The Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Film Comment Selects Series runs from February 17 – 24 in New York City. Two of our writers, C.J. Prince and Michael Nazarewycz, got to preview some of the films playing in the series. First up is C.J., who took a look at some of the new films playing in this year’s series.

C.J.: If you’re a die-hard cinephile, you should already know about New York City’s Film Society of Lincoln Center. With plenty of series and festivals every year like New Directors/New Films and the New York Film Festival, FSLC combines mainstream, classic and experimental cinema into one big, unending celebration of great filmmaking.

So when Film Comment, the official publication of the Lincoln Center, put together their 16^th edition of the Film Comment Selects series, we wanted to see what they had to offer. Gathering a mix of new works hot off the festival circuit and older, underseen titles, the series unites through themes of discovery and rediscovery.

Opening the series is Terence Davies’ Sunset Song, which had its World Premiere last year at the Toronto International Film Festival. A passion project for Davies, the film is an adaptation of Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s novel about young Scottish farm girl Chris Guthrie (Agyness Deyn) as she tries to find independence and happiness in the early 1900s. For some reason Davies doesn’t get a lot of respect from the major fests (rumor has it that this film, along with the underrated The Deep Blue Sea, were flat out rejected by both Cannes and Venice), which seems baffling considering this is the same man behind The Long Day Closes and Distant Voices, Still Lives. Sunset Song doesn’t reach the same highs as those two films, keeping its focus on the source material’s sweeping narrative rather than providing the kinds of sublime moments Davies specializes in, but the film has a cumulative strength that’s undeniable. It’s less of a character study and more of a representation of how desires and ambitions can fall victim to forces beyond our control, whether it’s abusive family members (a subject Davies knows how to portray better than anyone else) or a war breaking out. It’s a reminder of how we can only define ourselves to a certain degree, and Davies expresses this message with just the right amount of humility and grace.

Even if one can’t go along with Davies’ style in Sunset Song, there’s still an earnestness with his approach that’s admirable. I can’t say the same for Benoit Jacquot’s The Diary of a Chambermaid, a piece of French prestige that sleepwalks through its adaptation of Octave Mirbeau’s novel. This is the third time Mirbeau’s story has been translated to the screen, with Jean Renoir and Luis Bunuel making their own versions in the past, and despite having seen neither of those versions (something I’m not proud of), Jacquot’s adaptation still feels pointless. Léa Seydoux plays Celestine, a chambermaid who gets hired on at a house in the French countryside. She’s a smart, beautiful woman who knows it, spending most of her time bitterly lamenting both her job and social status. Seydoux continues to show why she’s become such a revered actress in a short time, and Clotilde Mollet gives a great performance as her cruel master, but the screenplay is a total mess. Flashbacks to Celestine’s previous jobs attempt to flesh out her character when it actually paints her as erratic, veering between sensitive caretaker (in a strange sequence with other up-and-coming French actor Vincent Lacoste) and resentful grump. These sorts of sudden, inexplicable shifts happen across the film, with the most baffling one being Celestine’s crush on her brooding, anti-Semitic co-worker (Vincent Lindon). With Jacquot making no effort to provide any sense of coherency, it’s hard to give a single shit about Diary of a Chambermaid’s narrative. The abrupt, unsatisfying conclusion feels more like everyone just gave up, preferring to go take a nap rather than try and make an actual ending.

From one French “It Girl” to another, Philippe Grandrieux’s Malgré la Nuit (the English title is Despite the Night, but I prefer the original) stars Ariane Labed, who co-starred with Seydoux in Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Lobster. Possibly the most extreme film in this year’s line-up, Grandrieux takes a look at extreme emotions through two people living in Paris: Lenz (Kristian Marr), returning from England to look for a woman named Madeleine, and Hélène (Labed), a nurse who strikes up an intense relationship with Lenz during his search. Beyond its disturbing subject matter (involving an underground club specializing in sex, torture and murder), Malgré la nuit gets under the skin through its strange formal choices, whether it’s shrouding scenes in darkness—most exchanges look like they’re happening in an underground cavern rather than a room—or shooting close-ups with artificial lights that turn faces into overexposed blobs of light. Grandrieux operates through cinema’s ability to portray subjectivity and emotions rather than its ability to tell a story, so while the narrative may be flimsy, it takes a backseat to the film’s ability to provide a visceral knockout to the senses.

