Opening in Wide Release:
- "Choke" - A sex-addicted con man regularly fakes choking in upscale restaurants, gets "saved," and collects checks from generous restaurant patrons. Sounds kind of strange right? Well, the film is based on a novel by Chuck Palahniuk, the author of "Fight Club," which guarantees that it will be even stranger than you expect. But the trailer makes it look really funny, and it stars Sam Rockwell ("Matchstick Men," "Snow Angels"), a very underrated actor. Oh, and other reason to see it: Rockwell's character spends his days working in character at a colonial theme park. Rated R.
- "Eagle Eye" - Shia LeBouf ("Transformers," "Disturbia") and Michelle Monaghan ("Mission Impossible III," "Gone Baby Gone") play two strangers pushed into a series of increasingly dangerous situations by a mysterious unseen organization. But is it just a cover for a much bigger and more elaborate plan? Well of course it is! Haven't you ever seen these type of movies before? That being said, this film looks to have some pretty awesome action sequences and an intriguing (if plausibly questionable) story. Director DJ Caruso had a hit with LeBouf in last year's "Disturbia," and it looks as if they might have another one here. Also, this plot of this film is based on an idea Steven Spielberg has had for many years; he just had to wait for the technology to catch up. Rated PG-13.
- "Miracle at St. Anna" - Four soldiers from the army's Negro 92nd Division find themselves separated from their unit and behind enemy lines during WWII. Risking their lives for a country in which they are treated with less respect that the enemy they are fighting, they discover humanity in the small Tuscan village of St. Anna di Stazzema. The latest joint from director Spike Lee, the film jumps between WWII and the present day, where one of the still-living soldiers tells the story to a police detective. I've heard that the film tends to drag on a bit too long, but the central mystery behind the film makes me definitely want to check it out. Rated R.
- "Nights in Rodanthe" - Richard Gere and Diane Lane star as unhappy strangers who share a life-changing romance at a sea-side North Carolina inn. Based on a novel by Nicolas Sparks, author of "The Notebook." I have a feeling a lot of husbands and boyfriends are going to get dragged to the theater to see this film. As for me, I'd rather watch Gere and Lane together in "Unfaithful." Rated PG-13.
Opening in Selected Release:
- "Fireproof" - A firefighter reluctantly commits to a 40-day experiment he calls "The Love Dare" in an attempt to rescue his crumbling marriage. Starring Kurt Cameron (the "Left Behind" movies), this is a film with very strong Christian imagery and messages. It's not something I want to see, but it will definitely appeal to the audience it's aiming for. Rated PG.
- "Humboldt County" - A disillusioned medical student finds himself stranded for a summer in a remote community of counterculture pot farmers. I'm not really sure if this movie has a pro-marijuana message or not, but the movie looks fairly enjoyable. It reminds me a lot of "Garden State." Rated R.
- "The Lucky Ones" - A trio of soldiers returning home from Iraq share an unexpected road trip and discover that home is not quite what they remembered. Iraq-based movies generally haven't done very well at the box office, but I hope this one does. It looks to focus more on the aftermath of war and be more pro-soldier than anti-war. Plus, the soldiers are played by the excellent Tim Robbins ("Mystic River"), Michael Pena ("Crash") and Rachel McAdams ("Red Eye"). That's a cast I'm all for taking a road trip with. Rated R.
- "Smother" - Diane Keaton stars as an overbearing, crazy-making mother who becomes an unwelcome houseguest on her son's couch. Also stars Dax Shepard (Ashton Kutcher's "PUNKD") and Liv Tyler ("Lord of the Rings" trilogy). This looks to be one of the worst movies of this year. I honestly considered gouging my eyes out while watching the trailer. Keaton and Shepard star in crappy movies like this all the time, but why did Tyler sign on for this piece of garbage? For her sake, at least not many people are going to see this dreck. Rated PG-13.
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