Film News & Trailers

So what’s out there this week.  Well today we’ll take a look at the films scheduled to be released this Friday which include Richard Linklater’s take on the weird universe of Philip K Dick and Amy Sedaris and Stephen Colbert in the off-beat Strangers with Candy.  Oh yeah, and there’s this movie about pirates too…

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Here’s what’s scheduled to hit theaters this week.  Want to know more, just click on the title for film info including a full cast list.  Want a closer look, just click on the poster to watch the trailer.

A Scanner Darkly

Philip K Dick’s bizarre novel about an undercover cop (Keanu Reeves) who is hooked on the new drug called Substance D which causes hallucinations, split personalities, and a loss of connection to the concious world..  Richard Linklater directs and brings the world into focus using the same Rotoscope techniques (animating over the real time footage) he used in 2001’s Waking Life which just may be the best way to envision Dick’s world.  Robert Downey Jr, Woody Harrelson, and Winona Ryder.  Weird, odd, strange, and different; a must see for fans of both Linklater and Dick.  Check back on Friday for the review.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest

Johnny Depp, Keira Knightly, and Orlando Bloom and director Gore Verbinski return for the first of two sequels about pirates, love, curses, and Captain Jack Sparrow.  Depp takes center stage when Davy Jones (the one with the locker, not the “daydream believer”) comes a callin’ on Sparrow’s debt just as Turner and Swann are jailed for helping Cap’n Jack escape (on their wedding day no less!).  Madcap action and a special effects bonanza ensue, but the story is sadly lacking as the series seems to be treading water until next May.  Sadly it’s a much too long sequel that isn’t nearly as good as the first film; check back on Friday for the full review.

Strangers with Candy (limited)

The off-beat, short lived, Comedy Central television show about a 46 year-old ex-hooker, ex-drug addict (Amy Sedaris) who returns to high school, comes to the big screen.  Series creators Paul Dinello, Stephen Colbert, and Sedaris share in the writing credits for the film which should hold pretty true to the show’s original offensive pull no punches humor.  Colbert’s performance as the self-centered high school teacher has been getting high praise from critics.  There’s also an interesting cast of supporting performances from Philip Seymour Hoffman, Allison Janney, Matthew Broderick, and Sarah Jessica Parker as a randy grief conselor.

It’s Superman Week boys and girls.  For the next couple days we’ll take a look at the big blue boyscout, the man of tomorrow, the last son of Krypton – Superman – all cumulating in our reviews for the new film directed by Bryan Singer and staring Brandon Routh this Wednesday.  Of course that’s not the only movie getting released this week.  Check inside for the full list.

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Here’s what’s scheduled to hit theaters this week.  Want to know more, just click on the title for film info including a full cast list.  Want a closer look, just click on the poster to watch the trailer.

Opening Wednesday:

Superman Returns

Bryan Singer’s remake/sequel involves the quick retelling of the Superman origin and then Superman’s return from space after a five year absence following the events of Superman II.  Richard Donner’s vision, Christopher Reeves’ Clark Kent, and Hackman’s Lex Luthor and more are all lovingly recreated here.  Unknown Brandon Routh takes on the role of the last son of Krypton, beach babe Kate Bosworth is Lois Lane, and Kevin Spacey goes bald as the new Lex Luthor.  A little too long, and a little too familiar, but it’s heart is in the right place and has quite a few nice nods that Superman fans will recognize.  Check back Wednesday for our review.

Who Killed the Electric Car (New York and Los Angeles)

The new documentary by Chris Paine examines the mysterious destruction of what was one of the most efficient, cleanest (it produced no dangerous emissions), fastest, AMERICAN built cars ever made, whose invention should have transformed the auto industry and how it disappeared overnight.  Martin Sheen provides the narration as the film documents the odd story of the car that might have, and should have, been.  Included are interviews and clips from various celebrities including Tom Hanks, Mel Gibson, Peter Horton, and former Baywatch babe Alexandra Paul.

Opening Friday:

The Devil Wears Prada

Young nobody Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) moves to New York and lands a job as an assistant to the ruthless fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestly (Maryl Steep).  The film was adapted by Aline Brosh McKenna (Laws of Attraction, Three to Tango) from the novel by Lauren Weisberger.  Close’s character is based on Vogue editor Anna Wintour who was less than pleased with the portrayal or film and rumors of her attempting to keep the cast from shooting in fashion locations have received more interest than the film itself.  After her work in more grown-up roles (Brokeback Mountain, Havoc) Hathaway retuns to yet another of her sweet and innocent bread and butter roles.

We see tons of films and get to discussing them from time to time and often wax nostalgic on films we would rather see made than what we’ve just witnessed.  I’m a big fan of Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise and the sequel made a decade later Before Sunset.  I’ve wondered why other great romances aren’t given a second look a few years down the line.  The one I’d most like to see would be a sequel to my favorite Cameron Crowe film of all time about a kickboxer and princess…

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1989’s Say Anything… remains one of my favorite films.  The tale of opposites attracting has never been more memorable, more engaging, more fun, or more sweet. 

