The Big Screen Bulletin 1.14.08: The Destruction of the Golden Globes
Posted by Chad Webb on 01.14.2008
A nightmare with "Boogeyman 2", Golden Globe results, a prequel to "The Host", Broken Lizard's next film, strike details, Stallone's "Death Wish", new DVD releases, trailer ratings, and much more!
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Straight to Video Nightmares
Boogeyman 2
Starring: Tobin Bell, Renee O'Connor, and Danielle Savre
Directed By; Jeff Betancourt
Written By: Brian Sieve
Release Date: January 8, 2008
Running Time: 89 minutes
A new year brings my devoted readers new nightmares. The studios have stated on many occasions that the Direct-to-DVD sequel market is profitable, and they will continue to pump them out. So here we go folks. The first official 2008 film I am watching is Boogeyman 2. This is not a good sign. Let me begin by saying I had never seen the original Boogeyman until this week. It was not a horror effort that struck me as important to see. Regardless, I took it upon myself to rent the first film in order to prepare for this one. That's dedication you can't find anywhere else. It's safe to say that it was just about one of the worst, laziest, and most inane pieces of cinema I have endured in awhile. Classifying it as horror is indeed a stretch. There is barely any blood, and if the substance scares you at all, then seek mental help. Barry Watson's Tim Jensen basically has 80 minutes of ludicrous visions until he "faces his fear." The Boogeyman character is a trashy CGI creation that my five year old niece could concoct on her PC.
I hated every second of this excrement, but for some odd reason, people went to see it. The film doubled its budget of $20 million and then some. Weird that even the title of Boogeyman would not deter the public. I will stop there. That is another issue. The sequel arrives, but for what reason? Initially, I wasn't even sure why I bothered watching the first movie, as normally, the Direct-to-DVD sequels do not require any prior knowledge of the series. I was wrong. This sequel mentions the events that previously took place with Tim Jensen, yet the fate of Jensen literally makes no sense. You'll have to see what I mean. The story revolves around Henry and Laura, who are brother and sister. When they were young, Henry witnessed his father and mother being killed by a mysterious individual, presumably the Boogeyman.
10 years later, Henry has recovered from his fear, left a psychiatric clinic, and is ready for a new life. His sister however, is still shaken by the experience, so she checks herself into the clinic as well. She meets the staff, led by Dr. Jessica Ryan, and the patients. This is where the film turns into a mix of Girl Interrupted and A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. The other patients have legitimate phobias, however, the actors play them off as gags. This is when we meet Dr. Mitchell Allen, portrayed by Jigsaw himself, Tobin Bell. Bell grew a beard, and does his best to impersonate the Jigsaw tone and creepiness. Laura gets made fun of by the others for her "Bogyphobia" as it is called. She calls Henry, who is at a job interview, and makes him return because she is scared or something.
Around this juncture, what transpires is one brutal killing after another by a masked person, possibly the Boogeyman or Jaleel White. Laura is the only one that sees him. So this is how the whole story unfolds. The first kill, Mark, occurs in the elevator shaft. He is cut in half. The next is Paul, the germaphobe, who finds cockroaches in his food. He is stabbed through the throat. Alison is third. She cuts herself to deal with her emotional problems. She is tied down, while maggots crawl under her wounds. She is forced to slit her wrists to get them out. Nicky is afraid of gaining weight. We get the gratuitous nude shot as she stares at herself in the mirror. Whatever she has eaten has done her body good. She was romantically involved with Darren, a kid who is afraid of the outside world. She wants to make up, which consists of her stripping nude and wasting no time in having sex with him in the bathroom. It is at this time we also see Dr. Ryan electrocuted beyond belief, yet we discover later she has survived. Laura, Nicky, and Darren then investigate Dr. Allen's office files. He hasn't signed out. Uh oh. Tobin Bell cannot be the Boogeyman, or he will have assumed too many horror character responsibilities, and therefore broken a law. A law I made up just now.
