Now that 2000 and all of the crappy movies it brought is over, it's time to look forward to the New Year and new movies. Here's a look at the most promising films slated for release in the first half of 2001. All release dates are subject to change. Check your local listings.
The Pledge (open now): Sean Penn steps behind the camera for the third time (after "The Indian Runner" and "The Crossing Guard") and Jack Nicholson stars in this story of a retiring police officer after a child killer. With Penn and Nicholson, you can't go wrong, but it's all supposed to be a big downer.
Snatch (open now): Guy Ritchie (Mrs. Madonna) follows up his cult hit "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" with this crime comedy starring Brad Pitt, Benicio Del Toro, Dennis Farina and Vinnie Jones. It looks hilarious and should be great (if you can stomach the violence and language).
Say It Isn't So (February 2): The Farrelly Brothers ("There's Something About Mary," "Me, Myself & Irene") produced this tale of a young man ("American Pie's" Chris Klein) who falls in love with a beautiful woman (Heather Graham) only to find out she is his sister. He then discovers she isn't his sibling and must win her back. The trailer isn't great so it could be hilarious or stupid.
Hannibal (February 9): Easily one of the most anticipated movies of the year, this sequel to "The Silence of the Lambs" stars Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore and Gary Oldman. The Thomas Harris novel is exciting and shocking. With Ridley Scott ("Gladiator") directing and Steven Zaillian ("Schindler's List") writing, expect a thrilling ride.
Saving Silverman (February 16): The cast, featuring Steve Zahn ("Out of Sight,"), Jack Black ("High Fidelity"), Jason Biggs ("American Pie") and Amanda Peet ("The Whole Nine Yards") is outstanding. With Dennis Dugan ("Big Daddy") directing, it could easily be a modern comedy classic. Plot revolves around two guys (Zahn and Black) trying to stop their best friend (Biggs) from marrying a selfish control-freak (Peet).
Enemy at the Gates (February 23): War movie starring Joseph Fiennes ("Shakespeare in Love"), Jude Law and Ed Harris. Harris is a German sniper in World War II trying to kill Law, a British sharpshooter. The trailer is thrilling and it should be one hell of a movie.
3,000 Miles to Graceland (February 23): In the vain of "Reservoir Dogs," Kurt Russell, Kevin Costner and Christian Slater star as bad guys you love to hate. They are in a gang of crooks who plan to rob a casino during a convention for Elvis impersonators. Doesn't look too original but the cast it tough to beat.
Memento (March 1; will probably change): This is one of the best movies in years and should be seen by everyone. Guy Pearce stars as a man with short-term memory loss trying to figure out who killed his wife. The story is told in backward chronological order. You have to see it to believe it and you'll want to see it more than once. The twist ending is great. Carrie-Anne Moss ("The Matrix") also stars.
The Mexican (March 2): Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and Tony Soprano (a.k.a. James Gandolfini) star in this action comedy about a lovable loser, his girlfriend, a hit man and an antique Mexican pistol. The advance word is outstanding.
15 Minutes (March 9): Robert De Niro and Edward Burns star as a homicide detective and an arson investigator, respectively. They team up to stop a killer who is on a killing spree in New York City. The trailer is intriguing and you can't go wrong with the two stars.
Squelch (March 9): Paul Walker ("Varsity Blues") and Steve Zahn star in this thriller that's similar in story to Steven Spielberg's classic "Duel." Three people on a road trip talk to a trucker on their CB radio and then discover he's a psychotic killer. Now they have to try and elude him. Directed by John Dahl ("Rounders," "The Last Seduction").
Town and Country (March 16): Long delayed comedy about marriage and fidelity. The cast, which includes Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn, Garry Shandling, Andie MacDowell, Jenna Elfman, Nastassja Kinski and John Hartnett, speaks for itself. Bad rumors have plagued it for a long time but it's hard to believe that cast won't make up for any problems.
One Night at McCool's (March 16): Another movie with a great cast. This one stars Matt Dillon, Michael Douglas, Liv Tyler, John Goodman and Paul Reiser. The story concerns a hit man, a lawyer, a bartender, a cop and a woman they are all smitten with. Looks funny and highly entertaining.
The Fast and the Furious (March 23): Vin Diesel ("Pitch Black") and Paul Walker star in this action flick about young studs and Manhattan street racing. It could be cheesy and awful or tons of fun. The trailer looks more like the latter but we'll see.
The Tailor of Panama (March 30): Based on the novel by John Le Carré and directed by John Boorman, it's about spies and double-crossing. Pierce Brosnan, Geoffrey Rush, Jamie Lee Curtis and Brendan Gleeson star. Should be a thinking man's action movie.
Blow (April 6): After "Hannibal," this is the most promising movie of 2001. Rave reviews have been springing up on the internet lately. It stars Johnny Depp, Ray Liotta, Penelope Cruz, Denis Leary, Franka Potente ("Run, Lola, Run"), Rachel Griffiths and Paul Reubens. It's based on a true story about a man smuggling cocaine into the U.S. starting in the 1970's.
Rock Star (April 13): Mark Wahlberg plays a devoted fan of a famous heavy metal band. When the group loses its lead singer, he takes his place. Jennifer Aniston plays his girlfriend. Believe it or not, it's based on a true story. Advance word is excellent.
Driven (April 27): This could be Sylvester Stallone's last chance to salvage his career. He plays a former race car driver recruited to help a young, rising star. It's directed by Renny Harlin, who has helmed "Cliffhanger," "Deep Blue Sea" and "Die Hard 2," among others.
The Heist (May 4): David Mamet ("State and Main") writes and directs this tale of jewel thieves. As if the involvement of Mamet wasn't enough, the cast includes Gene Hackman, Delroy Lindo, Danny DeVito, Sam Rockwell ("Charlie's Angels") and Ricky Jay ("Boogie Nights"). How can it go wrong?
The Mummy Returns (May 11): All of the first film's stars, including Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, return along with the mummy. To get the WWF crowd, the Rock joins the cast as one of the bad guys. They spared no expense and there will be tons of special effects, but that doesn't mean it will be good. The story involves, well, does anyone really care?
American Outlaws (May 18): This western aimed at the MTV crowd tells the story of Jesse James and his brothers. Rising star Colin Farrell heads the cast, which also features Kathy Bates, Scott Caan, Ali Larter, Timothy Dalton and Terry O'Quinn. We need more good westerns, but chances are this one ain't it.
Rollerball (May 18): This one could fall into the unnecessary remake category. Chris Klein takes on the James Caan role and Jean Reno, LL Cool J and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos fill out the cast. It's directed by John McTiernan ("Die Hard," "The Thomas Crown Affair"), which is a plus, but the first one wasn't even that great.
The Bourne Identity (May 25): Based on the popular novel by Robert Ludlum, Matt Damon stars as a man with no memory who is marked for death, or something like that. Chris Cooper and Julia Stiles co-star for director Doug Liman ("Go"). All signs point to a winner.
Pearl Harbor (May 25): And finally, it's the big-budget (to put it mildly) war romance from producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay. The cast includes Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale, Tom Sizemore, Jon Voight, Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Alec Baldwin. It could be melodramatic and overly sentimental or similar to "Saving Private Ryan." Or both. Right now it's hard to tell.
Please add your own suggestion if something you are looking forward to is missing and drop me a line if you have any questions, comments or concerns.
