The Big Screen Bulletin 06.02.08: and the Kingdom of Sex in the News Report
Posted by Chad Webb on 06.02.2008
The "Senior Skip Day" nightmare, the box office result, the Universal Studios fire, the next Jack Ryan film, "The Other Boleyn Girl" sequel, new DVD releases, the critic's quickee, new trailer ratings, and much more!
Straight to Video Nightmares
Senior Skip Day
Starring: Gary Lundy, Larry Miller, Tara Reid, Clint Howard, and Lea Thompson
Directed By: Nick Weiss
Written By: Evan Wasserstrom
Release Date: May 6, 2008
Running Time: 83 minutes
Unrated and Uncut
This was one week where no Direct-to-DVD title jumped out at me as worthy of a watch. So I had to begin my routine of checking some titles at Blockbuster, because to the best of my knowledge, no site lists what new releases are strictly Direct-to-DVD. I glance at some movies that catch my eye, and then consult IMDB to make sure they were never in theaters. It can be frustrating, and I have been wrong before, as some readers immediately inform me whenever the situation arises. I stopped on Senior Skip Day since it was not from National Lampoon. For those loyal nightmare readers, I have vowed to never again rent anything from National Lampoon. That company has consistently released the most vile and horrid trash week after week. At least this hackneyed high school comedy had some humorous veterans to be seen.
The story follows Adam Harris (Gary Lundy), who is a mix between Ferris Beuller and Ryan Reynolds. He is a loser. His mother, played by a still attractive Lea Thompson, is cooler than he is. Thompson can surely attain better roles than this. Anyway, Adam is also in love with a chick named Cara (Kayla Ewell). She is of course dating the popular jock, who is also a cheating prick. Wow what a shock. It turns out that the senior skip day party is being held at Principal Dickwalder's (Larry Miller) house. Adam accidentally spills the beans to Dickwalder himself. He is then loved by the Principal, but hated by his classmates. No one is allowed to leave the school. Adam has an idea though. The brother of an African American classmate is recently deceased, so he persuades Dickwalder to let the class off to attend the funeral.
Adam then prepares a huge bash at his own house. He takes pictures of tempting items (girls, booze, marijuane) and sends them to his classmates via cellphone. Shortly thereafter, everyone is rocking over at Adam's, including Cara. She and Adam proceed to cook crepes, while her boyfriend macks it with some blonde. The hitch is that Dickwalder knows a party is going down somewhere, so he drives all over town searching for it.
Adam narrates to the viewers on many occasions. As a matter of fact, multiple characters voice their thoughts out loud as a sort of parody, while simultaneously interacting in the regular scene. This becomes cluttered and somewhat lame. However, I noticed a better film bubbling underneath the surface. Had they appropriately mocked themselves as a raunchy high school comedy rip off of American Pie, it could have been entertaining. Instead, the beginning has Adam introducing us to all the standard types of characters in his class: the pot smoker, the jock, the dumb blonde, etc. but then they treat the storyline like normal. It did not mesh well.
Larry Miller is Principal Dickwalder. Miller is terrific at playing authority figures that are also incredible a$$holes. Norm MacDonald has a pointless minor contribution as a random teacher, who is supposed to be bizarre I guess. He rambles incoherently as only MacDonald knows how to do. Clint Howard appears in a rather large role as an former convict that steals the kegs for Adam and his buddies. He then attends the party and has various interactions with different kids. Screenwriter Evan Wasserstrom and Director Nick Weiss must have decided that since Clint Howard is available, they might as well have him do something. Tara Reid is Adam's sister Ellen, and what would a teenage comedy be without Tara Reid? She is proud that her nerd brother is throwing a party. Look for comedian Russell Peters as a homosexual in a bad sequence with Larry Miller where they fight.
Senior Skip Day is the debut effort from Nick Weiss. His pacing was fine, and he did not go overly crazy with the gags as National Lampoon normally does, but this has not one iota of originality besides some semi-well-known actors supplying a few comical lines. I chuckled maybe a few times, but was basically waiting for this experience to end as soon as it started. You knew right away what would happen at the end. The structure reminded me a bit of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, but this film never inhabited that technique fully. In the end, it is just another dull comedy about students drinking beer and doing drugs. A common nightmare indeed.
