Film Monthly

Oranges and Sunshine

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 23:54:42 -0600

Oranges and Sunshine depicts the true story of British social worker, Margaret Humphreys (Emily Watson), who by chance uncovered the scandalous covert deportation of over 100,000 children that took place over 2 decades from the United Kingdom to Australia by boat. Many parents were told their children had been adopted and on to a better life while the children were told their parents had died. Margaret (Emily Watson) single-handedly set out on a quest to help these adult children find their truth and identity. Emily Watson is an engaging actress. She is a rare artist who actually transforms into the character she portrays. In this film she is a social worker who goes from having a small private practice and leading small support groups to the enormous commitment of finding the identities of thousands of people who were secretly sent away as children to labor camps in Australia. We see the stress that starts to wear on her when she hears all the pain and suffering of the people’s stories she interviews, not to mention harassment by the people still trying to cover up the political end and, on top of that, just missing her family and seeing her kids grow up without her as she travels back and forth between countries. As a result, she develops post-traumatic stress disorder. The supporting cast is equally strong. At times the film actually felt like a documentary, especially in its portrayal of the abused children. The role of the husband was a little over the top. He is the quintessential perfect supportive, super accommodating husband as she flies back and forth from the UK to Australia spending weeks of every month there leaving her husband with her 2 young kids. If more men were actually like this we wouldn’t have divorce rate statistics. The only part I was disappointed with was the story of the brother and sister duo. We follow their story from the beginning and eventually find out that they were very loved by their mother and when the trace gets closer to the mother we find out she passed away the year before the search began. So we never find out how they ended up in Australia at a labor camp when it’s very clear they were very loved and were told their mother would never do such a thing. This is really frustrating to just leave you with that loose end but maybe it was the effect they wanted to instill on the viewer so we too could really experience what these people are going through dealing with all the unanswered questions and leading a life haunted by their past.

Watchmen

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:22:09 -0600

I came to the film Watchmen by what is perhaps a slightly different trajectory than either the die-hard fanboys or the uninitiated filmgoer. I did not read Watchmen when it first came out, since I considered it to be just a “comic book”. Real literature had words and didn’t need pictures, and that’s what I thought until last summer, when I saw the first trailer for the film version. Ironically, the images in the trailer intrigued me enough that I bought the graphic novel and read it and became an instant, die-hard fanboy myself, eagerly awaiting the release of the film. I went into it with very high expectations. Did the film meet my expectations? No. It exceeded them, being everything that I’d hoped for and more. However, I suspect that the film itself is something of a Rorschach test, wherein what you see depends on what you come expecting to see, and the comments of a friend who saw it with me indicate that maybe this is one for the fans, outside the realm of appreciation of non-fans. My friend, who is a very smart and literate filmgoer, was mostly bored by the whole thing, and kept waiting for the story to start, or at least unfold in some sort of linear fashion. Now, if you know the book, you know that the story is not linear in the least. Still, his comments made me wonder whether the effect of the film is a result of what the filmgoer brings to it. Don’t get me wrong – I was absolutely blown away. I just cannot say honestly how much of what I saw onscreen was what was already in my head from the book, and how much was really there. However, I wouldn’t have had any doubts had I not heard that my fellow filmgoer had been bored most of the time. While I was sitting there for two hours and forty-six minutes, I was utterly engaged – in fact, the film seemed to breeze by, moving from set-piece to set-piece with a relentless logic and never-flagging pace. This effect is not achieved without judicious cutting and slight rearranging of the source material, but none of the omissions really bothered me. Two missing bits that are pretty much an open secret by now are “Tales of the Black Freighter” and “Under the Hood”. The former would have slowed the film down without contributing to the climax, while the latter is hinted at in a brilliant opening-credit montage. I was surprised, however, by several apparently large events that do not appear, although I didn’t really miss them, and let’s just say that an incident near the end of the graphic novel begins much earlier in the film and is extended over a longer period. Attention to detail is meticulous, and many moments feel like the pages of the graphic novel brought to vivid life. The cast is outstanding, especially Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children) as Rorschach, who has to give most of his performance from behind an ever-shifting mask and then proceeds to steal the show from the special effect. It was one of the ironies in the graphic novel that Rorschach, the most alienated and disenfranchised of the characters, goes on to be the most sympathetic. Haley takes us on every step of that journey. Equally good are Billy Crudup (The Good Shepherd) who appears mostly as a special effect but whose ultimate humanity still comes through the motion-capture; Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Grey’s Anatomy) endows The Comedian with the proper degree of pragmatic cynicism and sheer force of presence. Providing the heart of the piece is the relationship between Patrick Wilson’s (Lakeview Terrace) Night Owl II and Malin Akerman’s (27 Dresses) Silk Spectre II, second generation masked heroes who discover that the profession is truly in their blood. (Incidentally, I don’t understand a lot of the critical drubbing Akerman has taken for this role. She brings everything we expect in the character to the screen and has real chemistry with Wilson.) Rounding out the fine ensemble are Matthew Goode (Match Point) as “smartest man in the world” Adrian Veidt, formerly known as Ozymandias; and Carla Gugino (American Gangster) as Sally Jupiter, aka the original Silk Spectre, former super-hero turned alcoholic retirement home resident, and mother of Silk Spectre II. Probably the most amazing thing about the cast, though, is how much they resemble the graphic novel originals, and this extends to such minor characters as Dr. Malcolm Long, Wally Weaver, Big Figure, Bernie, and the Knot Tops. So – do I recommend the film? If you’ve read the graphic novel, I give an emphatic Thumbs Up. Yes, yes, yes. Watchmen fulfills the promise of adapting this deep and difficult work to the big screen. If you haven’t read the graphic novel? I don’t know. Probably the best advice I can give is “read the book first, then see the movie.” This is the opposite of what I’d usually advise, but then again Watchmen is the opposite of a Hollywood blockbuster. Rather than being dumbed down for the least common audience member, Warner Bros. wisely chose to stand back and let the creative team do their thing while being fully faithful to and reverent of the source. We could have wound up with some fluffy piece of crap like Fantastic Four. Instead, we have a Masterpiece of Cinema. Whether that opinion expands to the uninitiated or remains a tenet of the faithful remains to be seen. For my part, I’m still dancing in the afterglow of an amazing film, and am re-posing my Ozymandias and Silk Spectre I action figures next to my monitor. Hey, shut up. I preserved all the original packaging. These are going back in the boxes when the DVD comes out, to be sold around 2039 as part of my retirement fund. And... I’m still curious. If you read the book then loved the movie, or never read the book and hated the movie, let me know by emailing me through this site. UPDATE: Watchmen is now out on DVD, and I highly recommend the Director's cut, which is extended by twenty-four minutes, but does not seem longer than the original. One of the moments I alluded to being missing in my original review -- the murder of Hollis Mason -- has been restored, as is Night Owl II's reaction to it, and the additional footage adds to the overall film. Rorschach has more narration and, while I'm normally not a fan of voice over, this really isn't that. Again, it adds to the film. If you're a true fan, then you need to add the widescreen, two-disc director's cut to your collection, as well as the stand-alone single disc Under the Hood/Tales of the Black Freighter compilation. Tales would not have added to the director's cut, mainly because its original raison d'etre has been famously removed from the film, but it's worth seeing on its own. Under the Hood is a clever faux-1985 TV news magazine that in turn reviews a 1977 episode of the same show in which Night Owl I was the interview subject, and it fills in much of the history of the first generation of masked avengers. Again, something you already know if you're a fan of the book, but so lovingly recreated by Zack Snyder with impeccable detail that it's a real treat to watch.

