The Green Hornet

Britt Reid and Kato are a bit early for Mardi Gras.

(2011) Pulp Hero Adventure Comedy (Columbia) Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Christoph Waltz, Tom Wilkinson, Edward James Olmos, David Harbour, Jamie Harris, Chad Coleman, Edward Furlong, Analeigh Tipton, James Franco. Directed by Michel Gondry

The Green Hornet emerged from the radio serial and the pulp fiction heroes that introduced us to masked characters such as The Shadow. It was a different era, to be sure, with a Japanese (and then, beginning with World War II, Korean) manservant and a millionaire playboy, scion of a newspaper publishing empire. These days, that seems like something of an anachronism.

It translated well to a 26-episode run in the late 60s on television, with Van Williams in the title role and the legendary Bruce Lee as Kato. While the show didn’t last long, it remained in the public consciousness due to the involvement of Lee. Dying too young will do that to your legacy.

How will such characters translate to the 21^st century however? Britt Reid (Rogen) is the party-hearty son of James Reid (Wilkinson), the crusading publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel, a newspaper that was one of the last family-owned holdouts in an era of corporate news and the growing incursion of the Internet on the traditional profession of newsgathering. 

When the father turns up dead, it is left to the son to pick up the pieces. He becomes the de facto publisher of the Sentinel, despite having absolutely no knowledge of the newspaper business nor any desire to learn. He relies on his dad’s right hand man Mike Axford (Olmos) for the day-to-day operation of the business.

When a cup of coffee isn’t to his liking, he discovers that the great coffee that he had enjoyed every morning had come from his father’s car mechanic, Kato (Chou) whom he had fired in a drunken rage (along with all of his father’s other personal employees). You see, Britt’s relationship with his dad was dicey, as his father was constantly belittling him with aphorisms like “Trying doesn’t matter if you always fail” with the understanding that Britt always failed. At least he could probably afford the battery of therapists he would probably need after emotional abuse like that from his dad. 

He rehires Kato and discovers something of a kindred spirit. Kato has an affinity for gadgets and a brilliant engineering mind (he’s also a bit of a perv with drawings of women amongst his engineering diagrams). As dear old dad had grown more paranoid that he might be the target of violence, he’d had Kato outfit a 1966 Chrysler Crown Imperial with bulletproof glass and a few weapons of mass distraction. 

Britt and Kato get drunk as men often do when they’re bonding and go out to deface a statue of Britt’s dad that stands guardian over his gravesite, which men often do when they’re bonding. After detaching the statue’s head, they come across a mugging in process. Britt drunkenly tries to prevent a rape from occurring but bungles it, only to be saved by Kato who is also a talented martial artist. 

The experience turns out to be an epiphany for Britt. It was such a blast helping others; why not do it as masked heroes? And in order to throw a twist into things, why not masquerade as villains so that they can topple them more easily from the inside?

Britt uses his newspaper to publicize the new villain who is dubbed the Green Hornet. This doesn’t please Chudnovsky (Waltz), the kingpin of all L.A. gangs. He’s the sort who walks into a nightclub, only to be insulted by the owner (Franco) for not being hip enough, not being frightening enough and for dressing poorly. Chudnovsky responds by blowing up the nightclub and everyone in it. He is worried that people will not perceive him as frightening. If a ganglord doesn’t have his rep, what does he have?

Britt’s increasing incursions into Chudnovsky’s business earn Britt and Kato the attention of the crime boss. Even though the Hornet and Kato are being helped by Britt’s executive secretary (and budding criminologist) Lenore Case (Diaz) and Kato’s not inconsiderable arsenal of gas guns and door-mounted machine guns, Britt not only has Chudnovsky’s army of goons chasing him but also the police and district attorney Scanlon (Harbour) on his back as well. Will the Green Hornet succumb to insecticide before he’s had a chance to sting anybody?

I am torn on this one. Director Gondry is an incredible visionary with such films as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (awesome) and The Science of Sleep (not so much) in his filmography, but this is his first really straightforward mainstream film. He adds some of his unique visual flair, like showing how Kato’s mind slows down when in a stressful situation. The pacing is nice and the action sequences are competently done. For someone who has mostly worked on smaller budget films, Gondry does a terrific job here.

So does Chou as Kato. Chou is a pop star in Asia although not so well known here. His English is problematic, but he has the martial arts chops and the likable charisma needed to entice American audiences. He no doubt will be a star here if he chooses to be – and he can lose the accent a little.

Rogen can be a terrific comic actor but this won’t be a role that I’ll rank among his best. His Britt Reid is obnoxious, arrogant and a bit of a screw-up. He’s not terribly likable and we wind up rooting for Kato more than we do for Reid, who is in dire need of an ass-kicking. It’s hard to root for Britt when he treats everyone around him like crap and comes off as an ignorant, spoiled brat who didn’t get spanked enough as a child. That Britt is so badly developed is certainly the fault of the writers – wait, Rogen co-wrote the script. Tsk tsk.  

Diaz is a beautiful woman who can be a pretty good comic actress when she’s given the right role, but she really isn’t given any role here. She’s eye candy, sure but she isn’t onscreen enough to really make any sort of impression. For my money, I would have liked to see more of her and less of Rogen.

The gadgets here are worthy of the Q Division, particularly the Black Beauty (the tricked-out Chrysler) which takes a licking and keeps on ticking. We didn’t need Britt to give us a “whoooa!” whenever a new gadget was introduced, but still, that’s part of the fun.

And it’s fun that’s the operative word here. This is a highly flawed action adventure comic book kind of movie – but it’s entertaining enough to be worth your time and money. Don’t expect much, just sit back in your stadium seat, munch on your popcorn and let the movie wash over you with its car chases, explosions, gas guns and quips. It’s a wild ride and that’s not a bad summary for any movie.

REASONS TO GO: Chou is a great deal of fun and Waltz has great fun as yet another cartoon villain. Gondry really plays up the cartoonish aspect of the genre. The Black Beauty is mofo cool!

REASONS TO STAY: Brett Reid is such a clueless douchebag that there are times you just want Kato to kick his ass. A few of the gags stretch credulity a bit too thin.

FAMILY VALUES: There is some cartoon violence and there are an awful lot of heavy things dropped on the skulls of an awful lot of people. There’s some foul language as well.  

TRIVIAL PURSUIT: This is Seth Rogen’s first live-action movie that wasn’t rated “R.”  

HOME OR THEATER: Fun movies like this one should be seen in the theater.

FINAL RATING: 6/10

TOMORROW: The Crazies

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THE GREEN HORNET

(Columbia) Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Christoph Waltz, Tom Wilkinson, Edward James Olmos, David Harbour. Directed by Michel Gondry

Britt Reid, the son of a crusading publisher, has disappointed his father all his life. When his father is murdered, Britt’s aimless life takes focus. He wants to make a difference. As Britt Reid, ne’er do well and party animal, he is powerless. Aided by his father’s confidante Kato, Britt takes on the persona of the Green Hornet, a crime fighter armed with amazing weapons and cruising the town in the Black Beauty, a car that puts the Q Division to shame.

See the trailer, promos, interviews, featurettes, clips and a web-only animation here.

For more on the movie this is the website.

Release formats: Standard, 3D and IMAX 3D

Genre: Comic Book Action

Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of violent action, language, sensuality and drug content)

The Dilemma

(Universal) Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Winona Ryder, Jennifer Connelly. When a man sees his best friend’s wife cheating on him, he’s stuck with a terrible choice to make. Does he tell him and put him into a place of misery and pain? Or does he keep it to himself. The problem is the more he tries to make things better, the worse the situation gets.

See the trailer and a featurette here.

For more on the movie this is the website.

Release formats: Standard,

Genre: Comedy

Rating: PG-13 (for mature thematic elements involving sexual conduct)

 

The Heart Specialist

(Freestyle) Zoe Saldana, Wood Harris, Brian White, Marla Gibbs. A group of first year residents discover the joys and perils of medicine at a shabby hospital in South Florida, learning not just about being a doctor but being a caretaker as well. All this happens under the aegis of a kindly Chief Resident, who has a skeleton in his closet that threatens to undo all the good he’s done.

See the trailer here.

For more on the movie this is the website.

Release formats: Standard

Genre: Urban Drama/Thriller/Comedy

Rating: R (for some sexual content and language)

Made in Dagenham

(Sony Classics) Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Rosamund Pike, Miranda Richardson. At the Ford Plant in Dagenham, England in the mid-60s, a group of spirited women decide that no longer are they going to accept less pay for equal work as the men. A one day walk-out turned into something a lot more important as the women go up against their union, their company, their community and ultimately the British government in their effort to get justice for all women in the workplace. Based on a true story.

See the trailer, interviews and clips here.

For more on the movie this is the website.

Release formats: Standard

Genre: Drama Based on a True Story

Rating: R (for language and brief sexuality)

Rabbit Hole

(Lionsgate) Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest, Tammy Blanchard. In the new movie from acclaimed indie director John Cameron Mitchell, a couple is shattered when the worst thing that can happen to a family occurs. Neither one knows how to navigate their way back home from the labyrinth that is the rabbit hole. This won great acclaim at Toronto and was thought to be a leading Oscar contender this year, although the buzz has died down since then.

See the trailer, clips and interviews here.

For more on the movie this is the website.

Release formats: Standard

Genre: Drama

Rating: PG-13 (for mature thematic elements, some drug use and language)

2011 Preview

2010 will in all likelihood not be remembered fondly by studio executives in years to come. While there were several movies that did big business  it was a year full of disappointments.

But there’s always next year, and 2011 looks to be the most eagerly anticipated line-up of movies in recent memory. In addition to the final movie in the Harry Potter franchise, we can expect the first movie in the Twilight finale, a barrage of superhero movies including Green Lantern, X-Men: First Class, Thor, The Green Hornet and Captain America: The First Avenger, a spin-off from the Shrek universe and new installments in the Sherlock Holmes, Cars, Transformers, Mission: Impossible, Planet of the Apes, Spy Kids and Paranormal Activity series, just to name a few.

All signs point to a record year at the box office and while there isn’t anything with Avatar-like potential, there are enough movies that have the promise of $300 Million plus box office receipts that studio accountants should have their work cut out for them this year.

Of course, what that means to you and me is more time at the multiplex, more 3D upcharges, more popcorn and soda, and of course, more great movies to review. Many of them will show up on the blog as new releases and as always, those we can’t get to during their theatrical run will show up later when they make it to DVD/Blu-Ray.

It’s been a good year for Cinema365; site hits are at an all-time high and hopefully will continue to grow exponentially. Our Top 5 series has been very successful, and the Six Days of Darkness campaign did very well indeed; both will be back in 2011. We have added box office performance numbers to both our DVD reviews and preview articles; we hope to add additional content that will enhance your enjoyment of our reviews.

In the meantime, we have a preview to get to so just a few words of business before we get started; as always, release dates are extremely subject to change. Plenty of the movies that show up in the preview will wind up coming out on a date other than the one listed here and maybe some may not be released at all. Others may change their titles and come out as something else entirely. The farther out the movie is scheduled for, the more likelihood for change there is. The information we present here is as accurate as we can make it when it was written but I’m sure that within a few days of publication there will already be changes. For more accurate release dates, consult our weekly previews which contain the movies being released nationwide, as well as those that are coming out in limited release here in Orlando. By all means, consult your local theater listings to make sure the movie you’re interested in seeing is playing in your area before heading out to the multiplex. If you’re looking for further information about a movie that grabs your fancy, you can find it at either iMDB or ComingSoon.net; the links to both of those sites are available on the front page of Cinema365.

That’s about it. So buckle your seat belts, grab your popcorn and get ready for what promises to be a great ride. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present 2011 in all its cinematic glory. Enjoy!

JANUARY

 

January is usually the time of holiday holdovers, movies that debuted during the Holiday season and remain in theaters. Most of the movies released during this month are those the studio has little confidence in although occasionally there will be one that connects with the audience. This year, with the schedule full of potential blockbusters all year long, there are a few exceptions, like a masked avenger seeking justice, a man who finds out unpleasant information about his best friend’s wife and an exorcism movie starring Hannibal Lecter…well, the guy who plays him.

THE 400 LB. GORILLA

THE GREEN HORNET

RELEASE DATE: January 14, 2011

STUDIO: Columbia

STARRING: Seth Rogen, Cameron Diaz, Jay Chou, Christoph Walz, Tom Wilkinson, Edward James Olmos, David Harbour, Edward Furlong

STORY: The indolent son of a crusading newspaper publisher takes on the persona of a costumed crime fighter after his father is murdered. Aided by his father’s friend, confidante and employee Kato and many glorious gadgets, Britt Reid will become the Green Hornet.

PROSPECTS: The trailers look like the movie is taking a fairly serious view with a light edge without being an out-and-out comedy. I wouldn’t have thought Rogen to be a first choice for a costumed crime fighter but he seems to work well here.

OBSTACLES: Michel Gondry wouldn’t have been my choice as director nor Rogen my choice as the lead. If it veers too much into comedy, hard core fans of the character will turn their back on the film.

FACTOID: Rogen lost thirty pounds to prepare for the role.

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THE DILEMMA

RELEASE DATE: January 14, 2011

STUDIO: Universal

STARRING: Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly, Winona Ryder, Queen Latifah, Channing Tatum

STORY: A man discovers that his best friend and business partner’s wife is cheating on him. He wrestles with the idea of telling him about her infidelity, discovering that his friend is not without his own secrets. Now on the eve of the biggest presentation of their careers, he must decide how, when and even if he is going to reveal the truth.

PROSPECTS: The film received a lot of negative publicity for the use of the word “gay” as a pejorative in its trailer and, as they say, any publicity is good publicity. With Ron Howard in the director’s seat and Vaughn and James in front of the camera, this could be a big hit if it’s any good.

OBSTACLES: There is almost sure to be some backlash from the gay community and if the movie isn’t any good it will end up on a quick trip to the DVD cut-out bin.

FACTOID: This is director Ron Howard’s first comedy since How the Grinch Stole Christmas back in 2000.

THE RITE

RELEASE DATE: January 28, 2011

STUDIO: New Line

STARRING: Anthony Hopkins, Alice Braga, Colin O’Donoghue, Ciaran Hinds, Toby Jones, Rutger Hauer, Franco Nero

STORY: A skeptical seminary student is assigned to the Vatican’s School of Exorcism and assigned to an unorthodox priest, with whom together they discover a terrifying secret about the dark side of the faith.

PROSPECTS: Hopkins in a horror film is almost certain to bring in the fanboy segment into the theaters.

OBSTACLES: Exorcism movies have not been box office barnburners as of late.

FACTOID: The trailer made its debut at the Scream Awards 2010, introduced by Anthony Hopkins himself.

UNDERDOG

RABBIT HOLE

RELEASE DATE: January 14, 2011

STUDIO: Lionsgate

STARRING: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest, Tammy Blanchard, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon Tenney, Patricia Kalember, Sandra Oh, Miles Teller, Mike Doyle

STORY: A happy family is turned upside-down when a tragedy changes their dynamic forever. Caught in a maelstrom of grief, memory, suspicion and rage, they try to escape the storm before it tears them apart.

PROSPECTS: Highly acclaimed out of the Toronto Film Festival, the movie has gotten a huge amount of Oscar buzz and is getting a limited run in December before opening wide in January.

OBSTACLES: These types of dramas rarely get the big box office numbers, although from time to time one breaks out.

FACTOID: The movie is based on a Tony Award-winning play and will be the first movie that Kidman will act in as well as produce.

