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.

Chris’ Most Anticipated Films of 2011

2011 is here, and with that comes a slew of sequels, remakes, etc., but also the promise of some truly fantastic films. Unfortunately,  as I wrote this list, I realized that there are very few independent films on here for me to generate some buzz about. This list is comprised of films that I know of that are coming out this year and it is pretty scant so far. I have my reasons for each of them, most of them having to do with the directors, so if you all disagree with me, feel free to express your opinion in the comments.

10. Paul

Release Date: March 18, 2011

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen, Jason Bateman

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: It is good to see Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, one of the best comedic duos, back on screen together. Plus, you add Greg Mottola (Superbad) to the director’s chair and a dash of Jason Bateman playing a sardonic government agent and it looks like it will be comic gold.

9. The Rite

Release Date: 28 January, 2011

Starring: Anthony Hopkins

Director: Mikael Hafstrom

Synopsis from IMDB: An American priest travels to Italy to study at an exorcism school.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Yeah, I know, it looks like another exorcism movie.

But wait I thought....

But, with Anthony Hopkins playing a dual role as both teacher and possessed, I hope he can recover from his appearance in The Wolfman. I am really only looking forward to this to see what he can do as someone possessed by the Devil. My hope is that it will be an even more disturbing Hannibal Lecter-ish character, but that is aiming really high.

8. Sucker Punch

Release Date: 25 March, 2011

Starring: Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens

Director: Zack Snyder

Synopsis from IMDB: A young girl is institutionalized by her wicked stepfather. Retreating to an alternative reality as a coping strategy, she envisions a plan which will help her escape from the facility.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: This was my first reaction to the trailer:

Whaaaat?

But then I let it settle a bit and came to the conclusion that Snyder is one of the most visually inventive directors out there and it looks like he will have a field day with this one. Since its source material is critically acclaimed, I am not that worried about the story either. I think this will be an exciting film to see in the theaters, but I will probably only need to see it once.

7. Water for Elephants

Release Date: 22 April, 2011

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz, Reese Witherspoon

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 do not like Robert Pattinson, but I really like the other two starring actors. I also think this film will have visual flair and will be one of the more beautiful films of the year.

6. X-Men First Class

Release Date: 3 June, 2011

Starring: James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, January Jones, Kevin Bacon

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Synopsis from IMDB: Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto’s Brotherhood and Professor X’s X-MEN.

Trailer:

No Official Trailer Available

Chris’ Take: I was completely disappointed with the last two X-Men films, but there is hope yet again for the franchise with Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, Layer Cake) taking control of the director’s chair and Bryan Singer, the man who made the first two films some of the best superhero adaptations, producing. I think this film will return to some of the grit that made them so likable in the first place.

Oh yeah, and Kevin Bacon.

5. The Green Hornet

Release Date: 14 January, 2011

Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou

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:

Chris’ Take: When I first heard about this, I didn’t give it a second thought. Seth Rogen transports his vulgarity spewing every man character, whose charm is rapidly wearing out, into another vehicle. But, a little comment from Michel Gondry after Comic-Con got me thinking I might want to see this. Apparently, at Comic-Con the die hard Green Hornet fans didn’t think it stuck to the source material close enough and Michel Gondry essentially said that it was because he wanted to make a good movie. I have a lot of faith in Gondry, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of my all-time favorite films, so I hope he can inject his skill into a flimsy idea.

4. Sherlock Holmes II

Release Date: 16 December, 2011

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Jared Harris

Director: Guy Ritchie

Synopsis from IMDB: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson try to outwit their fiercest adversary, Dr. Moriarty.

Trailer:

No Official Trailer Available

Chris’ Take: The first installment was witty and the pace was perfect. I really enjoyed that it got past the cartoonish version of Holmes and spent some times showing some flaws. Guy Ritchie is a great director for this as well and while I am disappointed that Daniel Day-Lewis won’t be playing Moriarty, I am interested to see what Mad Men’s Jared Harris does with the role.

3. The Muppets

Release Date: 23 November, 2011

Starring: The Muppets, Jason Segel, Amy Adams

Director: James Bobin

Synopsis from IMDB: Kermit the Frog and his Muppet pals put on a show to save their theater.

