What's on the Menu (Christmas 2009 edition)

- Posted by Rusty


Merry Christmas, everyone!! In keeping with the present-filled tradition, Christmastime is among the best weekend frames for movies all year. So, minus singing chipmunks, there are some excellent choices out this week, including my personal favorite: the return of one of the best literary detectives of all time! Elementary, my dear readers? You bet. Let’s check out the new movies… [breakdown of new releases after the jump]

1. “Sherlock Holmes” - Just caught this last night, and, honestly, it’s a good time at the movies. Director Guy Ritchie’s (Snatch, Rock ‘n’ Rolla) take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most classic character is revisionist, to be sure, but it wonderfully captures both the adventurous spirit and character details that made Doyle’s stories so irresistible. Led by Robert Downey Jr. in top, witty form as the great detective, and backed up by Jude Law (in one of his best and most likable on-screen turns—who would’ve thought he’d be such a perfect Watson?) and a game Rachel McAdams, Sherlock Holmes is a great ride. The relationships and banter between the characters are pitch-perfect, and, for that, I’m willing to let slide the many, many (quite fun, to be honest) outlandish action sequences. And, like I told my sister when she scoffed at a chop-suey Sherlock Holmes, even Doyle said that that deductive genius knew baritsu and used it on his enemies (aha, that’d be an ancient martial art, one that I’ve never heard of until reading Holmes’ confrontation with Professor Moriarty), so Holmes logically kicking and punching his way through London hoodlums isn’t too far of a stretch. The story is a bit weak in terms of the villain and overall mystery—the Satanist, Lord Blackwood, is well-played by character actor extraordinaire, Mark Strong (Rock ‘n’ Rolla, Stardust, Body of Lies, the upcoming Robin Hood), but he’s not enough of an intellectual match for Holmes. And the puzzles, while clever, don’t tickle and tease the brain like some of Doyle’s original head-scratchers. Hmm…(MINOR SPOILER ALERT) maybe the movie’s much-hinted, always-in-shadows “M” fellow would be a more worthy adversary? And who’s this superstar and old Ritchie collaborator (hint: Snatch) that might just play him in the already-in-preproduction sequel? (END OF SPOILERS) If that’s the route they go, I’m looking forward to see what else this team can conjure up. All in all, I think both fans of the original stories and complete newcomers will enjoy this. This is smart, quite clever entertainment, and what looks to be the start of another excellent franchise for the deserving Comeback King, Robert Downey Jr.

2. “It’s Complicated” - I think this will find a nice, mature niche audience and will probably be a hit. I’m also pretty positive that I will see it later on, most likely on DVD, like I do with all of Nancy Meyers’ romantic comedies. Meyers has given us (whether only through her screenplays or stints as writer/director) the remake of The Parent Trap (with Lindsay Lohan, back when she was a promising, cute, young bundle of talent), the Father of the Bride movies (with Steve Martin, one of the It’s Complicated stars), What Women Want, Something’s Gotta Give, and, my personal favorite, the flawed-but-charming The Holiday (with Kate Winslet, Jack Black, Jude Law, and Cameron Diaz). And this one sounds like a solid rom-com recipe: the indisputably-brilliant Meryl Streep plays an aging divorcee, while perennial funnymen Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin play her suitors. That’s the central love triangle, and Streep presumably must figure out where her heart truly lies, with the husband who left her for a much younger woman (Baldwin), or the sweet, shy architect who’s head over heels for her (Martin). Oh, and The Office’s John Krasinski pops up too, as Streep’s supportive future son-in-law (always great to see him! If you look carefully, you’ll see Krasinski in a two-minute guest spot in The Holiday). The odds of this being pleasant and enjoyable are quite high—there is too much talent here to suggest a bad movie, and Streep, Mamma Mia aside, rarely shows poor taste. However, I’m going to approach this with my expectations in check—the reviews are fine, but certainly not glowing, and as much as I like Meyers, her movies sometimes dissolve into too much sap, or simply wear out their welcomes briefly (ie, What Women Want) or completely (ie, the massively overlong Something’s Gotta Give). There are good people here, and it will probably be a safe choice for a grown-up romance, or perhaps just some good character comedy. Most likely, we won’t regret seeing this, though I’m pretty sure this won’t join the ranks of When Harry Met Sally and Love Actually as insightful (and very funny) movies about relationships.

3. “Nine” - At one point, Nine looked like it was going to sweep the awards season with its ridiculous, brimming-with-Oscar-winners cast, strong musical pedigree (from the team that brought you the Best-Picture winner, Chicago), and, potentially, its story—tracing a once-great filmmaker’s existential crisis right before production of his new movie begins. Since then, the buzz has cooled—judging by the decisively mixed reviews, some believe that the musical numbers have a great pop and zing to them, but the rest of the film falters. That’s too bad; the cast boasts Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood, Gangs of New York, and The Last of the Mohicans—easily one of the best and most unpredictable actors alive), Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard (Public Enemies and Big Fish, and the one who’s earning the most raves for her performance here), Penelope Cruz (who just won an Oscar last year, and looks to enter back into the race with her supporting role in this picture), the amazing Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love, the Daniel Craig Bond movies), Kate Hudson (in a welcome return to making more substantial movies), Fergie, and Italian legend Sophia Loren. That’s a lot of star-power (not to mention beautiful women), and it’s supposedly wrapped in a glitzy package by Chicago director, Rob Marshall. From skimming the reviews, the problem seems to lie in the emotional parts of the movie—the characters and Day-Lewis' crisis apparently don’t resonate as much as they should, and the musical numbers, while well-staged, don’t gel as comfortably with the talky parts as Chicago accomplished. Back when Chicago premiered, I was impressed with how comfortably Marshall brought the big-screen, live-action musical back into the public consciousness (I think Moulin Rouge! probably helped to achieve that as well). However, then Marshall made Memoirs of a Geisha, one of the most gorgeous empty-headed films I’ve seen recently. Beautiful to look at, sure, but with no soul underneath all that fancy production design (and let’s ignore that the Memoirs book is an excellent one, and, in my opinion, much easier to adapt as it was than the wrangled, toned-down version we got). Marshall is a talent, and I hope Nine, mixed reviews and all, is some sort of return to form. At the very least, Nine could be a step for him to become a stronger storyteller, an area that he definitely hasn’t mastered yet. His next directing gig looks to be the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film with Johnny Depp (yeah, seriously)—I hope he embraces that out-of-left-field genre for him and knocks it out of the park. As for now, Nine might be worthwhile, and I’m sure I’ll catch it eventually; of all the movies this weekend, I think it stands as a cautious recommendation. I like the cast and behind-the-scenes talent, and even if it’s not the home-run people initially predicted, I think it might still be interesting to check out, flaws and all.

