Access Top 10: 2008 Fall Movie Preview

Access Hollywood

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- It's that time again - when the leaves start changing color and summer blockbusters fade into Oscar season. With the holidays on the way, Access Hollywood has your guide to 10 of this fall's biggest films.

The Film: "Quantum of Solace"
The Players: Daniel Craig, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench
Directed by: Marc Forster
The Pitch: Picking up where 2006's $594 million-grossing "Casino Royale" left off, James Bond puts his license to kill on the line when he sets out to avenge the death of his beloved Vesper. But when Agent 007 exposes a complex drug ring that is flooding the United Kingdom with heroin, his personal vendetta leads to global consequences - and, undoubtedly, lots of explosions.
Why it's hot: "Casino Royale" wasn't just a successful reboot of the Bond franchise; it was one of the best Bond movies ever made. Daniel Craig turned out to be the best 007 since Sean Connery's heyday, and Bond managed to stay relevant in an era of trend-setting "Bourne" films. With an acclaimed and varied director like Marc Forster ("Stranger Than Fiction," "The Kite Runner") calling the shots, "Quantum of Solace" is in very capable hands.
Why it's not: Forster has never directed a high-concept action movie like this, and the film's curious title left longtime Bond fans shaken, not stirred. And let's face it: "Casino Royale" is a tough act to follow.
Release Date: 11/7

The Film: "Revolutionary Road"
The Players: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet
Directed by: Sam Mendes
The Pitch: Free-spirited lovers Frank and April Wheeler buy into the American Dream hook, line and sinker when they get married, have kids and move to the suburbs of Connecticut in the 1950s. But when general melancholy sets in, a series of arguments and adulterous affairs prompts their move to Paris in an ill-fated attempt to mend their relationship.
Why it's hot: Talk about a Dream Team -- the last time DiCaprio and Winslet made a movie together (1997's "Titanic"), it wound up grossing more than $1.8 billion worldwide. And the last time director Sam Mendes lifted the veil on suburban conformity (in 1999's "American Beauty"), he won an Oscar for it.
Why it's not: Mendes' follow-ups to "American Beauty" - 2002's "Road to Perdition" and 2005's "Jarhead" - haven't been nearly as good. And the film's dreary subject matter could be too depressing, even for moviegoers excited to see DiCaprio and Winslet together again. Will their hearts go on?
Release Date: 12/26

Access Extended: Behind The Scenes Of Oliver Stone's 'W' - Play it Now

The Film: "W."
The Players: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks
Directed by: Oliver Stone
The Pitch: The first movie ever made about a still-sitting U.S. President (albeit one who already has one foot out the door), "W." traverses the life and times of George W. Bush.
Why it's hot: Talk about a lightning rod of controversy! When Oliver Stone takes a swipe at politics, you know it's gonna be hot - especially when it coincides with the next presidential election. But is Stone's take on Dubya a drama or a comedy? (Hard to tell from that unintentionally funny teaser trailer!)
Why it's not: The blue states will line up in droves, but what about the red ones? And will Americans who can't even afford to pay for a gallon of gas shell out 12 bucks to see a movie about a president who botched his job?
Release date: 10/17

The Film: "Body of Lies"
The Players: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe
Directed by: Ridley Scott
The Pitch: An overseas CIA operative in hot pursuit of a terrorist is aided by suspicious paper-pusher back home.
Why it's hot: After teaming up for 2000's "Gladiator" and last year's "American Gangster," Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott have a great track record (though the less said about 2006's "A Good Year," the better). Scott is a master of tightening the screws on a gritty drama, and the script by Oscar-winner William Monahan ("The Departed") is bound to crackle with great dialogue.
Why it's not: Didn't DiCaprio already go down this angst-ridden undercover road in "The Departed?"
Release Date: 10/10

The Film: "Burn After Reading"
The Players: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton, John Malkovich
Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen
The Pitch: An ousted CIA official pens him memoirs, only to find the disc fall into the wrong hands: two dim-witted gym employees who proceed to blackmail him.
Why it's hot: It's the Coen brothers' first effort since their Oscar-winning triumph "No Country for Old Men." The top-notch cast - including Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand and "Michael Clayton" vets George Clooney and Tilda Swinton - doesn't hurt either.
Why it's not: It's more of an offbeat comedy than a work of art, but that didn't stop 1998's "The Big Lebowski" from becoming a cult classic.
Release Date: 9/12

All Access: Movies - James Bond

The Film: "The Road"
The Players: Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Kodi Smit McPhee
Directed by: John Hillcoat
The Pitch: In a post-apocalyptic world, a man must fend off savage survivors, harsh elements and other sinister threats in a nightmarish effort to transport his son to safety.
Why it's hot: The original book, published in 2006, won a Pulitzer Prize and was endorsed by Oprah's Book Club. Its author, Cormac McCarthy, also wrote "No Country for Old Men."
Why it's not: The book was so dark that many studios passed on the film rights. Will the touching father-son drama stand out against the relentlessly dreary backdrop?
Release Date: 11/14

Film: "Righteous Kill"
The Players: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro
Directed by: Jon Avnet
The Pitch: Two veteran NYPD detectives must track down a serial killer who may be one of their own.
Why it's hot: I reiterate, The Players: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro! The Oscar-winning legends didn't have any screen time together in 1974's "The Godfather Part II," and they only shared 2 scenes in 1995's "Heat." It's great to finally see them working side-by-side, and it's better late then never.
Why it's not: The plot feels rather generic to warrant such a glorious cinematic partnership, and director Jov Avnet's last film was the God-awful "88 Minutes" (which also starred Pacino).
Release Date: 9/12

Film: "Twilight"
The Players: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson
Directed by: Catherine Hardwicke
The Pitch: A 17-year-old girl risks her life for the forbidden love of a rebellious young vampire.
Why it's hot: Swooned over by a black eyeliner-wearing tween fanbase, the "Twilight" novels are the biggest books to hit shelves since "Harry Potter" - and with the film adaption swooping into the next "Potter's" former November release date, the budding franchise may have some serious teeth.
Why it's not: Without a marquee star, older audiences may not bite the film's "Romeo and Juliet"-meets-"Dracula" premise.
Release Date: 11/21

Film: "Australia"
The Players: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman
Directed by: Baz Luhrmann
The Pitch: An English aristocrat falls in love with an Australian cattle driver against the epic backdrop of wartime Australia.
Why it's hot: The film reteams Luhrmann and Kidman, who starred in the director's last film, the flamboyant 2001 musical "Moulin Rouge!" And the sweeping story of the period drama's outback romance already sounds custom-made for Oscar.
Why it's not: Aussiephiles may be disappointed by the lack of Russell Crowe.
Release Date: 11/14

Film: "HSM3: Senior Year"
The Players: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale
Directed by: Kenny Ortega
The Pitch: The Wildcats get ready for prom, college - and their big screen debut.
Why it's hot: Will Troy and Gabriella say goodbye? Will Sharpay ruin everything? Millions of tweens are dying to find out.
Why it's not: Threequels have a way of disappointing, but "HSM3" may still graduate with a bang - let's just hope they don't leave the door open for "HSM4: The College Years."
Release Date: 10/24

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