Movie Tarts: January 2011

Welcome 2011.  Bring us some good movies, please.  Especially this summer...  Because, frankly, January's lineup is weak sauce.  I can only find three movies I have a remote desire to try out. 

My Most Anticipated Movie this January is: The Way Back - Yeah, I know, Colin Farrell is in this and it's my most anticipated movie??  I couldn't believe it either.  Despite Colin's terribleness, the movie is directed by Peter Weir.  You might know him from directing: Master and Commander, The Truman Show, and Dead Poets Society.  It also stars a young man I think will be a very well known actor one day - Jim Sturgess.  He starred in one of my favorite movies (#23 on my flickchart.com) - Across the Universe.  He might be better known for one of his merely decent roles in the highly publicized "21."  But I think The Way Back will make him a more known star because he deserves it.  I project a B-. (01/21)



My Second Most Anticipated Movie this January is: The Green Hornet - This is a strange movie and I'll tell you why.  First off, it's a super hero movie starring Seth Rogen.  Weird.  Second, Jay Chou (the Chinese guy) has never been in a movie titled with only English words and so it's strange that his first is a high-budget movie starring a big movie star.  Pretty Weird.  And third, this movie is directed by Michel Gondry (who I love, but most people don't).  He is the director of such movies: Be Kind Rewind (2008), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), and The Science of Sleep (2006). (Also he directed an episode of cult-fav TV series Flight of the Conchords).  Ultimately, I think this movie will be okay.  I think enough Seth Rogen will make it funny and enough cool gadgets and cars will make it testerone-y enough.  I'm projecting a C+. (01/14)



The Company Men - New Release Date (01/21)  See my opinion from back when it was supposed to be released...here.

Barney's Version - This stars two phenomenal actors - Paul Giamatti and Dustin Hoffman.  The trailer for this film makes me worry about it's style and direction, but the quality of actors and the amazing story pulls me in.

Movie Tarts: December 2010

The last month of the year and the it looks like, movie-wise, it's going out with a punch.  There are some potentially amazing movies this Christmas season.

My Most Anticipated Movie this December is: True Grit - Ethan and Joel Coen are at it again.  This looks just as good as their other greats: Fargo, No Country For Old Men, Oh Brother Where Art Thou, Burn After Reading, Raising Arizona, and many others. (12/24)

My Second My Anticipated Movie this December is: Tron: Legacy - It is here! Finally! Listen up nerds, Tron is back!  (12/17)

Black Swan - My friend Kristin Mann told me about this movie a while ago, and as weird as it looked, I can't get over the feeling that it is going to be great.  Not only is Darren Aronofsky directing it, but Natalie Portman has some redemption in this movie and Mila Kunis has some creditability in this movie. (12/3)

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale - I just don't understand....WTF?  I want to see it just to figure it out. (12/3)

The Tourist - So this movie is basically Knight and Day with a little Salt.  The dynamic of both Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie in the same movie makes it worth seeing in the end. (12/10)

The Tempest - From the director of Across the Universe (one of my favs), comes this intriguing film.  Knowing the style that I'm stepping into helps when I see this, but regardless, it should impress.  This is based off of Shakespeare's The Tempest and should resemble Romeo + Juliet. (12/10)

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of Dawn Treader - I never read the books past the first one, but I am excited about this film.  I hope it can redeem the series because of the awfulness of the last one. (12/10)

The Company Men - The premier of this film was pushed back from September until December 10, 2010.  See my thoughts about it back in September.

The Fighter - Mark Wahlberg is about to be the new Rocky Balboa.  Everyone get ready for lots and lots of Rocky jokes directed at Mark Wahlberg, but ignore them and see this movie for what it is and not how much it's like Rocky.  Because it's not. (12/10)

How Do You Do - This looks like a cute, witty movie because of the poweful cast: Paul Rudd, Reese Whitherspoon, Owen Wilson and Jack Nicholson.  I'm definitely looking forward to it.  I hope the trailer isn't the best part. (12/17)

Rabbit Hole - This looks like a real tear jerker.  It looks to be based on a great, award-winning play and on a true story WITH actors like Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart.  (12/17)

Little Fockers - I don't know why we have sequels.  Most of the time they are garbage.  I hope this isn't one of those times.  But it probably is.  Dang it. (12/24)

Gulliver's Travels - Starring Jack Black.  So it's not going to be a seriously good movie, but it might be worth some laughs.  Interesting note: Hud from Cloverfield and Jason Segel from How I Met Your Mother are in it. (12/24)

Movie Tarts: November 2010

Here comes the holiday season, and with it comes all the movies that weren't quite ready for the summer movie season.

