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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 this week.  On Wednesday Oliver Stone’s 9/11 film World Trade Center will be released (check back for our review!).  Friday’s releases include Tim Allen and a bunch of kids trying to save the world, Kristen Bell hearing voices from the other side, and yet another film about dancing.  All that and a boatload of indie films out this week in limited release 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 Wednesday:

World Trade Center

Oliver Stone has never been more subtle.  This is the film United 93 wanted to be.  Stone tells the story of a pair of Port Authority cops (Nicholas Cage and Michael Pena) who are buried alive after entering the towers trying to save others on 9/11.  The film moves between their circumstances and those of their families (Maria Bello and Maggie Gyllenhaal as the wives) who watch in horror and desperation, not knowing if they are alive or dead.  Stone tells a basic story relying on human emotion and strong performances from a terrific cast.  The film opens on Wednesday and we’ll have the review.

Opening Friday:

Zoom

Tim Allen plays the superhero Captain Zoom who sends off his daughter (Kate Mara) to a special academy called Sky High where the youngsters with super powers are taught how to develop them by Professor X.  (Sony was actually sued over the “similarities”).  At the academy the kids learn about the plot of a new super-villain and band together to stop the new menace.  If the trailers are true, and they never lie, looks like it could be fun.  Anyone else think director Peter Hewitt might have made more out of Fantastic Four franchise?  (‘Course so would a coma patient, or a rock).

Pulse

Kristen Bell (the delectably cute Veronica Mars) stars in this English remake of Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s 2001 Kairo.  The plot involves the discovery of an evil signal that is hacked into and can’t be shut off.  The film also stars Christina Milan (why does there always have to be a “musician” in the group?), Ian Omerhalder, Riki Lindhome, Jonathan Tucker, and Julie Newcaster.  The track record of Japanese horror flicks remade by Hollywood doesn’t exactly inspire (remember last year’s Dark Water?), but the trailer comes off as both creepy and intriguing.  We’ll have to see for ourselves.

Step Up

Yet another film where the main plot focuses around dancing.  Oh boy.  In this one Tyler (Channing Tatum) is sentenced to community service at a super elite dance school (yeah, riiiight…).  There he meets a young sexy ballet dancer (Jenna Dewan) who pulls him out of his shell and helps him discover his hidden talent, a new respect for life, and a love of dancing.  Rachel Griffiths (Six Feet Under), Diedre Lovejoy, Ryan Sands, Alyson Stoner, Schuster Vance, and Courtney Irons also star.  Also with Anne Fletcher, choreographer turned first time director.  Check back Friday for the review.

Currently in Limited Release, Opening Wide on Friday:

Peaceful Warrior

The latest from writer/director Victor Salva (Jeepers Creepers, Clownhouse, Powder) is an inspirational and emotional tale of a young collegiate gymnast (Scott Mechlowicz) who strikes up a student/mentor relationship with a gas station sage (Nick Nolte) who teaches him the “way of the peaceful warrior.”  The film is based on Dan Millman’s semi-autobiographical book of the same name.  The supporting cast for the film includes Amy Smart and Ashton Holmes.  It’s been playing in limited release for about two months and will open wide on more screens this Friday.  Check back for our review.

Opening Friday in Limited Release:

Conversations with Other Women

At a wedding reception sparks fly between a man (Aaron Eckhart) and woman (Helena Bonham Carter) who continue to flirt.  The pair steal away together to a hotel room where more about their past and future is to be discovered and revealed.  For fans of dialogue, instead of action, you may have found something here in director Hans Canosa and writer Gabrielle Zevin’s latest collaboration (they gave us 2002’s Alma Mater).  The film also stars Olivia Wile, Brian Geraghty, Brianna Brown, and Thomas Lennon.  It opens on Friday in limited release in New York, Los Angeles, and San Fransisco.

The House of Sand (Casa de Areia)

A pregnant woman (Fernada Torres) and her new husband take her mother (Fernada Montenegro) and move to a remote region of northern Brazil in 1910.  Despite her husband’s love for the land, Aureilla will spend her life, with her mother and daughter, in the arid desert hoping only to escape.  Directed by Andrucha Waddington, the film is banking heavily on Montenego’s presence (one of the most respected actors in Brazil) and the chemisty in casting her real life daughter to play the same role in the film.  The Brazilian film is presented in Portuguese with English subtitles; it opens in New York and Los Angeles on Friday.

Waltzing Anna

Robert Capelli Jr. (who also co-wrote the script) stars as an unscrupuous New York doctor who thrives on the bureauracracy of the insurance system.  When found guilty he is sentenced to work six months at a nursing home where relationships with his patients and his romantic interest in a nurse (Emmanuelle Chriqui) begin to thaw the doctor’s cold heart.  The film also stas Marilyn Chris, Pat Hingle, Jeff Kovatch, Grant Shaud (of TV’s Murphy Brown), Casey Simasko, and Shelby Young.  The film was co-written and directed by Doug Bollinger; it opens in limited release on Friday.