Of course, this being FSLC, the series wouldn’t be complete without some titles that will leave viewers completely baffled. Take, for example, Marco Bellochio’s Blood of my Blood, which premiered at Venice and Toronto last year to a small yet vocal chorus of raves. It starts in the 17th century with Federico (Pier Giorgio Bellocchio) arriving at the convent his priest brother resided at before killing himself. His brother had an affair with the nun Sister Benedetta (Lidiya Liberman), and in order to ensure his brother gets a proper burial, he must help prove that Benedetta is influenced by Satan (since that would prove that the suicide was an involuntary act and not a sin). This is all well and good until Bellochio abruptly ends this story halfway through, flashing forward to the same convent in present day where an old man named Count Basta (Roberto Herlitzka) resides. And oh yeah, Count Basta might be a vampire. How do these two storylines link together? It’s a question I can’t really answer after one viewing, and I’m sure most people will find themselves in the same boat. It’s a bemusing experience, although not everyone will feel like it’s worth the effort to try and understand what exactly might be going on in Bellochio’s head.

But, at the very least, I can say something about Bellochio’s film. Trying to talk about Andrzej Żuławski’s Cosmos is something that eludes me, and I’ll be perfectly fine admitting that a large amount of it probably went over my head. Adapted from Witold Gombrowicz’s novel, the film is Żuławski’s first feature film in over 15 years, and from frame one it feels like he’s unleashing all the pent-up strangeness he’s been accumulating over the years. Law student Witold (Jonathan Genet) escapes to a guest house where he befriends fellow guest Fuchs (Johan Libereau) and falls for the owner’s daughter (Victoria Guerra). At the same time, Witold’s discovery of a block of wood and a dead sparrow, both strung up by wire near the property, inspires him and Fuchs to figure out who’s responsible. All I can say about Cosmos is that it’s just one weird experience that, no matter how maddening it may get, never slows down for a second. It’s just unfortunate that Żuławski’s quirks start paying off far too late into the picture, with a final act and ending(s) that inspire laughter just by its sheer audacity. Fans of Possession, Żuławski’s cult classic, should not expect anything similar here, even though both films could be classified as unforgettable whatsits.

There are plenty more intriguing titles from recent years playing the series that I wish I could have gotten to see, like the essay Notfilm, a look into the making of Samuel Beckett and Buster Keaton’s avant-garde short Film (which screens with Notfilm). Also playing are Venice prize winner No One’s Child, Hirokazu Kore-Eda’s 2015 Cannes competition entry Our Little Sister, Aleksei German Jr.’s Under Electric Clouds, and the US premiere of 2012 Iranian film The Paternal House. But Film Comment has much more going on than a showcase of recent festival fare. Michael Nazarewycz took a peek at some of the archival titles playing this year, starting with Ray Davies’ Return to Waterloo.

Michael: The Kinks, formed in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies, were a British rock band that had critical success early (1964’s You Really Got Me) and late (1983’s Come Dancing) in their musical careers. On the heels of the success of Come Dancing, with its music video rich in bittersweet themes of melancholy and regret, Ray Davies clearly had more to get off his chest creatively and thematically. He did so, partially at the expense of an already strained relationship with his brother Dave, by focusing his artistic attention on directing a musical film. The result, along with an accompanying soundtrack of mostly new music written by Ray, was 1984’s Return to Waterloo.

In the film, veteran British character actor Kenneth Colley plays a man simply known as The Traveller. The Traveller is an otherwise unassuming businessman…until it’s revealed he might be a wanted serial rapist. He follows a blonde into the tube and, as he takes his train ride, his mind harkens to many different things, including thoughts of his recently-estranged daughter and his disenchanted wife, as well as his opinions of present-day youth and memories of a more promising career in his younger days.

Return to Waterloo marks the cinematic debut of writer/director Ray Davies and, with the exception of a few subsequent documentaries, it’s his only filmmaking effort. That’s a shame. Davies’ musical drama, while not perfect, is a wonderful blend of melancholy, music, and mystery, and it proves that the musician had greater artistic scope than just penning and recording hit records. His approach is bold; rather than create a linear narrative and tell a traditional story, Davies plays fast and loose with The Traveller’s timeline and his sense of reality. The character clearly exists in the now, but as he encounters people in his travels, those people trigger thoughts and images that slip in and out of reality, dancing a line between things that happened in the past and things he imagines are happening now. The creative approach, which ultimately relies on the viewer to do some heavier-than-usual lifting, works more often than it doesn’t, and at a lean and energetic 58 minutes, it’s a great time. Tthe film also marks the second onscreen appearance of a young Tim Roth, as well as an early entry in the career of legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins.