Laura unearths newspaper articles which indicate that Dr. Allen was starting to believe that the Boogeyman existed. This is when the mind-boggling details about Tim Jensen surface. Continuity people. Look it up. Nicky and Darren fight. Ha, I'll bet he isn't afraid of the outside world. He did the loner routine in order to get into Nicky's pants. He accomplished his goal, and dropped her like a bad habit. And girls think all the good ones are taken. Darren's demise is approaching. The Boogeyman has some sort of tool which opens his chest. Pretty gruesome torture porn stuff. It is worth noting how creative the Boogeyman has become since the first film. In that tale he just threw his victims around a lot, or played in dirty bath water. Later, Laura ventures down to the basement, complete with all horror movie sound bites, and sees Nicky on a table being filled with fluid. She explodes and the blood splatters everywhere. Ewww. Laura is chased again. Snooze. He starts ripping off her clothing relentlessly. This is veering oddly towards Scary Movie territory in that it is inadvertently parodying itself. I guess I should stop there to avoid spoilers. What I will say is how ridiculous and totally preposterous the conclusion is. Your brain will do hula-hoops trying to figure out how any of it is possible within the known universe. As I attempted to explain it to my girlfriend, I developed a migraine.
Boogeyman 2 was directed, if you call it direction, by Jeff Betancourt, who was formerly the editor on such gems like The Grudge, The Grudge 2, and the remake of When a Stranger Calls. He amps up the gore, but fails to establish a plot that is not idiotic and baffling. He has not made a sequel to Boogeyman. This is a slasher fest in the vein of ::insert title here:: that just uses the title. The screenplay of Brian Sieve was evidently written in a couple of hours. How else would you explain the absurd dialogue and plot turns? The performances are about as appalling as one would expect besides Tobin Bell. I can only imagine how much he was paid for such minor work. Unfortunately he cannot save this. I have read numerous posts on IMDB which state this was better than the first film. I would like to see reasons listed. Both suck equally, are unwatchable, and should have been unreleasable. This is proof that one man has wasted three hours of his life by sitting through both Boogeyman films. Hell, Robert Stack could have made the Boogeyman more convincing simply by the tone of his voice. Do not rent this. Do not look at the box. Do not spend more than a second thinking about this movie. It is THAT bad.
Final Rating = 1.0/10.0
The Golden Globe Results
Best Motion Picture (Drama)
Atonement -- WINNER
Best Foreign Language Film
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly -- WINNER
Best Original Score
Atonement -- WINNER
Best Screenplay
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen - No Country for Old Men -- WINNER
Best Actor (Drama)
Daniel Day Lewis -- There Will be Blood -- WINNER
Best Actress (Drama)
Julie Christie -- Away from Her -- WINNER
Best Original Song
Guaranteed -- Into the Wild -- WINNER
Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
Sweeney Todd -- WINNER
Best Actor (Musical or Comedy)
Johnny Depp -- Sweeney Todd -- WINNER
Best Director
Julian Schnabel -- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly -- WINNER
Best Supporting Actor
Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men -- WINNER
Best Actress (Musical or Comedy)
Marion Cotillard -- La vie en Rose -- WINNER
Best Animated Feature Film
Ratatouille -- WINNER
Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There – WINNER
Wow, this show was just pathetic. Billy Bush and Nancy O'Dell from Access Hollywood announce the winners on NBC. They were more irritating than you could possibly imagine through the entire special. After each winner, viewers were forced to sit through their commentary even though it was plainly obvious they had not seen any of the movies. On CNN, E!, and the TV Guide channel a simpler and dull ceremony went down, but I doubt many tuned in there instead. The winners were about half expected and half surprising. Atonement taking home the Best Drama was not expected, but a safer choice if you ask me. Sweeney Todd toppled Juno which was a big victory for that camp. I was pleased to see Johnny Depp get an award. What a shame that we couldn't hear his speech though. Congratulations to Marion Cotillard for winning Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy. She deserved it and I hope she beats Julie Christie come Oscars. As for television, AMC's Mad Men won big, Extras got Best Comedy Series, and David Duchovny of Californication was victorious. Overall some surprising results. This has damaged the reputation of the Golden Globes possibly permanently. It was a waste of time seeing as how the winners were announced on the website in the middle of the broadcast.
