The Big Screen Bulletin 04.09.07: News With A Special Easter Basket
Posted by Chad Webb on 04.09.2007
The Birthday Bash with busty Patricia Arquette, Sony and Aardman unite, the box office results, another "Psycho" documentary, Uwe Boll's new project, a "Shrek" Christmas Special, new DVD releases, new trailers, quickees, and more!
Birthday Bash
Patricia Arquette turns 39 - Whoa! I hope Patricia fired the stylist that made her wear this. The cleavage is fine for the guys, but wow. That's all I can say. Besides the show Medium, this blond haired/blue eyed gal has nothing on the horizon. For almost being 40, she could look worse.
Russell Crowe turns 43 - You may be a terrific actor Mr. Crowe, but that bad boy with the shades look isn't working on the 411 staff. This photo was not one of his finer moments. He has 4 projects coming along. They are Tenderness, 3:10 to Yuma, American Gangster, and Nottingham.
Dennis Quaid turns 53 - In this picture from The Day After Tomorrow Dennis is caught for a second thinking to himself "Why the hell did I agree to star in this trash?". He has around 6 new films that he is working on, or has completed already. A few of those are Vantage Point, Smart People, and The Horsemen. Vantage Point looks the best with an all-star cast.
Mandy Moor turns 23 - This must have been Mandy during the extremely naughty and nasty stage of her career. If I could make a tiger sound I would. Vincent Chase's ex-girlfriend has two new films that will be released soon. They are License to Wed with Robin Williams, and Twist of Fate, the story of Matt Hardy's finishing move. Just kidding.
Haley Joel Osment turns 19 - This kid is just a dork. He is seen here clapping like a moron. I'm not sure if it was before or after his DUI arrest. He was marvelous years ago in The Sixth Sense, but what laughing stock he has turned into now. He only has one project in development, and that is called Home of the Giants. With him as a cast member, it is likely no one will ever hear of it.
The News Bulletin
"Blades" Skates Past This Weeks Releases to Another Victory
Will Ferrell led the boxoffice for a second weekend with the skating comedy "Blades of Glory," while the ambitious "Grindhouse" double feature from Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez opened disappointingly at No. 4, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday. "Blades of Glory" sold about $23 million worth of tickets across North America during the three days beginning April 6, followed by last weekend's runner-up, the animated "Meet the Robinsons" with $17 million. "Grindhouse," a three-hour-plus tribute to the low-budget horror movies of the 1970s, earned $11.6 million. Box office forecasters had expected the movie to hit the $20 million level. The Dimension Films release consists of two films, Rodriguez' "Planet Terror" and Tarantino's "Death Proof," complemented by ersatz trailers and scratchy prints that give a period feel to the undertaking. The project cost $53 million to make. Officials at Dimension, a unit of closely held Weinstein Co., were not immediately available for comment. "Blades of Glory" was released by Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc. "Meet the Robinsons" was released by Walt Disney Pictures, a unit of Walt Disney Co.
Well, I went out on a limb praying that Tarantino and Rodriguez would have something to celebrate, but unfortunately Will Ferrell could not be stopped. I feel bad for The Weinstein Company. This deserved as much money as 300. It was by far the better "Rated R" film. It couldn't even beat the appalling looking Are We Done Yet?, which is a total shock to me. Elsewhere on the top 10, The Reaping nailed #5, 300 is #6 with nearly $200 million, and TMNT took another dive to #9. Shooter and Wild Hogs stayed strong at #7 and #8, and Firehouse Dog barely cracked the top 10. I read that The Hoax with Richard Gere performed well on the limited side of things. Look for my review soon. My bet is that Blades of Glory does a three-peat above Perfect Stranger, Disturbia, and Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters next week.
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Light at the End of the Tunnel For Aardman!
