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Director: Oxide Pang Chun Danny Pang Stars: Nicolas Cage, Charlie Yeung, Shahkrit Yamnarm (Full Cast) Studio: Lionsgate The Plot: A hitman (Cage) in Bangkok to pull off a series of jobs falls for a local woman and bonds with his errand boy.
THE BUZZ: In real life, Thailand's in a state of emergency; meanwhile, in Hollywood, Nic Cage sports hockey-player hair in the Pang Brothers's remake of their own 1999 film, which might have been more interesting if Cage could have been convinced to play his character as a deaf-mute hitman as the original story goes. Though they certainly have a cult following, the Pangs's brand of horror hasn't taken off with mainstream audiences here, what with their meddling English-language debut and that barely there remake with J'Alba achieving back-to-back strikeouts. Our suggestion: Scrap this version, redevelop the remake with a bankable Asian star (Chow-Yun Fat, Jet Li), set the story in the U.S., and watch the receipts roll in. Message Boards: How can I take this movie serious with a title like Bangkok Dangerous? | 100 things we learnt from 'Bangkok Dangerous' Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Jason Todd Ipson Stars: Jay Jablonski, Cerina Vincent, John Kapelos (Full Cast) Studio: Roadside Attractions The Plot: Jake (Jablonski) is a romantic guy who's still pining for his ex some eight years after their separation. But when he sparks with Marisa (Vincent), a beautiful Italian woman from Boston's North End, he learns how far he'll go for love when he opts to disguise the fact that he's not Italian -- a potential deal breaker for Marisa.
THE BUZZ: Loosely based on writer-director James Todd Ipson's own romantic experiences in Beantown, in which he landed an Italian bride, we can only imagine how this story will end. Penny Marshall has a small role among a cast of recognizable character actors in another ethnic romantic comedy that could catch on with older audiences. Message Boards: Italy sucks at football | Why wouldn't you want to be Italian? Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Diane English Stars: Meg Ryan, Eva Mendes, Annette Bening (Full Cast) Studio: Picturehouse Entertainment The Plot: Happily married Mary (Ryan) finds her world shaken when she discovers that her husband is cheating on her with shopgirl Crystal (Mendes) -- and she was pretty much the last to know. Crying, divorce, recriminations, and revenge follow. Based on the star-studded 1939 classic starring Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell and updated to the present day.
THE BUZZ: Like the original, no men were harmed -- er, employed! -- in front of the camera for this film. Hard core fans will want to know how the movie has been updated: Mary is now a clothing designer, frenemy Sylvia (Annette Bening -- perfect casting!) is a magazine editor, and Crystal is... still a perfume salesgirl. Writer-director Diane English (of "Murphy Brown" fame) has been working on this script for over ten years, and Ryan's availability finally got it made, albeit on an indie-shoestring budget (which is why you saw Ryan at the recent Independent Spirit Awards). The original, after almost 70 years, is still juicy as ever, and we'd call this superfluous if it weren't for English's much-ballyhooed script, which many thought would never get made. And now that Sex and the City made the movies and fun place for the Carrie Bradshaws and Stanford Blatches of the world, look for that crowd to swoon over the first trailer, which funny in a great sitcom way.
Message Boards: i liked the 1939 film...should i give this version a shot? | Excellent Performances Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Ethan Coen Joel Coen Stars: Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, George Clooney (Full Cast) Studio: Focus Features The Plot: A disk containing the memoirs of a CIA agent ends up in the hands of two unscrupulous gym employees who attempt to benefit from the discovery.
THE BUZZ: The Coens want to make you laugh again, less than a year after bringing Anton Chigurh to life and saddling away with 4 Oscars for their efforts. While I don't think BAR will reach the same level of pop culture-saturation as NCfOM, I guess there's something to be said for a movie in which most everyone in the theater will understand the ending? Sigh ... The word from Venice is: The only problem with the film is that, at 96 minutes, it leaves you wanting so much more. Message Boards: I GUESS AFTER THIS ONE THE COENS ARE OUT OF BUSSINES | Burn After Watching Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Jon Avnet Stars: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Carla Gugino (Full Cast) Studio: Overture Films The Plot: Two veteran New York City detectives (De Niro and Pacino) work to identify the possible connection between a recent murder and a case they believe they solved years ago; is there a serial killer on the loose, and did they perhaps put the wrong person behind bars?
