DRIVE
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston,
Ron Perlman, Christina Hendricks, Oscar Isaac &
Albert Brooks
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn for distribution by
FilmDistrict
The Plot: A Hollywood
stuntman (Gosling), who moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals, finds his
life and the lives of his neighbor (Mulligan) and her daughter in danger when
he botches his latest job.
The Final Word: Eventually both
Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan will find the same breakout popularity their
co-stars have found in their careers, but some reason it’s taken longer than
many people have thought. “Drive” could go a long way in helping boost their
popularity as FilmDistrict has slowly made its mark on the Hollywood radar. It
could also emerge as a surprise Oscar contender.
I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT
Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker, Greg Kinnear, Pierce
Brosnan, Olivia Munn,
Seth Meyers, Kelsey Grammer, Christina Hendricks
& Jane Curtin
Directed by Douglas McGrath for distribution by The
Weinstein Company
The Plot: A workaholic
finance executive (Parker) and family breadwinner finds her schedule getting
even more hectic when she’s given new client (Brosnan) to whom she finds
herself attracted.
The Final Word: Based on the
novel by one-time Daily Mail writer
Allison Pearson, the movie could do a lot to repair the damage “Sex & The
City 2” did to Parker’s career. With an “A” list cast backing her and no direct
competitors, the movie could prove to be a modest success and possibly put
Parker in the conversation for Hollywood annual awards season.
STRAW DOGS
Starring: James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander
Skarsgard,
Dominic Purcell, Laz Alonso, Willa Holland &
James Woods
Directed by Rod Lurie for distribution by Screen
Gems (Sony)
The Plot: A Hollywood
screenwriter (Marsden) and his wife (Bosworth) return to her hometown following
the death of her father, only to find themselves embroiled in a deadly conflict
with her ex-boy (Skarsgard) and his gang of thugs.
The Final Word: Based on the
1971 Dustin Hoffman movie of the same name, the remake puts Marsadan in the
title role of a man pushed to his breaking point when bullies target him and
his wife. With Skarsgard’s “True Blood” popularity at an all-time high and a
strong supporting cast, Screen Gems could see a strong showing for “Dogs,” but
only is audiences aren’t turned away by the extremely violent final act.
Previewed next week: Abduction, Dolphin Tale, Killer Elite, Moneyball