He's Just Not That Into You

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:07:15 -0600

The rights to a well-known and droll self-help book about dating. Check. Equally popular and capable cast. Check. Well placed 80’s pop songs. Check. Release date on or close to February 14th. Check. Produced by Drew Barrymore and Flower Films, well known for a string of romantic comedy touchdowns. Check. Onslaught of promotional appearances and peppy commercials. Check. Greenlight! He's Just Not That Into You is a perfect melting pot of all the ingredients required for a chick-flick grand slam. This is precisely why a large population of the movie-going public will be turned off by the sheer idea of this movie almost immediately, thinking something along the lines of, “psychobabble mumbo-jumbo about needy women and their dating woes in cinematic form…no thanks, I’ll pass.” This marketing dream of a film ended up exceeding my mediocre expectations, and hitting a home run anyway. Based on the popular 2004 book of the same title by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, viewers get a glimpse into a cluster of relationships , almost-relationships, chemistry-riddled friendships, and floundering marriages that all proceed toward one key idea: forcing any sort of relationship will almost always end in its downfall. Another main theme is the idea that love is something that often happens while you are seeking it elsewhere and with Mr. or Miss Wrong. Basically - relax, ladies (and lovelorn men)! Love has a knack for falling into your lap when you least expect it will. The all-star padded cast includes Jennifer Aniston, Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Connelly, Bradley Cooper, producer Drew Barrymore, Kevin Connolly, Scarlett Johansson, Justin Long, and Ben Affleck - a packed house of popular, charming and even critically acclaimed talents. Often times, one may assume if a film seems too desperate for the public’s attention with its dreamy assembly of the above-mentioned big-hitters, that it must be at a lack for content. Not quite so. Although this movie solves no world problems, and may not bludgeon its viewers with deep and meaningful questions upon leaving the theater, it is still an enjoyable ride. The film’s meandering and cleverly interwoven storylines neither proves or disproves Mr. Behrendt’s theories, instead opting to suggest that sometimes he is just not that into you, and sometimes he is just that into you. Often times it happens to be very obvious if he is into you or not, but only if you can take the dating game in stride (re: eliminating pressure on oneself or on one’s potential suitors). The suggestion is made that by placing as little pressure on finding love as possible it may be easier to come by all together. I find this idea doubles as a perfect mindset to have before seeing this film. Don’t expect to be shaken and stirred with new insights and theories about life and love, but rather, enjoy this film for what it is. He’s Just Not That Into You is a perfect storm of the elements that create an experience that is what movies at their best should be: a fun, no pretenses, slice of life, and The Cure’s “Friday I’m In Love” splashed in as the credits roll, for good measure.

What's Hot at the Moves This Week 2/5/09

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:37:35 -0600

Slumdog Millionaire finally fell off the top five after having been there for the last few and having risen there very slowly. This is a movie that was released before Thanksgiving, after all. It speaks of the power of the film as well as the power of the Academy Awards and how nominations affect the viewing public. Just as impressive, Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino is still the top five, having been there for eight weeks. Yet, no Oscar nominations for him!

1. Taken. This is the type of movie it took to knock the segway-riding rent-a-cop off the top position. This action thriller stars Liam Neeson as a former government operative that is given ninety-six hours to find his teenage daughter (Maggie Grace) who was kidnapped while on vacation in Paris. He uses all the skills he's been honing over the years to track the kidnapper, and thinks it's the work of an Armenian sex trafficking ring.

2. Paul Blart: Mall Cop. After three weeks at the box office, it just this week fell from the top, and that speaks a lot for the comedy of Kevin James. He should be glad he finally stepped away from the sitcoms and being in Adam Sandler's shadow. He speaks about that in his interview with Paul Fischer, and about co-writing and starring in this film about a rent-a-cop that rides around a mall on a Segway, then finds himself using his skills just like a real cop.

3. The Uninvited. I'm a little surprised that the two thrillers opening this weekend landed in the top five, but not the comedy, New In Town. This one stars Emily Browning, Elizabeth Banks, Arielle Kebbel, and David Strathairn. Browning stars as a girl that is locked up in a psychiatric facility after her mom dies. When she is eventually released, she comes home to find the nurse that had attended her mother has moved in and become engaged to her father. She works with her sister to try and show her dad the truth behind his fiancée.