Film Comment has also chosen to screen a pair of Charles Bronson films at their Selects festival. Bronson, who began acting in the early 1950s, appeared in a collection of films that would go on to become classics, including John Sturges’s The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape. In the 1970s, Bronson rocketed to superstardom, anchored by a star turn in Michael Winner’s vigilante classic Death Wish. Late in his career, Bronson was one of the biggest stars in the Cannon Films stable, appearing in a collection of ’80s action flicks for the notorious production company. But hidden among these famous films are two lesser-known entries from the action legend.

First is Tom Gries’ Breakout, from 1975. In the film, Robert Duvall plays Jay Wagner, a man wrongly imprisoned in Mexico for a murder he didn’t commit. The murder and incarceration were orchestrated by Wagner’s corrupt grandfather-in-law (played by John Huston). Wagner’s wife, played by frequent Bronson co-star and real-life spouse Jill Ireland, hires bush pilot Nick Colton (Bronson) to break her husband out of jail. Action ensues.

As a film, Breakout isn’t very good. While it allows Bronson to be a little less serious than the brooding characters he’s better known for, the plot is an utter mess and the rescue attempts (there are several) are nothing more than a string of haplessly assembled action pieces that only serve to illustrate what a terrible rescuer Colton is (as is his sidekick of sorts, played by Randy Quaid). Still, the film is notable and worth checking out for a couple of things. It’s loosely based on the book The 10-Second Jailbreak, which itself is based on actual events. The film is part of the Bronson canon, and one not usually mentioned in the same breath as the others, so Bronson completists should rejoice. It has quite a cast, as well as quite the producing team in Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, the Oscar-winners behind the entire Rocky franchise (including 2015’s Creed). Most interestingly, though, Breakout is one of the titles bandied about when there are discussions about the “first summer blockbuster.” While Steven Spielberg’s Jaws is widely regarded to hold that distinction because of its wide release and its success, other films, including this one, had wide releases just as big.

The other Bronson film selected by Film Comment is an excellent choice, one that is part of the overlooked European portion of the actor’s career. Starting with Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West  and ending with his return to the US as the star of The Mechanic, Bronson made about a dozen films in Europe including the 1970 film Rider on the Rain, which won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. The French film is a sleek, slick Hitchcockian thriller, although the name of its femme fatale is more Bond than Hitch: Mélancolie Mau.

Played by Marlène Jobert, Mélancolie is a lonely woman in a loveless marriage living in a lifeless seaside town. One day, while her husband is somewhere else in the world in his role as an airline pilot (and philanderer), a creepy-looking man (Marc Mazza) with a red bag gets off a bus. The man makes incidental eye contact with Mélancolie. Later that day, when she is trying on clothes in a shop, the stranger leers at her through the outside window as she stands exposed in her underwear and stockings. That night, the stranger breaks into her home and rapes her. He doesn’t leave. Before he can repeat his act, there is a struggle that eventually affords Mélancolie the opportunity to shoot and kill him, but rather than report it to police, she dumps the body into the sea and keeps the incident a secret.

The next day at a wedding, Mélancolie meets American Harry Dobbs (Bronson), a man who not only knows what she did but knows a lot of the circumstances surrounding it. Still, despite his prodding, she refuses to confess to her actions, and what follows is a tingling game of cat-and-mouse that showcases Mélancolie’s resolve and Dobbs’s downright misogyny. Of course things devolve from there.

Director René Clément certainly gets his Hitchcock on for this film. While Mélancolie is not your typical Hitchcock blonde, the redhead is no less icy and no less mysterious. Of questionable character, too, is Dobbs, whose knowledge of the facts and pursuit of the truth suggest hero, but whose methods suggest anti-hero at best. A beautiful resort, sexual energy to spare, and a slowly unraveling mystery make Rider on the Rain a compelling and, at times, unsettling watch in ways reminiscent of Hitchcock, but perhaps with more dazzling visuals and brutal realism (the rape scene is harrowing). Jobert is truly the star of the picture, but Bronson is excellent, with his perpetual cat-who-ate-the-canary grin beneath his signature mustache. The two couldn’t be more different than each other, yet their onscreen chemistry is excellent.

