{"id":573,"date":"2014-04-03T15:01:07","date_gmt":"2014-04-03T22:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/carnivorouscouch.com\/?p=573"},"modified":"2015-04-03T16:52:36","modified_gmt":"2015-04-03T23:52:36","slug":"most-anticipated-movies-of-2014-10-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carnivorousstudios.com\/?p=573","title":{"rendered":"Most Anticipated Movies of 2014: #10-1"},"content":{"rendered":"

#10: Rosewater<\/strong><\/p>\n

Director: Jon Stewart<\/p>\n

Starring: Gael Garcia Bernal, Shohreh Aghdashloo<\/p>\n

Plot: A journalist is detained in Iran for more than 100 days and brutally interrogated in prison.<\/p>\n

Pros: I\u2019ve got a funny feeling about this one. Stewart has never directed before, but he is one of the brightest political minds out there and it seems like this project is very near and dear to his heart. He took off many months from hosting The Daily Show<\/i> to direct it and he has the support of a talented cast, including Academy Award nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo. We know Stewart has a knack for infusing dramatic global issues with humor and insight. If he can leaven the pathos of the story with a touch of subtle humor, this could be something special.<\/p>\n

Cons: Just from reading the plot synopsis, I can imagine all the ways a project like this might be ham-fisted, didactic, and melodramatically top-heavy. It\u2019s not easy for a first-time director to make an \u201cimportant\u201d historical drama without falling into the trap of self-seriousness. Here’s hoping that Stewart brings his trademark wit to these somber proceedings.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

#9: Knight of Cups<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"knight-of-cups-movie\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Director: Terrence Malick<\/p>\n

Starring: Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Freida Pinto<\/p>\n

Plot: A man, temptations, celebrity, and excess.<\/p>\n

Pros: Terrence Malick is one of cinema\u2019s true originals and has been since the 1970\u2019s. Tree of Life<\/i>, The New World<\/i>, and The Thin Red Line<\/i> are all masterpieces from where I sit. His scripts are beautiful, probing examinations of man’s relationship with the natural world. He works wonders with his actors and his eye for a breathtaking image is unparalleled even by the very best of living directors. The problem with Malick is typically with how rarely he creates, not with the creations themselves, which are consistently gorgeous, haunting, and thought-provoking.<\/p>\n

Cons: I love the man\u2019s work to death, and even I\u2019m snickering at that plot description. \u201cA man, temptations, celebrity, and excess. . . Malick by Calvin Klein\u201d The typical Malick problem is that he is not always so accessible to the average movie-goer. Where some see poetry and deeply felt spiritualism, others see pretension and an over-abundance of self-important whispering. Personally, I believe he amply justifies every pregnant pause and hushed word, but it is still the perennial stumbling block for any Malick film. The other problem is that I heard last year\u2019s To the Wonder<\/i> was his weakest effort by a wide margin. He used to take decades between films, but this will be his third project in three years. Was Malick right all along to keep us in agonizing anticipation for all those years and years? Is this newer, more prolific production schedule detrimental to the quality of his pictures? Maybe, but let\u2019s not get ahead of ourselves. He only made one underwhelming film, after all.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

#8: While We\u2019re Young<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"While<\/a><\/p>\n

Director: Noah Baumbach<\/p>\n

Starring: Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver, Amanda Seyfried<\/p>\n

Plot: An uptight documentary filmmaker and his wife find their lives loosened up a bit after befriending a free-spirited younger couple.<\/p>\n

Pros: This is the immensely talented Noah Baumbach, director of The Squid and the Whale<\/i>, following up his first legitimate masterpiece, Frances Ha<\/i>. This is also the same man who directed Ben Stiller to his best work in Greenberg<\/i>. Frances<\/i> earned Baumbach positive comparisons to golden age Woody Allen, and just look at that plot description. It sounds like Baumbach is crafting another acerbically funny, sophisticated, humanist dramedy with a great cast behind it. He\u2019s even working with Adam Driver again, who did fine, hilariously understated work in Frances<\/i>. <\/i>I have every possible digit crossed for this to be as great as I know it can be!<\/p>\n

