A Christmas Carol Preview/Synopsis + Trailer

A Christmas Carol Nov. 6

Directed by Oscar winner Robert Zemeckis ( Forrest Gump, Cast Away ) starring Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Michael J. Fox ( voice ) Colin Firth, Robin Wright Penn, Bob Hoskins, Carey Elwes.

Not going to go into too much detail of the film, as it's Zemeckis who adpated the popular Dickens novel which anyone over the age of 10 should be very familiar with and adapted for the umpteenth time, and this time with Carrey as Scrooge and all the ghost's from Christmas past, present and future and also the Zemeckis crew is the same as the people he worked with on The Polar Express.

PG-13 for thematic elements. 96 min.

Oscar chances ? Possible for Visual Effects.

This has nothing to do with movies but is good nonetheless

Crosby, Stills and Nash live at The Puyallup Fair in Pierce County, Wa. doing a pretty good job on Southern Cross for some old guys. Excellent show actually and great set list as well.

Precious wins Best Pic. at Toronto...

Precious has won the Cadillac People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival for Best Picture.

Just like Slumdog Millionaire last year at Toronto, a low budget, non A list movie has taken the award. Let's just hope that everyone gets their bearings about them once the end of the year comes and votes honestly and doesn't bandwagon the movie.

It's only September and people are already saying it should win the Oscar ( Oprah... ) that is pretty premature. There are still 30 some odd movies that could warrant Best Picture consideration and people are already dubbing Precious the winner ?! Please. There are people that haven't seen it claiming it should win just because the supposedly erudite and snooty film critics say it should because of the taboo subject matter is SO brave to address ( cheesy dramatics ? ) I say wait till the end of the year to claim what movie should win the Oscar for Best Picture. It's only September.

Capitalism: A Love Story

Capitialism: A Love Story Oct. 2

Doc filmmaker Michael Moore is now out to really figure what happened to the economy with opinions from Wall Street experts as well as government insiders.

Rated R for some language. 120 min.

Oscar chances ? As of now I am calling it a lock in the Documentary category. Could even get a push from the studio in the Best Picture category some have said, if it really makes an impression on people and is well reviewed.

Where The Wild Things Are Preview/Synopsis + Trailer

Where The Wild Things Are Oct. 16

Directed bt Spike Jonze ( Adaptation, Being John Malkovich ) Starring Max Records, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, Forest Whitaker, James Gandolfini, Catherine O' Hara, Paul Dano, Lauren Ambrose, Tom Noonan. Written by Jonze and David Eggars ( Away From Her ) Cinamatography by Lance Acord ( Lost In Translation, Being John Malkovich ) Edited by James Haygood ( Panic Room ) and Eric Zumbrunner ( Adaptation ) Original music by Carter Burrell ( Fargo, Conspiracy Theory )

Spike Jonze and David Eggars bring the 1963 Maurice Sendek classic children's novel to the big screen, where a young boy named Max creates his own fantasy world in the forset full of creatures that end up deeming Max their ruler of " the wild things ".

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some adventure action and some language.

Oscar chances ? Strong chance in Visual Effects and maybe Adapated Screenplay. Can the film be good enough to make the top 10 ?

An Education Preview/Synopsis + Trailer

An Education Oct. 9

Directed by Danish filmmaker Lone Scherfig. Starring Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, Emma Thompson, Sally Hawkins, Dominic Cooper, Rosamund Pike, Olivia Williams, Cara Seymour. Written by Nick Hornby ( High Fidelity, About A Boy ) Cinematography by John DeMoran ( Last Chance Harvey ) Edited by Barney Pilling ( Miss Pettigrew ) Original music by Paul Englishby ( Becoming Jane, Hart's War )

Coming of age story about a suburban London teenage girl named Jenny ( Mulligan ) and how her life takes a big change when she meets a much older playboy type David ( Sarsgaard ) whre at the time of the meeting once had high aspirations of going to Oxford, but once she experiences the flashy lifestyle of the playboy and how easily she can attain it and finds it irresistable, the idea of going to Oxford goes out the window.

PG-13 for thematic material including sexual content and smoking. 95 min.

