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Director: Darnell Martin Stars: Adrien Brody, Beyoncé Knowles, Mos Def (Full Cast) Studio: TriStar Pictures The Plot: A chronicle of the rise and fall of Chess Records, the Chicago-based record label founded by Leonard Chess (Brody), whose musical ear and business savvy helped foster the careers of Etta James (Knowles), Chuck Berry (Def), and other rhythm-and-blues pioneers.
THE BUZZ: All my single ladies: Let the idea of Beyoncé Knowles starring as Etta James attract or repel you to this rhythm & biopic, but I have to say that Bey's revealing statements about her pop-star side (let's just pretend they're actual-real quotes) and the arrival of her bi-polar solo album makes me interested in her now more than at any other time in her career. She'd probably be the first person to proclaim that her voice and look doesn't exactly match up with Ms. James's, though I'm hoping Etta's wild side will have a lasting effect on Ms. Knowles. (Hmm, perhaps Sasha Fierce should have been cast instead?) Sony's been rather quiet on this one, and I'm wondering if the thought here is to give it an awards-qualifying release this month, then blow it out come January. And I'm dying to see what Mos Def (who should reunite Black Star) brings to the screen as Chuck Berry. Mr. Brody is going to have to fight to not be upstaged. Message Boards: Cinema Blend Review!!! | Am I the only one... Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Ron Howard Stars: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon (Full Cast) Studio: Universal Pictures The Plot: BBC host David Frost interviews Richard Nixon in 1977, where the scandal-plagued President opens up about his role in the Watergate scandal.
THE BUZZ: Opie does alright racking up the Oscar noms when he takes on American tales of a certain era (Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind). Add to the mix Frank Langella (who was seriously overlooked last year for Starting Out in the Evening) as tricky Dick, a Tony-nominated play by The Queen's Peter Morgan and sprinkle a little Bacon (Kevin, that is) and you can expect similar results this awards season. Message Boards: Langella's Voice | Oscar Noms? Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Lexi Alexander Stars: Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Julie Benz (Full Cast) Studio: Lionsgate The Plot: Continuing his crusade to punish violent criminals, former FBI agent Frank Castle (Stevenson) arrives in New York to take on the city's underworld bosses.
THE BUZZ: Seems like we'll never know the details of what happened behind the camera here, so we'll treat the rumors of director Lexi Alexander (Green Street Hooligans) being booted from the project as uncorroborated reports that, while never denied by Lionsgate, aren't exactly trustworthy. We can say that Alexander won the battle to keep her R-rated vision, though we're not sure if she wanted the score to be comprised solely of heavy-metal thunder worthy of a WWE champion's entrance music. Looking at what's going on in front of the camera, we wish the new Frank Castle, Ray Stevenson (aka Titus from HBO's "Rome") all the best in his effort not to go the way of Thomas Jane once War Zone's theatrical run is up (Jane said he didn't work for a year after the original movie was released in 2004). Ditto co-star Dominic West, another HBO vet whose post-"Wire" career isn't looking all that prosperous; perhaps Marvel can find a home for him in one of their myriad projects in development. Message Boards: LGF is really advertising this movie!! | The Song Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Randall Miller Stars: Alan Rickman, Bryan Greenberg, Shawn Hatosy (Full Cast) Studio: Freestyle Releasing The Plot: A young chemistry student (Hatosy) throws a wrench into the existence of Nobel Prize-winning scientist Eli Michaelson (Rickman) by first kidnapping his son (Greenberg), then exposing Michaelson to his family friends, and colleagues as the pompous, unscrupulous egomaniac he has become since his triumph. THE BUZZ: Perhaps writer-director Randall Miller and his co-writer/producer Jody Savin deserve some sort of award for first delivering Bottle Shock as one of the true indie success stories of the year, then cranking up more buzz for Nobel Son, their 2007 project that has been lauded already as a fast, loose, and original caper flick. We all know that Alan Rickman, who stars in both films, is one of the most versatile contemporary actors, but what no one would have predicted in a year where the future of indie-movie distribution has been called into question is to have a filmmaking pair chart two hits in a crowded market without the benefit of A-list wattage. We're stoked for the behind-the-scenes duo, and their wonderfully diverse cast -- many of whom are in both Bottle and Nobel). Message Boards: UK release? | Promotion? Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Nacho Vigalondo Stars: Karra Elejalde, Candela Fernández (Full Cast) Studio: Magnolia Pictures The Plot: After being subjected to a bizarre attack, a man (Elejalde) is transported one hour back in time, where he meets himself, then introduced to events that will lead up to an unthinkable -- but preventable? -- crime. THE BUZZ: It seems as though this year, more so than in any past year, any non-U.S. film that generates Stateside buzz is snatched up and put on the development track to Remakeville. That's the case with short filmmaker Nacho Vigalondo's feature debut, which is being handled by Children of Men screenwriter Tim Sexton as a potential project for David Cronenberg. While Timecrimes hasn't received the same favorable-across-the-board reception as, say, Let the Right One In (which will be directed by Cloverfield's Matt Reeves for a January 2010 release, FYI) it just might fare better with a slightly re-tinkered premise, if you believe one of the smarter online reviewers out there. Message Boards: WHERE CAN I FIND THIS MOVIE | Primer Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Seth Gordon Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn, Mary Steenburgen (Full Cast) Studio: New Line Cinema The Plot: A comedy about a married couple (Witherspoon and Vaughn) from two divorced families who are tasked with attending four Christmas Day celebrations. User Rating:
THE BUZZ: Sounds more like Christmas with the Kranks to us, given the reports that Reese and Vince didn't exactly get along during filming. That's going to make promoting the movie interesting; picture them on daytime TV together: him rumpled and probably hungover, her glowering and taking questions about her other upcoming projects. Maybe this one should end with the main characters going about their separate ways. That sure seemed to work for The Break Up ... Message Boards: Nothing Christmas-y About It .... | Baby Spitting Up = Funny?? Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Byron Howard Chris Williams Stars: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman (Full Cast) Studio: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures The Plot: Bolt (voice of Travolta) is a celebrity dog and the star of a hit TV show where his amazing feats and powers draw big ratings. But when a mail-room mix-up finds him roaming free on the streets of New York City, the wonder dog will have to learn to rely on his actual strengths -- as well as his new friends, an abandoned housecat and a starry-eyed hamster -- in order to find his way back home to his owner and co-star, Penny (voice of Cyrus). User Rating:
THE BUZZ: Disney's latest morality tale sort of sounds heaps better than, say, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, but way less interesting as the Monsters Vs. Aliens teaser trailer that popped up online earlier this week. Hmm, what else to say? Well, Travolta is nowhere near as creepy to look at here than he was in Wild Hogs and Hairspray. Good luck to Ms. Miley Cyrus in her voice-role debut; she might be barely audible among the presence of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" standout Sussie Essman -- listen for her to steal as many scenes as she's in, though she'll have to keep her language family-friendly here. Message Boards: Plot Hole Detected! | 1st 10 minutes is scintillating!!!!! Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Catherine Hardwicke Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke (Full Cast) Studio: Summit Entertainment The Plot: In her new town of Forks, Washington, misfit teenager Bella Swan (Stewart) falls for her alluring and mysterious classmate, Edward Cullen (Pattinson). As it turns out, Edward belongs to a lineage of vampires, although he doesn't fit the typical vampire mold. As their passion reaches dizzying heights, can Edward resist his natural urges, and will he be able to defend Bella from his family members who have come for her? User Rating:
THE BUZZ: In terms of movies, 2008 will be remembered as the year superheroes went truly mainstream and, separately, the industry realized that female and gay male audiences are a neglected demographic. But what about the younger generation -- more specifically, teenage girls? Has any studio been able to figure out what they want, aside from Hannah Montana? Enter Catherine Hardwicke's adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's first novel, a project that first captured our interest very early this year when Kristen Stewart (Bella), Robert Pattinson (Edward), and a handful of their castmates took over our STARmeter chart, well in advance of any available footage from the production. The hype reached its first apex at Comic-Con, when the movie's panel earned Beatlemania comparisons from aging journalists who covered their ears as the teen girls and their "Twilight Moms" made the event more of a freak-out and less of a presentation. It's always tricky to predict if Internet buzz will turn into box-office gold (or, in this case, crimson) but I will say this: If the mother-daughter duos turn out for opening weekend (which was pushed up from mid-December to pre-Thanksgiving once Harry Potter decided to hide until 2009), Twilight could trump some higher-profile holiday movies, powered by repeat audiences, and send competing studios rushing off to optioned like-minded novels. Stephenie Meyer is keeping a blog on the movie's progress, so you might want to bookmark it as your destination for all things vamp as the release date draws near. Message Boards: are there any scenes with violence against animals? | OT: I need some conflict for a story I'm writing Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Marc Forster Stars: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric (Full Cast) Studio: Columbia Pictures The Plot: Picking up where Casino Royale left off, James Bond (Craig) sets his sights on the organization behind Vesper Lynd's betrayal. The mission puts him on a collision course with Dominic Greene (Amalric), a ruthless businessman who, Bond soon learns, is brokering a deal to take total control of one of the world's most precious resources. Relying on allies new and old -- including Camille (Kurylenko), a beautiful woman with her own agenda -- Agent 007 looks to bring down Greene and his conspirators. User Rating:
THE BUZZ: The first of Daniel Craig's two year-end punches has already landed around the world, as QoS pulled in $160 million in under two weeks -- and this is before its U.S. opening, where it's set to drown Casino Royale's $40 million debut, Vesper Lynd style. In a contemporary setting, where Roger Moore has croaked that the series has become "too violent," Amy Winehouse can't stay sober enough to record her Bond theme, and Jason Bourne is threatening to become the world's #1 super-spy, we have to admire Daniel Craig's PC nature (such a nice contrast to the vengeance-seeking character he plays here), as well as Marc Forster's rejiggering of the Bond formula by taking the action to South America for the shortest, densest chapter to date. Message Boards: I live in Bolivia and- | Did anyone actually understand this movie ? Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Baz Luhrmann Stars: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman (Full Cast) Studio: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation The Plot: Set in northern Australia before World War II, an English aristocrat (Kidman) who inherits a sprawling ranch reluctantly pacts with a stock-man (Jackman) in order to protect her new property from a takeover plot. As the pair drive 2,000 head of cattle over unforgiving landscape, they experience the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by Japanese forces firsthand. User Rating:
THE BUZZ: Originally Russell Crowe was set to star opposite Kidman in this paean to the antipodean outback, but everyone's favorite bad boy balked at the salary, stating, "I don't do charity work for major studios." Charming or surly? In stepped Wolverine to help Mrs. Keith Urban herd cattle, and while we couldn't be happier that Jackman and Kidman will play dueling cheekbones, the combination of dust, sweat, and livestock seems a far cry from Luhrmann's usually spangled-and-sumptuous milieu. This better deliver more than cattle or you're looking at the Australian Atonement come Oscar time. Message Boards: I am Australian but i dont want to see this crap: | Audience Applauded Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Eric Darnell Tom McGrath Stars: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer (Full Cast) Studio: DreamWorks Distribution The Plot: In the sequel to Madagascar, Alex the lion (voiced by Stiller) and his friends board an NYC-bound plane (that's been "repaired" by their penguin pals), only to find themselves touching down in the African plains. It's an opportunity for the animals to encounter their own kind for the very first time, and to discover, while various plots play out, what "home" truly means to each of them. User Rating:
THE BUZZ: Say what you will about the original's primitive animation and whatnot, but it tallied up over $400 million in worldwide receipts, so this crack-a-lackin' sequel comes as no surprise -- but did it really require three years to come together? Maybe those psychotic penguins held out for more money. Maybe this time around the creative talent behind the camera will have more going on in the wild (something sorely missing from the first movie). And while we expect a big return here, honestly, we're more primed for Dreamworks' 2009 offering, Monster vs. Aliens. Message Boards: The title isn't what you think it is.. | Possible Back to the Future reference? Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Olivier Megaton Stars: Jason Statham, Robert Knepper, Katia Tchenko (Full Cast) Studio: Lionsgate The Plot: Frank Martin (Statham) puts the driving gloves on for a third mission: To deliver Valentina (Rudakova), the kidnapped daughter of a Ukranian government official, from Marseilles to Odessa on the Black Sea. En route, he'll have to contend with thugs who want to intercept Valentina's safe delivery and not let his personal feelings get in the way of his dangerous objective. User Rating:
THE BUZZ: Looks like a much leaner (as in: 0% body fat) Jason Statham has punched in for a third-and-final? installment of the franchise that helped him break big in America. But do me a favor: Watch the teaser trailer and let me know if you think it's kind of embarrassing that the production -- which is still being steered by writer/producer Luc Besson, but is in the hands of graffiti-artist-turned-director Olivier Megaton -- lifted a story convention from Statham's Crank 2: High Voltage? In C2, Statham has a rejiggered heart that needs electrical jolts to keep ticking, here in T3, he's been outfitted with a silver bangle that will detonate if removed. Is this a metaphor for what might happen to Statham if he ever decides to transition out of action-anti-hero mode and into, say, a romantic leading man? Message Boards: Throw the dumb slut out of the car | Unrealistic, over-the-top stunts ruin the movie Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: David Wain Stars: Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Elizabeth Banks (Full Cast) Studio: Universal Pictures The Plot: Unsavory behavior forces a pair of energy-drink reps (Rudd and Scott) to enroll in a Big Brother program, where the duo learn, however reluctantly, to bond with their assigned kids. User Rating:
THE BUZZ: David Wain (The Ten) isn't nearly as famous as Judd Apatow, but he got his career started the same way (both guys turned oddball comedy shows into cult hits in the early/mid-90s) before taking tentative steps toward the big screen. And from the sound of this movie's premise, it appears that Wain is learning the lesson Apatow aced a few years ago: Get less cerebral with your comedy, rotate key players through your projects, and gun for the hard-R rating. I'm curious as to why these Models earned a winter release when they are clearly a summer-movie confection, though it is a savvy and rather funny counter-programming effort by Universal ... Message Boards: Your favortite/funniest part of this movie? | Stop Saying Fa*got!!! Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Mark Herman Stars: Asa Butterfield, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend (Full Cast) Studio: Miramax Films The Plot: A WWII-set story as seen through the eyes of Bruno (Butterfield), whose Nazi-Officer father (Thewlis) has just been made the commandant of a concentration camp outside Berlin. Bruno's eventual friendship with Shmuel, a boy his age who is detained at the camp, will usher in a troublesome reality for Bruno, and lead to a fateful attempt to alter Shmuel's situation. User Rating:
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