ALSO IN THEATERS

January 1, 2011

SINBAD THE FIFTH VOYAGE (Giant Flick), opening in limited release only, is a special effects-heavy production putting the Arabian hero on a desperate journey to save the sultan’s spirited daughter. Hey, isn’t that pretty much every Sinbad story?

January 7, 2011

SEASON OF THE WITCH (Relativity) stars Nicolas Cage as a hero of the Crusades tasked to escort a convicted witch to a faraway castle for execution. There’s just one hitch – she actually is a witch. This has been bouncing around the release schedule for more than a year, never a good sign.

January 14, 2011

ONG BAK 3 (Magnet) is the third and final installment in the Thai martial arts series. Tony Jaa returns in an epic confrontation with Demon Crow (played by fellow Thai martial artist Dan Chupong), a supernatural warrior of evil inclinations. Opening in limited release.  

January 21, 2011

In NO STRINGS ATTACHED (Paramount), a pair of friends with benefits find themselves falling for each other despite their agreement to keep things strictly physical. Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman star. THE COMPANY MEN (Weinstein) stars Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones and Chris Cooper as three men who are downsized from their corporate jobs and must find ways to redefine themselves. While the trailer has looked intriguing, the movie has been rescheduled several times and now has been exiled to the wasteland that is January which doesn’t bode well.

January 28, 2011

 FROM PRADA TO NADA (Pantelion) is Jane Austin’s ”Sense and Sensibility” given a Latina spin. Camilla Belle and Alexa Barger are two spoiled sisters forced to move in with their impoverished aunt in East L.A. after their father passes away, with a resultant fish out of water scenario that is both comic and dramatic. This will be opening in limited release. THE MECHANIC (CBS) is based on a 1972 Charles Bronson film and stars Jason Statham as an assassin who takes on the son of an old friend as an apprentice after his old friend is assassinated by his own company. The two are out for vengeance, but can never know who to trust – including each other.

HOW THEY DID LAST YEAR

A look back at how last year’s previewed movies did at the box office. The budgets and box office numbers are courtesy of Box Office Mojo. My verdicts are based on the typical studio formula that for a movie to break even it must make twice its production budget; any movie that achieves that will be labeled as profitable. I define hit movies as those that make three times the production budget and blockbusters as anything that makes $200 million in domestic box office or more, or made five times the production budget with a minimum of $100 million in domestic box office. These totals don’t include ancillary merchandising, home video sales or broadcast/cable sales, all of which are sure to push the bottom line beyond profitability. When production budgets aren’t available, I’ll be making a guess based on production values and star power. The first four movies listed are the four main previewed items; I’ve also chosen a selection of other major releases that made the preview issue as well.

THE LOVELY BONES (DreamWorks) Budget: $65 Million. Domestic Gross: $44.0M Total: $93.5M Verdict: Flop.

BOOK OF ELI (Warner Brothers) Budget: $80M. Domestic Gross: $94.8M Total: $157.1M Verdict: Broke Even.

EDGE OF DARKNESS (Warner Brothers) Budget: $80M. Domestic Gross: $43.3M Total: $81.0M Verdict: Flop.

EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES (CBS) Budget: $31M. Domestic Gross: $12.1M Total: $15.1M Verdict: Flop.

LEAP YEAR (Lionsgate) Budget: $19M. Domestic Gross: $25.9M Total: $32.6M Verdict: Lost Money.

THE SPY NEXT DOOR (Lionsgate) Budget: N/A. Domestic Gross: $24.3M Total: $43.5M Verdict: Profitable.

LEGION (Screen Gems) Budget: $26M. Domestic Gross: $40.2M Total: $67.9M Verdict: Profitable.

WHEN IN ROME (Touchstone) Budget: N/A. Domestic Gross: $32.7M Total: $43.0 Verdict: Hit.

FEBRUARY

Hollywood likes to keep the Valentine’s Day weekend stocked with date movies but this is really when the 2011 release schedule gets serious with some fairly anticipated movies, including a Justin Bieber concert film, a James Cameron-produced underwater adventure, another stab at a young adult sci-fi franchise and a supernatural action film among those vying for the box office championship.

THE 400 LB. GORILLA

SANCTUM

RELEASE DATE: February 4, 2011

STUDIO: Universal

STARRING: Richard Roxburgh, Rhys Wakefield, Ioan Gruffudd, Alice Parkinson, Dan Wyllie, Allison Cratchley, Christopher Baker, John Garvin

STORY: Based on actual events, this James Cameron-produced thriller follows the exploration of the Esa-ala Caves in the South Pacific by one of the most respected explorers in the world who has a contentious relationship with his son. When flash floods block their only exit, they must fight the rising waters and their own panic to find a way out to the sea.

PROSPECTS: Utilizing 3D technology developed for Avatar, the movie also has the magic name of James Cameron to draw in crowds. While the underwater spelunking brings vision of Descent to mind, the trailer looks phenomenal.

OBSTACLES: For one thing, Cameron is producing and not directing. Cave exploration movies have done only marginal business at best and there are no name stars in this one.

FACTOID: Andrew Wight, whose story this movie is partially based upon, is credited with being one of the co-writers of the script.

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DRIVE ANGRY 3D

RELEASE DATE: February 25, 2011

STUDIO: Summit Entertainment

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, William Fichtner, Amber Heard, Billy Burke, Simona Williams, Katy Mixon, David Morse, Pruitt Taylor Vince

STORY: A hardened criminal breaks out of Hell to save his infant granddaughter from the evil cult that murdered his daughter. Accordingly, Hell sends its own private bounty hunter to retrieve the wayward soul. Things are going to get a whole lot of hot before too long!

PROSPECTS: The trailer looks, for lack of a better term, kickass. Director Patrick Lussier is mostly known for reboots of horror classics (My Bloody Valentine) and sequels (Prophecy 3: The Ascent) but he did helm the very underrated White Noise 2.

OBSTACLES: Cage has had a string of missteps in his career with only the lucrative National Treasure series really having any success. Kickass movies may look fine in theory but at the box office they haven’t fared very well lately.

FACTOID: The lead character is named Milton for John Milton, author of “Paradise Lost.”

I AM NUMBER FOUR

RELEASE DATE: February 18, 2011

STUDIO: DreamWorks

STARRING: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer, Dianna Agron, Kevin Durand, Callan McAuliffe, Jake Abel, Emily Wickersham

STORY: Three teenagers have been killed by a mysterious, evil force. A fourth is on the run to a quiet Ohio town where he lives with his guardian. Raging hormones trigger the development of powerful abilities, but will these be enough to save him when the killer comes calling?

PROSPECTS: This is based on a popular young adult sci-fi novel. Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg are executive producing, D.J. Caruso (Suburbia) is directing and Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, creators of the “Smallville” TV series, are writing the screenplay.

OBSTACLES: This is the latest in a series of attempts to take a popular young adult novel or series of novels and turn it into a franchise a la Harry Potter and Twilight. Many have tried and all have failed.

FACTOID: Sharlto Copley was originally supposed to play the guardian but had to withdraw due to scheduling conflicts.

UNDERDOG

GNOMEO AND JULIET

RELEASE DATE: February 11, 2011

STUDIO: Touchstone

STARRING THE VOICES OF: James MacAvoy, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine, Jason Statham, Maggie Smith, Patrick Stewart, Ozzie Osbourne, Julie Walters

STORY: Shakespeare was never anything like this. Warring clans of garden gnomes – the porcelain sort – engage in lawnmower races until one of the blue gnomes falls in love with one of the red gnomes. A tale as old as time, a song as old as rhyme.

PROSPECTS: The co-director of Shrek 2 is responsible for this epic madness. It’s just so out there that it might just work. I mean, Patrick Stewart and Ozzie Osbourne in the same cast? Someone had to be on crack.  

OBSTACLES: Unless this is staggeringly good, this might go down as an epic fail. The trailer wasn’t terribly inspiring.

FACTOID: This is the first animated feature to be released by Disney’s Touchstone imprint. Previously, all other animated films had been released by Disney or Pixar.

ALSO IN THEATERS

 

February 4, 2011 

THE ROOMMATE (Screen Gems) stars Leighton Meester as a deranged college freshman who becomes obsessed with her roommate. Single White Female, anyone? WAITING FOR FOREVER (Freestyle) is about a guy content to live without a job, but who can’t live without his girlfriend, a young actress. Rachel Bilson, Blythe Danner and Richard Jenkins star in this limited release.

February 11, 2011

THE EAGLE (Rogue) concerns a young centurion of ancient Rome whose father disappeared with the Ninth Legion in Briton. Years later, the son returns to the British Isles to find out what happened, and takes his slave, a Briton, with him. JUST GO WITH IT (Columbia) stars Adam Sandler as a man who entreats his friend Jennifer Aniston to pose as his ex-wife so that he can woo another woman, in this case Nicole Kidman. Some guys are just lucky that way. JUSTIN BEIBER: NEVER SAY NEVER (Paramount) is a concert film and semi-biographical documentary about the current flavor of the weak in pop music. I’m sure your screaming, crying pre-teen daughter will force you to take her to see this, so if you missed the Hannah Montana or Jonas Brothers phenomena you aren’t off the hook just yet. IN HER SKIN (IFC) is based on a true story about the body of a missing 15-year-old girl found in Australia whose murderer was determined to be her best friend, who had then tried to change her identity. Although listed as a wide release, films for this distributor are generally released on a limited basis so keep that in mind.

February 18, 2011

BIG MOMMAS: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON (20^th Century Fox) is the third installment in the Martin Lawrence comedy series. Here, he goes undercover in an all-girl performing arts school to find a murderer but this time he’s not alone – his son will be masquerading as a student. UNKNOWN (Warner Brothers) is about a physician who awakens from a coma after a car accident to find that his wife doesn’t know him, another man has assumed his identity and mysterious assassins are after him. Talk about a bad day! However, when the physician is played by Liam Neeson, you know that some serious butt-kicking can’t be far behind.

February 25, 2011

HALL PASS (New Line) is the latest from the Farrelly Brothers (There’s Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber). Here, two best friends (Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis) are given a one week free pass from their wives to do anything they want – no recriminations, no questions asked. However, the single life they both so crave has changed quite a bit since they got married. SHELTER (Weinstein) stars Julianne Moore as an expert on multiple-personality disorders who has put several murderers away with her testimony. As she examines a new patient, she begins to realize that he may be much more than human in this supernatural horror thriller.

HOW THEY DID LAST YEAR

SHUTTER ISLAND (Paramount) Budget: $80 Million. Domestic Gross: $128.0M Total: $294.8M Verdict: Hit.

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF (20^th Century Fox) Budget: $95M. Domestic Gross: $88.8M Total: $226.4M Verdict: Profitable.

FROM PARIS WITH LOVE (Lionsgate) Budget: $52M. Domestic Gross: $24.1M Total: $52.8M Verdict: Flop.

COP OUT (PREVIEWED AS A COUPLE OF DICKS) (Warner Brothers) Budget: $30M. Domestic Gross: $44.9M Total: $55.5M Verdict: Flop.

VALENTINE’S DAY (New Line) Budget: $52M. Domestic Gross: $110.5M Total: $213.0M Verdict: Hit.

DEAR JOHN (Screen Gems) Budget: $25M. Domestic Gross: $80.0M Total: $115.0M Verdict: Blockbuster.

THE CRAZIES (Overture) Budget: $20M. Domestic Gross: $39.1M Total: $54.6M Verdict: Hit.

THE WOLFMAN (Universal) Budget: 150M. Domestic Gross: $62.0M Total: $139.8M Verdict: Flop.

MARCH

 

With the summer film schedule becoming more and more crowded, the studios often put movies that might otherwise get lost in the summer binge here; 2010 saw box office gold go to Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans and How to Train Your Dragon. This year there are several movies that hope to achieve that kind of success, including the latest from director Zach Snyder, an alien invasion movie, a couple of off-beat animated features from Paramount and Disney and a re-imagining of a classic fairy tale.

THE 400 LB GORILLA

SUCKER PUNCH

RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2011

STUDIO: Warner Brothers

STARRING: Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jamie Chung, Jena Malone, Carla Gugino, Jon Hamm, Scott Glenn, Oscar Isaac

STORY: A young woman is locked away in an asylum with a terrible fate awaiting her. In a fantasy world of her own imagining, she does battle with monsters, samurais, dirigibles and biplanes as she fights to save herself and her friends.

PROSPECTS: Director Zach Snyder (300, Watchmen, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole) is known for his imaginative vision and it is saying something when I assert that this might be his most fantastic film yet. The trailer looks off the hook and fans have been buzzing about this since footage was first screened at Comic Con last summer.

OBSTACLES: This looks to be a bit eclectic and mainstream audiences don’t always appreciate eclectic. Although Jon Hamm is thought to be an up and coming talent, there are no real names in the cast other than Hudgens who is associated with the High School Musical series more than anything.

FACTOID: This is Snyder’s first movie not based on a different medium (all of his other films are based on graphic novels, children’s books or previously released horror movies).

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RANGO

RELEASE DATE: March 4, 2011

STUDIO: Paramount

STARRING THE VOICES OF: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Bill Nighy, Stephen Root, Ray Winstone, Ned Beatty, Harry Dean Stanton, Alfred Molina

STORY: A chameleon with an identity crisis wanders the Southwest trying to stay out of the jaws of certain death, which isn’t easy.

PROSPECTS: This is Paramount’s first foray into the lucrative animated feature market and they have been marketing this movie big time. Director Gore Verbinski did the first three films in the Pirates of the Caribbean series and was able to nab some big names for his voice cast.

OBSTACLES: While the trailer looked good to a certain extent, it also looked a bit too much like a low-budget Robert Rodriguez film which might turn some would-be viewers off.

FACTOID: This is also the first animated feature for Industrial Light and Magic, the special effects company George Lucas created for the Star Wars films that became the most famous effects house in Hollywood.

BATTLE: LOS ANGELES

RELEASE DATE: March 11, 2011

STUDIO: Columbia

STARRING: Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Ne-Yo, Ramon Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan, Michael Pena, Joey King, Lucas Till

STORY: An alien invasion takes over the cities of the world one by one. Los Angeles is the last human city standing and its survival hinges on the actions of one Marine staff sergeant and his platoon.

PROSPECTS: The trailer looked mighty impressive and alien invasion movies are the Hollywood trend du jour.

OBSTACLES: The poor reception of Skyline might deter some from heading directly to the box office, which means this will likely require a good word of mouth in order to be successful.

FACTOID: The movie was mostly filmed in Louisiana because of tax incentives; streets resembling Los Angeles were built there for the crew to film in.

UNDERDOG

JANE EYRE

RELEASE DATE: March 11, 2011

STUDIO: Focus

STARRING: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell, Sally Hawkins, Holliday Grainger, Judi Dench, Tamzin Merchant, Imogen Poots, Sophie Ward

STORY: Yet another filmed version of the Charlotte Bronte classic, as a young governess flees the employ of the wealthy Edward Rochester, having to come to terms with the horrible secret he hides and that she has uncovered.

PROSPECTS: Director Cary Fukunaga last made the acclaimed Sin Nombre and has produced a very lush-looking version of the novel. This is opening in limited release only.

OBSTACLES: Does the world need yet another remake of the classic novel? And with all the choices out there, will a Victorian morality play make much of a dent in the box office?

FACTOID: This is the eleventh big screen version listed on iMDB of the classic dating back to the silent era, not to mention the countless versions that have appeared in TV movies, mini-series and ongoing series over the years.

