest all the way to nominations morning. Next weekend pulls the month in with just as tepid a slate of releases, mostly (if not entirely) consisting of "The Words", a Bradley Cooper-Jeremy Irons drama about stolen glory. That seems much more sympathetic an awards play than this week's bid, and I can't imagine it prospering in box office or critical interest.

The following weekend should prove profitable in terms of box office returns, as it brings horror-action sequel "Resident Evil: Retribution" and the 3D re-release of Pixar classic "Finding Nemo". Not taking a look at the latter is unimaginable, given not only the emotional rollercoaster it consistently offers on repeat viewings, but to see how the visuals translate to a 3D representation. Another 3D offerings that I confess myself guilty of wanting desperately to see is "Dredd 3D", a film which has every reason to be awful, and yet has a promising genre quality to it. It seems the sort of project which could either turn out like "Legion" or "Immortals", or some conflicted combination of both. I expect the third option, but hope for the second.

Films to see in 2012: August

July brought the excitement of this summer to an odd climax with "The Dark Knight Rises", a film hampered by horrible publicity very close to its release. And so common knowledge tells us that the summer is now in for a drawn out and stalled conclusion, but there is something radically compelling about the films that make up the last month of the season. Obviously there are some hairs out of place here and there, but there are a lot of interesting films teeming not below the surface, but right out there for people to see. The month starts out silly and ridiculous with kiddie threequel "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days" and much debated sci-fi action remake "Total Recall".

The following week continues that trend of lighthearted filmmaking (or not) via broad political comedy "The Campaign", honestly unregistered rom-com "Hope Springs", and Julie Delpy's comedic indie flick "2 Days in New York". Dead in the middle of the following week is "The Odd Life of Timothy Green", bringing further career work to Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton, who by the way deserve way more work than they've been getting. "The Expendables 2" lights up the broader end of box office for masculine crowds, and the late Whitney Houston's last film, "Sparkle", is likely to do the same for the female crowd.

Films to See in 2012: July

We are, rather officially as it turns out, in the full storm of summer, though it really feels like its dying throes at this point. Of course, we do have the most ridiculously anticipated film of the year, but besides that the gems are rather wide spread. Don't read me the wrong way, since from the very start we have some potentially fantastic cinema on our hands. "The Amazing Spider-Man" is only days away, and seems all the more like a nice, if relatively minor, superhero escapade. Less optimistically on the roster is Oliver Stone's "Savages", which seems like a misfire in the same degree as "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps". Even far less promising is "Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D", the latest in a run of concert films that really do not need to happen.

The following week gives us both something more, and something less. On the former side is "Ice Age: Continental Drift", and given that franchise has proven guiltily quite fun, I wouldn't be disinclined to experience this latest adventure. There's also "Red Lights", which looks extremely pointless, much like the career of Robert De Niro at this point. We know what comes the following week, and we'll get more on that later. The last week of the month is a full serving of mainstream comedy ("The Watch"), pointless franchise retread ("Step Up Revolution"), and dark comedic plant ("Killer Joe"). And then there's...

Films to See in 2012: June

May always does seem like more of a smooth transition into Summer than a direct onslaught. Now we're in June, where the blockbuster offerings come in great numbers, and all the better for it since there are bound to be a few that fall rather predictably. In the first week alone we have "Snow White and the Huntsman", which I can only greet with skepticism since it doesn't look to be an honest film by any means. "Mirror Mirror" has gained a wide array of differing opinions, but you cannot call it dishonest for the direction it took that story. The Kristen Stewart actioner seems to be simply to turn the story into something it isn't.

Also out that weekend are "Battlefield America" and "For Greater Glory", two films I'd previously not heard of until they were announced for wide releases. Exactly how wide that implies remains to be seen. In limited release, surprisingly, is "Piranha 3DD", which is likely to meet a quick and sudden death if expectations serve. It's thew following week that things really start picking up for the better. Amongst other things, "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" hits the stage, which should serve as acceptable entertaining for kids, and maybe just enough for adults too. If not much more, Dreamworks does have a tendency to be at least fun.

