Sophia Coppola

DVD of the Week: Somewhere

by

This is Sofia Coppola’s (Lost in Translation) story of an A-list movie star (Steven Dorff) living at the Chateau Marmont with his expensive toys, booze and drugs and an inexhaustible supply of beautiful, sexually available women.  Without any purpose or connection to others, his debauchery is completely joyless.  To his surprise and discomfort,  his eleven-year-old daughter (Elle Fanning) moves in for a few weeks.   He slowly finds some connection to her, but then she leaves for summer camp and he is aimless, again.

Somewhere is an artsy portrait of a man so purposeless that he can find no pleasure in pleasure.

Fanning is great as the kid.  Surprisingly, Jackass‘ Chris Pontius shines as the movie star’s best bud.

Movies I'm Looking Forward To: Late December Edition

by

Now we’re at the time of year when the award-aspiring movies are released just in time for Oscar eligibility.  Trailers and descriptions are on my Movies I’m Looking Forward To page.

We’ll start on December 22 with  Sofia Coppola’s (Lost in Translation) semiautographical Somewhere.  On Christmas Day, the Coen Brothers open their version of True Grit.  The King’s Speech, with Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham-Carter,  will finally get its wide release.

On the 29th, I’ll be awaiting Another Year, a potential masterpiece by one of my favorite directors, Mike Leigh.  We’ll also have a flashy performance by Javier Bardem in a contemporary Job story – Biutiful. Kevin Spacey will star in a real life story of political corruption in Casino Jack.   Peter Weir (Master and Commander, Picnic at Hanging Rock) will showcase The Way Back.

The year’s final release will be the offbeat un-romance Blue Valentine, with Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.  Festival critics loved and hated this film.  The trailer, which depicts the beginning of a relationship that falls apart during the movie, is quite charming.

See my Movies I’m Looking Forward To page for descriptions, image and trailers.

Here’s the trailer for True Grit.

More Movies I'm Looking Forward To

by

September is approaching, and so is the Fall movie season, when the studios push their Oscar contenders.  So I have updated my Movies I’m Looking Forward To page with new titles and new trailers.

There are films by Clint Eastwood, Mike Leigh, Terrence Malick, Peter Weir, Sophia Coppola, Julie Taymor and the Coen Brothers.  Two of my favorite lesser-known directors, Suzanne Bier (Brothers, After the Wedding, Things We Lost in the Fire) of Denmark and Guillaume Canet (Tell No One) of France, have new movies.  Darren Aronofsky will release his newest film after hitting it big with The Wrestler – Black Swan with Natalie Portman.

Helen Mirren will star in three movies: The Debt, Brighton Rock and The Tempest.

The Oscar Bait includes The Town, The Fighter, Another Year, Somewhere, Hereafter, True Grit, Howl, The Way Back and The Tree of Life.  Wall Street: The Money Never Sleeps and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest look to me like the surest Fall hits.   Another Year, The Town, Hereafter and The Way Back look like they will be the best movies.  We should have a better feel for the buzz after Toronto’s film fest in mid-September.

Visit Movies I’m Looking Forward To for more descriptions and trailers.