2014 Movie Preview: #6 - The Monuments Men

Release date: February 7

Plot summary: Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, "The Monuments Men" is an action-thriller focusing on an unlikely World War II platoon, tasked by FDR with going into Germany to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and returning them to their rightful owners. It would be an impossible mission: with the art trapped behind enemy lines, and with the German army under orders to destroy everything as the Reich fell, how could these guys – seven museum directors, curators, and art historians, all more familiar with Michelangelo than the M-1 – possibly hope to succeed? But as the Monuments Men, as they were called, found themselves in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1000 years of culture, they would risk their lives to protect and defend mankind's greatest achievements.

My take: So we once again have a 2013 repeat here. Given the quality of the cast and the intriguing nature of the story, I refuse to believe that there are problems with the film. Instead, we will just all have to be patient until it finally arrives in theaters. Once it does, I know I'll be right in line to check it out.

The great space coaster

Every day seems to bring new awards nominations or critics top ten lists, which is a sign that I need to start watching some of these movies so I can tell whether or not I agree with everyone else. First up is a film that is generating quite a lot of Oscar buzz, Alfonso Cuaron's space thriller, Gravity.

There have been a lot of movies that focus on a main character having a "very bad day", but few could rival the one that astronaut Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) experiences in this movie. Stone is a medical engineer, but because of her knowledge and expertise in her field has been asked to go on a mission in space. One of her fellow astronauts is Matt Kowalski (George Clooney), who is veteran space traveler. He's done so many trips that he has to humor himself by retelling the same stories to mission control as he floats around. While on a routine spacewalk, the crew learns that debris from a damaged satellite is floating in their direction. Before they can get back inside the ship the debris hurtles towards them causing damage to their ship and severing Stone's tether.

From there we spend the next 90 minutes or so in a state of sustained tension as we watch whether or not Stone will be able to survive this perilous predicament. So may argue that the plot is too simplistic, but this is a case of less is more. The trials and tribulations that this character encounters are simply enthralling. We are presented with a "worst case scenario" of events for this character, yet all of it remains grounded and plausible. Even though most of us will never have the opportunity to experience what it is like to go up in space, you feel as if you are right there besides Stone as she struggles to find her way back to her ship.

The primary reason for such a shared sense of experience while watching this film comes from its amazing visual artistry. Cuaron has simply created a wonderfully looking film. I was thankful to have the opportunity to see this film in 3D and it's the first movie since Avatar to feel like it's worth the upgrade in price. Cuaron does not just have the look of space correct, he creates these long tracking shots to really make you feel where you are. This has been a hallmark of his filmmaking in the past, but it has never been better than it is here.

This is also a director who is more than someone who has fallen in love with his location. He knows how to shoot his actors. There is a beautiful looking shot midway through the film where he depicts Stone as if she was an infant still in the womb. This adventure puts her into a whole new world for sure and it is captivating to watch her try and catch her bearings in such a foreign environment.

While Bullock will likely get the majority of attention for her tour de force performance here, I do not want to slight George Clooney in any way (not that he's struggling without my endorsement, but that's neither here nor there). Although his time on screen is brief, he holds your attention like few other actors today can for the time that he is there. The interplay between him and Bullock ranges from light-hearted to deeply philosophical and all of it is interesting.

Simply put, this movie works on all levels. It's a visual wonder, a captivating thriller, and a display of everyone involved working at their highest level. Without having seen enough of the other potential contenders, I cannot say for certainty that this should win, but I have no qualms about it if it is bestowed that highest honor. Cuaron and company have reached for the stars and somehow managed to soar even above those lofty expectations. Grade: A

Moving Monuments

From EW.com

George Clooney told the Los Angeles Times Tuesday that his World War II drama The Monuments Men would not meet its scheduled Dec. 18 opening and will instead hit theaters in early 2014. A representative from Sony Pictures, who is distributing the film, confirmed the news to EW and stated that the film would be released sometime in the first quarter of 2014, but no release date has been set.

“We just didn’t have enough time,” Clooney told the paper. The movie, which Clooney directed, produced, and stars in, boasts an all-star cast including Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, and Cate Blanchett and was considered an awards hopeful. According to the report, when Clooney arrived in London to work with composer Alexandre Desplat on the score, he and producing partner Grant Heslov realized they were in trouble.