4. Hotel for Dogs. I can't say it enough, how thrilled I am that this is still in the top five after three weeks, even holding its spot this past week. My daughter the dog lover may have possibly liked this even more than Marley & Me, but I wasn't sure how that would translate to the rest of the public. Two orphaned kids, trying to keep their own dog hidden from their foster parents, hide him out in an old hotel with a few other dogs, then get the idea to house all strays here so they aren't destroyed within 72 hours at the pound. Read my review to read about the strong message in the film of good vs. evil.

5. Gran Torino. Hopefully this is making it up to Clint Eastwood for the Oscar snub, that this movie is still in the top five after eight weeks at the box office. He produced, directed, and starred in this film as an aging Korean War veteran, retired and widowed, being forced to confront his prejudices. He's held on to these prejudices for so long, yet he doesn't have a choice but to change in the face of the current times as many of these people he despises have now become his neighbors.

Opening this weekend:

Coraline. From the same people behind The Nightmare Before Christmas, this animated film stars the voice talents of Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, and Ian McShane. Coraline is a young girl that's bored in her new home, then finds a secret door with an alternate version of her life on the other side. This alternate life is like her real life, just a little better. It then becomes not so perfect when her other parents try to force her to stay. Find out why Neko Pilarcik thinks everyone should see this film.

He's Just Not That Into You. It seems like every actor and actress is in this film, but it's really just Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Bradley cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson, Kris Kristofferson (who seems a little out of place in this list), Justin Long (even more out of place after his breakup with Barrymore), and ironically Jennifer Connelly and Kevin Connolly (note the different spellings). These twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings are trying to make it through the dating life unscathed to possibly move on to marriage in this romantic comedy.

The Pink Panther 2. Steve Martin is joined again by Jean Reno and Emily Mortimer in this followup to the 2006 hit, again taking on the part originated by Peter Sellers. He's assigned in this one to investigate stolen treasures from around the world, including the Pink Panther Diamond. Also appearing are Alfred Molina, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Andy Garcia, Lily Tomlin and John Cleese.

Push. Interestingly, this is the second Dakota Fanning movie opening this weekend. She stars in this action thriller along with Chris Evans, Camilla Belle, Djimon Hounsou, Maggie Siff, Scott Michael Campbell. In the world of psychic espionage, some, through artificial means, have the ability to move things with the minds, see into the future, and kill people without ever touching them. Evans and Fanning work against time to save the future of civilization.

What's Hot at the Movies This Week 1/29/09

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:11:55 -0600

I have to give Clint Eastwood credit for making a movie that is still doing well at the box office. Now if only the Academy would have noticed that as well. The Academy did notice Slumdog Millionaire to the tune of ten nominations, including Best Motion Picture of the Year. I think it is that attention alone that is making it move up the chart after eleven weeks at the box office instead of downward.

1. Paul Blart: Mall Cop. Okay, I'll give this movie one week at the number one spot, but two weeks in a row? I had no desire to see this movie originally, but I'll admit to falling to peer pressure. The more I see it at the top of the box office chart, the more I want to see it. As he talks about in his interview with Paul Fischer, Kevin James breaks away from his sitcom role and out of the shadow of Adam Sandler, co-writing and starring in this film about a rent-a-cop that rides around a mall on a Segway, then finds himself using his skills just like a real cop.

2. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. Okay, so a movie about a Segway-riding rent-a-cop is number one, and the number two movie is werewolves and vampires doing West Side Story? It's truly puzzling. This movie examines the long-held feud between the vampires, aka the Death Dealers, and the werewolves, aka the Lycans. Along with the warring factions, we also have star-crossed lovers of a young werewolf and beautiful vampire. Interestingly, two of the stars are in other films out right now. Michael Sheen also stars in Frost/Nixon, and Bill Nighy also stars in Valkyrie.

3. Gran Torino. Hopefully this is making it up to Clint Eastwood for the Oscar snub, that this movie is still number three after seven weeks at the box office. He produced, directed, and starred in this film as an aging Korean War veteran, retired and widowed, being forced to confront his prejudices. He's held on to these prejudices for so long, yet he doesn't have a choice but to change in the face of the current times as many of these people he despises have now become his neighbors.

4. Hotel for Dogs. I really liked this movie, so I'm thrilled that it's still in the top five after two weeks, and that it even moved up a spot this week. My daughter the dog lover may have possibly liked this even more than Marley & Me, but I wasn't sure how that would translate to the rest of the public. Two orphaned kids, trying to keep their own dog hidden from their foster parents, hide him out in an old hotel with a few other dogs, then get the idea to house all strays here so they aren't destroyed within 72 hours at the pound. Read my review to read about the strong message in the film of good vs. evil.

5. Slumdog Millionaire. This movie is climbing the charts after eleven weeks at the box office. Of course, we have to recognize the fact that like most of the moves receiving critical acclaim from the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards, it wasn't released nationwide until after the Golden Globe nominations. Surely the success there has helped Slumdog tremendously. Dev Patel stars as an 18- year-old orphaned boy from the Mumbai slums who goes on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, and just when he's about to go for the big win, he's arrested for cheating.

Opening this weekend:

Taken. This action thriller stars Liam Neeson as a former government operative that is given ninety-six hours to find his teenage daughter (Maggie Grace) who was kidnapped while on vacation in Paris. He uses all the skills he's been honing over the years to track the kidnapper, and thinks it's the work of an Armenian sex trafficking ring.

The Uninvited. It's another thriller opening this weekend, with this one starring Emily Browning, Elizabeth Banks, Arielle Kebbel, and David Strathairn. Browning stars as a girl that is locked up in a psychiatric facility after her mom dies. When she is eventually released, she comes home to find the nurse that had attended her mother has moved in and become engaged to her father. She works with her sister to try and show her dad the truth behind his fiancée.

New In Town. For a break away from the two thrillers opening this weekend, Renee Zellweger and Harry Connick, Jr. star in this romantic comedy. Zellweger is a Miami executive sent to a blue collar town in Minnesota to restructure a manufacturing plant, and finds life there very different than what she's used to. In typical romantic comedy style, it's not love at first sight between her and Connick, Jr.

