The studios are throwing everything at us in the early months of 2011 – some of it well worth ploughing your way through snowdrifts for should the need arise, writes DONALD CLARKE
ONE COULD reasonably decry the way Hollywood now unleashes all its Oscar pictures at the end of the year in the US. Then again, this does mean that, here in the Rest of the World, we get an invigorating blast of prestige releases during the icy later months of winter. Such pictures as Black Swan, True Grit, The Fighterand The King's Speechare all worth battering your way through snowdrifts for.
The gap between that happy period and the beginning of blockbuster season has, however, become increasingly difficult to summarise. One thing is apparent from this year’s spring preview: the studios are throwing a great deal of product at us. The notion seems to be that – unsure what makes money in the season that isn’t really a season – the distributors have decided to sprinkle a bit of everything through the schedules.
After all, who would have guessed that Alice in Wonderland, released last February, would take a billion dollars worldwide? It doesn't look as if there's a hit of those proportions in this year's schedules. But that's the thing about surprises – they surprise you.
JANUARY 7
127 HOURS
Danny Boyle has scored another critical hit with this tale of a climber trapped beneath a bolder for, well, 127 hours. James Franco gets to cut off his own arm.
THE KING’S SPEECH
Already installed as an Oscar favourite, Tom Hooper’s film details the efforts of King George VI to overcome his speech impediment as war looms.
SEASON OF THE WITCH
Nicolas Cage stars as a crusader coping badly with life in a plague-ridden land. It sounds a bit like The Seventh Seal, but it seems unlikely it will look much like that Bergman flick.
THE THORN IN MY HEART
Offering the first of two releases in as many weeks, Michel Gondry directs a documentary concerning his sprightly aunt, a teacher from rural France.
JANUARY 14
BLUE VALENTINE
Derek Cianfrance’s sexually explicit drama, featuring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams as a troubled couple, picked up a great deal of buzz at the last Sundance Film Festival. What’s taken so long?
THE GREEN HORNET
Why would you want to see a retread of an ancient radio show – later on TV – about a gentleman crime fighter? Well, Michel Gondry is at the helm. So it should, at least, be interesting.
CONVICTION
Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell star in the gripping true story of a woman who trained to become a lawyer in order to secure the release of her wrongly imprisoned brother.
JANUARY 21
BLACK SWAN
Darren Aronofsky follows-up The Wrestlerwith a demented tale of demented ballet dancers being demented. Natalie Portman, quite brilliant in the lead, is currently favourite for the best actress Oscar.
DILEMMA
Ron Howard has assembled an impressive cast for his comedy about a man who can't decide whether to tell his pal that the latter's wife is unfaithful. Vince Vaughn, Kevin James and Jennifer Connelly star in a film that sounds nothing like Frost/Nixon.
I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE
The original 1978 picture was still shocking enough to receive a ban from the Irish censor on its recent DVD re-release. The new version of the rape-revenge drama will probably be only mildly disgusting.
THE WARD
All sane people love Carpenter. Sadly his recent films have not been up to much. The latest from the man behind Halloween sees mad Amber Heard terrorised by a ghost.
MORNING GLORY
More stars. Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton star in a comedy set at a morning news show, Morning Glory? Get it?
NEDS
Peter Mullan finally gets around to following up The Magdalene Sisters. The Glaswegian’s new picture is a terrifying drama following a smart kid as he gets dragged into gang violence. Uncompromising stuff.
JANUARY 28
BARNEY’S VERSION
Mordecai Richler’s admired novel about a cantankerous man’s troubled life becomes a drama starring sad-faced Paul Giamatti. For once Paul gets the girl (Rosamund Pike).
BIUTIFUL
Javier Bardem gives a bravura performance in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s drama about a dodgy character confronting his failings as death looms. Gloomy and resonant.
HEREAFTER
It’s January. It must be time for the latest Clint Eastwood film. An unlikely-sounding piece for this director, Hereafter stars Matt Damon as a bloke who can talk to the dead. What would Josey Wales have thought?
THE MECHANIC
Who would you like to see replacing Charles Bronson in a remake of Michael Winner’s cacophonous 1972 thriller? The question is rhetorical. It’s Jason Statham, of course.
TANGLED
Disney takes on Rapunzle. The old-school film has showed admirable staying power at the US box office. Mind you, the 2D animation is in 3D. If you get my drift.
FEBRUARY 4
BRIGHTON ROCK
The latest version of Graham Greene's peerless novel (and the Boulting brothers' peerless film) concerning seaside violence has been dragged forward to the era of the mods. Sam Reilly plays the odious, guilt- ridden Pinkie.
THE FIGHTER
David O Russell, long in the wilderness, attempts to dispel memories of the idiotic
I Heart Huckabeeswith this boxing drama starring Mark Wahlberg.
JAMES CAMERON PRESENTS SANCTUM
Honestly, that really is the current title. JCPS, directed by one Alister Grierson, is a 3D diving drama. Sound a bit like James Cameron Presents The Abyss 2. Yikes!
RABBIT HOLE
Will Nicole Kidman manage a much-needed hit with this version of David Lindsay-Abaire's play concerning a family trying to cope with the death of a child? John Cameron Mitchell, director of Hedwig and the Angry Itch, brandishes the megaphone.