ALSO IN THEATERS

March 4, 2011

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU (Universal) is based on a Philip K. Dick short story and stars Matt Damon as a Senatorial candidate who falls in love with a dancer and thus runs afoul of those who control individual destiny. This was originally scheduled to be released last fall. APOLLO 18 (Weinstein) is a “found footage” horror film that is taken from the allegedly canceled moon mission and shows that there’s a reason we haven’t been back. TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT (Relativity) is the story of a wild Labor Day party wherein a recent college grad pursues the girl of his dreams and runs smack dab into the responsibilities of being grown up.

March 11, 2011

MARS NEEDS MOMS (Disney) is a motion capture animation from the folks that gave you The Polar Express. Based on the Berkeley Breathed book of the same name, a young nine-year-old who’s tired of being bossed around by his mom finds out how much he really needs her when Martians kidnap her. RED RIDING HOOD (Warner Brothers) is a re-imagining of the classic fairy tale by Twilight director Catherine Hardwick. In it, Amanda Seyfried stars in the title role as a young heroine living in a village that has a werewolf prowling the woods around it, a werewolf that has suddenly, inexplicably begun to attack humans after years of accepting animal sacrifices once a month from the villagers.

March 18, 2011

BEASTLY (CBS) is a re-imagining of the Beauty and the Beast fable, set in modern times with high school kids. Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer star in this release that was previously scheduled for last fall but has found a spot in the March line-up.  LIMITLESS (Relativity) is a sci-fi thriller about a discovery that allows men to use 100% of their brains. When a writer becomes the first person to use the experimental drug, he becomes a target for sinister forces. Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro star. DESERT FLOWER (National Geographic) is the dramatization of the story of Waris Dirie, the author and supermodel who escaped a life of poverty in Somalia to become an outspoken opponent of the practice of Female Genitalia Mutilation. Although listed as a wide release, this might wind up getting a limited release instead. THE LINCOLN LAWYER (Lionsgate) is based on a Michael Connelly novel. It stars Matthew McConaughey as a criminal defense lawyer who operates out of the back seat of a Lincoln Continental. His latest case turns from the opportunity of a lifetime into a deadly game of survival. PAUL (Universal) reunites Shaun of the Dead’s Nick Frost and Simon Pegg as a couple of sci-fi geeks pick up an illegal alien, only this one is from a lot farther away from Mexico. This smart-aleck space traveler leads the two on a merry chase that turns the Hope-Crosby road movies on their ear. Seth Rogen voices the alien being.

March 25, 2011

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID 2: RODRICK RULES (20^th Century Fox) is the sequel to last year’s hit middle school comedy and is based on the second book of the juvenile illustrated novel series. MIRAL (Weinstein) opens in limited release and is about a defiant orphan in war-torn Jerusalem in 1948 who goes on to become a teacher in refugee camps who must decide between fighting the same battle that has defined that region for decades, or choose a path of using education to bring a lasting peace. THE LION OF JUDAH (Animated Family Films) is an animated feature with a biblical setting, as a group of stable animals attempt to rescue a lamb that is to be sacrificed at an upcoming festival. They see out the King, who was born in the same stable 30 years prior. Expect a number of Sunday school field trips for this one.

HOW THEY DID LAST YEAR

ALICE IN WONDERLAND (Disney) Budget: $200 Million. Domestic Gross: $334.1M Total: $1.0B Verdict: Blockbuster.

CLASH OF THE TITANS (Warner Brothers) Budget: $125M. Domestic Gross: $163.2M Total: $493.2M Verdict: Hit.

GREEN ZONE (Universal) Budget: $100M. Domestic Gross: $35.0M Total: $94.8M Verdict: Flop.

CHLOE (Sony Classics) Budget: $15M. Domestic Gross: $3.1M Total: $10.4M Verdict: Flop.

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (DreamWorks) Budget: $165M. Domestic Gross: $217.6M Total: $493.2 Verdict: Hit.

THE BOUNTY HUNTER (Columbia) Budget: $40M. Domestic Gross: $67.1M Total: $136.3 Verdict: Hit.

HOT TUB TIME MACHINE (MGM) Budget: $36M. Domestic Gross: $50.3M Total: $64.4M Verdict: Flop.

SHE’S OUT OF MY LEAGUE (PREVIEWED AS HARD 10) (Paramount) Budget: $20M. Domestic Gross: $31.6M Total: $48.4M Verdict: Profitable.

APRIL

As the weather begins to warm, the multiplexes also begin to heat up with movies that are out to pave the way for the big summer blockbusters. While last year turned out to be a disappointing box office month mostly dominated by films released in March, this year looks hopeful with the return of a horror franchise, a pair of animated features that look to keep kids happy, a new Disney nature film, a sci-fi flick from the acclaimed director of Moon and the latest in the Madea and Fast and Furious franchises.

THE 400 LB. GORILLA

SCREAM 4

RELEASE DATE: April 15, 2011

STUDIO: Dimension

STARRING: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox Arquette, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panattiere, Rory Culkin, Anthony Anderson, Adam Brody, Mary McDonnell, Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell, Nico Tortorella

STORY: The gang from the first three films, including writer Kevin Williamson and director Wes Craven, get together for a grand reunion of sorts, with new meat for the grinder as well as old favorites and a whole new set of rules for survival in a horror film.

PROSPECTS: With a nice mixture of horror and comedy, the first three Scream movies were among the most popular of the genre in the 90s. Many of the actors (whose characters survived) the first three movies are back, and there are rumors that if this is successful it will be the first of a new Scream trilogy.

OBSTACLES: It has been eleven years since Scream 3 and fifteen years since the first one. Younger generations might confuse this with the Scary Movie films which were a spoof of the Scream movies and not nearly as good.

FACTOID: Craven decided to make a cameo in the movie, asking his followers on Twitter to come up with an idea as to how to do it.

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RIO

RELEASE DATE: April 8, 2011

STUDIO: 20^th Century Fox

STARRING THE VOICES OF: Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Jamie Foxx, Leslie Mann, will.i.am, George Lopez, Rodrigo Santoro, Carlos Ponce

STORY: A rare blue macaw leaves Minnesota for Brazil to meet with the last female blue macaw. It turns out that the flight-challenged and somewhat timid American and the high-flying fiercely independent Brazilian aren’t exactly the perfect match, but they embark on an adventure that will force them to depend on one another.

PROSPECTS: A new animated feature from the Blue Sky team that gave us the Ice Age series (and yes, there’s another one of those planned for 2012). Think of this as being a (literally) polar opposite in tone.

OBSTACLES: The competition for the family entertainment dollar is getting fierce and I’m not 100% sold that the trailer has given families a reason to see this more than once…or twice.

FACTOID: There are no species of macaws that are completely blue. The closest is the Hyacinth Macaw which are blue all over except under the wing where they are black.

SOURCE CODE

RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2011

STUDIO: Summit

STARRING: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright, Russell Peters, Michael Arden, Susan Bain

STORY: A young soldier is forced to relive a train catastrophe over and over again in order to find out who’s responsible and prevent a much larger disaster from occurring.

PROSPECTS: A very intriguing time travel premise from director Duncan Jones (Moon) that has elements of 12 Monkeys and Timecop. The science fiction community is looking at this project with great interest.

OBSTACLES: Time travel movies are notoriously difficult to make work, and even more difficult to sell. While Jones has gotten critical plaudits for his work on Moon, he has yet to really make a serious box office splash.

FACTOID: Topher Grace was originally considered for the lead role before it went to Gyllenhaal.

UNDERDOG

MEEK’S CUTOFF

RELEASE DATE: April 8, 2011

STUDIO: Oscilloscope Laboratories

STARRING: Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood, Shirley Henderson, Paul Dano, Will Patton, Zoe Kazan, Rod Rondeaux, Neal Huff

STORY: A story of the ill-fated expedition from Fort Laramie to Oregon’s Willamette Valley in 1845 led by Stephen Meek.

PROSPECTS: The film has been getting some plaudits on the festival circuit, winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, one of the most prestigious festival awards there is.

OBSTACLES: It’s a Western and about a fairly grim set of circumstances to boot.

FACTOID: Director Kelly Reichardt last directed Wendy and Lucy; this is her first Western.

ALSO IN THEATERS

April 1, 2011

HOP (Universal) stars the voice of Russell Brand as the Easter Bunny who is injured by a slacker who then must not only take the injured icon in but perform his duties as well. MOTHER’S DAY (Gigapix) has a trio of not-too-bright criminal brothers who head home to mama’s only to find strangers living in her house, giving a birthday party. Things take a turn for the worse when mother comes home in this horror romp. INSIDIOUS (Film District) is the first release from a new genre studio concerning a young comatose boy whose body becomes a magnet for malevolent entities while his consciousness resides in a mysterious realm.

April 8, 2011

BORN TO BE WILD (Warner Brothers) is a nature documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman that tells the story of caring humans who take orphaned orangutans and elephants and prepares them for life in the wild, training them in much the same way their parents would have. HANNA (Focus) stars Saoirse Ronan as a young girl who has been trained as an assassin by her CIA operative father (Eric Bana) and whose training makes her a target for shadowy agency figures with an agenda of their own. YOUR HIGHNESS (Universal) stars Danny McBride as the ne’er-do-well younger brother of a heroic prince who embarks together on a quest to rescue the fiancé of the heir apparent from an evil wizard. You say Zooey Deschanel and Natalie Portman are both in this? I’m there! ARTHUR (Warner Brothers) stars Russell Brand in the perfectly-cast title role in this remake of the 1981 hit comedy. Arthur is a rich kid who excels at drinking and womanizing, but little else. When he falls in love with a poor girl, his world is thrown upside down. THE BEAVER (Summit) stars Mel Gibson as a man suffering from depression who learns to get past his affliction through a raggedy beaver puppet who does his talking for him. This is directed by Jodie Foster who also plays his wife.

April 15, 2011

SOUL SURFER (TriStar) is the true story of a teen surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack. Far from letting that stop her, she determines to do what it takes to become a surfing champion.

April 22, 2011

AFRICAN CATS (DisneyNature) is the third film from the new nature documentary arm of Disney, this time focusing on lions and tigers and bears…without the bears. And cheetahs instead of tigers. But definitely lions…for sure. WATER FOR ELEPHANTS (20^th Century Fox) is based on the bestselling novel and concerns a gentle veterinary student working in a circus from a bygone age who becomes attracted to the wife of a charismatic but cruel lion tamer. Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson and Christoph Waltz star. BORN TO BE A STAR (Columbia) is about a small-town Iowa boy who discovers that his parents were porn stars in the ‘70s. His world turned upside down, he decides to head out to Hollywood to find out if his genetic predisposition towards porn star superstardom will pan out. TYLER PERRY’S MADEA’S BIG HAPPY FAMILY (Lionsgate) is the eleventh Tyler Perry film for Lionsgate, and this one returns the straight-shooting matriarch. Paired opposite her this time is Isiah Mustafa, the guy in the Old Spice commercials. Wanna bet his shirt comes off during the course of the movie?

April 30, 2010

PROM (Disney) is an ensemble piece about the various dramas that intersect and come to a head at the senior prom. I don’t know if it’s just me but this sounds more like a Disney Channel kind of thing to me. FAST FIVE (Universal) returns Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Jordana Brewster to the fast car franchise, this time with the crew being chased by Dwayne Johnson, who intends to lay the smack down on the lot of them. WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER? (20^th Century Fox) stars Anna Faris as a woman who goes back through all her sexual partners to find out if the right one is among them. This is based on a book by Karyn Bosnak.

HOW THEY DID LAST YEAR

DATE NIGHT (20^th Century Fox) Budget: $55 Million. Domestic Gross: $98.7M Total: $152.3M Verdict: Hit.

WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS (PREVIEWED AS WALL STREET 2: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS) (20^th Century Fox) Budget: $70M. Domestic Gross: $52.4M Total: $130.6M Verdict: Lost money.

KICK-ASS (Lionsgate) Budget: $30M. Domestic Gross: $48.1M Total: $96.1M Verdict: Hit.

BABIES (Focus) Budget: N/A. Domestic Gross: $7.1M Total: $9.5 Verdict: Might have broken even but probably lost money.

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (20^th Century Fox) Budget: $15M. Domestic Gross: $64.0M Total: $75.7 Verdict: Blockbuster.

THE LOSERS (Warner Brothers) Budget: $25M. Domestic Gross: $23.6M Total: $29.3 Verdict: Flop.

MAC GRUBER (Universal) Budget: $10M. Domestic Gross: $8.5M Total: $9.3M Verdict: Flop.

REPO MEN (Universal) Budget: $32M. Domestic Gross: $13.8M Total: $18.4M Verdict: Flop.

SUMMER

This is the season that most film fans look forward to with anticipation and a little bit of drool. While last year was a disappointment in terms of overall box office appeal as well as the quality of the films that were released, there were some gems that managed to make their way into the multiplexes. This year looks to be the opposite; director Jon Favreau compared it to the invasion of Normandy with wave after wave of highly anticipated movies hitting theaters on a weekly basis. There is going to be some carnage as weaker films will die by the wayside, but it looks very likely that we’ll see record box office numbers this summer. We’ll be presenting a full preview of the summer movie season in April, but here’s a sneak peak at what’s coming now.

THE 400 LB. GORILLA

GREEN LANTERN

RELEASE DATE: June 17, 2011

STUDIO: Warner Brothers

STARRING: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Angela Bassett, Tim Robbins, Temuera Morrison, Jay O. Sanders, Jon Tenney

STORY: A cocky and irresponsible test pilot receives a device of incredible power from a dying alien and determines to use that power for good.

PROSPECTS: One of the most anticipated movies of 2011 is getting some pretty solid buzz at this point. It is quite likely to be one of the box office bonanzas this summer.

OBSTACLES: The Green Lantern’s power ring manifests whatever the wearer is thinking; the comic book used gigantic fists and hammers to do battle, something which may look hokey on the big screen, plus he would be considered one of DC’s second-tier heroes behind Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman.

FACTOID: Rather than wearing a latex suit, the Green Lantern corpsmen will wear motion capture suits onto which computer generated images will be imposed, making the suit (theoretically) look more realistic.

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TRANSFORMERS: THE DARK OF THE MOON

RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2011

STUDIO: Paramount/DreamWorks

STARRING: Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, Frances McDormand, Ken Jeong, Alan Tudyk, Patrick Dempsey, John Turturro

STORY: The Space Race between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. hid an enormous secret that the presence of new Transformers will threaten. In the meantime, Sam Witwicky takes his first tentative steps into self-reliance while remaining a reluctant human ally of Optimus Prime. 

PROSPECTS: The first two movies have made north of $1.5 billion. The creative team of director Michael Bay, producer Steven Spielberg and star Shia LaBeouf remain intact.

OBSTACLES: The second film was universally panned and another subpar film might alienate the core audience. In addition, Megan Fox is not on board for the third movie which might give some of her fans reason to stay away.

FACTOID: The concept of American astronauts being connected to the initial discovery of the Transformers as is depicted in the trailer was first put out in the prequel novel “Ghosts of Yesterday.”

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2

RELEASE DATE: July 15, 2011

STUDIO: Warner Brothers

STARRING: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Tom Felton, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, David Thewlis, Julie Walters

STORY: The final battle between good and evil is upon us as the Death Eaters and the Order of the Phoenix’s battle has escalated into all-out war. Nobody is safe and in order to preserve the wizarding world, Harry may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice.

PROSPECTS: This is the last of the lucrative series and by all indications it means to go out with a bang. Certainly all those who grew up with the boy wizard will be in line to say their final farewells.