What's Hot at the Movies This Week 1/22/09

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:53:33 -0600

I guess we were ready for some new offerings at the box office last week. Only one movie in the top five was in theaters before last weekend. The movies that have been sitting up there quite comfortably for weeks are now relegated to the positions of sixth through twelfth place, including Marley & Me. Jennifer Aniston need not worry, she's still topping her ex in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on the list, then again, he's the own with the Oscar nomination. This big glut of new movies last weekend is probably the reason we only have two opening this week with a wide release.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop I have to admit I'm a little shocked this movie is doing so well. Some have really trashed it, and realizing that I liked a few movies that got Razzies nominations, I figured it to be an okay film that would garner some laughs, but those types of movies usually don't do this well at the box office. As he talks about in his interview with Paul Fischer, Kevin James breaks away from his sitcom role and out of the shadow of Adam Sandler, co-writing and starring in this film about a rent-a-cop that rides around a mall on a Segway, then finds himself using his skills just like a real cop.

2. Gran Torino. It's a good thing the public really likes Clint Eastwood's film and is showing him that every week, as the Academy totally snubbed him this week with Oscar nominations. He produced, directed, and starred in this film, and it's still number two in its sixth week at the box office, and the critics seem to have enjoyed it as well. Maybe they figured the other Oscars he has sitting on his shelf are enough for him. Eastwood stars as an aging Korean War veteran, retired and widowed, being forced to confront his prejudices. He's held on to these prejudices for so long, yet he doesn't have a choice but to change in the face of the current times as many of these people he despises have now become his neighbors.

3. My Bloody Valentine 3D. I'm always surprised when slasher flicks do well at the box office. I guess I should finally get the hint and realize their power with certain audiences. This one doesn't even have any big names in it, yet, I suppose it has the 3D thing going for it, and heck, I even saw Friday the 13th Part III in 3D. Slasher films back then, though, didn't seem as grisly, even with the eyeball coming at me. A man that fell into a coma after a coal mining incident seeks revenge on the town, waking up on Valentine's Day one year later. Ten years after that, someone is killing again. Reviewer Jason Coffman calls this a surprisingly gruesome modern take on the classic slasher formula.

4. Notorious. It's no surprise this film is doing well, as it's causing violence at the premieres across the country, and that type of publicity just seems to hype people up more. Relatively unknown Jamal Woolard stars in the title role in this biography of rapper Notorious B.I.G., and Angela Bassett takes time away from the final season of ER to costar as his mother. Sean Combs, or any of his other aliases of P-Diddy, Puffy, etc., executive produces. Read Elaine Hegwood Bowen's take on the film as she dissects how these actors played their real-life roles, many of them well-known.

5. Hotel for Dogs. As much as I really, really liked this film, it is a pleasant surprise to see it up this high. I enjoyed it, and my daughter the dog lover may have possibly liked it even more than Marley & Me, but I wasn't sure how that would translate to the rest of the public. Two orphaned kids, trying to keep their own dog hidden from their foster parents, hide him out in an old hotel with a few other dogs, then get the idea to house all strays here so they aren't destroyed within 72 hours at the pound. Read my review to read about the strong message in the film of good vs. evil.

Opening this weekend:

Inkheart. Brendan Fraser told Ellen DeGeneres on her show this week that this movie originated from a book, and the interesting part of that is how he first obtained it. He was sent the book with a note from the author saying he inspired the book, and she always saw him in the title role. He plays a dad who shares a unique gift with his daughter. When they read books aloud, they can bring characters to life. The problem is it comes with a cost. Someone else is then captured and sent into the pages of the book. He makes it his mission here to save his wife who had disappeared into a book back when his daughter was just a toddler. Read Paul Fischer's interview with Fraser to find a frank talk on how he sees himself in the business.

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. This movie examines the long-held feud between the vampires, aka the Death Dealers, and the werewolves, aka the Lycans. It seems to have a Romeo & Juliet/West Side Story pull as along with the warring factions, we also have star-crossed lovers of a young werewolf and beautiful vampire. Interestingly, two of the stars are in other films out right now. Michael Sheen also stars in Frost/Nixon, and Bill Nighy also stars in Valkyrie.

What's Hot at the Movies This Week 1/8/09

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:07:25 -0600

The top five movies at the box office this week all seem to have one thing in common. They each have a major star guiding it and pulling it along right to the front of the line. People are just going to naturally clamor to see Jennifer Aniston, Adam Sandler, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Jim Carrey. 1. Marley & Me. It's no surprise that this movie is doing so well. It's the type of blockbuster that can appeal to different audiences. It's a family film, yet also has enough in it to attract adult audiences as well. Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston star as two newspaper writers that adopt a dog that is adorable and charming as all get out, but has a destructive streak in him. Once they add kids to the mix, it just gets even crazier, yet the film doesn't just focus on crazy dog and kid stuff, it focuses on life. Check out my review of this film to find out how I connected to it. 2. Bedtime Stories. Adam Sandler is usually good for a box office smash, and it seems when he tones down the sophomoric humor that they turn into blockbusters. He stars in this one as the handman at a hotel who tells his niece and nephew stories only to have them come true after the fact. The kids start to realize all this as well, and they start to add some really outlandish things to the stories that really makes everything go wonky. 3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Just like Sandler, Brad Pitt usually seems to have a smash or blockbuster in him as well, and with all the hype lately of his famiy like with Angelina Jolie, and Jennifer Aniston's verbal attacks on her taking up with a married man, it's only going to do that much better. It must make Jen feel somewhat good, though, that she's the one on top at the box office. Based on the story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Pitt stars as a guy that is born as an old man and gets younger as he ages instead of the other way around. Read what Rick Villalobos and Elaine Hegwood Bowen have to say about it. 4. Valkyrie. And just like all of the above actors, Tom Cruise is certainly good for a smash or blockbuster, and is also good for interesting tidbits by the gossipers as well. Definitely playing against his normaly leading man type roles, Cruise stars in this true story as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg who plots to get rid of Adolph Hitler for good and to overthrow the Nazi government using Hitler's emergency plan called OperationValkyrie . Check out Jason Coffman's review as he explains why this could change your mind about WWII films. 5. Yes Man. You know the drill at this point. Just like all the others here in the top five, we have another actor in Jim Carrey that drives people to the theater with his movies. It seems like a classic Carrey role, and since I first started seeing trailers for this, it's reminded me of Liar, Liar. Here Carrey stars as a guy whose life is very unsatisfying. He enters into a self help program that instructs him to never answer no, agreeing to everything with a simple yes. Read Neal Fischer's review to read why he thinks we should all try Carrey's instructions as an experiment. Opening this weekend: Bride Wars. Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson star in this film as best friends who agree to be each other's maids of honor and set their weddings a few weeks apart at the same hall. A mixup happens with both weddings being booked on the same day, but neither bride wants to change her date, setting off a custody battle of sorts for the day, as they soon get very vengeful. Candice Bergen and Kristen Johnston costar in this film as well. I think it will either be extremely successful or bomb horribly, but I'm pretty much counting on it being successful. Not Easily Broken. Morris Chestnut and Taraji P. Henson star in this drama that is adapted from the book by Bishop T.D. Jakes as a couple that has the opposite in succcess as they had planned on. An injury stopped his plans to be a major league baseball player, leaving him as the head of a construction company, and she has become a successful real estate agent who seems to concentrate too much on her career. When she gets hurt in a car accident, it opens up their eyes to there being some serious problems in their relationship as they seem to have grown apart. The Unborn. The description of this film reminds me somewhat of The Haunting of Molly Hartley that was out a few months ago. Odette Yustman stars as a woman whose mother had left her as a child, causing years of pain and confusion, but she's starting to realize just why this was as she becomes haunted by nightmares that threaten everyone she loves. Gary Oldman stars as her spiritual advisor who she turns to for help in stopping the nightmares.

