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NOVEMBER 6th
Select:
A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth (Full Cast)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The Plot: An animated retelling of the Charles Dickens novel about Ebenezer Scrooge (Carrey), a Victorian-era miser who is taken on a journey of self-redemption, courtesy of several mysterious Christmas apparitions.

Photos (see all 60 | slideshow) Videos (see all 34 NEW)
A Christmas Carol (2009) -- An animated retelling of Charles Dickens classic novel about a Victorian-era miser taken on a journey of self-redemption, courtesy of several mysterious Christmas apparitions.
A Christmas Carol (2009) -- A clip from the movie A Christmas Carol.
A Christmas Carol (2009) -- Learn how Jim Carrey not only embodies Ebenezer Scrooge at 4 ages, but the Ghosts of Past, Present and Yet to Come in A Christmas Carol with the help of performance capture.
A Christmas Carol (2009) -- Interview: Sammi Hanratty "On Jim Carrey"
A Christmas Carol (2009) -- A featurette for the movie A Christmas Carol.

THE BUZZ: Could it be that Robert Zemeckis has finally found source material that perfectly suits his creepy mo-cap fantasies? Initially we were unsure, but ever since Comic-Con we've been behind this movie way more so than our affection for Monster House and Beowulf combined. However, this does not mean we're behind Who Framed Roger Rabbit 2 ...

Message Boards: Alistair Sim was the greatest SCROOGE EVER!  |  top 5 Scrooges (and worst ever)

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The Fourth Kind

The Fourth Kind

Director: Olatunde Osunsanmi
Stars: Milla Jovovich, Elias Koteas, Will Patton (Full Cast)
Studio: Universal Pictures

The Plot: An investigator (Jovovich) is dispatched to Nome, Alaska to puzzle out a 40-year-long mystery involving an extraordinary number of unexplained disappearances in the town. Her videotaped evidence looks to present the most convincing evidence of alien abduction ever documented.

Photos (see all 24 | slideshow) Videos (see all 14 NEW)
The Fourth Kind (2009) -- An investigator (Jovovich) is dispatched to Nome, Alaska to puzzle out a 40-year-long mystery involving an extraordinary number of unexplained disappearances in the town. Her videotaped evidence looks to present the most convincing evidence of alien abduction ever documented.
The Fourth Kind (2009) -- Clip: Dr. Tyler tries to remember what happened during her abduction
The Fourth Kind (2009) -- Paranormal writer/researcher Marie D. Jones discusses the movie The Fourth Kind.
The Fourth Kind (2009) -- A revised trailer about the true story of alien encounters in Nome, Alaska
The Fourth Kind (2009) -- Trailer for the supernatural thriller based on true events

THE BUZZ: Mystery and potential government conspiracies await Jovovich on her visit to Palin-ville. This thriller was scooped up by Universal during the summer when post-production on The Wolf Man pushed that film's release date to 2010. Before Paranormal Activity mania struck, I thought this movie was a goner -- another round of bad luck for Milla (and Universal) who saw her critically well-received thriller A Perfect Getaway fade away like a hazy summer memory. Now, it just might connect with audiences who are craving caught-on-tape horrors.

Message Boards: Had To Tell Someone.  |  Just got back from the screening... wow

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Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire [limited]

Director: Lee Daniels
Stars: Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton (Full Cast)
Studio: Lionsgate

The Plot: In Harlem, an overweight, illiterate teen (Sidibe) who is pregnant with her second child is invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that her life can head in a new direction.

Photos (see all 96 | slideshow) Videos (see all 10 NEW)
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009) -- In Harlem, an overweight, illiterate teen (Sidibe) who is pregnant with her second child is invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that her life can head in a new direction.
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009) -- TV Spot: Life
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009) -- In Harlem, an overweight, illiterate teen (Sidibe) who is pregnant with her second child is invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that her life can head in a new direction.
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009) -- Trailer for this very sad drama about a girl trying to find happiness
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)

THE BUZZ: Mo'Nique is going to win the Best Supporting Actress for her role in this terrifying realistic drama from Lee Daniels. (Or maybe she won't?) A pivotal scene between Mo' and star Gabby Sidibe literally made crowds gasp at Sundance earlier this year, and it is sure to illicit similar reactions from general audiences this winter. What Daniels has done here is rather remarkable: His take on the hardships faced by the titular character is only semi-sentimental, and it implies that a person's conviction is the one thing that remains when their circumstances are remarkably bleak. Amazingly, his story is also funny. This is, quite simply, a great film. And if you need your mood lightened while watching it, squint just a bit and Mariah Carey's mustache really comes into focus.

