Pamela Dunlap

Casting is now complete for the Fountain Theatre’s world premiere production of the new comedy/drama Heart Song by Stephen Sachs, directed by Shirley Jo Finney. The trio of TV/Film/Stage actresses leading the way are Pamela Dunlap (“Mad Men”), Juanita Jennings (“Fences” at South Coast Rep) and Tamlyn Tomita (“Glee”, “Days of Our Lives”, “Joy Luck Club”). Heart Song opens May 25th.

Heart Song is a funny and touching new play that chronicles the personal journey of Rochelle (Pamela Dunlap), a middle-aged Jewish woman in New York City struggling through a crisis of faith. Rochelle’s life is changed when she is convinced by friend Tina (Tamlyn Tomita) to join a flamenco class for middle-aged women. There she meets Daloris (Juanita Jennings) and an unforgettable circle of other women who propel Rochelle on a journey of sisterhood and self-discovery.

Pamela Dunlap (Rochelle) makes her Fountain Theatre debut in Heart Song. She is a film/TV/stage veteran who has guest-starred on dozens of TV shows including two years as Pauline Francis on TV’s Mad Men and two years as Gilda Rockwell on Commander in Chief.  Her many film credits include Clint Eastwood’s The Changeling and I Am Sam with Sean Penn. On stage, she recently co-starred with Dorothy Lyman in August: Osage County and has appeared in regional theaters across the country including South Coast Repertory, Arena Stage, Hartford Stage, the Ahmanson, Mark Taper Forum, New York Theatre Workshop and the Lonacre Theatre on Broadway.

Juanita Jennings

Juanita Jennings (Daloris) recently co-starred in South Coast Repertory’s production of Fences. She is well known to Fountain audiences for her thrilling portrayal of Aunt Ester in August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean and for her versatility in From the Mississippi Delta. She has also appeared at SCR in Jar the Floor (NAACP Theatre Award for Best Actress), and Twelfth Night. Other theatre credits include productions at New York Shakespeare Festival, the Negro Ensemble Company, Mark Taper Forum,  The Old Globe and Westwood Playhouse.  Her many TV roles include Edna on the Tyler Perry series Meet the Browns,   and Dorothy Bascomb on The Bold and the Beautiful. She is also a Cable Ace winner for her portrayal in the HBO mini-series Laurel Avenue.

Tamlyn Tomita

Tamlyn Tomita (Tina) is best known for the films The Day After Tomorrow, The Joy Luck Club, and Karate Kid 2.  Other film credits include Picture Bride, Come See the Paradise, Four Rooms, Living Out Loud, and Gaijin 2. Soap opera followers know her as Dr. Ellen Yu on Days of Our Lives and Glee fans have seen her as Julia Chang.  Tamlyn’s stage work include such productions as The Square and Don Juan: A Meditation (Mark Taper Forum’s Taper, Too), Summer Moon (Seattle’s A Contemporary Theatre and South Coast Repertory), Day Standing on its Head (Manhattan Theatre Club), and Nagasaki Dust (Philadelphia Theatre Company). Tamlyn returns to our Fountain stage twenty-three  years after winning a Drama-Logue Award when she starred in our very first production, Winter Crane, in 1990.

Also featured in the Heart Song cast are Andrea Dantas, Alicia Dhanifu, Mindy Krasner, Sherrie Lewandowski, Norma Maldonado, and Barbara Oilar.

Stephen Sachs is the author of the recent Fountain hits Bakersfield Mist (optioned for London/Broadway) and Cyrano (LA Drama Critics Circle Award). Shirley Jo Finney won the LA Drama Critics Circle Award for her direction of the Fountain Theatre’s critically acclaimed and award-winning  In the Red and Brown Water. Internationally heralded flamenco dancer Maria Bermudez will serve as Heart Song choreographer.

Heart Song May 25 – July 14 (323) 663-1525  MORE

When a good friend of mine asked if I wanted to go with her to an advanced screening of August: Osage County, my immediate response was YES. Though I hadn’t seen the play, I knew enough about it to know that the film adaptation was going to be one of the most anticipated movies of this fall and winter’s sprint to the Oscars.

Tracey Letts’s words are often frightening, especially when they are lashed out at others from Meryl Streep who turns in yet another tour de force performance. (The woman can do no wrong.) While I was bothered at times by the audience laughing at some of the harsh truths and foul language flying out from her lipstick-stained mouth, one could argue that the laughter was a coping mechanism. It was bizarre hearing that kind of bitterness coming from Meryl Streep, but at the same time, there was no one else you’d rather hear it from.

The premise of the story seems simple – set in Osage County, Oklahoma, three grownup sisters (and their significant others) are reunited when their alcoholic father skips out on their prescription drug-addicted mother (who is suffering from mouth cancer).

This is where the simplicity ends.

Everyone in this film (except maybe the Native American cook/maid) has some serious problem(s) that they are mostly unwilling to share until it just boils up and explodes out of them like the alien in Alien. Every now and again, there is an outburst (or several) between family members that was the result of prolonged festering and avoidance.  People who seem close are actually strangers and those who wish themselves different from their bat-shit family members find themselves following in their footsteps.

The white house with the wraparound porch  in the middle of the Great Plains no longer screams “American Dream.” Instead, it’s a cautionary tale of what happens when isolation and suffocation take hold and there is no way out. Because in August: Osage County, even the path that seems to be an escape route is lined with obstacles nearly impossible to overcome.

I’m betting a lot of people will walk away from this film marveling at Julia Roberts’s performance. This is one of the least vain roles she’s ever taken on and she is deserving of whatever praise she will likely receive. (Those who know me best know I’m not a Julia fan… so if I’m saying she’s good, she’s good.) She manages to go head-to-head with Meryl Streep and come out on top in several key scenes. Curse words fly off of Roberts’s tongue,  much like Streep’s, and it’s almost jarring until you realize that these words are a necessity because there is no other way to get through to these incredibly stubborn characters.

This film is full of incredibly strong, yet at the same time incredibly weak, female characters. Each woman has her own strength, but it’s her faults that stand out and are targeted by everyone else in the film. These characters aim to tear each other down, and they all manage to succeed. It’s terrifying to watch, but you cannot look away.

Though this film focuses mostly on the women in the family, the male characters each have a purpose. Of the four male supporting roles (played by Chris Cooper, Ewan McGregor, Benedict Cumberbatch and Dermot Mulroney), I was BLOWN AWAY by Cooper. The father-son scenes between him and Cumberbatch (or him just talking about Cumberbatch’s character) were extremely poignant and made the truth about their relationship even more heartbreaking. Cooper was the least flawed of all the characters and his inherent likability was a life preserver I clung to throughout the film.

While this film boasted one of the best ensemble casts assembled, I am sad to admit that Ewan McGregor was the weak link of the film. Though he is one of my favorite actors of all time, his performance was not on the same level as everyone else. I don’t know if it was because he was working so hard to hide the accent, or that he looked like a bearded schoolboy up against the masterful Streep, but something felt off. He had a few decent scenes with Roberts, but on a whole, I was not impressed with his work in this film. (Sorry, Ewan!)

I won’t spoil any of the plot twists in this film, but there were several jaw-dropping reveals that kept the plot going and your interest levels up. The worst was finding out something horrific about the “good” characters… as if things weren’t already hard enough for them, they got an epic wrench thrown into the mix.

However, even though there were quite a few forks in the road, almost everything was wrapped up by the end of the film and there was some sense of closure among other aspects of ambiguity.

It’s a powerful film with a boat load of dialogue. This movie is heavy on the dialogue and doesn’t rely on a bunch of locations or any sort of special effects. It’s a story and you are more than interested to hear it out because you have to know how that family’s mess is going to end up.

Before we even went into the movie theater,  my friend and I were chosen to take part in a focus group after the film. There were made 30 of us and we were asked to expand upon a bunch of questions that we answered in a theater-wide survey after the film. We were the first people to see the film and there were filmmakers present to listen in on the focus group. (One of said filmmakers was Harvey Weinstein… we saw him outside of the theater in the lobby when we were finally released from the focus group and I almost had a heart attack. That man and his production companies are responsible for some of my favorite films of the past two decades. I was too nervous to approach him, but I did take a blurry picture of him from across the lobby.)

When August: Osage County is released in November, I highly recommend seeing this film. It’s a shoe-in for several acting nominations (Streep, Roberts, Margo Martindale, and *maybe* Cooper), as well as screenplay and Best Picture. (In addition to Weinstein being EP, George Clooney and Grant Heslov were two of the producers… those men are among the best producers working in film today.)

