5. Conviction
Starring Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell, Minnie Driver, and Melissa Leo. Directed by Tony Goldwyn.
A strong performance from one of my favorite actors or actresses is enough to draw me to the theater. When it comes to Hilary Swank, I always know what I’m going to get: quality. Films like Million Dollar Baby and Boys Don’t Cry — both of which brought her Oscar glory — are proof that Swank is at the top of her career and one of the best actresses of our generation. She’s a force to be reckoned with, that’s for certain.
In this film, Swank plays a loyal sister who attends law school in order to find a way to get her convicted brother out of jail.
See the trailer here.
4. Rabbit Hole
Starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart. Directed by John Cameron Mitchell.
Let’s be honest, Nicole Kidman doesn’t miss very often. Moulin Rouge!, The Hours, Cold Mountain… need I say more? The Academy Award-winning actress and mother said recently in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that she doesn’t work very often because she gets so invested in the characters she plays that it pulls her away from her family. Yeah, she’s that good.
Nicole has had her fair share of heavy roles, and this turn on the silver screen is no exception. She and Eckhart play a couple whose lives are turned upside down when their young son dies in an accident. This might not be a film to watch with the whole family, that’s for certain. But buzz from the festivals promises that Kidman delivers a power performance, and that’s why I’m so anxious to see this film in particular.
See the trailer here.
3. Burlesque
Starring Cher, Christina Aguilera, and Stanley Tucci. Directed by Steven Antin.
We all have our guilty pleasures, right? Well, over-the-top, showy musicals with divas-turned-actresses are certainly one of mine.
Christina Aguilera makes her first appearance on the screen as a small-town girl who, after picking up and moving to Los Angeles, finds herself working in a neo-burlesque club run by a former dancer. And looking at the cast, it’s not hard to guess who that former dancer might be: Cher. She’s the queen of reinventing herself, and after several farewell tours and saying she was done working in the entertainment business, Cher’s back, sassy as ever.
Will this be a good movie? Probably not. Will it be entertaining and bring joy to gay men and their mothers all over America? Certainly.
See the trailer here.
2. True Grit
Starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and Hailee Steinfeld. Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen.
OK, OK, I have to admit: I’m a closet fan of the Western. Maybe it’s because my father use to blast the title song from Rawhide when I was a child to wake us up in the morning. Or maybe it’s because classic actors like Clint Eastwood brought such strong and distinct performances to the films of this genre.
Either way, this film in particular especially intrigues me because of the individuals attached. With the exception of youngster Hailee Steinfeld — who, I might add, looks like she’s going to be great — everyone else on this picture is at the top of their careers. Matt Damon is as popular as ever. Josh Brolin continues to choose solid roles and impress me with his work. Jeff Bridges is still riding high after his Best Actor win last year for Crazy Heart. The Coen Brothers — the men behind No Country for Old Men, Fargo, and Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? — rarely disappoint, and this film doesn’t appear to be an exception.
The film, a remake of the 1969 film by the same name starring John Wayne, follows a U.S. marshall who takes a young woman under his wing and helps her track down her brother’s murderer.
See the trailer here.
Starring Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, and Geoffrey Rush. Directed by Tom Hooper.
I love Colin Firth. There, I said it. I enjoyed him as an actor before last year, but it was his performance in A Single Man that really made me a fan of his work.
In his newest critically acclaimed role, Firth plays Britain’s King George VI in a film that chronicles his journey to the throne and highlights the speech coach who guided him along the way and provided him with a much needed confidence.
Why am I so excited about this movie? It’s a period piece. It’s a biopic. It has a strong supporting cast. And, of course, Colin Firth is at the helm.
See the trailer here.
The runner ups — Other films I’m excited to see: The Fighter, Morning Glory, and Black Swan.
