411 Movies Roundtable: February 2010

Posted by Jeremy Thomas on 02.03.2010

Did Avatar repeat as the winner of the month? Who was the big loser, Sam Raimi or Miramax? What does the 411 Movie Staff think of Shutter Island, The Wolfman, Cop Out and The Crazies? Check find out as the we take a look at the month to come!

Welcome to the monthly 411 Movies Roundtable for February 2010! Valentine's Day approaches and love is in the air; that of course means romantic movies, horror films to make that girl (or guy) jump into your arms in fear and the usual spate of movie genre offerings on top of it all. This year we get a star-studded romantic comedy in the vein of He's Just Not That Into You, a long-delayed project where Benicio Del Toro gets even hairier, Martin Scorsese and Kevin Smith's newest directorial efforts and an attempted start at a new kid-friendly fantasy franchise!

This month's picture theme is in honor of the revival of a Universal horror legend. I was tempted to use wolfy Judy Greer giving us the finger from Cursed, but managed to refrain so as to spare you all remembering that film. Although you probably do now anyway…ah well.

Anyway, let's get to it!



Introducing this month's participants:

Bryan Kristopowitz of "The Gratuitous B-Movie Column" and "TV Rants and Raves!"
Arnold Furious of the always-entertaining "Furious on Film!"
The host of the "Big Screen Bulletin" and "The Hollywood 5&1," Steve Gustafson!
Shawn S. Lealos, who gives us the 3R's of Movies and Alternate Takes each week!
"Around the World in 24 Frames"'s own foreign film god, Len Archibald!
And I'm your host, Jeremy Thomas!






Bryan Kristopowitz

Biggest Winner of the Month: James Cameron and 20th Century Fox, as "Avatar" continued to kick ass at the box office and became the biggest moneymaker of all time, besting Cameron's "Titanic." When you're number one for several weeks in a row, you're crushing the competition, and you're in line for some major awards (Cameron won the Golden Globe for Best Director and "Avatar" won for Best Picture, making the flick a shoo in for Oscar consideration) you really can't beat that.

Biggest Loser of the Month: It's a tossup between Conan O'Brien, who got screwed out of "The Tonight Show" by NBC and Sam Raimi, who will not be directing "Spider-Man 4" because Sony apparently didn't want to spend the money on what he wanted to do (Raimi made billions for the studio with the first three "Spider-Man" movies but apparently that just doesn't matter). They'll both land somewhere new, but to losing your job is never fun.

Biggest Movie News of the Month: The Sam Raimi not directing the next "Spider-Man" movie has to be the biggest news, that and the "The Tonight Show" debacle at NBC.

Your Most Anticipated Movie of the Month:"From Paris With Love," "The Wolfman," "Shutter Island," and "The Crazies" are all must sees. "Frozen" is a must see, too, but it's only going to get a limited release, so who knows if I'll be able to see it.

Recommended DVD Release of the Month: The big one, of course, is "Live Evil" on February 23rd. Other notable releases are "Zombieland," "Ong Bak 2," "Universal Soldier: Regeneration" (it's Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren together again!), "The House of the Devil," "The Wolfman Special Edition Universal Legacy Series," "Malcolm X" (Spike Lee's only good movie thus far), ""A Dangerous Man" (a new Steven Seagal flick), "Vegas: Season 1 Part 2," "Law Abiding Citizen," "Black Dynamite" (finally), "Small Wonder: Season One," "Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever" (finally), "The Box," "The Informant!," and "Dead Snow" (the Nazi zombie movie).

Classic Movie of the Month: "Monty Python and the Meaning of Life" (1983): This is the last "Monty Python" cinematic effort, and while it's not as good as "Holy Grail" or "The Life of Brian" it's still damn funny. It plays more like a 90 minute extended episode of "Flying Circus" than a straight up narrative movie, which is probably why it's not as successful (I agree with John Cleese, you can only do a series of skits for about fifty minutes before people get bored), but it's got some great stuff in it. The opening short by Terry Gilliam is hilarious, the Catholic family song, the Protestant condom sketch, the sex ed teacher sketch, the military commander that asks his soldiers if they'd rather be doing something else besides "marching up and down the square," the organ donor sketch, the barfing fat guy, and the classic "Middle of the Film" and that weird bit with the guy with long arms asking where his fish went. Just great, great stuff. Oh, and a word of warning: don't be surprised if you find yourself singing the "Penis Song" after watching the movie. It happened to me.

Movie Quote of the Month:
"I used to work in the Académie Française but it didn't do me any good at all. And I once worked in the library in the Prado in Madrid. But it didn't teach me nothing I recall. And the Library of Congress you would have thought would hold some key but it didn't and neither did the Bodlean Library. In The British Museum I hoped to find some clue I worked there from nine till six. Read every volume through. But it didn't teach me nothing about life's mystery. I just kept getting older, it got more difficult to see. Till eventually me eyes went and me arthritis got bad. So now I'm cleaning up in here but I can't be really sad. Cause you see I feel that life's a game. You sometimes win or lose. And though I may be down right now at least I don't work for Jews."
- Maria the cleaning lady (Terry Jones): "Monty Python's The Meaning of Life" (1983)




Arnold Furious

Biggest Winner of the Month: James Cameron. Avatar continues to rumble on at the box office and the Golden Globes felt the urge to give him "best director" and "best picture" for Avatar. At time of writing it sits on a monstrous $1.9 billion. For those who don't follow the chart-watching that means it has taken more money than Titanic and has bested it in every market except the USA. Which it could easily do. It needs another $30 million and it still sits atop the US charts.

