October Movie Releases

We're getting deeper into Oscar territory. Only two movies that I've labeled "must see"s this month, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It leaves a lot of room for the "maybe"s and the "I'd love to see it if only there wasn't so much else coming out"s.

OCTOBER 1

[MUST-SEE] The Social Network - Otherwise known as "The Facebook Movie." Definitely one of my most anticipated movies of the year and currently considered one of the Best Picture frontrunners. Written by Sorkin. Directed by Fincher. I challenge you not to be wowed by the full trailer and its strategic use of a girls choir's cover of Radiohead's "Creep."

[MUST-SEE] Let Me In - Horror geeks were appalled that anyone would dare remake the perfect Swedish vampire flick Let the Right One In, but everything I've heard convinces me this is one remake that does it right. The conversation may now, in fact, be turning toward whether this actually improves on the original. Starring Kodi Smit-McPhee of The Road and Chloe Kick-Ass Moretz.

Case 39 - It is freaky to watch the trailer for this film and see a younger Bradley Cooper, before he got all buff (because the movie was shot four years ago and then shelved). It almost doesn't even look like him. I hate that this movie comes out on a weekend with such heavy competition, because it looks interesting and I'm afraid it might fall through the cracks. And even though I haven't yet seen Eclipse (waiting for the Rifftrax), I'm pretty sure that little girl is the same actress who played Bree "cheeseburger of pain" Tanner.

Freakonomics - [limited] I have not read the best-selling book on which this is based, but while the ideas seem pretty fascinating, I'm wondering how they're woven together into a film without it feeling too fractious. I don't even know how to explain this one properly, so click on the title to go to the IMDB page, which has the trailer. See what you make of it.

Hatchet II - I never got around to seeing the first Hatchet, but I loved director Adam Green's follow up, Frozen, immensely. *checks Netflix* Maybe I can check out the first one before this comes out. It might be better to see it closer to Halloween anyway (especially as there's jack-all coming out the second half of the month).

Barry Munday - [LA/NY] This was a pretty big hit at SXSW this year, and I'm kind of stoked to see it. And one of the main things that interests me is the prospect of finally seeing Judy Greer starring in her own freakin' film and not just playing the snotty/quirky/clingy "best friend type" to Jennifer Garner or Katherine Heigl or whoever.

Chain Letter - [limited] Eh. I feel conflicted. I know that some of my favorite horror movies have been cheap stuff like this, but there's just something about today's horror sensibilities that make me distrustful. It's good to see a fairly original idea in the genre, though, and not just another movie spit out of the remake factory.

Douchebag - This strikes me as unbearably smug, like a funnier but less intelligent Noah Baumbach movie. No.


OCTOBER 8

Life as We Know It - Before you immediately turn your back on this because of the presence of Katherine Heigl, I've heard this is actually quite good. I still hate that poster with Josh Duhamel in a diaper, but that's marketing, not the movie. At least not the whole movie. Even the snarky blog boys seem to like it.

Secretariat - Didn't I see this movie like seven years ago when it was called Seabiscuit? I don't know. The cast is impressive, the director, Randall Wallace ... I'd like to have faith because his two other films as a director (We Were Soldiers and The Man in the Iron Mask) were decent. But he also wrote the script for Pearl Harbor. My faith is not strong.

It's Kind of a Funny Story - [limited] Originally in the September post. Buzz has been horrible. This is a skip or a rental for me.

Tamara Drewe - [LA/NY] Will someone please tell me what is so special about Gemma Arterton and why I'm supposed to even know who she is? This is based on a graphic novel that is supposedly based on Thomas Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd. I'm skipping this, though, because I'm not a fan of the plot where a hot girl goes to a small town and all the men fall all over themselves for her as if the women who already exist in their lives Don't Count and this is the first time they've actually seen a female. Bella Swan, much?