See this film. And then be eternally grateful that these people are not your family members.

Oscar telah usai, seperti tahun lalu, kini saatnya menanti film-film baru yang akan muncul tahun ini. Beberapa film yang saya antisipasi tahun lalu, sebagian besar ‘memuaskan’ saya- termasuk The Hobbit & The Dark Knight Rises walau nggak se-wow pendahulunya. Yang mengecewakan hanya The Amazing Spiderman & The Gangster Squad (yang pasti bukan karena Emma Stone ). Jadi, kali ini saya kembali merangkum (hanya) 10 film yang paling ditunggu tahun ini. Sekali lagi- ini nggak lagi memprediksi film Oscar tahun depan, beberapa mungkin ‘berbau’ Oscar- tapi ini lebih ke pilihan pribadi. So here they are …

Honorable Mentions : Before Midnight (Richard Linklater), Only God Forgives (Nicholas Winding Refn), Nebraska (Alexander Payne), Labor Day (Jason Reitman), The Bling Ring (Sofia Copolla)

10 . The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Frances Lawrence)

Cast : Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Setelah kesuksesan The Hunger Games tahun lalu, seri kedua adaptasi novel Susan Collins- Catching Fire ini layak untuk ditunggu. Dimana kali ini cerita makin seru karena Katniss (JLaw- now, an Oscar Winner) diharuskan mengikuti The Hunger Games spesial yang akan mempertemukan para juara Hunger Games dari tahun-tahun sebelumnya. Hal lain yang membuat saya menanti film ini tentu saja bergabungnya aktor favorit saya; PSH yang akan berperan jadi Game-maker baru yang akan merancang kompetisi Hunger Games lebih berbahaya.

9 . Man of Steel  (Zack Snyder)

Cast : Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Michael Shannon

Setelah dua superhero Amerika paling populer di-remake dengan peran utama seorang Brit. Kali ini aktor British- Henry Cavill pun didaulat berperan sebagai Superman. Sejujurnya saya benci remake, dan tak begitu suka superhero bernama Superman. Namun orang-orang di depan & belakang kamera film ini sungguh amat menjanjikan. Zack Snyder plus Nolan, rasanya sudah cukup menarik kita untuk berekspektasi tinggi. Didukung pula oleh Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner & Michael Shannon- sepertinya Man of Steel tidak akan menjadi film superhero yang cheesy.

8 . Serena  (Susanne Bier)

Cast : Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Rhys Ifans, Toby Jones

Pasangan Silver Linings kembali ! Tapi jangan harap film ini akan menghibur kita seperti SLP. Serena yang diadaptasi dari novel berjudul sama- adalah drama serius yang sekali lagi akan membuktikan kualitas akting JLaw. Kali ini JLaw & Cooper berperan jadi suami-istri Pemberton yang sukses membangun bisnis kayu dan jadi kaya raya, pasangan ini tak segan membunuh atau menyingkirkan siapapun yang menghalangi ambisi mereka Well, saya dengar karakter Serena bisa menjadi versi wanita dari Daniel Plainview (There Will Be Blood)- ambisius, dingin dan kejam. Tampaknya JLaw siap kembali ke malam Oscar tahun depan.

7 .Oldboy (Spike Lee)

Cast : Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Sharlto Copley, Samuel L. Jackson

Satu lagi film Asia yang di-remake Hollywood. Kali ini merupakan remake dari film Korea- Oldboy yang sangat memorable itu- dan juga favorit saya. Bercerita tentang pria yang menuntut balas terhadap orang misterius yang menyekapnya selama 15 tahun tanpa alasan. Sejujurnya ini merupakan remake yang tak perlu, film aslinya sudah sangat sempurna. Namun melihat sutradara film ini bukanlah director sembarangan, yakni Spike Lee- yang bisa dibilang salah satu director idealis Hollywood, jadi sepertinya Oldboy versi Barat ini tidak akan dibuat asal-asalan. Siapa tahu bisa mengikuti kesuksesan remake Infernal Affairs yang dibuat Scorsese ? (ehm, The Departed )

6 . Snowpiercer (Bong Joon-ho)

Cast : Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, John Hurt

Selain Park Chan-Wook & Kim Ki-Duk, sutradara Korea satu ini cukup dikenal internasional setelah kesuksesan filmnya, Mother & The Host. Bong Joon-ho kali ini membuat debut film berbahasa Inggris pertamanya- Snowpiercer. Bercerita tentang kereta api bernama Snowpiercer yang merupakan satu-satunya tempat berisi penduduk bumi yang selamat dari bencana Es yang menghancurkan bumi di masa depan. Selain premis cerita yang menarik, Joon-ho juga membawa serta aktor-aktor hebat di dalamnya, aktor watak Korea Song Kang-ho hingga bintang Hollywood seperti Chris Evans & Tilda Swinton. Rasanya ini akan lebih dari sekedar ‘film hiburan’.

5 . August: Osage County  (John Wells)

Cast : Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Juliette Lewis, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper, Abigail Breslin, Benedict Cumberbatch

Harus diakui, nama Meryl Streep lah yang menarik saya pada film ini. Diangkat dari drama panggung pemenang Tony Award berjudul sama, A:OC bercerita tentang keluarga Weston yang berkumpul kembali setelah kematian misterius sang Ayah. Ketiga putri Weston dengan keluarga masing-masing berkumpul di rumah orang tua mereka & bertemu sang Ibu, Violet (Meryl) yang berlidah tajam dan kecanduan obat. Sebuah reuni yang akan mengungkap kebobrokan keluarga. Lihatlah barisan pemainnya yang sudah sangat ‘menggoda’, terlebih film ini disokong oleh Weinstein Co. Hm, saya sudah mencium bau Oscar ! (semoga A:OC tidak bernasib seperti Carnage).

4 . The Wolf of Wall Street  (Martin Scorsese)

Cast : Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, Jonah Hill, Jean Dujardin, Kyle Chandler, Spike Jonze

Scorsese is back ! Kembali bersama anak emasnya, Leonardo DiCaprio. Sebuah biopic dari Jordan Belfort, pialang saham sukses di Wall Street yang akan menceritakan naik-turun dan sisi gelap karir Belfort. Sebenarnya saya agak lelah melihat DiCaprio beralih dari satu biopic ke biopic lain, seolah dia begitu desperates buat dapat Oscar. Tapi karena ini film Scorsese, rasanya sulit untuk ditolak. Yeah, semoga saja DiCaprio akhirnya bisa menarik hati Oscar lewat film ini, walau saya punya feeling, pemeran pendukung dari film ini lah yang mungkin akan mencuri perhatian Oscar.

3 . Foxcatcher (Bennett Miller)

Cast : Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, Vanessa Redgrave

Nama Bennett Miller mungkin tak sepopuler David Fincher atau Nolan. Tapi Ia telah membuktikan kualitasnya sebagai sutradara, dua film pertamanya berhasil masuk nomine Film Terbaik Oscar. Jadi film ketiganya ini memang patut ditunggu. Berdasar kisah nyata John DuPont (Steve Carell), konglomerat penderita schizoprenia yang juga fans gulat dan membangun sasana untuk tim gulat yang diberi nama tim Foxcatcher hingga Ia jadi tersangka pembunuh salah satu pegulatnya, Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo). Jika Jonah Hill saja bisa diantar ke Oscar oleh Miller, mungkin kali ini giliran Steve Carell- yang menurut saya- bisa berperan cukup bagus dalam peran dramatik (lihat di Little Miss Sunshine).

2 . Gravity  (Alfonso Cuaron)

Cast : Sandra Bullock, George Clooney

Film ini telah muncul di daftar saya tahun lalu. Karena masih perlu disempurnakan, Gravity pun baru akan dirilis tahun ini. Berkisah tentang astronot wanita (Sandra Bullock) yang terjebak sendiri di pesawatnya di luar angkasa setelah sebuah insiden dan harus berjuang untuk kembali ke bumi bertemu putrinya. Bukan Sandra Bullock yang membuat saya tertarik pada film ini, melainkan sang director Alfonso Cuaron yang telah menelurkan salah satu film favorit saya dekade lalu; Children of Men. Kabarnya Gravity memiliki teknologi & CGI yang beda dari film yang sudah-sudah. Terlebih lagi 80% durasi film hanya akan ada Sandra Bullock & luar angkasa ! Rasanya ini akan jadi tontonan yang luar biasa.

