Entertain Me

What's New in Blu? (Week of Dec. 20)

2011-12-17T13:28:00.001-06:00

“Dolphin Tale” (PG)
Starring Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble, Kris Kristofferson, Cozi Zuehlsdorff and Morgan Freeman
Directed by Charles Martin Smith

“Margin Call” (R)
Starring Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore and Stanley Tucci
Directed by JC Chandor

“Midnight in Paris” (PG-13)
Starring Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni, Marion Cottilard, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Owen Wilson
Directed by Woody Allen

“Straw Dogs” (R)
Starring James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skaarsgard, Dominic Purcell, Laz Alonso, Willa Holland and James Woods
Directed by Rod Lurie

“Warrior” (PG-13)
Starring Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo and Nick Nolte
Directed by Gavin O’Connor

What's New in Blu? (Week of Dec. 13)

2011-12-11T20:24:00.003-06:00

“City of God” (R)
Starring Alexandre Rodrigues, Matheus Nathergaele, Leandro Firmino
Directed by Fernando Meirelles
With the Olympics coming to Brazil in 2016, it’s safe to say this movie won’t be promoted by the country’s board of tourism, as it tells a tale of crime and poverty in a particularly violent suburb over parts of three decades. Adapted from a novel by Paulo Lins, director Fernando Meirelles’ crime drama pulsates with energy and eye-catching visuals.

It features a cast mostly made up of local Brazilians, some from the very neighborhoods where the filming takes place. It could be seen, in part, as a Brazilian version of “Goodfellas.” But the locale itself differentiates it from that Oscar winner, producing a rare glimpse into making tough life choices when the options and opportunities are scarce.
Grade: A

“Fright Night” (R)
Starring Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, David Tennant and Toni Collette
Directed by Craig Gilespie

“Kung Fu Panda 2” (PG)
Starring the voices of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross
Directed by Jennifer Yuh

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (PG-13)
Starring James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, Andy Serkis
Directed by Rupert Wyatt

Movie review: "The Descendants"

2011-12-07T18:25:00.003-06:00

Starring George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Beau Bridges, Judy Greer
Directed by Alexander Payne

First off, Alexander Payne should make movies more often. Seven years since winning an Oscar for co-writing the screenplay for “Sideways,” the writer-director has finally made his follow-up. And much like the great 2004 comedy-drama following a pair of men on a road trip into California’s wine country, “The Descendants” takes viewers on another journey of discovery that mixes laughs in with serious domestic upheaval.

Matt King (George Clooney), a workaholic lawyer in Hawaii, finds himself faced with some mighty big dilemmas as the story begins. His wife has fallen into a coma after a tragic speedboat crash, leaving him with the task of stepping up as a father to their two children: Scotti (Amara Miller), a 10-year-old with attitude to spare, and 17-year-old Alexandra (Shailene Woodley), who is just barely able to keep her anger and disappointment in her parents under the surface.

Learning early on from doctors that his wife’s condition will not improve, Matt goes to retrieve Alexandra from boarding school (finding her there drunk), and sets out with his children to break the bad news to family and friends. The painful process for Matt is unexpectedly complicated when he learns his wife was in the midst of an affair prior to her accident, setting him off on an obsessive hunt to discover who she was involved with.

As if his domestic drama wasn’t enough, a big decision was already weighing on Matt’s mind before his wife’s accident, involving the potential sale of 25,000 acres of prime real estate on one of the islands. As the primary beneficiary, Matt holds all the cards as to whether his family (including a large assortment of cousins) makes off like bandits by selling the pristine property to real estate developers. It’s a burden he probably could have done without at this exact point in his life.

Like Payne’s prior efforts, “The Descendants” moves at a relaxed pace, allowing time for the personalities and intentions of the characters to emerge. Clooney, leaving his almost trademarked charm at the door, strikes the right cord with a performance that could have easily veered off into scenery chewing, given the complexity of emotions required for his character. He’s matched consistently by Woodley (a newcomer to movies) as the eldest daughter, swimming through resentment at her mother and a wary skepticism of her father being able to keep their family unit together.

Balancing a steady dose of comedic moments with tragic drama isn’t easy to pull off. Most movies fail in this regard, lapsing into cheap sentiment and melodrama. But “The Descendants” finds a comfortable balance that manages to surprise at times, remaining effectively funny and moving, while staying true to the flawed nature of the characters.

Grade: A
(Rated R for language including some sexual references.)

What's New in Blu? (Week of Dec. 6)

2011-12-04T11:55:00.004-06:00

“Cowboys and Aliens” (PG-13)
Starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach, Paul Dano, Noah Ringer
Directed by Jon Favreau

“The Debt” (R)
Starring Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington, Jessica Chastain and Tom Wilkinson
Directed by John Madden

“The Hangover Part II” (R)
Starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, Jeffrey Tambor, Justin Bartha and Paul Giamatti
Directed by Todd Phillips

“The Help” (PG-13)
Starring Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone
Directed by Tate Taylor

“Mr. Popper’s Penguins” (PG)
Starring Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino, Angela Lansbury, Ophelia Lovibond, Madeline Carroll, Clark Gregg, Jeffrey Tambor
Directed by Mark Watters

Back from hiatus

2011-12-03T16:29:00.003-06:00

After a long hiatus, this site is back online and ready to get back into discussions of all things cinematic. Sorry for the absence, as movies were still a part of my life over these past few months. Just writing about them wasn’t. Can I use writer’s block as an excuse? (No? OK, fine.)

Anyway, for those of you who have visited here before, welcome back. I’m sure you’re noticing a different look to the presentation. Gone are the rather outdated links from the old site, and a more eye-catching look (at least I think so). Some more tweaks might be in the works once updates get rolling again.

And for those who’ve never graced me with your presence previously, welcome aboard. This site will try to fill that void in your life — you know, the one missing the guy telling you a bunch of stuff about movies you may or may not have ever seen or heard of before. Or telling you what things you can go rent or have streamed onto the electronic device of your choosing. You might not even know it’s a void in your life. But trust me, it is!

What’ll be coming in the next few weeks is still being tweaked, but count on previews (complete with trailers, which will be the best part of some of these movies) of coming releases both in theaters and on Blu-ray, occasional movie news items and reviews of films from yesterday and today. If you’ve got comments and suggestions for the site, feel free to drop me a line in the comments section at the end of the posts.

Oh, and for you social media lovers, you can also “tweet” and “like” the posts on Twitter and Facebook. Yes, that’s right, this site has stepped into the social media world, and only several years after it should have!

Well, that’s it for now. I’ve got some movies to watch and writing to do. So enjoy the show (and the new and improved site)!

Spring Movie Preview (April 2011)

2011-03-31T17:48:00.006-05:00

Family-oriented fare mixes in with more adult-oriented sequels in a busy April release schedule. Several of the movies have the potential to become solid hits, but the crowded field could limit their box-office impact.

APRIL
“Source Code”
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright
Directed by Duncan Jones
A military airman finds himself part of a government experiment designed to allow him to briefly take over the identity of another person. He’s instructed to find a bomber on board a commuter train in the hopes of preventing an upcoming attack in Chicago. The science fiction slant on the material should work well with director Jones, who previously helmed the very good sci-fi drama “Moon.” (April 1)

“Hop”
Starring James Marsden, Russell Brand, Kaley Cuoco, Hank Azaria, Gary Cole, Elizabeth Perkins and Hugh Laurie
Directed by Tim Hill
The teenage son of the Easter Bunny decides to head to Hollywood to pursue his dream of becoming a drummer, only to be hit by a car driven by an unemployed slacker. He then takes the rabbit in, unaware of what he’s getting into. The live-action/CGI hybrid is certainly smart to capitalize on its pre-Easter release date. (April 1)

“Your Highness”
Starring Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux, Toby Jones, Damian Lewis
Directed by David Gordon Green
This comedy is a bit of a reunion between “Pineapple Express” director Green and two of that film’s stars (McBride and Franco), with the actors portraying brothers who embark on a quest to save their father’s kingdom. They are joined along the way by a warrior princess (Oscar-winner Portman), with very little likely to be historically accurate. Then again, that’s not really the point of a movie like this. (April 8)

“Arthur”
Starring Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Greta Gerwig, Geraldine James, Luis Guzman and Jennifer Garner
Directed by Jason Winer
While the initial thought of a remake of the excellent 1981 comedy starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli held little promise, perhaps some judgment should be reserved, as this film at least looks to be avoiding a scene-for-scene retread. Oscar-winner Mirren takes over the role of the billionaire playboy’s butler (for which John Gielgud won an Academy Award of his own). (April 8)

“Scream 4”
Starring David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere
Directed by Wes Craven
Picking up a decade after the last film’s action, the fourth film in the “Scream” franchise brings back the main trio of stars for another run-in with the Ghostface Killer. Killings start again in town when Sidney Prescott (Campbell) returns to promote a new book of hers. Filmmakers are reportedly looking at releasing another two films in the series if this one is successful. (April 15)

“Rio”
Starring the voices of Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Leslie Mann, Jamie Foxx, Jemaine Clement, George Lopez
Directed by Carlos Saldanha
The creators of the “Ice Age” franchise are back with more talking computer-animated animals, with this story focusing on a rare species of macaw who heads to Rio de Janiero to follow another macaw to win her heart. Having tapped into great success with the “Ice Age” films, its likely that these birds should be flying high at the box office throughout the rest of the spring movie season. (April 15)

“Water for Elephants”
Starring Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz, Hal Holbrook
Directed by Francis Lawrence
The popular historical novel of the same name by Sara Gruen gets adapated for the big screen with “Twilight” star Pattinson playing the part of a veterinary student who, after a personal tragedy, decides to work for a circus as a veterinarian. It’s there that he falls for an equestrian star (Witherspoon), the wife of a charismatic, yet cruel animal trainer (Waltz). The book has a passionate following which should equate to a strong audience turnout, provided it remains fairly faithful to its source material. That would probably sound like a familiar statement to Pattinson, who knows plenty of trying to please a ravenous fan base. (April 22)

“Fast Five”
Starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges and Dwayne Johnson
Directed by Justin Lin
Proving there may be no end to an action movie franchise that already had a thin premise to start with, “Fast Five” marks the fifth entry in what started as “The Fast and the Furious.” The central stars, Diesel and Walker, are joined by another tough action star (Johnson, portraying an FBI agent) on the trail of the street racing crew. Fair warning: A sixth film in the series is already under development. (April 29)

Winter movie preview (February 2011)

2011-02-02T21:36:00.003-06:00

With the Academy Awards looming later in the month, February releases don’t have terribly high box office expectations. Still, there are occasional breakout hits that emerge from the month, particularly around Valentine’s Day.

FEBRUARY
“Sanctum”
Starring Richard Roxburgh, Rhys Wakefield, Alice Parkinson, Dan Wyllie and Ioan Gruffudd
Directed by Alister Grierson
An action-thriller focusing on a group of underwater cave divers is heavily promoting the involvement of filmmaker James Cameron (“Avatar”), who is one of the film’s producers. The story, which mostly has a cast of unknowns, will likely not appeal to claustrophobic people, as much of the action takes place in cramped caverns, as the divers struggle to find their way out after their original exit is cut off by a flash flood. (Feb. 4)

“Just Go With It”
Starring Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Brooklyn Decker, Nick Swardson, Nicole Kidman and Dave Matthews
Directed by Dennis Dugan
The frequent collaborating team of star (Sandler) and director (Dugan) are together again in a romantic comedy that involves a single guy looking to land a beautiful schoolteacher (Decker). He enlists the aid of his office assistant (Aniston) and her two children to pose as his ex-wife and kids to cover a lie of his. Ignoring the unrealistic aspects of the story (of which there would seem to be many), can the movie deliver laughs, and end a disappointing box office skid for Aniston? (Feb. 11)

“Justin Bieber: Never Say Never”
Directed by Jon Chu
Bieber fever looks to invade movie theaters, as the teenage music star gets his own documentary, with plenty of footage from his 2010 concert tour. It also includes reflections from the star on his relatively young career. For those of you who’ve been eagerly anticipating seeing Bieber in 3D (and you know who you are), now’s your chance. (Feb. 11)

“I Am Number Four”
Starring Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer, Dianna Agron, Callan McAlliffe, Kevin Durand
Directed by D.J. Caruso
A highly exceptional teen takes refuge from a deadly alien enemy in a small town in an action-packed science fiction film that has Michael Bay (“Transfomers”) as one of its producers. So with Bay on board, you can expect things will blow up real good, but will a good story follow? (Feb. 18)

“Unknown”
Starring Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Aidan Quinn and Frank Langella
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
A couple of years ago, Neeson starred in an unexpected box-office hit, “Taken,” that reinvented the actor in an action hero. Clearly, filmmakers are hoping for the same result here, with the star in another action-thriller as a man who goes into a coma following a car wreck. He awakens to find his identity stolen by another man (Quinn) and his own wife (Jones) not even recognizing him. This sets him out on a desperate search to find out why. (Feb. 18)

“Drive Angry”
Starring Nicolas Cage, Amber Heard, William Fichtner, Billy Burke, Charlotte Ross, Christa Campbell and David Morse
Directed by Patrick Lusser
The constantly working Nicolas Cage is back playing another intense character looking for revenge. He plays Milton, a felon on the hunt for a cult who murdered his daughter and kidnapped his granddaughter. Needless to say, he’s in a foul mood, and will stop at nothing to catch them. Maybe not the best family flick of the season, but action fans looking for a “Mad Max” kind of film might get some satisfaction. (Feb. 25)

“Hall Pass”
Starring Owen Wilson, Jason Sudekis, Jenna Fischer, Richard Jenkins and Christina Applegate
Directed by Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly
A pair of best friends (Wilson and Sudekis) who feel their marriages have become a little stagnant are given an unexpected gift by their wives – a “hall pass,” allowing them a week of freedom to do whatever they want in a comedy from the directors of “There’s Something About Mary.” The Farrelly brothers certainly have familiarity with this kind of humor and the cast is appealing, which could produce a late winter hit. (Feb. 25)

Oscar nominations overview

2011-01-26T21:23:00.002-06:00

Few surprises were revealed yesterday when nominations for the 83rd annual Academy Awards were announced. Still, there’s a lot of good quality films that shared in the nominations, with “The King’s Speech” leading the way with 12 nods, followed by “True Grit,” with 10. While there is some carry over in nominations from the Golden Globes and the Oscars, just to highlight their difference, “True Grit” didn’t pick up a single nomination at the Globes.
Here’s some of the nominees in the major categories of the awards show, set for Feb. 27 on ABC:
Best Picture
“127 Hours”
“Black Swan”
“The Fighter”
“Inception”
“The Kids Are All Right”
“The King’s Speech”
“The Social Network”
“Toy Story 3”
“True Grit”
“Winter’s Bone”
A strong field of films fills this category, which was expanded to 10 nominees last year. The only surprise for some prognosticators (which shouldn’t be a surprise at all) would be the inclusion of the great, low-budget indie, “Winter’s Bone.”

Best Actress
Annette Bening - “The Kids Are All Right”
Nicole Kidman - “Rabbit Hole”
Jennifer Lawrence - “Winter’s Bone”
Natalie Portman - “Black Swan”
Michelle Williams - “Blue Valentine”
All five of these actresses got Golden Globe nominations, with Bening and Portman winning in separate categories at the awards show. Both are seeking their first Oscar. Actually, Kidman is the only one to have received one previously.

Best Actor
Javier Bardem - “Biutiful”
Jeff Bridges - “True Grit”
Jesse Eisenberg - “The Social Network”
Colin Firth - “The King’s Speech”
James Franco - “127 Hours”
Bridges and Firth were both nominated in this category last year, with Bridges taking home his first Oscar for “Crazy Heart.” But Firth is the one who’s been picking up a ton of awards this season.

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams - “The Fighter”
Helena Bonham Carter - “The King’s Speech”
Melissa Leo - “The Fighter”
Hailee Steinfeld - “True Grit”
Jacki Weaver - “Animal Kingdom”
Somebody here will be taking home their first Oscar in what is typically a highly competitive category.

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale - “The Fighter”
John Hawkes - “Winter’s Bone”
Jeremy Renner - “The Town”
Mark Ruffalo - “The Kids Are All Right”
Geoffrey Rush - “The King’s Speech”
This category is often the most competitive, with various upsets over the years, including nominations. Hawkes getting a nomination here speaks to the popularity of “Winter’s Bone” with the Academy, which would seem to have squeezed out Andrew Garfield of “The Social Network.”

Best Director
Darren Aronofsky - “Black Swan”
Joel and Ethan Coen - “True Grit”
David Fincher - “The Social Network”
Tom Hooper - “The King’s Speech”
David O. Russell - “The Fighter”
It seemed the bigger news after the nominations were announced was who wasn’t in this category, namely Christopher Nolan (“Inception”). Presumably, the Coens would have taken a nod away from him, not that the Oscar-winning brothers are any kind of slouch themselves.

Best Original Screenplay
Mike Leigh - “Another Year”
Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson and Keith Dorrington - “The Fighter”
Christopher Nolan - “Inception”
Stuart Blumberg, Lisa Cholodenko - “The Kids Are All Right”
David Seidler - “The King’s Speech”
With Nolan missing out in the directing category, this might be a chance for him to get some love from the Academy.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Simon Beaufoy, Danny Boyle - “127 Hours”
Aaron Sorkin - “The Social Network”
Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich - “Toy Story 3”
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen - “True Grit”
Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini - “Winter’s Bone”
Sorkin has been cleaning up during the awards season, but could an upset be possible here with other nominees having won writing Oscars before?

Golden Globes wrap-up

2011-01-17T21:44:00.002-06:00

Few, if any, surprises emerged from Sunday’s Golden Globes broadcast – unless you count the television categories, as several perceived upsets occurred. But I’ll just be covering the movies side of the award show, so below is a recap of the main categories of the night. As for the broadcast itself, it was fairly entertaining, with host Ricky Gervais showing an utter fearlessness at skewering Hollywood and various celebrities – both in attendance and not. To be honest, not all of the jokes were very funny, while others were mean-spirited (and I’m a Gervais fan), but at least he wasn’t boring. Still, I’m imagining he won’t be back for a third go-around at the awards show next year. Not that he’d probably want to anyway.

Best Motion Picture - Drama
“Black Swan”
“The Fighter”
“Inception”
“The King’s Speech”
“The Social Network” - Winner
With its win in the final award presented for the night, “The Social Network” would appear to be the favorite for Oscar’s top prize. Still, momentum is fleeting in Hollywood, so time will tell if it has legs to the Academy Awards broadcast at the end of next month.

Best Actress - Drama
Halle Berry - “Frankie and Alice”
Nicole Kidman - “Rabbit Hole”
Jennifer Lawrence - “Winter’s Bone”
Natalie Portman - “Black Swan” - Winner
Michelle Williams - “Blue Valentine”
No surprise here, as Portman takes home the award in a deep and impressive field.

Best Actor - Drama
Jesse Eisenberg - “The Social Network”
Colin Firth - “The King’s Speech” - Winner
James Franco - “127 Hours”
Ryan Gosling - “Blue Valentine”
Mark Wahlberg - “The Fighter”
As expected, Firth got the Globe in another strong acting field. He’s been winning consistently this awards season, with obviously one big one still to come – making the safe assumption that he will be nominated for an Oscar.

Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
“Alice in Wonderland”
“Burlesque”
“The Kids Are All Right” - Winner
“Red”
“The Tourist”
Another easy choice for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, “The Kids Are All Right” has been loved by critics and Oscar nominations should come soon.

Best Actress - Comedy or Musical
Annette Bening - “The Kids Are All Right” - Winner
Anne Hathaway - “Love and Other Drugs”
Angelina Jolie - “The Tourist”
Julianne Moore - “The Kids Are All Right”
Emma Stone - “Easy A”
Speaking of “Kids,” Bening took home the film’s second Golden Globe of the night, beating out Moore, her co-star, among others.

Best Actor - Comedy or Musical
Johnny Depp - “Alice in Wonderland”
Johnny Depp - “The Tourist”
Paul Giamatti - “Barney’s Version” - Winner
Jake Gyllenhaal - “Love and Other Drugs”
Kevin Spacey - “Casino Jack”
Perhaps the only surprise in the movie portion of the awards show, Giamatti beat out HFPA favorite Depp twice in the same category, in the little-seen “Barney’s Version.” Still, this win translating into an Oscar nomination for Giamatti would be a substantial shocker.

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams - “The Fighter”
Helena Bonham Carter - “The King’s Speech”
Mila Kunis - “Black Swan”
Melissa Leo - “The Fighter” - Winner
Jacki Weaver - “Animal Kingdom”
In another category of co-stars competing against each other, Leo was victorious for her role as a domineering mother/manager of her boxing son in “The Fighter.”

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale - “The Fighter” - Winner
Michael Douglas - “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”
Andrew Garfield - “The Social Network”
Jeremy Renner - “The Town”
Geoffrey Rush - “The King’s Speech”
Bale brought home another acting win for “The Fighter” in what was a very competitive field. The same should be likely for the Oscars, with the British actor looking like a front-runner – again, assuming he’s nominated.

Best Director
Darren Aronofsky - “Black Swan”
David Fincher - “The Social Network” - Winner
Tom Hooper - “The King’s Speech”
Christopher Nolan - “Inception”
David O. Russell - “The Fighter”
The shutout for “Inception” continued in this category with Fincher receiving the award for his work on “The Social Network.”

Best Screenplay
Simon Beaufoy, Danny Boyle - “127 Hours”
Christopher Nolan - “Inception”
Stuart Blumberg, Lisa Cholodenko - “The Kids Are All Right”
David Seidler - “The King’s Speech”
Aaron Sorkin - “The Social Network” - Winner
This seemed like the best category for “Inception” to get an award, but Sorkin’s highly-praised screenplay earned him the Golden Globe. All told, “The Social Network” grabbed four awards at the show, making it the biggest winner for the evening.

Winter movie preview (January 2011)

2011-01-01T14:21:00.003-06:00

After the big Oscar push by Hollywood in the last couple of months of the year, January can often seem anticlimactic when it comes to the release schedule. But there are usually at least a couple films that have breakout hit potential during the month. But the number of releases certainly are scaled back.

