The One That Started It All

Some 20 years ago (long before it was in the public eye thanks to Dancing With the Stars), a young Australian director made his feature film debut with a comedy set within the world of competitive ballroom dancing. Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom actually began life as a stage show when he was a student at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Australia and is, perhaps, his most personal. Baz's mother was a ballroom dancing instructor and Baz himself took lessons as a child. The lead character of Scott Hastings, the rebellious dancer that is tired of dancing by the rules and just wants to do his own brand of "flashy" moves, is very much a stand-in for Baz as a filmmaker. His own "flashy" style has since become his trademark. But the groundwork for all his future films can be found in that first film.

The Red Curtain Opening

It's fitting that the first film in his Red Curtain Trilogy would also begin with the shot of a red curtain rising. The theatricality of the films is presented right off the bat to make the audience aware that things are heightened–this isn't a kitchen sink drama. R+J, which has more of an MTV style starts off with its own version of a curtain rising: a television set being turned on.

My 10 Most Anticipated Summer Movies

The official kick-off of summer, Memorial Day, may still be over a month away, but summer movies are already starting in two weeks with the first big blockbuster, Iron Man 3 on May 3rd. (God, that's so soon. I was still wearing a winter coat this week.) And well I'm hardly excited for the release of that film (didn't we just see that Iron Man guy last summer? It's hard to miss you when you don't go away...), there are plenty of movies coming out that I'm eagerly looking forward to.

Summer is such a good time to escape the heat in an air-conditioned theatre to watch superheroes and things blow-up, but I just don't really have any of those movies listed here. I don't have anything against them, it's just that this summer's offerings aren't looking that appealing to me. (I mean, a 6th edition of the Fast and Furious franchise? C'mon.) I will say that I'm curious to see the new Star Trek mainly for future Oscar Nominee, Benedict Cumberbatch, and I liked the last one (people who actually like Star Trek said it wasn't Star Trek. Maybe that's why I liked it.) I'll also give Elysium a chance (although it looks an awful lot like Neill Blomkamp's last film, District 9. Now with Jodie Foster!) And I'm interested in the Superman reboot, Man of Steel (although, the last Superman was hoooorrible. And I don't know if I can get on-board with a red-headed Lois Lane, a female Jimmy Olsen named Jenny Olsen, and, most importantly, a Superman without the red briefs). Also, none of those movies need the help of some little blog writing about them–people are gonna see them regardless.

So without further ado, here are 10 films that are an alternative to the typical summer fare. And it just so happens, they're the 10 films I'm most excited about seeing this summer.

The Great Gatsby (May 10)

God, it seems like I've been waiting for this movie since last December...Oh, wait, I have. When news came that the release was being pushed from Christmas 2012 to May 2013, most people saw it as a bad sign. But, the same thing happened with the release of Moulin Rouge! (December release pushed back to summer) and I'd say that things turned out pretty well for that film (Best Picture nomination! 2 Oscar wins! And have I mentioned that I love it?!). So, I'm not too worried about this one. And with every new trailer and song release (Beyonce covering Amy Winehouse!), I'm getting more and more excited. There's Carey Mulligan on the cover of Vogue! A collaboration between the film's costume designer (and Baz's wife) Catherine Martin with Brook's Brothers! There's interviews with Baz giving very Baz-like answers to questions about the soundtrack! The only problem I have is, why do all the posters and trailers keep telling us it's from the director of Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!? Don't people recognize a Baz Luhrmann film when they see it? They're pretty distinctive...

Stories We Tell (May 10)

I'm so annoyed that I waited so long to get tickets to see this when it was playing here in New York as part of the New Directors New Films series. Director/Actress Sarah Polley was there for a Q & A! I love a good Q & A...with a good moderator. Once they open it up to questions from the audience it can get kinda dicey...Although, calling someone who was two well-received films already (Away From Her and Take This Waltz) and an Oscar Nomination for Screenwriting, a new director seems kinda like cheating. Since the festival is for first-time filmmakers. Anyway! It's Polley's first documentary (new genre!) and she focuses on her own story–the rumor that her actress mother had an affair and that the father she grew up with isn't her real father. I've heard nothing but good things about it since it was at the Toronto Film Festival last fall. I find it interesting that her first documentary is an extension of her other films in that it focuses on what I love most about fiction–the storytelling.

Frances Ha (May 17)

I actually already saw this film back in October at the New York Film Festival. That's right, I'm putting a film I've already seen on a list of films that I can't wait to see. But, that's how much I enjoyed it! I really want to see it again, but most importantly, I want to get the word out for people to go see it! Director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale and Greenberg) collaborated with the star of the film (and his girlfriend) Greta Gerwig on the screenplay about a twenty-something modern dancer in New York trying to find her way as she aimlessly drifts through life. Eh...that kinda makes it sound like every other coming of age story. Or Girls. Did I mention it's really funny and that Greta Gerwig gives her best performance to date?! She's really the reason to watch. Her natural charisma and skills as a physical comedienne are in full-force here. It's her star-is-born moment.

Before Midnight (May 24)

Alright Hollywood, you win. There is a trilogy that I'm interested in seeing that's being released over the Memorial Day weekend. Only this one is one is an adult, talky, comedic drama about a couple's relationship, that I've been invested in for almost 20 years. So, just to be clear, it's not The Hangover III.
   After their courtship in 1995's Before Sunrise and their rekindled romance in 2004's Before Sunset,      Ethan Hawke's Jesse and Julie Delpy's Celine are back! Taking place 9 years after the last film, the couple is now married with children and the film focuses on sustaining a relationship for the long run after the initial spark of attraction has faded. I adore the first two films and love that we get to see where these characters grow and develop over the years. I would be happy if we visited them every 9 years. Julie Delpy actually joked about that saying the last film would be like the Oscar-winning Amour.

The Bling Ring (June 14)

It was just announced this week that this latest film from director Sofia Coppola is set to open the Un Certain Regard section of Cannes this year–a part of the festival that focuses on young talent and promotes the use of innovation. I'm not sure how a director in her 40's who's releasing her 5th film in 14 years fits the description, but who understands the goings-on of the French anyway. The film is based on the real-life events of a group of girls in LA who stole from the homes of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.
  It's been 10 years since the success of Lost in Translation brought Copploa recognition as a director. Her films after that haven't exactly lived up to the hype of that film. I, for one, am a fan of her polarizing Marie Antoinette film, but feel that Somewhere tread on too-similar ground that she already covered more interestingly in Translation. But, that being said, I enjoy her aesthetic and still look forward to her films. This one sounds like it could be interesting–they're already doing a great job of selling it with the trailer and poster. And for me to want to see a film starring Emma Watson (an actress I usually find wooden and forgettable) is already saying a lot!

More after the jump