1. Twelve Years a Slave (Steve McQueen)

Cast : Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Sarah Paulson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Adepero Oduye, Quvenzhané Wallis

Sampai sekarang saya masih terngiang betapa intensnya film Hunger & Shame. Maka, karya terbaru Steve McQueen ini tak boleh dilewatkan. 12 Years a Slave berdasarkan kisah nyata Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor- yang sudah nonton Children of Men, pasti tahu orangnya) pria kulit hitam merdeka yang juga sarjana, tahun 1843 diculik lalu dijual sebagai budak, berpindah dari satu kulit putih ke kulit putih lain yang memiliki kadar kekejaman berbeda sampai yang paling kejam, alkoholik Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender) & istrinya (Sarah Paulson). Yang pasti jangan harap menyaksikan kisah perbudakan se-fun Django Unchained. Karena ini film Steve McQueen, bisa dibayangkan akan betapa intens film ini menampilkan kekejaman perbudakan kulit hitam di AS. So, saya tidak akan kaget kalau nanti film ini akan terlalu ‘gelap’ buat Oscar. Semoga saja tidak!

* * * * *

Itulah 10 film yang paling ditunggu tahun ini. Saya yakin masih banyak film menarik lain yang mungkin di luar radar dan akan mengejutkan kita nanti. Jadi, manakah film yang Kamu tunggu tahun ini ?

Marcy Markusa:

Co-host of the weekday morning radio show on CBC Radio One, 89.3 FM / 990 AM in Winnipeg, Marcy Markusa has been with CBC since 2001. Marcy has recently won a Gabriel Award in 2012 for hosting a CBC Radio One special titled, Resolve. Before joining CBC, Marcy hosted a television show called CityScape in Winnipeg. Prior to that, she was a radio reporter and show co-host for Golden West Broadcasting in Southern Manitoba. She is committed to fighting the stigma surrounding mental illness. She is married to the love of her life Jean-Paul and they live in Winnipeg with two small dogs that run the house.

It’s time to get Marcy out of that radio booth and into the spotlight! Come see her and the rest of our celebrities, along with our zany panel of judges on February 20th! For $25 you’ll be highly entertained plus have the opportunity to join our celebrities for a wine reception. You can purchase your tickets at www.sarasvati.ca!

Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy star in Richard Linklater’s “Before Midnight.” Courtesy of Sundance Film Festival.

Though 2013 has barely begun, a slew of hotly anticipated titles have already materialized on the calendar, including a handful destined to generate Oscar buzz prior to next year’s ceremony. Here are 23 pictures I’m already psyched to see in the coming months, from star-studded festival favorites to indie productions bursting with potential. A few of these alphabetically listed pictures already have tentative release dates (in parentheses)…

August: Osage County

Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play about a dysfunctional Oklahoma family has had quite a journey from the Steppenwolf stage to Broadway. Now it arrives on the big screen with an A-grade cast led by Meryl Streep. John Wells (“The Company Men”) directs.

Before Midnight

Richard Linklater set an extraordinarily high bar for himself when he directed Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy in two captivating romantic interludes, 1995’s “Before Sunrise” and 2004’s “Before Sunset.” If the overwhelmingly enthusiastic Sundance buzz is any indication, the trio’s third installment of this masterful series just might be the best yet.

Black Box

On the heels of his sublimely nuanced masterpiece, “The Wise Kids” (which I cited as my favorite film of 2012), writer/director Stephen Cone returns with this tale about a grad student’s stage adaptation of a young adult novel. The talent-packed cast includes Josephine Decker and Austin Pendleton.

The Bling Ring

After proving that her acting abilities stretch far outside the boundaries of Hogwarts in last year’s marvelous “Perks of Being a Wallflower,” Emma Watson ventures even further outside her comfort zone in Sofia Coppola’s crime comedy about a group of celebrity heisting robbers.

Blue Jasmine

I imagine Woody Allen’s latest picture will have a different, more generic title prior to its release (“To Rome with Love” was originally “Nero Fiddled”). Hopefully its cast list won’t change by then either. Because the idea of Louis C.K. in a Woody Allen film is freakin’ awesome.

Captain Phillips

Sorry “Zero Dark Thirty.” You were a fine 9/11 drama, but nowhere near as pulse-pounding or provocative as Paul Greengrass’ “United 93.” The director’s latest fact-based drama stars Tom Hanks (who just gave his best performance in a decade in “Cloud Atlas”) as Richard Phillips, the captain of the cargo ship hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009. (10/11)

Carrie

Brian De Palma’s operatic adaptation of Stephen King’s shocker still remains one of the greatest guilty pleasures of all time. A remake is wholly unnecessary, but I’m still curious about what director Kimberly Peirce (“Boys Don’t Cry”) and stars Chloë Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore will bring to the material by staging it in the modern age of cyber-bullying. (10/18)

The Counselor

Javier Bardem and Cormac McCarthy go together like peanut butter and jelly, or a cattle gun and a human skull. McCarthy wrote the script for this Ridley Scott thriller co-starring Bardem, Brad Pitt and Michael Fassbender. (11/15)

Dirty Wars

One of the most shocking documentaries at Sundance 2013 explored America’s covert warfare, while presenting an enormously critical portrait of President Obama. This is not fantastical right-wing propaganda (a la “2016: Obama’s America”), but a meticulously researched work of investigative journalism by director Rick Rowley and co-writer/star Jeremy Scahill that demands to be seen.

Drinking Buddies

It’s always hard to pick just one title from the ever-prolific Chicago filmmaker Joe Swanberg to place on an anticipated list. I’m dying to see his acclaimed drama, “All the Light in the Sky,” and his upcoming effort, “24 Exposures,” yet it’s the famous names (Anna Kendrick, Olivia Wilde, Ron Livingston, Jake Johnson) headlining the cast of this romantic comedy that have raised a number of eyebrows in the indie community. The picture is due to premiere this March at SXSW.

Gravity

There are few filmmakers whose work I find as visually exhilarating and astonishingly visceral as Alfonso Cuarón. This two-character drama set in space could be his greatest tour-de-force yet, utilizing groundbreaking robotic camerawork to achieve seamless effects. (10/4)

Her

After helming the wondrously brilliant and woefully underappreciated “Where the Wild Things Are,” Spike Jonze directs his own screenplay while accompanied by a gallery of top-drawer talent (including Amy Adams, reuniting with her “Master” co-star, Joaquin Phoenix).

Inside Llewyn Davis

Music has always played a key role in the films of Joel and Ethan Coen. I can’t wait to see how the filmmaking duo will go about recreating New York’s ’60s-era folk music scene in this drama featuring Oscar Isaac and two stars of HBO’s “Girls” (Adam Driver and Alex Karpovsky).

Kill Your Darlings

The buzz around Sundance regarding John Krokidas’ beat poet drama surprisingly didn’t center on Daniel Radcliffe’s performance as Allen Ginsberg (though he’s apparently very good). Most of the attention was paid to Dane DeHaan’s turn as Lucien Carr. I’d be more surprised if I hadn’t already singled out DeHaan as one of the most promising actors of his generation (for his sensational work in last year’s “Chronicle” and on HBO’s “In Treatment”). This role just might make him a star.

Lowlife

It’s a shame that Joaquin Phoenix’s baffling performance art overshadowed the release of James Gray’s “Two Lovers,” which was one of the best American psychodramas of the last decade. Gray’s latest stars Marion Cotillard as an immigrant who forges a friendship with a magician (Jeremy Renner).

Night Moves

Three environmentalists cause mischief in the latest feature effort from Kelly Reichardt (“Old Joy,” “Wendy and Lucy,” “Meek’s Cutoff), one of the great observational auteurs in modern cinema. Cast includes Dakota Fanning, Peter Sarsgaard and Jesse Eisenberg. (9/20)

Nymphomaniac

Shia LaBeouf has gone on record saying that he does indeed have unsimulated sex in Lars Von Trier’s latest pornographic odyssey. Well, it sure beats “Transformers 4.”

