PREVIEW WEEKLY - APRIL 3

Grand Readership,

Welcome back for the APRIL 3 PREVIEW WEEKLY. Seems like a two star type of weekend, time to either catch up on flicks you missed or put your feet back and pretend not to listen. Not unlike an evening of re-runs... or chocolate pretzels with nothing to drink. Enjoy!


ADVENTURELAND (DIR. GREG MATTOLA)

Love it or leave it, SUPERBAD was a hit - and ADVENTURELAND features the same 70s obsessed DIRECTOR, GREG MATTOLA. MATTOLA has downgraded the star power of his cast, but with rising phenom BILL HADER and an established veteran RYAN RENOLDS, maybe MATTOLA is ahead of the curve. But what I've seen rings dry and I LOVE YOU, MAN is riding on a full tanker of coal, neither of which bode well for ADVENTURELAND. Catch in the theaters if it peaks your interest, but I wouldn't make a point to see this one.


FAST AND FURIOUS (DIR. JUSTIN LIN)

The first FAST launched in 2001, also launching director ROB COHEN'S career, something JUSTIN LIN (new to HOLLYWOOD) hopes will happen this time around. As the tagline suggests (New model, Old parts), this 2009 entry into the series stars the original cast led by VIN DIESEL and PAUL WALKER. Neither have fared great since 2001, but FAST AND FURIOUS is a nice warm-up to the summer's blockbuster season. Plays well in it's first couple of weeks and hits shelves by the end of the summer.


SUGAR (DIR. ANNA BODIN & RYAN FLECK)

From the directing duo who brought us the well-received HALF NELSON in 2006 comes the story of a Dominican pitcher recruited to play in the US Minor Leagues. The picture has a good buzz about it, but not unlike the story arch, I almost wish it was on the pro level. Expect good things (even if they're expectable) - and this will be a nice alternative before the summer onslaught.


GIGANTIC (DIR. MATT ASELTON)

First time WRITER/DIRECTOR MATT ASELTON'S GIGANTIC stars PAUL DANO and ZOEY DESCHANEL. The latter headlines the much anticipated 500 DAYS OF SUMMER, whose own release in two weeks has raised more than a few eyebrows about GIGANTIC'S timing. I won't disguise that I'm not a fan of PAUL DANO (some of it isn't his fault, such as the make-up work in THERE WILL BE BLOOD), or the vehicle that drove his success in LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. I'm surprised ZOEY took this script and GIGANTIC will barely be able to step from the it's own casted shadow.