OBSTACLES: The first part was almost an endurance test and was so grim that it may have put off some of the more casual fans from seeing the finale.

FACTOID: A fire set by explosive devices used during a battle scene on a Hogwart’s set did some minor damage to the set. No actors, crew or stunt persons were injured during the mishap.

COWBOYS AND ALIENS

RELEASE DATE: July 29, 2011

STUDIO: DreamWorks

STARRING: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach, Paul Dano, Noah Ringer, Keith Carradine, Clancy Brown, Abigail Spencer

STORY: A town in the Arizona Territory, an amoral cattle baron, Apache warriors and a mysterious stranger with an unusual shackle on his wrist and no memory of how he got there must unite to battle an implacable foe from the stars.

PROSPECTS: Director Jon Favreau is a fan favorite at the moment. The reaction to the initial trailer for the movie has been extremely positive.

OBSTACLES: First of all, it’s a western science fiction mash-up – and neither westerns nor mash-ups have done particularly well at the box office. The title of the movie made some audience members titter when the trailer screened.

FACTOID: The movie is based on the Platinum Studios comic by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg.

THOR

RELEASE DATE: May 6, 2011

STUDIO: Paramount

STARRING: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, Rene Russo, Stellan Skarsgaard, Kate Demmings, Ray Stevenson, Idris Elba, Colm Feore

STORY: The arrogant Norse god Thor, the God of Thunder, is cast out from Asgard for reigniting an ancient war. For his crimes, his father Odin banishes him to Earth, stripped of his powers. However, when the war spills over to Earth, Thor must take up his mantle as a warrior-God once again in order to save both heaven and earth.

PROSPECTS: The first new Marvel hero to get his own movie since Iron Man (not counting Wolverine who had previously appeared in the X-Men movies) and quite frankly, the trailer looks good.

OBSTACLES: While Thor is one of Marvel’s longtime heroes, he has never been one of their major players. While Hemsworth was awesome in Star Trek, he hasn’t shown the ability to carry a major tentpole franchise as of yet.

FACTOID: The movie was teased in an Easter egg post-credit scene at the end of Iron Man 2.

UNDERDOG

SUPER 8

RELEASE DATE: June 10, 2011

STUDIO: Paramount

STARRING: Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Ron Eldard, Noah Emmerich, Joel Courtney, Riley Griffiths, Ryan Lee, Zach Mills, Gabriel Basso

STORY: Not much is known about this project but it supposedly involves “found footage,” a train wreck and an alien.

PROSPECTS: The last time J.J. Abrams did a found footage movie, the plot of which was kept tightly under wraps, the results were Cloverfield which made a ton of money.

OBSTACLES: This has far more competition than Cloverfield did and there are quite a few found footage movies on the horizon.

FACTOID: The teaser trailer for the movie debuted with Iron Man 2 last year, even though it had been greenlit literally a few weeks earlier.

ALSO IN THEATERS

 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES (Disney) returns Captain Jack Sparrow, this time on a quest to find the Fountain of Youth before Blackbeard does, while a woman from his past (Penelope Cruz) complicates matters. Johnny Depp returns as the good captain (May 20). In BRIDESMAID (Universal), two women battle to plan their friend’s wedding party. Kristen Wiig stars (May 13).  PRIEST (Screen Gems) is a comic book adaptation about a warrior priest who goes against the church to track down a gang of vampires that has kidnapped his sister in an alternate world where men and vampires have been at war for centuries (May 13). THE HANGOVER PART II (Warner Brothers) reunites the gang from the first movie, this time on an expedition to Bangkok. Don’t laugh (May 26). KUNG FU PANDA 2 (DreamWorks) is the sequel to the smash animated hit with Jack Black reprising his role as the title character. This time, a new villain surfaces with a weapon that threatens the serenity of China and its noodles. Oh, the horror (May 27)! SOMETHING BORROWED (Warner Brothers) is a comedy about best friends, one of whom sleeps with her best friend’s fiancé after having had too much to drink, leading to a comic romp of misunderstanding, secrets between friends and of course sex (May 6). BEGINNERS (Focus) stars Ewan McGregor as a man who discovers his terminally ill father is actually gay and has a much younger lover (June 3). X-MEN: FIRST CLASS (20^th Century Fox) is a prequel to the Marvel mutant superhero series, this time directed by Matthew (Kick-Ass) Vaughn. It depicts the initial friendship and eventual falling out between Magneto and Professor X  (June 3).  BAD TEACHER (Columbia) centers on a foul-mouthed, irreverent and bitter middle school teacher from director Jake (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story) Kasdan (June 17). CAESAR: RISE OF THE APES (20^th Century Fox) is a prequel to the Tim Burton reboot of the classic sci-fi series and if that doesn’t confuse you, I don’t know what will (June 24). CARS 2 (Disney/Pixar) brings back Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater, this time getting caught up in an international spy ring with a suave British agent some may recognize watching their backs…err, fenders (June 24). LARRY CROWNE (Universal) features Tom Hanks as a middle aged man who returns to college after being downsized, and discovers a whole new outlook on life as well as a new love, in the form of Julia Roberts (July 1). MONTE CARLO (20^th Century Fox) stars a trio of Disney Channel-esque girls who go on a vacation to Paris where one is mistaken for an heiress and winds up getting the three of them a dream vacation to Monte Carlo. They just don’t make ‘em like Princess Grace anymore (July 1). ONE FOR THE MONEY (Lionsgate) stars Katherine Heigl as a divorced, broke, unemployed and desperate woman who joins her slimy cousin’s bail bondsman company and gets involved in a big case of murder, deceit and romance (July 8). ZOOKEEPER (Columbia) is about a group of caged animals who give Kevin James romantic advice. That’s about who Kevin James would normally get that kind of advice from anyway (July 8). THE SITTER (20^th Century Fox) headlines Jonah Hill as a slacker who is coerced into watching the kids next door, turning his otherwise boring night into one to remember. Adventures in Babysitting anyone? I thought so (July 15). WINNIE THE POOH (Disney) brings back the silly ol’ bear and his beloved friends in the 100 Acre Wood back for some all-new adventures (July 15). CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER (Paramount) stars Chris Evans as the star-spangled superhero who erupts from World War II into modern times; this movie sets up the much anticipated Avengers movie for next summer (July 22). FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS (Screen Gems) boasts Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake as a couple who decide to keep things strictly physical which as we all know in Hollywood never works (July 22). In CRAZY STUPID LOVE (Warner Brothers), Steve Carell’s wife cheats on him and then asks for a divorce, turning his comfortable suburban live into chaos. Simply unprepared for the modern dating scene, he is taken under the wing of a playa friend (Ryan Gosling) who shows him the joys – and pitfalls – of modern love (July 29). THE SMURFS (Columbia) is a live-action and animated mix that brings back the beloved animated characters of the 80s and plops them down in 21^st century Manhattan (August 3).  In THE CHANGE-UP (Universal) an irresponsible man-child (Ryan Reynolds) changes bodies with a family man (Jason Bateman) and much hilarity ensues (August 5). THE DARKEST HOUR (Summit) is when five young people find themselves stranded in Moscow after an alien attack. Those who think this is a documentary about the Republican win in the mid-term elections, that’s the second-darkest hour (August 5). 30 MINUTES OR LESS (Columbia) is about a pizza delivery guy and a junior high history teacher who are forced to rob a bank when one of them is strapped to a bomb vest. Incidentally, this is a comedy (August 12). In THE HELP (Disney) Emma Stone turns a small Mississippi town in the 1960s upside down when she decides to interview the servants of prominent white families for a book she’s writing . Incidentally, this is a drama (August 12). MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS (20^th Century Fox) is based on the Newberry Award-winning children’s book in which the title character becomes obsessed with penguins, until he finally gets his own troupe which cause mayhem and chaos, much like star Jim Carrey does (August 12). CONAN THE BARBARIAN (Lionsgate) resurrects the fantasy franchise, with Jason Momoa taking the title role. This version is said to be more faithful to the Robert E. Howard books than was the Schwarzenegger version (August 19). FRIGHT NIGHT (DreamWorks) is a remake of the 1985 horror flick in which a young boy suspects that the new neighbor across the street is a vampire and, along with a very timid horror movie show host, goes out to save his town – and his mom – from the embrace of the non-sparkling bloodsucker (August 19). SPY KIDS 4: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD (Dimension) is a new installment in the Robert Rodriguez kid spy series, this one with a mostly new cast including Jessica Alba and Jeremy Piven, although Antonio Banderas makes an appearance (August 19). FINAL DESTINATION 5 (New Line) marks the fifth installment in the series of Rube Goldberg-designed deaths. It is what it is, folks (August 26). THE WHISTLEBLOWER (Goldwyn) stars Rachel Weisz in the true story of a Nebraska cop who goes to Bosnia as part of a UN peacekeeping team and ultimately exposes a sex-trafficking ring that has been covered up by the United Nations itself (August TBA).

FALL

This part of the schedule is the most fluid at the moment as Hollywood studio heads jockey for position, putting out movies that are legitimate contenders for Oscars as well as a few more blockbusters for the holidays. 2010 had its share of winners and losers and the jury is still out for the most part. As with the summer, we will be presenting a full Fall/Holiday film preview in August that will be somewhat more detailed and much more accurate in terms of scheduling, but this is what Hollywood has penciled in for now.

THE 400 LB. GORILLA

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN

RELEASE DATE: December 23, 2011

STUDIO: Paramount

STARRING: Daniel Craig, Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Gad Elmaleh, Toby Jones, Mackenzie Crook, Cary Elwes, Tony Curran

STORY: The beloved comic book character by the French author Herge gets a motion capture animated treatment. Tintin, an intrepid reporter, goes on the trail of a mythical beach and comes up against the nefarious Red Rackham as a cornucopia of unusual characters assist or oppose our young hero.

PROSPECTS: Steven Spielberg is directing this, and although he hasn’t had a megahit for awhile, his name will at least guarantee a certain amount of curiosity. Early looks at the movie have been astonishing.

OBSTACLES: The Tintin stories are far more popular overseas than they are in North America, and younger audiences may not be familiar with the character. Plus motion capture in general hasn’t fared well at the box office.

FACTOID: Steven Moffat, who penned the first draft of the script, later went on to become the Executive Producer of the BBC “Doctor Who” series.

BMOC 

SHERLOCK HOLMES 2

RELEASE DATE: December 16, 2011

STUDIO: Warner Brothers

STARRING: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Jared Harris, Eddie Marsan, Stephen Fry, Gilles Lellouche, Kelly Reilly, Geraldine James

STORY: The world’s most brilliant detective takes on his arch-nemesis, criminal genius Professor Moriarty. Holmes is aided by his trusted right hand man Dr. Watson and his genius of a brother Mycroft.  

PROSPECTS: The first movie made over half a billion dollars worldwide and re-imagined the great detective as an action hero. The funky and somewhat irreverent attitude of the first movie helped earn it box office gold, and with Downey still bringing in big audiences, there’s no reason to believe the second one won’t either.

OBSTACLES: Holmes purists bemoaned the first movie’s liberties, and may not be back to support the second.

FACTOID: Downey and Harris both worked together on Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers.

TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN PART 1

RELEASE DATE: November 18, 2011

STUDIO: Summit

STARRING: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Ashley Greene, Michael Sheen, Dakota Fanning, Jackson Rathbone

STORY: The fourth and final book in the Stephenie Meyer series is split into two parts (the second arriving in 2012) as Bella’s romantic triangle moves to a resolution and the world of the vampires, werewolves and Forks, Washington become forever changed.

PROSPECTS: The fanbase for this series is rabid and loyal; they have made the first three movies of the series blockbusters. With the series coming to a close, I don’t imagine they will be any less rabid or loyal.

OBSTACLES: The movies have had considerable backlash from non-fans and critics and generally make nearly all their box office in the first couple of weekends; with fiercer competition, the box office might suffer.

FACTOID: Sofia Coppola was reportedly very interested in directing, but balked at doing two movies consecutively.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

RELEASE DATE: December 21, 2011

STUDIO: Columbia

STARRING: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Stellan Skarsgaard, Robin Wright, Max von Sydow, Christopher Plummer, Joely Richardson, Steven Berkoff

STORY: The long-unsolved disappearance of an heiress is investigated by a disgraced journalist and a young computer hacker. Along the way they stir up a hornet’s nest of intrigue, corruption and cover-up. This is the remake of the first book in the Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy, which was made into a very successful film in its native Sweden as well.

PROSPECTS: The Swedish films of all three books in the trilogy did spectacular business in Europe and decent numbers here in limited release. Director David Fincher has a long resume full of offbeat, disturbing thrillers as this one is.  

OBSTACLES: Those who loved the first movies may be a little put off at the “Hollywood-izing” of the trilogy. There are already grumblings that original star Noomi Rapace is irreplaceable in the movie. 

FACTOID: Daniel Craig originally declined the role due to scheduling conflicts with the next Bond film. When MGM’s financial difficulties caused filming on it to be delayed, he was able to accept the role. 

UNDERDOG 

IMMORTALS

RELEASE DATE: October 11, 2011

STUDIO: Universal

STARRING: Mickey Rourke, Henry Cavill, Stephen Dorff, Freida Pinto, John Hurt, Luke Evans, Kellan Lutz, Isabel Lucas, Stephen McHattie

STORY: The power-mad King Hyperion seeks an ancient weapon that will unleash the Titans that could threaten both the Gods and mankind. The peasant Theseus is all that stands between the world and total annihilation.

PROSPECTS: Clash of the Titans did astounding box office and may well signal a renewed interest in Greek mythology at the box office. Director Tarsem Singh is a highly visual director well-suited to this kind of thing.

OBSTACLES: Singh has yet to make a hit movie. The fact that Immortals is being released in 3D will raise questions about the process and bring up memories of the notoriously bad 3D that Clash of the Titans employed.

FACTOID: This is the first movie based on a DC Comic book character to be made at a studio other than Warner Brothers.