Nowhere Boy - [limited] The lovely Aaron Johnson (the eponymous hero of Kick-Ass) plays a quite young John Lennon. I have always been more of a Paul gal myself and there's always been something kind of off-putting about Lennon. I mean, he was a genius, but he knew it. This is, however, the most exciting thing coming out this weekend, so I'll probably see it. The music and Aaron Johnson will be worth it, if nothing else.

My Soul to Take - Wes Craven brings us a film that bears more than a passing resemblance to his genre-defining A Nightmare on Elm Street. Dare I hope for another truly awesome Craven horror movie? Waiting to see other people's responses to this.

Stone - The notion of Robert DeNiro and Edward Norton teaming up again is definitely enticing, and I'm hearing this is actually quite good. I confess, part of my interest is in seeing Milla Jovovich act in a movie not directed by her husband, Paul W.S. Anderson.

I Spit on Your Grave: Unrated - This movie, and the ungodly original film that it is a remake of, can kindly go and die in every fire that ever burned. I am curious, though - will there actually be a story this time? Or will they fall back on the original's more, shall we say, deliberate plot pacing and faithfully recreate the (I kid you not) THIRTY-FIVE MINUTE GRAPHIC GANG RAPE SEQUENCE. In case you were wondering, I'd rather eat my own face than see this.

Inside Job - Another doc about the economic meltdown and one that looks particularly infuriating. Love the moments in the trailer where people do not want to be participating in this or ask for the camera to be turned off. I don't think I can handle this, though. I'm still seething from the last doc these filmmakers made, No End in Sight.

Today's Special - A cooking comedy. I'm intrigued by the presence of Kevin Corrigan and Aasif Mandvi, but I'm not sold.


OCTOBER 15

Jackass 3-D - Don't judge me, but I may be kind of pumped to see this. May. Also, I may or may not be contemplating checking out the two previous movies. The big hand high five gets me every time I see this trailer. I think this is what 3D was made for. *wipes a proud tear from eye*

Conviction - Hearing good things about this one. But am I a bad person for hoping there's no Oscar campaign planned for Hilary Swank? I really cannot take a third round of Swank v. Bening. Sam Rockwell seems to be the jewel in the crown here, though. I'm interested.

Red - Helen Mirren has a license to kill, bitches! I think this is a definite yes, for the awesome cast alone. Willis. Freeman. Parker. Malkovich. Mirren. 'Nuff said.

Down Terrace - [limited] Most of the trailer makes it look kind of boring. UNTIL one of the characters shoves a little old lady in front of a speeding car. Sadly, that alone is not enough reason to see a movie. Waiting to hear more about this. It's being touted as "Mike Leigh meets the Sopranos" but ... I don't know.


OCTOBER 22

Paranormal Activity 2 - Unless I see some downright stellar reviews of this one, this is in my "no" pile on principle. The whole charm of the first one was that it was at least somewhat original and homemade. I'm glad it was a huge hit, though I don't see what the point of rooting for original content is anymore. It doesn't help new filmmakers with new ideas at all; it just turns original content into sequel factories.

Hereafter - The trailer is lovely, but I'm hearing mixed-to-bad buzz. However, Eastwood's Gran Torino had a similar response coming out of the festivals, and then a few months later people were wondering why it got shut out of the Oscars. Also, Peter Morgan wrote the script, so there's that. I'm also intrigued by the casting of Cecile De France, who was that crazy chick in Haute Tension. I'm determined to see this and make up my own mind instead of defaulting to critical opinion.

The Company Men - [LA/NY] John Wells, who produced two of the biggest ensemble dramas in the history of television (ER and The West Wing), turns his eye to films with what looks like an incredible - you guessed it - ensemble drama. I think the most exciting thing about the trailer is "Academy Award Winner Ben Affleck ... Academy Award Winner Chris Cooper ... Academy Award Winner Kevin Costner ... Academy Award Winner Tommy Lee Jones." This is a yes.