In addition to these fun catalogue titles, Film Comment’s lineup boasts several other classics, including a trio of films from Andrzej Żuławski to accompany Cosmos. That trio consists of a pair of 1972 horror films, The Devil and The Third Part of the Night, and the 1988 sci-fi/fantasy On the Silver Globe. Closing night offers a Chantal Akerman tribute with the screening of her 1986 musical Golden Eighties.

It’s January, the Oscar nominations are out there and everyone’s giving their two cents about Hollywood race/gender bias, complaining that their favorite movie didn’t get enough attention, and praying to the golden-statue gods that Leonardo DiCaprio finally nabs that elusive award he’s been chasing since he was five years old or something.

2015 was a fascinating year in film. But to be real, it’s exhausting getting pelted left and right on social media with people’s thoughts on the Oscars and their grievances with this past year in film. What’s more, we’re in a veritable dead zone at the movies right now, with little of significance (all due respect) hitting theaters in these last winter months. What better to do, then, than to look beyond awards season and run down our most anticipated movies of 2016?

From arthouse to mega multiplex, there are pictures in the works that we can’t wait to feast our eyes on. Cinephile favorites Rodrigo García, Jeff Nichols, Whit Stillman, the Coens, and Kenneth Lonergan are all ready to blow us away again with their latest offerings, while Disney looks to have another banner year with two Marvel films and a Star Wars spinoff waiting in the wings. Beloved veterans Martin Scorsese and Richard Linklater are back with a pair of ensemble pieces while up and coming rookies Damien Chazelle and Ana Lily Amirpour return to prove their breakout hits were just the beginning of their long and fruitful careers.

So, while everyone else continues to moan about Oscar racial bias while simultaneously butchering Alejandro González Iñárritu’s name, join us as we look forward to what should be a spectacular year in film.

Way Too Indie’s Most Anticipated Films of 2016

31

Rob Zombie is one of the most polarizing genre filmmakers working today, with equal amounts of people believing his films to be brilliant art or tasteless filth. His latest film, 31, has received lots of hype leading up to its Sundance premiere due to an MPAA controversy. If there’s anything we’ve learned from Zombie’s past features, it’s that he’s completely unafraid of going too far in regards to grim violence. His breakout film, The Devil’s Rejects, is an exercise in brutality that also includes some unexpected moments that are genuinely sweet and endearing. According to the director, 31 features a similar tone to the aforementioned film, which is definitely a positive thing. Set on Halloween night in the 1970s, the film finds a group of psychotic clowns capturing unsuspecting people and forcing them to play deadly carnival games. While this could be perceived as cheesy, Zombie’s history of going completely balls to the wall with everything leaves little doubt that 31 will be genuinely unsettling. [Blair]

Assassin’s Creed

Game players across the globe have long been eagerly awaiting Justin Kurzel’s adaptation of the popular action-adventure series, Assassin’s Creed. And seeing as it’s one of my most anticipated films of 2016, you’d think that I’m a die-hard fan of the game as well. Surprisingly, I’ve never played it (despite always having had an interest in doing so), and thus my excitement to check out Kurzel’s adaptation doesn’t stem from adoration of the original source material. More so, it stems from my love of the cast and crew at the helm of the project. Assassin’s Creed is co-written by Michael Lesslie, one of the co-writers of Kurzel’s brilliant adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, from last year. It’s shot by Adam Arkapaw (also Macbeth, True Detective, Top of the Lake, Lore, The Snowtown Murders, Animal Kingdom), undoubtedly one of the world’s finest working cinematographers. And lastly, the film stars Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard who, with Macbeth, already proved what a dual force they can be on screen. It’s hard not to expect greatness from this immensely talented group of individuals’ next cinematic output. [Eli]

The Bad Batch

Ana Lily Amirpour made a huge impression on the indie world a couple years ago with her directorial debut of A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, even landing on our list of the Best Foreign Films of 2014. With her upcoming film The Bad Batch, Amirpour scores big name actors Jim Carrey and Keanu Reeves (though the extent of their roles is unknown at this time) along with Diego Luna and Suki Waterhouse to star in a film described as a cannibal love story set in a post-apocalyptic Texas wasteland. We can only hope Amirpour offers another highly stylized genre mashup like she did in her first effort, and capitalizes on the extraordinary talent she’s been blessed with here. While there hasn’t been an official release date announced yet, we’d expect The Bad Batch to premiere on the festival circuit later this year. [Dustin]

