It had been 12 years since John McClane (Bruce Willis) last stopped a criminal mastermind’s mass terrorist plot and “Live Free or Die Hard” tries to make up for every single one of them. John drives three pedestrian cars, a police car, a mack truck and flies a helicopter; he survives at least three long-distance falls and outruns two or three explosions; he saves two lives (including someone close to him) and kills at least a dozen. Well, that last bit was at least expected.

The long-awaited fourth Die Hard film delivers on the explosive and inventive action fronts like any solid action film, especially one in this beloved series, ought to. Director Len Wiseman (“Underworld”) proves he can handle the challenge of a mainstream action flick with ease and considering “Live Free or Die Hard” teeters on the edge of preposterous throughout its run time, the fact that he grounds any of this in realism warrants applause.

Mark Bomback and David Marconi’s story runs terrifically at full speed, though it is fairly obvious that the script had to be tailored for the likes of John McClane. The cyber-terrorism plot of hackers controlling all the major networks and servers in the U.S. and playing with traffic signals and interfering with police communications is not the first premise that someone writing a film for an old school hero such as John McClane would conceive. I was not surprised to see Marconi’s name on the story as the film was highly reminiscent of his 1998 thriller “Enemy of the State,” one of the first of what are now way overdone “techno- thrillers.”

The story has McClane working for Homeland Security and investigating a hacker name Matt Ferrell (Justin Long) after it appears someone has messed with the department’s network. Here is where John finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time yet again as someone’s out to kill Ferrell. Much like Samuel L. Jackson’s role in “Die Hard with a Vengeance,” Long gets to be the baggage to play off of Willis and also provide some sense of freaking out seeing as McClane has no reason to do that anymore.

Much of “Live Free” models itself off of “With a Vengeance,” not necessarily a poor choice considering that film was equally as exciting as far as pacing and action quality. Timothy Olyphant as the criminal mastermind Thomas Gabriel at least has a bit more practical motivation for his crime than Jeremy Irons did as Simon Gruber. In this film, McClane finds himself in the mix rather than the actual target partly a byproduct of making this script a Die Hard film rather that building one from scratch.

Olyphant is solid as a villain although it certainly takes a bit of time to take him seriously. Colorful villain is probably not his strong suit but its nice to see him in a lead. Long works well as a balancing act for Bruce. He’s one of few in his circle of comedian buddies that appears to have what it takes to cross into other genres and both play the lead or a character role.

At times, “Live Free” is like getting repeatedly hit by a car and not dying (which happens to at least two characters), but Wiseman clearly understands that McClane’s character (and all the characters for that matter) is most important in a Die Hard film. You simply can’t hinge everything on the action. No, the movie doesn’t evolve John as a character in any way, but it doesn’t suck him dry of his humanity either, even if he should’ve died at five different points in the film. Yet again, that’s the Die Hard shtick, love it or leave it.

—

3.5/5 Stars

—

Live Free or Die Hard
Directed by Len Wiseman
Written by Mark Bomback, David Marconi
Starring: Bruce Willis, Justin Long, Timothy Olyphant, Maggie Q

So maybe you can’t hear the crunching of leaves under your feet (or don’t want to quite yet — don’t blame you there), but fall movie season is upon us and it starts with a bang. Well, it started Wednesday with a quiet, brooding thriller in “The American” with George Clooney, a good film, but not exactly a major high note. Today, however, is the bang.

“Machete,” the fake-trailer-turned-feature-film from Robert Rodriguez (“Planet Terror,” “Sin City”) and one of my most anticipated fall movies, will tear up and shoot up theaters everywhere. But it’s not getting widest release; long-distance relationship rom-com “Going the Distance,” a summer movie delayed by a week starring Justin Long and Drew Barrymore, gets released in more than 3,000 theaters. Not sure who’s idea that was.

—

Now Playing

—

The American (Wed.)

Directed by Anton Corbijn
Written by Rowan Joffe, Martin Booth (novel)
Starring: George Clooney, Violante Placido, Thekla Reuten

The Word: Corbijn, who directed the buzzed-about black-and-white rock biopic “Control,” takes George Clooney on a spin as a man on the verge of dialing it in who makes high-powered rifles for people doing dirty jobs. After things go wrong in Sweden, he ends up in the Italian country and become involved with a prostitute.

Rotten Tomatoes: 60% (good)

My Thoughts: You can read my positive review for this film here, but it certainly is the type that will divide opinion. Basically, it’s not the fast-paced spy thriller one would expect it to be, but it’s visually impressive and still rather suspenseful — and you’ll definitely want to talk about it after.

Recommendation: If you like highly visual films or films that keep dialogue minimal, preferring to speak in non-verbal ways, you at least won’t be disappointed in “The American.” If you need something upbeat, it’s worth a rental later.

—

Machete

Directed by Robert Rodriguez, Ethan Maniquis
Written by Robert Rodriguez, Alvaro Rodriguez
Starring: Danny Trejo, Robert DeNiro, Jessica Alba

The Word: Pulling together the most randomly awesome cast ever, Rodriguez has created the ultimate ’70s “Mexploitation” flick. The film stars Rodriguez regulars such as Trejo and Cheech Marin as well as Michelle Rodriguez, Jessica Alba, Robert DeNiro, Lindsay Lohan, “LOST”‘s Jeff Fahey and even Steven Segal. The story is a typical revenge tale as Machete seeks to take down the man who hired him as a federale and betrayed him.

Rotten Tomatoes: 73% (very good)

My Thoughts: Can you think of a better film to start off the fall movie season than the delightfully insane “Machete”? Those who enjoyed “Planet Terror” ought to find Rodriguez in top form here. Early reviews are rather positive, so expect over-the-top action and hilarity in only the way a cheesy ’70s homage can provide.

Recommendation: Action B-movie lovers will find this a can’t miss and most people who enjoy not having to take an action/revenge film seriously all the time will likely love “Machete.”

—

Going the Distance

Directed by Nanette Burstein
Written by Geoff LaTulippe
Starring: Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Christina Applegate, Charlie Day

The Word: Everyone’s been there or thought about being there: the long-distance relationship. Real-life couple Drew Barrymore and Justin Long star in this story about just that and the funny moments that come out of making it work.

Rotten Tomatoes: 48% (not good)

My Thoughts: A movie such as this seems ripe to be picked on, but I’ll be a bit more forgiving seeing as Barrymore and Long are actually funny people. It is called a romantic comedy after all and too many times the stars are specialists in not comedy, but melodrama. The film can also brag being the first major film role for Charlie Day (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) and he seems like the funniest part in the trailers.

Recommendation: Certainly not worth seeing in theaters, but come rental time, I could see it as a good stay-at-home date movie.

—

Box Office Predictions

Two words: crap shoot. My projections have the top five films this week finishing with five-ish million dollars of each other, so this should be interesting. If you look at the film comparisons, all three films opening this week project to make at or around $10 million. There’s a romantic comedy that’s been minimally publicized, a slow-paced thriller with a major star and an exploitation film.

Based on buzz, if any of these films have the potential to exceed expectations, it’s Machete. I think the bar is only so high for the other films, but Robert Rodriguez could exceed expectations, even if the film “Machete” was first featured in, “Grindhouse,” was a box-office flop at just $10 million. I think “Machete” could slightly outdo expectations, especially with a more attractive cast, so I’m going to say $16 million.

It’s tough here at No. 2, but I think Going the Distance, the film with the largest release this weekend, will perform slightly better than most films of its rom-com ilk coming out in September and all. Barrymore’s films tend to fair reasonably well, so I think $12 million is possible. The American should finish right behind with $10-11 million based on that estimation.

Last week’s neck-and-neck competitors will round out the top five despite what I anticipate will be a large drop. Based on performance this week, Takers will beat out The Last Exorcism, and horror films usually fall further anyway. Both, however, shouldn’t fear the more successful August films below them. Each will land somewhere between $8 and $10 million.

1. Machete
2. Going the Distance
3. The American
4. Takers
5. The Last Exorcism

I generally like to end these previews with comedy since there’s usually more comedies than any other genre each season. Laughter has a high place at the movies and that will never change. There’s no better way to feel you got your money’s worth in these days of high ticket prices than to at least have a good laugh for a couple hours.

In case you missed them, here are the other fall previews I’ve posted thus far:

• Action/Thrillers
• Horror
• Drama

—

10. You Again (Sept. 24)

Directed by Andy Fickman
Written by Moe Jelline
Starring: Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Odette Yustman

The Word: This fall doesn’t have too many romantic comedies, so “You Again” is the one of these 10 comedies that caters most to the ladies. The story centers on a young woman whose brother is about to marry the girl that tormented her in high school. And it also turns out that the bully’s mom tormented her mom in high school. Small world. Somewhere in it all is Betty White being awesome.