4. “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” - This is a super-limited engagement (its full nationwide release is in January), so for anyone living in either New York, Los Angeles, or Toronto, you’ll be able to catch it this weekend before the rest of the country. This comes to us from visionary director Terry Gilliam (12 Monkeys, Brazil, The Brothers Grimm), and is getting lots of attention for being the last full screen performance of the late (and very missed) Heath Ledger. As it should. For anyone who missed it, Ledger tragically died mid-filming, but the quick-thinking Gilliam “completed” his role with old friends Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law. How’d they do it? Apparently, the screenplay allowed for such a shake-up—throughout the course of the film, Ledger’s character steps into a magic mirror, and thus come out a different manifestation of himself. I love that they managed to do that, getting Ledger’s work out there and preserving the heart of his performance (it’s also quite heart-warming to know that Depp, Farrell, and Law all gave their proceeds to Mathilda, Ledger’s daughter). This movie arrives with a lot of goodwill, and from the trailer (check it out below) it looks to be a doozy of a story. In a nutshell: Doctor Parnassus (the great Christopher Plummer) makes a deal with the devil for immortality, allowing him to travel the world for ages with his portable Imaginarium, a vessel for dreams and magic for all who wish to partake in it. Ah, but here’s the catch: as payment, the devil wants Parnassus’ daughter (Lily Cole) on her 16th birthday, a day that’s frighteningly imminent. Along the way, Ledger’s con man comes into play to join the Imaginarium, and a gorgeous-visuals-filled adventure begins.

I’m not sure what to make of it, but I can definitely say that I like the footage. There’s lots of visual invention on display, and Ledger (along with his brilliantly chosen three “replacements”) is one of my big reasons for wanting to see it. In all honesty, I respect director Gilliam’s limitless and playful imagination, but I’m pretty hit-and-miss on his films—he has his excesses, and when he tones them down (ie, 12 Monkeys) the results are superb, but when he lets loose and goes crazy with style, they can sometimes be dreadful (ie, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas—never thought that I could hate a Johnny Depp movie). Still, he remains one of our most interesting filmmakers, and, even with weak material like The Brothers Grimm, he could still add some magic and scrappy, underdog charm to the proceedings. With good reviews, this looks like a strong film, bridging both Gilliam’s good storytelling talents (which he definitely has, even if I have problems with some of his films) and his eye for vast visual wonder. It might not be for everyone (even me), but this is one I’ll make sure to check out in theaters.

P.S. Does anyone else think the actors chosen to help finish Ledger’s performance are even more perfect than meets the eye? If you think about it for a second, each represents an aspect of Ledger’s screen work and persona. Depp is the hugely talented character actor, one that tries to mask his good looks to truly challenge himself as an actor (shades of The Dark Knight, The Brothers Grimm, and Brokeback Mountain--all transformative performances from Ledger). Colin Farrell looks to be the scruffy bad boy-type, but is really just a bright young actor, brimming with talent (same with Ledger, who pounced on every role and continued to gain credibility, even if he was initially considered as the Aussie rebel-type). And, finally, Law is the handsome leading man, the one with charm to spare and who can deliver terrific performances without seeming to break a sweat (Ledger was cast in those types of roles as well, like 10 Things I Hate About You and The Four Feathers, but, of course, famously moved on to be the kind of actor he always wanted). All those guys are Ledger’s contemporaries, both in talent and (more or less) age. Thus, I find it all the more fitting that three of our absolute best actors helped to preserve the work of one who would have surely joined their ranks (if he wasn’t already a worthy member).

5. “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel” - I’ll make this short and sweet. I adored the cartoon in elementary school (it actually holds up nicely if you ever check it out now), and, yes, couldn’t resist buying the albums. But the first film looked dreadful—even the presence of my long-time faves Jason Lee and Justin Long (as the voice of Alvin) didn’t drive me to see it. Same here—the lesson (be true to your self…and your music! Kids’ movies love the “don’t sell out” message) looks obvious, and as much as I love new cast members Zachary Levi (Chuck on TV’s Chuck, which comes back January 10!) and Anna Faris (as the voice of one of the Chippettes—yep, that’d be the nearly identical girl chipmunks), I think I’m cool with skipping it. Maybe for very little kids, if nothing else is playing…but, seriously, The Princess and The Frog looks to be the far better choice if you need to find a good kid’s movie. Or, if the predominantly poor reviews pull you away, you could always just rent Up or another gem from the Pixar factory…

And that’s it for this busy Christmas weekend. Are you guys going to catch one (or more) of these? If you are, Sherlock Holmes, like Avatar from last week, is a high recommendation.

Have a great time celebrating, everyone (and a Happy belated Hanukkah as well)! We’ll be back very soon with more trailers, reviews, and end-of-the-year lists.

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
Clips courtesy of Trailer Addict.
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"Lost" Final Season Promo!

- Posted by Rusty


Man, February can't get here soon enough. The Lost Big Bosses made ABC swear to not show one inkling of new footage before the Season 6 premiere. Well, this is one sweet compromise. Check out the just-released promo above--true to their word, there's not one shot from Season 6, but, boy, does this get you pumped for what's sure to be one epic, much-discussed last season. [more Lost gushing after the jump]

The big moments from past episodes are shown here, including some of my all-time favorites (Locke and Jack arguing over the hatch, the very missed (and most likely returning) Charlie's self-sacrifice, Benjamin Linus turning the Donkey Wheel, and many more), all set to rousing, epic-worthy music--just a taste of the kind of scope we should expect (and that's saying something, for a show that has spanned the globe...and time!). Love it--Lost is my favorite TV show, probably ever--I'll discuss it much more when the show premieres (I'm hoping to do weekly recaps after each new episode, along with several of our other favorite shows), but I think this season will give us answers and resolutions we've been pondering and arguing about ever since one Aramni-suit-clad doctor opened his eyes amidst a massive plane crash. Can't wait to see Jack and Sawyer and Desmond (miss you, brotha!), Sayid, Charlie, Claire, Boone (who, yes, is coming back too), Kate, Juliet, and all the rest!

What do you guys think of the promo? Are you as psyched as me for the final season?

P.S. Also check out the Spanish Season 6 promo that premiered last month. Once again, no new footage...but love the heady themes of destiny and free will, and that callback to Locke's backgammon board in the pilot episode. As we remember, there are two sides: dark and white--Lost really is set to be one large clash between two conflicting forces (Jacob versus the Man in Black? That'd be my guess. Ben versus Locke? Locke's Man of Faith versus Jack's almost-boringly-too-good Man of Science?)--both sides should finally be defined this season.