Spring Breakers

How Harmony Korine, the director responsible for such avant garde gems as “Gummo” and “Julien Donkey-Boy,” managed to cast tween sensations Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Benson in this R-rated tale of debauchery is one hell of a tantalizing mystery. (3/22)

Stoker

Another sensation straight out of Sundance 2013 was Park Chan-wook’s Hitchcockian brew of suspense starring the wonderful Mia Wasikowska as an alienated girl who forges an unsettling bond with her Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode). Nicole Kidman co-stars as the sort of mother that would send Joan Crawford running for the hills while clutching her wire hangers. (3/1)

To the Wonder

Terrence Malick, the triumphantly uncompromising and fearlessly polarizing visual poet who directed my favorite film of 2011 (“The Tree of Life”), returns with an even more abstract drama starring Ben Affleck and Javier Bardem. Regardless of the film’s merits, it’s guaranteed to be exponentially more interesting than “Argo.” (4/12)

Twelve Years a Slave

Sometimes an enticing cast list is enough to peak one’s anticipation. Take Steve McQueen’s historical drama about a New Yorker sold into slavery in the pre-Civil War-era South. It stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Fassbender, Sarah Paulson, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti and “Beasts of the Southern Wild” stars Dwight Henry and Quvenzhané Wallis. Take that, Django.

The Wolf of Wall Street

For their fifth collaboration, Martin Scorsese casts Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort, the New York stockbroker who went to prison after failing to cooperate in a fraud case targeting Wall Street corruption.

You’re Next

The delayed theatrical release for this 2011 horror pic from Adam Wingard has only increased the hype surrounding it. Joe Swanberg is said to deliver a particularly stunning performance in this blood-spattered yarn about a family hunted by a homicidal gang. The powerhouse cast of indie favorites includes Kate Lyn Sheil, Ti West and Amy Seimetz (whose own feature directorial effort, “Sun Don’t Shine,” also deserves special mention on this list). (8/23)

Fans of the popular BBC series Sherlock already know its’ star, Benedict Cumberbatch, and American audiences got a taste of the actor in 2011’s War Horse and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy as well. But 2013 is poised to be the year Cumberbatch vaults into the forefront of the American entertainment sphere, with prominent roles in four tentpole films as well as a film adaption of a Tony/Pulitzer Award winning play. Hit the jump for a look into the year ahead for the ultra-talented actor.

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS

In his first blockbuster of the new year, Cumberbatch will be playing the villain in J.J. Abram’s Star Trek Into Darkness, the follow up to Abram’s 2009 smash hit. He has long been rumored to be playing Khan in the new film, a tyrant from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, but recently refuted that notion and instead declared he would be playing a different sort of villain named John Harrison. Cumberbatch has been vague in describing the character, revealing that Harrison will not be your typical “cookie cutter” villain. He went on to say that the character’s motives are deeply personal and not always clear to the audience. Futhermore, Cumberbatch states that,

“He has extraordinary physical powers, but also mental powers. He can sow an idea, which is as powerful as gunshots or close-hand combat, which he’s masterful in. He tears into the fabric of both the world and the Enterprise family, and he leaves behind him a trail of devastation.”

IGN has put together an interview with Cumberbatch and co-star Alice Eve, which includes both quotes (and some more dialogue) from above, and some great clips from the trailers/first 9 minutes of the film that has been shown ahead of IMAX screenings of the Hobbit (in which Cumberbatch plays Smaug, coincidentally).

TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE

In the second prominent film of 2013 for Cumberbatch, Twelve Years A Slave, the British actor will be co-starring with Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, and Paul Giamatti in a film adaption of the book of the same name. The plot follows a man who is born free in New York, but is kidnapped, sold into slavery, and kept in bondage for 12 years in Louisiana before eventually being rescued. It is an adaption from the memoirs of Solomon Northup, which were released soon after Uncle Tom’s Cabin and went on to be a bestseller in 1853 when it was published. Cumberbatch will be playing a Baptist preacher in the film, which has yet to release a trailer.

THE FIFTH ESTATE

In The Fifth Estate, Benedict Cumberbatch plays Julian Assange, the controversial founder of Wikileaks. The film, helmed by Bill Condon, focuses on the founding of Wikileaks and the subsequent releases of controversial data that Assange was able to acquire. These leaks famously lead to changes in how information is presented to the news media as well as the flow of information in the modern world. The Fifth Estate began filming this week, has just acquired its official title, and has now been given a release date of November 15, 2013. A star-studded cast will support Cumberbatch, including Daniel Bruhl, Laura Linney, and star from The Hurt Locker Anthony Mackie. The late November release ensures that the film will be poised for an awards season run, just in time for serious Oscar contention.

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

August: Osage County is a film adaption of the Tony and Pulitzer winning play. The film won’t release until this fall, but with mega-stars like Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, and Ewan McGregor attached, as well as George Clooney set to produce, it should have a good run at the box office. The theatrical version takes place in Oklahoma over the course of several weeks, as various lazy and eccentric ‘hangers-on’ surround a dying woman. Cumberbatch will act as one of these characters surrounding Meryl Streep. As the release is so far off, little has been released and we have yet to see a trailer, but filming has wrapped in the last few weeks and those sorts of media releases should be coming quickly.

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG

Cumberbatch actually has dual roles in Peter Jackson’s new Hobbit films, playing both the Necromancer and the dragon Smaug. As the first film centered on the early points of the book, little was seen of either of Cumberbatch’s characters, but rest assured they should take center stage as the action picks up in the second film (to be released in December). It certainly seems to be a year of villains for Cumberbatch, and Smaug is no exception, but I, personally, am very excited to see Cumberbatch’s turn as the wicked dragon that Bilbo & Co. must battle in order to reclaim the Dwarven treasure.

With such a crowded schedule, its no wonder that we are going to have to wait until 2014 to see a new series of Sherlock. Cumberbatch’s 2013 is very full, and includes a potential star-making role in Star Trek, supporting roles among star-studded casts in Twelve Years a Slave and August: Osage County, a potentially Oscar-worthy turn in The Fifth Estate, and last but not least, he gets to play a dragon in Middle Earth. With that much going on, it should be pretty clear why Benedict Cumberbatch is poised to rule 2013.

Then, there’s also that rumor going around about him taking on the role of the next James Bond villain…

Many people who saw many more movies than I did in 2012 declared this past year in cinema one of the best in recent memory, and I will not argue with them. 2012 had its fair share of wonderful films, from giant blockbusters like The Avengers to legitimate Oscar heavyweights like Lincoln  and Zero Dark Thirty to fascinating efforts from beloved auteurs such as Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained) and Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master). However, my favorite film of 2012 was not on my radar when I wrote that list. I am of course talking about Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon’s love letter/critique to horror fans, Cabin in the Woods. My most anticipated film of 2012, the previously mentioned Django Unchained, did not live up to my impossible expetatations, but it was still one of my favorite films of the year. In reality, though, I have no idea why I am doing another list of most anticipated films considering how almost all of my other picks last year turned out. Most of the films were either pushed back to 2013 (Gravity, Gangster Squad, World War Z) or turned out to be  underwhelming (The Dark Knight Rises, The Hunger Games, Prometheus, Brave, and especially Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which might have been the worst movie I saw last year). Perhaps I feel like I have learned from my mistakes, because this time, I did a little more research to find a better balance between large and small-scale projects.

1. Pacific Rim (July 12th)

I have written about my hopes and dreams for this film previously, but that was before the first full trailer came out. At the end of that first viewing, I literally jumped up from the couch and screamed “OH MY GOD!” at the top of my lungs because I could not control my excitement after my eyes were assaulted by the images Guillermo Del Toro was giving me. I had seen Mr. Del Toro speak in October at the New York Comic-Con and he promised that viewers would be blown away by the scale of these battles between the giant monsters and the giant robots, and I am not one to doubt him. I feel like that first trailer only shows the tip of the iceberg, and with an eclectic cast including Sons of Anarchy‘s Charlie Hunnam and Stringer Bell himself Idris Elba looking to cancel the apocalypse, Pacific Rim has all of the makings of a truly special blockbuster event.

2. The World’s End (October 25th)

Any collaboration between Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost would normally get the top spot on a list like this from me, but with Guillermo Del Toro being given colossal budget with which to play, Pacific Rim was always going to cross the line first. However, that does not dampen my anticipation for this final installment in the Blood and Cornetto trilogy. The first two installments, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, are undisputed masterpieces and sterling examples of parody done right. In this film, Pegg and Frost are joined by great British character actors Paddy Considine and Eddie Marsan as well as the ubiquitous Martin Freeman as old friends who attempt to relive an epic pub crawl from their youth only to face the end of the world. I do not even need to see a trailer for this film to know it will be great. I expect this to be the funniest film of 2013.

