6. The Counselor (Oct 25)
A thriller directed by Ridley Scott, working from an original screenplay written by acclaimed author Cormac McCarthy (No Country for Old Men, The Road)? Count me in. The story revolves around the titular counselor (Michael Fassbender), a lawyer, who ends up getting involved with drug trafficking and soon enough is in over his head. The cast also includes Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem (decked out in the most hilarious hairdo of the year), Brad Pitt, Dean Norris and John Leguizamo.
The Buzz: Though Scott has been viewed by many as something of a disappointment in recent years, it's hard to argue with the pedigree on display here; what a cast, and what a writer scribing the screenplay. It might be crass to say, though some will naturally be concerned that, due to Ridley's brother Tony dying a month into the shoot, Ridley's best mind may not be in the project, but from what we've seen so far, this looks to be an electric, thoroughly entertaining thriller (though one that might be too free-wheeling and volcanic for awards season).