My Thoughts: I tend to think of Curtis and Weaver as the same type of actress (the height thing), so seeing them together is weird. Other than that, as a fan of Bell, it would be nice to see her stop doing these romantic comedies (see “When in Rome” earlier this year) and take some roles that actually show the talent she has.

—

9. Alpha and Omega (Sept. 17)

Directed by Anthony Bell, Ben Gluck
Written by Chris Denk, Steve Moore
Starring: (voices) Justin Long, Hayden Panettiere, Christina Ricci, Dennis Hopper, Danny Glover

The Word: If you’re a major film distributor, your goal is to pair up with an animation studio (or start your own). Disney/Pixar, Paramount/DreamWorks, Fox/Fox Animation. This year, Universal teams up with Illumination Entertainment for the first time and found massive success with “Despicable Me.” Now it’s Lionsgate’s turn — they’ve embraced Crest Animation Studios to turn out this film about two wolves that couldn’t have different personalities or social statuses who are forced together to survive.

My Thoughts: This year has been another amazing success for the animation medium. That said, this film looks bad. The animation is bland and the story couldn’t be more generic. These days, the bar is high for animation. You can’t just make a film with animals and expect a hit on your hands. I’m open, but you’re better off waiting a week for Zack Snyder’s “Legends of the Guardians.”

—

8. Life As We Know It (Oct. 8)

Directed by Greg Berlanti
Written by Ian Deitchman, Kristen Rusk Robinson
Starring: Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel

The Word: In just three years Katherine Heigl has gone from promising comic actress (“Knocked Up”) to Jennifer Aniston levels of unfunny  romantic comedies. This time she ropes in “Transformers” star Duhamel, but the film (and the trailer) bounces back and forth between comedy and drama. The reason being is that Duhamel and Heigl’s characters despite each other but are forced to take care of a baby (funny) because the baby’s parents were their friends who died in a car accident (serious).

My Thoughts: The bi-polar nature of this film is intriguing but concerning. Trying to think like the average moviegoer, I wouldn’t know if I’d want to see it just by virtue of not knowing if I’m getting some comic relief or a serious film about family. Some of each seem funny, then again, you never want uncertainty from a trailer.

—

7. The Virginity Hit (Sept. 10 – limited)

Written and directed by Huck Botko and Andrew Gurland
Starring: Matt Bennett, Nicole Weaver, Zack Pearlman, Jacob Davich

The Word: Adam McKay and Will Ferrell present a comedy from one of the writers of “The Last Exorcism.” Huh? Well, both this film and that one use a handheld style with the look and feel of low budget. “The Virginity Hit” looks like the “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” meets “The Real World” meets high school. A group of friends attempt to document their friend losing his virginity to his girlfriend, who finds out. Not good.

My Thoughts: Certainly different, but kind of troubling at the same time. Who thinks it’s a good idea to record their losing their virginity. This is not the type of thing high school kids need to see, as losing one’s virginity really shouldn’t be put on this kind of a pedestal, but I digress — not my place to say if it’s right, just if it’s funny and it could be funny/interesting. The fact that it looks “real” might also convince people to see it, since that’s how reality TV works.

—

6. Jackass 3-D (Oct. 15)

Directed by Jeff Tremaine
Written by Preston Lacy
Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius

The Word: If you’re going to make a third movie about men carelessly throwing themselves in harm’s way for the sake of entertainment, 3D seems like the logical next step in the medium’s evolution, right? Well, that’s what’s happening in this guilty pleasure franchise.

My Thoughts: Hard to believe that “Jackass” is a 10-year-old series/concept, but who can blame these guys for taking advantage of the eternal truth that watching others get hurt is always funny? I’m not sure I would pay $10 to see it in theaters, let alone the premium on the 3-D ticket. “Jackass” has always struck me as mindless rental material, but perhaps laughing and gasping with several others make it that much better.

—

5. Megamind (Nov. 5)

Directed by Tom McGrath
Written by Alan J. Schoolcraft, Brent Simons
Starring: (voices) Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill

The Word: DreamWorks has already had one animated critical and financial success and another financial success so far in 2010 with “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Shrek Forever After,” so now they go for the trifecta with “Megamind,” another animated film hoping to capitalize on the superhero/supervillain dynamic. This one features Ferrell as the villain-since-birth, Megamind, who after finally defeating his arch nemesis (Pitt), finds life meaningless.

My Thoughts: This take on the supervillain tale is interesting and the trailer is amusing enough as the character suits Ferrell’s voice talents really well. It’s not exactly bursting with originality, but it’s in prime position to do well with no family films set for October and three weeks before Disney’s Rapunzel film “Tangled” hits theaters.

—

4. It’s Kind of a Funny Story (Oct. 8 – limited)

Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
Written by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Ned Vizzini (novel)
Starring: Keir Gilchrist, Zach Galifianakis, Emma Roberts

The Word: A teenager wrestling with depression checks into a hospital’s adult psychiatric ward where he meets an interesting cast of characters (including none other than Zach Galifianakis) and his equally troubled love interest (Emma Roberts). The trailer makes a good case for “Funny Story” to be the indie comedy hit of the season and the filmmakers, Boden and Fleck, were responsible for acclaimed indies “Half Nelson” with Ryan Gosling and Dominican baseball movie “Sugar.”

My Thoughts: A classic indie coming-of-ager set in a mental institution of sorts seems like an appropriate analogy for struggling with and understanding life’s problems. Galifianakis will get a chance to flex both comedic and dramatic muscles as well, which should be interesting. The track record for this filmmaking duo is also excellent, so expect “Funny Story” to deliver.

—

3. Easy A (Sept. 17)

Directed by Will Gluck
Written by Burt V. Royal
Starring: Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes, Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson

The Word: Rising star Emma Stone (“The House Bunny,” “Zombieland”) stars as a girl who pretends to have sex with a gay male friend at a party so that guys at school will stop picking on him, but the success leads many others to ask for the same “favor,” and so she sullies her once-good reputation at school. While reading Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter,” a girl tells her to embroider an “A” on her clothes to mark her promiscuity and she accepts the challenge. Sony must be happy with director Will Gluck, as he’s also got “Friends with Benefits” for them coming out next summer, starring Mila Kunis, Stone and Justin Timberlake.

My Thoughts: I think Stone is great and it’s nice to see her land that lead role. Accompanied by Oscar-nominated actors playing her parents, I think “Easy A” could be one of those rare teen comedies that actually works.

—

2. Due Date (Nov. 5)

Directed by Todd Phillips
Written by Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freedland, Adam Sztykiel, Todd Phillips
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan, Jamie Foxx

The Word: When you helm the most successful R-rated comedy of all time, you win the keys to the Hollywood castle. That’s the situation for director Todd Phillips and his post-”Hangover” offering is “Due Date,” co-starring two of movies’ hottest names at the moment in RDJ and Galifianakis. In a “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” type of premise, the two are forced to stick together on a cross-country journey  if Downey Jr.’s character is to arrive in time for the birth of his child.

My Thoughts: This is one of those films that even if it isn’t all that good, ought to at least garner positive reviews for the mere fact that these two will be bantering back and forth for 90-plus minutes. If Warner Bros. has another comedy hit on its hands, however, that would only continue the surge for all the talents involved, especially the already-prolific stars.

—

1. Machete (Sept. 3)

Directed by Robert Rodriguez, Ethan Maniquis
Written by Robert Rodriguez, Alvaro Rodriguez
Starring: Danny Trejo, Robert DeNiro, Jessica Alba

The Word: If you saw “Grindhouse” or when it was separated into “Planet Terror” and “Death Proof,” you might have seen a trailer for “Machete.” The idea was to have directors just create fake movie trailers, but Rodriguez took his idea for “Machete” a step further: an actual feature film. Pulling together the most randomly awesome cast ever, Rodriguez has created the ultimate ’70s Mexploitation flick. The film stars Rodriguez regulars such as Trejo and Cheech Marin as well as Michelle Rodriguez, Jessica Alba, Robert DeNiro, Lindsay Lohan, “LOST”‘s Jeff Fahey and even Steven Segal.

My Thoughts: Can you think of a better film to start off the fall movie season than the delightfully insane “Machete”? Those who enjoyed “Planet Terror” ought to find Rodriguez in top form here. Early reviews are rather positive, so expect over-the-top action and hilarity in only the way a cheesy ’70s homage can provide. Sure, this movie might belong on my action list (at least based on this second trailer), but if you don’t laugh, then you can complain to me personally.

