Already three months into the year, and we haven’t talked movies yet! To tell you the truth, I haven’t been heading to the theater much this year. Since November, I’ve seen Pirate Radio, Invictus, It’s Complicated, Planet 51, Sherlock Holmesand Avatar in the theater, and I especially recommend Pirate Radio, Invictus, Sherlock Holmes and, if you can get past the higher ticket prices, Avatar.
More rentals have found their way into my DVD player in that time frame: Henry Poole Is Here, Race to Witch Mountain, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, UP, Accidental Husband, Peaceful Warrior, Dead Again, (500) Days of Summer, The Boys are Back, Whip It, Taking Chance, Julie & Julia, and Marilyn Hotckiss’ Ballroom Dancing and Charm School. I recommend Henry Poole, UP, (500) Days of Summer, Whip It, Taking Chance, and Julie & Julia.
For March, I may have to head to theater again.
Alice in Wonderland: A 3D version of the classic, directed by Tim Burton and with a few changes, Alice promises wonderful visuals and outstanding performances by Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and newcomer Mia Wasikowska. Rated PG, Alice in Wonderland opens March 5. Oh, and remember the higher ticket prices, due to the 3D technology.
Brooklyn’s Finest: Starring Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke and Wesley Snipes, Brooklyn’s Finest focuses on three police officers, all with a lot to lose during a massive drug operation. Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day), the film is rated R and opens March 5.
Green Zone: Shot documentary style, Green Zone follows Roy Miller (Matt Damon), a U.S. Army warrant officer, as he uncovers faulty intelligence and goes rogue to hunt for weapons of mass destruction. Also starring Greg Kinnear, Jason Isaacs and Brendan Gleeson, the R-rated film was directed by Paul Greengrass. Green Zone opens March 12.
Remember Me: Starring Robert Pattinson (Twilight) and Emilie de Ravin (Lost), Remember Me is the love story between two broken people who discover healing and more through a twist of fate. Bring the hankies. Rated PG-13, Remember Me opens March 12.
The Bounty Hunter: Another romantic comedy on the resumes of both Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston might be a good idea or it might be a disaster. We’ll have to see on this one. Butler is a bond enforcement agent whose latest target is his ex-wife (Aniston), a reporter investigating a murder cover-up. Of course, the two end up running for their lives – together. Rated PG-13, The Bounty Hunter opens March 19.
The Runaways: A coming-of-age movie about the band, The Runaways stars Kristen Stewart (Twilight) as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie. The film plays fast and loose with the facts, and is filled with the music, drugs and sexual escapades of the decade. Rated R, The Runaways opens in limited release March 19, before going wide April 9.
Repo Men: A science-fiction blend of medical and cop dramas, Repo Men stars Jude Law, Forest Whitaker and Liev Schreiber. In the near future, people extend their lives with sophisticated mechanical organs built by a massive corporation. The organs come with a hefty price tag, and when people get behind on payments, the company sends their repo men to recover the organ, with little thought to a person’s survival. When one of the repo men suffers a heart attack on the job, he awakens to find a company organ in his chest, a massive bill and little heart for his job. Rated R, Repo Men opens March 19.
How to Train Your Dragon: A delightful 3D animated adventure of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (voiced by Jay Baruchel) who wants to hunt dragons and ends up owning one. Other voices include Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill and Kristen Wiig. Rated PG, How to Train Your Dragon opens March 26.
Greenberg: Ben Stiller takes his everyman New Yorker to Los Angeles in a search for where he belongs in the world, and he falls for his brother’s assistant (Greta Gerwig), a young woman who’s also a little lost. Rated R, Greenberg opens March 26.
Also, be on the lookout for The Secret of Kells, an animated tale; Children of Invention, based in Boston and focused on the plight of Chinese immigrants, looks to be a heartbreaker on the order of Slumdog Millionaire; The Lightkeepers with Richard Dreyfuss and Blythe Danner; and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (the Swedish version, an American remake is in the works).
For me, I think trips to the theater will be warranted for Alice in Wonderland, Repo Men,How to Train Your Dragon and possibly Green Zone. What’s on your movie-going calendar?
