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So what’s out there this week?  Well today we’ll take a look at the films scheduled to be released on Friday.  They include Ben Affleck getting to take a turn as Superman (kind of), Tony Jaa kickin some ass in Australia, a new film from the director of Cutthroat Island and Mindhunters (yikes!), and yet another summer film starring Maggie Gyllenhaal.  Read on…

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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:

Hollywoodland

The life and death of George Reeves, TV’s Superman, are explored.  Adrian Brody plays a private detective investigating the mysterious “suicide” of George Reeves (Ben Affleck) and uncovers the star’s secrets including hidden affair with the wife (Diane Lane) of a studio big shot (Bop Hoskins).  Robin Tunney, Joe Spano, Brad William Henke, and Molly Parker also star.  The film marks the theatrical directing debut of longtime HBO director Allen Coulter (Rome, The Sopranos, Sex in the City).  Nice to see Affleck in a good role again; Brandon Routh may have gotten to put on the new rubber super-suit, but this film could really fly (hopefully not under the radar).

The Protector (Tom yum goong)

After his elephant is stolen by an Asian gang, a young Muy Thai fighter (Tony Jaa) is called on to travel to Sydney, Australia and retrieve the elephant, avenge the wrongs done, and reclaim the honor and heritage of his people.  Prachya Pinkaew directs this sequel, of sorts, to his 2003 hit Ong-bak.  Petchtai Wongkamlao, Bongkoj Kongmalai, Xing Jing, Nathan Jones, Johnyy Nguyen, Damien De Montemas, Sotorn Rungruaeng, Amonphan Gongtragan, and Jackie Chan also star.  Ong-bak received mixed praise and indifference from martial arts fans.  The real question here is does Jaa finally take on the role of “the next Bruce Lee,” or not?

The Covenant

The O.C. meets The Skulls meets Underworld (a trifecta of ultimate pain and suffering – for the audience at least) in this new film about four magically empowered young men descended from a centuries old supernatural legacy.  Directed by Renny Harlin (Mindhunters, Cutthroat Island, The Long Kiss Goodnight… sorry, I have to stop for a second and vomit.  Whew, okay, now why is this guy still allowed behind a camera?); the film is filled with no-name good looking twenty-somethings like Steven Stait, Sebastain Stan, Toby Hemingway, Chace Crawford, Talor Kitsch, Jessica Lucas, Sarah Smyth, and Laura Ramsey.

Opening Friday in Limited Release:

Sherrybaby

After three years in prison for robbery, a 19 year-old heroin addict (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is released and goes in search of remaking her life and reclaiming her daughter (Ryan Simpkins).  Brad William Henke, Kate Burton, Bridgit Barkan, Danny Trejo, and Sam Bottoms also star.  I guess no one’s afraid of over-exposure.  I like Maggie Gyllenhaal as much as any warm blooded heterosexual male, but releasing three movies where she plays a prominent role in less than a month and a half (World Trade Center, Trust the Man, and now this) is a little too much for me.  It opens exclusively in New York and Los Angeles on Friday.

So what’s out there this week?  Well today we’ll take a look at the films scheduled to be released on Friday.  They include hip-hop street basketballers stylin’ and profilin’ in Crossover, Jason Stratham going all Rambo on everybody’s ass in Crank, and Nicholas Cage in the remake of the 1973 horror flick The Wicker Man.

We’ll also give you the scoop of films out this week in limited release like the new documentary examining the MPAA – This Film is Not Yet Rated, Lassie runs cross country again, Edward Burns’ latest Looking for Kitty, as well as the latest from Yimou Zhang titled Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles.

All that plus a few films in limited release hitting the big time like The Illusionist, Once in a Lifetime, The Quiet, and Trust the Man.

All that and more; 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:

Crossover

Think ESPN promoting street basketball.  Um, yeah.  Silly tale of “secret” underground basketball league with their own uniforms, bling’d out court, stars, cheerleaders, and gambling.  The film stars Wesley Jordan and Anthony Mackie who get drawn into the games, money, ladies, and lifestyle furnished by promoter Vaughn (Wayne Brady).  Forgettable movie that contains a no name cast, poor acting (the “actresses” were obviously chosen for their “talents” considering their lack of talent), a ridiculous premise, but does carry a nice message about the importance of education over basketball, money, and fame.  Check back Friday for our review.

