Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Looking Forward 2012: Movies

I know I'm late on my usual business of examining interesting movies of the year.  So what all is coming up that would be interesting to those of a nerdy side?

Already out in select theaters
Directed by Timo Vuorensola
Written by Johanna Sinisalo, Jarmo Psukala, and Michael Kalesniko
Iron Sky is the newest sci-fi comedy to hit the screens where Nazis who colonized the moon in 1945 return in 2018 to continue their purity cleanse.  Supposedly the film is fantastic, but the sci-fi comedy genre is very niche, so it might even be better than the 7.8 rating on imdb.

May 1, 2012
Written and Directed by Dano Johnson
The sequel to Flatland arrives with Kristen Bell returning as Hex, Michael York as Spherius, and Tony Hale as King of Pointland.  Danny Pudi, Danica McKellar, and Kate Mulgrew join the cast for this mathematical adventure.


May 4, 2012
Directed by Joss Whedon
Written by Joss Whedon and Zak Penn
Now familiar with comic writing, quality action dramas tinged with biting humor and snappy dialogue, Joss Whedon will present us with The Avengers after having introduced all core cast members in Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Incredible Hulk, and Thor.  Though the women have not had their own movies, expect them to steal the spotlight and out-badass the men.  The film stars Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Evans as Captain America, Mark Ruffalo as the Incredible Hulk, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Clark Gregg as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson, Cobie Smulders as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Maria Hill, and Stellan Skarsgård as Dr. Selvig.

June 1, 2012
Directed by Rupert Sanders
Written by Evan Daugherty, John Lee Hancock, and Hossein Amini
Hired by Queen Ravenna (played by Charlize Theron), the Huntsman (played by Chris Hemsworth) is ordered to assassinate Snow (played by Kristen Stewart), who outweighs Ravenna in fairer beauty.  Unable to kill the innocent young woman, he protects her and trains her to be a fierce warrior to lead an army of men against the evil tyrant Queen Ravenna.  I would typically have no interest in this junk of a movie with a horrible actress like Kristen Stewart, but the previews sure have my eye.  The incredible visuals are striking and dark.  I'm into it, though it's surely no Mirror, Mirror.

June 8, 2012
Directed by Colin Trevorrow
Written by Derek Connolly
Based on the ad placed in a newspaper, Kenneth Calloway seeks a companion to time travel with him, and three magazine employees seek an interview with him.  Kristen Bell, Aubrey Plaza, Mary Lynn Rajskub, and Jake M. Johnson star in the indie film with a cult following already.

Brave
June 22, 2012
Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman
Written by  Brenda Chapman and Irene Mecchi
Starring Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire) as the Scottish princess Merida, Brave tells the story of a Scottish girl defying male dominance and warrior spirit with that unfit for a princess.  Really, Scottish folk have always had warrior women, but I think it's more of the principal of a girl/princess who evokes the fighting spirit.  This is also the first Pixar film with a female protagonist as lead.  Emma Thompson, Craig Ferguson, Kevin McKidd, Robbie Coltrane, Billy Connolly, and Julie Walters also lend their vocal talents for the animated feature.

July 3, 2012
Directed by Marc Webb
Alvin Sargent, Steve Kloves, James Vanderbilt
Proud nerd Andrew Garfield plays Spider-man in the rebooted series with Emma Stone as Gwen Stacey in her original blonde look.  Martin Sheen plays Ben Parker, Sally Field plays May Parker, Dennsi Leary plays George Stacy, and Rhys Ifans as The Lizard.  No Mary Jane!

August 24, 2012
Directed by Dax Shepard and David Palmer
Written by Dax Shepard
Charlie Bronson (played by Dax Shepard) drives his girlfriend (Kristen Bell) to L.A. to pursue her dreams of acting.  The only problem: he's risking his safety being in the Witness Protection Program.  How on their heels are Charlie's former gang members and the Feds.  Bradley Cooper, Kristin Chenoweth, Ryan Hansen, Steve Agee, Tom Arnold, Joy Bryant (Shepard's Parenthood co-star), David Koechner, Beau Bridges, and Michael Rosenbaum also star.

