10 Movies you have to see in 2011

I get asked sometimes: What good films are coming out soon that I should go see? Well for all of you who’d like to know, here’s my take on the best of 2011 and a bit of an icebreaker for all the hype buzzing around your ears. 10 films, 10 dates (9 actually, but let’s not get technical) that you should write in your diary. Now there’s a new-years resolution! Enjoy!

All links take you to IMDb.

10. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1

Release Date: 18th November (USA)

This of course, depends highly on whether you’re a fan or not. However a phenomenon “Twilight” has become and with “Eclipse” garnering praise from many corners, it’s only fair that this gets a place on the list. Following in the footsteps of “Harry Potter” and “The Hobbit”, the as of yet final chapter of Stephenie Meyers’ vampire phenomenon has been broken into two parts. It seems Bella has chosen Necrophilia over Bestiality and is expecting a vampire child (it all sounds so charming when put that way…). But it’s all to go pear-shaped if the Quileute or Volturi have anything to say about it. Expect queues of hysterical and screaming teenage girls.

9. Thor

Release Date: 6th May (USA)

If ye seek a hammer-wielding superhero, attend this motion picture which cometh your way in May! Also known as “The Mighty Thor”, this promises to be among the best of a rake of superhero movies descending upon 2011. And it’s directed by Kenneth Branagh, a man known more usually known for his adaptations of the Bard’s plays, this could be an absolute blast. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is cast out of Asgard and has to make do with living on Earth amongst us humans, and ultimately becomes its defender. Also starring Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman, Marvel Comics might just be delivering next year’s “Iron Man” – let’s hope so. But “Thor” is only one of many. Also being released in 2011 in the same genre: Captain America: The First Avenger (22nd Jul), The Green Hornet (14th Jan), Green Lantern (17th Jun) and X-Men: First Class (3rd Jun).

8. Super 8

Release Date: 10th June (USA)

At number eight we have an appropriate title. But really nobody knows what the heck this one is about apart from the fact it’s being produced by Steven Spielberg and written and directed by JJ Abrams (the man behind LOST, the Star Trek reboot and Cloverfield ) and the tagline “Next Summer, It Arrives”. We could call this pulling an Inception. It’s also sci-fi and a bit of horror, with aliens and Area 51 and what not, starring Elle Fanning (Dakota’s younger sister). And if it’s in any way as good as Nolan’s we sure ain’t complaining! Think you might like this? Also look forward to Beastly (8th Mar), Final Destination 5 (26th Aug), Scream 4 (15th Apr).

7. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Release Date: 20th May (USA)

After their last escapade “At World’s End” in 2007 Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and his motley crew of pirates set sail into theatres once again. This time around they’re on a quest to find the Fountain of Youth, a giver of eternal life. New director Rob Marshall (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha) should give the series a bit of fresh life. Geoffrey Rush returns as Captain Barbossa while Ian McShane and Penelope Cruz join the cast as notorious pirate Blackbeard and his daughter respectively. Will and Elizabeth will not be back but that’s not really a bad thing, their romance was getting tiresome anyway. We’re also looking forward to another cracking score by Hans Zimmer. More action and adventure releases include Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom (27th May), Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (16th Dec), Sherlock Holmes 2 (16th Dec), Sinbad: The Fifth Voyage (1st Jan).

6. Jane Eyre

Release Date: 11th March (USA)

One of the greatest novels of all time gets yet another adaption for the big screen. It’s a star-studded affair and looks to be one of the bigger hitters of the year in the drama department. Finding employment at Thornfield Hall, the young Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska – Alice in Wonderland) finds herself falling in love the with the house’s master the stern Mr. Rochester played by Michael Fassbender (Inglorious Basterds, Centurion) only to discover the terrible secret that lurks in his attic. Sally Hawkins, Jamie Bell, Jayne Wiesner and Dame Judy Dench (who stars in virtually every period film) make this a must see if you’re in any way interested in the genre. But you (probably) shouldn’t expect a light and schmaltzy rom-com. More possibilities for lightening your wallet may include Even the Rain (Feb TBA), Never Let Me Go (21st Jan, UK), Restless (28th Jan), Straw Dogs (16th Sep).

5. 127 Hours

Release Date: 7th January (UK)

Two years ago, Danny Boyle made a small film in India which went on to win a few Oscars. Now he’s trying to pull the “Slumdog Millionaire” trick again with the true story of Aron Ralston (James Franco). Mountaineering in Utah, he gets his arm trapped under a rock. Over the following five days, he examines his life through video recordings on his camera and eventually decides to amputate his arm with his penknife. The ending isn’t exactly secret but it’s an extremely fascinating premise: With only one main character which is on screen basically all the time. And the actual amputation? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see. As far as we know, the film won’t actually be 127 hours long.

