What's on the Menu: October 16 - 18

- Posted by Rusty

Sorry in advance, you guys—I’m fighting an out-of-nowhere, nasty cold (of course I’d get sick when it’s 90 degrees in the Valley!), so this will be a slightly quicker run-through than usual. That said, we have four big releases this weekend (one of which looks amazing), and one smaller film that could be worth finding if you’re in the LA area (or New York). Let’s see what we have…


1. “Where the Wild Things Are” - I love everything I’ve seen from this film, and the many positive reviews are all the more encouraging. From director Spike Jonze and adapted from Maurice Sendak’s beloved children’s book, this is the story of the misbehaving Max, and his great journey to the land of the Wild Things. From what I hear, children will probably not embrace it (as much as they would something like, say, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs), but adults and kids-at-heart will eat it up, especially its mature themes of growing up and facing the world. I’m not quite sure if there’s enough story here for 90 minutes, but all of the released materials suggest something truly special (with a big emotional punch too). A very big must-see for me—I can’t wait to see how it’ll turn out.

2. “The Stepfather” - Quick confession: I obsessively watched the first 2 seasons of Gossip Girl (even as it started slipping in quality), and Stepfather star Penn Badgley was a consistent highlight (although the show’s true secret weapons are Leighton Meester and Ed Westwick, both of whom are destined for bigger, better things). I like Badgley; I just wish his first big movie was something I wanted to see more. This is a remake of an 80’s slasher (that starred LOST’s Terry O’ Quinn a.k.a. John Locke!), all about a seemingly perfect dad who turns out to be a serial killer. It looks like the original’s more outright horror elements were toned down, and now transformed into a more psychological, killer-in-your-neighborhood thriller like Disturbia. It might be a good premise, but the trailer and all the TV spots make it look like a generic horror/thriller remake in the vein of Prom Night, The Hitcher, and many others that open up around this time. And, frankly, Paranormal Activity (which opens wide this week) is dominating the pre-Halloween buzz—that looks like the best movie for some good, old-fashioned scares. Nip/Tuck’s Dylan Walsh plays the psycho Pop, and the gorgeous and talented Amber Heard (from Pineapple Express and next year’s Johnny Depp drama, The Rum Diary) gets stuck with the supportive girlfriend/eye candy role. It didn’t screen for critics (never a good sign), and the few reviews we have are quite negative. Maybe I’m wrong, and it’ll actually turn out entertaining…but I wouldn’t rush out to see this.

3. “Law Abiding Citizen” - I could see this being a guilty-pleasure sort of thriller—something like Taken or the first Transporter movie—not the highest quality, but some likable stars in a pretty entertaining ride. Supposedly, the story has some good twists in store, so here’s the basic premise: Gerard Butler’s family is murdered, and Jamie Foxx’s (crooked?) DA lets the killers off on too light a deal. But, in a turn of the tables, Butler turns out to be a criminal mastermind, and starts crafting his revenge in a series of perfectly-orchestrated kills, all while seemingly locked up in his cell. I love a good cat-and-mouse game, and Butler and Foxx, two smart actors (who often rise above the material they’re given), look like solid opponents—it’ll be interesting to watch them play off one another. I think I’ll check this one out in theaters; then again, the reviews are mostly negative (although my favorite critic, Roger Ebert, actually liked it), so take my recommendation (and my love of over-the-top action films) with a big grain of salt.

4. “New York, I Love You” - I highlighted the trailer to this one a while back, and it all just looks lovely. From the people who gave us Paris, Je t’aime, this short-film anthology focuses on love stories in the Big Apple, a city made for cinematic romances. Lots of talent (Bradley Cooper, Orlando Bloom, Shia LaBoeuf, Anton Yelchin, Robin Wright, Eli Wallach, Natalie Portman, and many more), and lots of interesting choices behind the camera (the contributing directors include Mira Nair, Allen Hughes, and Natalie Portman again, this time in her directing debut). It’s opening in both New York (naturally) and LA, so seek it out if you’re in the area—it looks like the kind of quiet, intelligent, beautifully-made film that’s well worth catching.

…and, finally, while, this one already came out a few weeks ago, Paranormal Activity is finally opening nationwide this weekend. Riding waves of positive buzz from its midnight screenings, this is gaining the reputation as one of the scariest films of all time. Could be—I’m looking forward to finally seeing this, especially closer to the end of the month. Also, it should be a great alternative to the awful Saw series, which looks like it will be around every Halloween now (really, they made six of them already?!)…

5. "Paranormal Activity" - This is actually one of the best-reviewed movies of the year—a tiny-budget, haunted-house movie that’s getting favorable comparisons to The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield (it uses the similar device of the entire movie being “found footage”). The premise is simple: a couple keep having strange disturbances in their house, so the husband installs some hidden cameras…and creepy chaos ensues. I like moody horror films, those all about atmosphere, subtle scares, and believable characters much more than the gory, slasher kind. This could be something interesting—the cast is full of unknowns (which could help sell the “authenticity” of the premise), and the fake “true story” angle worked wonders for Blair Witch. It already has big fans like Steven Spielberg (whose creative suggestion to director Oren Peli resulted in a new ending), and it's poised to become an even bigger breakout hit if it catches on with more people, especially as we move closer to Halloween.

And that’s all we have for this weekend.

Wat do you guys think? Any one (or more) of these films catching your eye?

As for me, if I shake off this ridiculous flu, I want to check out almost every one of these new films, with Where the Wild Things Are being my most anticipated.

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures, Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Overture Films, Vivendi Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, and Dreamworks SKG.
Clips courtesy of Trailer Addict.
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The Daily Munchies: Trailer Time (October 6th)

- Posted by Rusty

Lots of interesting stuff to check out—here, we have explosions galore, Wild Things, and a badass, futuristic Denzel Washignton. Let's dig in, and check out some of the best new trailers...