Films to see in 2012: May

Despite the "getting back into the swing of things" vibe that May always seems to give off, isn't it just great to be heading back into the big season? With a large budget offering being thrown our way nearly every week this summer, odds are in favor of some of them hitting their mark. In some cases that mark is far below the standards of others, and mindfully so. The first two weeks are taken up chiefly by highly anticipated offerings, but also a couple of indie films with buzz of their own. I must say, part of me is rather interested to see "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" for the fun of it. Clearly not a serious offering, but when was the last good comedy about old people?

The following week, Toronto's audience favorite "Where Do We Go From Here?" hits, but I'm still confounded by that one. I don't really know what to make of it, and it's only on the radar from the faint possibility that people will swoon to it. I doubt that'll happen, seeing as it didn't even make the Foreign Language branch this past year. As far as larger offerings with less chance of hitting the mark, boy there are plenty. "Battleship" has already gotten the below-average reviews we've expected it would, though I may still see it for Rihanna. That's right! I stick by my girls! "Obsession" 4 evar!!

Films to see in 2012: April

There's a sense of charm that comes to establishing your most anticipated films months in advance, because I have no reason to change my current list of anticipated films for this coming. The further I get into this year, the less I've seen of the films highlighted, and it's getting to the point where I have no knowledge outside the hype people display. I only ever treat their hype suspicion, because I don't trust anyone else to know if a film's worth it. So this April, from my eyes, is just the same as any of the many months that come after it. There's going to be some great cinema, and some less than exciting films as well. That goes without saying, since it starts out with "American Reunion" of all things, continuing the tradition of not letting things die.

Technically speaking, though, the month effectively kicks off with "Titanic 3D", which even though I am never hasty to spring up and watch it even when it's on television, I'll still see it. Why? Because it's back in theaters, and the experience is the only thing James Cameron has ever been concerned with. He's doesn't obsess over script or story integrity, but he cares deeply about the audience interaction with what's onscreen. I'll politely caution you to avoid cheap space thriller "Lockout", and even more so to skip out on "The Three Stooges". I have never felt greater pain than the abysmal trailer for that feature. 

Films to See in 2012: March

After two consecutive months of having nothing worth anticipating, we finally get around to March, which is always the point where the year actually arrives to some degree. The Academy Awards have been put to bed, and we can now actively move on to films that we may even remember by the end of the year. Of course the month starts out rather unassumingly, with whatever "Project X" is (cause I still don't know), and the animated adaptation of "The Lorax". This was the frame that "Rango" landed in last year, but I do not at all think that Dr. Seuss is quite going to give off the same vibe of nicely dialed insanity. In limited release that weekend is "Being Flynn", starring Paul Dano and Robert Deniro. It's fantastic to see Dano taking on bigger roles, but that film just looks way too simple-minded. I will say that it's better than whatever else Deniro is doing.

The following week we get around to Eddie Murphy's latest film, "A Thousand Words", which I have no idea about one way or the other. The guy's biggest prospect for this year was hosting the Oscars, and that fell through. It's also worth noting that "Friends with Kids", starring Adam Scott, Kirsten Wiig, Jon Hamm, Maya Rudolph, and Chris O'Dowd, is coming into limited release. I know, it's like a huge "Bridesmaids" reunion, and as somebody who really enjoyed that film, this sounds like it could be an interesting mix. And there's also "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen", which has some interesting people attached to it, but there isn't much in the way of actual story to be told there, so I'm not that sure about it. Lest I forget, there is also Elizabeth Olsen's year-old thriller "Silent House" finally getting release, so that may well be worth checking out.

Films to See in 2012: February

How did we get slammed with practically nothing for two months in a row? I mean, I'm sure that the media glut is going to be happy with the films coming out in February, and those of us who ask for something more will probably be busy indulging in the films heading for Oscar. Myself, I'm very easily bored and I kind of expected that the world would finally be able to keep me entertained. Not so. Second month in a row where I can't satisfy you with three films I'd suggest. First weekend, you get a movie about whales, as if we didn't have enough of those already. I was fine after "The Cove", which actually meant something. "Big Miracle" does not, beyond the inexplicable drive for audiences to see a movie about nature.

