‘Map to the Stars’ & ‘Queen of the Desert’ on Indiewire’s ‘The 50 Indie Films we want to see in 2013’

‘Map to the Stars’ & ‘Queen of the Desert’ on Indiewire’s ‘The 50 Indie Films we want to see in 2013’ 3 comments

With the avalanche of 2012 Top Ten lists petering out and the Sundance Film Festival a mere two weeks away from introducing what could be this year’s “Beasts of the Southern Wild” or “Sleepwalk With Me,” it’s time to stop reflecting on the past year’s cinema and start getting excited about this one’s. Because if the 50 films most anticipated by Indiewire’s editors listed below are any indication, it looks like a very promising year ahead.

From the work of Steve McQueen, Lars Von Trier and Sofia Coppola to the inspirations of Julian Assange, Linda Lovelace and David Sedaris (not to mention double doses of on-screen magic from Tilda Swinton and Ryan Gosling), here are 50 films likely to be released in 2013 that Indiewire’s staff are most excited to see:

“Map to the Stars”
Director: David Cronenberg
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Rachel Weisz, Robert Pattinson
Distributor: None as of yet.
Release Date: Very likely to premiere in Cannes or Venice or Toronto, with a deal and release date to follow.
Why Might It Be a Must See: Whatever you think of Robert Pattison becoming David Cronenberg’s newfound muse, their second collaboration in as many years looks mighty appealing. The long-delayed “Map to The Stars” also brings Cronenberg’s other righthand man Viggo Mortensen along for the ride (as well as Rachel Weisz), and is said to be a complex Hollywood satire… It’s also the first film the Canadian director has actually shot in America. [Peter Knegt]

“Queen of the Desert”
Director: Werner Herzog
Cast: Naomi Watts, Robert Pattinson, Jude Law
Distributor: N/A
Release date: Nothing yet.
Why Might It Be a Must See: Just because he was recently seen onscreen as the villain in “Jack Reacher” doesn’t mean Herzog has sold out. Every since “Rescue Dawn,” the kooky Bavarian filmmaker has entered a compelling new stage with the narrative side of his filmmaking career, delivering bizarre, discursive dramas (can anyone really explain “My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?”) with the same loony poetry that often spills out of Herzog’s mouth (that iguana bit in “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans” was something else). Herzog’s new movie looks like a consolidation of his life as an adventurous documentarian and oddball fiction work: The movie stars Watts as legendary explorer Gertrude Bell and Pattinson as “Lawrence of Arabia” author T.E. Lawrence. Herzog tends to bring out the maniacal side of his actors, which means this could be a thrill ride in more ways than one. [Eric Kohn]