Bad Santa 2

Comedies are often funniest when they make you laugh in a very particular, unique way that may not be for everyone, but is just right for you. 2003’s Bad Santa was that kind of movie for me, with its irreverent, dark, disgusting sense of humor still making me laugh hysterically over a decade after I first watched it. In its (true) sequel, Bad Santa 2, Billy Bob Thornton reprises his role as scummy small-time crook/mall Santa Willie Stokes as Mean Girls director Mark Waters sits at the helm. Joining Thornton onscreen are Tony Cox (reprising his role as Willie’s partner in crime, Marcus), Christina Hendricks, Kathy Bates and the returning Brett Kelly as pudgy Santa admirer Thurman Merman. Principal photography for the film commenced just recently, and with Zoolander 2 on deck this year as well, I’m beginning to have high school flashbacks of spilling my popcorn at my multiplex from laughing so hard. [Bernard]

Captain America: Civil War

With Ant-Man, the Marvel Cinematic Universe concluded “Phase 2” of its ongoing celluloid superhero saga. In that time, heroes have been born, friendships have been forged, and Avengers have been assembled. Those first two phases of films—12 pictures in all—have led to the kickoff of Phase 3: Captain America: Civil War. This is a film that will pit hero against hero and probably disassemble The Avengers as we know them today, as the US government wants superheroes to register their powers; not every hero thinks they should, creating a philosophical divide and both sides are digging in. There hasn’t been a film in the MCU franchise with this much at stake. It not only marks the beginning of the end for some characters and storylines, it also marks the beginning of the beginning for others, making the film a critical point along a dynamic timeline that Marvel has projected into 2019. To add a twist, Civil War marks only the third time an MCU director has helmed a sequel of his previous film. Jon Favreau, director of what once was best of the MCU, Iron Man, directed Iron Man 2 to disastrous creative results. Joss Whedon, who directed the film that toppled Iron Man as the best—The Avengers—directed that film’s sequel, Avengers: Age of Ultron; his results weren’t much better than Favreau’s. That pattern now continues. Brothers Anthony and Joe Russo return from helming Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the MCU film I strongly believe tops them all, to direct this one. Will the superhero sophomore jinx sting the Russos like those before them? I hope not, and I can’t wait to find out. [Michael]

Cosmos

The fact that Andrzej Zulawski has returned to feature filmmaking after a fifteen-year hiatus should be a cause for celebration. Like many of the Polish auteurs, from Kieslowski to Polanski, Zulawski’s images are always striking. His Cronenberg-esque English-language horror film, Possession, is among the best of its kind, brimming with terror and excitement. But it’s possible Cosmos, with its suggestively panoptic title, could be something more ambitious. Perhaps it will be more comparable to Zulawski’s unfinished opus, On the Silver Globe, as the plot also seems relatively abstract. Regardless, the film is shaping up to be quite the triumph. It premiered in August of last year at the Locarno International Film Festival to rave reviews, so it would appear the great director has not lost his footing. [Cameron]

Doctor Strange

I don’t know much about Doctor Strange, but what I do know points to possibly Marvel Studios’ strangest (yeah, OK, pun intended) film so far. Benedict Cumberbatch as an intergalactic crime-fighting magician? I’m down with that. The film’s director has also piqued my interested, as Scott Derrickson could bring a dark edge to that could-be goofy one-sentence description. Derrickson is one of the best filmmakers working today in mainstream horror, even if I was greatly disappointed by his last film, Deliver Us from Evil. Marvel has had a rocky history with directors with a vision, though I think this narrative is a little overplayed considering what we see on screen—the pre- and non-Avengers films have always had a bit of the filmmaker’s character in there, so I expect Derrickson’s style to show on screen. Along with Cumberbatch, Doctor Strange will also feature Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Baron Mordo (that has to be the villain, right?), Mads Mikkelsen, and Tilda Swinton as something called “The Ancient One.” If Doctor Strange turns out to be as crazy and scary as I hope, it might be Marvel’s new torch holder. [Aaron]

Demolition

Fresh off the successes of his recent films Dallas Buyers Club and Wild, Jean-Marc Vallée’s next directorial effort, Demolition, looks like more character-driven brilliance from the filmmaker. Starring the perpetually under-appreciated Jake Gyllenhaal, the film follows an investment banker who attempts to rebuild his life after the unexpected death of his wife. With a fantastic director, a fantastic lead, and a fantastic supporting cast—featuring the likes of Naomi Watts and Chris Cooper—there is a lot to get excited about when it comes to Demolition’s upcoming release. While having a great cast and crew doesn’t always result in a great movie, it certainly stacks the odds in favor of such, which is a justifiable cause for excitement. If the film can elicit the same kind of raw, human emotion that Vallée’s previous works have, we’re all going to be in for a treat when Demolition arrives in theaters this April. [Blair]

