This is only here because it's the most notable of the week's releases, certainly not the best. Green Lantern can be considered a disaster by any measure. The superhero flick, looking to be not only the launching pad for Ryan Reynolds as a box office superstar but also as a new comic book franchise for Warner Brothers, failed to connect with audiences here in the US and abroad. Part of the reason is that in the wake of Christopher Nolan's Batman flicks, people aren't into the silliness that comes with a character like Green Lantern. The piss poor marketing, combined with shoddy special effects, didn't help.
Well, nobody ever accused Terrence Malick of being small-minded. The Tree of Life is a sprawling, ambitious film, his long awaited passion project featuring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, and the luminous Jessica Chastain. So what's it about? I think one of it's great attributes is that viewers will determine that for themselves, but at it's core it's one man's attempt to find meaning in his life by examining the memories of his childhood growing up in the 1950s. There's some other stuff in there tying into the creation of the universe, although to me that part of the story is least effective.
Colin Farrell as a frumpy, balding, prejudiced ne'er do well? Check. Jennifer Aniston tarting it up as an oversexed dentist molesting her poor assistant? Double check. Horrible Bosses is darn silly, but it's so outlandish that you can't help but get into it. Charlie Day, Jason Bateman, and Jason Sudeikis star as three buddies who do what a lot of us wish we could do, which is put into motion a plan to kill off their domineering bosses. Jamie Foxx, continuing a run of weird supporting turns(the other was in Due Date), steals the show as an alleged hitman with a name too filthy for me to write here.
Other Notable Releases
Zookeeper, starring Kevin James and Rosario Dawson
Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer, starring Heather Graham and Jordana Beatty
The Trip, starring Steve Coogan and Robert Brydon
Call Me Mrs. Miracle, starring Jewel Staite and Lauren Holly
Beautiful Boy, starring Maria Bello and Michael Sheen
Arena, starring Kellan Lutz and Samuel L. Jackson
Terri, starring Jacob Wysocki and John C. Reilly
Lucky, starring Colin Hanks and Ari Graynor