The News Bulletin
A "Bucket" Full of Cash
Star power carried the day this weekend as Warner Bros.' "The Bucket List" topped the B.O. with an estimated bow of $19.5 million, edging Sony/Screen Gems' "First Sunday." It's the best opening weekend ever for director Rob Reiner, and the Jack Nicholson-Morgan Freeman road tripper notched the top January debut in Warner Bros. history. Warners captured four of the top eight spots, with "I Am Legend," "P.S. I Love You" and "One Missed Call" all holding well. "First Sunday," a comedy starring Ice Cube and Tracy Morgan, finished with $19 million, at the top end of projections. Fox Searchlight's "Juno" came in third with $14 million. While a strike-muted Golden Globes event Sunday won't give the teen pregnancy pic the kind of boost it would normally get in awards season, its cume is still an eye-popping $71.2 million. That's better than "Little Miss Sunshine" and on Monday the distrib projects it will eclipse "Sideways" to become the top-grossing Searchlight title ever. Focus Features' "Atonement," another specialty notable, finished at No. 10 with $4.3 million, edging out parent company Universal's "Charlie Wilson's War." The cume for "Atonement" is $25.2 million.
I didn't make any predictions for this week's box office because of the top 10 lists last week. I'm not sure I would have predicted The Bucket List, but thankfully National Treasure: Book of Secrets has been dethroned. Amazingly, First Sunday got #2, and Juno is really taking in some cash at #3. I'm glad. The shocker is that The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A Veggie Tales Movie cracked the top 10. Otherwise the top 10 is roughly the same as it has been. Next week look for Cloverfield to get #1.
South Korea "Hosting" a Prequel
Sci-Fi Japan reports that the producers of the follow-up to the South Korean hit "The Host" intend to make this prequel even more topical than the first film. The Bong Joon-ho directed 2006 South Korean monster movie became a global hit and scored strong reviews for not just its monster antics but its socio-political satire lambasting both its own and government and the American military's involvement in Korea.
The backdrop that sets off events here will be the early days of the restoration of Cheonggyecheon, a four-mile creek flowing through downtown Seoul which had been covered over from 1968-2003. An expensive two-year urban renewal project restored the stream which opened to the public in 2005 and many say helped President elect Lee Myung-bak win office. Yet it has also caused major disruption to the lives of many living around it whilst having no effect on the country's growing environmental concerns.
Several monsters living underground will find their lair disturbed by early work on the renovation and rise to the surface, causing considerable panic. The chomping action will be mixed with street vendors, demolition contractors, and police characters all caught up in the chaos caused by the restoration. The director and cast members are not yet confirmed. Well-known comic artist Kang Full spend six months on the script which was handed in just before Christmas. Shooting is expected to get underway this Summer for release in mid-2009.
This excites me a great deal! The Host was one of the most criminally overlooked films of 2007, and a prequel would be a lot of fun. The problem is, Director Joon-ho Bong really crafted a masterpiece. For a prequel to work half as well as the original, a filmmaker with patience and skill should be selected. Plus, this is a new screenwriter, so that is up in the air. We don't know what we'll get. I don't think American viewers realize just how brilliant this film was. All this talk over Cloverfield is neat, but The Host possessed everything an epic monster movie should with humor, action, intelligent dialogue, and so forth. It is incredibly difficult to make an appealing addition to this genre these days. If the prequel is not a total dud, I will be satisfied.
Lizards, Salmons, and Kingpins…Oh My!
Michael Clarke Duncan will star in Broken Lizard's "The Slammin' Salmon" reports Variety . Set in a Miami restaurant owned by Cleon "Slammin'" Salmon (Duncan), a brutal former heavyweight boxing champion who institutes a competition to see which waiter can earn the most money in one night. The winner stands to gain $10,000, while the loser will endure a beating at the hands of the champ. The band of comedians raised financing, wrote the screenplay and will co-star in the movie. Kevin Heffernan makes his directorial debut on the feature, which began shooting this week in Los Angeles. The group were also responsible for "Super Troopers," "Club Dread" and "Beerfest".