Biggest Loser of the Month: Rob Marshall. The director of Nine was being hyped as a superstar in the musical world but didn't exactly deliver. Nine didn't deliver at the box office and came up short at the Globes too. Strange to think at one point it was tipped as a potential best picture winner at the Oscars. As soon as I heard about the idea of remaking 8 ½ I was horrified. I'm glad I was right on this one.

Biggest Movie News of the Month: I agree with Bryan that Sam Raimi losing the Spider-Man gig is big news. If his plot layout is to be believed I can understand why he lost the gig but I always had a great deal of trust in him after his largely successful run on the franchise.

Your Most Anticipated Movie of the Month: Shutter Island. Any Scorsese picture is essential viewing but in this light month it's the stand-out picture by some distance.

Recommended DVD Release of the Month: Up. Pixar is on a roll and here comes another winner. Available on DVD on February 15th in the UK.

Classic Movie of the Month: Seeing as Scorsese has a movie out this is as good a time as any to revisit the classic Goodfellas. My favourite movie, incidentally. A movie so full of classic scenes and supreme direction it should be a national treasure.

Movie Quote of the Month: "The Sky People have sent us a message. That they can take whatever they want, and no one can stop them. Well, we will send them a message. We ride out as fast as a wind can carry. You tell the other clans to come... and you fly now. With me. My brothers. Sisters. And we will show the Sky People. That they CANNOT take whatever they want. And this... THIS IS OUR LAND!"
– Sam Worthington channels Braveheart in Avatar.




Steve Gustafson

Biggest Winner of the Month: I know in the grand scheme of things this isn't a big deal but it's a big selling point for the Karate Kid remake. Karate Kid achieved the second highest test screening score in Sony's history; a score said to be in the '97th percentile'. How wicked is that? I know it's cool to poop on this movie but my hat is off to Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. KEE-YAH!

Biggest Loser of the Month: After thirty-one years of operation, arthouse movie distributor Miramax Films closed their doors. Through the years the mini-major produced a string of award-winners and commercial success stories including The Aviator, Chicago, Chocolat, The Cider House Rules, Clerks, Cold Mountain, The Crying Game, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The English Patient, Gangs of New York, Good Will Hunting, The Hours, Kill Bill, The Others, Pulp Fiction, The Queen, Shakespeare in Love, Swingers, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Trainspotting. A moment of silence please..........Thank you.

Biggest Movie News of the Month: Avatar. C'mon, this is the biggest no-brainer since Tila Tequila was labeled "nuts." Number #1 seven straight weeks, crossing the $2 billion mark, getting people excited about 3D technology, and bringing people of ALL AGES to the theater. Easy.

Your Most Anticipated Movie of the Month: Shutter Island. Finally!

Recommended DVD Release of the Month: On February 16 I'll be waiting for them to turn the locks at the Best Buy so I can run and grab a copy of...BLACK DYNAMITE! I hope you'll do the same.

Classic Movie of the Month: Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom. Perfect viewing for Valentine's Day.

Movie Quote of the Month: Short Round: What is Sankara?
Indiana Jones: Fortune and glory, kid. Fortune and glory.
-Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom




Shawn Lealos

Biggest Winner of the Month: Avatar. The 411 commenter backlash is on fire right now and no one in the real world cares because they are still going to see Avatar, the number one movie in America for seven weeks in a row. The movie has now surpassed $2 billion. I doubted its staying power in the beginning and I am now eating my words. And for those kids who complain about there being nothing special about the movie other than the effects, I have one word for you: Titanic. I was an avid movie watcher when Titanic took over the top spot, to my horror. Also, for the people crying about the inflation differences between now and - uh - twelve years ago, I don't think you have a leg to stand on. I paid $7 to see movies in 1998 and I paid $7 when I went and saw Book of Eli last week. There are specialty theaters around that charge more but that's your fault if you go there. It passed $2 billion. Haters, live with it.

Biggest Loser of the Month: Jackie Chan. Seriously Jackie, The Spy Next Door? An $18.5 million take tells you that no one wants to see you in these kinds of roles.

Biggest Movie News of the Month: Sam Raimi is relieved of his duties of directing Spider-Man movies. Spider-Man 3, one of the most successful superhero movies at the box office was panned because of a number of things but I think the main problem is that Raimi was forced to throw a mishmash of villains into the mix. He never wanted Venom but was forced to use the character. Then the movie was poorly received and people blamed Raimi. Now with the fourth movie, the studios wanted to name the villain again despite the fact that is what hurt the third flick. Raimi balked, so the studio separated themselves from him and named (500) Days of Summer director Marc Webb as the new helmer of the franchise. I think Neill Blomkamp would have been a better choice except it sounds like the studio wants a Peter Parker movie and not a Spider-Man flick. Nothing about this sounds good.

Your Most Anticipated Movie of the Month: Shutter Island. I really want to see Kevin Smith's new flick and hope The Wolfman can surprise me but I, more than anything, want to see the long delayed Martin Scorsese horror flick. I am a fan of Leo DiCaprio and want to see what Scorsese can do in this genre.

Recommended DVD Release of the Month: So much to choose from. Zombieland is one I definitely want to see again. Bronson is a big one that I can't wait to see on Blu-Ray high def. The Informant! is a movie I missed while it was in theaters that I need to catch up on. Black Dynamite is another movie I have been waiting to see for a while. If I could recommend one of those to someone else, I'd say buy Bronson and enjoy one of the most brutal, amazing movies I have seen in awhile.