Message Boards: Should African Americans be upset by Precious?  |  Video s with Tyler, Oprah, MoNique and Mariah

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The Box

The Box

Director: Richard Kelly
Stars: Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella (Full Cast)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

The Plot: A young couple is gifted with a mysterious box that promises them a handsome windfall with deadly consequences.

Photos (see all 46 | slideshow) Videos (see all 7 NEW)
The Box (2009) -- A young couple is gifted with a mysterious box that promises them a handsome windfall with deadly consequences.
The Box (2009) -- ZuGuide.com - Trailer (Flash)
The Box (2009) -- Movieplayer.it - Italian Trailer (Flash)
The Box (2009) -- Movieplayer.it - Italian Trailer (Flash)
The Box (2009) -- MovieMaze.de - Trailer (Quicktime & Flash)

THE BUZZ: Director Kelly's totally in his element here (and playing it much safer than his last movie) with this Twilight Zone-inspired thriller. Expect dark, supernatural elements, requisite non sequiturs, Hitchcocky plot twists and an indier-than-thou soundtrack (replete with Mellotron and tambourines). But, what's with the studio bumping this -- from March to November, back to October, etc. -- when it was supposedly a done deal and what's with all those Cameron Diaz ascots?

Message Boards: would you press the button?  |  THE BOX

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The Men Who Stare at Goats

The Men Who Stare at Goats

Director: Grant Heslov
Stars: Ewan McGregor, George Clooney, Kevin Spacey (Full Cast)
Studio: Overture Films

The Plot: In Iraq, reporter Bob Wilton (McGregor) meets Lyn Cassady (Clooney), whose seemingly wild claim - that he's a member of the U.S. Army's First Earth Battalion, a unit that employs paranormal powers in their missions - causes Wilton to join Cassady's hunt for the battalion's founder, whose gone missing.

Photos (see all 39 | slideshow) Videos (see all 11 NEW)
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) -- A reporter in Iraq might just have the story of a lifetime when he meets a guy who claims to be a former member of the U.S. Army's First Earth Battalion, a unit that employs paranormal powers in their missions.
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) -- Clip: Predators
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) -- Interview: Ewen Mc Gregor "On the cast"
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) -- Trailer for this comedy about psychic soldiers
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)

THE BUZZ: I like it when Clooney has a full-fledged character to play and isn't just in leading-man mode, and Kurt Wimmer's book is too against-the-grain for any established studio to be interested in the adaptation, which is being handled by Clooney's producing partner, Grant Heslov (his second picture as director). Enter Overture Films, who's gunning for awards-season recognition with this project as well as Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story. Meanwhile, over at Sony, Clooney and Heslov will develop more mainstream fare after severing their decade-old relationship with Warner Bros. back in June.

Message Boards: hows the language  |  No women?

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NOVEMBER 13th
Select:
2012

2012

Director: Roland Emmerich
Stars: John Cusack, Thandie Newton, Chiwetel Ejiofor (Full Cast)
Studio: Columbia Pictures

The Plot: An academic researcher leads a group of people in a fight to counteract the apocalyptic events that were predicted by the ancient Mayan calendar.

Photos (see all 74 | slideshow) Videos (see all 31 NEW)
2012 (2009) -- An academic researcher leads a group of people in a fight to counteract the apocalyptic events that were predicted by the ancient Mayan calendar.
2012 (2009) -- Clip: L.A. Escape
2012 (2009) -- Los Angeles crumbles in this 2012 featurette.
2012 (2009) -- Roland Emmerich's soundbites about 2012 at Comic-Con 2009.
2012 (2009) -- TV Spot: Warning

THE BUZZ: After 10K BC's middling success, Roland Emmerich probably sensed that movie-going audiences worldwide prefer him in present-tense mode, heavy on apocalyptic imagery. I've heard rumors that 2012's script, which Emmerich wrote with composer-turned-screenwriter Harald Kloser, contains an incredibly cheesy twist of Shyamalanian proportions, but I haven't sought out the spoiler(s) just yet. I will say that part of me hopes this end of the world scenario could mint Emmerich as the slightly higher brow Uwe Boll, if only he thought to cast Tara Reid as an anthropologist here. Said differently: This A-and-B-list cast is slumming!