Cons: Baumbach is an unbelievably smart writer and an observant director. He is so bitterly funny and insightful that his biggest challenge is in making sure not to outsmart himself. My sincere hope is that his acid wit doesn\u2019t curdle into misanthropy and condescension. I had a little bit of that problem with his Margot at the Wedding<\/i> and with his screenplay for Wes Anderson\u2019s The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou<\/i>. But really, I have no good reason to doubt While We\u2019re Young<\/i>. I just hope that the nuance and empathy on display in Frances Ha<\/i> signal his growth into an artist who can balance his more pessimistic takes on human nature with a dash of generous optimism. As Woody Allen said in Manhattan<\/i>, you have to have a little faith in people.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

#7: A Most Violent Year<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

Director: J.C. Chandor<\/p>\n

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain<\/p>\n

Plot: A thriller set in New York City during the winter of 1981, statistically one of the most violent years in the city’s history, and centered on the lives of an immigrant and his family trying to expand their business and capitalize on opportunities as the rampant violence, decay, and corruption of the day drag them in and threaten to destroy all they have built.<\/p>\n

Pros: The premise sounds fascinating and educational. Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain are both exceptional talents who have finally come to prominence in the past year or so. Oscar Isaac\u2019s work in Inside Llewyn Davis<\/i> work was my favorite male performance of 2013, while Jessica Chastain\u2019s Maya from Zero Dark Thirty<\/i> was my favorite female performance of 2012. And, on top of all that, there is the mighty J.C. Chandor, only three films into his career as a writer-director. Margin Call <\/i>and All Is Lost<\/i> were both stunningly intelligent pieces of work, each with its own fittingly unique style. If Chandor\u2019s first two films were glimpses into the depths of his talent, then I cannot wait to see what he does with this premise and this cast.<\/p>\n

Cons: It still remains to be seen if this will be released by 2014, or if it will be moved back a year. If it does release this year, its biggest stumbling block will be the inherently violent nature of its premise. Then again, Zodiac<\/i> was a violent, historical drama and that didn\u2019t prevent it from getting great reviews.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

#6: Interstellar<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Interstellar\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Director: Christopher Nolan<\/p>\n

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain<\/p>\n

Plot: A group of explorers discover a wormhole that revolutionizes interstellar exploration.<\/p>\n

Pros: Christopher Nolan is one of the most consistently interesting voices in cinema, and one of a select number who know how to make blockbuster genre films that stimulate on multiple levels. Even better, he is a filmmaker with insane confidence, both ready to try out new ideas and able to inject intelligence and gravitas into old narratives. His leading man, Matthew McConaughey, is on something of an acting no-hitter lately, after making Mud, Wolf of Wall Street, Dallas Buyers Club, Magic Mike<\/i>, Killer Joe<\/i>, and Bernie<\/i>. At this stage of his career, McConaughey’s involvement alone makes me believe wholeheartedly that this can be a great film. The thought of Nolan and McConaughey pairing together to make a brainy, adventurous ode to scientific exploration has me intrigued and optimistic. Add in Anne Hathaway\u2019s moxie and Jessica Chastain\u2019s quiet brilliance and you have a very interesting combination of director and cast.<\/p>\n

Cons: If you ask certain people (me, for example) Nolan\u2019s last two efforts, The Dark Knight Rises <\/i>and Inception<\/i>, have been entertaining, fascinating, but somewhat flawed entries in his filmography. I have no doubt he has another Dark Knight <\/i>or Memento <\/i>in him, but is this sci-fi odyssey the movie to return Nolan to the apex of his powers or just another chance for him to flaunt his technical mastery over the sci-fi blockbuster genre? He has been very tight-lipped about the finer details of the story, so it\u2019s hard to say.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

#5: The Cobbler<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Director: Tom McCarthy<\/p>\n

