Deleted Scenes 10.29.09: Looking Ahead - November
Posted by Robert Sullivan on 10.29.2009
After a decent October, it's time to look at what's up next. Come on in.
Hey, everybody. I'm Rob, this is Deleted Scenes, welcome yourselves on back for another edition thereof. November seems like it's going to be a pretty tight month for cinema, between Oscar vehicles and horror films, comedies and tragedies. But before we can get to that, first...
And after you read all that content, go ahead and make 411Mania YOUR official homepage. You're good people, I know you will.
The Column
It's been a fairly decent October, hasn't it, friends and neighbors? The rise of Paranormal Activity has really been special to watch, as a whole new business model for movie releases was tested and turned into a resounding success...well, that and Katie got some big ass tittays.
Other than those two, however, we got some good stuff at the movie theater. Saw VI was actually quite a great deal better than either Saw IV or Saw V, and even though Paranormal Activity defeated it at the box office, I severely doubt any further sequels of the Jigsaw saga have been seriously threatened by its success. After all, Paranormal Activity was a smash hit nobody saw coming and won't be easily replicated next Halloween, when Saw VII (in 3-D, natch) sees its general debut. Further, even though Paramount clearly won't be able to stop themselves from trying to make a franchise out of it, any such continuation of the Paranormal Activity narrative will simply be Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadowsesque and will meet a similar fate.
Now that I've set that straight, let's get on with November, shall we?
November 6th
The offputting trailer I could take or leave, the strange focus on evil owls I could definitely leave, but still The Fourth Kind is still interesting on its own merits as a spook story with apparently some basis in actual reality. If the movie makes any money, we'll be sure to see articles about how the actual case was a load of horseshit, but I doubt it'll come to that. Audiences will probably dismiss the film as "like, a total Paranormal Activity ripoff" and ignore it. That said, hopefully The Fourth Kind could at least be as good as The Mothman Prophecies, a sadly forgotten Richard Gere thriller.
Riding a wave of Oscar hype a mile high, Precious has the all-crucial Oprah seal of approval and thus might even make it into multiplexes around the country. One wouldn't expect said reams of soccer moms to be fully expecting the subject matter contained in the film, as movies about incest babies and crackheads rarely make it to the mall theaters. The trailer's strong and seeing Mo'Nique as something more than a terribly unfunny comedian would be a welcome surprise indeed.
Even though Cameron Diaz is an asshole who blew the movie's twist earlier this year, even though the movie's been delayed more than Duke Nukem Forever, I still want to check out The Box. Just the vast differences between Richard Matheson's wonderful short story "Button, Button" and this movie's advertising have my sense of morbid curiosity totally peaked, knowing the third act reveal or not. Besides, even what the unfortunate souls who did hear her speak learned that day isn't a total ruination of the film. In fact, it might even heighten interest further - "well, if that's the case, then why..." And I'll say no more.
I'm just stunned that most people don't find the trailers and TV spots as gutbustingly hilarious as I do. I'm even more surprised that the buzz on this movie is so bad. How could The Dude, Kevin Spacey, and George Clooney in a movie about the U.S. government's attempts to create psychic soldiers possibly be a bad film? And as for the constant complaints about Ewan McGregor's American accent, it is not that bad. I hear actual Americans who sound like that every day. Relax and let's see the finished product.
November 13th
A summer blockbuster released in November...well, it does seem to be the season for interesting marketing strategies. Toss in the presence of The Cusack and I suppose I'll have to swallow my bile and show up to the theater. Fingers crossed they didn't give away every single scene of destruction and CGI goodness in the commercials. Alas, they probably did. At least we've got John Cusack just trying to pay some bills with whom to pass the time.
Because Pirate Radio is a worse title, that's why. And because this damn movie was supposed to be out months ago, that's why. And because the Pirate Radio trailer sucks in comparison to the one released for The Boat That Rocked. Sue me, you give me Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branagh, Murray from "Flight of the Conchords," AND Cat Stevens' "Father and Son" in the background...you've got yourselves a Goddamned trailer. And then they bump the movie months down the line and release a new one that makes it look like a zany good time. Well, fuck that.
Woody Harrelson's career comeback continues with this fine piece of Oscarbait, what seems to be a very stirring drama about soldiers with the responsibility of notifying relatives about their loved ones' deaths abroad. Further, Ben Foster is an immense talent who just needs one big hit to really make it in the minds of more than just we movie dorks. I'll hope this movie can gross high, but except for The Hurt Locker, Iraq War dramas just haven't seemed able to do anything at the box office.
November 20th
Yeaaaaaaaahno.
Although I certainly can't deny how hot Kristen Stewart is.
So hot.
Well, let's see. I would recommend seeing Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, just in the interest of seeing Nicolas Cage scale to heights unseen since The Wicker Man...but apparently it's going straight-to-DVD. So that blows. In its place, may I recommend checking out any one of the above films you've been putting off? Please?
November 25th
Speaking of movies delayed for months and months on end...The Road, everybody. I've got such anticipation for this one, I really can't believe its 85th release date is almost here. PLEASE don't fuck us over and bump this another month for further good dealings with the Academy, Weinsteins. Just let us see this already! Buzz has been as expected so far - either you're completely fucking enraptured by this movie and certain it's the best thing you've seen all year...or you think it blows. Either way, just let us see it already!