ALSO IN THEATERS

 

COLUMBIANA (Columbia) is the latest action flick from French producer Luc Besson, this one set in Columbia as the daughter of murdered parents who is raised as an assassin to work for her uncle, while investigating her parents’ murder in her off time (September 2). THE APPARITION (Warner Brothers) is about a couple who discover that they are the targets of supernatural forced feeding on their fears stemming from a parapsychological experiment in college (September 9). JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN (Universal) returns Rowan Atkinson as the suave but bumbling spy (September 16). WARRIOR (Lionsgate) is a mixed martial arts saga about two brothers on a collision to fight in the finals of a brutal tournament (September 9). PIRANHA 3DD (Dimension) is the sequel to the surprise hit remake from last fall (September 16). DRIVE (Film District) stars Ryan Gosling as a Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver for the criminal underworld (September 16). STRAW DOGS (Screen Gems) is Rod Lurie’s remake of the Sam Peckinpah domestic violence film from 1971 (September 16). ABDUCTION (Lionsgate) is about a teenager who discovers that the parents who raised him aren’t his biological parents – and his real parents didn’t give him up willingly (September 23). MONEYBALL (Columbia) is the story of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane who assembled a competitive club on a shoestring budget using a computer program to draft players. Brad Pitt stars in a movie that could well be 2011’s The Social Network (September 23). ANONYMOUS (Columbia) opines that the plays of William Shakespeare were actually written by somebody else. This is directed by Roland Emmerich who usually does big budget action/disaster thingies so this is something new (September 30). COURAGEOUS (TriStar) is about four police officers who must deal with a tragedy at home which, judging from the studio synopsis, has to do with their children (September 30). DREAM HOUSE (Universal) stars Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz as a couple who move into a suburban house that may or may not be haunted (September 30). NOW (20^th Century Fox) is a sci-fi thriller starring Justin Timberlake in a world where the aging process stops at 25, but in order to survive you must literally buy time (September 30). DOLPHIN TALE (Warner Brothers) is the remarkable true story about a dolphin named Winter and the people who banded together to save her (September 16). REAL STEEL (DreamWorks) stars Hugh Jackman as the manager of a fighter – in a future world where robots do battle (October 7). WANDERLUST (Universal) is about a spoiled upper middle-class couple who lose everything and take refuge in a commune (October 7). FOOTLOOSE (Paramount) is a remake of the 1984 film that made Kevin Bacon a star, with all-new tunes complimenting some of the songs from the original movie (October 14). THE THING (Universal) is a prequel to the 1982 John Carpenter version of the movie, showing us what happened to the Swedish research base that is only alluded to in the original movie (October 14). THE THREE MUSKETEERS 3D (Summit) is a new version of the tale filmed entirely in 3D by director Paul W.S. Anderson; his musketeers are Ray Stevenson, Matthew Madfadyen, Luke Evans and Logan Lerman, although the supporting cast of Christolph Waltz, Milla Jovovich, Orlando Bloom, Mads Mikkelsen and Til Schweiger are far more impressive (October 14). CONTAGION (Warner Brothers) is like Outbreak on steroids – a deadly airborne pathogen that kills within days throws the world into a panic as authorities race to find a cure while struggling to maintain order as society breaks down (October 21). PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 (Paramount) is the third installment of the very profitable Halloween series of found footage of suburban hauntings (October 21). DIBBUK BOX (Lionsgate) concerns a wooden box bought on eBay from a holocaust survivor that has hidden within it a terrible curse (October 28). PUSS IN BOOTS (DreamWorks) is a spin-off from the Shrek series and stars the voice of Antonio Banderas as the cavalier kitty (November 4). TOWER HEIST (Universal) stars Ben Stiller as the overworked manager of an exclusive high-rise residence who plots with members of his staff to steal back money they were defrauded from by a Bernie Madoff-type financier who swindled it from them (November 4). JACK AND JILL (Columbia) stars Adam Sandler in a comedy about…well, we’re not quite sure yet (November 11). HAPPY FEET 2 (Warner Brothers) is the sequel to the 2006 animated feature about dancing, singing penguins (November 18). ARTHUR CHRISTMAS (Columbia) is the newest animated feature from Aardman Studios, the British group that made their name with the Wallace and Gromit series. This one concerns the son of Santa Claus; a teaser trailer for this is already out (November 23). THE MUPPETS (Disney) is a star-studded affair as a telethon is put together in a desperate attempt to save the Muppets Studio (November 23). PROJECT X (Warner Brothers) is an ensemble comedy about a group of teenagers documenting a house party that goes terribly wrong (November 23). HUGO CABRET (Columbia) is Martin Scorsese’s first foray into juvenile fantasy as a young boy living in the walls of a Paris train station encounters unique, strange characters and embarks on a mysterious, magical adventure (December 9). NEW YEAR’S EVE (New Line) is from the makers of Valentine’s Day and is much along the same lines; an all-star cast copes with the ramifications of the holiday in Los Angeles (December 9). ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED (20^th Century Fox) is the third installment in the live action-computer generated series that has yet to really captivate me (December 16). MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE GHOST PROTOCOL (Paramount) returns Tom Cruise into the IMF team as he undertakes a mission that just well be his last. Pixar director Brad Bird makes his first foray into live action directing (December 16). WE BOUGHT A ZOO (20^th Century Fox) is the charming account based on the true story of a family that buys a dilapidated zoo in the English countryside in order to save 200 exotic animals from destruction. Matt Damon is the star (December 23). WAR HORSE (DreamWorks) is an epic adventure by director Steven Spielberg about a horse and its master during the First World War (December 23). 

MOVIES CURRENTLY WITHOUT RELEASE DATES BUT LIKELY TO OPEN

HORRIBLE BOSSES (New Line) is a comedy with an all-star cast about three working stiffs who concoct a clever and convoluted plan to rid themselves of their nemeses – their overbearing bosses – once and for all. GATCHAMAN (Warner Brothers) is an animated feature based on a Japanese anime TV series that is wildly popular worldwide. Although this has already come out in Japan, it is awaiting an American release date. HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN (Magnet) is the second movie to be based on a trailer that aired with the 2007 movie Grindhouse. JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (New Line) is the sequel to the 2008 hit 3D movie although it only returns Josh Hutcherson from that cast. This time, Dwayne Johnson and Michael Caine are among those who take a voyage to another place that was thought to be an invention of Jules Verne’s fertile imagination. DOROTHY OF OZ (Summertime Entertainment) is the first of several planned Oz-related movies to come out, this one an animated feature with an all-star vocal cast including Martin Short, Oliver Platt, Kristin Chenoweth, Dan Aykroyd and James Belushi. THE TROLL HUNTERS (Magnet) is a Norwegian movie that got tremendous acclaim on the festival circuit, about a group of students who set out to document the existence of trolls and wind up with much more than they bargained for. ONE DAY (Focus) chronicles the relationship between two friends (Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess) by checking in on them every July 15^th – the anniversary of the day they met. RESTLESS (Columbia) is the latest from director Gus van Sant and concerns a couple of misfits who meet, fall in love and take on a world that is not particularly forgiving of misfits. RIPLEY’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT (Paramount) stars Jim Carrey as Robert Ripley, a man who travels the world in search of oddities and winds up finding the human being in all of us.

All I can say is wow! This might well be the most promising slate of movies for a single year in a very long time. The moviegoing public is going to have a lot of hard choices to make – or else will be going out and spending a whole lot more money than they ever have before, a scenario that I’m sure the studio heads would be more than happy with. Even so, things are already gearing up for another big year in 2012, when the latest installments in the Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and Men in Black series are scheduled to be released, as well as the much-anticipated Avengers not to mention the finale in the Twilight saga. Also, don’t forget the return of Peter Jackson to Middle Earth in The Hobbit. Hopefully this preview can help you make your plans for 2011; I know I have. See you in the multiplex!

Four-Warned: January 2011

Every month I’m going to look at every movie on the release schedule and try to assign them a numerical value corresponding to how anxious I am to see it. The lower the number, the more I want to see it. A one means I would walk through hell and high water to see it; a four means there’s no interest whatsoever. The numbers are not arrived at scientifically but they aren’t arbitrary either. The numbers aren’t a reflection of the artistic merit of any of these films, but merely a reflection of my willingness to go to a movie theater and see it. The top four scores will be gathered as a means of reflecting the movies I’m anticipating the most; you may use that as a guide or not.

Each entry is broken down as follows:

NAME OF FILM (Studio) Genre A brief description of the plot. Release plans: Wide = Everywhere, Limited = In selected markets. RATING A brief comment

Keep in mind that release dates are extremely subject to change, even at this late date.

FOUR TO SEE
1. THE GREEN HORNET (1.4)
2. COMPANY MEN (2.0)
3. THE RITE (2.1)
4. SEASON OF THE WITCH (2.3)

FOUR TO SEEK OUT (FILMS NOT IN WIDE RELEASE)
1. ONG BAK 3 (2.1)
2. THE WAY BACK (2.3)
3. THE HOUSEMAID (2.4)
4. SINBAD THE FIFTH VOYAGE (2.5)

RATING SYSTEM: 1) Must-see, 2) Should-see, 3) Perhaps-see, 4) Don’t-see

JANUARY 1, 2011

SINBAD THE FIFTH VOYAGE (Giant Flick) Genre: Adventure. Sinbad must travel to dangerous distant lands to rescue the sultan’s daughter. Release Strategy: Limited. RATING: 2.5 If it is as imaginative as the old Ray Harryhausen versions, this could be a winner.

JANUARY 7, 2011

SEASON OF THE WITCH (Relativity) Genre: Supernatural Action. A heroic crusader is charged with transporting a convicted witch to a distant monastery where the monks will perform a ritual to reverse the curse she’s placed on the land. Release Strategy: Wide. RATING: 2.3 Oft-delayed, studio switched and early January release date usually spells disaster but I’m nonetheless intrigued.
THE TIME THAT REMAINS (IFC) Genre: Drama. A look at the creation of the state of Israel from its beginnings in 1948 up through modern times. Release Strategy: Limited. RATING: 3.0 I’m still not quite sure what the point of this movie is.

JANUARY 14, 2011

BARNEY’S VERSION (Sony Classics) Genre: Drama. An ordinary man who’s lived an extraordinary life tells his version of the events in it. Release Strategy: New York/Los Angeles. RATING: 2.8 An extraordinary cast (Paul Giamatti, Dustin Hoffman, Minnie Driver) in an ordinary movie that was a festival mainstay this year.
THE DILEMMA (Universal) Genre: Comedy. A man on the eve of the biggest deal of his career sees his best friend and business partner’s wife cheating on him and resolves to tell him about it. Release Strategy: Wide. RATING: 2.9 Controversy over the use of the word “gay” in the trailer brought this movie into the public eye initially.
EVERY DAY (Image) Genre: Drama. A man in the throes of a midlife crisis deals with a flirtatious office worker, a crumbling manager and a sick and embittered father-in-law who is force to stay with them. Release Strategy: Limited. RATING: 3.0 Liev Schreiber, Helen Hunt, Carla Gugino and Brian Dennehy are an enviable cast; the trailer looked interesting.
THE GREEN HORNET (Columbia) Genre: Superhero Action. With the help of his late father’s confidante, a young ne’er do well determines to succeed his crusading newspaper publisher father as a more direct crimefighter. Release Strategy: Wide (Standard, 3D and IMAX 3D). RATING: 1.4 I have to admit I wasn’t so sure about casting Seth Rogen as Britt Reid but the trailer looks good.
ONG BAK 3 (Magnet) Genre: Martial Arts Action. The series concludes with an epic conflict between good and demon. Release Strategy: Limited. RATING: 2.1 Some of the best martial arts movies of the last decade have been in this series.

JANUARY 21, 2011

THE COMPANY MEN (Weinstein) Genre: Drama. Three laid off executives must re-define their lives as husbands, fathers and men. Release Strategy: Wide. RATING: 2.0 Moved forward from October to December to January, not a good sign.
THE HOUSEMAID (IFC) Genre: Thriller. A beautiful young maid for a wealthy family becomes pregnant by the husband, a secret which threatens to explode. Release Strategy: Limited. RATING: 2.4 This is a remake of a 1960 Korean film which is considered to be one of the best movies ever produced from that country.
NO STRINGS ATTACHED (Paramount) Genre: Romantic Comedy. A couple of friends develop a physical relationship but find that they want something more. Release Strategy: Wide. RATING: 2.8 Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman make an attractive couple but the premise sounds a bit empty to me.
THE WAY BACK (Newmarket) Genre: True War Story. The true story of a group of soldiers who escape a Siberian gulag and make a long trek on foot to freedom. Release Strategy: Limited. RATING: 2.3 Peter Weir directs an outstanding cast in a film that won great accolades on the European festival circuit.

JANUARY 28, 2011

FROM PRADA TO NADA (Pantelion) Genre: Romantic Comedy. Two sisters living a life of luxury in Beverly Hills are forced to relocate to Boyle Heights after daddy passes away where they learn something of their Latina heritage. Release Strategy: Wide. RATING: 3.8 I think I may have seen this movie before, although not in Spanish.
IP MAN 2: LEGEND OF THE GRANDMASTER (Mandarin) Genre: Martial Arts. Martial Arts master Ip Man escapes the Japanese occupation only to run into the hard line British colonial rule of Hong Kong. Release Strategy: Limited. RATING: 2.6 This has been breaking box office records across Asia.
THE MECHANIC (CBS) Genre: Action. A professional assassin reluctantly takes the son of his mentor under his wing. Release Strategy: Wide. RATING: 2.5 A remake of a 1972 Charles Bronson film.
POETRY (Kino International) Genre: Drama. A free-spirited South Korean grandmother discovers she has Alzheimer’s as she is taking a poetry course. Release Strategy: New York City only. RATING: 2.7 Sounds a bit schmaltzy but this could be another Korean cinematic gem.
THE RITE (New Line) Genre: Horror. An unorthodox priest introduces a skeptical novice to the nature of true evil, hidden in one of the holiest places on Earth. Release Strategy: Wide. RATING: 2.1 Hannibal Lecter as an exorcist? The mind boggles.
SECONDS APART (After Dark) Genre: Horror. A pair of murderous twins shares the power of telekinesis between them. Release Strategy: Limited. RATING: 2.6 With After Dark shedding their horror festival format this year this is their first release as a distributor.
WHEN WE LEAVE (Olive) Genre: Drama. A Turkish woman flees an abusive relationship, only to have her family attempt to return her son to his abusive father. Release Strategy: New York/Los Angeles. RATING: 3.1 Said to be a meticulously researched look into the Turkish culture.

SCHEDULED TO BE REVIEWED HERE AS NEW RELEASES

Season of the Witch, The Dilemma, The Green Hornet, The Mechanic, The Rite

2010 Preview

2009 is nearly over and with that we have the simultaneous opportunity to look forward and look ahead. Looking back will take place in a couple of weeks when I let you know what my top ten movies of 2009 are; there are a few more yet for me to see before I put the list together.

In the meantime, here’s a look at what to expect in 2010. We’ll be taking a detailed look at the first four months of the year, and then general looks at the summer and fall (since we’ll be doing detailed previews of those seasons later on). There are some big movies coming out next year – the sequel to Iron Man, the first installment in the final book of the Harry Potter series, the third film in the Twilight series, the first new Toy Story film in eleven years, Tim Burton’s take on a classic fairy tale and the return of the Narnia, Tron and Nightmare on Elm Street franchises.

We’ll continue to be busy reviewing not only the major releases but also the lesser known indie and foreign releases out on DVD/Blu-Ray. Hopefully we’ll be adding some new features to the blog and newsletter – details for which will be coming soon. In the meantime, let’s take a sneak peak as to what to expect in 2010.

Please note that some of the movies previewed here will already have opened in limited release or just in New York and Los Angeles for Oscar consideration. Since they are not coming to Orlando until 2010 they are getting previewed here.

As always, release dates are extremely subject to change and chances are that several of these movies will be moved up or back on the release schedule, and maybe some may not be released at all. The farther out the movie is scheduled for, the more likely for change there is. Do consult your local theater listings to make sure the movie is playing in your area before heading out to the multiplex. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

JANUARY

January is usually the time of holiday holdovers, movies that debuted during the Holiday season and remain in theaters. Most of the movies released during this month are those the studio has little confidence in. Occasionally, studios will release a low-budget movie that connects, like Cloverfield.

MAJOR ANTICIPATION

THE LOVELY BONES

RELEASE DATE: January 15, 2010

STUDIO: DreamWorks

STARRING: Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli, Saoirse Ronan

STORY: This is a story seen through the eyes of a murdered 14-year-old girl who watches over her family – and her killer – from heaven. Her desire for vengeance is weighed against her desire for her family to heal and move on.

PROSPECTS: This is the first movie for director Peter Jackson since King Kong. It’s getting a great deal of Oscar buzz already and is based on a popular novel by Alice Sebold.

OBSTACLES: The novel is not an easy one to film and it remains to be seen if Jackson can bring this story to the screen properly. The serial killer preying on young girls may be a little too intense for some.

