September's Toronto Film Festival (9.10 through 9.19) will debut Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story -- an expected but welcome addition -- as well as Joel and Ethan Coen's A Serious Man, their "Jews in Minnesota" period comedy which I've been told works so well that the lack of star names will not be a problem.
Drew Barrymore's Whip It, which a friend says is a very decent little sports film-slash-character study, will also debut at the festival.
The other just-announced premieres include (a) Dorian Gray, Oliver Parker's re-mounting of the Oscar Wilde tale costarring Ben Barnes and Colin Firth that will unspool as a gala presentation (meh) , (b) Harry Brown, an urban western directed by Daniel Barber and starring Michael Caine (meh), (c) Perrier's Bounty, an Irish gangster comedy with Jim Broadbent, Brendan Gleeson and Cillian Murphy (maybe, sounds promising) and Danis Tanovic's Triage, a war drama starring Colin Farrell (high expectations!).
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 29, 2009 at 11:01 AM
comment #1
Chase Kahn
says ...
I'm still waiting for the Coen's to do "Yiddish Policemen's Union".
Posted by Chase Kahn
at July 29, 2009 11:29 AM
comment #2
p.Vice
says ...
Meh is right. You forgot to mention Bad Lieutenant.
Posted by p.Vice
at July 29, 2009 11:31 AM
comment #3
frankbooth
says ...
Hmmm. Not exactly sure what "I've been told" means, but maybe the Coens are on a hot streak. Almost gave up on 'em in the years between Lebowski and NCFOM.
Posted by frankbooth
at July 29, 2009 12:08 PM
comment #4
115thDreamer
says ...
Can't wait for the Coen Bros. flick, obviously. I hope they put some Dylan on the soundtrack, him being the ultimate Minnesota Jew....seems appropriate. And I'm interested in any movie with both Jim Broadbent & Brendan Gleeson in it. Back to the Coens, IMDB has "Hail Caesar" as their next flick - shame, I'd love to see "Yiddish..." next too - such a weird book.
Posted by 115thDreamer
at July 29, 2009 1:06 PM
comment #5
dinovelvet
says ...
"Meh" to Harry Brown? Caine's spiritual successor to Get Carter/his own Gran Torino...? But a Drew Barrymore comedy about rollerskating makes the grade?
Posted by dinovelvet
at July 29, 2009 1:15 PM
comment #6
p.Vice
says ...
Why anyone would want to have their "own Gran Torino" could be pondered for centuries.
Posted by p.Vice
at July 29, 2009 1:19 PM
comment #7
mizerock
says ...
There must be some other details that separate the "meh" from the "promising", because these all sound like they are potentially worth seeing to me.
Posted by mizerock
at July 29, 2009 2:08 PM
comment #8
Imogen
says ...
I can only suppose that Jeff has never seen Michael Caine in Mike Hodge's GET CARTER and so doesn't realize that saying 'meh" to Harry Brown makes him look like a dope.
Posted by Imogen
at July 30, 2009 2:25 AM