Oscar chances ? Looking very promising mostly for Mulligan in the Actress category. Virtually every Oscar prognosticator is predicting a nomination for her. Many think that it could also get nods for Picture, Supporting Actor, Screenplay and Costumes as well.

The Road Preview/Synopsis + Trailer

The Road Oct. 19

Directed by John Hillcoat ( The Proposition ) Starring Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce, Garrett Dillahunt and Robert Duvall. Written by Joe Penhall ( Enduring Love ), Cinematography by Javiar Aguirresarobe ( Goya's Ghosts, Vicky Cristina Barcelona ) Edited by Joe Gregory ( In Bruges, Pushing Tin ) Original music by Nick Cave ( The Proposition )

The Road is an adaptation from the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Cormac McCarthy about a man and his son trying to survive living on the earth that has just gone through some catacalysmic disaster and trying to make their way to the ocean to which they believe will be their safest place to be. In the time being, the man will do anything for the survival of his son, with not so nice types of whoever that has also survived the event roaming the barren landscapes. To say more would be spoilers.

Rated R for some violence, disturbing images and language. 119 min.

Oscar chances ? Bleak premise but strong in storytelling, but if material comes over as strong as it does in the novel, then I could see it getting nods for Picture, Actor, Supporting Actor ( McPhee ) Art Direction, Screenplay and Cinematography.

Amelia Preview/Synopsis + Trailer

Amelia Oct 23

Directed by Mira Nair ( The Namesake, Vanity Fair ) Starring Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor. Written by Oscar winner Ron Bass ( Rain Man ) Cinematography by Oscar nominee Stuart Dryburgh ( The Painted Vail, The Piano ) Edited by Allyson C. Johnson ( The Namesake, Fierce People ) Original music by Oscar winner Gabriel Yared ( The English Patient, Cold Mountain )

Film is about the life, then rise to popularity of pilot Amelia Earhart and her sometimes difficult marriage with her husband George before she went missing over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 to never be found.

Rated PG-13 for some sensuality, language and smoking.

Oscar chances ? Good in a lot of categories; most likely for Actress, Supporting Actor, Screenplay and Cinematography. In a weak year for actresses ( again ? ) I would bet the odds are on Swank to recieve a Oscar nod for this portrayal. Could it be # three for her ?

Antichrist Preview/Synopsis + Trailer

Antichrist ( wide Nov. 1 )

Directed by Lars Von Trier ( Dogville, Dancer In The Dark ) starring Willem DaFoe and Charolette Gainsbourg. Written by Von Trier, Cinematography by Oscar winner Anthony Dod Mantle ( Slumdog ) Edited by Anders Refn ( Breaking The Waves )

Antichrist is made up of 4 chapters, grief, despair, pain and The Three Beggars.

The ever controversial Von Trier is back and causing another stir, in this story about a couple that loses their son in death.

In trying to heal their emotional wounds, they venture and retreat to the woods in a cabin, when they end up experiencing extremely strange and frightening occurences brought on by evil forces.

Rated R for thematic material, sexual mutilation and nudity. 109 min.

Oscar chances ? This movie seems to go right down the middle to either those that disdain it, to others who call it a masterpiece. Definately caused a stir at Cannes. I'd say this will be looked upon at The Independent Film Awards than the Oscar's, though I have heard good things about Gainsbourg's performance.

Precious Preview/Synopsis + Trailer

Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire Nov 6

Directed by Lee Daniels ( Shadowboxer ) Starring Gabby Sidibe, Mo' Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sheri Sheppard, Lenny Kravitz. Written by newcomer Geoffrey Fletcher, Cinematography by Andrew Dunn ( Miss Potter, Gosford Park ) Edited by Joe Klotz ( Choke, Grace Is Gone ) Origianl music by Mario Grigirov ( 29 Palms )

Set in Harlem in 1987, about a 16 year old obese and illiterate girl named Precious ( Sibibe ), a girl on her second unwanted pregnancy ( no spoilers ) who lives with her emotionally and physcially abusive mother ( Mo' Nique ) who basically lives a life of hell, being ridiculed by any and everyone. She tries for a real chance at life by attending a alternative school where she builds a rapport for the first time in her life with another human being, her teacher. Little does Precious know that entering the alternative school may just bring the positive changes she never imagined could happen for her.

