A LOOK AT 2006: Laremy’s Picks

This is the scariest one on the board for me. If you take the fact that I haven’t loved a Superman yet and combine that with the numerous problems that have haunted this production we could be looking at potential disaster. Is there any chance this will be as good as Batman Begins? I’d say if they meet Spider-Man levels they should thank their lucky stars. Still, it’s a must see either way and it will make near a kajillion dollars at the box office.

This is the story of the C.I.A. directed by Bobby De Niro and written by the guy who brought you Forrest Gump, The Insider, and Munich (Eric Roth). The film evidently looks at the history of the shadowy organization through the eyes of Matt Damon. Do I even need to mention that Joe Pesci and Angelina Jolie are in it? C’mon this is Oscar, this is must see, this is the #1 movie next Christmas.

Based on the trailers alone this looks super sweet. No one wants to give Spike Lee any credit but 25th Hour was a damn evolution of the man. That movie showed he doesn’t need a message or a cause to put an interesting film together. Inside Man looks to be the film that puts Mr. Lee in the cannon of American filmmakers worth seeing every time. I look forward to this joint.

This is a comedy where a guy can fast forward and rewind time at his discretion. It’s got your boy Adam Sandler. It will go one of two ways; either Adam Sandler will finally make another funny film after about a ten year hiatus or his career will come crashing down around the wreckage of this film. It’s one or the other. That’s worth watching.

Tom Hanks in the book that took America by storm, the story of an art historian who must unravel historical clues to save a dame. Hanks doesn’t really pick ad scripts so I have high hopes for a taut thriller.

Any movie that tackles duel storylines of an American Idol type competition and the American presidency has me interested. Those themes just seem wildly divergent. Plus it’s got Hugh Grant who has been good the past few years. Love Actually and About a Boy were both good enough for repeated viewing.

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I simply love Jack Black. Not watered down Jack, I’m talking full blown “Jack Attack” here. You know this one will have some quintessential JB moments; the only worry is whatever they had to re-shoot. That’s rarely a good thing. I pray an album accompanies this; it’s almost too much to hope for.

I think it will be tough for this to live up to greatness of the first one but I’m interested either way. Watching Depp with all his swashbuckling weirdness is a treat. This should be the summer 2006 blockbuster.

We all owe the X-Men franchise for showing how to really make comic book movies. I felt like the sequel wasn’t as strong overall as the first but we are finally get a look at the Beast in this puppy. Do we get Phoenix too? I can’t keep up with the rumors. The only way this falters is if Ratner lays a giant egg. This is a real concern as his only decent flicks are the Rush Hour‘s.

If Christopher Guest is directing I’m watching. Nothing came out in 2005 from the man so I’m anxiously awaiting this skewering of award shows. I know it will only be me and the other eight people who worship Guest at the theater but it’s still worth watching. Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman should be required viewing for all fans of comedy.

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When Dave Chappelle was on SNL he was nothing. Never heard from, rarely funny, destined for mediocrity. Then he went to Comedy Central and was given 50 million after a year of a comedy show. Clearly he turned it all around. Fast forward to him sorta losing his mind and quitting said show. Somewhere in the middle of all this he threw a bomb party. This is that story. It could end up being the coolest and strangest film of the year.

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I love satire and this is satire central. It’s the story of a tobacco lobbyist and all the ways he tries to get people to smoke. Ideally this film will have some balance to it because someone somewhere does this job and probably isn’t a bad dude. Or maybe he is, maybe he’s the devil incarnate and revels in it. It should be a funny ride either way.

I’ve fallen for the hype after I originally fell for the trailer so many months ago. It has a ton going against it, in no particular order; a bald Natalie Portman, a re-shoot, a delay, a heavy story, and tons of current “fan-boy” love. Usually this adds up to disaster for my personal viewing tastes but something in me is praying this film is different.