There's also the mockumentary superhero film, "Chronicle", which is just another mark crossed off on the we-haven't-done-a-found-footage-film-about-this list. Cap it off with "The Woman in Black", which is only mildly relevant as it's Daniel Radcliffe's first role outside "Harry Potter". Let's see how quickly he fades. Heading into the following week, we have the action-nothing "Safe House", the pointless romance "The Vow", 3D jizz-fest "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island", and the 3D re-release of "The Phantom Menace". Is anybody else already deeply pissed off that we're given a trilogy of some of the worst films ever made before we get to the original trilogy?

Films to See in 2012: January

We're now straight out of 2011, and you know exactly what that means. It means we're stuck with a month of January, which is the most pathetic month of the year. People just stop trying to make good movies, and that's sad. I suppose they're making room for people to catch up with the Oscar films of this year, but for us film addicts, it's not a fun time for new releases. The first weekend of the year always provides us something in the way of awful horror thrillers, this year being in the form of "The Devil Inside". I'm worried that people might actually see it. This seems to have the exact same plot as "The Rite" from last year, except without Anthony Hopkins. I wouldn't know for sure, as I try to keep a general distance from either film.

Is it worth noting that one of the best films coming out this month is a 3D re-release of "Beauty and the Beast"? Not the Jean Cocteau film. The Disney version that was inexplicably nominated for Best Picture. Also releasing that week is Queen Latifah's "inspirational family film", as it's described in the trailers, "Joyful Noise", or more appropriately titled "Just Noise". Add to that a Mark Wahlberg action film called "Contraband" and you might be able to expect a half decent weekend at the box office this month. And I would be prone to saying it drops off from there, but it doesn't quite.

Films to See in 2011: December

Apologies that this edition is late, as is pretty much everything else having to do with this site. You can expect that trend to continue at least for the next week, after which things will get back to normal. More than that, with the critics awards popping up everywhere and the year's end looming as a deadline to be met, you'll see a grand flood of news coming pretty soon. Concerning this month, two of my most anticipated films are already out, be it in very limited releases. "Sleeping Beauty", which I'll get more into later on, is just a small piece of this month which seems ever so promising. I've already effused about my excitement surrounding "Shame". It still looks fantastic, despite a share of reviewers thinking differently.

We get a considerable chunk of new releases this week, with Warner Bros. bound to pull in hefty audiences with "New Years Eve". A cast that star-studded isn't assembled for accolades. Meanwhile the Jonah Hill vehicle "The Sitter" looks to grab its more "mature" comedic audiences, especially given the more than amusing trailer that hit a few weeks back. Personally, I'm much more excited that "We Need to Talk About Kevin" is finally hitting for audiences this week. Out of mild curiosity, "W.E." is also heading out this weekend. So that's... something.

And then the rest of the month finds itself with too many blockbusters than it knows what to do with. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked"... yeah, I've got nothing. Don't do that to your children. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" looks to nail the same crowd as the first film, and if it doesn't look at all fantastic, it should be a generally interesting ride. "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" is still very much up in the air, but I'd like to think that Cruise and Brad Bird have something good here. And of course there's "The Adventures of Tintin", "War Horse", "The Darkest Hour", and "We Bought a Zoo", but who really cares? My interest strains for three particular films this month, and you can find them after the jump.

Films to See in 2011: November

I'm really down to the wire on this one, but I've been behind on a lot of things. I've been struggling to fit all of the things I want to do, or else need to do, into a schedule that's tight enough for me not to be staring at the ceiling in cynicism. I must admit that this month is hardly as exciting as I would have hoped for it to be. In the first week, all we get is the Brett Ratner comedic venture "Tower Heist" and "A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas", neither of which I feel any temptation to see. I can't say that the following week is much of an improvement either, only providing "Jack and Jill" (Yes, it's an actual film, and not just an abysmal trailer.), and "Immortals", which I am so dismally surprised to see that people are actually looking forward to it.

Not to say there isn't some good with the bad. "Melancholia" comes into limited release on the 11th, so I'd recommend you check that out if you can. There's also "J. Edgar", which opens wide that weekend, and it will likely get favorable Academy attention. I still maintain myself as unmoved, but I'll see it nonetheless. And also worthy of note is "Into the Abyss", Werner Herzog's upcoming documentary which was a sizable hit at Telluride this year. It almost made my list of most anticipated, but just missed out.The following week brings two films I'm not likely to support in any way, but one which I'm likely to see anyway, sadly.