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R.I.P.: Brittany Muprhy (1977 - 2009)

- Posted by Rusty


This is a weird one to write. I liked Brittany Murphy, I honestly did. Her playful delivery, her non-obvious good looks, her quirky way with any scene—without a doubt, she was an actress that was very easy to like... [more after the jump]

But I think we never truly got to know her. Yes, I know, that sounds ridiculous from the outset—we never really know any of the actors, directors, or screen legends we admire, unless we happen to hang out with them off-screen, of course. Yet there’s always a relationship between a performer and an audience—a trust, an undeniable liking that builds over many movies. There’s a reason the great Paul Newman has touched so many viewers, while I (and I’m positive many others) still worship Audrey Hepburn in all her movie-goddess glory.

With Brittany Murphy, I felt like we were just starting to get to know her. She made bad movies, sure, but her good ones stuck. She was a delight in Clueless (still my favorite of her roles--Tai trying to use big words like "sporadically" to flirt with Paul Rudd's Josh still kills me!), showed genuine dramatic chops in Sidewalks of New York (a lovely film, if you ever happen to see it) and Girl, Interrupted, and her squeaky, unbearably cute Luanne on King of the Hill was one of that show’s secret weapons. She had the talent, and I think she was due for very good things in her future. My hero, Roger Ebert, once compared her to Lucille Ball, and I see that—Ball was an actress that brought joy to countless people, and I think Murphy was on track to do that as well.

It’s a tragedy that she died so young. And it’s a shame that we didn’t get to know her better, to see what other charming tricks she had up her sleeve. But, at the very least, her Tai in Clueless will always make me smile, an effect I'm sure she'll have on many, many others.

My condolences to her family, friends, and loved ones.
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News Bites: "Iron Man 2" trailer!

- Posted by Rusty

Trailer Rating: 5 bites [out of 5]

Welcome back, Tony Stark. I don’t know about you guys, but I missed that lovable bastard of a superhero. Check out the brand-new teaser above for the big superhero sequel, sure to be one of the bright spots of next summer. Mostly, it’s the same footage that we saw at Comic-Con (which may have been just a minute or so longer, for we got an extended version of that opening trial sequence with Garry Schandling), but with one great little addition: the “kiss” between Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). Love it–that quick “You complete me” just reminds me why I was crazy about the first movie.

The sequel’s story is a bit up in the air, though we see the basics: Tony Stark = still good, and as cocky as always, Mickey Rourke = evil (how could he not be? Did you hear that thick Russian accent??). And did anyone else catch that fleeting shot of Stark’s chestpiece infecting his body? I noticed that in the Comic-Con footage too—it could be a very interesting direction.

All in all, the effects look solid, the laughs well-earned, and the cast perfect like last time (especially Don Cheadle as his buddy Jimmy Rhodes, a.k.a. the ultra-badass Iron Man ally, War Machine—catch that awesome tease at the end!). Well done, folks at Marvel. I have high expectations for this, and I can’t wait to see more!

We can probably expect a more story-heavy trailer as we move closer to the movie's May 7, 2010 release. But, for now, what do you guys think of the trailer? Excited to see the final film? Or are you taking a wait-and-see approach until we see more footage? [end of post] Read more!

News Bites: Full-length “Alice in Wonderland” trailer is…well…wonderful!

- Posted by Rusty

Trailer Rating: 5 bites [out of 5]

Check out the new trailer above. I was already excited about this film, but now that we get a greater sense of the direction Tim Burton and co. are taking, I’m all the more psyched to see it! [more thoughts after the jump]

The first teaser gave us a sense of the visuals and tone; now, we see the story this version will try to tell, and it look like a perfect approach. I think Tim Burton was born to bring Wonderland to the screen—his penchant for quirky darkness, but one that’s always imbued with some kooky humor and warmth, is a natural fit for the world of Lewis Carroll. He’s become an excellent storyteller over the years, and I think he could capture the whimsical tone of the original story and, at the same time, give it a fresh dose of heart. Also, in watching this trailer, it’s clear that the Burton and screenwriter Linda Woolverton (one of the hands behind The Lion King and Mulan) are attempting to give us a full-fledged narrative, a real first for this material. In my mind, that’s a very good thing—exactly what this material needs to give it a novel spin. And, thus, we’re getting a quasi-sequel—Alice comes back to Wonderland, not remembering a thing, and it’s up to her to end the Red Queen’s (a deliciously evil Helena Bonham-Carter) brand of "off with people's heads" tyranny. All of the Wonderland heavy-hitters are here: Stephen Fry’s The Cheshire Cat, The March Hare, The White Rabbit (voiced by Michael Sheen), Alan Rickman’s mushroom-smoking Caterpillar (who's not in the trailer, but you can see him on the movie-theater posters), and, of course, Johnny Depp, Tim Burton’s partner-in-quirky-crime, with an all-out-wonderfully-wacky take on the Mad Hatter.

On another note, I know it looks like they’re rejiggering the original story, potentially throwing out what made the original so special, but I don't think that's the case. Here’s the thing: for all the fond memories we have of Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, I think it’s the world we love. It’s the characters, each battier than the next, the lovingly nonsensical details, and that playful, well, weirdness that populates the whole work. Reading it, we’re a lot like Alice—we’re curious and adventurous, and we’re soaking up the details. It works on the page, thanks to Carroll’s imagination and clever wordplay, his great eye for the wonderful and odd. But it honestly has no arc for Alice—she goes on a tour, and comes out pretty much the same. Much like us, she enjoys the ride…but that’s not a film. And I think that’s where previous adaptations stumbled, even the enjoyable 60's Disney animated version. Here, it looks like Alice has a role to play, an actual purpose--just look at her bravely leading Anne Hathaway's White Queen's army! For once, going down that Rabbit Hole looks to be a wholly new experience, a substantial journey for both Alice and us, the audience. And I can’t wait to see what Tim Burton and his team of visual wizards cook up.

Alice in Wonderland hits theaters on March 5, 2010—it can’t come soon enough!

P.S. If you guys get the chance, try to catch the 3-D version of the trailer, now playing before prints of James Cameron's Avatar. If ever a movie needed an extra dimension, it's this one--just wait until you see the loopy Wonderland in full 3-D insanity!

