For those of you looking closely, and noticing that the release date for “Lucky You” on the above poster is September 8th, and the actual release date is May 4th, you’re not going blind. “Lucky You” was supposed to be released September 8, 2006, more than 6 months ago. It finally gets a new release date, opposite “Spiderman 3″ - yeah, that’s smart. Warner Bros pushed back a ton of movies last year, including the current bomb, “The Reaping,” starring 2-time Oscar-winner Hilary Swank. Check out its original poster, which had it opening in November of 2006.
In “Lucky You,” director Curtis Hanson (”L.A. Confidential,” “Wonder Boys,” “8 Mile”) brings us a story based in the world of high-stakes Las Vegas poker. Huck Cheever (Eric Bana) is a blaster-a player who goes all out, all the time. But in his personal relationships, Huck plays it tight, expertly avoiding emotional commitments and long-term expectations. When Huck sets out to win the main event of the 2003 World Series of Poker-and the affections of Billie Offer (Drew Barrymore), a young singer from Bakersfield-there is one significant obstacle in his path: his father, L.C. Cheever (Robert Duvall), the poker legend who abandoned Huck’s mother years ago. As these two rivals progress toward a final showdown at the poker table, Huck learns that to win in the games of life and poker, he must try to play cards the way he has been living his life and live his life the way he has been playing cards - “Lucky You.”
STARRING: Eric Bana, Drew Barrymore, Robert Duvall, Debra Messing
DIRECTOR: Curtis Hanson
STUDIO: Warner Bros.
RATING: PG-13 (For some language and sexual humor)
Based on a true story, The Flying Scotsman is a heart-warming and compelling film which follows the turbulent life of cyclist Graeme Obree, who, as an unemployed amateur, broke the World One Hour record on a bike of his own revolutionary design, constructed out of scrap metal and old washing machine parts. From a humble background in Ayrshire, Scotland, Graeme Obree (JONNY LEE MILLER) always had to fight for survival. As a grown man, nothing had changed. When his beloved bicycle shop went bust, Graeme had neither the money nor the sponsorship necessary to realize his dream; to compete at the highest level of world cycling. But it was always clear from his complete passion for the sport and his many local wins that he was destined for greatness. With the unwavering support of his wife Anne (LAURA FRASER) - despite the fact that they had recently had their first baby - and the help of his close friend and newly-appointed manager Malky (BILLY BOYD), he persevered. With the use of the work shop (and occasional mentoring) of a friendly and peaceful minister, Baxter (BRIAN COX) - and of course his racing bike ‘Old Faithful’ - Graeme was finally on his way to the Hamar Velodrome in Norway and the chance to go for the prestigious World Hour Record. But despite their determination and back-breaking work, Graeme missed out on the record by some distance… Distraught, but unfazed, he did the unimaginable. He defiantly returned to the track the following morning, and despite being in unbearable pain from the previous day’s gruelling race, he smashed the world record, which had stood for almost ten years. But Graeme had always suffered from mental health problems and he began to slip in and out of debilitating bouts of depression; it soon became apparent that his career was in danger of hitting the rocks. On top of everything, the World Cycling Federation had been studying his unorthodox bike design and racing position - and they could not bear his unusual style tarnishing their sport. Graeme would soon learn the lengths they would go to in order to stop him from competing. But, defiant, he refused to give up; and with the help of Baxter’s sympathetic ear (understanding all too well Graeme’s affliction), he made a phenomenal comeback. He built another bike of radical design that squeezed through the WCF’s strict guidelines - and against all the odds he won the World Pursuit Championship - astonishingly beating his rival, the Olympic Gold Medal holder Chris Boardman. Graeme’s pioneering ‘Superman Position’ remains one of the most defining images in the history of world cycling. With fantastic high speed racing sequences, and gripping, heartfelt performances by Jonny Lee Miller, Billy Boyd, Laura Fraser and Brian Cox, this is a truly inspiring story about one man’s extraordinary triumph over adversity. The Flying Scotsman is Chariots of Fire meets Rocky meets Shine - on wheels!
STARRING: Jonny Lee Miller, Laura Fraser, Billy Boyd, Morven Christie, Brian Cox
DIRECTOR: Douglas Mackinnon
STUDIO: MGM
RATING: PG-13 (For some mature thematic elements and strong language)
Angry and depressed over losing his job, accountant Terry Allen begins to suspect his new neighbor, a single Islamic grad student with a penchant for unexplained late night activities, is at the center of a terrorist conspiracy. Although both Terry’s wife and the FBI agent to whom he reports his suspicions are skeptical about his fears, Terry becomes increasingly obsessed with uncovering the man’s true identity. Convinced he’s all that stands between this Middle-Eastern stranger and a deadly terror attack, Terry finally decides to take matters into his own hands - with shocking results.
A tense psychological thriller in the tradition of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, Civic Duty takes a controversial look at fear and prejudice in the highly charged atmosphere of post-9/11 America. Set during a unique and frightening moment in U.S. history, as the nation grappled with setting the proper balance between personal freedom and enhanced security, Civic Duty challenges viewers to examine their own preconceptions about tolerance and terror.