I don't have the same enthusiasm for "Happy Feet Two" that I did for its predecessor, which was overrated at best. This one is simply to make bank, and looks as typical as you could've possibly hoped for. Then there's "Breaking Dawn: Part 1", which I'll only see out of desperation for something to make fun of. "The Descendants" is also going limited that weekend, but I still don't have much interest in that one. Then the following weekend brings Martin Scorsese's "Hugo", animated film "Arthur Christmas", typical British drama "My Week with Marilyn", and the odd bastard of my Telluride by the Sea viewings, "A Dangerous Method". There are three other films coming that weekend, but you'll have to follow after the jump to find them out.

Films to See in 2011: October

It's strange that September may indeed end up the highlight of my motion picture autumn, as October slows things down a considerable bit with stale comedy, Oscar bait, and amateur horror. That may be a degenerative statement, but it's a highly degenerative month. Last year kicked the month off with "The Social Network" and "Let Me In", which are both equally good films, though perhaps not as great as imagined. This year it's George Clooney's Academy hopeful "The Ides of March", crashing metal hybrid between kids flick and fight film "Real Steel", and off-path indie comedy "Dirty Girl". Which of those catches my interest best? Oddly enough "Dirty Girl". It has one more Juno Temple than its competitors.

Then there's the obvious mixture of pathetic horror-remake "The Thing", pathetic not-really-a-musical remake "Footloose", and whatever the hell "The Big Year" is supposed to be. "The Skin I Live In" is opening in limited release, but my interest in that one is rather restrained. "Paranormal Activity 3" and "The Three Musketeers" follow, pushing me deeper into my own hole that weekend. And then things pick up considerably in that last weekend of the month. Disregarding "Johnny English" of course.

"Anonymous" has gotten some strong buzz out of Toronto, though don't expect me to invest a second of my time in that. Nothing against director Roland Emmerich, but I'm just not that interested in a Victorian era dramatic piece one week after "The Three Musketeers" comes out. And in limited release there are two films that everyone has more vested interest in than myself. "Like Crazy" got a ton of buzz out of Sundance, but it just looks like an illogical romantic story with a simple solution. And I just don't entirely see the point of "The Rum Diary". Given what films are left out of this recap, it may be all too easy to guess my most anticipated three. That comes either way, so take a look after the jump!

Films to see in 2011: September

I was rather disappointed to have nothing to recommend out of the August slate. Both "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and "The Help" were better than I expected, and I suppose "My Idiot Brother" looks delightful enough. I guess if you still haven't seen anything from August, those are the three I'd suggest. However, now we're on to September, which has burgeoned into an amazingly successful slate in the past few years. Last year we were supplied with both "Easy A" and "The Town", and I think I remember liking "The American" more than the critics did. It didn't quite deserve the bashing it got.

As for this year, successful films seem to be much more widespread. It's not going to be all shelled out in one weekend, which I really do prefer it that way. Things start out in a really obligatory pattern, and I'm not sure why September usually kicks off with below-standard horror flicks. Do not expect me to spend any time or effort on "Shark Night 3D" or "Apollo 18", and I won't expect you to either. I saw a trailer for "Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star" in theaters, and I wanted to run as far away from that place as I could. It didn't put me in the right mood for "Bad Teacher" either. Or maybe it did. I'm not sure.

Things do pick up from there, although I still have no intention towards "Warrior", one way or another. It looks like they're milking the formula once again. I don't consign to Sarah Jessica Parker, nor do I consign to her latest film "I Don't Know How She Does It". "Straw Dogs" seems like your typical remake. "Abduction", "Dolphin Tale", "Killer Elite", and "What's Your Number?" all look dreadful. "Dream House" might be an interesting popcorn horror film, but not more than that. And "Moneyball" looks somewhat uninspired, and actually kind of boring. If you think I skipped a few films, you might want to continue to my top three films for this month, after the jump.

Film to See in 2011: August

This will be a bit of an unorthodox edition of this monthly column, mostly due to the fact that I can't say I'm truly ecstatic about any of the films releasing this August. In any case, I'll be busy this month catching up on films I've missed out on over the past couple months. Meek's Cutoff and Tabloid are two films I'm eagerly waiting to see, and I'll be sitting down this afternoon for Crazy, Stupid, Love, so it's very much a reserved time of the year. In my opinion, it's a month too many in a Summer that has long since become redundant. Still, there are a few films probably worth checking out.