Message Boards: Major cities we haven't seen destroyed  |  Does anyone realize that is still a disaster movie?

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Pirate Radio

Pirate Radio

Director: Richard Curtis
Stars: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Nick Frost (Full Cast)
Studio: Focus Features

The Plot: A 1960's comedy about an illegal radio station run by a band of rogue DJs on a ship in the middle of Britain's North Sea. By defying the tastes and laws of the ruling government, the disc jockeys hooked their listeners on pop music and its attendant ideas of love and free will.

Photos (see all 33 | slideshow) Videos (see all 33 NEW)
The Boat That Rocked (2009) -- A comedy about an illegal radio station in the North Sea in the 1960s
The Boat That Rocked (2009) -- Clip: The law
The Boat That Rocked (2009) -- MattTrailer.com - Behind - Featurette - All at Sea
The Boat That Rocked (2009) -- Interview: Kenneth Branagh "On his character"
The Boat That Rocked (2009) -- A comedy about an illegal radio station in the North Sea in the 1960s

THE BUZZ: Universal has reworked and retitled this rebellious period comedy since its UK go-round earlier this year, though I'm unsure whether lodging it in the middle of awards season is an indication that the studio simply is pushing the movie out to sea.

Message Boards: Any reason for the title change?  |  Song from the TV trailer?

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Fantastic Mr. Fox

Fantastic Mr. Fox [Limited expansion: 11/20; wide expansion: 11/25]

Director: Wes Anderson
Stars: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray (Full Cast)
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures

The Plot: Angry farmers, tired of sharing their chickens with a sly fox, look to get rid of their opponent and his family. Based on the book by Roald Dahl.

Photos (see all 66 | slideshow) Videos (see all 27 NEW)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) -- Angry farmers, tired of sharing their chickens with a sly fox, look to get rid of their opponent and his family.
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) -- Clip: Shoes off
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) -- A featurette for Fantastic Mr. Fox.
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) -- Interview: Bill Murray "On the film's attention to detail"
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) -- Angry farmers, tired of sharing their chickens with a sly fox, look to get rid of their opponent and his family.

THE BUZZ: While some of the media is slam-booking Wes Anderson, we're choosing to let his nuanced clutch of films speak for itself in advance of Mr. Fox's arrival. We admittedly were a bit anxious about the look and feel of the events from the series of trailers and featurettes, but we were realigned after revisiting this beautiful video by electronic brother-sister duo The Knife. Still, between this movie and Where the Wild Things Are, there's a good chance these family films could miss their target audiences.

Message Boards: Mr Fox = Furry Hell  |  They're animals. Who are you people to say they have british accents.

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The Messenger

The Messenger [LA/NY]

Director: Oren Moverman
Stars: Ben Foster, Samantha Morton, Woody Harrelson (Full Cast)
Studio: Oscilloscope Laboratories

The Plot: A soldier (Foster) struggles with an ethical dilemma when he becomes involved with a widow of a fallen officer (Morton).

Photos (see all 8 | slideshow) Videos (see all 7 NEW)
The Messenger (2009) -- A soldier (Foster) struggles with an ethical dilemma when he becomes involved with a widow of a fallen officer (Morton).
The Messenger (2009) -- Hard-hitting trailer for this drama about soldiers
The Messenger (2009) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)
The Messenger (2009) -- MovieMaze.de - Trailer (Quicktime & Flash)
The Messenger (2009) -- Cine.gr - Trailer (Flash)

THE BUZZ: Neverminding The Hurt Locker's moderate success, Iraq-war dramas are still a dicey commercial prospect, though acclaimed screenwriter Oren Moverman's directorial debut has kept its festival buzz building, and insiders are saying Ben Foster turns in another watch-out performance. Ditto Harrelson, who has had a banner 2009.

Message Boards: Steve Buscemi: Could he Get a Nom?  |  if the movie is only half as good as the trailer...

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Dare

Dare [limited]

Director: Adam Salky
Stars: Emmy Rossum, Zach Gilford, Ashley Springer (Full Cast)
Studio: Image Entertainment

The Plot: A drama centered around three high school seniors - an aspiring actress (Rossum), her misfit best friend (Springer), and a loner (Gilford) - who become engaged in an intimate and complicated relationship.

