With the summer winding down, here are some of the below-radar films you can look forward to...
Just because blockbuster season is over, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some treats on the release radar for the months ahead. In fact, there are some gems that you might not have heard of, that could well turn out to be some of the finest films of the year. So here, then, is our pick of the 10 best incoming films that you might not have heard of…
Albatross
This looks like a really interesting and touching British film about a young bookish girl, Beth (Felicity Jones), who befriends a rebellious, aspiring novelist, Emilia
(Jessica Brown Findlay). The two are polar opposites but strike up a friendship when Emilia moves into Beth’s town. The friendship is threatened when Emilia begins an affair with her friend’s father, which is set to devastate everyone around them. The film stars Julia Ormond and Sebastian Koch and is director Niall McCormick’s first feature film.
In Time
This might just be the sleeper of the autumn season. In Time is set in a future, where the rich can pretty much live forever, while the poor have to earn every minute of their life, once they get past the age of 25. Plus, more damningly, a cup of coffee costs you four hours of your life. Literally.
It has a pretty fantastic cast too. Justin Timberlake, currently proving himself as a fine actor, takes the lead opposite Cillian Murphy, who, as we saw in Batman Begins, plays evil roles pretty well. The support cast includes Amanda Seyfried, Olivia Wilde and Alex Pettyfer. The film is written and directed by Andrew Niccol, a talent known for Gattaca, The Truman Show and Lord Of War. All of this makes it a promising science-fiction film. In Time is set for a UK release on November 11th.
Wanderlust
Wanderlust is probably only really known at the moment as the reason Jennifer Aniston has a new man in her life. She did indeed meet Justin Theroux on the set of this movie, but that aside it could be a film to look out for later this year. The story surrounds Anniston and her on-screen partner (Paul Rudd), who decide to make some changes and branch out into a more counter culture lifestyle. The basis of the film may not sound exactly gripping right now, but with David Wain (Role Models) directing and Judd Apatow signed on as producer, it has the right ingredients to be a funny little feature. It is currently set for a release on November 25th.
We Bought a Zoo
This is the new film by Cameron Crowe based on the memoirs of Benjamin Mee. Mee bought a rundown zoo in the English countryside and reopened it to the public to great success. The film has moved the location to California and stars Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Elle Fanning and Thomas Haden Church. With the great combination of direction and a promising cast, this could be one to look out for. Any Cameron Crowe film, after all, is always worth at least checking out. We Bought A Zoo is currently set for a release of December 23rd.
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Martha Marcy May Larlene caught our eye a while back due to numerous positive reviews from film festivals. It stars Elizabeth Olsen, the younger sister of those very famous Olsen twins, Mary Kate and Ashley. The twins acted throughout their early years but seemed to find their niche in business and fashion, which is good because let’s face it, they weren’t exactly impressing anyone with their onscreen performances. But it looks like their younger sister is brim-full of that acting talent and has chosen an indie flick as her debut. The film surrounds a girl, who tries to reconnect with her family after escaping a cult, but painful memories that resurface cause her to suffer from crippling paranoia. It looks gritty and daring, we approve! This one is technically set for an early 2012 release: we just couldn’t resist putting it in here.
The Art of Getting By
The Art of Getting By is a cool, quirky, drama starring two very promising actors, Emma Roberts and Freddie Highmore (remember him, from Finding Neverland?). Highmore plays George, a lonely teen that sees little point in living, let alone attending high school. When he meets Sally (Roberts) he finds a kindred spirit, but his inability to connect and vocalise what he wants stands in the way of his future. It looks like a very sweet film, albeit with a bit of an edge to it, with some great performances. It will be released September 2nd.
Tyrannosaur
Tyrannosaur is a bleak and unconventional love story and the directorial debut from Paddy Considine. It focuses on a man called Joseph (Peter Mullan) who, while on a self-destructive downward spiral of violence and rage, meets a charity shop owner, Hannah (Olivia Colman) who offers him help and comfort. It soon becomes apparent Hannah has her own secrets, which have devastating results on both their lives. Considine won the Directing Award at Sundance for Tyrannosaur, so, already being big fans of his acting, it will be really interesting to see what results he gets from behind the camera.
Restless
Gus Van Sant’s new film deals with a funeral crasher, Enoch (Henry Hopper), who is regularly visited by the ghost of a Japanese kamikaze pilot from World War Two. While crashing a funeral he meets a young girl, Annabel (Mia Wasikowska), and falls in love. But, unbeknownst to Enoch, she is terminally ill. This looks rather heartbreaking but beautiful, and is released October 21st.
Twixt
A horror writer with a dwindling career arrives in a small town to do a book signing, but becomes wrapped up in the mystery of a young girl’s murder. He starts having dreams in which he’s visited by a girl called V, and decides to get involved with the case. As he feels a connection between her and the murder, he’s led to the truth, but soon learns it has more to do with him than he could have imagined. This is the latest film by Francis Ford Coppola (who has been away from the big screen for some time) and stars Val Kilmer, Elle Fanning, Bruce Dern and Ben Chaplin. The trailer has a very creepy feel to it, and comes across as really very original. Here’s hoping it lives up to the promise.
Page One: A Year Inside the New York Times
From inside the New York Times comes Page One, a unique look inside the newsroom of a top newspaper. It’s topical all right, what with Murdoch being such a naughty boy lately, and it looks set to be very interesting too. Andrew Rossi is directing, and he follows the paper through a tumultuous time in the industry. As the media industry changes, the film will follow the ways in which the newspaper can ride the tides. It has a UK release date of September 23rd.
Written by Charlotte Stear
Albatross
(Jessica Brown Findlay). The two are polar opposites but strike up a friendship when Emilia moves into Beth’s town. The friendship is threatened when Emilia begins an affair with her friend’s father, which is set to devastate everyone around them. The film stars Julia Ormond and Sebastian Koch and is director Niall McCormick’s first feature film.
In Time
It has a pretty fantastic cast too. Justin Timberlake, currently proving himself as a fine actor, takes the lead opposite Cillian Murphy, who, as we saw in Batman Begins, plays evil roles pretty well. The support cast includes Amanda Seyfried, Olivia Wilde and Alex Pettyfer. The film is written and directed by Andrew Niccol, a talent known for Gattaca, The Truman Show and Lord Of War. All of this makes it a promising science-fiction film. In Time is set for a UK release on November 11th.
Wanderlust
We Bought a Zoo
Martha Marcy May Marlene
The Art of Getting By
Tyrannosaur
Restless
Twixt
Page One: A Year Inside the New York Times
Written by Charlotte Stear
