QUICK MONTH: SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER – NOVEMBER- DECEMBER
A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas – November 4, 2011
Directed By: Todd Strauss-Schulson
Starring: Kal Penn, John Cho, Neil Patrick Harris
Synopsis: Six years after their Guantanamo Bay adventure, stoner buds Harold Lee and Kumar Patel cause a holiday fracas by inadvertently burning down Harold’s father-in-law’s prize Christmas tree.
- Analysis: Nudity, drug use and foul language – it’s going to be the best Christmas movie of the year!
Tower Heist – November 4, 2011
Directed By: Brett Ratner
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Ben Stiller, Casey Affleck
Synopsis: When a group of hard working guys find out they’ve fallen victim to a wealthy business man’s Ponzi scheme, they conspire to rob his high-rise residence.
- Analysis: I almost didn’t recognize Eddie Murphy without a fat suit, but there he is. He returns to comedy once again trying to make it work, this time with director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour movies). Alas, it’s a poor man’s Ocean’s 11 with the same predictable element. They get the money.
Immortals – November 11, 2011
Directed By: Tarsem Singh
Starring: Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke, John Hurt
Synopsis: Greek warrior Theseus battles against imprisoned titans.
- Analysis: Before writing this one off as another 300 movie, one should look at the work of director Tarsem Singh and notice the man is a genius. So with that comes hope that he didn’t set out just to make another 300 movie, he’s added something more (see The Cell, The Fall). If that doesn’t grab you, maybe Mickey Rourke will; he’s just awesome.
Jack and Jill – November 11, 2011
Directed By: Dennis Dugan
Starring: Adam Sandler, Katie Holmes, Al Pacino
Synopsis: A family man is forced to deal with his twin sister from the Bronx comes to Los Angeles for a visit — then won’t leave.
- Analysis: Where do we start with this one? If there were ever a reason to take Adam Sandler off the Christmas card list, this is it. What the hell was he thinking? Didn’t he learn anything from his character in Funny People? Life’s too short to make shitty movies. That was the message in that movie right? That’s what I got from it anyways.
Melancholia – November 11, 2011 (Limited)
Directed By: Lars von Trier
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland
Synopsis: Two sisters find their already strained relationship challenged as a mysterious new planet threatens to collide into the Earth.
- Analysis: Writer-director Lars von Trier aims to show how depressed people deal with the end of the world. As odd as that may sound, it’s his most mainstream movie to date. The film has earned tremendous praise and Dunst took away the best actress prize at Cannes. This will surprise people I think, myself included.
11-11-11 – November 11, 2011
Starring: Timothy Gibbs, Michael Landes, Denis Rafter
Synopsis: A horror-thriller set on 11:11 on the 11th day of the 11th month and concerning a entity from another world that enters the earthly realm through Heaven’s 11th gate.
- Analysis: Who would have thought a date could justify a feature film. Shame on everyone involved.
J. Edgar – November 11, 2011
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Naomi Watts
Synopsis: As the face of law enforcement in America for almost 50 years, J. Edgar Hoover was feared and admired, reviled and revered. But behind closed doors, he held secrets that would have destroyed his image, his career and his life.
- Analysis: Leonardo DiCaprio stars, Clint Eastwood directs and Dustin Lance Black (Milk) wrote the script. This has Oscar written all over it. Besides that of course it has all the elements for one of the best movies of the year. I can’t wait to see how DiCaprio and Eastwood work together; Scorsese as we know would have nothing but great things to show for their collaborations together. Watch out for this one.
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 – November 18, 2011
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Synopsis: The Quileute and the Volturi close in on expecting parents Edward and Bella, whose unborn child poses different threats to the wolf pack and vampire coven.
- Analysis: After three movies of build-up, the kids will finally get to see they two lovebirds have sex and then have a baby. Who will mend Jacob’s broken heart? Why the hell are they stretching it over two movies? All this and more on the next episode of “Twilight Babies”.
Happy Feet Two – November 18, 2011
Starring: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Pink
Synopsis: Mumble the penguin has a problem: his son Erik, who is reluctant to dance, encounters The Mighty Sven, a penguin who can fly!