JANUARY
“Season of the Witch”
Starring Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman, Stephen Campbell Moore, Claire Foy and Christopher Lee
Directed by Dominic Sena
The ever-busy Nicolas Cage heads up the cast of a 14th century-set film in which he plays a Crusader returning to his homeland, which has been devastated by the Black Plague. He is given the task of taking a suspected witch to a monastery, with the hopes that the monks there can bring an end to the plague. Well, the subject matter certainly isn’t going to get audiences rushing to theaters. (Jan. 7)

“The Green Hornet”
Starring Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz, Cameron Diaz, Edward James Olmos, David Harbour and Tom Wilkinson
Directed by Michel Gondry
Sony Pictures would love nothing more than to have a new franchise launched with this adaptation of what started as a radio program in the 1930s. Seth Rogen stars as Britt Reid, a bit of a ne’er-do-well, until his father’s murder leads him into newfound responsibilities and a superhero alter-ego. The cast and director, Michel Gondry (“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”) holds promise, but its release date being moved to mid-January is a bit troubling. (Jan. 14)

“The Dilemma”
Starring Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly, Winona Ryder, Channing Tatum and Queen Latifah
Directed by Ron Howard
It’s surprisingly been more than a decade since director Ron Howard’s last comedy (“How the Grinch Stole Christmas”), but he’s certainly shown a knack for the genre in previous efforts (such as “Parenthood”). Stars Vaughn and James are also quite familiar with comedies, playing Ronny and Nick, a pair of best friends and business partners. That relationship gets put to the test when Ronny (Vaughn) finds out Nick’s wife (Winona Ryder) is cheating on him, putting him in the unenviable spot of determining when, or if, he should say something. This is another of those films that seems odd to have missed out on the holiday movie season, especially when considering Howard and Vaughn were two of the film’s producers. (Jan. 14)

“The Company Men”
Starring Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Maria Bello, Rosemarie Dewitt, Craig T. Nelson
Directed by John Wells
A hotshot business executive (Ben Affleck) is taken by surprise when he’s swept up in a round of cuts at work, and struggles to find employment elsewhere. Writer/director John Wells is making his directing debut with this timely tale of corporate downsizing, featuring an all-star cast. The Weinstein Company picked up the movie after its debut at the Sundance film festival last January, but hasn’t been able to settle on a release date until now. Maybe. (Jan. 21)

“No Strings Attached”
Starring Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher, Cary Elwes and Kevin Kline
Directed by Ivan Reitman
Coming off her success of “Black Swan,” it seems surprising to see Natalie Portman in what would seem to be, at least at first glance, such a conventional romantic comedy. She and Ashton Kutcher (who is in danger of being trapped in this genre) play casual friends who aim to keep their relationship purely physical. Take a wild guess at what likely happens next? (Jan. 21)

“The Mechanic”
Starring Jason Statham, Ben Foster, Donald Sutherland, Tony Goldwyn, James Logan, Mini Anden, Jeff Chase, Christa Campbell
Directed by Simon West
A coolly calculated assassin (Jason Statham) finds himself on a mission for vengeance when his friend and mentor is murdered. He’s joined on the journey by his mentor’s son (Ben Foster), who seeks to learn some killing skills of his own. The film is a remake of a 1972 Charles Bronson action flick, and can hopefully bring something original to what is a rather warmed over plot. Statham is certainly no stranger to this kind of part, as he seems to portray an assassin in every other movie he does. (Jan. 28)

“The Rite”
Starring Anthony Hopkins, Colin O’Donoghue, Alice Braga, Ciaran Hinds, Toby Jones
Directed by Mikael Hafstrom
In this supernatural thriller, a young seminary student (Colin O’Donoghue) is asked to attend an exorcism school at the Vatican. Naturally, demonic forces are awaiting him, along with an unorthodox priest (Anthony Perkins). Supposedly inspired by actual events, Mikael Hafstrom (“1408”) directs what could be a sleeper hit or maybe just a sleeper. (Jan. 28)

The spin on the 'Globes'

2010-12-16T15:20:00.002-06:00

I’m a couple of days late at commenting on them, but the nominations for the Golden Globes were announced earlier this week. The Globes, which are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, are often considered a precursor to the Academy Awards, as a number of the nominees here will reappear when the Oscar nomination are revealed next month. Of course, the ceremony also veers off from the Oscars, with fewer overall categories, but splits up drama from the comedy/musical genre, and includes TV in its nominations. That makes it the rare broadcast that mixes the movie and television mediums in one award show.

But enough babble about the awards format. Here’s some of the nominees:

Best Motion Picture - Drama
“Black Swan”
“The Fighter”
“Inception”
“The King’s Speech”
“The Social Network”
This would seem to be quite the competitive category. Heck, I don’t think I could even make an accurate prediction of which film will win.

Best Actress - Drama
Halle Berry - “Frankie and Alice”
Nicole Kidman - “Rabbit Hole”
Jennifer Lawrence - “Winter’s Bone”
Natalie Portman - “Black Swan”
Michelle Williams - “Blue Valentine”
Portman is likely the frontrunner here, but I’m a definite fan of the work by Lawrence and especially Williams in their respective films.

Best Actor - Drama
Jesse Eisenberg - “The Social Network”
Colin Firth - “The King’s Speech”
James Franco - “127 Hours”
Ryan Gosling - “Blue Valentine”
Mark Wahlberg - “The Fighter”
I was very happy to see Gosling get recognized for his performance in the emotionally resonant “Blue Valentine.” But he’s a definite underdog here, with Firth the veteran and likely winner in an otherwise young field of nominees.

Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
“Alice in Wonderland”
“Burlesque”
“The Kids Are All Right”
“Red”
“The Tourist”
“Kids” should be the overwhelming favorite in this category, with some of these films not even popular with critics (“Burlesque,” “The Tourist”). Any other film winning would be a shocker.

Best Actress - Comedy or Musical
Annette Bening - “The Kids Are All Right”
Anne Hathaway - “Love and Other Drugs”
Angelina Jolie - “The Tourist”
Julianne Moore - “The Kids Are All Right”
Emma Stone - “Easy A”
This race is a little tough to call, as the two frontrunners would appear to be Bening and Moore, who are in the same movie. They could split votes, allowing someone else to pull off an upset.

Best Actor - Comedy or Musical
Johnny Depp - “Alice in Wonderland”
Johnny Depp - “The Tourist”
Paul Giamatti “Barney’s Version”
Jake Gyllenhaal - “Love and Other Drugs”
Kevin Spacey - “Casino Jack”
This is another of those “who knows?” kind of categories, with Depp competing against himself. That’s the kind of nomination oddity that you’ll never see at the Oscars. But I would think his Mad Hatter in “Alice” will likely win out.

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams - “The Fighter”
Helena Bonham Carter - “The King’s Speech”
Mila Kunis - “Black Swan”
Melissa Leo - “The Fighter”
Jacki Weaver - “Animal Kingdom”
This is one of those categories where the Globes occasionally springs surprises, but I’m thinking either Adams or Leo will win here, unless they split votes – always a possibility.

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale - “The Fighter”
Michael Douglas - “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”
Andrew Garfield - “The Social Network”
Jeremy Renner - “The Town”
Geoffrey Rush - “The King’s Speech”
His nomination (in what most would consider a lead role) could see the rare public appearance in recent months of Douglas, who has been battling cancer. But him winning in this category is unlikely, with Bale and Rush looking to be the top possibilities.

Best Director
Darren Aronofsky - “Black Swan”
David Fincher - “The Social Network”
Tom Hooper - “The King’s Speech”
Christopher Nolan - “Inception”
David O. Russell - “The Fighter”
Fincher and Nolan appear to be the heavyweights in this battle, with both building quite the career of critical and commercial successes. Fincher probably has slightly more momentum with the more recently buzzed about movie, but Nolan’s film was a true technical marvel.

Best Screenplay
Simon Beaufoy, Danny Boyle - “127 Hours”
Christopher Nolan - “Inception”
Stuart Blumberg, Lisa Cholodenko - “The Kids Are All Right”
David Seidler - “The King’s Speech”
Aaron Sorkin - “The Social Network”
Another tough category to call, with Nolan a double nominee at the Globes. He probably won’t win in both categories, which could make Sorkin a likely selection. Still, it’s hard to rule out Beaufoy and Boyle, who had a lot of success when collaborating on “Slumdog Millionaire.”

The Golden Globes will be held on Sunday, Jan. 16 on NBC, with Ricky Gervais back as host.

What's New in Blu? (Week of Dec. 14)

2010-12-12T16:43:00.004-06:00

“The Other Guys” (PG-13)
Starring Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson
Directed by Adam McKay
Garnering a large measure of its success from the oddly effective chemistry of its stars (Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg), “The Other Guys” is a better action-comedy than it probably should be. After all, mismatched cops working together on a big case is hardly original. But this film is well aware of the cliches that fill the genre, and even gets some laughs poking fun at them. Ferrell , who seems to do his best comedic work with director Adam McKay (“Anchorman,” “Talladega Nights”), is enjoyably nerdy with a dark side, while Wahlberg shows a knack for comedy. Michael Keaton, as the duo’s captain (and a manager on the side at Bed Bath & Beyond) is a standout in the large supporting cast.
Grade: B+

Other releases:
“The A-Team” (PG-13)
Starring Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Sharlto Copley, Patrick Wilson, Gerald McRaney
Directed by Joe Carnahan

“Cyrus” (R)
Starring John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill, Marisa Tomei, Catherine Keener
Directed by Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass

“Despicable Me” (PG)
Starring the voices of Steve Carell, Jason Segal, Kristen Wiig, Julie Andrews, Danny McBride, Russell Brand, Jermaine Clement, Miranda Cosgrove
Directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin

“Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work” (R)
Starring Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Kathy Griffin, Emily Koslowski, Don Rickles
Directed by Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg

“Nanny McPhee Returns” (PG)
Starring Emma Thompson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Rhys Ifans and Maggie Smith
Directed by Susanna White

Movie review: "Winter's Bone"

2010-12-09T23:48:00.005-06:00

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Kevin Breznahan, Dale Dickey, Garret Dillahunt
Directed by Debra Granik

Let’s be honest: the darkly effective, small-budgeted thriller “Winter’s Bone” doesn’t serve as the greatest promotional tool for the Missouri Department of Tourism. But it can’t really be argued that the movie takes unfair liberties with its depiction of the backwoods residents in the Missouri Ozarks seemingly consumed by the production of methamphetamine.

Based on the novel by Daniel Woodrell, the screenplay by director Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini is sharply crafted in establishing the mood and atmosphere where the characters reside, but avoids bludgeoning you over the head with their drug-infested lives. Interestingly enough, for a movie so steeped in conversation about drugs, there’s very little use or production of it taking place on screen.

But lest the film sound like spending a couple of hours in unpleasant company, not every character inhabiting the story has drugs on their mind. In fact, the main character, Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence, in a star-making performance) wants nothing to do with them, even though they’ve likely been surrounding her for all of her 17 years of life. Ree is the entry point into the film, as she’s had to take on the task of becoming the main caretaker for her two younger siblings, with a mother rendered practically useless by a debilitating depression, and an absentee father.

The fact that her father is gone isn’t really a bad thing for Ree, as he’s been a longtime meth cooker, who has apparently skipped bail as the movie begins. But his disappearance has placed an added burden on the family, as he has used the house as collateral for his bail. Ree is told by the local sheriff (Garret Dillahunt) if her dad doesn’t make his court date in a week, the family will lose the house. The determined teen tells the sheriff she will find him, launching her on a journey among suspicious neighbors and extended family members.

Along the way, she gets varied degrees of assistance, but mostly runs into brick walls from people who would rather she leave well enough alone. But with the thought of homelessness (not to mention the possible breakup of her small family unit) weighing on her mind, Ree pushes forward to find her father, possibly putting her life in peril during the process.

The pacing of the film is a little sluggish at times, but great mileage is gained by the authentic location shooting (in Taney and Christian County) and moody cinematography from Michael McDonough. Granik’s cast, a mix of professionals and first-time actors, provide just the right amount of authenticity to the material, with John Hawkes, as Ree’s dyspeptic uncle, Teardrop, a real standout. His character, although an addict who is at first resentful of Ree’s mission, has an itching desire to know what has become of his brother.

But the film’s success generally depends on Lawrence, as her character’s steely determination drives the story forward. Having only had a few small roles leading to her starring role here, Lawrence is extremely impressive as a teen considering the Army as a chance to give herself a new life (and her family some much-needed money). In her expressive face that has to hide a lot of the fear and uncertainty she’s feeling, Lawrence captures Dee’s desire to get at the truth, no matter the consequences for her. In one standout scene, she pleads with her basically unresponsive mother to tell her what to do, only to realize it's her own instincts that have gotten her this far. In a chilling environment that has sapped most of the life force from those that surround her, Ree’s desire to do right by her family is a true spot of warmth.

Grade: B+
(Rated R for some drug material, language and violent content.)

What's New in Blu? (Week of Dec. 7)

2010-12-06T23:14:00.004-06:00

“Inception” (PG-13)
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger and Michael Caine
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Following up the huge success he achieved with “The Dark Knight,” writer/director Christopher Nolan crafted another commercial and critical hit with “Inception,” an exciting and original concoction that has a twisty narrative on a par with 2001’s excellent “Memento” (also a Nolan picture). Aided by a great cast, the ambitious action-packed thriller jumps onto four continents and six countries, following a small crew of thieves with the ability to extract information from the subconscious of their subjects. The crew leader, Dominic Cobb (DiCaprio, in a strong performance that echoes his work in “Shutter Island”), is given a chance to reunite with his children in exchange for successfully executing one last job, which has all the makings of his most difficult. Some of the visuals in the movie bring to mind the best parts of “The Matrix” films, with a storyline that will keep minds engaged, if not overworked.
Grade: A

Other releases:
“About Last Night …” (R)
Starring Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, James Belushi, Elizabeth Perkins
Directed by Edward Zwick

“The Big Hit” (R)
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Lou Diamond Phillips, Christina Applegate, Bokeem Woodbine, Antonio Sabato Jr., China Chow
Directed by Kirk Wong

“The Mission” (R)
Starring Robert De Niro, Jeremy Irons, Ray McAnally, Liam Neeson, Aidan Quinn
Directed by Roland Joffe

“Restrepo” (R)
Directed by Tim Hethrington and Sebastian Junger

“Shrek Forever After” (PG)
Starring the voices of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, Eric Idle, Justin Timberlake
Directed by Mike Mitchell

Winter movie preview (December 2010)

2010-11-30T21:39:00.003-06:00

“Black Swan”
Starring Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Whether you like director Darren Aronofsky (“Requiem for a Dream,” “The Wrestler”) or not, the guy’s certainly willing to go out on a limb. This thriller is set in the world of ballet, involving a pair of dancers competing for coveted roles in “Swan Lake.” Natalie Portman has been getting rave reviews in the festival circuit as the obsessed dancer possibly losing her grip on sanity in pursuit of the highly prestigious spot. (Dec. 3, limited)

“The Tourist”
Starring Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton, Steven Berkoff, Rufus Sewell, Christian De Sica
Directed by Florian Henckel Von Donersmarck
Big-time star power headlines the tale of an American (Depp) in Italy who becomes intrigued with a mysterious woman (Jolie), who happens to be an Interpol agent. He soon finds himself wrapped up in international intrigue. The thriller certainly has elements of a good Alfred Hitchcock film, and will hopefully make good use of its stars and locale. (Dec. 10)

“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader”
Starring Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley, Will Poulter, Tilda Swinton
Directed by Michael Apted
The continuing “Chronicles of Narnia” franchise finds itself with a new studio, but many of the same stars, hoping to recapture the box-office magic of the first installment. The last film, “Prince Caspian,” was a box-office disappointment. In this one, Lucy and Edmund are back in Narnia, travelling on the open seas with their cousin, Eustace, aboard the Dawn Treader, encountering a new adventure. (Dec. 10)

“The Company Men”
Starring Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Maria Bello, Rosemarie Dewitt, Craig T. Nelson
Directed by John Wells
A strong cast is on hand for John Wells’ (making his directorial debut) movie about corporate downsizing and the effect it has on executives, young and old alike. It primarily centers around Bobby Walker (Affleck, on a recent hot streak) and his search for an identity beyond what he’s done for work and the privileges it gave him. It’s not what you would call feel-good material, but could strike a chord with audiences. (Dec. 10)

“The Fighter”
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo
Directed by David O. Russell
Reuniting with director Russell for his third film, Wahlberg portrays “Irish” Micky Ward in a true-life story about a down-on-his-luck boxer looking to find success in the ring. He gets support from his once great, but now questionably reliable older brother (Bale) and his strong-willed girlfriend (Adams) to pursue his dream of becoming a champion. Wahlberg has had success in inspirational sports movies before (“Invincible”), but this movie has Oscar aspirations – and just might have the pedigree to pick up some award notices. (Dec. 10, limited)

“Tron: Legacy”
Starring Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner and Michael Sheen
Directed by Joseph Kosinski
Hardly a big hit when first released to theaters in 1982, “Tron” has become a cult favorite in the years since, and now with special effects in a new era, a sequel has been spawned. It sure doesn’t hurt to have a newly-crowned Oscar winner (Bridges) heading up the cast. But you know people will be going for the special effects, first and foremost. (Dec. 17)

“How Do You Know”
Starring Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, Paul Rudd and Jack Nicholson
Directed by James L. Brooks
Romantic comedies sure do like to use the love triangle as a linchpin for their stories. This one involves a woman (Witherspoon) caught between her current beau, a baseball player (Wilson) and a corporate executive (Rudd). The pairing of Witherspoon with Brooks, both of whom have a great track record in the genre, could bode well for its prospects with audiences. (Dec. 17)

“Little Fockers”
Starring Robert DeNiro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Jessica Alba, Laura Dern, Harvey Keitel, Dustin Hoffman, Barbra Streisand
Directed by Paul Weitz
The third film in what has become an unexpected comedy hit franchise – one of at least two for Stiller – has more domestic hijinks for the Focker and Byrnes families. The busy Owen Wilson joins in the fun, reuniting with his longtime friend and occassional co-star Stiller (“Zoolander”). The pre-Christmas release date should make this comedy a prime target for audiences for the next several weeks. (Dec. 22)

“True Grit”
Starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Barry Pepper and Hailee Steinfeld
Directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
At first, the thought of remaking what some consider a classic John Wayne movie seems like an ill-advised decision. But the benefit of the doubt has to be given to the Coen brothers, who are sure to give a different spin to the western, but still remain faithful to the genre. Pulling in Bridges (in his second film of the month) is sure to generate Oscar talk. He plays a determined U.S. Marshall looking to track down the killer of a young girl’s father. (Dec. 22)

“Blue Valentine”
Starring Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, Mike Vogel, John Doman, Ben Shenkman
Directed by Derek Cianfrance
Although most of the publicity this intense drama has received centers around its unwarranted NC-17 rating, Gosling and Williams (as a young couple falling into and out of love) have picked up quite a bit of favorable notice from film critics and audiences in its journey on the film festival circuit during the course of the year. Whether the movie can get a wide release with the unpopular rating (currently under appeal by its releasing studio) remains to be seen. (Dec. 31)

What's New in Blu? (Week of Nov. 16)

2010-11-13T16:12:00.001-06:00

“Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore” (PG)
Starring the voices of James Marsden, Nick Nolte, Christina Applegate, Katt Williams, Bette Midler, Neil Patrick Harris
Directed by Steve Bencich

“A Christmas Carol” (PG)
Starring the voices of Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Robin Wright Penn, Bob Hoskins, Cary Elwes
Directed by Robert Zemeckis

“The Kids Are All Right” (R)
Starring Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson
Directed by Lisa Cholodenko

“The Last Airbender” (PG)
Starring Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Dev Patel, Jackson Rathbone, Shaun Toub, Aasif Mandvi, Cliff Curtis
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

“Lottery Ticket” (PG-13)
Starring Bow Wow, Brandon T. Jackson, Naturi Naughton, Keith David, Charlie Murphy and Ice Cube
Directed by Erik White

“Modern Times” (G)
Starring Charlie Chaplin, Paulette Goddard, Henry Bergman
Directed by Charlie Chaplin

Fall Movie Preview (November 2010)

2010-11-03T21:58:00.004-05:00

As November rolls around, the holiday season does as well, with a significant increase in family-oriented films hitting theaters. But more serious, award-seeking fare will also be coming.

NOVEMBER
“Megamind”
Starring the voices of Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, David Cross and Brad Pitt
Directed by Tom McGrath
An animated adventure featuring a superhero seemed a no-brainer, thus the latest release from Dreamworks Animation, with what the studio surely hopes will launch a new franchise. That, in turn, could replace the “Shrek” series, which has (supposedly) concluded. Big names (Will Ferrell, Tina Fey and Brad Pitt) headline the vocal talent, focusing on a villain who takes over on the role of a hero after the hugely popular Metro Man decides to retire. Grabbing an early November release slot, the movie should have much of the family-focused audience to itself leading into Thanksgiving. (Nov. 5)

“Due Date”
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan, Jamie Foxx, Juliette Lewis
Directed by Todd Phillips
Coming off his red-hot summer smash of 2009, “The Hangover” director Todd Phillips brings in one of his stars from that film, Zach Galifianakis, and pairs him with just plain red-hot actor Robert Downey Jr. There’s pretty much no genre that Downey can’t excel in, and a road trip comedy featuring an odd couple pairing seems like a gold mine for laughs. If it’s anywhere close to as good as its trailer, Downey and Phillips should have another big hit on their hands. (Nov. 5)

“127 Hours”
Starring James Franco, Amber Tamblyn, Kate Mara
Directed by Danny Boyle
“Slumdog Millionaire” director Danny Boyle follows up his Oscar-winning hit film with a true-life harrowing tale of survival. Mountain climber Aron Ralston (James Franco) is a supremely confident young man who has a lot of time to reflect on his life after becoming trapped under a boulder while exploring canyons in Utah. The movie has been a hit on the festival circuit, much like “Slumdog” was before it picked up a head of steam with critics and audiences, eventually leading to a bunch of awards. Time will tell if this release will follow a similar path. (Nov. 5)

“Morning Glory”
Starring Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton, Harrison Ford, Patrick Wilson, Jeff Goldblum
Directed by Roger Michell
A young successful television producer (Rachel McAdams) is given the unenviable task of helping to turn around a struggling morning show staffed by feuding anchors (Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford). The cast is certainly appealing, but will need a good story to go along with it to become a hit in a very competitive field. (Nov. 10)

“Unstoppable”
Starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson
Directed by Tony Scott
Frequent collaborators Denzel Washington and director Tony Scott team up for their sixth film together, including the second straight thriller involving a train. This time, Washington is a train conductor looking to head off a potential disaster, as a runaway freight train carrying toxic chemicals makes its way towards a town. He gets help from a young engineer (played by “Star Trek” star Chris Pine) in a desperate race against time. There’s certainly a sense of the familiar here, but its hard to discount the dependability of Washington, who’s coming off one of the biggest hits of his career (“The Book of Eli”). (Nov. 12)

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I”
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman
Directed by David Yates
This release marks the build up for the big finish of the hugely popular franchise, breaking up the final book into two parts. Part two comes out next summer, but this installment will set the table, with audiences likely to come out in droves. This was originally set to come out in 3D, but the difficulty in converting it to the format led to the studio scrapping the plan. (Nov. 19)

“Love and Other Drugs”
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Oliver Platt, Hank Azaria, Josh Gad, Gabriel Macht
Directed by Edward Zwick
A free-spirited beauty (Anne Hathaway) and a salesman (Jake Gyllenhaal) in the pharmaceutical industry find themselves unexpectedly falling in love in this romantic comedy. The leads are no doubt an attractive pairing, but can they bring something new to what has clearly become an overused genre? (Nov. 24)

Austin Film Festival wrap-up

2010-10-27T21:30:00.007-05:00

Having returned home after several days of fun at the Austin Film Festival, it’s time to reflect on the experience. (I’ll leave the lengthy wait at security in the Austin airport out of the discussion. That was a tense way to end the trip.) Travel hiccups notwithstanding, the festival was a bit lighter on star power than I expected (only a few of the films I saw had a Q&A session with filmmakers at its conclusion). However, the quality of the material was quite good. There wasn’t a bad movie in the bunch of the group I saw. And various awards could be in the future of a few of them. That said, I only caught a small amount of the overall lineup (170 were officially listed). But in its 17th year, the festival programmers clearly know what they’re doing and it was well organized and seemingly error-free at the showings I attended.
Compliments aside, here’s a brief rundown of the festival selections I got the chance to catch while in town.