After their relationship with DreamWorks went down the toilet following last year's release of "Flushed Away", "Wallace & Gromit" creators Aardman Animations began looking for a new Hollywood deal. Now, the award-winning UK-based animation studio is linking up with Sony Pictures. According to industry insider mag Variety, Aardman and Sony have yet to decide on their first project, but Aardman has several scripts already in advanced development. One of the new films is, reportedly, another "Wallace and Gromit" project from Oscar-winner Nick Park. Amy Pascal, co-chair of SPE, told the trade, "Aardman makes movies with lively humor, great stories, and fun distinctive visuals. They have boundless creative energy and a passion for animation that is hard to resist." "Over the past 18 months, we have worked hard to create a new vision for Aardman Features," Aardman COO Stephen Moore said. "This includes an expanded development slate, increased production and plans to introduce new technical capabilities at our facility in Bristol." And while there's no word on what the next project from Aardman will be, word is that the studio will be working in a range of animation styles in the future, including both CGI and the stop-motion claymation projects that they're famous for. They'll reportedly produce films at varying budget levels, and hope to increase output to a movie every 18 months.
This is definitely good news. I am glad to see that Aardman has a positive future. This company can certainly make a lot of money with their brand of humor. I just think all they need is a helpful partner to give them a boost. Dreamworks dumped them pretty quick, but maybe it was for the best. I'd be willing to bet some decent box office numbers will be awaiting Aardman and Sony with some hard work and determination. I do think it is criminal that more viewers are not obsessed with Wallace and Gromit. That duo is fabulous, and they deserve more than just Oscars. They deserve huge audiences. I hope another Wallace and Gromit film is the next project since it takes so damn long to do. Personally, I loved Flushed Away, and thought it was very underrated and overlooked. Check it out if you can.
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Another Bloody Prom Awaits Viewers
With production gearing up on the remake of the '80s slasher classic "Prom Night", several thesps have reportedly been added to a cast led by Brittany Snow ("John Tucker Must Die") and Idris Elba ("The Reaping"). According to Bloody-Disgusting.com, the production has cast Dana Davis ("The Nine"), Jessica Stroup ("The Hills Have Eyes II"), Scott Porter ("Friday Night Lights"), Collins Pennie ("Half Nelson"), Kelly Blatz ("The Oakley Seven") and Johnathon Schaech ("Road House 2: Last Call"). Nelson McCormick directs. The screenplay was penned by J.S. Cardone ("The Covenant"). The pic, which will be shot in Los Angeles, is slated for release February 1, 2008. Bloody-Disgusting.com also has a plot synopsis for "Prom Night", which sounds slightly different than the original film.
Well, as usual this remake sounds completely craptastic. Just the idea of it is bad, but then look at the cast. Forgetting about the majority of these horrible performers, the addition of Jonathan Schaech means that this will fail miserably, and be tortuous to endure. Seriously, I know myself and other writers have discussed it enough, but this further proves that literally no horror film is safe from the clutches of the remake monster. I am going to cherish The Descent, one of the best horror offerings in years. Hardly any original ideas can be found these days.
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The "Pyschos" Get Examined Further
In addition to a new Alfred Hitchcock biopic – starring Anthony Hopkins – we're also going to be treated to a spiffy new documentary on the master of suspense. "The Psycho Legacy", conceived by the gang behind the ‘Icons of Fright' website (Robg is the producer), is a documentary chronicling the entire "Psycho" film franchise - including the original movie, the sequels, the TV movies, the Robert Bloch novels and the Innovation comic books. It's meant to examine and look at the complete history of a pop culture icon. Norman Bates. And more importantly... Mother. Interviews include several people involved in all the films, as well as various professionals currently in the horror industry whom were inspired by "Psycho" and it's sequels. The object of the film (Being produced by ICONS OF FRIGHT co-creator Robg.) is to both reflect and remind people that the PSYCHO films have their set place in horror history and are still relevant and loved by genre fans of today. Its believed that Lee Garlington, Mick Garris, and Tom Holland are just a couple of the "Psycho" folks that have been interviewed.
This is a documentary that should be fairly interesting providing they release it as a straight to video type affair similar to the stellar Halloween: 25 Years of Terror documentary. Trying to put this into theaters would be bizarre and unintelligent I think. Many people have seen the original Psycho obviously, but how many moviegoers today have spent time and money to seek out the sequels? I am sure some of you have, but likely not many. I have seen one of the sequels, but not all of them. This is why a Direct-to-DVD release is the wisest decision. I will be anxious to see how this turns out though. I need to finish watching the franchise first.