FACTOID: Ronan, who takes the central role of Susie, was nominated for an Oscar for her work in Atonement shortly after being cast for this movie.

LOOKING FORWARD TO

BOOK OF ELI

RELEASE DATE: January 15, 2010

STUDIO: Warner Brothers

STARRING: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson, Jennifer Beals, Evan Jones

STORY: In a post-apocalyptic landscape a lone warrior guards a book of knowledge from those who would use it for their own ends.

PROSPECTS: Washington is money in the bank, one of the most popular stars in Hollywood. The trailer makes Eli look like Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name a little bit.

OBSTACLES: It will mostly be up against holiday holdovers like Avatar and Sherlock Holmes and if The Road does badly folks might not want to see another bleak post-apocalypse movie.

FACTOID: Kristen Stewart was originally cast but had to bow out due to scheduling conflicts with her Twilight movies. Mila Kunis inherited the role.

EDGE OF DARKNESS

RELEASE DATE: January 29, 2010

STUDIO: Warner Brothers

STARRING: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Shawn Roberts, Bojana Novakovic, Frank Grillo, Gbenga Akinnagbe

STORY: A rough-and-tumble Boston homicide detective sees his daughter murdered in front of him on his doorstep. His investigation uncovers a shadowy government conspiracy that he will do anything to bring to the light of day.

PROSPECTS: A dazzling trailer indicates this might be a return to Gibson’s Lethal Weapon form.

OBSTACLES: This is Gibson’s first onscreen appearance since his anti-Semitic remarks during his DUI arrest a couple of years back and there will be some that haven’t forgiven him for that.

FACTOID: Winstone and Huston most recently teamed in the independent Western The Proposition.

OUT OF LEFT FIELD

EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES

RELEASE DATE: January 22, 2010

STUDIO: CBS Films

STARRING: Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser, Keri Russell, Courtney B. Vance, Jared Harris, Dee Wallace

STORY: This is based on the true story of John Crowley, a corporate type whose two children developed an incurable – and fatal – disease. Stymied by the medical profession, he approaches a brilliant but unconventional genetic researcher and forms a biotech company devoted to finding a cure, but it is a race in which time is against them.

PROSPECTS: A high-powered cast will certainly bring in a certain amount of attention as will the compelling true story.

OBSTACLES: Bad word of mouth can kill a film like this and while the competition isn’t exactly killer this time of year, nonetheless it will be coming out in a crowded release market.

FACTOID: This will be the first wide release from the new studio formed by the television network.

ALSO IN THEATERS

January 8, 2010

LEAP YEAR (Universal) sends Amy Adams to Ireland, determined to propose to her commitment-phobic boyfriend on the only day when a woman can propose to a man, Leap Day (it’s one of those folky traditions that nobody’s ever heard of). However, getting to where she has to go might prove to be more complicated than she imagined. DAYBREAKERS (Lionsgate) stars Ethan Hawke as a medical researcher in 2019 when the world has been overcome by a plague that has turned the majority of the population into vampires. With human blood becoming the most endangered natural resource of all it’s a bad time to be a human. No word on whether Team Edward is endorsing this or not. YOUTH IN REVOLT (Dimension) was relocated to this date from last fall and stars Michael Cera in dual roles as a socially awkward teen and his altar ego, a suave lady’s man as he tries to woo a beautiful free-spirited young woman who finds his actual personality boring. This sounds too much like Michael Cera’s real life to me. CRAZY ON THE OUTSIDE (Freestyle Releasing) marks comedian Tim Allen’s directing debut. This is about an ex-con trying to make a fresh start but having to combat an eccentric family, his ex partner-in-crime and an unpredictable girlfriend. Tim Allen as an ex-con…it’s not much of a stretch is it? A SINGLE MAN (Weinstein) is opening in limited release. It’s a much-acclaimed drama about a gay Englishman in Los Angeles in the early 1960s coping with the death of his long-time partner. It’s said to be generating some Oscar buzz for Colin Firth in the lead role.

January 15, 2010

THE SPY NEXT DOOR (Lionsgate) stars Jacky Chan in a role that is a combination of Vin Diesel in The Pacifier and Chan’s own The Tuxedo as an international spy on assignment must perform the most dangerous duty of all – babysitting his neighbor’s kids. Me, I say turn Jet Li on ‘em.

January 22, 2010

LEGION (Screen Gems) finds God losing his faith in mankind. He sends his angels to Earth to wreak the Apocalypse. Only an angel sympathetic to the human race and a group of unlikely heroes in an out-of-the-way diner stand between humanity and the abyss. Of course if the angel has the blue plate special then humanity is pretty much screwed. TOOTH FAIRY (20^th Century Fox) stars Dwayne Johnson as a minor league hockey player prone to violence and cruelty. When he dashes a child’s hopes, he is sentenced to act as the Tooth Fairy for a week. I think The Rock needs to lay the smack down on his agent. TO SAVE A LIFE (Goldwyn) is about a star high school athlete who is faced with the decision of changing his life and sacrificing his dreams to save the lives of others. This one will likely be opening in limited release.

January 29, 2010

WHEN IN ROME (Touchstone) stars Kristen Bell as an ambitious but romantically challenged New Yorker who, while on a trip to Rome, defiantly takes some coins out of a “foolish fountain” that is supposed to bring love to those who throw coins into it. She is surprised when four men begin to woo her rather aggressively. When she begins to fall for a charming journalist, she begins to wonder if his affections are real or as a result of the magic fountain. Personally girl, if you have Josh Duhamel chasing after you who cares if it’s real or magic? Just go with it! AFTER DARK HORRORFEST (After Dark/Lionsgate) is the fourth installment of the world’s largest film festival, as eight more films “to die for” will compete to scare the living hell out of you.

 FEBRUARY

With Valentine’s Day in the middle of the month, traditionally romantic comedies do well – as do horror movies. Date movies are the rule of the day as the release schedule for 2010 begins in earnest.

MAJOR ANTICIPATION

SHUTTER ISLAND

RELEASE DATE: February 19, 2010

STUDIO: Paramount

STARRING: Leonardo di Caprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Patricia Clarkson, Max von Sydow.

STORY: Set in the 1950s, a pair of jaded U.S. Marshals treks to a remote island off the coast of Massachusetts to investigate the disappearance and possible escape of a woman convicted of a heinous murder from a fortress-like hospital for the criminally insane. The two become ensnared in a plot that may be more malevolent than the actions of the criminals locked away inside.

PROSPECTS: This is director Martin Scorsese’s first major feature film since The Departed won him his long-overdue Oscar. The movie has been in the public eye since Paramount began pushing the movie last summer.

OBSTACLES: The studio delayed release from Oscar season to now, which may indicate they aren’t confident in the quality of the work. This is a departure from Scorsese’s normal playground as he moves into a psychological horror vein he hasn’t traversed before.

FACTOID: Some scenes were filmed at the old Massachusetts State Mental Hospital in Medfield, MA.

LOOKING FORWARD TO

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF

RELEASE DATE: February 12, 2010

STUDIO: 20^th Century Fox

STARRING: Pierce Brosnan, Steve Coogan, Ray Winstone, Rosario Dawson, Uma Thurman, Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario

STORY: A young high school student discovers that the ancient Greek gods are real and that he is the son of Poseidon. And you thought your high school years were rough. Anyway, he’s the chief suspect in the theft of Zeus’ lightning bolt and sets out to clear his name with a pair of other kids who are also, like him, half-divine.

PROSPECTS: The last franchise that director Chris Columbus launched was merely Harry Potter and this series of young adult fantasy numbers (six installments to date) has many similarities; a two boy and one girl trio of leads, a plethora of respected character actor adult supporting roles and so on. The new trailer promises big time special effects.

OBSTACLES: This movie doesn’t have the kind of fan base that the Potter films started out with. Mid-winter is not the best time to launch a tentpole franchise, which indicates the studio is not exactly endorsing the movie with guns blazing.

FACTOID: The character of Percy Jackson is largely based on author Rick Riordan’s own son, who has ADHD like the lead character. The book began as bedtime stories for his son based on mythological characters that his son was studying in school.

THE WOLFMAN

RELEASE DATE: February 12, 2010

STUDIO: Universal

STARRING: Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving, Art Malik, Geraldine Chaplin, Elizabeth Croft

STORY: Laurence Talbot, son of a nobleman, returns to the family estate after his older brother vanishes. He discovers a legacy that involves more than property and title, a horrible secret that has been haunting the village of Blackmoor for years. How much of Talbot is the beast…and how much the man?

PROSPECTS: The trailer for this one looks killer. Hey, it got non-horror fan Da Queen excited to see the movie. It gets a leg up on horror/action movies Shutter Island and The Crazies both of which come out after it.

OBSTACLES: Director Joe Johnston’s foray into horror was Jurassic Park III which may or may not prepare him for the kind of atmosphere he’ll need to create for this gothic tale. Universal has had mixed success with the re-invention of its classic horror properties, finding success with The Mummy and disappointment with Van Helsing.

FACTOID: The Wolfman’s howl in the movie was performed by Gene Simmons of KISS, while the wolf makeup was created by Rick Baker, who also did the make-up for An American Werewolf in London.

FROM PARIS WITH LOVE

RELEASE DATE: February 5, 2010

STUDIO: Lionsgate

STARRING: John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Amber Rose Revah, Melissa Mars, Richard Durden, Farid Elouardi, Chems Dahmani

STORY: An inexperienced Embassy worker at the U.S. Embassy in Paris is paired with a slick, shoot first and ask questions later sort in a field operation in an attempt to thwart a terrorist attack in Paris.

PROSPECTS: Travolta is on a hot streak, having had a great deal of success with The Taking of Pelham 123 and Old Dogs last year.

OBSTACLES: Luc Besson-produced action movies have had inconsistent success in the United States.

FACTOID: Co-star Jonathan Rhys Meyers stars as King Henry VIII in the hit Showtime cable TV series “The Tudors.”

OUT OF LEFT FIELD

A COUPLE OF DICKS

RELEASE DATE: February 26, 2010

STUDIO: Warner Brothers

STARRING: Bruce Willis, Michelle Trachtenberg, Tracy Morgan, Seann William Scott, Jason Lee, Kevin Pollak, Adam Brody, Mark Consuelos

STORY: A pair of mismatched detectives tracks down a stolen baseball card. Along the way they rescue a beautiful Mexican national and contend with money laundering by a drug cartel.

PROSPECTS: Director Kevin Smith has a rabid following that will see anything he directs. Cop buddy movies traditionally resonate with American audiences.  

OBSTACLES: Smith’s following hasn’t yet translated into big box office bucks.

FACTOID: This is the first movie that Smith has directed that he hasn’t written. Prior to accepting this directing assignment, Smith was attached to the new Green Hornet movie but decided he wouldn’t be able to do the movie justice.

ALSO IN THEATERS

February 5, 2010

DEAR JOHN (Screen Gems) is about a young soldier on leave who meets an idealistic college student and then falls in love with her. The two continue to correspond throughout his increasingly more dangerous deployments, correspondence that will have devastating consequences. It’s a shame these two never discovered e-mail. Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried topline as the star-crossed lovers in this Lasse Hallstrom-directed effort. Released in limited markets, DISTRICT 13: ULTIMATUM (Magnet/Magnolia) is the sequel to the Luc Besson-produced cult action movie from France set in the not too distant future as conditions in Paris continue to deteriorate as gang violence further erodes the rule of law. No wonder the French are pissed at America – they’re becoming just like us.

February 12, 2010

VALENTINE’S DAY (New Line) has an all-star cast (including Julia Roberts, Jamie Foxx, Bradley Cooper and Shirley MacLaine) as Los Angelenos whose lives intersect in unusual ways on the holiday of the same name. Fellas, be prepared to be dragged to this by your girlfriends or wives and no, you DON’T have any say in the matter. MY NAME IS KHAN (Fox Searchlight) takes a Muslim man from India on a journey from San Francisco across the United States where he inspires and invites debate, changing the minds of many about what it means to be a Muslim. Sorry Trekkies, this isn’t the sequel to the Star Trek movie.  I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS (Freestyle) stars Jim Carey as a married father who falls afoul of the law and winds up in a Texas prison. While there he falls madly in love with his cellmate, escaping four times after the object of his affections is paroled. This tale is so improbable that you know it has to be based on a true story, which it is.

February 26, 2010

THE CRAZIES (Overture) is a remake of a George R. Romero movie that doesn’t feature zombies. In this one, the population of a small town one by one goes insane and homicidal. The remaining uninfected townsfolk try to survive the night in a town gone insane on the inside, while the government is quarantining it with deadly force on the outside. TAKERS (Screen Gems) is about a group of professional criminals who have been baffling police with perfectly executed bank robberies. A dogged police detective is determined to bust the lot of ‘em which, as we all know, will never happen since criminals are soooo much smarter than the police in real life.

MARCH

March usually brings us the first signs of box office bonanza in the New Year as the studios, trying to avoid overcrowding during the summer months that could cause a $100 million movie to crash and burn by scheduling it during March when the competition is less fierce.

MAJOR ANTICIPATION

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

RELEASE DATE: March 5, 2010

STUDIO: Disney

STARRING: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Crispin Glover, Alan Rickman, Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall, Christopher Lee, Geraldine James.

STORY: The Lewis Carroll story, which has been made for the screen many times and in many formats, gets the Tim Burton treatment as a young lady falls down a rabbit hole and into a strange, magical land where nothing is as it seems and everything is…wondrous.

PROSPECTS: While Burton straddles the line between mainstream success and cult favorite, this could well be his biggest hit since the first Batman. His imagination and sense of whimsy seem perfectly suited for this somewhat psychedelic tale which has in recent decades become something of a symbol of the ‘60s. No word on whether he plans on using the Jefferson Airplane song though. For what it’s worth, the trailer looks pretty dang spectacular. The cast is also not too shabby.

OBSTACLES: Burton can be something of an acquired taste and while he’s done hits in the fantasy genre (such as Beetle Juice and Edward Scissorhands) one gets the impression that he isn’t entirely comfortable in the big-budget studio environment. The recent association of Alice with the drug culture might wind up causing misinterpretations by well-meaning bluenoses.

FACTOID: Wasikowska, most recently in a supporting role in Amelia, beat out Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried and Dakota Blue Richards for the title role. Ironically, Richards was declined because Burton wanted an adult actress for the role, but Wasikowska is only four years older than her.

LOOKING FORWARD TO

CLASH OF THE TITANS

RELEASE DATE: March 26, 2010

STUDIO: Warner Brothers

STARRING: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Danny Huston, Jason Flemyng, Pete Posthlewaite, Alexa Davolos, Nicholas Hoult, Gemma Arterton

STORY: The classic Greek myth of Perseus is brought to life as a demi-God’s family is taken by a vengeful Hades and he must brave the most fearsome of monsters in order to restore order and save humanity from a potentially devastating war of the Gods.

PROSPECTS: Could benefit from Worthington’s participation in Avatar if that becomes the monster hit everyone anticipates it will. Trailers look pretty eye-popping in the effects department. Director Louis Leterrier last directed The Incredible Hulk which got much approval from fanboy sorts.

OBSTACLES: This is a remake of a Ray Harryhausen classic of the 1980s and will have to deal with the repercussions of ticking off purists who object to an updated special effects bonanza, or with cynics who remember the cheese factor of the stop-motion animated creatures.

FACTOID: Leterrier attempted to lure Harryhausen out of retirement to serve as a producer/advisor for the film but was unsuccessful in doing so.

