The 2016 Fall Movie Preview

This Will Have to be the Greatest Film Ever Made to Get Awards: Hacksaw Ridge

Release Date: November 4^th

Cast: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Teresa Palmer, Vince Vaughn, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths, Luke Bracey

Director: Mel Gibson (The Passion of the Christ, Braveheart)

I wasn’t blown away by the trailer, but Hacksaw Ridge looks very strong.  Having said that, for this to get any Awards consideration, it basically has to be the greatest movie ever made.  I’m not even sure that would help.  Mel Gibson.  The idea of Mel Gibson getting Oscar nominations in 2016, where social media is more sensitive than ever, is slim to none.  Hacksaw Ridge could very well be the best film of the year, objectively speaking.  Aside from Garfield though, I’m not blown away by this cast.  Sam Worthington?  Really?  It’s possible many actors turned down Gibson.  I’m fascinated to see what comes of this movie from a variety of angles.

Oscar Alert! There could be nominations, but a lot of things really have to break.

The Movie I Don’t Care About: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Release Date: November 18^th

Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Ezra Miller, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, Jon Voight, Ron Perlman

Director: David Yates (The Legend of Tarzan, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows)

This is coming from someone who’s a Harry Potter fan.  I just don’t care.  I’ve tried to get on board, but there’s nothing here.  Out of the entire world of Harry Potter, the magical creatures are what I cared least about.  It’s like making a Star Wars movie based around the Ugnaughts.  Whatever.  This might sound crazy, but I’m predicting an underwhelming box office as well.

The “I Feel Bad for Tim Burton” Award: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

Release Date: September 30^th

Cast: Asa Butterfield, Eva Green, Allison Janney, Terence Stamp, Rupert Everett, Judi Dench, Samuel L. Jackson

Director: Tim Burton (Big Eyes, Frankenweenie, Sweeny Todd)

Tim Burton’s legacy will always be cemented for everything he did early in his career.  There’s no doubt the last decade+ has been less than stellar, which is putting it mildly.  Add Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children to that list.  When you read that title and watch the trailer, you know exactly what you’re getting.  It’s the tired old Tim Burton visuals and storytelling we’ve seen 900 times.  They might as well call this movie Tim Burton: Part 95.  Believe me, I’m hoping for another great Tim Burton movie.  I want to see it.  This one looks completely forgettable.  We know it’s going to flop.  The end.

The “Will We Finally Get a Great Video Game Movie” Award: Assassin’s Creed

Release Date: December 21^st

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Michael Kenneth Williams, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Justin Kurzel (Macbeth)

This could be it.  After decades of garbage and settling for decent video game movies (Mortal Kombat, Warcraft), Assassin’s Creed has the potential to break through.  This cast means business.  Look at those names.  Kurzel also directed Fassbender and Cotillard in last year’s Macbeth.  While I wasn’t thrilled with that movie, the potential was definitely there.  The trailer was impressive, but it could also just be a well cut trailer, masking an apocalypse of boredom.  The stars certainly seem aligned for this to work, but at the end of the day, it’s still a video game movie.  We’ll see.

The Front Runner For Best Picture Right Now Is…

The Birth of a Nation

Release Date: October 7^th

Cast: Nate Parker, Jackie Earle Haley, Armie Hammer, Penelope Ann Miller, Gabrielle Union

Director: Nate Parker

This has to be the front-runner right now for the big award. The film apparently destroyed audiences at the Sundance Film Festival back in January.  To be honest, I think the film looks okay, as it’s desperately trying to be 12 Years a Slave.  The potential for greatness is certainly there though. This is definitely the type of film that will fall into that category of “You only watch it once.”  It’s hard to tell if this will be better than movies like Manchester by the Sea or La La Land, but the subject matter of Nat Turner igniting a slave uprising is certainly intense Oscar material that will be hard to ignore.  It definitely has an intriguing, off the beaten path cast in Jackie Earle Haley, Armie Hammer and Penelope Ann Miller.

Speaking of the cast, the star/director, Nate Parker, has been engulfed in recent controversy.  The American Film Institute (AFI) even canceled a screening of the film last month in which Parker was scheduled to attend after a story broke harkening back to a legal case that Parker was acquitted from years ago.  We’ll see if this affects the film’s Oscar chances, as I’m sure it will be brought up again when we get closer to the film’s release.

This will be an interesting film to follow from a variety of angles.

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