Michael Clarke Duncan has some natural comedic talent, but I'm not sure he will mesh well with the Broken Lizard clan. They are not for everyone. Case in point: Mo'Nique. It will be interesting to see how Kevin Heffernan's directing technique differs from Jay Chandrasekhar. I love the Broken Lizard films, and am greatly looking forward to whatever they do next, especially after the hilarious Beerfest. Bill Paxton is also rumored to be in this.
A Peircing "Childhood's End"
Kimberly Peirce, director of Boys Don't Cry and the forthcoming Iraq War drama Stop-Loss, reportedly wants to bring Arthur C. Clarke's classic science fiction book Childhood's End to the silver screen. "I love Childhood's End. That's a phenomenal book," Peirce told MoviesBlog.MTV.com. "We have a draft of that and we'll see if Universal wants to make it." Peirce added, "If you're going to launch something that big you need a big movie star. It's probably not less than a 70 million dollar movie. ... You go to that movie with a certain appetite for spectacle."
The project has been bouncing around Hollywood for awhile, with Oscar winner Hilary Swank reportedly once attached to star in it. The ambitious tale features an alien race known as the Overlords who come to humanity's salvation, helping us to build an utopian society. The catch? They look like demons.
RandomHouse.com provides the following plot synopsis: "The Overlords appeared suddenly over every city -- intellectually, technologically, and militarily superior to humankind. Benevolent, they made few demands: unify Earth, eliminate poverty, and end war. With little rebellion, humankind agreed, and a golden age began. But at what cost? With the advent of peace, man ceases to strive for creative greatness, and a malaise settles over the human race. To those who resist, it becomes evident that the Overlords have an agenda of their own. As civilization approaches the crossroads, will the Overlords spell the end for humankind ... or the beginning?"
It's funny because I read about the Childhood's End saga in a book called The Greatest Science Fiction Movies Never Made by David Hughes. I would recommend you check it out. It features sketches and the entire story of how this has been trying to make it to the big screen for years. The problem is so many other flicks have taken bits from Childhood's End, that it seems too late for anything to happen and make a splash. The most obvious is the Overlords appearing over the city part, which Independence Day used. This could have been a unique and fantastic sci-fi film, but that was decades ago. Studios have always been cautious with advancing it though, so I will not believe it is coming out until production is wrapped.
Stallone Has a "Death Wish"
Sylvester Stallone, the writer, director and star of the upcoming Rambo, told IGN how he plans to update the main character should he be able to develop a remake of Death Wish. "I'll give you a little hint," Stallone said during a roundtable interview promoting Rambo. "He was a very violent human being, completely violent, an ex convict who walked the walk, was accepted back into society and did everything he could to be a [good person] like these thieves and junkies who now work on the side of the law. They've gone that way, but when something happens he reverts back to that guy."
In November of 2007, MGM chief operating office Rick sands indicated that Stallone was tentatively attached to write, direct and star in a remake of the 1974 film starring Charles Bronson. Stallone did not confirm that he was proceeding with the film, but indicated that he already had an idea how to make the update relevant. "I think Death Wish, if it were done today, would be volcanic," Stallone said. "The idea of Jeff Goldblum being a mugger who breaks into an apartment is very simplistic. It gives you an idea how bad the elevation of violence has become. I would focus on defense attorneys, I would focus on [the people] allowing this crap to happen -- not so much the guy on the street. It's like, 'Who permits it?' "What if it happened to you, that your daughter was grabbed and her eyes were put out? Would you want to sit there and defend that guy?"
Stallone explained that his interpretation of the story would be deeper and more complex. "There's moral questions here that are being presented that have not been answered in 30 years. So by no means is it the pacifist [origin of the original]." Stallone also said that he would continue to develop the idea of the central character being a man who reverts to his more violent self following a personal tragedy.