Inhale - [NY] This looks pretty awesome, I have to say, but I'm curious as to why I've never heard of it before. It seems like a movie that appeared at a festival and took a long time to get picked up, because while I can't find any official reviews, what I *have* found are loads of links to bootleg copies on the internets. I may balance out my Paranormal Activity Principled Boycott with a Principle Viewing of this film. I can't help feeling this just deserves to be given a chance. Not that my one ticket will achieve anything, but then my not going to PA2 won't put a dent in its box office either.


OCTOBER 29

Monsters - [limited] I don't know, guys, this sounds an AWFUL lot like District 9, only with a different social subtext. Reviews I'm seeing emphasize the shoestring budget and the fact that the director did the special effects on his computer. Impressive to be sure, but I'm worried people are pointing that out in an effort to adjust audience expectations. Waiting to hear more about why critics are calling it so "original."

Saw 3D: The Final Chapter - No. A thousand times no. I'm afraid this kind of sequel cycle is the fate that awaits you, Paranormal Activity.

Welcome to the Rileys - [limited] I like the idea of this story, where a married couple takes a young stripper under their wing. But I'm afraid I can't watch Kristen Stewart in anything right now.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - [limited] The third and final chapter in the successful adaptations of Stieg Larsson's smash hit book series. I have yet to see or read any of these, but they're on my to-do list, I promise! I don't think I'll be caught up in time to catch this in theaters, though.

The Kids Grow Up - [NY] Documentary about letting go of kids who leave home for the first time. What little I've heard about this is not promising.

September Movie Releases

It's that time of year again, my friends! Fall movie season is upon us. I have procured Entertainment Weekly's Fall Movie Preview issue, and my calendar is marked. Which is kind of pointless, I know, because like 75% of these dates are going to change as festival flicks get picked up and everyone rushes to shove their movie into theaters before the end of the year because OMG OSCARS. But it's my ritual, and I do it, even though I'm going to have to scratch stuff out and do it all over again.


SEPTEMBER 3
Yes, I am fully aware how annoying it is to see six of the nine movies for this weekend sporting the "nah-nah-nee-boo-boo" tag of limited distribution. I feel you, I do. It's frustrating to hear critics yammer about how people don't go see these good little movies when THERE IS NO OPPORTUNITY TO in most places across the country. *ahem*

The American - [9/1] George Clooney continues to show us why he is one of the few people who deserves his "movie star" mantle. He makes a genuine effort to do interesting, original work and never rests on his laurels. This movie looks all kinds of exciting.

Machete - HO YEAH! What started as a fake trailer for the Rodriguez/Tarantino (OTP!) double feature Grindhouse is now a real, actual movie. Starring the baddest assest Mexican-American actor ever, Danny Trejo, along with a whole lot of the people who made cameos in the trailer (including Jeff Fahey, aka "that pilot who looks like he wandered off the set of a Burt Reynolds movie" [/Lost]). This movie looks so awesome it HURTS.

The Tillman Story - [limited] Pat Tillman gave up a lucrative NFL career to fight in the Army after September 11. After his death in the line of duty, his family started asking questions trying to uncover the truth about his death. In what is poised to be an uncommonly good year for documentaries, this is getting an awful lot of buzz and people are already calling it an Oscar frontrunner.

Going the Distance - I could have sworn this already came out, but I guess not. Looks like a better than average rom-com, but that's not saying much. I think the main thing making me reluctant to see this is that godawful gag in the trailer where the woman drops the corn on the table. Can we have a moratorium on gross-out comedy, please? Even the Farrelly brothers don't really get into it anymore.

Mesrine: Public Enemy #1 - [limited] This is the second of two halves, and I completely missed the first, I'm afraid. If I can't catch the first one somehow, I'm just going to have to wait until the DVD. Which KILLS me, because I love Vincent Cassell to distraction.