Most “one last job” movies are high-energy action flicks or thrillers driven by a veteran actor playing a character with a troubling back story, but Anton Corbijn’s “The American” operates as a character-driven mood piece, a precise and quiet visual portrayal of a man trying to quit his dangerous profession who is constantly haunted and pervasively paranoid.

Way different from the Clooney-led spy thrillers of the ’90s, “The American” broods and ruminates under the Corbijn’s precise visual style. Those expecting Clooney’s return to suave criminal mastery will find themselves waiting and waiting for this film to pop. It doesn’t. There is no mêlée of Bourne-style assassin-chasing amid the hillside towns of the Italian countryside, so for many, shots of Clooney doing push-ups and putting together a rifle will become tedious.

But “The American” doesn’t languish quite as much as it might seem, though it certainly does at times. After a jarring opening sequence in Sweden when Clooney’s character Jack realizes he’s being targeted, Jack quietly makes his way to Rome and then Abruzzo, where a job awaits him even though he’s clearly ready to quit and he’s still shaken from Sweden. Shots of him maneuvering the gorgeous countryside ensue as well as aforementioned exercise. In a town in the Abruzzo area, he meets Mathilde, his client, for whom he will build a custom rifle as that’s his line of work. In the process, he becomes close with a gorgeous prostitute named Clara (Violante Placido) and comes to believe he’s being pursued by the Swedes, causing paranoia to engross him.

Corbijn, who directed the 2007 black-and-white biopic “Control” about the short life of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, possesses a calculated and engaging visual style. His shots are ideally framed and pull our eye everywhere it needs to go. Considering dialogue is sparse, the ability for a scene to say a lot without saying anything is crucial and Corbijn does just that. He also plays well off audience expectation for this genre and twists the story in fresh and interesting ways.

Corbijn and Clooney are clearly on the same page, even if it means the film puts too much emphasis on the non-verbal and the dauntingly slow build-up to the climax. As much as the emphasis is tone, tone and tone, we come to understand Jack (who later decides he’s Edward) extremely well and see his conflict between sticking to his sinful nature as a means to survive and just letting it all go because it bottles him up inside. You can critique the method all you like and complain about the film’s choice to lean towards drama instead of action, but Corbijn possesses a good measure of talent and “The American” will leave a profound impression.

—

3.5/5 Stars

—

The American
Directed by Anton Corbijn
Written by Rowan Joffe, Martin Booth (novel)
Starring: George Clooney, Violante Placido, Thekla Reuten, Paolo Bonacelli

It’s no secret: summer is action movie season. Studios usually place all their action films in summer (and now spring) so that the dramas can begin to stroll in in the fall. Well, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some action films (and some thrillers) out there worth seeing. In fact, sometimes these are the best and most underrated movies of the fall.

So that’s my advice to you: don’t forget about these guys. A number of these eight movies might rank as Fall 2010′s best films.

—

8. Resident Evil: Afterlife (Sept. 10)

Written and directed by Paul W.S Anderson
Starring: Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter

The Word: There might not be a bigger advocate for 3D than Paul W.S. Anderson, at least among big-name directors. Anderson returns to direct the fourth film based on the zombie apocalypse video games for that very reason. The plot for this film takes Alice to Los Angeles where she leads a group of survivors to a supposed safe haven that is in fact overwrought with undead.

My Thoughts: I’ve never gotten on board with this franchise, but it certainly has its fans (or should I say Jovovich?) and will perform reasonably at the box office. However, based on this summer’s result, there’s been a backlash against 3-D sequels and there’s no question “Afterlife” will be more on the exploitation side of 3D.

—

7. Skyline (Nov. 12)

Directed by Greg and Colin Strause
Written by Joshua Cordes, Liam O’Donnell
Starring: Eric Balfour, Scottie Thompson, Donal Faison, Brittany Daniel

The Word: Independently financed, in-house visual effects and filming mostly in one of the director’s apartments, the scale of “Skyline” has won comparisons to “Cloverfield” but the plot is more “Independence Day” as this is definitely an “unfriendly alien invasion” story. But while there is a buzz, there is also the obvious: these brothers are the same duo that brought us “Alien v. Predator: Requiem.”

My Thoughts: When a film is directed by someone(s) who made an Alien or Predator film that isn’t Ridley Scott, James Cameron or John McTiernan, I have a right to be skeptical. It’s easy to jump on what this film “appears” to be and it certain holds some promise, but the curtain might be more interesting than what’s behind it.

—

6. Unstoppable (Nov. 12)

Directed by Tony Scott
Written by Mark Bomback
Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson

The Word: It seems that prolific and respected director Tony Scott has a thing with trains of later. His 2009 film was “The Taking of Pelham 123″ and though it was one of the more sour of his nought films, “Unstoppable” has a much more original premise that mixes in elements of “Speed.” Basically, a freight train appears barreling at destructive speeds and carrying explosive materials and these characters must find a way to stop it. The film is based around true events and re-teams Scott and Washington once again, this time with “Star Trek” (2009) star Chris Pine.

My Thoughts: Even if “Unstoppable” isn’t one of the more exciting films of the year — which I do think it might be —  it’s bound to be entertaining. Tony Scott might not always make great action films or thrillers, but no one is more consistently entertaining than he, especially if you consider that he churns out a new film every year. Considering this is a simple premise, there’s a chance that this could be a tightly packed couple hours of great fun and intensity.

—

5. The American (Sept. 1)

Directed by Anton Corbijn
Written by Rowan Joffe, Martin Booth (novel)
Starring: George Clooney, Irina Bjorklund

The Word: It’s rare that George Clooney steps out of his comfort zone to go with a rare director, no less a Dutchman by the name of Anton Corbijn whose biggest credits are Depeche Mode music videos. He did direct a tiny, well-received film in 2007 entitled “Control,” but working with a name like Clooney — that’s big. Hollywood’s king of suave plays an assassin on the proverbial “one last job” where he falls for a woman as well as appears to be hunted.

My Thoughts: It’s been awhile since we saw Clooney getting gritty with a gun, but it’s certainly welcome. The film is not being screened for critics, but Clooney doesn’t turn in junk — it’s not in his nature. “The American” might go quietly considering the “last assassin job” lacks some originality, but so long as the writing is good (Rowan Joffe wrote a solid “28 Weeks Later” script) this should deliver in some capacity.

—

4. Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (Sept. 24)

Directed by Zack Snyder
Written by John Orloff and Emil Stern, Kathryn Lasky (novels)
Starring: (voices) Hugo Weaving, Helen Mirren, Geoffrey Rush, Jim Sturgess

The Word: The contemporary king of style, Zack Snyder, tries his hand at the world of animation in this adventure film based on a book series. The animation looks stunning, not a surprise considering this is the same animation studio that brought us the Oscar-winning “Happy Feet.” The film is about Soren, a barn owl who is captured by a group of evil owls that brainwash young owlets into soldiers. In desperation, they search the legendary owls of Ga’Hoole to fight against the evil owls.

My Thoughts: It’s hard to dismiss any animated film these days, no less one that ought to be pretty gorgeous considering Snyder was involved. I put this on the action list because I expect it to be more visual and fantasy-based than humorous — a “Lord of the Rings” for animated films.

—

3. Hereafter (Oct. 22)

Directed by Clint Eastwood
Written by Peter Morgan
Starring: Matt Damon, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jay Mohr, Richard Kind

The Word: It would be unwise not to keep an eye on a Clint Eastwood project, even if only one digital still and no poster or even teaser has yet to surface. Re-teaming with “Invictus” star Matt Damon, Eastwood dips into the realm of the supernatural thriller. “Hereafter” involves multiple storylines from what I gather, each dealing with death, but not in the dark, dramatic way, more in a “Sixth Sense” kind of way. That’s about as much as we know. The film could be pushed back at this point considering marketing is so far behind.

My Thoughts: Eastwood is great, but Peter Morgan might be even better. Morgan wrote the screenplays for “The Last King of Scotland,” “The Queen” and “Frost/Nixon.” The thriller genre appears to be an experiment for Morgan, but maybe he’s always wanted to break away from the historical fiction and he finally got his chance.

—

2. The Town (Sept. 17)

Directed by Ben Affleck
Written by Ben Affleck, Adam Stockard and Peter Craig, Chuck Hogan (novel)
Starring: Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, John Hamm

The Word: Affleck’s second directorial effort after the acclaimed but under-appreciated “Gone Baby Gone” stays in Boston but focuses on a team of bank robbers. Affleck plays a robber who has fallen for one of the bank managers involved in one of his jobs, but as if that wasn’t enough, he and his buddies are trying to fend off the FBI (that’s where John Hamm comes in).