“If any of the effects looked cheesy, the whole movie would look cheesy,” Clooney told the Times. “We simply don’t have enough people to work enough hours to finish it.” He added: ”All we’ve ever said, from the very beginning, is that we wanted to make a commercial, non-cynical piece of entertainment.”

The Monuments Men isn’t the first film to drop out of the late 2013 release schedule — others have included Sony’s Foxcatcher and The Weinstein Company’s Grace of Monaco, both of which have been pushed to early 2014 as well.

This is rather disappointing news for me considering this was in my Top 5 most anticipated films for this year. Then again, Clooney's current film, Gravity, was originally supposed to come out in 2012 and it's done all right with its delay. So I guess we just have to now play the waiting game.

Space case

In space, no one can hear me scream how excited I am for Gravity, the new thriller starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock set to open Oct. 4. Here's the new trailer to get you even more enticed.

2013 Fall Movie Preview (December)

AMERICAN HUSTLE (December 13)
Plot: A fictional film set in the alluring world of one of the most stunning scandals to rock the States, "American Hustle" tells the story of brilliant con man Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale), who along with his equally cunning and seductive British partner Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) is forced to work for a wild FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper). DiMaso pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and mafia that�s as dangerous as it is enchanting. Jeremy Renner is Carmine Polito, the passionate, volatile, New Jersey political operator caught between the con-artists and Feds. Irving's unpredictable wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) could be the one to pull the thread that brings the entire world crashing down. Like David O. Russell's previous films, "American Hustle" defies genre, hinging on raw emotion, and life and death stakes.

Quick thoughts: Every year there always seems to be one film that I do not identify on my yearly preview that I end up being really excited for when I then do my fall movie preview. This is easily that film this year. Director David O. Russell has basically merged the casts of his past two films, thrown them into the 1970s and let the good times roll. Given how well his past two films have done come awards season, I would expect more of the same for this thriller.


SAVING MR. BANKS (December 13)
Plot: Two-time Academy Award��winner Emma Thompson and fellow double Oscar�-winner Tom Hanks topline Disney's "Saving Mr. Banks," inspired by the extraordinary, untold backstory of how Disney's classic "Mary Poppins" made it to the screen.

Quick thoughts: By the time this film comes out, we will already have a pretty good idea of whether or not we can expect Tom Hanks to be competing with himself for a Best Actor nomination. If I had to guess, I'll bet his work in Captain Phillips is better. That certainly does not diminish my anticipation for this film which looks like it could be the most charming movie of the year. Even if this film does not do much during the awards season, I believe it will still do big business with families during the holiday season.


THE MONUMENTS MEN (December 18)
Plot: Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, "The Monuments Men" is an action-thriller focusing on an unlikely World War II platoon, tasked by FDR with going into Germany to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and returning them to their rightful owners. It would be an impossible mission: with the art trapped behind enemy lines, and with the German army under orders to destroy everything as the Reich fell, how could these guys � seven museum directors, curators, and art historians, all more familiar with Michelangelo than the M-1 � possibly hope to succeed?�But as the Monuments Men, as they were called, found themselves in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1000 years of culture, they would risk their lives to protect and defend mankind's greatest achievements.

Quick thoughts: I marked this in my top 5 most anticipated for 2013 and seeing the trailer for this a few weeks ago has not diminished my expectations for it in the least. The term 'all-star cast' is reserved for movies like that. If it can successfully blend the high stakes of adventure of Ocean's Eleven with the gritty realism that comes with covering World War II, this will be one hell of a movie.


ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES (December 20)
Plot: With the 70's behind him, San Diego's top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), returns to the news desk in "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues." Also back for more are Ron's co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), weather man Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), man on the street Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner) - All of whom won't make it easy to stay classy, while taking the nation's first 24-hour news channel by storm.

Quick thoughts: This is the movie that I am most nervously anxious for. On one hand, the first Anchorman movie is one of my all time favorite comedies and I would hate to have the franchise tarnished in any way with a disappointing follow-up, but these characters are too great not to have had them make a return. Let's just hope this turns out to be the best Christmas present ever and not the equivalent of milk on a hot day in San Diego.