A Woman, a Gun, and a Noodle Shop - [LA/NY] For some reason, IMDB is calling this "A Simple Noodle Story," which I guess ties it more closely to Blood Simple, on which it is based, but it's not as cool. So yeah, a remake of the Coen brothers' classic Blood Simple, only set in China. The film looks vibrant and interesting in the trailers, but people who've seen it so far don't seem to like it. Still, this is from the filmmaker who gave us Hero and House of Flying Daggers. At the very least it will be gorgeous to look at.

The Winning Season - [LA/NY] This sounds incredibly formulaic (alcoholic has-been coach asked to run girls basketball team), but it has Sam Rockwell, so I'm torn. It also has Rooney Mara, who is going to be the American Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The trailer is pretty great and sells it like a way less offensive and way less skeazy Mr. Woodcock. It's on my "maybe" list.

White Wedding - [LA/NY] This looks like the perfect film to catch at a festival, but that will probably slip through the cracks when it comes time to actually see something at a regular movie theater. And that makes me sad, because it looks lovely. Road trip to a wedding, South Africa style.

Last Train Home - [LA/NY] This is probably a beautiful, wonderful movie, but it also looks like the most depressing thing you'll ever see in a cinema. The story is about a family that tries to get home for Chinese New Year, along with 130 million other migrant workers. It's not that I don't like depressing movies, it's just that I'm rarely in the mood to properly appreciate them. This is a "probably not."



SEPTEMBER 10
Gah, two out of eight in wide release. Come on, distributors!

Resident Evil: Afterlife - No.

I'm Still Here - [limited] This is that thing Joaquin Phoenix was doing when it looked like he'd gone round the bend. It's directed by Casey Affleck, which I find interesting, but what little I've seen of the film is the opposite of interesting.

The Virginity Hit - I *HATE* the ads for this that I've seen all over the subway stations, acting like virginity is some disease or a problem to be solved. I hope I'm wrong about this movie and that it's some clever commentary on the pressure on kids to "do it." So far, it looks like a poor man's Superbad (which is a movie I love, but I'm not sure it needed to be remade).

Heartbreaker - [LA/NY] If this were a Hollywood movie, I would be rolling my eyes so hard right now. Here's hoping the French can do this stale rom-com formula (man hired to break up woman's marriage falls in love with woman) a notch better. Incidentally, one of the stars is Vanessa Paradis, who gets to sleep with Johnny Depp every night.

The Romantics - [LA/NY] I liked this movie better back in 1985 when it was St. Elmo's Fire. Hits and misses in the cast - Elijah Wood yay, Josh Duhamel eh, Anna Paquin yay, Malin Ackerman alright, Katie Holmes eh well at least she's playing the bad guy (I think). Sadly, this looks like the most exciting release of the weekend.

Bran Nue Dae - [limited] Looks kind of fun, but I'm not sure about musical numbers where people sing about how great it is to be an aborigine. It does have Geoffrey Rush, but ... I don't know.

Legendary - [limited] Brought to you by World Wrestling Entertainment? The trailer is charming and the cast impressive, and I kind of dig the idea of a wiry geek who goes out for wrestling, but it still looks like a generic family/sports drama.

Expecting Mary - [Release date taken from EW; none listed on IMDB] This movie looks so cute and quirky I could puke, but it has two eye-popping names in the cast - Gene Simmons (yes, DEMON GUY from KISS) and Linda Gray (Sue Ellen from Dallas!!!). That's kind of awesome by itself! But probably a rental, not a theater experience.



SEPTEMBER 17
Now we're getting to some good stuff!

Never Let Me Go - [9/15, limited] This is one of my most anticipated movies of the fall. I'd love to be able to read the book on which this is based before the film, but it may not be possible. Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, and a dowdy (psht) Keira Knightley star in a British boarding school drama, with a dystopian twist. When Masterpiece Theater Met Parts: The Clonus Horror.

Easy A - I have heard EXCELLENT things about the performance of this movie's star, Emma Stone. Like Clueless and 10 Things I Hate About You, this is another high school movie that's riffing on a classic, this time The Scarlet Letter.