Classic Movie of the Month: Everyone is crying inflation to try to chop down Avatar from the box office crown. And to be honest, when based on inflation, former champion Titanic was only ranked sixth. Looking at the movies ranked ahead of it, based on inflation, I see Gone with the Wind at number one, but really don't want to recommend it. Following that is Star Wars, The Sound of Music, E.T. and The Ten Commandments. There are some sites that claim a bunch of Disney flicks rank in the top but that is inaccurate because they were re-released in many eras and can't be categorized by the inflation in their original release year (which IMDB does). The ticket price in 2010 averages out to be $7.46 and that is how the measuring stick is at this time. That is just a long way of saying, if you are sick of Avatar being heralded as the new champion, watch a movie ranked ahead of it due to inflation. I would suggest E.T., just not the reworked PC version.

Movie Quote of the Month: "You could be happy here, I could take care of you. I wouldn't let anybody hurt you. We could grow up together, E.T."
- Elliot, E.T.




Len Archibald

Biggest Winner of the Month: Avatar - Highest grossing movie of all-time. Nothing more needs to be said, but will be below.

Biggest Loser of the Month: Miramax at one time was as close to being the biggest studio on the planet. Even if all their films weren't outright moneymakers at first, Miramax created films that wound up standing the test of time. To see their doors shut down isn't just huge, but sad.

Biggest Movie News of the Month: For those who try to undermine history by bringing up the inflation/Gone With the Wind argument or who try to undermine the "taste of mainstream cinema-goers" or think they are so cool with their snide "Dances With Wolves/Pocahontas in Space" remarks:

Why do you care?

Why does it bother you so much that a film that you are clearly – CLEARLY in the minority about is the highest-grossing film of all time? Why do you insist on bringing up inflation? Money is money. Where I come from, $2 billion = $2 billion. It is NOT 1939. It hasn't been for 71 years, now. This film has had only ONE theatrical run, not the several that Gone With the Wind had. Why do you feel the need to continually belittle the enjoyment of nearly EVERYONE who watched this film in awe? Why does it matter to you? Are you making money from Avatar? Losing money from Avatar? Is it affecting your life *that* much? What insight do you wish to share with the world? What filmmaking prowess do you have? What technological background do you have in film? Seriously, what do you have? You have your pitiful "opinions" and nothing more. James Cameron has two movies – TWO of them – that have amassed a worldwide total gross of Four Billion Dollars. Why does that eat at you? Why does that hurt you so much? Are you upset that it isn't Watchmen? Or The Dark Knight? Or Star Trek or Star Wars or something that you feel you could have just as "easily" (snicker) created in your own mind – perhaps if you "had the tools and the money"?

Avatar is the biggest movie of all time. Your "opinions" can't change that. Your "inflation" argument can't change that. Your Dances With Wolves comparisons or "white guilt" assumptions can't change that. You can "research" ticket sales and do price adjustments like the fate of the universe hangs on your useless one-track-minded knowledge and waste your time (or show that you have too much time on your hands) but it's futile. If some of you put in the effort you use to steer your hatred of all things "popular" into other facets of your lives, you would probably be more productive members of society, but you keep coming back here to leave your comments in a desperate attempt to convince an audience that doesn't exist of an opinion that doesn't matter. You insist that there is a "backlash" against the film, but continue to look like fools, since I've never seen a film with so much "backlash" continue to acquire so much cash and near-unanimous praise from PROFESSIONAL critic and CASUAL moviegoer alike, categories which neither most of you fit into.

What I think is the most ironic thing about those who try to fight a submarine with a toothpick is that the majority of those who bring up Gone With the Wind have either 1) never even SEEN that film or 2) wouldn't even bring it in themselves to even WATCH the film because it is "old" or "too long" or "a glorified chick-flick". Those people know N-O-T-H-I-N-G (read: NOTHING) about movies and that is why they *watch* (to complain), while the ones who do it, just do it. James Cameron did it – twice. He's pretty much earned the right to tell you to put your money where your mouth is or fuck off. Let's see how many will continue to complain below and how FEW will actually attempt to crack into this business with a film and story of their own.

Your Most Anticipated Movie of the Month: Shutter Island. It's Scorsese. You had me at hello.

Recommended DVD Release of the Month: Zombieland, The Informant! and Black Dynamite are all on my radar.

Classic Movie of the Month: So it's "Black History Month" and I thought what better way to get under the skin of those who can't stand it by watching the quintessential "white guilt" movie - Dances With Wolves, but with Avatar already in the theaters, the "white-guilt theorists" are flocking the internet in droves. Instead, I will celebrate "Black History Month" with Spike Lee's Malcolm X, which boasts Denzel Washington's best acting performance and is Lee at his angriest and scariest of all black filmmakers at the time. (I truly remember the big stink those in "The South" made about boycotting this film – a sight to behold.)

Movie Quote of the Month: "We didn't land on Plymouth Rock…Plymouth Rock landed on us!"
-Denzel Washington letting the white man know what's what in Malcolm X.




Jeremy Thomas

Biggest Winner of the Month: Yeah, Avatar is really the no-brainer here. It's rocked the top of the charts for the full month of January and has picked up Golden Globes and just now nine Oscar nominations. Whether you like it or hate it, you can't deny that Jim Cameron's big sci-fi blockbuster is an enormous success, far above what even the most optimistic studio heads were probably expecting. I just hope it doesn't lead to Cameron rushing the sequel. The man does such good work because he makes it on his own time.