Final Rating = 4.0/10.0
The News Bulletin
Many Were "Carried Away" This Weekend
In an unprecedented takeover of the box office by women, Warner Bros. and New Line's "Sex and the City" grossed an estimated $55.7 million -- racking up the best opening ever for an R-rated comedy and beating holdover "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" for the weekend crown. The film's unexpected boffo performance mystified Hollywood and shattered the decades-old thinking that females -- particularly older ones --can't fuel the sort of big opening often enjoyed by a male-driven event pic or family movie. No romantic comedy, of whatever rating, has opened to such numbers, prompting immediate talk of a sequel.
Nor was it a matter of Paramount's "Crystal Skull" underperforming in its second sesh. The Steven Spielberg-directed tentpole, jumping the $200 million mark over the weekend, is tapping into the lucrative family market. "Crystal Skull" declined a respectable 54% in its second frame to an estimated $46 million from 4,264 runs; cume is $216.9 million. While "Sex and the City" had an enormous Friday -- $26.9 million -- "Crystal Skull" beat out the romantic comedy on Saturday and is expected to have done the same on Sunday. "Sex and the City" wasn't the only title that did better than expected.
Rogue Pictures and Universal's horror title "The Strangers" grossed an estimated $20.7 million from 2,467 runs in its debut, far exceeding expectations. Film, costing roughly $9 million to produce, was No. 3 for the weekend. The frame was up as much as 31% over the same weekend last year, when "Knocked Up" opened. "What Happens in Vegas" saw the lowest week-to-week dip among the top 10 films, declining 25% in its fourth frame to $6.8 million from 3,806 runs. Cume is $66 million. Film is rated PG-13.
Disney and Walden Media's "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" was No. 5, declining an estimated 43% to $13 million from 3,801 for a cume of $115.7 million in its third frame. On the specialty side, IFC Films' "Savage Grace" nabbed a per location average of $12,078 as it debuted on two screens with an estimated gross of $24,156. Paramount Vantage's "The Foot Fist Way" scored a per screen average of $9,003 as it debuted on four screens and grossed an estimated $36,102. ThinkFilm's "Stuck," starring Mena Suvari and Stephen Rea, grossed an estimated $10,200 as it bowed in two theaters for a per screen average of $5,100. In its second sesh, First Look's political satire "War, Inc., toplining sibs John and Joan Cusack, grossed an estimated $24,210 from two theaters for a per screen average of $12,105 and cume of $78,714.
It was a close call, but I had faith in the female population to arrive in droves for Sex and the City. The top 3 movies did well this week, including The Strangers to my surprise. I've heard many people say they really wanted to see a horror film because it had been awhile. Iron Man is thus far the blockbuster to beat, in terms of longevity at the box office and strong initial performance. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is not doing at all like Disney preferred, and they are blaming it on the release date, which was a problem, but thems the breaks. We have 5 romantic/female comedies in the top 10 right now. I find that interesting. Next week, I predict Kung Fu Panda will draw the most crowds because it does look funny. You Don't Mess with the Zohan will bomb huge, showing that Sandler needs to make a change.
Universal Suffers Massive Damage from Fire
One of Hollywood's largest movie studios starred in a disastrous sequel Sunday as a fire ripped through a lot at Universal Studios, destroying a set from "Back to the Future," a King Kong exhibit and a streetscape seen frequently in movies and TV shows. It was the second fire at the historic site in nearly two decades, leveling facades, hollowing out buildings and creating the kind of catastrophe filmmakers relish re-creating. This time around, thousands of videos chronicling Universal's movie and TV shows were destroyed in the blaze. But Universal officials said that they were thankful no one was seriously injured at the theme park and that the damaged footage can be replaced.
"We have duplicates of everything," said NBC Universal President and Chief Operating Officer Ron Meyer. "Nothing is lost forever." The blaze broke out on a sound stage featuring New York brownstone facades around 4:30 a.m. at the 400-acre property, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Michael Freeman said. The fire was contained to the lot, but about 400 firefighters were still trying to put it out several hours later. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Damage was expected to be in the millions of dollars.