- Analysis: The film showcases the voice talent of Robin Williams who never disappoints in animation. There’s going to be new songs and dance moves, and of course the 3rd Dimension. I enjoyed the first one, but am reluctant to fall for this one’s cuteness. Stay away dancing penguins!
The Muppets – November 23, 2011
Starring: Amy Adams, Jason Segel, Chris Cooper
Synopsis: With the help of three fans, the Muppets must reunite in order to save their old studio from a greedy oil tycoon.
- Analysis: Just when you thought there wasn’t something amazing happening at your local theater, here comes another Muppet movie, for the first time in 12 years! Jason Segel co-wrote and stars, there is obviously going to be celebrity cameos (Ricky Gervais included). I grew up with the Muppets and I’m glad to see the franchise recapture the spirit behind the series.
Hugo – November 23, 2011
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Lee
Synopsis: Set in 1930s Paris, an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station is wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.
- Analysis: This is Martin Scorsese’s first family film and first entry into the 3D world. The trailer was a little uneven but if I know Marty (I don’t), then I expect he did his best and the movie should hit a high note come the holiday season.
Arthur Christmas – November 23, 2011
Starring: James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy
Synopsis: Arthur Christmas reveals the incredible, never-before seen answer to every child’s question: ‘So how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?’ The answer: Santa’s exhilarating, ultra-high-tech operation hidden beneath the North Pole.
- Analysis: What Despicable Me did for villains, Arthur Christmas wants to do for Santa. A clever concept that we don’t know too much about at this point but the teasers are doing a good job and garnering my interest.
The Artist – November 23, 2011 (Limited)
Starring: Missi Pyle, John Goodman, Malcolm McDowell
Synopsis: Hollywood, 1927: As silent movie star George Valentin wonders if the arrival of talking pictures will cause him to fade into oblivion, he sparks with Peppy Miller, a young dancer set for a big break.
- Analysis: It’s a silent black and white movie made in 2011. I’m sold. It’s something very different that’s for sure, and I could use different in my theater. The film is getting praise for all the right reasons so look forward to further evidence that this is a winner come award season.
A Dangerous Method – November 23, 2011
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen
Synopsis: A look at how the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gives birth to psychoanalysis.
- Analysis: David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen team up once more (A History of Violence, Eastern Promises) to tell the tale of psychoanalysis. It’s going to be dirty, raw and honest – expectations are high here.
The Descendants – November 23, 2011 (Limited)
Starring: George Clooney, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard
Synopsis: A land baron tries to re-connect with his two daughters after his wife suffers a boating accident.
- Analysis: Alexander Payne hasn’t made a film since Sideways 7 years ago, and that made Paul Giamatti a star. He now sets to make George Clooney…an even bigger star? It will be interesting to see what Payne has to say after nearly a decade hiatus.
Tags: 11-11-11, 50/50, A Dangerous Method, a very harold & kumar christmas, Abduction, Alvin and the Chipmunks, anonymous, arthur christmas, breaking dawn, Bucky Larson, Contagion, Coriolanus, dream house, Drive, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, footloose, happy feet, hugo, Immortals, In Time, J. Edgar, Jack and Jill, Johnny English Reborn, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Melancholia, mission impossible, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, moneyball, movie guide, new year's eve, Paranormal Activity 3, Piranha 3DD, puss in boots, Real Steel, red state, sherlock holmes, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, straw dogs, Take Shelter, the adventures of tintin: the secret of the unicorn, The Artist, the big year, The Darkest Hour, The Descendants, the girl with the dragon tattoo, the ides of march, the iron lady, The Lion King, the muppets, the rum diary, the sitter, the thing, the three musketeers, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, tintin, Tower Heist, twilight, Wanderlust, war horse, Warrior, We Bought a Zoo, we need to talk about kevin, Young Adult
I liked the movie as well, but I’m sure glad I read the review AFTER seeing it. Do you really need to give away a key plot point that does not get revealed until two thirds of the way into the film