Biggest Loser of the Month: Fans of romantic comedies, who had to put themselves through Leap Year and When in Rome. Every January there's a genre that puts out an early contender for worst film of the year, and it's usually horror. This year it was the rom-com, and anyone who went to go see either of these films was probably the dumber for it.

Biggest Movie News of the Month: The shutting down of Miramax is a huge thing. This is the studio that has given us some of the greatest films of the late twentieth century, and I'm disappointed to see Disney shutting the doors on a studio that probably garnered more Academy Awards per capita than any other studio in the history of Hollywood. The Weinsteins are rumored to want to buy the name back but Disney doesn't seem to keen, so we'll have to see if the hallowed studio has a future still.

Your Most Anticipated Movie of the Month: There's some good ones in this short month; my biggest one has to be Shutter Island though. Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese have yet to make a bad movie together in my opinion and this looks to be a fantastic continuation of that trend.

Recommended DVD Release of the Month: There are a bunch that hop out at me this month, but I'm going to give the nod to Zombieland. it's a hilarious horror-comedy and is some of the most fun movie-going experiences from last year. Check it out if you haven't; you won't be disappointed.

Classic Movie of the Month: In honor of Universal, I have to go with the original Wolf Man. Lon Chaney Jr. may not have played the most successful or well-known of the Universal horror monsters, but he is still an iconic part of movie lore and this is one of the better of those movies. The tale of Larry Talbot was a wonderfully-told film highlighted by Chaney's performance and Jack Pierce's top-notch make-up work. If you have not seen this then you are seriously missing out.

Movie Quote of the Month: " Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright."
- Several characters, The Wolf Man



FEBRUARY 5TH



Dear John
Genre: Romantic Drama
Studio: Screen Gems
Directed by: Lasse Hallström
Starring: Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried, Henry Thomas, Richard Jenkins, Scott Porter
Synopsis: The story of John Tyree, a young soldier home on leave, and Savannah Curtis, the idealistic college student he falls in love with during her spring vacation. Over the next seven tumultuous years, the couple is separated by John's increasingly dangerous deployments. While meeting only sporadically, they stay in touch by sending a continuous stream of love letters overseas--correspondence that eventually triggers fateful consequences.

Bryan Kristopowitz: I've seen the preview for this movie three times now and I just can't find a reason to care about it. It looks like a movie that's trying awfully hard to be meaningful and important (the whole solider deployed thing). Plus, I can't stand Channing Tatum (he was pretty decent in "GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra," but that's the exception). Again, I just can't find a reason to care about it.

Arnold Furious:Lasse is sliding his way towards mainstream here. Especially considering the leading names in this movie. Channing "GI Joe" Tatum and Amanda "Mamma Mia" Seyfried. Romantic movies aren't really my cup of tea but I expect that my wife will be making me sit through this at some point in the future. Or perhaps doing me a favour and watching it when I'm not home.

Steve Gustafson: Not my cup of cola but I can see audiences checking this out. Gotta hand it to Tatum for wanting to expand his demographic a little.

Shawn S. Lealos: Not my cup of tea. My wife has the book and wants to read it before the movie comes out. She loves Nicholas Sparks a lot more than I do (Message in a Bottle was good, but I blame that on the mix of Paul Newman and Kevin Costner). I like Channing Tatum but want him to go with more action oriented roles and less Lasse Hallström flicks.

Len Archibald: Lasse Hallström made one of my all-time favorite romance-based films in Chocolat - he has been fairly consistent with his efforts, even if the end result doesn't create a classic (The Shipping News, An Unfinished Life.) His direction could lift what may seem to be a genre-film for fans of The Notebook into something above average the standard fare, but I'm just not sold on Channing Tatum. I don't know what it is…it's an intangible that I feel he lacks on screen. My wife will probably want me to rent this one.

Jeremy Thomas: As much as I'm a fan of romantic dramas, adaptations of Nicholas Sparks's works have never really done it for me. When you cast Channing Tatum in the lead of one, my interest drops pretty much to nil. I've very much enjoyed Amanda Seyfried even if I'm not a big fan of Mamma Mia!, but she can only do so much and I don't see any reason to actually want to see this until I start compiling my "Worst of" lists.



From Paris With Love
Genre: Action Thriller
Studio: Lionsgate
Directed by: Pierre Morel
Starring: John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Amber Rose Revah
Synopsis: In Paris, a young employee in the office of the US Ambassador is offered his first senior level assignment...and learns that it is teaming up with an trigger-happy, wisecracking American spy looking to stop a terrorist attack in the city.

Bryan Kristopowitz: I've never been a big fan of John Travolta as an action star because he tends to over act ("Face Off" was pretty decent, though), but this movie looks like a bunch of ridiculous fun, and that over acting thing may end up working here.

Arnold Furious: Travolta looks pretty badass in the trailer and I'm willing to overlook the rather cliché concept to enjoy his performance. Good Travolta movies don't come along too often anymore. Might as well enjoy them when they show up. Rhys Myers isn't my favourite up and coming actor but there are worse. There's only one review on RottenTomatoes at time of writing and that's 0/1 with severe criticism of Travolta's performance. I guess you should probably wait on the reviews for this one.

Steve Gustafson: Maybe it's me, but I want this movie to do well. Travolta has had a rough time and needs a little respite. I actually find the trailer fun and even though this won't be re-writing the buddy action genre, I think this could be a cool little ride.

Shawn S. Lealos: I was really excited about this until I heard John Travolta's "Royale with Cheese" line. Why do these movies have to pay such a weak homage to the past? Either way, I think the action is going to be balls out thanks to the fact that it is directed by Pierre Morel, the guy behind the awesome Taken.