The iconic courthouse square from "Back to the Future" was destroyed, and the famous clock tower that enabled Michael J. Fox's character to travel through time was damaged, fire officials said. Two mock New York and New England streets used both for movie-making and as tourist displays were a total loss, Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Darryl Jacobs said. An exhibit housing a mechanically animated King Kong that bellows at visitors on a tram also was destroyed. All three sites were either damaged or destroyed during another fire at Universal Studios in November 1990. That fire caused $25 million in damage and was started by a security guard who was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to arson.
The park remained closed Sunday afternoon as hundreds of visitors waited outside the gates, where acrid smoke lingered. Fire officials didn't believe air quality would pose a health hazard to the public. On a typical weekend day, about 25,000 people visit Universal Studios. Mike Herrick of San Diego watched the fire on television from his hotel before deciding to return to Universal Studios for a second day with his wife. "By gosh, we're going to go and get whatever we can out of it," Herrick said. On Saturday, Herrick rode the tram that winds around the studio lot, snapping photos of the King Kong attraction, among other sights.
The fire broke out along New York Street, where firefighting helicopters swept in for drops and cranes dumped water on the flames. A thick column of smoke rose thousands of feet into the air and could be seen for miles. "It looked like a disaster film," said Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge. At one point the blaze was two city blocks wide, and low water pressure forced firefighters to get reserves from lakes and ponds on the property. Six firefighters suffered minor injuries. "The water pressure situation was a challenge," Freeman said. "This fire moved extremely fast."
Meyer estimated there were 40,000 to 50,000 videos and reels in a video vault that burned but said duplicates were stored in a different location. Firefighters managed to recover hundreds of titles. The videos included every film that Universal has produced and footage from television series including "Miami Vice" and "I Love Lucy." Universal Studios, nine miles north of downtown Los Angeles, has thrill rides and a back lot where movies and television shows are filmed, including scenes from "War of the Worlds," "When Harry Met Sally" and "Scrubs." The fire will not affect the 2008 MTV Movie Awards, which is to broadcast live Sunday night from the Gibson Amphitheatre in the adjacent Universal CityWalk, according to the music network.
This is certainly a shame. Of course it is a good thing no one was seriously hurt, and hopefully the firefighters with minor injuries get better soon. If the first fire was a result of arson, and this new one is "under investigation", that is not a positive sign. If it was another security guard, it would mark a disturbing trend. Luckily they had duplicates of everything that was burned, but the streets and sets will take some time to replace. From the sound of this article, the fire must have been enormous. I would have posted more pictures, but there are quite a few. Hopefully, the property gets back into shape soon, and I sincerely hope that the fire was an accident.
Those Frisky Boleyns Strike Again!
The producers of "The Other Boleyn Girl" are moving ahead with plans for a sequel reports The New York Post. Based on author Philippa Gregory's "The Boleyn Inheritance", the direct sequel chronicles the fourth and fifth marriages of King Henry VIII of England with Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Jane Boleyn featuring in key roles. The $35 million period drama has pulled in only $26.8 million over its US domestic run, but took in $40 million in overseas markets so far.
So we got Elizabeth, then Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Now, we have The Other Boleyn Girl and The Boleyn Inheritance on the way. I had no idea the Tudor family was in such high demand for TV and film adaptations. This is in addition to The Tudors series. Who is the person that is green lighting the period piece sequels? And secondly, who will they move to when Henry VIII's life is completely recreated for today's audiences? I realize The Other Boleyn Girl did fairly well, but not enough to warrant a sequel by any means.
What Age Will Jack Ryan Be This Time?
Paramount's desire to restart their Jack Ryan franchise may be helped by the one star to have played the character more than once - Harrison Ford. Talking with The Sun, Ford admits the Tom Clancy-invented character is one of the few he's played that "I thought worth re-exploring again". First played by Alec Baldwin in "The Hunt for Red October", Ford took over the role in 1990's "Patriot Games" and 1994's "Clear and Present Danger". He was again attached to play the role in "The Sum of All Fears" but turned it down as he didn't like the script.