"2012"

Now this I just couldn’t resist. From Roland Emmerich, the disaster maestro behind The Day After Tomorrow, Independence Day, and (yep) the American Godzilla, comes 2012, which looks to be his magnum opus…where he’ll get to destroy the entire world this time! Everything falls apart here—LA collapses in earthquakes, the Sistine Chapel breaks down (but cracks apart ever so perfectly on Michelangelo’s famous ceiling), the White House gets smashed by a tanker, and people do big heroic things, like drive off of helicopters in massive storms (and say beautifully cheesy lines, like: “I thought they had the right to fight for their lives!”). Honestly, I love Emmerich’s films, and, with The Day After Tomorrow, I think he embraced the all-out stupidity of the concept to just give us a fun overall ride—it was dumb, but with a knowing wink—a non-pretentious, Big Summer Movie. Here, it looks like he’s tackling similar ground. The plot revolves around the legendary Mayan prediction, with the world finally collapsing in 2012. It’s a good set-up, and this will give Emmerich the chance to put on the biggest spectacle of his career. Also, he’s managed to get quite the cast to play along—John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Danny Glover (as the president!), Oliver Platt, and Woody Harrelson are the humans we care about as everyone else dies, and, really, the special effects are amazing (as expected). Emmerich is not a bad storyteller (Stargate is good proof of that)—he’s supposed to tackle Isaac Asmiov’s Foundation novels next, and I think it will prove him to be more than a just flashy entertainer. In the meanwhile, 2012, opening November 13th (a Friday, of course), looks to be exactly what this trailer promises—lots and lots of ridiculous fun.

"Book of Eli"

This just looks better and better. Book of Eli takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting, where the landscapes are bleak, scavengers and criminals run amok, and villains (like the always-brilliant chameleon, Gary Oldman…who plays the absolute best villains possible!) reign supreme. But then we have Denzel Washington’s Eli, a mysterious, martial arts-skilled drifter carrying some sort of book…a book that Gary Oldman’s character is desperate to get from him. That’s the stage of the conflict, and the trailer only hints at everything else—Mila Kunis’ character somehow fits into the picture, lots of fighting ensues, and, from brief flashes, it looks like the title book might be a bible…or is it? I like the mystery, and I love this haunting, desolate world. This could be a good genre film—some well-cast, smart entertainment to start off 2010. Washington looks solid as the hero, and it’s a thrill to see Oldman back in scene-stealing bad-guy mode (see: True Romance, The Professional, The Fifth Element, and many more—the guy’s a genius in any role, but he plays evil like only few can); I can’t wait to see those two acting giants square off. The January release date is a bit fishy (most of the time, studios release only their worst films then), but I have some faith in this cast and crew—I’m hoping that was done just so the film will have little competition. This comes from the Hughes Brothers, who gave us the stylish Johnny Depp murder-mystery, From Hell, and I think this could be something interesting—hopefully in the vein of Children of Men, another bleak, end-of-humanity film. I know, a high standard, but if it hits half of the strong notes that brilliant film did, it’ll easily be worth the ticket price. Look for this in theaters on January 15, 2010.

"Where the Wild Things Are"

This is my favorite trailer of the year. There’s actually a longer one out right now, but this teaser is one of the best bits of advertising I’ve ever seen, so I had to include it. Check it out above—look how little dialogue there is, how it’s mainly just a rush of beautiful images, all set to the perfect, melancholy song, Arcade Fire’s “Wake Up”. Allow me to gush for a few seconds here…but, man, it’s all so gorgeous, so sad, so full of life and real childlike wonder. I have no idea what the final film will be (and I just read the tiny, tiny book it’s based on, so I’m even more curious now), but the footage is making a strong case for it. Maurice Sendak's beloved book follows the story of Max—a boy who misbehaves, and, in a fit of anger over his punishment, imagines himself going to the Land of the Wild Things (that’d be those giant, frightening, terrible creatures in a far, far away land) where he could be free to roam wild and do mischief to his heart’s desire.

More so than anything, I love that director Spike Jonze, the offbeat mind behind Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, seems to have built upon the book, expanding its themes of the strangeness (and, sometimes, pain) of growing up. Max is at the heart of all this, and I like newcomer Max Records—he’s got an edge to him that you don’t often see in child actors, and he honestly comes across as a real kid, warts and all. There are a lot of interesting things going on in this trailer—we see some glimpses of Max’s mother (played by the lovely Catherine Keener) and what looks like a new boyfriend (added plot material that could work very well), scenes of Max feeling out of place in school, and, of course, that epic, imaginative world where the Wild Things live. All of the Wild Things are also made into fully believable characters—a wondrous mix of CGI, real-life costumes, and some great voice-acting from the likes of James Gandolfini and Forest Whitaker. From what I read, this was a bit of a troubled production…and I’m not too surprised—this doesn’t look like your average, “safe” kids’ movie—there’s something unsettling about it, something that creeps under your skin a bit. By all means, it’s not a bad thing at all, but I’m guessing it was probably a hard sell to the bigwigs at the studio. Still, the end result looks amazing—if it could sustain the momentum of this fleshed-out story (while keeping the book’s few original plot beats), and make the entire ride as emotional and thoughtful as this preview, we could be in for a real treat. I can’t wait to check this out—Where the Wild Things Are hits theaters next Friday, October 16th.

So, what do you guys think? Any of these films look worth checking out?

I think the biggest question mark here is Where the Wild Things Are. The buzz over the last couple of weeks has been very positive (one of our best critics, Michael Philips, called it his favorite movie this year) and I'm fascinated to see how they'll transform that classic book into a two-hour movie.

Clips courtesy of Trailer Addict.
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