Crank

Jason Statham (The Transporter) plays a hitman on a rampage after he’s been poisoned and only has 24 hours to retrieve a doomsday device from the penal colony of Los Angeles to get the cure, and he must keep his heart rate above 55 mph or the bus will explode.  Amy Smart, Juan Pablo Cantillo, Efren Ramirez, Reno Wilson, and Dwight Yokum (?) also star.  Written and directed by the first time team of Mark Neveldine, a former stunt coordinator (The Siege), and Brain Taylor, a former cinematographer (The Mothman Prophecies).  What could possibly go wrong?  That sound you hear is two trains on a collision course.

The Wicker Man

Directed by Robin Hardy, the film stars Christopher Lee and Brit Ekland …whoops!  That was the the original!  Writer/director Neil LaBute (Your Friends and Neighbors, In the Company of Men) takes a new look at the Anthony Shaffer novel and tries to add his own spin on the mysterious disappearance of a young girl.  Nicholas Cage, Ellen Burstyn, Kate Behan, and Leelee Sobieski star.  Another horror remake?  Didn’t anybody learn their lesson from The Omen?  Though the film’s early comparisons to The Exorcism of Emily Rose do leave me a little curious just what LeBute has in mind for these characters.

Currently in Limited Release, Opening Wide on Friday:

The Illusionist

Edward Norton as a magician?  Hmmm…  A magician (Norton) uses his abilities to win the love of a noble woman (Jessica Beil) from the Crown Prince of Vienna (Rufus Sewell), who is determined to prove the magician a fraud with the help of his chief inspector (Paul Giamatti).  The big question here is can the film overcome the curse of Jessica Beil – who somehow always chooses the worst films to star in (Blade Trinity, Summer Catch, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Stealth, Elizabethtown).  There’s not enough magic in the world to kill this curse!  Opens wide on Friday (check out our review).

Once in a Lifetime (limited)

ESPN Films tells the story of the rise and fall of the first great American soccer team in the 1970’s that brought Pele to America – The NY Cosmos.  Filled with footage and music of the time, the documentary also includes new interviews as it looks back at the short period when soccer took America by storm and captured the hearts and minds of millions.  Narrated by Matt Dillon the film has appearances from Marv Albert, Mia Hamm, Pele, Giorgio Chinaglia, Franz Beckenbauer, and more.  Soccer fans should eat this up, but will wider audiences give it a chance?  Currently in limited release (read our review here), it opens wide on Friday.

The Quiet

After the death of her father, an unpopular deaf high school student (Camilla Belle) moves in with a cheerleader (Elisha Cuthbert) and her parents (Edie Falco, Martin Donovan).  Her arrival leads to a series of discoveries as secrets and lies are exposed.  The latest from Jamie Babbit (But I’m a Cheerleader) also stars Shawn Ashmore, Katy Mixon, and Shannon Woodward.  The film opens Friday in New York and Los Angeles.  An interesting but flawed film much in the same vein as the recently released The Night Listener (seriously, what’s up with Hollywood and incest films lately?).  It opens in wide release Friday (check out our review).

Trust the Man

Writer/director Bart Freundlich’s (World Traveler, The Myth of Fingerprints) latest is about a couple of friends (David Duchovny, Billy Crudup) and their screwed-up relationships with the women they love (Julianne Moore, Maggie Gyllenhaal).  The supporting cast includes Justin Bartha, James LeGros, Eva Mendes, Ellen Barkin, Dagmara Dominczyk, and Garry Shandling.  Despite a near year long run at various film festivals the film has brought neither high praise, nor marketable anger.  Looks like what you see is what you get.  Currently in limited release, the film opens wide on Friday; check back for our review.

Opening Friday in Limited Release:

Lassie

What’s that Timmy?  Lassie’s stuck in yet another remake?  Oh, no!  What will we do now?  Writer/director Charles Sturridge (Where Angels Fear to Tread) goes where many have gone before in telling the story of a boy and his dog.  In a remake of Lassie Come Home, the story involves Lassie traveling hundreds of miles across the country to find her family after she’s sold to an evil and abusive Scottish bloke.  Samantha Morton, John Lynch, Peter O’Toole, and Peter Dinklage star.  It’s been years since the last attempt, will kids today even know who Lassie is?  Or care?  It opens Friday in select cities.