FEBRUARY 11
THE DEBT
John Madden, solid director of
Mrs Brownand
Shakespeare in Love, kicks up reminders of
Munichwith this tale of Mossad agents hunting down a Nazi war criminal. Helen Mirren and Ciarán Hinds are on board.
GNOMEO AND JULIET
That's right. It's Romeo and Juliet with garden gnomes. The songs are all Elton John classics. What more could you want? I bet it's a little bit funny. Get it? Oh, please yourselves.
JUST GO WITH IT
Somehow, from the bland title alone, you suspect this is a Jennifer Aniston romcom. Spot on. In Dennis Dugan's film, Jen must pretend to be Adam Sandler's wife.
NEVER LET ME GO
Mark Romanek, resting since the excellent One Hour Photo, directs an adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel concerning children raised for organ-harvesting. Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan clutch their kidneys nervously.
NO STRINGS ATTACHED
Somehow, from the bland title alone, you suspect this is an Ashton Kutcher romcom. Kutcher and Natalie Portman are a couple experimenting with an open relationship. Might Valentine's Day be looming?
TRUE GRIT
A month and a half after its US opening, we finally get the Coen brothers' adaptation of Charles Portis's western novel - previously a John Wayne flick - concerning an elderly lawman's friendship with a bereaved girl. Jeff Bridges growls.
YOGI BEAR
If you are smarter than the average bear you will already know that this is a computer- animated version of the vintage Hanna- Barbera cartoon.
FEBRUARY 16
BIG MOMMA'S: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
Martin Lawrence plays a big fat lady again. Now there's a gag that never gets old.
FEBRUARY 18
I AM NUMBER FOUR
Alex Pettyfer, rising teen heart-throb, stars as an alien, long resident on Earth, who fears attack from enemies named Mogadorians. It's a Michael Bay production, you know.
INSIDE JOB
Hugely praised documentary on the 2008 global economic meltdown from Charles Ferguson, director of the Oscar-nominated No End in Sight.
PAUL
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the chaps behind Shaun of the Dead, reunite for a comedy about two guys travelling across the US with an alien.
Superbad'sGreg Mottola replaces the boys' regular director, Edgar Wright.
FEBRUARY 25
ANIMAL KINGDOM
Searing Australian crime drama concerning a famously savage Melbourne crime dynasty. One of the biggest winners ever at the Australian Film Institute awards.
DRIVE ANGRY
Okay, for once we will just cut and paste from the press release. "Milton (Nicolas Cage) has broken out of hell to prevent the cult that murdered his daughter from sacrificing her baby." What?
HOWL
Biopic of Allen Ginsberg starring James Franco - a bit too handsome, surely - as the charismatic beat poet. Clearly aimed at the best minds of my generation.
THE RITE
Anthony Hopkins stars as a priest in another film about demonic possession. Sure to be restrained and tasteful. The erratic Mikael Håfström directs.
WEST IS WEST
The sequel to Damien O'Donnell's East Is East - directed by Andy DeEmmony - reunites most of the original cast for a perusal of race relations in the late 1970s.
MARCH 4
THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU
A characteristically twisty Philip K Dick story becomes a glossy thriller starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. The hero of the piece is called David Norris. And he's running for the senate. Really.
ARCHIPELAGO
Joanna Hogg's Unrelated was hailed as one of the great British debuts of recent times. The director's second picture once again deals with the middle-class abroad.
DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK
"Guillermo del Toro presents" a remake of a cult 1973 TV movie concerning a spooky child in a spooky house. Guy Pearce is dad.
FAIR GAME
Fast-paced study of the controversy surrounding CIA operative Valerie Plame's notorious outing by the White House in 2003. Doug Liman makes a thriller of it.
RANGO
Animated comedy concerning a chameleon, raised in captivity, who finds himself adrift in a version of the wild west. That's Johnny Depp's voice you're hearing.
THE TEMPEST
Julie Taymor, director of
Titus, returns to Shakespeare with a radical reworking of
The Tempest. Helen Mirren is a female Prospero.
MARCH 11
BATTLE: LOS ANGELES
Michelle Rodriguez and Aaron Eckhard are among those trying to repel an alien assault.
RESTLESS
The poster suggests that the latest Gus Van Sant film - in which Mia Wasikowska and Henry Hopper snuggle - might be quite light-hearted. Oh, it's about "mortality". Figures.
THE COMPANY MEN
It had to happen. John Wells's film concerns executives who are forced to take up blue- collar jobs after being "downsized". Ben Affleck and Kevin Costner star.
HALL PASS
Whither the Farrelly brothers? The siblings' latest finds Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis being set free from their wives for a week.
MARCH 18
BENDA BILILI!
Moving documentary about a group of musicians from the Congo.
THE EAGLE
Kevin Macdonald follows up
The Last King of Scotlandwith a historical drama concerning a Roman officer's efforts to explain the disappearance of the Ninth Legion.
LIMITLESS
Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper star in Neil Burger's film about a copywriter who discovers a drug that makes him smarter. A modern
Flowers for Algernon, perhaps.
