Opening This Week (19 Aug 2011)

Well, I have to say that I was a bit surprised that Rise of the Planet of the Apes was the box office winner again this week with a domestic total of $27.8 million. Apes became only the second film this summer season to take home top box office honors two weeks in a row (Thor was the other back in May). Finishing in 2nd was The Help with $26.0 million, and in third, Final Destination 5 with $18.0 million. The other major releases last week finished dismally. The action-comedy 30 Minutes or Less finished in fifth with $13.3 million, and Glee 3D finished in 11th wiht $6 million. With positive word of mouth and positive reviews, I think Rise could take the box office again this weekend since there isn’t a whole lot of competition again.

Conan the Barbarian

Rated: R

Starring: Jason Momoa, Ron Perlman, Rose McGowan, Stephen Lang

Director: Marcus Nispel

Synopsis from IMDB: The tale of Conan the Cimmerian and his adventures across the continent of Hyboria on a quest to avenge the murder of his father and the slaughter of his village.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I guess you could do worse for summer fare. Jason Momoa was great in Game of Thrones, but that may have been because he didn’t really talk, he just kind of stared menacingly and towered over everyone around him. I kind of lost interest in the trailer as soon as he opened his mouth. Anyway, if you’re looking for mindless action, this will definitely be your best bet this weekend. The early reviews are mixed (57% on RT), so it is difficult to say where this will land, but my guess is in the 30% range.

Fright Night

Rated: R

Starring: Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, David Tennant

Director: Craig Gillespie 

Synopsis from IMDB: A teenager suspects that his new neighbor is a vampire.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: The original 1985 Fright Night is one of the best horror-comedies ever. While I want to be excited about the film, especially since I think Colin Farell is a great pick as Jerry, it is hard to imagine that this film will re-capture the perfect combination of genres that the first one did. I also noticed that all the trailers are keeping Peter Vincent (David Tennant) pretty close to their chest, and he was an integral part of the original. Anyway, I will probably try to see this one and am holding on to hope that it will be decent.

One Day

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess, Tom Mison, Jodie Whittaker

Director: Lone Scherfig

Synopsis from IMDB: After spending the night together on the night of their college graduation Dexter and Em are shown each year on the same date to see where they are in their lives. They are sometimes together, sometimes not, on that day.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: One Day looks like a mix of Friends With Benefits and A Lot Like Love, except they’ve thrown in British accents to make it seem different. However, as much as I’m not one who usually is interested in chick flicks, I do like Focus Features and I did like what director Lone Scherfig did with An Education, so I am somewhat intrigued by this film. I’ll probably put it down on the Netflix queue, but I won’t watch it alone, I will have to put it under the pretext of “date night in”.

Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D

Rated: PG

Starring: Jessica Alba, Joel McHale, Jeremy Piven, Alexa Vega

Director: Robert Rodriguez

Synopsis from IMDB: A retired spy is called back into action, and to bond with her new step-children, she invites them along for the adventure to stop the evil Timekeeper from taking over the world.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I can’t say I’ve seen any of the Spy Kids films, but I still have no desire to. The 4D Aromascope really sounds like a cheap gimmick. I read an article on it and it is just scratch and sniff. Yup, they give viewers a card of different scents and when you are prompted on the screen, you are supposed to scratch the appropriate one. I wonder if they will charge extra for that…..

Limited Releases

The Last Circus

Rated: R

Starring: Carlos Areces, Antonio de la Torre, Carolina Bang

Director: Alex de la Iglesia

Synopsis from RT: 1937, Spain is in the midst of the brutal Spanish Civil War. A “Happy” circus clown is interrupted mid-performance and forcibly recruited by a militia. Still in his costume, he is handed a machete and led into battle against National soldiers, where he single handedly massacres an entire platoon. Fast forward to 1973, the tail end of the Franco regime. Javier, the son of the clown, dreams of following in his father’s career footsteps.

Trailer (Caution: Red Band Trailer-disturbing content):

Chris’ Take: Wow, this trailer did nothing to help me get over the fear of clowns that I developed after watching It and Poltergeist, but for different reasons. This is a mix of comedy and disturbing drama and is receiving great reviews (90% on RT). The trailer alone is unsettling and unforgiving. Anyway, this is probably something that I will have to be in the right mood for, but I am definitely interested.

Griff the Invisible

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Ryan Kwanten, Maeve Dermody, Marshall Napier, Heather Mitchell

Director: Leon Ford

Synopsis from IMDB: Griff, office worker by day, superhero by night, has his world turned upside down when he meets Melody, a beautiful young scientist who shares his passion for the impossible.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: It looks like this is trying to be a deeper look at the Spider-Man and pretty much any other superhero love story. I don’t know how I feel about it. The reviews are positive (83% on RT) which makes me want to give it a chance, but I am growing tired of superhero and superhero knock off stories.

Flypaper

Rated: Unrated

Starring: Patrick Dempsey, Mekhi Phifer, Ashley Judd, Tim Blake Nelson

Director: Rob Minkoff

Synopsis from IMDB: A man caught in the middle of two simultaneous robberies at the same bank desperately tries to protect the teller with whom he’s secretly in love.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: The trailer makes this film look very entertaining, I like pretty much everyone in the cast, especially Tim Blake Nelson and Pruitt Taylor Vince, but the reviews are kind of vexing (25% on RT). So, I might add this to Netflix, but apparently there is a good chance that it won’t be good, although the reviews aren’t the final say.

Trailer Time: John Carter, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and The Thing

There is a lot we’ve yet to post this week and will be coming to you soon (New to Blu Ray, 2 Take Two’s, and a WFR), we promise.  However, I thought that this took precedent as a lot of new trailers have been released on the internet, one making quite a buzz.  Here’s a look:

John Carter

I’m not too familiar with the series of novels from which this film is derived, but there have been a lot of people petitioning for this film in one way or another for about 8o years.  There seem to be a lot of elements from other films and stories including: The Book of Eli, Prince of Persia, and Avatar.  The director/writer, Andrew Stanton has had a pretty succesful run of animated films for Disney/Pixar so it will be interesting to see if he can translate that success to live action.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows 

I’ve been waiting for Guy Ritchie’s follow up to 2009’s Sherlock Holmes since I first saw it in theaters and we finally get a first look here.  In fact, I look forward to anything Guy Ritchie directs.  Though Daniel Day Lewis won’t be appearing as Professor Moriarty as originally rumored, Jared Harris seems suitable as an alternative, and the cast still remains stellar.  One face that is featured prominently in the trailer is Noomi Rapace, who seems to be making her breakout in America with Sherlock Holmes and Prometheus after her turn as Lisbeth Salander in the Sweedish version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and its 2 sequels (Rooney Mara will play the same role in David Fincher’s American version later this year).

The Thing

The prequel to arguably the greatest horror movie ever made (though I’d argue against it, but not strongly), 2011’s The Thing chronicles the expidition of the Norwegian team that’s heavily referenced in John Carpenter’s 1981 film of the same name.  It appears from the trailer that they stayed true to Carpenter’s version and made sure the details of this film matched the references from his film.  One subtle not I noticed from the trailer, they even made sure to keep the old school flamethrowers that Carpenter featured. Even though it’s sure to be heavier on the blood and gore to appease the new generation, this film looks like it could be a worthy successor to the original.

BONUS:

If you haven’t heard by now, the first teaser for the highly anticipated The Dark Knight Rises will preview prior to screenings of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.  So far only bootlegged versions of the teaser are on the net and the quality of them are poor, so I won’t include it here.  Nothing about the plot of the film is revealed the teaser but it does include brief glimpses of Bane, Selina Kyle, and Commisioner Gordan in the hospital. 

Opening this Week (08 July, 2011)

The holiday weekend proved to be a monster success for Transformers: Dark of the Moon with the film earning over $100 million domestically ($116M) and $416M globally through the 4th of July.  Last week’s other wide releases didn’t fare so well.  Larry Crowne bombed at the box office, finishing fourth behind Cars 2 (31.6M) and Bad Teacher (17.3M), both in their second week.  Monte Carlo (8.59M) was sixth at the box office behind Super 8 (9.3M).  Even with an expected significant drop off from this week’s total, I don’t expect Transformers to fall from the number one spot.

The Zookeeper

Rated: PG

Starring: Kevin James, Rosario Dawson and Leslie Bibb

Director: Frank Coraci

Synopsis from IMDB: A group of zoo animals decide to break their code of silence in order to help their lovable zookeeper (Kevin James) find love — without opting to leave his current job for something more illustrious. woman.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I expect come award season in February, this film will be nominated for more Razzie’s than any other, that is unless Twilight: Breaking Dawn pt. 1 can top it.  The jokes and videos circulating the internet about this film are probably all funnier than the actual film itself, and I wonder if the billable stars in this film are aware of the mockery,  James especially, with all the marketing he’s done for the film.  However, the sad reality of it all is that this film will probably be the highest grossing new release of the week.

Horrible Bosses

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis

Director: Seth Gordon

Synopsis from IMDB: Three friends conspire to murder their awful bosses when they realize they are standing in the way of their happiness.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I have high hopes that Horrible Bosses will overcome the Jennifer Aniston curse and be a success.  With the three stars and a highly touted supporting cast I expect this film to be pretty funny, it helps that the trailers have done well not to give away too much either.  The early reviews for this film are strong (87% on Rotten Tomatoes) so hopefully that adequately reflects the quality of the film.

Limited Releases

Project Nim

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Bob Angelini, Bern Cohen and Reagan Leonard

Director: James Marsh

Synopsis from IMDB: Tells the story of a chimpanzee taken from its mother at birth and raised like a human child by a family in a brownstone on the upper West Side in the 1970s.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: This documentary is directed by the same guy who directed Man on Wire, one of the most critically acclaimed documentaries of all time. The early reviews for this have been very positive (96% on RT). I like James Marsh’s approach of taking little snippets of history and fleshing them out so that they become something more significant in the broader scope of humanity. I’ll put this one on my Netflix when the chance comes.

Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest

Rated: R

Starring: Q-Tip, Phife Dawg and Ali Shaheed Muhammad

Director: Michael Rapaport

Synopsis from IMDB: Having forged a 20-year run as one of the most innovative and influential hip hop bands of all time, the Queens NY collective known as ‘A Tribe Called Quest’ have kept a generation hungry for more of their groundbreaking music since their much publicized breakup in 1998. Michael Rapaport documents the inner workings and behind the scenes drama that follows the band to this day. He explores what’s next for, what many claim, are the pioneers of alternative rap.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Seems more up Pac’s alley than mine, but recently documentaries have really intrigued me. Maybe I’ve become more aware of them in the last year since we started the blog, or maybe it was how I recently fell in love with Exit Through the Gift Shop, but whatever it is, I certainly am looking forward to more of these in the future. This looks similar to the Beastie Boys doc that came out this year. Maybe they should coin a term for this style, the rap-umentary.

