Last week, I counted down the top titles premiering at this weekend’s Venice Film Festival. It’s certainly primed to be a weaker cinematic year than past years due to the delays brought upon by the actors’ strikes. But, there have been some exciting titles to grace the festival circuit: Megalopolis, The Room Next Door, Joker Folie à Deux, Hard Truths, and others. However, a few films either opted for non-festival release or weren’t deemed worthy enough. Here, we’ll take a look at those missing films.
HERE (Dir. Robert Zemeckis)
One might ask, when was the last time anyone was excited for a Robert Zemeckis film? His track record has indeed been spotty, to say the least, the past few years with duds like The Witches, Pinocchio, and Welcome to Marwen. Besides being the butt of a Charlie Kauffman joke, Zemeckis has still amassed an impressive filmography with classics like Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, and Cast Away. Still managing to cast A-listers like Hanks, Zemeckis finds projects to keep him employed despite countless commercial and critical failures where lately he’s more known for being a throw-away joke for Charlie Kauffman. Regardless, his latest feature looks exciting with a script written by Oscar-winning screenwriter Eric Roth and starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Paul Bettany, and others. Bringing back screenwriters and stars of Forrest Gump, Here covers the events that transpire in a single spot from the time of dinosaurs to the distant future. Always attempting to find new ways to incorporate technology, Here aims to be chock full. Keeping the camera in one stationary spot, the main emphasis of the film will certainly be on the relationship between Hanks and Wright as we focus on the progression of their lives which will certainly involve plenty of de-aging and face-swapping. A trailer has already been released and it looks more than promising. Keeping the camera in one place for the entire film is a bold and exciting choice from Zemeckis and, for my money, the de-aging appears convincing. Although, I tend to be lenient with these kinds of special effects since The Irishman didn’t bother me like it did many. Although technology hasn’t been the problem for Zemeckis, it’s been the quality of scripts. Thankfully, Eric Roth has always been dependable, coming off Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and with an interesting concept. It helps that the film has had a slew of positive test-screen reactions. Thus, it’s curious to see Zemeckis missing from the fall festival slate. It could be that programmers have been so turned off by Zemeckis’ recent track record that they’d do away with his film entirely. Regardless, I have high hopes, and as Billy Wilder said of the French Critics, “Americans remember you for your last film, the French remember you for your best film”.
(Nosferatu, 2024)
FLIGHT RISK (Dir. Mel Gibson)
It might come as a surprise that Mel Gibson has a new film coming out this fall, but it’s true. Quietly working away on a new thriller with Mark Wahlberg, Gibson has a new film coming out in October called Flight Risk. Also starring Michelle Dockery and Topher Grace, the film takes place entirely on a plane ride where an FBI Agent escorts an informant against the Mob, however, what they don’t know is that the pilot flying them is a hitman hired by the Mob to silence the informant before landing so to speak. Releasing on October 18th, Gibson’s latest has gotten next to no press. Even the trailer inconspicuously omits Gibson’s name no doubt due to his troubled past and controversies. I prefer to avoid diving deep into the personal lives of directors but it seems to be the reason why the film has decided to skip festivals. There is a chance that the film itself might not pass the quality test, since Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge premiered at Venice only eight years ago, going on to receive several Oscar nominations. Still, the climate has no doubt changed, so it’s up in the air how Flight Risk will pan out from a quality perspective. But, based on Gibson’s previous output which has been sparse but consistent, it’s a title worth looking out for. The premise is interesting and Gibson knows how to direct tense action with an entertaining lack of restraint. I doubt it’ll move mountains but will surely be at least a fun time at the movies. Shedding his movie-star looks, Wahlberg can be seen donning a major bald spot in the bad guy role. This is a chance for Whalberg to break free from cookie-cutter streaming and VOD films to embrace something more critical. Many forget that Wahlberg is a formidable actor with films like Boogie Nights, The Departed, and The Fighter. However, for the past few years, he’s been wasting away on soulless comedies and blockbusters. Flight Risk could be a comeback for both the director and actor. Unfortunately, the marketing team is booking it as an average Whalberg flick due to Gibson’s reputation which is a shame since audiences will never know that the guy behind Braveheart has a new movie out.
(Here, 2024)
BLITZ (Dir. Steve McQueen)
Unlike Flight Risk, Blitz is far from an under-the-radar title. Critics and Oscar pundits alike have been earmarking McQueen’s first narrative feature since Mangrove. Known for other great films like Hunger, Shame, and 12 Years a Slave, McQueen is one of the most respected auteurs working today. The lack of festival presence seems to be intentional by McQueen and Apple, only premiering at the BFI London Film Festival on October 9th. So, it might be cheating to put this on here but not appearing at Venice, TIFF, or even Telluride is puzzling since every festival director has been clamoring to get a chance to premiere Blitz. It could no doubt be due to the film’s subject matter, a WWII epic set in London. Allegedly in the same vein as Empire of the Sun and Hope and Glory, McQueen aims to show WWII through the lens of a child as a young boy goes missing in war-torn London as his mother searches for him. Starring Sairose Ronan and Harris Dickinson, Blitz will have a short theatrical run on November 1st only to stream on Apple TV+ a mere three weeks later. What’s added to the excitement is the lack of promotional material, with only one photo of Sairose Ronan to spare. The film has an interesting premise with plenty of Oscar potential from an acclaimed director with two young stars. So, it’s surprising to see Apple not promote this through the typical festival run especially when most Oscar pundits have Blitz somewhere in their respective top fives. As always, the film may not be as great as it’s been hyped up to be and Apple may be weary of putting all their chips into Blitz. Still, Apple doesn’t seem to have any other major players this Oscar season. However, from what has been reported, allegedly McQueen wanted to keep the premiere in London due to the film’s subject matter. Regardless, it’s a puzzling decision that hopefully pans out when it arrives for its weekly theatrical run.