OTHER POSSIBLE FILMS OF INTEREST
Out of the Furnace (December 6)
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (December 13)
Foxcatcher (December 20)
Jack Ryan (December 25)

2013 Fall Movie Preview (October)

GRAVITY (October 4)
Plot: Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone--tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth...and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

Quick thoughts: It's hard to believe that this film's released was delayed by nearly a year. However, unlike so many movies who get delayed, this should still be a quality movie. The trailers showcase what looks to be an intense thriller that is also beautifully shot. A lot of people have been eagerly awaiting Cuaron's follow-up to Children of Men and I don't think they'll be disappointed.


RUNNER RUNNER (October 4)
Plot: Princeton grad student Richie (Justin Timberlake), believing he's been swindled, travels to Costa Rica to confront online gambling tycoon Ivan Block (Ben Affleck). Richie is seduced by Block's promise of immense wealth, until he learns the disturbing truth about his benefactor. When the FBI tries to coerce Richie to help bring down Block, Richie faces his biggest gamble ever: attempting to outmaneuver the two forces closing in on him.

Quick thoughts: I highly doubt that this movie will help get Ben Affleck back-to-back Best Picture Oscars, but what it may lack in gravitas I am hoping it makes up for in just good old fashioned entertainment. Timberlake is a rising star who should be able to hold his own here. While the gambling story has been told before, it is one that I still find interesting when it is done well.


CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (October 11)
Plot: Columbia Pictures' action-thriller "Captain Phillips" stars two-time Oscar� winner Tom Hanks in the true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years. The film is directed by Oscar� nominee Paul Greengrass, from a screenplay by Billy Ray and based upon the book, "A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea," by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty. The film is produced by Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, and Michael De Luca.

Quick thoughts: Director Paul Greengrass has shown he knows how to do action with his work on the Bourne movies and he has also shown skill at being able to depict real life events like he did in United 93. The fact that he has Tom Hanks in the titular role here only adds to my anticipation for the film. While I know the basic story, I've tried to avoid reading about a lot of the smaller details so as to enjoy this film that much more when it comes out.


JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA (October 25)
Plot: 86-year-old Irving Zisman is on a journey across America with the most unlikely companions, his 8-year-old Grandson Billy in "Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa." This October, the signature Jackass character Irving Zisman (Johnny Knoxville) and Billy (Jackson Nicholl) will take movie audiences along for the most insane hidden camera road trip ever captured on camera. Along the way, Irving will introduce the young and impressionable Billy to people, places and situations that give new meaning to the term childrearing. The duo will encounter male strippers, disgruntled child beauty pageant contestants (and their equally disgruntled mothers), funeral home mourners, biker bar patrons and a whole lot of unsuspecting citizens. Real people in unreal situations, making for one really messed up comedy.

Quick thoughts: I have to give Knoxville credit for finding a way to freshen up the Jackass. I have to admit laughing very hard at a lot of the scenes in the trailer for this film. This seems to be going for the Borat approach with a Jackass mentality, which likely means it will be a big hit, especially with younger audiences.


OTHER POSSIBLE FILMS OF INTEREST
A.C.O.D. (October 4)
12 Years a Slave (October 18)
The Fifth Estate (October 18)
The Counselor (October 25)

Danny Ocean goes to war

Sorry for the glut of trailers this week, but they've been all good ones. Here's one for The Monuments Men, a movie that was in my Top 5 Most Anticipated for this year. The film stars George Clooney, (who also directs it), Matt Damon, Bill Murray, and John Goodman. Check it out below.

Lost in space

After a year long delay, we've finally gotten our first glimpse at Alfonso Cuaron's (Children of Men) new film, Gravity, starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. Check it out for yourself below.

2013 Movie Preview (#6 - 1)

#6. Elysium (August 9)

Plot: In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard line government official will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn't stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.

Personal Opinion: After District 9 was the surprise hit of 2009, everyone has eagerly anticipated what director Neill Blomkamp has in store for a follow-up. While this was originally set to be released in March, fans will now have to wait until August to see this sci-fi thriller. What puts this one over the top for me as it relates to anticipation is the fact that Matt Damon stars, someone who's work I always enjoy and who has become the hallmark of consistency recently with the films he's starred in.