Starring: Adam Sandler, Melonie Diaz, Dustin Hoffman, Steve Buscemi<\/p>\n

Plot: Sandler plays a fourth generation shoemaker who discovers a magical sewing machine in his father\u2019s basement that allows him to transform into other people by wearing their shoes.<\/p>\n

Pros: Tom McCarthy always makes interesting and moving films. I\u2019m a huge fan of his 2003 dramedy The Station Agent<\/i>, which gave a giant kick to the careers of three fantastic character actors: Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, and Bobby Cannavale. Adam Sandler makes some dumb, sophomoric films himself, but he has shown immense acting potential in films like Punch Drunk Love <\/i>and Funny People<\/i>. The rest of the cast sounds promising as well, given the right director. As a director of actors, McCarthy deserves to be called one of the best.<\/p>\n

Cons: McCarthy makes films that are gently funny, touching, and observant, but his style also tends toward the quiet and modest. Fairly or not, he’s the kind of filmmaker who gets called “slight” by his detractors. A film like The Visitor<\/i> would have never been as good as it was without its finely calibrated performance from Richard Jenkins. So, if McCarthy makes another delicate film, does Sandler have the chops to get on his quaint, lyrical wavelength?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

#4: Foxcatcher<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Foxcatcher\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Director: Bennett Miller<\/p>\n

Starring: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo<\/p>\n

Plot: The true story of John DuPont, a schizophrenic millionaire who built a world-class facility for the United States Olympic Wrestling Team. It explores his relationship with the Schulz brothers, both Olympic Champions.<\/p>\n

Pros: Well, Mark Ruffalo and Steve Carell are both great talents, so I\u2019m very excited to see what they bring to their roles. On top of that, Channing Tatum is starting to come into his own as an actor after Magic Mike <\/i>and 21 Jump Street<\/i>, so I think he could do very well under Bennett Miller\u2019s direction. Really though, the big reason this is so promising is Miller himself. The young director has made three features in his career. The first one was The Cruise<\/em>, a well-received, gonzo documentary. The other two, Capote <\/i>and Moneyball, <\/i>went on to earn raves, elevate their respective actors (Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Brad Pitt) to career-best performances, and nab Best Picture nominations. Miller is still early in his career, but anyone gambling on the film\u2019s success should remember that he has yet to make a film that even falls to the level of \u201cjust good\u201d.<\/p>\n

Cons: The project was originally slated to come out in 2013 and was pushed back to give Miller more time to tinker with the final product. That\u2019s probably because this is a thorny, intimate piece of work. Without giving too much away, this is a very dark true story. The question is whether Miller can cultivate it into something rich and thematically coherent or if it will just be a bleak, well-acted curiosity. Not that there\u2019s anything wrong with a dark, uncompromising piece of work! I just hope that Miller can find something thought-provoking and emotionally resonant in this disturbing material.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

#3: Inherent Vice<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Inherent<\/a><\/p>\n

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson<\/p>\n

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Jena Malone, Benicio Del Toro, Reese Witherspoon, Josh Brolin, Maya Rudolph<\/p>\n

Plot: In Los Angeles in 1970, drug-fueled detective Larry “Doc” Sportello investigates the disappearance of a former girlfriend.<\/p>\n

Pros: Paul Thomas Anderson may be our greatest living director and he appears to be just warming up. The prodigious talent has already made Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love, There Will Be Blood<\/i>, and The Master<\/i>. With The Master<\/i>, he brought out an earth-shattering performance from Joaquin Phoenix, and Inherent Vice<\/i> brings the two hard-working talents together again. Anderson is great because he is both a director\u2019s director and an actor\u2019s director, able to compose magnificent thought-provoking images while simultaneously filling each frame with some of the most courageous and vulnerable screen-acting in history.<\/p>\n

