Opening in Wide Release:
Body of Lies - Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a CIA operative who enters uneasy alliances to uncover a major terrorist leader operating in Jordan. Russell Crowe also stars. The reviews for this film have been mixed so far, but watching DiCaprio and Crowe interact with each other looks to be very enjoyable. The fact that the film is directed by Ridley Scott, who is my favorite director, also definitely makes me interested in seeing it. Rated R.
City of Ember - Two teens race against time, searching for clues to unlock the ancient mystery that could save the people of the City of Ember, an underground city where humanity has lived for the past 200 years. Stars Tim Robbins ("Mystic River"), Bill Murray ("Ghostbusters," "Lost in Translation") and Saoirse Ronan ("Atonement"). I tend to like movies like this; looks to be a solid, family-friendly fantasy in the vein of "Narnia" and "Bridge to Terabithia." And it's directed by Gil Keenan, who made the excellent animated movie "Monster House," so if he brings the same subversive humor to "Ember" that he brought in "House" this should be a very good film. Rated PG.
The Express - The true story of Ernie Davis, two-time All-American running back for Syracuse University who led his team to the national championship in 1960. In 1961, he became the first black man to win the Heisman Trophy. Later that year, he was the first pick in the NFL draft. But Davis never got the chance to play professional football, he was diagnosed with leukemia during the summer of 1962 and died nearly a year later. Looks like a solid sports film in the vein of "Remember the Titans." But the story it's telling is pretty unforgettable. Rated PG.
Quarantine - A television news crew is trapped in a quarantined apartment building where something mysterious has infected residents. Stars Jennifer Carpenter ("Dexter," "The Exorcism of Emily Rose"). Seems to be a mix of fly-on-wall horror films like "Cloverfield" and "The Blair Witch Project" and modern-day zombie movies like "28 Days Later" and "The Signal." I'm not sure about this one; the trailer makes it looks like it could go either way. But I do love horror movies, so I'll probably see it eventually. Rated R.
Opening in Selected Release:
Ashes of Time Redux - Director Wong Kar-Wai ("In The Mood For Love," "Chungking Express,") revisits his swordplay epic about a broken-hearted hitman who hires swordsmen to carry out contract killings. When the original version of this film was released in 1994 it was met with mixed reviews and middling success. But it went on to influence modern-day Asian epics like "Hero" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," so this new, fixed up release should help the film finally get the attention and respect it deserves. Rated R.
Happy Go Lucky - A cheery, colorful north London schoolteacher confronts the harsh realities of life, exasperating and enchanting everyone around her. Like the recent release "Rachel Getting Married," the first time I saw the trailer I didn't really think this film looked that interesting (actually I thought it looked kind of annoying), but since then it's been getting a lot of good reviews and Oscar buzz for relatively unknown star Sally Hawkins. So, like RGM, I'll give this film the benefit of the doubt and check it out. It's not like I haven't been wrong before. Rated R.
Posts