This Film is Not Yet Rated

Documentary filmmaker Kirby Dick (

, Showgirls: Glitz & Angst) examines the MPAA, the Motion Picture Association of America, also known as those crazy people who decide what rating (G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17) to give to films.  Filled with interviews from stars, directors, studio execs and more, the film tries to pen down how the MPAA decides to rate a film and why gratuitous violence is more acceptable than nudity.  Of course the documentary is unrated, which sadly means several of the big movie chains won’t screen it.  It opens exclusively in New York and Los Angeles on Friday; look for it in a fine arts theater near you this winter.

Mutual Appreciation

The second film from writer/director Andrew Bujalski (Funny Ha Ha) finds a musician (Justin Rice) trying to form a band after his arrival in New York City.  With the help of a radio DJ (Seung-Min Lee), who has her sights on him, and his old friend Lawrence (Andrew Bujalski) he just might succeed – if he can keep his obvious attraction for Lawrence’s girlfriend (Rachel Clift) a secret.  Pamela Corkey, Kevin Micka, Ralph Tyler, Bill Morrison, Tamara Luzeckyi, Kate Dolenmayer, and Peter Pentz also star.  The film opens exclusively in New York on Friday; look for a slowly widening release over the next few months.

Looking for Kitty

Writer/director/actor Edward Burns (She’s the One, The Brothers McMullen) gives us the story of a New York high school basketball coach (David Krumholtz) who searches for his missing wife with the help of a private eye (Burns) dealing with the loss of his own wife.  The only clue is a newspaper photograph of a rock star and his groupies, one which just might be Kitty.  Connie Britton, Rachel Dratch, Max Baker, Elizabeth Regen, Max Baker, and Craig Carlisle also star.  Expect Burns trademark traits including loving shots of the Big Apple and snappy dialogue.  The film opens today in limited release. 

Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (Qian li zou dan qi)

Yimou Zhang (House of Flying Daggers, Hero) puts away the swords and special effects for a more personal tale.  A father (Ken Takakura) attempts to make amends with his dying estranged son (Kiichi Nakai) who refuses to see him by traveling from Japan to China to video tape an opera star’s legendary performance and complete his son’s documentary.  Presented in both Mandarin and Japanese, with English subtitles and was filmed on the Yunnan peninsula in China and in Tokyo, Japan.  The film opens today in limited release; look for it in the coming weeks at an art house near you.

So what’s out there this week?  Well today we’ll take a look at the films scheduled to be released on Friday.  They include Mark Wahlberg as a dumb jock and Greg Kinnear as Dick Vermeil, the latest from the Broken Lizard gang, kids eating worms, a musical about Prohibition, Camille Belle and Eliza Cuthbert in The Quiet and more; read on…

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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:

Invincible

From producers Mark Ciradi and Gordon Gray (The Rookie, Miracle) comes the true story of Dick Vermeil’s (Greg Kinnear, in as close to perfect casting as you will find) first season as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.  The story follows a 30 year-old part-time bartender, Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg), who goes to an open tryout and ends up making the team, and how it effects both his life and the lives of his friends and family.  A little schmaltzy?  Yeah, it is Disney after all, but definitely worth a look.  Elizabeth Banks, Kevin Conway, Michael Kelly, Michael Rispoli also star.  Check back Friday for our review.

Beerfest

The latest from the guys of Broken Lizard follows American brothers (Erick Stohlanske, Paul Soter) who, by accident, discover the secret underground drinking competition in Germany.  They return with three friends and the “Magnificent Five” enter to win the secret Olympics of beer drinking for the good ol’ USA.  Once again Jay Chandrasekhar directs.  Can the Broken Lizard gang find the funny (Super Troopers), or are we in for another disappointment (Club Dread), or utter catastrophe (The Dukes of Hazard – one of my worst of 2005)?  Check back Friday for the review to find out.