I enjoyed Linklater reuniting Ethan Hawke and Julie Delphy’s characters from Before Sunrise to let us see those same characters years later in Before Sunset (read that review here).  I would love to see Cameron Crowe do the same and reunite the kickboxing Lloyd with the brainy Diane.

What happened to those two young lovebirds when the plane touched down in London?  Are they together or apart?  Let these two reunite and bring all of us along for the ride!  We’ve been smashed from all sides with recent ridiculous and horrific pseudo-romantic-comedies and I for one would like something a little more meaningful.  I’ve been critical of Crowe’s last two films (Vanilla Sky and Elizabethtown) which lack the heart of these characters, but I wish he’d revisit these two and see where they would take us.

So what’s out there this week.  Well today we’ll take a look at the films scheduled to be released this Friday which include Adam Sandler in control of all reality, an ex-con being pulled back into the world of crime, a controversal look at the policies and prisoners of Guatanamo Bay, and a documentary on Leonard Cohen.  All that and more; read on.

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Here’s what’s scheduled to hit theaters this week.  Want to know more, just click on the title for film info including a full cast list.  Want a closer look, just click on the poster to watch the trailer.

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The latest from Adam Sandler “borrows” its plot from such memorable films as Stay Tuned and Clockstoppers.  Sandler plays a workaholic who discovers a universal remote that allows him to control reality by freezing, rewinding, and fastforwarding time.  Along for the ride on this one are Kate Beckinsale (sans rubber suit), David Hasselhoff (sans talking car and swimsuit), Henry Winkler (sans leather jacket), Sean Astin (sans hairy feet), and Chrisopther Walken (crazy as ever).  The film marks a reuniting with Sandler and director Frank Coraci (The Waterboy).

Waist Deep

The latest from director Vondi Curtis-Hall (Glitter, Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story), finds ex-con (Tyrese Gibson – he of Fast and the Furious 2 fame) trying to live a clean life removed from his past but is pulled back in when his son is kidnapped during a carjacking.  Yeah, I think I’ve seen this once or twice before before with the clean living con forced back into the world of crime; not exactly an original premise but what do you expect from the director of Glitter?.  Rounding out the cast this time are Larenz Tate (Crash), Meagan Good (Roll Bounce, Brick), rapper “The Game,” and Darris Love.

Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man (limited release)

A new documentary by director Lian Lunson (Willie Nelson: Down Home) focuses on the life and music of singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen.  The film is compiled from interviews and performances, mostly from the tribute to Cohen in 2005 at the Sydney Opera House, by Cohen, Bono and the Edge from U2, Anthony Hegarty, Rufus and Martha Wainwright, Linda Thompson, Anthony Hagerty, Anna and Kate McGarrigle, Hal Wilner, Nick Cave, Julie Christensen, and more.  The film has recieved mixed reviews as many feel the actual man is barely profiled in what appears to be more a celebration of his work than a true documentary.

The Road to Guantanamo (limited release)

Co-directors Michael Winterbttom (In This World, Tristam Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, Wonderland) and Mat Whitecross attempt to tell the tale of the Tipton Three – three Islamic friends, all British citizens, who were held in Guantanamo Bay, without ever being charged with a crime, for two years.  The critical look at America’s post 9/11 policies is sure to stir some controversy.  The film has been praised and attacked by groups for its disturbing portrayl of the US military and government’s knowledge and acceptance of these circumstances.  The film stars Riz Ahmed, Farhad Harun, Afran Usman, Shahid Iqbal, and Jason Salkey.

Wassup Rockers (New York)

Hispanic teens blow-off the hip-hop craze in South Central L.A. and grab their skateboards and rock out to pun rock.  Escaping to Beverly Hills they run into trouble with cops and the eccentric elite as they become lost in la-la land and learn important lessons about themselves and the world.  The latest from writer/director Larry Clark (Kids, Bully) was picked as the opening night film for the Slamdance Film Festival.  Like Clark’s other works this stars a collection of unknowns – Jonathan Valasquez, Fransico Pedrasa, Milton Velasquez, Yunior Usualdo Panameno, Luis Rojas-Salagado, Iris Zelaya, ad Ashlye Maldonado.

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So what’s out there this week.  Well today we’ll take a look at the films scheduled to be released this Friday which include a reunion for Speed stars Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves, sequels to Garfield and The Fast and the Furious, a collection of independent and foreign films in limited release and (finally!) the wide release of Al Gore’s fascinating documentary on Global Warming – An Inconvenient Truth.  Read on…

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Here’s what’s scheduled to hit theaters this week.  Want to know more, just click on the title for film info including a full cast list.  Want a closer look, just click on the poster to watch the trailer.