What do you guys think? Like the trailer? Agree/disagree with my take?
Clip courtesy of Trailer Addict.
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Trailer Time (Knights, Titans, and Merry Men)

- Posted by Rusty

Thanks to Avatar and Sherlock Holmes, a bunch of new trailers came out over the weekend, all trying to spark some buzz for next year’s biggest films. Some are slam-dunks (you know that I can’t resist a mythic-beast-fighting Sam Worthington at this point), while others sadly miss the mark (sorry, Russell Crowe…and your batch of very un-Merry Men). Let’s see what came out... [new trailers after the jump]


“Clash of the Titans”
Trailer Rating: 5 bites [out of 5]

Could you tell I’m excited about this film? I loved the teaser, and very much love the concept. This trailer just gives us more—more creatures, more heroic-looking Sam Worthington, more of his love Andromeda (played by Defiance’s Alexa Davalos), and, of course, more of those damn mortal-teasing gods, Zeus and Hades, played by the British greats, Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes (Neeson, especially, in full-clad armor and bathed in ridiculous waves of shining light, looks like he’ll be great fun). I just put the original Clash of the Titans on my Instant Netflix queue, and can’t wait to watch it. It’s supposed to be a corny classic, and, on that level, I’m sure it will be plenty entertaining.

As for this remake, the new trailer is even more fun than the teaser—the action looks all-out insane, and I think that will work just perfectly. Ditto the phenomenal visuals (did you see that Kracken?! Take that, Davy Jones' "pet"!), and the catchy, rousing energy—here’s hoping that translates to the final film as well. We’re still a little fuzzy on the story—we know we’re set for one big clash between gods and mortals, with Perseus set to tip the balance in the human direction. Nonetheless, the brushstrokes we get look solid; unlike the below Robin Hood teaser, this one manages to effectively give us the tone and basic conflicts in the film. And, like I always believed, that vast Greek world of gods and monsters and larger-than-life heroes is too rich to be only relegated to cheesy 80’s action fare (although TV’s Hercules: The Legendary Journeys was a very enjoyable guilty pleasure when I moved to America)—it’s about time we apply our modern effects for one big, crazy Greek-mythology epic. I’m seeing this for sure. Opening day. If it’s as satisfying as this trailer, we’re in for one great treat come March 2010. “Damn the Gods” indeed. Can’t wait!

P.S. Anyone else thinking that Sam Worthington’s Perseus might be getting groomed for his own Greek-mytho franchise? It would make sense for Warner Bros. to snatch the red-hot Worthington before his asking price swells out of control (you could thank Avatar for that, the well-deserving global hit, as I’m sure this one will be). I know they’re playing fast and loose with Perseus’ original confrontation with the snake-haired Medusa, and, by all means, that sounds like the right approach. Using that same thinking, why couldn’t Perseus encounter other gods, other Titans, other great myths? It could make for one fun series of films, and Worthington's Perseus looks like a worthy hero to follow through more than one movie. I predict a nice, very long career of saving the world for him.

“Robin Hood”
Trailer Rating: 2 bites [out of 5]

I was really looking forward to seeing footage from Ridley Scott's Robin Hood, but this teaser trailer is pretty much a letdown. Actually, it’s not so much a trailer as a carefully constructed message: “this isn’t the Robin Hood you’re used to.” Gone are the tights and merriment, the light spirit and that would-be-mustache-twirling evildoer, The Sheriff of Nottingham (he’s still in the film, but I’m pretty sure he doesn’t even make an appearance in the teaser). Instead, this trailer makes the new approach pretty clear: this is Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe, reuniting once more after Gladiator (and 3 films since then), and it’s that kind of treatment—rough, dirty, gritty, and proudly extra-bloody—supposedly, this will be a more realistic spin, tracing the actual historical roots of the Robin Hood legend (thus being the story of the Crusade knight, Robin of Locksley). This particular take could make for a good film, especially since Ridley Scott can do historical epics better than almost anyone (watch the Director’s Cut of Kingdom of Heaven if you get the chance—it’s a masterpiece that I think far surpasses Gladiator).

Too bad this teaser trailer gives us no sense of the overall arc or characters. Crowe is a fine actor, and his presence in a film like this is hard to replicate (Orlando Bloom ran into that problem in Kingdom of Heaven—he’s a good actor as well, but Crowe is more easily believable in command of any army)—he’ll be a more rough-and-tumble Robin Hood than we’re used to, but I think it will work. As will Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian, his love interest—she’s too good of an actress to not do justice to this role. But I wanted more of the Merry Men (here looking like the most pissed-off bunch in the Sherwood Forest), more romance, more of the journey of noble knight to outlaw. Oh, well—perhaps that’ll come out in a later trailer. There’s very little shown here after all, and teasers are supposed to just that—tease. The Robin Hood legend is one of those enduring stories—that rascally, charming outlaw stealing from the rich for the greater good, and I eat up almost every version (my favorite: easily Monsieur Hood from Shrek--his riverdance kills me every time!). The story and characters stay around for a reason, and I’m pretty sure this cast and crew won’t mess it up.

This is still on my radar—here’s hoping the next trailer will make it look like a much more interesting film.

Robin Hood hits theaters May 14, 2010.

“Knight and Day”
Trailer Rating: 1 1/2 bites [out of 5]

Easily the worst trailer of the bunch. I’m including it here because it’s a high-profile film, and, not knowing too much besides the basic cast (Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz) and crew (director James Mangold), I honestly thought it would have looked more promising. Sadly, this tone-confused trailer doesn’t give me much hope for this project. Judging by the footage, I think it’s some sort of spy-romantic comedy, aiming for something akin to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but missing the wit and high-wattage star chemistry that made that one a hit. I still contend that Cruise is a good actor, and with the right material, he shines (Jerry Maguire, Minority Report, Valkyrie, Magnolia, even M:i-3). Diaz, on the other hand, I’m not a fan of—she had a few good performances (Being John Malkovich and Vanilla Sky, ironically with Tom Cruise), but her usual choices of soapy chick-flicks have put her off my list of people to watch. Still, she could be charming when she tones down her persona (ie, The Holiday), though it doesn’t look like that here. It mostly looks like two stars chasing former glories…and not exactly succeeding—the jokes are awkward, and the action doesn’t quite gel with the goofy vibe the trailer is trying to sell. I expected better from director James Mangold (the excellent 3:10 to Yuma, Identity, and the very-rewatchable Kate & Leopold). Then again, it’s certainly nice to see Peter Saarsgard and Lost’s Maggie Grace in supporting roles. Who knows? Maybe this is a bad teaser, and the final film will be actually be smart and entertaining. Maybe. It just doesn’t look that way for now.

Knight and Day opens July 2, 2010, in what’s sure to be a very busy summer.

I’ll be back with more trailers in a bit (including the biggie for next year, Iron Man 2). For now, what do you guys think of these? Were you excited to see footage from any of these big upcoming movies?