I can't say I feel anything but contempt for The Change-Up, which stacks together the repetitive Jason Bateman and the much maligned Ryan Reynolds. Rise of the Planet of the Apes has been artificially cold on the radar for quite some time. The Help honestly looks insipid, and sadly what you'd expect to see from it. 30 Minutes or Less could be fun, but it lacks the emotional core that made Zombieland enjoyable in the first place. No comment on Final Destination 5, Glee's concert film, Spy Kids 4, or Columbiana, and that's for good reason.

Films to See in 2011: July

So June went by with a deafening whimper, and as for how a whimper can be deafening, it's because you can't really hear anything. As May provided an excess of revitalizing filmmaking, not so much stunning as it was refreshing, June was the inevitable hangover. July is a spring of steady euphoria as we get back to some sense of sanity and stable thought. Transformers: Dark of the Moon switched months just after I posted my most anticipated films of June, so I'm tempted to rule July as an utterly depressing wreck starting out. Still, it will have that transforming robot heat going forward a few days ahead of time.

There are films that I am somewhat looking forward to, but don't quite break the top three. Horrible Bosses and Crazy, Stupid, Love both seem to go for the same sort of comedic demographic, with the latter having some sort of edge going for it, but both being general degradable. Friends with Benefits has more certain comedic spark, but I remain quietly skeptical. Captain America: The First Avenger seems to be on the same level of entertainment as Thor, so that's perhaps promising, but possibly disastrous. The biggest surprise omission is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, because even though I really loved Part 1, I expect a disappointing conclusion to the saga. That being said, I'm still very excited. So here are my picks, and you can comment below to tell me yours.

3. Tabloid

Directed by Errol Morris

The biggest barrier that modern moviegoers need to overcome is documentaries, because they're not always as depressing as Waiting for "Superman". Sometimes they're incredibly revealing and intense (The Cove), or spryly entertaining with a unique touch (Exit Through the Gift Shop). Tabloid looks like it's setting itself up in the ranks of the latter, looking at the true story of a woman who is either a monster or a victim, and I tend to believe the former. Then again, so little is told by the trailer that it's impossible to tell the eventual outcome of this film. I'm impressed when a doc tackles a little told and narrow subject only to reveal how fascinating it is.

Films to See in 2011: May

As the official start of the Summer movie season, I can't help but think that May is shaping up pretty well under the circumstances. Each weekend gives us a gargantuan sized blockbuster for mainstream audiences to spend their time and money on, even if you decide to count Fast Five as the start of the season. I don't, because I occasionally decide to be optimistic. I'll continue to refer to Thor as the kickoff event, much like I referred to Star Trek as 2009's kickoff event after X-Men Origins: Wolverine went up in a pile of smoke and oblivion. Reviews for Thor have come out surprisingly well, which was probably the biggest worry heading into this Summer. Joss Whedon has started production today on the epic scale blockbuster for next Summer, The Avengers. We don't want to head into it with a bad taste in our mouths.

I have reservations against The Beaver, and they surprisingly enough have nothing to do with Mel Gibson. The man may suck as a person, but his work is still formally brilliant. Bridesmaids looks like an amusing vehicle for underrated SNL comedian Kristen Wiig. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides doesn't have a hope in chance of being good or great. What we can expect is a fun ride. Finally, as much as I would like to hope for the best, The Hangover: Part II is just starting to look unnecessary. I'll see it, which is a guarantee either way. I was on a dodge-ball team in high school called "The Wolfpack". It's pretty much a mandatory requirement. I just may not find as much gleeful pleasure as I had hoped for. That leaves us with my top three most anticipated films of this upcoming month, and I should be pretty well assured of greatness this time around.

Films To See In 2011: April

Last month was a bit of a failure in terms of predicting what is most likely to be good, or at least entertaining, mostly because I haven't gotten around to seeing any of those films yet. I've seen a lot of truly pathetic filmmaking, but we're moving more towards some sort of quality. I'd like to say that I'm sure April will be a step in the right direction, but that hasn't been working out for me. There have been some entertaining films over the past few weeks, but only in the sense that general audiences will probably enjoy it. I have moved more towards a special niche of high quality films, and it's become harder and harder to please me.

