Will Ferrell stars as the owner/coach/player of a 1976 ABA team who tries to save his last place team from folding after the proposed merger with the NBA. Woody Harrelson, Maura Tierney, David Koechner, and Andre Benjamin also star. Check out the official site. We’ve seen it and we’ll have the review when the film dribbles its way onto the court on Friday. Larger trailer available in the Full Diagnosis. You can read our interview with the fim’s star here.
Semi-Pro
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“Nobody can take something away from you you don’t give them.”
After telling the tale of integration of T.C. Williams High School football with Remember the Titans producer Jerry Bruckheimer returns to familiar ground with this tale inspired by the true events of Don Haskins (Josh Lucas) and Texas Western, the first team to start five African-American players in an NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Game.
In much the same way as Titans this film deals with the hardships and racism from both inside and outside the program. As a Disney film it’s a bit cleaned up considering its subject matter, though it does contain one or two disturbing scenes which make you wonder exactly how it received its PG rating.
The cast is strong and there are some nice supporting performances, hey nobody plays an asshole coach like Jon Voight, and Emily Deshanel has a nice role as Mary Haskins. Also worth noting all the players, including Derek Luke, Austin Nichols, Evan Jones, Schin A.S. Kerr, and Alphonso McAuley, who turn out good performances both on and off the court.
Because of the familiarity and similarities with Remember the Titans the film does have a been-there, done-that, feel to it at times. I wouldn’t call it a great sports film, but it is a good one; the performances are strong, and there’s certainly enough here to recommend in a tale worth telling, and listening to.
Based on the novel by Phillippa Gregory the film tells the story of the two Boleyn sisters Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson) who became Queen and mistresss of Henry VIII of England (Eric Bana). Jim Sturgess, Kristin Scott Thomas, and David Morrissey also star. Check out the official site. We’ve seen it and we’ll have the review when the film hits theaters everywhere on Friday. Larger trailer available in the Full Diagnosis.
The Other Boleyn Girl
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Christina Ricci stars as a pig-faced princess cursed until she finds true love. Reese Witherspoon, James McAvoy, Catherine O’Hara, and Peter Dinklage also star. Check out the official site. The film shows its face in limited release in select cities on Friday. Larger trailer available in the Full Diagnosis.
Penelope
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You want to know a really dumb idea for a movie? You want to see a movie staring television actors and video models seemingly chosen at random? You want to see an example of a film you could beat with $5 and your own camcorder? You want it? Well hold your hats folks, ‘cause this one’s for you!
Noah Cruise (Wesley Jonathan) is a good kid. He does his homework, he loves his grandma, he has a good job, he’s polite and kind, and he sticks by his friends. Oh, and he’s the next big thing in basketball, except he doesn’t want to be.
Cruise would rather everyone quit the NBA talk and let him go to UCLA on a basketball scholarship to become a doctor. His life is on track until his longtime friend Tech (Anthony Mackie) asks him for a little favor.
Tech knows about this secret underground basketball league, run by a former NBA agent (Wayne Brady), and wants nothing more than to beat the reigning champs. Tech pulls his friend into the game calling on an old favor and puts Cruise’s future and life in jeopardy.
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