THE BUZZ: I've watched the trailer a few times, and I have to say that I wish RK's premise excited me as much as the long-awaited pairing of these two acting legends. That said, I have to keep in mind that the script was written by Russell Gewirtz, the pen behind Spike Lee's excellent Inside Man, so I imagine there are more twists in store than the one I already know. (And it's a good one, even if you have seen it before.) Message Boards: inspired by dirty harry | Why Turk? Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Tyler Perry Stars: Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard, Sanaa Lathan (Full Cast) Studio: Lionsgate The Plot: Faced with a series of secrets and scandals that are threatening to tear their respective families apart, old friends Charlotte Cartwright (Bates) and Alice Pratt (Woodard) embark on a cross-country road trip in hopes of finding a way to end the drama and rebuild their familial connections.
THE BUZZ: Wait, there's no Madea aboard this trip? Hmm, well, Tyler Perry better hope for a Why Did I Get Married?-sized hit, and not another Daddy's Little Girls experience with his sixth theatrical release, which has yet to generate much buzz on the summer-movie circuit. (I think it's the quiet before the storm over at Lionsgate, however, as the studio ramps up to release 11 films between August and December -- a schedule that include guaranteed hits such as Saw IV and Transporter 3, awards-bait in the form of W. and Religulous, and clunkers such as My Best Friend's Girl and Punisher: War Zone.)
My suggestion for marketing Preys: Promote it like a Bucket List for women, and make sure press outlets act dumbfounded if another Perry film debuts at #1. (P.S. The playwright plays a construction worker this time around, which really makes us giggle.) Message Boards: When does this movie come out on DVD? | Andrea? ***spoiler **** Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Alan Ball Stars: Summer Bishil, Aaron Eckhart, Peter Macdissi (Full Cast) Studio: Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) The Plot: An Arab-American teenager is sent to live with her strict father and struggles to find love and acceptance in a her new surroundings.
THE BUZZ: The creative mind behind American Beauty and Six Feet Under wasn't likely to avoid controversy for his feature directorial debut with a title like that. So, it's no surprise that controversy, like a creepy, nosy neighbor, quickly came-a-knocking. First up was Fox News, who dubbed it the "feel-awful film of the year". No need to dignify their claim here, but the novel is touted for exploring themes of racism, misogyny and pedophilia. Not exactly perky, feel-good, date-movie topics. And, what to make of the report that people supposedly walked out during advance screenings? Hmmm, sometimes that only makes us want to see a movie more. Message Boards: Twisted Message ***SPOILERS*** | Aaron Eckhart Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Irena Salina Stars: (Full Cast) Studio: Oscilloscope Pictures The Plot: A documentary that addresses how dwindling resources, pollution, privatization and other factors are affecting the world water supply. THE BUZZ: Irena Salina's documentary has finished up the film-festival circuit (it won a Best Doc award at Vail and was shortlisted for Sundance'S Grand Jury Prize), where it received what industry types call "kind notices" for showing us things we already know (that bottled water you're drinking at your desk probably came from a dirty tap) and things we can only imagine (corporations are buying up the global water supply, drought is just one of many foreboding environmental factors, and even the Ganges is being siphoned). More than one reviewer has suggested the film could use more rhythm, but that hasn't prevented a raft of foreign sales as well as a likely future home on DVD and (perhaps) in classrooms and lecture halls. Message Boards: 'Flow' To Be Released On DVD 12/9/08 | This would not be a problem if... Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: S.R. Bindler Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Willie Nelson (Full Cast) Studio: Anchor Bay Entertainment The Plot: Coming home after a world tour, champion surfer Steve Addington (McConaughey) discovers his managers have sold him off to a greedy businessman who wants to exploit his talent with a bunch of lame-brained, get-rich schemes.
THE BUZZ: McConaughey draws from his real-life experiences and indulgences for a 80s-style, weed-and-boobs comedy that is easily one of the top Razzie contenders of the year. The cool thing about McConaughey: He, like Halle Berry before him, would show up to receive his award(s). Note that director S.R. Bindler brought us the classic 1997 documentary Hands on a Hard Body. Message Boards: Matthew McConaughey nude, full-frontal? | DVD NEWS Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Fred Ashman Stars: (Full Cast) Studio: Slowhand Cinema Releasing The Plot: A scripted documentary on five Americans who look to overcome certain adversities in order to realize their dreams. THE BUZZ: Keen eyes will notice that Michael Moore and other documentarians often stage scenes in their works; Proud American goes many steps further, a fully scripted doc that touches on issues of immigration, urban youth, the military ... but with gooey, Lifetime TV flourishes that make the trailer one of the year's most curious discoveries. Message Boards: I'm Canadian too...but I'm more calm :-) | Worst Wide Release Opening Box Office Ever Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Neil LaBute Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington (Full Cast) Studio: Screen Gems The Plot: An LAPD officer (Jackson) will stop at nothing to force out the interracial couple (Washington and Wilson) who just moved in next door ...
