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Darron Young
Issue date: 9/15/06 Section: FreeStyle
Ever been to the movies only to get to the theatre and realize that the movie you want to see is sold out or it isn't showing for another two hours.
With the movie you want to see being currently unavailable, what do you do?
You don't want to just leave; after all, you and your friends (or date) have gone through all the trouble of getting ready so you have to see something, but which movie do you choose?
So many movies, so little time to choose, right?
Ever thought, "This movie looks interesting, but what's it about?" Or: "This movie has an unusual name, and I didn't even know it was showing, but the name intrigues me and I want to know what it's about."
For those of you looking forward to the upcoming weekend and pondering which of the many movie selections you'd like to go see with your friends and/or that certain someone special, I present to you a complete overview of the movies currently playing at your local cinema, as well as advice on which one might be a good choice for your weekend viewing pleasure and your budget.
Leading the pack is "The Covenant," which took in $9 million dollars in it's debut last weekend and currently holds the top spot as the number one movie in America.
The runner-up, "Hollywoodland," took in $6 million, also in it's debut. Rounding out the top three is "Invincible" with $5.8 million, bringing its thre-week total to $45.7 million and counting.
"The Covenant" is a supernatural themed story about four young warlocks who are descendants of the people persecuted during the infamous "Salem Witchcraft Trials."
They possess magical powers like their predecessors. The four of them go to prep school together and are fast friends, but a fifth warlock from their past re-emerges, wanting to take revenge on them for a past wrong.
He begins to use his own power to manipulate and destroy the four.
It has received typically ok to subpar reviews, so it would probably be good as a group movie to be seen with friends, but don't expect anything truly standout or remarkable. "The Covenant" is rated PG-13.
"Hollywoodland" is about the mysterious death of George Reeves, the man who played Superman in the long running 1950's serial.
Ben Affleck plays George Reeves, while Adrian Brody plays Simo, the detective assigned to investigate the mysterious circumstances behind his death.
Critics have been generally very positive about the film, and Ebert and Roeper gave it two thumbs up.
Talk has already begun of the film being possible Oscar material, so this one is recommended for those who enjoy a good detective story, or simply for those who like their cinema with a little substance. "Hollywoodland" is rated R.
And lastly, "Invincible" is the true story of a bartender who, on a whim, decides to try out for a professional NFL team and actually makes the team.
The director of the film, Ericson Core, and the lead actor, Mark Wahlberg, both went for authenticity with this film and have both gone through great lengths to present the game of football as it is, as accurately as they possibly can.
Critics were split over "Invincible", with the film receiving generally positive reviews overall.
It's recommended for sports fans or those who enjoy "average joe makes good" feel-good movies. "Invincible" is rated PG.
Here's the breakdown for the rest of the box office:
• "Accepted"- Silly summer comedy about the perils of college life. Don't expect Oscar material here, but good for a few laughs with some buds. Rated PG-13.
• "How to Eat Fried Worms"- Based on the book by Thomas Rockwell. A movie recommended for kids, reviews were split for this one, with the biggest complaints being that the movie either goes to much for the gross-out factor, or doesn't stay faithful to the book. Kids might enjoy it, but there probably won't be much there for more discerning tastes. Rated PG.
• "The Protector"- A martial arts film that is receiving generally positive reviews. Most are associated with a few story related problems, but most get made up for by some very eye-catching martial arts sequences. Rated R.
• "Step Up"- As the title implies, this movie is about shakin' your groove thing, i.e. dancing. It's received ok to mediocre reviews, but the dancing seems to be the main draw here. This one would be a good potential date movie. For fans of movies like "Dirty Dancing" and "Footloose." Rated PG-13.
• "Barnyard: The Original Party Animals"- A CGI animated comedy, in the vein of movies like "Shrek" and "CARS." Reviews have been so-so, so don't expect another "Finding Nemo," but it has it's moments. Rated PG.
• "Crank"- This one has an interesting premise. The lead in this one, Jason "The Transporter" Statham, has been injected with a designer drug that has the effect of rendering him unable to stop moving. He has to sustain a continued adrenaline rush or the toxin in his system makes his heart stop and he dies. So he does a lot of interesting things throughout the movie to keep his levels up. It's basically a nonstop action movie. Think "Speed" on... well... speed. Rated R.
• "The Wicker Man"- A horror film starring Nicolas Cage, "The Wicker Man" has been receiving a few ok reviews, with quite a few 'not-so-ok' ones. Cage is a detective in charge of finding a missing girl, but his search leads him to a haven for witches, and a mysterious person known as "The Wicker Man." Rated PG-13.