Clips courtesy of Trailer Addict.
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What's on the Menu (December 18-20)

- Posted by Rusty

This weekend, it’s all about Avatar. James Cameron’s mega-expansive sci-fi behemoth is looking to make a big splash (and is very much worth it, but more on that later), and very few movies are challenging the self-named King of the World. Still, there’s a bit of something for everyone, especially if, like me, you can never go wrong with a Hugh Grant romantic comedy. Let’s take a look at the new releases… [breakdown of new releases after the jump]

1. “Avatar” - By now, you’ve seen the trailers, the TV ads, the posters, the non-stop interviews with the cast and crew. Avatar is being sold as a big deal, an important step in the evolution of filmmaking…and it’s very well-deserved praise. We just caught this last night in IMAX 3-D (expect a full review from one of us in the next week; Luke is currently putting the finishing touches on his The Lovely Bones review), and it’s a hell of a good time. A big, smart, and surprisingly emotionally engaging ride, and a trip to a whole new world like only the movies could deliver. The story follows Jake Sully (Terminator Salvation’s Sam Worthington, in an excellent performance and one that should officially make him a star), a paraplegic ex-marine who gets sent to the distant moon of Pandora. Using a breakthrough in science, he is able to able to interact with the locals, a race of 10-ft-tall, cat-like, blue beings called the Na’vi, through the Avatar program (headed by Sigourney Weaver, star of Cameron’s Aliens), all done by transferring his consciousness into the body of a genetically engineered Na’vi. From there, the film launches headfirst into the world of these “alien” beings, as Jake has a great change of heart and steps up to defend Pandora from the natural-resource-obsessed human military. As we’ll talk about later, the film’s not perfect; I think its biggest hurdle is that we’ve seen this story before—it’s essentially Pocahontas, albeit with probably the best special effects ever put on screen. But though you could foresee pretty much every story beat, the experience itself is fascinating and enormously entertaining. This is an amazing world created here, and the characters that roam Pandora’s wide-spanning forests and floating mountains, particularly Worthington and his love interest, Zoe Saldana’s Na’vi warrior, Neytiri, are well-written and all sympathetic (a nice relief from what could have easily been a hollow, very pretty spectacle). If you can, be sure to catch this in theaters—it will be fine on DVD, but this is the kind of experience that demands the biggest screen possible.

2. “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” - I’m pretty positive this will be a weak film. I’m also positive that I’ll watch it…and, knowing me, probably more than once as it makes its rounds on HBO and TNT. The thing is, I think Hugh Grant is the absolute best romantic comedy lead out there. He brings just the right amount of self-deprecating charm and wit every time, and he raises what should often be disposable films (ie, Two Weeks Notice, Music & Lyrics, Mickey Blue Eyes) into something that I just keep watching. Same goes here: the concept—about a bickering high-class New York couple forced to go into the Witness Protection Program in Wyoming (ah, the countryside—what horror!) after witnessing a murder—sounds pretty lame, and yet the trailer still made me laugh. I think Parker’s a likable actress as well, even though I couldn’t stand the Sex and the City film, and the two of them together (after their first pairing ages ago in the murder drama, Extreme Measures) might be enough to make this a breezy, if forgettable, good time (the great Sam Elliot, here playing (you guessed it) a cowboy helps too). Reviews are pretty awful, so I think this is probably best saved for DVD or cable. Still, by now, you’d know if you want to see this or not, and I’m sure there are far worse date flicks out there. This is from writer/director Marc Lawrence who also made Two Weeks Notice, Miss Congeniality, and Music & Lyrics—minus Miss Congeniality’s awful sequel, all of those films are ones that I’ve enjoyed and kept re-watching over the years. This will probably join that club—a probable mix of goofy humor, bad plotting, and very charismatic actors.

And, on a final note, while I love Grant and always glad to see him working, here’s hoping he’ll take on a meaty role in a drama some time soon—he’s just as talented as his more respected British peers (and hilarious in person), so I’d love for him to remind us of that once again.

3. “The Young Victoria” - Like this week's Crazy Heart, this has been getting plenty of buzz for star Emily Blunt's lead performance. She’s going to be huge one day (if she’s not already)—she’s talented, beautiful, and, so far, has shown excellent taste in films, taking quality supporting parts (ie, Dan in Real Life, The Young Buck Howard, The Jane Austen Book Club) as opposed to leading roles in bland star vehicles. And, come on, even Meryl Streep admitted she’s one of the best young actresses, particularly after Blunt stole The Devil Wears Prada from its more known stars, Streep and Anne Hathaway. This looks like her first big leading role, and the subject—about Queen Victoria’ rise to the British throne—is ripe for awards attention, not to mention some good historical drama. I like period pieces such as this, and, like Shakespeare in Love and many others, it features a who’s-who of top-notch British talent in supporting roles (including Jim Broadbent, Miranda Richardson, and my personal favorite, A Knight's Tale's Paul Bettany!). Could be worthwhile—the topic is interesting, the script is from the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Gosford Park (one of the best films I’ve ever seen), and I’m sure Blunt will rise to the occasion to deliver a superb central performance, with hopefully a well-deserved first Oscar nomination as a result.

4. “Crazy Heart” - I'm not too familiar with this film, other than all the awards attention it’s been getting for star Jeff Bridges. He already has Golden Globes and Screen Actor’s guild nominations for this part—that of an aging country musician out to rediscover his humanity—and the film sounds like one of those quiet, powerful dramas than sneak in around Oscar season and steal the thunder from more obvious candidates. It co-stars one of my favorite actresses, Maggie Gyllenhaal (Stranger than Fiction, Rachel Dawes in The Dark Knight), and Bridges has consistently been one of our finest and more respected performers. Seriously, the guy is so consistently good, I often take it for granted—he casually puts in solid work in popular films like Iron Man and Tron (with its sequel out next year!), and yet knocks it out of the park in smaller, more thoughtful roles like Seabiscuit and K-PAX (not to mention his iconic turn as The Dude in The Big Lebowski, a role he semi-reprised in the fun surfing-penguin cartoon, Surf’s Up). I hope this gets him the awards love he deserves, and the film itself could be quite good as well, at least judging by the outstanding reviews.

And that’s it for this weekend. Minus the questionable Did You Hear about the Morgans? (which I think will still be entertaining, despite its contrived plot), there are some excellent choices out there this weekend. Avatar is an easy recommendation, and I’m really itching to see The Young Victoria as well.

How about you guys? Are you planning to see any of these new movies?