Photos (see all 20 | slideshow) Videos (see all 4 NEW)
Dare (2009) -- DARE follows three very different teenagers through the last semester of high school. There are Alexa (Emmy Rossum), the overachieving good girl who longs to break out of her shell; Ben (Ashley Springer), the melancholy outsider confused about his sexuality; and Johnny (Zach Gilford), the rich kid who has everything, including good looks, but hides behind his bad boy persona.
Dare (2009) -- Trailer for new film from Image Entertainment
Dare (2009) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)
Dare (2009) -- MovieMaze.de - Trailer (Quicktime & Flash)

THE BUZZ: I remember being seriously underwhelmed by this one at Sundance back in January - then again, this is more of a sleepover movie for edgy teenage girls than stimulation for a pudgy guy in his late 30s. Though I will say I expected a bit more from support staff Ana Gasteyer, Sandra Bernhard (who sorta look like sisters these days) and Alan Cumming, whose names are being used to promote the movie, though they have precious little screen time. For the young trio of actors at the center of this drama, let's say they are characterizations that would fade into the background of pretty much any show on the CW.

Message Boards: Someone Has To Upload It When They See it!  |  Opening Credits

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Women in Trouble

Women in Trouble [limited]

Director: Sebastian Gutierrez
Stars: Carla Gugino, Adrianne Palicki, Connie Britton (Full Cast)
Studio: Screen Media Films

The Plot: Different forms of trouble bring together eight seemingly disparate women over the course of one day in Los Angeles.

Videos (see all 11 NEW)
Women in Trouble (2009) -- A clip from the movie Women in Trouble.
Women in Trouble (2009) -- A clip from the movie Women in Trouble.
Women in Trouble (2009) -- A clip from the movie Women in Trouble.
Women in Trouble (2009) -- A serpentine day in the life of a group of seemingly disparate Los Angeles women: a porn star, a flight attendant, a psychiatrist, a masseuse, a bartender, a pair of call girls, etc. All of them with one crucial thing in common: Trouble.
Women in Trouble (2009) -- Trailer for this film about a day in the life of some women in trouble

THE BUZZ: After a series of diminishing returns from the world of horror/thrillers, Sebastian Gutierrez seems on the brink of reinvention with a Almodóvar-inspired sex comedy that situates his real-life girlfriend, Carla Gugino, smack in the middle the manic/camp proceedings. Outfitted with a handful of actresses we'd love to see more often, and goosed by cameos from Josh Brolin and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, we hope this well-reviewed L.A. romp breaks away from the indie pack and convinces Gutierrez to take a long break from the big studios.

Message Boards: uk?  |  'Women In Trouble' Coming To DVD + Blu-ray 2/16/10

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NOVEMBER 20th
Select:
Planet 51

Planet 51

Director: Jorge Blanco Javier Abad
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Jessica Biel (Full Cast)
Studio: TriStar Pictures

The Plot: The inhabitants of Planet 51 live in fear of alien invasion. Their paranoia is realized when astronaut Chuck Baker (voice of The Rock) arrives from Earth. Befriended by a young resident, he has to avoid capture in order to recover his spaceship and try to return home.

Photos (see all 34 | slideshow) Videos (see all 17 NEW)
Planet 51 (2009) -- The inhabitants of Planet 51 live in fear of alien invasion. Their paranoia is realized when an astronaut arrives from Earth. Befriended by a young resident, he has to avoid capture in order to recover his spaceship and try to return home.
Planet 51 (2009) -- The inhabitants of Planet 51 live in fear of alien invasion. Their paranoia is realized when an astronaut arrives from Earth. Befriended by a young resident, he has to avoid capture in order to recover his spaceship and try to return home.
Planet 51 (2009) -- Short trailer for this animated comedy
Planet 51 (2009) -- Second trailer for this animated space where an astronaut becomes an alien on another planet
Planet 51 (2009) -- The peaceful existence of Planet 51 is disturbed by the arrival of an alien...from Earth!

THE BUZZ: A trio of videogame directors are handling this story from one of the dudes who wrote Shrek. Powered by Sony worldwide, we think audiences will embrace the human-as-alien spin here, especially since rendering here reminds us of an animated Pleasantville. Blockbuster? We don't think so. Solid performer that won't annoy you in the SUV Hybrid? You bet.

Message Boards: Totally Stolen Idea  |  Dwayne Johnson's voice altered?