GREEN ZONE

RELEASE DATE: March 12, 2010

STUDIO: Universal

STARRING: Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Amy Ryan, Brendan Gleeson, Jason Isaacs, Khalid Abdalla, Said Faraj, Antoni Corone

STORY: A U.S. Army Officer during the early days of the Iraqi War goes in search of weapons of mass destruction and discovers an elaborate ruse that calls into question the morality of their actions.

PROSPECTS: The team of director Paul Greengrass and Damon has combined for two Bourne movies that have done quite well at the box office.

OBSTACLES: Movies on the Iraqi War have performed quite poorly at the box office.

FACTOID: Damon went from his role in The Informant! directly to filming this movie which caused some medical problems because of his rapid change from an overweight executive to a lean and trim soldier.

OUT OF LEFT FIELD

CHLOE

RELEASE DATE: March 19, 2010

STUDIO: Sony Classics

STARRING: Julianne Moore, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, Max Theriot, Nina Dobrev, Meghan Heffern, Laura deCarteret

STORY: This is an English-language remake of the French thriller Nathalie in which a woman who hires a prostitute to test her husband whom she suspects of cheating on her. However, when the hooker lies about the results of the test, the family is thrown into turmoil.

PROSPECTS: Director Atom Egoyan has an impressive resume for indie cred, including The Sweet Hereafter, Ararat and Felicia’s Journey.

OBSTACLES: American audiences tend to be uncomfortable with movies about prostitutes unless they look like Julia Roberts.

FACTOID: Neeson had to interrupt filming to be at the side of his wife Natasha Richardson, who would die of injuries incurred in a skiing accident in March 2009. He completed his filming after a brief period of mourning.

ALSO IN THEATERS

March 5, 2010

BROOKLYN’S FINEST (Overture) is a limited release comprised of three overlapping stories, all involving police officers from the borough of Brooklyn. This was originally scheduled to be released last fall.

March 12, 2010

HARD 10 (DreamWorks) stars Jay Baruchel as an airport security guard who gets a girl completely out of his league to fall for him. He has to learn how to make the relationship work, resorting to increasingly bizarre and extreme methods to prove himself worthy of a hard ten. I’ve seen Baruchel; he’d be hard-pressed to score a soft three. OUR FAMILY WEDDING (Fox Searchlight) stars Carlos Mencia and Forrest Whitaker as two overbearing fathers whose children are planning to wed. They must learn to co-exist for the sake of their children with the wedding only two weeks away, but that’s far from easy. I predict awful things will happen to the wedding cake. REMEMBER ME (Summit) stars Robert Pattinson of the Twilight Saga as a mere mortal this time, but involved in a star-crossed romance none-the-less. This time the object of his affections is Emelie de Ravin from television’s “Lost.” I can hear the heartfelt sighs already.

March 19, 2010

THE BOUNTY HUNTER (Columbia) features Gerard Butler in the title role who now must chase down his ex-wife who has skipped out on her bail. Of course, if my ex-wife was Jennifer Anniston I’d probably chase her down too.  HOT TUB TIME MACHINE (MGM) is about a bunch of men who, back in the day, were what are called playas these days. Now, fueled by Red Bull, vodka and regret, they get into a hot tub that allows them to travel in time (hey, if you can time travel in a Delorean, why not a hot tub?) to reclaim their mojo. Since one of the men is John Cusack, I’m there. HUBBLE 3-D (Warner Brothers) is an IMAX 3-D documentary about the repair of the space telescope on a recent mission by the Shuttle Atlantis. Combining footage from the mission along with astonishing pictures taken from the Hubble itself of the distant reaches of the universe makes this a 3D documentary worth watching. SEASON OF THE WITCH (Lionsgate) is yet another Nicolas Cage movie for Lionsgate, this time set in the Middle Ages with Cage as a knight from the Crusades charged with transporting a suspected witch to a remote abbey. At first he is dubious about her guilt but as the journey goes on his suspicions grow about the girl’s true nature.

March 26, 2010

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (DreamWorks) is a feature 3D animation about a Viking teenager named Hiccup who dreams of being a dragon slayer in a tribe that has made an art of it. However, when he encounters an actual dragon, his view of the world – and the view of his tribe – will be altered forever when it is discovered that dragons aren’t exactly what they thought they were.  

APRIL

The last month before the summer blockbuster season is usually a good one for action enthusiasts as summer-like movies open up that didn’t quite fit in to the busy summer schedule.

MAJOR ANTICIPATION

DATE NIGHT

RELEASE DATE: April 9, 2010

STUDIO: 20^th Century Fox

STARRING: Steve Carrell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, Leighton Meester, Common, Taraji Henson, Kristen Wiig, Ray Liotta, Mila Kunis, Mark Ruffalo

STORY: A married couple out on a date night gets far more than they bargain for when they impulsively steal someone else’s dinner reservation. Their identities are then mistaken for petty criminals who have pissed off a much more dangerous criminal and spend the night on the run from cops, criminals, cabbies and a lecherous security expert who has the hots for the wife.

PROSPECTS: Carrell and Fey are two of the hottest and most talented comic actors in Hollywood, and both of them have an impressive list of comedy hits behind them. Director Shawn Levy has the Night at the Museum movies on his resume, so the talent both behind and in front of the camera knows how to make hit movies.

OBSTACLES: Comedies like this one have got to be funny or else word of mouth will kill them.

FACTOID: Writer Josh Klausner also wrote the upcoming Shrek Goes Forth.

LOOKING FORWARD TO

KICK-ASS

RELEASE DATE: April 16, 2010

STUDIO: Lionsgate

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Moretz, Aaron Johnson, Mark Strong, Lindsy Fonseca

STORY: A young comic book fanboy decides to become a superhero despite the slight obstacle of having no superpowers. However, he plows on undeterred and in doing so creates a violent subculture of copycats and wannabes.

PROSPECTS: The footage of this at last year’s Comic-Con spurred a huge bidding war for the film. Movies that get this kind of buzz out of Comic-Con normally do exceedingly well at the box-office.

OBSTACLES: This is a very different, very violent take on superhero movies. Although it hasn’t received an MPAA rating yet, an R rating is very likely which may keep a good deal of its core audience out of the multiplex.

FACTOID: The comic book on which this was based was written and drawn by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.

WALL STREET 2: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS

RELEASE DATE: April 23, 2010

STUDIO: 20^th Century Fox

STARRING: Shia LaBeouf, Michael Douglas, Josh Brolin, Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, Carey Mulligan, Charlie Sheen

STORY: Gordon Gekko, the poster boy for business greed, exits his jail sentence determined to redeem himself.

PROSPECTS: This was one of the iconic movies of the 1980s and Oliver Stone is directing, as he did the original. LaBeouf is one of the most bankable young stars in the industry.

OBSTACLES: Did anybody really want to see a sequel to Wall Street? Given the current economic climate, it might be difficult to find anyone willing to root for anybody in big business.

FACTOID: Wall Street came out in 1987, marking a 23 year gap between the original and the sequel. Only The Hustler and its sequel The Color of Money had a larger gap between sequels, going 25 years.

OUT OF LEFT FIELD

BABIES

RELEASE DATE: April 16, 2010

STUDIO: Focus

STARRING: Ponijao, Bayar, Mari, Hattie

STORY: A documentary about a year in the life of four babies in disparate parts of the world – Mongolia, Namibia, Tokyo and San Francisco.

PROSPECTS: The studio has been pushing the trailer in theaters, and audience reaction has been strong, particularly among women.

OBSTACLES: Not many guys, particularly younger men are going to want to see a two hour documentary about babies.

FACTOID: This is a French production originally intended for television.

ALSO IN THEATERS

April 2, 2010

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (20^th Century Fox) is the misadventures of a wisecracking middle school kid as seen through his diary and hand-drawn cartoons. I’m guessing from the title that we’re not talking about the All-American jock? FURRY VENGEANCE (Summit) stars Brendan Fraser in a tale where the furry denizens of a forest threatened by a real estate development go to war with the developer. A squirrel with a bazooka? Now that would be interesting! THE LAST SONG (Touchstone) stars tween idol Miley Cyrus as a daughter stuck in South Carolina for the summer with her estranged father when she’d much rather be in New York. From Nicholas Sparks, the king of South Carolina romantic dramas. MARY, MOTHER OF CHRIST (MGM) is the story of the Virgin Mary, as told with an all-star cast and a sizable budget. REPO MEN (Universal) is set in the near-future when organ transplants can be bought and sold on credit. When a heart transplant patient gets behind on his payments, the title characters go to repossess the heart. And I thought those credit card bill collection calls were nasty! TYLER PERRY’S WHY DID I HAVE TO GET MARRIED TOO  (Lionsgate) is the sequel to his hit dramedy about the state of marriage, this time taking place in the Bahamas as the four couples get together for their annual one-week reunion. Fidelity issues, anyone?

April 9, 2010

THE LOSERS (Warner Brothers) is based on the DC Comic about an elite U.S. Special Forces team that is betrayed from within and given up for dead in the Bolivian jungle. Not quite dead yet, they head back to find the elusive mole who is hell-bent on embroiling the world in a high-tech war. Does that mean a war that’s fought on the Internet?  

April 16, 2010

THE BACK-UP PLAN (CBS) is a romantic comedy about a woman (Jennifer Lopez) who tries at first to hide her early pregnancy from her new boyfriend but when he finds out and commits fully to her, the real chaos ensues. DEATH AT A FUNERAL (Screen Gems) is a remake of the British black comedy about the goings on at the funeral of a beloved patriarch. This is not for those who think funerals should be a somber ceremony of reflection and decorum. PIRANHA 3-D (Dimension) is about one family’s fight to overcome thousands of carnivorous piranha from making lunchmeat out of them. This is yet another horror film remake of the type that have been popular in Hollywood lately. Next: Killer Klowns from Outer Space.

April 22, 2010

OCEANS (Disneynature) is the second film from the new nature documentary arm of Disney, this time focusing on life below the waves. The first, Earth, was quite good so that bodes well for the success of this one.

April 23, 2010

MAC GRUBER (Rogue) is based on a series of SNL skits spoofing the ‘80s TV show “MacGyver.” A movie based on a skit based on a TV show: does that smell like success or not? Don’t answer that, it’s rhetorical.

April 30, 2010

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (New Line) is a reboot of the ‘80s horror film franchise from the production company that brought you the reboots of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13^th. They did get Oscar nominee Jackie Earle Haley to take on the Freddie Krueger role so there’s at least something intriguing about this project.

SUMMER

Blockbuster, this is thy season. Summer is a world of sequels, of star vehicles, of action and science fiction. This is the time of big budgets, tentpole franchises and Internet buzz. This is when the cool of the air-conditioned multiplex beckons on hot summer days.

MAJOR ANTICIPATION

IRON MAN 2

RELEASE DATE: May 7, 2010

STUDIO: Paramount

STARRING: Robert Downey Jr., Gwynneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Garry Shandling, Kate Mara

STORY: Details of the plot have been kept strictly under wraps, but it is known that Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man will be battling Whiplash and Justin Hammer, a Soviet-era villain and a multi-billionaire industrialist respectively.

PROSPECTS: The first Iron Man did amazing box office, second in 2008 only to The Dark Knight. Director Jon Favreau is a current God of Geeks and Internet buzz is as high for this movie as any coming out in 2010.

OBSTACLES: Comic book fanboys are notoriously fickle and can turn on the franchise as quickly as they warmed to it. The first movie set a high bar, meaning that if the filmmakers falter it can mean box office disappointment.

FACTOID: The Whiplash character is actually an amalgam of two different villains in the comic book; Whiplash, from which he takes his nickname and weapon and Crimson Dynamo, from which he takes his civilian name and nationality.

LOOKING FORWARD TO

TOY STORY 3

RELEASE DATE: June 18, 2010

STUDIO: Disney/Pixar

STARRING THE VOICES OF: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, John Ratzenberger, Wallace Shawn, R. Lee Ermey, Michael Keaton, Whoopi Goldberg, Timothy Dalton

STORY: After Andy grows up and departs for college, his toys are donated to a day care center where they quickly find a completely different environment than they’re used to.

PROSPECTS: Pixar seems incapable of making a movie that isn’t a huge hit and there’s no reason to believe that this won’t be another one. Of all the animated features opening in 2010 (and there are a great many of them), this one is the most anticipated.

OBSTACLES: It’s been ten years since the last Toy Story movie which is a very long time in Hollywood terms; it remains to be seen if the target audience of 2010 is as eager to see it as they might have been in 2002. The re-release of Toy Story/Toy Story 2 in 3D earlier this year didn’t exactly have them busting down the doors.

FACTOID: Toy Story 2 was the first sequel to be produced by Pixar and is the only one to date until Cars 2: World Grand Prix debuts on June 24, 2011. This will be the first occasion that Pixar has done a trilogy.

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE

RELEASE DATE: June 30, 2010

STUDIO: Lionsgate

STARRING: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Peter Facinelli, Bryce Dallas Howard, Elizabeth Reaser, Kellan Lutz, Dakota Fanning

STORY: As Seattle is beset by a string of senseless unsolved murders, Bella is in a position where she must soon choose between Jacob and Edward. In the meantime, a vengeful vampire is out to make her life miserable and an ancient war between vampire and werewolf is on the verge of being igniting. Ain’t senior year in high school a bitch?

PROSPECTS: Twilight: New Moon was one of the biggest hits of 2009 and the franchise is showing no signs of slowing down. Even while New Moon was in theaters, the frenzy for the third film in the series was already beginning.

OBSTACLES: Due to the rabid nature of the fans of the series and the omnipresent hype surrounding New Moon there is always the remote possibility of backlash.

FACTOID: Kristen Stewart wore a wig because she needed to have her hair cut short for her role in The Runaways.

SHREK FOREVER AFTER

RELEASE DATE: May 21, 2010

STUDIO: DreamWorks

STARRING THE VOICES OF: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, Justin Timberlake, Eric Idle, Amy Sedaris, Jon Hamm, Kathy Griffin

STORY: The irreverent animated feature series continues with its fourth installment where a domesticated Shrek rebels against his un-ogre-ish life and strikes a pact with Rumpelstiltskin that goes horribly awry. Now, Shrek discovers that he really does have a wonderful life and must put things to rights in order to get it back.

PROSPECTS: Opening a full month before Toy Story 3 is an advantage that should keep the family audiences firmly in Shrek’s corner basically through the important Memorial Day weekend and into mid-June.

OBSTACLES: It is difficult to keep any long-running series fresh and interesting and with Shrek hitting its fourth installment, it makes one wonder how good the movie could be. While the movie will pull in good box office regardless, a low-quality effort will prevent repeat business.

FACTOID: This will be the first movie in the series to be released in the IMAX format.

OUT OF LEFT FIELD

INCEPTION

RELEASE DATE: July 16, 2010

STUDIO: Warner Brothers

STARRING: Leonardo di Caprio, Marion Cotillard, Cillian Murphy, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine, Dileep Rao

STORY: Described only as a sci-fi action movie set in the architecture of the human mind, the plot for the movie is a closely guarded secret.

PROSPECTS: Director Christopher Nolan is a fanboy darling and his name on the credits pretty much guarantees an audience. The teaser trailer for the film is mind-blowing.

OBSTACLES: Science fiction films that are more inward-looking have been a tough sell to summer audiences.

FACTOID: This is the first film that Nolan has directed since Following in 1998 that is based on an original screenplay; all of his other films since then have been adapted from other sources.

