In Theaters Now

Black Snake Moan
directed by Craig Brewer
Craig Brewer, the writer-director of Hustle & Flow, might be on to something in Black Snake Moan. In the movie, Lazarus (Samuel L. Jackson) tries to cure Rae (Christina Ricci) of her insatiable sexual appetite by bounding her in chains and exercising some tough love. (Not that kind of tough love!) Just imagine how intimidating other kinds of rehab would be if confronted by a tough-as-nails Sam Jackson ready to drive evil out by keeping you put with a length of chain. Social possibilities aside, Brewer continues carving out his place in independent moviemaking with this throwback to exploitation cinema. Also starring Justin Timberlake and S. Epatha Merkerson.

Full of It
directed by Christian Charles
In a world where lies are truths, Sam Leonard (Ryan Pinkston) is king. A nerdy teenager who takes to fibbing to become popular, Samâ€™s life is no longer his own when his tall tales start coming true. But heavy is the head that wears the crown. Samâ€™s life starts becoming too much to handle as his lies become greater and the consequences larger. Full of It proves the old adage, â€œBe careful what you wish for as you just might get it,â€ is true. Unless you wish for an interesting movie and wind up at this one, then youâ€™re just lying to yourself. Also starring Teri Polo, Craig Kilborn and Kate Mara.

Two Weeks
directed by Steve Stockman
In this family reconciliation weepy, four siblings reunite at their motherâ€™s house to be with her as she nears death. But Anita (Sally Field) hangs on longer than expected, keeping the siblings together for two weeks under one roofâ€”just enough time to deal with years of emotional baggage. This well-meaning family drama is saddled with a worn out plot, but bolstered by the presence of Field, who hasnâ€™t be seen in theaters since 2003â€™s Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde. Also starring Thomas Cavanagh, Ben Chaplin, Julianne Nicholson, Glenn Howerton and Clea DuVall.

Wild Hogs
directed by Walt Becker
Wild Hogs should be retitled Easy Payday. How else can you explain the presence of William H. Macy, Ray Liotta and even John Travolta in this retread story of male bonding and busting out of a midlife crisis? Macy and Travolta are joined out on the road by Martin Lawrence and Tim Allen as a group of guys trying to escape their humdrum, suburban existences by strapping on to the back of their hogs and tasting the freedom of the open road. Hopefully, the open road doesnâ€™t taste as stale as this movie. Also starring Marisa Tomei and Jill Hennessy.

Zodiac
directed by David Fincher
David Fincherâ€™s first movie in five years is a return to the serial killer genre that put him on the map as a big-time director. While Se7en was fiction, Zodiac is rooted in reality, based on the Zodiac Killer murders of the 1970s. Fincher takes a page out of the Munich playbook and soaks the movieâ€™s aesthetic in the â€™70s, from the set design down to the vintage clothing and sideburns worn by an all-star cast that includes Mark Ruffalo, Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr. and Brian Cox. Fincher is comfortable with this kind of movie, and it should return him to the top of the directing ranks. Also starring Anthony Edwards and ChloÃ« Sevigny.

If you’ve seen any of the films listed above (or even if you haven’t, but have exceptionally strong feelings that you’d like to share nonetheless), write your own review in the comments.

March 2nd, 2007 | Category: In Theaters Now | By MovieMaker Staff

No comments (yet!)

' . $phpAds_raw['html'] . '

'; } ?>

In Theaters Now

The Abandoned
directed by Nacho Cerda
Sure signs of winter are snow, ice, cold--and schlocky horror movies. Foreboding lighting, screechy noises and dingy set design are meant to add up to “scary” but translate only into been-there-done-that in the case of The Abandoned. A woman looking for her birth parents is led to a haunted house in Russia where she meets a supposed twin brother and a whole lot of danger because the house “knows how you will die.” Are those chills from the premise or the draft in the theater? Starring Anastasia Hille, Karel Roden, Valentin Ganev and Carlos Reig.