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The Twilight Saga: New Moon

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Director: Chris Weitz
Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner (Full Cast)
Studio: Summit Entertainment

The Plot: When Bella's blood is shed at her birthday celebration, Edward's intense reaction to the event causes his parents to pull up stakes and leave Forks, Washington for the sake of the young lovers. Heartbroken, Bella finds a form of comfort in reckless living, as well as an even-closer friendship with Jacob Black (Lautner). Danger in different forms awaits.

Photos (see all 59 | slideshow) Videos (see all 29 NEW)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) -- The "Never Hurt You" TV spot for The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) -- Clip describing the creation and dynamics of the New Moon wolf pack.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) -- Volturi Featurette from The Twilight Saga: New Moon
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) -- The Twilight Saga: New Moon - “Event” - TV Spot
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) -- Get a sneak peek of the new saga TWILIGHT: NEW MOON. Meet new cast members Cameron Bright, Charlie Bewley and Jamie Campbell Bower as the Volturi clan in Rome.

THE BUZZ: There's nobody hotter on IMDb -- or anywhere in general pop culture? -- than Edward and Bella. Even their real-life counterparts, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, are making indie-cool choices which make them appealing to those of us who might not be the biggest fans of Stephenie Meyer's novels, or their adaptations. Boosting the appeal of Twilight is the studio behind the franchise, Summit Entertainment, who listens to their fan base (We heart Jacob Lautner!) and is pulling a Disney move by investing in their stars (Kristen Stewart will co-star in the biography of seminal 1970s all-female rock band The Runways, while Robert Pattinson is shooting Remember Me) after New Moon wraps). We're interested to see how underdog director Chris Weitz meshes with this material, and, whether or not this second installment will boost its appeal to non-U.S. audiences.

Message Boards: What happened to 'The Boy by the Window' fanfic  |  The Official Twilight Script

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The Blind Side

The Blind Side

Director: John Lee Hancock
Stars: Quinton Aaron, Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw (Full Cast)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

The Plot: A disadvantaged teenager is taken in by a conservative family who see tremendous promise in the young man. Despite certain obstacles, the attention and inspiration he receives helps him mature into an athletically and academically successful NFL prospect.

Photos (see all 31 | slideshow) Videos (see all 7 NEW)
The Blind Side (2009) -- A disadvantaged teenager is taken in by a conservative family who see tremendous promise in the young man. Despite certain obstacles, the attention and inspiration he receives helps him mature into an athletically and academically successful NFL prospect.
The Blind Side (2009) -- A disadvantaged teenager is taken in by a conservative family who see tremendous promise in the young man. Despite certain obstacles, the attention and inspiration he receives helps him mature into an athletically and academically successful NFL prospect.
The Blind Side (2009) -- Trailer for this drama based on a true story
The Blind Side (2009) -- Trailer for this drama about a family that adopts a troubled boy
The Blind Side (2009) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)

THE BUZZ: This is the true story of Michael Oher, whose first season in the NFL will be underway by the time Sandra Bullock blitzes (?) the big screen with her third movie of the year. If Oher and the Baltimore Ravens, who selected the young man in the first round of this year's draft, are both performing well, some sort of uncharted cultural zeitgeist could occur at the box office. This is also great counterprogramming for all the non-Twilight moms out there.

Message Boards: Audience at preview of this movie loved it!  |  Worst Release Date of All TIME!!!!

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Broken Embraces

Broken Embraces [limited]

Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Stars: Penélope Cruz, Lluís Homar, Blanca Portillo (Full Cast)
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

The Plot: Blind screenwriter Harry Caine (Homar) reveals the secrets of his past to a young associate, from his former life as a filmmaker working under his given name, to the accident which claimed his sight and led to a break-up with Lena (Cruz), a now-famous actress who lives in a gilded cage with her wealthy older partner.