That film was then reinvented with a younger version of the character (played by Ben Affleck) in 2002 and whilst the film was positively received, Affleck's performance and the 'youthing' of the character were not. Since then the franchise has been on hold with many wondering what direction any future installments would take. In recent months, movement began again with talk of a new story not based on one of Clancy's books. This allows the studio to go either old or young with the character, which is why Ryan Gosling's name was linked earlier this year to the role.
Ford however ain't letting them cast the role without at least throwing his hat into the ring. The actor says "That's a character that I think you could revisit acknowledging the passage of time and his increasing age. It wasn't age dependent that character and his experiences were chockablock full of recipes for good engaging movies so that's a character I wouldn't mind revisiting."
I am one that seems to have not gone along with the norm of this franchise. I thoroughly enjoyed and prefer the non-Harrison Ford versions of Jack Ryan. My main complaint is that Ford does not play the character like Jack Ryan. He portrays him as "Harrison Ford" first and foremost. It doesn't even have to be that character. It could be from any of Ford's action movies. He delivered the same attitude and style to the table, whereas Baldwin and Affleck did not. While those two might not be as universally adored as Ford is, they DID depict Ryan better. I wish they wouldn't jump all over the place with the timeline though. Now that Ford is curious, they will no doubt approach him first because he will draw the big money. Regardless, this franchise is not as good as some would make us believe. If it were up to me, it would not continue, and I would tackle a different Clancy book with a new character.
Apatow Explores Stand-Up
Seth Rogen has confirmed to MTV News that the next directorial effort of Judd Apatow ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Knocked Up") will be about stand-up comedians. The project stars Rogen, Adam Sandler and Leslie Mann in a film that Apatow himself says will be a "hilarious drama". Sandler himself has called the film "pretty heartbreaking" in parts despite the two main characters being comics. It's not all glum though, Sandler says "It's very, very funny. [Me and] my friends who have read the script, all of us were baffled how funny it is. But there's a lot of stuff going on in the movie." The film is scheduled to begin shooting in September.
This is exactly what Adam Sandler needs. Apatow could be the right director to help Sandler show the world that he can be very funny, and a competent actor when he has the right guide. The standard Apatow gang will surely be around. We know already that Leslie Mann and Seth Rogen will be involved. I think viewers deserve a dramedy about stand-up comedians. The only other offerings I remember, aside from Last Comic Standing, was Jerry Seinfeld's documentary, Comedian. It would be neat if Apatow tossed in some genuine stand-up acts, or cameos of comics we are familiar with to spice it up.
The 20 Second Sermon
James McAvoy is the favorite to play Bilbo in The Hobbit, though no casting news will be officially announced for another year. I say McAvoy is the ideal choice. However, Jack Black and Daniel Radcliffe, the other possibilities, make no sense. Elizabeth Berkley has joined the cast of the Donnie Darko sequel, proving once and for all that it will suck since Berkley has done nothing of note in her film career aside from boning Kyle McLachlan. A fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie will be on the way, even though that has been in the works for over a year now. Obviously many franchises are making returns, but this is one that I don't care for. The second sequel was terrible, and Eddie Murphy is a tool, so I say bad idea. Michael Bay is moving forward with a Ouija film, based on the board game by Hasbro's Parker Brothers. In fact, Universal has the rights to all the board games of the aforementioned company, so we can be anxious for loads of crappy adaptations in the future.
What's Coming to DVD….Buy or Avoid?
DVD Headline of the Week
Dirty Harry Ultimate Collector's Edition - This is released on Blu-Ray also. If you are a fan of the franchise, you know that they needed a double dip badly. I'll be picking this up as long as the sale price is adequate. All installments are released separately for fairly cheap prices. Buyable
The Andromeda Strain Miniseries - I don't know much about this besides the author, but I am interested as it's a book I see all the time in passing.
Houdini - If you are fascinated by Houdini's life, as I am, then you will probably enjoy the intentions of this film with Tony Curtis and Janet Lee. The price is cheap, and it should have arrived on DVD long ago.
Semi-Pro (Two-Disc Let's Get Sweaty Edition) - If you have let Ferrell's routine antics slide before, chances are you did the same here. I laughed at some scenes, and the cast was fun to watch, but this had a bunch of problems, and was the same tired old schtick we have already seen. Rentable
Villa Rides - A western about Pancho Villa, written by Sam Peckinpah, and starring Charles Bronson, Yul Brynner, and Robert Mitchum. If that hasn't won you over, I don't know what would.