Len Archibald: What happened to John Travolta? The guy who brought sexy back in Pulp Fiction? The one whose career was on the fritz until then? I admit when Travolta gets to let loose and go over-the-top it's a lot of fun (see Face/Off) but I have a feeling that I've seen this all before. Nice to see Jonathan Rhys Meyers get some work, though. I've always appreciated his talents.

Jeremy Thomas: This looks silly and over the top, and that's not always a bad thing. Here, I can't help but wonder if it's gone too far in that direction. Sometimes Travolta does wacky/crazy well (Face/Off, Broken Arrow) and sometimes he does it VERY badly (Battlefield Earth, anyone?). This looks to be more toward the good end of it, but then again the trailers only show so much of it. I'm glad to see Jonathon Rhys Meyers in big features, but I have a feeling he should have passed on this one.



Frozen
Genre: Thriller
Studio: Anchor Bay Entertainment
Directed by: Adam Green
Starring: Emma Bell, Kevin Zegers, Shawn Ashmore
Synopsis: A typical day on the slopes turns into a chilling nightmare for two snowboarders and a skier when they get stranded on the chairlift before their last run. As the ski patrol switches off the night lights, they realize with growing panic that they have been left behind dangling high off the ground with no way down

Bryan Kristopowitz: I haven't seen a preview for this yet, but with Adam Green in the director's chair it's automatically a must see. "Hatchet" was pretty dang decent, so let's see what Green has in store for us next.

Arnold Furious: Kinda like Open Water on a chairlift. Which is no bad idea. It'll be saved by the performances; if they deliver and the directing. Early reviews have been almost unanimously positive and this could be a sleeper hit. But of course they'll escape at the end. One of them is Iceman!

Steve Gustafson: Pass. I'm sure this will be a good movie but the trailer doesn't do anything for me. Plus, certain sites, who shall remain nameless, are cramming how good this is down our throats. I get it! They paid you to like it! That's fine. But this almost feels like a spook of a thriller movie. "Oh no, we are stuck in a chair...It's so cold..."

Shawn S. Lealos: I really admire Adam Green as a filmmaker. The guy took his dream job of directing a throwback horror movie and made a movie that lovingly embraced everything fans love about the slasher genre in his debut feature Hatchet. Plus, he got Freddy, Jason and Candyman all in the same movie together. The guy is creative, intelligent and a quality filmmaker and with fans like Twisted Sister's Dee Snyder, how can you disagree? His third film (Spiral, his second movie, is out on DVD) is getting rave reviews from its premiere at Sundance and this is one of my most anticipated movies of the month, except I don't know if it will play here anytime soon. Either way, find this movie and watch it.

Len Archibald: When I first saw this, I don't know why I thought of Alive…I suppose this is a plot that is...please someone let me know because the cold, ice and snow are my enemies till death, so I don't engage in much skiing or snowboarding – is it even possible to get stranded on a chairlift without anyone knowing? Wouldn't there be people making their way around to make sure that doesn't happen? I could imagine in this world, the ski resort/whatever would have a helluva lawsuit on their hands…or we'd have a new "stupid people moment on YouTube" – man, what a tangent.

Jeremy Thomas: The cast is solid and the concept is good; the director made a fun (if distinctly flawed) movie with Hatchet. So why can't I get into this one? Don't get me wrong this could be damn good, but right now I'm not feeling it. I probably won't be checking it out until DVD, but hopefully the movie will do what the trailer couldn't by thrilling me.

FEBRUARY 12TH



Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Genre: Fantasy Adventure
Studio: Fox 2000 Pictures
Directed by: Chris Columbus
Starring: Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Rosario Dawson, Steve Coogan, Uma Thurman, Catherine Keener, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean
Synopsis: The gods of Mount Olympus and assorted monsters have walked out of the pages of high school student Percy Jackson's Greek mythology texts and into his life. Zeus' lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. As Percy finds himself caught between angry and battling gods, he and his friends embark on an adventure to catch the true lightning thief and unravel a mystery more powerful than the gods themselves.

Bryan Kristopowitz: The trailers for this have been spectacular. The special effects on display are just awesome, and it looks like both Sean Bean and Pierce Brosnan are having a ball hamming it up, but is it just me or does it seem as though this movie is trying too hard to be a franchise right out of the gate instead of just a movie with franchise potential? We'll see how it turns out.

Arnold Furious: There's no escaping that this is a kids movie. Despite the strong cast I'm struggling to care about this new spin on the Greek legends. Chris Columbus makes astoundingly mediocre films and this will probably be no different. His best movie is still his first one; Adventures in Babysitting, which is saying something.

Steve Gustafson: While I'm not interested in seeing this, I wouldn't blame anyone who is! The trailer looks pretty cool and it's garnering decent buzz.

Shawn S. Lealos: The last time Chris Columbus started a children's literary franchise, we got Harry Potter. While I think Columbus' efforts were the weakest, a lot of Potter fanatics prefer the Columbus films for remaining more faithful to the books. Of course, Columbus' last film was the critically panned I Love You, Beth Cooper, so that is another strike against it. I don't know much about the books so I will hold off my opinion of the stories themselves, although the premise sounds rather goofy.

