Archive for January, 2008
9. I Am Legend – $5.9M
Thursday, January 24th, 2008
Robert Neville (Will Smith) is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable...and manmade. Somehow immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City...and maybe the world. But he is not alone. He is surrounded by "the Infected"--victims of the plague who have mutated into carnivorous beings who can only exist in the dark and who will devour or infect anyone or anything in their path. For three years, Neville has spent his days scavenging for food and supplies and faithfully sending out radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. All the while, the Infected lurk in the shadows, watching Neville's every move, waiting for him to make a fatal mistake. Perhaps mankind''s last, best hope, Neville is driven by only one remaining mission: to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus using his own immune blood. But his blood is also what The Infected hunt, and Neville knows he is outnumbered and quickly running out of time.
10. Atonement – $5.5M
Thursday, January 24th, 2008
IN THEATRES DECEMBER 7, 2007 (Limited)
On a sultry summer day in 1935, an upper-class British family prepares for a dinner party at their country estate. The players: Briony Tallis (newcomer Saoirse Ronan), a precocious preteen writer; her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley), Cambridge graduate and femme fatale; Robbie Turner (James McEvoy), the housekeeper's mensch-y son, who carries a torch for Cecilia; and various visitors and family members. A series of misperceptions, fueled by the summer heat and Briony's childish hurts and fevered imagination, lead to a dramatic false accusation that lands Robbie in jail. We meet all three characters five years later in the thick of World War II, as foot soldier Robbie prepares for the Dunkirk evacuation and the two estranged sisters train as nurses in London.
Director Joe Wright (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE) deserves high praise for translating Ian McEwan's highly internalized, multilayered tale of guilt, redemption, and the power and limits of the artistic imagination, into a sumptuous visual feast that not only conveys the intricate plot points of the novel, but dives headfirst into the emotional subtleties that make the story so wrenching. Whether any of the characters' actions are ultimately atoned for by the end of the film is a matter of perception, but Wright's sympathetic eye ensures that every player gets a fair trial. The young director favors long, lingering close-ups that trace every flicker of feeling--Ronan's luminous blue eyes clouding over with righteous gravity; the tremors of hurt and anger and love in McEvoy's sensitive face; the defiant jut of Knightley's jaw as it melts into tender affection. The honey-drizzled look of the first two thirds of the film contrasts achingly with the tension and seriousness of the action unfolding (and the grim intensity of the wartime sections), and the scenes on the beach at Dunkirk include some of the most masterly camera work of any recent film. ATONEMENT is a powerful story, retold in a way that even diehard fans of the book will appreciate.
Forbidden Kingdom – Trailer 1A
Thursday, January 24th, 2008![]() | Forbidden Kingdom - Trailer 1A A 21st Century American teenager takes a spellbinding, dangerous journey into martial arts legend in the new action/adventure epic FORBIDDEN KINGDOM. Shot on location in China, THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM marks the historic first-ever onscreen pairing of martial arts superstars Jackie Chan (RUSH HOUR, DRUNKEN MASTER) and Jet Li (FEARLESS, ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA), and features the awe-inspiring action choreography of Wo Ping (THE MATRIX, CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON). While hunting down bootleg kung-fu DVDs in a Chinatown pawnshop, Jason (played by Michael Angarano - “24”, “Will and Grace,” LORDS OF DOGTOWN, SEABISCUIT) makes an extraordinary discovery that sends him hurtling back in time to ancient China. There, Jason is charged with a monumental task: he must free the fabled warrior the Monkey King, who has been imprisoned by the evil Jade Warlord. Jason is joined in his quest by wise kung fu master Lu Yan (Jackie Chan) and a band of misfit warriors including Silent Monk (Jet Li). But only by learning the true precepts of kung fu can Jason hope to succeed - and find a way to get back home. Directed by: Rob Minkoff Starring: Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Michael A. Angarano, Crystal Liu, Collin Chou |
Snow Angels – Trailer 1a
Thursday, January 24th, 2008![]() | Snow Angels - Trailer 1a In SNOW ANGELS, David Gordon Green explores the space between youth and adulthood, offering a glimpse into the lives of his characters at that key moment in which they recognize what growing up might mean. This exploration is the touchstone of his body of work, including ALL THE REAL GIRLS and the critically acclaimed GEORGE WASHINGTON, and is poignantly portrayed in SNOW ANGELS, the story of three couples in adjacent stages of life who are linked by powerful relationships. Arthur (Michael Angarano) is in high school. He plays trombone in the marching band. He becomes friends with Lila Raybern (Olivia Thirlby), a pretty girl who is just as nerdy as Arthur and who develops a romantic interest in him. Annie (Kate Beckinsale) used to baby-sit Arthur. Today they work in the same Chinese