What's Hot at the Movies This Week 12/18/08

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:46:29 -0600

The top five list from the past few weeks is still resmbling the list we've had for the past couple of weeks, minus 007 and plus a classic. This week we'll have father taking on son as Will and Jaden Smith will battle it out in The Day the Earth Stood Still and Seven Pounds. Watching Jaden, it's obvious he gets his easy personality from his dad. I'm interested to see who will have the top spot next week. 1. The Day the Earth Stood Still. I'm a little surprised this remake of the 1951 classic made it to number one so quickly. However, having seen Jaden Smith on Ellen recently, that kid is so incredibly charming, maybe he's carrying the whole movie. An alien arrives here on earth, setting up an upheaval throughout the world. With everyone trying to figure out why the alien is here, a woman and her stepson are the ones that begin to piece it all together. We have some big name starring in this one with Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates, Jaden Smith, Jon Hamm, and Kyle Chandler. Read Paul Fischer's interview with Jon Hamm. 2. Four Christmases. Still on the charts after three weeks, this must be the holiday movie this season, especially since Nothing Like the Holidays didn't capture a top spot this week. Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn's performances, along with a storyline we can all relate to, makes this a winning film. With additional performances by Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, and Jon Voigt, this romantic comedy reminds us about the hassles of family during the holidays. A young couple so hates having to visit their four families during the holidays, and really don't want to share that part of their lives, meaning their kooky relatives, with each other, they go on exotic vacations every Christmas, telling their families they're doing charity work in third world countries. Check out my review here. 3. Twilight. It's the young people of the world keeping this movie in the top five, although it's falling one spot every week.. I don't even think my daughter knows what it's about. She just wants to see it because everyone else is talking about it. It's a vampire romance of sorts. A young girl that doesn't fit in moves to a new high school, finding a new boyfriend. He's a vampire, but knows a little something about not fitting in as he and his family don't follow the normal vampire rites. He believes he has found the woman he has waited many years for. Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson star as the young couple. You can read Rick Villalobos' review of this blockbuster here. 5. Australia. This was either going to be one of those films that was going to be really successful or die an early death. It's apparently taking the former path as it stays in the top five in its third week out. Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman star in what is described as a "sweeping epic" about the homeland of both Kidman and Jackman. Kidman comes to Australia to convince her husband to come back to England, but he dies before she arrives, and she ends up staying to continue his work. Read Jason Coffman's take here. Opening this weekend: Seven Pounds. It looks like it will be father battling son this week at the box office as Will Smith stars in this film against his son Jaden starring in The Day the Earth Stood Still. It was two years ago they starred in Pursuit of Happyness together. The elder Smith stars in this one as an IRS agent working on redemption who must change the lives of seven strangers. Until the end, we reportedly never find out if he's really evil or really good. It also stars Rosario Dawson, Michael Ealy, Barry Pepper, and Woody Harrelson. The Tale of Despereaux. It seems like this misses the boat somewhat, as 2007 was the year of the cute mouse movies. It'll be interesting to see if it overtakes the top five and knocks Bolt out, especially since this is a movie about a mouse who is weak and small with oversized ears, yet refuses to live small, believing he was destined for something really big. He's banished from his home for not living in the small world that was intended for him, and embarks on a mission, along with a rat, to save a princess. Starring the voice talents of Matthew Broderick, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Kline, Frank Langella, Christopher Lloyd, William H. Macy, Stanley Tucci, Tracey Ullman, Emma Watson, and Sigourney Weaver. Yes Man. Jim Carrey stars as a guy who is instructed by a self help program to say yes to everything. As hoped for and promised, this technique begins to change his life in all the important ways, but soon it seems it may be too much of a good thing. Will it be one of Carrey's flops or successes? Yes Man also stars Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, Rhys Darby, John Michael Higgins, Danny Masterson, and Terence Stamp.