“Ballhawks”
As a study in baseball passion or insanity, “Ballhawks” focuses on a group of individuals who catch baseballs hit out of Wrigley Field onto Waveland Avenue in Chicago. Director Mike Diedrich presents the documentary as a labor of love to Chicago Cubs fans, in particular, but baseball fans in general can connect with the passion this group of die hards have for the game – at least to a point. The film sets its sights on several of the Ballhawks, including one who has pursued the hobby (or obsession, as some might think) for nearly 50 years, having caught over 4,000 baseballs during that span. The subject matter is fairly limited in its scope, but still entertains, helped by the narration of Bill Murray, one of the Cubbies’ biggest fans.
Grade: B

“Shelter in Place”
Photojournalist Zed Nelson’s documentary looks at pollution problems brought about in Port Arthur, Texas, by the “accidental” or “unscheduled” emissions from the numerous petro-chemical plants located in the community. The emissions, as the film makes clear, are protected by Texas law, as long as they are reported by the plants. Meanwhile, the residents, many of whom are poor, African-American and undereducated, largely feel powerless against the petro-chemical industry. As one resident explains, the plants can tie up a legal claim against them in court for years, while expenses for the plaintiff will continue to grow. The material is certainly compelling, and the documentary makes it abundantly clear that Port Arthur is no attractive vacation spot. There’s probably quite a bit more ground that could be covered here, with the film only clocking in at 48 minutes. But in its brief running time, it demonstrates how the power of one just doesn’t look like enough when you’re fighting an opponent and the laws that protect them.
Grade: B+

“Blue Valentine”
Focusing on the marriage of a young couple, “Blue Valentine” is most certainly not a romantic comedy. Garnering a lot of recent publicity for its NC-17 rating (currently under protest to the Motion Picture Association of America, and rightfully so), the drama is still more than two months away from its official release in theaters. But the acting on display by its stars, Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, has already garnered some Oscar buzz. That’s for good reason, as both give passionate and entirely believable performances as a couple falling into and out of love. Director Derek Cianfrance jumps the film back and forth in time, tracing the initial sweet beginnings of a relationship, and the sour patches the two find themselves in during the present. There’s nothing truly groundbreaking in the story, which might be all too familiar for some. But it’s performed with such conviction that the emotional resonance is a bit difficult to shake.
Grade: A

“The Company Men”
Catching Ben Affleck right in the midst of a career upswing, writer/director John Wells’ film debut is very much a timely tale of corporate downsizing and the cold, cruel world of an overcrowded job market. Wells, who has plenty of experience on television (executive producer on “E.R.” and “The West Wing” are among his credits), lays out an eminently watchable, yet overly predictable story. It certainly helps having a stellar cast at his disposal (Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, Maria Bello, Craig T. Nelson and Kevin Costner are among the players). Still, the subject matter might hit a little too close to home for some people’s comfort. But that’s not saying that there’s a lot of relatable material here for the lower to middle class (most aren’t contemplating having to sell their Porsche or giving up their golf club membership). Still, the general idea of having a comfortable life pulled out from beneath you upon losing your job (and the accompanying sense of self-worth) is a possibility that makes “The Company Men” seem like a movie of the moment, much like last year’s “Up in the Air.”
Grade: B-

“Twelve Monkeys”
Terry Gilliam’s bleak and twisted vision of the future is aided by committed performances from stars Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe and Brad Pitt. The screenplay (by David and Janet Peoples, who were both in attendance for a special screening at the Alamo Ritz during the festival) jumps around in time, keeping the audience off balance, just like Willis’ character. As James Cole, an inmate who “volunteers” for an assignment to track the origin of a killer virus, Willis gives one the best performances of his career. The story is a little convoluted at times and leaves some ideas open for interpretation (an intentional action, explained David Peoples during a post-screening Q&A). But the dark material matches the visual sensibilities of Gilliam, who keeps the action moving towards a satisfying conclusion.
Grade: B+

“Welcome to the Rileys”
Largely fueled by its three lead performances, “Welcome to the Rileys” is a domestic drama that centers on a failing marriage between a couple (James Gandolfini and Melissa Leo), who have been unable to move on from the death of their teenage daughter several years ago. Taking a trip to New Orleans for a work convention, Doug Riley decides to stay there indefinitely after meeting Mallory (Kristen Stewart), a troubled runaway who is also a stripper/hooker. He takes an interest in helping her (and thankfully, not in creepy older man way), cleaning up her less-than-appealing house, and seeing a chance to offer fatherly guidance again. His wife, who has become agoraphobic in the years since her daughter’s death, makes the trek south from their Indiana home to try and save her marriage. The story doesn’t take too many surprising detours, and director Jake Scott (son of Ridley Scott) does a decent job of letting his great cast do the heavy lifting. If nothing else, it further demonstrates, much like “Adventureland” did last year, that Stewart has a future beyond her “Twilight” days.
Grade: B+

“Meek’s Cutoff”
Reuniting with director Kelly Reichardt (“Wendy and Lucy”), Michelle Williams gives another strong performance (her second of the festival) as a determined settler making her way on the Oregon Trail in 1845. Her character is part of a small group that breaks off from a larger wagon train, choosing to follow Stephen Meek (a very scraggly-looking Bruce Greenwood), a guide who has led them astray. As the days turn into weeks, the group is losing food, water and patience with Meek, with one character even wondering aloud if the guide is incompetent or evil. Their situation is further complicated when they capture a lone Native American (Rod Rondeaux), bringing along disagreement on what to do with him. Some, in particularly Meek, favor killing him, while others feel he might be their best chance at finding water and salvation. Reichardt has crafted an authentic look at pioneer life, choosing to frame the proceedings in an almost claustrophobic 4:3 screen ratio, rather than widescreen. Plus, there are long periods of near or complete silence on screen (bringing to mind sequences in 2007’s “There Will Be Blood”). It’s certainly a singular director’s vision that will captivate some people, while driving others to distraction.
Grade: B

What's New in Blu? (Week of Oct. 19)

2010-10-19T20:27:00.002-05:00

“Psycho” (R)
Starring Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam and Janet Leigh
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
One of the all-time great films that arguably isn’t even the best film of its director, Alfred Hitchcock. Based on the novel by Robert Bloch with a screenplay by Joseph Stefano, Hitchcock’s film has influenced countless number of filmmakers over the years. Heck, it practically launched the horror genre, and due in no small part by the perfectly creepy performance by Anthony Perkins (who shockingly wasn’t nominated for an Oscar), contains one of cinema’s most memorable villains, Norman Bates. Sure, the blood quotient is a little tame compared to most horror movies these days. But unlike most of those same films, “Psycho” can still deliver the chills by actually building suspense. And that Bernard Herrmann score is as unforgettable as that classic shower scene that it accompanies.
Grade: A+

Other releases:
“Apocalypse Now” (R)
Starring Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Martin Sheen, Frederic Forrest, Albert Hall, Sam Bottoms, Laurence Fishburne and Dennis Hopper
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

“Moulin Rouge” (PG-13)
Starring Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent, Richard Roxburgh
Directed by Baz Luhrmann

“Please Give” (R)
Starring Catherine Keener, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Rebecca Hall
Directed by Nicole Holofcener

“Predators” (R)
Starring Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Alice Braga, Walton Goggins and Laurence Fishburne
Directed by Nimrod Antal

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (R)
Starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick
Directed by Jim Sharman

What's New in Blu? (Week of Oct. 12)

2010-10-12T20:49:00.003-05:00

“Three Kings” (R)
Starring George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, Spike Jonze, Nora Dunn, Jamie Kennedy, Myketi Williamson, Cliff Curtis
Directed by David O. Russell
A war-era movie that has more on its mind than gunfire and explosions, “Three Kings” is by turns exciting, funny, serious and intense. Featuring an impressive performance by George Clooney, clearly demonstrating his ability to hold the screen as a leading man, director David O. Russell brings a unique visual style and strong pacing to the proceedings. With the 1991 Gulf War in its last days, a map is discovered by several soldiers that would seem to indicate a hidden cache of gold bullion stolen by Saddam Hussein’s troops. Sgt. Maj. Archie Gates decides to lead the soldiers (including Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube and Spike Jonze, in a rare acting role) on a treasure hunt. Predictably, things don’t go quite how the soldiers want. But the direction the story takes and how it is resolved isn’t so predictable. While the film does have a definitive political view, it thankfully avoids getting bogged down in it. Russell keeps the action moving, as it serves the story, even finding a way to lighten the mood in a tense scene with some music from the band Chicago on the soundtrack. It’s an example of a creative moment in a movie that’s filled with them.
Grade: A-

Other releases:
“Deep Blue Sea” (R)
Starring Saffron Burrows, Thomas Jane, LL Cool J, Jacqueline McKenzie, Michael Rappaport, Stellan Skarsgard and Samuel L. Jackson
Directed by Renny Harlin

“Jonah Hex” (PG-13)
Starring Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, Megan Fox, Will Arnett, Michael Shannon, Michael Fassbender
Directed by Jimmy Hayward

“Leaves of Grass” (R)
Starring Edward Norton, Keri Russell, Tim Blake Nelson, Richard Dreyfuss and Susan Sarandon
Directed by Tim Blake Nelson

“Red Dragon” (R)
Starring Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, Harvey Keitel, Emily Watson, Mary-Louise Parker, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Directed by Brett Ratner

Austin Film Festival line-up

2010-10-10T08:25:00.009-05:00

The 2010 edition of the Austin Film Festival (its 17th in total) is set to start later this month (Oct. 21, to be exact), and I plan to be there for it. Well, at least a portion of it. The full line-up was recently revealed and it looks to be a great one, filled with an eclectic mix of genres and sure to produce a decent dose of star power at its various premieres. While Austin is well established as an outstanding live music city, featuring festivals that can stand with the best of them (South by Southwest and Austin City Limits), it has been building a strong reputation for its film offerings as well. South by Southwest also includes a great film festival (which I attended last year), and draws a lot of big names to attend it, along with Fantastic Fest and the Austin Film Festival, among others. That’s saying nothing of the numerous celebrities that live in, work in or frequent the Texas capital.

But enough about the entertainment industry standing of the city; let’s look at some of the festival’s schedule. Some of these films have been making the festival circuit in recent months, while a number of others will be making their U.S. or regional debut in Austin later this month.

Although I’d love to go to so many of these, time and scheduling conflicts will undoubtedly play a part in what I’ll ultimately be able to catch. But I’m excited to be able to view a number of films (and possibly the stars and filmmakers that are responsible for them). The standing in line to do so? Not so much.

Here’s a few of the films I’ve got my eye on (with accompanying trailers, to boot). Rest assured, there will be others. Keeping in mind that I won’t be able to see all of these, those that I do see, I’ll report back on upon my return.

“127 Hours”

The new film from 2008 AFF Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Award Recipient Danny Boyle and the Academy Award winning director of the 2008 Best Picture, “Slumdog Millionaire” (also the 08 AFF Audience Award Winner), “127 Hours” is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolate canyon in Utah. Over the next five days Ralston examines his life and survives the elements to finally discover he has the courage and the wherewithal to extricate himself by any means necessary, scale a 65 foot wall and hike over eight miles before he is finally rescued. Throughout his journey, Ralston recalls friends, lovers, family, and possibly the last two people he ever had the chance to meet.

“Ballhawks”

The tale of the fluctuating group of men who have been chasing baseballs and dreams outside of the ivy-covered walls of Wrigley Field, as long as it has been there. Then, 2004 World Series changes everything; the Cubs have a chance of winning. These increased expectations have heated up the competition for home run balls hit onto the street to a fever pitch, while the imminent Wrigley Field expansion threatens this century-old pass-time. The filmmakers are clearly Cubs fans, making this documentary an intimate foray into a world of baseball passion. As the baseballs fly out the stadium, dreams soar with them, hope for not only victory, but the chance to be part of it by catching a fly ball. Narrated by Bill Murray.

“Black Swan”

Visionary director Darren Aronofsky, takes a thrilling and at times terrifying journey through the psyche of a young ballerina whose starring role as the duplicitous swan queen turns out to be a part for which she becomes frighteningly perfect. Following the story of Nina (Natalie Portman), a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her retired ballerina mother who zealously supports her daughter's professional ambition. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Seymour Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

“Blue Valentine”

On the far side of a once-passionate romance, Cindy and Dean are married with a young daughter. Hoping to save their marriage, they steal away to a theme hotel where they went years earlier, when they met and fell in love—full of life and hope. Moving fluidly between these two time periods, "Blue Valentine" unfolds like a cinematic duet whose refrain asks, where did their love go? Framing the film as a mystery whose answer lies scattered in time and in character, filmmaker Derek Cianfrance constructs an elegant set of dualities: past and present, youth and adulthood, vitality and entropy. The rigor of his process is visible throughout the film. Eliminating artificial devices, he has only the truth of the characters to work with.

“Conviction”

The inspirational true story of a sister's unwavering devotion to her brother. When Betty Anne Waters' (two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank) older brother Kenny (Sam Rockwell) is arrested for murder and sentenced to life in 1983, Betty Anne, a Massachusetts wife and mother of two, dedicates her life to overturning the murder conviction. Convinced that her brother is innocent, Betty Anne puts herself through high school, college and, finally, law school in an 18-year quest to free Kenny. She pores through suspicious evidence mounted by small town cop Nancy Taylor (Academy Award nominee Melissa Leo), meticulously retracing the steps that led to Kenny's arrest. Belief in her brother pushes Betty Anne and her team to uncover the facts with the hope of exonerating Kenny.

“The Disappearance of McKinley Nolan”

Mary Nolan lost her husband on June 16, 1966 when joined the Army and never came home. Questions swirl around his disappearance: did McKinley become disillusioned with the mission in Vietnam? Is he a deserter? Is he still alive? The stories of McKinley Nolan are many. In 2006, Lt. Dan Smith may have seen Nolan alive. He may have married a Cambodian woman or been killed by the Khmer Rouge, but director Henry Corra does more than answer questions. The Disappearance of McKinley Nolan is a heart wrenching documentary that explores the ideas of war, home, and love, and the triumph of hope in the human heart.

“Fair Game”

A suspense-filled glimpse into the dark corridors of political power, Fair Game is a riveting action-thriller based on the autobiography of real-life undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame, whose career was destroyed and marriage strained to its limits when her covert identity was exposed by a politically motivated press leak. As a covert officer in the CIA's Counter-Proliferation Division, Valerie leads an investigation into the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Valerie's husband, diplomat Joe Wilson, is drawn into the investigation to substantiate an alleged sale of enriched uranium from Niger. But when the administration ignores his findings and uses the issue to support the call to war, Joe writes an editorial outlining his conclusions and ignites a firestorm of controversy.

“High School”

With echoes of the work of John Hughes and Judd Apatow, “High School” is the tale of a valedictorian whose first hit of pot coincides with his first drug test. Determined not to go down, he teams up with the local stoner to concoct an ambitious plan to get his entire graduating class to face the same fate, and fail. Every thing seems to go just as planned until the town’s biggest nutjob, Psycho Ed (a hysterical Adrien Brody) barges into the school looking for the stash the guys stole from him, leading all hell to break loose amongst their now-stoned classmates. Featuring not just a unique cast of teachers, including Colin Hanks and Yeardley Smith (the voice of Lisa Simpson), but also a brand new score from Harold Faltermeyer – the composer behind the iconic music of “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Top Gun.”

“I Love You, Philip Morris”

This notorious Jim Carrey comedy is now off the shelf, but you may only think you’re ready for it. Based on the true story of Steven Russell, a Dallas cop, who is happily married to Debbie, when he comes to the sudden realization that he’s gay. Steven rejects his old life and begins to pursue his new lifestyle flamboyantly in Miami. Despite his history as a police officer, he becomes a con man to earn money. His attempts at conning land him in the state penitentiary where he meets the love of his life – Philip Morris (Ewan MacGregor). Steven is committed to freeing Philip from jail and having a life together. At times romantic and comedic, “I Love You, Phillip Morris” is a love story unlike any other.

“Make Believe”

“Make Believe” follows the story of six junior magicians from the U.S., South Africa, and Japan. It shows their introductions into the world of magic, and their fates as they compete for the title of Teen World Champion at the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas. But, the world of magic isn’t immune to emotionality. As these young Merlins grow up, they can’t escape the quirkiness and differences associated with their craft, and, in some cases, the solitude. The magicians of Make Believe will work their own bit magic into your heart, as they share their intertwining stories and passion for this unique hobby (that they hope to turn into a career). Produced by the team behind “The King of Kong.”

“Under the Boardwalk: The Monopoly Story”

Monopoly originally became popular during the Great Depression. Since then it has been played by over a billion people and become a worldwide cultural phenomenon. Narrated by Zachary Levi, Under the Boardwalk captures fascinating stories about the game and those who play it. The filmmakers explore Monopoly’s roots in an anti-capitalist political platform to its eventual transformation into a game about getting rich quick. The filmmakers also investigate the psychology of the game, and game experts reveal the best strategies for winning. Under the Boardwalk also explores the pop cultural and social history of the game. This quirky documentary features eccentric collectors and players and exciting worldwide tournaments.

“Welcome to the Rileys”

An emotional journey that takes us through grief, self-reinvention and healing. The Rileys have been struggling in their marriage since losing their teenage daughter. Once a happily married couple, Lois (Melissa Leo) and Doug (James Gandolfini) have grown distant. Lois has become agoraphobic, while Doug finds their home depressing. Looking to get away, he goes on a business trip to New Orleans. He meets Mallory (Kristen Stewart), a teenage runaway. Despite her unsettling demeanor, Doug immediately recognizes innocence in Mallory. He realizes she is in desperate need of guidance, something he has been longing to provide. The opportunity to care and protect Mallory supplants the void Doug's marriage has left in his heart, and brings new meaning to his life.

Fall Movie Preview (October 2010)

2010-09-29T18:06:00.003-05:00

Some films with Oscar aspirations start to pepper the release schedule for October, but are mixed in with some others who most definitely don’t have those kind of hopes. Those releaes will be perfectly happy just making a lot of money.

OCTOBER

“The Social Network”

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Rooney Mara

Directed by David Fincher

Working from a script by Aaron Sorkin (TV’s “The West Wing”), director David Fincher helms the topical tale of the origins of Facebook, and the ensuing legal fight over its ownership. Eisenberg, portraying Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg, has been building up a solid resume of films in recent years, and this one might launch him into a lot more starring roles. (Oct. 1)

“Life As We Know It”

Starring Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel, Josh Lucas

Directed by Greg Berlanti

In this comedy-drama, Heigl and Duhamel play single adults who are forced into parenthood when mutual friends of theirs pass away in an auto accident. The couple leaves behind their infant daughter into their friends’ care. Doesn’t sound like the sunniest scenario for a comedy, but tougher sells have been made by Hollywood. Still, Heigl hasn’t had the best track record in projects over the past couple of years. (Oct. 8)

“Secretariat”

Starring Diane Lane, John Malkovich, Dylan Walsh, James Cromwell, Kevin Connelly and Scott Glenn

Directed by Randall Wallace

After the big success of “Seabiscuit” several years ago, it seems remarkable that Hollywood wasn’t all over the story of Secretariat before now. The legendary racehorse is largely considered the greatest non-human athlete of all time. Lane portrays the horse’s owner, while Malkovich is the tempermental trainer. This should be one of the season’s surefire standouts. (Oct. 8)

“Stone”

Starring Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Milla Jovovich, Francis Conroy

Directed by John Curran

Stars De Niro and Norton reteam in this dramatic thriller, having previously worked together on the entertaining heist picture, “The Score.” Here, De Niro is cast as Jack Mabry, a parole officer who gets wrapped up in the case of Gerald “Stone” Creeson (Norton). The case gets further complicated when Stone’s wife (Jovovich) gets involved. This might not be highbrow entertainment, but there should be some enjoyment in being able to watch two great actors at work together. (Oct. 8)

“Jackass 3D”

Starring Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Bam Margera, Chris Pontius

Directed by Jeff Tremaine

For those who think that 3D is an unnecessary and overused trend in movies right now, prepare yourself for whatever in-your-face antics the fearless wackos of “Jackass” concoct for the third film in the series. If you’ve ever seen any episodes of the TV show or the previous movies, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting. And you can be sure that yes, people were harmed in the making of this movie. (Oct. 15)

“Red”

Starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Karl Urban, Mary-Louise Parker, Brian Cox, Julian McMahon, Richard Dreyfuss

Directed by Robert Schwentke

A great cast populates the adaptation of a graphic novel centered around a small group of ex-CIA agents forced back into action after an assassin targets them. Having Willis in an action-comedy is a no-brainer, but it was some inspired casting to get Mirren and Freeman on board as fellow agents. That’s saying nothing about the great Mary-Louise Parker as a federal office clerk roped into the fray. The trailer sells the movie very well. (Oct. 15)

“Hereafter”

Starring Matt Damon, Cécile De France, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jenifer Lewis

Directed by Clint Eastwood

Eastwood, who has become quite the prolific director in recent years, obviously hit it off with Damon in last year’s “Invictus,” as the actor returns to star in “Hereafter,” a supernatural-themed drama. He plays a former psychic looking to escape his past, who finds his life intersect with two others living overseas. This would appear to be a bit of a departure for both star and director, and it seems like with every movie of Eastwood’s, Academy Award talk is involved. This will probably be no different. (Oct. 22)

“Saw 3D”

Starring Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Cary Elwes

Directed by Kevin Greutert

They’ve now titled this latest installment of the horror franchise with a 3D designation, so I’ve forgotten how many there have been now. At this point, the producers might have as well, but when Halloween rolls around every year, you can be sure to find another bloody good affair being released. Well, “good” might not be an apt description. But this series has a devoted, if dwindling, fanbase. For those keeping track, a group of victims of the killer, Jigsaw, gather to seek out guidance from a self-help guru. But then strange (and most assuredly, violent) things start to occur. (Oct. 29)

What's New in Blu? (Week of Sept. 28)

2010-09-26T22:02:00.002-05:00

“Iron Man 2” (PG-13)

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke and Samuel L. Jackson

Directed by Jon Favreau

After the gigantic success of “Iron Man,” there was no doubt a sequel would be quick in the works. And to the film’s credit, the sequel doesn’t play out as a heartless money grab, as many follow-ups to successful movies do. That’s not to say that the second movie in the superhero franchise hits the heights of the very entertaining 2008 release, as it is slightly disappointing. It’s mostly the action scenes that feel a bit of a letdown, particularly by the climatic battle between Iron Man (Downey, still the best part of the series), War Machine (Cheadle, taking over for Terrence Howard) and villain Ivan Vanko (an effectively restrained Mickey Rourke). Still, the actors seemed to enjoy themselves with the dialogue, particularly in exchanges between Downey and Paltrow. The Avengers subplot is a little underdeveloped, but is obviously setting the table for future movies in the Marvel Comics universe. “Iron Man 2” plays a little like a set up for future offerings, but at least shows it still has some life in the legs.