After accountant Terry Allen (Peter Krause) is laid off from his most recent job, he finds himself whiling away the hours watching round-the-clock news reports about on America’s “War on Terror.” Soon he begins to notice unusual goings-on in an apartment across the courtyard where the new tenant, Gabe Hassan (Khaled Abol Naga), is hosting late night gatherings for other young, apparently Middle Eastern men and surreptitiously taking out his trash in the wee hours of the morning. Reinforced by the endless TV images and sound bites about threat levels and terrorist plots, Terry begins to believe he has uncovered a sleeper cell in his own backyard.
When he confides his suspicions to his wife Marla (Kari Matchett), she brushes them aside saying he should focus his energies on finding a job so they can get a mortgage on the house they’re hoping to buy. But as his employment opportunities evaporate, Terry begins stalking Gabe and going through his garbage to gather evidence to bolster his conspiracy theory. He goes as far as to report his findings to an FBI agent (Richard Schiff), who appears not to take his contentions seriously.
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As Terry’s obsession with Gabe spins further out of control it eventually drives Marla out of their home. Convinced of the growing danger posed by his neighbor, Terry enters Gabe’s empty apartment only to find unfamiliar laboratory equipment in the kitchen. He also discovers an inexplicable cache of ATM deposit envelopes and financial records indicating Gabe is receiving monthly payments from an Islamic group.
Positive that a dangerous plot is about to be carried out, Terry confronts Gabe at gunpoint and demands to know who he is working for. While Gabe has a plausible explanation for each of his interrogator’s questions, the answers just don’t add up for Terry. When a SWAT team surrounds the apartment forcing a dangerous standoff, Terry realizes time is running out and he must determine if his actions are being driven by patriotism or paranoia.
STARRING: Peter Krause, Khaled Abol Naga, Richard Schiff, Kari Matchett, Ian Tracey
DIRECTOR: Jeff Renfroe
STUDIO: Freestyle Releasing
RATING: R (For language and violence)
Away From Her” is the lyrical screenplay adaptation of celebrated author Alice Munro’s short story, “The Bear Came Over The Mountain,” a beautiful yet unconventional story of a couple coming to grips with the onset of memory loss. Beloved by critics and audiences alike when it premiered at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival, the film marks the arrival of an exciting new filmmaker in Canadian actress Sarah Polley, who makes her feature screenwriting and directorial debut.
In the movie “Away From Her,” married for almost 50 years, Grant’s (Gordon Pinsent) and Fiona’s (Julie Christie) commitment to each other appears unwavering. Their daily life is filled with tenderness and humor; yet this serenity is broken by Fiona’s increasingly evident memory loss - and her restrained references to a past betrayal. For a while, the couple is able to casually dismiss these unwelcome changes. But when neither Fiona nor her husband can deny any longer that she is being consumed by Alzheimer’s disease, the couple is forced to wrenchingly redefine the limits of their love and loyalty - and face the complex, inevitable transition from lovers to strangers. “Away From Her” also stars Olympia Dukakis, Kristen Thomson, with Michael Murphy and Alberta Watson. “Away From Her” is a love story about memory and devotion. The Andersson’s have remained committed to each other for fifty years, but now their marital tranquility is disrupted by Fiona’s failing memory at the hands of Alzheimer’s Disease. While Grant chooses to deny Fiona’s gradual deterioration, it soon becomes impossible to ignore. Fiona first looses hold of recent memories - largely a good time in the Andersson’s marriage - and plunges back into the trauma of the past, resurrecting old emotions that both Fiona and Grant would rather forget - “Away From Her.”
he sequel to the 2003 horror hit, “28 Days Later.”
“28 Weeks Later” - The creative team of Danny Boyle, Alex Garland, and Andrew Macdonald are back to re-invent the zombie movie yet again with the sequel to “28 Days Later.” Lead by director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, “28 Weeks Later” picks up six months after the Rage virus has decimated the city of London. The US Army has restored order and is repopulating the quarantined city, when a carrier of the Rage virus enters London and unknowingly re-ignites the spread of the deadly infection, wreaking havoc on the entire population.
Six months after the rage virus has annihilated the British Isles, the US Army declares that the war against infection has been won, and that the reconstruction of the country can begin. In the first wave of returning refugees, a family is reunited — but one of them unwittingly carries a terrible secret. The virus is not yet dead, and this time, it is more dangerous than ever - “28 Weeks Later.”
