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Director: Guillermo del Toro Stars: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones (Full Cast) Studio: fX Network The Plot: When the mythical world engages their campaign to take over the Earth, the U.S. government reaches out to the only department staffed to handle the potential catastrophe: The Bureau for Paranormal Research, who once again turns to the demon hero Hellboy (Perelman) and his teammates to stop a merciless dictator from carrying out his plan.
THE BUZZ: Here's a thought: If 2008 is the year of the superhero, and Universal recently turned the dark-horse candidate Wanted into a hit, then maybe HBII will warrant a third installment, which has been the subject of rumors over the past several weeks. (How Guillermo del Toro would find the time to complete the trilogy, however, is an unsolvable mystery, since The Hobbit two-parter should have him sequestered away until 2012.) Though I am still unsure if the beefed-up crew from the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense will best their 2004 debut, there's no doubt that GdT's creative vision will make for the best-looking comic-book adaptation to date. I just wish Universal didn't feel the need to reveal so much of the movie in its series of trailers, previews, and TV spots; I feel like I watched the entire movie while sitting at the bar last week. I'd rather spend time nerding out at the movie's official production site, a home to all the minute details involved in bringing Mike Mignola's comic-book world (and underworld) to life. Message Boards: This WHOLE movie could have been Prevented! | some qestions abut hellboy2 Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Eric Brevig Stars: Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson (Full Cast) Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures The Plot: A geologist (Fraser) on a special mission with his son (Hutcherson) discovers the entrance into a previously unseen world.
THE BUZZ: All of the sudden, Brendan Fraser is the go-to guy for family entertainment, what with Journey 3D, Inkheart (another New Line release, like Journey), and The Mummy 3 all due out within a year of one another. But released so close to Mummy 3, another father-and-son-in-peril adventure, even Fraser might have trouble distinguishing his characters from one another. Here's a hint: This is the one that takes a classic tale by Jules Verne and runs it through a computer software suite. Message Boards: Too short, but still good. | 100 Things I didn't know until I saw JTTCOTE Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Brian Robbins Stars: Eddie Murphy, Elizabeth Banks (Full Cast) Studio: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation The Plot: Tiny aliens pilot a spacecraft that takes the form of a human (Murphy), while the captain of the ship jeopardizes his crew and their mission to save their planet when he falls for beautiful earthling (Banks).
THE BUZZ: We interrupt Elizabeth Banks's apparent temporary insanity to pose this question: What part of Pluto Nash did studios not recall when Murphy's name came up for another sci-fi comedy? We're guessing it wasn't the $4 million gross. Not that Murphy fans care, they turned Norbit into a number one hit. Apparently the more characters he plays in a movie, the more it makes. So, maybe he should've played ten more in this one. Message Boards: IMDB Ratings = Garbage | Funniest scene? Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Jason Freeland Stars: Erik Smith, Tierra Abbott, Vinessa Shaw (Full Cast) Studio: Roadside Attractions The Plot: As 15-year-old April (Holland) tries to piece together a life in Los Angeles, she encounters a group of her peers who are all struggling for a toehold in the city as well.
THE BUZZ: From the look and feel of things here, Jason Freeland's LA story sounds like Cloverfield with a pot-dealing realtor as the monster who preys upon cute young things. The nicest thing we've heard about the drama? That Freeland throws a curve most every time you think you know what's going to happen next. And the worst? That at the end of the movie, you feel like you are a movie exec on the receiving end of a pitch. Message Boards: Erik's music... | Tierra Abbott as Lana Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Austin Chick Stars: Josh Hartnett, Naomie Harris, Adam Scott (Full Cast) Studio: First Look International The Plot: Set in the summer of 2001, a Internet-startup guru (Hartnett) struggles to keep his company in the black and his personal life together.
THE BUZZ: Is Josh Hartnett the new Ben Affleck? Austin Chick's follow up to XX/XY sure makes him seem like something of a has-been -- maybe that's why he's the perfect pick to portray a dot-com millionaire whose life is about to fall apart in the days before 9/11. Ugh, I can already hear his voice-overs about harnessing the power of the Web for wealth and fame. At least this one has a supporting cast that includes Naomie Harris and Andre Royo (Bubbles from "The Wire"). And Bowie! Message Boards: early scene | The Strokes' song 'TheModern Age' Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: T. Sean Shannon Stars: Spencer Breslin, Cuba Gooding Jr., Nikki Blonsky (Full Cast) Studio: City Lights Home Entertainment The Plot: A prematurely balding teenager (Breslin) tries to adapt to life at his new high school, where he faces incessant teasing and harassment.
THE BUZZ: Writer-comedian T. Sean Shannon gets major support from "Saturday Night Live" cast members of the past and present with his directorial debut, a comedy that pairs Spencer Breslin with Nikki Blonsky (in her first role since Hairspray) as the duo faces the evil-doers of their high school. Here's the trailer, but good luck on finding an official site for this one. But I understand the movie will roll out beyond NYC/LA in the coming weeks. Message Boards: I feel his pain! | Song in the Trailer Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Gillian Armstrong Stars: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Guy Pearce, Timothy Spall (Full Cast) Studio: Third Rail Releasing The Plot: On a tour of Britain in 1926, Harry Houdini (Pearce) enters into a passionate affair with a psychic (Zeta-Jones) out to con the famous magician. THE BUZZ: If this was the year 2000 -- even better, 2002 -- Harvey Weinstein would have positioned director Gillian Armstrong's fictionalized Houdini biopic for a lavish autumn theatrical run, where it would have picked up a Golden Globe or two, and perhaps an Oscar nomination for one (or both) of the film's leads, whose careers were in ripening at this point in time. Back then, we had yet to see either The Illusionist or The Prestige, two films that respected their subject and their audiences. Armstrong, according to some, seems to have failed to respect Houdini's craft, and her own ... Message Boards: how on earth do people in UK watch this film? | Kind of a slap in the face to Harry Houdini SPOILER Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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Director: Kari Skogland Stars: Ellen Burstyn, Christine Horne, Ellen Page (Full Cast) Studio: Vivendi Visual Entertainment The Plot: Resistant to her son's plan to place her in a nursing home, the fiesty Hagar Shipley (Burstyn) takes off on a solo trip to revisit some of her youthful haunts; flashbacks provide glimpses of her early life as an equally determined free spirit.
THE BUZZ: While I think Ellen Page's appeal is the main reason this movie earned a limited theatrical release (Juno portrays a girl in love with Hagar's youngest son, played by Transamerica's Kevin Zegers), The Stone Angel, as you might expect, belongs to Ms. Burstyn and her character's unwillingness to succumb to the ravages of aging. A targeted release in this female-positive time for movies should boost Angel's fortunes, and I imagine this one will rake it in on DVD. Message Boards: This book and moviewas torture | Great casting Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews | |||||
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