Elle

A cyberthriller starring Isabelle Hupert from genius provocateur, Paul Verhoeven? That’s not a logline I need to hear twice. Verhoeven is chiefly remembered for his ability to pull off social commentary through science fiction better than just about anyone else in the game. He skewered the noxious politics of Robert Heinlin’s military-approved novel, Starship Troopers, by adapting it in such a way that its virtues are mocked as opposed to upheld, resulting in one of the best anti-propaganda films of the past few decades. Prior to this, he exploded with the smash hit, RoboCop, a blockbuster about a corrupt company that seeks to saturate an impoverished Detroit with its state-of-the-art technology to profit through monopolized gentrification. But even before this, before the name Verhoeven was familiar to American audiences, he was churning out pulpy, Hitchcockian erotic thrillers that were supremely stylized and vigorously entertaining. With Elle, a film that sounds so Hitchcockian it’s a wonder Brian De Palma isn’t directing it. [Cameron]

Everybody Wants Some

Following up his critically acclaimed masterpiece Boyhood, Richard Linklater heads back into familiar territory with a slacker comedy that has cult status written all over it. His upcoming film Everybody Wants Some follows a group of college baseball players in the early ’80s who embark on a wild weekend of freedom and unsupervised adulthood. Fans of his ’70s inspired high school stoner classic Dazed and Confused will undoubtedly notice similarities. That’s by design as Linklater’s newest film is a self-proclaimed “spiritual sequel” to the fan favorite Dazed, containing the same setup of boys chasing girls, drinking, and pot smoking, only a decade later. The former film introduced us to little-known actors who later became superstars (Matthew McConaughey and Milla Jovovich) so there’s a chance the same could happen with the young cast here as well (Blake Jenner, Zoey Deutch, Ryan Guzman, Tyler Hoechlin, Wyatt Russell). Everybody Wants Some is slated to premiere at SXSW this year as the opening night film. [Dustin]

Ghostbusters

2016 appears to be going for some sort of record for Most Franchise Films distributed in a year. Almost every weekend sees some next installment of whomever your favorite superhero is (Batman, Superman, X-Men, and Captain America will all be hanging out in 2016), or the next star war or trek, and don’t get me started on nostalgia-produced installations such as Independence Day: Resurgence, Zoolander 2, Finding Dory, and Bridget Jones’s Baby. Straight old remakes are more rare, as they should be when the originals are so perfect. So while no one is likely hankering for another Jungle Book, Pete’s Dragon, or Jumanji—though they are going to get them anyway—there is one remake we can get genuinely excited about this year: Ghostbusters. Re-imagining the 1984 classic with female leads (especially one made up of today’s funniest women: Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones), directed by a man who not only makes hilarious films but seems to innately understand the unique humor women afford to film, Paul Feig, is not only a great indicator that Hollywood might finally be wising up that we need less Get Hard and more Spy and Bridesmaids. Sure the film is banking on people’s love for the original, but I’m betting the fresh perspective secures it as a success on its own and further proof the world wants to see ladies save the day while Chris Hemsworth plays the secretary. How’s that for role reversal? [Ananda]

Hail, Caesar!

Hail, Caesar! is as close to a “blind buy” as it comes to a most anticipated list simply because it’s the Coen brothers (True Grit, Inside Llewyn Davis). I’ll admit that I was a little wary when I first heard the film was being released in early February—but again, it’s the Coen brothers. Sure, the Coens have their fair share of misses, and Hail, Caesar! seems much more in the comic vein of their less successful films. Given what we’ve seen in the trailers for the film, at worst it seems like a fun and disposable film. The cast is spectacular: Clooney, Brolin, Tatum, Swinton, Johansson, Fiennes, Hill, McDormand—I could make an art-house Expendables joke which is even more apt as Dolph Lundgren is also in the film. Hail, Caesar! may not be on the same plane as the Coens’ recent run (last three films nominated for Best Picture), but I’m ready for a sharp, very fun, nostalgic madcap run through the Golden Age of Hollywood that only they could provide. [Aaron]