The Ward

Rated: R

Starring: Amber Heard, Mamie Gummer and Danielle Panabaker

Director: John Carpenter

Synopsis from IMDB: A thriller centered on an institutionalized young woman who becomes terrorized by a ghost.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: The Ward hasn’t been receiving positive reviews so far (40% on RT), but it is a new John Carpenter film, so I will probably give it a look. Hopefully, it won’t turn out to be like Wes Craven’s film My Soul to Take, which showed how a veteran horror director seems to be losing his touch. However, My Soul had a whopping (8%), so this is at least 5 times better than that.

Ironclad

Rated: R

Starring: Paul Giamatti, Jason Flemyng and Brian Cox

Director: Jonathan English

Synopsis from IMDB: In 13th-century England, a small group of Knights Templar fight to defend Rochester Castle against the tyrannical King John.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: After watching the trailer, I don’t fully have a grasp on what’s going on besides a bunch of shouting. Paul Giamatti, even though I love the guy, when he shouts, he doesn’t inspire me, it sounds more like whining. I can’t really buy Giamatti as a leader, he is more of a sad sack everyman, but he could prove me wrong. The RT ratings are pretty low though, 37%, so there isn’t much hope for this film being good. I’ll probably pass on this one.

Opening This Week (01 Jul, 2011)

As expected, Car 2 sped past all the other competition in the box office this past weekend, with a final weekend total of $68 million. Bad Teacher had a decent start for an R-Rated comedy, enough to take the #2 spot with $31 million. Green Lantern‘s light dimmed significantly, dropping to #3 with $18 million, an almost 66% drop in revenue from last weekend. If two summers ago is any indication of the box office this weekend, we will have a new #1 this weekend:

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Opens June 29th)

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro

Director: Michael Bay

Synopsis from IMDB: The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the Moon, and race against the Decepticons to reach it and to learn its secrets.

 Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I really hope that there is more Navy involvement in this movie. That provided most of my entertainment in the last film. I love learning about new weapons systems that I didn’t know we had. Apparently, Shia LaBeouf and Michael Bay have apologized about how crappy the last Transformers movie was, and vowed to make this one better, even going as far as filming it in 3D. I heard a lot about the 3D technology used in this film, so I will probably try to see it in that format. There are 4 reviews in so far on RottenTomatoes, and 3 of them are good reviews, but they are pretty luke warm. We’ll see what happens, but like a car wreck that I can’t look away from, I will probably stick around to watch this one.

Larry Crowne

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Cedric the Entertainer, Bryan Cranston

Director: Tom Hanks

Synopsis from IMDB: After losing his job, a middle-aged man reinvents himself by going back to college.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: That Thing You Do was one of my favorite films when I was younger, and that was Tom Hanks’ last directorial effort. While this film looks fairly formulaic, pretty much anything Hanks is involved with turns out to be at least “decent”. So, I am not normally one for chick flicks, but I think this could be one that I could be convinced to see. There aren’t any early reviews yet, but if you’re looking for a nice alternative to the bombastic Michael Bay Transformers film, this is probably a safe bet.

Monte Carlo

Rated: PG

Starring: Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester, Katie Cassidy

Director: Thomas Bezucha

Synopsis from IMDB: Three young women vacationing in Paris find themselves whisked away to Monte Carlo after one of the girls is mistaken for a British heiress.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I guess they needed a movie that appealed to tween girls in order to cash in on a group that might feel ostracized during the weekend release of Transformers: Dark of the Moon. There was not a single clever moment in the whole trailer, and based on the talent found in this group, I doubt there will be through the whole movie. No early reviews yet, so nothing really to compare it to. Anyway, if you’re looking to drop off your tween daughter for some harmless fun while you get some adult time, this would be a great movie for them . Just make sure you make them pay their own way.

Limited Releases

Terri

Rated: R

Starring: John C. Reilly, Creed Bratton, Jacob Wysocki

Director: Azazel Jacobs

Synopsis from IMDB: Centers on a large 15-year-old boy in a small town as he struggles to adjust to his difficult life.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: John C. Reilly is co-starring in another indie film with a guy’s name as a title, and focuses on a troubled large person (Cyrus and Terri). While Cyrus seemed more for laughs, this seems like a film that has a more poignant dramatic focus. I think it will also be nice seeing Creed out of The Office. With 75% on RT, this probably will be a decent and thoughtful viewing.

The Perfect Host

Rated: R

Starring: David Hyde Pierce, Nathaniel Parker, Helen Reddy

Director: Nick Tomnay

Synopsis from IMDB: A criminal on the run cons his way into the wrong dinner party where the host is anything but ordinary.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I was just musing the other day, while watching Wet Hot American Summer, about what happened to David Hyde Pierce. He is a humorous, yet quirky fellow, even if he would probably be pegged as a nerdy chemistry type for the rest of his career. When I watched this trailer, I didn’t really know what to make of it. It seemed like an odd mix of The Collector, Weekend at Bernie’s and House Party. I am a bit confused, but a bit intrigued. The reviews are mixed (50% on RT), which seem to mirror my confused state about this film.

Finally, if you’ve read this far, you really probably have nothing better to do today do you? To reward you, in honor of Michael Bay’s “genius”, I give you one of my favorite South Park clips:

Opening This Week (17 June 2011)

The summer movie season is in full swing, but it doesn’t look like the Box Office is delivering the numbers the studios hoped for. Super 8 led this past weekend, and while $37 million is nothing to scoff at, it is surprisingly low for the summer opening weekend of a J.J. Abrams/Stephen Spielberg film. X-Men: First Class finished second with $25 million, and The Hangover Part II  held strong in third with $18 million. The real surprise box office story right now is Bridesmaids, and while it finished in sixth place for the weekend, it hasn’t really lost steam  in its fifth week of release. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides was only in its third week of release and it barely beat out Bridesmaids ($10.8 million to Bridesmaids’ $10.2 million). So, the huge blockbusters aren’t really paying off the way that the studios anticipated. This does not bode well for the big release this week either:

The Green Lantern

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Peter Sarsgaard, Blake Lively, Geoffrey Rush

Director: Martin Campbell

Synopsis from IMDB: A test pilot is granted a mystical green ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers, as well as membership into an intergalactic squadron tasked with keeping peace within the universe.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Green Lantern is a series I’m only mildly familiar with. I read some of the comic books when I was younger, but not enough to grasp the full scope of the comic. The closest I’ve come to The Green Lantern after th comic was beating the crap out of some Mortal Kombat characters with him in Mortal Kombat vs. D.C. Universe. While I think that the film looks overly-CGIed, I’ll probably see it for the sake of seeing a comic book character come to life. RT doesn’t have any early reviews, so it is hard to gauge how good it might be. I’ll just have to tell you on Monday.

Mr. Popper’s Penguins

Rated: PG

Starring: Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino, Angela Lansbury

Director: Mark Waters

Synopsis from IMDB: The life of a businessman begins to change after he inherits six penguins, and as he transforms his apartment into a winter wonderland, his professional side starts to unravel.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: ” Oh, Jim Carrey…what the heck are you doing?” There used to be a good way to phrase that question, but I found myself asking it with very negative connotations while I watched this preview. The preview looks almost on par with Kevin James’ new project The Zookeeper, which you can see parodied perfectly in this video:

Anyway, while it is unfair to judge a movie based off its trailer, I can’t see a way that this can be good. The book itself was rather cheesy and forgettable. This film will most likely not be enjoyed by anyone over the age of 10.

 Limited Releases

The Art of Getting By

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts, Elisabeth Reaser, Michael Angarano

Director: Gavin Wiesen

Synopsis from IMDB: George, a lonely and fatalistic teen who’s made it all the way to his senior year without ever having done a real day of work, is befriended by Sally, a popular but complicated girl who recognizes in him a kindred spirit.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: This arthouse project has a lot of young talent, and certainly a cinematic eye, but the early reviews have been a little rough (29% on RT). So, while this may be something that could pay off for the patient, it probably is something that requires a Netflix viewing to save money.

Opening This Week (10 Jun, 2011)

It might be hard topping last week’s big release, X-Men: First Class, but there is some competition this week, mainly from the master of summer cinema, Stephen Spielberg:

Super 8

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Amanda Michalka, Joe Lamb

Director: J.J. Abrams

Synopsis from IMDB: After witnessing a mysterious train crash, a group of friends in the summer of 1979 begin noticing strange happenings going around in their small town, and begin to investigate into the creepy phenomenon.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: J.J. Abrams plus Stephen Spielberg means Cloverfield meets E.T..  I miss the coming of age films of the eighties and early nineties that I grew up watching and this seems to echo that, so I hope that it brings back the instilled sense of wonder that those films captured. The reviews so far have been positive (82% on RT), but most of them are saying that while it is entertaining, it is a little emotionally flat. I wasn’t really expecting J.J. Abrams to write or direct anything emotionally profound, just to tell a good story.

Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer

Rated: PG

Starring: Jordana Beatty, Heather Graham, Parris Mosteller

Director: John Schultz

Synopsis from IMDB: Third-grader Judy Moody sets out to have the most thrilling summer of her life.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: You know those car commercials with that obnoxious kid who tells his parents that they need to spend $35,000 on a new car if they want to be cool? And because the parents apparently let the kid run their finances and need to be considered cool, they buy it? Yeah, it looks like a two hour version of that commercial, except the added travesty this time is that they drag Heather Graham into it; she deserves better. The 14% on RT right now doesn’t seem to indicate that I am wrong about this one.

Limited Releases

Trollhunter

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Otto Jesperson, Hans Morten Hansen, Johanna Morch

Director: Andre Ovredal

Synopsis from IMDB: A group of students investigate a series of mysterious bear killings, but learns that there are much more dangerous things going on. They start to follow a mysterious hunter, learning that he is actually a troll hunter.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Boasting that a film is “The Most Important Film of Our Time” in the trailer is a pretty bold statement, but it looked more sarcastic than anything. The film itself looks interesting, even though the documentary style horror film is getting way over-used right now. The reviews are positive (73% on RT) which bodes well. Pac also included this on his list of Most Anticipated Summer Movies, so we’ll probably try to track this one down.

The Trip

Rated: Unrated

Starring: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon, Margo Stilley

Director: Michael Winterbottom

Synopsis from IMDB: When Steve Coogan is asked by The Observer to tour the country’s finest restaurants, he envisions it as the perfect getaway with his beautiful girlfriend. But, when she backs out on him, he has no one to accompany him but his best friend and source of eternal aggravation, Rob Brydon.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: The Trip was apparently a popular miniseries in England before becoming a feature film, and now the film has gained popularity while debuting at various film festivals. It really looks like Coogan and Brydon made an entire movie of them just hanging out, which looks enjoyable, but the trailer is kind of repetitive. I hope that they do more than just impressions in the film because that could get old. However, with the positive reviews (80% on RT), it looks like it could potentially be a sleeper comedy hit that would be worth watching on DVD….probably with a couple drinks.