#5 Anchorman: The Legend Continues (December 20)

Plot: A sequel to 2004's "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy." Will Ferrell, will return to the title role with supporting cast members Steve Carell and Paul Rudd said to be involved as well. The original film also starred Christina Applegate, David Koechner, Fred Willard, Fred Armisen, Chris Parnell and many more.

Personal Opinion: I cannot understate how much I loved the original Anchorman film. It is one of the best comedies ever. I'm beyond thrilled that the Channel 4 News Team is reuniting, but like any fan there's always that trepidation that the sequel won't be able to live up to the original's greatness. Given that it's taken so long for this sequel to happen and the passion that those involved have for making this good, I've got faith that fans won't be disappointed with the latest adventures of Ron Burgundy.


#4. Monsters University (June 21)

Plot: Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan are an inseparable pair, but that wasn't always the case. From the moment these two mismatched monsters met they couldn't stand each other. "Monsters University" unlocks the door to how Mike and Sulley overcame their differences and became the best of friends. Screaming with laughter and fun, "Monsters University" is directed by Dan Scanlon ("Cars," "Mater and the Ghostlight," "Tracy") and produced by Kori Rae ("Up," "The Incredibles," "Monsters, Inc."). The film opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2013, and will be shown in Disney Digital 3D� in select theaters.

Personal Opinion: The last sequel Pixar did was the worst film in the studio's history and then they followed that up with the lackluster Brave. So why the high anticipation for this one? It's real simple. To begin, this sequel is working from better source material. Second, the trailer that's already been released provided more laughs than the last two Pixar films combined. I really love the idea of watching these characters within the setting of college. This one definitely has a great chance of appealing to parents and kids equally.


#3. Monuments Men (December 20)

Plot: "Monuments Men" is an adaptation of Robert Edsel's 2009 book by Robert Edsel, which is described as follows: At the same time Adolf Hitler was attempting to take over the western world, his armies were methodically seeking and hoarding the finest art treasures in Europe. The Fuehrer had begun cataloguing the art he planned to collect as well as the art he would destroy: "degenerate" works he despised. In a race against time, behind enemy lines, often unarmed, a special force of American and British museum directors, curators, art historians, and others, called the Momuments Men, risked their lives scouring Europe to prevent the destruction of thousands of years of culture. Focusing on the eleven-month period between D-Day and V-E Day, this fascinating account follows six Monuments Men and their impossible mission to save the world's great art from the Nazis.

Personal Opinion: I can't see how anyone wouldn't have at least some interest in seeing this film after reading that synopsis. It's almost like a real life Ocean's Eleven. It should come as no surprise then that George Clooney is not only starring in this, but also directing it as well. He's also surrounded himself with a fine cast of supporting actors including Daniel Craig, Bill Murray, Matt Damon, and Cate Blanchett. I expect this one to do big business at the box office and during the awards season.


#2. Star Trek into Darkness (May 17)

Plot: In Summer 2013, director J.J. Abrams will deliver an explosive action thriller that takes "Star Trek Into Darkness." In the wake of a shocking act of terror from within their own organization, the crew of The Enterprise is called back home to Earth. In defiance of regulations and with a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads his crew on a manhunt to capture an unstoppable force of destruction and bring those responsible to justice. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

Personal Opinion: I think everyone was caught off guard by how good Abrams' first Star Trek film was, so now the expectations are sky high. A lot of speculation has been made as to who exactly the villain for this film is. Could it be Khan, another villain from Star Trek history, or someone completely brand new. Given that I was never a fan of the original series, that doesn't concern me as much. As long as the story, acting, and action are on par with the 2009 film, then I'll be one happy moviegoer.


#1. Iron Man 3 (May 3)

Plot: Marvel Studios' "Iron Man 3" pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Personal Opinion: So we've finally made it to the end of the list and of course, Tony Stark is #1, as he believes he always should be. Just like with Thor, everyone is eager to see how they go about following up on The Avengers. Based on the first trailer, this looks like it's going to be awesome. We know Robert Downey Jr. will bring it again and I'm really looking forward to seeing Sir Ben Kingsley ham it up as the Mandarin. You better believe I'll be there for this one on opening weekend.

RBR: Contenders and pretenders

There had been a handful of films that came out at the end of last year, now on DVD, that I had, for various reasons, been putting off renting. Now that some of the early 2012 films are starting to be available to rent, I wanted to take care of them asap. I had a movie weekend and decided to lump all of the reviews together in this one post.

