So what’s out there this week? Well today we’ll take a look at the films scheduled to be released on Friday. They include Ben Affleck getting to take a turn as Superman (kind of), Tony Jaa kickin some ass in Australia, a new film from the director of Cutthroat Island and Mindhunters (yikes!), and yet another summer film starring Maggie Gyllenhaal. 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 life and death of George Reeves, TV’s Superman, are explored. Adrian Brody plays a private detective investigating the mysterious “suicide” of George Reeves (Ben Affleck) and uncovers the star’s secrets including hidden affair with the wife (Diane Lane) of a studio big shot (Bop Hoskins). Robin Tunney, Joe Spano, Brad William Henke, and Molly Parker also star. The film marks the theatrical directing debut of longtime HBO director Allen Coulter (Rome, The Sopranos, Sex in the City). Nice to see Affleck in a good role again; Brandon Routh may have gotten to put on the new rubber super-suit, but this film could really fly (hopefully not under the radar).
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After his elephant is stolen by an Asian gang, a young Muy Thai fighter (Tony Jaa) is called on to travel to Sydney, Australia and retrieve the elephant, avenge the wrongs done, and reclaim the honor and heritage of his people. Prachya Pinkaew directs this sequel, of sorts, to his 2003 hit Ong-bak. Petchtai Wongkamlao, Bongkoj Kongmalai, Xing Jing, Nathan Jones, Johnyy Nguyen, Damien De Montemas, Sotorn Rungruaeng, Amonphan Gongtragan, and Jackie Chan also star. Ong-bak received mixed praise and indifference from martial arts fans. The real question here is does Jaa finally take on the role of “the next Bruce Lee,” or not?
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The O.C. meets The Skulls meets Underworld (a trifecta of ultimate pain and suffering – for the audience at least) in this new film about four magically empowered young men descended from a centuries old supernatural legacy. Directed by Renny Harlin (Mindhunters, Cutthroat Island, The Long Kiss Goodnight… sorry, I have to stop for a second and vomit. Whew, okay, now why is this guy still allowed behind a camera?); the film is filled with no-name good looking twenty-somethings like Steven Stait, Sebastain Stan, Toby Hemingway, Chace Crawford, Talor Kitsch, Jessica Lucas, Sarah Smyth, and Laura Ramsey.
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After three years in prison for robbery, a 19 year-old heroin addict (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is released and goes in search of remaking her life and reclaiming her daughter (Ryan Simpkins). Brad William Henke, Kate Burton, Bridgit Barkan, Danny Trejo, and Sam Bottoms also star. I guess no one’s afraid of over-exposure. I like Maggie Gyllenhaal as much as any warm blooded heterosexual male, but releasing three movies where she plays a prominent role in less than a month and a half (World Trade Center, Trust the Man, and now this) is a little too much for me. It opens exclusively in New York and Los Angeles on Friday.