An Inconvenient Truth

In this documentary former VP Al Gore asks audiences to take a hard look at Global Warming.  The film focuses on presenting facts and scientific evidence and cautions and calls for the need for serious change in the United States and the world.  It’s been playing in limited release for the past few weeks and has already stirred up some controversy (did you see what happened when it was mentioned on our sister site Transbuddha?).  We’ll take a look at Gore’s new book on Wednesday (of the same name) and have our reviews for the film on Friday.

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

The third film in the series; this time without both stars (Vin Diesel, Paul Walker) moves to Tokyo as a hot shot American street racer (Lucas Black) finds himself caught up in the underground world of drift racing.  Diesel wisely left after the first film and Walker passed on the franchise’s third (almost always a sign of bad things to come – see Superman III) to make movies such as Into the Blue and Running Scared.  The director behind the camera this time is Justin Lin (Annapolis).  Also starring in the film are Little Bow Wow, Nikki Griffin, Lynda Boyd, Leonardo Nam, and Zachary Ty Bryan.

The Lake House

Speed co-stars Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock reunite for this bizarre love story.  The premise involves two single people staying in a lake house two years apart who can communicate to each other through movie magic and begin to fall in love but attempts to meet in real life always end in failure.  The film is a remake of the 2000 South Korean film Siworae.  If you can wrap your brain around the premise (which just might need to include some alcoholic beverages to do so) then it might be interesting to see how these two work together after so long.  Alejando Argresti (Valentin, Modern Crimes) directs.  Check back Friday for our review.

Nacho Libre

Jack Black plays a priest who dons wrestling attire and enters a luchador tournament in order to win the money to save the orphanage and win the heart of Sister Encarnacion (Ana de la Reguera).  The film teams Black up with writer/director Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) and reunites him with co-writer Mike White (School of Rock).  In what is a rather lackluster summer this one could become a big hit.  I was all hyped-up to see it until I started watching the trailers which bare a striking resemblance to a number of Robin Williams’ early career mis-steps (Popeye, The Survivors).  Check back Friday for our review.

Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties

Sequel to the 2004 film returns Brekin Meyer as Jon Arbuckle and Bill Murray as the voice of his lazy lasagna loving feline Garfield.  The plot this time involves Jon and Garfield traveling to the UK and a case of mistaken identity which leaves Garfield ruling his own castle.  Co-stars include Jennifer Love Hewitt, Roger Rees, Lucy Davis, Greg Ellis, Bob Hoskins, Tim Curry, and Billy Connolly as the nefarious Lord Dargis.  Writers from the first film Alec Sockollow and Joel Cohen returned to pen this script and director Tim Hill (Max Keeble’s Big Movie) takes his turn behind the camera.

The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green (limited release)

Based on the gay comic strip the film follows the life of professional assistant Ethan Green (Daniel Letterle) and his misadventures with his mother (Meredith Baxter) who employs herself as a gay wedding planner, and a jealous ex-lover who schemes to sell Ethan’s house out from under him.  First timers abound here in writer David Vernon and in director George Bamber (who worked as an assistant director on films like Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Hope Floats and Phenomenon).  The film has played in several small, mostly gay, film festivals and the response has been mixed.  Some love it and many hate it.

Wordplay (New York and Los Angeles)

This new documentary by first time director Patrick Creadon focuses on the word of crossword puzzles.  The film has two main subjects: the first is The New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz and long time fans of his work which include Jon Stewart, Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, Ken Burns, and Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina who all appear in the film; the second subject of the film is an examination of the 28th Annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in Stanford, CT where people compete in both speed and accuracy to be crowned the crossword champ of the year.  Check back on Friday for our review.

Loverboy (New York and Los Angeles)

Kevin Bacon directs and stars in this film about Emily (Kyra Sedgwick) a possessive single mother determination to raise her young son (Dominic Scott Kay) and to be a better parent than her own (Marisa Tomei and Kevin Bacon who appear in flashbacks with Bacon’s real life daughter playing the younger Emily) who obviously screwed this girl up pretty bad.  The film also co-stars Matt Dillon, Oliver Platt, Campbell Scott, and Jessica Stone.  This marks only Bacon’s second stint behind the camera and his first for a full length theatrical film.  The film was adapated from the Victoria Redel novel by Hannah Shakespeare (Paperlily).

Cidade Baixa [Lost City] (New York and Los Angeles)

A life long friendship is put to the test when Deco (Lazaro Ramos) and Naldinho (Wagner Moura) steam down the Brazilian coast and decide to pick-up a young prostitute (Alice Braga) who offers sexual favors for a ride down the coast.  The film also stars Jose Dumont, Felipe Ferreira, Leno Sacramento, and Andrea Elia.  The Brazilian film won the Award of Youth for director Sergio Machado (3 Historias da Bahia, Onde a Terra Acaba) in 2005 at the Cannes Film Festival.  The film is presented in Portuguese with English subtitles.