The Town - I'm loving Ben Affleck the director. I think, like George Clooney, he is making a deliberate effort to stay away from projects like the ones that made him a joke several years ago. His directing debut, Gone Baby Gone was incredible, and this looks like a similarly brilliant effort. Maybe too similar - how many more Boston-set stories does he want to tell? Still, the cast is pretty darn stellar (Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, and Affleck himself), and what I know of the story is pretty cool.

Devil - They should seriously take M. Night Shyamalan's name off the adverts. It is an anti-selling point right now. And yes, this is a no. Every time I see this trailer (it is in front of EVERY MOVIE I HAVE SEEN for the past two months) I roll my eyes. Also, the director is one of the directors responsible for The Poughkeepsie Tapes. My memory is long, gentlemen, and I am slow to forgive.

Jack Goes Boating - [limited] Directorial debut of Philip Seymour Hoffman, this is based on an Off-Broadway play he was in with John Ortiz and RENT's Daphne Rubin-Vega, both of whom reprise their roles in the film, along with Hoffman. Amy Ryan (who most of you know from The Office, but who you should totally check out in her Oscar-nominated role in the aforementioned Gone Baby Gone) rounds out the cast as Hoffman's love interest. This looks pretty incredible.

Catfish - [limited] This is probably the most talked about film from Sundance, and I'm dying to see what the fuss is about. A big deal is being made about knowing as little as possible going in, which is kind of exciting. However, I have heard the "twist" of this story, and I have to say that if you find it shocking, you have not spent enough time on the internet. Because seriously, I have actually witnessed worse. There is some confusion about the genre. It has most consistently been described as a "reality thriller," which is what the studio is supposedly calling it, but there are arguments about whether it's a documentary or staged. Maybe I'm cynical, but I'm calling shenanigans. I can totally believe that it COULD be true, but it's way more likely that a studio is falsely selling a story as true than that they are fighting cynical audiences and critics to get The Truth out there.

Alpha and Omega - This movie annoys me, and all I've seen is the trailer. It's pretty much your basic high school movie, where the boy from the other side of the tracks is in love with a girl who is out of his league and miraculously wins her, only this is a movie about animated wolves. I also don't like the wink-wink-nudge-nudge about mating (seriously, children's movie!). Anyway, this is on my no list, but I suspect it will win the weekend box office unless the teens turn out like mad for Easy A.

Leaves of Grass - [NYC] Finally! This looked like it wasn't getting released at all, but yay! Tim Blake Nelson directs Edward Norton, who plays twin brothers - one an Ivy League professor, the other a pot grower. This is supposed to be brilliant. I can't wait.

The Freebie - [Release date taken from EW; none listed on IMDB] The premise is an immediate turn-off to me - couple decides to give each other a night off, a gift certificate for one cheat, if you will. I can understand that relationships are all different and that there might be people who would have legitimate reasons for doing such a stupid thing. I just don't care to see a movie about them.



SEPTEMBER 24

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - [9/22, LA/NY] Woody Allen's latest. It looks like ... a Woody Allen film. I mean, what else would it look like? His films are usually interesting, and I'll probably see it. This is another foreign-set film - London again.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps - The plot summary sounds like it's a bit behind the times. Or are our not-quite-heroes supposed to be trying to avert another or even worse financial meltdown than the one that already happened two years ago? Anyway, greed is good and all that. Love Gekko getting his giant cell phone back when he gets out of prison. Charlie Sheen supposedly makes a cameo. I have to see this, for curiosity's sake if nothing else.

You Again - I love Betty White, but her awesomeness is starting to crash in on itself. I also love Kristen Bell, but she is wasted on all these comedies. And there is something so unappealing about grown women who have apparently never left high school. This is a no.

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole - The plot sounds like, I kid you not, Harry Potter if, like, Hedwig was the main character and was the one who went away to school. The voice talent includes Faramir David Wenham and Elrond Hugo Weaving. The director is, bizarrely, Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300, and now owls?). It looks beautiful, but ... owls? Really? I'm curious, to say the least, which is probably enough to sell me a ticket.

