Upcoming Events

Given my constant complaints about the mainstream rubbish we are frequently forced to endure, it probably makes sense for me to share my thoughts on what look like some of the more interesting (though, admittedly, still fairly mainstream) upcoming films.

1. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

An adaptation of John Le Care's downbeat Cold War spy thriller about a Soviet mole discovered at the heart of the British intelligence community. Financed by the French (£30 million from Studio-Canal), directed by a Swede (Thomas Alfredson, whose previous effort was the brilliant and glacial, Let the Right One In), and with a stellar British cast that includes Gary Oldman as George Smiley; recent Oscar winner Colin Firth; the best Sherlock Holmes since Jeremy Brett, Benedict Cumberbatch; and soon to be Batman villain, Tom Hardy; personally, I can't wait.

2. The Ides of March

George Clooney plays a super-slick Presidential candidate to Best Actor nominee, Ryan Gosling's, image consultant and media fixer in what is being pitched as a spiky and abrasive comedy aimed at adults. When the pair fall out Gosling starts fixing things for the other guy. Based on Clooney's previous directorial efforts (the excellent Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Good Night and Good Luck and the less good Leatherheads) this is definitely one to watch.

3. In Time

Justin Timberlake (recently excellent in The Social Network) and Amanda Seyfried star in Andrew Niccol's (The Truman Show, Gattaca, Lord of War) take on a hackneyed old science fiction plot, the utopian future fantasy. Set in a world that sounds like part Logan's Run, part Repent Harlequin! Said the Ticktock Man,, in which people are genetic engineered to stop aging at 25 and then have to 'earn' more life, my guess is that Timberlake and Seyfried might try to escape from said oppressive regime.

4. Contagion

An all star cast - Matt Damon (MATT DAMON!), Marion Cotillard, Lawrence Fishburne, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law - pursue and are pursued by an enemy that they cannot see, or taste or touch - a virus! The none-more-prolific, Stephen Soderberg, is threatening to quit filmmaking once this one is done in order to focus on his painting. I, for one, hope he reconsiders.

5. The Guard

In cinemas now! The second biggest film in Irish box office history, it has been in the UK box office top ten for the past five weeks on the strength of its Irish box office receipts alone. Don Cheadle's uptight FBI agent is teamed up with Brendon Gleeson's cynical Irish policeman in order to investigate a drug ring in the Irish Republic. Profanity and bad taste ensue! The first film from John Michael McDonagh, the brother of the man who in 2008 brought us the similarly themed In Bruge.

Please be aware this blog post contains forward looking statements.