Len Archibald: Apart from being the most preposterous and laugh-inducing title so far this year (seriously, it sounds like a bad take on a Motown group), this *looks* decent. Yes, this is Chris Columbus and he isn't exactly the most endearing filmmaker to critics, but he can make a good yarn when he needs to and this looks to be more up his alley. Plus, look at that adult supporting cast – Rosario Dawson? Uma Thurman? Catherine Keener? REMINGTON STEELE! (Brosnan will always be Remington to me before Bond)

Jeremy Thomas: This looks a little goofy and that's not a bad thing for something like this. The key will be whether it takes itself too seriously or if it strikes that Potter nerve that captures the magic of the source material. The idea of a kid being the child of the Hellenistic gods isn't a bad concept at all and I could see this doing some very decent business; then again, everything that's tried to follow in Harry's footsteps has failed, often in drastic measures. I'm hoping this won't because it does look like fun.



Valentine's Day
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Studio: Warner Bros.
Directed by: Garry Marshall
Starring: Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Ashton Kutcher, Julia Roberts, Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, Shirley MacLaine, Hector Elizondo, Jennifer Garner, Taylor Swift, Taylor Lautner
Synopsis: Intertwining couples and singles in Los Angeles break-up and make-up based on the pressures and expectations of Valentine's Day.

Bryan Kristopowitz: The cast is huge and noteworthy, sure, but will it work? Marshall is a good director and all, but does he have the stuff to keep everyone on the same page and make a light, fun comedy? I don't know. The previews haven't been promising. Another big question, I think, is will Topher Grace and Ashton Kutcher interact at all in the movie? Will it be weird?

Arnold Furious: This is chick flick heaven. A massive cast full of star names. Including many teeny favourites like Taylor Swift and that guy from the Twilight movies. Once again this is a film I may have to endure as a married man but not by my own choosing.

Steve Gustafson: I know I'm going to get flack for giving this a thumbs up and Frozen a shrug, but the trailer and the cast have me interested. Plus, it's perfect timing and I can take the girlfriend to see it as a present.

Shawn S. Lealos: Oh, that Garry Marshall, making a movie called Valentine's Day and releasing it on said holiday. The initiative! This is THE chick flick this holiday season and will probably knock off Avatar from the top spot once and for all. Is there anything in this for the guys? How about Bradley Cooper and Jamie Foxx? I look at this movie and all I can think of is last year's He's Just Not That Into You, which my wife loved and I was lukewarm on. It even shares some of the stars of that movie, so take it for what it is.

Len Archibald: I'm sure this will be something I will see – because I'm married and I like to get laid from time-to-time, but I don't know why I've heard of this before…Oh yes, Paris, je T'aime, New York, I Love You, Four Christmases, and any other "love" based anthology. The cast looks decent and I'm sure Gary Marshall still has the goods, but – yeah. Who would like to see an anthology based on St. Patrick's Day next? Or Mother's/Father's Day? Or Labor Day? Or FOURTH OF JULY? You see where this is going – and we're going down that road pretty fast.

Jeremy Thomas: This undoubtedly looks like He's Just Not That Into You, but I don't think that's a bad thing. Into You was a surprisingly good flick and the cast here is largely solid. The key will be whether the script is up to snuff; if it is than Gary Marshall and the cast will no doubt be able to draw something worthwhile out of it. Does this have big explosions and violence? No, but that doesn't mean it's going to be horrible or it's not going to be "for guys." Just saying.



The Wolfman
Genre: Horror
Studio: Universal
Directed by: Joe Johnston
Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blount, Hugo Weaving
Synopsis: Lawrence Talbot is lured back to his family estate after his brother vanishes. Reunited with his estranged father, Talbot sets out to find his brother... and discovers a horrifying destiny for himself. When his brother's fiancée tracks him down to help find her missing love, Talbot returns home to join the search. He learns that something with brute strength and insatiable bloodlust has been killing the villagers, and that a suspicious Scotland Yard inspector named Aberline has come to investigate.

Bryan Kristopowitz: This movie looks fabulous, but the movie's release date has been moved a few times and there are rumors that the movie has serious problems that may or may not have been fixed. Will it be the train wreck the rumors seem to indicate it will be? At least it will have some kick ass wolf transformation special effects in it. The snippets shown in the trailers are goose bump inducing.

Arnold Furious: I never really considered the Wolfman to be one of the scarier or more interesting horror icons. But the casting is tremendous. Benny Del Toro is hot off a pair of great performances in the Che movies and Anthony Hopkins is great in everything. Even movies where he's hamming it up he's always entertaining to watch. Director Joe Johnston is set to do Captain America after this. While writer Andrew Kevin Walker was responsible for Seven. Has promise.

Steve Gustafson: It's here! Now we'll get some answers on the re-shoots, the delays, and other rumblings. Were they really just enhancing the special effects or were more...sinister...things in the works. If this does well, expect to see more updates of classic horror figures, like we aren't already. I'm rooting for this one.

Shawn S. Lealos: The film was pushed back. Rick Baker, the practical effects maestro, and the reason I was excited about the movie to begin with (he did American Werewolf in Paris!!), was fired from the project and replaced with more CGI! Then the trailer hit and reminded me of Underworld, which is not what I wanted to see in this picture. Then reshoots were ordered because test screenings went bad. Then they fired their music composer. Then they fired his replacement and hired the original back LAST WEEK. Now, two weeks from now the movie will be released, while they still tinker with it. This has all the markings of a disaster. And I wanted it to be good, so badly. I'll see it in theaters anyway and hope for a decent movie and not a train wreck.

Len Archibald: I want this to be good. I want this to be sooo good in the worst way. It seemed for the longest time that the pieces were in place. Great cast, heard good things about the initial script, F/X guru Rick Baker signing on to use old-school practical make-up effects…What could go wrong, right? Well, from the day reports came out about the film being pulled from its original release date, it seemed like everything began to fall apart. I still have hopes for it and I still think almost anything Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins is in adds something special to the film, but…if this isn't the definition of "reserved optimism", I don't know what is.