4. True Grit

Release Date: 14th January (UK)

Now that the Coen Brothers have achieved cult status any picture they release will generate a certain amount of buzz. When they decide to remake a 1969 John Wayne classic of the same name we all have something to write home about. A 14 year-old girl (Hailee Steinfeld) hires a U.S. Marshall (badass Jeff Bridges) to track down her father’s murderer. Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper also star. The trailer looks fantastic and an altogether darker affair than the original. It’s going to be a tale of bloody revenge. Not easy but essential viewing.

3. War Horse

Release Date: 28th December

Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Michael Morpurogo’s novel is highly anticipated to say the least and could very well be one of the big Christmas films vying for Oscar attention. Because when Spielberg does serious, he means business. It concerns a young man (Jeremy Irvine) and a horse named Joey. When Joey is sent to the front of World War I, Albert enlists in the army to save him. Like with Morpurgo’s other acclaimed novel “Private Peaceful” it’s a tear-jerker but in a very good way. Prepare to cry rivers. Apart from some British veterans like David Thewlis, Emily Watson and Peter Mullan, there’s no huge names in the cast but we know that’s not a problem.

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

Release Date: 15th July

We come to it at last: The end of the end. A franchise that began almost a decade ago with wide-eyed Daniel Radcliffe as the bespectacled wizard which fate has chosen to do great things, comes to a close this summer with the awesomely epic looking “Deathly Hallows Part 2”. As has been the case since “Order of the Phoenix” director David Yates keeps expanding on the immense world of J.K. Rowling’s novels. If you need any incentive whatever to go and see this, just take a look at that teaser poster with Hogwarts in flames! We know how it’s going to end of course (unless you’ve lived on Mars – although even then you would have heard by now…) but we’re still salivating over the possibilities: The Gringotts break-in (dragon!), the final battle for the wizard-school, Dumbledore and of course the epilogue. In an interview Radcliffe himself speculated on using some of the ageing technology utilised on “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” for the main trio of actors. After all, it wouldn’t be good if after seven films, we couldn’t finish with the same actors. Better keep reading the Daily Prophet for updates.

1. The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn

Release Date: 28th December (USA)

You can have all the vampires, pirates and wizards in the world, but the No1 film to look forward to in 2011 is undoubtedly Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson’s adaptation of the beloved comic book series by Hérge. The first official images have just been released and boy does that CGI look great. Furthering some of the great advancement’s of James Cameron’s “Avatar”, the film will use a sort of motion capture and will then be created completely in the computer. Jamie Bell (Billy Eliot) takes centre stage as our hero with his trusty dog, motion capture pro (he did both Gollum and King Kong) Andy Serkis is the creative-insults machine Captain Haddock while comedy duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost don the bowlers of Thomson and Thompson. While the title is officially “The Secret of the Unicorn”, it seems that the film will take elements from different books and meld them together for a great Tintin adventure. Spielberg directs and Jackson produces – they will switch roles for the sequel in 2012. Note that the release date is the same as “War Horse” which means Spielberg has a double whammy when taking on theatres next Christmas. Anyway – we can’t wait! Also in the animation or CG genre we can expect films like Cars 2 (24th Jun), Happy Feet 2 (18th Nov), Puss in Boots (4th Nov) and The Smurfs 3D (3rd Aug).

Awesome roundup! Whatever your taste, there’s plenty of movies to keep you entertained coming along next year. But as always there’s not just good movies, there’s always a few crappy ones as well. Here’s our predictions:

Five movies you (probably) don’t need to see in 2011:

5. Piranha 3DD (Aug TBA)

4. Transformers: The Dark of the Moon (1st Jul)

3. A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas (23rd Dec)

2. Alvin and the Chipmunks 3D (16th Dec)

1. Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (18th Feb)

So that’s it! What films are you looking forward to in 2011? Leave us a comment!