My Thoughts: The trailer for this film when you see it the first time rocks — then the title comes up. “The Town?” was that the best they could do? Well, don’t let it knock this off your radar, because it’s set up for success. The amount of talents in this film are impressive. If you still haven’t seen “Gone Baby Gone,” you have to. As much as Affleck is the but of many Hollywood jokes, he’s got a lot of skill on the other side of the camera.

—

1. RED (Oct. 15)

Directed by Robert Schwentke
Written by Jon and Erich Hoeber, Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner (graphic novel)
Starring: Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman

The Word:  Summit Entertainment brilliantly bought the rights to this DC/Vertigo comic realizing they could load up on top-notch middle-aged or older stars while still appealing to a younger crowd. The sense of humor is clear from the trailer and German director Schwentke (“Flightplan,” “The Time Traveler’s Wife”) is one of the hot names going about for studios looking for directors for action flicks. “RED” focuses on a group of retired CIA agents that discover someone or something is after them.

My Thoughts: As anyone who’s gung-ho about “RED” aka “Retired Extremely Dangerous” will tell you, what’s not to love about Helen Mirren with a machine gun? All the pieces of a unique and fun movie experience are here and in a down season for action movies, “RED” is certainly the bright spot. We don’t often get to see these guys (okay, Willis aside) kicking ass and you have to imagine the cast had as much fun with it as we expect to come Oct. 15.

It came down to the wire, but “Takers” nosed “The Last Exorcism” this weekend by a couple hundred thousand dollars. Both films were able to take advantage of the slow “can it please just be fall already” weekend, with “Takers” surprising the most, at least in my estimation.

The $20.5 million for “Takers” goes to show what a few high-profile musicians names and a typical but fan-favorite heist premise can do for a film plagued and delayed by many a thing, including Chris Brown’s “incident.” It was enough to end the late August trend of horror movies topping the box office, but barely.

1. Takers – $20.5 M (weekend) … $20.5 M (gross)
2. The Last Exorcism – $20.3 M … $20.3 M
3. The Expendables – $9.5 M  … $82 M
4. Eat Pray Love – $6.8 M … $60.5 M
5. The Other Guys – $6.2 M … $99 M
6. Vampires Suck – $5.2 M … $27.8 M
7. Inception – $4.8 M … $270.5 M
8. Nanny McPhee Returns – $4.7 M … $16.9 M
9. The Switch – $4.5 M … $16.4 M
10. Piranha 3D – $4.3 M … $18.2 M

Of the five films that came back for a second weekend, only a couple did well. The films of earlier in the month all stayed in the top five instead of bowing down to any of those films. “Lottery Ticket” for example nose-dived out of the top ten from a little over $10 million last week to $3.8 million this week. “Vampires Suck” fell from second place to sixth and “Piranha 3D” went from sixth to tenth. Only “Nanny McPhee Returns” and “The Switch” in that group held up respectably this past weekend.

Elsewhere, the re-release special edition of “Avatar” just missed the list earning $4 million in 812 theaters nation-wide. A solid per-theater average, but nothing amazingly impressive.

If autumn has a favorite genre, it’s horror. Blockbuster action flicks have cooled down post-summer, dramas are a bit too far from Oscar-recognition time and comedies are spotty at best. Yet September/October is the time of year horror movies call home. At least one if not two horror films have great success at this time of year. “Paranormal Activity” was the low-budget hit of the fall and its sequel is one of the films vying for that same prominence.

Here are eight horror films on the fall docket (also known as the black and white poster parade) that you should take note of. If you missed my first fall preview post about fall dramas, check it out by clicking the link.

—

8. Hatchet II (Oct. 1, limited)

Written and directed by Adam Green
Starring: Danielle Harris, Tony Todd, Kane Hodder

The Word: Wondering about the first “Hatchet?” me too. The 2007 film grossed an astounding $208,550 worldwide, which I guess warranted a sequel for filmmaker Adam Green, who directed the situational horror flick “Frozen” which came out in limited release earlier this year about a few young people stuck on a ski lift for an entire weekend. Anyway, the “series” is an old-school type of slasher flick featuring a dude with a hatchet in a swamp named Victor Crowley. Victor’s a ways away from being Mike Myers or Jason Voorhees, but he’s trying.

My Thoughts: I can understand if horror fans are crying for a new slasher to be born and for filmmakers to stop retreading the same three serial killers, but I’m not sure that makes “Hatchet II” anything more than a good time on DVD.

—

7. My Soul to Take (Oct. 8)

Written and directed by Wes Craven
Starring: Max Thieriot, Denzel Whitaker, Zena Grey

The Word: It’s been five years since horror master Wes Craven helmed a movie and that was 2005′s thriller “Red Eye,” so many horror-lovers have their eyes set on “Soul.” This is a return to his usual “serial killer attacking young people” premise and in true Craven fashion, these attacks are not coincidence but the people involved were born on the day the killer was said to have died and they’re convinced that one of them received his soul and is the current “killer,” so the guessing game of who it is reminiscent of “Scream” also plays a part. The film will be presented in 3D.

My Thoughts: You can’t ignore something that Wes Craven has invested his time into, but “My Soul to Take” is not exactly rolling around in originality. It doesn’t help that the film will be released amidst a 3-D backlash; a classic Craven-style slasher doesn’t seem to warrant the extra dimension either. At the same time, “Soul” could be one of the more engaging of the traditional horror films and sequels coming out this season.

—

6. Case 39 (Oct. 1)

Directed by Christian Alvart
Written by Ray Wright
Starring: Renee Zellweger, Bradley Cooper, Jodelle Ferland, Ian McShane

The Word: It only took 14 months (and a year since director Alvart’s film “Pandorum,” which was made after it, came out), but “Case 39″ is finally getting a wide release in the United States. Not sure what took so long for Paramount Vantage to pick this film up considering it actually has famous people in it, but nevertheless, American audiences will finally open the file. The film is a mystery/thriller type horror film about a child services employee who takes in a young girl after witnessing her parents try and kill her. Turns out the folks weren’t that crazy because some other-worldly spirits follow her around and people end up dead.

My Thoughts: Can’t help but be skeptical when a film has gone all over the world and has even been released on DVD in some countries and finally gets a wide release in America more than a year later. The supernatural elements in the trailer feel overblown and the whole little girl in horror films thing is getting really old. I don’t think Zellweger is enough to prove the 21% already on Rotten Tomatoes wrong.

—

5. Paranormal Activity 2 (Oct. 22)

Directed by Tod Williams
Written by Michael R. Perry, Oren Peli (characters)
Starring: Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Carey Mulligan, Josh Brolin

The Word: When this microscopic-budget film about a couple moving into a house overrun by a poltergeist became the phenomenon of last year, a sequel was greenlit “Saw” style so that another offering would be ready this year. Well, here we are and original director Oren Peli has stepped away from directing and writing duties as is usually the case with films whose creator wasn’t expecting a sequel (or to become a millionaire for that matter). Tod Williams (“The Door in the Floor”) directs with TV writer Perry on script. Only the teaser has provided a look at the film — the rest of the details are under wraps, but interestingly, Katie Featherton from the original is involved, which will mean something to those who’ve seen the first film. There’s also a dog and a baby as seen in the trailer.

My Thoughts: If Williams can mimic the slow build-up of the original and find a comparable climax, then maybe this film has a shot to be good, but the odds are stacked against it in terms of outdoing or comparing or offering something better than the original now that the shock value has worn off a bit.

—

4. Devil (Sept. 17)

Directed by Drew and John Erick Dowdle
Written by Brian Nelson, M. Night Shyamalan (story)
Starring: Chris Messina, Geoffrey Arend, Caroline Dhavernas

The Word: Time will tell if Universal was wise in deciding to intimately tie M. Night Shyamalan (producer and story credit) to “Devil” in the advertisements despite him not actually directing or scripting. Seeing as “Devil” is a horror/thriller/who’s the evil one? mystery, some people are extending him a last chance with this film which is arguable in terms of being justified. “Devil” tells the story of a group of strangers trapped in an elevator, one of who is presumably the Prince of Darkness, because strange stuff starts happening.

My Thoughts: I’m always intrigued the by the “social experiment” premise for a thriller or horror film, so I’m curious to see what the critics’ response will be to “Devil.” I think if Universal were a bit more confident in it, they would’ve positioned it in October, which is where they have the aforementioned “My Soul to Take.”

—

3. Saw 3D (Oct. 29)

Directed by Kevin Greutert
Written by Marcus Dunstan, Patrick Melton
Starring: Tobin Bell, Cary Elwes, Sean Patrick Flanery

The Word: Still in the usual Halloween spot, the Saw series has announced it will conclude with “Saw 3D,” the seventh installment in the long-running series that has earned the title of grandaddy of torture films. At the least, this project is consistent with the writers of the last three movies and Greutert, the director of “Saw VI.” There should also be no surprise about this Saw being seen in 3D.