"Now you've unleashed a man who really understands the world of violence," he said. "He isn't burdened with this passive-aggressive, conscientious-objector kind of thing. That's been done. It's like what happens when the wolf has gone from wolf to wolf in sheep's clothing back to the wolf. Now the fellow on the street has a problem because he knows how to deal with that kind of mentality because he was a prisoner." Laughing, Stallone added, "So it would be a different take."
Even though he has not confirmed it, I think it is safe to say he is giving the project serious consideration. I like the way he is talking about the changes actually. It tells me he cares about updating the classic in an ambitious and different way, and I do think Stallone would be perfect for the lead. The problem is, 2007 saw two separate adaptations of stories which are extremely similar. Death Sentence and The Brave One have already been made, so why would they want to take this risk so quickly following those? I love Charles Bronson and Death Wish, and hope that Stallone does it justice, so I will stay optimistic. I guess the idea that Stallone will be acting more often is cool to me.
Strike Updates!
The DGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers concluded their first day of negotiations shortly before 5 p.m. Saturday and agreed to resume talks Sunday morning. No details of the first session, held at AMPTP headquarters in Encino, were immediately available due to a press blackout. But both sides have said they would only continue to meet on a daily basis if progress was being made. Representatives of the DGA and AMPTP talked informally several times in recent weeks to clear the way for formal negotiations, announced Friday.
An AMPTP negotiating impasse continues with the striking WGA. The WGA has vowed to resist accepting any deal worked out with the DGA unless its terms suit Hollywood writers. The WGA's contract expired Oct. 31 of last year. The DGA is under contract through June 30. Both guilds -- as well as SAG, also under contract through June 30 -- are interested in new guarantees for jurisdiction over content distributed over the Internet. They also seek expanded residuals on such content.
At least they are negotiating, so that is a step in a positive direction. It isn't the WGA mind you, but it's something. This entire situation blows at this point. This news bit was basically meant for updates. I mean, I have state my opinion before, as have all the writers on the movie zone, so we don't need to go through that again. I still see no signs of the WGA strike gaining any ground yet besides small deals with companies, and that is disappointing.
The 20 Second Sermon
The Weinstein Company, Dimension, and UA have sealed deals with the WGA so they can resume working. At least this is a step in a better direction. Hopefully the wounds continue to heal. It seems Liev Schreiber is playing Sabertooth in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, not a young William Stryker as was previously reported. That sounds strange to mix up, but oh well. Michelle Monaghan is up for the Silver Fox, and Michael C. Hall from Dexter could play Stryker. Still skeptical about the X-Men Origins. A dream come true will occur as Christian Bale and Johnny Depp will share the screen in Michael Mann's next picture, Public Enemies, about the hunt for John Dillinger. This excites me very much. The Wolfman remake is not being affected by the writers' strike. It will commence filming soon for release in February of 2009. No clue how that will turn out. Benicio as the title character is marvelous, and Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo) is an inspired choice for director, but it is a remake after all.
What's Coming to DVD….Buy or Avoid?
DVD Headline of the Week
Family Guy - Blue Harvest - I saw parts of this, and what I did see was hilarious. The animation was great. I can't really recommend since I haven't finished it though.
Mr. Woodcock - This made my top 10 worst of the year list. What else needs to be said? Avoid
Good Luck Chuck (Unrated) - This was a horrible film, and to this day, I have no idea how Dane Cook keeps getting projects. Avoid
The Naked Prey - Criterion Collection - Criterion begins 2008 with more intriguing releases. This one focuses on Cornel Wilde who plays a man running from an African Tribe.
Postwar Kurosawa - Eclipse from Criterion - A set of five films made from 1946 and after from the legendary filmmaker. This is not a bad price for this many movies.
The Ten - I actually wanted to see this despite my intense dislike for Wet Hot American Summer. Anything that tackles what The Decalogue did in a comedic manner is at least worth watching.
An Affair to Remember (50th Anniversary Edition) - This is definitely worth owning, but without knowing the extras, I am not sure I can give this a reccomendation. It's not a hard film to find in stores.
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers - Wat is the significance of this title? Ray Harryhausen. The sad thing is, he needs a box set, and this DVD is too pricey for me to say buy alone. It Came from Beneath the Sea also comes out.
