Indie Attack
Many movies coming out in the coming months have a very indie film feel to them. The direction of the film world is against the big budget, special effects bonanzas that may bring in millions but make little to no profit as the costs are going up exponentially (and George Lucas has ruined it for the rest of the industry). The two movies I will be looking at both fit into the indie-turned-mainstream concept; Running With Scissors and Stranger than Fiction.
Brian Cox in my mind will always be Stryker from X-Men 2. The idea of his playing something other than that (especially a shrink) will take some getting used to. However, looking at the cast of Scissors (Alec Baldwin making a huge comeback of late), Annette Benning (Oscar hopes since Hilary Swank isn't doing anything big this year?), Gwyneth Paltrow (welcome back to the acting world) and many many more name stars, makes me excited to see what they can do. I am a firm believer that a cast when properly used can make a movie and make it work wonders. And a cast with this much talent? Ryan Murphy, the director, would have to be a paraplegic retard to not get an amazing movie out of this.
As for Fiction, my rule has always been Will Ferrell in anything other than a supporting role is a mistake. Don't argue with me on this, he annoys the hell out of me. But in this movie, he plays the subject of a story being written by Emma Thompson, a struggling writer determined to kill Will Ferrell (something I've wanted to do forever), unaware that he is a real person. Again, a movie with a strong supporting cast (Maggie Gyllenhall, Queen Latifah, Dustin Hoffman, to name a few) and a really great concept. This movie will sink or swim based on one factor and one factor alone: can Will pull off serious? If he can make it believable, he can do it.
I'm going recommend both of these movies. I have faith in the cast, in the stories, and in the crews.
