The Lunch Table: What's on the Menu: 9/11

Friday, September 11, 2009

What's on the Menu: 9/11 - 9/13

- Posted by Rusty

Lots of movies are coming out this weekend, but I think only one might be worth your time. Check out my predictions after the jump…

1. “Whiteout” - Ace said it well—Kate Beckinsale is too talented to keep making movies like this. I’ll give this one the benefit of the doubt, though, since it’s based on a supposedly pretty good graphic novel…but it’s not looking too promising. It’s been delayed a couple of times, and, for the life of me, I still can’t tell what this movie’s actually about. Is Beckinsale’s U.S. Marshal dealing with a supernatural force in Antarctica? Is it a straight-up murder mystery? Plus, the trailer seems way more interested in Beckinsale taking a shower than explaining what the premise is. Could be entertaining, and I love a good thriller, but I have a feeling this one might be really disappointing (the 2% Rotten Tomatoes score is pretty discouraging too).

2. “I Can Do Bad All by Myself” - I haven’t seen any of Tyler Perry’s movies (although I loved his cameo as a Starfleet Admiral in J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek”), so I honestly can’t judge how they stack up. But he’s got quite the following, and this will probably do well anyway. It’s the story of Taraji P. Henson’s (so good in “Benjamin Button”) irresponsible lounge singer, and how she learns to love and take care of her young niece and two nephews. Yeah, I think it looks cheesy and clichéd as hell, but who knows? Plus, Tyler Perry’s most popular character, Madea, makes an appearance in this, so I think he’s looking at another hit, whether this one’s any good or not.

3. “Sorority Row” - Really simple premise: a prank goes terribly wrong, a bunch of hot sorority sisters cover it up, and then they get picked off one by one, by an unknown killer. We’ve seen slasher plots like this before, and it looks way too much like “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (not exactly a great movie either). The reviews aren’t terrible, and it’s actually getting a lot of kudos for its snappy dialogue, but the general consensus seems to be that it’s predictable and not scary at all. Despite that, I heard the Carrie Fisher cameo rocks, and Leah Pipes apparently gives us the best bitchy queen bee since Rachel McAdams. It honestly could go either way, but I don’t think it will hit the creative heights of “Scream.” Maybe a rental at best…

4. “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt” - Have you guys heard about this one? I first saw a glimpse of it on TV yesterday, and it’s got a pretty good cast: Michael Douglas, Amber Tamblyn (from “Joan of Arcadia” and “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”), and “John Tucker Must Die’s” Jesse Metcalfe. Here, a writer plans to expose a corrupt district attorney, but apparently lots of twists and turns happen along the way. It could be decent, but its pretty much zero publicity isn’t a good sign. Great to see Douglas back on screen, though.

5. “9” - I’m seeing this tomorrow, and, to me, this looks like the most promising movie of the bunch. Following the death of the human race, nine sentient rag-dolls go on a mission to try “save our world” and find the secret of their existence. Sounds pretty cool—the visuals look striking (check out the trailer HERE if you missed it, along with my gushing over it), and I have a lot of faith in producer Tim Burton. However, the majority of the reviews say the story doesn’t live up to those amazing effects, so this might be a bit of a hollow spectacle. Still, I like the talent involved (the voices include Elijah Wood (Frodo’s always the man!), Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer, Crispin Glover, and John C. Reilly) and the post-apocalyptic, evil-machine-dominated concept has a lot of potential, so I’ll check this out for sure. It actually came out this Wednesday, so if anyone saw it, let us know—I’m really curious!

And that’s the batch for this weekend. What do you guys think? Are you interested in seeing any of these?

—Oh, and on a quick note: if you don’t feel like going to the theater, I’d really recommend renting “State of Play,” the twisty, Russell Crowe thriller/mystery that just hit DVD. I’ll review it next week probably, but I have a feeling it’ll be much more worth your time than some of the above choices…

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures, Lionsgate, Summit Entertainment, After Dark Films, Foresight Unlimited, RKO Pictures, Signature Pictures, and Focus Features.

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WELCOME to The Lunch Table

Let's take a trip down memory lane. Yea, we said it... just humor us.

So you're back in high school sitting in history class diligently taking notes, but if you're anything like us, you're doodling in the margins. The clock strikes 12 o'clock and... RIIIING!

The lunching hour begins... you look around the cafeteria, lost in the vast array of cliques and crews claiming their own tables. The jocks and cheerleaders immediately mark their territory and gather around three tables; the drama nerds and Goths have their respective corners; and the student council, dressed in their perfect Abercrombie & Fitch polos, cheerfully greet each other with their perfect smiles and share their perfect sacked lunches together ... so where do YOU fit in???

Okay... so maybe you didn't go to that high school, but who cares? Let's fast forward to real life:

Lunch - the highlight of our day, every day. Whether you're working the daily 9-to-5 grind, or still in school, there's nothing like a midday break, when you have time to yourself to eat, relax, take a nap, or enjoy the company of friends and co-workers... and that's basically where our story begins.

