70. “Everything Everywhere All At Once”
Director: Daniels (“Swiss Army Man”)
Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina
Synopsis: An interdimensional action film.
What You Need To Know: One of the best things about the immense success of “Crazy Rich Asians” this year is that it’s reminded financiers that Asian stars can be bankable on their own and don’t necessarily need to be paired up with, say, Johnny Knoxville or something. One of the first beneficiaries of this will be this Russo Brothers-produced sci-fi actioner, which reteams ‘CRA’ stars Yeoh and Awkwafina. Not much is known beyond that, but we’re excited about this because of the cast, because of the excellent title, and most of all because it’s the second feature from directing duo Daniels, whose “Swiss Army Man” was one of the most original films of the last few years.
Release Date: Unclear: it’s not started filming yet so maybe it slips to 2020, but fingers crossed it’s sooner than that.
69. “Proxima”
Director: Alice Winocour (“Disorder”)
Cast: Eva Green, Matt Dillon, Lars Eidinger
Synopsis: An astronaut prepares for a one-year mission to the International Space Station, which will mean being separated from her young daughter.
What You Need To Know: Alice Winocour had a hell of a Cannes in 2015: the French writer/director (whose debut “Augustine” had won acclaim at the festival three years earlier) didn’t just unspool her second feature, thriller “Disorder,” to much acclaim (an American remake is in the works from James Mangold and Taylor Sheridan), she also co-wrote the César-winning, Oscar-nominated “Mustang.” Winocour’s next move looks to bring her to a much bigger audience: fitting in with a post-“Gravity”/“The Martian” vogue for astronaut-themed films, and with an international cast toplined by Eva Green. Expect something more grounded here: this looks to deal with themes of separation and motherhood as Green’s character prepares to go into orbit.
Release Date: Shot early last year, so could be ready as soon as Berlin, though Cannes might be more likely — maybe an upgrade to competition?
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/1059098191277289473
68. “Untitled Chris Morris Project”
Director: Chris Morris (“Four Lions”)
Cast: Anna Kendrick, Danielle Brooks, Denis O’Hare, Kayvan Novak, Pej Vahdat
Synopsis: Unknown
What You Need To Know: Chris Morris is an almost mythic figure in comedy: the co-creator of “The Day Today,” and later “Brass Eye,” “Jam” and “Nathan Barley,” has never been prolific, and he’s much less well-known in the U.S. than sometime collaborators Armando Iannucci and Charlie Brooker. But since his daring, hilarious feature film debut “Four Lions” nearly nine years ago, Morris has been honing his directorial talents working on Iannucci’s “Veep,” and his secretive latest project (there’s a rumor it might be called “The Day Shall Come”) looks to break him out to his widest audience yet. Not much is known about it right now, but it’s got some A-list talent involved with Anna Kendrick toplining, and we’re guessing from an Instagram photo from Kendrick that the Caribbean shoot involves some kind of cop/military stuff.
Release Date: Shot back in 2017, but not in the Sundance line-up as yet, so who knows?
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/935267762212978689
67. “The Art Of Self-Defence”
Director: Riley Stearns (“Faults”)
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Imogen Poots, Alessandro Nivola
Synopsis: After being attacked in the street, a man enlists in a dojo to learn how to defend himself, only to find a strange and frightening world there.
What You Need To Know: Virtually no one seemed to see Riley Stearns’ directorial feature “Faults,” but it’s really worth tracking down: it’s a slippery, unpredictable, darkly funny thriller with some really excellent performances. Four years on, Stearns is back with a more high-profile follow-up, and an A-list star in Jesse Eisenberg. The new project sounds a bit like a mix of “The Karate Kid” and “Fight Club,” which is a potent combo and one that seems well-suited to Stearns’ proven skill set.
Release Date: Not at Sundance, so maybe a return to SXSW, where “Faults” premiered.
66. “Mainstream”
Director: Gia Coppola (“Palo Alto”)
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Maya Hawke, Nat Wolff, Jason Schwartzman
Synopsis: An love triangle about identity in the age of the internet.
What You Need To Know: Gia Coppola likely had more expectations than most when it came to her first film, what with grandpa Francis Ford and auntie Sofia being a lot to live up to. But her underseen “Palo Alto” proved that being an excellent director is very much in the Coppola genes: it was a woozy, deeply felt teen movie and one of the best in that genre in recent years. Her work since has mostly consisted of Carly Rae Jepsen videos (we obviously don’t mean that in a bad way), with planned sophomore feature “The Secret Life Of The Lonely Doll” never coming together, but her new movie gets before cameras any day now, with an extremely promising cast including Garfield, fellow legacy star Maya Hawke and cousin Jason (first cousin, technically, we think?)
Release Date: Look for it at the fall festivals, possibly at Venice, where “Palo Alto” premiered.
65. “The Hunt”
Director: Craig Zobel (“Compliance”)
Cast: None yet
Synopsis: A group of working-class people are pursued by violent hunters.