Grade: B

“Babies” (PG)

Directed by Thomas Balmes

“Get Him to the Greek” (R)

Starring Jonah Hill, Russell Brand, Elizabeth Moss, Rose Byrne, Colm Meaney and Sean Combs

Directed by Nicholas Stoller

“The Killer Inside Me” (R)

Starring Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Simon Baker, Bill Pullman

Directed by Michael Winterbottom

“The Thin Red Line (The Criterian Collection)” (R)

Starring Adrien Brody, Jim Caviezel, Ben Chaplin, George Clooney, John Cusack, Woody Harrelson, Sean Penn

Directed by Terrence Malick

What's New in Blu? (Week of Sept. 14)

2010-09-14T22:18:00.004-05:00

“Seven” (R)

Starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, R. Lee Ermey, Richard Roundtree, John C. McGinley and Kevin Spacey

Directed by David Fincher

There have been a lot – and I mean a lot – of serial killer movies that have come out over the years, particularly since 1995, when “Seven” hit theaters. And many of those that have been released over the past 15 years have taken a least a little inspiration from David Fincher’s dark, disturbing and morbidly fascinating thriller. With an excellent cast at his disposal (three have earned Oscars in the years since this release), Fincher showed he’s capable of crafting a visually arresting film that enhances an already strong story by Andrew Kevin Walker. While employing some of the tried and true aspects of a crime drama (the detective on one last case before retirement, the young hotshot partner looking to make his mark), the movie allows the actors some room to explore their characters, particularly Freeman as the world weary Det. Somerset. And it’s one of those rare cop movies that still has something significant to say by its conclusion, as opposed to the cliched car chase and shootout that peppers so many films in the genre.

Grade: A-

“Letters to Juliet” (PG)

Starring Amanda Seyfried, Christopher Egan, Gael Garcia Bernal and Vanessa Redgrave

Directed by Gary Winick

“Jacob’s Ladder” (R)

Starring Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Pena and Danny Aiello

Directed by Adrian Lyne

“Just Wright” (PG)

Starring Queen Latifah, Common, Paula Patton

Directed by Sanaa Hamri

“Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” (PG-13)

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Kingsley, Gemma Arterton, Alfred Molina

Directed by Robert Luketic

Ebert's back 'At the Movies'

2010-09-11T18:07:00.002-05:00

Anyone who ever watched the old “At the Movies” shows with Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel, and later Richard Roeper, after Siskel’s death, should be pleased to know that Ebert will be bringing back a new form of the film criticism show in January 2011 to PBS. Ebert, who has faced a myriad of health issues in recent years that prevented him from returning to the show he helped co-host for so many years, will co-produce “Roger Ebert Presents … At the Movies” along with his wife, Chaz. Ebert will be a regular contributor to the show, but will leave the primary criticism of the new movies in release to Christy Lemire, The Assoicated Press’ film critic and Elvis Mitchell, with National Public Radio, and former film critic at The New York Times.

Below are excerpts from the pilot episode, which provides a good look at the show’s general format. It’s only fitting that the little show that started on PBS and helped make popular TV personalities of Siskel and Ebert would return to its old home. It will be a welcome sight, to be sure.

What's New in Blu? (Week of Sept. 7)

2010-09-06T19:54:00.003-05:00

“Killers” (PG-13)

Starring Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, Tom Selleck, Catherine O’Hara

Directed by Robert Luketic

“MacGruber” (R)

Starring Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe, Powers Boothe, Maya Rudolph and Val Kilmer

Directed by Jorma Taccone

“Solitary Man” (R)

Starring Michael Douglas, Mary-Louise Parker, Jenna Fischer, Jesse Eisenberg, Imogen Poots, Susan Sarandon and Danny DeVito

Directed by Brian Koppelman and David Levien

Movie rewind

2010-09-05T16:01:00.002-05:00

Technically, it’s still summer. But let’s face it, with school back in, the weather starting to cool off, and fall festivals starting up, nobody looks at it like that. It’s usually a bit slow at the movies around this time, too. Still, here’s a glance back at a few of the movies that were in theaters in 1995, 2000 and 2005.

1995

“Desperado” (R)

Although technically a sequel to the really low-budget “El Mariachi,” which kickstarted his career, director Robert Rodriguez upped the ante in many ways for “Desperado.” The cast was infused with some star power, including Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas taking over the role of El Mariachi. The action (and subsequent violence) was amped up, along with the a bigger budget to work with. While the film doesn’t quite capture the fun of the next sequel in the series, “Once Upon a Time in Mexico,” it certainly never bores. Rodriguez, who also wrote and edited the film, shows he has great technical skill behind the camera. However, the story doesn’t quite match the strong visual style on display.

Grade: B

2000

“Nurse Betty” (R)

The dark comedy, “Nurse Betty,” has kind of been a forgotten gem from a decade ago, featuring a very solid cast (Renee Zellweger, Morgan Freeman, Chris Rock and Greg Kinnear) and an original script by John C. Richards and James Flamberg. Zellweger plays the title character, a sweet, but delusional woman who falls into her shaky mental state after witnessing her louse of a husband (Aaron Eckhart) killed by a pair of hitmen (Freeman and Rock). She heads to California to find the star of her favorite soap, believing he is an actual person, not a conceited actor named George McCord (Kinnear). Meanwhile, the hitmen are in pursuit, as the vehicle she took is filled with drugs the two want to return to their employer. The movie has to walk a fine line of dealing with some violent material, while consistently delivering laughs. Thanks to the committed work from Freeman and Zellweger, in particular, who brings a sunny disposition to the dark circumstances her character is surrounded in, the film works.

Grade: B+

2005

“The Brothers Grimm” (PG-13)

Long considered a great visual director with films such as “12 Monkeys,” “The Fisher King” and “Brazil” among his credits, Terry Gilliam’s movies often walk the line between creativity and chaos. Unfortunately, this time out, “The Brothers Grimm” falls closer to the latter. The story’s concept is a clever idea, as brothers Will (Matt Damon) and Jacob (Heath Ledger) are 19th-century con artists who are able to “eliminate” evil spooks and spirits from German villages – for the right price. Never mind the fact that they are also responsible for the hauntings in the first place. The cast is very much game for the proceedings, but the screenplay by Ehren Kruger doesn’t seem to settle on what kind of a movie it should be. The film’s an example where the individual pieces just don’t quite add up to a satisfying whole.

Grade: C+

What's New in Blu? (Week of Aug. 31)

2010-08-31T20:56:00.002-05:00

“The Evil Dead” (NC-17)

Starring Bruce Campbell, Eilen Sandweiss, Hal Dierich, Betsy Baker, Sarah York

Directed by Sam Raimi

“Harry Brown” (R)

Starring Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Charlie Creed Miles, David Bradley, Iain Glen, Sean Harris and Liam Cunningham

Directed by Daniel Barber

“Marmaduke” (PG)

Starring the voice of Owen Wilson, Lee Pace, Judy Greer and William H. Macy

Directed by Tom Dey

“Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Too?” (PG-13)

Starring Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Sharon Leal, Malik Yoba, Richard T. Jones, Tasha Smith, Louis Gossett Jr., Cicely Tyson and Tyler Perry

Directed by Tyler Perry

Movie rewind

2010-08-29T21:28:00.003-05:00

It’s winding down on the dog days of summer, when late August releases try to pick up that last bit of summer movie business. The majority of the blockbusters have typically long since been released, with a few sleepers hoping to break through with audiences. It’s been that way for a long time in Hollywood, and so here’s a look at some of the releases from years past in theaters on the last week of August – this time focusing on 1980, 1990 and 2000.

1980

“Smokey and the Bandit II” (PG)

After the successful business the first “Smokey and the Bandit” did, it seemed inevitable that a sequel would come along. That’s not to say there were a bunch of unanswered questions at the end of the 1977 film, but I’m sure for Universal (the studio releasing the movie) it felt like easy money. But the story involving the “Bandit” (Burt Reynolds, seemingly on cruise control) and the “Snowman” (Jerry Reed) transporting an elephant from Florida to Texas (does the reason really matter?), is strained. It’s essentially just a set-up for a lot of high-speed chases, car crashes, corny jokes and exasperated looks from Jackie Gleason (one had to wonder if he was really acting here). It’s passable entertainment; not nearly as much as the first one and not nearly as bad as the third one. I guess that’s faint praise.

Grade: B-

1990

“Men at Work” (PG-13)

If you had ever dreamed of seeing real-life brothers Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen co-starring in a movie together as garbagemen, then you’re in luck here. In the sporadically funny, yet almost cartoonish comedy, “Men at Work” the brothers are sanitation engineers (and lazy ones, to boot) who get caught up in a murder cover-up after discovering a dead body on one of their routes. Bumbling policemen and hit men get involved in the pursuit of the duo, who are joined in their exploits by an aggravated supervisor (Keith David). Estevez also wrote and directed the movie, which manages to generate a few laughs along the way. Still, most of the comedy is predictable and tired, with lots of dead body jokes thrown in. (Didn’t “Weekend at Bernie’s” pretty much run this premise into the ground?)

Grade: C

2000

“The Cell” (R)

After seeing “The Cell,” there’s no denying that it’s director, Tarsem Singh, has a unique visual style. However, his storytelling prowess leaves something to be desired. For one, the screenplay by Mark Protosevich is a rather gruesome and unpleasant trip into the mind of a serial killer. This film also came out about the time that the serial killer genre was in oversaturation. Jennifer Lopez plays a psychotherapist recruited by the FBI to employ a new experimental technique she has developed on comatose serial killer Carl Stargher (Vincent D’Onofrio in an over-the-top performance). She will enter his mind with the hopes of finding one of his kidnapped victims who is still alive, but in danger of drowning in a well slowly filling with water. The visuals are definitely the best part of the film, but are also overdone and, at times, just plain grotesque. Singh’s career certainly never took off after this film, having only directed one movie that has been released since, 2006’s little seen “The Fall.”

Grade: D+

Fall Movie Preview (September 2010)

2010-08-26T19:56:00.002-05:00

Although there is one high-profile sequel in the month, a mere 23 years after its original (“Wall Street”), the release schedule for September is a bit scattershot, with a wide variety of genres being represented. However, no certain hits appear to be present, but some could be sleepers.

SEPTEMBER
“The American”
Starring George Clooney, Violante Placido, Thekla Reuten, Paolo Bonacelli
Directed by Anton Corbijin
The story of a hitman taking on a final job before getting out of the “business” is an overdone premise, but Clooney has selected his material well in recent years. Giving him the benefit of a doubt would seem logical. He’s heading up an international cast for this Italian-set movie that will depend on Clooney’s star power to generate much business. (Sept. 1)

“Machete”
Starring Danny Trejo, Robert DeNiro, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal, Michelle Rodriguez, Jeff Fahey, Cheech Marin, Don Johnson
Directed by Ethan Maniquis and Robert Rodriguez
In what has to be the first-ever movie based on a trailer (which appeared in theaters as part of “Grindhouse,”), the sure-to-be action-packed and violent “Machete” hits the screen. Co-director and co-writer Robert Rodriguez always seems to have fun with his casting choices and assembled quite the unusual collection of actors for a story involving an ex-Federale (Trejo) looking for payback against those who betrayed him. (Sept. 3)

“Resident Evil: Afterlife”
Starring Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Kim Coates, Shawn Roberts, Boris Kodjoe and Wentworth Miller
Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson
Who could have imagined that a movie based on a video game could have spawned three sequels? The “Resident Evil” franchise continues to drive along, leaving a high body count in its wake, as a group of survivors continue to wage battle against the undead. They head to Los Angeles, hoping to find refuge there. L.A., really? Silly humans. (Sept. 10)

“Never Let Me Go”
Starring Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Keira Knightley, Charlotte Rampling
Directed by Mark Romanek
Three children have grown up together in a prestigious English boarding school. But as they grow into young adults, they find themselves preparing to face uncertain futures as they leave the school. The film is adapted from the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro (“The Remains of the Day”). While unlikely to be a box-office hit, this is the type of film that will seek out end-of-year awards. It would seem a bit of an unexpected choice from director Romanek, who hasn’t made a feature film since 2002’s dark “One Hour Photo.” (Sept. 15, limited)

“The Town”
Starring Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, Pete Postlethwaite and Chris Cooper
Directed by Ben Affleck
A bank robber (Affleck) who is very good at committing crimes finds himself in a bit of crisis of conscience when he falls for a bank manager (Hall) involved as a hostage in a prior robbery of his gang. Naturally, this makes the rest of the gang nervous, as law enforcement begins to close in. A good cast heads up this crime drama that is also directed and co-written by Affleck. This marks Affleck’s second stint behind the camera after his impressive debut with 2007’s “Gone Baby Gone.” (Sept. 17)

“Devil”
Starring Geoffrey Arend, Logan Marshall-Green, Bojana Novakovic, Jenny O’Hara, Bokeem Woodbine
Directed by Drew and John Erick Dowdle
The concept behind this thriller is a seemingly simple one – five people get trapped in an elevator. The bigger problem, however, is that one of them is ... wait for it – Satan! Talk about a bad situation made worse. The story concept is from M. Night Shyamalan, but he isn’t directing the action. Clearly, with no big names in the cast, this film’s success will all depend on execution and making the most of a confined space. (Sept. 17)

“Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”
Starring Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan, Susan Sarandon and Frank Langella
Directed by Oliver Stone
The sequel that few would have ever expected (or possibly wanted) has arrived, as former hotshot stockbroker Gordon Gekko (Douglas) gets out of prison and tries to rebuild his life. Naturally, the lure of money drives him back to seeking out more wheeling and dealing in the business world, with another young protege (LeBeouf) along for the ride. But this young man could also become family, as he’s engaged to Gekko’s estranged daughter (Mulligan). (Sept. 24)

“You Again”
Starring Kristen Bell, Sigourney Weaver, Jamie Lee Curtis, Odette Yustman, Kristin Chenoweth, Victor Garber and Betty White
Directed by Andy Fickman
Old rivalries are renewed when a woman (Bell) heads home for her brother’s wedding, only to discover he’s marrying her high school nemesis (Yustman). Her problem is complicated even more when it’s discovered her mom (Curtis) and the fiancee’s aunt (Weaver) were also high school rivals. This has got to be one of those “only in the movies” kind of concepts. Still, perhaps the finished product will be better than its somewhat labored premise. (Sept. 24)

What's New in Blu? (Week of Aug. 24)

2010-08-23T22:09:00.002-05:00

“The Back-Up Plan” (PG-13)
Starring Jennifer Lopez, Alex O'Laughlin, Eric Christian Olsen, Anthony Anderson and Linda Lavin
Directed by Alan Poul

“City Island” (PG-13)
Starring Andy Garcia, Julianna Marguiles, Steven Strait, Alan Arkin and Emily Mortimer
Directed by Raymond De Felitta

“Time Bandits” (PG)
Starring John Cleese, Shelley Duvall, Ian Holm, Michael Palin, Ralph Richardson, Peter Vaughan, David Warner
Directed by Terry Gilliam

Movie rewind

2010-08-21T14:17:00.002-05:00

When it comes to movies (and much of entertainment, for that matter), it becomes remarkable to observe how much time can pass since some were released into theaters. For example, it’s been 20 years (!) since “Home Alone” became the box-office champ of 1990 and launched the career of Macauley Culkin. I bet he thinks that was a really long time ago.
Still, I felt it was worth taking note of the passage of time in movies, and will periodically include a brief flashback review from releases in the current week of 5, 10, 15, 20 or more years ago. And no, these won’t always be fond looks back, as some dreck might have surfaced during these time periods. But don’t those deserve some attention too? After all, good, bad and in between all make up the cinematic landscape that we walk through.
So yeah, this feature is kind of arbitrary and a bit random. But then again, aren’t a lot of things in life? Ponder on that a moment, won’t you?
On that note, here’s the first look back for the third week of August.
This will cover 1985, 1995 and 2005.

1985
“Better Off Dead” (PG-13) - This spring’s “Hot Tub Time Machine” reminded viewers of the early years of John Cusack’s career, when it was filled with teen-oriented comedies. This one was arguably his most popular during that ‘80s time period. It’s certainly an oft-quoted movie from the decade filled with obnoxious neighbors, clueless parents, stuck-up girlfriends and yes, a doggedly determined paperboy.
The film was written and directed by Savage Steve Holland, making his big-screen debut. (Oddly enough, Savage is without quotes on imdb.com. There’s probably a story behind that, but I’ll leave it a mystery here.) His movie making career largely dried up in the ‘80s, but still writes and directs TV from time to time.
Still, “Better Off Dead” has grown to have a cult following in the years since, after flopping at the box office. Cusack, who went on to make another film with Holland the following year (“One Crazy Summer”), has also managed to squeak out a career for himself. If anything, his return to comedy this year only reminded people how good he was in the ‘80s in the genre.
Grade: B+

1995
“Mortal Combat” (PG-13) - Harken back to the days when video games were adapted into movies. Oh wait, that happens all the time now. Well, maybe harken back to when they were made into good movies. Well, that doesn’t apply here either. But they sure tried hard!
Actually, I don’t have any proof of that either. I remember spending many hours (days, weeks, etc.) playing that video game, trying all the different finishing moves. (Sub-Zero was my favorite, in case you were wondering. And I’m sure you were.) But I wouldn’t have ever imagined when whiling away my life with the game that it would translate into a good movie. Pity the filmmakers didn’t think the same thing.
Granted, it’s not terrible. It’s perfectly watchable and the special effects (for their time) are pretty good. It’s just that these characters didn’t have any real personality to begin with, beyond their fighting prowess. And the actors cast to play them (Christopher Lambert, Robin Shou, Linden Ashby, Bridgette Wilson, Talisa Sota, etc.) do nothing to change that perception. Director Paul W.S. Anderson has made a career out of being involved with movie adaptations of video games, including the fourth “Resident Evil” film coming out in September. But he’ll always look back fondly on this one, as it was his first. Well, fondly might be too kind of a word.
Grade: D+

2005
“Red Eye” (PG-13) - A short, quick-moving thriller helmed by Wes Craven (“A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Scream”), “Red Eye” is a high concept movie that is dependent upon pacing and the believability of its stars to succeed. Luckily, stars Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy are both up to the task, while Craven ratchets up the tension aboard an airplane – a classic confined space for a thriller. With Murphy a charmer at first, then cooly menacing later, the movie works best on board the plane, as he threatens to kill the father of hotel manager Lisa Reisert (McAdams), unless she helps him get access to assassinate a government official staying at her hotel.
The realism of the story begins to seep out as the action lands on the ground, with Lisa transforming a bit too much into an action heroine. But McAdams, whose star was on the rise with her role in “The Notebook,” demonstrates herself capable of considerably different material. And Murphy continued his summer of villainy, having portrayed the Scarecrow a couple of months earlier in “Batman Begins.”
Grade: B

The Roundup III

2010-08-18T21:18:00.003-05:00

Rooney Mara is 'The Girl'
With the announcement of Rooney Mara being cast as Lisbeth Salander in director David Fincher's 2011 adaptation of the worldwide bestseller "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," the major casting choices in the first film of the expected trilogy are complete. Joining Mara will be Daniel Craig as journalist Mikael Blomkvist, Robin Wright as Erika Berger and Stellan Skarsgard as Martin Vanger.
So, who is Rooney Mara, you may ask? Good question, as she's largely an unknown in the public eye. Or at least she was until now. Her biggest role to date has been one of the leads in this year's remake of "Nightmare on Elm Street." And no, she wasn't Freddy Krueger.
She has a supporting role in Fincher's upcoming film about Facebook's beginnings, called "The Social Network." That likely gave her a boost in the casting process, which Fincher had insisted the role should go to a lesser known name.
Regardless of the casting decisions, which seem good, Mara will be hard pressed to top Noomi Rapace's exceptional performance in the Swedish version of the film. That film (which is now out on DVD and Blu-ray and worth seeing, if you can stomach the sordid material) is quite good overall and will be a challenge for Fincher to top. I'd be rather skeptical of his chances, if not for his body of work, which includes very good films dealing with just this kind of subject matter ("Zodiac," "Se7en"). Plus, the screenwriter is Oscar-winner Steven Zaillian, who has adapted screenplays for "Schindler's List" and "A Civil Action," among others.
Incidentally, the second Swedish film in the trilogy, "The Girl Who Played with Fire," is now out in selected cities and will be on DVD and Blu-ray in late October.

Ladies, Marilyn Manson is back on market
For what is apparently the third time, rock star (and I use that term loosely) Marilyn Manson and actress Evan Rachel Wood have broken up, according to People magazine. The two had actually been engaged since January, but now it looks like the wedding of the year (just behind Chelsea Clinton's nuptials) is off.
But on the positive side, Manson is once again untethered in the dating world for all those looking to hook up with a weirdly ugly musician who has long since faded from the popular music scene.

What's New in Blu? (Week of Aug. 17)

2010-08-15T19:40:00.002-05:00

“Furry Vengeance” (PG)
Starring Brendan Fraser, Brooke Shields, Ken Jeong
Directed by Roger Kimble

“The Good, The Bad, The Weird” (R)
Starring Song Kang-Ho, Lee Byung-Hun and Jung Woo-Song
Directed by Kim Jee-Woon

“The Last Song” (PG)
Starring Miley Cyrus, Liam Hemsworth, Bobby Coleman, Kelly Preston and Greg Kinnear
Directed by Julie Anne Robinson

“Nanny McPhee” (PG)
Starring Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Angela Lansbury
Directed by Kirk Jones

The Roundup II

2010-08-14T20:01:00.002-05:00

‘Star Wars’ coming to Blu-ray
In what may have been the most eagerly anticipated Blu-ray release announcement since the adoption of the high definition format, “Star Wars” creator George Lucas has announced that all six films in the movie franchise will be coming to Blu-ray in 2011. In an interview with the New York Times, Lucas said had had been waiting for the format to be widely accepted by consumers before taking the plunge. However, those who were hoping to have both the original and the special editions would be included in the six-disc set will be disappointed; only the special editions will be included. Still, for a format that has the best possible audio and video capabilities, this will be the best way yet to enjoy the series at home. Look for a likely fall 2011 release, just in time for the holiday season.