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Boll Plants Another Movie "Seed"
Filmmaker Uwe Boll has issued a press release stating that his latest movie, Seed, was made "in an attempt to disturb, horrify and awaken audiences. Boll's beliefs and attitudes towards the subject of capitol punishment, inspired and gave birth to his film creation, Seed. This disturbing film will give audiences a harsh examination of mankind's ugliest nature." Boll said, "I wanted to make a statement with "Seed." At the beginning of the film, I used extreme animal abuse footage that was given to us by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). I wanted to show the world how messed up humans are as a species. If humans were extinct and only animals inhabited Earth, our planet would survive." The "Postal" director continued, "The PETA footage demonstrates that humans are not intrinsically good. People kill mercilessly, without emotion, for sport, profit and other forms of self-indulgence." As "a big supporter of PETA," Boll has pledged that he will "commit 2.5% of all my world-wide, net profit from the distribution of "Seed" to (PETA)." The official site for "Seed" -- starring Will Sanderson, Ralf Moeller and Michael Paré -- can be found here. The film is due out this Halloween.
Well I can safely say that Uwe Boll is correct. His new movie will disturb and horrify audiences, but not in the way he hopes. We will find it horrifying to watch, disturbing that someone is actually giving Uwe Boll a job, and the knowledge of its preparation will "awaken" us to avoid it. I admit that out of all of this man's past, present, and future projects, this one does sound intriguing at least a little bit. I keep waiting for this guy to create something that will not be absolutely worthless. Until then, I will expect the worst. It is impossible not to.
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Christmas in Far Far Away?
In addition to "Shrek the Third", which opens May 18, DreamWorks Animation is developing another feature film sequel as well as "Shrek the Halls", a half-hour TV special set to air this Christmas. IGN got the scoop on both projects during a recent visit to the offices of PDI/Dreamworks Animation for a special behind-the-scenes look at the making of "Shrek the Third." "It's a half-hour Christmas special for ABC. We're visiting some old environments and all the core groups of characters," Zaslav said. He added that the special will focus on "mostly [characters] we've seen. There are a couple of new characters." As far as the cast for the special goes, Zaslav confirmed that "it's the same group [including Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz] and it really integrates seamlessly, I think, with taking place where "Shrek the Third" left off." Zaslav hopes "Shrek the Halls" won't be remembered the same unkind way that the notorious "Star Wars Holiday Special" is, "unless it's cult classic kind of status. It's actually going to be on for 15 years every Christmas. That's the plan. So it has to be visually and story-wise up with all the "Shrek" films in terms of quality. So far it's looking really good." When asked if Kris Kringle, a.k.a. Santa Claus, will make an appearance in Far Far Away, Zaslav coyly replied, "He might; he might."
Walker advised us, "I am working on the Christmas special, but it's still another eight sequences worth of work. It's like a feature, but short." Cheung said that, while "Shrek the Halls" is only for the small screen, the animators won't be cheating fans on big screen quality. "We can scale back, but the chances of it being a cheaper looking version is going to be hard because again it's such a big franchise for DreamWorks and it's going to be played potentially every year for I don't know how many years. So I believe the quality is going to have to be just as good and they're already asking me to help out on that. It's actually a really fun little story." Cheung added that the special will "most likely" be in high-definition. "All of our stuff we make sure is high quality."The filmmakers were all far more tight-lipped about "Shrek 4." "Shrek the Third" director Chris Miller confirmed he's involved with it and that it's in-development. "Yeah, there's work on the fourth one." Producer Aron Warner revealed, "We just started working on the story, and I think from what we have so far it's great. It's incredibly compelling and I feel really good about it." When pressed for details on "Shrek 4", production designer Guillaume Aretos joked, "I am going to use the Scooter Libby thing. I do not recall."
Warner and Miller dismissed the idea of Artie, a.k.a. King Arthur (voiced by Justin Timberlake) who is introduced in "Shrek the Third", getting his own spin-off franchise. Miller even joked, "No, but you should pitch that!" One spin-off project that has long been rumored is a Puss in Boots movie. Tim Cheung downplayed the project, however, but did not dismiss it entirely. "I think there's always been talk with these characters to. This is a huge franchise for DreamWorks so I think if all things line up, I think they'd be interested in doing stuff like that. I haven't heard anything yet exactly but … I just work here. They tell me what to do."