Jeremy Thomas: Of all the Universal horror monsters, the Wolf Man was my favorite (just in case you couldn't tell by the picture theme). Lon Chaney did a bad-ass job as Lawrence Talbot and I always loved the film. When I heard that Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Hugo Weaving and Emily Blount were involved in the remake I was very, very happy. Then the bad buzz came out, and the delays began, and I got worried. The studios done a good job getting those involved with the film out there to counteract and explain away all that bad buzz, but are they hiding a big pile of crap or offering legitimate excuses? There's good news, such as the R rating, and I will be looking forward to it; don't be surprised if it's bad though.

FEBRUARY 19TH



Shutter Island
Genre: Thriller
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Max won Sydow
Synopsis: It's 1954, and up-and-coming U.S. marshal Teddy Daniels is assigned to investigate the disappearance of a patient from Boston's Shutter Island Ashecliffe Hospital. Before long he wonders whether he hasn't been brought there as part of a twisted plot by hospital doctors whose radical treatments range from unethical to illegal to downright sinister. As a hurricane cuts off communication with the mainland, more dangerous criminals "escape" in the confusion, and the puzzling, improbable clues multiply, Teddy begins to doubt everything - his memory, his partner, even his own sanity.

Bryan Kristopowitz: I'm not a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, but this looks promising. It looks spooky, has a nice overall look, and it's got John Carroll Lynch in it. I just wonder if it will make money (Paramount originally had it slated for release last October, presumably putting it in contention for Oscar consideration, but then the studio moved it to February to "make money." So will it make money?).

Arnold Furious: I'm sold on Scorsese alone but his recent string of movies with Leonardo DiCaprio have rarely disappointed. And DiCaprio himself is on a hot streak of late. I'm not sure how well the supporting cast will work out. Mark Ruffalo is a bit unpredictable and Michelle Williams too. Kingsley and Von Sydow have done an awful lot of selling out. Maybe redemption is nearby for all concerned. I've been waiting for the release of Shutter Island for a good long time and I hope it does well. Scorsese is pretty much the greatest living director in the world.

Steve Gustafson: YES! Martin Scorsese tells everyone, "Stand back, let me show you how to do a thriller!" The cast is outstanding. Leo. Ruffalo. Sir Ben. Williams. Max. I was bummed they pushed it back, but now the wait is over and the time has come. I know I need to temper the hype a bit, but between this and Inception it's a good year for drama thrillers.

Shawn S. Lealos: My most anticipated movie of the month is this Martin Scorsese horror film. The movie got pushed back, causing fear for the fans and a loss of another Oscar nomination for Scorsese, but they said it was for financial reasons (there are no real hits right now for the studio and this gives them something positive, or so they say). Either way, I am excited because I don't see how Scorsese, Leo and Mark Ruffalo can go wrong here. I can't wait.

Len Archibald: Yes. I am there. I care not for the delays. I made a pact a long time ago with unspeakable forces that I will see every Scorsese movie in the theater.

Jeremy Thomas: Martin Scorsese. Leonardo DiCaprio. Max von Sydow. Mark Ruffalo. Ben Kingsley. Yeah, I'm totally there for this one. As I said above, this is my most anticipated movie of the month and at least the delays for this one are for purely financial reasons than rumored issues with the quality. It's nice to see Kingsley doing work in a film that has a chance to be a hit again, as he's been digging the bottom of the barrel for a while now. This is the closest we'll probably ever get to a Scorsese horror film and I'm very excited.



The Ghost Writer
Genre: Drama
Studio: Summit Entertainment
Directed by: Roman Polanski
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Ewan McGregor, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams
Synopsis: A ghostwriter hired to complete the memoirs of a former British prime minister uncovers secrets that put his own life in jeopardy.

Bryan Kristopowitz: The trailer for this is pretty decent, and it's got a good cast, but I have a feeling that the only thing people are going to talk about is its director, child rapist Roman Polanski, and his ongoing extradition issues. Haven't we all had enough of that shit? I know I have.

Arnold Furious: I realise that Roman Polanski is a controversial figure but the reason why people don't want him to go to jail is so he can keep making interesting films. The Ghost Writer looks to be an intriguing film. Pierce Brosnan hasn't played anything mainstream with substance in his career while Ewan McGregor has struggled to free himself from the "Obi Wan" thing. His last film of any real quality was Big Fish. I feel like everyone here is due a good film. Not that Polanski has made anything since Oscar winner The Pianist (his own version of Oliver Twist aside). I'm there.

Steve Gustafson: Pass. And it pains me to do so. I got the guy crush on Pierce and dig Ewan but this is one instance where I can't separate Polanski's work from his crimes. Next.

Shawn S. Lealos: Cue the commenter's who will decry Roman Polanski for being a child rapist and discount his movie on those grounds. The film has gotten great reviews and word of mouth calls it one of Polanski's best films in recent memory, alongside The Pianist. It will never be judged on its own merits but I think it will be an interesting movie at the least.

Len Archibald: CONTROVERSY! Roman Polanski aka "Miley Cyrus' Worse Nightmare for another 300 Days" has a new film coming out. I'm sure it will be excellent – because, even though the man loves that young tail – he still makes excellent movies. I mean, Michael Jackson was messed up, but he brought us "Thriller", man. "Thriller". Polanski gave the world Chinatown (which contains a storyline about incest and pedophilia…hmmm, we should have seen the signs.)

