Grand Readership,
January is coming to a close and I still haven't gotten out a review. I promise, it will change (I'm again, hoping for FISH TANK this week). In the meantime though, please find my buzz on this week's releases. Can MEL GIBSON star in $100M film again? Is KRISTEN BELL really suited to carry a picture? The answers and more, coming up! Hey, did you know JOSH DUHAMEL is so handsome he can impregnate a woman just by looking at her? Scary!
WHEN IN ROME seems harmless enough. A rom-com with two awfully handsome stars, KRISTEN BELL and JOSH DUHAMEL. ROME marks BELL's first feature in which she headlines... DUHAMEL will likely just have to look pretty... and the director, JOHNSON - well I'll put it this way. He went from directing SIMON BIRCH to GHOST RIDER. When seeing a WILL ARNETT clip recently (he has a small role in the film) I was surprisingly disappointed with how he was used and if the inherently genius ARNETT ceases to spark laughter in me, I fear for the rest of the players. Certainly a great date flick - or if you're looking to check out and drool at screen for 90 minutes or so. Otherwise, wait.
MARTIN CAMPBELL may just be one my favorite director - and I'm not even sure I need to qualify that by suggesting it's a guilty admission. Who can argue the skill with which he handles an action thriller? He rebooted JAMES BOND (twice) with GOLDENEYE and CASINO ROYAL - delivered the awesomely satisfying VERTICAL LIMIT and didn't miss entirely with his two ZORRO entires (of which, I prefer the first - MASK OF ZORRA in 1998). CAMPBELL teams up with MEL GIBSON for EDGE OF DARKNESS - which promises gritty, revenge-fueled bedlam. Supporting players include RAY WINSTONE - who I can't help but love. The biggest question on this picture is whether or not GIBSON has the capacity to drive audiences... he hasn't headlined a film since SIGNS back in 2002 (and that was still when SHYAMALAN was still hott). Maybe the most thing I'm excited for? The screenplay was written by WILLIAM MONAHAN - who many will remember penned BEST PICTURE, THE DEPARTED. Make an attempt to see in theaters if this sort of thing strikes your fancy.
NORTH FACE comes to us from Germany - and is an action thriller about two men attempting to summit the north face of EIGER - arguable the most brutal rock face in the Alps. It looks suspenseful, grizzly - and comes packaged with 1930s high Nazi propaganda - not a bad bill of health for some. Could be worth checking out for sure!
What is it about STEVE BUSCEMI? He's always getting himself into the ultra indie scene... and frankly, I respect it. He's got great talent, a distinct look, why not lend a hand (and limited notoriety) to pictures in need of both? RHODES may as well be a first time director - and minus a few voice over niggles, the trailer keeps me interested enough. Can he manage all the story lines he's suggesting? I hope so. SARAH SILVERMAN never did much for me, but VEGAS does have that hot girl from ENTOURAGE... how vexing! May not be worth seeing in the theaters, but may be a good flick to check out when it hits the shelves.