When Harry Met Sally (Collector's Edition) - Double dips like this are aggravating because chances are, the new extras are not that exciting. I love this movie but there is no reason to get this DVD unless you're a hardcore fan. Avoid
Wedding Daze - Gee, I wonder if the studio is trying to bill this like American Wedding. Poor Jason Biggs. What has happened to him?
WWE: Armageddon 2007 - Here is a new rule. Until further notice, no WWE PPV DVD is worth buying. This has some ok matches, but nothing special.
TNA Wrestling: Genesis 2007 - Remember when TNA used to be cool? By glancing at this card, I can see I have not missed much lately.
Be My Valentine Charlie Brown - I have seen most of the specials from these characters, but not this one. I'll have to ask around if it's any good or not.
The Critic's Quickee
One Missed Call - I really tried to see this, but the weekend was too busy for me. I still plan on catching it this week sometime though. I need to watch the original first.
Movie Dictionary: Word of the Week
The Hillview - The Hillview is a historical building, located on Hollywood Boulevard , that is considered Hollywood's first "artist's" high-rise. It was founded in 1917 by movie moguls, Jesse L. Lasky, co-founder of Paramount Pictures and his brother-in-law Samuel Goldwyn, co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , better known as MGM. It was one of Hollywood's only apartment buildings at the time willing to rent to aspiring actors, as they were considered a financial risk by most apartment building owners. In fact, it catered specifically to actors. It quickly became a Hollywood hot spot. The vast basement housed a rehearsal space until Rudolph Valentino reputedly converted it to a speakeasy. Former big-screen residents include, Mae Busch, Stan Laurel and Viola Dana. Charlie Chaplin was once a proprietor of the Hillview. The Hillview eventually slipped into obscurity and went into ruin, suffering structural damage during the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
However, The Hillview has since been restored and completely redone. It is now home to luxury apartments with a long list of amenities, including an on-site fitness center (equipped with a gym and a dance studio), an in-house 24-hour gourmet bistro, a restaurant, a lounge and a jazz bar (located in the once-famous basement).
Credit – Wikipedia
Based on the Trailer…
Newest Trailers
Prom Night - This is going to be a stinky turd. Nothing else needs to be said, and the trailer doesn't help. The bad cover song hurts as well. Trailer Rating = 4.0/10.0
Kung Fu Panda - This could be funny. Jack Black has solid voice for CGI, and the premise is intriguing. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
January Releases
Cloverfield - Sorry I haven't gotten this one up yet. The footage here is intriguing because of all the mysteriousness regarding the premise. I am officially ready for this to come out though. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
Rambo IV - The trailer is not nearly as awesome as the unrated clips that leaked earlier this year, but I am still counting on this to rock. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Jumper - Boy does look retarded. Doug Liman must have thought applying these nifty special effects to a story would work out. I doubt it. This should be pretty dumb. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0
Untraceable - A new thriller starring Diane Lane and Colin Hanks. Not a cast you dream of every day, but hey, this premise sounds intriguing to me so I'm in. It's likely to rely on a twist at the end, but oh well. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Cassandra's Dream - This new Woody Allen film will suffer from two things, the similarities to Before the Devil Knows Your Dead and the trailer which gives away too much. Nevertheless, it is Woody, so I'm there. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
February Releases
The Eye - This is a horror remake starring Jessica Alba. I think she has talent, but not as a lead, and this movie doesn't impress me. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0
Be Kind Rewind - Michel Gondry usually makes films that are original if nothing else. I like his style of directing, and this plot looks to be a lot of fun. Jack Black and Mos Def should be an interesting duo. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Fools' Gold - This Matthew McConaughey/Kate Hudson flick is either a bad adventure story or a sappy romantic comedy. Either way, I could care less. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
Strange Wilderness - This comedy looks weird. It has Ernest Borgnine and Jo Don Baker in the cast, besides the Happy Madison crew. It should be good for some laughs. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
In Bruges - I watched this trailer, which is funny, and thought the title was Shoot Now, Sightsee Later. Oh well, Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes look hilarious in this action comedy. Trailer Rating =8.0/10.0
Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show - A comedy show film with Vince Vaughn and his buddies. Ok, maybe this will be funny, but I am not really ecstatic or anything. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
The Spiderwick Chronicles - Remember when everybody was raving about Freddie Highmore? Now he just picks the lamest scripts. This is shaping up to be a bland fantasy pic much like the other recent offerings. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
Vantage Point - Hmmm. I'm not sure about this political thriller. The cast is fine, but will that matter if the film blows hard? Trailer Rating = 7.0 /10.0
The Other Boleyn Girl - My first reaction was, wow, it is so cool to see Portman and Johansson in a film together, but then the trailer shows you this boring period piece and it is a complete letdown. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0
March, TBD, and Beyond Releases
Funny Games - I'll give credit to whoever created this preview. It's different and gets your attention, but also annoying. Still, Tim Roth seems to be in his share of projects lately. This should be worth a look. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Wall-E - Another Pixar classic is under our belt, and I can't wait for the next one. This robotic adventure should be great, and easily superior to Robots. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
Mamma Mia! - I have never seen this musical on Broadway, but I suppose I'll have to see this film, featuring music from Abba…ugh. It doesn't look terrible, but it's not my type of thing. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0
10,000 B.C. - I'm not sure if this wants to be Apocalypto or Pathfinder. Either way it is helmed by Roland Emmerich, so it is likely to blow aside from the special effects. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
Leatherheads - George Clooney directs and stars in this football film with Jim from The Office and Rene Zellweger. I think it looks fun and entertaining. Clooney is a fine filmmaker. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
You Don't Mess With the Zohan - What a shame that Adam Sandler's films seem to be getting worse. I have no interest in seeing this, and I did not laugh once during this trailer. Same old song and dance from him. Trailer Rating = 4.0/10.0
Horton Hears a Who - CGI might be the best way to adapt a Dr. Seuss book to the screen. This doesn't look all that bad I guess. I'll give it a shot. Carell and Carrey should be funny together. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Drillbit Taylor - Another movie from the people who brought us Superbad and Knocked Up, and this one has Owen Wilson as bodyguard to high school kids. It looks ok I suppose. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Semi-Pro - This is only a teaser, but it was certainly funny. Ferrell seems to be doing the same film over and over again, but people like him. I'll see this. It will be good for laughs. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Iron Man - I must admit, any trailer that has Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" is ok by me. This looks funny and could be a decent blockbuster. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Speed Racer - This film looks weird. I mean, it should visually amazing like only the Wachowski's know how, but I'm not sure about this one yet. It should be entertaining though. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - I must admit, after disliking the first one, this trailer actually has me anticipating the sequel. Perhaps they improved with age. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Hancock - Will Smith plays one of the most extraordinary looking super heroes in history. I'm actually excited to see this. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
Wall-E (2) - The second trailer for Pixar's upcoming film makes me want to see it even more. I'm sorry, but this company is doing wondrous things right now. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
411 December Roundtable - This month I compiled the thoughts of the movie zone staff on the summer releases of December! Fact or Fiction - Ben Piper gathers the thoughts of Joseph Lee and Steve Vicious this week! Furious on Film - Arnold Furious gives you his opinions on new and old films every week. What!!-This-Column!?? - Bryan Kristopowitz continues his column about…stuff. Two Tivos to Paradise - Al Norton brings all the news and updates in television that you can handle. Ask 411 Movies - Leonard Hayhurst answers all the questions in Ask 411 movies. The USB Evening Movie News - George Sirois brings the Thursday news for you. Misunderstood Masterpieces - Will Helm gives you his weekly misunderstood masterpiece for your reading pleasure. The MeeThinks Friday FreeThinks - Thanks again to John Meehan for providing my banner here, and for the Alphabet feature.
Make sure to check out all of this week's reviews of DVD's, Movies, Music, and more!
And of course read every movie review with the name Chad Webb attached to it.
Thanks for reading the whole way through, and make sure to tune in next week.