Flawless - This was an average thriller about diamonds. The performances from Caine and Moore are adept, but overall this is nothing extraordinary. Definitely worth renting though. On a side note, I love how the cover says "Two Up" instead of "Two Thumbs Up". Looks odd. Rentable
Student Bodies - Any 411 fan knows that Will Helm will be picking this up. I might just because he's been talking about it for so long.
The Eye - And here we are with another Asian horror remake that will no doubt rank among the years worst. Tired of reading that? Well, I'm tired of writing it. Trashable
Boarding Gate - Don't have a clue where this came from, or how bad it might be, but it has Michael Madsen and Asia Argento, so I figured I'd say something.
Hitler: The Last Ten Days - This is from 1973 and stars Alec Guiness. In my opinion, Downfall overshadowed much of the praise this had as it deals with the same time period.
The Onion Movie - The trailer for this reminded me of Kentucky Fried Movie, which I love, so of course this is the perfect straight to video nightmare.
King of the Gypsies - This is from 1978 and explores the life of gypsies. It stars Susan Sarandon and Brooke Shields.
Prairie Fever - Kevin Sorbo is still trying to compete with Snipes, Van Damme, and Seagal for the B-movie actor who pumps out the most material. This is some sort of western.
City Slickers (Collector's Edition) - Besides a new cover, the added extras don't strike me as tempting enough to upgrade. The movie still rocks though, so buy it if you don't already own it. Buyable
Movie Dictionary: Word of the Week
Skiffy - Skiffy is a deliberate humorous misspelling or mispronunciation of the controversial term "sci-fi", a neologism referring to science fiction. Like the term "sci-fi" itself, "skiffy" may rarely be used in a pejorative sense, but is usually used to indicate that the writer or speaker is aware of the controversy about terminology, but chooses not to take it seriously.
The term "sci-fi" was used by Robert A. Heinlein in private correspondence as early as 1949 and was publicly adopted as an alternate term for science fiction by Forrest ("Forry") J. Ackerman by 1954. Ackerman was a film review writer who became the editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, which celebrated the monster/SF movies which were frowned upon by many hardcore science fiction fans as being too poor in quality to be taken seriously and definitely not to be confused with "real" science fiction.
In the late 1960s, a new movement of science fiction writers, the "New Wave", arose, which rejected science fiction's pulpy background, and absolutely scorned the term "sci-fi" as being associated with bad monster movies. Even the term "science fiction" was seen by some in the New Wave as too limiting, and speculative fiction was introduced as an alternative. Some advocated the use of the initials, "SF", as this could be taken to refer to either science fiction or speculative fiction. Not everyone agreed with this new nomenclature, though, and while the term "sci-fi" continued to be used by mainstream audiences, the "skiffy" pronunciation began to appear among science fiction insiders in the late 1970s. One of the first well-documented uses of the term "skiffy" was in the name of a science fiction and fantasy fan club at the University of Chicago, which was formed during the 1980s, and lasted until 2003, when it was disbanded.
Skiffy is also the name of the science fiction and skiffy club at the College of William and Mary, as well as an affectionate shorthand for the American cable channel, Sci Fi. By the late nineties, the term "skiffy" was well-enough accepted that Mike Resnick and Patrick Nielsen Hayden released a book called Alternate Skiffy, an anthology featuring stories about what might have happened if the lives of various well-known science fiction writers had turned out differently.
--from Wikipedia.org
The Critic's Quickee
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - We have three reviews of this new adventure, but I suggest you click right here for all my thoughts!