Jeremy Thomas: The cast is wonderful and the story is something that I've been interested in for quite a while. Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan could both use a big hit and…well, this won't be it. It will probably get a tiny release at best, and those outside of New York and L.A. will resort to having to check it out on DVD. I hope I'm wrong though, because this could be great.

FEBRUARY 26TH



Cop Out
Genre: Action Comedy
Studio: Warner Bros.
Directed by: Kevin Smith
Starring: Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Ana de la Reguera, Seann William Scott
Synopsis: Two veteran cops are tracking down a stolen vintage baseball card. On the chase, they rescue Gabriela, dealing with gangsters and their money laundering.

Bryan Kristopowitz: This will probably end up being okay, but I'm really fucking tired of Tracy Morgan. The man is obnoxious. If the movie fails, it'll probably be because of him.

Arnold Furious: I guess the word "dicks" is still considered to be too offensive for the mass market. While I'm a Kevin Smith fan I will admit that not all his movies are good. The last being the disappointing Zack and Miri Make a Porno. The bonus of Smith growing up a little is that Cop Out promises to be a more mature film. It might actually play like a real movie rather than a Kevin Smith film. Same could also be said of the forthcoming Red State venture where Smith aims to make a horror movie. Smith spreading his wings is way overdue. Whether it pays off for him is anyone's guess. The only thing that makes me apprehensive is Tracy Morgan. He's a bit…too much at times. Like Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys. At times he's tolerable and then there are times where you just want Will Smith to punch him in the face. I think that may be the same deal here. Regardless; here's to Kevin Smith making a movie that's not a "Kevin Smith movie".

Steve Gustafson: Man, the trailer for this sucks. Not one laugh out of me and I was excited for this. Another movie that looks to have a cast I enjoy (which seems to be the month for that) but the parts as a whole don't quite make it. I don't know if it's due to Kevin Smith or the script. Smith seems to be uncomfortable directing when it comes to movies outside his "zone". I'll check this out but right now, the trailer is ruining my buzz for this.

Shawn S. Lealos: Kevin Smith. That is all that needs to be said to have me in the theater on opening weekend. I am worried about the fact he did not write the script, because that is what he is best at, but I will watch everything the man creates.

Len Archibald: I love me some Kevin Smith – I don't think he is the out-and-out genius that others around here may think, but I do think he has a knack for dialogue and a good eye for the camera. This looks like a "hot mess" – but in the great sense as people always seems to forget that Bruce Willis got his start in comedy and if there is ANYONE that I would love to see him paired up with in a cop-buddy-comedy genre (apart from having a Fifth Element reunion with Chris F'n Tucker) Tracy Morgan and his over-the-top, abrasive, loudmouth antics would be it. Add in a little Sean William Scott and we may have a major comedic hit on our hands. Too bad they couldn't get away with A Couple of Dicks.

Jeremy Thomas: Kevin Smith has never directed a feature film he didn't write, so this will be a big test for him. I'm with Steve in that I loathed the trailer, but the studios have never marketed Smith's films well. I'm hoping that the cast and director will be enough to build something great here, and you have to admit that is an awesome tag line. I'm optimistic…just with reservations.



The Crazies
Genre: Horror
Studio: Overture Films
Directed by: Breck Eisner
Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Radha Mitchell, Joe Anderson, Danielle Panabaker
Synopsis:
As a toxin begins to turn the residents of Ogden Marsh, Iowa into violent psychopaths, sheriff David Dutton tries to make sense of the situation while he, his wife, and two other unaffected townspeople band together in a fight for survival.

Bryan Kristopowitz: This remake of a George A. Romero movie looks like the "Dawn of the Dead" remake, which is okay I guess. That was a somewhat fun theatre going experience. I just hope that the movie isn't stupid. I don't want to sit through another stupid horror movie remake. I do wonder how close the remake follows the Romero original. That movie took a while to get going.

Arnold Furious: It's a nice idea but Tim Olyphant can ruin any picture he's in. So this is a pass for me.

Steve Gustafson: Eh. Pass. Not a horror guy and the trailer didn't do anything that would tempt me to be otherwise.

Shawn S. Lealos: The trailers actually look really good for this horror remake. Hopefully, it will be better than the hosts of shitty horror remakes we have been dealt over the years. If it sucks, the original is being re-released the same week on DVD and Blu-Ray, so you can always take comfort in that.

Len Archibald: How is it we have a preposterous and a completely lazy title in the same month? Anyways, I like Timothy Olyphant (I'm neither a fanboy or one of the "crazies" who think he's "overrated" – ugh) but this seems to be another take of the whole virus/zombie thing that got really big during the whole 28 Days Later/Dawn of the Dead remake craze and now it looks…generic. Wow. Who would ever think there would be such a thing?

Jeremy Thomas: This came close to being my most anticipated film of the month. Tim Olyphant is an actor I personally really like, and while I feel that the Romero original has its flaws it is still an interesting film. I wouldn't call it horror though; it's more of a sci-fi-ish suspense that like much of Romero's work stands more as political allegory. This looks to be going more down that horror route, and as long as they don't dumb it down I'm okay with that. Joe Anderson is another actor I like, having been great in Across the Universe and his small part in The Ruins. I'm pulling for this one to be a surprise sleeper hit.

And there you have it. Shutter Island is the 411 staff's Golden Ticket, while Dear John gets our Bomb of the Month Award!

And that's what we've got for you for the month of February. Stay tuned next month for a look at Alice in Wonderland, Green Zone, Hot Tub Time Machine and many more!