My Thoughts: According to the teaser, all of Jigsaw’s work has been leading to this. All I can say is if  it took six films to finally get there, it better be worth it for those fans that have stayed loyal all this time.

—

2. Let Me In (Oct. 1)

Directed by Matt Reeves
Written by Matt Reeves, John Ajvide Lindqvist (screenplay and novel)
Starring: Chloe Moretz, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Richard Jenkins

The Word: Few films get the stink eye more than an American remake of a critically acclaimed foreign film, which is exactly what “Let Me In” is. Based on the Swedish book-turned-film, “Let the Right One In,” the story focuses on a young vampire (Moretz) and her relationship with a boy in the town she’s just moved to with her guardian. It is much more thriller/drama than horror and focuses on this pre-teen relationship as opposed to the vampire aspects at its core. Directed by “Cloverfield’s” Matt Reeves.

My Thoughts: ”Let Me In” turned some doubters into believers at Comic Con this year and this could be one of those films where the source material is so strong that so long as Reeves honors it decently, it should be a very good film if not a great one. Featuring two young talents and a lovable veteran in Jenkins, keep an eye on this film as it will definitely cater to outside the horror demographic.

—

1. Buried (Sept. 24, limited – Oct. 8, wide)

Directed by Rodrigo Cortes
Written by Chris Sparling
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Stephen Toblowsky

The Word: One of the crowd favorites at Sundance, “Buried” became a hot commodity that Lionsgate swooped up. A situational thriller/horror film, “Buried” stars Ryan Reynolds in more or less a one-man show about a guy buried alive and left with nothing but a lighter and a cell phone. The positive buzz must mean a dude in a box is pretty intense for the duration of 90 minutes. Lionsgate must also be thrilled to have a star like Reynolds to market the film much more easily.

My Thoughts: With all the praise so far for “Buried,” it’s my pick to be the low-budget horror film that makes big bucks this year. “Let Me In” could earn some more acclaim, but likely won’t draw the crowds this one could with Reynolds on the marquee and the situational premise.

Summer finally closes out on an unexciting note. There’s a low-budget-style horror film in “The Last Exorcism,” a heist-centered action film in “Takers” and the release of that little film from last winter called “Avatar.”

I don’t know about you, but bring on the fall already. Next week alone is a massive improvement.

—

Now Playing

—

The Last Exorcism

Directed by Daniel Stamm
Written by Huck Botko and Andrew Gurland
Starring: Patrick Fabian, Ashley Bell, Iris Bahr, Caleb Landry Jones

The Word: This film’s big endorsement comes from “Hostel” creator Eli Roth (also known as “Bear Jew”). It’s a found footage/faux documentary horror movie about a minister’s “one last job,” only it’s not a heist, it’s an exorcism.

Rotten Tomatoes: 63% (good)

My Thoughts: Horror films in August tend to surprise some times, at least at the box office. At least this is different than your typical exorcism film, if that makes any sense. The faux-documentary style should suit it well.

Recommendation: If you need your fix in a horror-deprived summer, this is your shot, otherwise you have to wait until mid-September/October.

—

Takers

Directed by John Luessenhop
Written by Peter Allen, Gabriel Casseus, John Luessenhop, Avery Duff
Starring: Chris Brown, Hayden Christiansen, Matt Dillon, Idris Elba

The Word: More interesting than this typical large-cast heist premise featuring a multi-cultural cast is that “Takers” will be the first film that allows for futures and commodities trading based on box-office returns, which might finally get me interested in investing.

Rotten Tomatoes: 35% (bad)

My Thoughts: Heist films are always worth noting, but when one gets dumped at the end of August, that’s not exactly what you’d call a vote of confidence. On the other hand, the rap/R&B stars present could give “Takers” a box-office push.

Recommendation: If you like an occasional fun heist with a soundtrack provided by its stars, rent this.

—

Avatar: Special Edition

Written and directed by James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang

The Word: Most films get a special edition DVD, but when you’re the most successful film in movie history, that warrants a re-release. If you missed “Avatar” in theaters, this is your chance, only you have to sit a little while longer, but only a whopping eight minutes.

Rotten Tomatoes: 83% (great)

My Thoughts: I haven’t seen “Avatar” since theaters and I don’t even own it yet as I’m waiting to be rich and have a giant HD television and Blu-ray player. That’s because this movie needs to be seen on a big screen. I don’t think eight minutes is worth it for fans who’ve seen it before, but otherwise, it deserves a re-release.

Recommendation: If a film was meant to be seen on a big screen, this is it. If you’ve just seen it on a 2-D television, you probably don’t know what all the fuss is about and it’s definitely worth going.

—

Box Office Predictions

The box office is primed to be taken over. It would be embarrassing if a film could eclipse the $9-10 million I predict for the winner of the last two weeks, so with that in mind, I pick The Last Exorcism, seeing as there’s always that one late August horror film that comes out and wins the box office for a week or two. I’m thinking $12-15 million, but given the lull this week, closer to $20 M is not out of the realm of possible given the reviews are mostly positive.

I also think that the name recognition for younger audiences in Takers should earn it second with $10-12 million. No reason it should fall to The Expendables, which will easily be the highest-finishing film already released. Last week’s second-place finisher “Vampires Suck” should have a huge drop-off, so Eat Pray Love should jump it for fourth considering the two films were neck-and-neck (no pun intended) last weekend anyway. I also suspect The Other Guys will leapfrog over “Lottery Ticket,” two films that were also very close in the box-office race last weekend. It’ll be close between those guys and “Vampires Suck,” but I will put my money on quality.

1. The Last Exorcism
2. Takers
3. The Expendables
4. Eat Pray Love
5. The Other Guys

Our fall preview begins with the dramas. The fall is a peculiar time for drama. Most major/buzzworthy dramas debut at festivals in the fall and get released to the general public during the holiday season, but many Oscar gems have come from October and early November.

And then there are the stinkers. Not every film appearing in October or November that’s a drama is a real threat in the Oscar race, some not even close. So, which are which? I’ve ranked these films based on potential quality and overall buzz. Check out these eight dramas, watch the trailers and then you be the judge.

—

8. Secretariat (Oct. 8)

Directed by Randall Wallace
Written by Mike Rich, William Nack (book)
Starring: Diane Lane, John Malkovich, James Cromwell

The Word: Thought Seabiscuit was cool? Now comes the story of Secretariat from Disney, the horse that won the Triple Crown in 1973 despite the impossible odds against him and his owner, Penny Chenery (Diane Lane). It’s an unlikely combination of sports underdog story and feminism. Written by Mike Rich (“The Rookie,” “Finding Forrester”) and directed by Randall Wallace (“We Were Soldiers,” “The Man in the Iron Mask”).

My Thoughts: If this were 2003, I would say enough with the horse movies, but it’s been awhile and Disney is very selective with its sports underdog movies. “The Rookie” and “Miracle” are two of the best modern examples. At the same time, this isn’t very original and Diane Lane and John Malkovich aren’y the types who can ride a film to box office success.

—

7. The Company Men (Oct. 22, limited)

Written and directed by John Wells
Starring: Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Costner

The Word: When the economy turned, Hollywood’s eyes turned to some potential projects involving the emotions of unemployment and job loss, the biggest and most recent film being last year’s Oscar-nominated George Clooney vehicle “Up in the Air.” Now, major television drama producer/writer/director John Wells (“The West Wing,” “E.R.” and most recently “Southland”) tackles the subject in his film “The Company Men,” which follows three employees after a corporate downsizing and their consequent struggles in their personal and professional lives.

My Thoughts: The talents are pretty top-notch for this film despite it seeming like an ordinary every-man uplifting drama. It’s not often that guys like Jones and Costner take roles these days, so that should say something about Wells’ script. I’m not sure if “Company” will be full of any surprises, but at least it’s about realistic people and realistic problems, two items not usually on Hollywood’s menu. The film opens in limited release Oct. 22 and wide on Oct. 29 and Nov. 5

—

6. You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (Sept. 22)

Written and directed by Woody Allen
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin, Freida Pinto

The Word: Woody Allen looks to continue his mini-revival after earning back some acclaim for “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and the more neo-Woody comedy last summer in “Whatever Works.” This time, he’s in London for “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger,” which has a similar feel to “Manhattan” or “Hannah and Her Sisters.” The film focuses on an older married couple and their daughter and her husband and the new people that come into their lives and mess things up.

