The final curtain call for the King of Pop is an exuberant, show stopping masterpiece. Rarely, if ever, have we seen Michael Jackson so exposed, so fully enraptured by the music he loved so dearly, and worked so hard at to please his loyal fans. Combining clips of the arduous rehearsals for his planned 50 date tour, This Is It is a must for any Michael Jackson fan. Hell, it's even a must for non-fans like myself. Amazing film.
Bright Star
I typically scoff at these romantic period pieces about writers and poets, but I'm actually enthusiastic about finally checking this one out. Ben Whishaw plays the great poet, John Keats, in the final years of his life. Keats died young, believing his time on earth to be a failure, but the many great works of his career are said to revolve around his love for Fanny Brawne. Abbie Cornish, whom I've loved in everything since her breakthrough role in 2004's Somersault
, plays the wordsmith's great muse. Surrogates
So maybe it was never intended to be an all out action romp, but Surrogates couldn't have moved slower than if it were drenched in molasses and flash frozen. Bruce Willis plays a grizzled cop, in a world where robotic surrogates live our lives for us on the outside world.
Whip It
Ellen Page stars in Drew Barrymore's directorial debut as an upstart member of an all-girl roller derby team. I can't lie, a part of me wants to own this film. It's cheerful, girl power mystique hooked me, and frankly there are few things I love more than a bunch of hot, tough chicks elbowing eachother in the teeth. A lot of fun and definitely worth checking out.
Little Ashes
It's Robert Pattinson playin Salvador Dali. If that doesn't make you want to see this potential trainwreck, nothing else will.
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell
Tucker Max, the unlikable troll the main character of this film is based on, predicted that this would be one of the greatest selling DVDs of all-time in ten years. Maybe he means in frat houses, or amongst film schools who wish to educate their students on how not to make a funny sex comedy. On the plus side, Talent Show standout Keri Lynn Pratt is in this, looking as delicious as ever.
The Boys Are Back
The trailer for this Clive Owen weeper had dudes bawling in the aisles last year. Not me, of course. I'm too thick skinned and emotionally closeted for that. Owen stars as a sportswriter who's wife suddenly dies of terminal cancer, leaving him alone to care for his two sons. Joe's life as an instant widower is understandably hard, so expect plenty of heartstrings being tugged at in this one.