We’ll be back with reviews of The Lovely Bones and Avatar very soon. And, for next week, I’m putting together a list of my favorite Disney hand-drawn-animated cartoons, and Luke and I will post lists of our Top 10 Films of the Decade before the New Year.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Clips courtesy of Trailer Addict.
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What's on the Menu (December 11-13)

- Posted by Rusty

This is shaping up to be a great weekend for movies. I could personally recommend two of the films coming out (like I could ever say "no" to a hand-drawn Disney fairy tale...), and most of the other new releases look like solid, interesting choices as well. Let’s see what we have… [breakdown of new releases after the jump]

1. “The Princess and the Frog” - I caught this one last week—check out my review here. All in all, minus its flaws, Disney’s first hand-drawn-animated feature in years is a delight. From Ron Clemens and John Musker, the talented duo behind Aladdin (my personal favorite Disney cartoon), The Great Mouse Detective (forgot how much I loved that Holmes-ian Basil of Baker Street!), The Little Mermaid, Mulan, and the underrated Hercules and Treasure Planet, this film recaptures some of the storytelling magic that Disney perfected in the 90’s. Following Tiana and Prince Naveen, two lively, very enjoyable characters in 1920’s New Orleans, this twist on the “The Frog Prince” fairy tale is full of charm and warm-hearted spirit—a perfect treat for the holidays. It’s not necessarily a great film, but it’s an easy recommend, especially if you love (and, like me, missed) the glory of Disney’s 2-D animated films.

2. “The Lovely Bones” - I just saw this last night (we’ll have a full review up next week), and, while far from perfect, this is an interesting, quite powerful film, and a highly recommended watch. Based on Alice Sebold’s beloved book (which I’m finishing up right now), The Lovely Bones tells the story of Susie Salmon (the amazing, young Saoirse Ronan, an Oscar-nominee from Atonement), a bright, lovely girl in 1970’s suburbia, and one who was savagely murdered on her way home from school. Thus, Susie narrates the proceedings from her own personal Heaven, a gorgeous, endless “perfect world,” something that the film dubs the In-Between. Throughout the film, her surviving family (featuring Mark Whalberg and Rachel Weisz as Susie's parents, both terrific) grieves and tries to rediscover the love that held them together, her killer, Mr. Harvey (the great character actor, Stanley Tucci) attempts to cover his tracks, and Susie, ever lonely and away from her loved ones, tries to make peace with her own death and finally move on to a better place. As you could tell, there are a lot of elements at play here (much like the book)—bits of family drama, supernatural visuals, and even suspense and thrills—they don’t always mix, but when the different pieces click, the film ranks among the best I’ve seen this year. I imagine the book, spanning years of time and lacking any straightforward narrative, was incredibly hard to adapt, so kudos to the filmmakers for capturing some of its ultimately hopeful and loving spirit.

This comes to us from Lord of the Rings/King Kong super-director Peter Jackson (and produced by some little, unheard-of guy named Steven Spielberg), and it’s a beautiful film, all emotionally anchored by Ronan, easily one of our best young actresses. The reviews are very mixed, with many claiming that the special effects distract from the emotional pull of the story. Honestly, I couldn’t disagree more—the film does run into some narrative stumbles in the second act, as Jackson obviously struggles to do justice to Susie’s family's story in under 3 hours, but the few visual sequences always felt right for the surreal state of Susie’s Heaven. It’s certainly not for everyone—its subject matter (though handled sensitively) doesn’t make it easy to watch, but this is very strong work on display, and further proof that Jackson remains on the most important and gifted directors working in Hollywood.

3. “Invictus” - Check out the trailer below. Can’t you just taste the Oscar nominations? Following the story of Nelson Mandela’s first year in office (played by the perfectly-cast Morgan Freeman, our go-to guy for wise, inspirational people), and his plan to unite the post-Apartheid South African people with a World Cup Rugby victory, this looks like intelligent, uplifting entertainment. Plus, it’s packed with the kind of things Oscar voters love: we have an inspirational true story, an important historical figure (who surprisingly does not have his own movie yet), a top-notch cast (including the always-good Matt Damon as South African Rugby star, Francois Pienaar, whose relationship with Mandela jump-starts the plot), and all delivered with a touch of class from director and living legend Clint Eastwood. Honestly, it looks like a very good film. On a simple level, I know only the general facts about Mandela and his presidency, so I’d love to learn more, especially since the events depicted here hold a special place in South African history. And, of course, Eastwood knows how to make a strong picture—it might hit those “hopeful” notes a little too hard (as the still very good reviews point out), but I think the whole picture is worth catching in theaters. Mandela, himself a symbol of hope, democratic reform, and perseverance, deserves to have his story told, even if it’s just a fraction of his whole life experience. I’m definitely watching this soon, and expect this to be a major contender once the Academy Awards season starts full swing.

4. “A Single Man” - If I needed only one reason to check this out, it’s for Colin Firth, the great British actor who’s earning endless raves for his turn here—here’s hoping he will get his first-ever Oscar nomination as a result. Firth has been so good for so many years (ie, Love Actually, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Shakespeare in Love, and, of course, his iconic Mr. Darcy in the 1995 Pride & Prejudice mini-series), that it’s about time he gets his time to shine. If you guys get the chance, also check out his recent film, Easy Virtue, with Jessica Biel—it’s one of his strongest performances, and the whole film is just a witty (and surprisingly dark) trip into the heart of the British upper class.

The Oscar buzz on Colin Firth is my driving factor to see this, but, actually, the rest of the story—about a middle-aged gay college professor (Firth) trying to move on after the loss of his lover (Watchmen’s Matthew Goode)—sounds equally compelling. This could be powerful (and topical) material, and, according to the excellent all-around reviews, Julianne Moore is phenomenal in a supporting part (like always), and newbie director Tom Ford makes it all something truly special. I really want to see this—it looks like a fine choice for anyone seeking intelligent drama, and, like Invictus, I hope to catch it sometime in the next few weeks.

5. “The Slammin’ Salmon” - This is from Broken Lizard, the comedy guys behind Beerfest, Super Troopers, and (unofficially) The Dukes of Hazard. I’m not a fan of them, but I know Super Troopers and Beerfest have their followings (I want to guess a very specific, herbal-substance-involving target audience, but you could probably say the same thing about the Harold & Kumar movies, which I unashamedly love). The trailer below wasn’t all that funny to me, though I'm a big fan Michael Clarke Duncan, who broke through amazingly with The Green Mile and The Whole Nine Yards, then kind of remained on the sidelines for years. He should have been a much bigger star, and while I love his occasional TV gigs (like Chuck!), here’s hoping this will be a nice showcase for his leading-man quality and underseen comic chops. The reviews are mostly negative, as expected. I doubt it will be worthwhile, but you never know. By all means, it could be a silly, stupid-good time at the movies, which is sometimes just the thing we need.

And that’s it for this weekend. Are you guys excited to see any of these films?

Of the ones I haven’t seen, I think A Single Man and Invictus look equally good, both bona-fide awards contenders featuring some of our best off- and on-screen talent.

Next week looks pretty great too—we’ll have the release of the star-studded musical, Nine, a new Hugh Grant romantic comedy (always a nice option in my book), and James Cameron’s 3-D epic, Avatar, which, yeah, we might be a tiny bit excited to see.