• "Beerfest"- Another dumb summer comedy, in the vein of movies like "American Pie", only not nearly as funny or smart. Still, good for a few laughs with friends. Rated R.
• "Crossover"- A basketball movie that presents many themes we've already seen before in one form or another, this one has been almost universally panned and should probably be avoided at all costs. Rated PG-13.
• "Idlewild"- Andre "Andre3000" Benjamin and Antwon "Big Boi" Patton's interesting "gumbo" style Musical/Hip Hop/Dramedy, this one is a mix of 30's gangster films, musicals like "Chicago" and a strong helping of southern classics like "The Color Purple" thrown in for good measure. Some people might find so many clashing themes and motifs a bit hard to swallow, but if one can get past the way the film tries to be so many things in one, it turns out to be a fairly interesting spectacle. Rated R.
• "The Illusionist"- This film is an era piece about a famous illusionist, Eiseinheim, who mystifies crowds with his magical tricks and the noble, Prince Leopold who seeks to expose the secrets behind his "magic". This one is a drama, with quite a few romantic moments as well. It's a character driven film with a focus on story, recommended for those who want a movie heavy on plot and dialogue. Rated PG-13.
• "Little Miss Sunshine"- This one is an art film from Sundance that examines the American family, and all of it's many quirks and dysfunctions. Reviews for this one have been overwhelmingly positive, so it comes highly recommended for fans of indie films and good films in general. Rated R.
• "Material Girls"- Starring Hilary and Haylie Duff, this one has teeny-bopper written all over it. Recommended for 'tweens only; and even then, only sparingly, as reviews haven't been positive. Rated PG.
• "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"- Jack Sparrow's latest sea-faring adventure, and part two of a planned trilogy. Not as fun as the first, but still a very enjoyable 'pirate' movie. Rated PG-13.
• "Snakes on a Plane"- SNAKES on a PLANE! 'Nuff said! Rated R.
• "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby"- Will Ferrell's NASCAR parody movie, this one is good for a few laughs. Rated PG-13.
• "World Trade Center"- A thoughtful recollection of the events of the second American "day that will live in infamy". Rated PG-13.
Well, that's it for this week. Hope this guide has been somewhat informative in helping you decide which movie you and your friends see this weekend. See you at the movies.
With the movie you want to see being currently unavailable, what do you do?
You don't want to just leave; after all, you and your friends (or date) have gone through all the trouble of getting ready so you have to see something, but which movie do you choose?
So many movies, so little time to choose, right?
Ever thought, "This movie looks interesting, but what's it about?" Or: "This movie has an unusual name, and I didn't even know it was showing, but the name intrigues me and I want to know what it's about."
For those of you looking forward to the upcoming weekend and pondering which of the many movie selections you'd like to go see with your friends and/or that certain someone special, I present to you a complete overview of the movies currently playing at your local cinema, as well as advice on which one might be a good choice for your weekend viewing pleasure and your budget.
Leading the pack is "The Covenant," which took in $9 million dollars in it's debut last weekend and currently holds the top spot as the number one movie in America.
The runner-up, "Hollywoodland," took in $6 million, also in it's debut. Rounding out the top three is "Invincible" with $5.8 million, bringing its thre-week total to $45.7 million and counting.
"The Covenant" is a supernatural themed story about four young warlocks who are descendants of the people persecuted during the infamous "Salem Witchcraft Trials."
They possess magical powers like their predecessors. The four of them go to prep school together and are fast friends, but a fifth warlock from their past re-emerges, wanting to take revenge on them for a past wrong.
He begins to use his own power to manipulate and destroy the four.
It has received typically ok to subpar reviews, so it would probably be good as a group movie to be seen with friends, but don't expect anything truly standout or remarkable. "The Covenant" is rated PG-13.
"Hollywoodland" is about the mysterious death of George Reeves, the man who played Superman in the long running 1950's serial.
Ben Affleck plays George Reeves, while Adrian Brody plays Simo, the detective assigned to investigate the mysterious circumstances behind his death.
Critics have been generally very positive about the film, and Ebert and Roeper gave it two thumbs up.
Talk has already begun of the film being possible Oscar material, so this one is recommended for those who enjoy a good detective story, or simply for those who like their cinema with a little substance. "Hollywoodland" is rated R.
And lastly, "Invincible" is the true story of a bartender who, on a whim, decides to try out for a professional NFL team and actually makes the team.