The Astronaut Farmer
directed by Michael Polish
Billy Bob Thornton goes where he hasn’t gone beforeâ€”or, at least where he doesn’t go very often: Planet Family-Friendly. The often foul-mouthed star of raunchy comedies throttles back a bit in this story of a farmer who builds a rocket in his barn. Daring to defy a government non too keen on his DIY trip to outer spaceâ€”and daring to dream, gosh darn itâ€”Thornton brings his family and community together in a way Frank Capra would approve of. Also starring Virginia Madsen, Tim Blake Nelson and Bruce Dern.

The Number 23
directed by Joel Schumacher
Jim Carrey gets obsessed by a number that’s not on his gargantuan paycheck in this psychological thriller. Given a book detailing a life built around the number 23, Walter Sparrow (Carrey) is driven to the brink of insanity (or is it inanity?) by the parallels he thinks he finds between the book and his life. It’s the age-old tale of a mentally unstable egoist driven to madness by his narcissism. Also starring Virginia Madsen and Danny Huston.

Reno 911!: Miami
directed by Ben Garant
Based on the cult Comedy Central hit, Reno 911!: Miami finds our irreverent group of Washoe County Sheriff’s Department cops in Miami for a police convention. But when terrorism puts every single cop in Miami out of commission--with the exception of Lt. Jim Dangle (Thomas Lennon) and his cohorts--the aloof Reno lawmen swing into action to patrol the mean streets of Miami-Dade County during the dog days of spring break. This is certainly for fans of the show, but newcomers entranced by Borat will enjoy the faux-documentary style in which the movie is shot. (Think “Cops” with likeable morons.) Also starring Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Danny DeVito.

Starter for Ten
directed by Tom Vaughan
In this Tom Hanks-produced slice of John Hughes nostalgia, working-class Brian (James McAvoy) struggles with life and love in an upper-class British university in the 1980s. Period clothes and hairdos are everywhere as Brian pursues the hot girl in his class (Alice Eve) and is entranced by the long-term possibilities of his close friend (Rebecca Hall). Like the obedient genre picture it is, this coming-of-age romantic comedy has life- and love-lessons aplenty. Also starring Benedict Cumberbatch.

February 22nd, 2007 | Category: In Theaters Now | By MovieMaker Staff

No comments (yet!)

In Theaters Now

Breach
directed by Billy Ray
As if the government doesn’t have it bad enough already, the makers of Breach had to go and dramatize the story of one of the biggest security breaches in American history. FBI agent Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper) is suspected of being a Russian spy, and new recruit Eric O’Neill (Ryan Phillippe) is tasked with catching him in the act. The movie is slick, with a Bourne Identity feel and a healthy dose of paranoia. But since the real Hanssen was indeed a spy, and was indeed found out, the narrative tension is somewhat muted. Also starring Laura Linney, Gary Cole and Dennis Haysbert.

Bridge to Terabithia
directed by Gabor Csupo
Katherine Paterson’s The Bridge to Terabithia, about kids discovering a mystical kingdom deep in the woods, gets the faux-Lord of the Rings treatment in this Disney film. The fantastical world dubbed “Terabithia” by the kids is populated by giant walking trees, warrior insects, armies of small, furry animals and wall-to-wall adventure. As family entertainment, it’s better than some nefarious, double-entendre-laden animated animal movie. Starring Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel and Robert Patrick.

Daddy’s Little Girls
directed by Tyler Perry
Normally, an overwrought social drama mash-up of Kramer vs. Kramer and any number of romantic dramedies would be unbearable. Being Valentine’s Day weekend, a little leeway can be granted to Tyler Perry’s (Diary of a Mad Black Woman) latest, Daddy’s Little Girls. Monty (Idris Elba) is fighting for custody of his three daughters, and along the way falls in love with Julia (Gabrielle Union), a hot-shot lawyer who’s becoming fickle about love. Moving from beginning to end, every important cliche is hit: The sleazy ex, the wary kids, class war, shortsighted friends… and on and on and on. Also starring Louis Gossett Jr., Tasha Smith and Gary Anthony Sturgis.