The T.V. special should be enjoyable enough. I have no doubts that the writers can come up with a short storyline having to do with Christmas that people will make time to tune in and watch. The title is perfect. I have never seen the Star Wars Holiday Special, but from what I've heard, I don't think this will have trouble topping that in terms of quality or popularity. As for Shrek 4, I can't really say a whole lot until I see the third one. After repeated viewings of the trailer, I am starting to wonder if Shrek the Third will be anywhere close to the first two. For some reason I am losing faith in this franchise. Spinoffs are a dreadful idea, especially with Puss in Boots. These characters are great because we have basically equal doses of all of them. A spin off will ruin that balance.
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Hollywood Explores "Area 51"
Paramount Pictures acquired the movie rights to the Midway videogame Area 51 back in 2004. There haven't been any signs of life on the project since then, but word comes today that it is still very much alive. The studio has, according to Variety, commissioned writer Grant Morrison to pen a new script for the planned adaptation. Morrison is a comic and graphic novel author who has written for DC and Marvel. His "Arkham Asylum", a revisionist Batman tale, has sold over 500,000 copies worldwide. The film will follow a hazardous materials specialist called in to investigate a viral outbreak -- one that is possibly extra-terrestrial in nature -- at the U.S. government's most top-secret military facility. A new installment in the gaming series, "Blacksite: Area 51", will drop this summer from Midway. Stan Winston, special effects guru, is on board the project as producer. His Stan Winston Studios created the creatures for the game, so it's not a stretch to think that they might also be involved with the film production.
I've played this arcade game before. Many of us have, but to tell the truth, it wasn't all that terrific as a video game, so how the hell will they pull off a story? Video game adaptations just don't work. Occasionally, one or two have been tolerable, but for the most part, the cast and crew hired to come aboard just don't get the job done. Maybe someday an aspiring filmmaker will have a breakthrough of the ideal video game adaptation, but I don't see that coming anytime soon. Even the best games would have a hard time transitioning. Halo is one that instantly comes to mind. This is all information you have heard before, but sometimes I need to reiterate it because studios keep pumping these out, and they will continue to do so unless we STOP paying money to see them!
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The Metal Men Are Coming !
Producer Lauren Shuler Donner, who was instrumental in bringing the "X-Men" to the big screen, is tackling another set of comic book heroes: "The Metal Men." The project, according to the Hollywood Reporter, has been setup at Warner Bros. with Eric Champnella on board to pen the screenplay. Champnella's writing credits include "Mr. 3000" and, most recently, "Say Uncle" for the studio. "Metal Men", for those unfamiliar with the comic, was created in 1962. The story revolves around six robots made of different types of metals -- gold, iron, lead, tin, mercury and platinum -- who have special powers that mirror characteristics of their respective materials. The film's tone is expected to mirror the lighthearted action-adventure vibe of the comic, which balanced sentimentality, humor and action.
I am not familiar with The Metal Men, but after browsing through some pictures, and reading the premise, I am looking forward to what eventually results here. Of course, if the wrong director is hired, this concept of combining humor and action could be abused greatly. Super hero comedies are a genre that almost always results in a dud, but with a proper mixture of various genres, it could work. I'll remain positive. I seem to prefer the comic book adaptations that are less popular for some reason. The ones with something to prove just catch my fancy a bit more.
The 20 Second Sermon
Tobey Maguire is considering Spiderman 4 if the script is decent and his buddies return. Maguire is a good actor, and needs to move on. This franchise needs to move on also. If Maguire says no, Gyllenhaal will get the call. He has a close resemblance, but it would be a goofy difference I think. There has been a lot of talk about Harrison Ford's age and the action required in Indy 4. Lucas thinks he'll be ok, and so do I. He just did Firewall. That had some heavy stuff in it. Ford can handle it. Lay off. Also, I sincerely hope Sean Connery does this last film. Lucas is still trying to land him. I'd be looking more forward to this if he was involved. Paul Haggis and Charlize Theron will be working together on a biopic of Susan McDougal, and more specifically her involvement with the Whitewater Scandal and President Clinton. These two have already teamed up for In the Valley of Elah, and since I haven't seen that, I don't know if they have chemistry. The premise sounds promising though.
What's Coming to DVD….Buy or Avoid?
