4.
Carnage
December 16
I made a list of my Top 21 Most Anticipated Films in the Second Half of 2011 back in July and smack dab at #4 was Roman Polanski‘s Carnage, a film I thought I was going to get to see in Toronto, but it didn’t show up. The film screened in Venice and has since screened in New York and Los Angeles, but up here in lowly Seattle we are considered second rate and have had to wait. No worries, that only multiplies my excitement, though I hope it doesn’t intensify the chance of a let down.
Carnage stars the four actors you see above and is based on Yasmina Reza‘s Tony Award-winning drama. Set in contemporary Brooklyn, New York, the story centers on two pairs of parents one of whose child has hurt the other at a public park, who meet to discuss the matter in a civilized manner. However, as the evening goes on, the parents become increasingly childish, resulting in the evening devolving into chaos.
I have high hopes for a biting, dry, dark comedy… Is that what I’ll get?
3.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
December 9
When I made the list of Top 21 Most Anticipated Films in the Second Half of 2011 back in July, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy was my #1 film, but since then I’ve seen the BBC mini series which was also based on John le Carre’s Cold War spy novel and I wasn’t all that impressed with the story.
Granted, this condensed feature film version may be able to condense that rather slow story of a mole at the heart of MI6 into something more compelling, but my anticipation has withered slightly. However, that can only increase the chances of the film impressing me so expectations be damned.
2.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
December 21
The marketing has sucked me in more and more. I’ve read the first two books and I’ve seen all three Swedish adaptations of Stieg Larsson‘s internationally best-selling novel and yet the fact it’s directed by David Fincher (Seven, Zodiac) and the fascinating marketing campaign have me itching for more. And I wasn’t even a big fan of the original Swedish film and definitely soured on the next two films that followed.
My anticipation here may be due to being more of a Fincher fanboy than I will ever likely admit, but the guy simply makes films I like watching no matter how dark or depraved and if Columbia’s marketing tactics are any sign… this will be dark and depraved.
1.
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
December 16 (Limited IMAX Release; Wide on Dec. 21)
Not only am I a David Fincher fanboy, but I’m a Tom Cruise fanboy and the fact the trailers for this film have even managed to turn the naysayers into believers makes me even more excited to see this film as Brad Bird (The Incredibles) makes his live action directorial debut and continues to boast about the film’s IMAX stunt sequences.
Everything about the film makes me want to see it… and I haven’t even watched a single trailer.
So that does it for my list, how about you? If you want to browse the complete release schedule for the next couple of months click here for November and here for December. Things have been a bit mediocre as of late, but the best part about making a list like this is to see there are still potentially great films on the horizon.