What You Need To Know: Jason Blum’s been one of the most successful producers around for a long time now, thanks largely to his ability to turn low-budget horrors like “Paranormal Activity,” “Insidious” and “Sinister” into money-making machines. But his continuing success (particularly with the Oscar-nominated phenomenon “Get Out”) has seen more established talents seek him out to career-reviving effect, with M. Night Shyamalan, Spike Lee and David Gordon Green having their biggest hits in years after working with Blum. The latest is A-list screenwriter Damon Lindelof, who’s paired up with “Leftovers” colleagues Nick Cuse and Craig Zobel for this “politically-charged” thriller, with echoes of “Battle Royale” and “The Most Dangerous Game.” Can it find something in it premise that doesn’t necessarily evoke “The Purge?” With Lindelof & co involved, we’re sure it can.
Release Date: September 27th (though the film doesn’t appear to have cast up yet, so that could yet slip).
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/979102844371460096
64. “Against All Enemies”
Director: Benedict Andrews (“Una”)
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Jack O’Connell, Anthony Mackie, Vince Vaughn, Zazie Beetz
Synopsis: The FBI target movie star Jean Seberg due to her relationship with Black Power leader Hakim Jamal.
What You Need To Know: Just when you think every last “Argo”-ish true Hollywood story has either been covered in a movie or by Karina Longworth’s podcast, along comes “Against All Enemies” (which in fairness does actually cover ground already tread by Longworth). Examining the FBI’s attacks on the Black Power movement through this lens is an interesting one, as is the story of Hakim Jamal in general (hopefully the film digs into him beyond just the Seberg links), and Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse’s script has attracted some serious talent: Benedict Andrews, whose “Una” was an impressive directorial debut, “Black Panther” DP Rachel Morrison, and K-Stew inspired casting as the “Breathless” actress, with a formidable cast backing her up. Definitely, one to keep an eye on.
Release Date: Filmed last summer, so we’d bet on TIFF unless it crops up at Cannes.
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/974359606230073344
63. “The Woman In The Window”
Director: Joe Wright (“Darkest Hour”)
Cast: Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Gary Oldman, Brian Tyree Henry, Anthony Mackie
Synopsis: An agoraphobic woman believes she’s witnessed a murder when spying on her neighbors.
What You Need To Know: After the five-alarm fire that was “Pan,” Joe Wright successfully bounced back with the Oscar-winning “Darkest Hour,” even if it wasn’t necessarily the critical favorite that some of his movies have been. For his next trick, the ever-chameleonic Wright’s shifting into thriller mode, for a film so Hitchcockian that it’s basically the plot of “Rear Window.” It’s based on a best-selling novel in the “Girl On The Train” mold, but there’s a very high caliber of talent involved here: the cast (which includes a reunion with “Darkest Hour” Oscar-winner Gary Oldman), but also screenwriter Tracy Letts, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross scoring, and Bruno Delbonnel shooting. And given how stylish even Wright’s less good films are, this could be a better thriller than most.
Release Date: October 4th.
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/1057340401592426496
62. “Greyhound”
Director: Aaron Schneider (“Get Low”)
Cast: Tom Hanks, Stephen Graham, Elisabeth Shue, Rob Morgan, Karl Glusman
Synopsis: Commander Ernest Krause must protect a convoy of 37 ships from Nazi U-Boats during the Second World War.
What You Need To Know: We’ve seen World War Two movies of every shape and size in recent years, from the Pacific Front to Nazi zombies, but the naval side of the conflict is one that’s not often tackled — partly because it’s so difficult to shoot on water, partly because it’s hard to make it truly cinematic. But Tom Hanks clearly likes a challenge: “Greyhound,” in which he stars, marks his first scriptwriting gig since, uh, “Larry Crowne,” though he’s ceded the director’s chair to Aaron Schneider, who did the really rather good “Get Low” a while back. Based on a novel by “Hornblower” author C.S. Forester, it promises to deliver as both character study and tense thriller, and Hanks certainly has form both in WW2 and on the high seas thanks to movies like “Saving Private Ryan” and “Captain Phillips.” It’s certainly the front-runner to be your dad’s favorite movie of 2019 — could it also be yours?
Release Date: March 22nd.
https://twitter.com/ThePlaylist/status/774361850918035456
61. “Queen & Slim”
Director: Melina Matsoukas (“Insecure”)
Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Jodie Turner-Smith
Synopsis: A couple on their first date kill a police officer in self-defense and go on the run.
What You Need To Know: Since blowing up to superstardom with his Oscar-nominated performance in “Get Out,” Daniel Kaluuya’s been careful and taken his time in picking his next project. He’s been seen on screen plenty, first in “Black Panther,” then a villainous turn in “Widows” that could see him pick up another Oscar nod, but “Queen & Slim” marks the first project he’s actually signed on to since “Get Out” mania, and it seems like another winner. Based on an idea by James Frey, it’s produced by the brilliant Lena Waithe of “The Chi” and “Master Of None” fame, and marks the feature debut of Melina Matsoukas, who made her name with Beyonce videos before turning to TV (including the brilliant, Waithe-centric “Thanksgiving” episode of “Master Of None.”).
Release Date: November 27th