The Descendants Director Alexander Payne (Sideways, About Schmidt) always seems to choose products that feature central characters at their very lowest point in life. His latest dramedy is no different as it centers around Matt King (played by George Clooney) struggling with a wife who is near death after a boating accident while also trying to finalize a land deal in Hawaii to could potentially earn his family a lot of money. On top of that he also struggling with being a parent to his two difficult daughters. Like in most of Payne's films, I found the journey we take with the film's central character to be compelling. While not his strongest performance, Clooney does fine work here as he attempts to take on one of his least glamourous roles to date. On the other hand, the two daughters grated on me and I struggled to empathize with the situation they were going through. Furthermore, we're never really given any suitable justification as to why King has such a strained relationship with them. Given how hands-on he is with everything that goes on in the movie, he doesn't strike you as they absentee-father type. I also wish the film had been infused with a bit more humor. It's not that the film is completely downbeat, but in comparison to some of Payne's films, I felt this one lacked the wry sense of humor that is typically infused into his movies. I certainly would not call this my favorite of Payne's films - the terrific Election still holds that distinction for me. This is a good film that kept me engaged throughout. I can easily see why it garnered the number of Oscar nominations that it did. While I wouldn't go so far as to say it's as enjoyable as a Hawaiian vacation, I do feel you'll enjoy watching this one if you give it a rental. Rating: **** 1/2

J. Edgar This was originally thought to be a strong Oscar contender until a series of bad reviews sunk its chances. While I won't go as negative as some with regards to film, it does warrant some of the criticism it received. For me, the biggest problem with this film was its purpose. In detailing the life story of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, Clint Eastwood does not shy away from a lot of Hoover's flaws. His vanity, paranoia, cross-dressing, and possible homosexual lifestyle are all front and center in this depiction. And yet I question why. What is gained by smearing someone who also did a lot of good for this country in establishing the FBI? I felt the film was needlessly exploitative and I took no joy in seeing the salacious side of Hoover's life be such an integral part of this film. I would have much rather seen more of the forensic sciences that Hoover and his crew perfected in order to solve several notorious crimes. Aside from the film's purpose, this simply is not a quality film on par with some of Eastwood's other films. He only managed to get a distant performance from the usually strong DiCaprio. And perhaps most glaring of all is the awful makeup that is on display when the film is set in Hoover's last years. I know aging someone isn't easy, but I'd like to think most major films could do a better job than what was achieved here. This is disappointing all around and probably is not worth your time. Rating: **

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Many people were shocked when this garnered a best picture nomination even though less than half of the nation's critics gave it a favorable review. Watching the film, I could understand why it managed to earn a nom while also seeing the same flaws that most critics did. After losing his father on 9/11, young Oscar Schnell discovers a key in his father's room and sets out on a quest (prior to his death his father loved creating mysteries for him to solve) to learn what the key belongs to. Of course, this quest is more than just finding a lock that fits the key. It's about coping with death, embracing life, and coming together in support of one another. Given that the film centers around the events and aftermath of 9/11, the film is shamelessly manipulative in playing with the audience's emotions. However, I did not necessarily have a problem with that. It exists in order to do just that. My bigger problem comes from the focus being on the boy. While there are allusions made, it's unclear as to whether Oscar is suffering from a learning disability (like Asperger's) or if he's just eccentric. Regardless, the character and the young actor's portrayal of the boy make it difficult for the audience to enjoy going on this journey with him. He doesn't yield the sympathy that the character should. Instead, we sit there wanting to know the answers ourselves, but don't exactly care whether or not the boy gets them. While there are some problems with the child acting, the film does feature several good adult performances including Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock in limited roles and Max Von Sydow doing some great work as a mute who may be the young boy's grandfather. The subject matter is not for everyone, but if you have an interest in it, I think you'll be glad with you did. Just make sure to have the Kleenex box nearby. Rating: *** 1/2

