Keep hope alive

These days, when it's depressing enough just to look at the box office top ten (must America continue to encourage Vin Diesel?) let alone go out and actually see a new release, I prefer looking ahead to some films that won't be in theaters for months to come.

Director Marc Forster is about to start work on quirky comedy Stranger Than Fiction. His involvement alone is enough to get my attention considering the range and skill he demonstrated with Everything Put Together, Monster's Ball and Finding Neverland. But Stranger Than Fiction also is assembling one of the most offbeat and interesting casts in some time: Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Queen Latifah, Tom Hulce, Linda Hunt, Kristin Chenoweth and Tony Hale (Buster from Arrested Development) have all signed on. The script, by first timer Zach Helm, is already drawing comparisons to Charlie Kaufman's work. This one has a lot to live up to.

I'm equally excited by the talent lined up for Fur, director Steven Shainberg's follow up to Secretary. The Diane Arbus biopic was originally going to star Samantha Morton but Nicole Kidman is now attached with Robert Downey Jr. along for the ride. It's also written by Secretary's screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson.

Something I'm a little more suspect of is Sofia Coppola's Marie-Antoinette. The historical comedy (? I think) is filming now with Kirsten Dunst in the title role (yes, Kirsten Dunst as a French queen). Coppola's cousin Jason Schwarztman co-stars as Louis XVI along with Molly Shannon (?!), Rip Torn (as Louis XV) and Asia Argento (as Torn's lover!!). Lost in Translation was marvelous but The Virgin Suicides was rather uneven, where will this one fall?

Then there's the talk of John Travolta and Billy Crystal as Edna and Wilbur Turnblad in a bigscreen version of Broadway musical Hairspray. But now we're back to that depressing stuff...