Cons: This appears to be a detective mystery, which can be good or bad. Movies like L.A. Confidential<\/i> and Chinatown<\/i> took the mystery format and made them brilliant and thought-provoking. However, our current culture is also saturated with mysteries, from C.S.I. <\/em>to the astonishing number of Sherlock Holmes reboots on both the small and silver screens. David Fincher even has his own missing girlfriend mystery coming out this same year. Anderson will have his work cut out for him if he wants to make his detective story rise above all those other dicks.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

#2: Boyhood<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Boyhood\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Director: Richard Linklater<\/p>\n

Starring: Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Ellar Coltrane<\/p>\n

Plot: Over the course of 12 years, we follow a young boy from childhood until his graduation from high school.<\/p>\n

Pros: The reviews are actually already coming in for this one, since it debuted at Sundance earlier this year. It drew gushing raves for its performances and for the way that Linklater has thoughtfully captured the sprawl of time. Linklater and his actors filmed scenes every year for 12 years, so that all of the characters appear to literally age before your eyes. The director has already made a marvelous essay about time with his Before<\/i> trilogy, so it\u2019s heartening to see him follow this intriguing theme to even more daring extremes.<\/p>\n

Cons: The con is that there is always a risk in doing something experimental. Even if the product is great, it may be difficult to get audiences to show up for an idea this bold and unconventional.<\/p>\n

#1. Mr. Turner<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Mr.<\/a><\/p>\n

Director: Mike Leigh<\/p>\n

Starring: Timothy Spall<\/p>\n

Plot: A biography of the great British \u201cpainter of light\u201d, J.M.W. Turner.<\/p>\n

Pros: Really, anything with the incredible Mike Leigh attached to it comes with its own laundry list of pros. Leigh is, for my money, the best director alive when it comes to working with actors, famous for his intensive and improvisational process. Leigh and his actors work for many months around a skeleton script until every character and every relationship is nuanced and lived-in. He has used this process to work wonders with Secrets & Lies<\/i>, Topsy-Turvy<\/i>, Vera Drake<\/i>, Happy-Go-Lucky<\/i>, and Another Year<\/i>. I do not know a single thing about Turner, the 19th<\/sup> century British painter upon whom the film is based, but with Leigh at the helm, and the wonderful Timothy Spall in the lead, I am very excited to learn.<\/p>\n

Cons: If there is a con, I suppose it\u2019s the genre itself. Historical biopics can often be tedious and I\u2019m pretty sure I can count the number of essential movies about painters on one hand. The entire challenge here will be for Leigh to take what could be stodgy and stuffy in any other director’s hands and make it breathe and sing as only he can.<\/p>\n

That wraps up my list of the most anticipated movies! Please let us know in the comments of any films you are looking forward to. We would love to hear from all of you. Now that I’ve dragged my wishing and hoping out for a couple of weeks, there is nothing left to do but wait with baited breath for the movies to premiere. Go see\u00a0The Lego Movie\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0The Gra<\/em>nd Budapest Hotel<\/em> if you haven’t already, because they’re both blasts of pure, giddy joy. I think we’re starting to see a trend of awesome movies being less backloaded toward the end of the year. One never knows when and where the next great film will debut, so keep your eyes peeled. Until then, happy theater-hopping, Carnies!<\/p>\n

#63-51<\/a>
\n#50-41<\/a>
\n#40-31<\/a>
\n#30-21<\/a>
\n#20-11<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

#10: Rosewater Director: Jon Stewart Starring: Gael Garcia Bernal, Shohreh Aghdashloo Plot: A journalist is detained in Iran for more than 100 days and brutally interrogated in prison. Pros: I\u2019ve got a funny feeling about this one. Stewart has never directed before, but he is one of the brightest political minds out there and it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":574,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-posts","category-film-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carnivorousstudios.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/573","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carnivorousstudios.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carnivorousstudios.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carnivorousstudios.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carnivorousstudios.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=573"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/carnivorousstudios.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/573\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":884,"href":"https:\/\/carnivorousstudios.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/573\/revisions\/884"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carnivorousstudios.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/574"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carnivorousstudios.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=573"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carnivorousstudios.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=573"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carnivorousstudios.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=573"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}