Based on the Trailer…
Newest Trailers
Nights in Rodanthe - An adaptation of a novel from Nicholas Sparks, so this might not be too bad for a romance. It has Richard Gere and Diane Lane reuniting from Unfaithful, so I'm in. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Burn After Reading - The new comedy from the Coen Brothers looks funny as hell. I am not totally sure where the plot goes, but then again, that is why I am so fascinated by it. The cast looks great, and I am definitely seeing this one. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Zack and Miri Make a Porno - Kevin Smith's new comedy looks hilarious. I'm anxious to see this because I know he is a great filmmaker that can flourish outside of Jay and Silent Bob. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
Choke - A new adaptation from author Chuck Palahniuk, and that gets me excited. I love his books, though I haven't read this particular one. I will before the movie comes out though. This has Sam Rockwell in the lead, so it should be funny. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
June Releases
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
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
Get Smart - I need to catch a few episodes of the original show before seeing the film. The trailer is funny, which means it should be somewhat fun. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
The Love Guru - I usually enjoy Mike Myers, but this new character might not be as popular as Austin Powers or Wayne Campbell. I laughed a few times, but this has not really jumped out as all that spectacular. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
The Incredible Hulk - I love Edward Norton, but I fail to see how this will right all the wrongs of Ang Lee's version. Is the origin story the biggest demand from fans? This just looks ok so far, and the CGI appears sloppy. It is a long ways away, but I'm not impressed. Trailer Rating = 5.5/10.0
The Incredible Hulk (2) - This second trailer is a bit better than the first, but not by a lot. It shows part of the transformation and more of William Hurt, which was neat, but the CGI still looks bad to me. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Wanted (2) - This movie does look extremely cool, but I still se a lot of Matrix elements. Oh well, Angelina Jolie is sexy, Morgan Freeman is playing his customary wise instructor role, and the special effects look neat. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
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
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
Wall-E (3) - How can some people not be lovers of Pixar? This movie looks wonderful, and I'm pleased this trailer revealed some added characters. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
The Happening - While many have lost all faith in Shyamalan, I think he can still supply riveting thrillers if he puts his mind to it. I actually see this as a vast improvement from Lady in the Water. Here's hoping anyway. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Kitt Kittredge: An American Girl - The new Abigail Breslin vehicle. I'll bet this blows as it looks similar to Nancy Drew, which was horrendous by itself. I'll be passing on this one. Trailer Rating = 3.0/10.0
July Releases
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
Hancock (2) - This is the superhero movie that is top on my list. Unfortunately this 3 minute trailer gives away basically the whole storyline. These previews anger me. The movie looks cool, but this trailer is not. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
The Wackness - This little indy was a hit at Sundance, and definitely looks funny and creative by the teaser trailer. I'll be giving it a chance for sure. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Meet Dave - Just when you think Eddie Murphy will only dove lower for his comedies, this to me, actually looks kind of funny. I'm having trouble admitting that after Norbit, but this seems original. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Midnight Meat Train - You watch this preview, and it strikes you as a riveting thriller, then the title comes up, and you can't help but chuckle. It seems to take itself way too seriously for a bizarre title like that. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
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
Hellboy II: The Golden Army - I loved the first film, and am greatly anticipating the sequel. It looks to have kept the same sense of visual excitement and adventure. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
The Dark Knight (2) - I have to admit, despite the endless news bits about this film, the trailer is marvelous and could not have been handled better. This will rock. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
The Dark Knight (3) - I'll be honest. I was getting sick of everyone talking about this movie, that is until I saw this trailer. It is amazing, and Heath Ledger's performance looks to go down as one of the best in term so of comic book adaptations. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D - This will most likely be cheesy and preposterous, but hey, it's in 3D, and it has Brendan Fraser, so it should be semi-enjoyable. This should be fun in the theater, but not much else. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
The X-Files: I Want to Believe - I really need to revisit this series. From what I read, a list of episodes are related to this film. Either way, the trailer looks average to me. I like what Duchovny has been doing lately, so I'll see this no matter what. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Step Brothers - Now this is a Will Ferrell comedy I can't wait to see. The premise is unusual, and the jokes in this preview are hilarious. Plus, it's directed by Adam McKay, who knows his stuff. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
August Releases
