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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: Wouldn't even consider seeing it. | The Women (weak cast) 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 ... More on this one after its premiere at the Venice Film Festival at the end of August ... Message Boards: Will this movie have an ending? | what excites me most 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: 5 Fantastic Clips Online | This Movie is Wonderful 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: Red Envelope Entertainment 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: Shorten the sex scenes | song in trailer? 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: Why 50 Cent!!! | Just saw PG-13 after trailer during Titanic commercial break 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.
THE BUZZ: Typically cheery British director Mark Herman (Little Voice) looks back to the dark days of WWII in his adaptation of John Boyne's acclaimed, super-depressing novel. Prepare to be horrified by David Thewlis and Rupert Friend in what could be the saddest film released this year. Awards bait? Certainly. What are its chances? We'll have to see what sort of push Miramax gives it -- they've also got Mike Leigh's buzzing Happy-Go-Lucky on their plate this season ... Message Boards: If You Liked The Book Read.... | I just bought the book.. is it any good? 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: UK Release? | This would not be a problem if... Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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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. User Rating:
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: Wait A F*(+*(E+ Minute | TV advertisements Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Ben Stiller Stars: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr. (Full Cast) Studio: DreamWorks Distribution The Plot: While shooting a big-budget war movie, a group of actors (Stiller, Black, Downey Jr., and others) are forced to become soldiers in a real-life conflict. User Rating:
THE BUZZ: Want to get people to forget about Owen Wilson dropping out of this project? Easy, just put the formerly troubled Robert Downey Jr. in some eyebrow-raising make up, create a cameo that will potentially revive a star's career, spread around a now-standard red-band trailer, and generate some last-minute controversy and suddenly Pineapple Express seems so PG-13. Message Boards: I don't understand this 'racism' accusation... | The Truth - Racism Nonsense Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Fred Wolf Stars: Anna Faris (Full Cast) Studio: Columbia Pictures The Plot: A Playboy bunny (Faris) who was recently booted from the mansion winds up becoming the new house mother for a sorority in jeopardy. User Rating:
THE BUZZ: Can you plagiarize yourself? That's the question that screenwriters Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith seem to be positing with this comedy, which lifts so much from Legally Blonde that we wouldn't be surprised if Bruiser the dog made an appearance. This is even so much like LB that we bet it's the talented star who makes it watchable. And while we love Faris to pieces, and are glad she's getting the lead roles these days.... something a little different wouldn't hurt on the resume! Message Boards: back brace? I'm a bit offended... | I have to meet this friggin bird!!!!!!!! Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Christopher Nolan Stars: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart (Full Cast) Studio: Turner Network Television (TNT) The Plot: The Caped Crusader (Bale) teams ups with Gotham's Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Eckhart) to take on the city's newest villain -- The Joker (Ledger). User Rating:
THE BUZZ: Capitalizing on one of the most effective online viral campaigns of all time, it's no wonder theaters are piling on additional screenings (with 3am & 6am showtimes!?) and estimating an opening weekend north of $130 million. Nolan's previous Batman gave the familiar franchise a much needed ka-blam by ditching the vivid Technicolor and rubber cod pieces for softer sepia tones and a beefed-up Bale. Now, we've got a new Rachel Dawes (Gyllenhaal), a wicked new Joker (Ledger, in one of his two final roles) and more websites than we can keep track of (Gotham Cable News, Remembering Gina and Why So Serious? to name a few). With apologies to Iron Man, Hancock and The Incredible Hulk (don't want to get him angry), this will likely be the superhero movie event of the summer. Message Boards: Who are the 5 dead Gordon talks about? | so, Two-Face is officially dead...... Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Jeffrey Nachmanoff Stars: Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, David Clark (Full Cast) Studio: Overture Films The Plot: FBI agent Roy Clayton (Pearce) heads up a conspiracy investigation which initially susses out a prime suspect: Samir Horn (Cheadle), a former special ops officer with strong ties to Afghan rebels in the Middle East. As Clayton chases Horn around the world, however, a tangled web of contradictory evidence is revealed. User Rating:
THE BUZZ: Five fine actors guide this conspiracy thriller from The Day After Tomorrow writer Jeffrey Nachmanoff into theaters at the end of the summer-movie season. Oddly enough, Steve Martin came up with this premise back in 2002, when he was working on Bringing Down the House with producer David Hoberman, and even though it reminds me of Lennie James's character's arc on "Jericho," one interesting thing to chart here is the rise of Overture Films, the distributor that turned The Visitor into a hit this year and has optioned a handful of original screenplays for 2009/2010. Message Boards: The Bus Driver | Terrible movie. Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Mathieu Kassovitz Stars: Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, Mélanie Thierry (Full Cast) Studio: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation The Plot: Veteran-turned-mercenary Thoorop (Diesel) takes a high-risk assignment where he must escort a woman out of Russia. His client, however, is carrying a synthetic virus -- one that could bring about the end of humankind. Making his mission extra-difficult is the cult that has designs on what rests inside the young woman's body. User Rating:
THE BUZZ: Dudes, random casting abounds for Vin Diesel's return to the sci-fi genre. But if it wasn't for this Michelle Yeoh fansite, we would have known next to nothing about the project while it was in production. The best buzz we've heard about the project? District B13 star David Belle has choreographed parkour fight scenes for both Diesel and Yeoh! And the worst? Uncooperative weather and powerplays between Diesel and director Mathieu Kassovitz first caused a production delay, sending producer Ilan Goldman (the man behind the two Crimson Rivers movies) on the hunt for snowy locales and replacements for several vital crew slots. Then, Diesel's manager apparently had to go coax Kassovitz back from a reported nervous breakdown, only to watch the director distance himself from the entire mess come red-carpet time. Seriously! And while this level of drama used results in a hot pile of celluloid garbage, the trailer is looking hot, even if the awareness for this one is strangely low. P.S. We can overlook the Kronos Quartet composition that no one should ever have used after Requiem for a Dream ... Message Boards: I Liked This Movie--What don't you get? **Spoilers** | We Want RIDDICK 3 ! Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Paul W.S. Anderson Stars: Jason Statham, Joan Allen, Tyrese Gibson (Full Cast) Studio: Universal Pictures The Plot: Former NASCAR champ Jensen Ames (Statham) is framed for the murder of his wife, and subsequently sent to a notorious prison overseen by a warden (Allen) who has created the country's most popular sport: a kill-or-be-killed car race in which her inmates compete for their freedom. User Rating:
THE BUZZ: Whoa, the Transporter faces off against Jason Bourne's oppressor? One good thing is: since this is set in a Paul W. S. Anderson universe, Jason Statham and Joan Allen will probably make out at some point. Here's another: At least Sly Stallone didn't lobby to star in this re-envisioning of his 1975 cult action flick. First Showing has a first look (actually, they just reprinted Empire Magazine's photospread) at the action, which we imagine Anderson is envisioning as a potential franchise. And check out the curiously sexy trailer, complete with a sequence that makes me realize how Anderson is getting to make his proposed Spy Hunter movie after all ... Message Boards: Few plot holes that I would like to have answered... | Which part made you laugh the hardest? (Spoilers) Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Jason Friedberg Aaron Seltzer Stars: Carmen Electra, Vanessa Minnillo, Nicole Parker (Full Cast) Studio: Lionsgate The Plot: Over the course of one evening, an unsuspecting group of twenty-somethings find themselves bombarded by a series of natural disasters and catastrophic events. User Rating:
THE BUZZ: Hey, who ordered another project from the < | |||||