The three of us work together. Now, we're not at liberty to say exactly where we work, or what we do (because if we did, we may have to kill you... JUST KIDDING... er... not really), but let's just say that what we do isn't exactly the most exciting line of work (and it's irrelevant to the story... so stop asking!) Like we were saying, we work together and like all friendships, our bond was built subtly and slowly. The first encounters were awkward -- the occasional, "Hey," as we passed each other in the hallways, the uncomfortable silences in the snack room, and then eventually, the customary small talk.

Then one day, one of us got bold. One of us decided to send emails with the simple subject line that read: "LUNCH?"

The first meeting was weird. We were all pensive. What are we gonna talk about? Was it just gonna be an hour of awkward silence? Were we just gonna sit there and stare at each other's lunches, wondering what the hell the other person was eating? (Let's be honest, what does a Russian-Jew, a Mexican-Jewish hybrid, and a Korean have in common?)

The weather - always a reliable conversation starter. "Crazy weather we're having aren't we?"
"Oh yeah." And then silence.

Sports - The default topic of conversation for guys. "So... how 'bout them Lakers?"
Not everyone followed.

"Did you guys see that new Christian Bale movie?..."
And it was like someone opened the floodgates. The rest of the hour was spent chatting about how ridiculous Christian Bale's voice was in that one movie. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Which brings us to today. You've probably figured out by now that our blog has nothing to do with lunch, or food for that matter (And if you didn't -- our blog has nothing to do with lunch or food. Sorry). The reason we're starting this up is simple: we love movies, and consequently, we love to talk about movies. Almost on a daily basis, the only things we spend our lunch hour talking about are movies, but the hour never seems long enough. Granted, we come from different walks of life -- different backgrounds, cultures, tastes, and levels of fanaticism (some of us like to indulge our inner geek more than others), and we sure as hell don't always love the same movies, but that's just part of the fun. And regardless, our friendship is grounded in our shared appreciation for movies. So we're here to bring the spirit of our daily lunches to you, our readers because, like we said, the one hour a day between the three of us just isn't enough! That being said, we'd like to extend to you, the same invitation that was extended to us on that fateful day. So forget about the cliques, the crews, or the exclusive clubs from back in the day, and stop worrying about if you're gonna fit in. It doesn't matter if you're an aspiring filmmaker, an avid fanboy/girl, or just a casual moviegoer, just take a break from the mundane and join us at The Lunch Table.

And on that note, please allow ourselves to introduce... ourselves...

Rusty - "The Crazy Russian"
Of the three of us here at The Lunch Table, I’m the only one not born in the U.S. So, yes, my first exposure to American movies was badly dubbed cartoons, particularly a very Russian Optimus Prime. And I was hooked even then. But love of movies aside, what do I have to contribute that’s so special? Well, simply put, I’m the Analyst—I love to be entertained, but I still crave some substance from my movies. I can dig a good action scene, but what I go for are the details. For me, it’s the characters, the relationships, the emotions that truly make movies work, and that’s exactly what I look for. More so than that, I love digging into a movie, discovering themes, nuances, subtle character traits, and all the like. I was a crazy little Russian watching “Transformeri”. Sure, I’m now older, taller, and lankier …but I’m still that same Crazy Russian, eagerly waiting to dig into a great, new movie.

Luke - "The Mexi-CAN"
I’m the type of guy who is interested in a variety of things. One of my deepest loves, second only to my beautiful future wife Kristin Kreuk, is the wonderful world of cinema. I adore all types of films – as long as they are well-crafted and trigger something meaningful in the audience. While I can enjoy the usual summer blockbusters that involve blowing stuff up, I really look forward to the fall when the true Oscar contenders reach the theaters. Perhaps some people would say I’m into the fine details of cinema, and I guess that is correct. I like reflecting on the camera shots, camera movement, and the deeper meaning of film. I enjoy endless discussions of such masterpieces as Chinatown and 400 Blows to 2001: A Space Odyssey. However, do not get me wrong: I can always watch a raunchy flick like 40-Year-Old-Virgin or the wonderfully sentimental Love, Actually. Of course, I’m not claiming to be the next A.O Scott or God’s gift to cinema. In the end, films are just fiction, but they can capture and inspire the viewer.

Ace - "The Average Asian"
I like to consider myself a simple man who finds enjoyment in the simple things in life—hot girls in bikinis, sports, fast cars, and dudes taking shots to the nuts. So when it comes to movies, my philosophy is this: let’s just keep it simple. I’m not an analyst, or technician by any means, I just like to go to the movies, eat my popcorn, drink my icee and have a good time. Why do I need to pay attention to different camera angles, and subtle nuances? If a movie can get me to laugh out loud, sit on the edge of my seat, or dare I say it... cry, then I think the movie has done its job. Why overcomplicate a perfectly good movie with all that other film jargon? So, think of me as your Everyman, your everyday Average Joe, who just needs to be mildly entertained for, give or take, two hours.

Friday, September 11, 2009

What's on the Menu: 9/11 - 9/13

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