(Flight Risk, 2024)
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN (Dir. James Mangold)
The music industry has indeed been plagued by musical biopics in the past 5 years, however, it seems like Mangold’s latest take on Bob Dylan has people very excited. I don’t have a relationship with Dylan’s music but he’s no doubt an iconic figure to many so it’s surprising to see A Complete Unknown missing from all the festivals. Starring Timothee Chalamet as Springsteen himself, the film follows his early days in Greenwich Village when he dropped out of college to seek out his musical idol Woody Guthrie and start his music career that would go on to inspire many, especially in the wake of the civil rights and antiwar movement. The cast is starry with other notable actors like Elle Fanning, Edward Norton, Monica Barbaro, and others. Unlike other music biopics, Mangold looks to keep the story within the early days of Dylan’s career at the height of the Beatnik generation in the early 60s. Despite not being overly familiar with Dylan’s music this is a moment in time I’m fond of where along with great music, stand-up comedy became prominent. If you’ve seen Inside Llewyn Davis, you know what I’m talking about. However, unlike the Coens’ brilliant film, I doubt Mangold will take the material in an artistically daring direction even if long-time Scorsese collaborator Jay Cocks is co-writing the script. Mangold is coming off the much-maligned fifth installment of the Indiana Jones series but has a history of making traditional adult-oriented pictures without excessive flair. He’s already dabbled in the musical biopic genre with Walk the Line, detailing Johnny Cash’s life. But, it’s safe to say Mangold needs a comeback picture. Chalamet seems like a somewhat odd choice, but he looks the part in the recent trailer. I’ve already detailed my reservations about Chalamet’s acting chops earlier in the year, but we haven’t seen him in an Oscar-worthy role since Call Me By Your Name. And, this is certainly a moment for him if he and Searchlight can capitalize as the musical biopic is a hot commodity within the Academy. So, with a starry cast, a competent director, and a safe genre, why hasn’t A Complete Unknown shown up anywhere? Slated for a holiday release on December 25th, it seems like Mangold has recently begun reshoots despite already releasing a teaser trailer. Allegedly, certain test screenings didn’t live up to expectations and Mangold and company are filling in the gaps. It’ll be interesting to see where this production goes in the coming months. While the era the film depicts is fascinating, the musical biopic genre is certainly tired. Let’s see if Mangold and Chalamet can rile up some genuine interest and Oscar buzz without the festival presence.
(Blitz, 2024)
NOSFERATU (Dir. Robert Eggers)
Easily one of the most anticipated films of the year, Robert Eggers is once again adapting the Nosferatu tale for the big screen. Made famous on-screen by Murnau in 1922 as an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, it’s been updated on the screen by Herzog and a Kickstarter version with Doug Jones (I saw it by accident, it was dreadful). Regardless, Stoker’s Dracula story is as iconic as ever. It’s not a surprise to see Eggers film in the festival circuit as he’s never been a major player at the Academy Awards nor does he need to be since most audiences are aware of his body of work. Movie-goers went to The Bikeriders in droves this past summer just to get a glimpse at the trailer for Eggers’ latest. The film stars Bill Skarsgard, Nicolas Hoult, Willem Dafoe, and Anya-Taylor Joy. The story follows the vampire Count Orlok who grows obsessed with a woman, haunting her and causing horror in his wake. The cast is composed of Eggers regulars and hosts a gothic setting familiar to Eggers. Much has also been made about the look of the film as it stays true to its 19th-century romantic aesthetic while still being shot in color. Eggers has employed a black-and-white color design in color, with new lenses being engineered specifically for the film. As mentioned, a brief teaser came out earlier in the summer that displayed Robert Eggers’ penchant for beautifully constructed frames. With such attention to detail and time-specific aesthetics similar to The Lighthouse, Eggers embarks on another ambitious adventure that hopefully won’t be hampered by studio interference like The Northman. Still, it’s strange to see a film of this stature and with so much anticipation skip the festivals. I presume people at Focus are banking on word of mouth and reputation to carry the film to the box office, as opposed to relying on Awards buzz to drive their marketing strategy. It’s a risky move we hope to see pay off as Nosferatu remains one of the most anticipated films of the year.
(A Complete Unknown, 2024)
They invented Redbox for movies like "Flight Risk".
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