La La Land

Though it wasn’t quite his debut, Whiplash allowed filmmaker Damien Chazelle to emerge in a big way in 2014. At the time of the movie’s release, the common refrain concerning Chazelle’s high school past as a jazz drummer was that it helped him to imbue his movie—about a musician—with a sense of musicality and rhythm. His cuts, perfectly timed with the diegetic soundtrack, made the journey of a song cinematic. Which is why it’s no surprise that the writer/director’s follow-up to his Oscar-winning second movie is a full-on musical. La La Land (set for release July 15th) reunites Crazy, Stupid, Love co-stars/charm machines Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone with Rosemarie DeWitt, John Legend and Whiplash standout J.K. Simmons in supporting roles. Set in modern day Los Angeles, the upcoming film features Gosling as a jazz pianist that falls for an aspiring actress, and from the first look, an old-fashioned tone seems evident. In an era where the majority of big movie musicals are stodgy adaptations of Broadway shows, Chazelle—who turns 31 years old January 19th—is poised to bring some vitality to a genre desperately in search of some. [Zach]

Last Days in the Desert

I’ve always been fascinated by experimental takes on Biblical tales. The source material is literally ancient, so it’s highly refreshing whenever a filmmaker decides to approach it unconventionally, unafraid to deviate from the consensus understandings of the deeply subjective text. Last Days in the Desert appears to be just such a film. The story centers on Jesus’s 40 days of fasting and prayer in the desert; a hazy period of isolation and temptation. It’s the kind of wide-open premise that is ripe for abstract, contemplative filmmaking. But there’s an extra angle of intrigue in the casting of Ewan McGregor as both Jesus and Satan. Perceived whitewashing aside, the double role is a really cool choice, and I’m eager to see what it means for the film’s ideas and what it brings out of McGregor. Also, Rodrigo García directs the first feature script he’s written since the underseen gem, Mother and Child (2009). Last Days in the Desert appears to be a bit of a departure as far as style and subject matter goes, but here’s hoping it represents an invigorating new turn in the director’s career. [Byron]

Love & Friendship

Back in 2011, Whit Stillman fans were ecstatic to see him return to filmmaking after a 13-year hiatus with Damsels in Distress. Luckily, the wait for his next film won’t be nearly that long, with Sundance announcing that his latest feature Love & Friendship will premiere at the festival. This time Stillman has changed gears, adapting a Jane Austen novella taking place in the late 18th century about a widow trying to find husbands for herself and her daughter. It’s new territory for Stillman, although his skill for skewering yuppies and the upper class in his earlier works makes the prospect of him tackling an elegant period piece all the more appealing. But the most exciting part has to be its cast, which stars Chloe Sevigny and Kate Beckinsale, making Love & Friendship a Last Days of Disco mini-reunion we never knew we needed. [C.J.]

Manchester by the Sea

This year’s Sundance lineup came as a surprise compared to previous years, with a lot of big American indie directors unveiling their latest works. And while we can’t wait for the likes of Kelly Reichardt and Todd Solondz to premiere their newest films, it’s Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea that has us most excited. His last film Margaret took over six years to get released due to legal troubles (a long saga well worth looking into), but the film was a bonafide masterpiece, a grand American epic that never got a proper chance to shine. Yet despite committing offenses that would throw most people in director jail for life, Lonergan has returned with a brand new feature about an uncle (Casey Affleck) having to take care of his teenage nephew after his brother dies. It sounds like a return to the low-key, humanist material of You Can Count on Me, and if Lonergan can make something half as good as that we’re in for something truly special. [C.J.]

Midnight Special

Of all the movies on the horizon in 2016, none are more tantalizing to this writer than Jeff Nichols’ Midnight Special. The Take Shelter and Mud director reunites with a surging Michael Shannon to tell the story of a father (Shannon) protecting his young son, Alton (Jaeden Lieberher), from a government task force and a scary religious sect as they race to a secret location. Why all the fuss over one boy? Turns out, Alton’s got special powers (and some freaky glowing eyes) which makes him a big-time target for evil scientists and god-fearing madmen. In Take Shelter we saw Nichols and Shannon examine the nature of paranoia in a fascinating way, but with an added sci-fi element and a thriller pursuit narrative, Midnight Special opens up a world of possibility for the actor-director team. [Bernard]