STARRING: Robert Carlyle, Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner, Harold Perrineau, Catherine McCormack, Imogen Poots, Idris Elba, Mackintosh Muggleton
DIRECTOR: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
STUDIO: Fox Atomic
RATING: R (For gruesome images, extreme violent content, nudity, language and sexual situations)
Down on his luck after losing his job and his girlfriend on the same day, Larry decides to join his neighbor, Bill (Bill Engvall), and his combat-happy buddy, Everett (DJ Qualls), for a relaxing weekend of drinking and target practice. But when the three hapless guys are mistaken for Army Reservists by the hard-nosed Sergeant Kilgrove (Keith David), they’re loaded onto an army plane headed for Fallujah, Iraq - and mistakenly ejected in a Humvee somewhere over Mexico. Convinced they’re actually in the Middle East, the clueless wannabe soldiers save a rural village from a siege of bandits and become local heroes. But when Carlos Santana (Danny Trejo), a ruthless, karaoke-loving warlord, strikes back, Larry, Bill and Everett have to lay down their beers and take up their arms - and prove they just might be real soldiers after all…”Delta Farce”
STARRING: Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall, D.J. Qualls, Keith David, Danny Trejo, Danielle Hartnett
DIRECTOR: C.B. Harding
STUDIO: Lionsgate Filmed Entertainment
RATING: PG-13 (For crude and sexual humor and language)
Tom Reilly (Zach Braff) and his wife Sofia (Amanda Peet) are in for some major changes now that they have a newborn. As a lawyer, Sofia has always provided a comfortable living while Tom has contributed love, support and the occasional paycheck. When Sofia decides to be a stay-at-home mom all that changes. Tom moves the family to Ohio to work for his father-in-law (Charles Grodin) as an ‘Assistant Associate Creative’ for “Sunburst Communications.” His boss Chip (Jason Bateman) happens to still carry a torch for Sofia from their high school days. Each time Tom gains some ground at the firm, Chip wheels in and steals his thunder. Dirty tricks and sabotage abound creating an atmosphere of fierce paranoia that eventually threatens Tom and Sofia’s relationship. Chip will stop at nothing to see Tom defeated while no one but Tom can see Chip for the evil genius he is. Through it all Tom’s esteem is depleted, his manhood challenged (by a surprisingly large adversary) and he’s watching his family slip away.
STARRING: Zach Braff, Amanda Peet, Jason Bateman, Charles Grodin, Mia Farrow, Donal Logue, Amy Poehler, Amy Adams
DIRECTOR: Jesse Peretz
STUDIO: MGM/The Weinstein Co.
RATING: PG-13 (For language and sexual situations)
May 29, 2008 at 9:15 pm
· Filed under May 2007, Music
Hip Hop Project
From Executive Producers Bruce Willis and Queen Latifah, The Hip Hop Project is the compelling story of Kazi, a formerly homeless teenager who inspires a group of New York City teens to transform their life stories into powerful works of art, using hip hop as a vehicle for self-development and personal discovery. In contrast to all the negative attention focused on hip hop, this is a story of hope, healing and the realization of dreams.
STARRING: Chris Kazi Rolle, Diana Princess Lemon, Christopher Cannon Mapp, Russell Simmons, Bruce Willis
DIRECTORS: Matt Ruskin, Scott K. Rosenberg
STUDIO: THINKFilm
RATING: PG-13 (For language - seventeen uses of the F-word)
Blind Dating” is a comedy about Danny (Chris Pine), an intelligent, confident, handsome young man who also happens to be blind. Not that he’s letting that hold him back — for the most part, Danny refuses to let his visual impairment get in the way of anything. He’s one of the most popular guys in town, and is even an ace at basketball. Which is why Danny’s girl-crazy, limo-driving brother Larry (Eddie Kaye Thomas, “American Pie”) is horrified to discover that Danny is not only shy and nervous when it comes to the opposite sex, he’s also a virgin. Determined to help Danny have his first sexual experience, his brother Larry sets up a series of hysterically disastrous blind dates with shallow girls that can’t seem to get past his sight impairment. Danny is all but ready to give up on love, until he meets a pretty young East Indian nurse named Leeza (Anjali Jay), who works at the office of his eye doctor. The two seem made for each other…until Leeza reveals that she has been promised to another man in an arranged marriage. Also starring Jane Seymour as Danny’s psychologist (who has a penchant for disrobing during their sessions together), “Blind Dating” is a warm and funny story about overcoming the cultural boundaries, physiological differences, and above all, finding true love - “Blind Dating.”
Rebellious teenager Rachel (Lindsay Lohan) screams, swears, drinks and is–in a word–uncontrollable, a real bitch. (And you call this role she is currently in acting?) With her latest car crash, Rachel has broken the final rule in mom Lily’s (Golden Globe winner Felicity Huffman) San Francisco home. With nowhere else to take the impulsive and rambunctious girl, Lily hauls her daughter to the one place she swore she’d never return…her own mother’s Idaho farm.
Matriarch Georgia (two-time Oscar winner Jane Fonda) is not your typical sweet and doting grandmother. She lives her life by a number of unbreakable rules, demanding anyone who shares her home do the same–God comes first and hard work comes a very close second. Now saddled with raising the young woman, it will require each patient breath she takes to understand Rachel’s fury.
But as Rachel succumbs to her summer of misery and shakes up the tiny Mormon town, Georgia notices something is changing within her granddaughter. Given structure and responsibilities, Rachel is letting her guard down and learning compassion…especially for her mother. Her journey will lead all three women to revelations of buried family secrets and an understanding that–regardless what happens–the ties that bind can never be broken.
STARRING: Jane Fonda, Lindsay Lohan, Felicity Huffman, Dermot Mulroney, Cary Elwes, Garrett Hedlund
DIRECTOR: Garry Marshall
STUDIO: Universal Pictures
RATING: R (For strong language, violence, sexual situations)