restaurant where anyone can see how much they care about each other, even as their lives are pulling them in much different directions. As Lila’s affection for Arthur grows, so does the ardor with which she tries to express it. While he clearly enjoys the attention, Arthur must deal with the fact that his parents (Griffin Dunne and Jeannetta Arnette) are splitting up. Meanwhile, Annie’s first marriage to Glenn (Sam Rockwell) has ended. A man with a troubled past, Glenn used to drink but has since found Jesus Christ and lives with his parents. Hoping to rebuild his life by getting a job selling carpet, Glenn also tries to reconnect with Annie as he shows up to visit their very young daughter. A film for grown-ups, SNOW ANGELS is about a precise moment on a cold winter morning when Glenn and Annie’s past catches up with their future. For them, and for Arthur, nothing will ever be the same. Directed by: David Gordon Green Starring: Sam Rockwell, Kate Beckinsale, Michael Angarano, Griffin Dunne, Amy Sedaris |
Meet the Spartans – Trailer A
Thursday, January 24th, 2008![]() | Meet the Spartans - Trailer A After successfully skewering Hollywood’s scariest movie (as two of the writers on “Scary Movie”), romantic comedy franchises (“Date Movie”), and Hollywood blockbusters ( “Epic Movie”), writers/directors/producers Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer now set their sights on “300.” The heroic Leonidas, armed with nothing by leather underwear and a cape, leads a ragtag group of 13 - count ‘em, 13! — Spartans to defend their homeland against the invading Persians (whose ranks include Ghost Rider, Rocky Balboa, the Transformers, and a hunchbacked Paris Hilton). Directed by: Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer Starring: Sean Maguire, Carmen Electra, Ken Davitian, Kevin Sorbo, Diedrich Bader |
The Midnight Meat Train – Trailer 1b
Thursday, January 24th, 2008![]() | The Midnight Meat Train - Trailer 1b Next stop…death. When Leon Kaufman’s (Bradley Cooper) latest body of work – a collection of provocative, nighttime studies of the city and its inhabitants -- earns the struggling photographer interest from prominent art gallerist Susan Hoff (Brooke Shields), she propels him to get grittier and show the darker side of humanity for his upcoming debut at her downtown art space. Believing he’s finally on track for success, Leon’s obsessive pursuit of dark subject matter leads him into the path of a serial killer, Mahogany (Vinnie Jones), the subway murderer who stalks late-night commuters -- ultimately butchering them in the most gruesome ways imaginable. With his concerned girlfriend Maya (Leslie Bibb) fearing for his life, Leon’s relentless fascination with Mahogany lures him further and further into the bowels of the subways and ultimately into an abyss of pure evil – inadvertently pulling Maya right along with him. Directed by: Ryuhei Kitamura Starring: Bradley Cooper, Leslie Bibb, Vinnie Jones, Roger Bart, Peter Jacobson |
Witless Protection – Trailer 1b
Thursday, January 24th, 2008![]() | Witless Protection - Trailer 1b Larry the Cable Guy returns for another comic misadventure as a small town sheriff who unwittingly gets involved in a high profile FBI case in Lionsgate’s new comedy, WITLESS PROTECTION. During a routine day spent patrolling his small town, Larry witnesses a beautiful, high-class woman, Madeleine, being held against her will by four mysterious, black-suited men. Recognizing the opportunity to save the day, Larry “kidnaps” her, only to learn that Madeleine is actually a key witness in a high-stakes Chicago crime case and her captors are FBI agents assigned to protect her. Madeleine is furious. But Larry, who rightly suspects the agents are crooked and Madeleine is in danger, forces her on a harebrained trip to Chicago to solve the case himself. Together, the hilariously mismatched duo must grapple with angry FBI agents, quack doctors and Chicago high society in his funniest, most unpredictable adventure yet. Directed by: Charles Robert Carner Starring: Larry the Cable Guy, Ivana Milicevic, Yaphet Kotto, Peter Stormare, Eric Roberts |
Dolphins & Whales Tribes of the Ocean 3D – Trailer
Thursday, January 24th, 2008![]() | Dolphins & Whales Tribes of the Ocean 3D - Trailer Dive into a new immersive and highly emotional adventure with Jean-Michel Cousteau’s DOLPHINS AND WHALES 3D, which will take you from the dazzling coral reefs of the Bahamas to the warm depths of the waters of the exotic Kingdom of Tonga for a close encounter with the surviving tribes of the ocean. Stunning images captured for the very first time in 3D will allow you to discover their lives and habitats as never-before-seen. An unforgettable voyage with these graceful, majestic yet endangered sea creatures, narrated by Daryl Hannah. Directed by: Jean-Jacques Mantello Starring: Daryl Hannah, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Francois Mantello, Gavin McKinney, Elisabeth Mantello |
Event Review: The Aristocats Screening
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008The Aristocats screens at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.
Written by Hombre DivertidoIn anticipation of the release of The Aristocats – Special Edition on February 5th, Disney recently held a special showing of the film at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. The Aristocats marks a time of simple elegance for the filmmakers at Disney. The story is simple but fun, and the animation is elegant. Set in…