‘Toy Story’ is tops
Proving it has had some serious staying power in a highly competitive summer movie season, “Toy Story 3” just surpassed “Shrek 2” to become the highest-grossing animated movie of all time. Granted, there is inflated 3D ticket prices to factor into that total, but it’s still an exceptional achievement. And it’s another feather in the cap of the truly impressive roster of films released by Pixar, with the company’s next film to be another sequel, “Cars 2,” set for June 2011.

The Roundup I

2010-08-11T20:31:00.003-05:00

The Roundup is a brand new offering I'm going to start rolling out here on what I hope will be a regular basis. It'll cover a range of news in the entertainment world, be it movies, TV, music or miscellaneous. These will be mostly bite-size nuggets complete with some sure to be insightful and sarcastic commentary from myself. This will by no means be a thorough overview of all things entertainment (who has time for that anyway?). But it will be a random assortment of items big and small, significant and insignificant, that I feel like commenting on.

So, without further delay, steel yourself for what should be an exciting and enlightening ride (or a trip into tedium and frivolousness). I can't really make up my mind yet.

Look out for that bus
With "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" set to hit theaters this weekend, the film's stars have been busy with promotion all over the U.S. Case in point: Check out this clip of Michael Cera and Jason Schwartzman on "Good Day Atlanta," as the pair deals with the challenge of presenting the weather to viewers. This probably won't be a back-up career for the two, but it is amusing, nonetheless.

'Glee' grabs Britney
With "Glee" creator Ryan Murphy getting attention for his directing the new Julia Roberts movie adaptation of the bestseller "Eat Pray Love," he recently revealed in an interview with Ryan Seacrest that Britney Spears will be appearing on the hit show as part of a Britney-centered episode, set for Sept. 28. While Britney is far from the superstar status that she had several years ago, a comeback would seem imminent, as is the trend in show business.

Netflix streaming to grow
Those of you who have discovered the joy of Netflix's streaming service (as I did several months ago) will be pleased to know that the company will be expanding its offerings, beginning next month. Landing a deal with the young cable channel Epix, similar to its deal with Starz, Netflix will soon begin offering films from Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM. (The current Starz deal allows Netflix access to Disney and Sony movies.) That means the volume of films in the company's streaming library will be growing almost exponentially in the next few months. The one caveat of the deal will be a three-month window before new releases to DVD and Blu-ray (and Epix) will appear on Netflix streaming. So those of you hoping to stream "Iron Man 2" when it's released to DVD and Blu-ray Sept. 28 will have to wait until just after Christmas.

What's New in Blu? (Week of Aug. 10)

2010-08-09T22:10:00.002-05:00

“Date Night” (PG-13)
Starring Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Taraji P. Henson, Common and Mark Wahlberg
Directed by Shawn Levy
While this frantic, fast-paced comedy doesn’t have much originality on its side, it does have two of TV’s most popular comic actors headlining the proceedings. That helps immeasurably, as much of the remainder of the cast is largely wasted. But Carell and Fey have good chemistry on screen, portraying Phil and Claire Foster, a longtime married couple hoping a date night in New York City will provide them with a brief romantic getaway. But a case of mistaken identity finds the pair dealing with much more than they anticipated, as their lives become endangered. Surprises are few in “Date Night,” but the film moves quickly (clocking in at just under 90 minutes) and the trailer actually doesn’t spoil all the jokes.
Grade: B

Other releases:
“Death at a Funeral” (R)
Starring Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Zoe Saldana, Regina Hall, Tracy Morgan, Peter Dinklage, Danny Glover, James Marsden, Luke Wilson
Directed by Neil LaBute

“The Joneses” (R)
Starring David Duchovny, Demi Moore, Amber Heard, Gary Cole, Glenne Headly, Ben Hollingsworth
Directed by Derrick Borte

Summer Movie Preview (August 2010)

2010-08-03T20:37:00.001-05:00

As the summer movie season continues, August has the potential to produce a few hits. However, few are believed to be the kind of blockbusters that will be up to the box-office production of earlier movies in the season, such as “Eclipse,” “Toy Story 3” and “Iron Man 2.”

AUGUST
“The Other Guys”
Starring Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan and Dwayne Johnson
Directed by Adam McKay
After last summer’s all-around disappointment of “Land of the Lost,” Ferrell looks to rebound with an all-star cast in tow for an action-comedy that pairs him with Wahlberg. They play detectives looking for a little respect, as they work in the shadows of a pair of well-known cops (Jackson and Johnson) in their own department. It seems hard to imagine the premise and cast won’t be able to at least make the proceedings mildly enjoyable. (Aug. 6)
Official Web site

“Eat Pray Love”
Starring Julia Roberts, James Franco, Richard Jenkins, Viola Davis, Billy Crudup and Javier Bardem
Directed by Ryan Murphy
The bestselling memoir of Elizabeth Gilbert gets the big-screen treatment with Roberts portraying the author, who seeks out a new life for herself by traveling on a quest for self-discovery. The book has a pretty big following, and while Roberts isn’t the box-office superstar that she once was, this late summer release has the potential to be a decent-sized hit. (Aug. 13)
Official Web site

“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”
Starring Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Alison Pill, Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman
Directed by Edgar Wright
A young man (Cera) performing in a rock band becomes enamored with a woman (Winstead), but finds a challenge standing before him in order to get involved with her. He must defeat her evil seven exes, one by one, to win her over. An interesting concept, to be sure, with talented director Wright (“Shaun of the Dead”) at the helm. (Aug. 13)
Official Web site

“The Expendables”
Starring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, Terry Crews and Mickey Rourke
Directed by Sylvester Stallone
One look at the cast and it’s easy to see the appeal of this film. A seemingly endless number of action movies fill the resumes of the actors, who are all brought together by Stallone (who also co-wrote the screenplay) as a group of mercenaries on a mission to overthrow a dictator. With so many aging action stars in one place, will this film be a case of testosterone overload? This will likely be some brain dead fun or just brain dead. (Aug. 13)
Official Web site

“Nanny McPhee Returns”
Starring Emma Thompson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Rhys Ifans and Maggie Smith
Directed by Susanna White
A sequel to the surprise 2005 hit comedy, Thompson reprises her role as the titular nanny, who is put in charge of a new group of children, helping out a stressed out young mother (Gyllenhaal). Like the previous film, Thompson is also doubling as the screenwriter for the sequel, one of the few in the month aimed at families. (Aug. 20)
Official Web site

“The Switch”
Starring Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Patrick Wilson, Jeff Goldblum, Juliette Lewis
Directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck
The likeable pairing of Aniston and Bateman heads up this romantic comedy built on a premise involving artificial insemination, of all things. Aniston is a single mother who reunites with her best friend (Bateman). He happens to be sitting on a secret that he replaced a sperm sample meant for her seven years back with his own. While the story sounds like something you’d see in a bad sitcom, hopefully the filmmakers (who were behind “Blades of Glory”) and cast can raise the quality of the material. (Aug. 20)
Official Web site

“Going the Distance”
Starring Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis and Christina Applegate
Directed by Nanette Burstein
Real-life on-again, off-again couple Barrymore and Long play a pair of young professionals trying to keep their relationship alive while traveling between Chicago and Los Angeles. Barrymore has carved out a solid career on romantic comedies, and since Long is someone she’s been in a relationship with, you would think on-screen chemistry won’t be difficult to achieve. Of course, that doesn’t equate to an enjoyable movie. But it can’t hurt. (Aug. 27)
Official Web site

What's New in Blu? (Week of July 27)

2010-07-25T15:54:00.002-05:00

“Johnny Handsome” (R)
Starring Mickey Rourke, Ellen Barkin, Elizabeth McGovern, Morgan Freeman, Forest Whitaker, Lance Henriksen
Directed by Walter Hill
A largely overlooked 1989 film from director Hill (“48 Hrs.”) is a violent, but entertaining take on the classic film noir genre. Rourke plays a disfigured criminal who is betrayed during a job by his gang, leading him to seeth in prison, where he receives plastic surgery to rebuild his face. This sets him out on the opportunity to craft a new identity and slowly plot his revenge. The tale of a wronged person getting revenge is hardly a new concept, but the good cast, led by Rourke in one of his last good performances until “Sin City,” (where he played another disfigured character) lifts the material, while Hill keeps the story moving forward swiftly.
Grade: B

Other releases:
“Clash of the Titans” (PG-13)
Starring Sam Worthington, Gemma Arterton, Mads Mikkelsen, Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson
Directed by Louis Leterrier

“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (PG-13)
Starring Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen
Directed by Ang Lee

“Lock Up” (R)
Starring Sylvester Stallone, Donald Sutherland, John Amos, Darlanne Fluegel, Frank McRae, Sonny Landham
Directed by John Flynn

“Repo Men” (R)
Starring Jude Law, Forest Whitaker, Liev Schreiber, Alice Braga, Carice von Houten
Directed by Miguel Sapochnik

What's New in Blu? (Week of July 20)

2010-07-20T20:56:00.002-05:00

“Cop Out” (R)
Starring Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Adam Brody, Kevin Pollak, Guillermo Diaz and Seann William Scott
Directed by Kevin Smith

“The Losers” (PG-13)
Starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans, Columbus Short, Oscar Jaenada and Jason Patric
Directed by Sylvain White

“Mother” (R)
Starring Kim Hye-La, Won Bin
Directed by Bong Joon-Ho

“The Runaways” (R)
Starring Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Michael Shannon
Directed by Floria Sigismondi

Movie Review: "The Messenger"

2010-07-17T21:40:00.007-05:00

Starring Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton, Jena Malone
Directed by Oren Moverman
Trailer
There’s a early scene in “The Messenger” that quietly and powerfully conveys the duties of what must be an incredibly difficult, yet undeniably important job in the military. Two Army officers, Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) and Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Ben Foster) exit their vehicle as a playground full of children and their parents are at play. As they begin to walk away from the vehicle, Tony glances over at the playground. Playtime is suddenly over and everyone is standing quietly at the fence, watching the two soldiers begin to walk toward a house in their neighborhood. They realize that the men are not there for a social call, but to inform someone of the passing of a loved one.

Indeed, soldiers such as Tony and Will deliver solemn news all across the country every day, as the death toll in Operation Enduring Freedom currently numbers over 1,100 for U.S. soldiers alone. “The Messenger,” an emotionally resonant film that expertly avoids becoming a depressing experience, doesn’t focus on the conflict overseas. It’s the emotions of the families left behind and the soldiers whose job is all about delivering bad news where its loyalties lie.

Oren Moverman, a first-time director, wisely lets his actors have a wide berth to work their way through the occasionally tough dramatic narrative. The small-budgeted film primarily keeps its focus on the two soldiers, who are brought together grudgingly. Will, a war hero in Iraq, is wounded physically and emotionally. He’s basically forced into becoming part of a fatality notification unit as he serves out the last three months of his tour while recovering from his wounds. He’s paired up with Tony, a longtime Army veteran who has been part of the unit for a long time – maybe too long. He has a no-nonsense approach to the job, which is heavy on staying by the book and resisting consolation to the people the bad news is delivered to.

“In case you feel like offering them a hug or something – don’t,” warns Tony to Will in an initial discussion of the job. While Will replies that he won’t, you get the sense that he’s not wired emotionally the same way that his new partner is. That sense gets reinforced as the film progresses, particularly when it comes to the notification of Olivia (Samantha Morton), the soft-spoken widow of a soldier, who also now faces raising her son alone. She initially surprises the soldiers with how gracefully and respectfully she accepts their solemn news. Will is emotionally struck by her, perhaps with romantic feelings, as he recently learned his former girlfriend is about to marry someone else.

While the movie isn’t on quite as solid ground in this subplot, it basically tiptoes through the development of their potential relationship. By doing so, it thankfully avoids the clichés and potentially preposterous turns of the story that lesser films might have taken. Morton brings a quiet dignity to her character, who faces an uncertain future with seemingly few people to turn to.

But the movie is at its strongest when it follows Tony and Will through their job, as the viewer practically serves as a fly on the wall to moments when people’s lives forever change. Emotions ranging from disbelief to rage to hysteria are expressed in front of the two, as they stoically explain to strangers why they have arrived. There’s no denying the difficulty in watching some of these scenes play out, but it’s in so doing that you come to the realization that moments like this have happened as long as wars have existed.

The screenplay by Moverman and Alessandro Camon doesn’t seek to make the two messengers into noble soldiers we should all admire. In fact, both Tony and Will are deeply flawed men. Harrelson (who received an Oscar nomination for his performance) does a great job as Tony, a lonely man on the razor’s edge from falling back into alcoholism. He’s matched by Foster, in a rare leading role, as a soldier coming upon a crossroads in his life, with no real clear idea of what to do.

It would seem difficult to understand how someone could serve in such a job in the military for an extended period of time, as the stress and emotional weight would have to be extreme. But there’s a quiet dignity to the job that “The Messenger” conveys that shines a light where few have thought to look before.
Grade: A-
(Rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity.)

What's New in Blu? (Week of July 13)

2010-07-14T19:54:00.002-05:00

“Alpha Dog” (R)
Starring Ben Foster, Shawn Hatosy, Emile Hirsch, Sharon Stone, Justin Timberlake, Anton Yelchin and Bruce Willis
Directed by Nick Cassavetes
Taking on a docu-drama filmmaking approach with “Alpha Dog,” a cautionary tale about young criminals getting in over their heads, director Cassavetes (who also wrote the screenplay) certainly veers far from the romantic territory staked out in his 2004 directorial effort “The Notebook.” The subject matter, based on actual events, is tough to watch at times, and certainly not uplifting. The story is well served by some solid turns by Stone and Willis as self-absorbed parents of questionable abilities. But it’s the younger cast that generally takes center stage, with Hirsch playing Jesse Truelove (Jesse James Hollywood in real life), the ringleader of a small drug ring. When the gang (which also features Timberlake in an effective supporting role) decides to kidnap a teenager to force payment from a customer of a $1,200 debt, things begin spiralling out of control.
Grade: B

Other releases:
“The Bounty Hunter” (PG-13)
Starring Gerard Butler, Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Christine Baranski
Directed by Andy Tennant

“Chloe” (R)
Starring Amanda Seyfried, Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Max Theriot, Nina Dobrev
Directed by Atom Egoyan

“Greenberg” (R)
Starring Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, Rhys Ifans, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mark Duplass
Directed by Noah Baumbach

“In Bruges” (R)
Starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes, Ciaran Hinds
Directed by Martin McDonough

“Insomnia” (R)
Starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank, Maura Tierney, Martin Donovan, Nicky Katt
Directed by Christopher Nolan

“Our Family Wedding” (PG-13)
Starring Forest Whitaker, America Ferrera, Carlos Mencia, Lance Gross, Regina King, Taye Diggs, Fred Armisen
Directed by Rick Famuyiwa

What's New in Blu? (Week of July 6)

2010-07-04T12:05:00.002-05:00

July 6
“Ladybugs” (PG-13)
Starring Rodney Dangerfield, Jackee, Jonathan Brandis, Ilene Graff, Vinessa Shaw
Directed by Sidney J. Furie
The 1980s were quite good to Rodney Dangerfield, who had established himself as a noted stand-up comedian who had successfully crossed over into movies. He headlined funny films, including “Easy Money” and “Back to School” during the decade. But the 1990s weren’t nearly as kind to the aging comic’s film career, as the 1992 stinker “Ladybugs” demonstrated. While it does have a few laughs in it, purely from Dangerfield one-liners or reaction shots, the movie’s premise is tired and far-fetched. Hoping to impress his boss, Chester Lee (Dangerfield) agrees to coach a girls soccer team. But upon learning how terrible they are, he coaxes the son (Jonathan Brandis) of his fiancee to pretend to be a girl to help the team win. Hilarity ensues (or in this case, not so much). But if you’ve ever longed to see Dangerfield in drag, then you’re in luck. For everybody else, you’d be better off catching a World Cup match.
Grade: D

Other releases:
“Brooklyn’s Finest” (R)
Starring Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Ellen Barkin, Lili Taylor
Directed by Antoine Fuqua

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (R)
Starring Lena Endre, Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist
Directed by Niels Arden Oplev

“Jimmy Hollywood” (R)
Starring Joe Pesci, Christian Slater, Victoria April
Directed by Barry Levinson

“A Single Man” (R)
Starring Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode, Ginnifer Goodwin, Nicholas Hoult
Directed by Tom Ford

Summer Movie Preview (July 2010)

2010-06-27T17:36:00.002-05:00

Although the summer movie season has performed below Hollywood’s expectations, July has plenty of potential big hits, including one (“Eclipse”) that technically opens at the end of June. It’s also largely void of sequels, which have proliferated the release schedule in May and June. Still, if some of these films become hits, they would likely launch future sequels.

JULY
“The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”
Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Bryce Dallas Howard, Billy Burke
Directed by David Slade
The continuing adventures of Bella, Edward, Jacob and the rest of the vampires and werewolves populating the world created by author Stephanie Meyer continues in this third installment. The series is unlikely to win over many new fans at this point, but based on its huge box-office numbers from the first and especially the second movie, it hardly needs to. It has a built-in audience that should guarantee a big hit, not to mention a primo release date just before the Fourth of July. (June 30)
Official Web site

“The Last Airbender”
Starring Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Dev Patel, Jackson Rathbone, Shaun Toub, Assif Mandvi, Cliff Curtis
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
An adaptation of a popular Nickelodeon cartoon series doesn’t seem like the most obvious choice of projects for Shyamalan (“The Sixth Sense”), but there’s no doubt the writer-director could really use a hit after a few cinematic flops in recent years. The special effects look to be the real star here, as a youngster realizes he is the last of his kind with the ability to control the four elements, and could bring an end to a century of conflict between four warring nations. (July 1)
Official Web site

“Despicable Me”
Starring the voices of Steve Carell, Jason Segal, Russell Brand, Will Arnett, Kristen Wiig, Julie Andrews
Directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud
An evil supergenius (voiced by Carell) out to steal the moon runs into complications when he comes across three young orphaned girls, who look to him as a potential father. Teasers for this movie began running last year, so a lot of promotion has been put behind it. Adding in some good vocal talent and an original story idea, it would seem the comedy has the ingredients for success. (July 9)
Official Web site

“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”
Starring Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Teresa Palmer, Monica Bellucci
Directed by Jon Turteltaub
Cage, who seems to be present in every movie season, is the star of this latest concoction from Disney, hoping to launch yet another film franchise. He reunites with his “National Treasure” director, portraying a powerful sorcerer who recruits an awkward young man (Baruchel) to defend New York City from his arch-nemesis (Molina). Expect lots of special effects, some comedy, a heaping dose of action and yet another new hairstyle for Cage. (July 14)
Official Web site

“Inception”
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cilian Murphy, Tom Berenger and Michael Caine
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Red-hot from “The Dark Knight,” Nolan is helming a thriller with murky plot details, but a great cast. The trailers have long been promising something visually arresting, but hopefully the script, by Nolan himself, won’t get too convoluted for its own good. DiCaprio stars as a thief who can take ideas from people’s subconscious. But he and his team’s latest job is to pull off the seemingly impossible – planting an idea in someone’s mind. (July 16)
Official Web site

“Salt”
Starring Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Andre Braugher
Directed by Philip Noyce
Jolie is back in action mode as CIA agent Evelyn Salt, who goes on the run after being accused by a defector of being a Russian spy. She attempts to clear her name, which only seems to build the case against her. The plot hardly original, with a seemingly good person having to elude the law to prove their innocence. Pacing and at least some semblance of credibility is essential for a movie like this to succeed. (July 23)
Official Web site

“Dinner for Schmucks”
Starring Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Stephanie Szostak, Jemaine Clement, Zach Galifianakis
Directed by Jay Roach
Making his second appearance of the month, but first physical one, Carell is a truly odd IRS employee befriended by Tim (Rudd), for the purpose of being brought to a dinner party. But the dinner party, as concocted by Tim’s boss, is a contest where friends and employees attempt to bring the most idiotic person with them. This odd idea for a movie was actually adapted from the 1998 French comedy, “The Dinner Game.” (July 30)
Official Web site

What's New in Blu? (Week of June 15)

2010-06-13T11:37:00.002-05:00

“Darkman” (R)
Starring Liam Neeson, Frances McDormand, Colin Friels, Larry Drake
Directed by Sam Raimi
Although it was hardly a hit when it hit theaters 20 years ago, Sam Raimi’s action-thriller has picked up fans over the years. The film has a bit of a comic book feel to it, with a disfigured avenger looking to right the wrong perpetrated against him, while still trying to recapture the happiness of his former life. Raimi went onto much bigger exploits with a real comic book hero (The “Spider-Man” series), but “Darkman” showed the director ability to mix in action, comedy and violence on a much smaller budget. He’s helped by the inventive camera work by cinematographer Bill Pope and the spirited music score by Danny Elfman. This was also an early peek into Neeson as an action star – something he’s been dabbling in again all these years later.
Grade: B+

Other releases:
“The Book of Eli” (R)
Starring Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, Gary Oldman, Ray Stevenson, Jennifer Beals, Malcolm McDowell, Tom Waits
Directed by Allen and Albert Hughes

“Flash Gordon” (PG)
Starring Sam Jones, Melody Anderson, Max von Sydow, Topol, Ornella Muti, Timothy Dalton, Brian Blessed
Directed by Mike Hodges

“When in Rome” (PG-13)
Starring Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel, Jon Heder, Dax Shepard, Will Arnett, Anjelica Huston, Danny DeVito
Directed by Mark Steven Johnson

“Youth in Revolt” (R)
Starring Michael Cera, Portia Doubleday, Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta, Jean Smart, M. Emmett Walsh, Fred Willard, Justin Long, Zach Galifianakis
Directed by Miguel Arteta

What's New in Blu? (Week of June 8)

2010-06-06T11:40:00.003-05:00

“The Illusionist” (PG-13)
Starring Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel, Rufus Sewell
Directed by Neil Burger
Taking its cue from some of the early days of filmmaking, the look of “The Illusionist” is as much a character as the cast that inhabits its 19th century Vienna setting. It’s a period piece that centers around the magical, perhaps supernatural abilities of a man with the stage name of Eisenheim (Edward Norton). Arriving to town with little fanfare, he quickly captivates and amazes audiences with his superior slight of hand skills.

Among those he impresses is Chief Inspector Uhl (Paul Giamatti), who is frequently in the service of the Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell, crafting a perfectly dastardly villain). Soon after, the prince and his fiancee Sophie (Jessica Biel) attend a performance that leads to the young woman being incorporated into Eisenheim’s show. But there’s more here than meets the eye, as the two have a history from their childhood. Their brief friendship and blossoming romance as children is captured in beautifully photographed flashbacks that incorporate old-fashioned storytelling fade-outs.