DVD Headline of the Week
Payback: Straight Up – The Director's Cut - This is action packed revenge movie that is just plain cool. Before Mel went bonkers, this was one of his most bad ass roles ever. At a relatively cheap price, this is the one you need to pick up this week. Buy
Bobby - This was not a great film from 2006, but it was an overlooked and underrated one. I thought it was a good hyperlink drama, and worth the money. Buy
The Untouchables: Season 1, Volume 1 - Finally this series has arrived on DVD for the fans. It doesn't look to be terribly expensive, so I would recommend it for purchase. Buy
Ric Flair & The Four Horsemen - This would be a definite buy, but from what I have read the match listing sucks. This should be 3 or maybe even 4 discs long if it was going to be handled properly.
Major League – Wild Thing Edition - I think this has some sort of turf cover. The extras look to be pretty exciting for fans, and the price is fairly low, but I bought my baseball movie (The Natural) last week. I liked this, but didn't love it enough to buy it. Avoid
Sliver (Unrated) - I did not care for this at all. I'll be nice to Sharon Stone this time, and just leave it at that. Avoid
Shanghai Surprise - I never saw this, but it is on the IMDB bottom 100 movies of all-time for what that is worth.
The Critic's Quickee
Blades of Glory - I laughed a great deal at this movie. It was extremely funny, but then again, most of Will Ferrell's comedies are. Jon Heder gave his best performance to date. He and Ferrell had undeniable chemistry. Craig T. Nelson was splendid, as usual, Amy Poehler was her normal self, and Will Arnett was not as irritating as he was in Let's Go To Prison. The set design, costumes, and cameo appearances were absolutely magnificent. The mainstream debut directing team of Josh Gordon and Will Speck throw in some snazzy touches to mold this into a film that has an identity of its own amongst Ferrell's previous sports offerings. Likewise, the screenplay by rookie writers Jeff and Craig Cox is outstanding with comical one-liners that fill the seemingly flat plot. The problem is, Will Ferrell's movies are very funny in the theater, on the big screen, when the audience is cracking up with you, but when viewed again on DVD, his recent roles (except Stranger Than Fiction) don't have as much appeal in my mind. They are still fun overall, but some of the spunk is lost. Blades uses the over the top, but stupidly funny approach in overload, and sometimes it goes too far, like for instance the final scene. This is another solid addition to Ferrell's resume, and with the basketball themed Semi-Pro on the way, nothing is slowing him down. Final Rating = 7.5/10.0
Meet the Robinsons - Without Pixar, Disney can't quite get the CGI flicks right. This is not the worst offering I have ever seen, but it lacks a necessary spark and meticulousness. Director Chris Anderson displayed a fancy futuristic world for viewers to admire, sometimes way exaggerated and zany, but with 8 screenwriters contributing, the story is weak and very predictable. In most children's films, the plot is understandably predictable, but twists are attempted here, and they fail because they arrive in a manner that is so foreseeable to anyone paying attention. The carefully selected soundtrack, the pop culture jokes, and the desperate stab at quirky characters shows everyone that they are trying too hard. This reminded me of Robots in that it was beautiful to look at, but not much else. I did enjoy some aspects such as the villain, who was funny, and the dinosaur scene still makes me laugh. I really think the singing frogs should have had a bigger role in this movie. They worked well, but had about 5 minutes of time. The voice work is up and down. The main characters are fine, but some of the supporting ones give themselves away, and it is bothersome. This had a cute and important message, but ultimately the whole thing felt like a big mess that was not put together properly. There just wasn't any reason to watch this more than once. Final Rating = 6.0/10.0
Movievision Weekly
Monday The Green Mile - Another Tom Hanks masterpiece. This was directed by Frank Darabont. If you haven't seen this, you must get off your butt now! It was incredibly moving, riveting, and inventive. It is on at 6:30pm on FX. ****
Most of you will be watching WWE Raw at this time anyway.
Tuesday Rebel Without a Cause - It has the right to be named beside the best movies ever made. It is a definite classic. James Dean is in top form, and the story is gripping. This is on AMC at 8pm. ****
Date Movie - One of the many ridiculous and retarded parodies we have to put up with. I don't have to bother explaining this. You know what it deals with. This one is on Cinemax at 8:30pm. *
Wednesday The Big Lebowski - This is one of my favorite films. It gets funnier each time I watch it. Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, and Steve Buscemi are fantastic. This is on E! at 8pm. ****
Beethoven's 4th - I have never actually seen this, but how does the Disney channel air this instead of the first one? I would feel guilty if I had to make that choice. It is on that channel at 8pm. No rating needed.