Buried - [limited] Great, simple premise that could either be really awesome or really lame. Ryan Reynolds (and the audience) spends most of the movie in a box under the ground. Will he be able to do what it takes to stay alive and get out? This has gotten some pretty great buzz, and I'm excited for it. The Alamo Drafthouse is doing a special deal where you can be buried alive and watch the movie from inside a coffin. I'm sure nothing could possibly go wrong there.

Waiting for 'Superman' - From the makers of An Inconvenient Truth, this is a documentary about the sad state of America's education system. I've heard nothing but raves for it. I hope this is huge, and I hope that every parent of a school-age child gets to see it.

Enter the Void - [LA/NY] Drew McWeeny named this his top film of last year, and what little I know of it is intriguing to say the least. The director, Gaspar Noé, is also the man behind Irreversible, the dizzying (literally) reverse chronology drama/thriller with an infamous 9-minute scene in a pedestrian subway. I'm interested in this movie, because the visuals look incredible and the concept (a young man dies and returns as a ghost to watch over his sister) is a fairly unique one, at least in Noe's hands.

Howl - [Release date taken from EW; none listed on IMDB] The Allen Ginsberg obscenity trial, starring James Franco. This one opened Sundance, but people didn't seem terribly excited about it. It's got an amazing cast, though (Mary Louise Parker, Jon Hamm, Alessandro Nivola, David Strathairn). I'm on the fence still; regardless, it's not really a priority.

It's Kind of a Funny Story - [Release date taken from EW; none listed on IMDB] This is the other trailer I see on every single movie I go to these days (and another trailer that, like The Virginity Hit, uses that "Oh my God" song by Ida Maria). I love Zack Galafianakis, and I'm kind of excited to see him to a more serious role (though still, from all available evidence a shade of his usual role).

July Movie Releases

Um, why are there so few movies slated for release in the middle month of the summer? Look at July 16, for example. I mean, I know no one wants to go up against a movie made by the "Dark Knight" guy, but damn. One movie (plus another that's going to try for a two-day jump on the weekend)? I suppose if nothing else, this is a sign that Hollywood is hurting as much as the rest of the world right now.




JUNE 30
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse - Apparently the least sucktastic (no pun intended) of the series so far but that's certainly not saying much. There is probably nothing that will convince you to either see this or not see it, so I'll leave it there.

The Love Ranch - Taylor Hackford (Ray) directs his wife, Helen Mirren, in what looks like a fantastic B-movie about the couple that owned the first legal brothel in Reno, NV.


JULY 1

The Last Airbender - I have heard - literally - nothing positive about this movie. This makes me sad, but perhaps it's not surprising. Anyway, in case you hadn't heard already, this film is apparently not even worth seeing to spite the sparkle.


JULY 8

Grease Sing-Along - If this doesn't make you excited, you are dead inside. That is all.


JULY 9

Despicable Me - I don't care what anyone thinks, I want to see this. The marketing has been all over the place, from the excruciating teaser trailer (dumb American crackers in Egypt, yo!) to the enigmatic ads that feature nothing but those adorable yellow minions. This looks like fun, and the voice talent is intriguing on its own (Julie Andrews, FTW!), but after over a year of seeing ads for it, I still don't know what it's about. I *think* it's about an evil mastermind who's put in charge of a couple of cute kids, but after all the marketing whiplash, I'm not entirely sure.

Predators - Am I a bad geek for having never seen the original Predator? This is supposed to be a reboot, directed by Nimród Antal and produced by Robert Rodriguez. It's got a pretty kick-ass cast, so that's worth something right there. I feel like I need to see the original first, though.

MUST SEE: The Kids Are All Right - (limited) One of the darlings of Sundance, this may actually have legs as an early award bait movie. Annette Bening and Julianne Moore play lesbian parents whose kids seek out their sperm donor dad. The trailer, at least, is very warm and funny, and I get some You Can Count On Me vibes from it, which is no bad thing.