Opening This Week (June 3, 2011)

As predicted last week, Hangover Part II took the top prize at this past weekend’s box office, bringing in an impressive $85.9 million over the 3 day weekend, and if you include Thursday, reached $115 million dollars in its first 4 days. Kung Fu Panda 2 may or may not have underperformed, it depends on one’s point of view.  It reached just about what I expected, $40 million, which is pretty good considering the other blockbusters that came out close to its release. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides took a 60% loss at the box office, bringing in $39 million. I am pretty sure there will be a new #1 after this weekend and Pirates will have all but disappeared in its 3rd week in release. Here are this week’s releases:

X-Men: First Class

Rated: PG-13

Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Synopsis from IMDB: In 1963, Charles Xavier starts up a school and later a team, for humans with superhuman abilities. Among them is Erik Lensherr, his best friend… and future archenemy.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: X-Men was my favorite comic when I was younger, and I feel like the first two movies validated that love. As soon as the third one came out, I grew sad thinking that the series ended like that. Then, there was a new hope, a film devoted entirely to Wolverine, and yet again my soul was crushed by a film that didn’t do his character justice. I was hesitant to get excited about the reboot of the series, but with Bryan Singer producing and Matthew Vaughn directing, I gave it a chance. Then, the trailer came out and there was no looking back. I will definitely be lining up for a midnight showing this week, and if the early reviews are any indication (98% on RT), I might not be disappointed this time.

Limited Releases

Submarine

Rated: R

Starring: Noah Taylor, Craig Roberts, Sally Hawkins, Paddy Considine

Director: Richard Ayoade

Synopsis from IMDB: 15-year-old Oliver Tate has two objectives: To lose his virginity before his next birthday, and to extinguish the flame between his mother and an ex-lover who has resurfaced in her life.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Based on the reviews (92 % on RT) and the buzz around the internet, this is sure to be an indie hit. It certainly has a very Noah Baumbach feel about it, especially akin to The Squid and the Whale. While it may not be a “theater” movie, it will probably be on my Netflix Queue.

Beginners

Rated: R

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Melanie Laurent

Director: Mike Mills

Synopsis from IMDB: A young man is rocked by two announcements from his elderly father: that he has terminal cancer, and that he has a young male lover.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: While I am sure this is an interesting film, and Focus Features is usually a good gauge of quality (86% on RT), I kind of feel like I have watched this movie before somewhere, and that it seems dull. Maybe one day I’ll be in the mood for it, but not today.

Yellowbrickroad

Rated: R

Starring: Cassidy Freeman, Laura Heisler, Clark Freeman, Anessa Ramsey

Director: Jesse Holland & Andy Mitton

Synopsis from IMDB: One Morning in New England, 1940, the entire population of Friar New Hampshire – 572 people – walked together up a winding mountain trail and into the wilderness. They left behind their clothes, their money, all of their essentials. Even their dogs were abandoned, tied to posts and left to starve. No One knows why. A search party dispatched by the U.S. Army eventually discovered the remains of nearly 300 of Friar’s evacuees. Many had frozen to death. Others were cruelly and mysteriously slaughtered. The bodies of the remaining citizens are still unaccounted for. Over the years, a quiet cover-up operation managed to weave the story of Friar into the stuff of legends and backwoods fairy tales. The town has slowly repopulated, but the vast wilderness is mostly untracked, with the northern-most stretches off limits to local hunters and loggers. In 2008, the coordinates for the “YELLOWBRICKROAD” trail head were declassified. The first official expedition into a dark and twisted wilderness will attempt to solve the mystery of the lost citizens of Friar…and reach the end of the trail.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: This looks like The Blair Witch Project, except not done in mockumentary format. However, I am on the lookout for good horror films, and this one is getting decent buzz, so I will probably check it out.

 

Opening This Week (23 – 29 May, 2011)

Well, unsurprisingly Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides took home the box office booty this weekend with an impressive $90.1 million dollars. However, it doesn’t really end up a winner in comparison to other films in the Top Ten. First, the last installment of the series, At World’s End, raked in $113 million in its first weekend, and while that may not seem like a lot, if inflation was accounted for, that would be around $130 million today. So, the series is losing popularity in that regard, possibly because the reviews for this film were less than stellar (37% on RT). Bridesmaids, the second place finisher only brought in $21 million this weekend, which while not a stellar number, was only a 20% drop from its opening weekend, which is impressive for a comedy of its caliber. Fast Five finished in third with $10.6 million, continuing its strong run. If you recall, Fast Five opened last month with around $86 million in its first weekend, which while $4 million lower than On Stranger Tides,  wasn’t in 3D and sold more total tickets.

Anyway, all that was to say that while $90 million is a hefty chunk of change, in a lot of ways it was a disappointment. Here’s what we got on tap this week:

The Hangover Part II

Rated: R

Starring: Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha

Director: Todd Phillips

Synopsis from IMDB: Right after the bachelor party in Las Vegas, Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug jet to Thailand for Stu’s wedding. Stu’s plan for a subdued pre-wedding brunch, however, goes seriously awry.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Pac mentioned in his Most Anticipated Summer Movies article that he and I were having a debate about whether or not this would be any good. Obviously, neither of us have seen it and it was all speculation, but our point of contention came from a Cracked.com article that compared the trailer for the first film and the trailer seen above. The article points out that they are almost exactly the same trailer, the jokes are just tweaked ever so slightly. While it is always good to have some sort of familiarity in a sequel, I really hope that the jokes don’t seem tired, and that having The Wolfpack back together feels like a fresh experience. Since you may notice that it didn’t make my Most Anticipated Summer Movies, my guess is that it will be the former.

Kung Fu Panda 2

Rated: PG

Starring: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie

Director: Jennifer Yuh

Synopsis from IMDB: Po joins forces with a group of new kung-fu masters to take on an old enemy with a deadly new weapon.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I was not that impressed with the first Kung Fu Panda. It did have great animation, but the jokes seemed stale and relied too heavily on sight gags rather than a witty script. From watching the trailer for this film, I kind of get the same impression. A lot of people liked the first one, so if you did, this might be a good comedy alternative to the vulgarity in The Hangover Part II. Between Hangover and Kung Fu Panda 2, I am sure that Pirates will sink pretty significantly this weekend at the box office.

Limited Releases

The Tree of Life

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain, Fiona Shaw

Director: Terrence Malick

Synopsis from IMDB: The story centers around a family with three boys in the 1950s. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: The Tree of Life just won the coveted Palme d’Or Award (top prize) at the Cannes Film Festival, but people’s enjoyment of this film will probably have to do with expectations. From what I’ve read, if you’re expecting a linear story, you will be disappointed, because Malick apparently took a very nebulous approach to this film, relying heavily on abstract visuals to convey the emotions in the dialogue. Obviously, critics seem to love this movie (89% on RT), and it was #3 on my Summer’s Most Anticipated List, but again, I would put out the disclaimer that this probably won’t be a movie that is going to provide a thrill a minute. Instead, it will probably be a film you have to appreciate as a whole when it is finished.

We Are the Night

Rated: Unrated

Starring: Karoline Herfurth, Nina Hoss, Jennifer Ulrich

Director: Dennis Gansel

Synopsis from RT: Dennis Gansel, responsible for the hit The Wave, explores nighttime in Berlin to find a sect of seductive lady vampires that hide out in the city’s alternative clubs and enjoy the luxury and pleasures their attained immortality provides them. A stylized vision of female vampirism, closer to films like The Hunger or the TV series True Blood than to Twilight, We Are the Night differs from other films present this year in Sitges because it gives the myth an image of sensuality, charisma and attraction, playing especially on fascination for the night. A fascination that Gansel uses almost paroxysmally to exploit the German capital’s nighttime atmospheres.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I watched the trailer for The Wave, mentioned in the synopsis above and thought it looked pretty ambitious. Now, it looks like the director is trying to take that gritty style and convert it into the increasingly popular and annoying vampire genre. While the visual style certainly has flair, it doesn’t look like it will amount to much. Reviews on IMDB are lukewarm, and the one on RT is negative. This film is probably a Netflix viewing, but I won’t put it on there. However, I immediately added The Wave.

New to Blu-Ray/DVD this Week (May 17, 2011)

The Mechanic

Rated: R

Starring: Jason Statham, Ben Foster and Donald Sutherland

Director: Simon West

Synopsis from IMDB: Follows an elite hit man as he teaches his trade to an apprentice who has a connection to one of his previous victims.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  I missed this one in theaters, though it was certainly one I wanted to see.  I enjoy Jason Statham more as a comedic actor than an action star, but the true draw of this film is Ben Foster.  I’m captivated by his performance every time he is on-screen, especially in roles where he behaves violently (movies like 30 Days of Night, 3:10 to Yuma, Alpha Dog, and Hostage come to mind).  His involvement escalated this film from another mindless Statham action flick to a must see, and now that it has arrived to home video, it’ll definitely be near the top of my queue.  I will have to keep my expectations in check, however, considering the mixed reviews it received from critics, as well as its paltry domestic gross.

The Rite

Rated: R

Starring: Colin O’Donoghue, Anthony Hopkins and Ciarán Hinds

Director: Mikael Håfström

Synopsis from IMDB: An American seminary student travels to Italy to take an exorcism course.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  Unlike The Mechanic, I was able to see The Rite in theaters; and considering it was one of my most anticipated films of 2011, it was a disappointment.  The over use of the exorcism genre in recent years may have contributed to this films disappointment, not to mention some one-dimensional performances.  However,  I do not think the film was as bad as its 19% Rotten Tomatoes score suggests, and Anthony Hopkins performance alone in this film is enough to warrant it a rental.  If you haven’t seen The Rite yet and like Anthony Hopkins, you should absolutely check it out.

The Other Woman

Rated: R

Starring: Natalie Portman, Scott Cohen and Lisa Kudrow

Director: Don Roos

Synopsis from IMDB: A comedy/drama that details the story of a woman’s difficult relationship with her stepson.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  The ugly stepchild to the busy year Natalie Portman has had at the box office with Black Swan, No Strings Attached, Your Highness, and Thor; The Other Woman received a limited release and fairly poor reviews.  Though this movie is considered a comedy/drama, there doesn’t seem to be much comedy in the film, based on the trailer.  Still, this is the closest thing to a Rom Com we have this week; and given my premise that one releases each week, I’ll peg it as such.  Though it is not the type of subject matter I’m often interested in watching, Natalie Portman is one of my favorite actresses and I may see the film eventually for her involvement alone.