My Thoughts: There was a time this past decade when you just sort of made a mental note about Woody Allen’s latest film and didn’t actually take it seriously, but he’s been on a role the last couple years. At first, “Match Point” seemed to be the only highlight in 2005, but “Barcelona” was easily his best film of the last 10 years. Now, he’s getting to work with a mix of veterans (Hopkins, Antonio Banderas), stars in their prime (Watts, Brolin) and emerging talents (Freida Pinto). The success is likely rooted in his exploration of unlikely romances and the multi-generational feel of “Stranger” should continue that trend. The film got a decent but not rave reception at Cannes.

—

5. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (Sept. 24)

Directed by Oliver Stone
Written by Allan Loeb, Stephen Schiff and Stanley Weiser, Oliver Stone (characters)
Starring: Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Carey Mulligan, Josh Brolin

The Word: Initially scheduled for April, the sequel to the 1987 film sneaks onto the fall schedule where it feels a bit more appropriate. Also appropriate is waiting 23 years for this sequel, where “greed is good” isn’t exactly the fashionable phrase these days around Wall Street. Oliver Stone takes a break from political filmmaking to bring Gordon Gekko back to the screen along with some up-and-comers in LaBeouf and Carey Mulligan. Mulligan plays Gekko’s daughter and LaBeouf her fiance who gets tangled up in “the family business.”

My Thoughts: Fox has to feel somewhat good about this to move it to September, a much better time for dramas, but word at its debut at Cannes was a bit mixed as it was for all American-made films at Cannes this year. Bottom line is that this sequel is mostly there for those who loved the business suave and treacherous nature of the original.

—

4. Fair Game (Sept. 24)

Directed by Doug Liman
Written by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, Joseph Wilson (book), Valerie Plame (book)
Starring: Naomi Watts, Sean Penn

The Word: “The Bourne Identity” director Doug Liman brings us this thriller/drama based on the true story of CIA operative Valerie Plame whose identity was leaked to the press and seriously threatened her life and career. Allegedly, the government leaked it as revenge for her husband’s (Penn) editorial in the New York Times questioning the government’s intel about Niger selling uranium to other countries (namely Iraq).

My Thoughts: Watts and Penn have proven themselves in thrillers and dramas alike and Liman is as seasoned as they come in the thriller department. Being based on a true story, it will be particularly interesting to see what the critics have to say about “Fair Game” — but like other films on this list, it was not raved about when it premiered at Cannes.

—

3. Never Let Me Go (Sept. 17, limited)

Directed by Mark Romanek
Written by Alex Garland, Kazuo Ishiguro (novel)
Starring: Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Charlotte Rampling

The Word: Based on the acclaimed novel by “Remains of the Day” author Kazuo Ishiguro, Mark Romanek (“One Hour Photo” and numerous music videos for major artists) directs a trio of some of the best young talents out there in a story about young adults who’ve spent their entire lives provided for in a boarding school only to find they’ve been bred to essentially do nothing with their lives as they try and go out on their own at 18 years old. The script comes from usual Danny Boyle collaborator Alex Garland (“Sunshine,” “28 Days Later …”).

My Thoughts: I’m loving the talents in here (Mulligan especially and future Peter Parker, Andrew Garfield) and the story seems like it has a twinge of science fiction which could be interesting, but Romanek wouldn’t seem like the ideal director choice. Currently set for a limited September release, critical reception at the Toronto International Film Festival in a couple weeks and at London in October could determine whether Fox Searchlight — the company responsible for independent underdogs at the Oscars such as “Slumdog Millionaire,” “The Wrestler” and “Crazy Heart” — pushes this film for consideration or one of the other two anticipated releases under its banner due out this fall/winter.

—

2. 127 Hours (Nov. 5, limited)

Directed by Danny Boyle
Written by Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy, Aron Ralston (book)
Starring: James Franco, Kate Mara, Lizzy Caplan, Amber Tamblyn

The Word: So you know how I just mentioned Fox Searchlight usually having one significant film in the Oscar race? If it’s not “Never Let Me Go,” it could be Boyle’s follow-up to his Oscar-winning project (that would be “Slumdog Millionaire”), a film based on the true story of rock climber/nature guide Aron Ralston whose arm was trapped under a boulder in a crevice for guess-how-many hours in the Moab Desert.

My Thoughts: Everyone’s eyes are going to be glued to this film as with any film from a recent Oscar winner. It certainly won’t have the scope of “Slumdog,” but if Boyle does well, this could be an intense film experience. This is a big stage for James Franco, who’s come a long way from his Harry Osborn days, doing everything from comedy (“Pineapple Express”) to drama (“Milk”). Based on Ralston’s character in the trailer, it appears that this performance will offer a great balance for the actor. Even if “127 Hours” doesn’t have what it takes to appeal to the masses, it should be well-received as almost all of Boyle’s work has been.

—

1. The Social Network (Oct. 1)

Directed by David Fincher
Written by Aaron Sorkin, Ben Mezrich (book)
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Rashida Jones

The Word: Isn’t it about time a movie about the ever-growing titan that is facebook.com got made? Not only that, but the talents behind it are special. David Fincher (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) directs with famed “The West Wing” writer Aaron Sorkin on script duty. Emerging talent Jesse Eisenberg stars as facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, a Harvard student who in 2003 launched the instantly popular social networking site and became a billionaire — but not without burning some bridges.

My Thoughts: I’ve been high on “Network” since the beginning. There isn’t a more socially relevant topic right now and it’s being done by two of the best names out there. The trailer has been labeled one of the best of the year so far and the tone seems absolutely juicy. Ideally you’d want a later release date to know confidently that the film will live up to its excellent promotion, but either way, interest is high and so is talent.

As the summer comes to a close, it’s reflection time. On the eve of my plunging into five days or so of Fall Preview 2010, which will bring you all you need to know about movies between now and the weekend before Thanksgiving, it’s only fitting to bid adieu to the summer, perhaps the most heavily scrutinized of all the movie seasons. This list will award the best films of each genre (according to what I’ve seen and popular/critical reception) as well as the biggest disappointments — and there were plenty of those. I will also highlight the best talents in this summer’s films.

There’s no secret that Summer 2010 paled in comparison to Summer 2009. I gave out numerous honorable mentions in my days upon days of summer superlatives last August. This year was easy enough to condense to one post. Let’s begin.

Best Actor

1. Leonardo DiCaprio – “Inception”

2. Mark Ruffalo – “The Kids Are All Right”
3. Michael Cera – “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”

I don’t think “Inception” will warrant Leo the Oscar he will one day win, but he proves why he is just consummate leading man material. We’re still waiting for him to show us something we haven’t entirely seen from him before, but Cobb was one of the most intriguing characters of the summer and DiCaprio fiercely cool and complicated. If no other men give astounding performances this year, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be recognized with a nomination, but there’s plenty room to outdo him.

Mark Ruffalo gives his best performance ever in “The Kids Are All Right,” certainly worth supporting role consideration at this juncture. Never before has the free-spirited bachelor character been done so beyond black-and-white as Ruffalo’s portrayal of Paul, who finds out his sperm have become teenagers by means of a lesbian couple. Michael Cera also gives his best performance as Scott Pilgrim. It’s hard to say that considering Cera has played characters in so many seemingly identical films, but the range is there in “Scott Pilgrim” and his character has a unique tenacity when it comes to love. He’s more than a sad sap romantic with a quiet wit this time around. Eventually Cera will break the mold, he just needs to get a lot older.

—

Best Actress

1. Annette Bening – “The Kids Are All Right”

2. Mia Wasikowska – “The Kids Are All Right”
3. Ellen Page – “Inception”

I considered giving “The Kids Are All Right” the sweep in this category by putting Julianne Moore up there, but I decided to give Ellen Page some love for turning a character created solely to move the plot into an interesting and compelling one to some extent — that takes talent. As far as films that got a wide release, however, most were not offering much in the way of female characters.

Annette Bening will be talked about from now until February 27. She’s excellent and the role simply exudes the kind of stuff the Academy loves to honor. She’s the closest thing that the 2010 movie season has given us to a sure thing at the Oscars. Considering how good co-stars Moore and Wasikowska are, it really says something that she stands out. Wasikowska proves she’s going to be sought after for some time with her role as Joni. Rarely is one actress a star in both a quiet indie hit and a billion-dollar blockbuster (“Alice in Wonderland”)

—

Comeback Performance(s)

1. Michael Keaton – “Toy Story 3,” “The Other Guys”

2. Mickey Rourke – “Iron Man 2,” “The Expendables”
3. Kieran Culkin – “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”

The actresses came more in the breakout category this year while the boys had career renaissances. Michael Keaton’s career was long considered dead, but he’s found some life in the comedy genre, of all places, at the age of 58. Ken was widely regarded as the most hysterical new character in 2010′s biggest hit, “Toy Story 3,” and his brief parts in the cop comedy “The Other Guys” were highly memorable as the chief,  a role that would normally be an automatic for actor Fred Willard in a Will Ferrell/Adam McKay film, but he deserved it.