Photos (see all 34 | slideshow) Videos (see all 25 NEW)
Los abrazos rotos (2009) -- Blind screenwriter Harry Caine (Homar) reveals the secrets of his past to a young associate, from his former life as a filmmaker working under his given name, to the accident which claimed his sight and led to a break-up with Lena (Cruz), a now-famous actress who lives in a gilded cage with her wealthy older partner.
Los abrazos rotos (2009) -- A clip from the movie Broken Embraces.
Los abrazos rotos (2009) -- Harry Caine, a blind writer, reaches this moment in time when he has to heal his wounds from 14 years back. He was then still known by his real name, Mateo Blanco, and directing his last movie.
Los abrazos rotos (2009) -- Trailer for this drama
Los abrazos rotos (2009) -- Trailer for this drama starring Penélope Cruz

THE BUZZ: Almodóvar's 17th feature is also his costliest production to date, and it seems to be a love letter to his die-hard fellow cinephiles. Initial reactions saw critics distance themselves from Almodóvar's advances, but the public's anticipation for the film in the States seems to have relegated those negative reviews to the past. I got excited when a reviewer indicated that Cruz's character lives in a "gilded Xanadu"! That imagery, folded in with the filmmaker's love for melodrama, repression, and noir aesthetics have those of us who overuse the word "sumptuous" primed for November.

Message Boards: Younger Harry Cain looks like...  |  (possible spoiler) What's on Judit's face?

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Red Cliff

Red Cliff [limited]

Director: John Woo
Stars: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Fengyi Zhang (Full Cast)
Studio: Magnet Releasing

The Plot: Set during the end of China's Han Dynasty, two rivaling warlords make a pact to turn their respective armies against a power hungry general bent on taking over their kingdoms.

Photos (see all 10 | slideshow) Videos (see all 12 NEW)
Chi bi (2008) -- Set during the end of China's Han Dynasty, two rivaling warlords make a pact to turn their respective armies against a power hungry general bent on taking over their kingdoms.
Chi bi (2008) -- Red Cliff UK trailer
Chi bi (2008) -- Trailer for this action film
Chi bi (2008) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)
Chi bi (2008) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)

THE BUZZ: The most expensive Asian production to date was also a huge international hit (it's now the #1 domestically made film in China). U.S. audiences aren't getting John Woo's military epic in two parts; instead, Woo himself is editing both works into a single two-and-a-half-hour film.

Message Boards: Condensed western version good?  |  Do we need Peter Jackson for this movie ?

Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews

Mammoth

Mammoth [NYC]

Director: Lukas Moodysson
Stars: Gael García Bernal, Michelle Williams, Marife Necesito (Full Cast)
Studio: IFC Films

The Plot: Leo (Bernal) is a web entrepreneur on a business trip to Thailand. When his life takes an unplanned turn, the ripples reach back to his family in New York City, where his wife (Williams) and daughter have a close relationship with their Filipino nanny (Necesito).

Photos (see all 8 | slideshow) Videos (see all 8 NEW)
Mammoth (2009) -- Leo (Bernal) is a web entrepreneur on a business trip to Thailand. When his life takes an unplanned turn, the ripples reach back to his family in New York City, where his wife (Williams) and daughter have a close relationship with their Filipino nanny (Necesito).
Mammoth (2009) -- Trailer for this drama
Mammoth (2009) -- MovieMaze.de - Trailer (Quicktime & Flash)
Mammoth (2009) -- kino-zeit.de - Trailer (Flash)
Mammoth (2009) -- CineMagia.ro - Trailer (Flash)

THE BUZZ: With this first three films, Swedish filmmaker Lukas Moodysson built up quite an international fanbase -- Show Me Love perhaps is his best-known work (but isn't Together his best thus far?). Then came the blacker than black drama A Hole in My Heart, which caused many of his fans to desert him; in fact, was the follow-up, Container, even released in the U.S.? I feel like it never made it here. For Moodysson's new work, his first English-language project (grumble), he nabbed two of the most beloved film-world performers in the States, though does this feel like an exercise in Babel-esque melodrama? Festival audiences, for what it's worth, haven't exactly warmed to Moodysson's take on globalization.

Message Boards: U.S. release date?  |  Bernal as a New Yorker?

Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans [limited]

Director: Werner Herzog
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Russell M. Haeuser (Full Cast)
Studio: First Look Pictures

The Plot: Terence McDonagh (Cage) is a drug- and gambling-addled detective in post-Katrina New Orleans investigating the killing of five Senegalese immigrants.