THE LINCOLN LAWYER
It's not about the late president - the adaptation of Michael Connelly's thriller features a lawyer who works out of a Lincoln car.
NORWEGIAN WOOD
The great Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung offers a bewitching take on Haruki Murakami's typically slippery novel. Well reviewed at the Venice film festival.
SUBMARINE
The super-funny Richard Ayoade - Moss from The IT Crowd - makes his directorial debut with a coming-of-age story set in Wales. Advance word has been good.
YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER
Woody Allen returns to London for yet one more story involving a smart older man (Anthony Hopkins) romancing a dumb young woman (Lucy Punch). The Josh Brolin plot is a little less queasy.
MARCH 25
COUNTRY STRONG
It's Crazy Heart with Gwyneth Paltrow. No really. The stringy one plays a washed-up country singer who gets a chance at redemption. See what I mean?
FASTER
Everyone likes The Rock. Sorry, I mean Dwayne Johnson. The amiable former wrestler returns to avenge the murder of his brother. No better man for the job.
SAMMY'S ADVENTURES: A TURTLE'S TALE
Morally steadfast parents will propel the little ones towards this 3D animation concerning a turtle who, over 50 years, becomes depressed by global warning. Fox News won't like it.
APRIL 1
ESSENTIAL KILLING
The latest from the great Jerzy Skolimowski - director of
Deep Endand
Moonlighting- features Vincent Gallo as a hitman. A co- production of the Irish Film Board.
KILLING BONO
Much anticipated adaptation of journalist Neil McCormick's memoir concerning a life lived in parallel to that of the U2 singer. Young Martin McCann plays the great man (Bono that is, not Neil).
ORANGES AND SUNSHINE
The ironically cheery title introduces a drama about the organised deportation of British children to Australia. Jim Loach - son of Ken - makes his feature debut.
SUCKER PUNCH
According to the populist film magazines, it's "next year's
Kick Ass". If that's what you fancy. Emily Browning stars in Zack Snyder's action-fantasy flick.
APRIL 8
ATTACK THE BLOCK
Joe Cornish (of Adam and Joe) directs a film in which youths repel an alien invasion. What did you expect? Nick Frost and Jodie Whittaker man the barricades (unless they're aliens).
HANNA
After the disappointing
The Soloist, Joe Wright, lauded for
Atonement, reunites with Saoirse Ronan for the tale of a juvenile assassin. Sounds like a bit of fun.
RIO
Can you bear another 3D animation about cute animals? In Blue Sky's latest, a macaw, resident in a mid-western bookshop, as he heads to South America with mating in mind.
APRIL 15
BEASTLY
Twilight'sinfluence spreads. Daniel Barnz's picture, adapted from a novel by Alex Finn, invites Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer to re-enact
Beauty and the Beastin present-day New York City. Cocteau wouldn't like it.
MEEK'S CUTOFF
Kelly Reichardt, admired director of
Old Joyand
Wendy and Lucy, heads west with this take of 19th-century settlers encountering harsh times on the way to Oregon. Paul Dano and Shirley Henderson sweat it out.
RED RIDING HOOD
After delivering a monster with the first
Twilightfilm, Catherine Hardwicke returns to horror with a retelling of that most Freudian of folk tales. Amanda Seyfried carries the basket.
THE ROOMMATE
Single White Femalegoes to college. Minka Kelly plays the student who begins to suspect that her roommate is up to no good. Leighton Meester is the evil co-ed.
STRETCH ARMSTRONG
Really? Surely, the bottom fell out of the toy movie when GI Joe bombed. Mind you, Taylor Lautner - the lump of gel from Twilight - sounds like good casting for the elastic man.
TOMORROW, WHEN THE WAR BEGAN
Ooh, get us with our quasi-poetic titles. It's an Australian action film in which beautiful young people resist yet another invasion. It's people, not aliens, this time.
THE WAY
Emotional drama starring Martin Sheen as a father who, after retrieving the body of his late son, sets off on the pilgrimage the boy never got to make.
WINNIE THE POOH
It's a science-fiction film about an alien invasion . . . Hang on, that's not right. It's Disney's respectful return to AA Milne. The trailer looks nice.
APRIL 22
MARS NEED MOMS
An animated adaption of Berke Breathed's book following aliens' efforts to rob our mothers. The picture, directed by Simon Wells, utilises Robert Zemeckis's motion- capture techniques.
SOURCE CODE
Can young Duncan Jones follow through on the success of Moon? His second feature is a time-travel drama starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Vera Farmiga.
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS
Apparently the title isn't allegorical. Robert Pattinson shuns the ashen make-up for a story set in a travelling circus during the Great Depression.
APRIL 29
PROM
A group of teenagers prepare for their high-school prom. Do such things happen in April? I guess they do.
WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER?
Why is the reliably hilarious Anna Faris not a bigger star? Anyway, the bubbly comic actor is back in a film about a girl remembering - and reassessing - her past relationships.
THOR
Yet again - remember Star Trek and Iron Man 2 - a Paramount blockbuster announces the arrival of summer. Chris Hemsworth wields the hammer in this promising Marvel adaptation.