What's Hot at the Movies This Week 12/11/08

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:09:53 -0600

The top five movies at the box office are the same ones that were in the top five last week. In fact, the first three spots are the same, with the films in the fourth and fifth spots simply switching places. This isn't necessarily fault with the films that made their debut last week however. The one that's receiving the most amount of hype, Frost/Nixon, only opened in limited theaters last week, and will expand to more this week, and even more on Christmas. Cadillac Records was only showing in 686 theaters as is stuck down in ninth place, while Punisher: War Zone ranks one spot higher and showed in 2500 theaters. Nobel Son didn't even make the top twelve. Here's a reminder of the films that are holding tightly to those top spots. 1. Four Christmases. It's not surprising that this film is still at the number one spot with stars Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn. Their performances along with a storyline we can all relate to makes it a winning film. With additional performances by Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, and Jon Voigt, this romantic comedy reminds us about the hassles of family during the holidays. A young couple so hates having to visit their four families during the holidays, and really don't want to share that part of their lives, meaning their kooky relatives, with each other, they go on exotic vacations every Christmas, telling their families they're doing charity work in third world countries. Check out my review here. 2. Twilight. It's the young people of the world keeping this movie at number two. Two weeks ago it was at number one, then fell to Four Christmases. I don't even think my daughter knows what it's about. She just wants to see it because everyone else is talking about it. It's a vampire romance of sorts. A young girl that doesn't fit in moves to a new high school, finding a new boyfriend. He's a vampire, but knows a little something about not fitting in as he and his family don't follow the normal vampire rites. He believes he has found the woman he has waited many years for. Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson star as the young couple. You can read Rick Villalobos' review of this blockbuster here. 4. Australia. This is one of those films that was either going to be really successful or die an early death. It seems to be taking the former path, as it moves up a spot in just its second week out, only behind an animated dog, vampires, and a movie soon to be a holiday classic. Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman star in what is described as a "sweeping epic" about the homeland of both Kidman and Jackman. Chidden comes to Australia to convince her husband to come back to England, but he dies before she arrives, and she ends up staying to continue his work. Read Jason Coffman's take here. 5. Quantum of Solace. The latest in a long line of James Bond films has been in the top five for four weeks now. It didn't have much competition in the beginning, but does now, and it's still hanging in there, but barely, falling a spot this week. Bond, played again by Daniel Craig, has been betrayed by a woman, Vesper, but we know he'll find another woman. After all, he's Bond, James Bond. Yet he can't give Vesper up this easy and while searching to find out what went wrong, he finds she was being blackmailed by a very powerful and dangerous organization. Read Del Harvey's review to find out why he was just a little disappointed. Opening this weekend: The Day the Earth Stood Still. Being called a contemporary reinvention of the original 1951 clasic, it features a story about an alien arriving here on earth, setting up an upheaveal throughout the world. With everyone trying to figure out why the alien is here, a woman and her stepson are the ones that begin to piece it all together. We have some big name starring in this one with Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates, Jaden Smith (as in Will's son), Jon Hamm, and Kyle Chandler. Read Paul Fischer's interview with Jon Hamm. Delgo. This fantasy sci-fi animated film has some of the weirdest-looking characters I've ever seen. They're like alien-dragon-looking things, and fairies that aren't even pretty. A teenage boy falls in love with the princess of an opposing race, making it somewhat of a Romeo and Juliet type of story, an odd-looking Romeo and Juliet. There's an impressive list of character voices with Freddie Prinze, Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, Val Kilmer, Chris Kattan, Michael Clarke Duncan, Eric Idle, Malcolm McDowell, Kelly Ripa, Lou Gossett, Jr., Anne Bancroft, Burt Reynolds, and Sally Kellerman, Doubt. John Patrick Shanley adapts his own Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play into this film starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. Streep plays the nun/principal of a 1964 school, and Hoffman plays a priest who challenges her tradition of fear and discipline. This all happens to come on the heels of the first black student being admitted to the school. Adams plays a young teacher who shares her belief with the principal that the priest is spending way too much time with the new student, causing unfounded upheaval to extricate the priest from the school. Read Jon Bastian's review. Gran Torino. Clint Eastward stars (his first since Million Dollar Baby) and directs as well in this movie about an aging Korean War veteran, retired and widowed, being forced to confront his prejudices. He's held on to these prejudices for so long, yet he doesn't have a choice but to change in the face of the current times as may of these people he despises have now become his neighbors. Nothing Like the Holidays. When the Rodriguez clan comes together for the Christmas holiday and to celebrate the youngest brother returning safely from the war, the matriarch of the family uses the opportunity to announce to the adult children she is divorcing their father. Her children all seem to have their own thing going on, as one of the sons reunites with a past love, a daughter hasn't been able to find success with her acting career, and another son brings home his wife, an executive with success on her mind, instead of raising a family. Starring John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Freddy Rodgriguez, and Alfred Molina.