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - Months ago when this premise was announced, I laughed at it. Now that the trailer is finally out, it still looks bad. I like Brendan Fraser, but not this new approach with following the son character. I'll see this only out of curiosity. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0
The Accidental Husband - How many ways can we package a typical romantic comedy? This doesn't fool me. It is the same old song and dance we get every year, only this time with Uma Thurman and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0
The Rocker - Rainn Wilson from The Office finally gets to star in a comedy of his own…with some Jonah Hill wannabe guy. This actually looks really funny, mainly because I enjoy Rock ‘n Roll and Rainn Wilson. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - It might be Star Wars, but this movie looks goofy to me. It starts out with an excessive amount of Yodaness which made me chuckle. The animation looks nice, but isn't this a bit of overkill? Ehhh. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 - I generally hate the term "chick flick", but really what else applies here. Never saw the first one, won't see this one, and this trailer is not up my alley. That is all. Trailer Rating = 4.5/10.0
Hamlet 2 - I heard a lot of positive things about this comedy, plus I'm a huge fan of Steve Coogan, who is the star. Catherine Keener and Amy Poehler also star. It is about a high school drama teacher who writes a musical called "Hamlet 2." Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Tropic Thunder - I am liking the plot to this film, and the trailer is pretty funny. Hopefully this is a Ben Still flick I don't hate. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
The Pineapple Express - This is the red band trailer by the way. I Haven't laughed this hard at a trailer in awhile. This is going to be great. The cast is fantastic, and James Franco is being put to good use. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0
September, TBD, and Beyond Releases
Righteous Kill - The new crime thriller with Pacino and De Niro! This looks average at the moment, but it should be fantastic with the two of them as a duo on screen for most of the film. The supporting cast looks excellent as well. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Blindness - This is a movie that proves how I have changed. It stars Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo. It involves an infection. That sounds rather bland right? Well, it's directed by Fernando Meirelles, a brilliant filmmaker, so I'm in, even though it doesn't sound outstanding. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Madagascar: The Crate Escape - This is some sort of weird DVD trailer, but we see the basic layout of the plot, and it is not very funny or interesting. I could care less about this one. Trailer Rating = 4.5/10.0
Lost Boys: The Tribe - I stumbled upon this trailer for the Direct-to-DVD sequel starring Corey Felmdman. For a B-movie, it doesn't look half bad, though Feldman is not the actor he once was. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0
Bangkok Dangerous - Nicolas Cage continues his "Next" phase with this assassin story. Ehh, Cage is starting to piss me off. He's such a talented actor, and he does this junk. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
Quarantine - I suppose this wants to be the Cloverfield of "infected" movies. I say this will suck big time. Trailer Rating = 4.0/10.0
Igor - The concept has potential, but I can't see this being anything more than a couple laughs. John Cusack does not sink into the character well. I'll see this for Steve Buscemi‘s contribution, but I'm not all that impressed. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
The Duchess - This is a goofy trailer. You wonder who could be introduced, and then the title "The Duchess" comes up, and you wonder why all the hassle of building it up. Knightley is to period pieces as Seagal is to B-movie action. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0
City of Ember - Here is a film that could end up being pretty neat. The cast alone is worth the price of admission. You have Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan, and Tim Robbins, among others. Gil Kenan is a decent director and the plot is creative, so I'm in. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0
The Escapist - A British prison break film starring Brian Cox. This is my favorite genre, so I can't wait for this, but in order for this to make a splash, it will have to be something special. The critic quotes being from random guys worries me. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Star Trek XI - The teaser was superbly placed before Cloverfield, and this causes me to be amped for the next installment despite my doubts about the cast. I hope it's as good as we deserve. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
Lakeview Terrace - Patrick Wilson and Samuel L. Jackson star in this thriller about an insane neighbor who is also a cop. This seems sort of like Cape Fearto me, but not nearly as good. Ehhh. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0
Australia - The new epic from filmmaker Baz Luhrman seems to have left out his usual exaggerated flair. Kidman and Jackman will make a fine team. I think this looks rather good, and the trailer has a splendid piece of music accompanying it. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0
Eagle Eye - Mr. LaBeouf surprises me with every passing role. I'll start giving him more credit. This thriller teaser has me intrigued for sure. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
Defiance - This new Edward Zwick film looks outstanding with Daniel Craig leading the cast in World War II story. This gave me chills. I can't wait. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0
The Spirit - This is the new adaptation from Frank Miller. I'm anxious to see this, but from this teaser, it looks a bit too similar to Sin City. Oh well. I loved that film, so maybe this will be just as entertaining. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0
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.