JULY 14

MUST SEE: The Sorcerer's Apprentice - There is some good word of mouth on this, and I have to say it looks like something worth checking out. Jay Baruchel's star may finally be on the rise, after watching the enormous successes of his friends and sometime co-stars Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, and Jason Segel. And man, it's good to see Nicholas Cage back in the game.


JULY 16

MUST SEE: Inception - Yep, this is the one most of us have been waiting for most of the year. Christopher Nolan follows up the jaw-dropping success of The Dark Knight with something more like the films he used to make (like Memento and The Prestige - the latter being probably my fave of his), but with way more cool toys at his disposal. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a thief who takes ideas from people's dreams. There's been positive early feedback, though some people seem to be disappointed that it's not the BEST MOVIE EVER OMG. Anyway, for once, I can't wait to go into a theater not knowing a thing about what to expect.


JULY 23

Salt - I don't know why, but this just doesn't interest me. I love that this character was originally a man, but the comment from someone involved with the film about changing the script to avoid having Evelyn save (and therefore metaphorically castrate) her husband? Seriously sold me a ticket to another movie this weekend.

Ramona and Beezus - I might dig the trailer for this more if it didn't have Selena Gomez's inspiration-y theme song all over it and just let it be quirky, like Cleary's stuff should be. This isn't top priority, but it's still ahead of Salt if those are my only choices for that weekend.

Countdown to Zero - (NYC, Wash. DC) From some of the folks who brought us An Inconvenient Truth comes a documentary about the escalating nuclear arms race, from the Cold War to the present.


JULY 30

MUST SEE: Dinner For Schmucks - Saw the original French version, called The Dinner Game, when I was in college, and it's a pretty great character comedy. I'm wary about what looks like a ratcheting up of the goofball quotient, but I hope they at least do justice to the friendship between the two guys.

MUST SEE: Get Low (limited) - This one has been around since last summer's festival circuit, and there was strong buzz about Robert Duvall in last year's Best Actor race until they pushed the film to this year. The story is basically about a man in 1930s Tennessee who wants to hold his own funeral while he's still alive. Also stars Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek, and Gerald McRaney. Cannot wait to see this.

Charlie St. Cloud - Looks like Zac Efron is starting to break out of the teen idol mold and take on some more challenging roles. This movie seems an awful lot like a three-hankie weeper, and as such I will probably skip it for now and wait until it shows up on cable.

Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore - I confess, I saw the first Cats and Dogs and it was mildly funny (Sean Hayes as Mr. Tinkles = WIN). But every time I see the trailer for this new movie I want to slash my wrists. I'm sure kids will eat this up, but they will forget about it five minutes after they leave the theater. I also hate the deliberate attempts to crack "grown up" jokes (Kitty Galore, "hopped up on catnip," etc.). Just no.

Twelve (limited) - This kind of movie is right in director Joel Schumacher's wheelhouse. He does so much better with more intimate, relationship-driven movies than with big studio fare. This movie, which made its debut at Sundance, has been savaged by critics - except for Roger Ebert. I'm interested in it, if for no other reason than the narration by Schumacher alumnus Keifer Sutherland.

I meant to make an Oscar nominations announcement post, and in fact did elsewhere, but I'll post more about the nominees as we get closer to March 7.

Should have done this earlier in the week, but between working and catching up on "Lost" it just didn't get done. A surprising amount of potentially quality stuff for February, but some of it is very limited release. Here goes it.

FEBRUARY 5
Dear John - Much as I belatedly enjoyed The Notebook, and much as I love just about everything Lasse Hallstrom does, these kinds of movies are just not the kind that I go out and see in a theater. I think I can only appreciate them in the comfort of my home, where I can munch on Ben and Jerry's and keep a box of Kleenex nearby.

From Paris With Love - Have heard some good things about this, but I *still* don't buy John Travolta as a bad guy. Jury's still out on this one.