My Most Anticipated Movie this November is:  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, of course!  And this wasn't a clear forerunner for the most anticipated movie.  There are some particularly interesting movies this November. 

My Second Most Anticipated Movie this November is: 127 Hours

This movie looks intensely stressful! Which is weird because it's about a guy who is probably the opposite of stress.  Plus James Franco will really shine in this one.

Megamind - Well we know that Will Ferrell can make terrible movies, but I have a feeling this is not going to be one of them.  In an era of animation movies that are appealing to all ages, this one will fit right in.  But in a Will Ferrell kind of way.

Due Date - Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis.  And Jamie Fox. What a combo!  This is going to be so funny!

Morning Glory - This movie has a mix of actors with high caliber that will produce results.  Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, the underrated Rachel McAdams, and many others.

The Next Three Days - I'm not sure about this one yet, but with Russell Crowe and Liam Neeson and 30 Rock's Elizabeth Banks, it will definitely be worth seeing.

Love and Other Drugs - This one is directed by Edward Zwick so you know it'll be good.  But it's a romantic comedy by Edward Zwick! And it stars Jake Gyllenhaal (one of my favorites) and Anne Hathaway (everyone's favorite).

 The King's Speech - It has all the ingredients to be good, so I assume it will be. 

Movies to Look Forward to October 2010

The summer movie hype is over and now comes the time of year where movies are saved for the Holidays.  This October should have some good movies to tide us over until November and December.  Here is what I'm looking forward to:

My most anticipated movie of October is: The Social Network - The movie about the birth and toddler years of facebook.

Freakonomics - If you haven't read the book, you need to.  It's Malcolm Gladwell-type reading, but it is amazing!  I hope this documentary does the book some justice.

Life As We Know It - This looks like a strangely beautiful movie.  Knocked Up had a similar feel to it.

Conviction - A heartfelt, feel-good story starring Hilary Swank.  Something different, right?  No...  and you'll never guess....it's a true story, too.

Red - This movie seems like a The Expendables knock-off, sorta.

The Company Men - After I saw the trailer, I didn't think it was still worth seeing, until I noticed the cast; and then, I couldn't wait to see it.  Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Costner, Chris Cooper, and written by John Wells.

Movies to Look Forward to September 2010

The summer movie fever is slowing down and the cool, breezy fall movie season is only a month away.  With life greatest sport starting up in less than a month, this fall's season of movies looks to be impressive enough to make me sacrifice some games.

Here's what I'm looking forward to this September:

My most anticipated movie this month: Waiting for 'Superman'

The American starring George Clooney

M. Night Shamaylan's Devil (read the latest on M. Night here)

Can M Night right his ship?  His last two films, The Happening and The Last Airbender, were atrocities.

Jack Goes Boating with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Holly from The Office

(Unfortunately, it's rated R so I won't be seeing it)

For the wife- You Again starring Kristen Bell, Sigourny Weaver, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lyla Garrity from Friday Night Lights

Buried (Looks like a movie that could be really good, or really bad)

It's Kind of a Funny Story (finally the world is seeing the humor from Zach Galifianakis)

Movies I'm not looking forward to:

• Wall Street Never Sleeps - Every time I see the preview, I get less excited.
• Resident Evil: Afterlife - Can you believe they are continuing these movies?
• Easy A - Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes, blah blah, shoot me

Movies I'm not sure about yet:

• I'm Still Here - A doc about Joaquin Phoenix? Really? But...why?

• Never Let Me Go - New Kiera Knightley movie
• Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole - I'm pretty sure this is going to be super dumb because it's about owls that talk and guard stuff!  The trailer was awesome though.