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Tuesday, 11 January 2011

2011: the art film preview

Every year upon reading my film preview for the year ahead, James A bemoans the fact that high quality art films by major directors rarely have clearly set release dates well in advance like blockbusters do.

In an attempt to brighten James’s day, here’s a list of some of the more artistic and intriguing major titles that will no doubt spark debate and potentially feature in awards lists at the end of 2011.

The Skin I Live In: the new Almodovar – and importantly his first with Antonio Banderas since Tie Me Up!

The Grandmasters: Won Kar Wai’s biopic of Ip Man, Bruce Lee’s trainer; Tony Leung is Ip, while Zhang Zhiyi co-stars.

A Dangerous Method: Cronenberg directs Viggo Mortensen as Freud, Michael Fassbender as Jung, and Keira Knightley as the controversial Sabina. The script is adapted from Christopher ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ Hampton’s play. I can’t wait!

Chicken With Plums: following the success of Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi goes live action with this tale of her musician uncle.

The Impossible: a drama focusing on the impact of the 2004 tsunami, starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor, directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, who directed The Orphanage.

Coriolanus: Shakespeare adaptation not by Ken Branagh – instead step forward Ralph Fiennes for his directorial debut. Fiennes has taken a contemporary spin on the great warmonger.

Hanna: Joe Wright’s follow-up to The Soloist and Atonement; Saoirse Ronan stars as a teenage assassin; Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana co-star.

Melancholia: the new Lars von Trier; this is a “psychological disaster move which begins with the end of the world”.

The Deep Blue Sea: the new Terence Davies – an adaptation of Terence Rattigan’s play.

One Day: after the huge critical success of An Education, director Lone Scherfig returns with the adaptation of David Nicholls’ romantic/dramatic novel; Jim Sturgess and Anne Hathaway star.

The Iron Lady: the team that brought you Mamma Mia! on screen, now bring you a biopic of Maggie Thatcher. Meryl Streep is Thatch; Jim Broadbent is Dennis…

Release dates are very sketchy, so keep watching the skies.

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