As for Mickey Rourke, one might say that his Oscar nomination and Golden Globe win for “The Wrestler” did it, but you don’t experience a total comeback until you get cast in mainstream fare again. Rourke completed his journey back to the forefront of American movie consciousness with a key role in “Iron Man 2″ and in “The Expendables,” both of which he did well in critically speaking.

Culkin is a different sort of a career revival. A former child star like his brother Macaulay (Macaulay got “Home Alone,” while Kieran got “Father of the Bride”), Kieran’s comic turn in “Scott Pilgrim” as Scott’s gay roommate/best friend was terrifically subtle and fun. If this is what gay characters will be more like in the future in film, I’m thrilled; Culkin’s Wallace was completely defiant of stereotype but with the personality, flare and confidence an out gay character should have.

—

Biggest Disappointment

1. “The Last Airbender”

2. “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”
3. “Eat Pray Love”

M. Night Shyamalan had his name attached and there were tons of fans out there waiting to be tickled by the big-screen version of their once-favorite Nickelodeon show, but quite literally — epic fail. “Airbender” was one of the harshest reviewed films of the summer and it upset even some of the built-in fans that should have liked it. How the other two films will be made in this “franchise” beats me.

Disney hoped this summer to have a huge hit between “Prince of Persia” and “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” and the latter bombed despite Nicolas Cage and “National Treasure” director Jon Turtletaub. The film has made only $60 million domestically and $150 million worldwide. Not exactly what Disney was hoping for and expecting from that combination. And the disappointment came not just from a financial standpoint — the reviews were mediocre at best with a 43% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Lastly, “Eat Pray Love” was not the inspirational feel-good dramedy that fans of Roberts and the memoir were hoping for. Sony set the bar high with last year’s “Julie & Julia” coming out in that spot, but while Roberts kept this film together, no one else had anything good to say. Financially, however, it’s fairing as expected.

—

Best Drama/Comedy

1. “The Kids Are All Right”

2. “Cyrus”
3. “Get Low”

In this independent film category, “Kids” is by far the winner. Consummate performances back-up the rave reviews for Lisa Cholodenko’s film and justify the expansions and buzz. “Cyrus,” starring slightly more dramatic turns for Jonah Hill and John C. Reilly was another film that got strong wide release treatment, although I did not get to see it. Lastly, cinematographer-turned-director Aaron Schneider’s film “Get Low” starring Bill Murray, Robert Duvall and Sissy Spacek finally got a limited release after doing a complete festival circuit starting last fall and going until this summer and earning a fair amount of admiration.

—

Best Animated/Family Film

1. “Toy Story 3″

2. “Despicable Me”
3. “The Karate Kid”

Hard to argue with the most financially successful animated film of all time, Disney/Pixar’s return to the franchise that made them great with “Toy Story 3,” which was every bit as amazing as we could’ve hoped from the storytelling juggernaut. “Despicable Me” turned out to be the summer’s biggest surprise, which when you consider the success of animated film the last two years, is not so surprising. 2010 is everything 2009 wasn’t (that’s a bad thing) except in the animation genre. Lastly comes the other surprise this summer, the remake of “The Karate Kid” with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, which is Sony/Columbia’s biggest film of the year thus far. The fact that it was a remake and it didn’t get ripped apart critically was an accomplishment in itself.

—

Best Action/Thriller

1. “Inception”

2. “Iron Man 2″
3. “The Expendables”

No denying that “Inception” was the talk of the summer and 2010′s savior from total dreck. Nolan’s film was outstanding on countless levels (consciously and subconsciously) and even though thriller better describes it, it belong with the action films too. Although few will admit that “Iron Man 2″ was as good as the original, it was a darn good time and Robert Downey Jr. was superbly hilarious yet again. It did not do what “X2″ or “Spider-Man 2″ did for those franchises, but it maxed the entertainment factor in the right ways. I haven’t seen “The Expendables” yet, but two weeks atop the box office and all those stars means something is right. I personally would have put “The A-Team” at No. 3, but it seems to me that the financial success of “Expendables” will certainly outdo its action team counterpart despite a split between critics and action fans.

—

Best Comedy

1. “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”

2. “The Other Guys”
3. “Get Him to the Greek”

Technically speaking, Adam Sandler’s “Grown Ups” was the hit mainstream comedy of the summer, but having seen that, I can’t put it on the list. “Scott Pilgrim,” though it could be in any number of genres, was so fresh, exciting and innovative in a summer of just total staleness everywhere outside of “Inception.” It’s far from traditional comedy, but I laughed a lot, just in different ways. “The Other Guys” turned out to be a much more likable Will Ferrell experience than expected considering he’s been on a downward slope with critics lately. As for third, I saw “Greek” and not “Dinner for Schmucks” and “Greek” seemed to do better with critics. I also though numerous parts were terrifically funny and the film managed to hold up with a sense of maturity that was unexpected, to say the least.

It’s always exciting to keep tabs on an Oscar-winning director’s follow-up film. For “Slumdog Millionaire” helmer Danny Boyle, that film is “127 Hours,” based on the true story of Aron Ralston, who got his arm stuck under a boulder while out hiking the Moab in Utah and … well the title says the rest.

The film stars James Franco as Ralston and co-stars Kate Mara (“Transsiberian”) and Lizzy Caplan (“Party Down,” “Tru Blood”) and the script was co-written by Boyle and “Slumdog” winner Simon Beaufoy.

The trailer’s only negative aspect is that it flaunts Boyle’s previous work. Certainly it’s all good, but you don’t have to wave it in our faces and take footage from those previous films. The good, however, is overwhelming, because you expect it to have a very foreboding tone. Instead, Franco and friends have a great time for a number of seconds before we’re left with him getting trapped.

“127 Hours” will premiere at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival and also make an appearance at the London Film Festival in October before getting a limited release in the US on November 5.

View the trailer at Apple here

Two-titles with two syllables are not this week’s theme. This Trailer Wednesday focuses on two films of the thriller genre, Darren Aronofsky’s (“Requiem for a Dream,” “The Wrestler”) latest film about rival ballet dancers and a film based on the true story of outed CIA agent Valerie Plame from Doug Liman, director of “The Bourne Identity.”

—

Black Swan

Darren Aronofsky is one of those few younger directors who has yet to fail (I rather enjoyed “The Fountain”), so don’t expect “Black Swan” to be an exception. At the very least, this will be a challenging, intriguing and unique film. In fact, when was the last time we saw an awards season film about ballet? “Billy Elliot?”

But from the looks of this trailer, “Black Swan” looks to be anything but just about ballet. Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis star as rival dancers for a ballet company, except one thing is clear in this trailer: something is messed up with Natalie. She’s got low self-esteem and is paranoid, among other things you’ll see by watching this trailer through the end. The trailer is consummate, one of the best of this year behind “The Social Network” and next year’s “Sucker Punch.” The question is whether the December 1 positioning will warrant it Academy attention. Even if not, you can bet Aronofsky will get his due one of these days.

“Black Swan” debuts at Venice opening night on Sept. 1 and will also be featured at the Toronto International Film Festival where it will start to generate North American Oscar buzz — if warranted.

—

Fair Game

It’s not often we get a true story about the CIA and “Fair Game” comes closest. Naomi Watts stars as Valerie Plame, a woman who was revealed through the press in 2003 to be a CIA operative, a career-destroying leak. Not long before, Plame’s husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson (Sean Penn) had written a series of editorials published in the New York Times regarding his trip to Niger where he was asked to inquire about whether they were selling any uranium abroad, specifically to Iraq, and Wilson questioned the basis of that information. He believed Valerie was getting punished for his First Amendment actions.

The history is a little confusing, but the film sounds intriguing. Watts and Penn are fine talents and they’re being directed by Doug Liman (“The Bourne Identity”), so all the credentials are there. The film was already leaked at Cannes this year and early response has been decent with a 6.9/10 on imdb. Find out for yourself starting November 5.

This list was a bit harder to compile, but each of these talents is marquee-worthy after this summer if they weren’t already.

—

5. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”)

She reminds me of Kate Winslet, but that’s probably because they’ve both played characters who dyed their hair numerous times in the same film.

