SAVAGE CINEMA'S COMING ATTRACTIONS FOR JANUARY 2015

Happy New Year!!!

As I am certain, all of you out there have been inundated with all manner of "Best Of 2014" lists and as usual the Savage Cinema listings are nowhere to be found. That is because there are a number of films which open in December solely in the larger cities like New York, Los Angeles and possibly Chicago, to qualify as 2014 releases for Oscar considerations and then in January, those films tend to open nationally.

While I live in Madison, WI, I am one of those folks who just have to wait a bit longer to see certain titles, and frankly, I cannot complain too terribly because January and February tend to be movie wastelands, the time when studios take the projects they just wish to dump and ultimately be forgotten are released.

So with all of that in mind, here is what I am wishing to see throughout this month...and then, I'll be ready to start writing and releasing my four part "Savage Scorecard" series, which compiles my favorites and least favorite films of 2014...although truth be told, I should really take the time to start writing pieces now so as not to overwhelm myself.

1. Writer/Director Paul Thomas Anderson returns with his adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's Inherent Vice and as you already know, when PTA releases a new film, it is an EVENT to me!

2. "Selma," a film which has already been gathering a slew of high ratings is also one I am itching to see this month.

3. Director Clint Eastwood also returns with "American Sniper," yet with his more overt political attitudes as of late, I worry that the film will carry less of his more morally ambiguous leanings of his incredible late period work and have more of a certain jingoistic right wing fantasy film tonality. I'll never know until I see it for myself.

4. "Foxcatcher" is already playing in my city and I have to make room for that one.

5. And then, there is the matter of that PR stunt gone amok entitled "The Interview," which just hit Video-On Demand just yesterday. So, I'll be checking that one out too.

Welcome to Year Six of Savage Cinema everyone!!! I hope it is a great one for all of us.

And as always, I'll see you when the house lights go down!