Have a good weekend, everyone, and see you next week!

Clips courtesy of Trailer Addict.
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Review: "The Princess and the Frog"

- Posted by Rusty


Movie: Disney’s The Princess and The Frog

My Rating: 3 bites [out of 5]

In Short: The hand-drawn-animated The Princess and the Frog is a most welcome return to form for Disney! Although it doesn’t hit the highs of their previous classics, it’s a lovely fairy tale that will sit comfortably on the shelf next to your old Disney VHS’es. [full review after the jump]

Full Review: The Princess and the Frog, in a spin on the Grimm Brothers’ “The Frog Prince”, stars the bright, determined Tiana, who dreams of opening her own restaurant in 1920’s New Orleans. But, when money problems get in the way, she stumbles upon a smooth-talking, very cooly accented, talking frog. Turns out, he’s a prince under a curse by the voodoo Shadow Man (a very colorful, fun villain), and if she kisses him…well, he’ll turn human again and pay for her restaurant!

Ah, but there’s the twist: the mucus-y kiss fails and they both turn into frogs instead, launching a bright, colorful adventure into the Louisiana bayou. Wisecracking animal sidekicks, lots of musical numbers, and one big, last-10-minutes showdown with the villain ensue. And, of course, we get lots of heartfelt moments along the way, with a sweet running theme of making your own dreams come true, not by wishing but through patience, hard work, and dedication—I wouldn’t expect any less from Disney.

Like it sounds, this it the old Disney formula down pat, and it’s a wonderful, familiar sight. What makes this outing extra special is likely the most engaging central couple Disney has ever had. Tiana is getting a lot of positive word-of-mouth for being the first Black princess (long overdue, though still nice to see), but her character is also headstrong, intelligent, hard-working (she even refuses to dance, for she’d rather work and save money for her restaurant!), and has big dreams that don’t only revolve around boys (take that, Bella Swan). She’s probably the most rounded character in the Disney Princess universe and the best role-model for young girls since Beauty and the Beast’s Belle.

As for Prince Naveen…well, he’s a charming, ultra-suave European womanizer (as much as the G-rating will allow him to talk about), but, of course, with a great, big heart too. He’s great fun to watch, and he gets the biggest laughs in this movie. There were also genuine and very sweet sparks between him and Tiana (not to mention an adorable running joke about “slime” vs. “one’s own mucus”)—his journey in the film is really the most rewarding. What a great change of pace from Disney’s stock of unbearably bland princes (I’m looking at you, Prince Eric!).

In all honesty, I wanted to rate this higher, but there were just a few nagging things that prevented it from becoming an instant classic for me. First off, while the story was cute, it just felt too slim to support 90 minutes, resulting in parts of the movie feeling padded and sapping its great, zippy initial energy.

Same goes for the musical numbers: the songs are well-animated—lots of oomph and colors and jazzy tunes—but there were a good one or two that felt like they were filling up time and not pushing the story forward. It doesn’t really help that the songs weren’t too memorable—I enjoyed them when I saw the film last week, but none of them really stuck in my head (compare that to: “A Whole New World”, “Under the Sea,” the opening song of Beauty and the Beast, and many, many more).

Finally, while the cast of characters here is a funky, creative bunch (including a jazz-playing chubby alligator and a Cajun fly), none of them end up really standing out. They don’t really pop off the screen—we like them, sure, but their personalities don’t leave too lasting of an imprint. There are no Timons here, or Abus, or Lumieres—Tiana and Naveen make up for this, but I would have liked to see them surrounded by a more developed group of people. Even the villain, while very amusing to watch and root against, pales in comparison to more deliciously evil Disney baddies like Jafar and Gaston. I know I’m comparing The Princess and the Frog too much to the Disney classics I grew up with; it should stand on its own, and, by all means, it does. It’s just so close to being perfect that it’s a bit of a bummer that it falls short.

Still, my nitpicks aside, I’m sure little kids will eat this up. Even better, all of us crazy Disney enthusiasts (I know there’s a bunch of us out there!) or just fans of good family films will love this too. It’s too charming not to like, brimming with warm humor and imagination, and, despite its shortcomings, I have a feeling I’ll watch this many more times over the years.

If you caught the trailers and I liked what you saw, I’m pretty sure you’ll like the final product too. Go out and see it—you know you want to; even if you don’t come out humming the songs, you’ll still exit with a great big smile on your face. After all, it’s why we adore the old Disney movies.

Good to know that Disney (and not just Pixar) is making those once again.

Image courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures.
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What's on the Menu (December 4-6)

- Posted by Rusty

Hey, everyone! This looks like a pretty good weekend, with 7 new releases hitting theaters—we have some dud choices, but some potentially great ones as well. Let’s break down the new releases… [breakdown after the jump]

1. “Armored” - Yeah, I could totally live without seeing this. And, really, shouldn’t this come out in September? Some good actors and a ho-hum premise—September is chock-full of those types of films—quickly forgettable, but maybe good enough for a quick buck, since there’s not much else out in the doldrums of the first month of school. Sorry, it’s hard to muster up any enthusiasm for this—I like a lot of these actors (Laurence Fishburne, Matt Dillon, the great Frenchman, Jean Reno), but the whole plot—about an armored-truck heist-gone-wrong—looks lackluster at best from the trailer. This didn’t screen for critics (never a good sign)…although I suspect, when all is said and done, that this will be a middle-of-the-road kind of film—far from good, but passably entertaining. There are certainly worse choices out there, but I would go for something that looks more substantial than this.

2. “Up in the Air” - Now this just looks wonderful. I loved the teaser from a few months back, and the full-length trailer (see it below) is even better—more humor and a much greater dose of the plot. This comes from director Jason Reitman, whose first two films, Thank You For Smoking and Juno, comprise one of the best one-two punches I’ve seen in a while. Looks like this is another winner for him: the reviews are absolutely sensational, and the story, tracking George Clooney’s travel-loving expert firer (yep, the guy whose job it is to come over and personally fire workers) and his realization of his empty existence, is both topical, and with lots of potential for good, heartfelt drama. Clooney is slowly taking his place (if he’s not there already) among our best actors—his choices are savvy and always interesting, and I love how he uses his box office clout to keep making mature, personal films that actually have something to say (his Ocean’s buddies, Matt Damon and Brad Pitt, are pretty much in the same league). Same goes for Jason Reitman—he’s a young director, but he shows a confidence and understanding of the various material he tackles of someone who’s been doing this for years. He’s the real deal, and I think he’ll knock it out of the park with this film too. I have very high hopes for this one—I’m definitely checking it out in the next few weeks. Also, so far, it looks like a sure-bet Oscar frontrunner, so expect to hear lots of buzz on it in the months leading up to February’s ceremony.