THE BUZZ: It'll be fun to see Patrick Wilson in thriller mode (one of two genre flicks this season for the former phantom and soon-to-be owl -- look for him in Passengers next month), and I'm pro Kerry Washington (Ray) getting more notice, but if Neil LaBute isn't careful, he's going to find himself, like, rebooting a franchise or remaking his own early film for his next project. And if he tries to pass this off as anything but a cheap-and-easy mainstream release, we're going to laugh at him just like we laughed at Roland Joffe when he tried to promote Captivity as a film with a message. Message Boards: Any Black people offended? | Was Abel Turner a black Republican? Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Howard Deutch Stars: Kate Hudson, Dane Cook, Jason Biggs (Full Cast) Studio: Lionsgate The Plot: Tank (Cook) makes a living as an uncouth womanizer hired by guys who want their girlfriends or wives to reconsider leaving them. But what happens when his behavior has the opposite effect on Alexis (Hudson), the love of his best friend's (Biggs) life?
THE BUZZ: Is Kate Hudson being punished for taking time off to have kids or something? If not, why does she have to star alongside these two bozos? Seriously! As for Jason Biggs, isn't there some American Pie DVD sequel requesting your presence? And Dane Cook, can't you take a parkour class or something -- you know, mix it up a little. Your public gripe with Lionsgate over the poster for MBFG was kinda funny, but were you really expecting them to dig deep for marketing funds (or ideas) here? Why don't you just turn your still funny "You Suck at Photoshop" monologues into your next project. Message Boards: Dane Cook's cheeks | Can it be worse than Good Luck Chuck? Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Saul Dibb Stars: Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Dominic Cooper (Full Cast) Studio: Paramount Vantage The Plot: A chronicle of the life of Georgiana Cavendish (Knightley), the 18th century aristocrat who endured a difficult marriage to the Duke of Devonshire (Fiennes), and was known for her beauty, political manuvers, and gambling indulgences.
THE BUZZ: Keira K. gives the period drama another workout, this time with an able-bodied cast, a studio that knows how to market a genre film, and a story that mirrors the experiences of Georgiana's descendant, Princess Diana. Our eye isn't on Ms. Knightley, however, it's focused on Hayley Atwell, who is set to captivate audiences in Bridehead Revisited this year ... Message Boards: I thought the movie was beautiful.. | While pregnant... Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Ed Harris Stars: Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renée Zellweger (Full Cast) Studio: New Line Cinema The Plot: A pair of lawmen (Harris and Mortensen) out to save a Western town from a rancher's tyrannical reign find their bond, and their mission, tested by the arrival of a double-dealing widow (Zellweger).
THE BUZZ: Ed Harris returns to the director's seat some 8 years after his award-winning Pollock, but I'm more excited for his reunion with his A History of Violence co-star, Viggo Mortensen. Both men are fit for the material, an adaptation of the novel by Robert B. Parker (whose Jesse Stone TV movies have been a boon for Tom Selleck's career), but I'm not so sure about the Zellweger's ability to be anything but comical as she makes her return Cold Mountain-ish territory. Does this photo earn your confidence? Message Boards: DVD OUT 13JAN | Idea for Ed Harris.... Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Anthony Leondis Stars: John Cusack, Molly Shannon, Steve Buscemi (Full Cast) Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) The Plot: Tired of playing second fiddle to his "Master," a talented laboratory assistant (Cusack) looks to win the annual Evil Science Fair with his own creation.
THE BUZZ: I sense that Igor's storyline mirrors the experiences of director Anthony Leondis, who has spent his career thus far laboring over direct-to-video sequels at Disney. Given his own animated creation, the first project from Exodus Film Group (who should have Bunyan and Babe in theaters sometime next year), Igor looks like it'll appeal to kids and Tim Burton fans alike; check the teaser trailer for a peep at the dark fun to be had this fall. Message Boards: It's just Terrible | Tim Burton homage anyone? Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: David Koepp Stars: Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, Téa Leoni (Full Cast) Studio: Paramount Pictures The Plot: Bertram Pincus (Gervais) dies for a seven-minute period during his routine colonoscopy, then awakens to realize he has gained the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Problem #1: He never had people skills, in life or in death. Problem #2: His ghostly patron, Frank Herlihy (Kinnear), pesters him into meddling with the impending marriage of his widow, Gwen (Leoni), who lives in Bertram's building and isn't necessarily his number-one fan.
THE BUZZ: What did Ricky Gervais do to deserve such a schlocky foray into leading manhood? Look here for evidence that this rather-dated premise has zero signs of life or longevity. Greg Kinnear also deserves better roles than the aw-shucks types he tends to inhabit these days; the one time Bob Crane is this close to having a see-through career (and his upcoming Flash of Genius looks like a rainy day). Can we expect Téa and Ricky to form a clay bowl together? Message Boards: did anyone notice the boom mic at the top? | Ghost Town reminds me of.... Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
