Holiday Movie Schedule

There was a real shortage of decent movies over the last quarter, year even. Batman was great, Wallace and Grommit was my movie of the year, War of the Worlds was average. Then a long wait until Harry Potter returned for a fourth time. A lot of late Australian releases have all been pushed back into what now looks like a pretty crowded Southern Summer schedule, and here are my best picks with a brief intro in order of release.

Boxing Day - 26/12/05

• The Chronicles of Narnia - The latest in the new movie genre spawned by the success of the Harry Potter franchise, 'The Epic Childrens Adventure'. Great graphics and largely unknown cast, sure to be a hit.
  
• The Legend of Zorro - The sequel to Mask of Zorro. Same cast and director so hopefully the same feel as the first which was an ace adventure! However Zorro with Kids may put some off. A good trailer will complete the sale.
  
• Broken Flowers - Looks like another role for Bill Murray in the vein of his success with Lost in Translation. Something more adult then the other two, slower paced, and a return to reality over the Christmas period. Don't know much about it, but Murray's last two performances, Translation and the fantastic The Life Aquatic inspire faith.

New Years Day - 1/1/06

• Chicken Little - Disney, Animated chickens. Will pull a large crowd as it did in the US release. Interestingly this is not a pixar release but the first inhouse Disney CG Animated feature. Just as well cause early impressions of Pixar's next film, Cars, looks terrible.
• The Producers - The Film, based on the Musical, based on the Film. Yes you read that right! A hit at every incarnation yet I've never seen any so I really ought to get around to it this time. And good filler between the two chick flicks! (OMG pun! lolzors)
• Valiant - Amazingly ALSO distributed through Disney! Although it didn't gross as much, I'm looking forward to this one more. The war spoof will entertain me no end, and Ewan McGregor has proved his voice talent as the eager, young, idealist in Robots. Made in England - released on the 5th.

Late January - 19/01/06

• Underworld Evolution - The first was a vastly underated fantasy action flick. Hopefully more of the same sexily tinted violent action.
• Memoirs of a Geisha - Based on the hit novel and with an accomplished asian cast. Didn't read it, and haven't looked into it. But will be good to see a asian film with hopefully brilliant cinematography minus the fantasy swordplay so the story can take center place.

26/01/06

• Brokeback Mountain - The most critically acclaimed of the late releases. Gay Cowboys. Based on the American novel, directed by Ang Lee. Sure to be uniquely placed in film, not only among this summers competitors. Just released in the US but in very limited screens. Not sure that this would be well appreciated in the American mid-west where it is set, Bush country.
• Munich - A return to form for Spielberg after the unsuccesful attempt at horror/suspense/action miasma that was War of the Worlds. Sure to lift Eric Bana to all new heights and the sternest test of his obvious ability as a dramatic actor. Terrific casting, and this time with some real meat on the bone dramatically to create the terrifying effect missing in squeeky clean War. Also starring Geoffrey Rush who doesn't do bad movies.
  
• Syriana - Another terrorist, state sponsored violence film starring George Clooney and Matt Damon. Appears to be in the same format as SpyGame, with replacements for Robert Redford and Brad Pitt, but with a singular, slightly more contemporary story. Not yet listed for release.

February

• Goal! - Recieving loads of press in all Soccer forums, but worryingly and tellingly, little to no critical acclaim. Probably will be quite rubbish, but soccer films are few and far between and rarely have anything to do with the sport in question, wheras this film follows the fictional progression of a player in the sport. 16/2/06
• AeonFlux - I wasn't a fan of the bizzare animated style of the MTV Animated series. But the futuristic apocalyptic fantasy naturally compels interest. Chalrize Theron in leather, laytex and lycra... I suspect my interest will be held. Hopefully the movie Resident Evil: Apocalypse should have been. 23/2/06