The Roommate

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Minka Kelly, Leighton Meester and Cam Gigandet

Director: Christian E. Christiansen

Synopsis from IMDB:  College student Sara finds that her new roommate Rebecca has an obsession with her, which quickly turns violent.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  Like The Rite, The Roommate is not as bad as its 4% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but it’s still not a very good movie.  This knock off of Single White Female, compromises the quality of acting for prettier faces as well as dropping the R rating to a much more box office friendly PG-13.  The cast list reads a lot like a CW drama and adding the Screen Gems logo is the icing on this incredibly bland cake.  I’m sure this movie will do well in home video sales because of its rating and cast, but there are plenty of better options releasing this week (as well as checking out Single White Female).

New to Blu-Ray/DVD last Week (May 3, 2011)

The Green Hornet

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou and Christoph Waltz

Director: Michel Gondry

Synopsis from IMDB:  Following the death of his father, Britt Reid, heir to his father’s large company, teams up with his late dad’s assistant Kato to become a masked crime fighting team.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  Though I thought The Green Hornet was a disappointment, I certainly believe this film is worth at least a rental.  The 3D in the film was extremely lacking, Cameron Diaz’s performance was typically lacking, and I was expecting more from a Michel Gondry film.  Despite its flaws, however, there was a lot to enjoy about The Green Hornet.  The chemistry between the two leads, Seth Rogan and Jay Chou, provided the film with a lot of charisma, the story was unique for its genre, and Christoph Waltz was great in his role.

The Dilemma

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Vince Vaughn, Kevin James and Winona Ryder

Director: Ron Howard

Synopsis from IMDB:  A man discovers that his best friend’s wife is having an affair.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  If you like either of the two leads in their previous work you’ll probably enjoy The Dilemma.  Though neither Vince Vaughn or Kevin James reach beyond their comfort zone, the direction of Ron Howard gives this film an endearing quality that at times makes it seem so.  The biggest surprise of this film, however, was Channing Tatum.  There isn’t much on Tatum’s body of work to praise, but he seems much more natural in a comedic role than he ever has as an action or romance star.

My Own Love Song

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Renée Zellweger, Madeline Zima and Forest Whitaker

Director: Olivier Dahan

Synopsis from IMDB: A wheelchair-bound singer and her best friend embark on a roadtrip to Memphis.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  I had never heard of this film before just now, and after viewing the trailer it doesn’t seem like I’ve missed much. Featuring two Academy Award winners, I’d at least expect this film to feature some strong performances.  However, the plot of the film doesn’t interest me much, and one of the aforementioned Academy Award winners (Renee Zellweger) has never been an actress I particularly enjoyed.  I’ll probably skip this one.

Waiting for Forever

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Rachel Bilson, Tom Sturridge and Richard Jenkins

Director: James Keach

Synopsis from IMDB:  A Hollywood-set romantic tale of a guy who is content to live his life without a job yet with the love of his life, a young actress.

Pac’s Take:  This week’s romantic comedy release, Waiting for Forever stars Rachel Bilson and some guy with an earring.  “Romantic comedy” seems to be used in the loosest of ways here, however, because there is nothing funny about this trailer.  The synopsis from IMDB also seems to be more about the two leads real lives than the plot of the movie itself, but even that doesn’t interest me.  The director seems like a pretty awesome guy though, considering Johnny Cash and Christopher Reeve are the Godfathers to his two sons.

Though my first choice would have been Marlon Brando

Chris’ 10 Most Anticipated Summer Movies

I look back at the young naive Chris of five months ago and wonder what led me to make the list of my anticipated movies of 2011. I think I had a lot of caffeine pumping through the bloodstream and was probably highly unstable coming down from the holiday season.

Now, that the spring air is clearing my head and I have a little bit more granularity on films coming out this summer, I present to you this list of my Top Ten Anticipated Summer Movies:

10. Everything Must Go (Release Date: 14 May, 2o11)

Synopsis from IMDB:

When an alcoholic relapses, causing him to lose his wife and his job, he holds a yard sale on his front lawn in an attempt to start over. A new neighbor might be the key to his return to form.

Chris’ Take: Will Ferrell returns to what seems like a similar role to Stranger than Fiction. Rather than the loud and brash character that he normally plays, he will be shifting gears to play the understated, yet desperate man. The film had trouble finding a distributor, but now that it is about to make its release it is receiving rave early reviews (90% on RT). While it may not end up being my favorite movie this summer, I certainly have hope that it will bring back the dramedic style that Ferrell showed a knack for in 2006.

Trailer:

9. Larry Crowne (Release Date: July 1, 2011)

Synopsis from IMDB: After losing his job, a middle-aged man re-invents himself by going back to college.

Chris’ Take: Who doesn’t like Tom Hanks? He is probably one of the most genuinely likeable guys in Hollywood and his knack for comic timing is uncanny. While he has been in some bad movies recently, overall everything he touches seems to at least end up in “decent” territory. Another plus, is  that he is getting in the director’s chair again, a place he hasn’t been since That Thing You Do!, which was just a downright enjoyable experience to watch. There is a downside for me to this movie though: Julia Roberts. She is never really bad in her movies, it’s just something about her….

I don't know what it is about your face, but if you don't fix it...I'll fix it for you.

Trailer:

8. Fright Night (Release Date: August 19, 2011)

Synopsis from IMDB: Teenager Charley Brewster (Yelchin) guesses that his new neighbor Jerry Dandrige (Farrell) is a vampire responsible for a string of recent deaths. When no one he knows believes him, he enlists Peter Vincent (Tennant), the opportunistic host of his favorite TV show, to help him take down Jerry and his guardian.

Chris’ Take: I think Scream 4, wet my appetite for horror movies that know how to have fun. While too many of them get old, I think I will be ready by the time Fright Night hits theaters. The remake of the 1985 cult classic will hopefully not only pay its respects to the original, but will take its style and update it. I think the cast is intriguing, bringing in Colin Farrell to replace Chris Sarandon as the vampire Jerry Dandridge. I am interested to see if Farrell has as much fun with the role as Sarandon seemed to have.

No Trailer Available

7. Super 8 (Release Date: June 10, 2011)

Synopsis from IMDB: After witnessing a mysterious train crash, a group of friends in the summer of 1979 begin noticing strange happenings going around in their small town, and begin to investigate into the strange phenomenon.

Chris’ Take: J.J. Abrams certainly knows how to market his films, shrouding them in mystery so that half of the audience in the theater is only there so they can stop staying up at night wondering what the heck that random trailer they saw was about. He also makes pretty good films to boot. What I like about Super 8 is that it looks like it wants to return to the coming of age adventure tale that made films like The Goonies and E.T. so popular, memorable and appeal to all ages. While it still is unclear what the movie is about, it is an original script and not a remake, reboot, adaptation or sequel, which already garners some points in my book.

Trailer:

6. Thor (Release Date: May 6, 2011)

Synopsis from IMDB: The powerful but arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard and sent to live amongst humans on Earth, where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.

Chris’ Take: The trailers for this film looked cheesy and somewhat campy, which is why it didn’t even come near my most anticipated movies for this year earlier. With all the buzz and great early reviews (and there are a lot of them), this film rapidly shot up my list.  I was afraid that this film, especially with how little audiences seem to know about the character, would just merely be tossed in as a stepping stone to The Avengers. However, all the raving about this film hints that it could be this year’s Iron Man.

 Trailer:

5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II (Release Date: July 15, 2011)

Synopsis from IMDB: The end begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione go back to Hogwarts to find and destroy Voldemort’s final horcruxes, but when Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again.

Chris’ Take: I think at the beginning of the year my anticipation for this film was much higher, but the first one did not age well in my mind. I know I kind of liked it, but at the same time I thought it could be so much more. Now, while I will definitely be part of the droves that show up for this one, I am not as excited about it, because since the first and second parts were filmed at the same time, they probably have the same tone. Films that do that tend to either maintain their level of success, or their level of ineptitude.

Pictured: Ineptitude

My hope is that the swan song of the Harry Potter films will be the exception to that and improve on the first part.

Trailer:

4. Captain America (Release Date: July 22, 2011)

Synopsis from IMDB: After being deemed unfit for military service, Steve Rogers volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, a superhero dedicated to defending America’s ideals.

Chris’ Take: This looks like it will be one of the more ambitious superhero films, in both special effects and storyline. Captain America is hard to take seriously because as a comic book character he almost grew into a caricature of the patriotic era during World War II, even if he wasn’t meant to be. That is not to say that he isn’t a great character, but that just became my perception, and a couple of months ago it dimmed my desire to see this film. Now, watching the trailer and seeing him come to life, be taken seriously, and have Hugo Weaving playing Red Skull…

And the fact that they stayed true to the look without using fruity tights.

I am amped about it and look forward to seeing a classic character revived(cue the Team America theme song).

Trailer:

3. The Tree of Life (Release Date: May 27, 2011)

Synopsis from IMDB: The story centers around a family with three boys in the 1950s. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence.

Chris’ Take: While this film topped my list at the beginning of the year, but hipsteresque rumblings from director Terrence Malick and actor Fiona Shaw have dropped it from the #1 spot. Shaw said this to Empire Online, “I can’t tell you what it’s about because it’s about everything.” Sounds pretty ambitious, but a little bit too ambitious. That is not to say that I can’t wait to see the result, because the trailer moved me like no trailer has moved me before. Malick apparently let some of the actors write their parts for the film, based on general ideas in his head and let them pick where they wanted to film it, then molded what they came up with into his overall concept for the film. Sound confusing? Yeah, I am not sure I quite know how that works, but  the heart that Malick poured into it, and the originality of the style, is enough to boost this past several special effects riddled summer spectacles on this list.

Trailer:

2. Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (Release Date: Aug 26, 2011)

Synopsis from IMDB: A young girl sent to live with her father and his new girlfriend discovers creatures in her new home who want to claim her as one of their own.

Chris’ Take: Guillermo Del Toro is one of the best directors in the business, and even though he is not at the helm of this film, his touch is all over it. Troy Nixey, is under Del Toro’s tutelage for his feature film directorial debut and it looks like a good old fashioned haunted house story. I am disappointed to see Katie Holmes in the lead, but I have a hard time believing Del Toro would attach his name to anything that wasn’t at least “decent”. I mean, did you hear his strong words while on tour with the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World DVD release troupe? As some of you know, Pac and I are avid fans of the horror genre and I think this has the potential to be one of the best, if not the best, to come out this year.

Trailer:

1. X-Men: First Class (Release Date: June 3, 2011)

Synopsis from IMDB: In 1963, Charles Xavier starts up a school and later a team, for humans with superhuman abilities. Among them is Erik Lensherr, his best friend… and future archenemy.

