Opening in Wide Release:
- "Tropic Thunder" - Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. star in this film, also directed by Stiller, about a group of self-obsessed actors who set out to film an "Apocalypse Now"-styled war epic and are unknowningly dropped into a real war zone. I am definitely going to see this movie; it looks really good as both a comedy and an action film. Most people think this'll be the film that finally knocks "The Dark Knight" out of the number one spot, and I think it will too. Rated R.
- "Fly Me to the Moon 3-D" - A 3-D animated adventure about three young house flies who stow away aboard the historic Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Honestly, this movie looks so bad it makes "Space Chimps" look like "Wall-E." Skip this at all costs. Rated G.
- "Mirrors" - "24" star Kiefer Sutherland stars as a mall security guard who finds himself having to deal with what appear to be ghosts hiding in the mirrors. Even though it's tempting to imagine Jack Bauer facing down ghosts instead of terrorists, I can't help but admit that the film just doesn't look very scary. The director, Alexandre Aja, made a really good/twisted French horror flick a few years back called "High Tension;" check that film out instead. Rated R.
- "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" - This animated film tells the events that took place in the titular war that occured offscreen between "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith." Despite what the trailers may seem to indicate, I've heard that Anakin and Obi-Wan don't actually feature much in the film; instead it focuses more on new character Ahsoka, Anakin's spunky young padawan learner. There is also an apparently gay Hutt character in the film too. Honestly I'm torn about this one: at first I just wrote the film off, but the more I've heard about it the more I've started to get interested. I'll have to hear what the critics have to say (so far the reviews are mixed leading toward negative). Also, this film is going to serve as a prequel to an upcoming television series. Rated PG.
- "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" - The latest film from Woody Allen stars Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz as beautiful people who meet in Spain and become tangled up in romantic/comedic situations. This looks to be one of Allen's better films in recent years, so whether you're a fan or have never seen any of his films this looks to be worth seeing. Rated PG-13.
Opening in Selected Release:
- "A Girl Cut In Two" - This French import stars the lovely Ludivine Sagnier as an ambitious young woman who is in love with an immoral writer, but instead marries an unstable young millionaire. Looks to be a sexy, intriguing thriller. Not rated, but looks to contain some adult content.
- "Henry Poole Is Here" - The discovery of a neighborhood "miracle" disrupts a dying man's plan to live out his days in seclusion and quiet desperation. Stars Luke Wilson and Radha Mitchell. Looks to be a very whimsical film that actually addresses spiritual ideals without delving into sentimental tripe. Has a bit of a Wes Anderson-feel to it as well. Worth looking for. Rated PG.
- "Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer" - Jack Brooks is an angry, young plumber who has repressed the memory of witnessing his family's brutal murder. Only when he unknowingly awakens an ancient evil, is Jack forced to confront his past, deal with the monstrous reality of the present and discover the true purpose of his inner rage. Features a cameo by Robert Englund (aka Freddy Krueger himself). If you're the kind of person who likes gruesome, low-budget (but well-made) horror/comedies like "Shaun of the Dead" and the "Evil Dead" series, you may like this. Then again, I like those films but I'm not so sure at this one. A definite maybe. Rated R.
Posts