Thursday The Last Samurai - Mr. Sirois and I differ in opinion on this, but that's ok. I still think this is a stellar epic with Tom Cruise. Director Edward Zwick's film airs on AMC at 8pm. ***1/2
The Hot Chick - If you find yourself channel surfing on this particular day, avoid the FX station at 8pm due to this horrible Rob Schneider comedy being on. I am ashamed to say I watched most of this atrocity. ½*
Movie Dictionary: Word of the Week
Character Actor - A character actor is an actor, especially in motion pictures, who predominantly performs in similar roles throughout the course of a career. Character actor roles can range from bit parts to secondary leads. However, character actors often play supporting roles: characters who do not undergo a major change in the course of the movie, and whose role is less prominent than the leading actors'. While some actors aspire to leading man or leading woman status, many notable actors have had enduring careers in less prominent, but important and memorable character parts.
A frequent trait of character actors is that their names are not widely known yet their faces or voices are instantly recognizable to movie fans: Michael Ironside, Paul Henreid, Sydney Greenstreet, Jonathan Banks or Barry Fitzgerald are some examples. Some character actors play essentially the same character over and over, as with Andy Devine's humorous but resourceful sidekick or Dennis Farina's tough cop/gangster.
There are many reasons people might become character actors. Some of these reasons might be seen as unfair, arbitrary, biased or prejudiced. Actors may also simply seem better suited to character roles than to leading roles. Another fact worth noting is that while any film has a handful of leading roles, it may also require dozens of smaller supporting roles, and that there are arguably more oportunities for professional success as a character actor than as a movie star.
Many character actors have gained star status or become widely known lead actors. Examples include Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Dennis Hopper, Gene Hackman, Kevin Spacey, Alan Arkin, Robert Duvall, John Malkovich, Ed Harris, Christopher Walken, Jeff Goldblum and Lynne Thigpen. However, many actors such as Harry Dean Stanton, M. Emmet Walsh and Michael Lerner have nevertheless earned acclaim for their character roles. Other character actors have developed a cult following with a particular audience as well, such as the fans of "Star Trek", "Doctor Who" or "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
However, character actors are not limited to only seasoned performers, but also can refer to film directors who have either made the crossover to acting or worked in front of the camera before, such as John Huston, Sydney Pollack, Paul Mazursky, Mark Rydell and Tim Blake Nelson to name a few. Examples of character roles include: ethnic stereotype, femme fatal, gunslinger, sidekick, town drunk, and so on.
Based on the Trailer…
To all the readers who scroll to this section, I want to inform you that this will be undergoing heavy construction in the next few weeks. After receiving some clever suggestions, I am aiming to improve this.
28 Weeks Later - This sequel looks to go deeper into this world in an imaginative way. I thought the first one was average, but ambitious. We'll see if this lives up to the impressive direction that Danny Boyle delivered in 2003. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Live Free or Die Hard (2) - This second trailer is a bit longer, and reveals some more action sequences. They range from cool and exciting to wild and outlandish. It ends with a clip of Kevin Smith, which is not as funny as they'd hoped. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Halloween - Call me nuts, but this could be a surprisingly innovative re-imagination of the John Carpenter classic. I was not disgusted by the teaser, and I usually am. I hope this is solid. Good remakes are few and far between. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Eagle vs. Shark - This quirky little independent love story film struck me as way over the top in terms of weirdness. It reminds me of Napoleon Dynamite in a way. That is not a good thing. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0
Oceans 13 - This is the second trailer for this final installment. It still looks pretty good, but I have some doubts now. I'm hoping this is just as fun as the previous two, but also has some twists and surprises. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry - Boy does this look bad. I am sorry to say that, but I will only be seeing this because of Jessica Biel in her underwear. That is worth the price of admission. Otherwise this is the regular Sandler hijincks. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End - This looks awesome! This is a damn good trailer. It had just enough humor and action to get me excited. Johnny Depp's lines are fabulous, and the CGI looks great! Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
Stardust - With an all-star cast, this looks extremely bizarre. I'm not sure what I think yet, especially with Michelle Pfeiffer playing some ugly looking witch. It actually looks pretty bad after one viewing. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
Next - Sporting a Tom Hanks Da Vinci Code hairdo, Cage leads Julianne Moore and Jessica Biel in this movie that actually looks really promising. I am a big fan of Cage, but Lee Tamahori is not the most revered filmmaker. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