Idlewild

A musical about Prohibition?  HBO films gives us Big Boi and Andre Benjamin, as the manager and speakeasy performer and his piano player, who must contend with gangsters interested in their club.  Talented supporting cast includes Terrence Howard, Ben Vereen, Ving Rhames, Faizon Love, Cicely Tyson, Paula Patton, Bill Nunn, Jennifer Johnson, Stephanie Moseley, Patti LaBelle, and Macy Gray.  The cast alone should be worth the price of admission, but will audiences take a chance on this one?  The musical was written and directed by music video director Bryan Barber.  Check back on Friday for our review.

How to Eat Fried Worms

Guess what?  Gross out movies aren’t just for teenagers anymore!  The disgusting, but popular, kids book by Thomas Rockwell becomes a film.  The story involves a young fifth-grader (Luke Benward) who takes on a bully by accepting a dare to, well, eat worms (in every disgusting style imaginable).  Hallie Kate Eisenberg, Adam Hicks, Austin Rogers, Alexander Gould, Ryan Malgarini, and Thomas Cavanaugh (Ed, Love Monkey) also star.  Hopefully better than the 1985 animated made for television version.  At least it couldn’t be worse, right?  Popularity of the book should sell tickets, but it’s interesting director Bob Doman chose to go with an unknown cast.

Opening Friday in Limited Release:

The Quiet

After the death of her father, an unpopular deaf high school student (Camilla Belle) moves in with a cheerleader (Elisha Cuthbert) and her parents (Edie Falco, Martin Donovan).  Her arrival leads to a series of discoveries as secrets and lies are exposed.  The latest from Jamie Babbit (But I’m a Cheerleader) also stars Shawn Ashmore, Katy Mixon, and Shannon Woodward.  The film opens Friday in New York and Los Angeles.  An interesting but flawed film much in the same vein as the recently released The Night Listener (seriously, what’s up with Hollywood and incest films lately?).  Make sure you check back Friday for our review.

Queens (Reinas)

Spanish film about five mothers who prepare to marry off their sons at the same ceremony.  The catch?  It’s a mass gay ceremony.  Presented in Spanish with English subtitles.  Directed by Manuel Gomez Pereira (Between Your Legs, Off Key), the film stars Veronica Forque, Carmen Maura, Marisa Paredes, Betiana Blum, Mercedes Sampietro, Unax Ugalde, Hugo Silva, and Gusto Salmeron. The film opens this week in Los Angeles and New York on Friday; look for a slow wider release over the next few months.

So what’s out there this week?  Well today we’ll take a look at the films scheduled to be released on Friday.  They include Justin Long creating his own college, the Duff girls playing a pair of spoiled sisters (hard acting there!), and Samuel L. Jackson taking on Snakes on a Plane.  All that and a batch of films in limited release including Edward Norton as a magician, Rachel Leigh Cook’s unquenchable sexual desires on the eve of her wedding, Billy Crudup and David Duchovny screwing up their relationships, and new films starring Matt Dillon and James Marsden as well; read on…

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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:

Accepted

I’ve been a fan of Justin Long since his days on Ed.  Much like last year’s Waiting… this film puts Long into the role of a slacker who discovers deeper meaning to life by the end of the film.  Bartleby (Long) creates a fictional university, South Harmon Institute of Technology (notice the acronym?), when he’s rejected from every college around.  When other slackers enroll, his friends (Jonah Hill, Maria Thayer, Columbus Short, and comedian Lewis Black) help him to turn the farce into a real college, and win his true love (Blake Lively).  Check back on Friday for our review.

Snakes on a Plane

Samuel L. Jackson plays an FBI agent on a plane who battles hundreds of snakes, released by an assassin to kill an informant being transferred to testify.  Either you’ve been waiting impatiently for this one or you’ve been scratching your head all year about the Internet build-up.  Byron Lawson, Nathan Phillips, Julianna Marguiles, Rachel Blanchard, and Bobby Cannavale also star.  The film is directed by David R. Ellis (Cellular, Final Destination 2) which, surprisingly, hasn’t seemed to hurt the hype – seriously, Final Destination 2?  C’mon!  Check back Friday for our review.

Material Girls

Real life sisters Hilary and Haylie Duff play carefree, party all night heiresses (is one of them named Paris?) who lose all their fortune and fame in a scandal, forcing them to go out into the world and live a more simple life (sorry, I couldn’t resist).  Angelica Huston, Brent Spiner, and Maria Conchita Alonso also star.  Hey, should be better than Hilary’s next project.  TV director Martha Coolridge is behind the camera for the script penned by John Quaintance (Joey, Aquamarine) and first-timer Jessica O’Toole.  With this much “talent,” what could possibly go wrong?