Rated R for child abuse including sexual assault and pervasive language. 109 min.

Oscar chances ? Strong in many categories, starting with Best Actress for Sidibe, Supporting Actress ( Mo' Nique ) and Picture. Lee Daniles may have a shot in direction and screenplay has a strong chance as well.

The Men Who Stare At Goats Preview/Synopsis + Trailer

The Men Who Stere At Goats Nov. 6

Directorial debut by writer Grant Heslov ( Good Night and Good Luck ) Starring George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, Stephen Lang, Robert Patrick, JK Simmons, Stephen Root, Rebecca Mader. Written by Peter Straughan ( How To Lose Friends and Alienate People ) Cinematography by multiple Oscar nominee and winner Robert Elswit ( There Will Be Blood ) Edited by Tatiana S. Riegel ( Lars and The Real Girl ) Original Music by Golden Globe nominee Rolfe Kent ( Reign Over Me, The Wedding Crashers )

Based on the semi controsversial book by John Ronson, about the U.S. Army's exploration of new age concepts and connections between the paranormal miliatry programs and psychological techniques used for interrogation in the war on terror.

The film will be about how a reporter, Bob Wilson ( McGregor ) by accident thinks he's got the story of a lifetime, when he meets Lyn Cassady ( Clooney )where Lyn reveals to Bob that he spent 20 years in a top secret military team used and trained to have psychic powers. The title of the film comes from actual true events from attempts to kill goats by just staring at them. The tone of the film is said to have a Coen brothers like feel to it.

Oscar chances ? Most of the popular word of mouth comes from the Jeff Bridges character in support. Possibles for screenplay and cinematography as well.

2012 Preview/Synopsis + Trailer

2012 Nov. 13

Directed by a man no stranger to a blockbuster, Roland Emmerich ( Independence Day, The Patriot ) Starring John Cusack, Thandie Newton, Chiwetel Ejifor, Woody Harrelson, Oliver Platt, Amanda Peete, Danny Glover, Thomas McCarthy, George Segal. Written by Emmerich and Harold Kloser ( 10,000 BC ) Cinematography by Oscar winner and multiple nominee Dean Semler (Dances With Wolves, We Were Soldiers ) Edited by Peter S. Elliot ( Silver Surfer ) and David Brenner ( The Patriot ) Original Music by Harold Kloser ( The Day After Tomorrow )

Roland Emmerich is back to what he does best, the action/adventure epic, which the film follows several hypotheses from the ancient Mayan tribe, which has brought attention to all kinds of people in the scientific field, where the tribe had predicted a global doomsday that could possibly lead to the end of the world that would accur sometime in or around the year 2012.

Rated PG-13 for intense disaster sequences.

Oscar chances ? Good possibilities in the Sound and Visual Effects.

The Private Lives Of Pippa Lee Preview/Synopsis & Trailer

The Private Lives Of Pippa Lee Nov 27

Directed by Rebecca Miller ( Personal Velocity ) and produced by Brad Pitt. Starring Robin Wright Penn, Alan Arkin, Keanu Reeves, Maria Bello, Blake Lively, Mike Binder, Winona Ryder, Julianne Moore, Shirley Knight, Monica Belluci, Zoe Kazan. Wriiten by Miller, Cinematography by Declan Quinn ( Pride and Glory, Flawless ) Edited by Sabine Hoffman ( The Ballad Of Jack and Rose ) Original Music by Michael Rohayton ( Personal Velocity )

Chronicles the life of Pippa Lee ( Wright-Penn ) from a teen to a middle aged woman, who is taken by her much older publisher husband to a retirement community where she begins to experience a silent nervous breakdown and how she deals with this in her personal life and the people around her.

Rated R for sexual content, brief nudity some drug material and language. 93 min.

Oscar chances ? Getting good word from the TIFF especially Robin.. Possibles for Best Actress and Screenplay.