Archive for February, 2008
5. Fool’s Gold – $6.6M
Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
Having proven themselves a magnetic pair in 2003?s HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS, Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey team up once again as two fun-loving, bickering exes in this action-packed, violent, and sexy treasure hunt. Part romantic comedy, part deep-sea diving adventure, FOOL?S GOLD is set in the beautiful seas and sunny shores of Key West, where Tess (Hudson) and Finn (McConaughey) are set to meet for divorce proceedings. Fed up with Finn?s money-squandering lifestyle, Tess can't wait to be rid of him so she can return to the academic pursuits she abandoned seven years earlier, when the two lovebirds embarked on a romantic globe-spanning hunt for rumored treasure. But as fate would have it, Tess just happens to work aboard a yacht owned by Nigel Honeycutt (Donald Sutherland), the same rich man Finn has his sights on as a prospective benefactor for his latest diving debacle. Suspecting this, Tess encourages Nigel to sail off as soon as the divorce papers are in her hands, but their departure is delayed when Nigel's spoiled heiress daughter, Gemma (Alexis Dziena), arrives. Using his sex appeal and daredevil charm, Finn maneuvers his way aboard the ship and into Gemma's heart, not even knowing that Tess, whom he hopes to win back, is also on deck. Once the secret is out, the two must decide whether to part ways or to use a fresh clue to find the treasure they've been seeking for a decade. With Gemma's youthful naiveté, Nigel's aging wisdom, death threats from some villain gangster rappers, treasure hunting competition, and lots of sexual chemistry driving them, the two succumb to the spontaneity that runs through their blood and go for the gold in more ways than one. FOOL'S GOLD boasts lively performances from a solid cast that brings the film's clever, quick humor to life.
6. Definitely, Maybe – $5.2M
Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
Ryan Reynolds and a bevy of excellent actresses star in this smart and touching romantic comedy about a little girl trying to understand her father's complicated history with women. Will Hayes (Reynolds) is in the midst of a divorce, and his 11-year-old daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin) wants to understand what went wrong with her parents' relationship. She begs her father to tell her the entire story of how he met her mother. Will begrudgingly agrees, but changes the names of everyone involved, leaving it up to Maya to decipher who in the story is her mother. Thus Will begins his tale, weaving a romantic and amusing maze of missed connections and bad timing with the likes of three beautiful women: Summer (Rachel Weisz), April (Isla Fisher), and Emily (Elizabeth Banks). Will bounces from relationship to relationship, misunderstandings and confusion thwarting him every step of the way. Who will he end up with? Which woman is ultimately right for him? The film keeps Maya and the viewer guessing right until the very end, with a bittersweet but ultimately triumphant surprise twist tying it all together.
Reynolds has long outgrown his VAN WILDER days, and does an excellent job of holding his own with the talented Fisher, Weisz, and Banks. The film is certainly a stand-out from the current crop of romantic comedies, in that the women are intelligent, well-drawn characters, and the relationships are painted with a funny, but realistic eye. And blessedly, it doesn't end with the standard blowout wedding that has become the hallmark of such films. DEFINITELY, MAYBE is a smart and sexy take on the complexities of love, and still manages to be kid friendly, while sending a very positive, honest message to children of divorce.
7. Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins – $4.2M
Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
Actor-comedian Martin Lawrence (BAD BOYS, BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE) aims for the heartstrings and funny bones in WELCOME HOME ROSCOE JENKINS, a raucous helping of family soul food. Lawrence plays R.J. Stevens (in truth, Roscoe Steven Jenkins), a Hollywood self-help sensation whose fame has netted him a reality television star fiancée (Joy Bryant) while simultaneously alienating his young son. Having been away from his family for nine years, prodigal son R.J. returns to Georgia to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of his parents (James Earl Jones and Margaret Avery). Upon his arrival, R.J. is given a rude awakening by his none-too-impressed siblings (Mike Epps, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Mo'Nique). R.J. must also contend with his ultra-competitive cousin Clyde (Cedric the Entertainer), the family's presumptive "golden boy" and a long-time rival who stole the affections of R.J.'s childhood sweetheart, Lucinda (Nicole Ari Parker). As the celebration weekend rolls on, R.J.?s craving for his father's respect and an inflated sense of self threaten family harmony and his opportunity to reconnect with Lucinda, and--worst of all--his relationship with his own son. Lawrence makes Roscoe a genuinely sympathetic foil to the comedic antics of Mo?Nique and Epps, both of whom are given room to riff by director Malcom D. Lee (UNDERCOVER BROTHER, ROLL BOUNCE). Frequently bawdy but thoroughly entertaining, WELCOME HOME ROSCOE JENKINS is also a warmhearted reminder that you are where you come from, and that when searching for yourself no one can put you straight better than a loving family.