War Horse I struggle with how exactly to review this film. From a technical standpoint, it is near excellent. The camera work, cinematography, the score, and all other facets of the film are just great. They prove once again why Spielberg is in a class by himself. And yet I found myself extemely bored by the entire story. I just could not get myself interested in seeing early 20th century history being told from the perspective of a horse. In fact, in doing so, I actually felt like they trivialized a lot of the major events that they depicted in this film. While a horse may be a majestic animal, it does not make for a compelling character. To make matters worse, with a run time of two and half hours, the film felt endless. The production value is too good for me to give the film a truly terrible grade and yet I can't in good conscience actually recommend it to anyone either. If you truly love horses, I suppose you may get some value out of the film Or if you're looking to get into the film business on the opposite side of the camera, you may find value in looking at quality of the production, but that's about it. Everyone else is better off taking a trip to the glue factory instead. Rating:***

2012 Movie Preview (#30 - 25)

Hard to believe we're at the end of another year. While there were plenty of things to celebrate in 2011, I feel that it was a rather lackluster year at the cineplex. Granted I haven't seen a number of potentially good movies yet, but overall I just wasn't as enamored with most of Hollywood's offerings this past year. But hope springs eternal, so as we turn the calendar over to 2012 we look ahead and I think things are looking much brighter. In the next few days, I'll be previewing the 30 films set to come out next year that I'm most looking forward to. Keep checking in throughout this week and see if you agree that 2012 is shaping up to be a great year at the movies.

30. Wreck-It Ralph (November 2nd)

Plot: Wreck-It Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) longs to be as beloved as his game's perfect Good Guy, Fix-It Felix (voice of Jack McBrayer). Problem is, nobody loves a Bad Guy. But they do love heroes... so when a modern, first-person shooter game arrives featuring tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch), Ralph sees it as his ticket to heroism and happiness. He sneaks into the game with a simple plan-win a medal-but soon wrecks everything, and accidently unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens every game in the arcade. Ralph's only hope? Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman), a young troublemaking "glitch" from a candy-coated cart racing game who might just be the one to teach Ralph what it means to be a Good Guy. But will he realize he is good enough to become a hero before it's "Game Over" for the entire arcade?

Personal opinion: As will be the theme for most of these early movies on this list, it's a little too early to tell how this one will turn out. It has a terrific voice cast and it's being produced by Disney (although this is not a Pixar animated film) so it has the credentials, but I'm a little unsure of the film's story. It feels like well-tred territory. We recently had both Despicable Me and Megamind do the whole 'bad guy gone good' plot and there also seems to be some similarities to this film and the 90s cartoon Reboot. If the film can feel fresh, this should be very successful.


29. Man on a Ledge (January 27th)

Plot: An ex-cop and now wanted fugitive (Sam Worthington) stands on the ledge of a high-rise building while a hard-living New York Police Department hostage negotiator (Elizabeth Banks) tries to talk him down. The longer they are on the ledge, the more she realizes that he might have an ulterior objective.

Personal opinion: If you didn't see it originally, I had posted the trailer for this film a few weeks ago. I doubt this movie will set the world on fire, but given that January is usually a dumping ground for lousy movies, this looks like it has a chance at being half-way decent. There are a lot of solid character actors here who will no doubt raise the film's quality. And based on the trailer, there looks like there could be several twists and turns in the story. As long as they don't get too cute with the storytelling this could be worthy of making a trip out to the theater during the dead of winter.


28. Gravity (November 21st)

Plot: Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone--tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth...and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

Personal opinion: On the surface, this sounds like it could be the plot to a hokey B-movie. However, with George Clooney and Sandra Bullock leading the cast this will be anything but. The film is also being directed by visionary director Alfonso Cuaron (who directed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which was in my opinion the most stylish film in the franchise). Given that this film will be done in 3D, this could be one of the few films that actually uses the technology effectively. I'm not sure this is the most conventional Thanksgiving film, but I'm still anxious to check it out.


27. Ted (July 13th)

Plot: "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane brings his boundary-pushing brand of humor to the big screen for the first time as writer, director and voice star of "Ted." In the live action/CG-animated comedy, he tells the story of John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg), a grown man who must deal with the cherished teddy bear who came to life as the result of a childhood wish... and has refused to leave his side ever since.