3. Gravity (October 18th)

This film occupied my number four spot on last year’s list, but I guess absence makes the heart grow fonder because I am putting it one spot higher on this year’s list and will continue to do so every year until it actually comes out (hopefully, I don’t have to do that). This film was originally supposed to come out in November, but director Alfonso Cuaron wanted more time to work on special effects for this film, which sounds like Stanley Kubrick meets Terence Malick. Sandra Bullock and George Clooney play astronauts stuck in space after their space shuttle is destroyed, and that’s about the extent of the plot that we know so far. The reason this film is so high on the list is Cuaron, whose last film, 2006′s Children of Men, might be my favorite film of the last decade. I expect some incredible camerawork from cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, and from reports about the film, I am going to get it in the form of a 30-minute-long shot to open the film. Children of Men lost the Oscar for Best Cinematography, and I will be surprised if Gravity suffers the same fate.

4. August: Osage County (release date TBA)

Tracy Lett’s original Pulitzer Prize-winning play is one of the most devastating, darkly comedic, and truly disturbing pieces of entertainment I have ever seen, and I am dying to see what, if anything, gets lost in translation in the move from stage to screen. With Letts providing the screenplay, the answer will hopefully be not much, but the real reason to get excited for this film is its unfathomably amazing cast: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Cooper, Juliet Lewis, Abigail Breslin, and Dermot Mulroney (NOT Dylan McDermott) provide a wonderful ensemble, and Streep might already have her fourth Oscar on layaway for her portrayal of the shockingly filter-free matriarch Violet Weston. The Weinstein Company will push this as a major awards contender in all categories, and if the source material is any indication, the attention will actually be well-deserved.

5. The Wolf of Wall Street (release date TBA)

Martin Scorsese is my all-time favorite director, so any film of his will automatically show up when I make a list like this, and the fact that it’s a true crime drama makes me even more intrigued. He has his current go-to leading man Leonardo DiCaprio playing Jordan Belfort, a drug-abusing stock broker in 1980s New York who commits numerous white-collar crimes and runs afoul of the authorities. Surrounding DiCaprio is a truly eclectic cast that includes Jonah Hill (looking like this) and Matthew McConaughey among others. Add in that this film was written by Boardwalk Empire creator Terence Winter, and I am breathlessly anticipating this film, which looks to be released late in the year as a major awards contender.

6.Inside Llewyn Davis (February 8th)

The Coen Brothers could make a North Korean propaganda film and it would still be among my most anticipated films of the year. I have that level of respect for their talent both writing and directing, yet this remains one of their more mysterious films to date. It’s supposed to come out in only a month according to IMDB, but there has no marketing push of any kind behind this film, which is astonishing considering how close the prospective release date is. Sure, the story of a singer-songwriter in the New York folk music scene in the 1960′s doesn’t scream “smash hit” like the Coens’ last film, 2010′s True Grit, and the biggest star in this film is Justin Timberlake (who better sing, dammit). I hope the lack of press does not signal a lack of quality, which would be hard to believe for a Coen Brothers film, but I will not be surprised if the release date is pushed back until after a big film festival like Cannes. Regardless, I give them the beenfit of the doubt based on their past work.

7. Man of Steel (June 14th)

Now we return to the blockbuster portion of the program with a film that may not be great, but I am still dying to see how it plays out. After Sucker Punch, Zack Snyder immediately rose to the top of my directorial shit list alongside Michael Bay. When it was announced he was going to direct this Christopher Nolan-produced reboot, I shivered with dread as I pictured Superman leaping tall buildings in a single bound in slow motion bellowing comically as overwrought music played in the background. However, my optimism began to germinate when the cast was announced. Henry Cavill certainly looks the part of Superman, and Amy Adams is a fantastic choice to play Lois Lane. Add Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, and Laurence Fishburne into the mix, and my intrigue deepens further, but the real casting coup for this film that convinced me it could actually be good was bringing Michael Shannon aboard to play the villainous General Zod. Outside of Daniel Day-Lewis, Shannon is my favorite actor working today, and I hope this role will at the very least alert the general public to his brilliance. The trailer was also thankfully devoid of slow motion, so hopefully Nolan got in Zack Snyder’s head and actually got him to make something worthy of Superman.

8. Star Trek Into Darkness (May 17th)

2009′s J.J. Abrams-directed reboot was one of the more surprisingly enjoyable blockbusters of recent memory and even though I am the farthest thing from a Trekkie, I never felt lost watching the film and was able to simply enjoy what was in front of me. The cast had fantastic chemistry and Abrams crafted some very memorable action sequences, including a stunning opening sequence that I get chills just thinking about. This time out, the cast returns, but like Man of Steel, the real excitement I have for this film stems from the casting of the villain, who will be played by the impeccably named Benedict Cumberbatch. We still do not know who his character really is despite several conflicting reports, and I really hope things stay that way until the film comes out. Based on the trailer, Abrams is upping the ante in every way, and he has done something remarkable by creating Trek films that can be appreciated by mass audiences and Trekkies alike.

9. Elysium (August 9th)

Four years ago, South African director Neil Blomkamp exploded onto the scene with District 9, a potent combination of insightful social commentary and thrilling action. Now, Blomkamp returns with a film that looks once again to combine those two elements, but this time around, he has much more to work with. In addition to a $100 million dollar budget, Blomkamp has Matt Damon leading the way as a man who resides on a ruined Earth while the wealthy citizens reside on a man-made space station above the planet, and his character looks to take a stand against the injustices of this class system. It’s exciting to see a talented young filmmaker get a bigger canvas to work with, and while I don’t expect this film to garner the awards attention of District 9, I think Blomkamp will be able to create a film that will resonate just as strongly with viewers.

10. 12 Years a Slave (release date TBA)

Check out the cast for this movie: Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch (can’t you tell I’m a fan?), Paul Dano, Michael K. Williams, Alfre Woodard SNL MVP Taran Killam, and Beasts of the Southern Wild prodigy Quvenzhane Wallis. That unbelievable collection of talent makes this true story of a free black man (Ejiofor) who is kidnapped and sold into slavery nearly as compelling a slave tale as Django Unchained. However, when it comes to cinematic style, expect the complete opposite to Tarantino’s Spaghetti Western-inspired pastiche. Director Steve McQueen (Hunger, Shame) is known for his unflinching realism, so perhaps Spike Lee’s complaints about Django will be put to rest with a black filmmaker tackling the issue of slavery in a serious manner. This could be one of the more controversial films of the year, but with that cast, this film deserves its much-watch status.

11. Stoker (March 1st)

No, this is not a biopic of Dracula author Bram Stoker. This is the first American film for Korean master Park Chan-Wook, who is best known for his Vengeance trilogy which includes Oldboy. He looks to have a great story on his hands courtesy of a script by Prison Break star Wentworth Miller. The film looks like a modern version of Hitchock’s Shadow of a Doubt, as it focuses on a girl who is suddenly visited by her mysterious Uncle Charlie in the aftermath of her father’s death. He seems like a charming fellow on the outside, but is most likely not what he seems to be. Rising star Mia Wasikowska plays the girl, Nicole Kidman looks to be in peak form as her mother, and Matthew Goode looks to finally have a great role to play as Uncle Charlie. Park looks to have crafted some gorgeous imagery based on the trailer, and the lurid family dynamic surrounding this trio could make it a cult classic.

12. The Monuments Men (December 18th)

If you thought the casts of August: Osage County and 12 Years a Slave were impressive, try this on for star power: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Daniel Craig, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, and reigning Best Actor winner Jean Dujardin. Clooney is also co-writing and directing this incredible true story about a group of art historians and museum curators who come together to recover works of art stolen by the Nazis before Hitler destroys them. Any real story that takes in World War II automatically goes to the front of the Oscar line, and with all of the talent involved, this could be Oceans 11 meets Indiana Jones, but real. Sign me up!

13. Evil Dead (April 12th)

I will now come out as an unabashed fan of the Evil Dead trilogy. I adore all of the films like their my own children. I have an Army of Darkness poster in my room. My dream Halloween costume is Ash with a chainsaw hand. So when I initially heard that the original film was getting remade, I threw a tantrum befitting a five year old who was just told Santa Claus wasn’t real. Was no horror property off limits for a remake? What are going to do next, remake Rosemary’s Baby? I did not care that Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell would be overseeing the project or that a first time director, Fede Alvarez, was going to shepherd the project. I just did not believe that anyone could do the original films justice. However, the most recent red-band trailer changed everything. There are no traces of the slapstick present in Army of Darkness or the screwball elements of Evil Dead 2. This film seemingly has one goal: to shake you to core and disturb your sleep. The level of blood in this film looks to only be rivaled be Peter Jackson’s gonzo horror masterwork Dead Alive. I also heard that Alvarez will not use any CGI in this film, so all the craziness on screen should look fantastic. For once, there’s a horror remake that will not actually defecate on the legacy of its predecessors.