While the pacing is a bit lax in certain stretches, the presence of the always interesting Norton and Giamatti proves to be the film’s greatest asset. Norton brings a quiet intensity to his role as the enigmatic illusionist, playfully sparring with Giamatti in several of their scenes together, while showing some romantic passion for the woman who has unexpectedly reentered his life. To her credit, Biel easily has her best role to date, and doesn’t disappoint.
Grade: A-

Other releases:
“Caddyshack” (R)
Starring Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Murray, Ted Knight, Michael O’Keefe, Sarah Holcomb
Directed by Harold Ramis

“From Paris with Love” (R)
Starring John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Kasia Smutniak, Richard Durden
Directed by Pierre Morel

“Shutter Island” (R)
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Max von Sydow, Jackie Earle Haley
Directed by Martin Scorsese

Dennis Hopper (1936-2010)

2010-05-30T09:10:00.002-05:00

Having built a career out of playing unconventional characters, probably because he was one himself, Dennis Hopper passed away Saturday at the age of 74. Having fought prostate cancer for a number of years, Hopper succumbed to the disease at his home in Venice, Calif. His acting career, which included a few stints into directing (most notably "Easy Rider" and "Colors"), spanned six decades, with extensive work in both film and television. Although quite ill at the time, Hopper finally was recognized with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in March.

It was a career marked with some memorable highs and forgettable lows, and one glance at his body of work shows an actor who clearly was never lacking for employment. It might also show somebody who would have been better served to have said 'No' a little more often to job offers, as his resume is littered with, well, let's just say material that's below his skill level.

That said, there's a lot of memorable roles mixed in there, with villainous performances leaving a particularly indelible mark in cinematic history. Whether it's the Pabst Blue Ribbon-loving psycho Frank Booth from "Blue Velvet" or the devious bomb expert Howard Payne in the action hit "Speed," Hopper knew his way around bad guys.

But for my money, his performance as "Shooter" in the great 1986 sports flick "Hoosiers" was Hopper at his best. As the father of a student at a small town Indiana high school, his character has a brilliant basketball mind, but one that struggles with alcoholism. His battle to redeem himself in the eyes of his son, and for the coach (GeneHackman ) that entrusts him with some responsibility with the team, brings a poignancy to the film that goes beyond any of the accomplishments taking place on the court. It's a great performance, and the only acting Oscar for which he would ever be nominated. The fact that Hopper himself had just recently emerged from drug rehab prior to taking on the role shows a man able to tap into a little of his own personal demons for positive gain.

Regardless of what one thinks of his assorted film choices, Hopper crafted an indelible footprint on Hollywood. Thankfully, he was able to have it permanently left on the streets of the town before passing away. Now that site serves as a shrine for fans to leave flowers and mementos marking the death of a true Hollywood maverick.

Summer Movie Preview: June 2010

2010-05-29T08:45:00.002-05:00

After some of the heavy hitters were unleashed in May, June’s movie release schedule is filled with a couple of sure-fire hits, along with several that have the potential to heat up at the box office. The competition for audience attention will likely be brutal.

JUNE
“Killers”
Starring Katherine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher, Tom Selleck, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Mull, Rob Riggle
Directed by Robert Luketic
A suburban housewife (Heigl) learns that her husband (Kutcher) is an undercover assassin, who himself has been targeted for termination. He must then work to stay alive, with his incredulous wife in tow. The two stars have a spotty track record in films, and while the material is not the freshest, it still has hit potential. Then again, it could bomb big time. (June 4)
Official Web site

“Get Him to the Greek”
Starring Jonah Hill, Russell Brand, Elizabeth Moss, Rose Byrne, Colm Meaney and Sean Combs
Directed by Nicholas Stoller
From the makers of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” comes a tale of a lowly intern (Hill) at a record company tasked with transporting an egotistical, hard-partying British rock star (Brand) to a show in L.A. This is a spin-off of sorts from “Sarah Marshall,” with Brand portraying his same character for that film here. However, Hill, who was also in that movie, is not playing the same role. Go figure. (June 4)
Official Web site

“Marmaduke”
Starring Owen Wilson, Lee Pace, Judy Greer and William H. Macy
Directed by Tom Dey
The same studio that brought you the successful “Alvin and the Chipmunks” franchise is dipping into comic strips with a big screen version of the Winslow family and their large and loveable Great Dane, Marmaduke. Wilson provides the voice of the canine, who never spoke in the comic. Fans of the longtime newspaper staple might have trouble wrapping their heads around that decision. (June 4)
Official Web site

“The A-Team”
Starring Bradley Cooper, Liam Neeson, Jessica Biel, Sharlto Copley, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Patrick Wilson
Directed by Joe Carnahan
You can hardly have a summer movie season anymore without a big-budget film version of a popular TV show, and it’s the old 1980s-era NBC show that made Mr. T a star getting the treatment here. T’s nowhere to be seen, but the casting does look pretty good here. Still, will this be able to balance the action and comedy for which the TV show aimed? And how many fans of the show really were clamoring for a movie? (June 11)
Official Web site

“Toy Story 3”
Starring the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Michael Keaton, Joan Cusack, Whoopi Goldberg
Directed by Lee Unkrich
With everything that Pixar touching turning into a hit, there’s no doubt that the third edition of this very successful franchise will draw in large numbers. This time, Woody, Buzz and the gang are brought to become playthings in a daycare after their owner, Andy, heads off to college. (June 18)
Official Web site

“Grown Ups”
Starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, Rob Schneider, Salma Hayek
Directed by Dennis Dugan
In what looks like a 1990s-era “Saturday Night Live” reunion, Sandler (who is also serving as one of the writers and producers) has brought together some longtime friends for a movie about a reunion of ... well, longtime friends. One look at the trailer and you should know exactly what you’re getting here. The only thing that matters here is whether the movie makes you laugh. (June 25)
Official Web site

“Knight and Day”
Starring Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard, Maggie Grace, Paul Dano
Directed by James Mangold
A superspy (Cruise) his employers are claiming has taken a serious mental break from reality enlists the help of woman (Diaz) he met on a blind date to help him. This film looks like it’s mixing in the action, comedy and romance much like the similarly-themed “Killers,” which will be released a mere three weeks before. If ever there’s an example of Hollywood recycling ideas, here it is. This could prove to be a real test of the star power of Cruise and Diaz, who previously appeared together in “Vanilla Sky.” (June 25)
Official Web site

Summer Movie Preview: May 2010

2010-05-04T19:51:00.002-05:00

With the arrival of May, the summer movie season officially arrives, with studios regularly unleashing some of their tentpole films before Memorial Day weekend. This year is no exception, as many big guns roll out prior to the holiday, including possibly the season’s biggest movie (“Iron Man 2”) hitting screens Friday.

“Iron Man 2”
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwenyth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke and Samuel L. Jackson
Directed by Jon Favreau
The huge success of the 2008 superhero film made this sequel a foregone conclusion. With several big name cast additions (Johansson, Rourke and Cheadle, taking over his role from Terrence Howard), the success of the next chapter in the franchise would also seem to be quite assured. This time out, the government is hot after the design secrets of billionaire Tony Stark (Downey Jr.), who refused to give them up, while a formidable adversary (Rourke) seeks a measure of revenge from an incident from his family’s past. (May 7)
Official Web site

“Robin Hood”
Starring Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, William Hurt, Mark Strong, Mark Addy, Oscar Isaac, Danny Huston, Eileen Atkins and Max von Sydow
Directed by Ridley Scott
In what would seem to be the umpteenth telling of the story about Robin Hood, frequent collaborators Crowe and Scott (both Oscar winners for “Gladiator”) team up again in this big budget action-adventure set in 13th century England. As the title character, Crowe seeks to undermine the authority of the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham (Macfadyen) while pursuing a romance with the widow, Maid Marion (Blanchett). The story is overly familiar to many, but there’s a reason why it’s told so often – it’s just plain good. (May 14)
Official Web site

“Letters to Juliet”
Starring Amanda Seyfried, Chris Egan, Franco Nero, Gael Garcia Bernal and Vanessa Redgrave
Directed by Gary Winick
A quieter, fairly lower star wattage flick, “Letters to Juliet” has the ability to serve as a nice change of pace from the usual collection of loud, special effects-laden movies from the season. Up-and-coming star Seyfried (“Mamma Mia!”) stars as a vacationing American in Italy who finds a love letter and sets out to find the writer, kicking off a chain reaction of events. (May 14)
Official Web site

“MacGruber”
Starring Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe, Powers Boothe, Maya Rudolph and Val Kilmer
Directed by Jorma Taccone
Having picked up some good buzz on the festival circuit, “MacGruber,” an adaptation of a “Saturday Night Live” skit, could become a bit of a sleeper hit. Obviously, the film has to expand upon the limited premise of the reoccurring “SNL” skits, which always ended with everyone blowing up in a huge explosion. Having the always interesting Kilmer on board as the villain would seem to be a good casting decision. (May 21)
Official Web site

“Shrek Forever After”
Starring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, Jon Hamm, Walt Dohm, John Cleese
Directed by Mike Mitchell
In what’s being billed as the final installment of the “Shrek” franchise, the big green ogre signs a contract with the sneaky Rumpelstiltskin, in the hopes of having one day to be the fearsome ogre he used to be. But in doing so, Shrek soon realizes he has been tricked, and an alternate universe has been created by his decision, causing all sorts of problems. While the third film didn’t quite live up to its promise, the hope is that the fourth will wrap things up on a good note. (May 21)
Official Web site

“Sex and the City 2”
Starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Chris Noth, David Eigenberg, Evan Handler, John Corbett
Directed by Michael Patrick King
With the first “Sex and the City” movie becoming a box-office hit, a sequel seemed an inevitability, despite the lack of necessity. Still, that could be said about most movie sequels. Obviously, there’s a built-in audience that loves the exploits of the female quartet, which finds them headed to Morocco for a getaway. While there, Carrie (Parker) runs into a romantic suitor of the past (Corbett), causing her to contemplate her current direction in life. (May 21)
Official Web site

“Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time”
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterson, Ben Kinglsey, Alfred Molina
Directed by Mike Newell
Quickly becoming a genre unto itself, the latest video game to movie adaptation is of the popular “Prince of Persia” title, with the unexpected casting of Gyllenhaal as a prince teaming up with a princess (Arterton) to stop a power-hungry ruler from unleashing a destructive sandstorm that could have dire consequences on the world. With Gyllenhaal as a largely unproven actor in action films, it would seem this Disney release’s real star is its endless supply of special effects, if its trailer is any accurate indicator. (May 28)
Official Web site

What's New in Blu? (Week of April 27)

2010-04-28T16:18:00.003-05:00

“Tombstone” (R)
Starring Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Michael Biehn, Powers Boothe, Dana Delany, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Charlton Heston
Directed by George P. Cosmatos
Arguing the factual accuracy of “Tombstone” would be a difficult task, as the western takes a number of liberties with the story of Wyatt Earp and his arrival in the now-historic Arizona town. But if you’re looking for a somewhat cornball, violent action flick, this tale should be right down your alley. Add in entertaining performances from Kurt Russell as Wyatt, and an especially good Val Kilmer as his longtime friend, Doc Holliday, and there’s still quite a bit to like here. Just don’t take the film as a history lesson, but rather as an old-fashioned revenge story that shoots first and pretty much forgets to ask questions.
Grade: B+

Other releases:
“Armageddon” (PG-13)
Starring Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Will Patton, Steve Buscemi, William Fichtner, Owen Wilson
Directed by Michael Bay

“Dune” (PG-13)
Starring Francesca Annis, Kyle MacLachlan, Sting, Jose Ferrer, Max von Sydow
Directed by David Lynch

“Elizabeth” (PG-13)
Starring Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Fiennes, John Gielgud and Richard Attenborough
Directed by Shekhar Kapur

“Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (PG-13)
Starring Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Clive Owen, Rhys Ifans, Jordi Molla, Abbie Cornish and Samantha Morton
Directed by Shekhar Kapur

“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassas” (PG-13)
Starring Heath Ledger, Christopher Plummer, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Jude Law, Verne Troyer, Andrew Garfield, Lily Cole and Tom Waits
Directed by Terry Gilliam

“It’s Complicated” (PG-13)
Starring Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, John Krasinski
Directed by Nancy Meyers

“Ride with the Devil” (R)
Starring Tobey Maguire, Skeet Ulrich, Jewel, Jeffrey Wright, Simon Baker, Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Directed by Ang Lee

What's New In Blu? (Week of April 20)

2010-04-20T21:27:00.002-05:00

“Crazy Heart” (PG-13)
Starring Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell
Directed by Scott Cooper
Having crafted a long and outstanding career, Jeff Bridges finally got his due from the Academy Awards when he took home the Best Actor Oscar in March for his role as Bad Blake, a former country music star working on the fringes of the music business. The script by Scott Cooper (who also makes his directing debut here) doesn’t throw in too many surprises, but does allow its actors moments to shine and the time to let a scene unfold. Bridges and Oscar nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal as a small-town reporter smitten with the alcoholic, yet charismatic singer, are particularly good in their many scenes together. T-Bone Burnett’s music in the film is also notable, with a number of songs performed by Bridges and co-star Colin Farrell.
Grade: B+

Other releases:
“44 Inch Chest” (R)
Starring Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, John Hurt, Tom Wilkinson, Stephen Dillane, Joanne Whalley
Directed by Malcolm Venville

“Avatar” (PG-13)
Starring Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Zoe Saldana, Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Lang
Directed by James Cameron

“The Lovely Bones” (PG-13)
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli, Saoirse Ronan
Directed by Peter Jackson

“Minority Report” (PG-13)
Starring Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton and Max Von Sydow
Directed by Steven Spielberg

“The Young Victoria” (PG)
Starring Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent, Thomas Kretschmann, Mark Strong
Directed by Jean-Marc Vallee

What's New In Blu? (Week of April 13)

2010-04-13T20:25:00.002-05:00

“Apollo 13” (PG)
Starring Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, Kathleen Quinlan
Directed by Ron Howard
Making its debut on Blu-ray 15 years after its theatrical release, and 40 years after the true event that inspired it, “Apollo 13” remains one of the best films in the career of both star Tom Hanks and director Ron Howard. A lot of meticulous work into recreating the time period and particularly the space program of NASA is on display here – and it shows. The film is able to maintain suspense in a story for which many people already know the outcome. Smartly focusing the story on the astronauts stranded in space (Hanks, Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon) and the Mission Control crew (led by Ed Harris) desperate to get them back home, it’s a compelling journey that takes what could have been a massive tragedy and turns into a triumph.
Grade: A-

Other releases:
“Pirate Radio” (R)
Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost and Kenneth Branaugh
Directed by Richard Curtis

“The Slammin’ Salmon” (R)
Starring Michael Clarke Duncan, Kevin Hefferman, Jay Chandrasekhar, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter
Directed by Kevin Hefferman

What's New In Blu? (Week of April 6)

2010-04-06T20:50:00.003-05:00

“Dreamscape” (PG-13)
Starring Dennis Quaid, Max Von Sydow, Christopher Plummer, Eddie Albert and Kate Capshaw
Directed by Joseph Ruben
While this somewhat flawed hybrid of a thriller with science-fiction at its core hasn’t necessarily aged gracefully, a game cast headed up by Dennis Quaid makes the proceedings a mostly fun affair. The story by David Loughery throws in quite a bit of dark humor, which helps make the fairly farfetched plot go down easier. Quaid is a kind of psychic savant who is brought into a scientific study on dream research, which allows him to enter the minds of subjects as they sleep. Naturally, any study that has good scientific purposes in the movies could also be twisted for evil purposes, and that desire lies in Bob Blair, a slimy government employee who happens to be friends with none other than the President of the United States. If you can’t see where this is going, you probably haven’t seen many thrillers. But the movie doesn’t take itself too seriously, and is all the better for that decision.
Grade: B

Other releases:
“Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans” (R)
Starring Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Val Kilmer, Alvin “Xzibit” Joiner
Directed by Werner Herzog

“Cocoon: 25th Anniversary Edition” (PG-13)
Starring Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Brian Dennehy, Steve Guttenburg, Maureen Stapleton, Jessica Tandy
Directed by Ron Howard

“The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy” (PG-13)
Starring Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis
Directed by Peter Jackson

“The Natural” (PG)
Starring Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, Wilford Brimley, Barbara Hershey
Directed by Barry Levinson

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (R)
Starring John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss, Nick Corri, Johnny Depp and Robert Englund
Directed by Wes Craven

“Poseidon” (PG-13)
Starring Josh Lucas, Kurt Russell, Jacinda Barrett, Richard Dreyfuss, Emmy Rossum, Mia Maestro, Mike Vogel, Kevin Dillon
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen

“The Thomas Crown Affair” (R)
Starring Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo, Denis Leary
Directed by John McTiernan

Spring 2010 Movie Preview, Part II

2010-03-31T21:58:00.003-05:00

As Hollywood seems to have an insatiable desire to revisit its past, remakes of past films seem to be a growing trend. Take April’s movie release schedule as an example. With no fewer than three remakes (including one whose original was a mere three years ago), filling up the month, originality isn’t exactly flowing freely. But that doesn’t mean the films will be bad. They just won’t be fresh. The following is a few of the notable releases for the month.

APRIL
“Clash of the Titans”
Starring Sam Worthington, Gemma Arterton, Mads Mikkelsen, Alexa Davalos, Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson
Directed by Louis Leterrier
The seemingly action- and CGI-packed remake of the 1981 movie with Harry Hamlin and Laurence Olivier gets a big-budget (not to mention 3D) treatment. It follows a classic good vs. evil saga involving the son of Zeus and a bunch of gods arguing over the fate of mortals. Despite its cheesiness factor, the original was fairly entertaining. But can the new version make bigger better? (April 2)
Official Web site

“Why Did I Get Married Too”
Starring Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Sharon Leal, Malik Yoba, Richard T. Jones and Tyler Perry
Directed by Tyler Perry
A group of longtime college friends gather in the Bahamas for a reunion, examining their relationships and marriages over the course of a week. This is a sequel to the 2007 film, which featured much of the same cast. (April 2)
Official Web site

“Date Night”
Starring Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Taraji P. Henson, Common and Mark Wahlberg
Directed by Shawn Levy
The stars of TV’s “The Office” (Carell) and “30 Rock” (Fey) team up for the first time as an average couple that get caught up in a case of mistaken identity, leading them to a night of danger and excitement. The film’s concept is certainly not what could be deemed inspired, but the stars should make the action enjoyable. (April 9)
Official Web site

“Death at a Funeral”
Starring Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Zoe Saldana, Regina Hall, Tracy Morgan, Peter Dinklage, Danny Glover, James Marsden, Luke Wilson
Directed by Neil LaBute
A huge cast filled with familiar faces heads up a movie about about a family gathering at a funeral and all the shocking secrets that get revealed at it. The original film, a British production, was just filmed in 2007 and garnered largely positive reviews. Plus, one of the cast members (Dinklage) is playing the exact same role he played in the original. (April 16)
Official Web site

“Kick-Ass”
Starring Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Grace Moretz, Mark Strong and Nicolas Cage
Directed by Matthew Vaughn
A new entry in the burgeoning superhero genre takes a different approach, by following the exploits of a comic book-loving teenager (Johnson), who decides to follow in the footsteps of some his heroes in print and become a superhero himself. His initial success inspires a few others to want to do the same, while also making criminals stand up and take notice. The film, a comic book adaptation, is already starting to pick up positive buzz at film festivals. This has sleeper hit written all over it, with a built-in fanbase that could spawn sequels. (April 16)
Official Web site

“The Back-Up Plan”
Starring Jennifer Lopez, Alex O’Laughlin, Eric Christian Olsen, Anthony Anderson and Linda Lavin
Directed by Alan Poul
Having kept a low-profile in recent years after getting married and having twins, Lopez is back headlining a film, starring as a woman who meets someone who just might be Mr. Right. Thing is, she meets him on the very day she’s artificially inseminated, which is typically an awkward thing to bring up on a first date. If nothing else, this story is a new twist in the overworked romantic comedy genre. It will also place the box-office appeal, or lack thereof, of Lopez, front and center. (April 23)
Official Web site

“A Nightmare on Elm Street”
Starring Jackie Earle Haley, Kyle Gallner, Rodney Mara, Katie Cassidy, Thomas Dekker, Kellan Lutz
Directed by Samuel Bayer
Horror fans (and even non-fans, for that matter) should have memories of Wes Craven’s original 1984 creepfest that introduced audiences to Freddy Krueger. With the “Friday the 13th” and “Halloween” franchises having been restarted in recent years, it seemed inevitable that “Nightmare” was going to go down the same path eventually. The casting of Haley (“Watchmen,” “Little Children”) as the crafty killer with an endless supply of one-liners was an inspired decision. But whether it can improve on Craven’s original vision remains to be seen. (April 30)
Official Web site

What's New in Blu? (Week of March 30)

2010-03-29T21:51:00.004-05:00

“Collateral” (R)
Starring Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Pinkett Smith, Mark Ruffalo, Peter Berg, Javier Bardem, Bruce McGill, Irma P. Hall
Directed by Michael Mann
Having demonstrated that he has the directing chops to handle action with a little character study on the side in 1995’s great “Heat,” director Michael Mann is equally successful in “Collateral” of finding interesting people working inside and outside the law. Jamie Foxx took advantage of his first real dramatic role (earning an Oscar nomination, to boot) as Max, a cabbie who knows the streets of L.A. like the back of his hand. However, after a chance encounter with an intriguing lawyer (Jada Pinkett Smith), Max’s night becomes an increasingly tense affair as he drives around Vincent (Tom Cruise), a confident, focused and demanding fare. After their first stop reveals what Vincent does for a living, the remainder of the night challenges Max to find a way out of his predicament. Mann primarily films the movie with high definition cameras, providing a visually arresting L.A. as the film’s backdrop. Cruise, who also garnered an Oscar nomination for his performance, provides some layers to his role as a determined contract killer. The film seems to run out of steam a bit by the conclusion, but the ride is worth taking nonetheless.
Grade: A-

Other releases:
“Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” (PG)
Starring Zachary Levi, David Cross, Jason Lee, and the voices of Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney
Directed by Betty Thomas

“The Baader Meinhof Complex” (R)
Starring Martina Gedeck, Moritz Bleibtreu, Johanna Wokalek, Nadja Uhl, Stipe Erceg
Directed by Uli Edel

“An Education” (PG-13)
Starring Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, Rosamund Pike, Dominic Cooper, Olivia Williams, Emma Thompson
Directed by Lone Scherfig

“The Killer” (R)
Starring Chow Yun Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh, Chu Kong
Directed by John Woo

“Sherlock Holmes” (PG-13)
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong
Directed by Guy Ritchie

What's New In Blu? (Week of March 23)

2010-03-22T21:47:00.003-05:00

“The Blind Side” (PG-13)
Starring Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron and Kathy Bates
Directed by John Lee Hancock
Showing the same knack for a true sports-oriented story well told that he did with 2002’s “The Rookie,” director John Lee Hancock crafted another hit with the Oscar-nominated film that focuses on Michael Oher and his adoptive family, the Tuohys. The story in and of itself is pretty compelling, with the physically gifted Oher (played by Quinton Aaron) having hopped around the foster care system, only to find himself taken in by an upper-class Tennessee family, headed up by a take-no-bull woman, Leigh Anne (Sandra Bullock, in an Oscar-winning performance). Their love and support of him leads him to football, where he eventually dominates as an offensive lineman and becomes a highly recruited college prospect. The movie was smartly promoted as a Sandra Bullock showcase, and her acting is the real engine for the story. It’s easily her meatiest role yet, and her best performance. The film kind of skims over the more recent years, but does manage to weave in some actual footage of the family at the 2009 NFL draft, where Oher was a first-round pick.
Grade: B+

Other releases:
“The African Queen” (NR)
Starring Humphrey Bogart, Katherine Hepburn, Robert Morley, Peter Bull
Directed by John Huston

“Brothers” (R)
Starring Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Sam Shepard, Clifton Collins Jr. and Mare Winningham
Directed by Jim Sheridan

“Days of Heaven” (PG)
Starring Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard, Linda Manz
Directed by Terrence Malick

“Fantastic Mr. Fox” (PG)
Starring the voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson
Directed by Wes Anderson

“The Men Who Stare at Goats” (R)
Starring George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey, Robert Patrick
Directed by Grant Heslov

“Red Cliff” (R)
Starring Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Chang Chen, Chung Lin
Directed by John Woo

“Toy Story” (G)
Starring the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenburger, Annie Potts
Directed by John Lasseter

“Toy Story 2” (G)
Starring the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenburger, Annie Potts
Directed by John Lasseter

A Lost Boy no more

2010-03-16T22:08:00.003-05:00

OK, you might be thinking initially that I’m just getting clued in that actor Corey Haim is dead. But oh no, I knew. I just wanted to kind of sit back, watch and listen to some of the reaction in the days following his death last week of an apparent accidental drug overdose. (Yes, Corey Feldman, I used the overdose word. I’m sorry. But come on dude, you know people are going to go there.)

