Alan Rapp

So what’s out there this week?  Well today we’ll take a look at the films scheduled to be released which include a new cop drama from Martin Scorsese, another film with Jessica Simpson (why cruel world, why?!), a Texas Chainsaw Massacre prequel (why cruel world, why?!!), a documentary on the 2004 U.S. Presidential election, and a new film with Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II.

C’mon in and let us get you ready for the week!

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Here’s what’s scheduled to hit theaters this week.  Want to know more?  Just click on the title for film info including a full cast list.  Want a closer look?  Just click on the poster to watch the trailer.

Opening Friday:

The Departed

Martin Scorsese takes a page from Michael Mann’s Heat here focusing on a cop and a crook.  The twist is the cop (Matt Damon) is crooked and the crook (Leonardo DiCaprio) is an undercover cop trying to nail an important member of the Irish mafia (Jack Nicholson) in Boston.  It’s Scorsese’s best in recent memory (Gangs of New York, The Aviator); could this finally be his year come Oscar time?  The film also stars Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Vera Farmiga, and Alec Baldwin in a performance that if it isn’t nominated come award season, they should stop giving out awards.  Check back Friday for our review.

Employee of the Month

Jessica Simpson (without her “Daisy Dukes”) stars as the new employee at a superstore who causes a competition between two store slackers (Dane Cook, Dax Shepard) to win employee of the month in order to earn a date, because beautiful dumb girls really care who’s employee at the month at a dead-end warehouse job.  It took three people (Dan Calame, Chris Conroy, and Greg Coolridge – who gave us 2002’s insanely bad idea comedy Sorority Boys) to write the script!?  The film also stars Andy Dick and Sean Whalen.  It wheels itself into the express check out lane of theaters this Friday and we’ll have the review.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

Speaking of insanely bad ideas…  After a car accident, two pairs of young lovers (Jordana Brewster, Taylor Handley, Diora Baird, Matthew Bomer) find themselves in a house of horrors which contains the man who will become Leatherface (Andrew Bryniarski).  The script was penned by Sheldon Turner who gave us the Adam Sandler version of The Longest Yard, and directed by Jonathan Liebsman (Darkness Falls).  The supporting cast includes R. Lee Emery, Terrence Evans, Lew Temple, Emily Kaye, Cyia Batten, and Lee Tergesen.  At least it doesn’t star Jessica Biel.  It scares its way into theaters on Friday.

Opening Friday, in Limited Release:

…So Goes the Nation

Documentary filmmakers Adam Del Deo and James D. Stern (the pair gave us 2004’s The Year of Yao) take a look at the 2004 Presidential election and the factors that won George W. Bush a second term.  It’s received praise for its balanced look (so you know it wasn’t produced by FOX News), and allows insiders from both political parties to give perspectives and opinions on all that occurred, with an emphasis on the swing state of Ohio.  Will a balanced documentary be acceptable for such a polarized country?  It will openly exclusively in New York this Friday.  IFC Films will release it into more markets over the next few weeks.

The Queen

Helen Mirren stars as Queen Elizabeth II (for which she won Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival).  The film looks at Elizabeth II shortly after the death of Princess Diana and her much publicized public disagreement with Prime Minister Tony Blair (Martin Sheen).  Directed by RazorFine fav Stephen Frears (Mrs. Henderson Presents, High Fidelity, the film also stars James Cromwell, Alex Jennings, Robin Soans, and Sylvia Syms.  The script was penned by Peter Morgan (The Last King of Scotland), who also took home an award at the Venice Film Festival.  It opens in limited release in select cities on Friday.