Winter movies preview
by John Daly Updated: Wednesday, 12th October, 2011 4:55pm
Woody Allen directs Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdam in the romantic comedy 'Midnight In Paris', which also features a cameo appearance from French First Lady Carla Bruni as a museum guide.
With the long days of summer now a memory in the rearview mirror, the gathering in of darker evenings does at least mean some quality entertainment at your local cineplex.
Set between the kid-friendly fare of late summer and before the Christmas blockbuster season, the early winter months will often hold a few wonderful cinematic surprises nestling between the big budget offerings.
We may be coming to that time of frost, ice, and maybe even another period of knee-deep snow, but at least there is still a fantasy world waiting behind the open doors of the country's picture palaces. Here's a selection of what's in store over the next few months:
Midnight In Paris
Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams are in the City of Light on a break from his stalled career as a writer. He thinks Paris to be the ultimate source of inspiration for a novelist, she is more cautious about the dream that faraway fields are greener.
Gil starts to walk around the city on his own to experience the drama of the place, and finds his relationship under pressure because of it. Carla Bruni has a cameo role in what promises to be the most successful Woody Allen film in years.
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The Three Musketeers
Even though this one's been remade a half-dozen times, why not once more with feeling?
Orlando Bloom and Christopher Waltz are the leads with Paul Anderson in the director's seat. Expect thrills, spills and heaps of bodice-ripping action in this timeless tale of France that's sure to find an audience craving its pure escapist fare.
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Dolphin Tale
Family film starring Harry Connick Jnr and Ashley Judd about a lonely boy who untangles a dolphin caught in a crab trap, but whose tail is so damaged a new prosthetic one must be found to save him.
A small film with a surprisingly deep message, this will definitely play well to a new 'Free Willy' generation.
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Footloose
That old adage 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' never holds much sway in Hollywood, so the remaking of this classic should by rights be flirting with disaster.
Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough and Dennis Quaid are the leads in this round of very fancy footwork that matches up to the original with great dance numbers and a pulsating music score. A feelgood film for those who like to dance.
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Contagion
Steven Soderbergh directs this thriller starring Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gweneth Paltrow about a killer virus that threatens the whole world.
Playing to people's fears about bird flu, the Ebola virus and all those other nasty ways of exterminating the human race, this one should do very well with a disaster-loving audience.
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Real Steel
After the success of 'Warrior' earlier this year, another boxing/martial arts outing could have been predicted.
Set in the future where robot boxing is the dominant sport, Hugh Jackman is a down-on-his-luck promoter who finds a discarded robot who may get him back on top again. A simple storyline aided by some dazzling action sequences has given this one some solid advance word of mouth praise.
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Paranormal Activity 3
Timed to hit our screens around Halloween, this shocker filmed through hand-held cameras is probably over-egging the mix since the original some years back.
The introduction of kids being terrorised adds much to the shock factor and will surely play well to the Saturday night first date audience.
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We Need To Talk About Kevin
Lionel Shriver's controversial novel about the lead-up to a school massacre is the foundation for this uncomfortable drama starring Tilda Swinton and John C Reilly.
The guilt of parents left behind to attempt to make sense of a child's murderous actions is well-handled, but isn't really for those who are looking for a fun night out.
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The Adventures Of Tintin
This enduring French cartoon about the young reporter gets the full Steven Spielberg treatment here. It's all about a strange crew who get together on a treasure ship headed for adventure on the briny foam.
A great cast includes Daniel Craig, Toby Jones and Jamie Bell. It will be interesting to see if the great Spielberg still has the golden touch.
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In Time
Set in the future where age can be held at bay by amassing time credits, this Andrew Nicol-directed actioner stars Cillian Murphy, Justin Timberlake and Olivia Wilde. A world where nobody ages after 25? Could we stand a place where the beauty of Rosanna and Georgia rule the day? Scary.
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Tower Heist
Given the world view of the financiers and bankers who got us all into this global meltdown, this action comedy starring Alan Alda and Eddie Murphy should find a good pre-Christmas audience.
Set around the workers in a high-rise condo in New York and their attempts to get their pensions back after a greedy banker has absconded with the loot, this promises sharp one-liners and a smattering of four-letter words as its foundation.
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The Rum Diary
Johnny Depp gets into his trademark weird persona in this adaptation of 'Gonzo journalist' Hunter S Thompson's diaries written during his wild days in the Caribbean and Puerto Rico.
Expect some sharp dialogue and expert pace from director/scriptwriter Bruce Robinson and a supporting cast that includes Amber Heard and Aaron Eckhart.
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Moneyball
Heralded as this year's big Oscar contender, 'Moneyball' stars Brad Pitt as the owner of an Oakland baseball team and how he made them into a winning outfit that passed into legend.
Aaron Sorkin's name being associated with it gives this one instant credibility and should play well to the audience who loved 'The Social Network'.
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Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows
Stephen Fry joins the cast with Robert Downey Jnr and Jude Law for more romping good action around the mist-shrouded lanes of old London.
Guy Richie directs the action - and if it's half as good as last year's outing, it will surely be one of the Christmas winners.
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