Chris’ Take: This was the only comic book movie to make my list the first time around, but it was only somewhere in the middle of the pack. After the second trailer, which I will show below, I am brimming with joy to see a retro version of the X-Men franchise. Even though we know where the characters will eventually end up, there is still that desire to see the beginning of the complex relationship between Professor X and Magneto (or Charles and Erik). Also, Bryan Singer is returning to the director’s chair after the franchise was chewed up and vomited back on the screen by Bret Ratner and Gavin Hood. I don’t know if it will pull it off, but I want this film to be the redemption of the film series and return the X-Men back to their former glory.

Trailer:

Opening This Week (Apr 25 – May 1, 2011)

There are definitely some candidates this week threatening to oust Rio from its two week run atop the box office, with another childish idea for a movie (Fast Five) and also an actual kids movie (Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil). Let’s run ’em down:

Fast Five

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jordana Brewster

Director: Justin Lin

Synopsis from IMDB: Dominic and his crew find themselves on the wrong side of the law once again as they try to switch lanes between a ruthless drug lord and a relentless federal agent.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I have seen every single one of these films and despised them more with each viewing. While the reviews for this film are by far the best out of the franchise, the previous four have taken out of me any desire to see this installment. To add more meatheaded madness to Fast Five, the cast has added Dwayne “Forever Known as The Rock” Johnson. Maybe this will finally be his first overall positively reviewed film ever.

Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil

Rated: PG

Starring: Hayden Panettiere, Patrick Warburton, Glenn Close, David Ogden Stiers 

Director: Mike Disa

Synopsis from IMDB: Red Riding Hood is training in the group of Sister Hoods, when she and the Wolf are called to examine the sudden mysterious disappearance of Hansel and Gretel.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: The first Hoodwinked film was “OK” at best. There were moments of humor, but were offset for me when I discovered it was a musical. So, suffice to say, it was not my cup of tea, but I know that there were a lot of people, mainly kids, that thoroughly enjoyed it. After watching the trailer for the second one, and reading some of the early reviews (18% on RT), it sounds like the sequel will be more of the same, except with less humor.

Prom

Rated: PG

Starring: Thomas McDonnell, Aimee Teegarden, Siu Yin Chang, De’Vaughn Nixon

Director: Joe Nussbaum

Synopsis from IMDB: A group of teenagers get ready for their high school prom.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: This Prom seems about as exciting and creative as the synopsis posted above. I suppose every generation needs multiple movies about the big event to call their own, but I doubt this one will go down in memory as one of the best. It is receiving mixed reviews (54% on RT), which is better than I would expect, but not enough for me to recommend seeing this one.

Dylan Dog: Dead of Night

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Brandon Routh, Taye Diggs, Sam Huntington, Anita Briem

Director: Kevin Munroe

Synopsis from IMDB: The adventures of supernatural private eye, Dylan Dog, who seeks out the monsters of the Louisiana bayou in his signature red shirt, black jacket, and blue jeans.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Brandon Routh proved that he can pull of dead pan humor, as seen in his character in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, so this film certainly has something going for it right there. It looks like it is trying to be the next Shaun of the Dead, which will be very hard to pull off and from the early reviews, it does not look like it does. I’m willing to give it a chance though and hope to find it entertaining at least.

13 Assassins

Rated: R

Starring: Arata Furuta, Hiroki Matsukata, Kazuki Namioka, Koji Yakusho

Director: Takashi Miike

Synopsis from IMDB: A group of assassins come together for a suicide mission to kill an evil lord.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: The premise seems simple, but the trailer looks to make it much more spectacular. The cinematography especially looks far above average, and it looks like it could be a more sophisticated version of 300. The early reviews have been outstanding (87% on RT), so this looks like it would definitely be worth checking out.

Opening This Week (18 – 24 Apr, 2011)

For the third week in a row, an animated movie topped the box office. Rio opened this past weekend with $40 million dollars, the best opening weekend so far this year, the second and third best were also animated films (Rango and Hop). Rio’s total was more than double the second place finisher, Scream 4, which finished below projections with $19.3 million. Hop remained in the top three this week, bringing in another $11 million. There probably won’t be much competition for Rio this week, with only a couple of modest releases this weekend.

Water for Elephants

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz, Paul Schneider

Director: Francis Lawrence

Synopsis from IMDB: A veterinary student abandons his studies after his parents are killed and joins a traveling circus as their vet.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I like the tone of the trailer for this film, and I am interested in seeing Christoph Waltz’s talents put to use again. However, I am still a little skeptical about the film as whole. Mainly the fact that Robert Pattinson hasn’t really proven himself as an actor who can truly anchor a film. Francis Lawrence is making a directorial shift here as well. His past two feature films were I am Legend and Constantine, so he is really going to need to focus on character development and story rather than special effects.

African Cats

Rated: G

Starring: Samuel L. Jackson

Director: Alastair Fothergill, Keith Scholey

Synopsis from IMDB: A nature documentary centered on two cat families and how they teach their cubs the ways of the wild.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I think this is the exact same documentary I saw at the Boston Museum of Science in the fourth grade. The African Cats seem to be a very popular subject of nature documentaries and Disney is bringing it out this Earth Day with Samuel L. Jackson narrating. While I’m sure it will be interesting, you can also probably see the same thing on Animal Planet at least three times a week.

Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Tyler Perry, Bow Wow, Isaiah Mustafa, Loretta Devine

Director: Tyler Perry

Synopsis from IMDB: Madea jumps into action when her niece, Shirley, receives distressing news about her health. All Shirley wants is to gather her three adult children around her and share the news as a family. But Tammy, Kimberly and Byron are too distracted by their own problems: Tammy can’t manage her unruly children or her broken marriage; Kimberly is gripped with anger and takes it out on her husband; and Byron, after spending two years in jail, is under pressure to deal drugs again. It’s up to Madea, with the help of the equally rambunctious Aunt Bam, to gather the clan together and make things right the only way she knows how: with a lot of tough love, laughter … and the revelation of a long-buried family secret.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I’m going to be honest, I have no interest in seeing this. I am not saying that it might not be good for those that are, but I just can’t find much to say about this film. It seems like Tyler Perry never leaves the studio, whether it is doing TV or making another Madea movie, it seems like he decides which days he wants to put on make up and which days he would rather just hang out behind the camera (which apparently is rolling about 24-7).

POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Morgan Spurlock, Ralph Nader

Director: Morgan Spurlock

Synopsis from IMDB: A documentary about branding, advertising and product placement that is financed and made possible by brands, advertising and product placement.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: This documentary looks like it was a lot of fun to make, searingly poking fun at advertising. I am intrigued by the premise and will probably get around to seeing this, but not in theaters.

Limited Releases

Incendies

Rated: R

Starring: Maxime Gaudette, Remy Girard

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Synopsis from IMDB: A mother’s last wishes send twins Jeanne and Simon on a journey to Middle East in search of their tangled roots. Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad’s acclaimed play, Incendies tells the powerful and moving tale of two young adults’ voyage to the core of deep-rooted hatred, never-ending wars and enduring love.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: This film looks like a gripping dramatic mystery into a barren land. It was released last year internationally, but is now receiving a wider release in the States. It is currently at 96% on RottenTomatoes, so it is probably worth a look.

The Bang Bang Club

Rated: Unrated

Starring: Malin Akerman, Taylor Kitsch, Ryan Phillippe

Director: Steven Silver

Synopsis from IMDB: A drama based on the true-life experiences of four combat photographers capturing the final days of apartheid in South Africa.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I hadn’t heard of this film until I started writing this article, but out of the films this week, this one seems to have the most potential. There is a great cast and a compelling topic, combined with a relatively fresh director who is making his jump from documentaries to feature films. So, I’ll probably track this one down on Netflix.

Opening This Week (11 – 17 Apr, 2011)

Last weekend continued the disappointing box office numbers, despite several over-advertised films that had hopes for box office success. However, it was Hop that remained on top, but it was only with $21.3 million, with the others trailing far behind. Hanna, the action film starring Saoirse Ronan, came in 2nd with $12.4 million, and the Russel Brand vehicle Arthur rounded out the top 3 with $12.2 million. This weekend really does have some promise for someone to top Hop with another wide release animated feature opening, and the horror fanboys long anticipated release of another Scream sequel.

Scream 4

Rated: R

Starring: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox, Emma Roberts

Director: Wes Craven

Synopsis from IMDB: Ten years have passed, and Sidney Prescott, who has put herself back together thanks in part to her writing, is visited by the Ghostface Killer.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Well, it’s been 11 years since the last Scream film, and the last one was supposed to be the last one. However, writer Kevin Williamson decided  he had enough fresh material to make a comeback. I am a fan of the franchise, since it is a staple in the horror genre, and managed to be both a parody and serious slasher film at the same time. When I heard a sequel was coming out, I was skeptical about and it wanted to get Pac’s opinion since he is a hardcore Scream fanboy.

I found him already camped out in line for tickets.

From his outdoor campsite, he started to share with me his take. He pointed out the fact that the original cast is coming back, which is very promising for any horror franchise when they are already at a fourth installment. Also, the director and writer are still the same, which again is very promising.

As long as you ignore this film completely.

However, the early reviews are mixed and they tend to say that unless you are a fanboy, like Pac, then this film will probably be simply laughable. But, those who are fans of the franchise are giving it pretty decent reviews. It currently sits at 43% on RT. I told Pac that if he paid for my ticket and took a shower, I would go to the midnight showing with him this Thursday.

Rio

Rated: G

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, Jamie Foxx

Director: Carlos Saldanha

Synopsis from IMDB: When Blu, a domesticated macaw from small-town Minnesota, meets the fiercely independent Jewel, he takes off on an adventure to Rio de Janeiro with this bird of his dreams.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: This film looks a lot better than the previous animated wide release, Hop. The voices are less grating too. The early reviews have been pretty good, currently 77% on RT, and it enjoyed a very successful international release last weekend. I think this is a pretty safe bet to be at least an entertaining film this week.

The Conspirator

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Robin Wright, James McAvoy, Justin Long, Evan Rachel Wood

Director: Robert Redford

Synopsis from IMDB: Mary Surratt is the lone female charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination trial of Abraham Lincoln. As the whole nation turns against her, she is forced to rely on her reluctant lawyer to uncover the truth and save her life.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: The Conspirator opened at the Toronto International Film Festival last year and it received very mixed reviews. Right now it is sitting at a 64% on RT, but only 17 reviews are in so far. I am personally not interested in this film because Robert Redford tends to get up on a soap box of some sort most of the time and it is usually about as subtle as a baseball bat to the back of the head. I have a lot of respect for him, but Lions for Lambs was an incredible disappointment and this film seems to carry a very political tone as well. The reviews from Toronto all kind of hinted to that as well. If that’s your thing, go for it, but I really don’t like being lectured to while I am watching a movie.