Well, now that the poor guy is dead and buried back home in Toronto, it seemed like as good a time as any to comment. There’s a lot of sadness in a story such as this, but hardly anything too surprising. Drugs among the Hollywood community and the struggles that entertainers have with them are about as old as the entertainment industry itself, it would seem. At times like this, there always seems to be the friends that show up on TV to say that (enter name here) seemed like he/she was in a good place and was starting to turn their life around. So they can’t understand what happened.

Perhaps that was the case here with Haim. No one will ever really know for sure, which is another sad facet to his story. By all accounts, he was barely making ends meet and staying with his mom, who is battling cancer. Acting work wasn’t exactly pouring in, at least not in any projects that you or I would have heard of. A glance at his filmography on IMDB.com will give you an idea of what his work has been over the past two decades. I’m a big-time movie buff, but I’d be hard-pressed to tell you anything about the vast majority of them. Several of them over that period were co-starring Feldman, his longtime friend, with whom he seemed to share a bizarre love-hate relationship. Most of them looked god-awful just by their description, but I did manage to see a trailer to “Dream A Little Dream 2.” What’s that, you ask? Well, it just happens to be the sequel to the duo’s cinematic classic from 1989 that was the 137th during the late ‘80s to focus on the body switching concept. And yes, I’ll admit to having seen it. One of them (let’s face it, it doesn’t matter which one) switches bodies with Jason Robards (and is now an older person in a young person’s body). OK, it’s Feldman and he does an unusual amount of Michael Jackson imitating in it. I know he and Jackson were friends and all, but still ...

All right, back to my discussion of Haim. The point is, the guy hasn’t made a good movie since “The Lost Boys,” which was a legitimately entertaining movie. Still is, for that matter. Sure, some of that had to do with the strong overall cast (Dianne Wiest, Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Edward Herrman, and heck I’ll even give Jami Gertz and Feldman credit for being good in it). But in the film, Haim showed he had the potential for a decent career, displaying some good comic timing and just the right combination of heroism and fear.
He was also good as a geeky teenager in “Lucas,” which also featured Charlie Sheen and Winona Ryder.
Some might be saying, “Wait a minute, he was also good in ‘The Goonies.’ But you’d be wrong, as that was Feldman among the young actors starring in that entertaining ‘80s flick. Haim actually auditioned for the same role that Feldman ended up getting and would star with another “Goonie” cast member, Kerri Green, in “Lucas” the very next year. (How’s that for some useless information?)

After the miserably unfunny and stupid “License to Drive,” which I remember at the time tastelessly had a running gag with a seriously drunk driver in the film, roles in mainstream movies dried up and Haim essentially disappeared from Hollywood’s (and audience) radars. Then, lo and behold, he and Feldman pop up in 2007 on A&E’s reality TV show, “The Two Coreys,” which I will label as one of the worst guilty pleasures I’d have to admit to seeing. I watched most of the episodes, actually, as I saw their friendship as something like a train wreck. It’s something you shouldn’t want to look at, but you can’t help it.

The premise seemed to focus on Haim returning to L.A. to recharge his listless movie career, and reconnecting with Feldman (who was happily married at the time; his wife filed for divorce last fall and is seeing sole custody of their son). The show lasted two seasons (which is probably longer than most would have put money on) and the two even went to couple’s counseling in a few episodes (I’m talking the Coreys, not Feldman and his wife). But like all good things, the show came to an end when it was canceled in 2008, with the Coreys all but fading back into obscurity.

It seems unfortunate and definitely sad that the by far the biggest news that Corey Haim has made since his late ‘80s heyday is pretty much the last news he’ll ever make.

What's New In Blu? (Week of March 16)

2010-03-15T20:55:00.003-05:00

Here’s a rundown on some of the new Blu-ray releases coming out for the week of March 16.
“Did You Hear About the Morgans?” (PG-13)
Starring Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sam Elliott, Mary Steenburgen, Elizabeth Moss, Michael Kelly, Wilford Brimley
Directed by Marc Lawrence

“The Fourth Kind” (PG-13)
Starring Milla Jovovich, Will Patton, Elias Koteas
Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi

“Ninja Assassin” (R)
Starring Rain, Naomie Harris
Directed by James McTeigue

“The Princess and the Frog” (PG)
Starring the voices of Anka Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David, Michael-Leon Wooley, Jennifer Cody
Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker

“The Twilight Saga: New Moon” (PG-13)
Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Michael Sheen and Dakota Fanning
Directed by Chris Weitz

What's New in Blu? (Week of March 9)

2010-03-08T21:06:00.002-06:00

“Up in the Air” (R)
Starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Amy Morton, Melanie Lynskey, Danny McBride
Directed by Jason Reitman
George Clooney has built a solid career on playing confident men, who border on the edge of cocky at times. His latest lead role, as Ryan Bingham, a veritable one-man corporate downsizer, fits comfortably into that list of characters. But naturally, his character’s confidence, even his very way of life, is challenged in “Up in the Air,” a well-crafted comedy-drama from director Jason Reitman (who adapted the screenplay with Sheldon Turner, based on the book of the same name). The current economic times we live in provides an undercurrent of truth to the film’s journey of a man who fires people for a living. He’s aided along the way by a young, new employee (Anna Kendrick) and a potential budding love interest (Vera Farmiga) he crosses paths with on the road. The acting is uniformly great across the board (Clooney, Kendrick and Farmiga all deservedly earned Oscar nominations for their performances) and Reitman, in just his third film (“Thank You for Smoking” and “Juno” are his other two), is crafting quite an impressive start to a career.
Grade: A-

Other releases:
“Capitalism: A Love Story” (R)
Starring Michael Moore
Directed by Michael Moore

“Old Dogs” (PG)
Starring John Travolta, Robin Williams, Kelly Preston, Seth Green, Ella Bleu Travolta, Lori Laughlin and Matt Dillon
Directed by Walt Becker

“Planet 51” (PG)
Starring the voices of Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel, Justin Long, Gary Oldman, Seann William Scott and John Cleese
Directed by Jorge Blanco, Javier Abad and Marcos Martinez

“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” (R)
Starring Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz
Directed by Lee Daniels

What's New In Blu? (Week of March 2)

2010-03-02T20:02:00.002-06:00

“2012” (PG-13)
Starring John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, Oliver Platt, Danny Glover
Directed by Roland Emmerich

“Gentlemen Broncos” (PG-13)
Starring Michael Angarano, Jemaine Clement, Jennifer Coolidge, Mike White, Sam Rockwell
Directed by Jared Hess

“The Neverending Story” (PG)
Starring Barret Oliver, Noah Hathaway, Tami Stronach, Moses Gunn
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen

“Ponyo” (G)
Starring the voices of Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Cate Blanchett, Liam Neeson, Betty White, Lily Tomlin, Cloris Leachman
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

“Where the Wild Things Are” (PG)
Starring Max Records, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo
Directed by Spike Jonze

Spring 2010 Movie Preview, Part 1

2010-02-28T08:47:00.002-06:00

With spring just around the corner as the month begins, March usually holds some promise for movie studios to find a few hits in the mix. This month’s releases look to contain some fresh options, along with the overly familiar.

MARCH
“Alice in Wonderland”
Starring Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Crispin Glover, Matt Lucas and Mia Wasikowska
Directed by Tim Burton
Director Burton has long been a very visual director, so his taking on the Lewis Carroll classic seems a no-brainer. Reteaming with his frequent star Depp (playing the Mad Hatter), coming out in 3D, “Alice” has hit written all over it. This film picks up several years after Alice’s first visit through the looking glass, as she teams up with her friends to try to take down the Red Queen (Carter). (March 5)
Official Web site

“Brooklyn’s Finest”
Starring Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke and Wesley Snipes
Directed by Antoine Fuqua
This crime drama follows three policemen (Gere, Cheadle and Hawke) as they arrive at pivotal moments in their careers and lives. The cast and the director are certainly good here, but they’ve all certainly been down this road before. In fact, Hawke has played a cop before with Fuqua behind the camera, to great results (“Training Day”). (March 5)
Official Web site

“Green Zone”
Starring Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan, Khalid Abdalla and Jason Isaacs
Directed by Paul Greengrass
Following the huge success of the “Bourne Identity” series, Damon and Greengrass team up once again in an action-thriller about a U.S. Army warrant officer looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, prior to the U.S. surge into the country. The film, while not crowd-pleasing subject matter, could be helped by the success of another Iraq-based film, “The Hurt Locker.” (March 12)
Official Web site

“The Bounty Hunter”
Starring Jennifer Aniston, Gerard Butler, Jason Sudeikis, Dorian Missick
Directed by Andy Tennant
An ex-couple, one a bounty hunter (Butler), the other a bail-jumping reporter (Aniston) looking into a murder case, are forced to depend on each other when their lives are threatened. But can the constantly bickering duo find that being on the run together might rekindle their romance? If you don’t know the answer to that question, you obviously haven’t seen many romantic comedies. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, by the way. (March 19)
Official Web site

“Season of the Witch”
Starring Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman, Stephen Campbell Moore, Claire Foy and Christopher Lee
Directed by Dominic Sena
The seemingly always working Cage stars as a 14th century knight looking to bring in a suspected witch to a monastery. The monks there believe she is responsible for the Black Plague and wish to put an end to their country’s misery. A movie set during the Black Plague probably isn’t going to generate much laughter, and it remains to be seen if this part is just another paycheck for Cage. He’s certainly been guilty of selecting quantity over quality in recent years. (March 19)
Official Web site

“Hot Tub Time Machine”
Starring John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Crispin Glover, Lizzy Caplan and Chevy Chase
Directed by Steve Pink
This certainly is no high-concept movie, with the story of four guys unhappy with their lives finding themselves transported via a hot tub back to 1986 with the chance to rewrite history. But for those who grew up in the 1980s, there is some undeniable appeal here. Cusack himself starred in several comedies from the ‘80s, so it’s interesting to see him in another as an adult. Hopefully, this isn’t a case of the trailer revealing all the best jokes. (March 26)
Official Web site

“How to Train Your Dragon”
Starring the voices of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrara, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill
Directed by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders
DreamWorks Animation has had a good track record, and the makers of “Lilo and Stitch” are on board for a tale of an awkward teenage Viking who befriends a dragon that leads he and his village to reexamine their adversarial relationship with the winged creatures. Heavy publicity for this 3D movie will begin during the Winter Olympics, which should build anticipation. (March 26)
Official Web site

What's New In Blu? (Week of Feb. 9)

2010-02-07T11:18:00.002-06:00

“The Running Man” (R)
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Conchita Alonso, Richard Dawson, Yaphet Kotto, Jim Brown, Jesse Ventura
Directed by Paul Michael Glazer
OK, this 1987 Schwarzenegger flick is packed full of cheesy dialogue (some of it intentional), and certainly wouldn’t fall into the category of an action classic. But it has a likability to it, and some truly wild casting, including musicians Mick Fleetwood and Dweezil Zappa. As an unjustly imprisoned inmate, Arnie’s forced to compete in a highly-rated live “game show,” where the contestants are pursued by hunters out to kill. Loosely based on a short story by Richard Bachman (a pseudonym of Stephen King), some of the action seems fairly dated today, but the casting of an entertaining Richard Dawson (“Family Feud”) as the show’s host (and movie’s villain) was an inspired decision.
Grade: B

Other releases:
“Bronson” (R)
Starring Tom Hardy, Matt King, Amanda Burton, James Lance
Directed by Nicholas Winding Refn

“Couples Retreat” (PG-13)
Starring Vince Vaughn, Kristen Bell, Jason Bateman, Malin Akerman, Kristen Davis, Jon Favreau
Directed by Peter Billingsley

“I Hate Valentine’s Day” (PG-13)
Starring Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Judah Friedlander, Zoe Kazan
Directed by Nia Vardalos

“The Phantom” (PG)
Starring Billy Zane, Kristy Swanson, Treat Williams, Catherine Zeta Jones, James Remar
Directed by Simon Wincer

“A Serious Man” (R)
Starring Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed, Aaron Wolf
Directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

“Serious Moonlight” (R)
Starring Meg Ryan, Timothy Hutton, Kristen Bell, Justin Long
Directed by Cheryl Hines

“The Stepfather” (PG-13)
Starring Dylan Walsh, Sela Ward, Penn Badgley, Amber Heard and Jon Tenney
Directed by Nelson McCormick

“The Time Traveler’s Wife” (PG-13)
Starring Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Arliss Howard, Ron Livingston
Directed by Robert Schwentke

And The Nominees Are

2010-02-03T19:34:00.002-06:00

With television ratings always playing a consideration into its annual telecast, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made the decision that its field of contenders for Best Picture would expand from five to 10 for the 2010 Academy Awards. This marks the first time since 1943 that so many contenders will vie for the top prize at the award show, set for March 7 on ABC.

Academy President Sid Ganis said last summer when the decision was made that expanding the field would allow Academy voters to recognize great movies that get nominated in other categories, but get squeezed out of the most prestigious category. But don’t think for a second that TV ratings weren’t on the Academy’s mind, as well.

The Oscars have seen relatively meager ratings for a number of years – hitting a record-low in 2008 – that getting more popular films competing for Best Picture seemed an easy decision. After all, “The Dark Knight” was shut out of the race last year, but would have certainly garnered a nomination if 10 candidates were allowed. As a huge box-office hit, its inclusion likely would have led to more viewers.

It’s a situation that the Academy won’t have to worry about this year, as it would appear to be in a similar position as it was heading into the 1998 Oscar telecast. In that one, “Titanic,” directed by James Cameron, had already become the highest-grossing film in history, and received an armful of nominations (14). That translated to record-high ratings (57 million people), with viewers witnessing the film take 11 Oscars home.

This year, “Avatar,” also directed by Cameron, has already surpassed “Titanic” as the highest-grossing movie ever, and received nine Oscar nominations, tying it for the most with “The Hurt Locker.” Ratings should be huge, and could possibly surpass 1998’s numbers, with the expanded field of Best Picture nominees including the hit films, “Up” and “The Blind Side.”

The following is a roundup of some of the major categories and a peek at the prospects for some of the nominees when the awards are announced March 7.

Best Picture
• “A Serious Man”
• “An Education”
• “Avatar”
• “The Blind Side”
• “District 9”
• “The Hurt Locker”
• “Inglourious Basterds”
• “Precious”
• “Up”
• “Up in the Air”
With so many nominees, it would seem possible that a dark horse might be lurking, but “Avatar” and “The Hurt Locker” are generally considered the top possibilities.

Best Director
• Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker”
• James Cameron, “Avatar”
• Lee Daniels, “Precious”
• Jason Reitman, “Up in the Air”
• Quentin Tarantino, “Inglourious Basterds”
Cameron has won in this category before (“Titanic”), but Bigelow has had a lot of film critics and people within the movie industry rooting for her. She could make history here as the first female winner.

Best Actress
• Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side”
• Helen Mirren, “The Last Station”
• Carey Mulligan, “An Education”
• Gabourey Sidibe, “Precious”
• Meryl Streep, “Julie & Julia”
An Oscar would cap off the best year of Bullock’s career, but she’s got some stiff competition, most notably from Streep (with her truly impressive 16th Oscar nomination).

Best Actor
• Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart”
• George Clooney, “Up in the Air”
• Colin Firth, “A Single Man”
• Morgan Freeman, “Invictus”
• Jeremy Renner, “The Hurt Locker”
With a career that has spanned four decades, Bridges has been pulling in a lot of awards leading up to the Oscars for his performance as a down-on-his-luck country singer. But, like in the Best Actress category, the competition is strong.

Best Supporting Actress
• Penelope Cruz, “Nine”
• Vera Farmiga, “Up in the Air”
• Maggie Gyllenhaal, “Crazy Heart”
• Anna Kendrick, “Up in the Air”
• Mo’Nique, “Precious”
Portraying a bitter, abusive mother of a pregnant teen in “Precious,” Mo’Nique has been cleaning up at pretty much every award show. This might be the best shot for the drama to pick up an Oscar in a major category.

Best Supporting Actor
• Matt Damon, “Invictus”
• Woody Harrelson, “The Messenger”
• Christopher Plummer, “The Last Station”
• Stanley Tucci, “The Lovely Bones”
• Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”
Like Mo’Nique, Waltz has been getting a lot of awards for his supporting work in the World War II film, making him the odds-on favorite. Anybody else getting the award in this category might serve as the biggest upset of the night.

What's New In Blu? (Week of Feb. 2)

2010-02-01T21:24:00.001-06:00

“The Music Man” (G)
Starring Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett, Hermione Gingold, Paul Ford
Directed by Morton DaCosta
Although it’s certainly old-fashioned by today’s standards, the big screen adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical is a thoroughly entertaining affair. Robert Preston (by no means the studio’s top choice – the thought was to go with a more recognizable name) recreates his onstage leading role as Prof. Harold Hill, a smooth-talking con man who arrives with his associate in River City, Iowa, with the intent of swindling the townsfolk out of money. But his plan is complicated when he falls for the town’s librarian. This is clearly Preston’s most memorable film role and Shirley Jones matches him scene for scene here. Look for a small, yet memorable supporting performance from a young Ron Howard.
Grade: A-

“Walk the Line” (PG-13)
Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick
Directed by James Mangold
It would be hard to not emerge a bit of a fan of the music of Johnny Cash, after watching this bio-pic about the Man in Black. The movie doesn’t really focus on the later years of his life, instead choosing to center on the beginning of his music career and his dogged determination to win the heart of fellow musical performer June Carter. Director James Mangold does a very good job capturing the music in the film (no doubt assisted in no small part by musician T-Bone Burnett). But it’s the performances of stars Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon (who won an Oscar for Best Actress) that really distinguishes “Walk the Line” from the run-of-the-mill biography.
Grade: B+

Other releases:
“Amelia” (PG-13)
Starring Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Eccleston, Joe Anderson
Directed by Mira Nair

“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” (R)
Starring Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro
Directed by Terry Gilliam

“The House of the Devil” (R)
Starring Jocelin Donahue, Tom Noonan, Mary Woronov, Greta Gerwig, AJ Bowen and Dee Wallace
Directed by Ti West

“The Last King of Scotland” (R)
Starring Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington, Simon McBurney and Gillian Anderson
Directed by Kevin Macdonald

“Love Happens” (PG-13)
Starring Aaron Eckhart, Jennifer Aniston, Dan Fogler, Judy Greer, John Carroll Lynch and Martin Sheen
Directed by Brandon Camp

“Mystic River” (R)
Starring Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Laurence Fishburne, Marcia Gay Harden, Laura Linney
Directed by Clint Eastwood

“Ong Bak 2: The Beginning” (R)
Starring Tony Jaa, Sorapong Chatree, Sarunyu Wongkrachang
Directed by Tony Jaa, Panna Rittikrai

“Zombieland” (R)
Starring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin
Directed by Ruben Fleischer

Winter 2010 Movie Preview (Part II)

2010-01-31T09:44:00.002-06:00

Movie releases in February are typically a mixed lot, as big hits rarely emerge from the month. But the quality of this year’s offerings for the month (at least at first glance) appears promising.

