Gentlemen Broncos
directed by Jared Hess
This is the third screenplay written by husband and wife duo Jared and Jerusha Hess (the others being Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre), with Jared resuming his usual roll as director. The couple, who have come to be known for their dry and unique sensibilities, have strung together an impressive indie cast, including Jemaine Clement (“Flight of the Conchords”), Michael Angarano, Jennifer Coolidge and, however briefly, Sam Rockwell. The plot follows that of an aspiring teenage writer (Angarano) who has his idea stolen and published by science fiction master Dr. Ronald Chevalier (Clement). To make matters worse, the idea that Chevalier stole gets optioned to become a movie that will be made by a moviemaker who hails from the teen’s hometown. Let’s just hope that the customary blank stares and awkward silences that have so often characterized Hess’ previous movies won’t be reflected in audiences’ faces.
This Is It
directed by Kenny Ortega
For the millions who were looking forward to Michael Jackson’s final world tour, this film will be the closest they ever get. But it promises to be far more than a petty consolation prize. This Is It aims to present a humanizing portrait of an entertainer who had been systematically dehumanized for nearly two decades. Has anyone ever seen a version of Jackson that isn’t either performing physics-defying dance moves or responding to allegations of child molestation? Not in a long, long time. Director Kenny Ortega has put together rehearsals, interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of the tour that tragically never came to fruition in what is sure to be the most surprising, if not the most accurate depiction of the King of Pop to date. For those interested, get your tickets ASAP—the movie is playing for two weeks only.
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day
directed by Troy Duffy
A decade after he accomplished the nearly impossible feat of making a cult hit out of a straight-to-video release, Troy Duffy finally gets the premiere he deserves. The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day follows the familiar MacManus brothers (Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus) who receive word that their old priest has been murdered in a mob-related incident. What ensues is a completely un-Christian quest for revenge that promises to be so violent and bloody that it crosses the line of the gratuitous into the orgasmic.
The House of the Devil
directed by Ti West
A horror movie is like cheese. Somehow, the older it is and more disgusting it looks, the better it tastes. With The House of the Devil, it is clear that Ti West understands this. He’s done his best to uphold these values by shooting the entire film on 16mm to mimic the looks of such classics as The Evil Dead and Night of the Living Dead. What remains to be seen is if West was able to achieve the low standards in acting and special effects that made the aforementioned horror films so great.
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