Top 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2012: #13. Jeff Nichols’ Mud

#13. Mud

Director/Writer: Jeff Nichols
Producers: Everest Entertainment’s Lisa Maria Falcone (Win Win), Sarah Green (Malick), FilmNation Ent.’s Aaron Ryder
Distributor: Rights Available

The Gist: This is the story a coming-of-age drama centered around two fourteen-year-old boys who encounter a mysterious fugitive (McConaughey) hiding out on an island in the Mississippi. Intrigued by this man, they enter into a pact to help him evade capture and reconnect with the love of his life named Juniper (Witherspoon). Though it is hard for the boys to discern truth from fiction when it comes to Mud, it isn’t long until their small Arkansas town is besieged by a beautiful girl with a line of hunters in tow. …(more)

Cast: Sarah Paulson, Reese Witherspoon, Matthew McConaughey, Michael Shannon, Sam Shepard and Ray McKinnon

List Worthy Reasons…: For film snobs such as myself, you’d need a really valid reason to want to see a film with Reese Witherspoon and Matthew McConaughey toplining. Arkansas born Jeff Nichols is that reason. From the day in 2007 where I decided to pull out Shotgun Stories from my pile of screeners to the blissful satisfaction I received approximately one year ago when taking in Take Shelter on premiere night in Park City, in just two feature films, this gifted auteur has proven his worth as one of the most talented filmmaking voices in American Independent cinema. Worth noting: Michael Shannon is in this film too.

Release Date/Status?: Currently in post, although Cannes’ Critics’ Week decided to include the film in it’s sidebar last year, I think a Fall festival release around Venice, TIFF and Telluride might be a more favorable release.