Personal opinion: As anyone who has ever watched Family Guy knows, Seth McFarland can be a very funny guy. The big question though is whether that humor can translate onto the big screen. Considering that the quality of most of his animated shows has waned in the past year or so, I'm hoping it's because he's putting his best efforts into this project. McFarland has certainly improved his chances by bringing along several of his talented voice actors like Mila Kunis and Patrick Warburton to be a part of the cast. I've never been big on the whole live action/CG-animated hybrid genre, so that's a strike against the film. For this film to work, it's going to have to be something more than just a raunchier version of Alvin and the Chipmunks.


26. Wanderlust (February 24th)

Plot: Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston star in "Wanderlust," a raucous comedy from director David Wain ("Role Models") and producer Judd Apatow ("Knocked Up") about a couple who leaves the pressures of the big city and joins a freewheeling community where the only rule is to be yourself.

Personal opinion: This fills up the requiste role of movie that was featured on last year's preview and then got bumped. I don't feel the need to say too much more about this movie now. David Wain (Wet Hot American Summer, Role Models) has proven that he can make some very provocative, yet funny films. He's got his usual cast of actors back with him along with Jennifer Aniston, which sounds like a winning combination to me. With all that said, however, it'll probably be a tough sell getting people to come out and watch a movie about a nudist colony.


25. Chronicle (February 3rd)

Plot: Three high school students make an incredible discovery, leading to them developing uncanny powers beyond their understanding. As they learn to control their abilities, and use them to their advantage, their lives start to spin out of control, and their darker sides begin to take over.

Personal opinion: As I pointed out when I posted the trailer for this film, most people are probably tired of superheroes after this past year. But based on what I've seen I really think this is a creative approach to the genre. Taking a realistic approach combined with the documentary style of filmmaking really appeals to me. The key to this film will be in its execution. Will this unique idea be able to cause the genre to soar to new heights or will a failure to follow through cause it to crash and burn? Only time will tell.

March on Washington

Finishing up the second part of the double feature I saw last weekend, we now come to The Ides of March, a political drama that has Oscar aspirations about a man with presidential aspirations. In this case that man is George Clooney, who also directed and co-wrote this film. The film, based on the play Farragut North, examines the dilemmas faced by everyone involved in trying to be, or help someone to be the next leader of the free world.

While Clooney is the candidate running for president, the film spends more time with his staff as they run his campaign. At the forefront of that is Stephen Meyers (played by Ryan Gosling), he's a hotshot assistant who claims to have already worked on more campaigns than anyone ten years his senior. That experience doesn't seem to help him much as he quickly gets caught up in the game of dirty politics. He takes a meeting with the chief of staff of the guy Clooney is running against (played by Paul Giamatti). When Clooney's chief of staff (played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman) finds out about the meeting, he's none too pleased.

When you have a cast that features four talented individuals like this film does, you expect to have scene after scene of scenary chewing taking place and yet most of the dialogue between these characters falls a bit flat. I was expecting these scenes to be more explosive where you really felt the emotion behind their words. Perhaps I've gotten too spoiled by Aaron Sorkin dialogue and expected too much here, but I just didn't find these talky scenes to be as gripping as I expected them too. This is not to say they are bad by any means. I was just suprised I didn't love them more.

A lot of their discussions and strategizing are a result of the actions of a young staffer on Clooney's campaign played by Evan Rachel Wood. She takes an interest in Gosling's character, which causes a number of problems. Without spoiling too much about what she does, I will say that I didn't buy into this subplot. Her actions and motivations don't seem realistic and they drag the film down. When it's focused on her, it strays from being a political potboiled into an area of tawdry melodrama.

What this film does do right though is give us a fair, albeit frustrating depiction of the nature of politics. You see as you watch these characters operate that anyone who enters the political game is unable to come out of it unscathed. Everyone has to get a little dirty, it's just a matter of whether or not you embrace it or not. Those who think their ideals can rise above the mudslinging are only fooling themselves. Some moviegoes may be frustrated with that theme since it prevents them from having anybody that they can root for or rally behind in this film.

Though I've pointed out some flaws in this film, it is by no means a bad film. These flaws only get pointed out because the expectations for this film were so high in the first place. In that way, The Ides of March may be very similar to real life presidential candidates. While they make a good first impression, the more you peel back the layers the more disappointment you find. That should in no way suggest that you should ignore this movie like so many people ignore potential candidates. Though this may not win the equivalent of the Oval Office come Academy Award season, it still has a lot to say that should be heard. Grade: B