Crowdfund This!

You have too much money. Don’t deny it. And funding for the arts is paltry, given those of us in the arts believe it should be roughly 1000% of the country’s GDP. You read that right. So help put things in their proper place by donating to these projects.

As You Like It

As You Like It (Spark Theatre Company)

One of my favourite things in the world is to talk Shakespeare with Perri Cummings. Some people can discuss the themes and dialogue and all that stuff and leave you nodding in agreement. Perri talks about Shakespeare in a way that has the effect of Henry V’s St Crispin’s Day speech: you end every conversation filled with adrenaline and excitement, ready to follow her into battle. I’m stupidly excited to see her new theatre company put on As You Like It, because if it’s even half as exciting as Perri talking about Shakespeare, it’s going to be more exciting than any other production. Plus my dad’s in it. There’s only five days left, and they’re just over halfway to their goal, so please kick in something right now.

Click here to donate to As You Like It

Dream Date

Dream Date (Scott Swan)

I got to know Scott as a listener, hearing him bounce off Drew McWeeny in the film Motion/Captured Podcast. The two of them co-wrote Cigarette Burns and Pro-Life, both directed by the legendary John Carpenter, and Swan has written and directed horror/crime projects Maskhead and Big Junior. He’s now raising money for his next film, Dream Date, and I really want to see what he comes up with, so follow the link and contribute.

Click here to donate to Dream Date

A Life Unexpected

A Life Unexpected (Sally McLean)

My friend Sally has been working on this documentary about the legendary Franz Stampfl for a while, and it’s grown in leaps and bounds. They’ve filmed all across the world, and count Ethan Hawke amongst their supporters. They need a bit more to get over the finish line (UNINTENDED PUN), so be part of it. Donations are 100% tax deductable for those in Australia, so really you’re just making the government donate to the film. That’s how it works, isn’t it?

Click here to donate to A Life Unexpected

Top Ten Proposed Release Dates of 2014

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I know people get upset at “best of” lists being published halfway through the year, but with so much great stuff out there, it’s impossible not to channel your excitement into rigidly-defined rankings.

For all the grief given to Hollywood studios, they’ve come out with some really exciting release dates recently, and as an ardent film fan, I cannot contain my happiness any longer!

(I’ve not included titles as Untitled Cameron Crowe Project 2015, Untitled Warren Beatty Project 2015 or Untitled Woody Allen Project 2015, for two reasons: one, there’s so much information about those films out there already – ie: who’s directing them – that it feels like I’ve already seen them; and two, it’s hard to get excited about anything that’s only a year away.)

So here is my top ten list of upcoming studio release dates!

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10. Untitled Female Spiderverse Film (TBA 2017)

With barely five Spider-man films under their belts, Sony has decided to make a film featuring a female hero from the Spidey universe, the only one they have the rights to. I feel that putting “Female” in the title is basically giving the game away – why not just publish the script online now, Sony?!? – but the “Spiderverse” is fine given we already know what Sony can and can’t make. The only question now is: when are we getting the sequel?

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9. Untitled Marvel Film (05/04/2018)

Marvel has long been ahead of the curve when it comes to staking out release dates ahead of time, and the casual way that they’ve cornered the early May dates – remember, the above is American date formatting! – is further proof of that. Keep it up, Marvel!

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8. Untitled Marvel Film (07/6/2018)

That said, this is potentially more exciting than the last one. Mostly because it comes out two months later, which is enough to get any good comic book fan sweaty with anticipation!

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7. Untitled Fox Superhero Film (07/13/2018)

A surprise entry from Fox, who have both the X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises to their name. Unless this film is actually about some sort of superhero fox. Maybe they’re trying to channel the success of Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy? It’s exciting not to know!

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6. Untitled DC Film (07/27/2018)

The strongest indication that Warner Bros is about to take Marvel on at their own game is the claiming of this date. 2018 seems like a long way away, but it could be longer. Still, this is an exciting date for all involved.

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5. Untitled Marvel Film (11/02/2018)

Marvel does it yet again with one of their strongest entries yet. It’s difficult to not be impressed by “11/02/2018”, given a November release is largely outside the norm for this Summer-friendly studio. Always taking narrative risks, is Marvel.

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4. Untitled DC Film (06/14/2019)

Warners has a DC film coming out in April, but this is the one I’m really looking forward to. I know I’m going to be sitting in that April film in five years time secretly wishing I was in the June film. Bring it on, DC!

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3. Untitled DC Film (04/03/2020)

On the other hand, I might be sitting in the June 2019 film wishing I was in the April 2020 film! This 2020 release date is particularly exciting. We’ve waited a long time to see a cohesive DC universe up on screen, and I assume this is what we’re getting in six years’ time or maybe not it’s impossible to tell in 2014, which is the stupid boring year I’m writing this in.

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2. Untitled Marvel Film (05/03/2019)

Ah, you didn’t expect this, did you? A 2019 film trumping a 2020 film! It’s the Marvel brand that makes this such an exciting prospect. Marvel has built up a lot of good will over the years, and so I was mightily impressed by the way they were able to say they have a film coming out in May of 2019. Which leaves us with… (drumroll)

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1. Untitled DC Film (06/19/2020)

Surprisingly, DC takes out the top spot! There must be sighs of relief echoing around the Warners lot at the moment, as they finally beat Marvel with a release date nearly six years off! It’s fine work from DC, which has finally got its act together when it comes to naming dates that are a long way in the future. Warners, you’re free to use this tagline: “Foresight is 2020!”

Do you agree? Disagree? Comment below on which untitled release date has captured your imagination!