Atlas Shrugged: Part I

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Taylor Schilling, Paul Johansson, Michael O’Keefe, Edi Gathegi

Director: Paul Johansson

Synopsis from IMDB: A powerful railroad executive, Dagny Taggart, struggles to keep her business alive while society is crumbling around her. Based on the 1957 novel by Ayn Rand.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged is not something I would’ve thought would make it to the big screen. I could imagine a set of 6 DVDs that was made into a mini series to watch at your own pace, but cramming it into a film like this seems absurd because its structure does not suit film that well. The early reviews have echoed a similar sentiment as well, and also have mentioned that the production quality is far below what a work of this kind demands. From what I’ve gathered, it is probably best to wait for Netflix for this one.

Limited Releases

Armadillo

Rated: Unrated

Director: Janus Metz Pedersen

Synopsis from IMDB: In February 2009 a group of Danish soldiers accompanied by documentary filmmaker Janus Metz arrived at Armadillo, an army base in the southern Afghan province of Helmand. Metz and cameraman Lars Skree spent six months following the lives of young soldiers situated less than a kilometer away from Taliban positions. The outcome of their work is a gripping and highly authentic war drama that was justly awarded the Grand Prix de la Semaine de la Critique at this year’s Cannes film festival. But it also provoked furious debate in Denmark concerning the controversial behavior of certain Danish soldiers during a shootout with Taliban fighters. The filmmakers repeatedly risked their lives shooting this tense, brilliantly edited, and visually sophisticated probe into the psychology of young men in the midst of a senseless war whose victims are primarily local villagers. Yet more disturbing than scenes in which Taliban bullets whiz past their cameras is the footage of the young soldiers as each tries, in his own way, to come to terms with putting his life constantly on the line.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I am always interested in military films and documentaries and this looks like an intense one. Plus, it looks like an interesting perspective from forces that don’t get much attention in this war. Maybe not a film to rush out to a limited theater to see, but definitely worth a viewing on Netflix. Current RT rating 90%.

The Double Hour

Rated: Unrated

Starring: Kseniya Rappoport, Filipo Timi, Antonia Truppo, Gaetano Bruno

Director: Giuseppe Capotondi

Synopsis from IMDB: A spark between a newly-met couple is snuffed out tragically.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: The Double Hour is a highly acclaimed Italian film which is finally getting released in the States. I don’t know too much about it, and the synopsis from IMDB had me fooled. The trailer portrayed an unexpected juxtaposition in the love story and the mystery that starts to unfold, which has me very intrigued.

Opening This Week (28 Mar – 3 Apr, 2011)

Even with all the negative buzz about Sucker Punch, I expected it to top the box office this past weekend. However, it was outdone by Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules. Still, both of them sputtered around this weekend, Wimpy Kid made $24 million and Sucker Punch made $19 million. Limitless took third place with $15 million. We definitely have an eclectic bunch of films coming out this weekend, but this week there is a treasure trove of limited releases that might be worth checking out as well.

Source Code

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright

Director: Duncan Jones

Synopsis from IMDB: An action thriller centered on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he’s part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I was hesitant to be interested in this film. I am not a huge fan of Jake Gyllenhaal, that might be because my fiance is, but that is beside the point. While it looked like a cool concept, it also looked a lot like Deja Vu. Also, I hadn’t seen a full length trailer until just now either. I had seen the frenetic tv bits of explosions and looks of sad sack desperation that Gyllenhaal has mastered, so I was skeptical. But the full length trailer is pretty solid and it is directed by Duncan Jones, who wrote and directed 2009’s Moon, which was a great film. This will be his second full length feature and the early reviews have been positive (currently 86% on RT) so this is probably a safe bet this weekend.

Hop

Rated: PG

Starring: Russell Brand, James Marsden, Gary Cole, Elizabeth Perkins

Director: Tim Hill

Synopsis from IMDB: E.B., the Easter Bunny’s teenage son, heads to Hollywood, determined to become a drummer in a rock ‘n’ roll band. In LA, he’s taken in by Fred after the out-of-work slacker hits E.B. with his car.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: While James Marsden usually does better in comedic roles, this isn’t really what I had in mind. Plus, Russell Brand is just a grating british accent when you take away his continual string of vulgar humor. Throw in the words, “From the Director of Alvin and the Chipmunks” and you can guarantee I’ll be staying away from this one. While I might not be excited about this film, I know people who love animated cute furry animals are, so if that is your thing, this could be the movie for you this weekend.

Insidious

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye, Ty Simpkins

Director: James Wan

Synopsis from IMDB: A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: It has been a little while since there was a decent horror film, but based on the cast and people involved with this project, I am mildly optimistic. James Wan hasn’t done a whole lot for the horror genre since he gave us the first Saw film, but that became the gift that kept on giving. I hope that this film is more focused and finished than that, but I will probably wait for DVD for this one.

Limited Releases

Super

Rated: Unrated

Starring: Rainn Wilson, Liv Tyler, Ellen Page, Kevin Bacon

Director: James Gunn

Synopsis from IMDB: After his wife falls under the influence of a drug dealer, an everyday guy transforms himself into Crimson Bolt, a superhero with the best intentions, though he lacks for heroic skills.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: My first thoughts about this were that it looked exactly like Kick-Ass, but with a higher billed cast. I watched the trailer though and found myself chuckling quite a bit. Unfortunately, since this is a limited release, I will probably have to wait for Netflix. While Rainn Wilson does look funny in this film, I still am not sure about his ability to anchor an entire movie. Fortunately, this time around he has some better talent surrounding him than his last starring venture, The Rocker.

Rubber

Rated: R

Starring: Stephen Spinella, Jack Plotnick, Wings Hauser, Roxane Mesquida

Director: Quentin Dupieux

Synopsis from IMDB: When Robert, an inanimate tire, discovers his destructive telepathic powers, he soon sets his sights on a desert town; in particular, a mysterious woman becomes his obsession.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Yes, you read that synopsis correctly. No, you were not hallucinating when you were watching that trailer. This is a movie about a murderous, telekinetic tire. The trailer for this film started making tracks (pun intended) several months ago, circulating in movie forums like Reddit, usually with the headline, “Is this a joke?” To tell you honestly, I am still not sure. I mean, it is being released in theaters on April Fools Day, but I hope so much that it is for real because this movie looks subversively hilarious.

Trust

Rated: R

Starring: Clive Owen, Catherine Keener, Noah Emmerich

Director: David Schwimmer

Synopsis from IMDB: A teenage girl is targeted by an online sexual predator.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I’m really glad that I don’t really have to see David Schwimmer’s face anymore. His first directorial feature, Run Fatboy Run, was a comedy, he stuck with what he knows and he didn’t do half bad, making me like him much more behind the camera than in front of it (not that that was difficult). Now, he is stepping into unfamiliar territory with Trust and it is doing really well with critics and was an official selection at a couple of Film Festivals. I am intrigued by the premise, hopefully going away from the overwrought tone of most predatory films and delving into the ripple effect it creates in the lives of those it involves.

Wrecked

Rated: R

Starring: Adrien Brody, Caroline Dhavernas, Ryan Robbins, Jacob Blair

Director: Michael Greenspan

Synopsis from IMDB: A man trapped in a car wreck at the bottom of a ravine must overcome incredible odds to survive.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: This film looks like a mix of Buried, Alive and Unknown. I like Adrien Brody, except when he is pretending to be an action hero, so hopefully this will recover him from that. I am on the fence about this one, but it might be worth checking out.

In a Better World

Rated: R

Starring: Mikael Persbrandt, Trine Dyrholm, Ulrich Thomsen, Markus Rygaard

Director: Susanne Bier

Synopsis from IMDB: The lives of two Danish families cross each other, and an extraordinary but risky friendship comes into bud. But loneliness, frailty and sorrow lie in wait.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: In a Better World was the Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Film and it is now getting a limited release in U.S. theaters. It looks like a pretty intense view of a long distance family and is probably worth viewing on Netflix, or it might be available On Demand.

New to Blu-Ray/DVD this Week (March 22, 2011)

The Tourist

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie and Paul Bettany

Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Synopsis from IMDB:  Revolves around Frank, an American tourist visiting Italy to mend a broken heart. Elise is an extraordinary woman who deliberately crosses his path.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  It is kind of baffling how this film was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Picture in the Comedy/Musical genre considering that it isn’t really either a comedy or a musical.  However, in terms of entertainment value, The Tourist could have done a lot worse.  Carried by the stars, Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie, this film is an interesting heist mystery with all the standard cliches in place.  The two leads have good chemistry and the backdrop of Italy looks fantastic on-screen, but there isn’t much substance behind this film.  Good for an entertaining 103 minutes if you’re willing to check your brain at the door.

Yogi Bear

Rated: PG

Starring: Dan Aykroyd, Justin Timberlake and Anna Faris

Director: Eric Brevig

Synopsis from IMDB: A documentary filmmaker travels to Jellystone Park to shoot a project and soon crosses paths with Yogi Bear, his sidekick Boo-Boo, and Ranger Smith.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  Ushered in by the likes of Garfield and Alvin & the Chipmunks, Yogi Bear attempts to bring the nostalgia of our favorite childhood cartoons to the big screen.  I skipped this in theaters expecting more of the same with cheap slapstick jokes for the kids, sexual innuendo for the adults, and probably a song and dance for good measure.  However, I’ve heard that Yogi Bear stacks up a little better as a complete film compared to some of the aforementioned predecessors so if you’re having a family movie night, this may be the perfect rental for this week.

How Do You Know

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd and Owen Wilson

Director: James L. Brooks

Synopsis from IMDB: After being cut from the USA softball team and feeling a bit past her prime, Lisa finds herself evaluating her life and in the middle of a love triangle, as a corporate guy in crisis competes with her current, baseball-playing beau.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  This week’s romantic comedy release is How Do You Know.  The stars of this film make it somewhat attractive as a DVD/Blu-Ray rental but it is sure to be more of the same when it comes to the standard rom-com formula.  Maybe James L. Brooks (writer/director) can breathe some fresh air into this film especially since he has a handful of very capable actors on his hands.  However, with a rating of 30% from Rotten Tomatoes I’m not getting my hopes up.

Skyline

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Eric Balfour, Donald Faison and Scottie Thompson

Director: Colin Strause, Greg Strause

Synopsis from IMDB: Strange lights descend on the city of Los Angeles, drawing people outside like moths to a flame where an extraterrestrial force threatens to swallow the entire human population off the face of the Earth.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  “The early bird gets the worm” and “Good things come to those who wait” are conflicting expressions, but the latter applies here if you decided to skip Skyline and wait for Battle: Los Angeles.  Skyline may capitalize in home video revenue, though, with it’s release not being too far removed from the theatrical release of Battle: LA.  Though critically the lesser film, there may still be some value in seeing this on Blu-Ray as the special effects make this film at least worthy of a viewing.

