NaBloPoMo (11/2014) – Day 4: Expectations

It’s November 4, 2014. In the United States, it’s election day. That being said, I’m sure that there are many, many blog posts out there about politics, voting, civic duty, etc. I wrote one a couple of years ago. (If you’re interested, you can read it HERE.) So, I suppose the expectation is that my blog post today would also be about election day…or politics, voting, civic duty, etc.

Well, let’s just blow that expectation right out of the water, shall we? Because that’s not what I’m going to do. I mean, I’m not a super political person to begin with. What would be the point of me going on and on about stuff that, while important, just isn’t that interesting to me?  But, I will say this: when you have the chance…vote!

So, since I’m not meeting that particular expectation, let tell you a bit about MY expectations for the next couple of months. Stay on the ride with me, dear reader. Please keep your arms inside the car at all times.

We’re on the downhill slide toward a new year. Thanksgiving is just over 3 weeks away. Christmas is just 4 weeks after that. Then…it’s 2015! These next 2 months are going to be very busy for most of us – especially for those of us who committed to NaBloPoMo and NaNoWriMo this year. For me, November and December will be filled with writing blogs, reviewing books, cooking for the holidays (turkey and stuffing for Thanksgiving, lasagna and meatballs for Christmas), baking for the holidays, visiting family in North Carolina, cleaning my house (purge!), and generally keeping up with life around me. But what helps to make November and December uniquely hectic for me are…movies!

We’re coming up on awards season. The Golden Globes, The Independent Spirit Awards, The SAG Awards, and The Oscars are just a few months away. I love this time of year. I love the awards shows. I love the hype leading up to the awards. I love the red carpet. I love looking at the dresses and the tuxedos. I love the before and after interviews. I.Love.Awards.Season!

So, what does this have to do with my expectations?  Well, I can expect to be spending more time actually seeing movies at the theatre during the next two months.

You see, I rarely go to the movie theatre. I’ll most often wait for the DVD or for it to show on cable. Movie prices are just so expensive! I mean, I live in the suburbs of Chicago and it still costs over $14 to see a movie. I don’t want to think about what it costs in the city. So, no, I don’t spend a lot of time at the local theatre.

But it’s different this time of year. This is when all of the “contender” movies are released. The studios come out with their heavy hitters in the last quarter of the year. Summer blockbusters are all well and good, but it’s seldom that you’ll see an acting nomination come out of a superhero flick. Apart from franchise movies (Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Twilight), this is when the studios inundate us with their “best” films. This is when the campaigning starts and the studios vie for votes. (See what I did there? Full circle.)

Yes, I expect I’ll be hitting the movie theatre a few times over the next few months.

Here is what I plan on seeing:

Interstellar

This one is being released this week and stars Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway – award winners all.  It looks like a compelling story and it looks like it was beautifully done. I’m looking forward to seeing if that all pans out. I was a Physics/Astronomy major in college for 2 1/2 years. I’ve always been fascinated by space. So stories – no matter how rooted in reality – about space and space travel have always interested me. If it’s a good story that has been told in a compelling way, I’m in heaven. Plus, Jessica Chastain…she could be in a Dumb and Dumber movie and I would go see it just for her. I mean, come on! She’s Jessica-frickin-Chastain!

 

Foxcatcher

This isn’t a movie that I would normally want to see.  But the buzz about it has piqued my interest. I’ve always liked Mark Ruffalo. I think he’s a really under-rated actor. Ditto for Steve Carell.  There’s a lot of Oscar buzz about his performance in this one. I’m so used to seeing him as a comedic actor, I’m looking forward to see what he can do in a dramatic role. I mean, I saw glimpses of what he can do in Crazy, Stupid, Love, but I’m hoping this will really prove to be a showcase for the range of his talents. I like Channing Tatum a lot, as well. He’s had some hits and some misses. He’s a good box office draw. Now let’s hope that he’s been given a role that allows him to show off some acting chops and prove that he’s more than just a pretty boy in a g-string.

 

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 1

Okay. This one is probably not an Oscar contender. It’s a franchise blockbuster. I get that. But, OH! I can’t wait to see this one. You see, I love a good franchise, and THIS is a good franchise. The visuals in the previous movies have been stunning – and the previews for this one look even better. Anyone who knows me knows that Jennifer Lawrence is my #1 Inappropriate Crush. What does that mean? It means I’m old enough to be her mother, but I still have a celebrity crush on her. Besides the fact that she’s beautiful, funny, and down to earth, she’s just a really good actor. I’ve seen most of her movies and I’ve never been disappointed in her performances. Seen The Poker House? Or The Burning Plain? Or Winter’s Bone? If not, see them. They are difficult movies to watch because of the subject matter, but Lawrence’s performances are amazing!

Into the Woods

Holy Moly! I’ve been waiting for this movie for 2 years! First of all, it’s Sondheim. Hello! Secondly, it’s a musical. Yay! But have you seen the cast list? Meryl Streep as the Witch (Yowza). Anna Kendrick as Cinderella (Woot). Emily Blunt as the Baker’s Wife (again, Meow). Chris Pine, Tracey Ullman, Mackenzie Mauzy, James Cordon, Johnny Depp, Christine Baranski.  Oh my goodness! I know there are many out there who are already pooh-poohing it because of the buzz around changes to the stage version. But, the way I see it, this is a different medium and, therefore, we should expect changes. Plus, Sondheim and James Lapine – who wrote the stage version – wrote the screenplay and, clearly, approved all of the changes. If they’ve given their approval, then I’m going to give the movie a chance to wow me. I. Cannot. Wait! Did I mention Meryl Streep as the Witch?!

Wild

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Reese Witherspoon in a meaty role. This looks like it may be a comeback performance for Reese. I certainly hope so. The girl has some acting chops. It looks like she’ll be carrying this movie squarely on her shoulders – I’m looking forward to seeing how she handles that. Plus, unlike other movies that I’ve listed here, this one seems to be the least “blockbuster-y” of the group. There don’t appear to be big special effects. Costuming and make-up don’t seem to be at the forefront. This looks like it’s an “acting” movie rather than a “production” movie. And I do love me some great acting. I hope Reese brings that in this film.

 

There  are other movies being released, but these are at the top of my “want to see” list. And they seem like movies that I definitely want to see on the big screen rather than waiting for DVD or cable. So, yeah, my expectation is that I’ll be going to the movies quite a bit over the next couple of months. I have no doubt that I can expect my wallet to be thinner because of it.

What upcoming movies are you excited about?