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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 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.

So what’s out there this week?  Well today we’ll take a look at the films scheduled to be released which include The Last King of Scotland (on Wednesday), Billy Bob Thorton and Jon Heder going mano e mano in School for Scoundrels, Ashton Kutcher as a dimwitted cartoon (and he stars in an animated film out today too!).

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 Wednesday, in Limited Release:

The Last King of Scotland

James McAvoy plays a Scottish doctor who becomes the personal physician of the vicious and brutal President of Uganda (Forest Whitacker); he discovers he can no longer stand the dictator’s tyrannical rule and attempts to flee the country.  Oscar buzz is swarming all over this one which is based on the novel by Giles Foden describing the real life dictatorship of Idi Amin who ruled Uganda with an iron fist in the 1970’s.  Kevin MacDonald (Touching the Void, and the 2000 Oscar winning documentary One Day in September) directs, and Gilian Anderson and Kerry Washington also star.  The film opens Wednesday in limited release in select cities.

Opening Friday:

School for Scoundrels

A lovelorn loser (Jon Heder) enrolls in a secret confidence building class to improve his self-esteem and win the girl of his dreams (Jacinda Barrett), only to see his self-absorbed instructor (Billy Bob Thorton) attempt to beat him to the girl.  Zany comedy abounds in this one in a somewhat sweeter version of the humor Thorton used so well in Bad Santa.  Todd Philips (Old School, Road Trip, Starsky & Hutch) directs.  The supporting cast includes Sarah Silverman, Ben Stiller, Michael Clarke Duncan, Todd Louiso, Horatio Sanz, and David Cross.  The film opens on Friday and we’ll have the review.

Open Season

You know what we needed?  Another mediocre animated film about critters in the woods.  Yeah…  just exactly what we need.  This one follows the story of a bear (Martin Lawrence) raised in captivity by a forest ranger (Debra Messing) who must adapt to life in the forest as Open Season for hunting begins.  The film also includes the voice talents of Ashton Kutcher as his nit-wit friend (what else?), Billy Connolly, Jon Favreau, Patrick Warburton, Nika Futterman, Jane Krakowski, and Gary Sinese as the obessed hunter Shaw.  Somebody please explain Ashton Kutcher’s career to me, please!  The film opens on Friday, so check back for our review.

The Guardian

Speaking of films we don’t want to see starring Ashton Kutcher…  Kutcher stars as Maverick cocky Jake Fisher, the “best of the best,” who trains with famous rescue swimmer Ben Randall (Kevin Costner) to work in Alaska saving lives and learning about life.  Anybody else think this sounds like Lifetime Television for guys?  The supporting cast includes Clancy Brown, Shelby Fenner, John Heard, Leigh Hennessy, Dule Hill, Sela Ward, Bonnie Bramlett, Matt Laub, Neal McDonough, Melissa Sagemiller, and (the awesomely named) Danny Cosmo Higginbottom.  The Guardian starts drowning theater goers this Friday.

Currently in Limited Release, Opening Wide on Friday:

The U.S. vs. John Lennon

If you’re not a Beatles fan just scroll down to the next film.  John Lennon was the man.  More than just the front man for the biggest rock band in England, or the world, Lennon was an idealist and visionary.  The new documentary examines the life of Lennon and his struggles against the war in Vietnam.  The documentary is the latest from the writer/director team of David Leaf and John Scheinfeld (The Unknown Marx Brothers, Dean Martin: That’s Amore, Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of “Smile”).  After playing two weeks in select cites, the film will be release wide on Friday.  (Read our review here).

Haven

A businessman (Bill Paxton) flees the United States for the Cayman Islands with his daughter (Agnes Bruckner) to avoid prosecution.  After arriving their fates become intertwined with a local (Orlando Bloom) planning a crime that will shock the nation.  Written and directed by Frank E. Flowers (Swallow) the film also stars Zoe Saldana, Victor Rasuk, Lee Ingleby, Sarah Carter, Rachel Miner, and Robert Wisdom.  The film has languished in the festival circuit for two years (it premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2004).  It’s been playing in select cities for a few weeks and opens wide on Friday.  Check back for our review.