Frozen - (Limited release) A smash hit at BNAT back in December, and even though the Minnesota crew called bull on a lot of the plot elements, it was definitely the one we all talked about the most (for better or ill) afterward. Yes, it's implausible as all get-out, but no more than Jaws, and like Jaws it's built on something that a lot of people are afraid of. This is one you MUST see with a big audience.

Banlieue 13: Ultimatum - (Limited release) I really loved the first Banlieue 13 when we saw it at BNAT 7, but I'm wary of the sequel.

Red Riding: 1974 - (Limited release) I've been waiting for this one for a while now. This is the first part of a trilogy (the other parts being 1980 and 1983) that originally aired last year on television in the UK and has been the talk of movieworld ever since. Three different directors tackle each of these films featuring fictionalized accounts of the investigations into the Yorkshire Ripper murders. It's been compared to David Fincher's Zodiac and has been described as "better than The Godfather" which seems a bit of a step-out, but I very much hope to see for myself this weekend. The IFC Center in NY is screening the entire trilogy for a special ticket price.


FEBRUARY 12
The Wolfman - Speaking of waiting for things for a while, this one has been pushed back a couple of times but will finally fit theaters next weekend. I'm giddy as heck for this one, as much to see Rick Baker's makeup work as anything else. I'll have to bone up and watch the original with Lon Chaney Jr. first, though. *makes note*

Valentine's Day - This strikes me very much as a cross between He's Just Not That Into You and Love, Actually, both of which I loved but both of which (especially the latter) kind of make me hate myself for no good reason. Probably not something I'd enjoy so near Valentine's Day, which I'm something of a humbug about anyway.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief - I'm curious to see how Chris Columbus kickstarts another very similar franchise to that other one. His limitations as a filmmaker were not an obstacle to Harry Potter because he was starting with such a strong story and clung to it for dear life, not changing much of anything. But however good Percy Jackson is ... I doubt it's Harry Potter calibre.


FEBRUARY 19
Shutter Island - Yes. Yes. YES. Cannot wait to see this again. One of the biggest hits of BNAT last year and a more than worthy addition to Scorsese's ouevre. Not to mention what is literally (in my opinion) the finest work of DiCaprio's career. Brilliant, from start to finish.

The Ghost Writer - No matter what you think of his personal drama, Roman Polanski is one of the great artists of the moving image, and this seems to be exactly the kind of film he excels at. As many people who swore they'd never see another of his films last fall, I'll bet many, many more will flock to this because of the controversy.


FEBRUARY 26
The Crazies - I'm hesistant, because these slick, soulless remakes of classic horror films (and the moviegoers who don't know they're remakes - GAH) drive me INSANE. But part of me needs to see this, because the director's next project is a remake (grrr) of one of my favorite horror films, The Brood. All I can do is hope that this version of The Crazies doesn't rape Romero's original too badly. And I have to admit, the trailer (especially the use of "Mad World") is pretty cool.

Cop Out - The first Kevin Smith movie that was not also written by Smith. I'm very curious. Originally titled "A Couple of Dicks," the eventual ditching of that title was a huge red flag for how big a crap the studio was taking on Smith and his movie (in fact, I think the eventual title "Cop Out" was a subtle tongue-sticking-outing to the bigwigs on Smith's part). And the first trailer did not abate fears. However, the new red-band trailer makes it all too clear to me - marketing this film to a general audience is selling it way short. This is raunchy and hilarious, and I'm kind of psyched.

The Yellow Handkerchief - (NY and LA) The plot kind of reminds me of a little film called My First Mister, which I adore. This might be one that slips through the cracks, given that there's at least one other must-see out this weekend, but I'm interested.

A Prophet - (NY) I've heard almost nothing but raves for this film from the festival circuit (though some dislike its portrayal of Muslims), and I'm terribly excited to see it finally. It's now been nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, and it will be nice to have seen at least a couple of the films in that category for once.