Movie rewind

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)

“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

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)

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)

“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

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

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)

“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

‘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

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)

“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)

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)

“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)

“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"

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)

“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)

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)

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)

“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)

“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