What's Hot at the Movies This Week 12/4/08

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:14:13 -0600

It's the most wonderful time of the year! And by that I don't mean the snow outside my window or the shopping I have to do, I mean there are enough good movies out there I can't even see all the ones I want to. With this top five, we have something for everyone with a holiday movie, vampire movie, animated dog movie, a Bond movie, and a "sweeping epic." Here are the rankings for last weekend: 1. Four Christmases. It's not surprising that this film quickly caputred the number one spot with stars Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn. Their performances along with a storyline we can all relate to makes it a winning film. With additional performances by Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, and Jon Voigt, this romantic comedy reminds us about the hassles of family during the holidays. A young couple so hates having to visit their four families during the holidays, and really don't want to share that part of their lives, meaning their kooky relatives, with each other, they go on exotic vacations every Christmas, telling their families they're doing charity work in third world countries. 2. Twilight. It's the young people of the world keeping this movie at the top of the charts. Last week it was at number one, one this week it fell just one spot to Four Christmases. I don't even think my daughter knows what it's about. She just wants to see it because everyone else is talking about it. It's a vampire romance of sorts. A young girl that doesn't fit in moves to a new high school, finding a new boyfriend. He's a vampire, but knows a little something about not fitting in as he and his family don't follow the normal vampire rites. He believes he has found the woman he has waited many years for. Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson star as the young couple. You can read Rick Villalobos' review of this blockbuster here. 4. Quantum of Solace. The latest in a long line of James Bond films has been in the top five for three weeks now. It didn't have much competition in the beginning, but does now, and it's still hanging in there. Bond, played again by Daniel Craig, has been betrayed by a woman, Vesper, but we know he'll find another woman. After all, he's Bond, James Bond. Yet he can't give Vesper up this easy and while searching to find out what went wrong, he finds she was being blackmailed by a very powerful and dangerous organization. Read Del Harvey's review to find out why he was just a little disappointed. 5. Australia. This is one of those films that was either going to be really successful or die an early death. It seems to be taking the former path, as it lands in the top five in its first week out, only behind James Bond, an animated dog, vampires, and a movie soon to be a holiday classic. Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman star in what is described as a "sweeping epic" about the homeland of both Kidman and Jackman. Chidden comes to Australia to convince her husband to come back to England, but he dies before she arrives, and she ends up staying to continue his work. Read Jason Coffman's take here. Opening this weekend: Cadillac Records. This is the story of rock 'n roll. Based on the true story of Chess Records, it tells how rock 'n roll was born on the South Side of Chicago in 1947, and follows artists on the rise such as Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Chuck Berry, and Etta James. The head of Chess Records treats his musicians very well, buying them Cadillacs for their first hit record, but there is often conflict among the musicians. Stars Adrien Brody, Beyoncé Knowles, Cedric the Entertainer, and Mos Def. Frost/Nixon. While this is only opening in limited areas this weekend, it will open more widely next weekend, and even more on Christmas Day. Ron Howard directions this film that's adapted from the successful screenplay about Richard Nixon and David Frost in their history interview from 1977. Frank Langella and Michael Sheen recreate their roles from the stage version, and Kevin Bacon, Oliver Platt, and Sam Rockwell star as well. Nobel Son. This comedic thriller about a dysfunctional father and son stars Alan Rickman, Bryan Greenberg, Shawn Hatosy, Mary Steenburgen, Bill Pullman, Eliza Dushku, and Danny DeVito. As the son is working to finish his Ph.D. thesis, his father wins the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Yet the father didn't always lead a clean life, and his son is kidnapped and held for ransom. However, dear old Dad doesn't want to pay up. I don't expect to see this one in the top five next week. Punisher: War Zone. Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Doug Hutchinson, Colin Salmon, Wayne Knight, Dash Mihok, and Julie Benz star in this action thriller about a man with a mission to bring down organized crime all on his own. He sets out to stop a mob boss, but only ends up disfiguring him. The mob boss is now out for revenge, taking on the moniker Jigsaw. Somehow I don't see this one in the top five next week either.

What's Hot at the Movies This Week – 11/20/08

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:12:43 -0600

We had basically one big blockbuster last weekend and really all that did was push everything down one spot from the week before, leaving Zack and Miri Make a Porno out of the top five. Opening this week we have a vampire film and an animated film about a dog. How's that for a combo? Here are the rankings for last weekend: 1. Quantum of Solace. The latest in a long line of James Bond films was an easy mark for hitting number one at the box office. It didn't have any new competition and 007 always does well. Bond, played again by Daniel Craig, has been betrayed by a woman, Vesper, but we know he'll find another woman. After all, he's Bond, James Bond. Yet he can't give Vesper up this easy and while searching to find out what went wrong, he finds she was being blackmailed by a very powerful and dangerous organization. Read Del Harvey's review to find out why he was just a little disappointed. 2. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. It took the work of 007 to knock this animated film down to the #2 spot. Featuring the vocal talents of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter, Bernie Mac, Sherri Shepherd, Alec Baldwin, and Will.i.am, it's an impressive lot. Last time they were shipwrecked after being shipped away from a New York Zoo, and this time they're trying to make it home to New York, but a plane crash lands them in Africa as they reconnect with their roots. Read why this movie has what it takes in my review. 3. Role Models. I said last week I wasn't surprised this film was doing so well, with its Jude Apatow feel and that it stars Apatow regulars Paul Rudd, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Elizabeth Banks, as well as Seann William Scott, but I'm surprised it's still at #3. Two guys get in trouble and are punished to the community service of mentoring kids. Reviewer Jason Coffman covers this film in depth in his review. 4. High School Musical 3: Senior Year. With its fourth week in the top five, it's falling, but not very quickly. I don't know if Disney will ever release a teen musical direct to their network again, bypassing the theaters as they did with the first two High School Musicals. Back again for round three are stars Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, and Ashley Tisdale. 5. Changeling. I wouldn't have given this film any chance of staying in the top five for this many weeks, pushing a comedy like Zack and Miri Make a Porno out of the top five spots, but here it is. Sure, it's directed by Clint Eastward and stars Angelina Jolie, but still I'm surprised. Jolie plays as a mom who is reunited with her kidnapped son, only to realize it's not her son. No one believes her, but John Malkovich comes along and helps with her search. Opening this weekend: Bolt. From the description, this movie reminds me a little of an animated version of Firehouse Dog. Bolt is a canine TV star who accidentally gets shipped from the Hollywood soundstage to New York City. Life without cameras around him all the time is very different, and he travels with a cat and hamster to find his way back to Hollywood and his costar, Penny. The canine costar is voiced by John Travolta, and the human costar is voiced by Miley Cyrus. Will this be the animated film of the holiday season? Twilight. It's a vampire romance of sorts. A young girl that doesn't fit in moves to a new high school and expects more of the same, yet finds someone a little different, a boy. He's a vampire, but knows a little something about not fitting in as he and his family don't follow the normal vampire rites, not even drinking human blood. He believes he has found the woman he has waited many years for, but has to resist his urges with her. Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson star as the young couple. You can read Paul Fischer's interview with Pattinson here.