The Science of Sleep (Science des reves, La)

As the lights came up I sat in the theater trying to put my experience of watching this film into words.  What I came up was simply this – bizarrely fascinating.  The film centers around a man (Gael Garcia Bernal) who lacks the ability to separate his dream world from reality, with dizzying results, and his love for his new neighbor (Charlotte Gainsboroug).  Nowhere near conventional, the film reminds me of Terry Gilliam’s early work (before he went crazy and started making “films” like Tideland and The Brothers Grimm).  It was released in select cities last week (read our review) and Friday begins its wider release.

Opening Friday, in Limited Release:

A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

Writer/director Dito Montiel’s autobiopic stars Robert Downey Jr. ad Montiel returning home to Astoria, NY to come to terms with his past.  Seriously, how cool is it for Robert Downey Jr. to play you in your life story?  Shia LaBeouf plays Mentiel’s young self, and the film has a nice supporting cast that includes (RazorFine fav) Rosario Dawson, Chazz Palminteri, Dianee Weist, Channing Tatum, Melonie Diaz, and Eric Roberts.  Montiel’s personal story did well at Sundace pulling in both the Director’s Award and the Special Jury Prize for ensemble performance.  The film opens Friday exclusively in New York and Los Angeles.

Jesus Camp

Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (the pair gave us 2005’s The Boys of Baraka) present this documentary look at children who attend the “Kids on Fire” summer camp for born again children.  The film focuses on three children from 9 to 12 years-old, and examines the broader impact of the Evangelical movement still strong in the Midwest.  Oddly enough, the film is being marketed to Christians despite it’s slightly slanted view in the other direction (Michael Moore looooves it).  It’s been a big hit on the festival circuit, including here in Kansas City.  Jesus Camp opens in select cities on Friday.

Facing the Giants

Another football coach movie?  Grant Taylor (Alex Kindrick, who also directs and co-wrote the script with his brother Stephen) isn’t the great football coach or motivator; his teams have lost consistantly for years, he’s about to be fired, and his wife is infertile.  Deciding he has nothing left to lose he turns to God to help inspire his players.  Not to misquote Star Trek, but what does God need with football?  The film was put together by an all volunteer Baptist cast in Albany, GA.  The inspirational pro-Christian message is sure to play better in red states.  It opens Friday in select cities.

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 James Franco, Jean Reno and David Ellison in Flyboys, Sean Penn takes a turn as a southern govener in All the King’s Men, Jet Li in perhaps his last ever action flick, Johnny Knoxville and his idiot friends prove they really are jackasses, and Feast, the final Project Greenlight film finally finds itself in a theater..

We’ll also give you the scoop on films out this week in limited release including the reality bending The Science of Sleep, a documentary on the American hardcore punk movement of the 1980’s, and an animated action flick starring the newest James Bond.

All that and more; c’mon in and let us get you ready for the week! 

N/A

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:

Flyboys

Before America entered WWI a small group of American pilots volunteered to serve in the French military air force known as Lafayette Escadrille.  The film focuses on a small group of Americans that journeyed overseas for different reasons and became fighter pilots in the war against Germany.  The film stars James Franco, Philip Winchester, Abdul Salis, Tyler Labine, David Ellison, and Jean Reno.  Aside from a few problems, like having all the subtlety of a Michael Bay film and the complete absence of dust, dirt, or wear on clothing, or anything, the film is worth seeing for the acting and some good dogfight sequences.  Check back Friday for the review.