ALSO IN THEATERS

PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME (Disney) is based on the popular video game and features a rogue prince trying to keep a weapon of unimaginable power out of the hands of a wicked vizier (May 28). ROBIN HOOD (Universal) is the most recent take on the brigand of Sherwood Forest, starring Russell Crowe in the title role and director Ridley Scott behind the camera (May 14).  SEX AND THE CITY 2 (New Line) is the sequel to the megahit that was based on a hit HBO series (May 28). LETTERS TO JULIET (Summit) features Amanda Seyfried as a young American in Verona caught up in a 50-year-old romance (May 7). MARMADUKE (20^th Century Fox) is a live-action/animated hybrid (along the lines of Garfield or G-Force) that follows the mis-adventures of a high-spirited Great Dane (June 4). THE A TEAM (20^th Century Fox) is an update and remake of the popular series of the 1980s about four outlaw military veterans who become do-gooders for hire (June 11). JONAH HEX (Warner Brothers) is based on the DC Comic about a gunslinger with one foot in our world and the other in the world of the supernatural. Josh Brolin stars in the title role (June 18).  FOOTLOOSE (Paramount) remakes the iconic 1984 hit about a young man who defies a ban against dancing in a conservative Midwestern town (June 18). THE KARATE KID (Columbia) is also a remake of a 1984 hit film, with Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith in the roles made famous by Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio, respectively (June 11). GROWN UPS (Columbia) stars Adam Sandler in a bittersweet comedy about a championship basketball team that reunites at a lake house to honor the passing of their childhood coach (June 25). KILLERS (Lionsgate) is about a superspy who leaves the game to settle down for a life of domestic bliss. Three years later, he and his wife discover he’s the target of a multi-million dollar hit and that anyone in their neighborhood is potentially a killer. (June 4). GET HIM TO THE GREEK (Universal) is a comedy about a record company intern (Jonah Hill) tasked with getting a reluctant rock star (Russell Brand) to a concert he doesn’t want to play (June 11). DESPICABLE ME (Universal) is an animated feature starring the voice of Steve Carrell as the world’s most notorious supervillain who discovers that he isn’t the worst of the worst and sets out to reclaim his title (July 9). THE LAST AIRBENDER (Paramount) is based on a Nickelodeon animated series, brought to live action by M. Night Shyamalan. Huh? (July 2) THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE (Disney) stars Nicolas Cage as an ageless sorcerer defending the world against his arch-nemesis while training a new apprentice. (July 16)  SALT (Columbia) stars Angelina Jolie as a CIA agent fingered as a Russian sleeper spy who must go underground to prove her innocence and protect her family from terrifying forces (July 23). DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS (Paramount) is a comedy about a nightmarish dinner party starring Steve Carell and Zach Galifianakis (July 23). KNIGHT AND DAY (20^th Century Fox) stars Cameron Diaz as a woman set up on a blind date with a superspy who enlists her help on a worldwide journey to protect a battery of unlimited power. Girls, if your blind date looks like Tom Cruise, chances are its too good to be true (July 2). ROBERT RODRIGUEZ’ PREDATORS (20^th Century Fox) is a reboot of the sci-fi action series courtesy of the director of such disparate fare as Spy Kids and Sin City – accept that he is not directing this movie. He’s the producer. Make sense? Didn’t think so (July 7).  BEASTLY (CBS) is a modern-day retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story with Disney Channel stars (July 30). CATS AND DOGS: THE REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE (Warner Brothers) continues the ongoing war between our four-footed house pets for control of the planet with almost none of the cast of the first movie returning (July 30).  LITTLE FOCKERS (Universal) is the third installment of the Meet the Parents franchise with Ben Stiller dealing with parenthood – and the machinations of his ex-CIA father-in-law (July 30). HAIRSPRAY 2 (New Line) continues the musical adventures of the Turnblad family, although at this moment it seems highly unlikely that this movie which has yet to be cast or even written will get off the ground, at least in time for its release date (July TBA). MORNING GLORY (Paramount) is about an aspiring morning news producer who tries to save a morning show that is disintegrating by gaining control of the feuding co-hosts (July 30). THE EXPENDABLES (Lionsgate) boasts an all-star cast of action stars (including Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren and Mickey Rourke) as a crew of mercenaries bent on overthrowing a South American dictator (August 13). THE OTHER GUYS (Columbia) is about a couple of cop foul-ups who idolize a team of top cops that find that when their turn comes to shine, things don’t quite go as planned (August 6). EAT PRAY LOVE (Columbia) stars Julia Roberts as a married woman dissatisfied with her life who divorces her husband and goes on a global journey of self-discovery (August 13). RAMONA AND BEEZUS (20^th Century Fox) is a family movie based on the Ramona novels by Beverly Cleary (August 13). PRIEST (Screen Gems) is a comic book adaptation about a warrior priest who goes against the church to track down a gang of vampires that has kidnapped his sister in an alternate world where men and vampires have been at war for centuries (August 27). THE BASTER (Miramax) is a comedy about artificial insemination starring Jennifer Anniston (August 20). THE LOTTERY TICKET (Warner Brothers) is an urban comedy about a young man from the hood who has to survive a three-day weekend when his neighbors discover he is holding on to a winning lottery ticket worth $350 million (August TBA). DISNEY’S HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL: CHINA (Disney) is a similar story to the hit Disney movie series set in China and with Chinese sensibilities (Summer TBA).

FALL

As children return to school and the backyard barbecue grill is locked away for the winter, the studios turn to Oscar contenders to lure audiences into theaters but that doesn’t mean that we’re done with blockbusters quite yet; there are always a few in reserve for the end of the year. This schedule is the least set in stone; there will be many changes to it before this time of year arrives, with some of the films listed being moved to another date or direct to DVD, while some films won’t get made at all; still others, not mentioned here, will join the Fall release party. Below is a taste of what’s to come.

MAJOR ANTICIPATION

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART I

RELEASE DATE: November 19, 2010

STUDIO: Warner Brothers

STARRING: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Tom Felton, Bill Nighy, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Ciaran Hinds, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Wright, Maggie Smith, John Hurt, Michael Gambon, Jason Isaacs, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson, Warwick Davis et al.

STORY: The Harry Potter saga approaches its conclusion as the first movie of a two-movie set that make up the final book of the seven-book series comes to the theaters (the second part comes out July 15, 2011). The inevitable showdown with Lord Valdemort approaches as Harry races against time to discover how to beat the most powerful wizard in the world and with Dumbledore out of the way, it appears Valdemort has already won before a single spell has been cast.

PROSPECTS: One of the most profitable film franchises of all time is going as strongly as ever – this summer’s Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince received high critical praise and was once again one of the year’s top box office smashes. Only a clueless Muggle would think that the two Deathly Hallows movies will do anything less.

OBSTACLES: The core audience of the Harry Potter series has grown up and many may no longer be interested in the boy wizard who is now, like them, grown up as well. Competing with franchises like Twilight for the hearts and minds of teens may be a bit too much to ask for the Hogwarts crew.

FACTOID: When director David Yates completes the second installment of The Deathly Hallows, he will have directed more films in the Harry Potter series (four) than any other director.

LOOKING FORWARD TO

TRON LEGACY

RELEASE DATE: December 17, 2010

STUDIO: Disney

STARRING: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, James Frain, Beau Garrett, Michael Sheen

STORY: The son of programmer Kevin Flynn searches for his father and finds him in the digital landscape where he has been living for the past 25 years, a landscape that has grown exponentially more dangerous.

PROSPECTS: The first Tron was one of the first movies to use computer graphics to an extensive degree and remains one of the iconic movies of the ‘80s. The themes of the first movie are perfect for the modern jacked-in and plugged-in generation of cyber-youth.

OBSTACLES: Not many of the kids today care one way or another about Tron and the graphics from that movie look clunky by today’s standards. 25 years is a very long time to wait for a sequel.

FACTOID: As a means of continuity with the first film, the classic rock band Journey will contribute at least one song to the soundtrack.

THE GREEN HORNET

RELEASE DATE: December 22, 2010

STUDIO: Columbia

STARRING: Seth Rogen, Cameron Diaz, Jay Chou, Edward James Olmos, David Harbour, Tom Wilkinson, Christoph Waltz, Edward Furlong

STORY: The pulp action hero returns to the big screen, with Rogen supplying the script and Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) directing.

PROSPECTS: Gondry is a bit on the quirky side but he has delivered some fine movies nonetheless. Rogen is one of the big stars of comedy right now; it will be interesting to see how he handles the action sequences that his character will be called upon to perform in.

OBSTACLES: This is said to be a comedic perspective on the pulp hero and that kind of thing tends to turn purists off. Rogen had a good deal of difficulty getting the movie off the ground despite his presence, never a good sign.

FACTOID: The role of Kato was originally going to be played by Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle) who was also attached to direct, but dropped from the director’s chair over creative differences with the producers. He was intending to stay on as an actor, but eventually pulled out of that gig as well.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER

RELEASE DATE: December 10, 2010

STUDIO: Fox Walden

STARRING: Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley, Will Poulter, Eddie Izzard (voice), Liam Neeson (voice), Gary Sweet, Bruce Spence

STORY: The third book of the Narnia series comes to life as Edward and Lucy Pevensie, along with a pesky cousin, return to the magic land of Narnia to journey far beyond its borders in an attempt to save it and its wondrous creatures from a danger beyond comprehension.

PROSPECTS: The Narnia series is one of the most beloved children’s books of all time, and the first two movies have the box office to reflect that.

OBSTACLES: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian underperformed at the box office which some attributed to heavier competition in the summer. The high budget for the movie caused Disney to release the distribution rights. Disney seemed a more perfect fit to sell the movie than Fox, which hasn’t fared well traditionally with family movies.

FACTOID: While Voyage of the Dawn Treader was the third book of the series to be published, it actually falls fifth when considered chronologically in the Narnia mythos.

OUT OF LEFT FIELD

RED

RELEASE DATE: October 22, 2010

STUDIO: Summit

STARRING: Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, John C. Reilly, Mary-Louise Parker, Ernest Borgnine, Richard Dreyfuss, Brian Cox, James Remar

STORY: A former black ops CIA agent lives a life of quiet retirement until a trio of high tech assassins show up to kill him.

PROSPECTS: An impressive cast and an intriguing concept always make for a good combination.

OBSTACLES: Willis’ last film, Surrogates didn’t exactly set the box office on fire.

FACTOID: This is the first movie based on a DC Comic book character to be made at a studio other than Warner Brothers.

ALSO IN THEATERS

GUARDIANS OF GA’HOOLE (Warner Brothers) is the first animated feature from director Zack Snyder (300, The Watchmen) and is based on the series of children’s books by Kathryn Lasky about a group of courageous owls (September 24). THE TOWN (Warner Brothers) is about a career criminal who becomes infatuated with the manager of a bank he’s about to rob. Ben Affleck stars and directs (September 10). THE AMERICAN (Focus) stars George Clooney as a master assassin who waits for his next assignment in an idyllic town (September 1). WARRIOR (Lionsgate) is a mixed martial arts saga about two brothers on a collision to fight in the finals of a brutal tournament (September 17). BORN TO BE A STAR (Columbia) is about a small-town nebbish who discovers his parents were well-known porn stars in the ‘70s (September 3). YOU AGAIN (Disney) is about a successful woman whose brother is about to unknowingly marry her arch-nemesis in high school (September 24). THE ROOMMATE (Screen Gems) is about a deranged college freshman who becomes obsessed with her new roommate (September 17). ALPHA & OMEGA (Lionsgate) is an animated feature about two wolves struggling to get back to their home in Canada after being relocated to the United States (October 1). THE SOCIAL NETWORK (Columbia) is the story of how Facebook came to be as brought to you by director David Fincher. Y’know, the guy who made Se7en. My head spins just thinking about it (October 15). SECRETARIAT (Disney) is the story of the plucky racehorse who went on to become the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years despite the inexperience of his owner (October 8). SAW VII (Lionsgate) is about…well, heck you know what it’s about. The question is if you’re still interested enough to buy a ticket to see it (October 22). THE ZOOKEEPER (MGM) stars Kevin James as a kindly zookeeper who gets dating advice from the animals in his care (October 8). FASTER (CBS) brings back Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson back to the action genre as an ex-con hell-bent on avenging his brother’s death (October 15). GOING THE DISTANCE (New Line) stars Drew Barrymore and Justin Long as two people in a long-distance romance who gradually come to the realization that they would be happier dating someone closer to home (October 8). JACKASS 3D (Paramount) brings back Johnny Knoxville and the gang in another series of idiotic stunts, only this time in big bold 3D, which makes it another movie you can ignore three-dimensionally (October 15). YOUR HIGHNESS (Universal) stars Danny McBride as a slacker who happens to be the brother of a noble, courageous prince. Forced to accompany his brother on a quest to rescue a princess, he discovers that he might have to actually grow a pair or risk his father’s kingdom falling into the hands of a depraved warlord (October 1). RAPUNZEL (Disney) continues what was begun with The Princess and the Frog as the 2D animators at Disney take on another fairy tale with hand drawn animation rather than the computer-generated kind. That’s what I call old school (November 24). DUE DATE (Warner Brothers) stars Robert Downey Jr. in a comedy about a man trying to get home in time for the birth of his child only to be frustrated by a fellow traveler (November 5). RED DAWN (MGM) is the remake of the 1984 movie about the invasion of the United States and a group of high school students who become guerilla partisans (November 26). MEGAMIND (DreamWorks) is about a supervillain who has vanquished his archrival but with nobody left to fight must find a different way to occupy his time (November 5). BURLESQUE (Screen Gems) stars Christina Aguilera and Cher in a musical about a small-town girl who makes it big in a burlesque club (November 24). UNSTOPPABLE (20^th Century Fox) features Denzel Washington and Chris Pine as the engineer and conductor trying to stop a runaway train filled with toxic chemicals headed for a small town (November 12). LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS (Columbia) is a drama about a Viagra salesman. No, really – I couldn’t make that kind of thing up (November 24). IT’S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY (Focus) is about a stressed-out teenager who checks himself into a mental health facility, only to discover that the youth wing has been shut down and that he must now survive with the adult loonies. That’s the technical term, loonies (November TBA). GULLIVER’S TRAVELS (20^th Century Fox) stars Jack Black in the title role as an 18^th century traveler to far-off places that are filled with wonders unseen (December 22). YOGI BEAR (Warner Brothers) is a live action/animated hybrid about the beloved Hanna-Barbera character. Dan Aykroyd will voice the smarter than the average bear picnic basket thief (December 15). LIFE AS WE KNOW IT (Warner Brothers) is about two carefree unattached adults who inherit the children of mutual friends who recently perished in a crash (December 22). HEREAFTER (Warner Brothers) is director Clint Eastwood’s first supernatural drama (December TBA). THE EAGLE OF THE NINTH (Focus) is about a young Roman centurion seeking the answers to the mystery of the disappearance of his father’s legion some 20 years earlier (Fall TBA). PRISONERS (Warner Brothers) is about a desperate father who captures the man he believes responsible for the kidnapping of his wife and daughter, resorting to any means necessary to get the truth of their whereabouts from him (Fall TBA). FLIPPED (Warner Brothers) is the latest from director Rob Reiner as he explores the history of a bumpy romantic relationship that starts when the protagonists are just seven years old (Fall TBA).

And there you have it. There’s a whole lot to look forward to in 2010 and given that the studios had some great success in 2009, we should be seeing a lot of movies that will blow the boundaries of special effects even further, as well as indie movies that will continue to alter our perception of life. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to spending many hours in the cool, quiet darkness of the multiplex next year.