What's Hot at the Movies This Week – 11/13/08

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:52:20 -0600

These days it seems that any animated feature worth its salt always ends up on the top of the charts, and usually for several weeks. They just seem to do a great job these days of using top talent for the voices and combining it with writing that will appeal to all ages. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Madagascar feature appears this coming weekend as the top selling movie as well, especially since most of the movies opening this week are opening more centralized, such as just in New York or just in New York and L.A. What has me really stunned is that the Samuel L. Jackson/Bernie Mac comedy Soul Men doesn't appear in the top 5. Here are the rankings for last weekend: 1. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. In its first week, this Dreamworks sequel has managed to top the charts. Featuring the vocal talents of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter, Bernie Mac, Sherri Shepherd, Alec Baldwin, and Will.i.am, it's an impressive lot. Last time they were shipwrecked after being shipped away from a New York Zoo, and this time they're trying to make it home to New York, but a plane crash lands them in Africa as they reconnect with their roots. Read what this movie has to land it at #1 in my review. 2. Role Models. It's not surprising that this film is doing well, given its Jude Apatow feel and that it stars Apatow regulars Paul Rudd, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Elizabeth Banks, as well as Seann William Scott. Two guys get in trouble and are punished to the community service of mentoring kids. I think if I were going to make a movie these days it would either be an animated feature or an Apatow-style comedy. Reviewer Jason Coffman covers this film in depth in his review. 3. High School Musical 3: Senior Year. With its third week in the top five, we have to realize Disney knows what they're doing.. I don't even think they needed to make a quality movie. All they needed to do was bring back stars Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, and Ashley Tisdale, and have the words High, School, and Musical in the title. 4. Changeling. Directed by Clint Eastwood and based on actual events, this film stars Angelina Jolie as a mom who is reunited with her kidnapped son. During the media frenzy, she realizes it's not her son. No one believes her, but John Malkovich comes along and helps with her search. Despite it being in the top five for the second week in a row, I'm guessing it's not on Jennifer Anniston's list to see after trashing Jolie in an interview recently for being outspoken about starting her relationship with Brad Pitt while he was still married. Just a guess. 5. Zack and Miri Make a Porno. This extremely funny flick makes it to its second week on the charts, making it the second comedy of this type to appear in the top five. I'm refining my statement from above. If I were going to make a movie today, it would either be an animated feature, or be an Apatow-style comedy that starred Seth Rogen. I'm not sure how it it happened, but he's kind of become Hollywood's It Boy. Myself and Andrew Dowd help break it down in our reviews. Opening this weekend: Quantum of Solace. The only film opening with a wide release this week, Daniel Craig is back as Bond, James Bond. He's been betrayed by a woman, Vesper, but it's 007, so we know he'll find another woman at some point during the film. Regardless, he sets out to find out what happened with Vesper and finds she was being blackmailed by a very powerful and dangerous organization. Also stars Judi Dench. The Dukes. This film opens in New York this weekend, but will have a wider release next weekend. It looks like an interesting little indie. Written, directed, and starring Robert Davi, it also stars Chaz Palminteri, Peter Bogdanovich, and Frank D'Amico, and Alphonse Mouzon. A doo wop group had everything going for them when they were much younger, and years later, realizing they never quite realized their dreams, they need the cash. They turn to burglary, but find many other things along the way than just money.

What's Hot at the Movies This Week – 11/6/08

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:42:07 -0600

Personally, I'm a little shocked at the results at the box office last weekend. It's hard for me to wrap my head around the fifth sequel of a horror flick doing that well, but I guess I need to take into account that it was Halloween. That probably accounts for most of it. Here's the rankings for last weekend: 1. High School Musical 3: Senior Year. It's not too hard to figure out Disney's plans here. The first two High School Musicals did so phenomenally well, yet they were aired the first time on the Disney channel, something free that doesn't even require a subscrption. All the merchandise sold surely made them some serious coin, but they want more, so released this one to theaters. At least it doesn't have the hefty admission price the Hanna Montana movie had. 2. Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Would you have ever in your wildest dreams imagined a movie about making a porno would rank #2? It turns out it's a Seth Rogen film, so it's not so much X-rated, but just funny as hell. It even has a little romance in there. If you could buy Rogen as a romantic lead in Knocked Up, you'll buy the same here. Read the reviews from myself and Andrew Dowd. 3. Saw V. Okay, so it was Halloween, so that's most likely when people were drawn to this movie in droves. With the original Jigsaw gone, it's up to Hoffman to carry on the legacy. There are flashbacks included to show how all of this started, even before the first Saw. Reviewer Clint Fletcher enjoyed all the other Saw films, but didn't feel this one measured up to the rest. Read his review here. 4. Changeling. Directed by Clint Eastwood and based on actual events, this film stars Angelina Jolie, taking some time out from raising her Pittlings, as a mom who is reunited with her kidnapped son. During the media frenzy, she realizes it's not her son. No one believes her, but John Malkovich comes along and helps with her search. 5. The Haunting of Molly Hartley. I saw the previews for this in the theater, and while it looked interesting, reviewer Rick Villalobos is telling us not to bother, even though it was the fifth watched movie this past weekend. Haley Bennett plays the title character, a new girl at school with a mysterious dark past, trying to be normal, but finding it oh so difficult. Read Rick's review here. Opening this weekend: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. With the success of the first Madagascar movie three years ago, Dreamworks is finally following it up with a sequel. This film has the talented voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter, Bernie Mac, Sherri Shepherd, Alec Baldwin, and Will.i.am. That's an impressive lot. Like most animated sequels, it probably won't live up to the first, but if they come up with another song as catchy as "I Like to Move It," it'll be golden. Read Paul Fischer's interviews with Chris Rock and Jada Pinkett Smith. Role Models. Seth Rogen isn't in this, but he may as well be. This comedy mixes and matches many of the same stars from past and present Rogen films. It stars Paul Rudd (Knocked Up and 40 Year Old Virgin) and Seann William Scott (Stifler from American Pie). Just mentioning these two names, we know what the movie is basically about. These guys get in trouble and are punished to the community service of mentoring kids. This also stars Christopher Mintz-Plasse, aka McLovin, and Elizabeth Banks, aka Miri from Zack and Miri Make a Porno. It's practically a guarantee that it won't be a high quality movie, but it's sure to make us split a gut. Soul Men. This movie should be funny as well, but it's hard to be with the darkness surrounding it. Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac star as a popular singing duo from years ago that had a falling out and broke up. When their group leader (John Legend) dies, it brings them back together for a tribute concert. In reality, Bernie Mac died last August, as did costar Isaac Hayes, one day apart. Normally Bernie never fails to make me laugh, but it could be difficult in these circumstances. Read Paul Fischer's interview with Samuel L. Jackson (what a cool dude!)