The Social Network (2010)

David Fincher is not a man to fear taking up a tough subject. But even for a veteran director with an extensive portfolio of films that include “Se7en”, “Fight Club” “Panic Room” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, a film about the origins of a website may not seem like an obvious choice. Sure, the phenomenon of “geekdom” has made forays into the mainstream but who wants to watch a two hour film about nerds sitting in front of computer screens, feverishly typing code? For those of you with an aversion to bits and bytes, be they kilo, mega or giga, it is essential therefore to note that while “The Social Network” is concerned with Facebook and it’s origins, Fincher and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (“A Few Good Men”) contemplate the story of the company’s co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his friends (so called…) right at the dawn of the web-giant. With a tag-line like this – see the poster – it’s clear they don’t “Like” him and they most certainly don’t want to confirm him as their friend. After you wince at my horrendous punning, read on.

It’s the Autumn of 2003 at Harvard University and having been dumped by his girlfriend, the young Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) vows to get revenge. In a drunken flurry of activity he hacks local university servers and invents facemash, a website that allows users to rate female students on attractiveness. An instant phenomenon, the project promptly crashes the Harvard network and brings Zuckerberg to the attention of prize rowers, the Winklevoss twins who employ him to write a social site they’re planning. Instead he writes and launches something he calls “The Facebook” and here the problems begin: We flash forward to the present and Zuckerberg is being sued not only by the “Winkelvi” (they’re the but of most jokes here) but also his former best friend and business partner Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield – yep, the new Spidey!). Because as the fledgling company gets off the ground, tensions ensue, mainly in the form of eccentric-and-not-in-a-good-way bad-boy Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake) as Severin becomes increasingly marginalised and realises he’s been had by Zuckerberg. And these are the bits that Fincher is really interested in. Adapting the non-fiction book “The Accidental Billionaires” by Ben Mezrich, screenwriter Sorkin has made it clear to the press that his story often leaves the truth at the wayside. The real Zuckerberg and many of his Facebook associates have laughed the film away as pure fiction. But while the jury may still be out on determining exactly the quantity of truth, the film has been critically hailed from almost all quarters as an excellent film for our post-modern age.

It’s extremely hard not to like “The Social Network” (unless you’re Mark Zuckerberg I guess) because the film outperforms in almost every department. What’s clear is that the screenplay needs to nail the story’s great irony: It’s the anti-social nerd who invents a so-called social platform while he himself, his few friendships and social contacts go right down the drain. And Sorkin hits it right on the head putting all the wit, humour and emotions in just the right places. Fincher too is caught up in the sweep of the story: he directs wonderful sequences, from the racing of the Zucker-brain in an early geek-babble sequence (don’t let that put you off!) to sports racing and a thrilling rowing championship. And then there’s the cast. Fincher has three aces up his sleeve here with the protagonists. Jesse Eisenberg is pitch-perfect as the driven and obsessive Zuckerberg. In a way he’s the story’s villain but as one character puts it towards the end, he’s not an asshole, he’s just trying so hard to be one. Garfield has an easier job as Severin is portrayed purely as a good guy which has been a gripe of some viewers who saw him as too polarised in the positive direction. And hey, Justin Timberlake can act! “Shrek the Third” wasn’t exactly a career-making film but this could well be, his Sean Parker being the real asshole of the story. Timberlake manages a good balance between slimy character and alluring businessman who convinces Zuckerberg to oust Severin. All of it is highly Oscar-suitable material, going by the sort of pictures that usually do well at award ceremonies.

The original score for “The Social Network” was composed by Trent Reznor of “Nine Inch Nails” fame and Atticus Ross. As may have been predictable, a film about computers and the digital age should be accompanied by electric guitars and synthesisers. The result is a lot of atmospheric noodling, punctuated by insertions of synthesised version of classical music by Handel and Grieg. It serves its purpose in the film well enough, the rowing sequence in particular is thrilling in its execution with the music. On album however, it makes for a rather drab and dreary listening experience. Prior to the film’s premiere, the two composers released a free, five track EP for download on the film’s official website in addition to the full soundtrack album. Outside of the classical music adaptions, the music is adequate and serviceable but certainly nothing to write home about.

David Fincher has once again managed to capture the imagination of the viewing public with a picture that tells an excellent story. Already Hollywood is lining up adaptions of other technology figures’ lives, a biopic of the Google boys is apparently already in the works. But for any copycats, “The Social Network” sets the bar quite high, with pitch-perfect casting and a great script. It probably won’t dissuade you from using facebook if you already are but it’s a fascinating exploration of the not-so-social aspects of the runaway success story. See it if you can.

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I loved “The Social Network” and will certainly be buying the DVD when it comes out. What was your opinion of the film or the soundtrack? If you have any comments or feedback please leave a comment. Also please follow me on Twitter or the RSS feed. Until next time, all the best!