THE DEPARTED is one of many movies in good movie season |
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Good movie season is upon us. Thank the lord for that. I did not think any year for films would be any worse then 2005. That was until 2006 came along. At least last year around this time we already had some great flicks like CINDERELLA MAN, 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN, FOUR BROTHERS and other top notch flicks out. We are in September and I can only think of a handful of films that I really enjoyed: UNITED 93, THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA, and THE OMEN remake.
But if history tells us anything the good movies are coming and they are coming strong.
September of 2005 started off with a bang with the release of THE CONSTANT GARDENER and did not let up as we finished with the late release of A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE. Did I mention October? We had IN HER SHOES, NORTH COUNTRY, WEATHER MAN, AN UNFINISHED LIFE, CAPOTE, SAW 2, PRIME, WHERE THE TRUTH LIES, PROOF and other tremendous movies. That lasted into November and December with releases such as MUNICH, KING KONG, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK, WALK THE LINE.
In 2004, the good movie season brought us THE WOODSMAN, CLOSER, SPANGLISH, VERA DRAKE, RAY, SAW, LADDER 49, HOTEL RWANDA, THE AVIATOR, etc.
They call it good movie season for a reason.
January to April of the movie year is without a doubt the absolute worst time for movies. Need I bring up such flicks as THE PACIFIER, GRANDMAS BOY, JUST MY LUCK, SOUL PLANE from years past? Please don't make me, those are still stuck in my memory.
The summer months of May to August bring us the gross out comedies and big budget films. WEDDING CRASHERS and X-MEN 3 anyone?
Then around August, filmmakers start to get serious. They finally put forth the best material. Just in time for old Oscar season. In hopes the Academy will have a fresh break-out performance on their minds. If they viewed a film back in February, it is not likely they will remember it. Although, there is the case of CRASH, which hype lasted all the way from May 2005 to March of 2006. Quite impressive.
So basically from January to April, you have your worst films of the year candidates. The throw away films. The films they hope film critics like 
Scarlett Johansson will be apart of good movie season |
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myself won't remember come worst film of the year time. But, oh, I do remember. Don't think I forgot NACHO LIBRE, CLICK, GRANDMAS BOY, JUST MY LUCK and others. The films they are embarrassed to show people, yet hope to make a sneaky buck out of it.
Then May to August is time to bring your ear plugs, and aspirin to the movies. Prepare to be blown away. Literally. Action stars, explosions, Tom Cruise jumping off buildings, character development be damned, and bring out your clownishly evil villains. Don't forget to have your summer party film. Hearts will broken, virgins will get their cherry's popped, people will be grossed out, and weddings will be crashed.
Yeah, Hollywood is fairly predictable with their movie release seasons. You might ask about the horror films and where they fit in. They fit in all over the place basically. October is officially SAW month. It has been for the past 2 years and will be for a third year in a row. GRUDGE will return to its October roots with GRUDGE 2. This time with hottie Amber Tamblyn from SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS. Yes, I liked it. It was a good movie. Honest. It had the GILMORE GIRL too.
January is now HOSTEL month with HOSTEL 2 being released in January as it was last year. February is your throw away horror movie month with the remakes and PG-13 horror flicks. They hope the girls and boys who are too young to care about Football will come out that weekend instead of watching The Super Bowl. If the Packers are going to be 4-12 again, you might count me in on that audience.
What do we have to look forward to in the upcoming good movie season?
We have films by Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, and Brian De Palma.
Now that is what I call good movie season!
I really, really hope and pray this is the year Marty gets that Oscar he so deserves. But I also hope he earns it. I hope it is not a pity Oscar like they gave so many other actors in the past such as John Wayne. A body of work Oscar. Not for the right film. The film he has coming out is THE DEPARTED. Which really has an all-star cast. I say that a lot. But this time I mean it. We have Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, 
Martin Scorsese is always ready for good movie season |
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Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Jack Nicholson, and Alec Baldwin.
It will be yet another mafia picture, but this time the Irish mafia as they battle with the Boston State Police department. I'm sure there will be many moles in this film. No, not on faces. De Niro is not in this picture. But as far as who leaks out information. Speaking of De Niro, why is he not in this movie? He really should be. When was his last worthwhile film? Anyone? I'm thinking 95's HEAT.
Eastwood also throws his hat in good movie season with FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS. Eastwood again teams up MILLION DOLLAR BABY screenwriter and CRASH director Paul Haggis. The film is about the life stories of the six men who raised the flag at The Battle of Iwo Jima, a turning point in WWII. Considering the state of our country now, I almost guarantee this one will clean up at the Oscars quite easily.
Let's hope it does not come down to Marty Vs Eastwood again like it did in 2004 with BABY and AVIATOR. Since I think Eastwood will win hands down. Poor Marty. At least he is not losing to DANCES WITH WOLVES and Kevin Costner. Or Redford and ORDINARY PEOPLE. He has a knack for losing to directors/actors. Maybe if he did more acting it would improve his chances. Surely could not hurt.
Brian De Palma also will have his film THE BLACK DAHLIA with Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, Scarlett Johansson, and Josh Hartnett. An adaptation of James Ellroy's 1940s-set novel about two L.A. cops who head up the hunt for the killer of fledgling actress Elizabeth Short. De Palma has directed some of my favorite films in CARLTIO'S WAY, THE UNTOUCHABLES, BLOW OUT, and CARRIE. But has not had much success lately with Hollywood films. This might be the film to bring him back into focus. He deserves it. He is one of our best directors.
All I know is I'll be going to the movies a lot in the next 4 months. Twice a week most likely. The good movie season is here. I couldn't be happier. Since the bad Packers season is here, I need somewhere to vent my football rage. No better place then the wonderful theater. Sit tight, buckle up, and get ready to enjoy movies the way they should be enjoyed.
In the fall.
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Expect the unexpected from Tony as he'll give you his columns on the way movies used to be, the way movies are, and the way they should be.
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| Tony Farinella |
Tony is an Oak Lawn, IL based film reviewer and columnist looking to have fun and share his unique views on film with everyone. Tony also has an unhealthy obsession with Vanessa Lengies, but that is neither here nor there.
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