Poster Boy

Matt Newton plays the title role of Henry, a closeted gay son of a conservative United States Senator (Michael Lerner).  When an openly gay friend (Jack Noseworthy) learns of Henry’s secret he decides to take advantage of the situation and get some revenge on the conservative right during the Senator’s re-election campaign.  Karen Allen, Valerie Geffner, Ian Reed Kesler, and Amanda Kaplan also star.  Co-written by Lecia Rosenthal and Ryan Shiraki, the film is directed by first timer Zak Tucker.  The only question is will anyone in the midwest get to, or want to, see it?  The film opens Friday in limited release.

Half Nelson

An inner-city junior high school techer (Ryan Gosling) is a favorite among students for his edgier approach and focus on teaching them to think for themselves.  When one of his students (Shareeka Epps) discovers his dark secret (drug addiction) an unlikely friendship forms as the two try to help each other.  Karen Chilton, Anthony Mackie, Tina Holmes, Monique Curnen, Stephanie Bast, and Bryce Silver also star.  The film is a longer version of writer/director Ryan Fleck’s 2004 short film Gowanus, Brooklyn (which also starred Epps and Chilton).  The film will be released in New York on Friday.

Viva Pedo!

Sony Pictures Classics is re-releasing eight of Pedro Almodovar’s films: Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, All About My Mother, Talk to Her, Flower of my Secret, Live Flesh, Law of Desire, Matador, and Bad Education.  Each film has been restored and new prints have been made for each film.  In November Almodovar’s latest film Volver will also be released.  The films will open in New York and Los Angeles on Friday and gradually expand to other cities this fall.  For more information check out the official site.

So what’s out there this week?  Well today we’ll take a look at the films scheduled to be released this Friday which include some animated animal mischief on the farm, Will Ferrell as a NASCAR driver “who can only count to #1,” Robin Williams caught up in a “real life” Twilight Zone-type adventure, and a British horror flick about the dark things found at the bottom of a cave.  All that 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.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Will Ferrell and NASCAR, need to know more?  Ferrell goes behind the wheel in the starring role as a great, but dimwitted (what else?), NASCAR driver who gets a run for his money when a French Formula One driver (Sasha Baron Coen) shows up to challenge him.  John C. Reilly stars as the teammate and best friend.  Written by Ferrell and Adam McKay (the pair gave us Anchorman).  This movie’s been promoted non-stop over the past few weeks, but can Ferrell and McKay get the same laughs without the likes of Steve Carrell, Paul Rudd, and Christina Applegate?  Check back Friday for the review.

Barnyard: The Original Party Animals

Ever wonder what farm animals do when no one’s looking?  Well here ya’ go.  Animated misadventures of a cow named Otis (Kevin James) and his wacky pals who party and enjoy playing tricks on humans.  That is until the coyotes show giving them much bigger concerns.  The likeable, fun comedy also stars the voices of Danny Glover, Courteney Cox, David Koechner, Andie MacDowell, Wanda Sykes, Dom Irrera, Jeffrey Garcia, Madeline Lovejoy as the adorable Tweety-like chick, and Sam Elliot as the serious leader (and darn good singer) of the Barnard.  Check back on Friday for the review.

The Night Listener

Popular radio host Gabriel Noone (Robin Williams) deals with a recent break-up (Bobby Cannavale) and begins reading a new book about the wild “true” experiences of a dying boy (Rory Culkin).  Gabriel begins a phone relationship with the boy and the woman who takes care of him (Toni Collette), but begins to have doubts about his story and suspicions on the boy’s identity which leads him on a dark journey to find the truth.  Interesting idea even if it doesn’t quite pan out.  The film is directed by Patrick Stettner (The Business of Strangers).  Check back Friday for the review.

The Descent

British horror flick from last year (already available on DVD in the UK) follows a group of young women on a cave expedition that goes horribly wrong when they discover strange people-eatin’ monsters.  Sounds kinda’ like last year’s hysterically bad The Cave, but it did turn out to be a hit at Comic-Con and has some nice press behind it.  Also this new print has a different ending for American audiences.  Shauna Macdonald, Natalie jackson Mendoza, Alex Reid, Nora-Jane Noone, and Saskia Mulder star as sexy monster food.  The film was written and directed by Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, Combat).

Quinceanera (limited)

A big hit at this year’s Sundance (it won the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize) tells the tale of Magdalena (Emily Rios) who is thrown out of her home on her 15th birthday when her parents discover she is pregnant.  With nowhere else to go she moves in with her uncle (Cahlo Gonzalez) and an estranged gay cousin (Jesse Garcia).  Written and directed by Richard Glatzer (The Fluffer, Grief) and Wash Westmoreland (The Hole, Animus).  The film gets a limited release today with wider distribution in the coming weeks; check you local listings to see when it’s playing near you.