Opening This Week (14 – 20 Mar 2011)

Battle: Los Angeles knocked off the animated feature Rango for the top spot at the box office, bringing in $36 million, which is pretty decent considering it is a mid-March release. Pac and I will have our review of that film out later, but let’s see what we have got coming out this week:

Paul

Rated: R

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig

Director: Greg Mottola

Synopsis from IMDB: Two British comic-book geeks traveling across the U.S. encounter an alien outside Area 51.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: This is the third film from my Most Anticipated list for this year, barely making it in at #10. So far my anticipated list has been complete and utter disappointment, but based on early reviews (63% on RT), this could be the first one that is decent. It has  a great cast and Greg Mottola has a pretty good track record as a comedic director. I hope that this film brings some good laughs even if it isn’t a masterpiece.

Limitless

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Abbie Cornish, Anna Friel

Director: Neil Burger

Synopsis from IMDB: A copywriter discovers a top-secret drug which bestows him with super human abilities.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Watching Robert De Niro’s descent into ridiculous films has been so sad. I don’t think he is going to pull himself out of it with this one. While premises like these are intriguing, I always end up hoping they truly look at all the ramifications of playing God, but Bradley Cooper doesn’t strike me as an actor that has the depth to do that.

Win Win

Rated: R

Starring: Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Jeffrey Tambor, Bobby Cannavale

Director: Thomas McCarthy

Synopsis from IMDB: Disheartened attorney Mike Flaherty (Giamatti), who moonlights as a high school wrestling coach, stumbles across a star athlete through some questionable business dealings while trying to support his family. Just as it looks like he will get a double payday, the boy’s mother shows up fresh from rehab and flat broke, threatening to derail everything.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Paul Giamatti can strike quite a balance between comedy and drama, as clearly evidenced in films like Sideways. He also played a great role in Cinderella Man as a boxing coach. His role in this film looks like combines all three of those aspects and looks like it will be the best film to come out this weekend.  While it is listed as a wide release, I think it will probably only show up in a few theaters. Amy Ryan is a great actress as well and I think she will be a great complement to Giamatti’s antics.

The Lincoln Lawyer

Rated: R

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy

Director: Brad Furman

Synopsis from IMDB: A lawyer conducts business from the back of his Lincoln town car while representing a high-profile client in Beverly Hills.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: While so far the early reviews for this film have been decent, they all seem to harp on one sentence: entertaining, but nothing more. I am sure that this will be a fast paced film trying to return McConaughey to his earlier career roles, but I think the supporting cast is going to do most of the work for the tension. Might be a good film for diversion, but if you’re looking for something meatier, this probably won’t be your cup of tea.

Limited Releases

Winter in Wartime

Rated: R

Starring: Martijn Lakemeier, Yorick Van Wageningen, Jamie Campbell Bower, Raymond Thiry

Director: Martin Koolhoven

Synopsis from IMDB: Near the end of World War II, 14-year-old Michiel becomes involved with the Resistance after coming to the aid of a wounded British soldier. With the conflict coming to an end, Michiel comes of age and learns of the stark difference between adventure fantasy and the ugly realities of war.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: This film was a foreign release a couple of years ago and is just now getting a release in U.S. theaters. It has a solid 75% on RT and looks like a beautiful and harsh coming of age tale.

Illegal

Rated: Unrated

Starring: Anne Coesens, Esse Lawson, Gabriela Perez

Director: Olivier Masset-Depasse

Synopsis from IMDB: Tania, a young Russian woman who lives illegally in Belgium with her 13-year-old son Ivan. Constantly on her guard, she dreads police checks until the day she is arrested. Mother and son are separated and Tania is placed in a detention center. She will do anything to be reunited with her son but won’t manage to avoid threats of deportation.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Looks to be a difficult drama to watch, but also looks like it has some strong performances as well.

Top 15 Alien Invasion Movies

To celebrate the release of Battle: Los Angeles releasing in theaters today, we’ve decided to take a look back at some of the best alien invasion movies ever released.  Ranging from horror to action to even comedy, these fifteen films (we couldn’t limit it to just 10) represent the best that hollywood has to offer when it comes to alien invasion.

15. Signs (2002)

Kicking things off on this list is M. Night Shyamalan’s last halfway decent film. Certainly not any great achievement in film, or the alien invasion genre, but it was effective and better than a lot of other efforts. What was different about this film than others on this list, is that it brought a sense of claustrophobia to the alien invasion, making the characters’ world smaller and smaller until it seems like there is no way out. Most invasion flicks try to show devastation on a massive scale, but Shyamalan smartly sticks to making this a very character driven story and pulls it off for the most part.

By character driven, I mean it drove its lead actors to eventually go insane.

14. The Faculty (1998)

Mixing alien invasion with 1990’s teen slasher, The Faculty is a very underrated and often overlooked movie when talking about the teen slasher.  Written by Kevin Williamson (Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer) and directed by Robert Rodriguez (From Dusk ’til Dawn, Sin City), The Faculty is a well written and well-directed horror film with a unique and entertaining concept, Despite the genre and the incredibly cliche movie poster.

This film’s story is enhanced by a cast littered with current future stars of its time including: Josh Hartnett, Jordana Brewster, Clea DuVall, Salma Hayek, Famke Jannsen, Christopher McDonald, Usher Raymond, Jon Stewart, and Elijah Wood.  As an added bonus for those of you watching the film as a repeated viewing; see how many Terminator franchise references you can pick up on, there are quite a few.

Pictured: Dr. Edward Furlong

13. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

Sci-fi seems to work best when it fights the system. While this film is not very subtle about it, in the 1950’s it took a lot of grit to criticize society. In 1951, The Day the Earth Stood Still brought a new tent pole for the science fiction genre, even if now its special effects look like they would be fodder for Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Subtlety wasn't invented until the 1960s

To me, this was like the Citizen Kane of science fiction, great in its time, changing the genre forever, but it still has its flaws in story and acting. The updated version fails to have the effect that the original did, even with spectacular special effects, because its overt environmental message is no longer considered cool or subversive; all the guts that made the first one so great were removed.

12. Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

B-movie entertainment at its best, Killer Klowns… is a 1988 horror film that follows a town as they are being invaded by aliens disguised as clowns.  This film never deviates from its identity and is humorous and entertaining the entire way through.  Killer Klowns from Outer Space has develop a cult following over the past 20+ years and rightfully so.  Despite being a product of the 1980s and having a paltry 2 million dollar budget, the film has more camp in its story than it does in effects, and the costumes are actually quite terrifying, especially if you are afraid of clowns.

Good luck sleeping tonight

11. War of the Worlds (2005)

This version of the classic H.G. Wells story made the list because even if there is almost no depth to it, Stephen Spielberg sure knows how to make an exciting film. Sure, Tom Cruise is not convincing as a guy that works on the docks.

Hey guys, after we are done this back breaking work maybe we could head down to the local bar establishment and get some glasses of beer.

Ok, Dakota Fanning is annoying as hell and I would have been content to watch the aliens eviscerate her into an ashy mist, but man this movie looks cool. While normally excessive use of special effects means that something gets lost in the story, Spielberg still was able to make the story cohesive, even if it wasn’t anything spectacular.

10. Monsters (2010)

The alien invasion in Monsters is more of just a backdrop for the rest of the film.  The aliens are barely seen on-screen and are nothing more than a device that drives the plot.  This film focuses almost solely on its two main characters and their relationship as they travel through an infected zone in Mexico back to the United States.  The success of this film is driven by the two lead actors and the chemistry they have as their on-screen relationship develops.  A disappointment if you are expecting an epic invasion piece or a horror film as the title may suggest; but the cinematography and delivery of this film’s story is incredibly impressive considering the paltry budget that constrained it.

(If you want more on Monsters, check out the Weekend Film Recommendation from March 4, 2011.)

9. War of the Worlds (1953)

War of the Worlds banked a lot of its success off the popular trend of alien films in the 1950’s. What makes it better than the other films in that era is that it really tried to set itself apart from the others by breaking away from the stereotypes (i.e. saucer shaped UFOs and garishly clad aliens) to really bring a sinister new look to the alien invasion film.

Well...sinister for 1953.

The film, for as good as they could in 1953, really developed one of the first epic-scale productions of its time. Writer and Director, Barre Lyndon and Byron Haskin, took some creative liberties with the story, but they made sure they were good ones, which only added to the mystique of this famous story.

8. District 9 (2009)

While there is some debate as to whether this truly is an “alien invasion” film, you can make arguments on either side, but there are enough elements to include it in this list. Completed on a very modest budget, Neill Blomkamp burst onto the cinema industry with a sci-fi masterpiece. His special effects were superb for such a low-budget and gave the film a very real feel. Plus, as mentioned earlier, it used the sci-fi genre as a platform for a subversive message, just subtly enough that it didn’t get in the way of the story. Blomkamp also benefitted from a great performance by Sharlto Copley as the protagonist and all those elements combined to garner a Best Picture nomination in 2010.

7. Mars Attacks (1996)

One of the two pure comedy/satires on this list, taste dictates which of the two is more deserving of the higher ranking.  Less popular and far less acclaimed (51% on Rotten Tomatoes as opposed to 91%), Mars Attacks is the sleeper of the two.  Tim Burton’s most underappreciated work, probably because it doesn’t look at all like a Tim Burton movie, this film is laugh out loud funny all the way through.  Aside from Tim Burton, Mars Attacks features an incredible ensemble cast featuring:  Glenn Close, Annette Benning, Pierce Brosnan, Danny Devito, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox, Tom Jones (yes that Tom Jones), Jim Brown (yes that Jim Brown), Natalie Portman, Pam Grier, Ray J (yes that Ray J), Christina Applegate, Lukas Haas, Jack Black, and Jack Nicholson.

And possibly an uncredited Johnny Depp

6. Men in Black (1997)

Men in Black parodied a lot of the films already mentioned in this list and featured the great comedic chemistry of loudmouth Will Smith and deadpan Tommy Lee Jones. The film was a box office and critical success, spawning a disastrous sequel and another sequel coming soon. What it lacks in suspense, it makes up for with witty one liners and delightful sight gags, and it still manages to pay homage to some of the sci-fi greats. The gadgets and special effects used were pretty cool as well and made for several toys that every kid wanted for Christmas.

5. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

The 1978 remake of the 1956 classic, this version updates the classic with more chilling suspense and a stellar cast.  Donald Sutherland is the headliner here but there are plenty of other names and faces you might recognize including Jeff Goldblum, Leonard Nimoy, Veronica Cartwright, and Robert Duvall in an uncredited role.  Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a chilling horror film about alien pods invading and taking over the human race creating drones devoid of emotion.  Not only known for its horror and unforgettable closing sequence, …Body Snatchers provides both humor and satire giving the film added depth.