When you star as the love interest in the summer’s most anticipated fanboy/comic geek film, you’re going to hit the radar. Winstead was catching and memorable as Ramona Flowers, the chill girl with a buried emotional past considering her exes have formed  legion bent on destroying Scott Pilgrim.

She’s virtually unrecognizable from her role as Lucy McClane in “Live Free or Die Hard,” where her wholesome beauty was surprisingly second to her believability. As Ramona, she got to show off her versatility a bit. She’s not a scene-stealer, but she’s the only one who gets to work in a truly dramatic range. She might be slow to rise as far as being universally recognized, but she’s secured the support of the movie geek community, which will be key for her future.

Next seen in: “The Thing” prequel (Apr. 29, 2011)

—

4. Tom Hardy (“Inception”)

Hardy was on the periphery of this summer’s most talked-about movie, “Inception,” so while it will still be awhile before anyone talks about him in terms of stardom, his resume and future projects indicate a good guarantee.

Hard played Eames, “The Forger,” in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster, the one who was able to assume the appearance of others in dreams. He demonstrated a quick wit in his limited time, but if you’re from the UK, Hardy has nothing left to prove. He starred in Guy Ritchie’s “Rock n Rolla” and won a British Independent Film Award for Nicolas Winding Refn’s prison drama “Bronson,” for which he packed on pounds of muscle.

Still not sold on Hardy? He will replace Mel Gibson as Max Rockatansky in the upcoming “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Next seen in: “Warrior” (2011)

—

3. Jaden Smith (“The Karate Kid”)

Yes, it helps when you’re “Will’s kid,” but daddy’s name was not connected in the promotion of this summer’s “The Karate Kid” remake and it currently ranks as the ninth biggest film of the year, fifth if you don’t count animated films. Right now, it’s Sony’s only claim in the top ten films of 2010 at the box office and has grossed more than $300 million worldwide.

Hollywood doesn’t just brush those numbers off. Certainly Jackie Chan had something to do with it, but “The Spy Next Door” didn’t help his cause back in January. You can bet that young Jaden, who burst onto the scene with his daddy in “The Pursuit of Happyness” will have quite a few more films written with him in mind as the child star.

Now that Jaden has proved himself with “The Karate Kid,” having the parents he has means he’ll likely find work one way or another and at the least be well-supported.

Next seen in: No projects currently in development.

—

2. Mia Wasikowska (“The Kids Are All Right”)

Sometimes you can chalk it up to luck when a young unknown actress is cast as the lead character in a big Disney project called “Alice in Wonderland” that earns over a billion dollars worldwide, but in “The Kids Are All Right,” Mia Wasikowska (vah-sih-kohv-ska) proves she’s not going anywhere but up. Despite “Alice” being received with mixed reaction, Wasikowska was given much credit as the innocent and doubting Alice. In “Kids,” she really shows off her dramatic strength for her age, which is 20.

Wasikowska is Australian despite the namesake coming from elsewhere, but she nails the typical naive American teenager who has stayed straight edge at her moms’ request. Despite showing poise and maturity, Joni has a few key moments where her fragility shines through and Wasikowska plays them perfectly.

When you nail a small dramatic role like that on the heels starring in one the twenty biggest films of all time, you say all you need to say. Expect to see her around for a long time.

Next seen in: Another adaptation of “Jane Eyre” (March 11, 2011)

—

1. Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“Inception”)

Considering his roles in “(500) Days of Summer” and “G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra,” JGL could have made my list last year, but the actor has really put himself back on the map with his strong performance as the quiet-but-poised Arthur. More and more people are aware that this is the same young guy who was “the kid on ’3rd Rock from the Sun’” and he’s being rumored for bigger and bigger projects, such as Christopher Nolan’s third Batman film.

At age 29, Gordon-Levitt’s boyish looks will be his best asset and greatest challenge. He’s not closed off from playing younger roles, but he might have trouble landing more dramatic parts for a few years. At the moment, he’s got more dramedy, action and science fiction in his future.

JGL’s renaissance can be attributed to charm, talent and sticking to more independent projects where his talent and recognition made him appealing to directors such as Rian Johnson (“Brick”), Spike Lee (“Miracle at St. Anna”), Kimberly Peirce (“Stop-Loss”)  and Lee Daniels (“Shadowboxer”). The films themselves aren’t all terrific, but those directors have all made excellent films at one point or another, which speaks a lot to JGL’s talent. Peirce made “Boys Don’t Cry” and Daniels was nominated for an Oscar last year for “Precious.”

Next seen in: Cancer comedy “Live With It” alongside Seth Rogen up-and-comer Anna Kendrick.

Come back later for my Summer 2010  Superlatives

“Chocolat” sounds like a gooey foreign love story, but it’s actually a fable with classic story archetypes and a hint of magic, all of which finishes pleasantly with a tender morsel — err, moral.

It’s about as sophisticated as chocolate, which is not very sophisticated, so “Chocolat” is as easily digested as it is open to criticism for a lack of heady drama. Nominated for five Oscars, one would think it dwells in intellectual territory, but “Chocolat” comes from the heart — and possibly the stomach. “The Cider House Rules” director Lasse Hallstrom sees these charms and wisely makes them the focal point of this likable film.

Juliette Binoche stars as a mysterious but likable woman name Vianne who comes to a small, bland and morally rigid French town run by the Catholic church and opens a chocolate shop with her imaginative young daughter. We know only that “the wind brought her” to this town — her past remains a mystery, which creates that slightly magical tall tale effect. Within the first fifteen minutes her shop is open for business and she’s successfully predicting what each customer’s favorite treat will be. Binoche exudes the charm the role requires but never sacrifices sophistication despite not having a clearly established back story.

On the opposite end of the spectrum sits Alfred Molina as Comte de Reynaud, the moral authority figure who immediately sees Vianne’s shop as an affront to his town and its Catholic principles. Cold on the outside but clearly soft on the inside, of all the Oscar nominations, somehow Molina’s performance — in my opinion the film’s best — was overlooked.

Vianne’s chocolate creates quite the stir, improving one couple’s love life, inspiring a wife (Lena Olin) to leave her abusive husband and reuniting a old woman (Judi Dench) with her grandson. In a more serious film, this would all seem quite convenient and unlikely, but few viewers will fail to notice that chocolate is a metaphor here for something bigger. It embodies that blurred line between what is temptation and what is healthy possibility.

That metaphor provides a strong moral fiber for “Chocolat” which turns out to be what makes it a fine film. It has a tendency to dull a bit in the middle and the entrance of Johnny Depp late into the run time despite his high billing confuses more than helps the story, but overall “Chocolat” is rich in its simplicity. When the young priest, Pere Henri (Hugh O’Conor) delivers the closing words of the film at Easter Mass after appearing as a peculiar and weak character throughout, the story’s message becomes abundantly clear and the intention and wisdom of the film shine through.

“Chocolat” could easily be construed as critical of organized religion, Catholicism in particular, but Pere Henri’s speech beautifully connects the film’s call for embracing life with Christian philosophy. It’s a timeless message with timeless components, but the unique premise and setting make “Chcolat” a fresh tale of great wisdom.

—

4/5 Stars

—

Chocolat (2000)
Directed by Lasse Hallstrom
Written by Robert Nelson Jacobs, Joanne Harris (novel)
Starring: Juliette Binoche, Alfred Molina, Johnny Depp, Judi Dench

Technically speaking, the five new films that came out this weekend were the expendable ones. “The Expendables” stayed on top for a second straight week with about $16 million while those films finished second, fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth.

All in all, it was the lowest weekend total at the box office of the summer, which shouldn’t be that surprising.

1. The Expendables – 16.9 M (weekend) … $65.3 M (gross)
2. Vampires Suck – $12.2 M … $18.5 M
3. Eat Pray Love – $12.1 M … $47.2 M
4. Lottery Ticket – $10.6 M … $10.6 M
5. The Other Guys – $10.16 M … $88.2 M
6. Piranha 3D – $10.1 M … $10.1 M
7. The Switch – $8.43 M … $8.43
8. Nanny McPhee Returns – $8.40 M … $8.40 M
9. Inception – $7.8 M … $262 M
10. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World – $5.2 M … $20.8 M

Coming out Wednesday didn’t keep “Twilight” spoof “Vampires Suck” from taking second and fewer than 2,000 theaters didn’t stop “Lottery Ticket” from breaching the top five. The return of Nanny McPhee performed poorest of the five newcomers despite being distributed to the second highest amount of theaters among the new films.

The reputation of 3D took another hit this weekend as “Piranha 3D” underperformed at just $10 million. It shouldn’t be a whole lot longer before studios stop making random films in 3D seeing as theatergoers have proven they care much more about content than gimmicks.