Honorable Mentions: Ryan Gosling double feature (Only God Forgives, Place Beyond the Pines), Iron Man 3, Oldboy, Now You See Me, Thor: The Dark World

9. August: Osage County
More Cumberbatch, plus McGregor, Steep, Julia Roberts and more more more in an adaptation of Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer and Tony award winning play about a dysfunctional family in Oklahoma. The action takes place over the course of several weeks and only within their large country home and I really really really want the film to stay in keeping with the setting. I’m not sure what John Wells will do with the material, but since he’s coming from Shameless I feel good about his ability to deal with the black comedy that comes from a messy family with a lot of members.

8. Trance [watch the trailer]
Danny Boyle’s post-Olympics follow up is about an art auctioneer who partners up with a hypnotherapist in order to locate a lost painting because he’s gotten mixed up with criminal art thieves? I don’t know either, but I love pretty much anything Boyle does, and I love that he does any and everything. In a culture where the auteur is king, Boyle’s eclectic choices, which cover an expanse of stories and genres make him one of the most interesting directors working today. And while Rosario Dawson stars (meh), she’s accompanied by James McAvoy (YAY) and Vincent Cassel who makes any movie better. 

7. Gravity
Alfonso Cuaron hasn’t made a movie in 7 years! And seeing as he made the better-with-age-possibly-best-of-2006 Children of Men, this follow up is automatically on my list. And it’s a space movie with exactly two people to comprise the cast, Clooney and Bullock. While I love both, their A-list statuses don’t immediately seem conducive to what I imagine will be a claustrophobic, psychological movie with intense and complex emotions. But that’s also what intrigues me.

6. Nymphomaniac
Disclaimer: I really really love von Trier. And he teams up once again with his fave, Charlotte Gainsbourg for a provocatively named film about a woman who recounts her erotic experiences with a man who has saved her from a beating. That’s all anyone knows, except that Shia LaBeouf, who also stars, has said publicly that he’s okay with having real sex on camera if need be. Controversyyyyyy get at me!

5. Only God Forgives
Nicholas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling took the cinema world by storm in 2011 with the stylistic yet brutal and somehow beautiful Drive, and they’re teaming up again this year. The first image features a bruised and battered Gosling, and the description is that a gangster and police lieutenant settle their differences in a Thai boxing ring. Is it me or are the movies of 2013 the strangest? I’m not complaining though.

4. Much Ado About Nothing
Joss Whedon, having recently become one of the most successful directors ever, is coming out with his adaptation of a Shakespeare comedy and cast a slew of his television alums. It’s going to be so great. So so great. Did I mention Buffy is my favorite television show of all time? Well it is, and I love that Joss is still doing whatever the hell he wants, how he wants to do it, and that his follow up to The Avengers is Shakespeare with old television actors. Be still my heart.

3. Before Midnight
Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004), starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy gets its third and final (?) installment this year, and if you haven’t seen this beautiful, poetic, gorgeously simple set of films you better get to it. Each takes place in a day, in a European city, where a romance of words and companionship plays out. Before Sunset ended ambiguously, and we don’t know where they’ll pick up. Have they been together? Have they been apart? Whatever the circumstances, it doesn’t matter, I could listen to the sophisticated, secretly sexy dialogue between them for years and years.

2. The Great Gatsby [watch the trailer]
To tell you the truth, I’m equal parts terrified and excited for this one. I’m a Baz fan, but Australia was a disaster. I’m a Gatsby fan, and why why why with the 3D? I’m a Jay-Z fan, but will the soundtrack work with a 1920s setting? Will Carey Mulligan’s soulful presence hinder Daisy’s ditsy exterior? Will Leonardo DiCaprio be able to get past being Leonardo DiCaprio? I can go on. But despite all of that, my anticipation grows and grows and imagine, if it’s really good, it’s going to be epic.

1. Stoker [watch the trailer]
As probably the first 2012 release I’ll see, Stoker is also my most anticipated. Maybe because there’s already a trailer? But perhaps because famed Korean director Chan woo Park’s English language debut seems at once stylish, moody, thrilling and creepy. And to tell you the truth, I really can’t resist an action movie with bold, stylish originality. It’s kind of my niche genre favorite. I don’t know how to describe it except that Hanna was my favorite movie of 2011. Plus Kidman going for rough and raw over grace and polish wins me over every time, Mia Wasikowska seems to be playing into her waif typecasting and then turning it on its head, and Matthew Goode is both seductive and chillingly creepy. Family hitman drama? I don’t really know I’m just guessing and I will be there opening night to find out.

GOSLING

If Michael Fassbender was the go-to man for 2012 (based solely on the ratio between quality and quantity of output), then 2011 was Gosling’s. Starring in a plethora of great films (Drive, Ides Of March, Crazy Stupid Love) Gosling may have been away from the fray for a while, but now he’s back to reclaim his unofficial title of ‘Actor most likely to be in brilliant film’. 2013 finds him in an equally exciting array of films which will have you itching at the finger for the new year. Out in a matter of weeks on 10th January 2013, Gangster Squad will be your first opportunity to clap eyes on Gosling, doing his best LA slur.

Release for this period action movie was postponed by the unfortunate cinema shootings in Colorado on 12th July this year because of a similar scenario seen in the very first trailer where gangsters shoot at a cinema audience through the screen. Therefore, not wanting to look insensitive, Warner Bros. called for the scene to be altered and re-shot resulting in the release being pushed back from September to January. But nevertheless Gangster Squad promises to be an adrenaline-fueled thrill-ride with plenty of good performances to boot. Its an interesting move by director Ruben Fleischer whose back catalog mainly consists of comedy having most recently been behind the camera for 30 Minutes or Less which was a surprisingly decent action-comedy. Pencil this one into your diary.

The Place Beyond The Pines will see Gosling switching from cop to criminal in the third feature outing for Blue Valentine‘s Derek Cianfrance. In an equally left-field move akin to Fleischer, The Place Beyond The Pines is more of a thriller than Cianfrance’s usual romantic subject matter.

As seen in the trailer, Gosling plays stunt bike rider Luke who turns to robbing banks after finding out he has a son to fend for. Cue Bradley Cooper’s cop Avery and things get a whole lot more complicated. The Place The Beyond The Pines won generally favourable reviews when it premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and has been on my personal wishlist for quite a while now. If it matches Blue Valentine in its truth and vibrance when it is released on 12th April 2013 then that’ll be enough to please me.

Fans of Drive will be pleased to hear that Derek Cianfrance is not the only past collaborator Gosling has worked with recently. He’s also been beavering away with Nicolas Winding Refn on Only God Forgives which looks to be every bit as brutal as Drive if the teaser poster is anything to go by.

A battered and bruised Gosling indicates Only God Forgives won’t be pulling any of its punches. The plot follows a dispute between a Bangkok Police Lieutenant and a gangster that is settled through a Thai boxing match. Three guesses who’s playing the gangster… Other than that not much else is know about the project. Expect a stylised mix of violence, violence and some more violence.

Last but in no ways least, Gosling will be starring in one other film in 2013 that will get you hot under the collar. Its an as of yet untitled Terrence Malick project. Still on promotion duties for his latest release To The Wonder, info on this new project is still under wraps, but judging by the ridiculously spectacular cast this’ll be one to watch as we progress into 2013. Just view the cast list on the IMDB page here. Just look at it. Isn’t it beautiful? Go on, look again. Think of the possibilities….

CUMBERBATCH

Ryan Gosling might have a fight on his hands, as Benedict Cumberbatch will get his well deserved rise to prominence in 2013. Slogging away with small character roles in such films as Atonement, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Four Lions and Starter For 10, Cumberbatch will be starring in a number of films next year that will finally place him firmly in the Hollywood A-list. His fantastically stern interpretation of a modern-day Sherlock Holmes in BBC’s Sherlock caught the eye of many influential directors resulting in a backlog of wonderful parts for him to play. The first and most well-known will be his role as Kirk’s nemesis in the coming Star Trek Into Darkness.

Anyone who enjoyed the first in JJ Abrams’ reboot of the Star Trek franchise is sure to be in for a treat with this sequel. Judging by the trailer this will be the Empire Strikes Back of the series where Kirk and his crew will be pushed to their limits with less of the light-hearted, fun tone of the first film. Either way, it looks exciting and Cumberbatch looks to be a formidable enemy. Rumours are abound that he is playing long-time Trek baddie Khan, but we won’t truly know until the film is released on 17th May 2013. Those of you who cannot wait that long can go and see the opening 9 minutes to the film at any IMAX showing of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey which has got fans and critics alike anticipated for the sequel.