So what’s out there this week.  Well today we’ll take a look at the films scheduled to be released this week.  On Wednesday (in limited release) Steve Carrell, Alan Arkin, and Greg Kinnear go on a dysfunctional family road trip with Little Miss Sunshine.  And by Friday we will see Michael Mann return to tales of drugs and sex in south Florida with detectives Crockett and Tubbs, Woody Allen and Scarlett Johansson try to get the Scoop, an animated Paul Giamatti will learn to respect ants, and a high school gigolo will get his just deserts.  All that 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 Wednesday:

Little Miss Sunshine (limited)

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 opens in limited release Wednesday and we’ll have the review.

Opening Friday:

Miami Vice

Director Michael Mann goes into the way-back machine and travels to the mid 80’s to bring his once top rated cop drama to the big screen.  Two Miami vice cops, Crockett (Colin Farrell) and Tubbs (Jamie Fox), are still going strong after all this time.  The plot, oh who am I kidding nobody’s going to see this for the plot!  The supporting cast includes Li Gong (2046), Luis Tosar, John Ortiz, Juantia Billue, and RazorFine favorite Naomie Harris.  Without trying it should be better than recent TV-to-film attempts (Bewitched, Dukes of Hazard).  Check back Friday for the review.

The Ant Bully

Young friendless Lucas Nickle (Zach Tyler) loves tormenting the local ant colony, that is until the ants shrink him down to size and turn the tables on the once powerful Ant Bully by putting him to work fixing all the damage he caused.  Ok, Shakespeare it ain’t, but there is a little room for optimism.  The film is written and directed by John A. Davis (Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius) and boasts a nice cast of voices including Paul Giamatti, Nicholas Cage, Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Julia Roberts, Larry Miller, Ricardo “Khan” Montalban, Chri Oteri, and Smallville‘s Allison Mack. 

John Tucker Must Die

High school stud and gigolo John Tucker (Jesse Metcalfe) is living the good life until all three of his girlfriends (Ashanti, Arielle Kebbel, Sophia Bush) get together and compare notes and decide to give the womanizer some much needed payback by enlisting the help of the school’s newest student (Brittany Snow).  Girl Power!  The film is directed by Betty Thomas who scored with 28 Days but also has I-Spy and Doctor Dolittle to answer for.  The script was penned by sitcom writer Jeff Lowell (Just Shoot Me!, Spin City, Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane).  Check back Friday for the review.

Scoop (limited)

Woody Allen re-teams with Scarlett Johansson (she starred in last year’s Match Point).  She plays an American journalism student, after being visited by a ghost (Ian McShane) who gives her the scoop of a lifetime, begins an affair with an aristocrat (Hugh Jackman) who she thinks might be a serial killer!  The trailer suggests the title Scoop of the Jade Scorpion may be more apt.  Also along for the ride are James Nesbitt, Romola Garai, Colin Salmon, Robyn Kerr, Jody Halse, and Suzy Kewer.  It opens in limited release of Friday, and we’ll have the scoop (heh) review for you.

Brothers of the Head (limited)

The film follows the lives of conjoined twins (Harry and Luke Treadway) who are chosen by a music promoter in the 70’s who turns the pair into a proto-punk rock and roll freakshow boy band.  This is the first feature by directors Keith Fulton and Luis Pepe who gave us the remarkably funny and tragic documentary Lost in La Mancha who chose Tony Grisoni (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, In This World) to adapt the cult novel by Brian Aldiss to the screen.  Not exactly your run of the mill rock film.  It opens Friday in limited release and we’ll have the review; look for it in wider release in the coming weeks.

Another Gay Movie (limited)

Think a gay version of American Pie.  After graduating high school, four gay friends make a pact to lose their anal virginity before going off to college.  They seek the help of their lesbian chick-magnet () to help them score with the guys.  See, gay themed movies can be just as pointless, tasteless and shameful as hetero big budget films!  The film was written and directed by Todd Stephens (Gypsy 83, Edge of Seventeen).  It’s out in limited release on Friday and I’m sure if you want to see this badly enough (please tell us why?) you’ll be able to find it at the local art house in the coming weeks.

America: Freedom to Fascism (limited)

A biography on George W. Bush’s presidency already?  (Heh, yeah, it was a cheap shot – doesn’t make it untrue).  This documentary “explores the erosion of civil liberties in America.”  Producer/director Aaron Russo sets out on a journey to discover why Americans must pay income tax and finds a disturbing trend of the curtailing of American’s civil liberties over the last one-hundred years as he examined subjects such as money creation and voter fraud.  A huge hit at Cannes (it received a standing ovation), the film gets a limited release starting today, look for it in wider areas in the coming weeks (though you’ll probably still have to hunt for it).