I don't expect that we'll be getting a lot of that sort of feature this April, but most of the films that are shaping up to be the most promising are films that I had mixed reservations about before. I'd have Steven Soderbergh's upcoming film Haywire somewhere up here if we had gotten any sort of trailer or footage yet. I think Source Code and Scre4m have promise, but there are creeping doubts in the back of my mind. Hop and Rio are both animated films, and I've found it very hard in the past to peg these sorts of features. The trailers try to appeal to children, and somehow that always involves leaving out the emotional moments that make the films so great. The films I have in the upper most echelon of this month are the films I am relatively certain will end up being good. Your Highness almost made it in, but it was just barely edged out by...

3."Water for Elephants"
Directed by Francis Lawrence

The idea of simple entertainment or fun doesn't really apply to this film, which I initially knocked against for being another throwaway vehicle for Robert Pattinson. Since further trailers have come out, he's actually grown on me. Same goes for Reese Witherspoon, who was at first only shown with an annoying smile, but is now shown with deeper emotionality. Christoph Waltz was never a problem with me, but he's becoming more of a standout actor in this feature, as well as every film he's in. We honestly don't even care about his accent, as if we ever did. Obviously there are similarities to Titanic, a film I've widely called out as overrated, but there's something vibrant that just grabs me in the recent trailers. (Releases nationwide on April 22nd)

Films To See In 2011: March

At the start of every month, I tell myself that it's going to be better than what we were saddled with last month. That hasn't really been working for me lately, seeing as the closest January brought us to real quality was No Strings Attached, and the top film out in February happens to come from Justin Bieber. That's meant to be a compliment, because unlike most people on the planet, I don't hate Justin Bieber. I have better things to do with my time than hate a 15 year old kid who never did anything wrong to me. Getting back on track, I genuinely believe this month will be a step in the right direction. There are some films that I'd have liked to put on this list, but just didn't make the cut. The Adjustment Bureau looks like it could be another great film for Matt Damon, Paul looks absolutely hilarious, and features like Sucker Punch and Battle: Los Angeles look like well produced action spectacles. I just found myself most anticipating of three somewhat unlikely films.

#3."Beastly"
Directed by Daniel Barnz

A surprise, I am sure this is going to come as, but I can't remember a point in which I didn't think this was going to be a good film. I know that it has a supporting cast that includes Mary-Kate Olsen and Vanessa Hudgens, of all people, but I remember when Hudgens was set to appear in Bandslam a few years back. Nobody thought that would turn out well, and it turned out great. Beastly truly looks like a sweet and somewhat enjoyable twist on the tale of Beauty and the Beast. This could be the true breakout role for Alex Pettyfer (I Am Number Four), or else just another film worth seeing for Neil Patrick Harris.

#2."Jane Eyre"

Directed by Cary Fukunaga

I wasn't exactly sold on this one so instantly, but before the trailer came out, I had a hard time seeing the down side. It's a pretty well-known story, though I haven't ever found the time to read it, and the film features two of my favorite up-and-coming actors of this era. If you're familiar with this sight, you'll know how much I've appreciated Mia Wasikowska's work over the few months, and Michael Fassbender immediately struck me when he appeared in Inglourious Basterds nearly two years ago. I knew that this guy was going places. The first trailer was a bit mysterious for my tastes, and I had no idea what to make of this film. However, given the tone and writing of the footage I've seen, I think Jane Eyre could be the rare old-British drama that actually works. I'm certainly hoping for that outcome.

#1."Win Win"
Directed by Thomas McCarthy

Inevitably the film that I am 100% assured of is from Thomas McCarthy, who is fashioning a resume that paints him to be the Christopher Nolan of indie dramedies. By that, I mean that his track record thus far is impeccable, which I can't say is too stupefying since this is only his third film. Still, the man has done some great work in the recent past, and he's also partially responsible for the screenplay for Up. My anticipation for this film is do only partly to the director's craft, because it also features a clean shaven (kinda) Paul Giamatti in the lead role. The plot of a failing lawyer and family man moonlighting as a high-school wrestling coach who takes in a talented teenager doesn't strike as classic off the bat, but it's off-kilter enough to be more than just nothing. This could be McCarthy's best yet, and Giamatti could be looking at his second Academy-Award nomination. Maybe my hopes are a bit too high, but I really want Win Win to be a major win.

