Made glorious spring by flicks more awesome;
If January and February are when the studios "take out the trash," then March is when movies start to be cool again. Herein lie Hatters, rockers, dragons, and a hot tub time machine. Posting this before I get lost in Oscar week and forget all about it. :P
MARCH 5
Alice in Wonderland - Sadly, I must start with the negative. There's been some staggeringly bad word-of-mouth about this so far. As someone who was quite fond of Burton's Wonka, however, I feel obligated to give this a shot and see for myself if it's really that horrible. Not in 3D, though. Speaking of which...
SPECIAL NOTE: I think it's well worth the Google search to find out if a film was actually shot in 3D (or IMAX, for that matter) or if it's been *converted* to 3D in post-production. If it's the latter, I'd strongly urge you to NOT see a film in 3D. It's a pitiful excuse to jack up the already exorbitant ticket price, and unless it's actually been photographed and has been intended as a 3D film from the beginning (see, Avatar), it adds NOTHING of value to the experience. Thanks to the aforementioned Avatar, of course, every single damned studio wants to release every damned movie they make in 3D, and it's ridiculous and moviegoers need to show them that we're not that gullible. Unless, of course, we are.
Alice in Wonderland, it must be said, was converted to 3D in post, NOT shot in 3D. Please do not see this in 3D.
*ahem* Moving on.
Brooklyn's Finest - Ethan Hawke reteams with Training Day director Antoine Fuqua. I don't know, I usually have to be in a certain mood to want to see this kind of movie. Plus, it's Oscar weekend, and I'll have other stuff on my mind. :) This will probably be a rental, unless I hear some amazing things about it (which I haven't yet).
The Secret of Kells - (NY) I was wrong about The Blind Side - THIS was the biggest Oscar surprise on nomination morning, and good on the animation branch for recognizing a flick that most people hadn't even heard of. I've seen the trailer several times, and I'm really in love with the style of it. It doesn't hurt that the producers also brought the world the ingenious Triplets of Belleville.
MARCH 12
Green Zone - Paul Greengrass is a fantastic filmmaker, and he made one of the greatest movies of the last decade, United 93. He also made some movies about a guy named Bourne, none of which I've seen. I'm slightly more likely to see this, though, because it doesn't require me to catch up on the Bourne franchise. On the other hand, what little I've heard about it is not terribly positive.
Remember Me - Both Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart have movies coming out this month, but Pattinson is treading somewhat familiar ground with this romantic drama. Also starring LOST's Emilie de Ravin, this is the one that was shot in New York where Pattinson was hit by a car running from shrieking fans. I kind of wonder how those same fans will take to seeing him fall in love with someone who's not Bella Clutzenhammer.
She's Out of My League - I've kind of been waiting for this one ever since falling for Jay Baruchel in Tropic Thunder. He's the last member of the Judd Apatow stable to get his own movie, after his real-life friends Seth Rogen and Jason Segel have all made their mark on the raunch-com. And unlike most of the entries in this sub-genre, this one actually seems to deal with the disparity in, errr, leagueyness, instead of just saying "Oh, of COURSE this totally beautiful girl would be all over this shlubby guy."
Our Family Wedding - Guess who's coming to dinner! Carlos Mencia. No thanks. Not even America Ferrera and Forest Whitaker can make up for that. Also, I think we need way fewer movies in this world about slapstick weddings. And racial stereotypes. Skipping it.
Mother - (LA/NY) This was South Korea's official Oscar entry for Best Foreign Film, and it has gotten very good reviews. The trailer is intriguing, but this might just slip through the cracks. On the other hand, I just read a review that compared it to the work of Douglas Sirk and Sam Fuller. Thinking seriously about it.
MARCH 19
The Bounty Hunter - I really like Jennifer Aniston. I really do. But I cannot bear to see her fritter her career away on crap movies like this. And it's not like it's her fault. I firmly believe she'd get better roles if the media narrative wasn't still so focused on her marriage that ended five freakin' years ago. Oh, and Gerard Butler should not be allowed to make any romantic comedies ever. It's even less his thing than it is Matthew McConaughey's. And that is saying something. In case you were wondering, I have no interest in seeing this. :P
Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Is it weird that this is kind of the thing I most want to see out of this weekend? Seriously, the trailer is love. And it has Steve Zahn. And Chloe Moretz, who will officially take over the world next month when Kick-Ass hits theaters.
The Runaways - (LA/NY) Speaking of running away, here's Kristen Stewart running as far away from the sparkle nonsense as she possibly can, playing 1970s rock goddess Joan Jett. I heard good things and "eh" things out of Sundance. Looking forward to seeing which side of the fence I end up on. Seems I'll have to break my "No Dakota Fanning" rule.
Repo Men - You know, I loved this when it was a musical and starred Tony Head and Paris Hilton. I really did. It's a great concept, of course, and I know not everyone loved the Genetic Opera, but I'm not sure I'm ready to see this without the cheesy songs.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - I understand this is freakishly popular elsewhere in the world, but I can't tell a darn thing about what it's about from the trailer. I suspect I should read the book on which it's based before actually seeing it. That might mean Netflix instead of a theater.
IMAX: Hubble 3-D - (Limited) Very tempting. I don't know if I'll get around to it, but this is the kind of movie both IMAX and 3D were built for.
MARCH 26
How to Train Your Dragon - I love the trailer for this, can't wait to see it, and care not who knows it. Jay Baruchel, mentioned earlier as the star of She's Out of My League, voices the main character and my favorite late-night host Craig Ferguson also lends his voice to the tale. And speaking of the main character ... so much love for what I've seen thus far. It's like if Ron Weasley got his own movie. *squee*
Greenberg - I like the line at the end of the trailer about all those young people whose parents raised them too perfectly, but I'm not sure Baumbach is my thing. The Squid and the Whale nearly killed me from the smug, self-aware, better-than-thou misery. I don't think I can take another dose of that particular neurosis yet.
Chloe - (Limited) There's only one thing I need to convince me I need to see this - "directed by Atom Egoyan." The guy who brought us The Sweet Hereafter now gives us a tale of a wife who, convinced her husband is cheating, hires an "escort" to seduce him. With Amanda Seyfried, Julianne Moore, and Liam Neeson.
Hot Tub Time Machine - That's the kind of title that either makes you want to see it or makes you not want to see it. I'm in the former camp. Add John Cusack, Craig Robinson (one of the best things about Pineapple Express), and Rob Corddry, PLUS crazy eighties nostalgia (check out the Cameo hair on Robinson's younger self - WORD UP!)? I'm so there!
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