8. Juno – $4.2M
Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
The word "quirky" has become the quick and easy way to describe films such as LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE and LARS AND THE REAL GIRL that straddle the lines between indie and studio films and comedy and drama. While JUNO fits into that same category, this distinctive dramedy is in a class all its own. Ellen Page(X-MEN: THE LAST STAND) stars as Juno, a witty teenage girl whose boredom doesn't lead her to the mall. Instead, she makes a one-time trip into the arms of her best friend Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). When Juno discovers that she's pregnant, she?s forced to grow up fast as she tries to find adoptive parents for her quickly growing child.
JUNO might have a lot of strengths--Page's award-worthy performance, a pitch-perfect soundtrack, excellent direction from Jason Reitman--but it?s the screenwriting debut of writer Cody Diablo that makes this such a winning film. Famous for her blog and her book CANDY GIRL: A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF AN UNLIKELY STRIPPER, Diablo has a unique voice and an incredible ear for dialogue. But even the nearly perfect script wouldn't sound so good if it weren't for the talents of these actors, particularly Page. She won raves for her first major role in HARD CANDY, but this performance proves it wasn't a fluke. The rest of the cast, especially J.K. Simmons as Juno's dad, is just as worthy of attention. JUNO continues Cera's cinematic ascent after his success with the hit comedy SUPERBAD, and his ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT costar Jason Bateman uses his dry delivery to great effect as a potential parent for Juno's baby. Songs from Kimya Dawson perfectly capture the film's tone with the music?s sweet, smart, and funny sounds.
9. Be Kind, Rewind – $4.1M
Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
IN THEATRES FEBRUARY 22, 2008 (Limited)
Director Michel Gondry continues the surreal efforts of ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND and THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP with this imaginative comedy. Jack Black plays a man who accidentally erases every movie at a local video store, then he and the employee (Mos Def) must reconstruct every film that he destroyed by acting them out.
10. There Will Be Blood – $2.7M
Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
Director Paul Thomas Anderson's THERE WILL BE BLOOD is a masterly, unflinching examination of a consummately evil man. Daniel Plainview (via a transcendent performance by the great Daniel Day-Lewis) is, as he likes to remind those around him, an oil man: he finds it, he drills for it, and he makes money from it. Following a tip from a visitor named Paul Sunday, whose family sits atop a veritable ocean of oil, Plainview travels to the town of New Boston, California, with his young son. Sunday's preacher brother Eli (both roles are played by the excellent Paul Dano) grudgingly accepts Plainview's ambitions under the condition that he help fund the town church. As Plainview's plans come to fruition, a series of events begin to fracture the insular world he has constructed for himself, pitting Plainview against Sunday and forcing him to become even more vindictive and ruthless.
Anderson proved with BOOGIE NIGHTS and MAGNOLIA that he was adept at handling expansive storylines and layered plots; however, he stakes out a claim here as a new master of the cinematic epic. The film is visually stunning, and alternates between lush widescreen shots of the desert and meticulously composed, darkly lit close-up of his actors, presenting complex images of the American landscape and the souls that dot it. As a narrative, THERE WILL BE BLOOD is told with a sense of economy, yet never at the expense of the film's inherently grand scope. It?s difficult to determine precisely what Anderson wants his viewers to take from the experience: the film is, in the end, appropriately complex and ambiguous. THERE WILL BE BLOOD forces us to confront Plainville, who seems to be a larger-than-life personification of evil; that we don't entirely understand him at the film?s conclusion is not a shortcoming, but rather a tribute to the depths of this most vile creature and this most brilliant film.
Loads of sick motion in Gerald Mark Soto’s latest reel (Thanks, Matt!)
Monday, February 25th, 2008TV Review: Nova – “The Four-Winged Dinosaur”
Monday, February 25th, 2008Nova explores the study of a new dinosaur and the surrounding dispute in the scientific community.
While in no way belittling those who study dinosaurs, it feels as though anytime a science documentary series is not quite sure what to do their next episode about dinosaurs are trotted out. Dinosaurs are the "go to" animals. People love them – they terrify, they awe, and for some reason, they inspire. Though they've been…
Gmail Russia
Monday, February 25th, 2008This is the most elaborate way possible of showing how simple the Gmail interface is (in Russian). I’m not even sure I like it, but I think the commitment it took to pull this off is astounding.
Thanks to Seth Gantman for the tip!
Post from: Motionographer