Trailer:

No Official Trailer Available

Chris’ Take: I grew up with the Muppets and one of the few Christmas movies that I can struggle through is A Muppet’s Christmas Carol. I am glad to see someone like Segel taking this over, since he has a great respect and love for The Muppets, as witnessed in this clip from Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

James Bobin is a great pick to direct as well and he is teaming up with Bret McKenzie from Flight of the Conchords to make the music, which should be a good combination as well. There have been a lot of rumored cameos as well. Here are just some of the names that might be attached to the project: Emily Blunt, Jane Lynch, Jack Black, Ed Helms, John Krasinski, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Mickey Rooney, Billy Crystal, and Lady Gaga.

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Release Date: 15 July, 2011

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes

Director: David Yates

Synopsis from IMDB: The end begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione go back to Hogwarts to find and destroy Voldemorts 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.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I almost fell asleep during that last one, but I am sure this one will keep me awake as the series comes to an end. There really isn’t much to say about this that most of you don’t already know, except for why this isn’t #1.

1. The Tree of Life

Release Date: 27 May, 2011

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: I don’t think I have ever seen a trailer as breathtaking and captivating as that was. Based on that alone this is my most anticipated film of the year. I just hope the emotions captured in the preview can be stretched out for the duration of the film.

Some of you might notice a distinct lack of some superhero films on here, which based on the rumors flying around the web, you might think I would put on here. While I do look forward to seeing some of them, namely Green Lantern and Captain America, I think that the Marvel films will be more of a bridge to the Avengers project and will lack focus and direction. I hope I am wrong since I am a sucker for superhero films, but I can’t say that I expect much from them.

Because this is all they expect from me.

What are some of your most anticipated films of the year? Share them in the comments.

My Thoughts on the Arrested Development Movie Rumors

There has been a lot of talk recently about the supposed Arrested Development movie being near production and I have spent a lot of time digging for what is fact and what is fiction, but from what I gather, it is still a long way off.

Much like GOB's return to the Alliance

Mitchell Hurwitz, the writer, as of early last week said that he is halfway done with the script which sent the media into a tizzy (which should have happened back when the show was on tv and could have possibly saved it) and rumors started flying saying that filming could possibly start before the end of the year.  Add Jason Bateman’s off-handed remark about there being a good role for Jennifer Aniston to fill in the AD movie (and as soon as you mention Jennifer Aniston the tabloids get involved too)  it was seeming that all cylinders were firing to finally get this long-awaited tv adaptation to the big screen.

Even with all that seemingly good news I don’t think this is going to happen anytime soon, if at all. Jason Bateman tweeted yesterday saying:

“Why do reporters reach so hard for a headline? I was merely thinking out loud during an interview about Aniston being in the AD movie.”

He then went on to say that even though a script is halfway written that there is still so much to do before it moves to production. The script has to get approved by both a studio and the cast after it is completed, which, with as much integrity as the cast demands to the tv production, might be a difficult task.

Not only that, but the cast has to stay interested long enough to still want to do it. I think most of the  cast will because of their dedication to the show, but there is one exception, Michael Cera. Cera’s career has been taking tremendous strides since “Superbad” came out three years ago and he has always seemed to play the same character (except in “Youth in Revolt” where he only played that character half the time). Back when major rumors started flying about trying to reassemble the cast in 2008, he was very hesitant and almost resistant to wanting to return to that role. Right now he is trying to distance himself from the George Michael/Evan Goldberg character acting limitations and move on to different roles, and re-hashing this role this would be a step back for him.

Unless he looked like this the whole time.

Could they do an AD movie without Cera? I am sure they could, but it would be a gaping hole in t he movie. I mean, George Michael is not a central character, nor is he anywhere near my favorite character, but he still is an integral part of the show. The creepy love story between him and his cousin, Maeby, is a key plotline, even though it is in the background most of the time and really, if you get rid of George Michael then Maeby becomes almost non-essential as well. It is a dangerous road to go down if they can’t get the whole cast to come back.

I really do want this movie to happen because Arrested Development’s genius went unappreciated in its time and, while I never get sick of watching old episodes of the show, I am dying for some new misadventures with the Bluth family. I miss hearing “The Final Countdown” while GOB attempts to moonwalk with a knife in his mouth. I miss Tobias using poorly chosen words like, “I would like to kiss that man between the cheeks!” I miss Buster’s high-fastening pants and the Lucilles. I miss everything about the show, but I don’t want to taint the  memory of the show by doing a second-rate production job. I will wait as long as it takes to do this right.