The director of the film, Ericson Core, and the lead actor, Mark Wahlberg, both went for authenticity with this film and have both gone through great lengths to present the game of football as it is, as accurately as they possibly can.
Critics were split over "Invincible", with the film receiving generally positive reviews overall.
It's recommended for sports fans or those who enjoy "average joe makes good" feel-good movies. "Invincible" is rated PG.
Here's the breakdown for the rest of the box office:
• "Accepted"- Silly summer comedy about the perils of college life. Don't expect Oscar material here, but good for a few laughs with some buds. Rated PG-13.
• "How to Eat Fried Worms"- Based on the book by Thomas Rockwell. A movie recommended for kids, reviews were split for this one, with the biggest complaints being that the movie either goes to much for the gross-out factor, or doesn't stay faithful to the book. Kids might enjoy it, but there probably won't be much there for more discerning tastes. Rated PG.
• "The Protector"- A martial arts film that is receiving generally positive reviews. Most are associated with a few story related problems, but most get made up for by some very eye-catching martial arts sequences. Rated R.
• "Step Up"- As the title implies, this movie is about shakin' your groove thing, i.e. dancing. It's received ok to mediocre reviews, but the dancing seems to be the main draw here. This one would be a good potential date movie. For fans of movies like "Dirty Dancing" and "Footloose." Rated PG-13.
• "Barnyard: The Original Party Animals"- A CGI animated comedy, in the vein of movies like "Shrek" and "CARS." Reviews have been so-so, so don't expect another "Finding Nemo," but it has it's moments. Rated PG.
• "Crank"- This one has an interesting premise. The lead in this one, Jason "The Transporter" Statham, has been injected with a designer drug that has the effect of rendering him unable to stop moving. He has to sustain a continued adrenaline rush or the toxin in his system makes his heart stop and he dies. So he does a lot of interesting things throughout the movie to keep his levels up. It's basically a nonstop action movie. Think "Speed" on... well... speed. Rated R.
• "The Wicker Man"- A horror film starring Nicolas Cage, "The Wicker Man" has been receiving a few ok reviews, with quite a few 'not-so-ok' ones. Cage is a detective in charge of finding a missing girl, but his search leads him to a haven for witches, and a mysterious person known as "The Wicker Man." Rated PG-13.
• "Beerfest"- Another dumb summer comedy, in the vein of movies like "American Pie", only not nearly as funny or smart. Still, good for a few laughs with friends. Rated R.
• "Crossover"- A basketball movie that presents many themes we've already seen before in one form or another, this one has been almost universally panned and should probably be avoided at all costs. Rated PG-13.
• "Idlewild"- Andre "Andre3000" Benjamin and Antwon "Big Boi" Patton's interesting "gumbo" style Musical/Hip Hop/Dramedy, this one is a mix of 30's gangster films, musicals like "Chicago" and a strong helping of southern classics like "The Color Purple" thrown in for good measure. Some people might find so many clashing themes and motifs a bit hard to swallow, but if one can get past the way the film tries to be so many things in one, it turns out to be a fairly interesting spectacle. Rated R.
• "The Illusionist"- This film is an era piece about a famous illusionist, Eiseinheim, who mystifies crowds with his magical tricks and the noble, Prince Leopold who seeks to expose the secrets behind his "magic". This one is a drama, with quite a few romantic moments as well. It's a character driven film with a focus on story, recommended for those who want a movie heavy on plot and dialogue. Rated PG-13.
• "Little Miss Sunshine"- This one is an art film from Sundance that examines the American family, and all of it's many quirks and dysfunctions. Reviews for this one have been overwhelmingly positive, so it comes highly recommended for fans of indie films and good films in general. Rated R.
• "Material Girls"- Starring Hilary and Haylie Duff, this one has teeny-bopper written all over it. Recommended for 'tweens only; and even then, only sparingly, as reviews haven't been positive. Rated PG.
• "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"- Jack Sparrow's latest sea-faring adventure, and part two of a planned trilogy. Not as fun as the first, but still a very enjoyable 'pirate' movie. Rated PG-13.
• "Snakes on a Plane"- SNAKES on a PLANE! 'Nuff said! Rated R.
• "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby"- Will Ferrell's NASCAR parody movie, this one is good for a few laughs. Rated PG-13.
• "World Trade Center"- A thoughtful recollection of the events of the second American "day that will live in infamy". Rated PG-13.
Well, that's it for this week. Hope this guide has been somewhat informative in helping you decide which movie you and your friends see this weekend. See you at the movies.
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