3. “Brothers” - The trailer for this is actually kind of brilliant. Check it out below—the tonal shift near the end is completely unexpected, turning what looked like a heart-tugging drama of grief and forgiveness into a more psychological, intense experience. It could be interesting—it comes from award-winning director Jim Sheridan (In America, In the Name of the Father), and its trio of actors—Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Tobey Maguire—is excellent all-around. The story, following one brother’s (Maguire) disappearance in Afghanistan, and his wife’s (Portman) growing relationship with his just-out-of-prison brother (Gyllenhaal), looks to hit the right emotional notes as well. My only bit of apprehension is screenwriter David Benioff—he’s a respected novelist, and one of the highest-paid scribes in Hollywood. But he’s also quite inconsistent—for every terrific, powerful script like The 25th Hour (based on his own novel), we get the underwhelming Troy or the stylish, but ultimately kind of pointless, Stay. I hope I’m wrong on this one—the many great reviews certainly indicate that. Plus, from the reviews, it looks like this is Tobey Maguire’s show, and he more than rises to the occasion. Portman and Gyllenhaal are already Oscar-nominees, so, all Star Wars prequels aside, we know to expect good things from them (and it helps that I’m completely in love with Natalie Portman—she’s like a Jewish goddess!). Maguire, on the other hand, has always been a good actor (see: Wonder Boys, The Cider House Rules, Pleasantville), but, post-Spider-Man, he rarely had a chance to display some range. Here (at least in the trailer), he shows an unhinged, go-for-broke energy, and I think he’ll turn a lot of heads—it’s about time Peter Parker gets back some credibility. All in all, it’s an interesting choice—I’ll definitely see this eventually, even if it’s not in theaters.

Fun Fact: Casting Gyllenhaal and Maguire as brothers is pure genius—the two honestly look similar, and, even better, Gyllenhaal almost replaced Maguire as Peter Parker in Spider-Man 2, back when Maguire’s back injury might have prevented him from stepping back into his signature role.

4. “The Last Station” - I’m very intrigued by this film, tracing the last days of Russian literary giant, Lev Tolstoy (Anna Karenina and the huge, daunting War and Peace). I’ve been meaning to read Anna Karenina for ages—I have the huge, pretty, Oprah-approved edition lying on my shelf, and I’m promising myself that I will read it in the next few months—it’s too much of a classic for me to ignore anymore! I’m also crazy for biopics about writers—the peeks into the creative process, or really just the general lives of our great artists (Finding Neverland, especially, is one of my favorite films). Tolstoy was a fascinating figure—I wasn’t enthusiastic about his short stories in my Russian Lit class (although that might change when I finally check out Anna Karenina), but there’s no denying he led an interesting and very influential life. From what I gather, this film will cover his embrace of religion, and his wish to donate his land to the Russian people. Christopher Plummer is Tolstoy, Helen Mirren plays his wife, Sofya, and my favorite young actor right now, James McAvoy, stars as his advisor, Bulgakov (sadly not that Bulgakov, who wrote one of the most famous and amazing Russian novels, The Master and Margarita). I really want to see this—it’s playing in limited release in both New York and LA, but, as always, it should expand into more cities in the coming weeks. Reviews are also very strong and it’s picking up some Oscar buzz, especially for star (and Oscar-darling) Helen Mirren (here’s hoping McAvoy’s performance will gain some steam as well)—looks like a solid choice for those looking for a respectable historical drama.

5. “Everybody’s Fine” - I liked the trailer a lot, and the cast (featuring Robert De Niro, Kate Becksinale, Drew Barrymore, and the always-amazing Sam Rockwell) is fantastic. However, judging by the mixed reviews (with even the positive ones not that enthusiastic), I reckon this will turn out to be a decent, but pretty flawed film. The set-up—De Niro’s widower father tries to reconnect with his kids, all of whom were far closer to their mother—is good, but it needs a strong script to prevent it from falling into clichéd melodrama; sadly, it doesn’t sound like that happens here. Still, I see this as a good rental in the future—it’s great to see De Niro in what looks like a warm-spirited, layered performance (and not a gruff caricature, the kind he does so effortlessly) and I’m sure the rest of the cast deliver as well. These types of films, the family dramedies, are easy to watch, and I can overlook a lot flaws if the character work is believable and affecting—I hope that’s true of the final product here. It’s an awfully likeable group of people in front of the camera, so think of it as hesitant, maybe-worthwhile choice.

6. “Serious Moonlight” - I only know the very basic facts about this film: it was the last written script of the late Adrianne Shelley (the likeable writer/director/star of the indie, Waitress, who was tragically murdered shortly before that film came out). Cheryl Hines, a lovely comic actress and Shelley’s co-star in Waitress (she’s also Larry’s long-suffering love on Curb Your Enthusiasm) developed this feature, and this also marks her directorial debut. I’m not so sure about the concept—a wife (Meg Ryan) duct-tapes her divorce-seeking husband (Timothy Hutton) to the toilet to work out their problems, until complications (ie, burglars) ensue; it carries the risk of being too broad and uninvolving. Then again, if done in the right tone (and the characters are well-written), it could be funny, and the cast is very promising, rounded out by some of my favorite people, Kristen Bell and Justin Long. Plus, for a fun fact, Hutton and Meg Ryan last starred together (also as feuding lovers) in the very pleasant French Kiss, one of Ryan’s most enjoyable romantic comedies. Not a must-see for me, but, like a few other films this weekend, it could be a good rental in the future.

7. “Transylmania” - Don’t bother with this. A spoof of horror/monster movies, this is from the guys behind a few of the recent National Lampoon’s direct-to-DVD films. And if that’s not a ringing endorsement, these types of spoof films are rarely done well—in fact, the vast majority of them are downright awful. Date Movie, Epic Movie, Disaster Movie—it’s ridiculous that people were paid to write those strings-of-jokes (terrible ones at that!) disguised as movies. Sure, we have the likes of Hot Fuzz (which is probably more of an homage than a spoof) and, back in the day, stuff like Top Secret and The Naked Gun was very clever entertainment. This looks nowhere near those great films. Gone are the clever ways to make fun of popular films, as are the (very necessary) good characters that could zip through the jokes and still make us care. I think we could all easily skip this.

And that’s it for this weekend. What do you guys think? Any of these new releases look worth checking out?

As for me, Up in the Air and The Last Station look like the best choices. I’ll definitely check those out in the next few weeks.

Next week sees the release of the Disney’s The Princess and The Frog (which I just saw at a special screening! It’s delightful, if not up in the ranks of Disney’s masterpieces. I’ll do my best to have a full review up before its Friday release date) and Peter Jackson’s amazing-looking The Lovely Bones. See you guys then!
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