Dec 30 2009
There are no wide releases this week. They are all limited releases.
The White Ribbon
The Chaser
The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond
The White Ribbon
Directed: Michael Haneke
Trailer
Synopsis: In a small German town, just before the start of World War I, a bunch of accidents keep happening that at first seem like coincidence, but after a while, appear they are not.
My Take: The mystery seems intriguing and the black and white works well with it.
RT Score: 88%
Dec 23 2009
Up in the Air and Nine moved to wide release this week. Everyone loves Up in the Air while no one seems to like Nine.
Sherlock Holmes
It’s Complicated
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
Sherlock Holmes
Directed: Guy Ritchie
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Kelly Reilly
Trailer
Synopsis: An interesting take on Sherlock Holmes where he not only solves crimes but is also quite adept at fighting.
My Take: Guy Ritchie is an interesting director for the film. I would have almost expected him to make it a modern-day re-imagining of Sherlock Holmes, but it just has some modern-day elements to it, along with a good cast.
RT Score: 69%
RT Consensus: Guy Ritchie’s directorial style might not be quite the best fit for an update on the legendary detective, but Sherlock Holmes benefits from the elementary appeal of a strong performance by Robert Downey, Jr.
Dec 18 2009
It’s all about Avatar this week so I’m not sure why anything else bothered to come out at the same time.
Avatar
Did You Hear About the Morgans?
Avatar
Directed: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Sigourney Weaver
Trailer
Synopsis: Earth tries to take over a newly discovered planet, but doesn’t play nice with the indigenous species. The scientists want to learn by using avatars that look like the creatures while the military wants to just blow everything up.
My Take: It is supposed to be amazing looking, but the story doesn’t sound all that exciting. I think I’ll have to check it out in 3-D though to see it in the best light possible.
RT Score: 82%
RT Consensus: It might be more impressive on a technical level than as a piece of storytelling, but Avatar reaffirms James Cameron’s singular gift for imaginative, absorbing filmmaking.
Dec 11 2009
The latest Disney release looks more interesting than any other Disney movie recently, but I know I’ll ignore it like other Disney movies since I haven’t seen any in years. I don’t count Pixar as Disney. I love those and watch all of them as soon as possible. Even though I can’t really tell what A Single Man is about, it still looks interesting to me. I will want to see The Lovely Bones at some point. It makes me sad that the reviews are poor.
The Princess and the Frog
Invictus
The Princess and the Frog
Directed: Ron Clements, John Musker
Starring: Anika Noni Rose, Terrence Howard, John Goodman, Keith David, Jim Cummings, Oprah Winfrey, Jenifer Lewis
Trailer
Synopsis: The old fairytale where the princess must kiss the frog to make him into a prince, but it has a twist.
My Take: It has the old classic look of Disney animation.
RT Score: 83%
RT Consensus: The warmth of traditional Disney animation makes this occasionally lightweight fairy-tale update a lively and captivating confection for the holidays.
Dec 04 2009
You’ve seen movies like Everybody’s Fine and Armored before. Brothers is a remake of a foreign film and the original is supposed to be much better. Then there is a vampire spoof that wasn’t filmed for critics so you know it sucks. Haha! The only thing that looks interesting is the George Clooney movie Up In the Air.
Everybody’s Fine
Brothers
Armored
Transylmania
Everybody’s Fine
Directed: Kirk Jones
Starring: Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Sam Rockwell, Kate Beckinsale
Trailer
Synopsis: A widower finds that he has lost touch with his grown children after his wife has died since they don’t know how to talk to him. When they keep canceling plans to visit, he goes out to see them.
My Take: It looks pretty harmless, but the story is pretty much told in the trailer.
RT Score: 46%
RT Consensus: A calm, charismatic performance from Robert De Niro nearly saves the movie, but ultimately, Everybody’s Fine has the look and feel of a stereotypical Christmas dramedy.
Nov 25 2009
Just in time for the holidays, we have a depressing post-apocalyptic film along with mindless comedy or mindless violence.
The Road
Ninja Assassin
Old Dogs
The Road
Directed: John Hillcoat
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Robert Duvall, Kodi Smith-McPhee, Garret Dillahunt, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce
Trailer
Synopsis: The more realistic version of what could happen after the 2012 stuff.
My Take: It looks grim, but good.
RT Score: 71%
RT Consensus: The Road‘s commitment to Cormac McCarthy’s dark vision may prove too unyielding for some, but the film benefits from hauntingly powerful performances from Viggo Mortensen and Kodi McPhee.
Nov 20 2009
If anything was going to compete with New Moon this week, I would have thought it would be more guy-oriented films, but I guess not.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
The Blind Side
Planet 51
New Moon
Directed: Chris Weitz
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Michael Sheen, Dakota Fanning
Trailer
Synopsis: Edward runs away to save Bella from getting hurt by being around vampires, so she turns to good friend Jacob, who happens to be a werewolf, of course.
My Take: While this movie looks more interesting compared to the first one, I still can’t get behind the entire storyline that makes both guys and girls in the story complete saps.
RT Score: 30%
RT Consensus: The Twilight Saga‘s second installment may satisfy hardcore fans of the series, but outsiders are likely to be turned off by its slow pace, relentlessly downcast tone, and excessive length.
Nov 13 2009
The wide releases are about people rebelling against the establishment with rock music and the world ending in a few years. More of the interesting films are in the limited releases, including the animated Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Messenger, and Dare.
Pirate Radio
2012
Pirate Radio
Directed: Richard Curtis
Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Sturridge, Talulah Riley
Trailer
Synopsis: The British government did not like rock music in the 1960s so they banned it, but an American DJ and some other British folks got onto a boat and broadcast from there where no one could find them.
My Take: It seems like a fun film with some good music.
RT Score: 59%
RT Consensus: It lacks genuine rock & roll raunch, but Richard Curtis’ ode to the offshore radio stations of 1960s Britain has enough laughs and great tunes to stay smoothly afloat.
Nov 06 2009
While the wide releases are not very fresh, I still think Men Who Stare at Goats looks like a good time. I will continue to give Richard Kelly a shot at movies since I loved Donnie Darko so much, even though I hated his last film. A Christmas Carol freaks me out, and not in the good way. Fourth Kind just looks boring and not scary, especially when I first saw the trailer before Paranormal Activity.
Men Who Stare at Goats
The Box
Disney’s A Christmas Carol
Fourth Kind
The Men Who Stare at Goats
Directed: Grant Heslov
Starring: George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey
Trailer
Synopsis: A journalist follows a military man around who is the best of the psychic soldier program.
My Take: It looks hilarious, plus Ewan McGregor being in it is a bonus.
RT Score: 58%
RT Consensus: Though The Men Who Stare at Goats is a mostly entertaining, farcical glimpse of men at war, some may find its satire and dark humor less than edgy.
Oct 23 2009
There are so many bad movies this week. Let’s just ignore it and hope it is better next week.
Amelia
Astro Boy
Saw VI
The Vampire’s Assistant
Amelia
Directed: Mira Nair
Starring: Hilary Swank, Ewan McGregor, Richard Gere, Christopher Eccleston
Trailer
Synopsis: Biopic of Amelia Earhart who was the first person to fly across the Pacific solo and disappeared while trying to be the first person to fly around the world.
My Take: While Earhart’s story sounds interesting, the movie looks dull.
RT Score: 16%
RT Consensus: Amelia takes the compelling raw materials of its subject’s life and does little with them, conventionally ticking off Earhart’s accomplishments without exploring the soul of the woman.
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