Quandry

Well, I haven't posted in the last few days (crime!), and I don't really have anything to say, but I ALSO don't really want to my homework right yet. But this has easily been, without a doubt, the most insane, tumultuous weekend I've had in a long time, if not ever. The quote-unquote "fun" of it ain't over yet, either. But y'know, such times can really solidify friendships and really, it made me feel more like I belong here than ever.

But I'm not gonna wax on about life's woes. Instead, movies...best distraction ever (and FINALLY watching the "Bigger Than Jesus" DVD, which is just a hundred layers of fantastic...and Halo 2...lotta Halo 2 this weekend). Awhile back I typed up a list of the movies to be looking for this year, but ah...figured people are sick about hearing about movies. But like I said, I don't really have anything to say. So yeah. Oh, and this was longer before, but when I posted it, it looked bigger than Texas. And we just can't have that.

MARIE-ANTOINETTE (October 13) - Written and directed by Sofia Coppola (THE VIRGIN SUICIDES, LOST IN TRANSLATION), and starring Kirsten Dunst and Jason Schwartzman (Max Fischer from RUSHMORE). The trailer oozes style, which gives me a lot of hope, and hey, it's Sofia Coppola. LOST IN TRANSLATION was my favorite film of 2003, and one of my favorites of all time, so I have faith.

TENACIOUS D IN THE PICK OF DESTINY (October 27) - The meeting and formation of the D. The cast? Jack Black. Kyle Gass. Tim Robbins. Ben Stiller. John C. Reilly. Amy Poehler. Meat Loaf. Ronnie James Dio. Colin Hanks. Forget KONG, this is the movie Black's entire film career has been leading to.

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING (March 17) - Watch the trailer. It's hilarious.

GRIND HOUSE (September 22) - Two sixty-minute horror films, homages to the cheesy B horror flicks of the 60s and 70s. One directed by Robert Rodriguez (SIN CITY). The other by Quentin Tarantino. Between the two films, fake trailers. Tarantino's is a slasher flick, but with a car instead of a knife. Rodriguez is doing zombies...in space. Best...movie...ever.

THE DEPARTED (August) - It's Scorsese (THE AVIATOR, GANGS OF NEW YORK, GOODFELLAS, TAXI DRIVER, a million others), starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a cop going undercover in the mob and Matt Damon as a mobster going undercover in the police department. And Jack Nicholson's the mob boss.

5-25-77 (May) - A story of movies...practical special effects...blockbuster love...and seeing Star Wars opening night.

SOUTHLAND TALES (TBA 2006) - It's the latest from writer/director Richard Kelly (the genius behind DONNIE DARKO). The Rock is an action star. Sean William Scott plays twins. Sarah Michelle Gellar's a porn star. It's a comedy. And a musical. And it's sci-fi. And Justin Timberlake and Kevin Smith show up at some point. And I remember hearing something about the end of the world.

THE DA VINCI CODE (May 19) - Say what you will about the book (I never read it), but the trailer kicks ass and you know it.

SUPERMAN RETURNS (June 30) - I'm not gonna lie, I'm scared shitless that this'll fail. Because if it does, it'll do it in a big way. Kevin Spacey as Luthor is perfect casting, and Bryan Singer has yet to make a bad movie. But so far, we haven't really seen Brandon Routh in character as Superman, and Kate Bosworth doesn't strike me at all as Lois. That, and Singer is inspired more from the movies than the comics. Superman I & II are fantastic adaptations in their own right, but I would love to see a really fresh take on the character, given how much has changed in the comics since the 70s. But the teaser trailer left me speechless many times over. And Singer IS a damn good filmmaker. Either way, Superman is my favorite superhero, and I'll be first in line on June 29 (midnight showing, bros).

V FOR VENDETTA (March 17) - Adapted from the awesome comic book by Alan Moore (genius), I really didn't have any reason to look forward to this for awhile. The trailer is awesome, and it stars Natalie Portman, but other than that it just looked like a cool action flick. But about a month ago it was shown at a small festival, and the word coming out of it was that it was incredible. Better than anything that was fully released in 2005. Probably better than anything that'll come out in 2006. The best of its kind since A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. Assuming Warner Brothers leaves the picture intact, and with such huge response there's little reason not to, this could be one of the most important films of the decade.

THE FOUNTAIN (TBA 2006) - Then there's this. It's the latest from Darren Aronofsky (PI, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM), about one man's quest for the fountain of youth, and for the woman he loves. It spans over one thousand years in three parallel stories, all about the same two people, played by Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz (who just got nominated for being amazing in THE CONSTANT GARDENER). The trailer is a work of art in and of itself, and I just hope it can find release this year, as it was originally scheduled for November '05. We're in an interesting stage of film, in which most of the best stuff out there is adapted from, or a remake of, something (of my own top 10 of 2005, only ELIZABETHTOWN and MATCH POINT were original works), but here is a completely original work of epic filmmaking. I can't wait.