Underdog - Jason Lee sounds funny as the voice of this dog, but the preview does not catch my fancy. I hope it isn't as awful as it appears. This and Firehouse Dog will not cause the dog genre to make a comeback I think. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
Georgia Rule - Lohan might be a pain in the ass, but her choice of movies is usually intriguing. This could be worthwhile, you never know. Jane Fonda and Felicity Huffman are in it. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Lucky You- Eric Bana and Drew Barrymore would make a delightful duo with Robert Duvall in the background. This should be average. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Nancy Drew - This new movie is based on the books in some way I guess. It seems molded to fit the teeny bopper audience. I am not impressed. Trailer Rating = 5.5/10.0
Pathfinder - Call me crazy, but this looks laughably bad. The trailer just irritates me. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0
Surfs Up! - Well, it's about penguins so we know it will get nominated and probably win the Oscar if it's half good. I am sick of penguins. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
The Condemned - Wow, a WWE films release that has an intriguing concept. I'm actually looking forward to seeing this. You never know, it might be good in that B-movie way. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Vacancy - This Luke Wilson thriller looks like it could be really bad, or at best a 3 star movie. We'll see. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0
Resident Evil: Extinction - This was an average teaser trailer. I'm still not sure how this will turn out though. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Talk to Me - Don Cheadle as a risky radio jockey. This looks to have potential, but it's not the role Cheadle is capable of shining most in. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0
Mr. Brooks - Any movie with Kevin Costner in it catches my interest. This thriller looks like it might be worthwhile with William Hurt and Demi Moore, but Dane Cook in a serious role? Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Balls of Fury - A new comedy with Christopher Walken. Some parts made me laugh, but overall I thought this looked dumb. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0
The Invisible - This will likely be a film that relies on some big twisty ending. It doesn't look all that great, plus I have seen this trailer too many times. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
The Kingdom - If Chris Cooper is involved, I'm there. Oh yeah, Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner are in this Iraqui actioner too. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Perfect Stranger - A thriller with Halle Berry and Bruce Willis. They are not a good combo. I am not that impressed with this. My bet is that Giovanni Ribisi's character is behind it. Trailer Rating = 5.5/10.0
Bee Movie - This is the second trailer. It is much funnier. I can't wait to see this. It's not made by Pixar, yet it still looks good. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
Knocked Up - This actually looks hilarious with a couple former Freaks and Geeks stars combined with 40 Year Old Virgin director Judd Apatow. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Fracture - A mystery thriller with Ryan Gosling and Anthony Hopkins. Ehhh, it's too early to tell how good I feel about it. The trailer showed nothing new. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Delta Farce - This looks incredibly dumb. I don't think Larry the Cable Guy is as funny as everyone says. Trailer Rating = 3.0/10.0
Sunshine - This new film by Danny Boyle looks outstanding. I can't wait to see it. We could use some good sci-fi. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
Oceans 13 - This looks wonderfully slick and edgy. I can't wait for it. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Shrek the Third - This will make so much money, and rightfully so. It looks fantastic. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Live Free or Die Hard - This third sequel to the successful franchise does not look overly terrible. Maybe it will be shockingly good. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
The Simpsons Movie - I am not the biggest Simpsons fan, but this trailer is hilarious. Maybe this movie won't be all that terrible. Trailer Rating = 8.0/1.0
Hostel: Part II - If you have read my material for the past 10 months, you know how I feel about this. The first one sucked, and this one will also. Trailer Rating = 3.0/10.0
Evan Almighty - This sequel doesn't have strong plot. Evan is told to build and ark. Dumb, but Carrell is still funny. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
Hot Fuzz - This is the new film from the Shaun of the Dead group. It looks very funny. I'm looking forward to it. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Spiderman 3 - Despite my dislike of the second one, this newer trailer is friggin awesome. I'll admit, I'm looking forward to this greatly. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Other Stuff to Read
411 April Roundtable - This month I take over the roundtable and gather the readers thoughts on the April releases in the roundtable!
Fact or Fiction - Ben Piper gathers the thoughts of Al Norton and Bryan Kristopowitz this week!
Furious on Film - Arnold Furious gives you quick rundowns of interesting movies every week.
