Filmmaker Sally Potter’s new film dropped its first trailer a few hours ago and Bleeker Street could have a winner on its hands. Potter’s last film was the biting and witty satire “The Party”. Her latest “The Roads Not Taken” looks to be going in a much different direction and Potter seems to have some good pieces in place.

The movie features the intriguing match of Javier Bardem and Elle Fanning who play a father and daughter. It looks like Bardem plays a detached writer in the middle of an existential crisis. To make matters worse his declining health adds a layer of what looks like delirium. Meanwhile his loving daughter (Fanning) struggles to connect with her emotional distant father over the course on one single day.

“The Roads Not Taken” is scheduled to hit theaters on March 13th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

I feel I say this every time, but it blows my mind that the Fast & Furious movies make up one of the most popular and profitable franchises in existence today. With a total of ten films (so far) and a combined gross of over $5 billion, it’s easily Universal’s biggest franchise. It begs the question, how long can the series keep its head of steam? Well, if the trailer for the latest film is any indication, they still have a lot left in the tank.

“Fast & Furious 9” or “F9” or “F9: The Fast Saga”, whatever they want us to call it, has finally dropped it’s much anticipated first trailer. It’s a solid four minutes of familiar faces, a big new baddie, ridiculously over-the-top car chases, and an interesting surprise at the end. Ultimately it looks like F9 is sticking close to their proven formula which should make franchise fans really happy.

“Fast & Furious 9” is set to hit theaters May 22nd. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

I had the honor of once again appearing on Tavern Talk, this time to film two shows. The first being this review of the new horror movie “Gretel & Hansel”. As before, the idea is that host Phillip Price and his guest watch the newest release of the week and then immediately share their raw first impressions. It was a ton of fun.

Check it out below and let me know what you think.

Ana de Armas is unquestionably an actress on the rise. The 31-year-old Cuban star broke into American film in 2015 but it was last year’s “Knives Out” that opened up a ton of eyes. Things only get bigger in 2020 where she is set to be in four movies including the new James Bond flick and this intriguing crime thriller from writer-director Michael Cristofer.

“The Night Clerk” stars Tye Sheridan as a creepy, eccentric front desk clerk at a hotel. He works the night shift and apparently has an affection for voyeurism. In walks a beautiful yet mysterious young woman (de Armas) who gets a room. Soon after a murder takes place and Sheridan’s character appears to be the chief suspect. I’ll let you check out the trailer for yourself but it looks like a fun little crime story.

“The Night Clerk” is set to release February 21st. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

When it comes to original movies Netflix has evolved into a powerhouse. In 2018 Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma” received tons of praise and end of the year awards. 2019 was even bigger with movies like “Marriage Story”, “The Irishman”, and others earning the streaming giant a whopping 24 Oscar nominations. It hasn’t taken them long to excite us for 2020.

“The Last Thing He Wanted” is a political thriller with an eye-catching cast: Anne Hathaway, Ben Affleck, Rosie Perez, and Willem Dafoe. More exciting is it’s the follow up film for director and co-writer Dee Rees. Her last movie “Mudbound” was one of my favorites from 2017 so this is a must-see for me. The first trailer has landed and things look promising.

We won’t have to wait long. “The Last Thing He Wanted” premieres at Sundance then hits Netflix on February 21st. Check out the new trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

https://youtu.be/KmrU6gMc1Lc

Over the last few days I’ve been reflecting on the best acting performances of 2019. It’s day four and it’s time to look at the final category. We wrap things up by looking at Lead Actor. This group may not be as ripe with stellar performances as the past couple of years but it was still tough to narrow it down to only five performances. Here are my picks for the best the year had to offer.

#5 – Mads Mikkelsen (“Arctic”)

It’s sad but I don’t know of anyone who is talking about “Arctic” or more specifically Mads Mikkelsen’s rugged, stoic performance. Mikkelsen is sublime, able to carry the weight of the film on his shoulders through both his intense physical commitment and deep emotional resonance. “Arctic” is a survival film in the fullest sense and Mikkelsen sells every moment with a steely yet measured realism. Simply put, he’s great.

#4 – August Diehl (“A Hidden Life”)

Not just any performer can do well in a Terrence Malick movie. It takes a special talent to move with the filmmaker’s unique visual and storytelling rhythms. This is especially true for “A Hidden Life” and August Diehl is the perfect fit. Quiet, expressive, and deftly in sync with Malick’s meditative beats, Diehl’s ability to visualize inner turmoil, heartfelt conviction, and loving concern is astonishing. It’s one of the best performances of the year that too few people have seen.

#3 – Brad Pitt (“Ad Astra”)

A key part of Brad Pitt’s fabulous 2019 was “Ad Astra”, a quiet and contemplative slice of science-fiction. His portrayal of a highly decorated yet tortured astronaut is some of the best work of his career. It’s a subdued and understated performance, internalized yet so effective that nearly every feeling can be understood through his pained eyes. Pitt is a proven big Hollywood star who probably has a ton of projects to choose from. I love seeing him make choices like this.

#2 – Adam Driver (“Marriage Story”)

I don’t know if any actor has watched his star skyrocket quite like Adam Driver. In Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story” he is in top form playing one-half of a New York City couple navigating the bruising, messy travails of divorce. Driver has done a little bit of everything throughout his career and he brings all of it to this role: tenderness, humor, naïveté, sorrow, pain, fury. Oh, and in case you didn’t know, he’s also a really good singer!

#1 – Joaquin Phoenix (“Joker”)

No performance in 2019 mesmerized me and got under my skin quite like Joaquin Phoenix did in “Joker”. Phoenix is no stranger to losing himself in a role both physically and emotionally, but his transformation into the deeply disturbed and frighteningly sinister Arthur Fleck is unlike anything he has done before. Taking on such a well known character is a challenge, but Phoenix digs into it and makes it his own. It’s easily my favorite performance of 2019.

And that wraps up my look back at the 2019 movie year. What do you think of my choices for Lead Actor? Let me know in the comments section below.