Photos (see all 37 | slideshow) Videos (see all 7 NEW)
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) -- In New Orleans, a police lieutenant investigates the killing of five Senegalese immigrants.
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) -- Trailer for this action film starring Nicholas Cage
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) -- Movieplayer.it - Italian Trailer (Flash)
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) -- CineMagia.ro - Trailer (Flash)

THE BUZZ: Chances are this is the weirdest American-made movie to earn a general release this year, what with Werner Herzog deconstructing the beloved and abused cop/action genre while allowing a pair of Hollywood A-listers to snort and fornicate their way through the city that represents complete failure on the part of the U.S. government. Major studios wouldn't touch this one even with all the positive and negative buzz the project garnered from the moment it was announced to its triumphant and newsmaking festival screenings. That said, I sense this might become Herzog's biggest critical/commercial success to date. Really, I think it comes down to how effectively distributor First Look converts audience awareness into box office; when the indie studio has the right project - highlights from the dicey roster include Paris, je t'aime, Transsiberian, and the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie - they causes waves, and the industry needs breakout hits now more than ever. Too bad the iguana doesn't talk to Nic Cage or Val Kilmer ...

Message Boards: First 'Bad Guy' role in a while....  |  What are you doing Cage!

Showtimes | Trailers | Photos | Message Boards | User Comments | Reviews

NOVEMBER 27th
Select:
Old Dogs

Old Dogs [11/25]

Director: Walt Becker
Stars: Robin Williams, John Travolta (Full Cast)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The Plot: Ben (Williams) is a successful businessman whose professional and personal life is altered when an old flame re-enteres his life -- with her two children (twins!) in tow. Finding himself temporarily in charge of their welfare, he enlists his best friend and colleague (Travolta) to co-parent.

Photos (see all 4 | slideshow) Videos (see all 10 NEW)
Old Dogs (2009) -- A clip from the movie Old Dogs.
Old Dogs (2009) -- Two friends and business partners find their lives turned upside down when strange circumstances lead to them being placed in the care of 7-year-old twins.
Old Dogs (2009) -- Old Dogs Trailer - Two friends and business partners find their lives turned upside down when strange circumstances lead to them being placed in the care of 7-year-old twins.
Old Dogs (2009) -- Trailer for this comedy starring Robin Williams and John Travolta
Old Dogs (2009) -- ZuGuide.com - Trailer (Flash)

THE BUZZ: I love it when weirdos like Seth Green are cast in family movies. And he seems to steal scenes in the way-too-revealing trailer. Looks like another win for suddenly mainstream director Walter Becker (Wild Hogs), and continued momentum for Travolta, who received great reviews for the underperforming Pelham 1 2 3 and will next be seen in Pierre Morel's Taken follow-up, From Paris with Love.

Message Boards: Man, is this gonna suck...  |  A Clip from ‘Old Dogs’

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The Road

The Road [11/25]

Director: John Hillcoat
Stars: Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Kodi Smit-McPhee (Full Cast)
Studio: Dimension Films

The Plot: A father (Mortensen) and son (Smit-McPhee) walk for months across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic landscape in search of civilization.

Photos (see all 29 | slideshow) Videos (see all 15 NEW)
The Road (2009) -- A father (Mortensen) and son (Smit-McPhee) walk for months across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic landscape in search of civilization.
The Road (2009) -- Clip: We did good
The Road (2009) -- A father (Mortensen) and son (Smit-McPhee) walk for months across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic landscape in search of civilization.
The Road (2009) -- Trailer for this apocalyptic film
The Road (2009) -- ZuGuide.com - Trailer (Flash)

THE BUZZ: Once a victim of come-and-go release date hijinks, the question here remains: Can you mine another Cormac McCarthy novel for Oscar gold? We have to imagine that's the plan here for McCarthy's Pulitzer Prize-winning, Oprah-endorsed tale of an unexplained cataclysm decimating life as we know it in the U.S. John Hillcoat (The Proposition) is a stellar pick to frame the father and son's gritty survival instincts, and we can already see Viggo being positioned for a Best Actor nomination, but if this is intended to be an Oscar hopeful, we feel as though some of the novel's most ghastly images -- cannibalism is just the beginning, dear ones -- will be sanitized. (or maybe not, according to this report, though Charlize Theron's character was given more of a backstory, as readers would image). Personally, we're primed for Guy Pearce's role ...

Message Boards: I've seen the film - ask me anything...*spoilers, obviously*  |  First TV Spot I've Seen

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Ninja Assassin

Ninja Assassin [11/25]

Director: James McTeigue
Stars: Rain, Rick Yune, Naomie Harris (Full Cast)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

The Plot: Raizo (Rain) is a rogue ninja who comes to the aid of Mika Coretti (Harris), a Berlin-based Interpol agent who has linked the shadowy Ozunu Clan, a secret society of assassins who trained Raizo, to a series of murders. Most dangerous to them both is Takeshi (Yune), Raizo's former ally and the assassin leading the charge of Ozunu killers to Berlin.