4. Independence Day (1996)

This has become the film that immediately comes to mind when someone thinks of an alien invasion film. Utter devastation, iconic and ominous imagery, cheesy one liners and speeches that will be parodied for years to come.

Bill Pullman, the most inspiring and reckless president of all time.

While by no means a “great” film, it encompasses all the elements people look for when they go to a summer blockbuster. Roland Emerich somehow knew how to make everything work and use static characters in a good way to create a film that is just plain fun.

3. Superman II (1980)

Superman II may seem out-of-place on this list, but it certainly is worthy of ranking #3 among the best alien invasion movies of all time.  The follow-up to Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie, this film follows Clark Kent/Superman as he grapples with his immortality and falling in love for Lois Lane.  Meanwhile, three Kryptonian villains led by General Zod (the alien invaders) escape from the Phantom Zone and come to Earth looking both to rule and to destroy Kal-El.

Featuring Christopher Reeve as Superman, Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, and Terence Stamp as General Zod, Superman II is considered by many to be the best superhero movie ever made and the best film Richard Donner never made.  The Richard Lester credited theatrical version is the easiest to find and is a good film, but Superman II really belongs to Richard Donner and Mario Puzo.  If you can track down the Richard Donner cut released to DVD in 2006.

The Superman movie Richard Lester actually directed

2. Predator (1987)

The predator is an alien invader/warrior inhabiting the Central American jungle, that is until Arnold comes along.  Almost 25 years after this movie was released, the predator is now a staple in American pop-culture with the film spawning 4 franchise sequels (Predator 2, Alien vs. Predator, AVP: Requiem, and Predators).  None of those films come close to the original that blends both action/adventure with horror and suspense to create one of the best alien invasion movies ever.  Arnold delivers better in this film than any other mainly because he doesn’t ham it up with one-liners or cheap jokes, and an identifiable supporting cast including Carl Weathers (Rocky) and Jesse Ventura rounds out the action mix.

1. The Thing (1982)

John Carpenter is horror genius and this film is one of his best, and coincidentally tops the list of best alien invasion films. It does not accomplish this through devastating large cities or cool technology, it does it through disturbing make up and sheer cut-the-tension-with-a-knife paranoia. While this was not the original, but a remake, it certainly took the premise and ran with it. He combines the elements of sci-fi and horror so effectively that it leaves the viewer in awe. The ending, which I will not spoil, still leaves the audience left with the feeling of dread hanging over their heads and weighing heavy upon them. If you haven’t seen it is definitely worth a viewing…or two.

More than half of these movies are currently available on Netflix Instant (click on each title to add to your instant queue):

• The Day the Earth Stood Still
• Killer Klowns from Outer Space
• Monsters
• District 9
• Mars Attacks
• Invasion of the Body Snatchers
• Superman II (theatrical version)
• The Thing
• Bonus: Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Opening This Week (07 – 13 Mar, 2011)

We have a lot of new releases coming out this week. While some might be worth checking out, others are laughable, but all in all it is still better than just about any offering that February had. Let’s take a look at what we’ve got:

Red Riding Hood

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Shiloh Fernandez, Gary Oldman, Julie Christie

Director: Catherine Hardwicke

Synopsis from IMDB: Set in a medieval village that is haunted by a werewolf, a young girl falls for an orphaned woodcutter, much to her family’s displeasure.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: This is the second emo-adaptation of a fairy tale this year, the first being the critically panned Beastly. As soon as I saw “From the Director of Twilight….” roll across the screen, I groaned. So did just about everyone in the audience when we saw the trailer. While I could be wrong, since Gary Oldman always brings some spark to the screen, chances are it will be more about sacrificing everything for the love of some creepy hunk instead of taking a more reasonable approach to love. Great stuff for the teenage girls, not so much for the adults.

Battle: Los Angeles

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Ramon Rodriguez, Bridgette Moynahan

Director: Jonathan Liebesman

Synopsis from IMDB: A Marine platoon faces off against an alien invasion in Los Angeles.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: My anticipation around this one is all about the trailer, mainly the hauntingly robotic soundtrack that seems to set a different tone than other invasion films.

Marvin went uncredited for vocals in that song.

The director, Jonathan Liebesman, is kind of sketchy.  Maybe he is finally able to pick his projects, but Darkness Falls was pretty awful. He is taking on quite a conglomeration of genres. Here is a breakdown that I found on Filmschoolrejects: 

I love invasion movies, they have always excited me despite their triteness. So, Pac and I will probably check this one out this weekend.

Mars Needs Moms

Rated: PG

Starring: Seth Green, Dan Fogler, Joan Cusack, Elisabeth Harnois

Director: Simon Wells

Synopsis from IMDB: A young boy named Milo gains a deeper appreciation for his mom after Martians come to Earth to take her away.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I suppose I can’t be too hard on this film, even though it looks like one of the worst ideas for an animated adventure in a while.

Oh wait...maybe it hasn't been that long.

Since it is for kids, I think it will probably be harmless fare.

Jane Eyre

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell, Judi Dench

Director: Cary Fukunaga

Synopsis from IMDB: A mousy governess who softens the heart of her employer soon discovers that he’s hiding a terrible secret.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Well, the cast is good and Focus Feature bats around a .750 for decent films, so it has that going for it. I was enjoying the trailer hinting at a new approach to the novel, but could not help but chuckle as Michael Fassbender shouts after Jane at the end. It seemed rather melodramatic and I hope that was not indicative of the film as a whole.

Limited Releases

Elektra Luxx

Rated: R

Starring: Carla Gugino, Alicia Silverstone, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Timothy Olyphant

Director: Sebastian Gutierrez

Synopsis from IMDB: Life for porn actress Elektra Luxx gets turned upside down when she finds out she’s pregnant.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: It looks like a mix between the familial bonds of the adult film industry, as seen in Boogie Nights, and the Kevin Smith style humor from Zach and Miri Make a Porno. I think it has the potential to be a decent, humorous, and somewhat insightful film.

Black Death

Rated: R

Starring: Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, David Warner, Carnice van Houten

Director: Christopher Smith

Synopsis from IMDB: Set during the time of the first outbreak of bubonic plague in England, a young monk is tasked with learning the truth about reports of people being brought back to life in a small village.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I kept waiting for Nic Cage to show up for some reason. Maybe because this looks like Season of the Witch, but with a much better cast and there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of distracting special effects. I think Sean Bean feels most comfortable when dressed in medieval attire, but I am on the fence about whether or not I think this will be good.

Kill the Irishman

Rated: R

Starring: Ray Stevenson, Christopher Walken, Vincent D’Onofrio

Director: Jonathan Hensleigh

Synopsis from IMDB: The true story of Danny Greene, a tough Irish thug working for mobsters in Cleveland during the 1970’s.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I hope this finally brings around another good crime thriller; it’s been a little while. I think Ray Stevenson is a great actor for this role and I think the ensemble cast is promising. I think I would be even more excited if the trailer had a decade appropriate soundtrack.

Opening This Week (28 Feb – 06 Mar, 2011)

This past weekend proved quite a success for K.N.O.T.S., Nic Cage’s $50 million dollar exploitation film (on more than one level) raked in a measly $5.3 million, which is less than Season of the Witch, again proving that Cage may not be as bankable as some predict. The weekend was topped by Gnomeo and Juliet ($14.2M), continuing a nice little run during the weak February film season. The Farrelly Brothers’ new comedy, Hall Pass (13.4M) came in second, with Unknown ($12.4M) coming in third.

Here’s what we got coming out this week:

The Adjustment Bureau

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, John Slattery, Terrence Stamp

Director: George Nolfi

Synopsis from IMDB: The affair between a politician and a ballerina is affected by mysterious forces keeping the lovers apart.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: While the film looks exciting, my guess is that it will be merely entertaining without providing anything new to the thriller/conspiracy genre. It is based on a Philip K. Dick novel, which could bode well for its structure, and his stories have a pretty high success rate.

Well....for the most part.

Plus, the cast is pretty solid, so it has a lot of things going for it. Early in the week, it has a 67% on RottenTomatoes, which will probably change throughout the course of the week, but the question is which way will it go?

Rango

Rated: PG

Starring: Johnny Depp, Abigail Breslin, Isla Fisher, Alfred Molina

Director: Gore Verbinski

Synopsis from IMDB: A chameleon that aspires to be a swashbuckling hero finds himself in a Western town plagued by bandits and is forced to literally play the role in order to protect it.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: While the production of the film looks interesting, the plot does not. In fact, the main character sounds downright irritating and his face looks like it was taken from the movie poster for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I don’t expect much out of this one, but I’m sure it was a lot of fun to make.

Beastly

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Hudgens, Neil Patrick Harris, Mary-Kate Olsen

Director: Daniel Barnz

Synopsis from IMDB: A modern-day take on the “Beauty and the Beast” tale where a New York teen is transformed into a hideous monster in order to find true love.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Well, I guess the Twilight crowd needed something to tide them over until Red Riding Hood, another adaptation of a fairy tale. I am still not sure whether I would want to see this emo version of Beauty and the Beast, or Beautician and the Beast.

 Take Me Home Tonight

Rated: R

Starring: Topher Grace, Dan Fogler, Anna Faris, Teresa Palmer

Director: Michael Dowse

Synopsis from IMDB: Follow an aimless college grad who pursues his dream girl at a wild Labor Day weekend party. He, his twin sister and their best friend struggle with their burgeoning adulthood over the course of the night.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: This looks like a run-of-the-mill comedy, but there is something endearing about it to me. I don’t think it will be anything spectacular, especially with Dan Fogler as one of the stars, but maybe it is the 80’s soundtrack bringing back memories of The Wedding Singer that attracts me to this film.

Limited Releases

I Saw the Devil

Rated: Unrated

Starring: Byung-hun Lee, Min-sik Choi, Ho-jin Jeon

Director: Ji-woon Kim

Synopsis from IMDB: A secret agent tracks a serial killer who murdered his fiancée.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: While this does look pretty badass, it doesn’t look like anything we haven’t seen in every other revenge flick. Still, it looks like it could be the best action film released in the U.S. so far this year.

Bereavement

Rated: R

Starring: Michael Biehn, Alexandra Dadarrio, John Savage

Director: Stevan Mena

Synopsis from IMDB: The horrific account of 6 year old Martin Bristol, abducted from his backyard swing and forced to witness the brutal crimes of a deranged madman.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: The premise for this film is pretty disturbing and it looks like it is in the torture porn genre, but it is hard to tell. I would be interested in seeing this for the exploration of the psychological trauma this 6 year old kid would suffer in his later years. The film has a 7.5 on IMDB, but the RottenTomatoes reviews are mediocre. Probably a Netflix rental, but there is no rush.