Speaking of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, where we barely glimpsed the dragon Smaug who is voiced by Cumberbatch, the second in the triptych The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug will be something of a Sherlock reunion. Those who have read the book will know that Bilbo, played by Martin Freeman (also Doctor Watson in Sherlock), will have to face off with Smaug which will hopefully maintain the chemistry between the two actors. Still nearly a year away The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug will be released on 13th December 2013.

Two other exciting Cumberbatch-related prospects will come in the form of August: Osage County and Twelve Years A Slave. The first is the film adaptation of the play that premiered in 2007.

The darkly comic play charters the internal politics of a family near Oklahoma. A real ensemble piece Cumberbatch plays the pivotal role of Charles Aiken and is surrounded by a fine cast such as Ewan McGregor, Meryl Streep and Sam Shepard. Directed by John Wells it will be intriguing to see how this film adaptation plays out, no release date has currently been set. Twelve Years A Slave will be the third feature outing of Steve McQueen after the resounding success of both Hunger and Shame. Starring alongside longtime McQueen collaborator Michael Fassbender and Brad Pitt, Cumberbatch plays a character named William Ford who is somehow involved in the kidnapping of man in the mid-1800s and then sold into slavery. The amazing cast alongside McQueen’s talent at directing stark, thought-provoking films make Twelve Years A Slave an essential trip to the cinema in 2013.

So what have we learnt at the end of it all? Gosling or Cumberbatch? Who will be the victor? Who knows? Who cares? Let’s be honest here, Gosling would win in a straight up fight. Cumberbatch would win at chess. Probably.

Read the third part of my 2013 preview here.

Dorothy Lyman as Violet on the set of August, Osage County. Photo: HSN | TR

In Raleigh, an impressive production of August, Osage County by Hot Summer Nights | Theatre Raleigh.

Under the intelligent, well-timed direction of Eric Woodall, August: Osage County examines three generations of an extended family at a time of particular crisis, even for them. Osage County stretches north and west from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to the Kansas line, and is the kind of place on the plains where people find either contentment or the overwhelming urge to be somewhere else. The

Dorothy Lyman with cast of August, Osage County. Photo: HSN | TR.

family’s story is introduced by the patriarch, Beverly Weston (Phil Crone), as he interviews a young woman to live in and help around the house. He explains the situation: he drinks; his wife takes pills. One doesn’t cause the other, he says, it is just how it is, and they don’t interfere with each other’s habits. The habits, however, are detrimental to orderly housekeeping.

Read the my full review on CVNC. The show, in the lovely Fletcher Opera Theater, closes Dec. 9.

In Durham, at my hometown art house, troublesome weirdness acted with verve:

Candy Korn plays a role in Manbites’ Seventy Scenes of Halloween. Photo: MDT.

Seventy Scenes of Halloween, a mutable play by Jeffrey M. Jones, was the initial show presented by Manbites Dog Theater in the days of its bold youth, 1987, in its first awkward space at 343 West Main Street in Durham. It’s an unsettling series of short scenes that may be put together in any order the director desires, but no matter how it’s ordered, it’s not a play you can pigeonhole — making it an excellent introduction for the new, oddly named company. No one, of course, had any expectation that 25 years later Manbites would have its own building and be celebrating an unbroken quarter-century of weird and wonderful new plays. These have been years of huge change in Durham, but this funky little theater (that makes the eagle grin on every dollar it can get) has provided continuity, and community, along with the challenging art.

Read my full review on CVNC. Show closes Dec. 15.

And in Chapel Hill, a delightful, high production value version of It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.  This review was first published Dec. 4 in The Indyweek, appearing in print with the headline “Season’s greetings and hellish holidays.”

Todd Lawson and Katja Hill  at Radio Station WPRC, in the PlayMakers Repertory Company holiday  production of It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. Photo: Jon Gardiner

Ray Dooley in PlayMakers Repertory Company production of It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. Photo: Jon Gardiner

The onslaught of holiday plays and concerts is upon us, and the roster includes many regular favorites (or yawners, depending), but this year PlayMakers Repertory Company offers an old favorite in a charming new guise. It’s a Wonderful Life, the 1947 Frank Capra film with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, for all its many merits and despite its condemnation of capitalist greed, is awash in sentimentality. This adaptation by Joe Landry is not. Sure, there’s some, but just a dusting atop a layer cake of real feeling. I went in expecting to be entertained and came away nourished.

Directed by Nelson T. Eusebio III, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play segues smoothly from the introductory “radio play” section with the five actors “reading” the many parts behind microphones, into a very active stage play in which the actors convert the few chairs and props into whatever’s needed. Along with composer/ musician Mark Lewis on piano, the cast also provides sound effects. Seeing how they make them in no way lessens their impact, even while the sight reminds us of the artfulness of what we experience. The play and this particular staging are unusually effective at exposing the artifice underpinning the theatrical experience without diminishing its magic.

Brandon Garegnani as the Angel Clarence, and Todd Lawson as George Bailey, in PRC’s It’s A Wonderful Life. Photo: Jon Gardiner

McKay Coble’s wonderful set for WPRC/ Bedford Falls is as much a character as any other, and Burke Brown’s lighting brings its many aspects to life. Todd Lawson, making his first PlayMakers appearance, is very moving as George Bailey, while MFA students Brandon Garegnani and Maren Searle give delightful performances as the angel Clarence and the lovely Mary Bailey, respectively. Durham actress Katja Hill shows her impressive range in several parts, from the child ZuZu to the vamping Violet. Ray Dooley also takes on many roles, including the mean old Mr. Potter, but as the radio announcer, he’s bright as brilliantine. This show’s highly recommended if you need to recharge your belief that yes, in spite of everything, it is a wonderful life.

The show runs through Dec. 16.

The Ensemble in PlayMakers Repertory Company production of It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. Photo: Jon Gardiner

1. The original listing designated the nights of Wednesday and Thursday, 12/12 & 13, for callbacks; instead, they will be held the nights of Tuesday and Thursday, 12/11 and 12/13.
2. The original listing suggested that only those interested in the role of Sophie need consider preparing a musical audition; a musical selection will also be required for consideration for the role of Mama Nadi.
3. There have been some questions regarding the posted audition sides. We ask that come prepared with two contrasting pieces: one in the vein of the character for which you’re auditioning, and one contrasting piece that shows your best work. The selected sides are offered as choices, but choosing one in no way limits your consideration to that particular role. Callbacks will consist of reading from the script.

Call Type: Equity Principal

Remainder of CET’s 2012/2013 Season
12/8/2012
Alabama School of Fine Arts
1800 Rev. Abraham Woods, Jr. Blvd. N.
Birmingham, AL 35203

Contract: SPT(I)
 Actors $208/week minimum, Stage Managers $248 a week minimum

Seeking
 Equity actors and Equity Stage Managers for the following productions:

• RUINED by Lynne Nottage, presented in association with the Aldridge Repertory Theatre. Please note Ruined is an all-African cast. Opens Feb 28, 2013, closes March 17, 2013.
• AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY by Tracy Letts. Opens May 30, 2013, closes June 9, 2013.

Audition appointments are five minutes long. Please prepare two contrasting contemporary pieces to total five minutes or less. OR, as RUINED has three songs, Actress/Singers interested in the role of SOPHIE prepare 1 contemporary Piece and 16 bars of a ballad. Accompanist and CD player will be provided. Please bring a picture and resume. Performers of all ethnic and racial backgrounds are encouraged to attend. Always bring your Equity Membership Card to auditions.

AEA Members audition time(s)
by APPOINTMENT
10 AM — 6 PM
Lunch from 12:30 – 1:30
For appointment, call 205-951-3029 beginning Monday, November 26. Equity Members without appointments will be seen throughout the audition day, as time permits. Stage Managers please submit resumes to CITY EQUITY THEATRE, 5350 Cornell Drive, Birmingham, AL 35210. A monitor will not be provided. The producers (Artistic Directors Jonathan Fuller & Alan Gardner) will run all aspects of this audition.

RUINED, directed by Cheryl Hall & Jonathan Fuller. City Equity Theatre will be hiring actors who live locally. All roles in RUINED will be cast with actors of African descent, and will require a Congolese accent.