Photos (see all 9 | slideshow) Videos (see all 9 NEW)
Ninja Assassin (2009) -- A young ninja turns his back on orphanage that raised him, leading to a confrontation with a fellow ninja from the clan.
Ninja Assassin (2009) -- Clip: Witness TV spot
Ninja Assassin (2009) -- Visual effects supervisor John Gaeta discusses his work on the movie Ninja Assassin.
Ninja Assassin (2009) -- This trailer follows the path of one person, from boy to man, who becomes a deadly assassin
Ninja Assassin (2009) -- Movieplayer.it - Italian Trailer (Flash)

THE BUZZ: Despite the somewhat redundant title, I'm looking forward to ninjas being brought front and center in director James McTeigue's follow up to V for Vendetta. What's more, I'm hoping Naomie Harris will get the chance to showcase her fighting/survival skills, which really haven't found an outlet since 28 Days Later (by the way, Ms. Harris says she's down for a proper sequel to the film, just so you know ...). Perhaps a pop-culture phenomenon will occur this weekend, if boys put down their video-game controllers, and the hordes of teenage girls who idolize Rain also head out to the movies ...

Message Boards: How does NA compare to GI Joe?  |  Mixed reviews so far

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Me and Orson Welles

Me and Orson Welles [11/25 -- LA/NY]

Director: Richard Linklater
Stars: Zac Efron, Claire Danes, Christian McKay (Full Cast)
Studio: Freestyle Releasing

The Plot: NYC, 1937: A week in the life of aspiring actor Richard Samuels (Efron), where he finds himself cast in Orson Welles' staging of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" and falling for an older woman (Danes).

Photos (see all 23 | slideshow) Videos (see all 7 NEW)
Me and Orson Welles (2008) -- NYC, 1937: A week in the life of aspiring actor Richard Samuels (Efron), where he finds himself cast in Orson Welles' staging of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" and falling for an older woman (Danes).
Me and Orson Welles (2008) -- Trailer for this period comedy from Richard Linklater
Me and Orson Welles (2008) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)
Me and Orson Welles (2008) -- MovieMaze.de - Trailer (Quicktime & Flash)
Me and Orson Welles (2008) -- CineMagia.ro - Trailer (Flash)

THE BUZZ: Just how leery are studios of arty/specialty films in this economically depressed era? Look no further than Orson Welles, which pairs an established director with a bonafide young star in a career redefining role, and tosses in a breakout performance by an relatively unknown actor playing one of cinema's most iconic figures (Christian McKay as Welles). The period drama screened at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival, where the unlikely Efron-Linklater collaboration found many admirers, but zero buyers. This opened the door for Freestyle Releasing, who will hopefully repeat the success they found with The Collector earlier this year (and Bottle Shock in 2008).

Message Boards: The titles grammatically incorrect  |  going to be weird...

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The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee [LA/NY]

Director: Rebecca Miller
Stars: Robin Wright Penn, Alan Arkin, Mike Binder (Full Cast)
Studio: Screen Media Films

The Plot: Pippa Lee (Penn) moves with her much older husband (Arkin) from New York City to a suburban retirement community. Cracks in her facade reveal past experiences, while she steers herself toward a quiet nervous breakdown.

Photos (see all 15 | slideshow) Videos (see all 8 NEW)
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009) -- After her much older husband forces a move to a suburban retirement community, Pippa Lee engages in a period of reflection and finds herself heading toward a quiet nervous breakdown
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009) -- Trailer for this film about an introverted middle aged woman reflecting on her life
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009) -- MovieMaze.de - Trailer (Quicktime & Flash)
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009) -- kino-zeit.de - Trailer (Flash)

THE BUZZ: I hear what makes this drama work is that neither the writing nor the performers take Pippa's meltdown that seriously. Rebecca Miller might experience a perfect indie storm here with her film's good reviews, its perfect release-date positioning, and Robin Wright (Penn)'s on-again divorce proceedings in full effect. Also, Julianne Moore plays a Sapphic bad-girl in a flashback sequence!

Message Boards: ahahahah the movie title is so funny in greek!!  |  Just watched it ....

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