9/15/2008 12:26 PM
posted awhile ago
New Movies Week of 9-19
We are rolling now, look at all of these new movies! Some of the more interesting stuff will only be in limited release this Friday, but some of the films seem worth the wait.
WIDE RELEASE
1. Ghost Town -- I think Ricky Gervais is hilarious, but this movie seems like something his character in Extras would be forced to do for money. The poster feels like a parody of ghost movies:
The story is that Gervais' character dies for seven minutes, ennabling him to see and communicate with dead souls. What is the best ghost-talk movie out there? I haven't seen Ghost.
2. Igor -- John Cusack provides the voice of Igor in this animated feature (from MGM, not Dreamworks or Pixar). Igor's a lowly lab assistant to a mad scientist, but he apires to win first place at the annual Evil Science Fair. It's supposed to spoof a lot of monster flick cliches, which could be interesting.
3. Lakeview Terrace -- I've never seen Samuel L. Jackson so creepy or anal retentive. To me the trailer makes the movie look very intense and unfulfilling, which would make it the second intense/unfulfilling movie starring Patrick Wilson. Anyone see Hard Candy? Holy crap! So draining I burned about 1000 calories just sitting there watching it, but that's not necessarily a recommendation.
However, Lakeview Terrace is directed by Neil LaBute, who despite a recent stinker (the Wicker Man remake) is an interesting filmmaker. What do you guys think, are Nurse Betty and In the Company of Men also unfulfilling?
4. My Best Friend's Girl -- When Dane Cook takes out your ex, he shows her such a horrible time that she comes running back to you. With this movie and Good Luck Chuck, it looks like Cook is carving out his own niche -- romantic comedies in which he's a lucky charm. I'll pass.
LIMITED RELEASE
5. Towelhead -- Written by the screenwriter of American Beauty, Towelhead is a coming-of-age story about 13 yr. old Jasira, Arab-American, as she struggles with racism, hypocrisy, and her own raging hormones. Also with Aaron Eckhart and Maria Bello. This looks like a winner to me.
6. The Duchess -- Keira Knightley plays the Duchess of Devonshire, the original "It Girl."
7. Appaloosa -- I'd see any western starring Viggo Mortensen and Ed Harris, but even more enticing is that Harris directs. Anyone see his first film, Pollock? It was very sad, but now I don't see how a movie about Jackson Pollock could be happy.
That got me thinking...has anyone seen an artist biopic that's more happy than sad? Seems like artists in movies are usually doomed.
8. Hounddog -- I never would have guessed that I'd be interested in a movie starring Dakota Fanning. She plays a southern girl dealing with poverty and an abusive father, but finds inspiration in music, particularly Elvis Presley.
9. Battle in Seattle -- Feature about the 1999 protest against the World Trade Organization. I didn't even know this event happened, so I'm going to look into it. One thing going for the movie is Woody Harrelson, who's very worth watching in his recent rolls. (No Country for Old Men, A Scanner Darkly, Prairie Home Companion
Even more in limited release. Anyone excited about these films?
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers
Whiteout
Quilombo Country
Talento de Barrio
Keith
Smother
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