Films To See In 2011: February

So what could possibly be worst than January in terms of theatrical enjoyment? It seems like that's February in terms of this year, because we are definitely stepping down in terms of quality. I've had a hard time picking out three films I actually want to see, because there are so few. At the same time, I had a hard time figuring out three bad films for you to vote for me to see, because there are so many. I'm obviously not looking forward to The Roommate, Gnomeo and Juliet, and Drive Angry, but I'm also not terribly excited to see Sanctum, The Eagle, I Am Number Four, or Hall Pass. There are probably only three films I'm truly pumped to see this February, and there's no guarantee that any of them will be good in the slightest. On the other hand, both The Rite and The Mechanic have been getting slightly good reviews, so maybe things aren't as bad as they seem.

#3.

"Unknown"
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra

It's never a bad thing to release an action-thriller starring Liam Neeson early in the year. The man makes films playing these normal sorts of characters that turn out to be total bad-asses. He proved that with Taken, and it's impossible to tell if his latest thriller will be anything like that in terms of entertainment. It also has Frank Langella, January Jones and Diane Kruger taking supporting roles, so I'm in the seat on opening night, no questions asked. Why isn't this film higher up on my list? Because you know it's never going to be as awesome as it seems from the trailer. There is always going to be some corny plot twist ruining the entire thing, which happened with The Tourist (among other things), or the script is just not going to be entertaining. That's the constant fear for any film, but I'm willing to take the risk for Unknown.

#2.

"Cedar Rapids"
Directed by Miguel Arteta

I am ever puzzled by my own choices for what I'm most anticipating this month, because somehow a quirky and raunchy comedy using a storyline we've probably already seen before is making its way to second place. It might just be because the film is playing at Sundance, but I feel like there's a bit of indie classiness attached to this film. It features Ed Helms in the main role, which I always take as good thing because Helms isn't really known for leading man status. He's known as that guy from The Office or part of the ensemble cast of The Hangover. He doesn't need to be any more popular than that, and that makes this project a little more endearing. Besides, it just looks like a more entertaining film than your average pathetic comedy.

#1.

"The Other Woman"
Directed by Don Roos

The second film in Natalie Portman's post-Black Swan victory lap finds its way to the top spot on my list, perhaps because I so immensely trust the actress after what she's given us. It's a peculiar series of films she's got releasing between now and June. The ones that people are most aware of are obviously Thor and Your Highness, but the personal nature of The Other Woman really hits me. It's probably not going to be anything special, and I'm preparing myself for that possibility. The film was originally called Love & Other Impossible Pursuits, and that was only changed because of Love and Other Drugs. I trust this one to tread on a steadier emotional string than the Jake Gyllenhaal rom-com. The fact of the matter is that I think this could be another strong showcase for Portman's acting capabilities, and probably the only this year. If the film holds up, all the better.

Films To See In 2011: January

The year is coming to a close, which means that we're now headed into the cold season. It's always a bit depressing to go from the rich and enjoyable films of Oscar season to the barren and irritating first few months of the year. There's a fair bit of doubt amidst us concerning exactly how 2011 will do in comparison to 2010. I haven't a doubt that the film industry will do well financially, with an extremely fertile slate of Summer films on the way. It's impossible to tell what will be the critically successful films of the year, especially this far before the festival circuit. That will take a fair bit of patience.

As for the start of the year, it's obviously going to be a long haul. It always is. January is the hardest in terms of new releases, which is why I rely mostly on the wide expansions of the late 2010 flicks that I didn't see before the year was over like Another Year and Blue Valentine. There is the obvious crap that lies in the marketplace, and for once I am going to indulge in that crap. I'll be skipping the obvious failures like Season of the Witch and From Prada to Nada. However, at the time being, it looks like I'll be settling in to see No Strings Attached when it is released. Keep hitting up the poll in the sidebar before it's too late. There are only two new releases that I can actively recommend for you to see. Take a look after the jump!