August 31, 2012
Direct by Paul Leuer
Written by Paul Leuer and Murphy Guyer
In an twisted idea of the American Dream, trailer park resident and former baseball player Schroeder Duncan (played by Thomas Lennon) wants to flee his everyday life and move to Australia...without his family...and on his 30th birthday.  Kimberly Williams-Paisley co-stars as his wife Bonnie, and Stephnie Weir stars as friend Barb.

November 2, 2012
Directed by Ann Fletcher (The Proposal, 27 Dresses)
Written by Dan Fogelman
Inventor Andy Brewster (played by Seth Rogen) and his mother Joyce (played by Barbara Streisand) travel to attempt to sell his surely incredibly useful and awesome invention. Yvonne Strahovski (Chuck), Adam Scott (Parks & Recreation, Party Down), Colin Hanks (Yes, THAT Colin Hanks), Casey Wilson (Happy Endings), Danny Pudi (Community), Kathy Najimy (Veronica's Closet), Brett Cullen (Lost, Damages, The Gates) and Michale Cassidy (The O.C.) also star to round out a strong cast.

December 14, 2012
Directed by Peter Jackson
Written by Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens, Peter Jackson, and Guillermo del Toro
The long-anticipated adaptation that has gone through much ownership turmoil sees light if all goes to plan this winter.  With Martin Freeman (The Office--U.K., The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) playing young Bilbo, he brings the right amount of adorable comedy and drama to the role.  With Gandalf as oft-missing Gandalf, Bilbo travels a wondrous journey outside of Hobbiton with Dwarves, beings he'd never encountered before.  Hugo Weaving, Ian Holm, Cate Blanchett, Elijah Wood, Sir Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, Andy Serkis, Orlando Bloom reprise their roles for the prequel to the less-accessible The Lord of the Rings.  New to The Hobbit are Luke Evans (Immortals) as Bard, Evangeline Lilly (Lost) as elf Tauriel, Lee Pace (The Fall, Pushing Daisies) as King Thranduil, Bret McKenzie as elf Lindir, and various actors I don't feel like naming for all the damn Dwarves.

December 2012
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Written by Tony Kushner (screenplay), John Logan and Paul Webb (original screenplay), and Doris Kearns Goodwin (book Team of Rivals)
Essentially, the film tells the story of Lincoln's trials during the Civil War and his efforts to reunite the country and abolish slavery, while dealing with his personal struggles.  Daniel Day-Lewis stars as Abraham Lincoln. Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Robert Todd Lincoln, Sally Field as Marry Todd Lincoln, Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens, Jackie Earle Haley as Alexander Stevens, Lee Pace as Fernando Wood, James Spader, Walter Goggins, John Hawkes, and David Strathairn also star in this period piece.

Sometime 2012 (probably waiting on distributor)
Directed by Chris Nelson
Written by Casey Wilson and June Diane Raphael
Two best friends, played by Wilson and Raphael, travel cross-country to their hometown to win a pageant that they felt they should've won when they were children.  With Casey Wilson's outlandish physical comedy and June Diane Raphael's dry, sarcastic delivery, there's humor for everyone.  Alicia Silverstone, Jon Cryer (ew), Paul Scheer, and Nick Zano lend supporting roles.

No release date
Directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini
Written by Michelle Morgan
Kristen Wiig stars as Imogene, a playwright who stages a suicide to get her ex's attention.  Due to what looks like a suicide attempt, Imogene is put under the watch of her mother (played by Annette Bening), who is a gambling addict.  Matt Dillon, Natasha Lyonne, Darren Criss, and June Diane Raphael also star.

No release date
Directed by Lawrecne Roeck
Written by Carlos de los Rios
Joshua (played by Josh Hutcherson) finds himself learnng the trade of art forgery in Carmel, California.  Tricia Helfer, Hayden Penetierre, Lauren Bacall, Alfred Molina, and Billy Boyd also star.

No release date
Written and Directed by Daniel Hsia
New York attorney Sam (Daniel Henney) is sent to Shanghai on business in this indie film.  Here he meets relocation specialist Amanda (Eliza Coupe), who helps him deal with being in Shanghai and even fall in love with it.  the irony: He's Asian-American and can't speak a lick of Chinese.  Bill Paxton also stars.

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