Currently in Limited Release, Opening Wide on Friday:

Little Miss Sunshine

Boy, oh, boy.  When the youngest member of a dysfunctional family wins a spot in a beauty pagent the whole crew stumbles on board a VW bus and makes the trek to California.  Directed by the team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (Mr. Show), the off-beat script (by first-timer Michael Arndt) stars Steve Carrell as a suicidal gay man, Paul Dano as a Nietche lovin’ mute, Greg Kinnear as the emotionally inaccessible father, Alan Arkin as the smack addicted patriarch, and Abagail Breslin as the adorable Olive.  The film finally gets a wide release this Friday; You can check out my review here.

Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man

A new documentary by director Lian Lunson (Willie Nelson: Down Home) focuses on the life and music of singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen.  The film is compiled from interviews and performances, mostly from the tribute to Cohen in 2005 at the Sydney Opera House, by Cohen, Bono and the Edge from U2, Anthony Hegarty, Rufus and Martha Wainwright, Linda Thompson, Anthony Hagerty, Anna and Kate McGarrigle, Hal Wilner, Nick Cave, Julie Christensen, and more.  The film has received mixed reviews as many feel the actual man is barely profiled in what appears to be more a celebration of his work than a true documentary.

Opening Friday in Limited Release:

The Illusionist

Edward Norton as a magician?  Hmmm…  A magician (Norton) uses his abilities to win the love of a noble woman (Jessica Beil) from the Crown Prince of Vienna (Rufus Sewell), who is determined to prove the magician a fraud with the help of his chief inspector (Paul Giamatti).  The big question here is can the film overcome the curse of Jessica Beil – who somehow always chooses the worst films to star in (Blade Trinity, Summer Catch, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Stealth, Elizabethtown).  Is there enough magic in the world to kill this curse?  Check back Friday for our review to find out.

My First Wedding

Rachael Leigh Cook plays Vanessa, a young woman struggling with sexual fantasies and desires just days before she is to be married.  She seeks solace in a confessional, only to bare her soul to carpenter (Kenny Doughtey) doing renovation at the church, who is so taken with her (a randy sex-crazed Rachel Leigh Cook, who wouldn’t be?!) that he can’t tell her he’s not a priest.  Caroline Carver, Paul Hopkins, Claire Brosseau, Elizabeth Whitmere, and Stefanie Buxton also star.  The film opens today in limited release, look for it at an art house near you in the coming weeks.

Trust the Man

Writer/director Bart Freundlich’s (World Traveler, The Myth of Fingerprints) latest is about a couple of friends (David Duchovny, Billy Crudup) and their screwed-up relationships with the women they love (Julianne Moore, Maggie Gyllenhaal).  The supporting cast includes Justin Bartha, James LeGros, Eva Mendes, Ellen Barkin, Dagmara Dominczyk, and Garry Shandling.  Despite a near year long run at various film festivals the film has brought neither high praise, nor marketable anger.  Looks like what you see is what you get.  The film is opening in limited release on Friday.

10th and Wolf

Returning home from the military, Tommy (James Marsden) finds himself back in the old neighborhood, his brother in prison, and entagled once again with his mobster buddies.  Marsden finally gets a starring role with a fine supporting cast including Giovanni Ribisi, Brad Renfro, Dennis Hopper, Piper Perabo, Lesly Ann Warren, Val Kilmer, Brian Dennehy, and rocker Tommy Lee.  I just wish the plot sounded as good as that list of actors.  Directed and co-written by Robert Moresco (who co-wrote last year’s Crash).  The film opens in limited release on Friday.

Factorum

Henry Chinaski (Matt Dillon), the fictional alter-ego of writer Charles Bukowski, wanders around Los Angeles barely making a living while indulging in his favorite pastimes – gambling, drinking, women, and writing.  Directed and adapted from the Bukowski novel by Norwegian director Brent Hamer.  The supporting cast includes Lili Taylor, Marisa Tomei, Adrienne Shelly, Karen Young, and Fisher Stevens. The film opens exclusively in New York and Los Angeles on Friday.  Look for a wider release in art houses in the coming months.