Ghost Rider
directed by Mark Steven Johnson
Leather, skulls, bones, fire and whips made of chain-link are abundant as Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage), bound by a deal with the devil gone wrong (is there any other kind?), transforms into the motorcycle-riding, flaming-skulled demon of vengeance, Ghost Rider. Consider this the comic book adaptation appetizer meant to tide you over before the summer smorgasbord of Spider-Man 3. As long as you like a side of fetishism with your artichoke dip, Ghost Rider should satisfy. Also starring Eva Mendes, Wes Bentley, Donal Logue, Peter Fonda and Sam Elliott.

Music and Lyrics
directed by Marc Lawrence
Who needs a box of chocolates when something as syrupy sweet as Music and Lyrics is at hand? Alex Fletcher (dreamboat Hugh Grant) is a has-been ‘80s pop star toiling at the edge of musical oblivion. Sophie Fisher (cute-as-a-button Drew Barrymore) is his plant lady who has more to offer than a discount on de-grubbing the garden. Turns out she’s quite the little wordsmith, and she crafts a song that could rescue Alex’s career. And wouldn’t you know it, they make sweet music together!

February 15th, 2007 | Category: In Theaters Now | By MovieMaker Staff

No comments (yet!)

In Theaters, Week ending 1/30

Blood and Chocolate
directed by Katja von Garnier
How much do you really need from a werewolf movie, other than pretty faces, cool special effects and a little bit of gore? Blood and Chocolate has all this and more, with an interspecies love story and the director of the award-winning miniseries “Iron Jawed Angels” running the show. Based on the hit teen fantasy novel by Annette Curtis Klause, at the very least this flick will find an audience with the adolescent crowd.
Starring Agnes Bruckner, Hugh Dancy and Olivier Martinez.

Catch and Release
directed by Susannah Grant
You’d expect more from the Erin Brokovich scribe than a couple named Gray and Grady; but perhaps killing off one half of the cutesy-named pair was a statement by writer-director Grant. In the wake of her fiancÃ©’s death, Gray (Jennifer Garner) is faced with several surprising secrets from the man’s past. Overall, we’re not big fans of “coping-with-grief” romantic comedies, but the presence of Kevin Smith and Timothy Olyphant might be enough to sway us.
Also starring Juliette Lewis.

Epic Movie
directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer
Okay, seriously: Hasn’t the genre spoof comedy been played out? We’re not saying that epic movies deserve any less ridicule than rom-coms or horror flicks, but in the years since Scary Movie, we’ve gotten so sick of the genre spoof that we’re reconsidering our love of Mel Brooks, simply for his part in popularizing the formula. But you may not agree with usâ€”in which case, get your fill of sophomoric send-ups of Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean and Chronicles of Narnia, among others in this latest addition to the series.
Starring Kal Penn, Jennifer Coolidge and Fred Willard.

Seraphim Falls
directed by David Von Ancken
Pierce Brosnan seems to be settling nicely into middle age as his pretty-boy days come to a close. His most recent effort, Seraphim Falls, casts him as a rugged Civil War veteran pursued by a former Confederate colonel (Liam Neeson) who is dead-set on revenge. This feature-film debut from director Von Ancken boasts a formidable star presence, including Angelica Huston, and looks to be the perfect film for movie buffs in search of a gritty, gory and well-acted western some lazy Sunday afternoon.
Also starring Angie Harmon.

Smokin’ Aces
directed by Joe Carnahan
In his first feature since the surprise hit Narc, Joe Carnahan dives head first into a world of sex, violence, money and slick production values. Smokin’ Aces brings together a motley crew of assassins (played by an assortment of Hollywood has-beens and quasi-indie faves) in an attempt to keep Vegas magician Buddy “Aces” Israel from testifying against the mob. Aces is a mishmash of Domino, Ocean’s 11 and Snatch, and will no doubt capitalize on the continuing popularity of snappy-looking gangster comedies, with or without the support of the critics.
Starring: Jeremy Piven, Ryan Reynolds, Ray Liotta, Jason Bateman and Ben Affleck.

January 25th, 2007 | Category: In Theaters Now | By MovieMaker Staff

Comments: 1

' . $phpAds_raw['html'] . '

'; } ?>

Page 3 of 3 pages « First < 1 2 3