All the King’s Men

A stellar cast (Sean Penn, Anthony Hopkins, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Patricia Clarkson, James Gandolfini) under the direction of Steven Zaillian (A Civil Action and the under-appreciated Searching for Bobby Fischer) are on hand for this adaption of Robert Penn Warren’s novel about the populist Southern Governer Willie Stark which was loosely based on the political career of Gov. Huey Long of Louisiana.  Sony’s pushing this one hard for award season, and the talented cast make it a must see, but has anyone else been left cold by the trailer?  That and the fact the film was delayed due to re-editing and you have to wonder…  Check back Friday for the review.

Fearless (Juo Yuan Jia)

Jet Li stars and Martial Arts master Huo Yuanjia, the founder of the Jin Wu Sports Federation and the most famous Chinese fighter at the turn of the 20th Century.  Rumors have run rampant that this would be Li’s last action film and that alone should flock his fans to the theaters.  The film also stars Nathan Jones, Shido Nakamura, Brandon Rhea, Nan Sun, and Michelle Yeoh (who’s role was severly shredded in the editing room).  Directed by Ronny Yu (Freddy vs. Jason, Bride of Chucky,

, Wu Lin sheng dou shi) who left that project with Samuel L. Jackson, and those M*@F%#ing airborne snakes, for this one.

Feast

The third, and final, Project Greenlight movie.  The film that chose the oddest cat to direct, and an average horror script to produce, and all manner of lunacy ensued.  The director tried to push his friends into the starring roles, the casting director went behind the director and producers to get her friend a role, and the producers went crazy with worry.  Remember?  Well now you get to see it!  The film will open midnight Thursday and only play through Saturday, hoping to market the DVD release in October.  Well you know I’ll be there!  The cast includes Krista Allen, Balthazar Getty, Navi Rawat, Jenny Wade, and Henry Rollins.  Check back for our review.

Jackass: Number Two

And in a film destined to make Feast look Oscar worthy, Johnny Knoxville and gang return to make a sequel to 2002’s Jackass: the Movie which was based of the bottom of the barrel exploitative short-lived MTV “reality” show which was little more than idiot stunts mixed with America’s Funniest Home Videos.  Why, oh why, do we need a sequel?  Four words – The Dukes of Hazard.  Knoxville’s career’s in the toilet and the rest of the gang has blissfully faded into oblivion, so why not dig deep in the trash for one last attempt at mediocre glory.  The film opens Friday, but you’ll have to do without a review for this one folks.

Opening Friday, in Limited Release:

The Science of Sleep (Science des reves, La)

As the lights came up I sat in the theater trying to put my experience of watching this film into words.  What I came up was simply this – bizarrely fascinating.  The film centers around a man (Gael Garcia Bernal) who lacks the ability to separate his dream world from reality, with dizzying results, and his love for his new neighbor (Charlotte Gainsboroug).  Nowhere near conventional, the film reminds me of Terry Gilliam’s early work (before he went crazy and started making “films” like Tideland and The Brothers Grimm).  It will be released in select cities on Friday so check to see if it’s showing at your local art house, and come back on Friday for our review.

American Hardcore

Director Paul Rachman and American punk historian Steven Blush come together in this new documentary, based of Blush’s book American Hardcore: A Tribal History, that focuses on America’s hardcore punk movement of he early to mid-eighties.  The documentary is packed with never before seen footage and interviews from those involved in the scene, including Henry Rollins, and music from the likes of Green Gang, SS Decontrol, Circle Jerks, Jerry’s Kids and more.  It’s been the year for the documentary so will see if American Hardcore can measure up.  The film opens in limited release in select cities on Friday.

Renaissance

The man who would be James Bond (Daniel Craig) stars as cop in a futuristic Paris (think Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta with pastries) where a woman (Cahterine McCormack) searches for her kidnapped sister (Romola Garai).  The film is animated in black and white and the style, not to mention the tone, of the story will surely bring about Sin City references and comparisons.  If it’s half that good I’ll be satisfied; it will face tougher competition at the box office, being released this late in the year.  The film also stars the voices of Jonathan Pryce, and Ian Holm.  An ambitious undertaking for second time director Christain Volck (Maaz).  It opens in select cities on Friday.