FEBRUARY
“From Paris with Love”
Starring John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Kasia Smutniak, Richard Durden
Directed by Pierre Morel
After the critically-panned “Old Dogs” limped into theaters late last year, it’s good to see Travolta back doing something with at least some edge – and sporting a new look, to boot. He’s sans hair in this action pic from the director of “Taken,” playing an aggressive FBI agent on the hunt for terrorists in Paris. “Taken” was a surprise hit last year, and some of the same elements that made that film successful seem to be in place here. (Feb. 5)
Official Web site

“The Wolfman”
Starring Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving
Directed by Joe Johnston
The 1941 horror classic gets a remake, retaining a similar storyline of a man (Del Toro) reuniting with his estranged father (Hopkins) in England following the disappearance of his brother. A vicious creature is discovered to be behind the deaths of a number of villagers and a Scotland Yard detective (Weaving) arrives to investigate. Despite having its release date moved around several times, Universal has been aggressively marketing the film in recent weeks. (Feb. 12)
Official Web site

“Valentine’s Day”
Starring Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Patrick Dempsey, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Ashton Kutcher, Julia Roberts, Taylor Swift
Directed by Garry Marshall
An all-star cast assembles for a comedy looking at relationships and love for a group of people in Los Angeles. With such a gigantic cast fighting for screen time, it’ll be interesting to see how director Marshall (“Pretty Woman”) can juggle the multiple story arcs. This would seem to be this year’s “He Just Not That Into You,” which also featured a relatively young and attractive cast dealing with love. (Feb. 12)
Official Web site

“Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief”
Starring Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Jake Abel, Rosario Dawson, Steve Coogan, Uma Thurman
Directed by Chris Columbus
Based on the popular book by Rick Riordan, “Percy Jackson” involves a teenager (Lerman) finding out that the gods of Mount Olympus truly exist and are now a very real part of his life. They battle over Zeus’ missing lightning bolt, while Percy looks to find his missing mother. Columbus has generated big hits from youth-oriented material before (the first two “Harry Potter” movies, “Home Alone”), so this potential film franchise might be in trustworthy hands. (Feb. 12)
Official Web site

“Shutter Island”
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Patricia Clarkson and Max Van Sydow
Directed by Martin Scorsese
This thriller was bumped from its fall release date, presumably because of the lack of availability of DiCaprio to do publicity for it. It would be hard to imagine the studio feels they have a bomb on their hand. It can’t be with these stars and a director who is among the most consistently good in Hollywood. DiCaprio (in his fourth film with Scorsese) and Ruffalo are federal marshals who visit a mental institution to investigate the mysterious disappearance of one of the residents. (Feb. 19)
Official Web site

“Cop Out”
Starring Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Adam Brody, Kevin Pollak, Guillermo Diaz and Seann William Scott
Directed by Kevin Smith
For the first time in his career, Smith is directing a script that he didn’t write. This is the tried and true (some would say tired) buddy cop genre at work here, with Willis and Morgan (“30 Rock”) as the mismatched partners on the beat. Based on his background, it would stand to reason that Smith won’t be making the standard issue cop movie. Still, the trailer isn’t an instant confidence booster. (Feb. 26)
Official Web site

What's New in Blu? (Week of Jan. 26)

2010-01-24T11:37:00.003-06:00

Here’s a look at some of the Blu-ray releases coming for the week of Jan. 26.
“Atonement” (R)
Starring James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Romala Garai, Saoirse Ronan and Vanessa Redgrave
Directed by Joe Wright

“Fame” (R)
Starring Irene Cara, Eddie Barth, Lee Curreri, Laura Dean, Paul McCrane, Barry Miller, Gene Anthony Ray
Directed by Alan Parker

“Michael Jackson’s This Is It” (PG)
Directed by Kenny Ortega

“Paris, Texas” (R)
Starring Harry Dean Stanton, Natassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell, Aurore Clement, Hunter Carson
Directed by Wim Wenders

“Pride and Prejudice” (PG)
Starring Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfayden, Brenda Blethyn, Donald Sutherland, Jena Malone, Judi Dench
Directed by Joe Wright

“Saw VI” (R)
Starring Costas Mandylor, Shawnee Smith, Tobin Bell, Betsy Russell
Directed by Kevin Greutert

“Soul Power” (PG-13)
Directed by Jeffrey Levy-Hinte

“Surrogates” (PG-13)
Starring Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, Boris Kodjoe, James Francis Ginty, James Cromwell, Ving Rhames
Directed by Jonathan Mostow

“Whip It” (PG-13)
Starring Ellen Page, Marcia Gay Harden, Kristen Wiig, Drew Barrymore, Juliette Lewis, Jimmy Fallon, Daniel Stern
Directed by Drew Barrymore

What's New in Blu? (Week of Jan. 19)

2010-01-17T12:07:00.005-06:00

Here’s a look at some of the Blu-ray releases coming for the week of Jan. 19.

“Magnolia” (R)
Starring Julianne Moore, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, Tom Cruise, Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jason Robards, Melora Walters
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Assembling yet another great ensemble cast, many of whom are familiar from “Boogie Nights,” Paul Thomas Anderson has weaved a tapestry of stories about a very busy and very stressful day in the life of a group of Los Angeles residents. There’s some levity to be found in the movie here and there, but many of the stories take on a darker edge, with some great acting on display. There’s a reason why Anderson attracts so many standout actors to his material, as he writes some great dialogue. This marks Cruise’s best performance, having garnered an Oscar nomination as the slick and smug Frank T.J. Mackey.
Grade: A-

“Smokin’ Aces” (R)
Starring Ben Affleck, Andy Garcia, Alicia Keys, Ray Liotta, Jeremy Piven, Ryan Reynolds
Directed by Joe Carnahan
After having displayed some true talent with the gritty cop drama, “Narc,” wrter-director Joe Carnahan takes a little bit of a step backwards with the loud, violent and over-the-top action flick, “Smokin’ Aces.” Granted, the majority of the chaos in the film was likely scripted, as a group of assassins converge on a Lake Tahoe hotel, attempting to collect on a $1 million contract put out on a mob informant (Piven). Three’s some fun to be had here, as the action moves swiftly, but most of the characters in the film feel just like that – characters, not real people.
Grade: C+

Other releases:
“Che” (R)
Starring Benicio Del Toro, Benjamin Bratt, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Franka Potente
Directed by Stephen Soderbergh

“Gamer” (R)
Starring Gerard Butler, Amber Valetta, Michael C. Hall, Logan Lerman and Kyra Sedgwick
Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor

“The Invention of Lying” (PG-13)
Starring Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Louis C.K., Rob Lowe and Tina Fey
Directed by Ricky Gervais and Matt Robinson

“Pandorum” (R)
Starring Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Cam Gigandet, Antje Traue, Cung Le, Eddie Rouse
Directed by Christian Alvart

“Weeds: Season Five”
Starring Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins, Justin Kirk, Hunter Parrish, Alexander Gould and Kevin Nealon

“Whiteout” (R)
Starring Kate Beckinsale, Gabriel Macht, Columbus Short and Tom Skerritt
Directed by Dominic Sena

What's New in Blu? (Week of Jan. 12)

2010-01-13T20:18:00.006-06:00

As movie studios are seeing an increase in consumers of Blu-ray, the available titles on the format should continue to grow considerably in 2010. But as for reasonable prices on said available titles ... well, that’s a discussion for another time. At any rate, here’s a look at some of the releases that have rolled out the week of Jan. 12.

"Moon" (R)
Starring Sam Rockwell, Dominique McElligott, Rosie Shaw, Benedict Wong and Kevin Spacey
Directed by Duncan Jones
This sci-fi film has drawn comparisons to Stanley Kubrick’s classic “2001.” But while “Moon” doesn’t reach those heights, it is a quite effective psychological drama on the effects of isolation in outer space. Sam Bell (played by Sam Rockwell in a great, versatile performance) works for a large corporation, mining an energy source on the surface of the moon. Working with just a computer named Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey) to keep him company, Sam’s becoming a little stir crazy as his three-year contract is coming to an end. Then, after crashing his lunar rover, things get strange for Sam. To say more would spoil some of the interesting plot developments of this impressive debut from co-writer and director Duncan Jones (son of rock star David Bowie). This is one of those small budget films worth seeking out.
Grade: B+

“Cliffhanger” (R)
Starring Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow, Michael Rooker, Janine Turner, Rex Linn, Caroline Goodall
Directed by Renny Harlin
A pair of mountain climbers (Stallone and Rooker) are forced at gunpoint by thieves to use their skills to find suitcases filled with $100 million lost in the Colorado Rockies. Director Renny Harlin has experience with this kind of film (“Die Hard 2: Die Harder”), so the action sequences are well-executed and exciting to watch. And the actors, particularly Stallone, were put through their paces in filming the action. But the script is certainly intellectually lacking for stretches, with little suspense in the eventual outcome. Still, as far as Stallone action films, you could certainly do worse.
Grade: B

Other releases:
“8 1/2” (NR)
Starring Marcello Mastrioanni, Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimée
Directed by Federico Fellini

“The Burning Plain” (R)
Starring Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger, Jennifer Lawrence, Joaquim de Almeida, John Corbett
Directed by Guillermo Arriaga

“Fame” (PG)
Starring Thomas Dekker, Kay Panabaker, Kristy Flores, Paul Iacono, Debbie Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Grammer, Bebe Neuwirth, Megan Mullally
Directed by Kevin Tancharoen

“Halloween II” (R)
Starring Tyler Mane, Sheri Moon Zombie, Chase Vanek, Scout Taylor-Compton, Brad Dourif, Malcolm McDowell
Directed by Rob Zombie

“The Hurt Locker” (R)
Starring Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Ralph Fiennes, Guy Pearce, Brian Geraghty, David Morse, Christian Camargo, Evangeline Lilly
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

“I Can Do Bad All By Myself” (R)
Starring Taraji P. Henson, Adam Rodriguez, Brian White, Mary J. Blige, Gladys Knight, Pastor Marvin Winans and Tyler Perry
Directed by Tyler Perry

“In the Loop” (NR)
Starring Peter Capaldi, Tom Hollander, Gina McKee, James Gandolfini
Directed by Armando Iannucci

“Last Action Hero” (PG-13)
Starring Arnold Schwartzenegger, F. Murray Abraham, Charles Dance, Tom Noonan, Austin O'Brien, Art Carney
Directed by John McTiernan

“Post Grad” (PG-13)
Starring Alexis Bledel, Zach Gilford, Michael Keaton, Jane Lynch, Carol Burnett, Rodrigo Santoro
Directed by Vicky Jenson

Best Films of the Decade

2010-01-09T09:28:00.027-06:00

Well, as it’s now 2010, I’m sure you’ve been eagerly anticipating another in a long line of lists dedicated to the best of the decade. You might have run across one in print or on TV sometime over the past few weeks.

But I’ll spare you from ranking this following list of cinema standouts between 2000-09. Frankly, it’s kind of arbitrary when it comes to determining which one’s worthy of sixth place vs. seventh place. Plus, to be perfectly honest, I don’t know if I could accurately rank them. Heck, I couldn’t even filter my list down to 10 (this one’s 21, folks). Why 21, you ask? Well, evidently, I can't count. (Yeah, that's right. By the time I finished this behemoth, I realized I had 21, not 20. So consider this a bonus gift from me to you. You're welcome.)

Now, keep in mind, this isn’t any definitive compilation of all of the superior films over the past 10 years. I’m sure I haven’t seen every film that would deserve consideration for the list. So, if you see one of your favorites missing from the 20 on my chart, I simply might not have seen it or else it just didn’t quite make it into this illustrious field of cinematic greatness.

With that said, here’s the 20 (in alphabetical order) I believe merited this prestigious honor. Hold your applause until the end.

“Almost Famous”
Now, in fairness, the only version I’ve seen of this movie is the director’s cut DVD, which went by “Untitled,” the original name that writer-director Cameron Crowe wanted. It’s a longer version by about 36 minutes, and is pretty spectacular. Crowe always makes great use of music in his films, and centering it in the music scene of the 1970s was right in his comfort zone. After all, Crowe was writing about real bands for Rolling Stone during the period, much like the central character, teenager William Miller (Patrick Fugit). So, you know there’s some autobiographical stuff in here.

And what a cast on hand for the proceedings: Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, Zooey Deschanel and Philip Seymour Hoffman. I could go on, but you get the point.

Now if Crowe would only make movies a little more frequently ... (I mean, three in a decade?! Come on!)
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“Borat”
Clearly, America didn’t know what to expect when Sacha Baron Cohen’s creation took to the big screen in this surprisingly successful 2006 comedy. Having originated from his “Da Ali G Show” on HBO, it certainly pushes the envelope in good taste. But his intrepid reporter from Kazakhstan is generally so good natured in his putdowns or cultural misunderstandings, it’s a little easier to not take offense. Of course, try telling that to the Kazakhs.

The film is consistently funny throughout, with Cohen disappearing into his role so fully, you forget you’re watching an actor at work. The story, such as it is, is really secondary to the interactions that Borat has with an unsuspecting public. Their reactions to him are priceless. How he was able to remain in character without cracking up (which continued all the way through the promotion campaign of the film), I’ll never know.
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“Capturing the Friedmans”
With the original intent of being a short film about a children’s entertainer, director Andrew Jarecki fell into much more compelling and disturbing subject matter when his research into the family discovered convictions of child sexual abuse. A 1980s investigation and subsequent court case would center on Arnold Friedman and his son, Jesse, on child molestation charges.

What makes this story really stand out is the director’s access to the family, who are featured prominently in home videos that they themselves shot. Some of the videos were filmed during the preparation for trial and while it was in progress. It provides some exceptional insight into the emotional trauma this family was going through at the time, while maintaining a largely objective view on the guilt or innocence of the accused.
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“City of God”
With the Olympics coming to Brazil in 2016, it’s safe to say this movie won’t be promoted by the country’s board of tourism, as it tells a tale of crime and poverty in a particularly violent suburb over parts of three decades. Adapted from a novel by Paulo Lins, director Fernando Meirelles’ crime drama pulsates with energy and eye-catching visuals.

It features a cast mostly made up of local Brazilians, some from the very neighborhoods where the filming takes place. It could be seen, in part, as a Brazilian version of “Goodfellas.” But the locale itself differentiates it from that Oscar-winner, making it a rare glimpse into making tough life choices when the options and opportunities are scarce.
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“The Dark Knight”
Pulling off the rare feat of a sequel that surpasses the film it follows, “The Dark Knight” is able to step away from the origin story and character introductions to become what may well may be the best movie of all time based on a comic book. Featuring a top-notch cast, including a seamless recasting move (Maggie Gyllenhaal replaces Katie Holmes), the story is fast-paced, yet doesn’t skimp much on character development – a rarity for summer movies.

While Christian Bale as the Caped Crusader gets some moments to shine, the movie is at its best when Oscar-winner Heath Ledger is on screen. His portrayal of the Joker is one of the all-time great villain performances. This is a film franchise that is thrillingly alive after seemingly facing death a mere decade ago.
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“Deliver Us from Evil”
With so many reports in recent years about sexual abuse of children involving priests, it would seem only a matter of time before a filmmaker would document the taboo topic. Thankfully, director Amy Berg handles the weighty subject matter with a deft touch, largely focusing the spotlight on one Catholic priest, Oliver O’Grady, who committed sexual abuse against more than 20 children between the mid-1970s and early 1990s.

The Irish priest, who was deported back to his native Ireland after serving seven years in prison, is remarkably candid about some of his past transgressions, sometimes to chilling effect. The documentary also includes some staggering videotaped depositions involving others in the hierarchy of the church who were knowledgeable about abuse allegations, yet chose to essentially sweep it under the rug.

Through Berg’s interviews with a few of the victims and their families, you’re left with the feeling that some wounds will never truly heal. And as a result of what has happened, a sense of betrayal from the institution they should be able to trust the most permeates their lives. “Deliver Us From Evil” will (and should) leave you angry and disturbed.
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“House of Flying Daggers”
A true feast for the eyes, director Yimou Zhang’s film makes great use of costumes, cinematography and set design to craft a martial arts epic that also doubles as a very effective romance.

The story, which centers around a rebel faction operating in the declining days of the Tang Dynasty in 859 AD, involves a romantic triangle between a blind dancer and two police captains. Sometimes the story seems to be at the service of the visuals, but when the look of a film is as spectacular as this, you can hardly mind.
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“The Incredibles”
With the veritable glut of superheroes movies released over the past decade, the folks at Pixar also got into the act in 2004, creating “The Incredibles,” a fast-paced and highly entertaining animated adventure.

By this point, Pixar had already established itself as an animation powerhouse, and this film, written and directed by Brad Bird, might just be its most fun offering. Lots of humor and action is interjected throughout, serving up a winning mix for both children and adults alike.
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“Inglourious Basterds”
Quentin Tarantino’s revisionist and fictional World War II-era film is a bloody good time that is right up among the director’s best. As with pretty much all of his movies, Tarantino receives little studio interference, allowing him to cast and film his script as he sees fit. Of course, having a big movie star such as Brad Pitt heading up your cast can’t hurt the bottom line.

As Lt. Aldo Raine, a gruff, take-no-prisoners leader, Pitt has some quite funny moments heading up a highly motivated band of Jewish-American soldiers. Still, he and most of the cast take a back seat to the stellar work on display by Christoph Waltz, playing a supremely confident Nazi colonel with a bit of a mean streak. The film is thrillingly alive whenever he’s on screen, building to a memorable showdown among many of the characters at a Parisian movie theater.
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“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers”
The middle chapter of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy is able to move past some of the protracted exposition of the first film, with the quest to destroy the ring fully engaged. By now, most of the characters have been established, allowing the actors and director Peter Jackson to build on the solid foundation set before them.

Picking the best of what was a wonderfully realized trilogy might seem a bit arbitrary, and the more obvious choice would be to go with “Return of the King,” as it won the Best Picture Oscar. But “The Two Towers” was a slight standout over the other films, deepening the drama, and fully revealing the fantastic CGI creation of Gollum. The character, as fully realized in motion capture and voice of Andy Serkis, felt as real as any actor on the screen, giving the story an obsessed and tragic figure to showcase.
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“Maria Full of Grace”
This harrowing tale of a pregnant Colombian teenager becoming a drug mule out of pure desperation is a triumph not only for writer-director Joshua Marston, but for star Catalino Sandino Moreno, who was nominated for an Academy Award in her film debut.

Marston generally lets the power of the material speak for itself, rather than using flashy visuals or action sequences to pick up the pace. It’s a straightforward story that isn’t based on any particular true story per se, but its gritty realism certainly makes it feel like it is.
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“Memento”
A thriller with more twists than a pretzel, “Memento” isn’t one of those movies with an ending that pulls the rug out from under you. It openly does that from the first scene, keeping viewers mentally engaged as they try to decipher the investigation that Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) conducts.

The film, written by Jonathan and Christopher Nolan, puts you in Leonard’s head – a scary place to be, as he suffers from short-term memory loss. Like him, you’re unsure of what the truth is and what people’s true motivations are. Few movies engage the mind as fully as this one does, with a narrative structure that makes pretty much everything open for interpretation.
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“Munich”
Offering various moments of pensive examination into the worth of retribution as well as the violence associated with its pursuit, "Munich" is a brutal, yet conscientious movie. Director Steven Spielberg dramatizes the events involving the killing of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich and the violent response from Israel.

Spielberg doesn't aim for the film to choose sides in the conflict. But it does effectively question the worthiness of revenge. Is killing people responsible for terrorism, as Israel chooses to do in this film, a morally acceptable response? "Munich" works not only as a strong historical drama, but an effective and tightly wound thriller.
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“Oldboy”
Winning the Grand Jury prize at the Cannes film festival in 2004, “Oldboy” is the kind of film you can’t easily forget. In what had to be a grueling experience, Choi Min-sik delivers a powerful performance as a man hellbent on revenge after 15 years of captivity for reasons unknown. His character undergoes emotional and physical exhaustion in his unwavering obsession to discover who decided to ruin his life and why.

Director Park Chan-wook shows a real eye for striking visuals with a story mixing violence, sex and humor into a concoction that shows the true toll that vengeance can take on all parties involved. Undoubtedly, the film has got aspects that are sure to be polarizing to audiences (those with sensitive stomachs need not apply). But for those willing to press on through its tough to watch sequences might just discover a film that actually has an emotional payoff. True, its conclusion is a bit drawn out, but it most certainly packs a wallop. That’s more than can be said for many of the more predictable denouements to American movies nowadays.
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“Pan’s Labyrinth”
Fantasy and brutal realities of war come crashing together to amazing effect in “Pan’s Labyrinth,” easily one of the most visually creative movies to come along in years. However, the story doesn’t take a back seat to the special effects, as some big-budgeted Hollywood releases tend to do. The screenplay by Guillermo del Toro (who also directed) is endlessly inventive, but doesn’t pull punches. The central character is a young girl, who falls into mortal danger at times in the film, which takes place in 1944 war-torn Spain.

While the film’s great success hasn’t really done much to vault the cast into American consciousness, del Toro has benefitted greatly, having landed writing and directing duties for the highly anticipated “The Hobbit.”
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“Requiem for a Dream”
With only one film under his belt at the time, it was hard to predict that director Darren Aronofsky would produce such a devastating piece of cinema as he did with “Requiem for a Dream,” the adaptation of Hubert Selby Jr.’s book. Few, if any movies have done such a sensational job of depicting the vice-like grip that drug addiction can have on people.

While some movies depict drug use as hip and trendy, “Requiem” goes in quite the opposite direction, showing how the lives of seemingly decent people can be completely unraveled by their poor choices. Credit has to also go to stars Jared Leto, Ellen Burstyn, Jennifer Connelly and Marlon Wayans for their fearless performances in this memorable, yet difficult-to-watch drama.
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“The Royal Tenenbaums”
After hitting comedy gold in 1999 with the great “Rushmore,” writer-director Wes Anderson had to have found himself in casting heaven when he got such a stellar collection of actors on board for his follow-up, “The Royal Tenenbaums.” A truly dysfunctional family comes back together to live under the same roof when their self-absorbed father (Gene Hackman) comes back into their lives.

There’s laughs aplenty in the well-written screenplay by Anderson and Owen Wilson (who co-stars). But there’s also some poignancy about the importance of family and desire to right wrongs of the past. Hackman as the self-absorbed patriarch of the family delivers one of his best performances of his illustrious career.
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“There Will Be Blood”
Paul Thomas Anderson’s movie about an obsessed oil prospector is of a truly singular (and sensational) vision. It’s a bleak, yet undeniably fascinating character study of a man’s pursuit for fame and fortune – at any cost. With his portrayal of Daniel Plainview, Daniel Day-Lewis has crafted an indelible performance that can be paired with Charlize Theron’s work in “Monster” as the decade’s best.

“There Will Be Blood” certainly doesn’t toe the line with convention (witness the opening portion, which features no dialogue and only Jonny Greenwood’s haunting and mesmerizing musical score as accompaniment). That can make the film a bit polarizing for audiences. But the audacity and meticulous craftsmanship of Anderson makes him one to watch every time he steps behind the camera.
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“Up”
The latest offering from Pixar is another standout and its most poignant to date, focusing on 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner), who decides to fulfill a lifelong ambition to travel to South America. Being a longtime balloon salesman, he decides to go there in an unconventional fashion, by tying thousands of balloons to his house. In the process, Carl finds an 8-year-old stowaway named Russell, a plucky, young wilderness explorer who helps him rediscover his heart.

Few live-action movies center around senior citizens, so for an animated film to do so is a real rarity. But the combination of the older Carl with the younger Russell is a winning one, and while the film becomes a little more conventional in its second half, its execution is spot-on throughout. One would assume Pixar will eventually make a bad movie, but it sure wasn’t going to happen this time out.
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“WALL-E”
In its most ambitious film to date, Pixar centered a story around a hardworking, yet lonely robot, who finds love in the unlikeliest of places. “WALL-E” is a triumph of sight and sound, with the story going without dialogue for long stretches of time.

The filmmakers obviously had faith that audiences would respond to the storytelling risk, and the fact that you get invested in the fates of a pair of robots is a real testament to the work of director Andrew Stanton and the sound design team led by Oscar-winner Ben Burtt.
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“Zodiac”
Serial killer movies have seemed to have taken on a genre all their own, in large part due to the success of “The Silence of the Lambs.” But no film since then has been as sensational at depicting the pursuit of one until 2007’s “Zodiac.” Headlined by a great cast featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr., the crime drama is based on the true story of the Zodiac killer, who terrorized nouthern California in the 1960s.

The killings and subsequent investigation by police are meticulously recreated, with David Fincher directing a expertly crafted screenplay by James Vanderbilt. It would have been easily to sensationalize the material, but Fincher has a much better idea of revealing just how painstaking and exhaustive the investigation became as time wore on. To be sure, Fincher has covered serial killer territory before (“Se7en”), but hits a new high here by letting the already compelling true story unravel with minimal embellishment.
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