The Nice Guys

I’m a child of the ‘80s. As such, I was there for the birth of Lethal Weapon. The 1987 Richard Donner film, easily the best buddy cop film made (before and since), was written by Shane Black. It was his first screenplay. While nothing he’s done since can top that, everything he’s done has been a helluva good time. That includes his two directorial efforts, 2005’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and 2013’s Iron Man 3 (both of which he also wrote). Thanks to the cult popularity of the former, the box office success of the latter, and the critical acclaim of both, Black is back behind the camera (and the keyboard) with The Nice Guys. The film, starring heavy-hitters Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, has its leads playing private eyes in 1970s Los Angeles, investigating the suicide of a porn star. If the trailer is any indication, Black’s crackling dialogue will be just one of the highlights of this crime thriller, and surely other Black-isms (humor, Christmas, kidnapping, kids in peril, etc.) will be on full display as well. [Michael]

Passengers

So we don’t have a ton to go off of when it comes to Passengers, but what I do know not only piques my interest but gives me reason to believe this could be one of the most unique, interesting, and entertaining films that comes out in 2016—a year I continue to bemoan as already looking formulaic and franchised to the hilt. What we know: The Imitation Game director Morten Tyldum is directing, Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence are starring (I mean, how hot are they right now?!), and Jon Spaihts wrote the script. As the man most likely responsible for the better parts of Prometheus, Spaihts as writer means the sci-fi elements of this labeled “Epic Sci-Fi Romance” are apt to be pretty solid and Tyldum has proven his directing acumen aplenty. The film’s story follows Chris Pratt’s character, Jim, awakening 60 years early on a spaceship transporting cryogenically frozen passengers on a 90-year journey to a new colony. Rather than face a lonely life and death by himself, he decides to wake up another passenger, Jennifer Lawrence’s Aurora. The Sleeping Beauty reference is cute, the premise sounds both funny and strange, and with unconventional romances like Her captivating audiences recently, this may be a great idiosyncratic and original watch. [Ananda]

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

As a massive Star Wars fan, I’m not sure any 2016 title captures my curiosity more than this one. I say “curiosity” rather than outright “anticipation” because I don’t know at all what to expect. We’re even more in the dark than we were with The Force Awakens. Aside from the animated film that played like an extended pilot for the Clone Wars television show, the franchise has never ventured outside the core episodes on the big screen. The prospect of leaving the Skywalkers behind and exploring new territory through a series of anthology stories is an exciting one and Rogue One will be the first test of that concept. I’ve always wanted to see a Star Wars movie take on the perspective of the soldiers and spies on the ground and this film’s Wild Bunch-style premise presents plenty of intriguing possibilities. An outstanding and diverse cast, coupled with an inspired choice of director in Gareth Edwards (Godzilla, Monsters), makes the project all the more enticing. [Byron]

Silence

Silence is one of those projects that get kicked around for years, taking different forms on its path to production. Martin Scorsese’s interest in the story dates back over 20 years, and previous attempts to produce the movie included names like Daniel Day-Lewis and Ken Watanabe among casting. Repeated delays even lead to one of the film’s producers suing Scorsese in 2012 for repeatedly putting off the movie in favor of films like The Departed and Hugo. Complicated productions can overshadow a film’s release, however, in the case of new material from the director of Raging Bull and Goodfellas (how do you pick two?) the potential for excellence always remains high. Silence stars Liam Neeson and Andrew Garfield—who lost 40 pounds and grew some magnificent facial hair for the part—as well as Star Wars: The Force Awakens standout Adam Driver. Set in the 17th century, the film tells the story of Jesuit priests who face persecution in Japan for spreading the teaching of Christianity. Scorsese’s work tends to be elevated by his personal connections to a story, and the legendary filmmaker’s Catholic roots will hopefully provide an entry point for one of his longest gestating projects. [Zach]

The Witch

It’s easy to refrain from getting too worked up over films from first-time directors, especially those featuring casts of little knowns, because there isn’t much to root one’s anticipation in. Robert Eggers’ The Witch is indeed a directorial debut featuring a cast of little knowns, but isn’t in any way, shape, or form a film that I’m having an easy time waiting for. Admittedly, I have a soft spot for the horror genre, but based on the film’s unforgettably tense and borderline-gothic trailer, it seems like it will be an atypical genre flick: relying less on sudden shocks and more on an atmosphere of dread and uncertainty to affect its viewers. Furthermore, the Sundance debut of The Witch rewarded Eggers with the high honor of their Best Director prize. It’s refreshing to see a filmmaker emerge on the horror scene with a film so strong that its reception, thus far, has been almost universally positive. Without even having seen it, this directorial debut has already strengthened my faith in the future of the horror genre, as well as providing my spooky side with something to keenly await in the coming year. [Eli]