This was a really tough list to come up with – I typically try to find out as little as possible about my most anticipated films until I watch it, to avoid any semblance of spoilers. But here goes:
Honorable Mentions:
Widows (Steve McQueen); First Man (Damian Chazelle); Burning (Lee Chang-dong); Creed II (Steven Caple Jr.); Hold the Dark (Jeremy Saulnier); Mid90s (Jonah Hill); Wreck it Ralph II (Rich Moore, Phil Johnston); Vice (Adam McKay); Apostle (Gareth Evans); If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins); Dragged Across Concrete (S. Craig Zahler)
10 Under the Silver Lake
This noir/comedy/drama set in Los Angeles from David Robert Mitchell (It Follows) and distributed by A24, which is a pretty solid endorsement of a quality film these days. Andrew Garfield is a charming leading man, with Riley Keough and Topher Grace in supporting roles. Not the best sign that the release date got pushed for re-edits, but it could be a fun, zany, twisting film.
9 Finding Big Country
90s NBA basketball is one of my favorite topics in the world – I could talk about it all day long. While reading NBA magazines as a 9 year old and being awed by these larger than life superstars, I distinctly recall staring at posters of Bryant “Big Country” Reeves, the gigantic 7’3” country boy with the crew cut and the soft hands, touted as the next Patrick Ewing. What ever happened to him? This is the only documentary on the list, but I’m intrigued and hope it’ll delve more into that whole fascinating period of expansion franchises in the 90s. It looks like it may be a little rough around the edges in technique and production, but the subject matter has me sold.
8. The Front Runner
This doesn’t appear to be as slick as the other big political movie coming out, Adam McKay’s Vice, but this period piece by Jason Reitman (Juno, Thank You for Smoking, Up in the Air) set in the 80s about the true story of Gary Hart, played Hugh Jackman, feels a little more grainy and raw, and Jackman seems up to the task. Reitman can be a little hit-or-miss for me, but this tells the important story of a watershed moment in politics and the perception of public scandals. Also featuring JK Simmons, Vera Farmiga, and Alfred Molina. In a little bit of marketing cleverness – it will be released on election day this year.
7 The Favourite
I’m convinced that director Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, Dogtooth, Killing of a Sacred Deer) is crazy and slightly unhinged, in a way that leaves me both craving and fearful of any film he makes. This will be his first notable movie for which he doesn’t have a writing credit, so my suspicion is that this may turn out to be one of his tamer/more accessible works, but I’m still counting on a couple of what the fuck am I watching? moments.
6 Beautiful Boy
The only real Oscarbait movie on this list, this stars three of the best working actors today in Steve Carrell, Timothee Chalamet, and Amy Ryan. A typical Best Picture contender, this looks to be a gripping tale of family and addiction, and Carrell has spent the last few years flaunting his chops as a dramatic actor – expect some heart wrenching scenes.
5 The Night Comes For Us
As much as I wanted to put Gareth Evans’ new Netflix movie, Apostle, on this list to make up for the lack of genre films, I’ve got to go with this Raid reunion of Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, and Julie Estelle (just one of a ridiculous number of quality movies coming out on Netflix this season). Put those three together and the action junkie in me will watch anything they’re in. This is my most anticipated action flick of the year, made by the director of Headshot, and interestingly, with Uwais as the bad guy for once.
4 A Star is Born
I initially couldn’t make up my mind on whether this musical drama remake would be terrible or amazing, but the more I watch the trailer (hands down the best trailer of the year), the more convinced I am that Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut will be a riveting crowd pleaser with some memorable songs, at the very least. Overly spray-tanned Bradley Cooper and no-makeup Lady Gaga vocalizing nonsense into a mic? Sign me up.
3 Green Book
This comedy-drama, based on a true story of a white bouncer who takes a job chauffeuring a famous black pianist, seems a lot more serious than you might expect from Peter Farrelly. It could definitely end up still veering into schlocky (err… ignore the whole KFC running joke) or saccharine territory, but the trailer doesn’t make it seem too preachy, and Viggo Mortenson and Mahershala Ali are fine actors. I’m hopeful that it’ll be a heartwarming story that we could all really use.
2 The Old Man and the Gun
This period piece true life crime story, shot on grainy 16mm film, is apparently an homage by David Lowery (A Ghost Story, Ain’t Them Bodies Saints) to 70s style heist movies and fittingly enough, stars Sissy Spacek and Robert Redford in his final role before retirement. I’ll watch anything Lowery makes, but this looks to be one of his more accessible films, though by all accounts it still has Lowery’s signature patience and thoughtfulness.
1 Bad Times at the El Royale
This film by Drew Goddard (Cabin In the Woods) might have the highest floor out of any film on this list. It looks to have elements of Tarantino and Coen Brothers, and I don’t know exactly what to expect, but I can’t imagine how this ensemble movie will NOT be fun, enjoyable, and crazy ride. I like my noir films like I like my orange juice: extra pulpy. With Goddard’s screenwriting background, Bad Times promises to be a fun time.
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