THE FOLLOWING ROLES WILL BE AMONG THE ROLES CAST WITH EQUITY ACTORS:

• MAMMA NADI – A madam, a businesswoman, attractive, early 40′s.
• JOSEPHINE – One of Mamma’s stable of prostitutes, early twenties, sexy. Actor who moves well.
• SOPHIE – One of Madam’s , stable of prostitutes. Eighteen. ” a luminous beauty with an air of defiance. Singing required.
• SALIMA – One of Mama’s, stable of prostitutes. Nineteen. “A sturdy peasant woman whose face portrays an air of defiance.”
• CHRISTIAN – Early 40′s. A Perpetually cheerful travelling salesman. Recovering alcoholic.
• COMMANDER OSEMBENGA – A pompous peacock of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Government army. 30′s – 50′s.
• JEROME KISEMBE – Rebel Leader. Late 20′s – early 40′s.

OTHER ROLES:

• MR. HARARI – A Lebanese diamond merchant. Early 40′s
• FORTUNE – A Government Soldier, Salima’s husband.
• SIMON – A Government Soldier, Fortune’s cousin
• LAURENT – A Government Soldier, Osembenga’s assistant
• Plus some extra roles with possible doubling- Rebel Soldiers, Government Soldiers, Aid Worker, Prostitutes

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, directed by Jonathan Fuller. City Equity Theatre will be hiring actors who live locally.

THE FOLLOWING ROLES WILL BE AMONG THE ROLES CAST WITH EQUITY ACTORS:

• VIOLET WESTON – Acerbic Matriarch of the Weston clan. Cancer sufferer and prescription drug addict. 60′s.
• BARBARA FORDHAM – Violet’s Daughter. Late 30′s – 40′s
• BILL FORDHAM – Her estranged husband having an affair with one of his college students. 40′s
• IVY WESTON – Middle weston daughter. Long suffering, librarian, care-taking daughter of Violet. 30′s – 40′s.
• KAREN WESTON – Youngest Weston daughter. 30 – 40.
• MATTIE FAE AIKEN – Violet’s sister. 50′s.
• CHARLIE AIKEN – Mattie Fae’s husband. 50′s
• STEVE HEIDEBRECHT – Karen’s fiancé – 30′s to 40′s.

OTHER ROLES:

• BEVERLY WESTON – Violet’s college professor husband. 60′s. One scene.
• JEAN FORDHAM – Barbara and Bill’s 14 year old daughter. Pot smoking jail-bait.
• LITTLE CHARLES AIKEN – Charlie and Mattie Fae’s son 30′s. Low self esteem due to Mattie Fae’s negative influence on him.
• JOHNNA MONTEVATA – 26 year-old housekeeper. Of Cheyenne descent.
• SHERIFF DEON GILBEAU – Barbara’s old beau from high school 30′s – 40′s.

All roles are open in both shows. The precise distribution of Equity contracts will be dependent on casting. Non-Equity roles are unpaid, with the option of accruing Equity Membership Candidacy (EMC) points towards AEA membership. Callbacks will be held the evenings of Tuesday and Thursday, December 11 and 13.

1. The original listing designated the nights of Wednesday and Thursday, 12/12 & 13, for callbacks; instead, they will be held the nights of Tuesday and Thursday, 12/11 and 12/13.
2. The original listing suggested that only those interested in the role of Sophie need consider preparing a musical audition; a musical selection will also be required for consideration for the role of Mama Nadi.
3. There have been some questions regarding the posted audition sides. We ask that come prepared with two contrasting pieces: one in the vein of the character for which you’re auditioning, and one contrasting piece that shows your best work. The selected sides are offered as choices, but choosing one in no way limits your consideration to that particular role. Callbacks will consist of reading from the script.

Call Type: Equity Principal

Remainder of CET’s 2012/2013 Season
12/8/2012
Alabama School of Fine Arts
1800 Rev. Abraham Woods, Jr. Blvd. N.
Birmingham, AL 35203

Contract: SPT(I)
 Actors $208/week minimum, Stage Managers $248 a week minimum

Seeking
 Equity actors and Equity Stage Managers for the following productions:

• RUINED by Lynne Nottage, presented in association with the Aldridge Repertory Theatre. Please note Ruined is an all-African cast. Opens Feb 28, 2013, closes March 17, 2013.
• AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY by Tracy Letts. Opens May 30, 2013, closes June 9, 2013.

Audition appointments are five minutes long. Please prepare two contrasting contemporary pieces to total five minutes or less. OR, as RUINED has three songs, Actress/Singers interested in the role of SOPHIE prepare 1 contemporary Piece and 16 bars of a ballad. Accompanist and CD player will be provided. Please bring a picture and resume. Performers of all ethnic and racial backgrounds are encouraged to attend. Always bring your Equity Membership Card to auditions.

AEA Members audition time(s)
by APPOINTMENT
10 AM — 6 PM
Lunch from 12:30 – 1:30
For appointment, call 205-951-3029 beginning Monday, November 26. Equity Members without appointments will be seen throughout the audition day, as time permits. Stage Managers please submit resumes to CITY EQUITY THEATRE, 5350 Cornell Drive, Birmingham, AL 35210. A monitor will not be provided. The producers (Artistic Directors Jonathan Fuller & Alan Gardner) will run all aspects of this audition.

RUINED, directed by Cheryl Hall & Jonathan Fuller. City Equity Theatre will be hiring actors who live locally. All roles in RUINED will be cast with actors of African descent, and will require a Congolese accent.

THE FOLLOWING ROLES WILL BE AMONG THE ROLES CAST WITH EQUITY ACTORS:

• MAMMA NADI – A madam, a businesswoman, attractive, early 40′s.
• JOSEPHINE – One of Mamma’s stable of prostitutes, early twenties, sexy. Actor who moves well.
• SOPHIE – One of Madam’s , stable of prostitutes. Eighteen. ” a luminous beauty with an air of defiance. Singing required.
• SALIMA – One of Mama’s, stable of prostitutes. Nineteen. “A sturdy peasant woman whose face portrays an air of defiance.”
• CHRISTIAN – Early 40′s. A Perpetually cheerful travelling salesman. Recovering alcoholic.
• COMMANDER OSEMBENGA – A pompous peacock of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Government army. 30′s – 50′s.
• JEROME KISEMBE – Rebel Leader. Late 20′s – early 40′s.

OTHER ROLES:

• MR. HARARI – A Lebanese diamond merchant. Early 40′s
• FORTUNE – A Government Soldier, Salima’s husband.
• SIMON – A Government Soldier, Fortune’s cousin
• LAURENT – A Government Soldier, Osembenga’s assistant
• Plus some extra roles with possible doubling- Rebel Soldiers, Government Soldiers, Aid Worker, Prostitutes

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, directed by Jonathan Fuller. City Equity Theatre will be hiring actors who live locally.

THE FOLLOWING ROLES WILL BE AMONG THE ROLES CAST WITH EQUITY ACTORS:

• VIOLET WESTON – Acerbic Matriarch of the Weston clan. Cancer sufferer and prescription drug addict. 60′s.
• BARBARA FORDHAM – Violet’s Daughter. Late 30′s – 40′s
• BILL FORDHAM – Her estranged husband having an affair with one of his college students. 40′s
• IVY WESTON – Middle weston daughter. Long suffering, librarian, care-taking daughter of Violet. 30′s – 40′s.
• KAREN WESTON – Youngest Weston daughter. 30 – 40.
• MATTIE FAE AIKEN – Violet’s sister. 50′s.
• CHARLIE AIKEN – Mattie Fae’s husband. 50′s
• STEVE HEIDEBRECHT – Karen’s fiancé – 30′s to 40′s.

OTHER ROLES:

• BEVERLY WESTON – Violet’s college professor husband. 60′s. One scene.
• JEAN FORDHAM – Barbara and Bill’s 14 year old daughter. Pot smoking jail-bait.
• LITTLE CHARLES AIKEN – Charlie and Mattie Fae’s son 30′s. Low self esteem due to Mattie Fae’s negative influence on him.
• JOHNNA MONTEVATA – 26 year-old housekeeper. Of Cheyenne descent.
• SHERIFF DEON GILBEAU – Barbara’s old beau from high school 30′s – 40′s.

All roles are open in both shows. The precise distribution of Equity contracts will be dependent on casting. Non-Equity roles are unpaid, with the option of accruing Equity Membership Candidacy (EMC) points towards AEA membership. Callbacks will be held the evenings of Tuesday and Thursday, December 11 and 13.